It's stampede here in Calgary and it really has sent the city nuts.
There are cowboy hats everywhere, even the police have uniform issued cowboy hats. I tried one on yest, and am sure I will give in by the end of stampede. There's a really lovely atmosphere of fun around the city.
The stampede starts with a parade through the downtown area and being the nuts person that I am persuaded a Friend with 4 kids that we should go. The parade starts at 8.55 sharp! but the pre parade parade to get us all warmed up with our yee haw's starts at 7.30! So we had a sleep over here, and then were on the train to downtown with 5 kids in tow by 7. And we got perfect kerb side seats. It's first come first to get a good spot and I'm pretty sure we got the last kerb bit (across a car park entrance but when the roads are closed it's not a problem). The parade was great, full of marching bands, cowboys, cowgirls, Indians, police motorbike displays and the like. There are over 200 horses in it which is a pretty amazing sight. The inevitable does happen but they have sweepers (big trucks not men with brooms) every 10 floats or so and they clear very effectively. Even the sweepers are dressed up like horses and cows! And yes that really is a man riding a bull down the high street!
The other great stampede tradition is the pancake breakfasts round the city which are free. We went to one yest (I have been challenged to see how many I can get in my first stampede). very yummy 2 pancakes a sausage patty and lots of syrup and butter and oj. Lots of freebies too so I have 2 more mugs for my collection!
Heidi and I are planning to go down to stampede ground on Wed as it's kids day and I can get in for free with her between 6 and 9 am! and of course there will be a free breakfast!
Tom and I have gone nuts too and spent some time watching the rodeo on TV last night. Bull riding, stear wrestling and barrel racing (that's the girl sport). Don;t really understand the rules but there must be some. Big business too some of the cowboys took home 700000 dollars last year!
We might buy Heidi a horse!!!!
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