The longer I stay, the more I like this city. As I told you in my first e-mail in the city centre the valley of the Saskatchewan is practically one large recreation area, a green oasis right in the middle of the city. Yesterday afternoon I went for a long walk with Lucka (and David but he returned after a while in order to get some work done). Here is a map on which I've marked our approximate route and also you can see the green around. Also you can see how the green devides the built up area.It was just amazing! I saw two hawks quite closely, but not as close to take a good picture. This in itself is already a reason to return.. And in Mill Creek there were something like cicadas; they looked like grasshoppers when sitting, but when jumping or flying they unfold beautiful butterfly like wings, similar to that of the Mourning Cloak (Trauermantel). I should have tried to take a picture of one of those as well.. Anyway, I thought to myself: I definitely have to go for a walk, or cycle, into Mill Creek again and - as you can see on the map it extends quite a distance to the south.

And yet, despite such moments of pure nature you have the constant reminder that the city is all around you, especially at the Saskatchewan river you walk inside the green, along the skyline of the city. I just love this combination of the nature and technology contrast! Also that day the sky was just amazing. The clouds looked so close. Unbelievable! Well, what I'm talking, you can judge by yourself anyway. Too kitschy to be real, isn't it. (I wanna point out that apart from what my camera may have done automatically I did not digitally edit them!)

Our destination which defined our route was Gallagher Park where the Edmonton Folk Music Festival was taking place and we just wanted to have a look (or a listen) from the outside. (Allegedly it was sold out but I'm not into Folk Music anyway. If it was rock, that would have been a different story...) The pyramids by the way are the Muttart Conservatory, a botanical garden just at Gallagher park.

Apart from nature, moving, beautiful surrounding I enjoyed Lucka's company so much. It's such a pity that she doesn't stay longer. For me she's the perfect person to explore the city with. I had this feeling already the day we went to the cemetery: Firstly, I had the feeling that she had a genuine interest in history and culture, which is very important for me. From time to time I need to visit museums and historical sites. Of course it's nicer if you don't have to go alone but also I don't want to worry about the possibility that people might accompany me just as an act of politeness. Furthermore, that day, on our way back we stopped several times or made little detours just because one or the other spotted a possibly interesting building (that's how I came to see St. Joachim's). This is what I like: If you roughly have a rough route but still walk around with open eyes, and your eyes determine the exact route. And Lucka also likes to go for walks (in fact she goes for more and for longer walks than I would) which enables you to discover all those little things. Finally just as me she also likes to take photos, not just photos, but photos with a little more - and she has a very good eye for it. (Actually it was quite funny, when walking around Muttart conservatory, I had just found an excellent spot to take a picture when she laughed that this was exactly the same spot she chose at her previous visit.) And this hobby of course again causes many stops and detours. But the thing is, if both like it than it's just the way it is, without a feeling that you're causing delays you're constantly off the defined track. Exploring Edmonton true to the phrase "The journey is the reward"...