Day 20: Exploring Medicine Hat

When we first arrived in Alberta I wasn't sure what to expect. My
knowledge of the province was limited to what I could garner from news
networks and word of mouth. What we've discovered over the last six
days is a dynamic landscape, full of incredibly friendly and helpful
people. Every city we've visited has been a real surprise and
Medicine Hat is no exception.

If you're familiar with southern Ontario the city has a very similar
feel to the city of Peterborough. Its downtown is filled with small
cafes, unique local organizations and a welcoming feel. Also, for a
city in the prairies, the landscape is quite varied. The residential
streets are full of tall trees and homes with a turn of the century
feel. The city itself is nestled in a valley lining both sides of the
Saskatchewan River.

When we started this trip, Vanessa and I decided to pick up a small
found object from each province that holds some relevance to the
region. From British Columbia we picked up a purple shell off a beach
in Stanley park. Choosing something for Alberta has not been so
simple. Its a far more complex place than I expected and I wish we
had more time to explore it. This however is not the case. Tomorrow
we'll be moving onto Saskatchewan and the next stretch of our trip.

Alberta has been both wonderful and eye opening. Hopefully its just a
taste of the variance and complexity of the landscape in front of us.