Edmonton Vacation - Day 2

We charged into our first full day in Edmonton with both feet on the ground, literally. We left the hotel at 9:30am and walked nearly 20 minutes to Denny's for breakfast. Being an American chain, they had grits on the menu so of course I ordered it as a side to my omelette. But since we were in Canada, I was asked by the waitress if I knew what I was getting. Apparently, a lot of people confuse grits as some form of hash browns.

From Denny’s we walked south along 109 St in the general direction of Crowne Plaza while admiring the sights of downtown Edmonton. After 20 minutes or so of walking in the morning heat we reached a very distinct building that proved to be the Alberta Legislature. From a distance we saw a group of about 10 people walking up the stairs and the door closing behind them. It appeared as though the 11am was about to start. We hurried towards the door but it was already locked. Fortunately, after a knock or two, a security guard opened the door and let us in to join the tour.

Alberta legislature.

The Alberta Legislature is a building that was started in 1906 and will celebrate its 100 birthday since completion in 2012. The indoors featured a lot of marble and columns. The tour guide took us through three floors of the building including the gallery from which people can watch the Alberta government at work.

We walked back to the hotel right during the noon hour and the sun wasn’t letting up but the Crowne Plaza was only 10 minutes or so from the Legislature. After regrouping for a few minutes, we decided to head to Fort Edmonton Park. Using Google Maps’ very helpful feature of providing public transit options, I devised a plan for us to get to the park.

First point of business was to find a place to purchase tickets for the ETS (Edmonton Transit System). We found an LRT (light rail transit) station a couple of blocks from our hotel. I planned to take a bus (with a transfer) to the park but, while underground, we decided to ride the train. We bought all-day transit passes and took a train that took us about halfway, then took a bus and finally an ETS shuttle that took us right to the park entrance.

Fort Edmonton.

Fort Edmonton Park is a snapshot of Edmonton from its beginnings. We took a train to the other end of the park and walked back to the gift shop at the entrance. The attractions included a replica of the original fort, 1885 Street, 1905 Street and 1920 Street which were lined with buildings from their respective time periods. Most buildings were also occupied by park employees who each played a part from a given time period. These people would tell us about their jobs and the general feel of their era. The Fort Edmonton Park is also home to a very elaborate model train layout.

1885 Street.

It was overcast when we got the park, then rained for about minutes before the sun came back out in full force. During our tour, I even managed to play a game of pool with a resident of the 1885 Street. We finished touring Fort Edmonton Park at 5:30pm and took a bus and a train back to the hotel.

1920 Street.