Out West

It’s a beautiful morning in Calgary. From the living room window of my in-laws’ condo, I’m looking out at a beautiful vista of lush greenery, a rippling, winding river and in the background, the magnificent mountains that give the city its majestic frame.

I’ve been coming to Calgary for seven years now, since I got married.  That’s not a very long time, but in that short span the city has grown immensely.  Every time we drive in to the downtown core where my husband’s parents reside, there are always new bistros, condo developments and stores everywhere. There is a distinct feeling of growth, prosperity and energy in the air.

My kids are enjoying the indulgent attention of their loving grandparents, and it’s fun to watch them adapt to the changed environment.  I’ve notice that since my daughter passed the age of two and a half, she’s becoming more manageable in terms of restaurants, outings and sleep.  I remember when traveling with the kids meant lugging around oodles of stuff – diaper paraphernalia, multiple changes of clothes, bottles etc.  Now, our suitcases seems to be getting lighter and the adjustment phase to a new place is becoming shorter.

We took Westjet from Toronto to Calgary. It’s my third time with this airline, and it’s definitely my new favourite.  The staff are very friendly and casual, especially compared to the dour children-haters at Air Canada.  The four hours went by fairly quickly because of the TV’s – which are available in all seats – in fact, I don’t even think there is a first class or business class on the plane.  The availability of the Treehouse channel kept my kids occupied and allowed for us to nap and read magazines in surprisingly civilised fashion.