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Canada & USA 2026
  • Ron's Odyssey
  • Ron's Odyssey

Canada & USA 2026

Graduations and Family Vacation Read more
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  • Ron's OdysseyCanada & USA 2026Traveler

    Louise Mckinney Riverfront Park

    June 3 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Since the visit to the botanical garden was short I decided to look for a near by attraction and found the Edmonton Riverboat cruise and walked down to the ticket office 15mins away. Unfortunately on getting there I was told the boats were undergoing maintenance. So I decided to look for a near by park to while away the time and Google once again directed me to the Louise McKinney Riverfront Park.

    To reach the park you have to cross a beautiful pedestrian / train bridge. The lower deck is used by pedestrians while the upper deck has the rails for trains. Along the bridge are seats for relaxing and enjoying the view of the river. The park has lookout points I visited two. The first didn't have a great view as it was blocked by vegetation and high trees. The walk to the second lookout bridge took me through a lovely Chinese garden. The lookout point allowed an unrestricted 360 degree view of the river and surrounding area and crosses the road to a finicular ( a specialized cable railway that transports passengers up and down steep slopes). I road it up to the street level to locate my bus stop    Read more

  • Ron's OdysseyCanada & USA 2026Traveler

    Day 31: Fort Edmonton Park

    June 4 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Fort Edmonton Park is made up of five sections, four of which represent an era, all spread over 158 acres (64 ha). The park is located along the south bank of the North Saskatchewan River in southwestern Edmonton. The first section contains the Indigenous Peoples Experience, followed by a replica of the fort in 1846, 1885 Street, 1905 Street, and 1920 Street. Visitors may board a fully functional steam train at the park's entrance which transports them across the length of the park to the fort, from which they proceed on foot and abstractly move forward through time by visiting all five areas.

    I found the fort very interesting and spent the whole day there leaving g a few minutes after the park was closed.    Read more

  • Ron's OdysseyCanada & USA 2026Traveler

    Day 32: Legislative Assembly of Alberta

    Jun 5–9 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    I booked the legislative assembly tour yesterday evening and was fortunate to get a space. I got to the visitor centre of the building at 12:35, it was a 14min walk from the apartment. I was told admission will start in 10mins so I used the time to take some great shots of the building. There were lots of girls in gowns taking pictures at the building.

    At 12:45 we were allowed into the building. First going through an airport style scanner, emptying our pockets and removing our jackets.

    We were giving a visitor lanyard. The tour started from the top floor. We were ushered into the chambers where debates on bills are held.

    Took lots of pics. The tour lasted about 50mins    Read more

  • Ron's OdysseyCanada & USA 2026Traveler

    Queen Elizabeth II Building - Discover Alberta

    June 5 in Canada ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    I exited the Legislative building in the rain and headed to the adjacent building which had the Legislative Assembly visitor centre. There was a Discovery exhibition focused on the story and history of democracy in Canada and Alberta. There was also an interactive 4D show on Alberta with a projections around the wall and on a circular curtain which dropped in the middle of the small theater.Read more

  • Ron's OdysseyCanada & USA 2026Traveler

    Art Gallery of Alberta

    June 6 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    The art gallery was a big dissapointement. Compared to all the others I have visited it felt like a big scam. There was no serious painting in display. Majority of the artwork looked liked practice drawings and sketches by amateurs. The 2nd floor gallery was unavailable as they have conducted an auction there the day before and were yet to reorganize the galleryRead more

  • Ron's OdysseyCanada & USA 2026Traveler

    ICE District

    June 6 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    From the Art gallery I strolled over to the ICE district which is the entertainment centre of downtown Edmonton. It had a square for entertainers and around it were restaurants and bars and the official Oilers team store. I thought I could get an Edmonton fridge magnet here but alas nothing.Read more

  • Ron's OdysseyCanada & USA 2026Traveler

    West Edmonton Mall

    June 6 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    So I headed off to West Edmonton Mall. This time around it wasn't raining so I was able to get a good look at the building and spent considerable time inside the mall and saw entertainment centres I had missed during my first visit days earlier. I also got a fridge magnet to buy here.Read more

  • Ron's OdysseyCanada & USA 2026Traveler

    Day 34: Leaving Edmonton, Alberta

    June 7 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    I slept for about 3hrs before my alarm went off. My 8am flight to Toronto had been moved forward by 10mins. A quick dash into the bathroom followed by a wash of the dishes, before I gave up and dumped them in the dishwasher. My luggage was overweight so I had to transfer some of the bulky and heavy stuff to a Walmart bagRead more

  • Ron's OdysseyCanada & USA 2026Traveler

    Connecting in Toronto

    June 7 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    I had a 2hr 30min layover in Toronto and had a meal at Osmow again. Just like the previous time I didn't like their meal which was some greenish rice with strange tasting sauce. My boarding gate was changed from 62 to 38 while waiting.Read more

  • Ron's OdysseyCanada & USA 2026Traveler

    Finally in Ottawa

    June 7 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Flight to Ottawa left 15mins late. Got to Ottawa a little after 6pm local time. My suitcase came out after a while and airport called a Lyft to take me to my Airbnb at Gatineau. They kept canceling and I spent almost 1hr before a Lyft finally turned up. The ride to the apartment was less than 30mins.

    Check in was smooth and as described in the host instruction.

    I was very hungry and strolled out to the nearest Burger King for a burger dinner.    Read more

  • Ron's OdysseyCanada & USA 2026Traveler

    Day 36: Bus card

    June 9 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Took bus 67 free again to the bus station to buy the STO Multi card. I explained to the driver that I was heading to the station to buy a card so he allowed me ride free.

    I bought the STO Multicard and loaded CAD 35 onto it.Read more

  • Ron's OdysseyCanada & USA 2026Traveler

    CF Rideau Centre

    June 9 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    With my bus card I took the train from the station where I bought the card to Rodeu Centre.

    Purpose of my visit was to buy baby clothes for my Grand Nephew I planned to visit on Friday. I got a few nice dresses at H&M but first I stopped over at JD Sport where Uddy was working.Read more

  • Ron's OdysseyCanada & USA 2026Traveler

    Day 38: Imaobong's Graduation

    June 11 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Today was Imaobong's graduation. I met them up in their apartment. Imaobong had already left for school. I got an Uber to take us all to the school arriving after 2pm.

    At 3pm prompt the ceremony started with a video on the ground rules of the event followed by a procession of faculty members, VC and Chancellor and then the graduating students.

    Today was the 4th day of a week long graduation event and the second session of the day. Each session is dedicated to a department and this was for the Computer Schience department.

    Names of graduands were called out along with their achievement. Imaobong had a High Distinction. The event lasted for 1hr 30mins and was followed by picture taking around the stands the school had setup for this purpose.    Read more

  • Ron's OdysseyCanada & USA 2026Traveler

    Graduation Dinner

    June 11 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    We ended the day's celebration at the Gyubee Japanese Grill. Wr had an appointment for 6:45pm but the Ubers we called kept canceling or going to the wrong spot until eventually the 4th Uber. We arrived at the restaurant 7:20pm and had to wait 10mins for a table to open up.

    The meal was lovely. It was an eat & grill all you can for a fixed fee. Imaobong ordered all sorts of meat and sea food which we all grilled while a rice bowl with sunny side up eat and vegetables already cooled was provided. We spent almost 2hrs at the restaurant.    Read more

  • Ron's OdysseyCanada & USA 2026Traveler

    Day 39: Day trip to Toronto

    June 12 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Didn't hear the alarm ring at 6am, luckily I still woke up at 6:47am and was able to leave the Airbnb by 7:45am with an Uber. Picked up Enobong by 8:05am and got to the bus stop by 8:30am.

    The bus arrived 10mins later, loaded and we departed by8:50am. The bus was big, leg room was just ok but not enough to stretch. Views were great as bus passed through some small towns enroute to drop off and pick up passengers.

    We also stopped over at Kingston for a 15min break. We used the opportunity to get some Burger at A&W.    Read more

  • Ron's OdysseyCanada & USA 2026Traveler

    Brief Totonto Visit

    June 12 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    We finally arrived in Toronto at 3pm and took a 15min Uner to my niece. I had the opportunity to see my Grand Nephew.

    My niece and the husband hosted us and we had puff puff with coke and later Jollof rice with chicken.

    By 5:30pm we took an Uber back to Union Station to catch the 6:38pm train back to Ottawa    Read more

  • Ron's OdysseyCanada & USA 2026Traveler

    Tiring trip back to Ottawa

    June 12 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    The train left 15mins late. Compared to the bus it was spacious with a table and enough room to stretch the legs but the sights enroute were less spectacular although we got to view the lake as the track just after Toronto passes beside a lake.

    The trip was tiring, lots of stops along the way for passengers to alight. We finally rolled into Ottawa station at about 12 mid night.

    Got an Uber with 2 stops to drop us off    Read more

  • Ron's OdysseyCanada & USA 2026Traveler

    Day 40: Lundry

    June 13 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    After yesterday's long trip to and from Toronto, I decided to stay in the apartment and relax.

    I took a quick dash to Tigre Geant found and bought some gift items and changed $10 loonies to use on the washing machine and dryer.

    Got back to the apartment and ran two washing cycles. The first attempt at using the dryer failed, the dryer took my $2 but refused to come on nor did it return my money. Having only $2 left I decided to wait for the second washing cycle to complete before trying the second dryer which worked.    Read more