Most people, I suppose, go to Calgary for the skiing in the area. I went because I was curious. It struck me as, very much, a mid-west city, but much much colder. They have, in common with most Canadian cities, ways of managing the cold though.

They have walkways 10 metres above street level linking offices, shops, hotels etc. There is also a park which is completely indoors and is heated to 'comfortable springtime temperatures'. I thought this park was the most amazing thing and couldn't believe I'd never heard of it before!

There is also the Calgary Tower with a very friendly man in the tourist information office who told me all about the Calgary Stampede which is a cowboy event which takes place in the summer and is very big in Alberta!

As for things to do in the city, I was very hard pressed to find even one pub open late (although it was a public holiday when I was there) and I wouldn't say the nightlife was exactly buzzing.

The restaurants were very cheap and seemed to serve portions that previously only existed in my dreams..

The people were, however, unfailingly friendly, and it was a curious, if not wildly exciting city.