Hi,
I know it has been almost a week but the internet service has not been the best.  We had real intermittent all weekend at Ol McDonald's Campsite.  We stopped there so we could go on the Alberta Prairie Railroad.  This is an old steam train that leaves Stettler and goes to Big Valley.  Just about an hour an a half train ride into a small Canadian town that has about 400 citizens.  This was once a railroad town that flourished until they moved the district.  Now it is just a nice small town that works with the Alberta Prairie Tours.  We had such a good time even though there was a train robbery, fortunately for us there was a Pinkerton man on board that saved the day and took care of all the robbers.  We then continued into town and were met by the entire village.  They were there to get the news from the big cities.  We then walked around town and shopped and then went to the town hall where a nice roast beef buffet was waiting for us.  Back on the train by 6 for the trip back to Stettler.  This time we had no robbery but we did have entertainment in the form of a western singer.  We all sang along and the trip home took no time.
We went back to the campsite and the next day was laundry day.  Boy did that place clear out after the weekend.  By Sunday night you could count the campers on two hands.  We then had a lovely thunderstorm with hail and thunder and lots and lots of wind.  This has been some spring for weather!!!
Monday morning we pulled out of Ol McDonalds and headed towards Edmonton.  We were on back roads and saw a lot of the country.  There are some enormous farms and ranches up this way.  We are now in the town of Stony Plain about 15 miles outside of Edmonton.  This is one beautiful campsite in a nice suburb.  We took a walk down Main Street on Monday afternoon and looked in all the shops.  They have painted some beautiful murals of the original town on the sides of the buildings along with the history of each.  Makes for a fun walk.  Tuesday we were going to go to Fort Edmonton but the weather wasn't looking so good so we decided to go to the West Edmonton Mall.  I thing we walked at least 10 miles in that Mall.  It is huge with a hotel, amusement park, miniature golf course and an ice rink inside.  We just decided that we would walk it all and look and that is what we did.  We started around 2 and didn't stop until around 5:45.  We watched the skaters practice and who knows maybe we saw a future Olympic medalist.  This is a lovely mall and for some reason I liked it much better than the Mall of America.  It's on the same order but this is the one I would choose to go to.  We found a nice place for dinner and then came home.  We were both tired by the time we got home.  Today dawned sunny and bright (5 a.m.) and we got ourselves moving sort of quickly and went to Fort Edmonton.  What a fun time.  It is set up in 4 different time periods to tell to story of Edmonton.  The fort is not a military fort but was established for the fur trading business.  After you tour that you move on to the late 1800's and see the beginning of the town of Edmonton with businesses and farms.  The fur trade had slowed way down.  Then you head into the pre World War I era and see how the town is growing.  They have a great movie with sound and movement and snow and all kinds of noise that gives you the history from the native people through the end of WW I.  This was a fun day and we rode another train.  I am really seeing a pattern here with us and trains!!!  We are now resting from our day and will be going out to get Pizza for dinner tonight.  No cooking after a hard day of sightseeing!
Tomorrow we head to a campsite outside of Banff and will be there two nights.  We are going to see Banff and then head west.  We will probably be without much internet but I will try to blogg when I can.  We should be back in USA by the 9th at the latest.  Will keep you all informed.  Until then Aloha!