Holy Crapamolie!

That's a lot of samolies!

28 big clams for a condo?

Now my place is worth less than half of this, so I'll just have to get used to making due without the screening room, servant's quarters and the extra eight bedrooms.

And this is the behemoth I've been watching go up over the last year. [See "I Don't Believe It" and "Good, Only 40 More To Go" for a refresher]

Except now I can see it looming over mia casa.

Literally. From my balcony!

And, once it is at its full 55 stories (it's at ~35 right now), it will cut off what little afternoon sun I have.

I've hated this one for awhile - but now I really do.

Really, 'cause It Used To Be A Piece Of Crap

No Respect. I Don't Get No Respect

What are you talking about UC?

A picture looking down some dingy alley?

Zoom in, eh?

Oh....

Canada's Boxing Hall of Fame Museum.....

Wow, and I thought being shunted to the Outdoor Life Network was bad enough. Boxing ain't what it used to be.

MMA rules, huh?

Don't Go There......

This is the eerie sight that greeted us on the drive out to the Kananaskis Mountains a few weeks ago.

And this, just before the anticipated Judgement Day. The Rapture....

Dark and foreboding....

I Warned You...
You could almost feel the spirits floating above these ancient native lands here.

Turn Around Now!
We were travelling through the Stoney Nakoda Nation's lands on the trip south.

No, No No...
Gulp.....

Never Mind....Gee, what a difference a day makes.

Those Stoney Nakoda aren't so bad afterall.

Just As The Elders Had Planned

In fact, the Stoney Nakoda Nation are down right sociable!

As their hotel and casino resort can attest as it greets you warmly as you enter their land.

And if I'm not mistaken...that is the traditional Stoney Nakoda headdress that the...uhhh...elder is wearing.

Very nice.

Kinda Cool

Very effective signage.

And speaking of getting higher, very apt name for the church, too.

Although the name is really missing one letter.

Otherwise, most of my friends would be members there.

Poor Michael Rabin

You Know It's True

Oh, keep your panties on (as my Grandmother used to say) it's only a joke. Sort of....

This is from the hoarding around, what else, a new condo going up near by.

I'm not really sure to whom this ad is directed.

What He's Likely ThinkingI added "Grrrr" because that what women are really thinking.

Or maybe, "Ahooga, baby!" Like the sound of a sub surfacing.

Or maybe not.

Maybe I need to get out more....

Closer To The Truth

More Truth - Year Two

Ain't No Tree Huggers Out West

As seen in the Kananaskis Mountains gift shop.

Oh my....

Oh oh!

Only in Canada, eh?

Tomorrow's the Rapture. He won't be saving these guys.....

Cowboy Afraid In The Jungle?

Nah, just getting up close and personal with one of my new buddies that I met on vacation.

Is He Getting A Little Too Close?Nah, just chillin' with my bro.....

Okay, Close Enough!Ha ha, good fun. These are, of course, staged photos, for your enjoyment.

No Urban Cowboy would actually cower from some little bird like this.

Here, he's trying to charm one of the local ladies (the object of his affection just hidden by the shrubbery on the lower right).

Until I came along.

"You Again!""Hey! I'm working here...."

So we kind of agreed to stay out of each other's hair after that.

But these little fellas have pretty big cajones.

One guy told me that after their first boozy night here, his buddies were rapping on his balcony window about 1am.

Then at ten to seven the next morning, more rapping. He told them to get lost, but the rapping continued. He finally slid open the door, and there stood my buddy, in full feathers.

I guess the person the previous week used to feed him. So now he was looking at the new guy, as if to say "Do you know what time it is? Let's get with the eats!"

So sometimes size really doesn't matter. It's all in the attitude.

Cowboy In The Mountains

Made it to the mountains of Kananaskis last week. And did some rock climbing.

Although it took a while to get there, the beautiful views at the top made the climb worth it.

Hey? Where did this picture come from?

That's....obviously a phony.

Well, later on we did a real hike along Lower Kananaskis Lake.

Really.

We even had a guide pointing out various....stuff.

Judging her audience's Outdoor Q, she kept it to; "That's a lake."

But we all made it back safely.

In time for more PowerPoint presentations and chocolate doughnuts!

Jimmy Buffett (I Hope) Would Be Proud

Turquoise blue ocean reflected in porthole window of beach bar.

Ahhh.....

My only result of an arty shot of the week.

But not my only attempt....


Usually when the cameras come out, so do the bar tenders.

I had to politely explain to Nicholas that I was going for an art shot.

He graciously said, "Okay, okay....."

However, this time I got me in it.

Is it a good sign if all the bartenders way at you?

Either they are very friendly, or I have a problem.

What a friendly people they are, these Mexicans.

Okay, I attempted a few more.

If I was ambitious, I could have played with Photoshop. But I am not.

I call this "Sun Setting Into Mango Margarita".

[Note to self: Alberto knows how to make very good mango margaritas.]

This was one of the local Mayan dancer/warriors who entertained at sunset.

Okay, it was Eddie, (another) one of the bartenders pouring drinks at sunset.

But, regardless, a nice way to end any day.........

Gettin' Educated

Went on my first Heritage Toronto walk.

Through the leafy enclaves of North Rosedale. Where all the early elites lived (and still do, from the looks of things).


Our excellent and interesting guide, Ed Freeman, not only related architectural details, but also provided an historical and, unexpectedly, geological perspective on the area.

(He's a geologist, we later found out.)

Turns out, where we were standing used to to be the floor of Lake Iroquois, 13,000 years ago, back in the glacier days.

The shoreline was just south of Casa Loma (hence the great view), along Davenport and all the way out to the Scarborough Bluffs.

Oh, and there were a bunch of old houses on the tour.

Actually, the list of previous owners in the area reads like a Who's Who of early Toronto society.

If you actually knew any of early Toronto's society folk. I took Ed's word for it.

For example, Gordie Lightfoot used to live here.

And....somebody else famous lived here.

You get the idea.

At this point, the tour organizer's made a critical logistical error and routed us too close to The Rebel House ale pub.

So although it is also an historical site, no more pictures, or learnin', today.

Cowboy In The Jungle

As loyal readers, you will both be pleased to know that the UC was able to clear his busy retirement calendar last week and escape!

South to Cozumel.

Like living in a tropical zoo.

Five foot tall pink flamingos greeted you...well, just about everywhere.

As well as their not quite so cuddly neighbours, the Iguanas.

Who have an unnerving habit of sneaking up on you and staring, with an expression that says "I don't care how big you are, I'm going to eat you."

Cowboy In The Pool
Okay, so it wasn't all roughing it.

Guy has to take a break once in a while from hacking his way through the jungle.

Mia Casa. Top floor, left.

There were also lots of peacocks strutting around as well.

Like they owned the place.

"Are you lookin' at me?"

No sir.....

Cowboy In The Jungle - II
Okay, on the beach.

But it was hot as a jungle, let me tell you.

At least I got away from those zombie iguanas (have you ever seen them walk?) and macho peacocks (they move fast for all them feathers) for a while. Hence the still somewhat anxious smile.

So all in all, not too shabby a place to cool my heels for a week.