Dear Disappointing Calgary – It’s Not Me, It’s You

Dear disappointing Calgary,

Let me begin by saying I really wanted to like you. I had heard from too many people that you, basically, sucked. I wanted to prove them wrong. But then you snowed. In September. I arrived on a warm Sunday afternoon, your sun making me sweat as I tried to unsuccessfully find my way to my hostel (I got the right train in the end, thanks).

You fell 24 degrees in 24 hours. How is that even meteorologically possible? You left this traveller with a carry-on suitcase of summer clothing sad and freezing her ass off. But as I had only one day to see the real you, I sucked it up and set off to explore you, Calgary.

My first pitstop was Chinook Centre, an enclosed shopping mall in your outskirts a few train stops away from my accommodation. I felt such relief when I entered her doors as I had been peltered with a mixture of rain and snow my umbrella couldn’t withstand as I made my way from the train station to the centre. Why are they not closer together? I went to work finding a sweater, which I snapped up at H&M. I couldn’t bring myself to leave the warmth for a little while, so wandered around before bundling up as much as possible (including smothering my neck in a scarf I had borrowed from a girl in my hostel room) and I went into your city centre, preparing to be dazzled.

But disappointing Calgary, you were a ghost town. There was no one downtown. Olympic Plaza was just a measly fountain in the middle of the concrete. City workers were covering your prettiness, the flower baskets, with plastic to protect them from the extremes. I took a photo of your tower but knew heading up there would be futile as the snow cover was too deep.

I wandered down the Stephen Avenue Walk, supposedly your epicentre, but found myself the only pedestrian in the vicinity (probably because everyone else was smart enough to not go walking around you in a shitty snowstorm). Then I looked it up online and supposedly 5 to 10,000 people walk through there every hour during peak times. LIES!

Just to make myself feel even better, your snow decided to fall even more heavily. I could feel my umbrella struggling against the wind and the minuscule snowballs hurtling towards it. My hands froze from the elements so I found my next reprieve in TD Square: the Core Shopping Centre and Devonian Gardens.

I had lunch in the warmth of the food court and wandered around the inside garden. There were a few people at the many two-seater tables throughout, working on their computers or reading a book. I liked the idea of the undercover oasis, especially since your residents had to suffer through a real Canadian winter.

I pushed myself to visit two more of your attractions: Eau Claire Market Mall and the Chinese Culture Centre, both which completely underwhelmed me. The market seemed full of cheap knockoff products. Plus, in the latter, I felt like I was intruding when I stepped inside. I expected more from you, Calgary and I wanted more from you. I wanted you to sweep me off my feet. But you didn’t.

I gave up on you soon after because my umbrella was still unable to cope with the snowfall, my hands were freezing and my nose would not stop running away. That’s when I retreated to my accommodation, Wicked Hostels.

I will admit that this place was your greatest achievement. Across the road from the Stampede and Victoria Park train platform, it had free laundry and breakfast. It was a small room for an 8 person dorm, but it meant we all became fast friends, which isn’t so bad.

Oh Calgary, maybe if we met another day at another time. When it wasn’t white outside and the sky was blue and the sun shining. But I don’t know if this will happen to us. I’m sorry we didn’t work out, but it wasn’t me — it was all you, my disappointing Calgary.

With regret Calgary,

Hayley

To read about more exciting Canadian adventures, check out my Canadian Rockies guide and why I love Vancouver.