The Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth...

That's how the Calgary Stampede bills itself, and despite proclaiming earlier that we had made our one and only visit for this year earlier this week - we found ourselves there once again yesterday. Well, it is the 100th anniversary, after all...

This time we took my visiting sister, who had never been before. And, we took all our bad habits with us - try and try as I might, do you think we might be able to find a celery and carrot booth at this grand exhibition? Sadly, no. We were forced to eat food offerings like deep-fried Oreos, and deep-fried Kool-Aid. It was a real challenge, let me tell you - I have very strict dietary standards.

There were rumours of deep-fried Wagon Wheels, but we were entirely unsuccessful in finding any of those...

Overall, the weather cooperated for us, but we did get caught in a serious pour-down during a lavish pow-wow ceremony in the Indian Village. That was during the downpour of rain that soaked us to the bones, but from where we were standing close to the stage, it was pouring down the roof, over our cowboy hats, and down our backs...

At one point of exploring the extensive midway attractions, we came across Recycled Percussion, an act that failed to win America's Got Talent, yet has toured the world, has a current running show in Las Vegas, and rocks the bejeesus out of an outdoor amphitheatre.  They were astounding! Loud, polished and entertaining as all get-up-and-go.

Which we did, after their short set ended - off to find food, and the next stage show - which happened to be canceled. Or not scheduled, whichever is more appropriate considering the last show had already run a few hours before we got there. That was a drag.

Which we did instead, dragging around the exhibits in the massive BMO Building. A collection of authentic Western offerings such as indoor surfing and space-age mops, this was like an explosion in an As-Seen-On-TV recording studio, with hawkers pitching everything from parachute wallets to...well, I think every conceivable trinket known to mankind (and a few more) was available from the vendors. All with those funny microphones attached to their noggins.

Wow!

I'm going to be late for work - that was long-winded! Off and running (that could be the deep-fried Kool-Aid working...).

Chow for now!