Capital Ex

We had a really busy day yesterday! Early in the morning, we hurried to get downtown in time to find a great spot to catch Edmonton's Capital Ex Parade. The Capital Ex is Edmonton's yearly fair, and the parade kicks off the whole thing. While Jason and Gracie saved our spot, I went off to find the nearest Tim Hortons. In case you didn't know, Tim Hortons is kind of like America's Krispy Kreme, except that it's also known for its coffee and lunches. You know how we always joke that there's a Starbucks on every corner? Well, the same could be said about Tim Hortons up here. The closest one that I went to yesterday morning had about 30 people in line. Yes, I was crazy enough to stand and wait my turn! The parade was ok- it was much better than last year, but there were so many long gaps between some of the floats that people started leaving because they thought it was over. On the whole, Gracie enjoyed seeing all of the horses and seeing the marching bands. By the end, she was really tired and ready for her nap.
Later in the evening, we went with my mom to Capital Ex. Gracie went on a few rides by herself, and Jason joined her on the ones where she was still too small. Before leaving, we were able to go into the Global Connections exhibit hall to view some of the cultural displays, including a Russian dance. We were also able to catch a part of the Peking Acrobats show. Yikes, it creeped me out to see what those people were able to do with their bodies! Seeing these two shows made Jason and I bummed out that this year, we're missing out on our favorite festival! Edmonton has what's called the Heritage Festival every August. Over 60 cultures participate- they each have their own pavilion with food samples, cultural shows, crafts/clothes/artwork and displays about their country. I always leave with a great appreciation for the diversity that exists here. It's a great way to learn more about other people's heritages. Anyway, we're off to Taste of Edmonton later tonight, so I'll share more about that festival when I get a chance.