Calgary Stampede

The bad luck did not end even when I arrived in Calgary. I stepped out of the airport at 10:01 PM, only to watch the fairy bus pull away at 10:00 PM. The next scheduled departure was not until 11:00 PM. I tried to order an Uber, but my ICBC card would not register with the app because my phone still could not receive the verification code. I ended up having to hail a regular taxi just to get to my accommodation.

The next day was all about the famous Calgary Stampede. I met a guide named Kerby, who was super friendly and helpful. He showed me around the Stampede Park and introduced me to all the different activities happening at the festival. The Stampede is Calgary's massive annual rodeo, exhibition, and festival, and the energy there is incredible. That night, I attended the Evening Show, which features the famous chuckwagon races followed by a massive, high-energy stage show with music and fireworks under the night sky.

On my third day, I headed back to the grounds to watch the Stampede Rodeo final. It is the main event of the festival, where the world's best cowboys compete in events like bull riding and saddle bronc for massive cash prizes.

I spent my last day taking a walk through downtown Calgary, ending with dinner at Caesar's Steak House. I had a fantastic steak there. I found the Caesar cocktail a bit weird, but the Caesar salad was easily the best of my life—they assemble it right there at your table.

Throughout the Stampede, I was still desperately trying to solve my money transfer problems caused by those verification codes sent to my Chinese mobile number. What a bummer. It affected my mood a lot. I even invited a guy I had met on the first-day Stampede tour to join me at Caesar's for lunch, and he accepted, but then he never showed up. I kept waiting and waiting for him, which almost made me miss my transit bus to Banff.