I was initially apprehensive to learn that I might be training in Edmonton in February (2006). Jeez, I'm from Florida! But I checked the weather every day or so for the month preceding the trip. It was rarely below -7 degrees (that's around 20 degrees farenheit) and usually above or around freezing. There was no snow. How can this be? I feel most Americans take Canada for granted, having formed some vague opinion of our neighbor during our school years, and then dismissing it along with much of the information to which we are exposed. And without any specific reason or compunction to consider it, I suppose I understand that. But Canada is more than, as I once heard Martin Mull say jokingly, "America Jr." They are vital, strident, aspiring people, as we are, in an environment surprisingly similar to that of the states to their immediate south. Amazingly, it seems, the temperatures, soil, and climate are temperate and fertile, too, for a short time. Their farmland thrives. When I flew into Edmonton International Airport, there was just about NO snow on the ground. Remember, this is February. So here's what I found: Edmonton, Alberta is a beautiful, modern city above the Saskachewan River. The course I tauight was held a couple miles north of downtown near the municipal airport, and during my morning drive the skyscrapers in the short distance were all shiny like platinum. It must have been a trick of the sun, but it was beautiful. A five-dollar bill. Prettier than ours. It wasn't THIS green: I visited Alberta's Legislature while I was there. In 2005 they celebrated one hundred years as a Province. They have good reason to be proud. Edmonton boasts North America's largest mall -- the aptly named West Edmonton Mall. It was nice -- opulent actually -- but I think I want them to quit holding that competition. There are few maple trees in western Canada. They're mostly in the east. I didn't know that. You may be surprised to know that I played disc golf there at Rundle Park, a massive, multi-use recreation area along the river's north side. I luckily met up with a couple locals that let me tag along, showed me the holes (a real time-saver for a "newbie") and offered me some local color. Nice. Some of the holes were removed, I recall, nearest to some nice homes bordering the park. That doesn't speak well for the players or the neighbors, or both. I suspect it might be the former, or other park-goers, because it seems like they have a delinquency problem. Near the shuttered "club house" is a noise-making device that brayed a shrill but localized sound, quite annoying to be around for any length of time. I guess that was the idea: Avoid loiterers and ne'er-do-wells. I had never seen that but I must admit it is ingenious. The last night I had dinner at the round-about restaurant with one of the students (who had no ride - he was too young to be able to rent) from Vancouver. He was a nice kid from the west coast (of Canada) who had lived in Edmonton when he was growing up, and he wanted to revisit the Edmonton Mall (my second time). A nice trip and a nice town, if I say so myself.