I've been to Edmonton, Calgary and am now on my way back to Winnipeg through Lethbridge. Although most historical sites are now closed for the season, I was able to find a few that survive through the fall and even the winter!

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is a site that I have heard about for a long time, but never have had a chance to visit. Like most people, I was mistaken about the meaning of this site's name. The history goes that a young boy wanted to be close to the action, so close in fact that he stood at the bottom of the cliff to feel the waterfall effect of bison jumping to their death. No doubt he felt the amazing power of that event, however,  he became trapped and killed by the beasts that had peaked his curiosity. When his body was finally found, his head has been crushed, and hence the name of the site; an honouring and warning to the future generations.

I couldn't have picked a better day to visit. The sky was a brilliant blue and the mixture of the clouds and the creamy golden yellow of the prairie was breath-taking. The prairies in my mind are just as beautiful as any other landscape, but the beauty is in the details.

The interpretive centre of this site is quite unique; built into the side of the escarpment gives one the feeling that they are part of the stratigraphy of history. I really enjoyed the perspective of the story-telling and the attention to the artifacts and primary documents that reveal the details of this important place in First Nations history.

As I continued on to Lethbridge, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Fort Whoop-Up was open! Another Fort! I love the comparisons I can make after seeing about 15 of them from Alberta to Nfld. The main purpose of this fort was to stop the illegal trading of alcohol by the Americans and create a stronger Canadian presence.

It is a well maintained museum and the self-guided tour through the different rooms was fascinating, except I got stuck. Clearly I would have died as a prairie pioneer because I failed to figure out the historical technology of locking and unlocking the doors. The rope and pulley system threw me off and at one point I thought I might be a goner. Luckily another friendly tourist showed me the "ropes" so to speak and I survived. 

The past really is "another country". I'm not sure my dream of time travelling would work out so well for me!