Screamfest is the Best!

Screamfest Entrance

The First and Best Haunted House

October is a great time for mystics. It is one of the few times we get to travel freely between the Nether World and the Earth Realm. Most of us try to get home to the Nether Realm to enjoy our huge party “Centennial Celebration”. Unfortunately, this year I was not able to be there.  Three of my dearest friends in the Earth Realm invited me to go with them to “Screamfest”. They told me that Halloween themed fun included games, rides and haunted houses. From what they said, I thought it might be a little dark but I was so homesick and feeling sorry for myself, I decided to give it a try.

Dragon Monster Truck Ride

The Magician

This is a very popular event and line ups are typically quite long. General admission is $25 but my friends recommended that I spring for the extra $20 to purchase a Speed Pass. So I did and received a bracelet and 16 tokens to use as I pleased. No waiting in line for me!

We entered the grandstand building and had a quick look around. We decided that we would explore the six haunted houses that were included in the price of admission first so headed outside where they were located. “What Lies Beneath” was the first house we toured and we were very impressed. At the end of the day, we decided that this was our favorite attraction.

 

As we explored the outdoor attractions, we found the “Monster Truck Rides”. Although it cost a whopping 12 tokens, we decided we had to give it a try. After a brief wait, the four of us climbed into the very front of the large vehicle. Immediately after buckling our seat belts, we began one of the most exciting rides of our life. The spins, skids, donuts and the speed are not something we encounter in our everyday lives. It was like riding a dragon except we did not actually fly. It only felt like it. I ran into an unexpected visitor from the Nether World.

Andromeda, Princess of Dragons

Shape-shiftng Gorilla Woman

Andromeda, the Princess of Dragons, is a minor celebrity in our world. She is named after Andromeda, daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia and the wife of Perseus. Andromeda was chained naked to a rock near the port city of Jaffa and Perseus rescued and then married her. She had a long life and many children. After her death, she was placed among the constellations in the northern sky near Perseus and Cassiopeia. Her namesake, the Princess of Dragons, is a bit of a loner but every now and again she does briefly visit the Earth Realm to walk anonymously and explore this world. We did get to speak to her and shake her hand but she had to leave rather quickly. She did not enjoy the crowds and all the noise. It was a thrill for me to meet her.

Mad House and Buried Alive

We went back into the grandstand building to experience the games, more rides and haunted houses. I tried the “Witches Brew Game” and the “Archery Game”. No prizes for me but I did have fun. We tried a couple of rides. “The Screamer” is an aptly named orbital apparatus that spins in every direction so fast that you feel you have entered another dimension. “Neighbors from Hell” was a 3D ride that required you to flee from hellish demons that are definitely out to kill you.  We toured the haunted houses “Mad House” and “Buried Alive”. We also saw zombies, a shape shifting gorilla woman, and a magician. We made it out alive.  Will you? 

 

The Screamer

In the 4 ½ hours we were there, we did not take in all the available attractions. This is not an inexpensive evening out. Admission plus 16 tokens cost $45. Visiting the outdoor haunted houses was included in admission and did not require tokens. The two indoor haunted houses cost 4 tokens each. Monster Truck Ride cost 12 tokens and other rides were 8 tokens each. Games were generally 4 tokens each. Food services were limited and costly so I did not indulge. I estimate my total cost to be $70.

Neighbors From Hell Ride

 

To enjoy the experience, it is necessary to leave your “grown up, responsible, judgemental, adult” self at home. Come prepared to laugh, scream, jump, and defend yourself and your friends with your purse if necessary and you will have a wonderful time. We all certainly escaped our real world and left with smiles on our faces. Will I go back next year? Absolutely.  It was Spooktackular!

Zombie Smiling

Happy Independence Day!!!

This is a small tribute to all my friends in the United States.  Happy Independence Day to all of you down there.  I hope you will enjoy your day as I have enjoyed our day here in Canada.  All the festivities, the music and the food made the day.  I'd like to know what you all do on your fabulous day.  I hear about it on TV and Wikipedia but I would like a first hand account from you (my readers).  What do you like to do on your nation's special day?

Happy Canada Day!!!

Well fellow Canadians, we made it through 148 years and we will make it for even longer.  This I know.  You know it's funny.  This country and I are the same age so I will never forget how old I am.  This is the luck of being a fairy.  Today, there are alot of things going on here in Calgary.   I will take you through what I did on this extraordinarily wonderful day. 

My first trip is to Olympic Plaza.  There, I am greeted with a free BBQ (all meat unfortunately for me), a huge stage with some country music singers singing Canadian songs and photo booths aplenty.  It is entertaining but I could not help but walk down Stephan Avenue.  There I found an outdoor market where, they had a little bit of everything including some sweet little fairy brooches.  Yes, I bought them.  I couldn't resist.  It's nice to have a small reminder of my wings.  I loved the street performers.  There was a woman who played rock and roll on a violin, some young break-dancing gentlemen who had some amazing moves and some jazz dancers who gave out alot of enthusiasm for what they did. 

After such a fun experience, I decided that I needed something to eat.  Knowing that there were going to be food trucks at Prince Island Park, I headed towards Eau Claire Market.  I walked inside the oh-so-nicely air conditioned market and saw a crowd gathered around a juggler.  He was impressive too and the kids loved him.  It's amazing the skills that these jugglers have, isn't it?  Anyway, I go back outside and do some more exploring. I search for the right food truck to satisfy my need for food.  I finally find it across the bridge.  I get this giant pineapple with a pineapple smoothie inside.  Confused?  Don't worry it's easily explained by the picture.  I also get a wood-fired vegetarian pizza which I take over to a stage and watch our Native Canadians preform a dance which symbolizes friendship.

With all this under my belt I decided to go get an ice cream and call it quits.  I wanted to get some energy in for the firework show (which I can watch from my building).  And it is stellar!  Unfortunately all the pictures I got of them were terrible so I can't share it with you my lovely audience.  I can assure you, however that they are spectacular and a show like that shouldn't be missed.

Oh yes, this is what I did but for all of you who want to check it out again next year, here is what I suggest.  Go to Fort Calgary, get a free breakfast and visit the petting zoo.  These animals are precious.  Also go to the East Village around 7:00 PM and see the performance show.  I hear it's excellent.  I wanted to go but I'm a fairy not an alien.  I can't be in two places at once.  So everyone.  I hope you enjoyed our nation's birthday.  I sure did.  How did the rest of you celebrate our or your nation's holiday?

The Lilac Festival

Photo Provided by Kenneth Fung, Photographer

The lilac festival was just this last Sunday.  Yes, in this town we celebrate lilacs as they are a sign of spring.  (Or that's what the humans will say).  It is very interesting that they celebrate this particular flower and it's a good thing.  We too celebrate lilacs because we all know that lilacs are good for balancing chakras and spiritualizing the intellect.   It is also a very good flower for meditations, connecting with your spirit guides and an excellent protection talisman.  So if you are doing yoga and are in need of a relaxing scent or if you want to keep evil spirits away this would be the flower to do it.  Now being of the fey persuasion I was very intrigued with the idea of a festival celebrating this kind of flower.  With our festivals back in the Nether Realm we usually celebrate all kinds of flowers (more detail later). 

Everything in this festivals wasn't fully decorated with lilacs the way that we would do it back in our realm but there were plenty of subtle hints.  It was enough that I'd think Lilah (the lilac fairy) would be very pleased with it.  If not her Persephone since it has to do with spring. 

This lovely festival is similar to our Fertility Festival in the Nether Realm.  There are many merchants out and about trying to sell their wares, interesting entertainment and food trucks (food carts for us) galore.  Like our fertility fest it all starts with a parade.  In this parade you will see some people with costumes on.  Not everyone wears costumes in the parades like we do in our world but there were still some unique outfits.  There were belly dancers, Egyptian and a purple fairy (No not Lilah).  The floats were not elaborate but they didn't have to be.  Everyone had a lot of enthusiasm.  I have to admire every one's effort in what they were doing. 

Yes the music was there too.  There was music of all kinds from classic and contemporary sounds of big bands to boisterous dance music blaring out of large speakers.  It was fun to listen to all these kinds of music.  My favorite was the live bands.  Yes live bands are always my favorite, whether it is "Wasted Nation" here in Calgary (Earth Realm) or the "Horned Faye" in Merkiva (Nether Realm).  It wasn't just the music.  There were many different entertainments.  I was lucky enough to catch the capoeira demonstration and that is really fascinating to see martial arts and dancing combined.

There were many food trucks out and about.  So you will never go hungry but I decided to go to one of Calgary's best pubs which is "Joyce on 4th."  And for good reason.  There are live bands there just for that day and it was quite lively.  But my favorite part is knowing that there is really good beer there to enjoy on a hot day.  I'll tell you that is the very definition of paradise.  My only regret is not stopping for an ice cream.  That truck made them look very tasty.  So if you ever want to check out a lovely festival that reminds you a little bit of home this is the place to be.  Lilah in particular should check it out and shower your blessings up on it. 

Photo provided by Kenneth Fung, Photographer

Picnic in the Plaza - Out of this World

Can anyone imagine a better way to spend a beautiful Sunday than being out and about?  Especially when that out and about happens to be in the East Village of Calgary where a lively event, Picnic in the Plaza, is taking place.  What happens there is that many food trucks are spread out by the River Plaza.  These trucks are looking to sell some food and make their presence known. They are similar to the food carts in our world that you see  most in the market town of Merkiva.  There is also a small stage with the "Bass Bus."  Live musicians and deejays played some hot beats and chill melodies.  Sounds like heaven right?  And it's just by the river, so it was paradise.
 

 I came to this event with an old Naga friend that I made in college.   We haven't seen each other for a year and she happened to be in my neck of the realms.  She asked me not to write her name for privacy reasons and I have to respect that.  Many of us know Nagas are half human, half snake creatures from the Hindi/Buddhist regions and are a part of the Siren Clan.  They are similar to mermaids, as they can change their tails into legs. The difference is that they can reside on land and not be affected when water touches their legs.  They still have to be careful because their transformation can happen when they are the most relaxed.  Now being water creatures, they are often the most relaxed when close to water.  We decided that we would go check this thing out and I am really glad that we did.  
 
Our adventure began when we paid our $5.00 at the door and went inside.  The first thing we saw was a small caravan that sold clothing and jewelry. Their clothing was of the more vintage, bohemian, casual type but the jewelry, I lost my heart to it.  It is made locally from recycled material and made to look as if it came from another time.  My friend could not leave without a blue stone necklace that reminded her of home. I don't blame her.  And you know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say these items came straight from the Nether Realm. 

After we had finished admiring the clothing caravan, my friend and I explored and sampled a little of this and a little of that.  I think my favorite was either the mango bruschetta or the triple chocolate cupcake.   Both were so delicious that I could not decide which was better.  I must warn everyone though.  Do not buy the "Love Potion".  My friend and I both agreed that all it would stir up is divorce.  One taste of this would ward off all kinds of human contact.  So naturally, we kept it for protection.  No offense to those who made it but you can't win them all.  



  

But we felt like we won.  The ebb of the river and the eclectic music made the whole event more joyous.  We decided to eat our unusual tacos out by the river since there is an opening at the fence right by it.  My friend, being a Naga and so drawn to water, was very pleased that we did this.  As we ate, we dipped our feet in the river. To me the water was ice cold and damn frigid.  Not so much fun for me but for my friend, she loved it.  To a Naga any water, especially if water is hard to come by, is sacred no matter how cold.  
 
We were listening to the music.  It had some good pulsing beats but it was mellow enough to just enjoy.  The sound of the music seemed to match the look and flow of the water.  I wonder if these musicians and deejays knew this. To be serenaded that way while we chilled out by the water was like we were back in the Nether Realm.  Because she was a little to relaxed, my friend's snake trail showed a bit causing a little concern.  But I covered it with my jacket until her legs came back and luckily no one noticed.  So all is well.

If there is another food truck event like Picnic in the Plaza, I recommend you check it out.  If you have a good friend, good food, good music, water and a warm spring day, you will have a splendid time.


  

Good Luck Charms - Pysanka (Egg)

Well folks, Easter has past and you know what that means?  Yes the fertility festival back in the Nether Realm is coming up!   We all remember the dancing in the streets, the beautiful spring flowers everywhere (especially when we use them as confetti), The street preformers entertaining us and the music.  Oh the music, I miss hearing all those flutes and drums.  I'm very upset that I have to miss it this year.  It's a shame!

To make up for it this year I celebrated Easter with some human friends of mine.  There's no dancing here but there is feasting, and visiting with others.  Yes there is drinking too and the wine is fantastic!  Easter, like our Fertility Festival, is about spring, renewal, new beginnings and is generally about being grateful for what you have.  Its the best of both worlds!

We also share a symbol with the humans and that is the Pysanka Eggs.  Brought to us by our friends from the Ukraine, these eggs are everwhere.  They are considered a symbol of birth, fertility, spring, good luck and frankly just good eating.  I recommend carrying a small pysanka-like object with you.  Take a look at what they look like.


Get one of these to keep out evil spirits, to avoid being struck by lightning, to make sure a fire doesn't start in your house and just keeping a general catastrophe away from you and anyone around you.  Now if you sense that there is a demon around, get a pysanka with swirls on it because those nasty pieces of shit will be trapped in there for all eternity.  The only problem with that is, you have to secure pysanka because you never now where an evil mage is lurking around to steal it.

If they get it, these nutzos will use every trick in the book to try and sicken you.  Remember the punks that wrecked our milk production for our Fertility Festival in 1882?  This is minor in comparison to the havoc brought by these evil mages.  The diseases they can give you, leave you in a very weak state of being.  Sure they only work during the spring but their value during that spring is BIG!!!  So best to keep that Pysanka close during spring and under lock n' key for the rest of the year.  Watch your lucky charm folks, it could save your life.