Did you know that the town of Drumheller in the Canadian province of Alberta is known as the dinosaur capital of the world? Or that its surroundings are filled with fascinating rock formations that are called Hoodoos? When I went to Edmonton we also made a day trip to Drumheller, which is located in the heart of the Canadian Badlands and about a three-hour drive away (it is closer to Calgary if you're going there as well) – and it was brilliant. The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology was an incredibly fascinating place to visit and the landscape of the area unlike anything I've ever seen before.
After a hearty lunch, the first place we went to in Drumheller was the The Royal Tyrrell Museum. I'm pretty spoiled with museums in London but I still enjoy going to other ones in the world, especially when they provide the opportunity to learn about the immediate surrounding area and this one did this just that. There was so much to see and read that we must have spend a good three hours inside learning about the fascinating digs in the Drumheller area and the amazing dinosaur remains that have been discovered throughout the years. Particular highlights included the wealth of dinosaur skeletons on display, watching people uncover fossils and bones, and the detailed insight into the changing geological composition of the earth, especially in the Drumheller area.
The second stop in Drumheller, and arguably the most exciting one (and I did really love the museum too), was to see the famous Hoodoo formations. These spiralised rocks take millions of years to form and come to be when a thick layer of softer rock is covered by a thinner layer of harder rock, and over time shift because of erosion or glacier movement. The ones in the Badlands are up to seven meters tall and look very cool. Similar to what I expect some of the USA National Parks to look like, which I have never seen with my own eyes and so this was an awesome experience.
Our final stop was a quick one to see the historic suspension bridge in the nearby town of Rosedale, which was previously used daily by the miners. Walking over it, it's not as exciting as the Capilano Suspension Bridge I visited near Vancouver, but the bridge still made for a nice picture.
For more information about the town and the attractions you can visit, check out the Travel Drumheller website.
No comments:
Post a Comment