West Edmonton Mall

Hello everyone,

Well it has finally happened...I made it to North America's (if not the world's) largest mall, West Edmonton Mall! A friend from work invited me to go the water park (inside the mall) with a group of people, so I did! I also got to leave work an hour earlier to go, so it was just a great day overall! When I say this mall is massive, I am not kidding. As I already explained, it has a water park (about the size of Ocean Breeze in VA Beach) an amusement park, a theater with a dragon that breathes fire...I'll repeat...a dragon...that breathes fire...when I go back, I will bring my camera to take pictures of it...it was awesome! They also have a few casinos, NO REPEAT STORES, and several specific niche areas (such as bourbon street, a high end area with stores selling items starting at $300, and more)! I only got to walk through about 20% today, but I will get back before I leave to explore further! A DRAGON THAT BREATHES FIRE!

So the water park was amazing...maybe also because I haven't been to a water park in so long...but the wave pool was massive, and made great waves! I almost knocked a girl unconscious when a wave hit me, with my foot smacking her head while I was on my tube...but she was fine...just a little freaked out! They had several reputable slides, including one that was similar to those coin drops for donations...where the coin spins around and around until it falls down the hole...except imagine I was the coin! After several hours, and a game of tag in kiddie land (try it, it's fun), we went to eat in the massive food court. I got a classic Albertan burger, and poutine! Poutine is delicious, and when I get back, I will make everyone try it...we may even have poutine nights on the hall...we will see! Poutine, as you remember, is french fries with cheese and thick gravy. If you think it sounds like a heart attack on a plate, you are wrong, because it is in a bowl! They had white Alberta Cheddar, and this perfect gravy...it was amazing! After finishing up, we took the efficient public transit back to campus...as I did not feel like walking again!

Work is going great, as I have finished another project, and have added another to my work list. I am staying busy, and will hopefully get some more homework completed before the epic holiday week (Canada Day on July 1st and Independence Day on July 4th). I have told everyone we are grilling on the 4th, as it is a tradition they can embrace! We'll see how it goes! Still no plans for my vacation time...so I may just decide to let my non-analytical and non-planned self out to be spontaneous for 4 days...I may end up somewhere...Friends watchers, think of the episode with Gandalf...more to come on Friday!