The approach to the Legislature Building is impressive, with several shallow pools offering a place to cool off for hundreds of young kids! Under much adult supervision, of course.
The side view is dominated by the dome.
The rear of the Capitol is introduced by an eternal flame burning in honor of Alberta's Centennial in 1966.
After navigating security, we were ushered into the rotunda, where we were met by a young lady who explained that a tour had just left the area, and that the next tour would not start for an hour. Not wanting to pay for more parking, we decided to do a self-tour of the ground floor.
Looking up to the capitol dome is almost dizzying!
From the floor under the dome, a marble staircase leads to the legislative rooms.
At the top of the stairs, a carved set of wooden doors dating to 1915 opens into the legislative hall.
We started to converse with the security guard, who took pity on us and volunteered to give us a personal tour of the chamber. With a close-cropped haircut and an earpiece in one ear, the tailored-suit clad gentleman hopped up the marble steps three at a time and threw open the doors. The first thing we noticed was that the largest area, with the most comfortable seating, belonged to the Conservative Party.
On the opposite side of the room, a smaller number of seats belonged to the opposition parties. A number of small parties recently consolidated into one organization. They have not as of yet chosen a name for their party.
A statue of Chief Crowfoot of the Blackfoot Confederacy (1830-1890) stands in a place of honor in the Rotunda. Realizing that the old ways of his people were doomed, Chief Crowfoot represented their interests in negotiant that eventually led to the signing of Treaty Number Seven in 1877. It is said that when his turn came to sign, he said " I will be the first to sign and I will be the last to break the treaty". Nobility of character, a gift of oratory, and wisdom in council gave Chief Crowfoot the title "Father of his people".
Leaving the Legislative complex, we headed for a local restaurant for lunch. The People's Perogy specializes in polish perogies, which are different (in some unknown way) from the typical Ukranian delicacy. We chose a couple of combo plates so we could sample different flavors.
Donna chose two flavors of perogy, the "loaded potato" and Ricotta Dill, with a side of a bowl of Borscht, made with beets, carrots, potatoes, and cabbage. The soup was a bit salty, but delicious!
I ordered a half dozen pirogies, also choosing the Ricotta Dill, but asking for a Jalapeño Cheddar filling for the other three. I ordered a cabbage roll with dill sauce as a side order.
Perogies are made with a simple dough stuffed with a mashed potato filling, along with pretty much anything else the cook can think of! Sauerkraut is widely used as a filling as well. After filling and closing, the dumpling is typically boiled, but some prefer them pan-fried. The cabbage roll was exactly that: cabbage leaf rolled around a sausage and rice mixture, with a choice of sauces on top. I chose the Dill sauce and it was delicious as well.
All in all, the lunch was great! Topped with sautéed onions and bacon bits, the rather plain potato based filling took on a delicate and unusual flavor. This is a perfect example of how European peoples took something that grew well in unfavorable environments and made good, simple, and filling dishes. The restaurant was established by an emigrant polish family who make all the perogies in house. There you go....hard work and a bit of luck, and your dream can come true!
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