From Beirut
I moved to Edmonton in 2013, coming from Beirut, Lebanon. A Mediterranean city with distinct 4 seasons: Chilly autumns, wet windy winters, lovely springs, and humid summers. Like any other ancient city (Beirut has been inhabited for more than 5,000 years) it has tiny roads and is over-populated.
Everything is a walking distance in Beirut. Although in other parts of the country there is snow 6-8 months a year, because it is a coastal city it’s rare to witness snow in Beirut. So equipped with an umbrella, you could walk anywhere within minutes.
To Edmonton
Moving to Edmonton, I had to adapt to a snow winter city. Not only that, but Edmonton is also city spread wide! Walking from point A to point B is not an easy task in -25C, even if it’s only for 15-20 minutes. I was amazed to learn how well connected some buildings are to each other. My first experience was at the U of A, where I was able to cross the street from my residence, Newton Place, just across the U of A hospital on 114 str, go into the Li Ka Shing bldg, then walk indoors for 15 min and reach the Edmonton Health Clinic Academy on 112 street. For a Mediterranean person, walking indoors when it’s freezing is a bliss!
Walking, yes! but…
Moving to working in #yeg downtown got me excited! Have been working on campus since graduation. One of the things that I completely like about the city core is how busy, diverse, and lively it is during lunch break! I was always guilty of skipping lunch break before moving to #DTyeg. Now I look forward to my lunch break so I can get out and go on the scenic #yegrivervalley paths. There is the funicular, the river, the stairs… everything packed in a few miles around DT.
But, given how wet our summers are, I had to skip my lunch walk to avoid getting wet. Even on dry days, if it’s humid, it’s certainly not advisable to walk outside in any office attire. I tired it once – so based on evidence, not even walking slowly helps!
I’ve got a “well-connected” friend…
Realizing I skipped my walk a few times, my friend Derrick asked me if I’d like to join him for a walk.”It’s +28C… no thanks” I said, to which Derrick responded: “so we will walk inside!“. This is how I got introduced to the well-connected system linking Central Station all the way to Rogers Place.
Tunnels but overground!
I was fascinated by the different pedways and how strategically they are positioned to show different parts of downtown! And today, I decided to share this path with everyone who works or lives in DT and prefer the heated/air-conditioned lunch break walks when the outdoors is too much to handle!
Prepping to share my walk step-by-step, I got my phone ready to document the path and take pictures, my water bottle full of water, my earphones ready with soft music, and started the walk. No equipment ready: just your happy mood and comfy shoes. My thread started at Central Station, where my first tweet went live.
I wanted to share my walk in an engaging way, inviting my followers to engage and buying-in into how enjoyable an indoor walk can be! I mean, these blogs also live forever! So bookmarking it and using it as a guide in the winter is not a bad idea 😉
I tried to highlight what else is there to check indoors: the different nice cafes, food court options, and stores:
The other interesting aspect is that every medway highlights a different city skyline. I even asked my followers if they are able to identify some of these:
If you guessed “City Hall” you are correct!
Wow! I am an expert! Umm… nope.
Now walking through the different pedways while trying to focus on making it to Rogers Place and taking pictures is no easy task! I did end up by mistake somewhere where I was not supposed to be! But the nice thing about wearing comfortable shoes is to run away when needed. Nah joking. I simply tracked back my steps, and went to the nearest pedway and looked outside to identify the direction of Rogers Place. It’s so easy and cool. What I also like about these different paths is that every time you walk, any slight change or turn can lead you to a different place.
Engaging is key
The most important part of telling a story is to invite your audience on this exciting journey with you. Asking questions, showing pictures, and exchanging knowledge, all are key to better engagement. My walk felt way better knowing that many were join gin me on this trip, and even more through this blog post.
Do you know of any other secret paths, whether outdoors or indoors? I love to explore these. Next time, I will take you on a nice walk by the Mutant, and with enough motivation, I will share a secret spot to enjoy the view from the Muttart (for free!)
Until our next adventure, stay well!
EXSM 3989 - Digital Storytelling Class Blog 