If you find yourself in Alberta again, particularly in spring, I would recommend you go southeast, into the shortgrass prairie. It's more in tact there than anywhere, and the faunal assemblages are good, particularly when it comes to bird life. The badlands around Dinosaur Provincial Park are interesting, as are the facilities (which are brand new, and rival some of the things at the Tyrrell). Then there are the Cypress Hills, and the remarkable Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park, and when you swing west, the lovely little jewel that is Waterton National Park. Well worth seeing, the lot of it.
We've had Spain on our list for a while now -- flying into Madrid, driving to Barcelona, and then taking a route down the coast all the way to Granada and Sevilla, and then back up to the capital.
Alas, the Valencia coast is not what it once was. Once mostly orange groves -- now, waves of ugly condos. Still beautiful, of course, and not noticeably different if one didn't see it before. And I would say: be certain not to miss Toledo. Of course of all (and I freely admit my bias here) Granada is the most special, but all of Andalucia is wonderful.
When it comes to Portugal, the Algarve is indeed lovely. Since it's also "on your way" you might wish to consider adding Morocco to your itinerary. It is so very close, after all, and while it is remarkable in its' own right, it also serves as an interesting illumination on the nearby "European" nations.
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If you find yourself in Alberta again, particularly in spring, I would recommend you go southeast, into the shortgrass prairie. It's more in tact there than anywhere, and the faunal assemblages are good, particularly when it comes to bird life. The badlands around Dinosaur Provincial Park are interesting, as are the facilities (which are brand new, and rival some of the things at the Tyrrell). Then there are the Cypress Hills, and the remarkable Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park, and when you swing west, the lovely little jewel that is Waterton National Park. Well worth seeing, the lot of it.
We've had Spain on our list for a while now -- flying into Madrid, driving to Barcelona, and then taking a route down the coast all the way to Granada and Sevilla, and then back up to the capital.
Alas, the Valencia coast is not what it once was. Once mostly orange groves -- now, waves of ugly condos. Still beautiful, of course, and not noticeably different if one didn't see it before. And I would say: be certain not to miss Toledo. Of course of all (and I freely admit my bias here) Granada is the most special, but all of Andalucia is wonderful.
When it comes to Portugal, the Algarve is indeed lovely. Since it's also "on your way" you might wish to consider adding Morocco to your itinerary. It is so very close, after all, and while it is remarkable in its' own right, it also serves as an interesting illumination on the nearby "European" nations.