Medicine Hat High School Renovation: Part 2

A continuation of my photo series featuring the ongoing renovation / modernization of Medicine Hat High School in Medicine Hat, Alberta. 

Close Encounters at Devil's Tower, Wyoming

A geological wonder and the backdrop for Spielberg's 1977 science fiction classic, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Devil's Tower is an unmistakable landmark in eastern Wyoming. Flat on top and vertically lined, Devil's Tower is also referred to as "Bear Lodge", and Native American artwork depicts a giant bear clawing the sides of it to create its distinct facade.

On our 2007 road trip to Mount Rushmore, my friend Andrea and I visited Devil's Tower to hike the trails surrounding it. Rising over 1,200 feet from the Belle Fourche River below, the formation is quite imposing and really cool to see up close. Believed to be an igneous intrusion or perhaps a volcanic plug, the main consensus is that it's clearly a meeting point for aliens. Or at least that was the impression we got from a nearby gift shop. 

Devil's Tower in Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

A few of the souvenirs I picked up.

Hatley Castle & Gardens in Greater Victoria

A grand estate on Vancouver Island, Hatley Park is comprised of formal Edwardian gardens, trails through mature forest, and an expansive Tudor Revival mansion that was once the home of industrialist and politician, James Dunsmuir. Constructed in 1908, the 40 room mansion is located in Colwood, in Greater Victoria, British Columbia, and was occupied by descendants of the Dunsmuir family until 1939 when it was sold to the Government of Canada.

At the outbreak of WWII, Hatley Castle was proposed as the King's royal residence as a contingency plan for the British monarchy to reside in Canada. The royal family decided instead to stay in London during the war. Following this, Hatley Park became the site of the Royal Roads Military College, a naval training facility, until 1995.

Today, Hatley Park is part of the public Royal Roads University and a National Historic Site of Canada. It's also a popular filming location and has appeared in several high profile projects, from Lex Luther's mansion in Smallville to Professor Xavier's School in the X-Men films.