I Love Regina

As we stepped off the escalator at the Regina International Airport, we were greeted by a woman who handed us little buttons that said 'I love Regina'. It made me so giddy that I giggled. I must have repeated that line ten times in the ten minutes that followed. 

Regina is not generally considered a tourist destination, but I am excited to be here - not just because of the pin, but because of my deep desire to discover my country.

The city looks like it has enjoyed better days - it has a bit of a Winnipeg feel to it. I don't mean that critically, it's just strange to see a city that is not in rapid expansion mode.

Our waiter at dinner revealed that he just moved to Regina from Calgary three months ago after deciding that it was too expensive to live in Calgary. He loves Regina too! He bought a house here for $35,000. That's two years worth of rent at the rate he was faced with in Calgary. His mortgage payment here is $127/month. Including utilities etc, he pays less than $300/month. Hey, maybe Erik and I could sell our place and come here and buy a whole block.

It was strange to get quick, competent, friendly service. We went for coffee after and were struck again by the different atmosphere. Of course, that might be related to the fact that we are usually in bed by this time. Who knows, maybe Calgary coffee shops are fun on Friday nights too. Whatever, I'm excited to be here! Plus, the name of the city still makes me laugh every time I hear it.