Introducing..... Kamloops

I thought that I should spend the next few posts introducing ya'll to my new life here in Beautiful British Columbia. And it is beautiful. I think that Kamloops is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. I love the rolling grass and sagebrush covered hills, bluffs and mountains, I even love the brown hue of the land. Now, to be honest, I must point out that Kamloops pretty much looks exactly like the set of Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman - which plays a big part in why I like it so much.

The city itself is located where the South and North Thompson Rivers meet, hence the name "Kahm-o-loops", the Shuswap Indian word for "meeting of the waters". The surrounding countryside is a combination of dry forests, grasslands and desert like hills. While forestry has now surpassed ranching as the primary industry, ranching is still an important component in the makeup of the area.








How is that not a beautiful scene?



One of the things I love most about Kamloops is that no matter where you are in the city there is a view. You can be in downtown and see hills, you can be on top of the mountain and see a beautiful view of ranch and grazing land, you can be on the highway driving out of town and have a view. It's amazing.



This is a picture of Riverside Park in downtown Kamloops. It is a beautiful park on the side of the river that has swimming, a water park, tennis courts, rollerblade/walking/bike trails, and free concerts every single night in the summer. I spend a lot of time there in the summer.

What I like about Kamloops
1. Despite the fact that it is built on hills and no roads are straight, it is very easy to get around.
2. It is a city - but feels more like a big town.
3. It has all the stores you need to survive. (Well... except Old Navy...)
4. The people are nice.
5. TONS of activities to do - hiking, snowboarding/skiing, snowshoeing, concerts, theatre, movies, museum, art gallery, bowling etc.
6. It is the tournament capital of Canada.
7. The country music capital of Canada is only 60min away.
8. Living expenses are relatively cheap - even if buying a house is not.
9. Good radio stations
10. Great Cell phone reception - whether you are on top of the mountain or in a valley.
11. A fun history
12. Good tourist attractions (will be introduced later)
13. Cowboys and Lumberjacks make up 90% of the population.