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When driving by Red Deer on Highway #2 you would not expect that it is cultured or has major public works of art. In fact you may think all Red Deer has to offer is fast food restaurants, gas stations, and RV sales lots. This is because Red Deer's city planners, to avoid downtown congestion, created an area called Gasoline Alley. This strip effectively keeps Highway traffic out of its' downtown area. However, if you take the time to venture into downtown Red Deer there is a thriving cultural community and the city has invested in public works of art.

What I refer to are the statues affectionately referred to as The Ghosts of Red Deer. These incredibly well detailed, life size, sculptures are scattered throughout down town Red Deer. All these ghosts are of real people, with a couple of exceptions, which are real animals. There are plaques explaining the stories behind the statues.

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The first Ghost I saw was an older gentleman sitting on a bench downtown, he had a briefcase and was remarkably well done, I admired the sculpture, but until I saw another, I had not realized that this was a special feature in the city. I soon discovered many more. I have not included a photo of this chap, you will have to discover him for yourself.

There are two sculptures that I was especially drawn to, one because of its magnificent size, attention to detail in an action pose, and the other because of the story behind it.

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The Ghost of a horse drawn fire wagon is truly impressive. The expression on the horses as well as the two human figures is very strong. No question about it, this is an intense moment caught in time. It is the largest Ghost Sculpture, complete with two frightened horses, one driver in the fire wagon, and a man who is trying to control the horses. A rein has broke and they are loosing control of the team, who typically are used to charging full speed to the fire.

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Francis the Pig is my other favorite. This little guy made an escape on route to the slaughter yard, he evaded capture for quite some time. During this time Francis made himself a town celebrity and earned this statue from his days on the run.

All in all, seeing these lovely works of art, in an unexpected location gave me quite an thrill. Red Deer is about one hour north of Calgary, and one and a half hours south of Edmonton, should you find yourself passing through Red Deer, I suggest you turn off the highway, and go into the downtown area and look for these ghosts yourself. Bring a camera.

For years Club Med has offered all inclusive vacations that are tailor-made for women choosing to travel on their own. They will have the option of paying extra for their own room or will be paired with another single woman. Should they choose to share, they will have an instant companion. The rooms are quite spacious and have all the ammenities. As far as safety, Club Med has its own security guards and its not necessary to ever leave the club property, as everything you could possibly want is right there.

Several restaurants and bars can be found on most propeties and there are countless other diversions as well. Tennis, scuba diving and numerous other sports and activities are just a few of the options. Not to mention that you will most likely be on one of the finest beaches in the world.

Cruises have been growing in popularity in recent years and are another great option for the solo female traveller. Again there is the option of your own cabin should you be willing to pay the 'single supplement,' or the cruise line will pair you with another single female. The one down side of sharing on a cruise is that the cabins are quite small. If for some reason you don't get along with new roommate, it could make for a slightly uncomfortable situation.

It would seem a wiser option on a cruise to just get your own room. Cruise ships will sit you at a table of six or eight and it is never a problem to meet new friends among the hundreds of other passengers. Cruises also feature day excursions and they are all guided and are perfect for the woman travelling alone.

Better yet, some cruise ships have male hosts as part of the ships crew. They are there to keep you company during your holiday. They will be your dance and dinner partners if you choose and will be more than happy to go ashore with you as an escort should you want to do some shopping. Be sure to check if male hosts will be avialable on the cruise you are looking at as they are not found on every cruise ship.

A third option for the single woman is to look into their local singles clubs. Often they will organize several vacations a year. You have the benefit of already knowing the people you will be travelling with. This is perfect, because when you are in a strange city it means you can always find someone to go exploring with.

There are lots of choices out there, so if you are a woman and single, don't be afraid to get out there and and enjoy a well deserved vacation. Being single just means planning ahead a little. It does not have to mean spending all your vacation time alone and at home.