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by Mike Keenan

Whenever I feel blue, I always resort to consumerism and purchase myself some trifle to help my dark mood pass. The item need not be expensive or elaborate: A two-scoop ice cream cone or a new shirt and tie will suffice. The point is that it’s a treat, and I deserve it.

In Edmonton, Alberta, this process turns magical, given that the locals and visitors have access to the incredible West Edmonton Mall (WEM). While there, I met two elderly Yukon ladies who stay at the Fantasyland Hotel every year for 10 or more days and merrily “shop ’til they drop.” The hotel itself constitutes a legitimate attraction with 355 rooms (and boasting Canada’s highest occupancy rate of 95 percent), 120 of which are themed rooms: Roman, Polynesian, African, Victorian Coach, Hollywood, Truck, Arabian, and Igloo.

Mall patrons can skate circles at the indoor ice palace, leisurely swim in the huge water park (complete with giant slides, undulating waves, and Acapulco-like temperatures), ride a thrilling roller coaster in the world’s largest indoor amusement park, and wander through 800 independent and chain stores. The opportunity is also there to celebrate any number of occasions, such as a birthday or even a wedding. (Fantasyland Hotel marketing manager Messeret Tessera is often asked to witness weddings conducted by the mall’s ministry in the second-floor chapel.)

The 400,000-square-foot amusement park offers 25 rides, including the world’s largest indoor triple-loop roller coaster. It raced and spun by me so quickly that I could barely capture a picture of it while it rolled, twisted, and plunged through space.

There’s a casino, a bingo hall, a spa, and 110 eateries―ranging from a simple food court to fine dining―plus a dinner theater. WEM even has a comedy club, an aquarium, and functional submarines.
For Albertans, there’s no better winter vacation destination, and Canadian kids love WEM so much that it’s a popular vacation request for the Make a Wish Foundation. On the busy weekend that I visited, Canadian Idol was hosting auditions for 1,000 hopefuls vying for a spot on the popular television show.

Steven Spielberg’s 2004 movie The Terminal, starring Tom Hanks, told the story of a man who lived for more than a year inside an airport terminal. At WEM, a person could live for a decade. It occupies 32 city blocks and is open 24 hours a day. One routine job involves changing light bulbs―all year round. In fact, telephones stationed throughout the mall are designed to help shoppers find their way back to their starting point.

As Alberta’s prime tourist attraction, the West Edmonton Mall is perhaps the greatest show on earth, and the swarms of people who flock to it annually are proof of that.

“When I walk through the mall, 10 to 15 people jump at me, hug me, thank me for what I did―and some even kiss me,” boasts Nader Ghermezian, one of four brothers who immigrated to Canada from Iran in the 1960s to build this magical phenomenon.
And because everything is located indoors, Edmonton’s frigid winter weather is not a factor. But if you’re considering a special Christmas vacation, be sure to book your hotel room months in advance. For the past 15 years, the hotel has sold out every weekend. The Igloo Room alone requires two months’ notice.

Mike Keenan is a columnist, travel writer, and poet who lives in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. He can be contacted at
www.whattravelwriterssay.com.