Calgary is a city sloshing in oil

This small, overwhelmingly suburban town boomed to life in the 1970s on the back of an oil bonanza in which cookie-cutter skyscrapers mushroomed downtown. It quickly became Alberta's premier gateway.

In terms of attracting visitors, it's benefited a lot from its proximity to the mountains, which lie only an hours' drive away. Yet it's defined more by the plains, revelling in the boots-and-Stetson image of the surrounding cattle country.

To see the place in full swing, visit the annual Stampede - a rodeo billed as the "largest outdoor show on earth" and the largest hoedown you'll ever likely attend.