Friendly Manitoba

Made it to (and passed) the centre of Canada

Meet Me at the Forks

My first day in Manitoba was spent in Winnipeg. It was perfect weather for someone like myself who loves the outdoors, but doesn't get along with the sun, and the heat that comes with it. I went to two tourist hotspots, the first being The Forks--where the Assiniboine River meets the Red River. I ventured the market for some food, and then walked along the park/trails. It was a fairly nice walk, and there was a lot to offer. I noticed they were doing boat tours, although I did not take any.

Winnipeg Sign (Yes, I took a classic tourist photo with it)

Bridge crossing the Red River to the French side of town

 Assiniboine Park

Although I did not make it here early enough to see the zoo, I explored the park anyway. It was absolutely gorgeous, and there was a lot to do and see! If you bring your kids, there is a play area for them, which includes a child-sized door! Not having any kids with me, I did not check it out, but I am sure it is lots of fun. There is a pretty duck pond, with benches, if you just want to sit and relax. There is also a very gorgeous English Garden, which is right next to the sculpture garden which was pretty cool too. I honestly felt like an old lady wandering through the garden, but it was so peaceful, and breathtaking. I must admit, I can really appreciate a nice garden!

English Garden

 As it turns out, missing out on the Zoo hours was not the worst thing in the world. By the time I got there I was able to enjoy a show. It turns out, park of the parks Summer Entertainment Series included live music performances! The day I happened to be there it was Folklorama in the park! Other than a few children, I was probably the youngest in the crowd, but lucky for me, I knew all the songs (thanks mom and dad)! I am such a sucker for live music. I gotta tell you, this park has it all!

Fountain in the middle of the English Garden

More flowers in the English Garden

Folklorama on the Lyric Stage

Sinus Headaches and an Attempt at Riding Mountain National Park

Alright, so I made it into the park, and went to the over-packed tourist area to grab a map. I'm sure it was lovely, but I knew I did not want to spend my too hot, humid day around a bunch of people, so I hightailed it out of there without exploring, and decided to adventure to other parts of the park. I chose an area with a trail I wanted to go to and set off. Unfortunately, this trail required a 20 km drive (one way) down a bumpy, windy dirt road. With my sinus headache getting worse with the weather, triggering the nausea that comes with it, I decided it was not going to be worth it. So back I went, to find my campground in the lovely village of Wawanesa. I set up my tent, and crushed a nap, as that's about all I can do when those type of headaches come along. It wasn't the perfect day, but such is life. You can only pick up, and move on.

And where am I moving on to? Yep, you guessed it, Saskatchewan! Bring on the land of the living skies!