Day 21 Winnipeg
Today we moved on to Manitoba and will spend the next few days exploring Winnipeg. There is a seamless transition from Ontario to Manitoba with little to delineate between one province and the other. Within a very short time though, the flat, vastness of the prairies begin to emerge as we pass the centre of Canada.
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The last time we travelled west our first gas stop was an interesting one, this time is no different! We pulled into a highway Esso and David took his spot at the pump. As I waited, I watched two women about my age, standing outside a truck. They were in full view of everyone and one of the women clearly had a new bikini. The other woman was kindly helping her fit it properly. Rearranging body parts to get everything just right, in full view of anyone at our end of the gas station. By the time they finished the man who was with them had wandered 50-100 feet away to talk to a man in another truck. The woman turned her back to him and pulled down her shorts to “moon” him in her bikini. He ignored her. So, as if to up the anti, she and her friend both did it a second time. Odd enough, especially from someone who was clearly old enough to know better! But her husband, goaded for the second time, turned his back to them and returned the gesture. Except, he wasn’t wearing a bathing suit, or anything else for that matter! The women shrieked and his wife screeched across at him. He shouted back that “she did it first”. She replied she was wearing a bathing suit. He loudly proclaimed that he was not! At this point there was a chorus from several people in the area, “Oh we know!” Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore! Gracious, what a welcome!
We were back on the road in short order and rolling by
canola fields that seemed to go on forever, and double-stacked railway cars
that also seemed to be endless. We arrived, once again in record breaking heat.
This time however all went according to plan, and we were enjoying hot showers
in no time, getting ready to head into downtown Winnipeg for Canada Day
celebrations.
We found a spot to park downtown about a km away from The
Forks. Hoping not to get to badly lost we wandered in downtown Winnipeg heading
in the right general direction. We certainly had the sense we weren’t in the
best part of town, but everyone was very friendly as we passed, wishing us a
Happy Canada Day. We found our destination, but the timing wasn’t in our favour.
Everything seemed to be closing for the day by the time we arrived. We had a
chance to walk along the Red River where it meets the Assiniboine and learn a
little more about the human interactions that began here over 6000 years ago starting
to form the Canadian West. Today it is very clear that the people who gather
here continue to be extremely diverse. People coming from all over the world to
meet on the banks of the river with indigenous people whose ancestors first inhabited
this land. A cool way to spend Canada Day.
Our exploring was cut short by very basic needs. We were
very hungry and thirsty, and everything was closing for the day. The Market was
still offering food but everyone who had spent the afternoon celebrating on the
riverbanks was already there! We decided to head back toward the car, away from
the river and find a place along the way. Boujee seemed to fit the bill. Not
exactly bourgeoisie, but the food and service were good, so we were good!
As we were about to leave a distant rumble threatened rain.
Jonathan assured us we could get back to the car before the heavens opened. He
was wrong!
By the time we arrived back at the campground the storm was
whipped into quite a lather, so we sat in the car to watch the magnificence of
a thunderstorm on the prairies!
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