Feb 27

Oh gosh, Lots has happened since my last update, so I’ll breeze through the last little bit of Winnipeg. Festival du Voyageur was fantastic.  Voyageur park, the main grounds for the festival was really cool: There was a snow sculpture contest with entires from around the world, and the entires were erected around the park.  There were many, so I’m just going to upload my favorites.

you were greeted by a giant dog-team when you entered the grounds. 

The creepy horse heads

Recognize this Daddy-o?

This was actually the entrance to the icebar. But I thought it looked cool - the wolf all howling with the sun behind it. I'm so artistic.

The live music and food was wonderful, mostly it was lots of fiddling, french music, and local bands.  I ended up buying one cd; Que du bonheur pur.  It’s quite fun actually, really uplifting music, plus the one guy was tap-dancing, playing the accordion and singing all at the same time. He totally deserved some business haha. 

Yes, it was as good as it looks.

I had a poutine too of course. I thought I was going to die of a heart attack, and there was no way I could finish one to myself, but who cares. It was delicious and filled with squeaky cheese!  Nommed it on the bleachers at the back of this bigass event tent and people watched. Mukluks are all the rage in Winnipeg. So are matching ski outfits, and those waist scarves (ceinture fleche), which are customary for the festival. - I also learned they were were a safety precaution to avoid hernias when portaging. Who knew!

sugarshack. Has everything maple syrup.

After the poutine I walked outside to discover there was a mascot contest going.  There was this one guy dressed as a giant pickle, wearing a pickle cape. weird.  Felt sorry for the mascots actually, It was pretty effin cold that day.  The air was like a deep freeze: I think I had my top and bottom long johns on, a long sleeve over that and I was still cold.  So I headed over to the Ice bar, and sat by the fire drinking some strange blue concoction out of an ice-block cup. it was good..but I don’t think I took a picture of it actually. damn. 

Pickle man

I did pretty good on not spending money though, I only bought a few things: that CD, a lumberjack shirt, and a “keep it Reil” t-shirt. with Louis Riel’s face on it. (the best)  I would have picked up the skin off a beavers head for like 5 bucks, but I passed.

On the last day in Winnipeg I hit up the fiddling contest.  It was good, but I ended up leaving and coming back because the contest was my age, and I just couldn’t sit and listen to a bunch of little kids scratching away at their fiddles. They looked pretty cute, but my ears could only take so much.   The open category at the end was really good though.  Some wicked players, and the crowd really got into it at the end too. Who won? No idea.  The contest went 2 hours over the allotted time, and I was going to miss the last bus, so I had to head out.  but you all know me - I would have forgotten their name anyways, haha.

Back at the hostel I was sad to discover the bar closed early on Sunday. There was nothing open near the hostel (save Timmies, and I had that for lunch) so I rummaged though the ‘free bin’ in the kitchen and made brown rice, salsa and apples for supper. (no not together, gross) so it all worked out.  Ended up chatting it up with this german fellow who had just made his way to Winnipeg from Vancouver.  He was visiting Canada because he wanted to work and travel somewhere new and Canada was cold. There you go. Winnipeg was an interesting choice for wanting to work I thought, but why not!

HI, the hostel where I stayed.

Had to take a pic of The Bay of course.

So yeah, headed to the Station for 11:30pm and jumped on the train.  overall, I’d say I really enjoyed Winnipeg.  sorry I didn’t go into great details, but I did meet some neat people, and I didn’t get frost bite. (although I was convinced once one late night after missing my bus and having to walk back across the bridge, but I was ok)  

Well, that’s it for now!