August 30th

G - Reporting

Off from Regina at 7:30 for the 260km drive to Saskatoon, easy and fast drive so we arrived at the 1st stop of the day by 10:30ish

That stop was the Western Development Museum a dull name for a very good Museum covering the history of the province plus an entire street from 1910 recreated inside, and masses of exhibits from trains to tractors a great place, if by some chance you do find yourself in Saskatoon go it’s worth it.

In the afternoon we had a quick look around downtown which while not stunning was busy and a good place to waste a few hours before checking into the Hotel Senator for the night a turn of the century place right in downtown with more than its fair share of character making a change from the cookie cutter chain hotels.

Huge Tractors from the land time forgot

Massive fins!

The Cadillac of tractors!

and the hotel we would like to have stayed at ;-)

August 29th

B - reporting

We were awake very early, slightly confused with the time zone change, but pleased to make a good start. After breakfasting on porridge and nutella* (breakfast of champions) we had a quick stop by Echo Lake where we were astonished to find a flock of pelicans. Who knew they lived in the prairies?

Then we headed off for Regina, only about 70km away. The prairies were lovely in the morning light with the clean blue sky above and the greens and yellows of the various crops. But wow, they're flat. And the roads so ruler-straight that we became giddy with excitement whenever we had to turn a corner.

The towers and skyscrapers of Regina soon rose up before us, and we parked at the lovely Wascana Park, right by the Legislature. After finding a coffee shop we had a long walk round the tree-lined lake which was very agreeable.

We headed downtown to find lunch, and discovered another city park, this one with lots of different food stalls and a farmer's market, really busy and clearly frequented by office workers as well as random tourists. It was excellent, right in the middle of downtown.

After lunch (BBQ chicken wrap, yum) we wondered round the leafy Cathedral District, full of funky old houses and coffee shops, before finding our hotel.

We had clearly walked about 50 miles round the park and city, so we had a quick refreshing beverage (yes, beer) and did some internetting before going out to a 20 year old brew pub, Bushwakker, for a fab evening of beer, food and even some folking folk music.

* I don't care what they say, it is nutritious!

Pelicans on Echo Lake

Regina's Lake, Park and Legislature.

Downtown from the hotel.

August 28th

G -Reporting

So as we failed to see bison the day before we got up at some ungodly hour and drove the 40km to the Bison enclosure in the hope of catching them in the cool morning before they disappeared into the trees again, and yes it worked we were treated to the entire 40 plus herd of bison from tiny Calves right up to huge Bulls and everything in-between it was fantastic seeing these almost once extinct wild animals in the natural habitat we left feeling most uplifted :-)

The rest of the day can be summed up with a few words, them being "flat", "hot" and "driving" before arriving at Echo Valley Provincial park in Saskatchewan for the night but have to say it was a perfect evening temperature wise in the mid  20s for sitting around the camp and enjoying a cold beverage ;-)

August 27th

B - reporting

We were up quite early and after some rather disappointing coffee* we drove into the pretty little town of Clear Lake, where we immediately found a coffee shop. We rushed out with our drinks, avoiding the temptation of cookies, muffins and other delicious baked snacks, and went to the Visitor Centre where we got some info on local hikes from a friendly bearded man. But first...bison!

The Park has a protected herd of about 40 bison in a large enclosure of prairie grass, or fescue. We headed out there eagerly anticipating our first sight of the mighty beasts. We looked, and stared, and drove round the enclosure and all we found was bison poo.**  The grass was quite lovely, though, at this time of year a field of small purple and yellow flowers mingling among the tall green grasses.

So we eventually drove off through the dirt roads to do some hiking. We were driven back by mozzies from our first attempt, but soon found a beautiful spot by a lake where we heard loons calling (no, not G) and tiny fish swam round our feet.

We then went back to town to fill up with petrol and coffee, had another stroll round the gorgeous clear lake then headed back to our campsite for beer o'clock and BBQ sausages.

* I blame the powdered milk
** it is exactly like cow poo

Bison poo or is it?

Clear Lake beach complete with Holiday makers!

August 26th

G - Reporting

Leaving Winnipeg day, one it seems most Canadians like to celebrate poor Winnipeg! But can’t say I blame them it’s got some interesting Museums and a great art gallery but the centre is dead as the people have all seemed to have fled to the Suburbs!

Anyway talking of great museums a visit to the Manitoba Museum and Planetarium was in order before leaving and it was a goody great history of the province covering the land the animals and the people, and 2 Planetarium shows as well can’t be bad, it was then cross county to Riding Mountain National Park a gem of a place full of small mountains (well hills this is Manitoba!) and clear lakes and pine trees.

Arrived late afternoon and set up camp before wandering into the small resort town of Wasagaming on Clear lake which was a total surprise it feels like a town in the Sierra Nevadas not Manitoba a really pleasant surprise so after good wander around the town we watched the sunset over the lake with all the other tourists there before retiring back to the campsite for the night.

Clear Lake Manitoba Sunset

August 25th

B - reporting

After a very comfy sleep (it is such luxury to not have to walk through bear- or squirrel-infested woods to go to the loo in the night) we had a tasty breakfast in our hotel then set out to see more of Winnipeg.

We walked to the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) via the SkyWalk, a network of walkways connecting most of downtown. It felt quite autumnal, though the sky was a brilliant blue. Winnipeg is windy and quite chilly even now, in late August. I am not sure if I would enjoy a winter here.*

The WAG was excellent, and we were surprised to discover that Winnipeg has the oldest civic art gallery in Canada. One of the galleries seemed to be thematically quite random, with 16th century paintings hung next to modern portraits, but this juxtaposition really made us think about the pictures in a different way.

In the afternoon we drove over to Assiniboine Park where the 20th anniversary of Ukraine Independence was being celebrated with music, dance and perogies. We also explored the lovely park.

A quiet evening in the hotel followed, catching up on email and blogging, and planning our trip through the prairies.

* Actually, I am sure. I am sure I would not enjoy it.

Very cool Civic art.

Ukrainian Festival.

August 24th

G - reporting

Up packed and on the road by 7am, probably the most enthusiastic start to a day that would end in Winnipeg ever!

Saying that arriving in the city it seemed on 1st impressions pretty nice, parked up on the east bank of the Red River and walked into the city for breakfast followed by a walk round downtown which I admit wasn't all that but then we headed to a park/shopping area on the river called the Forks (its on the fork of two rivers) and that was great, old warehouse converted into markets all surrounded by parkland and rivers on two sides, plus its a national historic site pretty cool.

Also pretty cool was our hotel which for what we paid for it was punching way above its weight :-)

In the evening we went to a pub in the exchange district an up and coming area north of downtown where the beer and food was also better than the price implied, a good evening was had by all :-)

One of the most famous/Infamous Intersections in Canada,

Made me laugh

The almost complete museum of human rights

Manitoba Legislature

August 23rd

B - reporting

We were up very early, though not before the first mozzies. Everything packed, we headed into town for breakfast and some wi fi, and also to get Swiss's tires realigned. We were very impressed with ourselves when all these things were done by 9:05am!

So we drove off to Manitoba but before crossing the border we made a quick stop in pretty little Kenora for a much-needed visit to a laundrette*. Luckily we found an industrial-sized machine and stuffed pretty much all our clothes into it. We walked round the town while the clothes were spinning. Kenora is very much a holiday town, but in the morning sunshine was very pretty with lots of funky and outdoorsy shops.

All clean, and stocked up with beer and other food, we headed on West. It became rather cloudy and just as we crossed into Manitoba a thunderstorm rumbled and cracked overhead.** We were soon at Falcon Lake, our camp for the night in a pretty provincial park. Another storm hit, but we had G's patented tarp/tent covering so remained dry and happy. The storm blew over very quickly and we had a quick walk to the beach before turning in for the night.

* laundromat, if you will
** as if God was regretting the strong vindaloo He'd consumed the night before.

August 22nd

G - Reporting

Packed up and left the strange but pleasant little backpackers after chatting with our host and fellow guests, drove down the road to the Terry Fox memorial, before going to downtown Thunder Bay to confirm the following fact.

Thunder bay has one of the biggest population of Fins outside Finland! and the answer based on counting finishing names shops and restaurants is true!

after it was waterfall time at Kakakbeka Falls on the far side of town before getting another 300km under the wheels and camping at the local beach front park in Fort Frances right on the Canada/USA border.

Finnish!

Finnish!

Finnish! I rest my case.

Kakabeka Falls

August 21st

B - reporting

Excited to reach Thunder Bay today. Thunder Bay! Even the name is full of drama. But first we filled up Swiss with petrol and ourselves with coffee in the little town of Marathon. These Ontarian resort towns are ever so pretty, and the light bouncing off the lake bathes everything in a seaside-y holiday glow. God knows what it's like in winter, though.

We visited Ouimet Canyon, a spectacular geological feature with its own micro-climate, where sub-arctic plants thrive.

We reached Thunder Bay in the early afternoon and had a quick look round, enjoying the waterfront park and also going for a walk on the lakeshore. We stayed in a lovely hostel that night.

Apparently this town used to be called Snickers!

August 20th

G - Reporting

No driving today spent the day in the National Park hiking followed by a stunning Sunset on the shores of Lake Superior.

August 19th

B - reporting

Our first stop today was Wawa, home of the Giant Goose! Thrills are few and far between, out here. And our next stop was White River, the birthplace of the original Winnie the Pooh! A Canadian soldier in 1914 bought a bear cub here, which became his unit's mascot, and was named after his hometown of Winnipeg. He gave the cub to London Zoo, where the little bear charmed the young Christopher Robin Milne, whose grandfather immortalized Winne in his books.

We had a picnic lunch in White River, also famous for being the Coldest place in Canada. It was pretty chilly  here today. We drove towards Pukaskwa Park, on the shores of Lake Superior. Just before reaching the campsite we saw a bear on the roadside, causing great excitement in our car. He was a smallish black bear, possibly scavenging in the municipal rubbish dump, though he looked quite healthy.

The campsite was a long way from the bear, and was lovely, with rabbits and small scampering creatures. After dinner we had coffee on the beach, watching a magnificent sunset, before turning in for a good night's sleep.

August 18th

G - Reporting

Decided on a slower paced day today so 1st stop was St Josephs Island where at one time the fort here was the most western outpost of the British Empire and was used as the base for one of the 1st attacks on the Americans in the war of 1812 it was later burned down by the Americans in what appears to be an act of spite as it was not manned at the time!

It was then on to Sault Sainte Marie a city that really doesn't live up to its rather exotic sounding name being basically an industrial town, but we visited the Historic locks there and had an informative hour or so looking around before fueling up (human and truck) and camping 30km or so north of the city.

The Union Jack flies over the remains of Fort Joseph

A massive lock Valve

August 17th

B - reporting

We were up early, as we had promised ourselves a restaurant breakfast in Tobermory! Which we had, in the pretty little town at the head of the peninsula. Then, fortified with French toast and coffee, we had a wonder round the town and harbour before boarding the ferry.

We are not used to giant lakes, and were unprepared for the roughness of the crossing. I have been on longer ocean crossings which were much calmer! The ship plunged and rolled, fellow-passengers turning slightly green as the bow smashed into the waves. Even we felt ever so slightly conscious of our stomachs.

We docked on the largest freshwater island in the World!!!* and drove across it, over low hills and round pretty bays. We reached the mainland and continued west, stopping in the small town of Snake River to camp. We are becoming aware of the vastness of Canada, having driven all this way and not even in the middle of the country.

*you have to read that in a movie-announcer voice

The not so calm lake!

Approaching the biggest fresh water island in the world (what your not excited!)

Sunset at the snake river

August 16th

G - Reporting

Long drive north today from Niagara to almost the very end of the Bruce Peninsula not too much to tell about the drive up there other than fairly flat farm land with not much in the way of views.

Arriving at the camp site in the National park we found it was A huge B fully booked C Raining not the best way to get back into camping after 15 nights in Hotels and Motels, but the rain did stop long enough in the early evening dusk for us to quickly check out the shore line which would be probably really nice on a sunny day without tons of youth jumping of the cliffs!

But we did see a frog and a Woodpecker.

August 15th

B - reporting

We headed out to Niagara Falls today, taking our time as it is only 130km from Toronto. The lake is so beautiful, and we had several stops to enjoy the view and have coffees. Traffic was very busy, however, and we're not used to it! So the busy roads added a bit of stress to our approach.

Out motel was very close to the Falls, so we strolled down the Strip, feeling rather like rubes as we gazed, open-mouthed, at the hundreds of tacky shops, amusements, ice cream bars and the hordes of tourists.

But the Falls were magnificent, huge and thundering.

There were scores of people clustered round the railings, watching awe-struck. All manner of people, united in their enjoyment of nature. I stood between a Mennonite family, in their traditional dress, and a Canadian or American family, in their traditional dress.

I was disgusted when the Canadian/American woman next to me suddenly turned round and pointed her camera at the Mennonites, obtrusively clicking away because, I assume, they are 'different', as if zoo animals. I wonder if she would have so rudely taken the picture of any other traditionally-attired people, such as Hell's Angels.

Anyway, Niagara Falls are fantastic, spoiled only by a few very rude people.

August 14th

G - Reporting

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHAEL!!!!!!

Another day checking out Neighborhoods of TO - The Annex, Danforth , High Park and Liberty Village all very different but interesting and gave us a good feel of the city if we ever decide to move east!

August 13th

B - reporting

Another day of exploring Toronto, beginning with the CN Tower! Very exciting, very tall. We started by ascending to the Skypod, the highest bit tourists can get to. Fantastic views. Then we went to the Glass Floor* level, parts of which are an actual glass floor. It took a bit of getting used to, but the old monkey brain eventually decided the glass was strong...then I wondered aloud, what if all the glass suddenly vanished and we are just standing on the metal supports? The monkey brain panicked a bit and had to retreat.

After a restorative Tim's back on ground level we decided to check out some other neighbourhoods, so caught the street car to The Beaches**, a lovely area by the lake with funky shops and a nice pub/diner. Then back to the city where we met our friend again, this time for delicious drinkies in Pravda Vodka Bar .

* the clue is in the name
** and again

Look ma no floor!

T.O. from the C.N. Tower!