Manitoba

June 20, 2019

Yesterday was a day for everyone to just relax and recharge one’s batteries. The kids played at the playground and beach at Echo Lake. I went for a 10km run, a first in a while and therefore tough.

Today we headed out on the 3.5 hr drive to Riding Mountain National Park in our penultimate province: Manitoba. We’re staying at Wasagaming Campground that has more than 700 sites.

The visitor centre had some really well done taxidermied animals: wild cats, black bears, owls, deer. We also walked to the beach of Clear Lake, which is lovely.

Troop moral is a bit low these days. Lucy and Amy are quite home sick from what I can see. Miriam is quite happy to plan things like the pool game at Grollis’s house a week after we return. I’m sad that less than two weeks of our trip remains and then only 2 months before going back to work.

June 21, 2019

Last night Lucy came back running from the washroom. She was freaking out because she had discovered a tick on her neck. Luckily it wasn’t dug in deep and came out using tweezers without any blood. She was brave.

This morning we drove to the north tip of the park and did 2 hiking trails on the way back south. One trail was on a former lake (Beach Ridges) and the other was the Boreal Trail which must be exciting for many Manitobans that don’t normally see Boreal Forest.

Then we drove 22km on gravel to reach the bison reserve. I’m so glad we did this. Bison (or buffalo) have gone from near extinction (less than 100 in 1890s) to more than 40,000 now. The reserve is separated by a gate on the road that bison can’t cross. There are about 40 of them. When they breed to 50 individuals some are sold off. We saw the whole heard close up beside the road. One even crossed the road in front of us while we were stopped in our car observing. At least 2 babies were drinking milk from their mothers. We knew from a sign nearby that the males and females are separated for part of the year so that calves are born only in spring (usually May). By the fall the calves aren’t drinking mother’s milk but grazing. So the little ones we saw were only 1 or 2 months old.

We saw a black bear alongside the highway today. I also saw one in the evening while doing a 10 km run and then one scurrying away in the bush when I went to the washroom. Bear rich RMNP is.

June 23, 2019

Saturday we drove to Winnipeg. The Louis Riel museum is closed on weekends, despite the government brochure we picked up at the National Park. We tried going to Forks next but the parking was crazy on account of an indigenous peoples festival going on. We went to our condo Air BnB unit.

This morning we had zaps (zapiekanki), something we haven’t been able to have on our trip without an oven. We Face-timed with Grollis and head out to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR). We were there from about 11am to 4pm, with a break for picnic lunch outside.

The museum opened in 2014. It is amazing that we as a country have one. The special exhibit right now is about Nelson Mandela.

A volunteer explained to us that the building is designed with corridors lined with alabaster beautifully illuminated from the inside to help people be calm and have an opportunity to absorb what they’ve seen as they walk from level to level. The architecture of the building is extremely unique, bright, open and beautiful. At the top of the building is the Israel Asper tower which offers a splendid view of Forks and Winnipeg.

It is of course a solemn experience, although hopeful as well, I think. Amy and I were wishing the place was closer to Barrie so we could go there with our students.

After the museum we went to check out the Forks. The federal government has done a good job with informative plaques. There’s also a huge astronomy themed circle with various long metal rods pointing at celestial bodies on the circumference (it’s indicated the date and time when they’re visible at the tip). The kids played at a playground at the Forks.

Playground at Riding Mountain NP