July 16, 2012
Yesterday, July 15th, we left Saskatchewan for Manitoba. We woke up in the morning in our campsite in Good Spirit Lake Provincial Park bright and early. As soon as we starting packing up our belongings the rain started. It was very heavy and strong rain that soaked us to the core in just a few minutes. We quickly got the boys in the car while we finished packing up and by the time we were done, Ben and I were completely soaked. We left the park as soon as we could and our plan was to head for Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba for a couple of nights of camping there.
When we arrived at the park, the heavy rain was still falling and we reluctantly decided that it would be safer to stay the night in a hotel, especially with warnings of thunder storms over night. We spent about an hour in Wasagaming unsuccessfully looking for accommodation. The resort town combined with heavy rain which may have driven many people away from camping and into hotels, meant that very few rooms were available and those that were were very expensive. After checking 5 of 6 places we decided to drive to Minnedosa which is another town less than an hour away to find a hotel there. Our search in Minnedosa was fruitful and we quickly found ourselves safe and dry in a simple but comfortable motel room.
The following morning, we left our motel to head to Winnipeg. Before leaving Minnedosa however we made a stop at the town's heritage village site. The site had a few houses built about 100 years ago and a beautiful park which we walked in, enjoying views from the lake and river in town. I have been getting very interested in bird viewing since we started on this trip, enjoyed spotting a couple of new species which I then ticked away on my bird viewing checklist which I piked up in Cypress Hills. When our walk was complete we got back into our car and headed to Winnipeg.
Just outside of Winnipeg, we stopped for lunch at a park by the water treatment centre for the city of Portage La Prairie which sits right beside the Assiniboine River. As we conveniently travel with our kitchen in our trunk, it took us mere minutes to have our stove/grill set up on a picnic table and have our hot dogs grilling away on it. After enjoying hot dogs for lunch we walked around and by the river. We were all excited to spot a threesome of Pelicans playing in the water (one more bird for me to tick off).
We finally arrived at our hotel in Winnipeg just in time for checking in time and after a quick rest in our room, we were off again to visit the city's main park, the Assiniboine Park. This was a beautiful park almost as big as Stanley Park in Vancouver. It contained a kid's dream playground area complete with a very small door that adults need to bend down in order to go through. It also had a lovely flower and plant garden with many local plant species and a beautiful sculpture garden than must host 20 or 30 different sculptures scattered around flower garden and gorgeous looking ponds.
Our walk in Assiniboine Park took us to dinner time and we weer back in our car driving to a local perogies place recommended by a friend of Ben's. Unfortunately by the time we arrived at the restaurant it was closed for the day and we had to continue driving around looking for an alternative. Being far away in the outskirts of town, the only available places were fast food junk joints and with the two boys hungry and screaming in the back seat, we eventually pulled over at Wendy's for our dinner. The food was your typical junk fair but while we were disappointed to not be eating perogies we were all too starved to care much by that point and gobbled our burgers and fries very quickly. As a special treat we decided to allow Zaid to drink pop for the first time, but were happily surprised to see that he did not like it. After making a disgusted face he asked for water! We were very proud of him but also felt a little guilty that our effort to always eat healthy wholesome food may have gone a little too far. I mean what kid does not like pop??!!
There is much to do and see in Winnipeg and we only have a very short time. Tomorrow is going to be busy with plans to visit a Children's museum, St. Boniface, the Forks and couple of other things. We might not be able to get a round to see everything we want but we will try our best.
Next will be more camping just before the border with Ontario and then in Ontario. Ben is itching to be camping again and we are all hoping for good weather so that we can enjoy it. Our next post will most likely then come to you from the USA!
until then.
Haifa
Yesterday, July 15th, we left Saskatchewan for Manitoba. We woke up in the morning in our campsite in Good Spirit Lake Provincial Park bright and early. As soon as we starting packing up our belongings the rain started. It was very heavy and strong rain that soaked us to the core in just a few minutes. We quickly got the boys in the car while we finished packing up and by the time we were done, Ben and I were completely soaked. We left the park as soon as we could and our plan was to head for Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba for a couple of nights of camping there.
When we arrived at the park, the heavy rain was still falling and we reluctantly decided that it would be safer to stay the night in a hotel, especially with warnings of thunder storms over night. We spent about an hour in Wasagaming unsuccessfully looking for accommodation. The resort town combined with heavy rain which may have driven many people away from camping and into hotels, meant that very few rooms were available and those that were were very expensive. After checking 5 of 6 places we decided to drive to Minnedosa which is another town less than an hour away to find a hotel there. Our search in Minnedosa was fruitful and we quickly found ourselves safe and dry in a simple but comfortable motel room.
The following morning, we left our motel to head to Winnipeg. Before leaving Minnedosa however we made a stop at the town's heritage village site. The site had a few houses built about 100 years ago and a beautiful park which we walked in, enjoying views from the lake and river in town. I have been getting very interested in bird viewing since we started on this trip, enjoyed spotting a couple of new species which I then ticked away on my bird viewing checklist which I piked up in Cypress Hills. When our walk was complete we got back into our car and headed to Winnipeg.
Just outside of Winnipeg, we stopped for lunch at a park by the water treatment centre for the city of Portage La Prairie which sits right beside the Assiniboine River. As we conveniently travel with our kitchen in our trunk, it took us mere minutes to have our stove/grill set up on a picnic table and have our hot dogs grilling away on it. After enjoying hot dogs for lunch we walked around and by the river. We were all excited to spot a threesome of Pelicans playing in the water (one more bird for me to tick off).
We finally arrived at our hotel in Winnipeg just in time for checking in time and after a quick rest in our room, we were off again to visit the city's main park, the Assiniboine Park. This was a beautiful park almost as big as Stanley Park in Vancouver. It contained a kid's dream playground area complete with a very small door that adults need to bend down in order to go through. It also had a lovely flower and plant garden with many local plant species and a beautiful sculpture garden than must host 20 or 30 different sculptures scattered around flower garden and gorgeous looking ponds.
Our walk in Assiniboine Park took us to dinner time and we weer back in our car driving to a local perogies place recommended by a friend of Ben's. Unfortunately by the time we arrived at the restaurant it was closed for the day and we had to continue driving around looking for an alternative. Being far away in the outskirts of town, the only available places were fast food junk joints and with the two boys hungry and screaming in the back seat, we eventually pulled over at Wendy's for our dinner. The food was your typical junk fair but while we were disappointed to not be eating perogies we were all too starved to care much by that point and gobbled our burgers and fries very quickly. As a special treat we decided to allow Zaid to drink pop for the first time, but were happily surprised to see that he did not like it. After making a disgusted face he asked for water! We were very proud of him but also felt a little guilty that our effort to always eat healthy wholesome food may have gone a little too far. I mean what kid does not like pop??!!
There is much to do and see in Winnipeg and we only have a very short time. Tomorrow is going to be busy with plans to visit a Children's museum, St. Boniface, the Forks and couple of other things. We might not be able to get a round to see everything we want but we will try our best.
Next will be more camping just before the border with Ontario and then in Ontario. Ben is itching to be camping again and we are all hoping for good weather so that we can enjoy it. Our next post will most likely then come to you from the USA!
until then.
Haifa
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