I'm here to plug for Winnipeg
I love it here! Great city all around. "Murder capital" is right. Restaurant capital as well.
I live in downtown Winnipeg, and you can't beat it. A lot of those 'hobos' are my friends, and everyone knows that if you are homeless - the best place to be is Winnipeg. You can live because people go out of their way to care.
Portage and Main in winter is supposedly the coldest spot in Canada. I believe it. I've had to wait for a bus around those parts for work and it can be brutal. But, there is a Tim Horton's close enough by
I lived in Winnipeg for a couple of years. Started out in Toronto then London then Kitchener then Winnipeg then Calgary then Mississauga then Stoney Creek and now here.
Each one has it's own flavour. Winnipeg was cold, but as has been mentioned, a dry cold. The summers can get pretty warm too. I lived in the west end just east of the race track. I liked Winnipeg and have been back several times since leaving, but now for a few years now. Winnipeg has one of the easiest airports to get around in in all of Canada.
They now have a underground walkway at Portage and Main. No?
Sam and I have traveled throughout western Canada, most recently six weeks were spent in Alberta for Spirit Wheel 2005. We traveled with our adopted son as he wheeled his wheelchair 338 K to bring awareness to HIV?AIDS in the Aboriginal communities. We loved it, although camping inside picnic shelters is hard when the airmattresses deflate.
That experience and those from BC, Manitoba and Ontario have us planning on moving to Alberta , possibly as soon as next spring. We're thinking about buying a place or leasing it, hopefully around the Hinton area.
Having spent three of those weeks in inner city Edmonton, we understand the homelessness situation. Prior to our arrival with our three sled dogs, some of these people would camp in our son's backyard. None did during our stay and several neighbors are planning on getting dogs now.
It was interesting. Being only six blocks west of the China Town area and the same north of downtown, we met drug dealers and panhandlers looking for money. Panhandlers were looking for handouts and the dealers, a deal. It got to where we'd get waved at by the "locals" after being respectfully turned down a few times.
Unfortunately, we got to know some on a personal level and discovered that some "locals" were related to friends of ours on various reserves. Some have HIV, Aids or Hep C and are worried that their families or communities won't welcome them home. Unfortunately, we know one case where a mother lost children to AIDS and there was suddenly no electricity or heat to her home on the reserve. Others have been banished from their reserves for having these ailments.
However, even though this has happened, we still plan on relocating when we can arrange for it. Sam and I have, for the most part, had nothing but wonderful things to say about Canada and the people there. We've always been shown respect, whether in the Aboriginal communities and the general public.
As time allows, I'll post pictures of our travels in Canada or links to them. However, since we've been back only a week, we need to do a lot around our poor neglected cabin in the Wisconsin northwoods. Of course, trying to stay current with the correspondence is always a treat. However, I'll try to keep up on things more and will be better able to do so after getting my own computer repaired and not having to borrow Sam's.
Sound like good plans tor me, ay?
Wiyaka, you're showing a whole different side to Canada that most of us never see. I hope you do find the time to add to your post.
<waving wildly> I'm a Canuck! Born in Chilliwack, raised in London ON, a few years in Ottawa, came to Toronto for university and never left. A large portion of my family live in Calgary.
Almost emigrated to Grenada, in the Caribbean, but the best laid plans ... can screw up.
Toronto suits me fine.
Wiyaka, sounds like you and Sam have been having an adventure. Would love to read more when you're settled.
Hi Tico! (waves wildly in return)
My computer's in the shop, but should be back here sometime within the next week or two with a link to photos of that last journey north. It was incredible in so may ways...including Spiritual.
As some here know, Sam and I travel for Ceremonies and we enjoy taking part in the various Ceremonies and Gatherings we get invited to attend. In fact, there's a few people in Manitoba that gather when they know we're in the province. Personally, I think it's for entertainment value that we get invited, but that's only my humble opinion.
Looking forward to hearing more from Wiyaka.
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Tico, there's a small conglomeration of Tranna A2K'rs. Hope you can join us if we can get organized to meet again.
bethie, Mr.B is coming your way tomorrow, i think. i'll make him post. the two of you should meet, methinks.
livin in BC
and loving it :wink: We can kayak from our backyard. Lots of fjords around to explore. It was actually warm enough 2 weeks ago to kayak! Crazy weather. We had snow, it melted, now the temps are 13C, very warm for January. There are hiking trails galore.
We travelled across Canada a few years ago and liked all of the provinces, even though Sask. was having a grasshopper invasion. Made it to Nova Scotia just in time for the hurricane - but really liked Quebec and Quebec City - very Euro, and found out that Quebec City was founded before Jamestown by one year - difference is Q. City is still a viable city whereas Jamestown is a tourist trap.
Have travelled all over BC and all of it is spectacular. The deserts are interesting in the eastern side of BC. Looks like Nevada without all the glitz.
Well hope to hear from some more Canucks.
Another Canuck checkin' in. Have been living elsewhere (mostly in the tropics) for thirty+ years.
Will probably retire in Canada though. Why you ask? Because the lobsters are bigger and it only costs five loonies to pay for the gas for my brother's boat so he can poach a few for me, that's why!
Are you a Canadian citizen yet, englishmajor?
Welcome Mahealani.
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Did I miss Mr B? phooey
Welcome Mahealani !
judging by your avatar you must have come back from hawaii ! are you trading hawaii for P.E,I, by any chance ?
hbg
eBeth and hamburger...thank you for the welcome. Much appreciated.
Good guess that I was in Hawai'i, hamburger! Am now living in Bermuda, but plan to make my way to Nova Scotia in about a year to retire.
Re: livin in BC
englishmajor wrote:Have travelled all over BC and all of it is spectacular. The deserts are interesting in the eastern side of BC. Looks like Nevada without all the glitz.
Well hope to hear from some more Canucks.
Ah, the eastern side of BC? Hmm, methinks you've got your geography a little wrong. There aren't any deserts there. That would be the East Kootenays in that part of BC, and within spitting distance of the Rockies.
The only real desert-like areas in BC would be in the Osoyoos area for one:
Osoyoos website (Canada's only desert)
Osoyoos Lake view
The other area that has some desert-like conditions would be the Lytton-Lillooet area. There are places of sage brush and rattle snakes, as in Osoyoos. Very dry. It's known as the hottest place in Canada.
mahealani : we spent two weeks in december 2004 cruising from san diego to the hawaiin islands and back . just looked at the pictures again - had a great time sitting on the beach, watching the sun set and enjoy a "lavaflow" - perhaps it's time to back ! aloha !
what's the weather like in bermuda at this time of the year ? hbg
Hello fellow Cdns - another West Vancouverite here... born and raised. I've got family all over Canada, though, including my two kids - one in Calgary, one in London, ON... sisters in PEI, Prince George (BC), Grande Prairie (AB), Osoyoos (BC), Brooks (AB), Shawnigan Lake (BC)...
I adore this country and have been all over it. Visited a fair number of states, too - but it's a large area to cover in one lifetime and there's always the rest of the world to see...
Glad to see this thread here...
Wile, did you ever get yourself over to the North Shore?
mame :
while we haven't been in canada for 50 years yet - have to wait until august of this year for that - , we agree; canada is the best country in the world. we like to visit other countries but when we return, we are always happy to see lake ontario again.
haven't been in all the provinces yet, as you said : it's a large country and we'll try to see more of our country . hbg
Great to meet you, mame.
Welcome to A2K!
Hamburger....sorry I didn't catch your last message. If you go back to Hawai'i, you'll find the lava is still flowing...has been, non-stop, since 1983! We lived just downslope from Kilauea on Hilo side and got to see a light show every night...spectacular!
Bermuda is in "winter" mode this time of year...gets really cold--mid 60s to low 70s during the day and sometimes it gets down to 55 at night! Horrors! The tourists from the US and Canada are all running around in shorts, t-shirts and sandals and we're bundled up in heavy jackets and boots...we think the tourists are quite mad! Seriously though, most houses here are built of stone and don't have central heating and it's usually very humid which, with our thin blood, makes us feel the cold. (Yeah, yeah, yeah...I can feel your pity from here...LOL)
