Chapter 15

Hello Everyone,

Wow, four months have passed by since my last update. This is clearly overdue. I have been back in Canada now for two years. If it hadn't been for the COVID-19 situation, I would have landed back on Japanese soil by now to embrace everything Japanese. Though I love Canada, and am discovering more and more of my country of birth, I miss so much about Japan, and all that it has impressed upon my heart. Two years seems like a long time, and a short time, simultaneously. Let me catch you up on the past four months.

Our sojourn in Winnipeg, Manitoba has come to an end. For those who don't yet know, we had been house-sitting (no pets) in an old home on a street lined with age-old Elm trees; tall, lush, and green. I had never seen such beautiful canopies covering the streets in a residential area before. The atmosphere was rather stately, and historic, and saturated with untold stories. Oh, if trees could talk, the stories they would tell. Didn't know much about the city before moving in, but certainly have learned a few things since living there. It is the capital city of Manitoba and has almost 750,000 people. It is home to the world's first and only Human Rights Museum in the world! Sadly, we never visited it, but that was not by choice. It was closed due to COVID. We waited endlessly to have our opportunity to see this museum in person. It never came, so we visited on-line only. Winnipeg has the largest Indigenous population of any Canadian city. One can see this unique culture displayed and interwoven into the fabric of the city. The Canadian Mint is located here and has produced over 55 billion coins for more than 75 countries around the world. There is a sacred meeting of two rivers called The Forks, where the Assiniboine and Red Rivers meet. Now, it has been transformed into Winnipeg's most popular destination, supplying a meeting place for everyone, offering up local foods, craft beer, bakery items, hotdogs, hamburgers, handmade crafts, art, and so much more. There is a large outside area to enjoy any of the above, along with some home-grown music and sunshine. This location has been a meeting place for well over 6,000 years. Indigenous peoples traded at The Forks, then European fur traders, followed by Scottish settlers, railway pioneers, and after that, thousands of immigrants. I have enjoyed a cold brewsky and Winnipeg's famous hotdog, The Wienerpeg, while soaking up the atmosphere right there.

Other moments spent in Winnipeg included cycling all over the city to parks, and trails, seldom on the roadways. The city has hundreds of cycling trails and paths offering safe and comfortable routes to almost every part of the city. We checked out most of the bakeries in the city, and chose our favourite sweets at each. The Cinnamon Bun is perhaps the best seller; however, the carrot cake was our first choice. We tried some take out foods every so often to escape from the all-vegetable intake we were on, including one of the best Japanese restaurants we’ve come across in Canada, so far. Once, with the lifting of some COVID restrictions, we sat on a patio and enjoyed Greek food. We had our first Pfizer vaccine, shot into our arms at a supersite. That process was flawless. Very stream-lined, efficient, and painless. We are not even residents of Manitoba, but incurred no obstacles. The nurse who gave us ours was a real professional. I didn't even realize that she had already injected me when she did. We walked four kilometres downtown, had the vaccine, and walked home again. Nothing but a bit of a sore arm for half a day.

There were many highlights during our stay here. Firstly, I enjoyed my birthday at a Provincial Park, staying in a cabin near the lake. The provincial park was called Whiteshell Provincial Park. Rachel booked us into a cabin of our own which included a huge Hot Tub to enjoy our Japanese style baths in. We also had a sauna in the bathroom, and an electric fireplace in the living room. The mornings were cool, so enjoying our first cup of caffeine for the day by the fireplace was cozy. We went on a twelve km hike nearby the next morning. We hated and loved that hike at different moments. It was in the jungle (Canada's version of one) where at times the path was very narrow. We weren't sure of a possible bear sighting or encounter so I had my bear bells with me jingling them all the while. These were Santa's bells that I had bought at Zara Home in Japan, but they came to good use. We were the only ones there, at least the only car in the parking lot upon arrival at 7:15 a.m. Very isolated, very alone, and a little scared of nature, we were. The hike was exhausting, arduous, and sometimes difficult to access, but it was one of those experiences whereby you are happy to have accomplished it, though not loving every single moment of it in real time. The terrain was very uneven with lots of tree roots above the ground and one had to be careful for sure. When we got to the half way point, sitting down at the side of the lake and eating our bean chili (we had made for the journey), it was all worth it. We started back, still not seeing anyone, until finally we met one older couple, starting out on their hike. We went for a real quick dip into some fresh clear water to cool down. After that we met up with twenty people in all; some couples, a group of young men, and three or four singles, hiking alone or with a dog. When we finally arrived back at the car, four and a half hours later, there were twenty cars in the parking lot. We were taxed to the max, and very happy to see the car.

The Birthday Bash offered further opportunities. I was able to swim in an outdoor pool for the first time since COVID landed upon us. We made a steak dinner with some very tender filet mignons. We bought the steaks at a specialty shop that aged the meat for longer than usual. The meat could have rivalled Japan's famous beef in various locales. We added to our birthday dinner a medley of grilled asparagus and mushrooms, and served with a small scoop of garlic mashed potatoes. That was a memorable dinner for my 29th again. One other impressive moment to convey to you was how I came to watch a Firefly Performance. I rolled over in the night and checked the time. Looking out the panoramic window, I saw a light, then another, and even more. I had my own personal Lightning Bug Display without leaving my bed. It was enchanting and magical. The next morning, we arose early at 4:00 a.m. to take the canoe out onto the lake for a sunrise expedition. We got exactly what we hoped for. The sunrise was picturesque and we were the only ones out on the lake in sight except for the ducks, geese, and birds. What an awesome way to start the day!

How we left Winnipeg was yet another adventure in and of itself. We used VIA Rail, our version of the Japan Rail System. My friends in Japan, you will be astonished. We had 2200 km to travel from Winnipeg to Toronto. Guess how long it took? The ride from Point A to Point B was a very long 35 hours! I guess that our trains do not run as quickly as the Bullet Trains do! That is an understatement. To be fair to VIA, the tracks are shared with the freight trains, and thus have to stop periodically to allow for the passing cargo trains. We were to board the train just before midnight on the 30th, however it was four hours late in pulling into the station in Winnipeg. That's not so bad for Canadian standards but considering it was scheduled to leave at 11:30 p.m., the four hours late made for a 3:30 a.m. departure time! The train was not so crowded, only about eight people in our car spaced out during these COVID times. We did however have to wear a mask for the entire time, removing it only for eating and drinking. That's the longest stretch for me to cover my mouth and breathe through a mask, ever! We brought our own food so we wouldn't starve, and could enjoy my homemade nutritious cooking. We had gone Vegetarian for the three months in Winnipeg(house rules), so guess what I brought with me? Bean Chili and Mexican Bean Rice were my humble offerings. They were tasty enough, but I am completely finished with beans for a while. In fact, I am forsaking being a Vegetarian! Sleeping on the train was not in a relaxing sleeping compartment, instead in a four-seat area. Changing from one position to another every few minutes made slumber a fleeting illusive dream. Each time I awoke, which was frequent, I felt like our train was going to run off the rails at every curve. During the second night, somehow, the train made up the four hours behind schedule, and we pulled into Toronto earlier than scheduled. Perhaps I was correct in my thinking, VIA was making up time during the dark hours of the night. Most people had boarded the train in Vancouver which makes for a four night/five-day journey across Canada. At one time in my life, I longed to ride these rails. Not now, never again such a long journey. Just to be perfectly clear though, the scenery is amazing, and is truly nature at its best. I don't want to spoil it for any would-be tourist to this expansive country. By rail, you would certainly see Canadian landscapes at their best.

There you have it. What will I take away from Winnipeg, you might ask me? The beauty of the old trees, the cycling trails, and the presence of the Indigenous culture throughout the city. Not to mention a running route alongside the river that beckoned me out on most mornings throughout our stay.

In summary, I want to visit Japan as soon as possible. The birthday celebration was astounding! And the Winnipeg sojourn was illuminating. I still love the trains, but shorter distances will be covered in the future. We will move onto our next adventure now, this time going east to the province of New Brunswick for the summer months. We will travel by air. Nothing like being on the ocean and feeling the sea breezes in these hot summer temperatures.

See you next from the seaside, take care,

Love Rosemary 🌹