Wandering in Winnipeg

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I only had a few hours to discover Winnipeg. We arrived late one night and the next day I got up to a sunny morning. I stepped out of the hotel and soon discovered why Winnipeg is known for it's wind. I stood on the kerb to cross the road and literally got blown from one side to the other. Glad at that point I hadn't styled my hair in any particular way as it ended up in a huge beehive in front of my face!!! Indeed, the intersection of Portage and Main, in Winnipeg's downtown core, is known as one of the windiest spots in Canada.

As I had no map I wasn't wandering in any specific direction - I just left the hotel, looked around and headed towards the most fancy building I could see. This happened to be the Legislative Building. From here I walked along Broadway, grabbing a coffee at Starbucks (I can always sniff them out!!!). I passed the elaborate Fort Garry Hotel and made my way to an area known as the Forks, situated just beside Via Rail's Union Station.

The Forks is a popular site for both residents and visitors. It's the meeting point for the Assiniboine River which flows into the Red River. The history of the Forks spans many thousands of years. Aboriginal groups set up camp by the water, fur was traded, railways were built and the area became known as the “Gateway to the Canadian West” when two immigration sheds were established at The Forks for immigrants. Today, there is beautiful gardens and river walks, the Forks Market for shopping and eating, the Plaza at The Forks which is a large urban skate plaza and bowl complex and also the Forks amphitheatre. The Provencher Bridge crosses over the river for cars, whilst the Esplanade Riel is a more enjoyable crossing for pedestrians. The sun continued to shine and I enjoyed watching families and tourists make their way along the river or strolling through the gardens.

I left the Forks and wandered back into the downtown core and into the Exchange District. This is an area which played a significant role as the centre of the grain and wholesale trade and also for finance and manufacturing. It encompasses 20 city blocks and is home to 150 historic buildings. In fact, it became a National Historic Site in 1997 by the Minister of Canadian Heritage. It's a great place to walk around and gaze at buildings still adorned with old artwork. I loved the rough feel of the old architecture - that and the fact that being Sunday, the streets were basically deserted. I think most people were enjoyed the Sunday sun at the Forks.

From here I walked along Portage Avenue which encompasses the shopping district. A walkway system links many of the buildings here, a good way to escape from the cold in winter. I strolled down Portage back to my hotel where I had to spruce myself up to start my day's work. After flying to Toronto, we made our way up to Ottawa. Another new city to explore.

Until the Ottawa blog, bye and lots of love xxx

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