Winnipeg: Fun in the Snow and Friends

View of bridge behind red-lit Ice Castle

Three days and nights in Winnipeg and a 5 AM wakeup, so little time, so much to do, we made the best of it and, as always, left so much for future trips.

Chicken Katsu  rice bowl

Sharon* and I were picked up by Roger "Starman" and his wife Dawn at the airport, drove over to "Dwarf no Cachette" in St. Boniface where we met their daughter Jill for an early supper. This was the beginning of the usual great time in The Peg. It's hard to describe "Dwarf no Cachette" - it's Japanese cuisine in a cozy campy setting and was a place you'd probably walk by - but somehow, maybe through Jill who lives nearby, Roger new about it (he also knows all the best burger joints and is an avid Gold Eyes supporter).  check out their incredible menu. I was pretty much at a loss as to what everything was so played it safe getting a chicken katsu rice bowl but next time... Well, probably not the octopus balls but something more adventurous than the chicken katsu.

*Sharon is a curling buddy who is volunteering at CNSC with me for the month of March. Linda decided not to come up this year as we just got back from Hawaii (great time!) and she's taking care of the granddaughters plus getting Christina's baby shower ready.

The Fort Garry

Sharon's northern beau

Roger dropped us off at the Fort Garry as it is a great old hotel and close to both The Forks and downtown. After unpacking we headed down to The Forks which was bustling on a Saturday night - couldn't even get to the beer/wine bar 🍷. We just walked around while the snow fell lightly watching all the people skating on the trails, playing on the ice on the Assiniboine River, checked out the Crokicurl (ice was too rough and dirty to make it worthwhile to play this year), and walked over to check out the Ice Castle which we decided to do Monday night. Sharon was quite arrested by one Canadian she met...

decorated bridge over the Assiniboine River

Sunday was breakfast at the Fort Garry which was elegant as usual with two chefs cooking your omelets and more to order and all the other goodies. Wouldn't you know it but Drew from Nat Hab was there.

Breakfast at Fort Garry

 Heidi den Haan then picked us up to go over to Sun Wah to do shopping for Laura the Cook up at CNSC which worked out quite well for all of us - Heidi got the chili sauce her office needed, Sharon bought some plates, and I got Laura everything she asked for except the fresh crab meat. We dropped Sharon off at the Manitoba Museum where she had a great time especially seeing and learning about Manitoba fossils - she's a rockhound and fossilmonger. Heidi and I went back to The Forks just to talk, eat, and reminisce while walking around the area. It was great to see her again and while we didn't have much time getting to see old friends is a special part of heading up to Churchill.

Granite Curling Club - 9 sheets!

After Sharon and I got back to the hotel it was curling time! We took a cab up to The Granite Curling Club (the Mother club) where we announced ourselves "The Americans are here to curl and you best watch out" or something like that. Sunday nights the club has open curling for $10. We got to practice and play on their 9, yes 9, sheet rink! As we were the most experienced we got to skip against each other. I'd tell you the results but this blog isn't a place to brag. We traded club pins afterwards and bought some of the staff, who were out on the ice with us, some beers and got a tour of the club - lots of history, trophies, and old wooden rooms. Pictures on the wall included

Jennifer Jones' rink, The Scotties

The truth hurts, eh?

By the time we got back from curling we were more than ready to eat, stopped at Thida's Thai but they had stopped serving, went to The Forks but all the food places had closed, ended up at VJ's Burger stand (cash only) for a couple of Special burgers and fries to go. Great burger but way more than I could eat!

Monday morning was errand day for me - walk into downtown tot TD bank for more Canadian money, a stop at MEC (Mountain Equipment Coop)(bumped into Drew again), then to Shoppers Drugs for a few items, and finally a stop at Bentley's for a carry-on suitcase.

Roger picked us up about 1 for a trip out to Ste Rita although we took the long way to look at gravel pits and a special church - Roger always gives a great tour! Sharon was especially interested in the gravel pits and local geography/geology although, like the church, it was a drive-by. The church, an older Ukranian one, was very impressive but didn't stop to take a picture. Drive, Roger, drive! Roger did his best to win a cribbage game, but alas, his efforts were for naught. Despite that he still fed us - homemade sauerkraut perogies, honey mushroom sauce (picked out back last fall), a delicious cole slaw (need to get the recipe), mulled wine made with his rhubarb wine, and his ever-so-tender spare ribs all followed by tiramisu. He drove us back and dropped us off near the Human Rights Museum so we could get to the Ice Castles. Thanks, Roger!

Linda had gone to the Ice Castles two years ago and told me I really should go. She was right. As always, of course. It was a beautiful, windless, starry night which made the event even better. Huge ice formations, icicles, water fountains made of ice, fire pits, nooks and crannies (watch out for that polar bear!), arches, ever-changing colors and, a bonus, not that crowded on a weeknight.

Over 25,000 tons of ice

Changing color wall

Ice fountain, red phase

That's a BIG bear

The double-chuted slide was great! So fast and watching people come out of the chutes and listening to the sounds of the ice and the screams of delight made for a great time. As did my one run down and Sharon's two - I stayed below to film her coming out. This is at least the third year and it seemed quite popular especially when we walked by on the weekend so if you are in The Peg in the winter check it out.

The rest was packing, not very interesting. And up at 5 to catch the 7:30 Calm Air to Churchill. Certainly do miss the train adventure but word is VIA is taking reservations for bear season 2019, not sure if that will mean also for aurora season 2019.

See you in Churchill next post.