Return to Ottawa

OTTAWA

I can’t believe I am back in Ottawa. It was such an experience to travel across Canada. It was fun to see all the new cities that I have never been to before and to experience all the fascinating cultures and landmarks. In Sudbury, I really liked the Big Nickel. If only I could have taken it home, I would be stinking rich! The ice slides at the Bon Soo Winter Carnival in Sault Ste. Marie were exciting. It was cold and I almost had a big wipeout but it was still worth it. The Sleeping Giant in Thunder Bay was cool. I wondered why he was so tired. Maybe he needed to rest up for his job in the morning. Passing by the snowy flat plains of the Regina wheat farms made me realize how diverse Canada really is. In Winnipeg, I felt like a high roller, partying and gambling was a lot of fun! Finally it was fascinating to be in the big city of Vancouver. The First Nations artwork that we saw at the Vancouver Art Gallery and the Inuit Art Gallery was beautiful and the totem poles at the Museum of Anthropology were so amazing. I am glad that we live in such a cool country that has so many different landscapes and cultures. I think this proves that Canada is not so boring after all!

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Vancouver, British Columbia January 30, 2012

VANCOUVER ART GALLERY: EMILY CARR

Today it was sunny and the temperature in Vancouver was 5 °C. We went to the Vancouver Art Gallery to see the Shore, Forest and Beyond art show. It is a collection of works made by First Nations and Non-First Nation’s British Columbia artists. It is an amazing collection telling the history of British Columbia. Some of the most interesting pieces were the unbelievably powerful First Nations objects used during their ceremonies. There were some pieces of Emily Carr, a very famous painter from British Columbia. The show included many fabulous historical artworks as well as contemporary First Nations work.

INUIT ART GALLERY

Then we went to the Inuit Art Gallery in Gastown. They have a huge collection of Inuit and Northwest Coast Native Art including Inuit sculptures made of stone and bone, Inuit prints and drawings, Northwest Coast First Nations masks, totem poles, bentwood boxes, and ceremonial objects. They have both historical and contemporary art in the gallery. We checked out the Small Treasures 2012 Exhibit that had 155 sculptures from well-known and new upcoming artists.

We also checked out the Bentwood: Richard Sumner Solo Exhibition. The steam bentwood boxes were so impressive. It is a traditional form of vessel making that only the First Nations on the Northwest Coast create. Richard Sumner is now one of the best bentwood box makers. He was born in 1956 and is part of the Mamalillikulla First Nation located on Village Island. Doug Cranmer taught him how to carve and master the skills. He has done big steam bentwood boxes for the Vancouver International Airport and the Museum of Anthropology. He also does presentations at the Museum of Anthropology on wood bending techniques and Northwest Coast art. In 2010 he was awarded the British Columbia Creative Acheivement Award in Aboriginal Art. While we were at the museum I picked out a really nice necklace for my friend. I am looking forward now to getting home so that I can give it to her.

MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY

On the last day of our trip, we decided to go to the Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver. It is famous for its’ collection of over six thousand British Columbia First Nations objects including baskets, bent boxes, poles, masks and ceremonial objects. Today there are close to 200, 000 First Nations people living in British Columbia. The indigenous people have lived here for ten thousand years. The government created reserves and made the First Nations people follow the Indian Act of 1868 that restricted their cultures, languages and traditions. However, in recent years the First Nations are finally starting to have a voice and communicate to Canadians what it has been like for them living under such conditions. They are trying to get more control over their traditional lands through the British Columbia Treaty Process.

There are many totem poles displayed at the museum. Totem poles on the Northwest Coast are usually carved from red cedar trees. There are many types of poles including: house posts, mortuary poles to honour a person who has died, memorial poles to commemorate important events, and welcome figures. Some poles show the histories of the families who own them and have forms like frogs, beavers, ravens, wolves, bears, eagles, and humans so that others know which family or clan made them. A new generation of carvers is creating totem poles. Just outside of the museum are many breathtaking poles carved by contemporary First Nations artists like Susan Point, Bill Reid, and Doug Cranmer.

Banff, Alberta January 27, 2012

In the town of Banff there is a lot of snow, which is great because there are so many fun winter activities to do. The winter lasts for about five months and there are a few extremely cold periods but occasionally a Chinook, which is a warm dry wind that blows down the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains, brings spring like temperatures that can stay for many days to help give everyone some relief from the bitter cold.

Today it was cloudy with a temperature of -6 °C but it felt colder because of the wind chill. We started the day off with an exhilarating snowmobile tour across the rugged mountain terrain in Banff. Banff Adventures Unlimited offered a two-hour guided tour. The view of the Rocky Mountains was breathtaking. Canada is definitely not boring!

BANFF UPPER HOT SPRINGS

That evening, we went to the Banff Upper Hot Springs. It is hard to believe that soaking outdoors in 100% natural hot spring water in the middle of winter could be so soothing and relaxing. The water temperature is about 37 to 40 °C. I wish I could end each day like this, soaking in the hot springs with the view of the Rocky Mountains in the background. Unbelievable!

We learned so much about the Canadian Rocky Mountains. They create a border between British Columbia and Alberta. During the Precambrian Era, about 700 million years ago, the Pacific Ocean covered many of the provinces in the west. The waters went forward and backward and left layers of silt and sand on the bottom of the ocean. Over hundreds of millions of years, many layers of sediment built up and compressed underlying layers into limestone, dolomite, sandstone, shale, and quartzite. About 75 million years ago, the Pacific Plate collided into the North American Plate and went underneath it. All the land in the subduction zone was crushed, folded, twisted, and squeezed. Big huge slabs of rock broke away. In some places the older rock strata layers went on top of the younger. The rocks were forced upward making the Rocky Mountains. Over the last one million years there has been four ice ages where the glaciers, which are rivers of ice, have scraped the mountains rounding off the lower peaks and making valleys. The mountaintops have been eroded by ice, water, wind, for many millions of years, which has changed the shape of the mountains. The Rocky Mountains sure are awesome!

BANFF GONDOLA

The next day we went to Banff National Park and decided to take the eight-minute ride on the Banff Gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain, which is 2, 281 meters high. We got to see so many different types of evergreen trees like the Alpine Fir, White Spruce, Lodgepole Pine, Limber Pine, and Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir. On top of the mountains there is a nice restaurant so we went out for lunch before heading back down. We ended our day at the Banff Upper Hot Springs once again!. We had to take advantage of being here. It was so relaxing and the scenery was amazing.

Regina, Saskatchewan January 24, 2012

ROYAL SASKATCHEWAN MUSEUM: CARIBOU IN BOREAL SHIELD

Today in Regina it was cloudy with light snow. The temperature was 0 °C but it felt like -7 °C with the wind chill. So we decided to go to the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, where we visited the Life Sciences Gallery: A Tour of the Province. It had an interactive map of Saskatchewan’s ecoregions with a movie for each area including Taiga Shield, Boreal Shield, Boreal Plain, Aspen Parkland, Grasslands, Frenchman Valley and Cypress Upland. It showed us how amazing Saskatchewan’s landscapes really are.

A TOUR OF THE PROVINCE: TAIGA SUMMER

On our drive through the province of Saskatchewan we saw the snowy flat plains of the Regina wheat farms. Regina’s climate and soil conditions allow wheat to grow year round. Regina has a dry, continental climate with long, cold winters and short, warm summers. It does not get very much precipitation and can have droughts during the summer months. Regina has dark brown chernozemic soil that has a thin surface layer with little organic matter.

There are two species of wheat in Saskatchewan: Common Wheat and Canadian Western Amber Durum Wheat. Some of the classes of wheat that grow there are: Canada Western Red Winter, Canada Western Red Spring, Canada Prairie Spring Red, Canada Prairie Spring White, Canada Western Extra Spring and Canada Western Soft White. Saskatchewan produces more than eighty percent of Canadian Durum Wheat. Over the past several years, Common Wheat production has declined but Durum Wheat has increased.

Western Canadian wheat farmers need a delivery permit that shows who they are, where they live and what they plan to seed. They also need to know what wheat varieties they are growing and delivering. The Canadian Grain Commission has a list of eligible varieties for each class of wheat to ensure the quality of Canadian wheat. Regina farmers deliver their wheat to a licensed primary elevator where a sample is taken, the class of wheat is declared, and the amount of dockage on each load of grain is measured. They must declare the class of wheat for every load they deliver to the elevator. The grain elevators store the grains before they are moved to a port to ship overseas. The Canadian Wheat Board sells the grains delivered by the western Canadian farmers globally.

Winnipeg, Manitoba January 22, 2012

Our day in Winnipeg was pretty exciting! For dinner, we went to the Lounge at the Fairmont because we heard that it had fancy cocktails and we felt like having a guy’s night out on the town. We wanted to let loose and have some fun. Leonard and I got all dressed up in our cool Hugo Boss suits that we bought at the Hanford Drewitt on Broadway Street which is Winnipeg’s best men’s clothing store. As I walked into the Lounge I knew it was going to be a good night. The décor was elegant with rich reds and browns and chandelier lighting. We listened to the “Urban Jazz Trio” band as we drank our martinis. The menu also looked amazing. For an appetizer I had the Seared Albacore Tuna with mango and avacado, roasted cashews, curry aioli and fresh mint for $13. Leonard had the Hearts of Baby Romaine Salad with roasted garlic and caper vinegrette, house-made foccacia croutons, pancetta crisp, parmigiano reggiano, roasted garlic and honey drizzle for $8. We were both hungry so I ordered the Manitoba Grass Fed Beef Burger with dry aged Manitoba beef, Bothwell cheddar, crisp bacon, and peppercorn mayo for $15. Leonard had the Signature Turkey Clubhouse Sandwich with crisp bacon, roasted turkey, aged cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, and fried egg. The service was amazing, so great in fact that we plan to come back really soon. I could definitely get used to this lifestyle!

CLUB REGENT CASINO: JACKPOT!

I NEED BIGGER POCKETS!

Then after our fabulous dinner we took a limo over to the Club Regent Casino. We had a night of adventure and gambling. It was like we were in a tropical jungle. We played the slot machines, roulette and Black Jack. I hit a winning streak and everyone at my table was cheering me on. I felt like the luckiest man alive! By the end of the night, I had won $1001. So amazing, it was unreal!

HOTEL SUITE AT THE FAIRMONT WINNIPEG

We stayed at The Fairmont Winnipeg for $287.05 including taxes. The Fairmont Gold Double Double room included a delicious continental breakfast, 42” flat screen TV, complimentary wireless internet access, snacks from the mini bar, large desk, coffee/tea maker, bathrobes, and newspapers. The service was exceptional and catered to our every whim. They even arranged dinner reservations and a limousine for us.

Thunder Bay, Ontario January 20, 2012

THE SNORING SLEEPING GIANT

As we looked out across Thunder Bay, we were amazed at what we saw. The southern part of the Sibley Peninsula looked like a huge resting giant. That’s why it’s called the Sleeping Giant. I wonder what happens if he sneezes, that could cause a lot of trouble! It’s made up of mesas and cuestas. A mesa has many layers of rocks piled high with a flat top and sides that are cliffs. A cuesta is a ridge with a small slope on one side and a steep cliff on the other. The horizontally layered rocks that form the mesas and the cuestas were raised upwards by colliding tectonic plates and they weather and erode at different times. The weaker rocks like shale erode quickly, but more resistant rocks form the top of the mesa.

That afternoon, we went to the Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. The view of Lake Superior was astonishing. The park has some of the steepest cliffs in Ontario. We went cross-country skiing along the fifty kilometer snowy trails to check out the scenery of the park. At lunch we were told about the rare plant species that grow there such as the arctic disjunct floral species like the Arctic Bistort, Butterwort, and Cloudberry. These plants usually grow in the arctic. Also there are many white pines, red pines and eastern white cedar trees. In the summer months, the park has many types of orchids including two of the rarest species in Ontario, the Small Round-leafed Orchis, and the Bog Adder’s-mouth.

When we viewed the transit bus maps to see how we could get around the city of Thunder Bay, we noticed the urban land use. There are many recreational spaces including parks, gardens and wilderness areas. For a small city with a population of 109, 140, there are so many schools. There are thirty-eight elementary schools, three middle schools, eight secondary schools, two private schools, an adult education center as well as Confederation College, Lakehead University and the western campus of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. To help the people and goods of Thunder Bay go to different places around the world, there are the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railways, the Port of Thunder Bay for shipping on the St. Lawrence Seaway System, the Thunder Bay International Airport and of course many highways. In the downtown core of Thunder Bay there are many roads and twelve transit bus routes for getting around within the city. There are nine major shopping centers, six sports facilities, five hospital and health centers. Thunder Bay seems to make good use of its’ land to make sure that everyone living in the city has access to services they need.

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario January 18, 2012

BON SOO WINTER CARNIVAL: THEY ARE COMING FOR YOU!

Today, in Sault Ste. Marie it was cloudy with a few flurries. The temperature was 2.1 °C, which was perfect for our day at the Bon Soo Winter Carnival. The winter playground had hay wagon rides, snow shoeing, snow canoeing, dog sled rides, snow sculptures, polar bear dips and of course the famous bum slides. We spent the day sliding on our butts! It was pretty fun with so many twists and turns and for ten minutes I thought I was upside down! Later we built some snow sculptures of Leonard kicking Sheldon down the stairs!

THE FAMOUS BUM SLIDES: WE'RE IN EQYPT!

We went to Gigi’s Bistro and Pizzeria for dinner. As soon as we walked into this little Italian bistro we immediately felt at home. The servers were so friendly and the food was great. Our whole meal including appetizers and the main course was under $25 each. Even though the bruschetta bread and supreme nachos sounded delicious, I decided to start with 10 medium chicken wings for $8.95 and Leonard had the Caprese Salad with tomatoes, bocconcini, roasted red peppers, red onions and balsamic vinaigrette for $8.95. Then from several choices of pastas and pizzas I picked the small Gigi Deluxe Pizza with pepperoni, mushrooms, green pepper and mozzerella cheese for $12.95 and Leonard picked the Margherita Pizza with a blend of brick and mozzerella cheese and tomato sauce for $9.95. To drink, I had a diet coke for $2.50 and my friend had a cappuccino for $3.95. Leonard had to take his lactase pills because he is lactose intolerant!

We stayed at the Delta Sault Ste. Marie Waterfront Hotel. For $202.27 including all taxes we enjoyed a Deluxe room with two queen beds and a great view of St. Mary’s River,a desk, an ipod docking clock radio, a heated bathroom floor, a fridge, high-speed internet service and most importantly a 32” flat screen TV.