Winnipeg!

Was wonderful. If you can believe it. The opposite of Scarbie's crusty experience, here is my Winnipeg Top 10.

1. Lake Winnipeg

Lake Winnipeg is absolutely beautiful. We stayed in a Victoria Beach cabin built around the 1920s filled with original folk art and imbued with years of happy family living. The atmosphere around Victoria Beach is one of almost a 1950s summer resort community. It felt a lot like the vacation spot from that Diane Lane film, A Walk on the Moon, except there was no Viggo Mortensen in sight.

2. The Great Outdoors

What there was in sight, however, was nature, and lots of it—and I'm not just talking about the mosquitoes, of which there were plenty. Especially when one was using the biffy (and please don't ask me to explain why an outhouse is called a "biffy" in Manitoba, because I just can't, if anyone has any ideas, please let me know). I spent most of the few days we had there straining my eyes and neck to catch a glimpse of the wonderful white pelicans, especially those resting at Pelican Point. There were tonnes of birds there, many that I couldn't recognize and/or identify, so there's no point in describing them, but also deer (we saw tracks), foxes (our friends spied them on a store run) and other fun stuff.

3. Spoiled Rotten

I think I gained back all the weight I've lost because of the Cellcept, and thank goodness. We ate so well over our holiday that it was a crime to come back to TO and order bad delivery because we had no energy to cook. We were wined and dined by two exceptional entertainers, and they get nothing but love from me in terms of how wonderful they treated both of us...

4. Good Friends

...for the entire time we were there. We were pampered, treated to great conversation, and fully entertained. Oh, and we played cards, which is my all-time favourite thing to do at a cottage, ahem, cabin (that's what they're called in Manitoba).

5. Oh, Canada!

There's a gentle delight in discovering different parts of Canada that you've never been to before. I've travelled from one end of the country to the other, and even spent time at a cottage on the Lake of the Woods, but have never been around the area of Lake Winnipeg. It's marvelous, from the delicious bakery at the Lake, to the really cool townie bar we visited on the way in, discovering hidden gems in Canada's back roads is one of my favourite things to do on vacation.

6. The Sights of Winnipeg

When we got back to the city on Monday night, we went to go see Mr. and Mrs. Smith, which is a silly summer movie with beautiful people that are both solid actors and who do a good job with terrifyingly bad dialogue. Oh, and I got to eat Milk Duds, my absolute favourite candy. Then we did some sightseeing, where I saw the Forks and other downtown 'Peg highlights. So. Much. Fun.

7. The Perfect Soundtrack

Fading echoes of Neil Young and the Rolling Stones, alongside some fabulous Canadian stuff including Elliot Brood and the Cons made for a perfect soundtrack while we were at the cabin.

8. Champagne

Need I say more?

9. Stupid F%&king Disease

Only made me sick maybe half the time I was away, cause for celebration indeed!

10. Getting Along w/ my RRBF

Ususally travelling together means at least one major blowup, but this time, we spent a few days actually enjoying each other's company and having fun. He drove me crazy for a couple of hours while speaking too loudly and doing general RRBF antics, but they were minor when compared to previous trips spent being so mad I won't even talk to him for, like, hours. Oh, and he came up with the goofiest RRBF saying I've ever heard. When discussing the asexual nature of one Sarah Harmer (according to us girls and having nothing to do with her exceptional musical talents), RRBF chimed in about how "cute" he thinks she is, and I rolled my eyes. His response, "What do you care about where I get my appetite as long as I come home for dinner?" Bah!