Winnipeg, Manitoba

Stayed the night, so we could go see the Royal Canadian Mint when it opens in the morning.

Brandon, Manitoba

Western Manitoba - Harvesting time

Manitoba

Manitoba's name is attributed to one of these two native sources, the first one being more likely:

manito-wapow (Cree) or manito-bau (Ojibway) - At the Lake Manitoba Narrows a strong wind can send waves washing against the limestone rocks of an offshore island. The unique sound from the waves is said to be the Manitou, or Great Spirit, beating a drum. From "manito," meaning the Great Spirit, and "wapow" meaning strait, came this term meaning "the strait where the Great Spirit lives."

mini toba (Assiniboine) - lake of the prairies

Regina, Saskatchewan - Wascana Waterfowl Park

This lovely bridge leads to the area in the next picture, which affords great views of the lake and surrounds.




Lots of Canada Geese here, and other waterfowl which we can't identify. There is a migratory bird sanctuary here which provides a place for the birds to nest along the water, and a special fenced-in area to protect the ones who have injuries or disabilities that would prevent them from surviving in the wild.


Canada Geese in flight

Saskatchewan

Sunrise over the prairie. Talk about wide open spaces! Very cool. (On the other hand, while the scenery is very pretty and tranquil, things look much the same for a looooong time... so it's not particularly exciting, either. LOL)


There were lots of lakes out here with what we presume to be sodium sulphate all around the outside edges. Some of these lakes had so much piled up that it almost looked like strange, limited-area snowdrifts. Not far from here is the town of Chaplin, the site of the largest deposit of sodium sulphate in North America.


Wheat fields near the town of Moose Jaw. Much of the prairie provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) looks like this. These three are known as "Canada's breadbasket" because wheat and many other grains, along with corn and other crops, come from here to supply all of Canada with their bounty. Crops can be seen for miles in every direction.

Swift Current, Saskatchewan - Husky Truck Stop

Well, it sure is a lot harder to blog when you have to drive than when you're riding on the train! Finally got the photos loaded from the camera, but no web access to post them. Currently using my cell phone to post, and bedding down for the night. Local time 11:05 p.m.

EDIT: The truck stop had a huuuge Canadian flag out front. We parked underneath it to catch some sleep before moving on. After all the trials we'd been through and all we'd had to do for the immigration process, we still couldn't believe that it was all over and we had actually made it to Canada. Even as I tried to get to sleep I kept looking up at that flag to reassure myself it was really true. I think somewhere deep down I secretly feared that I would wake up and it would be gone, and by virtue of it being gone, we would be back in Los Angeles with all the old troubles. So when the wind began kicking up and I could hear it steadily flapping above us, I found this deeply comforting. The rippling above was a constant reminder that it was still there, and I was lulled to sleep by its sound.

Saskatchewan

The name Saskatchewan comes from the Cree, who called the Saskatchewan River "kisiskāciwani-sīpiy," meaning "swiftly flowing river."