When I said to every Canadian that I met that I was going to Winnipeg they rolled their eyes and said WHY ??? I have decided that people in Winnipeg make absolutely no effort to let out the secret of how fabulous the city is because they want to keep it all to themselves – an awesome Human Rights Museum, a great city for walking, and a beautiful university. I arrived expecting to roll my eyes, and think why and I here, BUT, I was in for an amazing surprise. From the ultra cool Hotel Mere with the attached café in an edgy old pump house to the amazing architecture – it was really fabulous.
You could almost feel that the city was just at the start of being discovered as the world’s next great tourist destination. Tina kept laughing at me but the buildings were fabulous and the city great in an edgy, gritty, industrial sort of way. As I walked, it reminded me of a cross between Chicago, DUMBO in Brooklyn and a bit of British Tate Modern thrown in. What made it so fascinating was that most of the buildings had that mid century crossed with brutalism feeling about them, but they were built in the late 1890s-1930s. I read a bit about Winnipeg and it was really fascinating
So the buildings were totally fabulous, I felt very safe walking the streets (yes ever person I met also told me that it is Canada’s serious crime capital and murder capital that was just pipped at the post by Thunder Bay) but the best bit by far was the amazingly warm people – you gotta love a place where the number plates say – the friendliest people – and yes they were.
I don’t think I have ever been in such a place where everyone is just so lovely. Everyone smiles, says hello and just seem so content in their hidden treasure of a city.
I am already planning my next trip back – next time it will be the polar bears in Churchill – apparently it is reasonably expensive but how damn awesome would it be to see polar bears in the wild. I have definitely started saving.
Sleeping under the stars 