blogging it real

The great world traveller, having abandoned his blog-writing duties for some weeks, offers the following assessment of Winnipeg, Canada: a bit grim. A fine place for a brief touristic visit in summer I'm certain, but by mid-October it is too cold for kiwi blood. Minus 5 to minus 7, with a windchill on top of that. Feels like minus 11 so they say. Encountered snow squalls north of the city too (dark, low clouds that look like they could form tornadoes if only in was summer). All the leaves have already gone from the trees (contrast Vancouver where many trees haven't even turned yellow yet -- yes, the deciduous ones!). Now I could handle this kind of thing in December ... a Canadian winter is not to be trifled with. But I can't handle summers being so abruptly and violently cut short.

The place also features poorly maintained concrete roads, and an unrelenting flatness. Not much in the way of nature to observe then, except for some Canada geese which were pushing their luck in terms of delaying a flight south. In sum, my return to the mild coastal environment of BC in "fall" (although, as noted above, leaves are barely falling here) was welcome after 3 days on the prairie.

On the plus side you could pick up one of these big places outside the city, with - ahem, unlimited prairie views - for a steal. Trade in your modest Auckland bungalow for one of these monsters!