Sunday, June 22

A beautiful day to explore Winnipeg on foot and by water . We walked to The Forks, a park where the Assiniboine flows into the Red River, and spent the afternoon there. Along the way we passed a delightful display of concrete polar bears painted by various artists, as other cities have done with horses and cows. Our favorite was a polar bear decorated to look like a loon. At the Forks we took a boat ride on the two rivers and then investigated the market area. The food court was more diverse than most; where else could you find Sri Lankan and Ukrainian fast food in such proximity? We then settled into an afternoon jazz concert under a tent, with Elizabeth Shepherd (vocals and keyboard) leading a trio in many of her own compositions. At the end of the day we explored the restaurant scene in Osborne Village, Chris and Irene's lively neighborhood, and settled on Italian cuisine. Winnipeg seems to be a very liveable city, filled with parks in which to walk or bike or canoe and and a rich cultural life to stimulate mind and spirit.