Winnipeg and Bits and Pieces.

We stopped again in Winnipeg after our Churchill trip. We wanted to visit Folklorama. We managed two stops - Serbia and Ethiopia. They were both very interesting, although the VIP crowd at Serbia was particularly annoying. They talked through the performances! 

The Ethiopian pavilion dancers were exceptional and the food intriguing. 

They performed dances from different areas of Ethiopia. Each tribe has a unique perspective! 

After Winnipeg we headed to my high school reunion. I had a nice time, stayed with my good friend Bonnie, and especially enjoyed seeing some of my old teachers! It was funny to realize that they were not all that much older than I am. 

This is me with my senior English teacher, Mr. Anderson. And here is one of the group photos of the class. 

I even got to visit with Bonnie's mom, who was one of my teachers, too. And with my friend Paula's mom, who at 101, is still going strong and is as sharp as a tack! 

Churchill - More Bears and Whales

Yesterday we took a boat tour along the Hudson Bay coastline. We saw lots more beluga whales and bears in the rocks. The one above was resting. She moved only to change positions. 

There also were a few juvenile males who were playing and sparring together. 

All in all, we saw quite a few bears. The beluga whales were out in force, but it was difficult to get a good photo, as they moved so quickly through the water. 

We stopped to watch a fox on our way to the boat. The fox thought we were interesting too, and watched us just as intently. 

Tomorrow we take the train back to Thompson. It has been a good week here in Churchill. 

Churchill - Polar Bears and Belugas

Yes, we finally saw polar bears. They were pretty far away, but definitely there! We also saw lots and lots of beluga whales and supposedly will see many more tomorrow. I will let you know. 

It has been pretty warm by Churchill standards, as it reached 70 degrees yesterday. I guess I should have brought lighter clothing. 

The birds here are pretty incredible! Artic terns, white swans, Sandhill cranes, snowy owls, and much more. We saw a snowy owl being dive bombed by the terns this morning. We were a little far away to get a good photo, but we caught the Sandhill cranes flying, so here is one crane cropped from the group. 

Mike and I started our tours here in Churchill by visiting a sled dog camp and even got a cart ride with the dogs. 

Right after this photo the dogs saw a red fox crossing the road and tried to chase it. But our musher, Gerald, the owner of the camp, got them back on track. Gerald is a Métis, a people originally "composed of the mixed-race descendants of First Nation people and colonial-era French or British settlers." The Métis people are now recognized by the Canadian government as one of the official Aboriginal peoples. Usually you will find Gerald dressed casually for work, but we managed to catch him one day in his formal wear - as he had just come from a photo shoot for a brochure advertising Churchill. 

Tomorrow we head out into the Hudson Bay proper where we will hopefully see many more whales - and possibly more bears.