Manitoba, Part 2: Rural Places
We left the city in the afternoon and headed down the longest stretch of highway I have ever seen. Stunning field upon field of grasses, canola and wheat swaying in the breeze and a horizon that feels like it will never be reached. No mountains to climb but certainly hills to move up and over. Slight bump and then long horizon ahead.
My friends are the best kind of people in the world. Generous, full of welcome, community-minded and so hospitable. It feels like coming home when I am with them.
They live about 3 hours southwest of Winnipeg and the drive is full of chatter as we catch up and hug and laugh. We have 10 days ahead of us but so much ground needs to be covered.
“Stop, pull over…” I say when I see the big camel. It was actually my friend who pointed it out but this stop, the first of many over my 10 days in SW Manitoba, gave me so much joy. The roadside statues across Manitoba…have you heard of them? They are EPIC. So many towns and villages have erected some fabulous, quirky, massively large statues commemorating all kinds of wonderful people, places and ideas.
Meet Sara the camel residing in Glenboro, Manitoba. We also saw the “World’s Largest Smoking Pipe” in Ste. Claude, the Silver Peacock of Souris, Tommy the Turtle in Boissevain, the Windmill in Holland (of course) and the glass house in Treherne. My friends live in Killarney, which has, of course, the Blarney Stone! I love all of these! Any trip to Manitoba must include mapping out these iconic stops.
Sara the Camel
Glenboro, MB
https://www.todocanada.ca/15-roadside-attractions-for-a-road-trip-in-manitoba/
Rural Manitoba is beautiful. It is peaceful beyond compare. My friends’ acreage is an oasis of thoughtful landscaping, pathways, meadows, a meandering creek nearby, two cats, a dog, some goats and honey bees. Their home is full of meaningful items from their travels, and their families, reflective of the beautiful life they have built together.
And our prairie adventures over the next 10 days were many. Here are some of the highlights.
International Peace Gardens
Nestled on the border between Manitoba and North Dakota are the gorgeous International Peace Gardens, “a living monument to the ideals of friendship and cooperation among nations. Acres of uninterrupted prairie, forests and radiant floral gardens are defined by nature, not borders”. We spent a few hours in this truly peaceful place, wandering the gardens, and pathways, sitting in silence in the peace chapel and reflecting individually and together about our world today, the chaos and the beauty.
Wooden Gate Cidery
We spent a glorious few hours tasting small-batch Manitoba craft cider at a charming farm, snacking on local meats and cheeses whilst sitting on the patio with the proprieties of the Wooden Gate Cidery. Friends of friends joined, and the 5 of us had a lazy, luscious Sunday afternoon. I had a case shipped home it was so delicious.
https://www.woodengatecider.ca/
Souris
This town boasts Canada’s longest historic swinging bridge, measuring 604 feet or 184 metres. And I went across it! And I do not like swinging bridges or heights!!! The museum was also lovely and ice cream as we wandered along the town made for a lovely day trip. And don’t forget the famous Souris Rock Shop (yes, I bought a rock).
Manitoba Air Show
Um, this was kind of cool. We brought our chairs and sat on the grass while we watched airplanes whizz by, barrel rolling and accelerating at unbelievable speeds… people jumping out from them and parachuting in formation from the sky… and supersonic CF-18s screeching through the sky as I held my hands over my ears. We saw WW2 Lancaster and the Snowbirds (amazing)…and we saw Snoopy’s plane (I don’t know what it is called…I call it Snoopy’s plane).
Killarney
I love this town. It does happen to be where my best friends live, so maybe I am biased. We had take-out Chinese food, watched a community summer night porch concert, went to the art gallery, and saw the Blarney Stone (I did not kiss it upon recommendation from the locals). We went to neighbouring towns (Ninga, Bossevain, Cartwright) and the Friday night market run by the Hutterites to pick up fresh fruit and vegetables and I brought home some locally made plum jam and relish. We harvested honey, made beeswax wraps, did organic cloth dying with flowers and drank many cups of coffee (in the mornings) and wine (in the afternoons). And I can’t wait to return.
“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” Ernest Hemingway
This place we call Canada is full of remarkable people and places. It really is a privilege to live here and explore this grand experiment of inclusivity and diversity, with its complexities and mistakes made. The prairies have a beauty and compelling draw that feels welcoming in ways I cannot fully explain. I hope you one day make your way to the centre of our country, take a deep breath and let yourself be immersed in these breathtakingly beautiful and expansive spaces.