Finding my own personal Winnipeg

Is Winnipeg a composite of Guy Maddin's My Winnipeg? Is Winnipeg a rough and tumble city? Is Winnipeg worth a 3-day trip? Like a BuzzFeed article, the answer may surprise you.

Guy Maddin's My Winnipeg shows us his vision of his hometown. I wanted to discover within the Manitoba capital what I would find in My (own version of) Winnipeg.

Winnipeg's reputation is a bit rough, especially if you are Metis or aboriginal, and economically poor. You can definitely see bits of that coming in from the airport on Sargent Avenue on the #15 bus or walking down Portage Avenue into downtown. If that is all you see, you will have missed a lot.

You also see a tremendous energy. Winnipeg is a city where you can experiment without too much pressure. When you are the largest city for hundreds of kilometres around in two countries, you are the creative centre of the region.

The Forks are fun to explore whether that be the actual national park or the extensive network of food and art in the market building. Chicago has a lot more with food but nothing even remotely close to the Forks Market.

The Forks area is right next to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. The intensity of the museum could require a break, and that is allowed in the admission price. A couple of people told me they hadn't gone because those who are Metis and aboriginal got in for free.

I didn't know what to say in response. Now having been in the museum, there are areas that affect the First Nations but plenty of material on other areas. There is plenty of Canadian history that centers around human rights issues from internment of Japanese-Canadians to French language rights in Manitoba to Bill 101 in Quebec. The human rights museum presents an international perspective as well.

There is an interactive element where you can weigh in on cases before the Canadian Supreme Court. You can compare your positions to how the Supreme Court ruled in those cases.

The Thursday downtown farmers market was small but lively. The conversation over Saskatoon berries was loud and joyous.

I attended a Winnipeg Blue Bombers football game and a Winnipeg Goldeyes baseball game. The baseball tickets are surprisingly expensive for minor-league ball, but wanting to avoid the rain added to that price. Order before game day and you will save money. Still, the view is great and the action was good.

The excitement around the Winnipeg Fringe Festival added to the energy of the Exchange District, a good destination otherwise. Interesting cafes, restaurants, and used bookstores sparkle throughout this area. The cafe filled with games was a fun highlight.

St. Boniface is the French-speaking neighbourhood across the Red River, a very short walk from the Forks and the museum. The neighbourhood was a source of great fun. Unfortunately, the Blue Bombers game coincided with the Bastille Day celebration, so that would have added to the fun.

You visually see a lot of French, especially on street signs and stop signs. The tour guides did point out Jonathan Toews' high school. I found a cute French bookstore and some nice cafes. I even found a "maid cafe" in an otherwise Japanese cafe. Even if the signs are in French, the neighbourhood is still international.

Learning more about Guy Maddin and his Winnipeg

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The Forks and the Canadian Museum of Human Rights were specifically cited as not open past their normal hours. The museum does take quite a bit to fit everything in before leaving. And the Forks offer a lot of choices.

I now get the distance between the stadium area and downtown. FIFA kept the tourist events around the stadium at the University of Manitoba, very far from downtown. Even with a car, you will be traveling for awhile.

Getting around the downtown area is very easy by walking. You should explore the infamous Portage and Main intersection, but know 2 crucial points: 1) that may be the windiest area in an already windy city, and 2) you can't cross the intersection as a pedestrian above ground; underground is your only option.

3 days was not enough to explore Winnipeg though a week might have been stretching the time. The people were amazingly friendly. There were eccentric moments, all of them good. And the food was very nice.

I was worried about the dreaded mosquitoes, but I was told that the mosquitos didn't penetrate the perimeter, which seemed like the equivalent of the Beltway in the U.S. capital.

The customs officer was very friendly even as he was double-checking to make sure I wasn't there to work. He said that we don't get too many American tourists in Winnipeg.

Cooler temperatures. Friendly people. Great exchange rate. Decent flight in terms of cost. Atypical foods. And a lot of creative energy. Those are enough reasons to spend a few days in the Manitoba capital.

Comments

[Tyler]

I visited Winnipeg for the first time last summer, in part to see the BC Lions on the road. The place was a lot more modern and interesting and scenic than I had imagined. It's much better than its reputation, I think.