Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death - Top 5 Sites of Death Valley

Home to the largest National Park in the continental United States, Death Valley is an area full of extremes – from the lowest point of the continental United States (282 ft below Sea level) at Bad Water Basin to the highest point (11,000 ft) at Mount Whitney – and is one of the most desolate places on Earth.  Sand dunes, unusual rock formations, and miles upon miles of desert make you feel like you are on a whole new planet instead of Southeastern California.

Welcome to Death Valley

Death Valley can become a dangerous – and potentially fatal – trip for the ill prepared traveler. Because of the extreme heat, it is not surprising that very few people live in this desolate area of the Southwestern United States and that it fails to attract the same hype and popularity as other nearby tourist destinations - Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas or the Grand Canyon.  But for the intrepid traveler, Death Valley actually offers a lot more as long as you abide by the proper safety precautions.

Map location of Death Valley National Park

Death Valley is located halfway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas right along the California - Nevada state line.  It is roughly a 2 hour drive from either city, but the majority of the valley resides within Southeastern California.  While it is possible to book a day tour from either Los Vegas or Los Angeles, I have always preferred renting a car instead.  The flexibility of a car rental gives you the freedom to spend as much or as little time as you want on a self-driving tour to the various sites around the area.

Desert driving in Death Valley

Should you choose to do a self-driving tour of Death Valley, then here are some safety tips for you:

• Bring extra bottles of water with you as the weather is extremely hot 
• Fill up on gas before entering the Valley - gas stations are few and far in between here
• Bring a map with you as GPS technology does not work well at all within the Valley
• Off-roading can get you lost and could potentially be fatal.  Stay on the main roads!
• Have a spare tire handy for flats as there are no auto repair shops around for miles

Scotty's Castle
Scotty's Castle is a popular destination within Death Valley National Park.  There is an interesting tale about an unlikely friendship between a con artist and a millionaire that led to this oddity in the California desert.  Scotty’s Castle is open for tours year round, although only about 100,000 people per year actually visit.  I took this tour the first time I ventured into Death Valley in October 2007, and highly recommend it.

Scotty's Castle

Ubehebe Crater
Ubehebe Crater (pronounced YOO-bee-HEE-bee) is a volcanic crater in the Northern half of Death
Valley.  It is actually located about 20 minutes Southwest of Scotty’s Castle, so definitely take the opportunity to check it out as you finish your tour of Scotty’s Castle.  This crater is one of the most unusual geological formations you will see in North America, and best described as a “Moon-like landscape.”

Ubehebe Crater

There are actually two craters here – Ubehebe Crater and Little Hebe.  There are three hiking trails in this part of Death Valley – one trail will take you to the bottom of Ubehebe, a second trail will allow you to walk around the crater's circumference, and the third will take you to the top of Little Hebe. You may also want to bundle up when you come to this part of Death Valley as it is extremely windy here.  Winds gusts can measure as high as 80 Km/hour or about 50 miles/hour.  To put it into perspective that is the speed limit for most rural highways around North America.

Devil's Golf Course
Despite its name, Devil’s Golf Course is far from being playable!  It is actually a large salt pan at the floor of Death Valley.  It is here that Lake Manly once stood in the mid-1800s, but has since dried out leaving very interesting salt deposits behind.  This site got its name from a 1934 National Park Service guidebook that said “only the Devil could play golf” on this piece of land.

Devil's Golf Course

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
These famous sand dunes are located in the Northern half of Death Valley, and will be the first thing you will see in Death Valley if you are entering from the East along Highway 190.  They are the most well-known and most accessible sand dunes in the area, and are often used in Hollywood movies and music videos.  In fact, you may recognize them from the original Star Wars movies.

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

While the sand dunes are not very high (maximum height of 100 meters), they are extremely far from the highway.  Don’t let the scenery fool you, though.  What I thought was probably a 15 – 20 minute walk from the side of the highway is actually close to 45 minutes – 1 hour depending on how fast you walk and the humidity factors involved.  Definitely take a few pictures, but don’t make the same mistake I did and try walking to them.  There are too many other fascinating places to see within Death Valley and not enough daylight hours available.  You do not want to get yourself lost or stuck in Death Valley after dark.  Trust me!

Badwater Basin
If you only had time to see one thing and one thing only in Death Valley, then Badwater Basin would be it.  It is famous for being the lowest point in North America at 86 Meters (or 282 ft) below sea level.  As a comparison, the Dead Sea is almost 7 times lower than this at 427 Meters (1401 ft) below sea level.

Badwater Basin

Badwater Basin is a salt flat that developed when Recent Lake evaporated some 2000 – 3000 years ago.  Due to its low elevation, Badwater is also one of the hottest spots in North America where temperatures can reach as high as 120 °F (49 °C) in July and August.  To make matters even worse – or adventurous depending on how you look at it – it is here where the annual Badwater Ultramarathon takes place every July!

A desolate road deep within Death Valley

These are just a few of the amazing sights to enjoy in Death Valley.  I wish I had more time to see the rest of it, but it does require both time and proper planning.  In fact, some areas are only accessible if you are driving a 4x4 all wheel drive.  So, definitely add this to your Bucket list if you ever find yourself in the Southwestern United States.

Partying on the USS Hornet

Sometimes in life, you just get lucky and get to experience interesting places because you are in the right place at the right time.  While I have been privy to many different experiences because of my career, partying on the USS Hornet stands out to me the most because it was the first time I got to experience the “high life” so to speak.  As part of our annual Sales Kickoff, my employer decided to host the corporate party on the USS Hornet, a retired naval carrier moored in Alameda, a suburb 30 minutes Southeast of San Francisco.  Getting to the Hornet was an adventure in itself as we sailed across the Bay from the Port of San Francisco.

USS Hornet

Officially known as the USS Hornet (CV-12), this naval carrier first launched on August 30, 1943.  During its service in the later years of World War II, the Hornet saw lots of action fighting the Japanese in the South Pacific Islands.  Following the war, the USS Hornet did not see major action again until the 1960s when it was used mainly as a recovery ship during the Apollo missions before being permanently retired in 1970.  Since 1998, the USS Hornet has been opened to the public as a museum.

Fighter jets on the U.S.S. Hornet

Upon entry, we were numbered respectively not only so we could take a 2-hour tour of the ship and check out the fighter jets on display, but so that we could participate in a quirky team building exercise, as well.  Each group was given materials to build their own “missile” so to speak, and were given time slots when we could go to the top deck to launch these missiles into the San Francisco Bay for a mock recovery similar to the Apollo missions.

USS Hornet Runway

The only thing that really disappointed me this night was the amount of co-workers who decided to bail early around 10pm PST to take the boats back to our hotel.  This was a monstrous ship with tons of history to take in.  Why anyone wouldn't want to make the most out of their time on this epic venue is beyond me.  Regardless, the USS Hornet Museum is one of the most unique tourist attractions that you will see in San Francisco.  For more info about the USS Hornet Museum, please check out their official website.

Richmond Olympic Oval

Sitting here watching the Sochi Winter Olympics brings up fond memories of the time I went to skate at the Richmond Olympic Oval – the host venue for the long track speed skating event for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.  It was early February 2009, and I was in Vancouver for a week-long Sales event for work.  I decided to spend a few extra days with one of my childhood friends.  As per his girlfriend's suggestion, we headed off to the tiny village of Richmond to check out the Olympic Oval as it just opened only a couple months earlier – the last of the Vancouver Olympic venues to be completed.

Richmond Olympic Oval

The Oval is located off the Fraser River just south of downtown Vancouver, but minutes away from the Vancouver International Airport at 6111 River Road.  There are three main ways to get to the Richmond Oval from downtown Vancouver:

• Bus – take the C94 bus from the Canada Line Brighouse Station
• Driving
• Taxi

The Oval is in a remote area, so my suggestion would be drive down if you can if you are not staying in downtown nor have easy access to the C94 bus line.  My friends live in Surrey, so we drove west along Highway 91 for about 30 minutes.  There is plenty of parking should you have means to a vehicle.

Public skating at the Richmond Olympic Oval

The Oval is open 7 days a week roughly between 6am – 11pm PST.  We arrived roughly around 9pm to give us just enough time to skate around for a while.  Admission was free to the public if you had your own skates.  However, since I was from out-of-town, I had to rent skates for about $7 Canadian.  It’s a bit pricey, but worth the investment for a special moment like this.

Public skating at the Richmond Olympic Oval

If you have never skate a lap around an Olympic-sized speed skating track before, then let me tell you that it is extremely tiring!  One lap around the track is about 400 meters, so if you are in not in peak physical condition, then you definitely will be winded.  This was my first time skating in over 5 years.  So while the enormity of the rink put me in awe, that feeling quickly dissipated once I began to lose stamina trying to complete the track.

The Richmond Olympic Oval is quite massive!

When I was there, skating was the only activity you really could do at the time.  An hour at the Oval was more than enough time spent there, so we left just before closing.  My experience at the Oval gave me a new-found appreciation for the sport of speed skating.  It is not easy by any means!

Goodnight, Richmond Olympic Oval!

Following the conclusion of the Olympics and Paralympics, the Richmond Oval was refurbished to become a multi-purpose sports and recreational facility.  Now you can participate in various activities, such as ice hockey, soccer or rock climbing just to name a few.  For more information about the Richmond Olympic Oval, please check out their official website.

Remembering the Alamo

If you are child of the 80s like me, then you probably first heard about the Alamo in the cult movie hit “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure.”  After going across the country in search of his stolen bike, Pee-Wee was told that his prized possession could be found in the basement of the Alamo.  Unfortunately, he finds out that there is no basement at the Alamo and the movie goes on half hour or so until he finds it.  But, I digress!

The Alamo

Flash forward to March 2007, and I finally make a trip down to San Antonio for work.  Coincidentally, I was in San Antonio some 171 years after the Battle of the Alamo took place.  What clued me in was a brief demonstration that occurred in front of the Alamo commemorating the event.  So why is the Alamo so important and why should you care?

Re-enactment of the Battle of the Alamo

The Alamo Mission in San Antonio – or the Alamo as it is commonly referred to – is an 18th century Roman Catholic mission and fortress compound.  It was one of the first Spanish missions built in Texas to educate Native Americans after their conversion to Christianity before being abandoned in 1793.

Re-enactment of the Battle of the Alamo

By the early 19th Century, the Alamo was converted into a military fort and held significant strategic importance during the Texas Revolution – none more important than the Battle of the Alamo, which I will address in a minute.  After Mexico declared independence from Spain in 1821, it controlled much of what is now known as the modern day Southwestern United States, including Texas.  By late 1835, political tensions arose between the American colonialists and the Mexican government over such issues as immigration policies, tariffs on American products, and overall treatment by the Mexican armies, which lead to the Texas Revolution on October 2.

Women and children were spared during the Battle of the Alamo

On February 23, 1836, Mexican General Santa Ana lead a 13-day siege of the Alamo.  By the early morning hours of March 6 – the final day of the siege – Santa Ana’s army had completely surrounded the Alamo in the early morning hours for one final battle.  In the end, almost all of the Alamo defenders were captured and killed, including several men who actually surrendered.  Two of the most famous Alamo Defenders killed included Jim Bowie (inventor of the Bowie knife) and Davy Crockett.

Re-enactment of the Battle of the Alamo with General Santa Ana

The Battle of the Alamo served as the pinnacle event of the Texas Revolution as the siege bought more time for the General Sam Houston to build up more forces and supplies in order for the Texian Army to fight against the Mexicans.  Santa Ana was eventually captured on April 22, 1836, which not only officially ended the Revolution, but eventually laid the groundwork for the United States to expand into the Southwest – Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah.

Remember the Alamo!

Today, the Alamo represents courage and pride for Texans, and is one of the most visited attractions in the United States.  Here is some additional information about the Alamo to consider before you visit:

• The Alamo was the first Mission established in San Antonio in the early 1700s
• Five countries have occupied the Alamo its 300-year-old history – Spain, Mexico, Republic of Texas, the Confederate States of America, and the United States of America
• The Daughters of the Republic of Texas – descendants of the founding families and soldiers of the Republic of Texas (1836 – 1846) – can be credited for restoring the Alamo in the early 20th century as both as a significant historical monument.  Without the DRT, the Alamo may have fallen into complete disrepair or have been completely destroyed
• The Alamo is opened everyday from 9am – 5:30pm CST (except for Christmas Eve/Day)
• Admission is free (although nominal donations are accepted)
• Photography is not allowed within the Alamo nor the Long Barracks
• Over 2.5 million people visit the Alamo annually – San Antonio’s population is 1.5 million

For more information about the Alamo, please visit the official website.

Living On the Edge - The CN Tower EdgeWalk

The CN Tower has been a distinctive landmark of the Toronto skyline since 1977.  Standing at just under 554M/1,185ft, it once stood as the tallest building in the World until the Burj Khalifa passed it in 2007.  One would assume that losing such a record would significantly impact the overall value and appeal to tourists.  But with the introduction of the EdgeWalk in 2011, the CN Tower has been more popular than ever with tourists and locals alike.

CN Tower EdgeWalk

When I first heard about the opening of the EdgeWalk, I was bouncing off the walls waiting to try it out for myself.  The EdgeWalk has put the CN Tower back into the Guinness Book of World Records as being the "Highest External Walk on a Building."

EdgeWalkers realizing they are 1,168 ft. above the ground!

Here are some basic facts about the EdgeWalk:

• Recognized as the Highest External Walk on a Building --  356 M/1,168 ft.
• Platform width of 1.5M/5ft -- about the width of a sidewalk
• Entire length of the walk encompasses 150 M/492 ft
• Seasonally operated between April – October
• Open 7 days per week usually between 8am EST – Dusk.
• Reservations are required, but you can book them the day of depending on time of year
• Once ran as late as early December during its first year of operation
• Admission is $175 CDN -- covers admission to the SkyPod, Glass Floor, Look Out, the two simulator rides and movie, a video of your walk, a keep sake photo, and re-entry to the CN Tower.  All in all, it is reasonably priced for a tourist attraction and offers great value given some of the other tourists attractions located within Toronto.
• Weddings can take place atop the EdgeWalk.

Kooks "looking forward" to doing the EdgeWalk

When you arrive to the EdgeWalk, make sure you are at least 15 minutes early.  That is because you must go through a safety orientation and a breathalyzer test at Base Camp.  You read that correctly – a breathalyzer test!  Never in my entire life have I ever been subjected to such a test before participating in a tourist attraction.  However, given the height of the walk, it is in the best interests for the safety of the CN Tower and EdgeWalk participants to make sure no one under the influence of alcohol or drugs is participating in the walk.

Our EdgeWalk team ready to go!

Following the breathalyzer test, all participants are required to lock any loose items, such as cameras, hair clips, and watches, in a safe deposit box.  You may wear either prescription glasses or sunglasses, but they will tie them up with a safety band and clip to prevent them from falling.

EdgeWalkers starting their trip around the CN Tower platform

Once you arrive to the top, participants walk outside to the ledge one by one.  Over the course of the next 30 – 35 minutes, the tour guide will lead you on a walk around the circumference of the CN Tower.  Of course, there will be moments where you can stop to check out the scenery, as well as do a few tricks to show off your bravery.

CN Tower EdgeWalk - Bird's eye view of the street

For example, I was asked to walk backwards to the edge in a semi-squat position and then stand up at a 45 degree angle with my back to the ground.  And if that weren't scary enough, a few minutes later, we were each asked to do our own recreation of that famous scene in Titanic where Rose believe she is flying on the bow of the ship.  Try leaning over the edge of the CN Tower and tell me if you feeling like you are flying!

CN Tower EdgeWalk - EdgeWalkers testing their luck!

While I am not typically afraid of heights, I did have a few moments of doubt there when a Cessna plane kept circling in the vicinity of the CN Tower.  When your guide says aloud “I’m pretty certain he’s not supposed to be flying that close to the tower,” you can’t help but wonder what you are doing up there in the first place.

Living on the Edge - The CN Tower EdgeWalk

One final benefit of the EdgeWalk is that if you time it right, then you can catch a glimpse of the Toronto Blue Jays game down below if the dome to the Rogers Center is open on game day.  Kooks and I had decided to do the EdgeWalk walk on my birthday, and go to the Blue Jays game later that afternoon, so I didn't get that opportunity this time.

Our "scared" group on the CN Tower EdgeWalk

Overall, the EdgeWalk certainly lives up to the hype.  While it might be awhile before I get a chance to do it again, it certainly offers the best value of any tourist attraction in Toronto.  At that height, you not only get an amazing perspective of the city, but you also appreciate the hard work and effort that went into building this engineering masterpiece back in the 1970s.  For reservations to the EdgeWalk, please go here.  You won’t regret it!

Backpacking Death Valley – Touring Scotty’s Castle

Known for its strange, desolate, “other worldly” landscapes, Death Valley is one of the best places I have ever visited.  During my first trip to Las Vegas, I rented a vehicle and did a self-guided day trip of the region.  Although it was my fascination with the landscape that drew my initial interest, taking a tour of Scotty's Castle is the best kept secret of the Valley in my opinion.

Scotty's Castle

Death Valley Scotty

Walter Scott (aka Death Valley Scotty) was born in Cynthiana, Kentucky on September 20, 1872.  Originally a performer for Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, Walter gained notoriety as a con artist in the early 20th century by bilking many unsuspecting wealthy financiers for many of his “mining endeavours,” including his most famous target, Albert Johnson.

Scotty's Castle - The Main Foyer

Albert Johnson

Albert Johnson was an Ohio-born businessman who eventually became President of the National Life Insurance Company.  In December 1899 while in Colorado on a business trip with his father in search of new mining prospects, Johnson’s train was involved in a severe accident when it was rear ended in the back by another train.  This resulted in not only the death of Johnson’s father, but Albert himself suffered from a catastrophic back injury that would impair his health for the rest of his life.

Scotty's Castle - The Main Kitchen

Scotty’s Castle

Around 1904, Walter Scott met Albert Johnson through an intermediary trying to get Johnson to invest $2,500 US into a gold mine that Scott apparently found in Death Valley, California.  After several trips through the next few years, it was apparent that Johnson had been duped by Scott in one of his notorious mining schemes of the early 20th Century.

One of several tapestries inside Scotty's Castle

Despite the deceit, Johnson befriended Scott and grew to love the Californian desert so much so that he purchased a ranch in 1915 and began constructing one of several buildings in Death Valley so he could vacation here in the winters with his wife, Bessie.  It was also around this time that Johnson began noticing some significant improvements to his overall health despite the horrible effects he suffered from that train wreck back in 1899.

Scotty's Castle - The Dining Room

Johnson began construction on what is known today as Scotty’s Castle around 1922 in order to appease Bessy as she no longer wanted to “rough it” on the ranch during these winter vacations.  At a cost of around $2.5 Million, this villa was accidentally constructed on government land due to a surveying error as Grapevine Canyon, the area where Johnson purchased his ranch back in 1915, was a couple miles further up the valley.

Scotty's Castle - Spiral staircase leading up to the Tower

Unfortunately, the Stock Crash of 1929 had made construction difficult to complete while the Johnsons tried to figure out a cost-effective way to rebuild the villa on their actual property.  As a result, the Johnson left the castle at its current location and the United States National Park Service eventually purchased Scotty’s Castle via a charity that the Johnsons left the rights of the villa to in their will as they had no heirs themselves.

Scotty's Castle

Scotty’s Castle Tour

Scotty’s Castle receives about 100,000 visitors annually making it one of the least visited attractions in any of the National Parks across the United States.  While I was there, I opted for the House Tour and the Underground Tour, which gave me about 2 ½ hours to explore many of the rooms of Scotty’s Castle and a brief hike up to where Death Valley Scotty’s grave lies.

Death Valley Scotty's Gravesite

The tour itself covers all the background history I just discussed about Death Valley Scotty, the Johnsons, and Scotty’s Castle.  Many of the rooms that you see still contain original artwork, decorations or furniture that the Johnson had used when they were alive.  Even the tour guides sometimes dress in period costume, as well!

Scotty's Castle - View from Death Valley Scotty's Gravesite

Although the two tours will cost you about $30 US, I strongly encourage you to take both of them so you can also get a better understand how truly difficult it is for people to survive in Death Valley without some of the technology we developed in the early 20th century.  There is also a 2 ½ hiking tour through Lower Vine Ranch where Death Valley Scotty actually lived.  However, that tour was not available at the time of my visit (October 2007).

Scotty's Castle

For tour information about Scotty’s Castle, check out the official website of National Parks Services.

Where Boys Fear to Tread

Exactly 50 years ago today, the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show, which resulted in the British Invasion of America and the makings of one of the greatest bands of all time.    As I sit here watching a televised tribute to the Fab Four, which includes a mini-Reunion of sorts with the two sole surviving members - Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr - I can't help but reflect on one of the most influential bands on me growing up -  the Smashing Pumpkins - and a "Reunion" of sorts that I watched several years ago.

The Smashing Pumpkins live at Massey Hall

The first and only time I saw the Smashing Pumpkins play was on July 2, 1996 at Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo.  Not only was it my first time going to a stadium rock concert, but it would eventually become one of the last few gigs featuring the original line up.  Jimmy Chamberlain would be kicked out of the band two weeks later following his involvement in the accidental drug related death of their touring keyboardist.  The band would briefly reunite a few years later before disbanding in 2000.

Billy Corgan addressing the audience at Massey Hall

The Pumpkins of old were about angst, loneliness, and complexity. Their music allowed me to escape my feelings of insecurity, teenage anguish, and self-doubt. It was their music that made me realize that I was not alone; that there are many others out there – young and old alike - confused and puzzled by the way society tries to pressure us into conformity.

The Smashing Pumpkins' 20th Anniversary Tour

The Pumpkins I saw that Monday night in November 2008 were almost the exact opposite. Billy is now more of a peaceful, loving man who’s a lot calmer and mature, and Jimmy is a lot more focused and relaxed with his music since kicking his drug habit years ago. And I still don’t know who the other two members are. This wasn't the same band I listened to back in high school, but I wasn't dismayed by this, either. In fact, I’m glad I went to see them play.

The Smashing Pumpkins' 20th Anniversary Tour

While the success of the band will never reach the levels of the Mellon Collie days, it was nice to see the band happier with themselves and with each other. They were just about having fun and playing the music they wanted to play. Songs on the set list went as far back as Gish when they played Siva a few songs into their gig. And listening to the audience belt out the lyrics to Today was another highlight of the night. The Pumpkins say they’re going to go on forever, but who really knows? They could end tomorrow. They could end ten years from now.  I'm just glad I got to be 15 again even if it were for only a few brief hours.

Splash Dash Tours - Winnipeg's #1 River Boat Cruise

While it is a major Canadian city, Winnipeg is not exactly the most “touristy” place.  However, with Kooks’ Sister living there for the past several years, this was reason enough for us to visit the Gateway to the West.  Without any concrete plans as to what we wanted to see or do in Winnipeg, Dawn decided to take us down to the Historic Forks area where the Assiniboine River and Red River meet.  The Forks is considered the downtown hub of Winnipeg, and is about as close as you will get to seeing a tourist district within the city.  It is also here where you can do a river cruise around Winnipeg.

Downtown Winnipeg

Splash Dash Tours offers a scenic guided half hour tour along the Assiniboine and Red Rivers.  Located at the Forks Dock, tours from 10am CST – Sunset every day from May 15 through October 15 (weather permitting).  At a cost of $11 CDN, this seemed like an ideal way to learn more about the Gateway City to Western Canada.  Without further ado, here are the main highlights of this tour.

Manitoba Legislative Building

The tour starts off by exploring parts of the Assiniboine River.  Along this section of the tour, we passed by the Manitoba Legislative Building.  Directly in front of the building is a statue of Louis Riel, one of the founders of the province of Manitoba and controversial political figure of Canada.  I will write more about him in a bit as we passed some other significant sites relating to Riel.

Manitoba Legislative Building

Golden Boy/Eternal Youth Statue 

Sitting atop of Manitoba’s Provincial Government resides the Golden Boy – Winnipeg’s iconic symbol.  Officially known as “Eternal Youth,” the Golden Boy was created by French sculptor Georges Gardet, Golden Boy is modelled after a 16th-century sculpture of the Roman god Mercury, weights 1,650 kilograms, and stands at 5.25 metres tall.

Golden Boy/Eternal Youth Statue

Commissioned in 1918, Golden Boy did not arrive until November 21, 1919 after the ship that was carrying it from France was commandeered for service in the last few months of World War 1.  The statue was first gilded with twenty-four carat gold in 1951, and was placed to face north on the assumption that Manitoba’s future lay in the undeveloped northern regions in the early 20th Century.

The Fork

After about the first 10 minutes cruising around the Assiniboine River, our tour guide took us to the confluence where the Assiniboine meets the Red River – or the Fork – and we begin to learn about Winnipeg’s history starting with the discovery of artefacts that were identified as being part of the Seminole Tribes of Florida.

The confluence of the Red & Assiniboine Rivers

Archaeological surveys confirm that Winnipeg was the central meeting point for all Native peoples in the Western Hemisphere over 6,000 years ago.  It was theorized that these Native tribes arrived here in Winnipeg using the Mississippi River as a major transit route from the South and the Red River from what are now the modern day Prairie Provinces, Northwest Territories, and Eastern Canada.

St. Boniface Cathedral

Further down the Red River, we passed along St. Boniface Cathedral – the resting place of Louis Riel.  Riel is by far the most discussed political figure of Canadian history.  A member of the Métis tribe (a mixture of Native and Francophone ancestry), Riel is infamous for leading rebellions in the late 19th century against the Canadian advancement into the Northwest Territories.

St. Bonafice Cathedral

Reviled by the Protestants of Ontario and seen as a traitor, Riel became a folk hero to the Francophones, Métis, and Roman Catholics for defending their rights and territory from the appropriation of the Canadian government, which was led by Sir. John A. McDonald.  Executed for treason, Riel’s legacy continues to show in the present day in the deep divide between Conservative and Liberal politics, and Western Canada and Quebec’s general stance that the Canadian government does not care for anyone other than Ontario.

Esplanade Riel

This pedestrian bridge – twinned with the vehicular Provencher Bridge – connects downtown Winnipeg with the predominately Francophone neighbourhood of St. Boniface.  It is has an oddly shaped observation deck that looks like a flying saucer, but is in fact a restaurant – the only bridge of its kind within North America that has a restaurant.  Unfortunately, Kooks and I did not get a chance to eat at this restaurant on this particular trip.  But, it is something I will consider checking out in the future.

Esplanade Riel

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights

Located next to Esplanade Riel is the Canadian Museum for Human Rights – the first National Museum to be created since 1967 and the first one to be located out of the Capital Region of Canada.  At the time of this cruise (September 2013), the CMHR had still not been completed yet and the official opening was not slated for at least another year.

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights

Five Roses Flour Mill

This factory along the Red River represents the Golden Era of Winnipeg’s manufacturing industry in the 19th Century.  With flour mills being created along the Red River, this allowed for Prairie wheat farmers to have a feasible way to sell and ship their products across North America.  In fact, there was so much traffic along this part of the river over 150 years ago that some ships had to wait in line for a few days before a dock opened up for them to receive the next shipment of flour.

Five Roses Flour Mill

Ultimately, the shipping industry was killed once the Canadian Pacific Railway was opened in the early 20th Century.  This meant that Winnipeg was no longer a major centre of commerce for the Prairie Provinces now that wheat farmers in Saskatchewan and Alberta had quicker and easier ways to distribute their products.  Winnipeg hasn't really recovered from this economic collapse since.

Winnipeg’s Oldest House

Winnipeg’s oldest house sits less than a few blocks away from the Red River at 99 Euclid Avenue.  Although we couldn't actually see this house from the boat, it pre-dates the founding of Winnipeg and was built in 1862 by E.L. Barber.  It was continuously occupied up until the late 20th century.

One of many historic houses along the Red River

Barber was responsible for laying the foundations for the Point Douglas community, and his house was once used as a hideout for his partner, Dr. John Schultz.  Schultz led a rebellion against Louis Riel’s provisional Government in the Red River settlement.  After escaping imprisonment, Schultz hid in Barber’s house before heading to Ontario in exile.

Downtown Winnipeg as seen from the Red River

After this part of the tour, we turned around and slowly headed back toward the Forks.  This tour is a must for anyone visiting Winnipeg as it is far more interesting than it appears at first glance.  Not only is Winnipeg the epicentre of Native American history, but as we learned through the life of Louis Riel, it is the epicentre of the East-West divide that still exits today within Canadian politics.