I like you winnie, and peggy.

Okay, so this might have to be snappy, as there is someone waiting to use the computer here in the hotel lobby. But I just wanted to tell you all a little bit about Winnipeg.
On the second day of the forum (which was yesterday), Sarah (the DFO coop student from Waterloo who currently works here in Winnipeg, and formerly worked my position in Inuvik) and I went over lunch for a little walk to the legislature building to take some pictures of the famous 'golden boy' and along the way we saw some neato polar bear statues and some neato snow sculptures. I took photos of them all. Then yesterday evening after the forum was completed, a good number of DFO persons went for a drink at the hotel pub here, and then Sarah and I went on a bit of a walking tour of Winnipeg. It was REALLY cold, but we ventured to the intersection of Portage and Main. This intersection is the centre of downtown, and in fact an intersection that cannot be crossed by pedestrians above ground, you have to do it below ground in tunnels! Apparently it is also the windiest intersection in Canada (I don't quite understand why??) We continued our walk down to the Red River, which you can skate multiple kilometers on, and I took some shots of a really neat pedestrian bridge. Then we moved onto the 'Forks'. An area of Winnipeg called such because it is located where the Assiniboine and Red Rivers converge. There was a really neat indoor market with independant stores, restaurants and natural foods. I got some quinoa, wheat free granola, manitoba jam, and a really neat purse/bag made of hemp in BC. I really enjoyed this area of Winnipeg, it was quite unique. We were also able to go to the top of a tower and look over the rivers. 'Twas great. Then we went out to a pub near the hotel, and some older DFO employees met up there, and they drank me under the table. I folded by 1130! (and was extraodinarily disapointed when I realized I forgot to go outside and look at the lunar eclipse! darn it!!)
So today I went into the DFO office located on the University of Manitoba Campus and worked out of that office, I took the bus in and it was a good day. After work Sarah and Rod (a grad student working with DFO) and I went to dinner at this great Thai place, my food was amazing, and some good curry, tea, ice cream and fellowship was had by all.
Okay so that wasn't as snappy as it maybe should have been, I think I have officially pissed the waiting dude off. eeek. Here I go. I'll post some pictures once I arrive back in Inuvik tomorrow.
Sleep well, wherever you dwell.