Cross-Canada Cycle Journey 5:
Manitoba
Not in the story-mood? Scroll down for the Quick Budget Fact Overview: an itemized information summary of Canada! ↓
The initial excitement of cycling into a new province, enhanced by the sheer size of them in that colossal place called Canada, was swiftly replaced with resentment. You see, unless you decided to stick with dread and boredom by taking the uninspiring Highway 1, Manitoba will align with near-death-experiences and a total disregard for the cyclist. It is the only province that replaces its shoulder with completely unnavigable deep gravel, forcing you on a narrow two-lane highway shared with cars, pickups and heavy trucks, who neither have the space nor patience to safely drive passed you. Luckily, the narrowness of this province at the bottom end makes it also the quickest one to knock out. I couldn’t wait for it to be over.
Day 34: Deleau – Cypress River
Distance: 124.3km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: No shoulder whatsoever. You’re sharing a two-lane road with cars, pickups and trucks that cannot safely go passed you.
Views: Farm fields.
Water Situation: Tap at donation-based campsite at Deleau. Shops in Souris, Wawanesa (detour), Glenboro and Cypress River. Small villages with houses around to ask water from. Filtering from sources not recommended due to farm industry.
Food Situation: Deleau, Souris, Wawanesa, Glenboro, Cypress River.
(Cloudy, rainy, mild side wind)
I woke up still unable to believe how lucky I was to have found a tiny shelter against the menacing rainstorm. Nothing feels better than hearing the downpour aggressively slamming against the roof and windows, unable to get to you. The heavy clouds blocking the morning lights, however, told me that my escape would be only temporary. When I was just about to leave I was surprised to see the person who I met the day before in Reston drive into the campsite to bring me breakfast, especially as I didn’t recall telling him where I’d spend the night. I have been feeling specifically safe and looked after in Canada, but as a woman on a solo adventure you should never disregard your instincts designed to safeguard your security.
I cycled onwards to Souris, wondering why the last few towns received French names while Quebec was still a ways away. A quick google thought me that the first was named after a Belgian pioneer called Sebastian Deleau, who settled in the area in 1889. When he left in 1892 he donated some land for the establishment of the train station, which granted him the honor of the place name. Souris, however, is named after the Souris River flowing through it, which in its turn is named after its mouse-like appearance (“souris” means “mouse” in French)… its French roots are formed by the river’s role as a trading route, mainly for fur, which was first used by the French Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, who mistook the Souris for the Missouri River.
Little history classes which distract the mind from the thorough blandness of the landscapes. This part of the Prairies has less than the bare minimum to offer when it comes to vistas worth looking at. The only unusual things that suddenly made an entrance, are the miniature houses displayed on the side of the roads, for a reason still unknown to me. All stimulation needed to come from social interactions, and I had a hunch that I would find exactly that at the Cypress Motor Inn. The google reviews were promising. “The rooms where not cleaned. The service is terrible when ordering food in the restaurant.” “Rooms are gross, I slept on top of the bedding. Food was mediocre at best, I would not recommend it unless you have no other option.” It was however this one that really drew me in: “Good place, normally I drive home hammered, but I actually got a room and it was decent. Friendly staff, bar lets you get rowdy. Smitty the bartender has never cut me off.” Smitty the Bartender… you seem exactly like the type of character I’d like to star in today’s adventure. You and the crowd rundown places like this seem to attract, that’s a human safari I’d like to actively participate in. I wouldn’t rent a room here, but I’d stay all night to watch the spectacle unfold.
So I pushed forward, first passing through Glenboro. A strange town with a giant camel statue as its prime eyecatcher, for whatever reason. Then onwards to Cypress River, the home of the already iconic Cypress Motor Inn. It indeed looked as sad and worn-out as I could have possibly hoped for. Yet, it was empty, except of a young Indian man called Rutvik who came to Canada, the land of opportunities, full of expectations. But here he was. It wasn’t the interaction I anticipated, but it was a valuable one nevertheless. I drank away the wine supply (which was limited, as that’s not the kind of drink the clientele tends to go for) and watched Rutvik show his entire spice-supply imported from India, at this point his only source of happiness. However, I slept in the local park. A bit cleaner.
Day 34: Deleau – Cypress River
Distance: 124.3km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: No shoulder whatsoever. You’re sharing a two-lane road with cars, pickups and trucks that cannot safely go passed you.
Views: Farm fields.
Water Situation: Tap at donation-based campsite at Deleau. Shops in Souris, Wawanesa (detour), Glenboro and Cypress River. Small villages with houses around to ask water from. Filtering from sources not recommended due to farm industry.
Food Situation: Deleau, Souris, Wawanesa, Glenboro, Cypress River.
(Cloudy, rainy, mild side wind)
I woke up still unable to believe how lucky I was to have found a tiny shelter against the menacing rainstorm. Nothing feels better than hearing the downpour aggressively slamming against the roof and windows, unable to get to you. The heavy clouds blocking the morning lights, however, told me that my escape would be only temporary. When I was just about to leave I was surprised to see the person who I met the day before in Reston drive into the campsite to bring me breakfast, especially as I didn’t recall telling him where I’d spend the night. I have been feeling specifically safe and looked after in Canada, but as a woman on a solo adventure you should never disregard your instincts designed to safeguard your security.
I cycled onwards to Souris, wondering why the last few towns received French names while Quebec was still a ways away. A quick google thought me that the first was named after a Belgian pioneer called Sebastian Deleau, who settled in the area in 1889. When he left in 1892 he donated some land for the establishment of the train station, which granted him the honor of the place name. Souris, however, is named after the Souris River flowing through it, which in its turn is named after its mouse-like appearance (“souris” means “mouse” in French)… its French roots are formed by the river’s role as a trading route, mainly for fur, which was first used by the French Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, who mistook the Souris for the Missouri River.
Little history classes which distract the mind from the thorough blandness of the landscapes. This part of the Prairies has less than the bare minimum to offer when it comes to vistas worth looking at. The only unusual things that suddenly made an entrance, are the miniature houses displayed on the side of the roads, for a reason still unknown to me. All stimulation needed to come from social interactions, and I had a hunch that I would find exactly that at the Cypress Motor Inn. The google reviews were promising. “The rooms where not cleaned. The service is terrible when ordering food in the restaurant.” “Rooms are gross, I slept on top of the bedding. Food was mediocre at best, I would not recommend it unless you have no other option.” It was however this one that really drew me in: “Good place, normally I drive home hammered, but I actually got a room and it was decent. Friendly staff, bar lets you get rowdy. Smitty the bartender has never cut me off.” Smitty the Bartender… you seem exactly like the type of character I’d like to star in today’s adventure. You and the crowd rundown places like this seem to attract, that’s a human safari I’d like to actively participate in. I wouldn’t rent a room here, but I’d stay all night to watch the spectacle unfold.
So I pushed forward, first passing through Glenboro. A strange town with a giant camel statue as its prime eyecatcher, for whatever reason. Then onwards to Cypress River, the home of the already iconic Cypress Motor Inn. It indeed looked as sad and worn-out as I could have possibly hoped for. Yet, it was empty, except of a young Indian man called Rutvik who came to Canada, the land of opportunities, full of expectations. But here he was. It wasn’t the interaction I anticipated, but it was a valuable one nevertheless. I drank away the wine supply (which was limited, as that’s not the kind of drink the clientele tends to go for) and watched Rutvik show his entire spice-supply imported from India, at this point his only source of happiness. However, I slept in the local park. A bit cleaner.
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Day 35: Cypress River - Winnipeg
Distance: 160.4km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: No shoulder whatsoever. You’re sharing atwo-lane road with cars, pickups and trucks that cannot safely go passed you.
Views: Farm fields, prelude of a city.
Water Situation: Shops and houses at Cypress River, Holland, St. Claude, Starbuck and of course Winnipeg. Gas stations at Treherne.
Food Situation: Cypress River, Holland, Treherne, St. Claude, Starbuck, Winnipeg.
(Sunny, headwind)
When I crawled out of my tent, neatly set up rain-free under a gazebo in Cypress River Millenium Park, the sun shone bright in my face… yet, the wind blew against me. Today was the day. I would leave the notorious Prairies behind, the second I’d ride into Winnipeg. I would have completed what almost all Canadians, including cyclists, told me not to do. But then, how could I say that I have cycled across Canada, when I really didn’t? I approach every long-distance journey as a miniature version of life. Life isn’t always exciting, how would you even be able to experience a high without ever having to go through a low? And how can you appreciate the small things, when only allowing grand event to pass your way. It definitely wasn’t love at first sight between me and the Prairies, but my affection grew over time as we established our bond. I shifted my focus away from majestic panoramas and surroundings and turned to its people, another prime strength of Canada. If it wasn’t for my skipping chain that has been bullying me for a week now until it could finally be fixed in the city, you could even say I was sad to part ways.
Yet, before I would do so, I still had 160km to knock out against the wind. A serious task. One I was shortly distracted from by a town called Holland. Could it be…? I quickly pulled into the cemetery to confirm the facts, and indeed: only Dutch (or Belgian?) names to be found on the gravestones. As I drove to the town, all doubts were taken away by a huge display of gimmicky windmills and tulips, symbols of my country, as well as the traditional cannabis grocery store at the corner. However, when I ordered my coffee in Dutch, little was understood. The reason for that might be that the town was named after its first postmaster, Arthur Holland, who was in fact English. It seems like the current inhabitants are as confused as I am. Yes, there were some Dutch immigrants here, alongside many other European nationalities, but they definitely didn’t define the town. Yet, due to the name confusion, now they do.
The next village up, St. Claude, has a quirky statue of its own: a giant pipe. My mind went straight to the surrealist works of Belgian artist Magritte, with his notable display of a pipe stating it isn’t one, it’s the treachery of the image (“Ceci n’est pas un pipe”). Considering that the surrounding villages were named Bruxelles and Landseer, this could be a valid explanation. However, I was wrong: it turned out to commemorate the early settlers from Jura (France), whose work lay in the pipe manufacturing industry. Ok. Boring.
Onwards you feel the Prairies slowly merging with the prelude of a city. Houses become more regular, businesses and industries fill the empty farmfields while traffic becomes more hectic. Winnipeg. A sudden splurge of civilization, the finish line of the Prairies. What have you got in store for me?
Distance: 160.4km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: No shoulder whatsoever. You’re sharing atwo-lane road with cars, pickups and trucks that cannot safely go passed you.
Views: Farm fields, prelude of a city.
Water Situation: Shops and houses at Cypress River, Holland, St. Claude, Starbuck and of course Winnipeg. Gas stations at Treherne.
Food Situation: Cypress River, Holland, Treherne, St. Claude, Starbuck, Winnipeg.
(Sunny, headwind)
When I crawled out of my tent, neatly set up rain-free under a gazebo in Cypress River Millenium Park, the sun shone bright in my face… yet, the wind blew against me. Today was the day. I would leave the notorious Prairies behind, the second I’d ride into Winnipeg. I would have completed what almost all Canadians, including cyclists, told me not to do. But then, how could I say that I have cycled across Canada, when I really didn’t? I approach every long-distance journey as a miniature version of life. Life isn’t always exciting, how would you even be able to experience a high without ever having to go through a low? And how can you appreciate the small things, when only allowing grand event to pass your way. It definitely wasn’t love at first sight between me and the Prairies, but my affection grew over time as we established our bond. I shifted my focus away from majestic panoramas and surroundings and turned to its people, another prime strength of Canada. If it wasn’t for my skipping chain that has been bullying me for a week now until it could finally be fixed in the city, you could even say I was sad to part ways.
Yet, before I would do so, I still had 160km to knock out against the wind. A serious task. One I was shortly distracted from by a town called Holland. Could it be…? I quickly pulled into the cemetery to confirm the facts, and indeed: only Dutch (or Belgian?) names to be found on the gravestones. As I drove to the town, all doubts were taken away by a huge display of gimmicky windmills and tulips, symbols of my country, as well as the traditional cannabis grocery store at the corner. However, when I ordered my coffee in Dutch, little was understood. The reason for that might be that the town was named after its first postmaster, Arthur Holland, who was in fact English. It seems like the current inhabitants are as confused as I am. Yes, there were some Dutch immigrants here, alongside many other European nationalities, but they definitely didn’t define the town. Yet, due to the name confusion, now they do.
The next village up, St. Claude, has a quirky statue of its own: a giant pipe. My mind went straight to the surrealist works of Belgian artist Magritte, with his notable display of a pipe stating it isn’t one, it’s the treachery of the image (“Ceci n’est pas un pipe”). Considering that the surrounding villages were named Bruxelles and Landseer, this could be a valid explanation. However, I was wrong: it turned out to commemorate the early settlers from Jura (France), whose work lay in the pipe manufacturing industry. Ok. Boring.
Onwards you feel the Prairies slowly merging with the prelude of a city. Houses become more regular, businesses and industries fill the empty farmfields while traffic becomes more hectic. Winnipeg. A sudden splurge of civilization, the finish line of the Prairies. What have you got in store for me?
Day 36: Winnipeg - Hadashville
Distance: 105.6km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Back on Highway 1, so there is a wide, asphalted shoulder.
Views: City, farm fields, forests.
Water Situation: Supermarkets and shops in Winnipeg and a shop in Richer. Limited houses and towns along the way.
Food Situation: Winnipeg, Richer.
(Cloudy, rainy, heat and humidity, headwind)
Winnipeg wasn’t only the location where I could finally fix my chain issue, I also decided to spend a few nights here to close the Prairies chapter and prepare for a stretch that would turn out to be the absolute polar opposite. Hosted by Couchsurfing host Merom, an Israeli Canadian who eagerly opens his doors to visitors from all over the world, I enjoyed both social connections as well as a splurge of sudden citylife. Which is remarkably laidback and liveable. Where I noticed that Canada has a drug problems on its hands (with the homeless addicts being the result rather than the cause of the problem) which thoroughly effects the face of almost every downtown area of the bigger cities, Winnipeg seems to have kept at least a big chunk of the sightseeing-areas seemingly unaffected. Most notably, The Forks, an interactive park, event area and socio-cultural meeting space. The highlight of Winnipeg. My visit coincided with National Indigenous Peoples Day, brought into existence to honor and celebrate the heritage, traditions and knowledge of the Inuit, Metis, and First Nations. The city quavered with celebrations left and right, and I happened to run right into a drag show of native kings and queens. A celebration indeed!
Distance: 105.6km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Back on Highway 1, so there is a wide, asphalted shoulder.
Views: City, farm fields, forests.
Water Situation: Supermarkets and shops in Winnipeg and a shop in Richer. Limited houses and towns along the way.
Food Situation: Winnipeg, Richer.
(Cloudy, rainy, heat and humidity, headwind)
Winnipeg wasn’t only the location where I could finally fix my chain issue, I also decided to spend a few nights here to close the Prairies chapter and prepare for a stretch that would turn out to be the absolute polar opposite. Hosted by Couchsurfing host Merom, an Israeli Canadian who eagerly opens his doors to visitors from all over the world, I enjoyed both social connections as well as a splurge of sudden citylife. Which is remarkably laidback and liveable. Where I noticed that Canada has a drug problems on its hands (with the homeless addicts being the result rather than the cause of the problem) which thoroughly effects the face of almost every downtown area of the bigger cities, Winnipeg seems to have kept at least a big chunk of the sightseeing-areas seemingly unaffected. Most notably, The Forks, an interactive park, event area and socio-cultural meeting space. The highlight of Winnipeg. My visit coincided with National Indigenous Peoples Day, brought into existence to honor and celebrate the heritage, traditions and knowledge of the Inuit, Metis, and First Nations. The city quavered with celebrations left and right, and I happened to run right into a drag show of native kings and queens. A celebration indeed!
It made up for the rather monotonous continuation of Manitoba. Which, worse, now took place on that dreaded Highway 1, due to a lack of feasible alternatives. At least that meant the shoulder was back, as the Trans-Canada is the only road in this province that seems to enjoy this apparent luxury. One interesting sight passed the revue, and that is the “Centre of Canada.” It didn’t quite apply to my route, as I by no means take the fastest, circling around in upper BC and having many detours through various remote corners of the provinces ahead of me*… Yet, it is an interesting sensation to see how far you’ve already come. I sat there for a while and let the vastness of this insane personal project trickle down. It was in this area that two fellow cross-Canada cyclists approached me: Hector and Janet, who gifted themselves this project as a retirement present. A greeting turned into a hangout, which in its turn would develop into a long-lasting connection throughout Ontario and New Brunswick.
* In fact, my total trip was going to be over 9,500 kilometres, and after Manitoba I wouldn’t even have hit the 4,000 yet.
* In fact, my total trip was going to be over 9,500 kilometres, and after Manitoba I wouldn’t even have hit the 4,000 yet.
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A factor that slowly started to be a more predominant element of the day, besides just the wind, was the heat. I started in post-winter conditions of icy breezes and sub-zero temperatures, but in the meantime I had cycled myself well into June. As I approached the border of Ontario, humidity could be added to the equation… and with that: mosquitoes. Armies and armies of mosquitoes. A little taster of how bad it would get I received that evening when I pulled into Hadashville, a place where I decided I would spend the night after disregarding the highway rest stop as an option due to the heavy sound and pollution. The second I got off the bike, I found myself doing some Russian folk dance trying to slap off the layer of critters just lurking around to throw themselves at the first blood source available. Truly dire. Impatient to deal with this, as well as with the rain which just wouldn’t leave me alone for a night, I decided to randomly knock on some doors to ask if I could pitch my tent in their shed, somewhat shielded from the elements. Of course, this is Canada, so this approach worked out instantly…
Day 37: Hadashville - Kenora
Distance: 111.4km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Back on Highway 1, so there is an asphalted shoulder.
Views: Farm fields, forests.
Water Situation: Small shops in Falcon Lake, Whiteshell (just off highway), Clearwater Bay and a supermarket in Keewatin. Many lakes around to filter from as well.
Food Situation: As above.
(Cloudy, rainy, heat and humidity, headwind)
I am fascinated by how random life can be. You’re always just one (un)intended action or decision away from a certain event, experience or encounter to happen, which simultaneously means that all those key memories or significant people crossing your path are the result of a sequence of random occurrences that very well may have never happened at all. There are a zillion alternative realities of your life out there, with different friends, different loves of your life, therefore different children, different careers, different convictions and different life contexts. If that night before I wouldn’t have decided to knock on some random doors in a remote Manitoba village called Hadashville, and if the first few residents wouldn’t have been absent, I would have never met John and Helena (they’re very private, so I’m not using their real names). But I did, and they turned out to be two of the key figures of my trip, whom I’d remember for a lifetime, while my sudden arrival at their home marked a breakthrough in a personal struggle. Some things that are as random as life comes, can at the same time feel like they’re meant to be. A cheerful end note to my short time in Manitoba.
Today I crossed the border into Ontario. Canada’s giant. A province that is so unimaginably huge, I thought I’d never see the end of it. Just before officially riding out, a last farewell present is served in the shape of West Hawk Lake, a destination that feels like a summer vacation. I dropped my bike aside and sank in the grass, somehow tricking myself into thinking that I had an easy day anyway. 111km might be less than the new normal, but laidback certainly isn’t the world to describe it. With insufficient time on my hands to make it for dinner, I sped onwards to Kenora, where a son-of-a-friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend decided to welcome me. The connections get more ridiculous the further I get into this adventure, but they never disappoint.
Ontario, bring it on! (… and man, it would – be careful what you wish for!)
Distance: 111.4km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Back on Highway 1, so there is an asphalted shoulder.
Views: Farm fields, forests.
Water Situation: Small shops in Falcon Lake, Whiteshell (just off highway), Clearwater Bay and a supermarket in Keewatin. Many lakes around to filter from as well.
Food Situation: As above.
(Cloudy, rainy, heat and humidity, headwind)
I am fascinated by how random life can be. You’re always just one (un)intended action or decision away from a certain event, experience or encounter to happen, which simultaneously means that all those key memories or significant people crossing your path are the result of a sequence of random occurrences that very well may have never happened at all. There are a zillion alternative realities of your life out there, with different friends, different loves of your life, therefore different children, different careers, different convictions and different life contexts. If that night before I wouldn’t have decided to knock on some random doors in a remote Manitoba village called Hadashville, and if the first few residents wouldn’t have been absent, I would have never met John and Helena (they’re very private, so I’m not using their real names). But I did, and they turned out to be two of the key figures of my trip, whom I’d remember for a lifetime, while my sudden arrival at their home marked a breakthrough in a personal struggle. Some things that are as random as life comes, can at the same time feel like they’re meant to be. A cheerful end note to my short time in Manitoba.
Today I crossed the border into Ontario. Canada’s giant. A province that is so unimaginably huge, I thought I’d never see the end of it. Just before officially riding out, a last farewell present is served in the shape of West Hawk Lake, a destination that feels like a summer vacation. I dropped my bike aside and sank in the grass, somehow tricking myself into thinking that I had an easy day anyway. 111km might be less than the new normal, but laidback certainly isn’t the world to describe it. With insufficient time on my hands to make it for dinner, I sped onwards to Kenora, where a son-of-a-friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend decided to welcome me. The connections get more ridiculous the further I get into this adventure, but they never disappoint.
Ontario, bring it on! (… and man, it would – be careful what you wish for!)
After Manitoba: 37 days, 3976.9km
Quick Budget Fact Overview
Canada Facts
Short History Recap
Ice Age: First humans migrate from Asia. 11th century: Norse establish first known European settlement on Newfoundland island. 1583: Newfoundland England's first overseas colony. 1701: 38 indigenous groups sign peace treaty with France. ’56: Seven Years' War between New France and larger / economically-stronger British colonies. ’63: Treaty of Paris → England acquires all French colonies east of the Mississippi incl. New France (becomes Quebec). ‘74: Quebec Act recognises French language & Roman Catholic religion. ‘76 onwards: Refugees from American War of Independence settle in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec & Ontario. 1800s: Immigration from UK. ’37-38: Armed rebellions, dissatisfaction with ruling elites, poverty and social divisions. ’67: British North America Act → unites Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in Dominion of Canada. ’85: Canadian Pacific railroad. 1914: WWI → Canada fights on side of England and France. ’39: WWII → Canadian forces in Europe and Atlantic. ’49: Founder member of Nato. ’50: Canada/UN participates in War in Korea. ’65: New flag. ’70: Front de Liberation du Quebec kidnap an English trade official and murder a Quebec minister. ’82: England transfers final legal powers over to Canada. New constitution. ’91: Canadian forces participate in Gulf War. ’92: Canada, US & Mexico finalise North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta). ’95: Referendum in Quebec rejects independence by a margin of 1%. ’99: Territory of Nunavut created in northern Canada (self-governing region with majority of indigenous population). 2002: Troops in Afghanistan. ’10: Winter Olympics. ’14: Mission to map Arctic seabed, in support of bid to extend territory up to North Pole. ’16: Free trade agreement with EU. ’17: Promised compensation to indigenous people who were kidnapped to be brought up by primarily white middle-class families. New trade deal replacing Nafta.
Canada Facts
- Capital: Ottawa
- Language: English, French
- Population: ± 39 mln (Ottawa: 1.76mln)
- Sq km: ± 9.985 (Montreal: 365)
- Currency: Canadian Dollar ($ - CAD)
- Electricity Outlet: A + B / 120 V / 60 Hz. Check here.
- Country Code Phone: +1
- Emergency Phone: 911
- Visa: Some countries need to apply for a visa, which can be done here or here.The ones that don’t need to apply for a visa waiver, called an ETA, which is a very cheap and fast process.
- Vaccinations: None.
- Climate: The country is so huge, that we’re dealing with several climate zones. The far north has a Tundra Climate (ET). Below that a zone of Subarctic Climate (Dfc), with patches of Dwc and Dsc. The southern stretch along the US border is mainly Humid Continental (Dfb), with patches of Temperate Oceanic (Cfb).
- High season: June-September. Summer is most pleasant due to the harsh climates in the colder seasons.
Short History Recap
Ice Age: First humans migrate from Asia. 11th century: Norse establish first known European settlement on Newfoundland island. 1583: Newfoundland England's first overseas colony. 1701: 38 indigenous groups sign peace treaty with France. ’56: Seven Years' War between New France and larger / economically-stronger British colonies. ’63: Treaty of Paris → England acquires all French colonies east of the Mississippi incl. New France (becomes Quebec). ‘74: Quebec Act recognises French language & Roman Catholic religion. ‘76 onwards: Refugees from American War of Independence settle in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec & Ontario. 1800s: Immigration from UK. ’37-38: Armed rebellions, dissatisfaction with ruling elites, poverty and social divisions. ’67: British North America Act → unites Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in Dominion of Canada. ’85: Canadian Pacific railroad. 1914: WWI → Canada fights on side of England and France. ’39: WWII → Canadian forces in Europe and Atlantic. ’49: Founder member of Nato. ’50: Canada/UN participates in War in Korea. ’65: New flag. ’70: Front de Liberation du Quebec kidnap an English trade official and murder a Quebec minister. ’82: England transfers final legal powers over to Canada. New constitution. ’91: Canadian forces participate in Gulf War. ’92: Canada, US & Mexico finalise North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta). ’95: Referendum in Quebec rejects independence by a margin of 1%. ’99: Territory of Nunavut created in northern Canada (self-governing region with majority of indigenous population). 2002: Troops in Afghanistan. ’10: Winter Olympics. ’14: Mission to map Arctic seabed, in support of bid to extend territory up to North Pole. ’16: Free trade agreement with EU. ’17: Promised compensation to indigenous people who were kidnapped to be brought up by primarily white middle-class families. New trade deal replacing Nafta.
Budget Bites
Sleep Cheap
- Main Supermarket Chains Canada: Sobeys, Metro, Walmart, No Frills, Foodland, Maxi, Your Independent Grocer, Real Canadian Superstore, Safeway.
- Local Dishes: Poutine (fries with cheese curds and gravy), Tourtiere (meat pie), Wild Pacific Salmon, Pate Chinois (layered ground beef, cream corn and mashed potato), Alberta Beef, Rappie Pie (grated potatoes pattie with pork fat, sea food and ground meat), Hodge Podge (vegetable/potato stew), Yukon Reindeer, Caraquets (oysters), Nova Scotia / Newfoundland Lobster, Fish and Brewis (hard biscuits mixed with cod or pork), Pealmeal Bacon (broiled lean pork loin), Split Pea Soup (incl. pork), Jiggs Dinner (beef, greens and split pea pudding), Fiddle Heads (cooked rolled fern leaves), Bannock (typical bread), Beavertails (deepfried bread with sweet toppings / Canadian donut), Montreal Bagel (boiled in honeyed water), Trempettes (crispy sweet pancakes), Touton (thick pancake), Cipaille (meat pie), Maple Taffy / Tire d’Erable (maple syrup frozen over snow), Butter Tarts (pastry), Saskatoon Berry Pie, Nanaimo Bars (crumb-custard-chocolate cake), Pouding Chomeur (cake with hot syrup), Cretons (pork spread), Oreilles de Crisses (deepfried pork rinds).
- The Veg Situation: Going veg is not so complicated in Canada, as vegetarianism and veganism is widely accepted. Most supermarkets contain veg products, be it very processed at times. Veg restaurants can be found here.
- National Drink: Ceasar Cocktail (Canadian bloody mary, sometimes with food hanging off of it), beer, wine.
Sleep Cheap
- Hostels / Hotels / Guesthouses: You probably knew already, before even booking your trip, that visiting Canada isn’t cheap. This goes for accommodation as well. Without being paid to say so, I love Booking.com: They have the biggest selection, are transparent about the final price and have an efficient search engine tailored to your specific needs (cheapest first!). If you use it often enough, Genius-discounts are applied. Air BnB is not what it used to be, price-wise, but in Canada they usually offer cheaper stays than in hotels or even hostels. Be mindful of the additional booking and cleaning costs though, as they can really add up. Writer’s Choice: In Manitoba I only found a Couchsurfing host in Winnipeg, but I was spontaneously hosted by the friendly locals I met along the way. The other nights I wild-camped, which is legal on crownland in Canada.
- Couchsurfing: allows you to stay with locals. Nowadays it has a moderate sign-up cost (unless you put a third-world country as homebase), but paying extra for verification is unnecessary: Positive reviews are way more important. Once active, there are no costs for staying at someone’s house. In order to get accepted, make sure to write an elaborate review explaining why you applied to this specific profile and think you and your host are a good match (copy-pastes tend to be ignored). The Couchsurfing community in Canada definitely is a rather active one, incl. events organized in most of the cities. If your’re biketouring you can also look into Warm Showers, which is a bikepacking community focussing primarily on 1-night stays.
- Wild Camping: is officially legal in Canada. You can pitch your tent anywhere on crown land and you’ll even be abe to find free camping spots. The WikiCamps App Canada is extremely useful for finding these, with community reviews. If public land is scarce, you can ask permission to camp on someone’s private land. Canadians are very kind and hospitable and will likely allow you to do so. In national and provincial parks camping is only allowed on designated campsites or with a permit, and you’ll have to pay a nightly fee (wild camping in these areas is heavily fined).
Mama Said
Transport
Next?
- Safety: Canada is a very safe country with a low crime rate. Outside of the main cities, I met people who don’t lock their houses or cars. In nature, there are several wide animals to take into account, including black bears, grizzly bears, rattle snakes, coyotes, lynxes and cougars.
- Tap Water: is safe to drink.
- The best credit/debit card for traveling is Wise, as they use the live conversion rates with minimal exchange fees. Wise also has the lowest fees for sending money to foreign accounts. That said, I do find their customer service rather questionable. Revolut is comparable, but they have higher exchange fees in the weekend and less wallet-options. Also, you can only wire money to Revolut in the currency you opened the account with, whereas Wise has IBAN’s from a wide variety of currencies, so you don’t have to pay a double exchange fee. Both Revolut and Wise have the option to open a Canadian Dollar wallet. Most Canadian ATMs charge a fee for cash outs, but card payments are accepted everywhere.
- Simcard: Data is known to be incredibly expensive in Canada, with one of the highest rate-per-gb in the world. Prices are even higher if you buy your SIM at the airport. Therefore, either go to the flagship stores to buy a sim (yes, you also pay seperately for the sim, without anything on it), or simply buy one in supermarkets, post offices, gas stations and even in the Dollarama. You can then add credit or a bundle online or via the app. The brands with the cheapest deals are known to be Lucky Mobile, Chatr, Koodo Mobile and Fido (although still terrible money-worth compared to basically everywhere else in the world). The best network coverage is known to be by Telus, Bell and Rogers. If your phone supports eSims, this might be worth looking into, as it’s in most cases more affordable. I used Lucky Mobile which had the cheapest data packages (sim bought in Dollarama), and noticed I had a similar coverage compared to any of the more expensive brands.
Transport
- Walking: Montreal is a pedestrian friendly city. Yet, as it’s rather big, alternative transport from neighbourhood to neighbourhood might be recommended.
- Cycling: Montreal has 1065km of bicycle lanes. Find a map here. There’s a bikesharing system called BIXI, which charges an unlocking fee and a rate-per-minute.
- Public Transport: Montreal has buses and an efficient metro system. You can pay per ride (incl. 1 transfer to bus) or 2 rides, or get a 3-day, unlimited evening, unlimited weekend or week ticket. Oddly enough, the week ticket runs from Monday to Sunday, so if you buy it on a Sunday it only works one day. The weekend ticket starts Friday 4PM. You can pay at the ticket machines, at the metro desks or get an Opus Card. Buses also sell tickets. Children travel free.
- Taxi / Uber: Canada has taxi apps such as Uber, Lyft and Zoomzoom. Car2Go is a car sharing app.
- Train: Canada has a train network operated by Via Rail, but this is a notoriously expensive option (generally double the bus prices, which are also not cheap). Book as early as possible and buy tickets on Tuesday to save some money. There’s a train line to the suburbs as well, called Exo.
- Car Rental: This is not a cheap endeavour in Canada. However, the best deals can generally be found when the car is picked up from an airport.
- Airport: Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. Reached by Bus 747 (special ticket needed) runs 24/7.
- Hitchhiking: is relatively safe and easy in Canada, but definitively not common. Don’t bother with the ride-share websites or Facebook groups, as people dare to ask more than the bus and even train tickets. More info on hitchhiking in and out of Montreal can be found on Hitchwiki.
Next?
- In Canada: Manitoba.
- International Destinations Close By: United States, Greenland.
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