Days 89-91 (July 30-August 1): On a train to Churchill, Manitoba

I hopped aboard the Winnipeg-to-Churchill train in Dauphin, at 5 PM on Tuesday the 30th. Our ETA for Churchill was 9 AM on Thursday the 1st, a 40-hour train ride. 

That ride took us through at least three, if not four, major ecological systems: prairies, boreal forest, Hudson's Bay lowlands and tundra. (I am thinking tundra and lowlands are different, depending on the presence of trees.  I am also guessing here...) A peculiarity about the trip is that the two major transitions (from prairie to boreal forest and then from boreal forest to lowlands) happen while the train is travelling at night. It was more striking on the third day, waking up to tundra-like flatlands, with occasional short, scrawny conifer trees (with branches growing only from the sides that do not face the wind), after having spent the entire previous day going through forest.  Ridership on the train is a mix of tourists heading to Churchill, either from Winnipeg or Thompson (last roadway stop in Northern Manitoba which meets the train line) and, after Thompson, riders who are using the train to get to and from their isolated communities.

Strangely, the only notable wildlife I spotted was a beaver; I saw innumerable beaver lodges, though, so there was probably more than one...

We made two stops of note:

- Canora (named for CAnadian NOrthern RAilway) is a lovely little Central Saskatchewan town.

Main Street, Canora, Sask.

What is happening in Canora, you ask:

¤ the Canora Hotel (foreground in the picture) was advertising rooms by the day, week or month. If you are renting a room by the week (never mind by the month) in Canora, you need to take a look at some of your life decisions.

¤ there were not one, but two Chinese restaurants on Main Street (I am guessing the chicken fried rice/garlic chicken balls/sweet & sour spare ribs type of Chinese restaurant), one of which was proudly featuring perogies and home-made pie.

¤ the Community Bingo Hall was full.

¤ a beauty salon had a waybill in its front window announcing that 'Good Perogies (Ukrainian Catholic Women's League) Sold Here'.

All of this was within half a block of Main Street from the train stop.

- We had a five-hour layover in Thompson, Manitoba and... well, we had a five-hour layover in Thompson, Manitoba. Words of advice, if you ever find yourself with a five-hour layover in Thompson:

¤ there is a 15 km walking path around the town. (Yes, the self-described hub of Manitoba's North is 5 km across.)

¤ there is a zoo that evidently features local species. It may be a better bet than the Heritage Museum.