Sometimes we get the feeling that we would be better off if we could just go into a bank, into the vault and take whatever we want. Ok, some *other* people will frown upon that thought and will try to persuade you of the contrary, or pick you up once back on the outside. I was lucky enough to have nobody double-crossing my plans.

The vault door

So I was looking for a building with a vault, offering me everything inside. No strings attached. First thing I found was the vault. It was open. By the looks of it, that door wouldn’t keep a 12 year old bank robber out for more than 15 minutes. But that door is also more than a hundred years old. Methods have changed since then.

Read more: A perfectly good occasion…

In troubled times, one must be very careful with one’s opinions. That is a well-known fact. Even today, discussions can heat up between adherents of the NDP and the Conservative Party, between Democrats and Republicans or, to remain in the photo sphere, between fans of Nikon and Canon.

Goulet Memorial Park

However, in the founding times of a country expressing one’s opinion is infinitely more dangerous than choosing between one camera brand or  another. Today, Canada is one of the most stable countries in the world, but 140 years ago, that was really different.

Read more: Opinions…

Canada is a big country, second biggest in the world. Only Russia is bigger. Only about 32 million people live here. That leaves a lot of space for everybody. To me, it remains a mystery that 75% of the Canadian people still want to go and live in 1 million inhabitant cities. Oh well, understanding is not given to everybody…

City wilderness, not much sky

What I like, on the other hand is sky and nature. That is what you can find most in Canada. Of course you should get out of the city for that. No trouble for me, Winnipeg is not so big that I would need half a day to get out of the city limits.

And even within the city limits there are plenty of places where the sky is nicely visible and traffic is nearly inexistent.

Read more: Big sky country

When Alf A. Hole started his Wild Goose Sanctuary in Rennie, he didn’t know that 70 years later the sanctuary would still exist. Now the place is quiet and pleasant for a Saturday in the wild.

Guest at the table

In the beginning we went for a bite, with some unexpected but welcome visitors. This little chipmunk was happy with a peanut. I always keep peanuts in my camera bag for this kind of opportunity. You peanut, me picture, everybody happy.

Read more: Wild goose chase

This is valid for all countries in the world. In French they say “Nul n’est censé ignorer la loi”. Fine, but sometimes it is difficult to understand, for lawyers, bookkeepers and even judges. A better way of stating this title would be “Nobody is supposed to be ignorant about the law”, meaning you must know about it. Ignorance is not an excuse.

View from the rotunda, straight up

Ok, that’s heavy stuff, I can understand that this statement could fire up many a discussion. No problem there, that’s good for the long and cold winter evenings :-)

The subject on this blog is more about appearances.

Read more: Nobody is supposed to ignore the law

Yeah, I know what you are thinking: Henk has gone on a fancy tour… Possible, but there is no other word than anachronism for something that does not belong in the time period where things are supposed to happen. Imagine Roman gladiators with wristwatches.

Fort Garry, MB, Canada, 2010

Or imagine yourself, with your nice and shiny DSLR in a fort in the 19th century. You’d feel slightly out of place. Ok, perhaps not you, but me, yes…

Read more: Anachronism

The Spirit Sands in Manitoba have been a place were the aboriginals would go only if really necessary. And then only for a short time. On a normal summer day the temperature can rise here to around +40C, making the sand a nice roasting +55C.

Sand in all its beauty

This is what you expect from a desert. And this is what you get in the Sprucewoods Provincial Park’s Spirit Sands. This is not a picture on the beach, I can assure you. Not that we don’t have any beaches, but this was definitely not one.

Read more: Spirit Sands II