In my last post I mentioned that in order for us to rent a car on Saturday to get to Northern Minnesota we needed to rent a car in Winnipeg and drive across the border (thank goodness we remembered our passports!).  So we really did not spend that much time in Canada but we did make a few worthwhile stops on our way through that must be mentioned so that the next time you go to Canada you can be sure to enjoy as well.

First off, did you know Winnipeg is the Slurpee capitol of the world? I did and the ONLY thing I cared about was making sure I got a Canadian Slurpee. They are ten times better because in Canada they don’t put any air in their Slurpees so it’s more flavorful and you don’t get all those annoying ice crystals like you do with American Slurpees after you have sucked all of the flavor out of them. Being that I am seven months pregnant and crave Slurpees constantly this was a huge deal!

Also have you ever had Canadian candy? Pretty darn good. Since we were already at 7-Eleven we had to pick up some to enjoy. It’s a little different than American candy, just different varieties and companies. Also, and this is Reid’s favorite- the thing he was looking forward to most- was ketchup potato chips. That’s right you read correctly. I wasn’t a huge fan but he gobbled that bag so quickly- I thought he was going to choke!

Lastly we passed the Canadian Royal Mint on the way through town and decided we had to stop.  We wished we had more time to take the tour but unfortunately we were running a bit late so we settled on the gift shop as Reid wanted to purchase a proof set. Because the upcoming winter Olympics are going to be in Canada this year it was cool to see all the special coins they had create to commemorate the occasion. Next time we are there we will be sure to plan more time and take a tour.

I wish we could have spent more time in Canada other than the few short hours, I would have loved to see more of the city and check out the parks but unfortunately we had a different destination in mind and were a little more excited about that. But I must say if you are going to Canada any time soon- at least make sure to stop by a 7-Eleven and get a Slurpee, some candy and some ketchup chips! Our only regret was not having time to get some gravy fries… oh well there is always next time!

This month we had the pleasure of visiting Reid’s hometown in Northern Minnesota. When I say Northern Minnesota I’m serious- it’s only seven miles from the Canadian border. In fact we had to fly into Winnipeg Canada so we could rent a car and drive across the border, but more on that later. We have been married for four years and I still hadn’t seen the town he grew up in and since his sister just had a baby it was the perfect excuse to make the trek and visit the Midwest.

I will have to say it’s a beautiful place. Rivers and lakes are everywhere and beautiful greenery completes the scene. Make sure to keep your eye out for wildlife because we saw a bear, a bald eagle, countless dear, and even a fox! The area he grew up in is near Warroad, MN. It is well known for its excellent fishing and hunting. All along the Lake of the Woods, which is known as the Walleye Capitol of the World, there are many fishing resorts that are full all summer long with fishers hoping to catch some tasty Walleye (as seen in the above picture- this statue of Willie the Walleye is located in Baudette, MN). But fishing is not only limited here in the summer-ice fishing is also an essential part of the culture. Fish houses are seen everywhere and many enjoy spending time with friends and family crowded over a hole in the ice hoping to land a big one.

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