Tag Archives: tourist areas

Nov27

10 Things About Winnipeg

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10 Things About Winnipeg

The other day one of my friends challenged me to write a blog post about 10 things I miss about my hometown. So here goes.

Number 1 is definitely my son Kyle. It’s been over a decade since we’ve even lived in the same country, never mind the same city.

Number 2 is my friends. One of my friends dates all the way back to middle school and the others are friends for twenty years plus.

Number 3 is the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery. I like to go there in person rather than virtually.

Number 4 is West Portage Y. Lots of good times with friends in aquafit classes.

Number 5 is The English Garden at Assiniboine Park.

Number 6 is food. Moussaka at Niko’s, Sorrento’s Salad and burgers at V J’s.

Number 7 is going to fall suppers in the rural areas.

Number 8 is the Mennonite thrift stores, auctions and flea markets I used to frequent when I had my EBay business.

Number 9 is The Winnipeg Fringe Festival.

I really tried to think of one more but honestly couldn’t. There are other restaurants and parks but I really wouldn’t put them in my top ten. I was especially disappointed at how The Forks has deteriorated and has become such a dangerous place. I prefer to do my shopping in the USA and have no favorite places to shop left in Winnipeg. I guess I’ve been traveling too much and have been to so many new and exciting places.

So there you have it——nine things but not quite ten.

May31

Tomorrow is June 1

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Tomorrow is June 1

I’ve been reading a lot about June 1 lately. That’s the date tourism is supposed to resume in a big way here in Mexico. Hotels are to open again and the beaches are expected to fill with vacationers.

In the past week restaurants have begun to welcome customers once again. Of course they do have to follow some rigid guidelines. I’m still sticking to takeout for the time being. I’m quite content with that right now.

I must admit that I’m just a tad reluctant to go to a hairdresser yet. I’ve passed by a couple of them in my neighborhood and it just looks like business as usual. No physical distancing. In one of them the stylist was not even wearing a mask.

I noticed that several shops had signs stating that only two people were allowed in at a time. Some food stores limited their cliental to only one per family. Absolutely everywhere you go there are bottles of antibacterial gel on countertops. That’s something that I’ve usually found seriously lacking in the past here in Mexico.

By the same token, there are no shortages of soaps, disinfectants or other related products. Nor is there a shortage of toilet paper. Food shortages have never been an issue.

Just yesterday the internet was flooded with articles about how the whole country of Mexico has now been declared a red zone. Who do you believe?

June 1 is tomorrow. I wonder just how “open” this country will be.

Mar23

Not Just Another Day

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Not Just Another Day

Aguascalientes City has taken COVID-19 seriously. Bars and restaurants have been closed for a week now. Meetings and other events have been cancelled. Group gatherings are discouraged. Workers are out trying to sanitize public areas.

I have bid farewell to coloring in the park for a while. I will probably limit my time to just short walks instead.

A short distance from where I live is a long street saturated with bars and restaurants. This is what it looked like on Saturday night.

Compare this with the chaos at the airport in Puerto Vallarta. Just think of all the potential diseases that are on their way to Canada right now. I feel that my decision to remain here in Mexico is a good one.

There is no country and no medical system prepared for this pandemic. Friends up north have told me of family members who are struggling with COVID-19 right now. I hear about shortages of masks and gloves.

But mostly I hear about people who believe they are invincible. They continue to go out on non-essential errands and visit with friends. They hit the grocery stores and hoard more than just toilet paper. I urge them to stop being so selfish. They are potential carriers and may be unknowingly spreading this horrid disease. Not everyone infected exhibits symptoms.

My friends in Mexico tell me the beaches are still crowded. Semana Santa hasn’t even arrived yet. I am so thankful that I live inland far from the tourist areas.

Stay at home and stay safe!