Visit to Flin Flon

11 - 16 February 2010

It's an entire piece of white land as we flew in to Winnipeg...coo...it's gonna be freezing cold!

After meeting up at the airport, 3 of us moved on to get our car, and we have to drive 10 hours up north to our lodge, which is near to a small town call Flin Flon...cute name though...


Snow, blue sky, bare trees, with our blue cruiser riding on the seemingly-ever-lasting quiet road...

ps: I got to practice my driving skills since getting my license :) and help drove for the journey...


This lodge area is famous for fishing, where we saw loads of pictures of big fishes caught, and models of trouts and pikes in the reception house.


Our wooden log cabin - see the contrast between the warmth on the inside and the coldness on the outside...

Something we learnt is that the birch tree bark is actually good fire-starter :) some tips we learnt when we were trying to light up the firewoods...


In & around the lodge - the frozen lake and its jetty points.


On the previous night, it was dark when we arrived, and not knowing that this was the lake, we almost drove into it, but was stuck halfway in the snow, where an old couple then stopped by to help us pull the car out of the snow bank, and put us in the good hands with the lodge owners.


Chocolate cake with white icing :)



In & around the lodge - the snow glitters in the sunshine...like little fairies flattering around in the sun...


In & around the lodge - the recreation house and the small skating rink


Trying to skate...this trip got us all hooked up on skating...


In & around the lodge - hot tub to spend the night watching the stars...

Our breakfast :) yummy!


The lady owner Pat took us for a walking trail in the woods nearby. Treading in the snow, we were mesmerized by the towering snow-capped pine trees.

Deeply moved when Pat invited us to their house, and she gave each of us a bowl of warm pea soup! *sob* so touched* I never really like pea soup, but that one Pat gave us completely changed my view, loved that soup that she made!


Pat also took us to the Flin Flon town for a little tour. Flin Flon is a little mining town that is located in the Flin Flon Belt, a Precambrian volcanic belt that was formed approximately 1.9 billion years ago by aquatic volcanic eruptions. These intense eruptions and multiple episodes of glaciation left the present unique landscape. The belt is the source of vast mineral deposits, which are primarily zinc, copper, silver and gold.

Because of the temporary nature of mining industry, families do not spend a lot on property, instead they spend on expensive toys and gadgets, such that if one day the natural resource is depleted, they can move away to other places. Therefore, Flin Flon is not exactly the nicest looking place, but quite an interesting community.


The owner Rob took us for snow mobiling. It is like a big motorbike that slides on snow. Can you imagine, we are actually speeding fast across the lake, it is the big-huge-vast lake that we are on!! Quite a thrilling exercise, and breath-taking scenary on the lake!

Rob shares with us an interesting sitution, when spring approaches, the snow could have melted away, and leaving behind the crystal clear ice, that is at least a metre thick to support a truck driving across the lake. I can totally imagine the scenario where it seems like walking on water, but treading on ice, and yet able to peek down clearly on the water beneath your feet!!! Wow, that will be an amazing experience!!!


The next activity in line for us is ice fishing!!! Excited!!! Lots of first time for me, snow mobile, ice fishing, all my first times! Haahaa!

There is a little shed in the middle of the lake, with a hole dug through the ice. The surrounding area around the shed is cleared of snow, so that light can pass through the ice and reflect into the shed, which is best kept dark during fishing.

Our first prized catch was in the next 20 minutes, which was pretty fast. It was a 10/20lb Northern Pike! Big and heavy! Because of fishing regulations, fish bigger than a certain quota must be released back to the lake. In fact, Rob caught three different types of fishes, pike, trout, and white fish, and all were returned back to the mother lake.

Lake Athapapuskow is renowned for its trophy Lake Trout, Northern Pike, quality Walleye and Perch, and other white fish. Loads of enthusiastic fishing fanatics travel up north every year for its high quality species.


Watching sunset on the lake...breathtaking view!!!


Sunset after our fishing experience...


We checked out on the next day and once again on the road towards Winnipeg. Another awesome sunset accompanied us during the drive...

Those wonderful memories, unforgettable experience, amazing scenary and the warmth hospitality from the family will remain with us for a long long time...


Provincial Legislative Building - The building is famous for the Golden Boy, a gold covered bronze statue at the top of the dome. each of the 4 corners of the copper dome has a stonework representing the 4 elements of alchemy: earth, air, fire and water, also equivalent to agriculture, science, industry and art.


Skating on the Assiniboine River, one of the longest trails in Canada.


The Fork Market building buzzes with shoppers at organic produce stands, international art and craft shops, multiethnic food stalls and restaurants.

The Fork, so named because of the confluence of the Assiniboine and Red Rivers, is a strategically important and historically significant meeting place for the early explorers.


We managed to 'sneak' into a Winter Festival and also tried tobaggan - where we sat on a sled and slided down the slope. Very fun! :)


On the last night in Winnipeg, we treated ourselves to a hearty feast of authentic German cuisine in the Gasthaus Gutenberger, before going to a short tour to the University of Manitoba.

Despite the short trip of 6D5N, we had quite a lot of new experiences, all to do with winter and snow. It gives me a different view that winter can be pretty fun as well. However, we did not manage to accomplish our mission, which is to watch the aurora borealis, the colourful dancing northern lights. However, we did catch a few shooting stars though. Hopefully we can still see some northern lights in Ontario then...

Panoramic photos - with courtesy from Nat, and wide-lens photos - with courtesy from Jen!