Sundown in the Paris of the Prairies

It's been a little over a month since I returned to Canada from Japan and I'm already on my next journey.  This time I'm in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan for a conference. And what a cultural shift this has been!  I've come from a metropolis of 35 million people on a mountainous island nation beside the ocean.  And now I'm in a city of 260,000 on the flat landscape of the Canadian Prairies, one of the most removed Canadian cities from any ocean.  The Tokyo Metro and JR-Yamanoto line have been replaced by Saskatoon's wide dusty streets and pickup trucks. So far, Saskatoon is a very pleasant, likable city.  Lots of old buildings and open streets.  The trees are in full bloom, taking in the northern sun as it wakes up from a long winter.  The river is beautiful and there are lots of nice bridges.

The old Victoria Avenue bridge, which is currently closed

to traffic and pedestrians.

"Sundown in the Paris of the Prairies. Wheat Kings have all

their treasures buried." --Gord Downie