We put the RAMA in Folklorama

So this past week and for the next week, it is Folklorama time in Winnipeg. Which means there is lots of weird food and entertainment to be experienced all over the city. This past weekend, we (Brendon and I) went to 4 pavillions: Ukraine, Germany, Belgium and Carribean. Here are some fond (and some not so fond) memories in point form (sorry, only one hour to write)...

Ukraine
- Entertainment: Very colourful dancing by a troupe from Thunder Bay. Due to the different regions of the Ukraine we got to see some very different styles of dancing, from Russian-style Kossack dancing to gypsy, to a style that looked almost like Scottish Highland dancing.
- Food: Because there are so many Ukrainians in Winnipeg, we had high hopes for the food. The cabbage rolls were slightly disappointing, but the borscht (beet and vegetable) soup was delicious as was the fried buckwheat. Brendon tells me the perogies were better than the Safeway ones.
- Beverages: Ukrainian beer called Lviv, and Golden Lion cocktail. The beer was good (very smooth) and the cocktail was forgettable.

Germany:
- Entertainment: Pretty lame compared to German pavillion. But the hall in which the show took place was really nice. Felt like we had been transported to a Bavarian Inn. We got kicked out of the Hall by an 80-year old security guard because we ordered food after and not before the show (how were we to know). Brendon nearly got into a brawl with the guy...Man, Germans are such hard-asses for the rules...they should lighten up a bit...
- Food: Schnitzel, rouladen (rolled beef), red cabbage, mashed potatoes, and sauerkraut. Overall impression -- cold and bland. Possibly cold because I had to wait 20 minutes to eat it while Brendon was giving old guy a hard time.
- Beverages: Dab beer (nothing to write home about)

Belgium:
- Entertainment: Stiff but funny dancing that seems to celebrate work being finished on the farm. Music with a sense of humour. Pot fredecken = Belgian version of the Canadian "eh?". Belgian bowling --> apparently my true calling. Brendon on the other hand should probably stick to baseball.
- Food: Always adventurous when it comes to food I tried blood sausage and head cheese. I'm not sure what's in them, and I probably don't want to know...but they taste pretty good. Especially the Blood sausage. I'm pleased to have gotten to blood sausage before Kevin! Also lacy cookies and spice cookies, and beer stew.
- Beverages: An assortment of beers including Chimay (very strong and made by trappist monks...go figure), Delirium Tremens (sounds like a spell from Harry Potter, but actually a damn tasty beer), Bellevue Kriek (a cherry flavoured beer, which I still maintain tastes like the red Triaminic cough syrup), Cafe au Godiva (coffee with a shot of yummy white chocolate liqueur).

Carribean:
- Entertainment: the Ebony Vibe (A Winnepegan dance troupe), steel drum band and a limbo dancer brought in from Barbados. She limboed under a pole of fire holding two flaming torches! Obviously higher budget performance than the other three shows.
- Food: Pelau (rice and beans and chicken), roti, jerk chicken wings
- Beverages: rum punch and Carib beer

Tonight I am going with my friend Mel to the Japanese pavillion. I miss sushi very much...so this should be good.

Other exciting things that are happening:
- Mel and I and Jade (her dog) have been to the Pits twice. The Pits are gravel filled pits that have been filled with rainwater. Like our own private beach...nice relaxing way to spend a Saturday
- Last weekend went to a karaoke stagette with Mel. Also lots of fun. Her friend Darla made some yummy food, including these very decadent and creamy crab stuffed mushrooms. Unfortunately we left before the lobster dip came out.
- I have picked my courses for this year. Looks like it will be busy but less stressful than last year...Youpee!
- I started writing my report for my summer project...it's a bit slow to get going though...
- I only have 2 and a half weeks left in Winnipeg...man time flies when you are having fun...Looking forward to going home for a week's holiday before I head back to Vancouver for school. Can't wait to see Dad's new bathroom and Uncle Kenny and Paule's new floors. They both sound very chic! Mmm...and the infamous Thom family dumplings. It's time to grease the gears on the Dumpling Machine!

I will upload my photos onto my blog when I get home. There will be photos from Folklorama, the Pits and random night-time (experimenting) shots of Winnipeg.