For many years the Northern Lights were on my bucket list. In March we trekked to Churchill Manitoba, Canada to attempt to see them. You can only get to Churchill, population 899, by train or plane. It's close to the Arctic Circle on the Hudson Bay. Despite the difficulty in going, it is well worth the effort. I traveled twice before to Churchill, in the fall, as it is known as the Poplar Bear Capital of the World. In the summers it is famous for the thousands of Beluga whales that come into the Churchill River. Winter brings the magical Northern Lights. The Inuit, indigenous people of the Arctic and subarctic regions of North America, create human-like figures of piled stones around the tundra. They might mark sacred or dangerous places or serve as sign posts for travelers. Hudson Bay is the second largest bay in the world. It freezes from December to June. That is where polar bears go to hunt seals. In 1670 the Hudson Bay Company was incorporated for fur trading. Today the indigenous people of the area are still permitted to trap animals for fur. Fox and badger pelts are in this photo. Arctic hares dig their way into the ground or under the snow to stay warm. If frightened they can run up to 40 mph. In 2017, flooding knocked out the train and for 18 months all supplies had to be flown in to Churchill. A tomato cost $10. That year a group of 18 artists from various countries descended on Churchill to contribute to the massive art project named Seawalls Churchill to help encourage the population who felt abandoned. "The Last Winter" is by Dulk from Spain. On our trip we went out into the freezing night four evenings. Finally on the third night, close to midnight, we began to see the magic dance of light. With the wind chill factor it was -50 degrees. Needless to say, one could only stay out a short while before hastening inside a warm building to thaw out; then go again. We watched the amazing pageant for almost two hours as it kept changing.
