The Weekly Albertan

A few extras...

Written by Nikolett Popovics

Wednesday, 02 December 2009 14:36

 

A week gone by...

Written by Nikolett Popovics

Friday, 27 November 2009 10:25

It's been nearly a week since I've returned from the snow and cold and ice and strangely, I miss it already. Maybe it's my anti-social nature that fit so well with the land north of 60 degrees latitude. Even though the warmest it got in my two week endeavor was about 0 C, the calm atmosphere and general, laid-back nature of the northerners really captivated me. When I stepped out of Calgary International Airport though, the air was warm and the pavement was clean of snow and mud and I remembered the freedom that comes with not having to wear three layers of sweaters under a winter coat. I remembered how wonderful it is to wear dry shoes instead of having my new winter boots soaked through because it's been covered in knee-deep snow all day. Driving down Deer foot and seeing the night sky lit up in Calgary, I remembered the beauty that comes with big city living. A sign above the downtown mall said, in reference to a local business that it's large enough to serve you, small enough to know you and it rings true for the entire town. Yellowknife may be small and secluded, but it's full of life and charm and a warmth that's enough to fill you in those famously cold nights.

 

People actually visit!

Written by Nikolett Popovics

Saturday, 21 November 2009 23:10

I have often wondered what could possibly sustain the economy of a town so far up north. I mean, there's not much here aside from mining. In the Yellowknife Visitor's Guide, the city refers to itself as the diamond capitol of north America. They even have a diamond tourism exhibit at the Visitor's Centre. But diamonds aside, the city ranks in huge revenue from tourism. Yup! People actually visit this place for fun! Why? From what I've seen, Yellowknife lives up to every stereotype of Canada our American counterparts have. It's wild and rugged and the people are calm. Hunting and trapping are still a way of life for some people still and some even still live in cabins. American game hunters regularly visit to catch themselves a trophy in the form of a caribou. Caribou are a huge resource for the town. Every restaurant has some form of caribou dish to try. Burgers are a popular choice. I highly recommend the Black Jack Burger at the Black Knight pub. The Explorer Hotel's lounge has a great caribou TV dinner that's worth trying. The caribou meat looks like meat loaf and it comes with steamed veggie and mashed potatoes. It even comes in a TV dinner plate. Old Town is also a major attraction. Just like it's name sake, it really makes you feel as if you were still in "the olden days" with cabin shops and narrow one way streets. It also hosts many of the town's art galleries. I'm not sure what it is about the North. Maybe it's the isolation from the big city hustle that really brings out the creativity in people. But this town is full of artists, both aboriginal and non-aboriginal. It's hard to walk down a street and not walk by an art gallery in Yellowknife. The first picture is the inside of the Black Knight Pub, which every visitor must go to at least once. It has a retro-British type feel and hosts local musicians often. The Yukon Gold chicken wings and a cold lager and your Friday night is set. The second picture is of the Wild Cat Cafe in Old Town. Only open in the spring and summer, tourists flock to it every year for some authentic Northern cuisine.

 

The Land of the Midnight Sun

Written by Nikolett Popovics

Tuesday, 17 November 2009 22:23

I'm slowly but surly beginning to understand why people move to this Great White North Canada is so lucky to have. It is full of wonders and mysteries, not just cold and snow. It's easy to ignore this vast land of cold and ice because we think of it as our own Siberia. But the North is more than just a great big freezer at the top of the landscape. Many tourists from all over the world come to enjoy the landscape, especially at night. Yellowknife is one of the best places in the world to see the phenomena that is Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights. The Lights occur at both northern and southern hemispheres (known as Aurora Australis in the south) and are a result of gas particles from earth colliding with charged gas particles from the sun. The result is a yellowish-green shimmer than can be seen across the sky at night. Interestingly, scientists have found that both the northern and southern lights occur as mirror images of each other simultaneously, according to the Northern Lights Centre in Yukon. Many tourists from all over the world, particularly Japan come every year to tour Yellowknife and to see this phenomenon. I've heard that in Japanese culture, conceiving under the Aurora is considered lucky for the child and the whole family. Because of the clouds and constant snow here, I have yet to see the lights myself. I got outside nightly to see if any can be seen but so far, I am left wanting.

 

The Mysterious North

Written by Nikolett Popovics

Sunday, 15 November 2009 18:33

When the prospect of coming to Yellowknife was presented to me, I couldn't fathom the kind of people that inhabit this strange and far away land. I had never travelled further north than Edmonton and didn't really plan to; all I knew was that anything more north would just be unbearably cold. Nevertheless, I took the challenge and found that it certainly does take a special kind of person to live up here with polar bears and beluga whales. Still, this land is full of rich culture and history. Before settlers arrived to mine gold and other minerals, the Northwest Territories were home to aboriginals, mainly the Deneh tribe and Inuit. Today, the influences of these tribes are still apparent as many art works from the Territories are images depicting this. Interestingly, with only a population of 40 000, there are 11 different languages spoken in the Territories; nine of these are aboriginal, English and French. My trip to the Prince of Whales Cultural Centre was an interesting Endeavour and I gained a new appreciation for this Great White North. This land is large but secluded and it's a perfect spot to hide away from the hustle and bustle of city living. It's sad that people have to come this far to escape but I see now that it's worth it. People are a lot more calm.

 

The City Remembers

Written by Nikolett Popovics

Thursday, 12 November 2009 22:04

Remembrance Day was always one of those days that I didn't really understand growing up. Sure, it's important to pay respects to those who've died in the countless wars fought and still continue to fight. However, I never really connected with it until high school; just old enough to understand the magnitude of the affects of war. Yellowknifers are a different sort when it comes to Remembrance Day. The majority of downtown shut down, making it almost a sort of ghost town. At 10 am though, Joint Task Force North, RCMP, cadets and various government big wigs gathered at the Royal Canadian Legion. They braved the cold weather and began marching down to a cenotaph to lay wreaths in honour of those who have been lost; a nice homage. They then made their way to a local school to continue with the ceremonies. This is where I was taken aback by the cities commitment to those in the service. The gym of the elementary school was stuffed, packed, overflowing with what seemed like everyone in the city of Yellowknife. This was something I did not expect. I had no idea how big of a deal Remembrance Day was to the locals. I guess in a town where everyone is connected in one way or another, it's not hard to be touched by someone who've felt the affects of war in their lives.

 

Frozen Words From A Far Away Land

Written by Nikolett Popovics

Tuesday, 10 November 2009 19:46

You know when you're on an airplane and you look out the window and see the little checkerboard pattern of land below you? At about 12 pm on Friday, Nov. 6 I looked out the window of the 737 I was on and saw grey. Granted, I was flying over water. When it was time for the scene to change, however, the multicoloured checkers were no where to be seen. Instead, what I saw was a blanket of white powder scattered by evergreen trees. Once the plane landed, I walked out onto stairs. That's right; I literally walked off the plane and had to walk into the actual airport building itself. The rest of the passengers were clearly expecting this; they were already equipped with parkas and gloves and tuques on the plane from Edmonton. I clearly stood out in my black hooded sweater and dark pink pants. Wearing my new, black boots was the one good decision I made when it came to clothing on arrival day. The only thing I could think about was "I'm in freaking Yellowknife" the rest of the day. Yellowknife is a thriving metropolis that sits just north of Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories, and is only 400 kilometers from the Arctic Circle. In short, it's cold. Very cold. The day I arrived was the warmest it had been all week at -1 degrees. But standing in the back yard, looking past the fence across at the blanket that surrounds the house, I realize that I may not be at the exotic beaches of Hawaii or Mexico. It's snow that I'm surrounded by and not the rich history of Europe. The rich and mysterious cultures of the Far East are not prominent. However, this place of 18 000 people is still full of life and character and I can't help but embrace the cold.

 

Frozen Wars From A Far Away Land

Written by Nikolett Popovics

Monday, 09 November 2009 20:53

You know when you