Northwest Territories: Great Slave Lake

After three hours of flying, from Vancouver, via Calgary, we landed in Yellowknife, the most northerly City in Canada, on a sunny April afternoon. Yellowknife with its 20,000 inhabitants is also the capital of the North-West Territories and since 1967 North America’s diamond capital.

The town of Yellowknife is located halfway between Nunavut and Northern border of Alberta. Its name comes from knives with brass blades used by Chipewyan Indians, in the 19th century: yellow knives. Leaving the airport for downtown, you will notice an old Wardair Bristol Freighter: it was the first plane with wheels to land at the North Pole.
















Yellowknife is also a summary of the world, the cab driver who took us to the hotel was an English Anglophone, a young arab served dinner, at breakfast a French lady with a strong Parisian accent replaced the arab and the two maids were Asian.

At Yellowknife, everything is overpriced; a green pepper can cost as much as $10.00!!! Can you imagine the weekly grocery budget for a family? Strangely the price of diamonds in in the Diamond Capital of North America are quite high too.






















At the Explorer Hotel, the young receptionist is pleased to offer a newly renovated room… we will be the first to use it… alright! It is very charming, very clean and well decorated. But he forgot to mention that there were major renovations being done to a room nearby. As we enter, the room is invaded by the noise of plumbers busy at dismantling the piping: the clanging of hammers and sledge hammers succeed one another repeatedly. It is -24º outside not counting the wind chill… I left my winter clothes in Quebec last December, so no way I am going outside. The next morning, the alarm clock is not necessary… our demolition workers resume their massive destruction with enthusiasm. I am writing this chronicle to the pounding of hammers.

Touring the town: Kentucky Fried Chicken, MacDonald, Tim Horton and Subway are very present and the cocktail hour seems to start in the morning for some of the indigenous people while others use the post office place for a quick nap during the day.

In the Yellowknife area, several tourist businesses offer marvellous packages that exploit the natural phenomenon unique to the north. They propose several outdoor activities: observation of caribous, sled dog rides with mushers, condos and cottage rentals, snowshoes hiking, snowmobile rides, ice fishing, etc. and around midnight excursions far enough away from the city lights to be able to appreciate the Auroras Borealis (northern lights) which are among the nicest, most visible and most frequent in the world. On your own, visiting RAGGED ASS ROAD in Old Town as well as the houseboats on the lake shore are a must.





















At the beginning of the nineties, Yellowknife’s architects surpassed themselves to create the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories: panels made of zinc mined in the area and native stones covering the outside of the building. The result is outstanding, original and well located in the centre of town on the shores of Lake Frame. The gigantic dome, the master piece of the building represents the nature of NWT government which without political parties makes decisions by consensus.

It is 4h30 pm. Back to my room, I am scared… the ceiling is vibrating… the noise is unbearable… the life of a roving individual is not always captivating. Lyne


FOR OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS
AURORA VILLAGE: reservations@auroravillage.com 1-867-669-0006
CANADIAN EX AURORA TOURS: www.aurora-tour.com 1-867-669-9200
OVERLANDER SPORTS: 1-867-873-2474
YELLOWKNIFE OUTDOOR ADVENTURES: ykoutadv@yahoo.ca 1-867-873-3751
For lodging: The Explorer Hotel, 1-867-873-3331
For souvenirs and gifts:
NORTHERN IMAGES: 4801 - 50TH Avenue, Yellowknife
NORTHERN TRANSITIONS: Square Mall Centre, Yellowknife (best price earning ratio)
For eating: BULLOCKS BISTRO, 3534 Weaver Dr. The best fish & chips in Canada according to Readers’ Digest.