White Echinacea

Yellowknife Continued . . .

Lori, Dan and I went to Buffalo Airways to take some pictures.

No computers in these airplanes. These pilots kick it old school with knobs, dials and switches.

This plane was actually involved in the Berlin airlift at the end of World War II. Its still in service.

"Night" in Yellowknife consists of light that gets really no dimmer than this. This shot was taken at midnight.

Yes, the mosquitoes were this bad:

Dan taking a lovely evening photo of Lori on the rocks:

Cameron Falls. We only went to the little falls. The bugs were not good. To reach the falls, one must cross this 'bridge'. Precarious doesn't begin to describe it.

You don't see this sign in Ontario:

The hospital that I worked at is surrounded by alot of rock. While there is a road leading to the hospital, walking bridges fan out from it as well to make it easier to walk to.

Yellowknife: End of Week 1

Its been an action packed week up here in the north. I've finished my first work week and my hosts Lori and Dan have bene giving me the VIP/all -access tour of the city.

Float planes. There is a public dock where float planes are constantly flying in and out of to supply and take passengers to even more exciting and remote destinations.

This is a Beaver: the original S.T.O.A.L. (Short Take Off And Landing) plane designed to gain access to small lakes. this is what Harrison Ford flies!

My Friend Lori AKA Lola.


There is a large rock as you make your way from downtown Yellowknife to Latham Island; a beautiful scenic area full of lovely homes, cottages, docks, lakes, etc. This rock has been made in to a huge work of art by various native and English and French Canadian artists. Each symbol has been carved in to the rock face and then filled with paint. The symbols are mesmerizing; all manner of bird, animal and people.

There is a beautiful carved animal statue that sits just in front of the rock.

And yet another statue in the same area.

Here is a sneak peak at my tour of the Buffalo Airways hanger. Its eerie being in a flight hanger completely alone (with the exception of Dan and Lori to make sure I don't kill myself on all the grease and step ladders). More of these photos to follow.

Yellowknife

Here I am in Yellowknife! A place I never dreamt of traveling to but am so glad that I did. I've been trying to get out to take pictures every evening after work. Here are a few preliminary images from this truly beautiful place:

The ravens here are astonishingly large and frightening. In size, they easily rival Zoe.

My hosts for the week, Dan and Lori, have taken me to lots of beautiful locations to shoot photos. These two were taken at a 'graveyard' of sorts for old mining equipment that is set up like an improvised outdoor museum. The colours and patterns that you can find are amazing. The problem is that its located around swamps and the mosquitos literally swarmed us by the hundreds landing continually on our hands, lips, eyes . . . anything exposed.

This is an abandoned gold mine. Sadly, mining development has decreased 85% since the 'economic downturn' I suppose its being called. All well and fine unless you live in a community focussed on one of the most affected industries.

This tower is now home to a colony of the previously mentioned ravens. They seem to enjoy the scale of the accommodations; proportional to their own.

This little flower grows wild absolutely everywhere. It grows like a desert wildflower on rocks or wherever it can gain a foot hold. The blooms are extremely tiny. Only on close examination do they reveal their colour and beauty.