The Journey

Something I have been meaning to blog about ever since I began blogging was the road trip my fiancee, Melissa, and I took this past summer in 2009. It began with leaving Kugluktuk, NU. I had left Kug before Melissa did and I had to wait for her to arrive to Toronto before we could begin the long journey we had planned from Toronto, to Ottawa then on through to Nova Scotia and on a cruise boat (even though it's considered a ferry) over on to the Rock, Newfoundland.

This just might well be a extensive blog that will take me a while to put together and hopefully, it won't become so repetitive after a while for you as it will host a whirlwind of photos and explanations. So without further wait... let's begin.



After being in the land of snow and ice for 8 months, I was in desperate need for a familiar sight in my good old home base, Toronto. Particularly, the Beach downtown as it is called. The first picture is the Boardwalk.




After spending some much needed time at the Beach by myself and taking in what I have been missing for so long, I decided to get back to the car to get it in road trip shape before Melissa came home. The Saturn.



Melissa and I, once she got back, decided we needed to visit our secret spot we have. I can only say it is in Ontario somewhere. By the lake, and very peaceful. We used to go there a lot to talk, and spend time with each other discussing our future together. This is the picture you see below as looking out from our car window. It was raining that day we went by. So we never really got out.



Melissa and I have come to learn the word 'compromise' well. In doing so, we were able to make a deal with each other seeing as how I wanted to spend like there was no tomorrow on a hotel, and she did not. The deal was, her hotel (which was just a college dorm turned hotel in the summer for $50 a night) we would book a room for the first week in. The second week was a shorter stay which was in the Delta Chelsey. For a total of $600. Not including food we ordered.






As nice as the room was, the food was just as you would suspect from a 4 star hotel. Below, are a few of the dishes we had tasted, savored and paid for through the nose to enjoy.






After all that food, I needed to just relax on the balcony and enjoy my favorite beer, Steam Whistle made only in Toronto I might add, in the warm evening air. The picture shows the Toronto night life at it's best from a bird's eye view.




At some point we decided to go for a walk in downtown Toronto before we had to leave and head off to Montreal. I had decided what better way to enjoy Toronto than to head out for a few drinks. I finally had a chance to try my first Mojito! I was not disappointed.




Since meeting Melissa, I have come to learn her favorite animal in the world is the Penguin. I have racked my brain for a year trying to think how can I get her to finally see them up close and personal. I finally found it. But we had to get to Montreal. So......



All that driving made me tired and I seriously needed my daily dose of a double double large coffee with a shot of french vanilla. However, the sign was all in french, and I was lost on how to order it. Boo Montreal!



After that interesting episode and a lesson in french, we made our first major destination for Melissa to check off her list something she has always wanted to see, and it was inside the Biodome in Montreal.





I had planned for her to get to see some other interesting things first (although she was sure she knew why she was really there) the animals of the tropics were awesome to see.









This next set of photos doesn't do the actual fish tanks any justice for their size as they were immense in size. Can you spot the cod fish?









After spending nearly over an hour checking out the south tropical animals of the world, many of which weren't posted here, we reached our final destination. Melissa for the first time, got to see her beloved Penguins. And she was enthralled with them.









Ok so off we were through Quebec, which really, wasn't much to see but highway.




Our next stop was Ottawa. The capital of Canada.








I also actually met some very nice policemen who were kind enough to let me take a photo of them while in action on the job! I finally thought this was my chance to catch some very devoted lawmen in action, at their best.



Fast forwarding a wee bit, we finally got to Prince Edward Island.



And on to somewhere I hadn't been in over 20 years, home to Nova Scotia. Seeing this sign made me feel good.



Although it seems if I never really took enough pictures, we did, I just chose not to post everything here. But some just had to be shown.








My stop in Nova Scotia was for one purpose, to see family in Truro and boy it was great to see some faces I hadn't seen in many years. And although I am posting a lot of photos, these don't include many of my family unfortunately. However, I wanted to post a couple of my uncle's horses. He is a harness racer and has some great horses.






Passing through Truro was fun, we came to a great little motel by the name of Berry's Motel and let me tell ya, if your ever in Truro you need to get a room there. Clean, super friendly staff as it is a family owned business and only $75 a night! Wireless internet and just real down home like. I didn't get a photo of this place, I wish I had one for you. However, as we moved on and passed through Cape Brenton, we came upon the strangest thing I ever saw....



The next thing I would have stopped at if we weren't so tired trying to get to North Sydney to get on the ferry boat was Lick A Chick! Supposedly, this is an awesome place for chicken. I never been there. Even though I was so close, we drove right past it....cluck...cluck.



Finally it was on to North Sydney where the Sydney Mines are.




Finally, after a couple of days (our stay on the way back was much longer) we headed off to the ferry boat and on towards Melissa's home, Newfoundland. We boarded the ferry boat, parked our car, got our over night bags out and headed off down the narrow aisle of the ship to find our cabin. This was it.



After settling in, I had to go explore. Then I found the video game room and the most awesome racing ever. The kid beside me thought he was good until I sat down beside him and kicked his butt. Then......busted the game for both of us.....literally.






We made it to Newfoundland as we slept over night, at about 8am in the morning we got up, got in our car and waited for them to let us off. The air smelt great, salty and very home like. Melissa was a very happy girl, and I was excited for her. As it was, I needed a double double coffee from Timmy's.





The place I enjoyed most, was Quidi Vidi Brewery. Why? Because of the beer silly why else!! Check it out, because if my face doesn't say how I feel about beer, then I don't know what does.





Another place I wanted to see was the Geo Centre. A museum built right into the millions of years old rock. Very cool actually.






I really had to make a personal stop somewhere in Newfoundland to update the colour in my body art. So, I stopped in for a tattoo repair.






We did some sight seeing at other places. Like this beach like area that was really spectacular when looking at it from up high on the road.






Ok, we went to two weddings, you all know what happens there, and I really would have posted the photos, but there were so many to choose from so I decided to skip over it and get right to the end of this super long blog. My final shots from atop of Signal Hill over looking St. John's, NFLD at dusk. Enjoy.

You Know You Been In The North Too Long When...

I was thinking the other day how I am slowly becoming very Northern. By that, I mean how I have become accustomed to the ways of the North, how life is and the way the Inuit do things. You adapt to them. They don't adapt to you. You pick up on the little things they do, you get used to oddities you normally would think is strange when your from the South. So this blog is dedicated to the North and the people who live here. Most importantly, it is dedicated to the Inuit. The ones who make the North what it is. Perhaps, you may be from the North and can relate to these. Feel free to send me any you think of that I can add with your permission. Enjoy.


-You know you been in the North too long when you fall asleep during the daytime and wake up in the dark.

-You know you been in the North too long when your phone rings and you answer the ulu.

-You know you been in the North too long when there is a knock at your door and instead of a Jehovah Witness, you get a carver trying to sell you something .

-You know you been in the North too long when somebody asks you a question and you scrunch your nose for no, or raise your eyebrows for yes without thinking about it.

-You know you been in the North too long when you see the RCMP pulling over a snow machine.

-You know you been in the North too long when you get excited over a pack of cigarettes that cost only $13.95.

-You know you been in the North too long when the biggest news in town is somebody caught a wild animal over the weekend.

-You know you been in the North too long when you really believe "Hey, -40 isn't so cold after all".

-You know you been in the North too long when you find yourself wearing seal skin boots, beaver mitts and a parka lined with wolf fur around the hood.

-You know you been in the North too long when the two Inuit beside you are having a conversation in their traditional language and you can understand them.

A Safe Return To Civilization

The South has reclaimed one of the good ones. Fellow blogger and recently befriended buddy of mine, Brad Britton will be sorely missed in Rankin Inlet this month as he prepares for the journey back to the real world in Calgary. The situation is understandable, required and sensible. It must be hard to leave your family behind to come to a far away place for months on end. So as of tomorrow, Friday Feb 5th (also my brothers birthday) Brad will make the trip back home. His stay was short but worthy I hope, and I would like to think he had a good taste of the north and made some good friends up here.

I've said it before and will say it again, the North will make or break a couple. On that note, without using name, I am so sorry to see the demolition of a couple I met when I came up here. Today their relationship came to a crashing halt. I am sorry for both parties involved and wish both the best on their future endeavors in life. It has got to be hard whenever we lose someone we love no matter how it happens. To stay strong is key, and to move on is tough. Through support, these things can be achieved.

Thanks for reading you guys, and girls! Till next time.

Have a safe flight home Brad!

An All BeLEAFer

The Toronto Maple Leafs are one story shy from handing out heart attacks like a Jehovah Witness does with the Watch Tower pamphlet if they keep pulling moves like this one as of late. This Sunday has seen the the dismissal of such players from the Toronto roster such as Matt Stajan, Niklas Hagman, Jamal Mayers and Ian White in exchange for Fredrik Sjostrom & Dion Phaneuf both of the Calgary Flames organization.

The Leafs brass have also let go the likes of Vesa Toskala and Jason Blake in exchange for Jean Sebastien Giguere both from the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. The trade comes late in the season where many will tell you, it's too late for them. Let's just say the Leafs chances of making the playoff's are slim to none. Even with the superstar status of Dian Phaneuf and J.S Giguere. But bet your pantyhose that Leaf General Manager, Brian Burke will stop at nothing to shore up the wingers on both left and right sides for Phil Kessel in the coming weeks. This is Burke's team now and though it has taken him an awfully long time to put HIS thumbprint on this team, rest assured, the process began on Sunday with the newly acquired players.

J.S Giguere - Goaltender



Dion Phaneuf - Defence


So what does this mean to the not so die hard fans of hockey? Or even the Leaf fans? You can once again jump on board the bandwagon and cheer the Leafs on again. Last night's game was a spectacle to behold. Phaneuf's hit just 6 minutes plus into the game got the ball rolling and the energy started. It was their night. Their game to take for the win. J.S Giguere's night to do only what one other goaltender has done before in a Leaf jersey, post a shutout in his debut. The other was Ed Belfour.

Can Giguere and Phaneuf turn this otherwise dismal club around? Not by themselves they won't, but with a little more help like they got from an otherwise dried up team who seemed to come to life once Phaneuf made a hit, they can all make a difference. Once again, I am a beLEAFer.

Paranormal Activity

Ghosts or no ghosts, the show must go on.

This is my motto at the hotel I work at. Ok, so what building or hotel doesn't have some rumor of a haunting or sighting of some kind? The Siniktarvik from what I am learning is no different. Happenings in the kitchen area, sightings in hallways, doors opening and from what I have experienced myself, falling metal gravy boats such as the ones pictured below.

Now, I am caught in between of, believing and not believing. Being a logical person who requires facts first, I am finding all of this stuff hard to swallow. However, when I was working night shift at the hotel doing security work for them during the holidays, I was the ONLY person with access (security codes & door keys) to the rooms, dining room, offices and kitchen areas. Two separate occasions occurred where upon entering the kitchen area, as the time clock is placed in there, to clock myself in I had discovered the above pictured metal gravy boats strewn about on the floor. I found this odd, but thought, the servers or cooks must have knocked them in a rush trying to leave at the end of the day and left them.

A second night I had found sandwich toothpicks all over the floor in the kitchen. In the exact same area as the gravy boats. My third experience was great. I actually had heard the crashing noise of the gravy boats hitting the floor as I was close by the kitchen area. I was in the hallway just outside the kitchen door. Upon entering I began to loudly ask the logical question, "Who's in here?!" With no response I scoured the large kitchen and dining room area with my flash light. Doors were locked, windows shut tight, no breezes or anything of the sort, no alarms going off.

The cooks today told me of their own personal experiences in the kitchen while working. Things being moved when they left them somewhere else. Front desk staff have told me of sightings out of the corner of their eyes. Today took the cake for sure with the house keepers who called me at the front desk from upstairs where they were cleaning. The call brought me to a room where the three house keepers were standing outside the door waiting for me with the room door open. I entered. They pointed out the upside down paper coffee cups they leave for the next guests beside the coffee pot with the two brown stir sticks on top of the cups, in the shape of a cross. They pointed out the bed by the window where the bed cover was shifted as if someone had sat on the corner end of the bed. This was a room where someone had passed away supposedly.

They asked me if I can get the room blessed. I explained to them we would look into it of course. My conclusion on all of this is still a little iffy. Is something really happening at the Siniktarvik Hotel at night, or is someone playing games with us? If this stuff is right up your alley, then the Siniktarvik is the place for you to stay in Rankin.

"Boo!"