Day 27 - May 17 YELLOWKNIFE - PART 2

The sunrise was not anything out of the ordinary but the reflections afterward were soothing and encouraging. The temperature is zero degrees and was so for a lot of the day. Add a wind chill and it's a little chilly for mid-May. May be good practise for where we're headed.

Old Town is the original settlement where the city got its start in the 1930s and is located on the waterfront of Yellowknife Bay. The peninsula on which Old Town sits is known as The Rock due to its prominent hill. It was literally the foundation of Yellowknife, a solid mass of Precambrian rock. The lamp post banners offer a warm welcome, each featuring the work of a different local artist.

A staircase leads to the top of Pilot's Monument, a 1967 dedication to the bush pilots that helped open the north to exploration. Twin Otters and Cessnas on floats and skis remain part of the Old Town soundscape in both summer and winter. The view from the top of the hill is one of the best in Yellowknife. You can almost feel the cold in this photo.

An old float base building and lot provided a look at some vintage aircraft. Yellowknife experienced a very busy summer in 1946 when the post-war gold rush hit. Canadian Pacific Airlines (CPA) was the biggest charter and scheduled aviation company in the Northwest Territories at that time.

The Wildcat Cafe was opened in 1937. It was owned and operated by several different people over the next decade and a half until 1951. By that time Old Town was no longer the commercial centre of Yellowknife and the derelict log structure was scheduled for demolition. A group of concerned citizens stepped in to save the old cafe and it was restored and reopened in 1979.

As we continued our walking tour a few more murals were spotted.

As we crossed the causeway (trust me it's just a small bridge) we entered one of the nicer neighbourhoods in Yellowknife. The whole feeling was different. The speed limit throughout is 30 kph, many people were out walking their dogs and lots of children were at play in the playground. There were even several "libraries" at the ends of driveways. People have built wooden structures with doors where they place books to be taken by anyone who desires a book. Quite a different vibe from downtown.

I do not know the internet status where we're heading tomorrow. So it will be a surprise to us all. Stay with us...it ain't over yet!

😎