Yellowknife facts and Bullocks!

How did Yellowknife get it's name? The yellow knife is based on a copper powder knife used in the mining industry. The dynamite suppliers used a copper knife to open the powder cases. If they used a steel knife it might cause a spark! The yellow knife is a symbol for Yellowknife...to symbolize gold mining. There are still 2 active gold mines in the city!

Did you know Yellowknife is one of the best places to watch, see and experience Aurora Borealis (northern lights)? And they are amazing here!

Here is a little fact from Astronomy North website:

"Almost every dark night above the Northwest Territories there is at least one bright display of aurora. Imagine that for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, a calm East-West arc of aurora gently glows in the sky at approximately 62º North latitude. When you see this faint fuzzy arc of light you are actually seeing the intersection point where of one of Earth's dominant magentic field lines intersects with the atmosphere. Charged particles from the sun are thrust along this field line and plummet directly into our atmosphere where they collide with oxygen, nitrogen and other gas molecules. The result of this collision is the release of energy, which we see as a light. Once you have found the arc, you now know where a substorm will likely erupt. Often the arc will move southward when it is about to be swamped by particles, so one indication of an oncoming storm is the rate at which the oval pushes towards the South."

Now, that the history lesson is done for the day...

Everyone who comes to visit Yellowknife should go to Bullock's! It is an experience! A small wooden hut in the middle of old Yellowknife. Kitchen right at the bar...tonight, there were 3 wait staff (2 doing the cooking and prepping)...one doing everything else....rough on the edges, but a lot of fun to watch. Tonight the choices were white fish, pickerel, char or caribou. The fish can be deep fried or grilled. I had the char grilled and I have to say, it was the best fish I have ever had! Ymmmm! No choices. Everyone gets a salad (3 types of salad dressings and they float from table to table) and home cut fries! You help yourself to cold drinks, if you want a beer or wine, the wait staff will eventually bring it to you. Nigel had caribou, and they even gave him more meat after he was finished his first (I'm glad I'm not sharing a room with him tonight)! It tasted sooo good as well. Mel, had the whitefish, battered, and Mel is not a fish eater, she made a good dent in it! Homemade tarter sauce! If the plate of food is ready and there isn't a server around, she will ask you to pass it to who it belongs!

When you go, be sure to go with lots of time on your hands (this is a meal you don't want to rush) and a good amount of money...it ain't cheap, and it is worth every penny spent!

Into the evening, Nigel and I went to chase the Northern Lights (you've heard of tornado chasers, well, here in Yellowknife, people go to get the perfect Northern Light shot on their camera!). Nigel set me up with a tripod! At least I was able to get the northern lights on my camera, just barely, but they are there! Now on Nigel's camera...you should see the shots! (check out his flickr site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nigelfearon/3851548808/in/set-72157622126420634/).

All in all, a very good evening, indeed! On that note, I'm signing off for the night!

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