Well my friends, I have asked a couple folks to do small write-ups about anything. One of these essay’s come to you from the small town of Moose Jaw right from the mind of Kip. Enjoy!
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Once again, this was written by Kip, not Poz!
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Well where to begin?. I?m a Saskatchewan born, Alberta/Ontario raised, yet living back in Saskatchewan Canadian traveller.
To simplify the above statement let me explain:
I was born in Saskatchewan where I lived till the end of Grade 2, I then moved to Edmonton where I lived till half way through grade 8 (Oilers Rule!!), then I moved to Ontario where I completed High School (Ontario?s school system is 2 years behind the west?s by the way) and proceeded to get employment. While I was living in Ontario I started working for the company I am with still today (5 years and counting). This company has sent me from one end of Canada to the other for projects, allowing me to meet many new friends, and see many things that I probably would never have seen.
My good friend Chris (Aquamarine to the world) has asked me to write up a little memoir of my experiences across this great nation of ours to share with friends around the world.
So lets start in the west and work our way across:
British Columbia ? aka. B.C., the weed capitol of Canada, Vancouver (for the narrow minded)
Vancouver is commonly mistaken as the capitol of BC, but it?s actually Victoria. Thank god for this, Vancouver is a huge traffic jam full of slow drivers who do not seem to realize the left lane is for fast drivers. What it really needs is about 5 more highways to support its infrastructure. Vancouver is home to the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL.
Victoria on the other hand, is well laid out as far as I?m concerned, and is a great place to take a vacation. It?s clean, not as busy as Vancouver, plus its on the island so your in the ocean, with tons of things to do like sea kayaking, whale watching, hiking, boating, fishing, etc.
BC is also home to the Canadian Rocky Mountains, the Okanogan Valley and several great Ski Resorts. If you have time, and money to spend I?d strongly suggest taking a ViaRail train ride through the mountains, the scenery is great and the landscape mostly untouched by human hands since the rails were laid.
Alberta
Although Calgary likes to think it’s the capitol, it’s really not! Edmonton still rules in Alberta. Alberta is one of the richest provinces in Canada due to the natural gas, and oil fields located within its borders. They are the only province with only 1 sales tax (lucky buggers), instead of 2. With the Rocky Mountains bordering them on the west, the badlands in the south, and glaciers in the north, Alberta is another great place to visit and tour. With the Calgary Stampede, West Edmonton Mall, and too many other events and locations to mention, this is definitely a great place to spend a few weeks touring. Alberta is home to both the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL (National Hockey League).
Saskatchewan
Home sweet Home to me, and by far the best place to live as far as I?m concerned. We get a great selection of weather, usually snow and more snow in the winters, and sun and sunshine in the summers, with a mix in-between. And believe me when it snows it snows! With all the fields and open land, snowmobiling in the winter is great, and during the summers camping under the stars and fishing just cannot be beat. Regina is the Capitol, with Saskatoon and Moose Jaw close behind. Although Saskatchewan is the flattest, and one of the most joked about provinces, it is gaining respect as a place to live and visit. Cost of living is low, tons of areas for camping and fishing, the tourist industry grows every year, and of course the Saskatchewan Air show is a yearly event that grows each time, plus we have the Snowbirds Canada?s own Aerodynamic Acrobatic team based out of Moose Jaw.
Manitoba
Although they?ve been hit hard over the past few years with flooding due to rain, Manitoba residents keep on kicking and having a great time. Winnipeg (aka Winterpeg.. aka Win-A-Pig) is the capital, and home to the majority of Manitoba?s residents. Most of the people from Manitoba that I know and have worked with, love to have a great time, like to party, and strongly stand up for their rights to do so. They are a hardy lot, and does not let anything run them out of town as we?ve all seen with this years flooding due to rain, and several years ago when the Red River overflowed. One things for sure, they all knew how to swim.
Ontario
Canada?s largest province and home to Toronto, yes my friends, Toronto is in Canada not the US (even though most people FROM Toronto like to think they are!). Although most would think Toronto is Canada?s capital, it?s not. It?s only the capital of the province Ontario. Ottawa is the capital of Canada and is also located in Ontario. Toronto is the first mega city to be formed in Canada and home to the largest population. Toronto continues to grow and join together with smaller cities around it and it?s the only city that I?ve flown into and spent more time flying over, then I do waiting for my baggage (and believe me I?ve waiting for over 1/2 hour for my baggage so don?t think it?s a short flight). When you think about it, a flight from Ottawa to Toronto is approximately 47 minutes, so if you can spend up to � hour flying over Toronto that?s pretty brutal considering they are 400 kilometres away from each other. Ontario has tons of lakes for fishing and the northern areas are still pretty much undeveloped forested lands, allowing for all sorts of outdoor events and sports to take place. I spent many year?s fishing, hunting deer and moose in Northern Ontario, and can only recommend one thing bring lots of bug spray cause they have black flies the most annoying bugs I have ever know, so small you can hardly see them on their own but they attack by the hundreds so when you see that black cloud moving towards you run!! The little buggers have teeth and will draw blood.
Quebec
Canada?s French province, home to the hottest strippers I know, and the only place to get true Poutine (French fries with Cheese and gravy – For those of you in Japan, go to Shibuya, through Dogenzawa and to the “Maple Leaf Canadian Bar” to try Poutine) and Montreal Smoked Meat. There definitely is something to be said about the French ladies they are hot, and numerous, they dress to the nines and show off they?re stuff so I?m happy. Montreal is also quite commonly confused as the capital, but its not, Quebec City is. Quebec City is one of the oldest fort cities with the majority of the old fort still standing and in use by the general public as living quarters and businesses. Unlike a lot of cities that have converted or removed the old battlements and forts, Quebec City has incorporated everyday life into their use along with the tourist aspects. If you are a nervous driver, or renting a car, take out full coverage, as Quebec drivers are some of the fastest and craziest drivers I?ve ever seen. They literally jockey for position behind Ambulances and Cop cars rushing along the highways in order to speed and get farther through the traffic jams. The Grand Prix in Montreal each June is also a blast, and a great weekend if you?re ever in the area. But bring along lots of cash, rooms that are normally $60 per night, jump to $150+ so you can guess what your $100 per night ones do.
New Brunswick
The beginning of the Maritime Provinces on our east-ward journey, New Brunswick is a great province offering both Maritime attitude joined with mainland. The bays of Fundy are great to visit to see what the oceans of our world are capable of doing to solid rock over the centuries. If you?re an avid hunter Northern New Brunswick has tons of Moose, there?s even a highway that they recommend you do not drive at night due to the amount of Moose related crashes.
Nova Scotia ? aka New Scotland
Nova Scotia is a great province, offering an old country style attitude everywhere I?ve been. Some of the best pubs I?ve ever been to are located in Halifax, and with Alexander Keith?s being brewed right there I?m set (my favourite beer, cause those of use who like it, like it a lot). Be sure to take 5 days and drive the Cape while you are out there, there are many small inlets and bays that are great to stop at for a day of swimming in the ocean, or an ocean side pick nick. Whale watching is another great thing to do; I?ve spent a few days out whale watching and even got to touch an Orca that surface and rubbed our boat.
Newfoundland & Labrador
Technically 2 provinces, but they are always lumped together, don?t know why that?s just the way it is.
Newfoundland is a solid chunk of Rock, with some of the friendliest and hardest working people I?ve ever met. On one of my business trips out to this province, I was stranded there for an extra week due to flight cancellations; some of my temporary workers I had hired found out and took me sight seeing. We went to several places that I had already been, but this time due to local contacts and family relations I was able to get into some of the off limits and restricted areas. George street in St.John?s is a block about 2 or 3 long, that I would say is 80% bars, if your looking for a party vacation you cannot go wrong here, I spent 3 nights bar hopping and did not make it through them all. Be sure to get sworn in at one of these bars as well to become an honorary Newfoundlander (don?t worry you don?t have to kiss the Cod like I did, they?ve banned Cod fishing.. now you get to kiss the Puffins ass!!)
And last but not least (I?m going to lump them all together) our territories: Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut
Not much to say about these locations, lots of open land, tundra, but at the same time if you know where to go (Whitehorse, Yellowknife area) some of the best scenic landscapes out there. Fresh open skies, little or no industry to pollute the land, Polar bears, make sure if you are around them, you?re secure.
Well that?s it for now, I?ll write up more later going into more detail about the places to go, and things to do. Maybe Chris will let me create a running journal or something. Heck he might even let me post some pictures, who knows.