Accommodation

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A Good Day In Whitehorse

Today was awesome. I will share the awesome parts tomorrow when I’ll be able to upload pics. 🙂

Last night in the tent would have been okay if I didn’t have the noisy neighbours from hell. Every time I managed to doze off I’d be awaken by their loud voices, and, once, by their car alarm!

It was a surprisingly cold night, but I was dressed for it and have a good sleeping bag. It was time, however, to concede that I have passed the age for sleeping on the ground. 🙂 Since I plan to camp during my Inuvik adventure, I bought a self-inflating mattress at CDN Tire this morning.

I needed to be at Kal Tire at 7:30, so I headed straight there, then went for breakfast. The work was done by 10:30 and seeing the new front tires helped me accept the mechanic’s assertion that there is no reason to change the rear ones at this time since they have just about as much tread left on them. I was told to have all tires balanced periodically and eventually move the new front ones to the rear. The alignment made a huge difference to how the car drives. I can’t believe I didn’t recognize that there was a problem!

And, so, the tedious item knocked off my to-do list, it was time to see some tall mountains, touch prehistory, discover that I’m a natural at using an ancient weapon, and gaze upon some relics of Yukon transportation history. And all by 5PM! The pictures will be worth waiting for the story. 🙂

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Whitehorse Supply Run

I left Dawson in pouring rain at 8 this morning. There was a lot of construction between Pelly Crossing and Whitehorse, which stretched the trip to a nearly interminable 6.5 hour journey.

My first item of business was to have the toad’s tires examined. Thankfully there’s a Kal Tire in Whitehorse! The news was acceptable; I need two new front tires and an alignment. They should be able to do the work first thing tomorrow, so I should still be able to do some touristy stuff.

I’m staying at Hi Country RV Park… In a tent! 🙂 It’s pricey, $18 + tax, but I got a locals discount and showers are included. There is also wi-fi, which I’m accessing with my iPod Touch! The campground is nice, but I resent being sold a ‘tenting’ spot where the only place to set up the tent without being on rocks is on a slope. Our tent spots might be on gravel, but at least they are flat!

Tonight, I will do my non-perishable shopping, which includes things for my friends. I’d better get cracking!

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Summer Status Update

This summer has thus far not been what I signed up for, but it’s been okay, and much better now that I have two and a half days off next week! I’ll not only be able to knock a couple more places off my bucket list, but also get some paint to start the decorating portion of the makeover!

Speaking of painting, I’ve been doing our bathroom floors as a special, after hours project. Which explains why it’s 10PM and I’m off to change into my paint-soaked gear, something that tends to confuse those used to seeing me look presentable in a skirt and tee-shirt. 🙂

My biggest accomplishment in the past six weeks has been the learning of one little phrase: ein dollar für drei minuten. As in our showers take $1 for 3 minutes and we have a lot of German tourists who have a hard time understanding that. It took only two tries for me to get the phrase down pat, according to my very nice German teachers RVing here in their German-plated dump-truck style RV. 🙂

It’s been a pretty mundane and ho-hum super crazy busy summer so far, with the weather not being nearly as good as it was last year, but I am in good spirits. I’m in the Klondike, my business is booming, and there is so much going on behind the scenes that I sometimes find myself smiling at the most inappropriate moments. As my friend Croft says, life is good!

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La Table on 5th

La Table on 5th is the best restaurant in Dawson and quite possibly in all of the Yukon. It is attached to the Aurora Inn, which offers the finest accommodation in Dawson. To say it’s out of my budget is putting it mildly.

Well, I was invited to dine with someone at La Table tonight, so I got a chance to see what the fuss is all about. Oh. My. The offerings are the difference between ‘cooking’ and ‘cuisine.’

We started by splitting the ‘summer salad’, which had spinach, endive, pear, walnuts, and gorgonzola. That would make a meal unto itself. There’s nothing like the salty-sweet pairing of pears and gorgonzola with nuts for crunch!

As a main course, my companion had beef, potatoes dauphinoise, spinach, and red onion compote. I had the butternut squash gnocchi which came in a creamy goat cheese sauce sprinkled with pancetta and topped with spinach, roasted asparagus, and roasted red peppers. Divine.

We then had a 12 year old whisky (Scotch!), a Glenlivet, which is one of my favourites as it is so smooth and peaty. My companion made an honest effort but didn’t enjoy the drink at all. I loved the look on the server’s face when I said I wanted it neat, a look I always get when I order whisky neat. Heck, if I’m going to drink something with that kind of a price tag I don’t want it watered down! As an aside, that’s what uskeba (in my email address) means, whisky that is. I created the word as an anglicised version of usquebaugh, or whisky. 😉

The meal ended with a ‘dessert tester’–mango pineapple compote, chocolate volcano-type cake with strawberry coulé, and their version of tiramisu (which was like no tiramisu I’ve ever had). All were delicious. 🙂

Service at La Table is personal, unhurried, and attentive which, together with the fine offerings from the kitchen, make the La Table experience worth the price tag. Dining there tonight was a treat I would hope to repeat one day.

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Scenes from Dawson City

Just some random photographs taken during my aimless wanderings the other night:

this sign always amuses me

this sign always amuses me

the Eldorado Hotel, home of the Sluicebox Lounge bar

the Eldorado Hotel, home of the Sluicebox Lounge bar

My 'Dawson truth' lies somewhere between the gaudy carnival and the harsh, sobering reality. Of course, I only know SummerDawson.

My ‘Dawson truth’ lies somewhere between the gaudy carnival and the harsh, sobering reality. Of course, I only know SummerDawson.

the above text comes from this exhibit; it's free and open super late

the above text comes from this exhibit; it’s free and open super late

this building is just a façade; far as I know there is nothing going on inside

this building is just a façade; far as I know there is nothing going on inside

Bombay Peggy's pub & inn

Bombay Peggy’s pub & inn

This pizza place is accessible only through an alley (hence the name Back Alley Pizza). I've found the building after much searching and am now trying to figure out where the entrance is!

This pizza place is accessible only through an alley (hence the name Back Alley Pizza). I’ve found the building after much searching and am now trying to figure out where the entrance is!

Nothing much has been going on over the past few days; it’s just been insanely busy! The movie crew has checked out so life should be a bit less zany for the next couple of days. I am also going to be starting a new schedule on Monday which will give me several days a week to go out and explore the things I meant to explore last year.