Limes with Orange

I just got back from visiting my dad in Inuvik for the Great Northern Arts Festival. I discovered a couple of artists that I really like, who I'll talk about in a later post, and experienced 24-hour sunlight for the first time... and I've decided that I prefer having a regular sunset. Not that I want to experience 24 hours of darkness, either. I just realized that I need that balance between light and dark (hmm... I think that works as a metaphor for my personality traits, too).

So I may not have slept very well (then again, when do I ever?) but the scenery was fantastic. The photo in this post was taken from the Dempster Highway overlooking Campbell Lake, which is between Inuvik and Tsiigehtchic. I had no idea how many lakes there are up there. Apparently it has to do with the permafrost not absorbing the water (I wish I'd paid more attention to this stuff in school). We didn't get around to our sightseeing flight (darn rain!) but I still got a pretty good idea of the vast, unpopulated wilderness. Maybe this will sound strange, especially because I don't live up there, but I really like the fact that I live in a country with so much land that remains untamed.

More later. Right now I'm going to sit outside and enjoy the post-sunset darkness. Then I'm going to go to bed in my wonderfully dark room. (Oh, blessed night.)

Labels: art and photography, travel

I was having a conversation the other day (I don't remember the context or who was present other than my sister and me) and somebody was talking about being out on a boat and having some whales swim alongside them for a while. My sister started saying how wonderful that must have been. It was clear that she'd forgotten our whale watching trip out of Provincetown when we were teenagers, spending a few weeks with our dad on Martha's Vineyard. I realize that was longer ago than I would like to admit, but it made such a huge impression on me that I couldn't imagine it not having the same impression on everyone else on board. (Apparently the fabulous shopping in P-town made more of an impression on my sister than the wonders of nature.)

Our particular whale watching trip lasted longer than scheduled because there was so much whale activity. First, it was just a group of whales a little in the distance, then a mother and calf came up close to the boat… the calf seemed very curious. Then we encountered one particular whale who seemed as fascinated by us as we were by him. He swam alongside the boat for quite a while, waving his flippers and splashing his tail and performing all manner of acrobatics as if to get our attention. It was amazing. I still have a great fondness for that particular whale.

Anyway, if you're ever in the Cape Cod area, I highly recommend checking out Provincetown and taking a whale watching trip yourself.

Labels: animals, travel

Several years ago, when I was visiting Chicago and getting to know the city on my own, I would have loved to have something like an audio travel guide. What I did have was a booklet with information on historical buildings and maps and so forth... but you try looking at a piece of architecture and reading about it at the same time. I don't know about you, but I find that rather tricky as I can only ever get both eyes to look in the same direction at any given time.

At this time, Variant Guide only offers audio guides for Moscow and Paris, but they promise that Barcelona is coming and more cities will follow. So far these are all cities that I would love to visit, so I think they've certainly started well. Now I just need to get myself across that big pond and put these audio guides to use!

Labels: cool stuff, fun, travel

Okay, I'm not actually "leaving today" but I wouldn't mind making "a brand new start of it in old New York."

I've often thought that I wouldn't mind living in New York City. For starters, since Torontonians (which I still consider myself) believe that Toronto is the centre of Canada, I've already got the right attitude. I mean, don't New Yorkers believe that New York is the centre of the known universe? Okay, so that's not actually why I would consider moving there. Well, not for the attitude, I mean. But New York is kind of the centre of the world… at least the world of art and culture, at least in North America.

But now that I'm trying to make a go of it with independent film, is that the right place to be? Am I better off moving to Vancouver? (I will NOT move to L.A.) Or back to Toronto? Or to Montreal? (No, I think the Francophone Quebecois filmmakers would not welcome me with welcome arms.) Then again, there's so much indie art stuff happening in New York, there must be a thriving film community there.

Mind you, I haven't actually been to New York since I was a teenager (and I don't even want to think about how long ago that was), so maybe I should start with a visit. I do have one high school friend who lives there now that could be my tour guide. I don't know how big her place is, though, so I may have to find someplace else to stay. The last time my mother went to New York, she stayed at the Hotel Chelsea. She said it had a great atmosphere and was very reasonable. I remember finding a quote about it when my mother asked me to look it up on the internet:

"The building sits on 23rd Street with the air of a great dame who finds herself in the midst of a party of her social inferiors but instead of complaining decides to join right in the fun."
~ The New York Times

And lo and behold, this site that I was checking out about New York listed the Chelsea as one of the best New York City Hotels for folks on a budget. The site also lists best NYC attractions, restaurants and clubs, all of which helps a grrl plan her trip. And then, should I actually decide to move there, there's even a page about moving to New York. If the site had more links to the places it talks about, it would be even better. But it's a good launching pad.

Labels: film, fun, pop culture, travel

My new couch arrived and I do love it, but I struggled with the decision making process as I wondered if that was the best way to spend my money. I mean, I've never been anywhere outside of North America and I would love to travel. Whether it's to Greece and Turkey to see the sites of so many of the ancient Greek myths and histories that I love. Or to the Isle of Man to see the stomping grounds of my Celtic ancestors. Or to England to watch the horses and riders compete at the Badminton Horse Trials (or someday compete there myself). Or to Argentina to watch the best polo in the world. Which brings me to…

I found this website that is a pretty decent "travelogue" about Buenos Aires, Argentina (although the author has been living in BA for two years, so I don't know that "travelogue" is the correct term in that case). Unfortunately, his only reference to polo is about the new polo museum in Buenos Aires, but he did have an interesting post about the Hippodrome (racetrack… and that would be horses, not cars) that gives general information, historical information and very useful information like how to place a bet in Argentina. Now if only he would do such an in-depth post about polo. Hmm... maybe I should email him and suggest it.

Labels: horses, travel