Cambridge Bay, Nunavut

A blustery day greeted me as the Crystal Serenity sailed into Cambridge Bay.

It’s the biggest port along the Northwest Passage.

Home to almost 1500 folks.

Now before you start rolling your eyes, remember that this area has been populated for more than 4000 years, around the time that the present-day Inuits’ ancestors came trotting- or sledding- across the Bering Strait.  They lived as their descendants do, hunting large land mammals and marine life.

Cambridge Bay is a bit livelier than the Hamlet of Ulukhaktok.  More modern.  Heck, they even have a fabulous coffee shop!  More on that, later.

We had to take a school bus from the zodiac landing into town.  This sticker on the first aid kit gave me a giggle.....maybe THIS is where Jimmy Hoffa wound up?

The “star of the show”, history-wise, was when famous explorer Roald Amundsen stopped in CB whilst discovering Northwest Passage. That was 1905.  

He returned in 1921 aboard his ship, the Maud, which was later sold to the  Hudson Bay Company.  She remained in Cambridge Bay where she sank in 1931.  Just in the past years, she has been raised.  On the day we visited, she actually set sail- this time being towed-  to return home to Norway, where a museum is to be built in her honor.  

Now that you know a little something of the history of Cambridge Bay, let me share with you some photos of this outpost in the High Arctic.

Here's the Medical Center...

And you know I had to check out the co-op for groceries...

The selection of fresh fruits and veggies was much greater than in Ulukhaktok...but just as pricey.

Not sure if you can see the signs, but they are written in both English and Inuktituk..

Didn't know one could purchase a fire poker--thought one just used a stick...

As I said, there is a FAB coffee shop in Cambridge Bay---Kuugaq

Like a good cold-weather denizen, I removed my (monogrammed-HA!) waterproof boots at the door....

Indoor herb garden makes this place extra special.

Gotta say- this was one GOOD latte!!

I found patches of green...

But they were few and far between.

Not exactly a four-star, seventy degree kinda hotel.  But it works.

I live at the corner of.....

Elder Palace- so much more elegant name than "nursing home".

This dear little Anglican mission had the most charming interior...

The stained glass windows told the the stories of the Bible, but with a decidedly Arctic spin.

 Noah's ark with a goose instead of a dove....

An angel dressed in Inuit clothing...

Mary and Joseph and Baby Jesus in an igloo.

 All the animals of the Arctic world gathered together.

Back at the community center, the locals welcomed us with typical fare.

Berries in puff pastry (nice gourmet touch), smoked salmon, and musk ox sliders.

Um...this.  Now you know I will try anything, and normally like it.  This, my friends, is mattak.
translation.  Narwhal blubber.  Imagine a mackerel-flavored gummi...but chewier.  I managed to swallow it.  Barely.

Fish jerky.  I think it was char...

Truly a memorable day.  For more than just the mattak.

Ulukhaktok, North West Territories

It was just 116 years ago that the first white man visited the region on the west side of Victoria Island on the Amundsen Gulf.  This is the land of the Copper Inuit. A land of slate and copper, of bluffs and rock.

Ulukhaktok, which is Inuktitut for “the place where ulu materials are found”, has not changed too terribly much in the ensuing century.  

Before I get much farther- I must explain what an “ulu” is.  It’s a knife- sort of half-moon shaped with a handle of bone, wood or antler.  With practice, one can skin a caribou, fillet a salmon and cut sealskin for a pair of mittens.  Handy little thing.

The 400 Inuvialuit who live here fill their days fishing, trapping and hunting.  They are hearty and welcoming- and utterly charming.

After donning all my zodiac “wet landing” gear, we headed ashore.

My "supplies"-everything from chapstick and  batteries to eyedrops and handwarmers..

You can always spot a southern girl by the things she finds to monogram.

Kitted out - almost

Ready for the cold.... I hope!

Heading toward my first zodiac adventure!

It's not often that guests get to see "below stairs"- or in this case, deck 4...

I spent a good two hours walking around the hamlet, as it is called.  If you look on a map and have trouble finding Ulukhaktok, look for it’s English name, Holman. As with many Inuit communities, the Inuit name only officially returned in 2006.

Believe it or not, “Ulu”, as high Arctic residents call it, is  a thriving artists' colony, thanks to a French missionary, one Father Henri Tardi.  Printmaking, carving, and needlework hand crafts provide outside income and name recognition across Canada.

Ulukhaktok is also home to the world’s northernmost golf course. No greens on the tundra?  No problem-they have specially made mats for tee boxes and greens.I told you that you should have come, Brother…

I was so happy to chat with Susie, a lovely lady that continues the tradition of printmaking from her father.

And I met several ladies who gather musk ox down to be spun into qiviut, that is returned to them to be knit into beautiful hats and headbands.

I visited the Holman Co-op, which has a little bit of everything.  A freighter visits once a week.  The prices continue to amaze me.

The sweet Anglican mission - 

and the K-12 school.

I chatted up this delightful granny- we traded stories and showed photos of our kids and grandkids.  She was ever so proud of her family, who had performed aboard Serenity the evening before.

Before I boarded the Zodiak to return to the ship, I talked with a lovely lady as she demonstrated how to "defur" a sealskin to make the leather that will form the soles for a pair of mukluks.  She uses just sand and an old bone to gently scrape the sealskin until it is clean.

Then through the boot wash station to make sure nothing comes back with us.

What did I take away from my visit to this lovely village?  Community.  A deep sense of love for one another.  Heritage. A great pride of place.  Hospitality. Joy that we came to visit their home. 

For the hours that we were in Uluhaktok, we were part of the community- we were home.

Final Pics of Las Vegas

Well, you know how they say that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions....

I had every intention of finishing the telling of the trip to Las Vegas and the North West Passage before Halloween...then Thanksgiving...then Christmas....well, you get the picture.

(um...I guess you really didn't.....)

But, without further ado--and desperately trying to avoid a major attack of the guilts...here's the last few images of Vegas.

Most of us desperately want to forget that our merry band travelled to Vegas just one week after the horrible massacre of so many at the outdoor concert. But we felt we needed to make a pilgrimage to the famous Las Vegas sign- just to see it.  A makeshift memorial had sprung up- and, while moving me to tears, made me glad we went.

We hopped in Andy and John's rented Mustang

I say that if one is touring the great American Southwest, one should do it in a convertible.

We drove past the Mandalay Bay- where that horrible monster's room was still boarded up.

This is one of the entrance/exit gates on the concert property.  Sadly, 59 people would not live to see this "See Ya Later"- and over 500 would have to be carried out injured.

So there you go.

We will.

Vegas Strong!!!