Our dear Friends Myles and Cheryl decided they wanted to take us out to dinner. Not here in the village but to a nearby city (nearby city means a drive through the mountain passes). Feeling a wee bit claustrophobic in such a small town (we know every item on every menu) Shauna and I were anxious to go.
We were hoping (actually the girlies were) to stop on the way at a tack store. A place we should know about being so remote and all. Fortunately (for me and I'm sure Myles) we got a late start and it was closed when we passed by so Myles suggested we stop at an old mine he knew about (scenic route). He basically grew up around here and knows everything about the old mining days.
Notice in the pictures (right) the Olympic size swimming pool that still remains.
Well... Out of shear coincidence... Five minutes after we arrived at the mine the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) showed up. They were just out on routine surveillance. It is nearing harvesting season after all. As it turned out, since Myles was from around there he was able to give a historical dissertation which impressed the RCMP enough (young officers) to let us go quietly our our way. Not before, however, they gave us an armed escort into the mine. Really nice guys actually. Not at all what Shauna and I are used to. Friendly... Chatty... The way old movies always portray police.
It was a lovely Italian dinner. Totally worth the drive (about 85 minutes one-way through some of the worlds best scenery). There are so few culinary choices in a small village (there are only four stoplights in the entire town after all) so it was an absolute pleasure to be treated and chauffeured to a local eatery in a nearby city.
Also... It just so happened... That weekend there was a festival in the town. There were the typical sales booths (both local and traveling) as well as a bunch of rides. These kind of 'Mardi Gras' carnivals are common in the old country so it was a reminiscent thrill to have caught this one. It's the simplest of things that make one feel at home in a far away land.
