Wednesday, October 10

No-Gun Thanksgiving

My first Alberta thanksgiving involved shooting.  This time I took it to Saskatchewan for some berries and a little couchsurfing.  It was the first time I had ever driven for 8 hours (8 whole hours!) all by myself.  CBC radio kept me company but when that ran dry in a few places I found out that the most played songs on all radio stations are something by Justin Bieber and Gangnam Style.  I think I learned some Korean.

While the end point was Regina I stopped for a night in Saskatoon to break up the drive Friday and to check out this city that I hear so much good about.  Of course, couchsurfing helps to make the city.  A friendly guy and his group of roommates (4 siblings) hosted me for the night.  In less than 24 hours I met some great people, watched a live beat poetry performance and drank less than a 1/4 of a local beer.  Woops.  I thought I'd just wing it and have a been all nonchalantly.  But it was awful and I felt like vomiting in my mouth with every sip.  Right.  I hate beer.  The magoo-glasses poet was followed by a bearded man sitting on a milkcrate and crooning in his Jack Johson-esque voice to some unexpectedly grunge guitar stylings.  (Google "These Hands" if interested).  The next morning included a communist breakfast with very scrumptious eggs and a trip to the Saskatoon farmer's market where I bought my very first Saskatoon berry pie.

The end of the road was Regina, home of another kind of Barry.  And some cold weather.  I thought Regina was south of Edmonton.  Regardless we kept warm with a fire pit and roasted marshmallows, talked French grammar (they were very patient with me!) and sat around with uncle C on the guitar and sang songs I remember from my camp days.  Basically a picture perfect cheese image of the perfect family holiday sans any football.  There's something to be said about watching Corner Gas in Saskatchewan as well - it lends some...context.  I'm always searching for some Canadiana - other than maple syrup - to bring with me while couchsurfing and I think the first season of the Dog River gang may just be it.

Happy Thanksgiving, all!

Edited:  The only photo I took the whole time.  A life dream of mine to get sucked into the "vvoyd".  And a void it is.  All the roads were closed for construction and we crawled through this gloomy town for over half an hour. This is usually a blink-and-you-miss-it variety.



1 comment:

Beth said...

my favourite part of this post is the nonchalant reference to a "communist breakfast." what IS that!?