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Horse Creek Ranch On the Route of the Gold Seekers |
   
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Horse Creek Ranch On the Route of the Gold Seekers |
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Frankly and with all simplicity, Esther, in her sixties and the cook of the property, welcomed us with a firm handshake. "Are you the people from France we are expecting?" "Have you had dinner?" After this long journey and the vast spaces where winter is already on its way, it was comforting.
A few days ago, Siebe had to leave for the Netherlands (where he is originally from) due to some family issues. Emmy, his wife, went to pick him up at Edmonton airport. They won't be back until late tonight. We'll see them tomorrow morning.
Upon arrival, the typical ranch archway, dozens of horses, and all those birch trees that color the landscape.
Here, it's western Canada and the route of gold seekers heading for the Klondike in Yukon. "That was around 1898 but even now," Esther tells us, "my son's friend still goes there every summer like many others!" Is it the gold fever?! This clever mix of nature, lure of gain, and camaraderie between prospectors.
Esther knows quite a bit about the history of these adventurers, as she worked with horses with her husband. Since his passing, she has been living a calmer life, offering her services as a cook, but she still bears a rich past. I regret not having a recorder with me because what she tells us is fascinating and full of life.
Fort Assiniboine, just 14 km northwest, was a strategic point between 1823 and 1868 with the "Hudson's Bay Company Trading Post." Situated on the Athabasca River, 2 hours' drive from Edmonton, the capital of Alberta. To get here, from Vancouver we crossed British Columbia through Merritt, Kamloops, and from Valemount, the Rocky Mountains via Jasper. After these impressive snow-covered mountains, it was downhill towards the plains and forests of central Canada. A straight road where it's hard to respect the speed limit of 110 km/h.
How did Siebe find this lost place? It's a long story, but mostly about realizing that one can live elsewhere. That there must be a place more suitable for our inner need; the place that allows us to fulfill ourselves and truly shine. Siebe is convinced of this, and his energy proves it to us at every moment.
It's October 13th and the weather is nice, the leaves are still on the trees, and Canada is pleasant to live in. There is even a small restaurant in Fort Assiniboine run by a Cantonese Chinese man because the only two words I know are in Mandarin: "xiexie" meaning thank you and "nihao" meaning hello. Two small words I learned during my first trip to the Northern Territory NT in Australia. Where the movie "Crocodile Dundee" was filmed in the small town of Catherine, south of Darwin.
Cougars, moose, deer, wolves, elk, bears, beavers; the list of wild animals in these areas is impressive. The cougar or lynx climbs the tree and waits for its prey. It must be over one and a half meters off the ground to avoid being detected by scents. Then it leaps out with all claws extended.
During our horseback ride, we only saw deer and a partridge. The wild geese chattered in the sky, heading towards Mexico for the winter. Siebe knows the local animal tracks; the bear claw marks on the birches, the small shrubs scratched by elk, and then the dozens of trees that beavers enjoy using to wear down their teeth.
About thirty horses, fifty cattle, and a dog. Siebe and Emmy do not regret leaving the Netherlands where they were farmers. "There is no future for a farmer in the Netherlands," Siebe tells us. And nostalgia? Gouda, speculoos, peanut butter? "We find all these products in Barrhead," Emmy replies. Barrhead is the small town where you can find everything. That's where I bought my Canadian jacket and fur gloves. The saleswoman, a little surprised, asked how we ended up here? In the real Canada, the one of pioneers and pure country. Internet, ma'am! Internet!
The Athabasca River originates in the Rockies near Jasper and heads towards the Arctic, passing through the province of Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories. In winter, the river freezes as it progresses despite the strong current.
It is on this river where so many Native Americans and pioneers paddled that we launch ourselves. 3 hours drifting under the blue sky of the Indian summer. The Athabasca River is dotted with islands where only a few hunters sometimes disturb the bear, moose, caribou, cougar, eagles, and many others.
Feel Canada, vibrate with the earth, the forest, the river, and the rich silence that surrounds us. Finally stepping out of the tourist system and letting ourselves be welcomed with simplicity without falling into imposed stereotypes.
Horse Creek Ranch, Siebe & Emmy Brouwer, Fort Assiniboine, Alberta, Canada - Map 
Former resort hotel with a garden on the banks of the Allier, L'Étoile Guesthouse is located in La Bastide-Puylaurent, nestled between Lozère, Ardèche, and the Cévennes in the mountains of Southern France. Positioned at the crossroads of GR®7, GR®70 Chemin Stevenson, GR®72, GR®700 Voie Régordane (Saint Gilles), GR®470 Sources and Gorges of the Allier, GRP® Cévenol, Montagne Ardéchoise, and Margeride. It offers numerous loop routes for hiking and day-long cycling excursions. Ideal for a relaxing stay.
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