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the endless trains that transport the iron extracted from the Labrador City mine , the largest in the world . We ’ d crossed it several times at intersections without gates . At one we ’ d stopped and the drivers greeted us by making the locomotive whistle while looking at us in amazement .
From afar we saw the high pyramid of the precious material being extracted from the earth and moved onto the containers .
We ’ d pass no one and no one passed us despite our long photographic breaks .
When we found the sign indicating the entrance to Newfoundland Labrador our hearts burst with joy . In Labrador there were only very expensive hotels that had to be booked in advance . We amortised the expense by having dinner in the room and toasting with the eyes of someone who was already thinking about tomorrow .
The mine workers enjoyed their well-deserved Saturday evening and when we started the motorbike the sound of the twin-cylinder seemed to be the only one in the city . In addition to being the capital of the province , with its 9000 inhabitants , Labrador is also the largest centre . When we left the last houses behind us , the landscape became grandiose and the only sign of human presence was the wide strip of asphalt that made its way between lakes of every shape and size . The waterways were very large because we were in full thawing season . The fishermen in short-sleeved t-shirts were immersed in water up to their chests to haul in gigantic salmon and trout .
Happy Valley Goose Bay was founded by the Americans as a launching pad for planes heading to the United States during World War II . Today it is the largest Canadian military air base and approximately 7,000 people work and live there in what is the wildest area of the state .
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