This week I had my focus on things just outside the city proper.
Firefly Ferries
A ferry service with small ferries operates out of The Old Port Waterfront, providing passenger transport up the Slow Snake River. The ferries are covered in small blinking lights, and are easy to spot as they move up and down the river.
Goblin Apples
A favourite fruit in the city is the bright green, sweet, and juicy Goblin Apple. The cultivar was developed in the city at its university and is the primary fruit crop of the orchards to the north. Goblin Apples can be found at farmers markets and just about anywhere fruit is sold.
Town of Kokori
Past the long-established northern boundary of the city is a coastal town that has remained apart from the city’s influence until recently. In the past decade the town formally joined the city and benefits from its services while preserving a quieter, slower way of life for its residents.
The Orchards
Outside the city’s northern boundary are many apple orchards. The orchards grow dozens of varieties of apples but Goblin Apples are unquestionably produced in the greatest number. The distinctive green apples on their trees create a stunning vista from the train station that most visitors arrive through.
The Apple-Ocean Line
A train line connects from Commons Station, along the eastern coast, through Kokori, and on to The Orchards. This line runs less frequently than others, but is a delight for sightseers who wait for their chance to take in the open spaces outside the dense city.
Maudie Leu’s Bewitching Apples
The young witch Maudie Leu sells enchanted apples from a rickety stand near Kokori Station. Her magics are still developing, but the mild, delightful effects she imbues apples with have become a familiar treat for locals and frequent visitors. Maudie’s hair-curling apples are her least expensive but they sell out daily because of utility and amusement in equal measure.
Kokori Station
Kokori Station has only been a train station for a few years, but this old brick building’s history as a hotel makes it a welcoming, if unconventional, arrival point. Upper floors of the building still provide accommodations for travellers, but the main floor features all the expected amenities for passengers along with easy access to showers, lockers, a pool, and a cafeteria.
