Sayonara Whitehorse

About twelve hours until we set out for our departure to Edmonton and then August 3rd it's off to Japan.  We're almost all packed up, Naoko and I have a few hours to relax - too bad there's no red wine in the home to sit back and sip.  Thinking I should save my liver for Japan anyways, will be tough to get back in the swing of alcoholism again; not as young as I used to be.

Strange to think I will not have to be writing any contact notes for a whole year...  No paperwork, no responsibilities... well relatively no responsibilities.  To my co-workers out there, shall miss you and thanks for a fun send off on Thursday night - absence makes the heart grow fonder, I am sure after being a human tape recorder for a year I will be harping to return back to work.

Taiga, your Mom and Dad are excited to see you again.  To Whitehorse and friends, see you in 13 months.  If anyone is going to be in the Japan area, make sure you let me know as I am sure there's always a piece of tatami we can spare and make a bed up for anyone who comes visit!

Sayonara!

Chilkoot Trail - An amazing journey with great people, weather, and views!

Check out the amazing weather we had as we got over the pass - absolutely phenomenal.

Naoko and I completed the Chilkoot Trail (Skagway Alaska to Bennett British Columbia) just this past week, yep just two weeks before our next journey to Hokkaido - it was a great.  Every Canadian should take the opportunity to go through this trail - not many of us Canadians truly realize the huge impact the Klondyke Goldrush had on not just Yukon, but the majority of Western Canada.  It is baffling to think how many gold seekers set out to get to Dawson City in those two years (1897-98) and how that created an opening up of Northern British Columbia, Yukon, and parts of Alberta.  Being able to hike the area where 30,000+ gold seekers passed over 100 years ago was humbling.  The various environmental ecosystems that you pass through as you wind your way through the pass is also the highlight of the trail.  We weaved through lush Alaskan rain forrest, high alpine, and then desert like forrest - when we got towards the end and started to see those spindly pine trees, I felt like I was being welcomed home!  Now it's back to reality packing up our home over the next week and my last gasp attempt to get all my paperwork done at work and get things tidied up.  To think in two weeks we shall be taking off to Japan.

Check out some of the photo's from our Chilkoot journey:

Taiga getting ready to go to Grandma and Grandpa's prior to the trek.

The Sourdoughs getting ready for the big hike. 

(I should mention our eldest member was 71 years old, my friend's mother - we didn't have to worry in the least about her keeping up with us; she was nipping at my shoes for most of the journey!!)

Naoko may be half my size, but she carried her fair share of the load.  She was a true stampeder by lugging almost the same weight of goods as me!

Working out way closer and closer to the dreaded "Golden Staircase"

                

Heading up "the Golden Staircase" - thankfully in summer and not like original stampeders in winter.  It really wasn't as hard as it looks.  Though I'd be lying if I didn't say the journey was a "challenge"; was glad I decided to get into shape the last couple months.

The End of the Trail - Bennett British Columbia

All our crew made in one piece and we were rewarded with a warm meal of beef stew at Bennett Train Station; we then took the hour and half train journey back to Carcross Yukon.

An awesome journey.  Any friends out there who would like to do it, let me know, would love to do the trail again. I can't guarantee the weather is going to be as nice as it was for us; if it had been piss pouring rain, I may not be wanting to do it again.

The Antithesis of Hollywood - Japanese films that will leave a lasting impact on you.

Japanese cinematic history spans more than 100 years which puts it at one of the longest in the world.  There are so many great Japanese films out there that are just not on people's radar here in the West.  This is my brief must see list of Japanese films.  If you're wandering your local movie store, not that they exist or people do that anymore, but if for some reason you come across one of these films and have the opportunity to see them, grab your popcorn and get ready for a life changing moment.  The following films are not necessarily just mere "favourites" of mine, but are films that I came away with saying to myself shit life is way more great and more complicated than we all convince ourselves of going through our day to day lives.  So take pause and give one of these films a chance, you won't be disappointed, and if you are, be curious to know why.

Ikiru by Akira Kurosawa- 1952

A film that examines the struggles of a Tokyo bureaucrat and his final quest for meaning.

(Click Here - Movie Trailer)

Human Condition by Masaki Kobayashi - 1959

This is a mammoth drama, released in three parts and total nine and half hours. 

Yep, you'll need lots of popcorn for this one.  Hits on basic moral questions of compassion, suffering, and the difficulties of being able to do the ethical/moral thing when existing in an amoral system.  This film will put you through the wringer.
(Click Here - Movie Trailer)

Mishima by Paul Shrader - 1985

A collagelike portrait of acclaimed Japanese author and playwright Yukio Mishima.  

Supposedly so controversial it has yet to have any commercial release in Japan.  

Includes an amazing musical score by Philip Glass.

(Click Here - Movie Trailer)

The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On by Kazuo Hara - 1987

An award-winning documentary that centers on 62-year-old veteran of Japan's Second World War campaign in New Guinea, Kenzo Okuzaki, and follows him around as he searches out those responsible for the unexplained deaths of two soldiers in his old unit.

(Click Here - Youtube has the whole movie posted here with subtitles)

Love Exposure by Sion Sono - 2008

A four hour movie involving teenage crushes, Christianity, upskirt photos, double identities, shady cults and perversion - yep it's a roller coaster of a film.  The movie covers a range of themes, stories, and just general craziness - basically a big critique on organized religion and false constructs people create in trying to live a life of spiritual purpose.

(Click Here - Movie Trailer)

Lovely Ladies of the Adaka Festival

Last week Naoko and her tea ceremony group had the opportunity to present their skills at the premier First Nations festival called Adaka.  On top of the tea ceremony, our Japanese Canadian Association of the Yukon had the chance to perform Bon Odori dance to a packed auditorium; it all happened at our brand new and beautiful Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre - it's an awesome venue to have a celebration/function.  

Taiga and I got all gussied up for the event as well.

The Longest Dayof the Year

Last week we had the opportunity to go up to the top of Grey Mountain on the longest day of the year and on a beautiful clear night - just think this picture was taken at roughly 11:00pm and boy is it nice and bright eh.  One thing that is going to be darn hard to adjust to being back in Japan are those darn short summer days.  The longest day in Japan is roughly 14.5 hours (Sunrise 4:25am / Sunset 7:00pm).  Ugh, 7:00pm that is just when the fun gets started up here in Whitehorse, land of the midnight sun (over 19 hours of daylight - Sunrise 4:27am / Sunset 11:37pm).  Though one thing that we'll be awesome when head out camping in Hokkaido is to finally see stars, that is the number one thing I miss when camping in the Yukon.

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Here's some pics of the pass on the way to Skagway that were taken a couple weeks back; normally you don't get beautiful weather like this.  Naoko and I are scheduled to hike the Chilkoot pass at the end of July (Blog with some beautiful pics of the trek), here's hoping the skies are as beautiful as they are in these pics:

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