Sherri Green won our 2018 Condor competition with her ‘pretzel itinerary’ If I were to go to Germany, where would I go? There are so many possibilities. I usually have trouble deciding what to order off of a restaurant menu! I asked some friends and they helped me narrow down the possibilities. Their suggestion? Tour …
I’m not a miner, but on a recent visit to Germany my friends took me on impromptu mining tours of their regions. First Clemens and I drove 100 kilometres west of Leipzig to Wangen and the Arc of Nebra (Arche Nebra) museum, where the Himmelsscheibe (Star Chart) of Nebra was discovered in 1999. Dating back …
Cheers and congratulations from What’s Up Yukon to the winners of the “Picture Yourself in Frankfurt, Germany” contest! The winning photographs were drawn randomly after the contest closed April 30, with close to 100 entries. Renate Schmidt won the grand prize of a round trip flight for two to Frankfurt, Germany with the “Easter Bunny” …
2011-Condor “Picture Yourself in Frankfurt Germany Contest” Congratulations Read More »
Short films and stories of adventure and exploration from around the world to Banff – over 2 nights, per show ticketing or 2 show discount.
Nestled in the Niagara region of Ontario are many vineyards that produce some of the world’s best ice wines.
Having spent Christmas in three countries, there is one thing which will never change for me: eating potato salad and sausages on Christmas.
The COVID-19 pandemic stopped travel, from one day to the next, in a way that was impossible to imagine before.
Once is the name of my taxi driver in Namibia (like once in a lifetime). People have strange names here: Darling, Given, Gift, or Mistake.
Lemker is at home with art and calls Whitehorse his home, as well as an endless source of inspiration to create.
How to prepare for my trip to Namibia?, I am asking myself a few days before boarding the plane to Africa.
Are you “middle-aged” or “retirement age,” or of “old age?” Do you bristle at being asked those questions? Are you avoiding answering them?
“I cannot cross the river,” I told my friends as they were about to move on. (The truth was I didn’t want to cross the river.) We were a group of seven people hiking … two of us were staying behind on the beautiful sandy beach at Kusawa Lake, as the others went farther. I felt like sitting back and relaxing. My other friend was feeling the same. We are queens, we said. We don’t like to cross rivers.
The call of the Yukon or the call of the wild that so many have heard and have followed, like my friends … they came here and stayed.
It was a few bright spots against white snow that stood out. Upon further inspection, the remains of two slightly ripped square papers appeared. They were adorned with Asian-inspired print on one side and a blanket cover of colour on the other. It was an image from the film Blade Runner that connected the paper’s …
Yukon River Quest 2022 has 119 teams. The 2020 race was a no-go due to the pandemic, and 2021 was cancelled due to flooding.
Splashes of lavish roses, bared teeth of an outraged woman, portraits of people stick gambling—all appear in the paintings of Mary Caesar.
Chat with artists at Yukon tattoo shops. They’re the most kind & community-minded folks & you might walk out wondering why you don’t have ink.
Foggite, mordenite and plumboferrite: 3 categories of mineral naming: people, place, or physical characteristic.
The Yukon Prize for Visual Arts provides one prize of $20K to help one Yukon artist focus full-time on creating art.
Brendan is a freelance film professional based in his hometown of Whitehorse. He wears many industry hats, depending on the size and scope of the project. Since graduating from Vancouver Film School in 2010, he has been working in the film industry in Vancouver, Boston and the Yukon. His work can be seen on National …
Erik Pinkerton earned the German equivalent of his Red Seal in photography in Dresden, Germany in 2015. After working for 2 years in Studios and as a freelancer, Erik and his family moved to Whitehorse, Yukon in 2017. Erik works mainly as a commercial photographer creating high-end photos for all marketing needs. His diverse body …
Daniel Janke is a Canadian composer, pianist, filmmaker and media artist who lives in Whitehorse Yukon.Daniel’s work as a composer has gradually drawn him into different roles as a musical director and filmmaker. His multi-media stage production The Grubstake Remix toured Canada, and recently presented at the Babylon Theatre in Berlin, Germany. His short film How People Got Fire (NFB, 2009) has received …
Yukon grown musician Declan O’Donovan he has played in Germany, Japan and across Canada, He has made appearances at Canadian Music Week, Sofar Hamburg, Atlin Music Festival, Fuji Rock Festival, and Breakout West, with dozens of theatre and club shows throughout. Stories about Declan O’Donovan
The Yukon River Quest goes virtual It’s hard to imagine a summer without the Yukon River Quest. For 21 years, the annual event brought paddlers from around the world to “race to the midnight sun.” For participating Yukoners, it meant hours of commitment leading up to the race. Non-paddlers lost their paddling friends to their …
Nicole Schoeneberg (left) and Hilary Seymour (right), owners of Summit Kombucha, enjoying their blueberry and basil kombucha, at their brewery Have you tried kombucha; the effervescent sweet/sour beverage? Statistics say you likely have. This ancient fermented tea drink is now the fastest-growing market in North America and experts say it could be worth $3.5 billion …
Summit Kombucha is making an ancient fermented drink Yukon’s favourite healthy beverage Read More »
Norman Mervyn Barrington-Foote is bringing his own unique combination of music, comedy and puppetry to Whitehorse for a Halloween-themed show on Oct. 10, 2019 at the Yukon Arts Centre. Music, costumes and Halloween are all part of Ready, Set, Howl.
Considering the Caribou RV Park at km 1403 of the Alaska Highway was established in 1974 and your humble correspondent lived in Atlin from 1977 to 1984, I must have driven right by it hundreds of times over the years without giving it a look or even a thought. I knew it was built by …
Major Funk and the Employment will bring their funky dance music that Yukoners know to BreakOut West this October With the emergence of streaming services, social media and new technology redefining challenges in the musical industry, how does an emerging musician advance their career past the local scene and into touring stardom? That’s the …
Diverse work comes out of a varied landscape Though always a popular spot with locals and tourists alike, the basalt columns of Miles Canyon received more than 450 visitors over the weekend of July 5 and 6 for the Created at the Canyon art exhibit. Hosted by the Yukon Conservation Society, Created at the Canyon …
What does it take to be Canadian? I’ve been in this country two-and-a-half years. After 18 months of processing, I received my permanent residency on Jan. 5, 2019 and started the march towards citizenship. In 2021, I will be able to take my citizenship test and officially call myself Canadian. I was lucky. Being an …
Part 8 of Your Backyard Geology Within Whitehorse city limits, you can see Grey Mountain from almost anywhere. It is one of the first landmarks tourists see flying into the city. Eight thousand kilometres away, the residents around Salzburg, Austria, can look up from their morning coffee and see the rugged, beautiful grey-white peaks of …
Take a listen to Antarticus’ album—you almost won’t believe it was released this year. The prog-rock record is packed with extended solos, synthesizers and sci-fi/fantasy themes. As if that’s not old-school enough, it’s also being released on vinyl. “I think it makes sense for our style and mentality,” said bassist, keyboardist and vocalist Mack Smith. …
It was the end of my first camino, the ancient pilgrimage route across Spain, and I never wanted to put those dang boots on again.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s grandfather started the family fortune during the great Klondike Gold Rush. He never reached the Klondike Gold Fields; he was hundreds of miles short.
The Deli, as it is fondly nicknamed by so many, is a local icon to most Yukoners (not just those in Whitehorse), as well as to many travellers from around the world. (This tribute was written to help celebrate its 50th Anniversary on December 14, 2018.)
After two acoustic solo albums, Bluesman’s Plea (2011) & Here on Earth (2014), Brandon Isaak’s Spiritual Undertones marks a departure.
The 2018–19 Whitehorse Rapids over-35 soccer season kicks off at the end of September, bringing together a collection of expats and non-hockey-playing Canadians in one homogenous mix.
Past volcanic eruptions in Alaska have resulted in massive displacement of peoples and widespread environmental damage in the Yukon.
Since I was 18 years old, I have been an immigrant 12 times. My entire adult life has been spent as a foreigner to those I live and work with. Always being different. Never quite fitting in.
With all due respect to the Olympics, there is no competition on Earth that captures the passion of spectators like the FIFA World Cup.
I was astonished to learn that the Yukon Territory currently is without a card-carrying centenarian, male or female, according to the most recent age data on record which is the 2016 census.
For 22 years and going strong, LePage Park has become a hub for arts and culture during the summer months. The new season of Arts in the Park launches on May 22 with a free barbecue.
Fiona Azizaj and her parents fled Kosovo to Germany when she was months old. They later settled in Whitehorse in 2003. She will provide details and answer questions about what her family went through to get here at this year’s Yukon Cares Annual General Meeting.
On May 18, the Indigenous Music Awards will return to Winnipeg with awards in 19 categories that honour music that has been created by First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples of Turtle Island.
In Swakopmund, Germany and Namibia come together like the Namib Desert and the ocean just outside the town. If you didn’t know that this is an African country, you would think that it’s a town somewhere in Germany.
Screenings for the Dawson City International Short Film Festival began in October, with five or six people meeting twice a week to view what would eventually add up to between 400 and 500 submissions for the Easter weekend festival.
Mount Sima’s snow guns, ready for action at Shipyards Park Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous has partnered with Air North, the City of Whitehorse, Days Inn, Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre and Shaw Direct to keep a favourite Rendezvous event. Fourteen years ago Whitehorse artist Don Watts, an internationally-renowned snow carver, started the International Snow Sculpting Challenge and …
With the advertised Burlesque Workshops and the Pub Crawl, at first glance the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous may seem like an event geared towards adults. But there are a lot of activities for kids too. Just like Yukon’s expanding birth-rate, KidsFest at Rendezvous is also expanding in 2018. Last year KidsFest had one tent with activities …
It’s been 20 years since Thomas de Jager first discovered the Yukon. Today, he runs his successful business Yukon Wide Adventures that gives locals and tourists the opportunity to enjoy the Yukon’s outdoors. Thomas, originally from Monheim, Germany first came as a tourist through Alaska and the Yukon in 1996. His parents were avid kayakers …
Sixteen teams competed in the inaugural Yukon River Quest (YRQ) 20 years ago – that’s a fraction of the numbers anticipated by race organizers in 2018.
Our experience at the Mount Sima ski hill in Whitehorse and some facts about skiing
With the exception of sports figures, Max Fraser contends, Canadian heroes seldom get the respect they deserve. The Whitehorse filmmaker and military history buff wants to help change that, especially when it comes to a larger-than-life former Yukoner, Joseph Whiteside Boyle. “I’m still trying to figure out this character, Joe Boyle, because I’ve never met, …
If you’re feeling dapper this weekend, you’ve got an opportunity to dust off your best prohibition era outfits and celebrate the Yukon Brewery’s 20th Anniversary. The brewery is throwing a shindig to celebrate, offering the public 20 per cent off stock in their retail store (off everything but the booze. Bummer, I know). There will …
Ross River musician Dennis Shorty grew up in a musical family that spoke Kaska and performed at social events. Now he is sharing his love of the language through the musical duo he formed with his wife, Jennifer Froehling, is called Dena Zagi, meaning “people’s voice”. In August, they toured in Germany with their first …
Yukon musician Jona Barr is pumped. He’s going to Germany – and he’s going to be playing his first set outside of Canada. “I’ve traveled to a few upper American states while touring Canada, but this is my first international festival,” says the Old Cabin frontman. “It’s surreal being 30-years-old and never having been somewhere …
Keen on history? The Castle Wartburg in Wittenberg in Eastern Germany offers an opportunity to learn about the 500th Anniversary of Martin Luther’s Reformation. The castle is the place where Luther translated the bible and lived with his family. The castle’s origins date back to 1067. The castle is hosting an exhibition until November called …
The Germans are known by the nickname “The Krauts,” which comes from sauerkraut, a famous German dish comprised of fermented cabbage. Maybe Germans should be nicknamed “The Sausages” instead, because we have 1,500 kinds of different sausages in Germany – according to the Deutscher Fleischer Verband (German Meat Association). There is a sausage for every …
At this year’s Yukon River Quest, stand up paddleboarders will be competing for prize money for the first time. The 2016 race introduced the stand up paddleboard category as an experiment. “Stand up paddleboards are hugely popular now and we had been pushed by both local groups and internationally to allow it maybe for a …
It’s 15 minutes before our performance starts and one of my actors has a meltdown. “No, I am not gonna play,” he says avoiding eye contact. Philo is 12 years old and usually confident. I would never have expected that from him. It’s Valentine’s Day and we rehearsed for our little performance the whole week. …
Let’s make this as easy as possible. No cooking and no fussing, follow these directions and you will arrive at a delicious dinner destination. First stop, sushi night! Sushi is one of these tricky food-wine pairing combinations. Wasabi, pickled ginger, soy sauce, raw fish, sweetened rice – gah – it is a pairing nightmare. Luckily, …
Making All the Right Stops for a Delicious Evening Read More »
When I saw the post on Facebook from local Dawsonite Sarah Lenart, asking for two people to join her and friend Jeremy Herndl on a trip to Tuktoyaktuk from Inuvik via the winter ice road, I was elated. The ice road follows the Mackenzie River delta channels, and eventually ends up on the Arctic Ocean. …
Each October, the city of Frankfurt in Germany plays host to the second largest literary trade fair in the world, with 7,153 exhibitors representing 106 countries present in 2016. The Frankfurt Book Fair (known as the Frankfurter Buchmesse (FBM), in German,) is a tradition spanning more than 500 years, with the first book fair being …
The Yukon Quest … is so much more than just a race. It’s an opportunity as a community event, for businesses and people to come together,”
Since graduating from Porter Creek Secondary Nicolai Bronikowski has been working on ship design and transit studies. Through his work in Finland, Russia and Canada he showcases the Yukon’s strong science programs and growing potential as an Arctic research hub. Bronikowski came to the Yukon in 2009 for an exchange year, after finishing Grade 9 …
I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO ENGLAND BUT I’VE BEEN TO CARIBOU LOOKOUT. IHAVE NEVER BEEN TO FRANCE BUT I’VE BEEN TO RAMPART HOUSE. I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO CHINA BUT I’VE BEEN TO CROW FLATS. I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO TIALY BUT I’VE BEEN TO KLO KUT. I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO GERMANY BUT I’VE …
On June 20, 1819 the composer who was destined to pen the cancan theme song was born. His name was Jacques Offenbach. Born in Cologne, Germany, he grew to be a virtuoso cellist. At 14 he was accepted into the Paris Conservatoire and travelled there to begin his studies. The year was 1833 and a …
While others hunker down against winter’s wrath, the local literary scene is hotter than ever. The winter Writers’ Roundtable organized by the Friends of the Whitehorse Library (FOWL) provides a thorough overview of events for the coming season. Ongoing events include: Every Wednesday writers work from noon to 3 p.m. at Bean North Cafe, kilometre …
Life on the river was isolated, especially in winter when the steamboats were not running. Sometimes visitors did stop in to catch up on the news. Harvey remembers: “We had radios…and we got mostly Alaskan stations…KFRB in Fairbanks…[and] in the last few years…we had a Ham radio…and the RCMP office in Mayo had one and …
Harvey Burian: Growing up Multicultural on the Stewart River Read More »
Tourists visit the Yukon to see the aurora; it’s the heart of the winter tourism industry. Visitors who have done their research will also have other activities in mind. People arrive from around the world – including Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Korea, and of course the United States and other parts of …
My African friends think that Yukoners are cannibals. When I told them the story about the Sourtoe Cocktail I expected the usual reaction: laughter and amusement. But instead I got wide-open eyes and mouths asking me: “You did this?” they asked me. “You drank this human-cocktail?” I did my best to explain the history behind …
The status of one’s permanent residency quickly becomes the crux of conversation among the Yukon’s new Canadians. And it’s the crux of this column. No two people have the same story to tell. Not only are there various ways to immigrate, each person’s reason to immigrate is different. Some are poignant, others humorous, like this …
Dennis Shorty created his first sculpture when he was eight years old. It was a moose carved out of poplar with a burbot fish skull for antlers and a bit of “fish glue” to hold them in place. He was proud of the sculpture and showed his father, Alec Shorty. Alec told the young carver …
Two new exhibitions curated by Jennifer Bowen Allen, of the Dene Nation, opened Sept. 2 at Arts Underground. In the Focus Gallery, a group show called Hands of Time: Bush Women on the Land honours the way that women who live on the land have supported cultural continuity by maintaining their traditional practices. In the …
A Strong Indigenous Female Presence at Arts Underground Read More »
The cheetah appeared suddently, and instantly I was overcome with fear. I saw it walking slowly on the porch of the farm house. I froze and my heart was racing. “It must have come in from the wild,” I thought, “and now it will eat us.” There were three of us looking at the cheetah: …
I catch Heike Graf between the lunch rush hour at the Caribou Crossing Coffee and picking up her five year old daughter from school. “It was busy today,” Graf, the owner of the coffee shop in Carcross, says while wiping the counter and putting a tray of fresh pizza on the display. The smell of …
After a long Yukon winter, you look forward to packing away your warm winter coat. We all look forward to the warmer days.
Mark Zuehlke grew up in the Okanagan, hearing tales of Remittance Men – those eccentric British immigrants sent here in the late 19th century by their families who didn’t know what else to do with them. They were called Remittance Men because of the funds they received from their families to support them. The funds …
In Whitehorse we rarely see a group show that’s international in scope. In Words – International Exhibition of Haiku and Handmade Paper, the concept tying the works together is simple: many objects in our lives amount to words on paper. This exhibition offers an astonishing variety of variations on this theme, from a wide variety …
Joe Boyle came to the Klondike with the first wave of gold-seekers in the early summer of 1897, but soon left with a dream of becoming rich. He was successful in obtaining a large mining concession in the Klondike Valley from the federal government in 1909, and within a decade had gained control of one …
Joe Boyle: The Klondike King Who Became a War Hero Read More »
For 20 years, Robert (Bob) Hayes was the Yukon’s wolf biologist. During those years, he studied hundreds of radio-collared wolves and conducted several long-term wolf-prey studies. He is considered a world expert on moose and caribou predation by wolves and the effects of wolf control efforts on wolves and their prey. Over time, his studies …
Why is Robert Service so much better known here than Jack London? This question comes from Wolfgang Robert Greiner, one of five German journalists I was invited to meet for breakfast at the Aurora Inn in late February. Their primary literary interest is in Jack London, whose Yukon themed short stories were standard fare in …
Murder, betrayal or New Year celebrations – these are the topics on the list. It is December 30 and we have to decide which story will be on the cover of tomorrow’s newspaper. Unfortunately, there will be blood leaking from the newspaper on New Year’s Day. The murder of a German-Namibian farmer is breaking news. …
Donnell Leahy remembers exactly how he felt when he made his stage debut as a fiddler at the age of four. “Mom and Dad had a band when we were growing up as kids. They played locally at round dances and square dances and weddings and things,” he says. “One night they took me up …
There’s nothing like a bird count to inspire new and seasoned birders. This Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) takes place Feb. 12-15 and it’s a family-friendly event for any skill level. The GBBC helps to give a snapshot of bird life throughout Canada, the continent, and the world. Last year 5,090 species were recorded – …
The minute you walk into The Deli at Yukon Meat and Sausage you know you are in a special environment. The place simply smells like, well, like Europe. The shelves are stocked with delightful offerings from Germany, from Holland, from Denmark, from England. Many of the items are imported directly from overseas, but Yukon Meat …
Not just gold glitters in the Klondike. For Dawson City single-mother & entrepreneur, the pasties she makes sparkle too.
If you’re searching for a little inspiration this holiday season, then perhaps this story is for you. Many of us give to charity and volunteer our time here and there, but for Sarah Ott, it’s a way of life. At only 17 years of age, Sarah has given countless hours back to her community and …
Historians agree that our modern Christmas tree tradition originated in the German Renaissance period (circa 1500). Martin Luther added candles as decoration. Prior to candles, Tannenbaum (or Christmas tree in English) were decorated with apples and nuts. The practice of bringing evergreen boughs into the home at Solstice is much older. Egyptian culture used evergreen …
Attention all lovers, poets and dreamers: this holiday season The Bard is returning to the Whitehorse stage. The Guild Hall will launch its second show of the season on Nov. 26 with Shakespeare’s classic comedy Twelfth Night, Or What You Will. The play was first performed in 1602 and takes a comedic spin on mistaken …
Temperatures were in the mid-30s while we were in Munich. Many of the people spoke English, but many others did not. Neither Joanne nor I speak German. We did experience moments of frustration because of miscommunications, but some of that kind of thing was to be expected. In the late afternoons we would retreat to …
Living far away from your family means that sometimes your strength and persistence will be tested. It’s Christmas 2014 and I am in Montreal. A cold wind is blowing, the sky is grey and it’s raining. I wander rue Sainte-Catherine, watching people with shopping bags rushing from store to store. I already bought my gifts …
Germany: a land of farms and old cities, and the destination of my travels every two years. It is a land with a past. Most towns here still hold scars of war in the form of bunkers that are sprawled throughout the country. A reminder of what once was. One such reminder is a tree. …
Today, Sid sits outside the Beaver Creek Visitor Information Centre basking in the warm summer sun. As he waits for visitors to arrive, he admires the bodywork of his 1956 Pontiac in the sunlight. “I bought the ’56 in Whitehorse a few years ago. I just put a brand new motor in it and new …
Mustard. It calls to mind sausages, one side of the inside of a sandwich (the meat side), pretzels, Dijon, grainy, spicy, Germany, France, omnipresent condiment, pestle and mortar, seeds, curry, and for some reason, fine beer. But Saskatchewan? No. Roslyn Woodcock recently learned that 90 per cent of the world’s mustard is grown in Canada, …
The Condiment that Some Take For Granted, and that Others are Really Into Read More »
From dance to live painting to a spider web takeover of a local park, the second annual Whitehorse Nuit Blanche (WNB) has an exhibit and activity for everybody. With a focus on participatory performances, the all-night art crawl transforms the audience into creators as it takes over downtown Whitehorse. Here are five more WNB art …
Five Spectacles To Be Seen At Whitehorse Nuit Blanche Read More »
And the Winner of our Northern Bard poetry contest is… Don Green The subject line on the email began, “DON YOU HAVE WON” and I was reaching for the delete button until I saw rest of subject line, “THE CONDOR POETRY CONTEST!” Then I thought, “Maybe I better read this.” I had no expectation of winning, in fact my …
Northern Bard: Don Green ” The Ballad of Baldy and White-Tail” Read More »
Borderland “Check for ticks” they said I never knew, never saw a tick in the Yukon Stolzenhagen, Germany (but almost Poland) You could walk there – So close, just a Condor away So far, a lifetime away come to Germany to find your freak phony? artist? – 3 weeks on a commune What was I …
Eine glückliche Verbindung Ein shared curiosity exists between the land of the midnight sun and the place we call Germany, and they Deutschland. The people of midnight sun take the Condor to Deutschland for the architecture, the beer, the pretzels, the Alps. The Deuschlanders take the Condor to Yukon for the untouched land, the wildlife, the peace the quiet. …
Northern Bard: Collyn Lovelace “Eine glückliche Verbindung” Read More »
I dream of my hometown. Walking through these streets again, listening to music floating from open windows like light. Harmonica, accordion. Walking these streets where I know every corner Like my own body, where I left my thoughts hanging on walls, buildings Like a pair of shoes tossed into a tree – I dream taking …
Northern Bard: Elke Reinauer “The Sound of Home” Read More »
If you’re unsure whether you consider Whitehorse a progressive city, here’s some fodder for the thought that it is: we’re one of a (growing) handful of municipalities across North America that is learning how to produce energy from our own waste. It’s called biogas, and if you’ve heard of it, it’s probably because it’s an …
Contemplating what to write about this weekend’s OUT North Film Festival, which runs from April 17 to 19 at the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, my brain landed on the word “age”, and stubbornly refused to budge. So, with apologies for the occasional reach, what follows is a quick tour of how the thread of age, …
A Contest To Win I was home one night seated at my table, Not in the mood for internet and I have no cable. So I started to read last week’s paper mail. I leave it late to go through, most times without fail. – “What’s Up Yukon” was folded so neatly. I thought of …
Northern Bard: Mary Anne Keating “A Contest To Win” Read More »
This is a story about ice wine, and we will get to it in a roundabout way. Recently my husband Hector forwarded me an email from the farmer who, last fall, had sold us half a pig, four chickens, and our Thanksgiving turkey. He and Hector have developed the kind of old-fashioned, collegial relationship between …
If you peruse the 365 poems that make up the Tumblr feed from Lori Garrison’s latest poetry project, Today, In the News, you won’t find much in the way of introspection or outpourings of feeling from individual experiences. But you may find lines that resonate, even if you aren’t really into poetry. That was Garrison’s …
Yukon birds, and its birding community, have lost a true friend. When he died last month, at 75, Helmut Grünberg had spent over 40 years promoting the enjoyment, study, and conservation of Yukon’s bird life. He found his way to Whitehorse in the early ‘70s when, en route to climb Denali in Alaska, he was …
I am not a homesick person, but I can hear the Black Forest calling me home during Fastnacht, which means carnival. For many people in southern Germany, Fastnacht is a far more important holiday then Christmas. Families gather and celebrate ancient traditions. It is the best time to travel to the Black Forest and to …
At the request of some Facebook friends I spent about a week in late December taking a series of pictures showing the retreating daylight hours. Some of them were people who used to live here — friends and former students. They wanted to remember what it was like. Other requests were from people as far …
Masamichi Nakatsuka has a painting, a watercolour on paper called “Passion”, that he completed in one sitting. The painting is of a skull with paint dripping down its side. Nakatsuka, who goes by Michi, says he couldn’t stop working until it was finished. It took five to six hours. Michi ended up in Whitehorse because …
“We were praying and killing each other at the same time.” — A German soldier reflecting on D-Day Once peace is waged what do we remember about the battlefields? Tales of war can become like the whispering game after a few generations have passed, apart from the “official versions” of the truth. But World War …
Some people are just not content to watch the river flow.They have to get in it and, as Ratty said to Mole in The Wind in the Willows, “mess about in boats.”It can be contagious. Our current Berton House writer-in-residence is Anik See. See is a freelance writer, radio producer, and translator from the Netherlands, …
Germany is green and clean — there’s not much garbage, and there are recycling bins everywhere. The people are friendly. Being on a train is fun and comfortable, and riding in a first class compartment is better than flying. We went to a Catholic all-boy school in Mainz for a day, which was different from …
Finally my human is gone shopping and I can use the computer. This morning I overheard her talking about the Condor-contest, what fun it would be to jump on a plane and explore the world starting in Germany. Throughout the last few years I’ve met so many europeans, now I’d like to go and visit …
Condor Contest Jutta Gartner – Maggie Takes Off to Frankfurt Read More »
If I won the trip for two to Frankfurt I would take the Sasquatch that lives in the forest behind my house with me. Flunder is a good, polite and considerate friend and has mentioned he would like to visit Germany especially the Teutoberg Forest. He has relatives living there. He also has an interest …
Condor Contest David Thompson – A Sasquatch in Frankfurt Read More »
PROLOGUE: Please allow me to introduce this tales Hero. Like many heroes, he is much of what you would expect from your everyday individual. He’s hardworking, driven, skilled, and thoughtful. However, what sets this hero apart is that he is a Yukoner! There’s no question, Canadians across this great land are a very special pedigree …
Condor Contest Jordan Stevens – THE REAL ADVENTURES OF: THE AMAZING YUKONER! Read More »
If I could fly to Frankfurt, I would take along my best friend, who has never flown before. We would be squealing with happiness and excitement (we would be driving our families crazy) for weeks before we left. We would board the plane and have the time of our lives, noticing every little detail. Most …
Condor Contest Emma Kaiser – A Best Friend Adventure Read More »
Throughout my childhood, my father and I shared a special relationship. Our bond often seemed more companions than parent-child, reflecting our compatibility and shared interests. For one, my father taught me everything he loved about sports, which then consumed me from age 8 to 25. We went on dozens of road trips, camping throughout Western Canada and the …
Family Giesbrecht has been planning and saving to visit Germany for years. We must travel as a team and so more tickets would have to be purchased for our crew of five. There is just no way anyone on Team G could ever be left behind on such an epic adventure. A month of cheese research and strategic …
“And when I heard the Captain welcome us to our flight to Paris, France, I knew I was on the wrong plane.” If it was anyone else other than Anne telling me this absurd travel tale, I wouldn’t have believed it. Anne, however, is one of those rare people who are usually so very alert with such …
Condor Contest Camille Luks – Take Me To Frankfurt Read More »
Dear, “What’s Up Yukon” I had read with great enthusiasm in the Feb 6th addition of the upcoming contest “TAKE ME TO FRANKFURT”, who I would take and why. The person I would definitely take to Europe would be my mother. During a recent trip to Southern Ontario, I had, for the first time, a …
Years ago my Uncle Fritz stated, “I’ve always wondered what my father’s middle name was?” “Anthony.” I responded. “Now, how do you know that? Let’s write down everything we know about our family.” I was hooked. My lifelong interest in family history and genealogy was launched. Periodically I pull out my “clues to be researched” …
Condor Contest Kathleen LaBrie – Take Me To Frankfurt Read More »
Caroline -that’s who I would take to Germany. She was my first Yukon friend. It was 1975. My husband, Mike and I had finally arrived in Whitehorse after a two week wait in Fort Nelson when a spring flood washed out the Alaska Highway. Vehicle number 365 in a long chain snaking its way north; …
Author Donna Pendziwol-MacMillan – Wonderful Friendship Gift Read More »
My mother had always told me that I should visit Europe, mostly Germany. My family has military background. My step-father was posted over sea’s, and my mother was able to visit him twice while he was on assignment. Germany was the base,and that’s where they stayed / visited. They also toured France, and I heard most, ( …
By Roger Rondeau I would take Yukon Jack with me on this trip to Europe because Yukon Jack knows everybody and he would be the ‘ best bang for my buck’. You have to first understand that I flew over the “big salt” with Yukon Jack once before; as the go between him and another amigo with …
Condor Contest Roger Rondeau – On My Way to Frankfurt Read More »
If you win the Take Me To Frankfurt contest, here are some suggestions for what you should do in Germany. Fly to Frankfurt and take the InterCity express-train (ICE) to Stuttgart. Stuttgart is famous for its car manufacturing industry, like Daimler and Porsche. Visit the Porsche Museum, the Mercedes Benz Museum and the Art Gallery …
When I first travelled to Canada and the United States I was impressed with the service I got — from the smallest breakfast restaurant, to a fancy steakhouse. Among other things, I enjoyed being called “sweetie” and “honey,” by servers, and I found North Americans have higher standards than Germans. Back in Germany I told …
My wife Marion grew up in Grossposna, a small village a few kilometres outside of Leipzig in the Eastern part of Germany. Twenty-five years ago, with the fall of the Berlin Wall, she left everything she knew behind and persued a new life in Canada with her young son Johannes, and un-born daughter Isabel. Tuning …
Christina Kaiser first fell in love with the Yukon in 1998, long before she set eyes on the man she would marry. Christina, who was living in her native Germany at the time, took a trip to Canada and drove from Vancouver to Fairbanks and back that year. “I came to Whitehorse and decided this …
Falling in Love with the Territory, and Each Other Read More »
I’m always interested whether when people choose the foods for dinner first, and then select accompanying wines, or vice versa. I use both methods. Several weekends ago my partner and I hosted a cheese fondue in honour of a friend’s birthday. The recipe called for a white wine to melt the cheese. We don’t really …
How do you relate to someone after you discover they’ve committed monstrous acts? The generation born in Germany after World War II – who Berthold Brecht called “those who came after” (Nachgeborenen) – faced that question every day. The 2008 German-American film The Reader, available on DVD at Whitehorse Public Library, explores the effect of …
The Yukon Quest is an annual event in the North that can banish your winter doldrums, lift your spirits, and get you cheering. The Quest, a 1,000-mile (1,609-kilometre) dog sled race, takes place every year in February, bringing people out of their houses and cabins, not only to run the race, but also to volunteer, …
Let’s talk about beer. OK, not specifically about beer. Rather about the significant contribution a brewery like the Yukon Brewing Company can make to promote the destination it was born in. Mark Beese, the brewery’s enthusiastic sales manager who could talk beer any day any time (and does), put it this way, “Beer is what …
Now that the days are longer than the nights again (although sometime in January at –54 we thought that this might never happen this year) our thoughts at the brewery turn to Beer Season. We don’t think of the seasons here like “winter” and “summer”, as much as we think of “Beer Season” and “Not …
Tis the season to raise tally: Tourists give Yukoners a bad name Read More »
The Yukon is full of surprises. You never know what is going to come next, especially when you look at the weather. Take this year, for example. I am happy that we had an extra warm, long and sunny summer, but by the time late October/early November is here, I’d rather have snow on the …
I’ve known Mark Stenzig, owner of Up North Adventures, for a few years. But my most memorable meeting with him was during Christmas 2003. My brother, visiting from Calgary, and I had decided to try out a new pair of snowshoes that he and my sister had given me. A cold but beautiful day, we …
Up North: Up-and-coming, award-winning outfitter is just a nice guy Read More »
A young Canadian string quartet that has become one of the most-celebrated chamber ensembles in the international music scene will be performing a newly commissioned work by Whitehorse composer Daniel Janke this month at the Yukon Arts Centre. Janke has not heard the The Penderecki String Quartet perform his piece in full yet, but, “You …
Local composer adds to Penderecki String Quartet repertoire Read More »
Red beets and sharp knives are to Agnes Seitz the pinnacle of fall produce and kitchen equipment, respectively. As the recreation director for Mount Lorne, her penchant for good, wholesome food runs throughout the programs and events she organizes at the Lorne Mountain Community Centre. Cookies and scones may be served while old-timers in the …
Rae Spoon is not the average musician. The transgender musician has become a household name in Canada’s burgeoning queer music scene.
I usually wait until Christmas to lurk around the Whitehorse liquor store in search of sexy new beer products, but September brought a surprise: Guinness Black Lager. Guinness has been throwing some heavy coin into advertising this new product. The U.S. commercials adopt the beautiful-people-cocktail-party-scene to portray the beer as a sleek, sophisticated drinking option. …
There are the purists who believe beer should be simple. The Bavarian Purity of Law of 1516, the famous Reinheitsgebot, stated that beer could only be made with water, malt (malted barley or malted wheat) and hops. Louis Pasteur wouldn’t discover yeast for a few hundred years. Some suggest the Reinheitsgebot was just designed to …
If you line up four people and compare their photographs of the same subject matter, you start to see into their minds. There’s an opportunity to do this little experiment – and at the same time check out some beautiful photography – right now at The North End Gallery in Whitehorse. The gallery is hosting …
The first day of school is always fun at my house. We get up at 7 a.m. and have breakfast. Next we have bible time and go downstairs to the schoolroom where my mom gives us our school books, plus pencils, erasers, markers, etc. and tells us what to do. We sometimes get a little …
On May 30 Dennis and I left a big flood behind in Ross River, and landed in Germany where many cities, towns and villages were also flooding. We are here on our annual trip to promote tourism, culture, and Yukon artists, including and Dennis’ artwork. It’s something we volunteer to do – we are promoting …
How do you go to the bathroom in a canoe with eight other people in it, without stopping the boat? And I am not talking number one here. It is a question that must be contemplated by every paddler in the Yukon River Quest enroute from Whitehorse to Dawson. The answer? It Depends. “We used …
The #1 and #2 Issues of Being in Boat for 12 Hours Read More »
Humulus Lupulus = Hops. They aren’t involved in the fermentation of beer. They aren’t even a major component. You might have 6 kg of malt in a homebrew batch but only 30 g hops. They don’t get roasted. And they occur in virtually every commercial beer. Hops are preservatives, they have sedative properties and give …
Ravens are laughing outside my window as I write this. The sun came up at 5:30. A river runs through my city and mountains to hike wait in my backyard. I chose this city. I’m not alone. A lot of people choose to be here over any other place in the world. They come from …
If you asked your spouse if you could take five years off work in order to devote your time to writing, what would they say? Jessica Simon’s husband not only said yes, he threw in another two years and gave her seven. His faith in her has paid off. It’s only Year 5 and she’s …
Ah the pretzel. I am a strong German piece of “bread” in the eyes of some, yet I am so much more. To many of you in North America I come in the form of a bag of chips, dried out and crunchy — something that is offered on plane rides. To me the pretzel …
“I’ve been told several times by lots of people that it ain’t going to happen overnight. It could take years and years.” Luke Roberts is realistic about his goal to write a sitcom for the small screen. However, he’s also committed; he’s taken a year off from his job as a security analyst to dedicate …
The year was 1798 and the place was Helgoland. Helgoland is located in the North Sea, 70 kilometres off of the coast of Germany. This is important, since it is the remote location that made Helgoland, in 1798, the birthplace of the beer bottle organ. The church that was located on Helgoland in 1798 had …
BY GEORGE MARATOS Eric Bass takes a long pause when asked how he first got his start in theatre. “High school theatre,” he eventually says, speaking at The Old Fire Hall in downtown Whitehorse. Bass is in Whitehorse to workshop a script with Sour Brides Theatre and perform his original piece, Richard 3.5. Bass’ love …
Play Makers: Puppets, Ragtime and Blood Take On Shakespeare Read More »
I was pondering what to write about in this article, when I was approached by a co-worker of mine who is heading out to family in Nova Scotia for Christmas. He was thinking about his family Christmas dinner and he wanted to pick my brain (what little there is of it) for some suggestions on …
In the autumn of 1971 I found myself, on my yearning to travel (Wanderlust), in Munchen, Bavaria, Germany. I was nearly broke and in need of a job. I was lucky enough that this was the year before the Olympics, which was to take place in this city, so they were crying for arbeiters (workers). …
My colleague, Don Murphy, recently visited Germany and before he left, I sweet-talked him into bringing me back a special beer. Several weeks and 18,000 kilometres later, he appeared in my office with the booty: a squat bottle of Berliner Weisse. I had read about this beer but never tasted it. Known as the Champagne …
BY PAM BUCKWAY Edmonton pianist Sylvia Shadick-Taylor is adjudicator for senior piano at the upcoming Rotary Music Festival in Whitehorse. Known for her diverse talents, she excels as a soloist, yet is equally comfortable as a chamber musician, accompanist and teacher. As a soloist, Shadick-Taylor has a strong interest in contemporary music. Premiering many Canadian …
I grew up in a big city in Germany. We were lucky: we had a back yard with strawberries, red currant bushes, a huge chestnut tree and a small patch of green grass to play on. The properties next to our little paradise were concrete parking lots. Even the fence was grey — a tall …
The Solstice Festival is the Perfect Storm of parties. It is three festivals – one right after the other – that will keep Shipyards Park booming and bopping from Friday, June 26 to Sunday, June 28. Kicking things off on Friday will be the fourth annual Sunstroke music festival that will be raising money for …
It can take approximately six days to hand-make a traditional pair of beaded moosehide moccasins. That’s why they cost about $250.But when you splurge on a pair your feet will be toasty warm and you’ll be walking around in artwork. During the Sourdough Rendezvous weekend, the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre is hosting a craft fair with …
It all started with a group of friends at a bar; in the North, it often starts that way. The Iditarod was considered the longest and toughest race in the world. And it probably was at the time. But somehow it all seemed a bit commercial and really just, well, just a race. They thought …
Pat McKenna takes a cook’s tour of famous, infamous and soon-to-be-famous Yukon chefs. Café, motel, RV park, store and more – Tagish Stores is serving up authentic German cuisine, real Italian coffee and a Saturday barbecue for which reservations are recommended. Kurt and Jutta Gantner are the owners, operators and chefs who credit their style …
Testing the temperature of the barbecue grill using your nose is not a good idea. You can ask my buddy Kelly Kirby, yourself, why he prefers this innovative method. When I first witnessed the application of the nose-check method, it was employed during a raft trip. We had built a large raft and were floating …
Barbara Chamberlin is loving the wordplay surrounding the Whitehorse Community Choir’s upcoming Christmas show, Christmas Caliente. “It’s music to warm your soul,” she says deliciously. “To warm your Christmas.” Perhaps it should be explained here that “Caliente” is Spanish for “hot”. “Throw away the cold when you walk into the Yukon Arts Centre,” she says, …
Christmas Concert is Caliente, Caliente, Caliente Read More »
BY SARAH LINDSTEIN A blistering blues band, The Twisters, is blazing into town and will ring in the new year, with Whitehorse locals (a most-appreciative audience) at the Yukon Convention Centre (YCC). They’re capping off a successful year in celebrity style. The band, which is comprised of local musician Brandon Isaak as well as original …
Christmas and New Year’s are fast approaching us here in the Yukon, and this weekend reminded me what a beautiful and magical place we live in. If Whitehorse was not beautiful enough, I just came home from driving 500 km through low-angle sun and fresh fallen snow to Dawson City. The Klondike Institute of Art …
I have decided to mess with the gods of chronology and end my travel reports with the beginning. First, a bit of background. I was the lucky and grateful winner of the Foreign Correspondent contest put on by What’s Up Yukon and Condor Airlines this summer, which included a return flight from Whitehorse to Frankfurt, …
Yukon Film Society scores again, with a special double bill at the Yukon Arts Centre this coming Monday, November 1. Featured will be two of the newest films from Canadian pop-culture icon Ron Mann. As if that weren’t enough, the Toronto director himself will be in town with his films. Fresh from its showing at …
When Condor Airlines lands in Munich, Germany, it touches down in the capital city of Bavaria, a free state of Germany. I knew nothing of Bavaria until recently and, what little I do know, has certainly piqued my interest. When I asked folks around Whitehorse what they knew of Bavaria, I got very similar responses: …
Just to be clear right from the start, this is not a story like Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I didn’t go to Europe and meet the man of my dreams, nor did I eat lots of pasta or learn to meditate, but I did re-discover my sense of adventure and confidence in myself …
When Condor Airlines lands in Munich, Germany, it touches down in the capital city of Bavaria, a free state of Germany. I knew nothing of Bavaria until recently and, what little I do know, has certainly piqued my interest. When I asked folks around Whitehorse what they knew of Bavaria, I got very similar responses: …
Three years ago, I met the biggest change in my life: my fiancée, Jennifer Fröhling. She is from East Germany, near Berlin; I am a Kaska First Nation artist, carving in moose antler. I spent all of my life in the bush near Ross River and, from there, a beautiful girl finally pulls me out …
I visited Germany once. My brother was stationed there with the Canadian Army and he was dating a German lady, Gabi, who is now my sister-in-law. Germany has the Autobahn, but she took us along slow, winding roads with achingly beautiful scenes of lovingly cared-for farms and country homes. We stayed in “pensions” and sat …
Do they serve frankfurters onboard Condor Airlines to Frankfurt? Maybe not, but Condor’s fast-track to Germany takes you to one of Europe’s most infinitely varied countries and a fascinating gateway city from which to explore the rest of Europe. Rent a car and drive southeast over the river and through the Alps to Rome, cradle …
Europeans like to discover North America — the “New World” — whereas Americans like to visit the “Old World” — Europe. In the heart of Europe lies Germany, the mother country of Condor. Europe is a multicultural country with many different manners, customs and languages, so when you arrive at Frankfurt Airport you always find …
I’ve always considered myself patriotic. Olympic moments, international events and even Canada Day were all times in my life marked with extreme pride in my heritage. Remembrance Days for my family were times to not only be patriotic, but also humble about the privileges we Canadians had over other members of this globe. At the …
Nathalie Ouellet was feeling the usual letdown after returning from a European vacation, when she saw an advertisement for the Foreign Correspondent Contest in What’s Up Yukon. “I love writing when I travel,” she says. “It re-enforces the experience.” Writing a story that pointed out the everyday whimsy of Europe, and the ironie s, and …
2010 Condor Foreign Correspondent contest winner Read More »
By the time you read this, Dr. Dirk Rohrbach, from Munich, Germany, should be wrestling with the strong winds on the Yukon River system in his hand-made birch bark canoe. Rohrbach met with churchgoers in Skagway’s Presbyterian Fellowship Hall on Sunday, June 13, before departing on his solo three-month hike and paddle to reach the …
The first time we met Dirk Rohrbach was after church in Fellowship Hall on Sunday, June 13. What first struck me about Dr. Rohrbach was his mild, confident manner. Here was this handsome athletic German quietly telling us that he had built his own traditional birch bark canoe and, after hiking the Chilkoot Trail, he …
The queer community in the Yukon is full of creative and innovative people doing interesting projects in the areas of the arts and business. One of our local lesbians is a filmmaker named Heidy Enka, who has written and directed a film called Trauma Queens. Her film has been chosen to be screened at Entzaubert, …
Summer is finally upon us. We come out of our houses blinking at the increased daylight like a bunch of groundhogs. Whitehorse feels more vibrant. People are leisurely walking around amazed that it stays light past 5 o’clock. Soon the streets will be teeming with tourists, especially on Tuesday and Thursday when the Condor flights …
Nobody likes a beer snob. Even beer snobs don’t like beer snobs. So, when someone wrinkles their nose at a Bud Light and then reaches for a Chimay Rouge, it’s hard not to get your back up as they start talking about yeast strains and overtones of cinnamon and ripe apricot. To clarify immediately and …
