Greetings from Haida Gwaii. 

If you ever get a chance to travel here, do so. There really is nowhere in the world quite like it. I wish I could attach photos to these updates, but alas I am reduced to a word: FANTASTIC .... to describe this mountainous archipelago that rises out of the turbulent seas of the north Pacific. Amazing that people ever found and settled the place (the Haida truly believe they origninated here ...the truest of "aboriginals"). 

There is ample archiological proof that they were here at least 13,000 years ago, surviving the ice age and watching the first tree appear on the islands, a cedar. Imagine that, people before trees. And when the trees finally came they carved them into giant canoes that eventually carried them across the Pacific. In spirit they remain as rugged and resilient as the giant spruce and cedars from which they still carve their boats.

Haa Wa (thank you in Haida) for sending me here. You'll see the result of your generosity in less than a year.

Mark