Saturday, July 14, 2012

Dersu Uzala, the Best Guide for Sikhote-Alin

A few weeks ago I have wathced one of the most beautiful films ever. I have the DVD for a long time but put it aside for so long. The film was awarded with an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1975 and it is based on a memoir book. I am talking about Dersu Uzala, directed by the genius Akira Kurosawa for U.S.S.R. and Japan. The film is about the explorer Vladimir Arsenyev and his expedition in Siberia, in Sikhote-Alin, in the early part of the 20th century. It is amazing just because it is shot outdoors in Siberia and I had a chance to admire the beauty of that place. I love the character called Dersu Uzala, a guide for the Russian exploratory group, a man using his instincts and keen observation. The end of the movie is very impressive and sad but you have to watch it because I am sure you will love it. It is a movie made with heart, love, as Akira Kurosawa knows to do.
What is the relation with the postcard? Sikhote-Alin is presented in the card and I want to go there sometimes. I'm not an outdoor person but, maybe for a day, I would love to hear the silence of the harsh Siberia. Sikhote-Alin is a UNESCO WorldHeritage Site from 2001. It is a region consisting of mountain range extending about 900 km to the northeast of the Russian Pacific seaport of Vladivostok. From Wikipedia: "Sikhote-Alin comprises one of the most extraordinary temperate zones in the world. Species typical of northern taiga (such as reindeer and the Ussuri Brown Bear) coexist with tropical species, the Amur leopard, Siberian tiger, and the Asiatic Black Bear. The region holds very few wolves, due to competition with tigers. The oldest tree in the region is a millennium-old Japanese yew."

45.584998,135.744629 Click for Google Maps or use numbers on your GPS to navigate.
Wikipedia For more information, links, pictures and many more Wikipedia is the perfect site to be informed.
Official Site For visiting information (like fees and open days and times) use the official site.
Russia For travel information, the official site of the National Tourist Board, is the perfect location.




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