Lilac Lily – Schelhammera Undulata There is something so cheerful and hopeful about spring wildflowers. An October walk on the Bundian Way Story Trail from Cocora Beach to Quarantine Bay in Eden, on Australia’s Sapphire Coast, was an absolute balm.
“I sit here beside Gudu the ocean, and watch the light glimmer and sparkle on the water. The sea breeze wraps around me and I am reminded of the stories the old people have told me, about Gudu, and how we have been here since the country changed from warm to cold and back again.”
It is spring in the southern hemisphere – a time of warming temperatures, new beginnings, and hope.
I’ve just returned to Australia, after an extended period in a Northern Hemisphere autumn, and have been suffering post-trip malaise. So, more than ever, the flowers on the jacaranda trees have been a welcome sight – lifting my spirits and sending me back to old photo-files from springs past.
While I was away, I was walking many kilometres a day: exploring cities, markets, and remote mountains. As I’ve said before (see: The Pambula River Walk), when I’m at home I have the tendency to hike much less: usually simply walking out-and-back on the boardwalk along my estuary, and only sometimes going the extra five minutes to reach the ocean!
I was pleased to rediscover a rare folder of almost-forgotten local photos from a short walk I made along the Story Trail section of the Bundian Way.
The Bundian Way is an ancient 365 km (227 mile) pathway that Aboriginal people from Yuin, Ngarigo, Jait, and Bidawal Country have used since time immemorial. It has been pushed into the background by new highways and modern rhythms, but once upon a time it allowed these different peoples to gather on the shores of Turemulerrer(Twofold Bay) in the spring for the whale migration, and to meet at ceremonial places near Targangal (Mount Kosciuszko) to collect bogong moths (Agrotis infusa) in summer.
I first learned about the Bundian Way by reading On Track, a book by the author, naturalist, and walker John Blay, telling of his search for the old pathways through that wild and rugged landscape between Australia’s highest mountain and the ocean. His work, in conjunction with local Indigenous communities, lead to the pathway being listed on the NSW State Heritage Register in 2013 for its cultural, historical, and wilderness significance.
There are plans to develop the Bundian Way into a long-distance track – but at this point in time, only short sections are formally open to walkers. One of these sections – the 1.8 km (1.1 mi) Story Trail – is literally in my backyard. It opened in 2016 – so I’m a bit ashamed that it took me so long to check it out!
The trail starts at Cocora Beach, a short drive from my house, and leads through native bushland up over Cocora Point and to Budginbro Lookout, along Bungo Beach and finishes at Quarantine Bay. It hadn’t occurred to me to pack the cameras, so all these photos are taken on my old iPhone12Pro.
Come and smell the sea air and enjoy the flowers!
Pigface – Carpobrotus Glaucescens Endemic to eastern Australia, pigface or iceplant is a succulent that loves the sandy soil along our coastline. The flowers always make me smile.
Nature’s Artworks : Seagrass on the Sand
Waves and a Rock Formation Cocora Beach is a stretch of sandy beach on the shores of magnificent Twofold Bay.
Cocoro Point The craggy rocks at southern edge keep the family-friendly waters sheltered and calm.
Weecon Cove A number of pleasure boats make their home here in Twofold Bay (see: On Eden Waters).
Rocky Textures and a View Over the lichen-covered rippled rock, we look back across Eden Harbour and to the Eagles Claw.
Gum Trees The trail winds up through native bushland to the Budginbro Lookout, …
Budginbro Lookout … where there are views over Quarantine Bay to Mount Imlay in the distance.
Almost Abstract : Water Colours Below the Budginbro Lookout, the crystal clear waters show off the patterns in the sand and rock.
Selfie on the Path
Tiny Treasures : Libertia The evergreen Libertia is a small perennial plant native to South America, Australia, New Guinea, and New Zealand.
Mangaema Creek
Common Heath – Epacris Impressa
Natures Sculpture : Folding Rocks into the Sea The jagged rocks of Oman Point at the south end of Bungo Beach jut out into Twofold Bay.
Nature’s Sculpture : I See Animals In The Rock At the north end of the beach, the boulders look to me like creatures.
Sunshine in My Eyes … High overhead, the sun shines through the gum trees.
Ferns on the Sandy Path It’s an out-and-back track. As I turn around to retrace my steps, I can’t help but marvel at how different the path looks from the other side!
Bush Daisies – Olearia Gravis Clumps of native wildflowers line the walkway.
Nature’s Bouquet A tangle of purple (Hovia) and yellow (Pultenaea) endemic flowering peas add a splash of colour.
The Sheoaks are Singing – Listen to The Wind In The Trees
More Pigface – Carpobrotus Glaucescens Patches of cheerful iceplants are everywhere.
View over Quarantine Bay
A Creek through the Tangled Undergrowth
Back on the Bay Before long, I’m on Cocora Beach again, overlooking the boats on Weecon Cove …
… and smiling.
“We are taught all spirits must be treated with equal respect…. The spirits of our country are powerful and it is our responsibility to treat them with care, if we wish to be provided with their gifts. We also know our strength as a people is not in the sinew of our muscles, or in mastery of country, but in the collective knowledge of our stories.”
Layers of Colours It was a tough climb: I was averaging a slow 30 minutes per kilometre! But, views like this – across Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains and through the Imlil Valley – made it worth it.
The High Atlas Mountains in central Morocco rise from the Atlantic coast and stretch east to the Moroccan-Algerian border.
This is a rugged landscape, inhabited by hardy Berbers – more properly called by their endonym Amazigh or Imazighen, meaning ‘Free Person’ or ‘Free People’. They live in small villages with narrow lanes lined with traditional mud-brick houses. There is often a kasbah, surrounded by fortified walls, and there is always a mosque, with a simple square minaret tower. Some of these hamlets are accessed only by rough roads and goat tracks.
The Amazigh have lived here forever – and many aspects of their culture and daily life have remained unchanged. Indigenous to the Maghreb region of northwestern Africa, cave art and other artifacts show that the Imazighen have been there from at least 10,000 BCE. They were first mentioned as Barabara and Beraberata in Ancient Egyptian writings, and some scholars believe this – rather than the Ancient Greek ‘barbarian’ – is the root of the name given to them by outsiders.
The Imazighen or Berbers are actually a number of distinct ethnic groups with different, but closely related languages and dialects grouped under the generic name Tamazight. This is represented by a unique script, Tifinagh, with its roots in the Libyco-Berber alphabet used during the first millennium BCE. As one guide from the region explained: people in neighbouring valleys might speak mutually unintelligible dialects. Children going to school must first learn standard Tamazight – one of the official languages of Morocco – before going on to learn Arabic and then French.
This helps illustrate how remote – and independent – these ‘Free People’ are.
I had been seduced by pictures of hiking in dramatic snow-dusted mountains and the offer of a stay in a kasbah. After all, who doesn’t want an excuse to say: “Meet me at the Kasbah!” And, any visitor to these pages knows I love walking (eg: Sapphire Coast; Butze Rapids).
But, I had clearly bitten off more than I could chew! I was staying in the small mountain village of Imlil, 1,800 metres (5,900 ft) above sea level. To reach my accommodation at the local kasbah (Kasbah du Toubkal), I had to walk 15 minutes up a steep and rubble-strewn incline – and had to stop every five minutes to catch my breath!
The next day, my Berber guide met me for an 8 kilometre (5 mile) hike around the Imlil Valley. Sounds easy, right? You wouldn’t need a guide at home! But, walking alone in these mountains is not recommended – and in many places is not allowed. There are virtually no marked trekking routes, and the goat-tracks lead off in all directions. The pathways are rugged, steep, and strewn with scree and donkey-droppings.
That little ‘introductory’ hike took me 4 hours!
On a photographic note: I took a lot of landscape pictures – mostly as an excuse to stop and breathe. People pictures were harder, as I only make pictures with consent and most locals wouldn’t grant permission.
Join me as I attempt to walk in the footsteps of the Amazigh in the High Atlas Mountains.
Breakfast for One You won’t go hungry in Morocco. The strong culture of hospitality means that every meal contains more than one can possibly eat. (iPhone15Pro)
Almost Abstract : Walnut Trunk In Morocco, walnut trees (Juglans regia L.) have long been cultivated for their nuts. Growing in these mountainous areas – predominantly between 800 and 1800 m (2625 – 5900 ft) – they frequently have wonderfully gnarled trunks, which my guide told me was the consequence of insect damage.
Mohamed and the Happy Merchant My local trekking guide Mohamed knows everyone – and is happy to chat with the local shopkeepers in Imlil Village.
Life in the Village Imlil is a relatively new village predominantly catering for the tourists heading to Jbel Toubkal. Rubble and building materials are everywhere, as people attempt to rebuild their lives after the devastating earthquake on September 8th 2023; the epicentre near Oukaïmedene was not so far from here.
Still Life Found : Bike in a Doorway Chinese-made Docker motorcycles seem to be the most common brand here.
Across the Valley Tiny hamlets dot the valley, each one centred on its own mosque. The cultivated groves near the valley waterways are a stark contrast to the rocky, arid mountaintops.
Doorway and Light Some of the buildings are beautifully maintained. The dappled light on the potted plants gives a Mediterranean feel, as the morning heats up.
Woman on her Phone I love the contrasts: a new car and a new mobile phone in an old and sagging street.
Clinging to Life Leaving the village behind, we follow a barely-discernible goat-track up into the mountains. Light catches the desert vegetation that makes its home in the rocky terrain.
Terraces and Building Works It is comforting to see how far down the valley the little hamlets are: it means I am making some progress! There is building work going on everywhere; it’s hard to know what is to meet rising tourist demand, and what is to repair earthquake damage.
Pine Trees in the High Atlas Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) and Atlas cedar (Cedrus Atlantica) are native here, …
Pines on the Ridge … and extensive plantings have been undertaken in an attempt to slow erosion.
Pines and Bare Mountainside The colours in the exposed rock-face are incredible.
Villages and Orchards Below Near the waterways, farmers grow cherries, apricots, and all kinds of apples.
Bare Peaks
In the Saddle I’ve climbed almost 400 m (1312 ft) …
Into the Distance … and the views stretch out to the horizon.
More Villages
Mohamed on the Path My mule has long-gone, and my guide – while regularly stopping to encourage me – is well in front.
Vegetation on the Slope The autumn day is hot and sunny; the rocky landscape is host to a variety of dry shrubs.
Village in the Rocks There are countless villages here – and none of them appear on my maps.
Mule Finally! We reach our lunch spot, where ‘my’ mule has been allowed to graze.
Lunch in the Atlas I marvel at the picnic that has been prepared for me. (iPhone15Pro)
Goat
“Main Street” Having made a long loop, we descend into the village of Aroumd …
Gate and Door … where I admire the classic Berber village housing designs.
Imlil Cascades Dropping down further, we visit the small, but pretty waterfall not far from my endpoint. (iPhone15Pro)
Portrait of a Juice Seller This personable young man was doing a brisk trade making juice for all the tourists cooling off at the waterfall.
Of course, having dropped down to the waterfall, we then had to walk back up again!
The climb back up to the kasbah felt even longer and steeper than it had the day before.
Sundown on the Backwaters Could anything be more peaceful? Tourist boats bask in the late afternoon sun on Vembanad Lake and the Kavan River in Kerala, South India.
The heat; the soft chug of the motor; the sun glinting in the hazy sky and off the water; it was one of those iconic ‘Pinch me!’ moments.
I was finally on the backwaters of Kerala in south-western India.
The backwaters are a network of more than 900 km (560 mi) of waterways, stretching north-south on the Malabar Coast, between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats. Comprising five large lakes and several brackish lagoons linked by canals – both man made and natural – this interconnected network of waters is fed by 38 rivers whose names depend on the map you are reading. The freshwater from these rivers meets the saltwater from the Arabian Sea, making for a unique and rich ecosystem.
I had travelled down the mountains from the Cardamom Hills in the Western Ghats (see: In India’s Spice Garden) to the small hamlet of Kavanattinkara in Kottayam district with a small group. From there, a boat transported us the short distance up Vembanad Lake to our CGH Earth Coconut Lagoon resort.
This beautiful boutique resort is conscious of the local heritage: the cottages set amongst the luxuriant coconut groves were built from the remnants of relocated and reassembled old mansions – tharavads – that were once the family homes of local nobility.
The resort – which is located between the lake and a river (sometimes identified as the Kavan River) – is also environmentally aware. The lush lands around Vembanad Lake are included in a list of wetlands of international importance, and are a sanctuary for a huge variety of bird life. CoconutLagoon is doing its best to protect the surrounding natural environment through a variety of measures.
We arrived at the resort early enough to enjoy an afternoon cruise on the waters of the lake and river before our magnificent South-Indian dinner and bedding down in rooms fit for royalty.
Come for a magical boat trip:
View from the Bus : In the Western Ghats We were in our bus early, and the mists were still in the trees as we drove west from Idukki and down out of the mountains. (iPhone12Pro)
Picking Tea I was thrilled to spot my first tea-pickers! The bus stopped briefly to allow us a quick look, but the women were a long way up the terraced hill.
Palm Trees from the Bus The Western Ghats are lush and fertile, with a huge range of plants growing. (iPhone12Pro)
Rubber Plantation We made another quick stop for the benefit of those who had never seen rubber trees.
Dockside in Kumarakom We spent the middle of our day in transit, at lunch, and visiting our guide’s home, before finally swapping our bus for a river-transport in Kumarakom Village on Vembanad Lake.
Rippled Waters It was wonderful watching the the life on the shore …
A Boat on the Backwaters … as we chugged up the lake.
Shikaras on the Backwaters The backwaters are known for their houseboats – which we would be boarding the next day – but shikaras: covered, open-sided wooden boats like those found on Dal Lake in Kashmir, are also common.
Welcome When we landed at Coconut Lagoon – which is only accessible by water – we were greeted with scented bindi paste and flowers.
Backwater Boat Late afternoon we had the opportunity for a shikara ride through the water hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes) and the water lilies (Nymphaeaceae) on the backwaters.
Golden Hour on the Kavan River When we looked towards the lowering sun, the light changed and silhouetted the other boats on the water. (iPhone12Pro)
Lilies on the River The water lilies (Nymphaeaceae) have closed for the day.
Tourist Boats The water is almost choked with water hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes), a free-floating perennial originally from South America. One of the fastest-growing plants known, it is now found on every continent except Antarctica. (iPhone12Pro)
Twilight Facing into the late afternoon sun casts a golden glow on the waters. (iPhone12Pro)
Backwater Houseboats Kerala houseboats come in different shapes and sizes, …
Large Houseboat … but they are closed in, with bedrooms, ensuites, a kitchen, and communal living spaces.
Chasing Sunset The tourist shikaras and houseboats are all out on the lake to watch the sun drop in the afternoon sky.
Sundown The colours of the afternoon changed dramatically, depending on which way we looked.
Watching Sunset
Red Sun – Black Bird There is a beautiful calm on the water, as the sun turns red …
Birds on the Wing … and birds swoop and circle overhead.
A Kerala Dance Back on land after dark, we were treated to some traditional Kerala dances, … (iPhone12Pro)
Musicians in the Dining Room … and a lot of food and music. (iPhone12Pro)
As far as introductions to the backwaters of Kerala go, it couldn’t have been more perfect! I went to sleep peacefully – full and happy – among the coconut groves.
Island in the Inlet They call it the Butze Rapids Trail, but the water in Morse Basin was glassy calm when I walked around Butze Point, just outside Prince Rupert in Canada’s western province of British Columbia (BC).
There are few things I find more restorative than a walk in green woods with a waterway nearby. And, there are no shortage of walks through the lush, wet, woods in British Columbia (BC) in the Canadian West!
On this particular late-spring day, I was staying in Prince Rupert, a small port city on BC’s northwest coast. I had arrived there by BC Ferry, via their 16 hour service up the deep and sheltered waterways of the Inside Passage from Port Hardy (see: Up Canada’s Inside Passage). After catching up on sleep – we had arrived into Prince Rupert very late at night – and carrying out domestic tasks around town, like laundry and groceries, I was ready for some recreational walking.
I was spoiled for choice: Prince Rupert is nicknamed the Rainforest City. As Canada’s wettest municipality, it is surrounded by plenty of wet woods, criss-crossed with trails.
The Butze Rapids Trail is an easy 5.1 km (3.17 m) circuit around Butze Point. There are plenty of signs to help you identify the various plants along the way, but I can no longer remember which of the conifers are western red cedars (Thuja plicata), and which are yellow cedars (Callitropsis nootkatensis). Both cedars are found here; both were of great importance to the original inhabitants in this region, and both are still commercially valuable. Sitka spruce (Picoa sitchensis), Pacific silver fir (Abies amabilis), and shore pine (Pinus contorta var. contorta) all thrive here as well – and all seemed to be draped in mosses and lichens in every shade of green.
The walk is close to water on three sides. One reviewer (see: Visit Prince Rupert) recommends checking the tide tables to take advantage of the rapids – but my time was limited, so I took what came!
Join me:
Greens The walking track itself is beautifully maintained. The surrounds at the start of the track, however, are a bit haphazard and scruffy. The range of greens in the landscape – from blue through yellow and brown – can play havoc with the camera’s white balance.
Western Skunk Cabbage – Lysichiton Americanus The ground either side of the path is lush and green. At one point I passed a patch of skunk cabbage. Fortunately, these are not in bloom, and the leaves don’t emit as much skunky odour as the flowers do.
Nature’s Artworks The sculptural forms that the tree trunks make never cease to amaze me.
Wolf Notice This gave me pause! As much as I love to see wild creatures, I’m not sure how I would cope with a wolf (or bear) if I met one. (iPhone12Pro)
Mossy Stumps More sculptural forms adorn the path.
A Chip-Covered Path This is typical temperate rainforest, with layers of lush foliage at ground level, and tall trees rising to the sun. The ground is soft and silent underfoot.
Old Man’s Beard – Usnea Longissima This slow-growing lichen prefers environments with low levels of air pollution. It hangs on the branches of conifer trees …
Mossy Trunk … and – along with other lichens and mosses – adorns their trunks.
Tangled Roots and Branches Sections of the forest are a gnarling, twisting mass of roots and branches, …
Layers of Woods … while in other parts, the trunks rise straight and tall as the trees reach for sunlight.
A Curve in the Path The forest opens up, giving views over young growth either side of the path, and through to the snow-covered mountains in the distance.
Colourful Pine Needles We might call them evergreens, but shore pines (Pinus contorta) lose some of their old needles in early summer. The tree reclaims the nutrition in the chlorophyll before casting the needles off – causing the needles to change colour before they drop.
Male Pine Cones Shore pines have typical woody female cones with seeds in them; these are the short-lived, pollen-bearing male cones, with their elongated “candles.”
“Butze Rapids” It was close enough to slack tide, so it wasn’t very dramatic when I reached the point where the reversing tides through Fern Passage around Kaien Island cause regular rapids.
Mossy Fingers The shapes of the fallen trees, and the richness of their moist, mossy coverings, keep catching my eye.
Morse Basin Waterways that may look like rivers and lakes are often inlets off the Pacific. This landscape is ruggedly punctuated by deep indentations – one of the reasons that First Nations peoples traditionally relied on their canoes. Even today, ferries and barges are an essential part of everyday transport.
Tidal Coast Terminals In these working waterways, businesses dot the shoreline.
Aging Stumps Back in the shadowy-cool of the forest, more uniquely shaped stumps play host to moss, lichens, and new growth.
Seaweed These are salinated, ocean waters, so seaweeds and sea creatures abound in the rockpools that line the shore.
New Growth – Old Stump In the damp shadows, mosses and new plants find nourishment in rotting wood.
Patterned Tree Trunk
Through the Branches The path skirts back close to Morse Inlet, and I can see the water through the trees.
Cairns on the Shore
A Stump through the Trees I think faeries might live here in these old cedar hollows.
Mosses and Plants on a Tree Trunk There’s a magical miniature landscape all around me, and it’s a joy to walk through.
These BC woods are a joy – and I always feel better after a short walk through them!
Orthodox Dome It’s no surprise that the Cyclades are at risk of being ‘loved to death’ – they truly are a paradise! The sky was cloudless the whole time I was there, and I lost count of the classic blue and white churches on the landscape.
It was one of those ‘pinch-me’ moments.
I was finally getting to visit those magical Greek islands that we all know from photographs: islands with endless blue skies and dusty green olive groves; towns with winding cobbled streets and the buildings all whitewashed with blue trim; a landscape with small blue-domed Orthodox churches everywhere you look.
One of the great joys of writing this blog is that I get to re-live these special moments many times over: when I travel and take the pictures, when I later review and edit the photos, and when I finally shape them into a collection and story.
This set, from the tiny little town of Parikia, in the Greek Cyclades, has been a great pleasure to revisit.
Although small – only 4500 people – Parikia is the administrative capital of Paros – and the island’s biggest population centre. It is the busiest settlement on the island, but has retained its traditional flavour and typical Cycladic architecture, with narrow cobbled walkways between whitewashed buildings, all decorated with bright blue trim and colourful plants.
I was travelling with a small group and a guide from Intrepid; we had landed back in Athens the day before (see: Postcards from Athens) and had a week of island-hopping ahead of us.
Join me on our first stop:
Athens Port at Piraeus It was an early start: it was well before 7am, and we were checked out of our Athens hotel and ready to board for our three and a half hour ferry crossing to Paros.
Wind Farm on Agios Georgios On the way to Paros in the Cyclades, we pass Agios Georgios, the largest uninhabited island in the Saronic Islands.
Arriving on Paros I can barely contain myself! I’ve been waiting all my life for this, and it looks perfect!!
Ready for Island Time Our resort on Krios Beach just outside of Parikia is truly magnificent. (iPhone12Pro)
Welcome to Paros! How perfect is this! Cocktails and a view over the harbour. (iPhone12Pro)
A Modern Aphrodite Late afternoon, our little group gathered together for a walking tour of Parikia. This beautiful sculpture – about which I could find no information – was the first thing that caught my eye.
Cobbled Street Parikia is a charming town, with the narrow cobbled laneways …
Blue Door and Shutters … and the blue and white houses typical of settlements in the Cyclades.
White Walls – Blue Doors Every winding laneway; every lopsided, asymmetrical building, is a treat!
Rectangular Tower on the Frankish Castle Built in 1260 CE by the Venetian Duke of Naxos, this castle used building materials recovered from ancient buildings that were scattered around the city.
Pigeon in the Tower We didn’t stop long, and the narrow streets surrounding what remains of the old castle meant I didn’t get a good perspective on it. So, I focussed my attention on the well-worn stones and the roosting birds.
Sweeping For the locals, of course, it is just another day, …
Saint Constantine Panoramic Church … but for me, every corner is a new delight!
Flag on the Church Built in the 1600s, this Cycladic-style church is dedicated to Agios Konstantinos – Saint Constantine. One of the most important religious buildings on the island, it is also architecturally significant, incorporating elements of the earlier Byzantine and Ancient Greek structures that once stood here.
Tiled Cross Saint Constantine is a beautiful little church. Sitting at the town’s highest point, it has views down the hill and over the Bay of Parikia.
Blue, White, and Bougainvillea Could it be more perfect? I can’t stop smiling.
Still Life Found : Bicycle
Local Beauty I don’t know how I managed to make this fuzzy! But, she was so lovely, I had to include her anyway.
Bougainvillea and Shadows Light dances off the white walls, …
Marble Stairs … and the narrow stairs and laneways …
Grape Leaves … lead off in all directions.
Panagia Ekatondapiliani The last stop on our walking tour of Parikia was the Monastery and Church of Panagia Ekatontapiliani, considered to be one of the best-preserved Paleo-Christian monuments in Greece. Founded in the early 4th century CE and added to in the 6th century, the complex goes by many names. Panagiais a favourite Greek title of Mary Mother of God. Ekatontapiliani is commonly translated as the “Church with a Hundred Doors”. According to legend, the church was built with 99 visible doors, and one secret door which will open when the Orthodox church reclaims the Hagia Sofia in Constantinople.
Holy Shrine of the Virgin Mary Ekatontapyliani The interior is dark, and ornately beautiful. According to one story, Saint Helene built the church to give thanks to the Virgin Mary for a successful trip to the Holy Land. The alternate version is that Helene’s son, Constantine the Great, built it on her behalf after her death.
I couldn’t believe my good fortune: I had waited so long to get here, and so far, the Greek islands were living up to the hype.
Parikia was everything I could hope for in a Cycladic town – and we still had the rest of the island to explore!
- Performing the Ganga Aarti from Dasaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi
- Buddha Head from Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar
- Harry Clarke Window from Dingle, Ireland
- Novice Monk Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery, Myanmar
Packets of 10 for $AU50.
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