Elder and Younger In the simple village of Desa Tumbur on the southern Spice Island of Yamdena, Indonesia, a grandfather cares for his grandchild while watching the visitors with friendly curiosity.
Head-hunters once lived here.
In spite of the inroads made by nineteenth century Christian missionaries, the men of the Tanimbar Islands were still known as fierce warriors well into the independence fights of the twentieth century. Today, local languages and many traditional beliefs, ceremonies, and dances survive. On the largest Tanimbar Island of Yamdena, the Yamdena language is widely spoken. Even though Christianity is the main religion, ancestor worship is still practised.
These islands are at the southern edge of the Moluccas, an archipelago of about a 1000 islands in the eastern part of Indonesia. Long known to European sailors for the nutmeg, mace, and cloves that were found exclusively there, they were once part of the Dutch East Indies. While most of these Spice Islands are forested and mountainous, the Tanimbar Islands are predominantly dry and hilly.
I was on a small ship – the Coral Geographer – on a trip through Indonesia’sSpice Islands and Raja Ampat. Our time was drawing to a close, and we were travelling southeast from Banda Neira (see: In the Historic Town of Banda Neira and A Rainy Morning on Banda Api) towards our home port of Darwin, Australia, a mere 550 kilometers (340 miles) – or roughly 285 to 300 nautical miles – almost due south.
We anchored for a few hours in Saumlaki Bay and those who wished to go ashore on Pulau Yamdena made use of the ship’s tenders.
This was to be the last Indonesian stop on our almost-three-week voyage, so I was determined to explore.
Catholic Church in Olilit Barat As our tenders head towards Yamdena Island’s administrative centre of Saumlaki, we have views over the harbour and up to the neo-Gothic church nestled in the tropical greenery.
Kids on the Waterside We are the main attraction! People have come out to watch our tenders tie up on the waterfront.
The Ursulas We are met by a number of local guides with very good English. I spot one with the same name as me, and we pose for a photo together.
Colourful Buildings Many of the buildings on the waterfront are commercial warehouses. It is a Saturday, so most shops are shuttered and quiet.
Banana Flower We were bused for a hot and stuffy 45 minute drive north along the island coast from Saumlaki to Desa (Village) Tumbur. The local guides on each bus gave a running commentary on local sights and history. This village is just 7° south of the equator; nothing says ‘tropical’ quite like a lush banana plant.
The Tumbur Village Gate We wait outside the arch leading into the village while we are treated to a ritual welcome, including song and dance.
Sacred Kingfisher – Todiramphus Sanctus This beautiful little bird had flown into our ship and injured itself; staff kept it safe in a box until we made landfall, where it could be released.
Tumbur Residents Our visit seems to be quite the event, and countless locals turn out to watch and greet us.
Mother And Child
Young Child The younger children especially watch us with some caution.
Market in the Schoolyard Desa Tumbur has a reputation for its detailed black ebony wood carvings and traditional weaving. Unfortunately, I didn’t see anything of particular note for sale at this impromptu market. I was (quietly!) taken aback by the availability of dead seahorses.
Boys on the Balcony Back in the village streets, young boys watch the goings-on from the upstairs terrace of a two-story building.
Local Shop Crowded little shops like this one are common all across Southeast Asia.
Tumbur Waterfront The beach was hardly salubrious; of course, I don’t know if the litter has washed down from the village, or in from the Arafura Sea.
Wash Day The village itself, by contrast, is tidy and orderly.
Breadfruit Tree – Artocarpus Altilis Food is all around in the tropics.
Basil in Bloom Some gardens are growing herbs and vegetables.
Legume Plant They did tell me what this was, but I have since forgotten!
Guava – Psidium Guajava
Down a Village Street According to one source, Tumbur was recognised in 2022 as the cleanest village in the Tanimbar Islands.
Boys on the Balcony The village lads continue to keep an eye on us from their perch as we leave the village.
The Locals Wave us Off Back in Saumlaki, we get aboard our tenders. The locals, …
Village Guide … including our guides, wave us off.
Drinks on the Deck On the ship, dinner drinks are at the ready. We continue south, with the sun setting on the Arafura Sea behind us.
Portrait of a Gujar Elder A semi-nomadic agricultural community of Gujar (Gurjar, Gujjar, or Gurjara) people make their home in the lush green meadows of Budgam District, high in the Pir Panjal mountains in India’s Western Himalayas.
Even today, scattered pockets of ethnic communities manage to live much as they have done for hundreds of years.
I was on a small-group photo-tour in India’s union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. We were staying in traditional wooden houseboats – albeit with hot water, electricity, and wifi – in the middle of Dal Lake in Srinagar. After days of enjoying life on the water (see: Water, Dreams, and Woodwork) and exploring the local markets and mosques on foot (see: Street Markets, Mosques, and Crafts), we headed into nearby hill station of Doodhpathri, situated at 2,730 metres (8,960 ft) above sea level.
There, above the Shaliganga River which flows out of the Pir Panjal mountains in the Western Himalayas, we met families of Gujar shepherds.
Traditionally, the Gujar (Gurjar,Gujjar, or Gurjara) people were semi-nomadic herdsmen moving between mountain pastures and lowlands of India and Pakistan. The Gurjara kingdom (Gurjaradesha) thrived in present-day Rajasthan and northern Gujarat from around 570 CE. The empire fell into decline in 1018, but by then, the Gujar had migrated to different parts of the Indian Subcontinent. Today, they can be found in India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
Gujars are linguistically and religiously diverse. In Jammu and Kashmir, most – like the families we met – are Muslim. They welcomed us into their modest single-room houses, where whole families stay during the growing months. As seasonal nomads, they follow their animals to grazing pastures in winter.
We then visited a shopkeeper and his family in the nearby town of Budgam (‘Big Village’ in Kashmiri), the headquarters of this district.
This whole region is known for its scenic beauty and historic sites (see: Directorate of Tourism Kashmir), but this visit was focused on the people. Come meet them:
Hut and Horses on the Hill Doodhpathri (Valley of Milk) is a scenic alpine hill station in the Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir.
College Girls Visiting Doodhpathri attracts visitors from all over India and beyond. These young women were on an excursion from a neighbouring district.
Young Woman in a Hijab We spent some time chatting and taking photos of each other.
Gujar Hut The Gujar people in Doodhpathri live in simple, low, one-room huts.
A Gujar Kitchen The only light inside the hut comes from the open door and the cooking fire.
Gujar Mum At first, Mum was a bit shy – but smiling behind her hijab.
In the Smoke As she looked after the fire, the light caught her elegant face.
Man in a Topi Like this Gujar patriarch, the shepherds in this region are predominantly Muslim.
Forests and Meadows This is a landscape of lush green grasses over vast meadows interspersed with tall stands of pine, fir, and deodar trees.
Collecting Water Doodhpathri means “Valley of Milk” which is a reference to the milky appearance of the fast-flowing streams that run through it.
Smiling Woman The Gujars are a proud and elegant people.
Young Gujar Woman in Doodhpathri Traditional dress is predominant, everywhere we look.
Young Woman
Gujar Girl
Gujar Boys
A Gujar Girl
A Woman in Gojari Dress The traditional clothing worn by the Gujar people is an expression of their identity. The hat, known as a laska, lachka, or lashki, is a handcrafted, brimless skullcap with a flat or rounded top and vibrant multi-colored thread embroidery.
Mohammed Iqbal The elder of our host family, like other men in GujarBakerwal communities, has grown his beard long and dyed it with henna.
A Horse and Rider in Main Street Nothing says ‘anachronistic’ like a man on his mobile riding his a horse through town.
Shopkeeper in Budgam In the district’s administrative capital, we meet a shopkeeper and his family.
Women at Home The shopkeeper’s wife welcomes us into the home and prepares us tea.
Shopkeeper Our host changes into his traditional turban, which is embellished with small metallic studs and colorful pom-poms.
Young Woman Outside, one of the daughters poses …
The Boys … and the neighbourhood lads gather.
It was a brief – but wonderful – glimpse into a very different world.
Golden Hour over Bodrum Castle I was treated to some glorious Aegean sunsets while I was in southwestern Türkiye – like this one over Bodrum Harbour and the medieval Castle of St. Peter.
Bodrum, a port town – or city, depending who you talk to – on the Aegean in the southwest of Türkiye was not on my travel radar.
But, it is on other people’s!
Conde Nast calls it: the most glamorous hangout in the Mediterranean. According to AI, it is often: dubbed the “St. Tropez of Turkey.” And, it turns out that a friend-of-a-friend lives there.
I flew into Bodrum from Istanbul for a small-ship cruise around the Gulf of Gökova (see: the Gulf of Gökova). Before and after my sail, I spent a few days this delightful port town.
The town’s main attraction is the historic medieval castle, built from 1402 onwards by the Knights of St John. Known as the Castle of St. Peter or Petronium – or simply Bodrum Castle, it sits on a small rocky peninsula set between two sheltered bays and houses the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology. I enjoyed a few hours exploring this Crusader site (see: The Castle of St Peter).
The rest of my stay, I wandered the streets: the postside streets full of wonderful food and tourist shop, and the more suburban streets of old stone housing and artists’ ateliers.
Join me for a visit.
Bodrum Harbour I arrived into Bodrum mid-afternoon, and the first thing I did was check out the port. The sailing gulet in the middle of the harbour is very like the one I would be cruising on.
Bodrum Waterfront This port used to survive on fishing and and sponge diving, but tourism has taken over – as you might guess from the beautiful waterfront developments.
Bodrum Castle in the Harbour I found myself a restaurant with a view …
Follow the Food: Something Turkish … and enjoyed a Mediterranean meal as the sun lowered over the water.
Sunset on Bodrum Castle
Masts in the Harbour The next day, I wasn’t due to arrive on my boat until late afternoon. I went to see where she was moored: I wanted to know how far I’d be dragging my bags!
Stone Carving After a late brunch, I paid a visit to St Peter’s Castle (see: St Peter’s Castle). This heraldic design is one of the 249 separate coats of arms found on the castle walls.
Shopping Street The shopping street running parallel with the waterfront was a delightful place to explore.
Nazar Boncuğu – Evil Eye Protection Traditional glass amulets to protect against negative energy and the “evil eye” (nazar) come in all forms and sizes.
Follow The Food: Turkish Delight Food is everywhere! I could never quite get a handle on what is – and isn’t! – a Turkish delight.
Follow The Food : More Turkish Delights They seem to come in every shape and colour!
Life In The Street The shopping street was a great place to people-watch. These shopkeepers kept each other company as they waited for customers.
Setting Sail out of Bodrum Harbour Mid-afternoon, our gulet pulled out of its mooring and made its way through the harbour.
Boats in Bodrum Harbour We are not the only gulet on the move.
Another Gulet Gulets are a traditional style of two- or three-masted wooden sailing vessel built in the coastal towns around the gulf. Today, they are popular for tourist charters and use diesel power. On many, the masts are purely for show and are not properly rigged for sailing. We never tested ours!
Night Lights on Bodrum Harbour We found an anchorage far enough away from town that the lights were visible but the shore-front discos were just a faint thud.
Back into Bodrum Harbour A week later, under the watchful eye of that crusader castle, we were back in Bodrum Harbour.
Dalgiç – The Diver Our gulet is back in a mooring in Bodrum Harbour, so I went in search of solid ground. I found this work in bronze by Turkish sculptor Yavuz Tanyeli close to our vessel.
Afternoon over Bodrum I took myself on an afternoon walk, and found the town – like much of the Mediterranean – populated with white buildings.
“Dragut” Turgut Reis (1485 – 1565) A morning walk led me past an artists’ studio where a variety of sculpted heads were on display. I recognised Shakespeare, but the Turkish hero Turgut Reis – known as Dragut – was foreign to me. The name on his pedestal allowed me to look him up: he was born in 1485 near Bodrum. He became an Ottoman corsair, a naval commander, a governor, and a noble. Under his command, the Ottoman Empire’s maritime power was extended across North Africa.
Lines and Curves and a Metal Gate Once I’m up the hill and away from the port, the narrow cobbled streets are tidy and graceful – and the homes are behind gated fences.
Dappled Light in the Laneways Light filters through the trees, and people go about their daily activities.
Yeni Bodrum Otogarı – New Bodrum Bus Terminal After lunch, my bags and I are at the Bodrum bus terminal, ready for an eight hour bus trip east.
As sad as I was to leave Bodrum behind, the bus was clean and comfortable – and I was on the way to another adventure.
Until next time,
Happy Travels!
Pictures: 30September2022, 01October2022, and 07-08October2022.
The Long Curve Steep cliffs, jagged rocks, and wild waters off the South Pacific Ocean, all make for the beautiful – albeit dangerous – coastline that the Australian town of Kiama, NSW is known for. (2020-10-28 1637 iPhone6)
Kiama, a little Australian town just 120 km (75 mi) south of Sydney, is bounded by a dramatic coastline along the Tasman Sea on one side, and rich, green pastures dotted with remnants of rainforest on the other. With heritage-listed buildings, stunning natural scenery, surf beaches, and plenty of boutiques and coffee shops, it is a popular spot for Sydney day-trippers and weekenders.
For thousands of years, the Wodi Wodi people – part of the Dharawal language group – used these lands. The town’s name comes from the Dharawal word kiarama-a, which has been translated as “where the sea makes a noise”. This refers to the now-famous Kiama Blowhole, where – depending on sea conditions – a fissure in the late Permian latite allows vigorous, noisy and potentially dangerous sprays of water up to 25 metres (82ft) into the air.
On my first-ever visit to the blowhole, I expended a full roll of film trying to catch the plume at its height. My reaction-times failed me.
The seas here need to be taken seriously: in 1992, seven people – members of two families – were drowned after being swept off the rocks. In spite of an increase in warning signs and safety rails, there have been a number of other deaths over the years since, most commonly of rock fishermen who get swept away.
l live at the extreme other end of what is called the NSW South Coast (see: Coastal Walks). I sometimes stop over in Kiama on my long drive to or from Sydney. These particular photos are from two separate trips in 2020: one at the beginning of winter in June, and the other during a pleasantly mild October spring.
On the first occasion, a companion and I enjoyed the short but pleasant Minnamurra Falls Walk (see: AllTrails). On the second, I contended myself with coastal meanderings. Although I had my Canon cameras with me on the first trip, most of the pictures are taken on my old iPhone6.
Enjoy some coastal time with me.
Waves on the Waterfront Its a short walk from our accommodation in the small CBD to Black Beach Cove. Across the waters, we have a view of the thin isthmus leading to Blowhole Point. (2020-06-26 1005 iPhone6)
Waves on Black Beach Cove The rocks on the cove are naturally occurring black basalt. (2020-06-26 1007 iPhone6)
Black Beach Continental Ocean Pool This 50-metre ocean pool is built into the naturally occurring rock shelf around Black Beach Cove. (2020-06-26 1008 iPhone6)
Kiama Post and Telegraph Office – Built 1878-1880) Kiama has a number of NSW heritage-listed buildings – including the rather lovely post office. (2020-06-26 1021 iPhone6)
The Minnamurra River Twenty minutes inland, we enter the Minnamurra Rainforest Centre (see: Budderoo National Park) for a walk through subtropical rainforest. (2020-06-26 1217 Canon 5DII)
Bird’s Nest Fern – Asplenium Australasicum We are in a predominantly humid subtropical climate zone – and the surrounding vegetation reflects that. (2020-06-26 1223 Canon 6D)
Old Tree with a Large Hollow Trunk This pocket of land is a rare and priceless remnant of the original rainforest. (2020-06-26 1224 Canon 5DII)
Branches against the Sky Elkhorn ferns (Platycerium bifurcatum) and other epiphytic ferns attach themselves to the sprawling, heavy branches of their host trees. (2020-06-26 1229 Canon 6D)
Rocky Creek Bed Back down at ground level, things are shady, and the rocks in the river are coloured with lichens and moss. (2020-06-26 1230 Canon 5DII)
Minnamurra Falls “It’s not very big!” my companion muttered. And it is true: this accessible upper portion of the falls has a 25-metre (82-foot) drop. (2020-06-26 1302 Canon 5DII)
Splash! While the falls are small, I think they are very pretty. (2020-06-26 1307 Canon 6D)
A Curtain of Water And, for me, it is more about the fresh air and bird sounds, the scent of the surrounding nature, and the pleasant walk. (2020-06-26 1307 Canon 6D)
An Australian Magpie – Gymnorhina Tibicen Back on the waterfront, a magpie watches us eat a late lunch – hoping for a stray chip or piece of fish. (2020-06-26 1450 Canon 6D)
Waves and Last Light on Storm Bay The late afternoon winter sun gives a light glow to the Norfolk Island pines on Blowhole Point. (2020-06-26 1557 Canon 5DII)
Surf Beach A few brave souls are still in the water – dwarfed by the expanse. (2020-06-26 1608 Canon 5DII)
Looking Down from Pheasant Point The next morning, the light is completely different, as I set off walking in search of views and breakfast. (2020-06-27 0840 iPhone6)
Splash on the Basalt I love how the edges of the Ocean Pool blend in with the naturally occurring black basalt layers. (2020-06-27 0905 iPhone6)
A Dynamic and Dramatic Shore (2020-06-27 0907 iPhone6)
Norfolk Island Pines Four months later, I landed in Sydney late one afternoon off a flight from Uluru (see: Weekly Wanders Uluru). A stop back in Kiama was the perfect distance from the airport to make the drive home manageable. (2020-10-28 0755 iPhone6)
Making Waves This stainless steel statue, created by visual artist Bert Flugelman (1923 – 2013) in 1997, was installed here on Storm Bay in 2016. (2020-10-28 0809 iPhone6)
Kiama Farmers Market In the afternoon, I headed out for another walk, and found the local markets in full swing above Surf Beach. (2020-10-28 1612 iPhone6)
The Sandy Shore of Surf Beach (2020-10-28 1632 iPhone6)
On the Path My walk back to the CBD takes me past Storm Bay, where I have a good view of the historical Kiama Lighthouse. (2020-10-28 1636 iPhone6)
Curving Path Looking along the path as I walk back to my rooms, the light lowers over the market. (2020-10-28 1651 iPhone6)
It is a beautiful spot – and I will return for another stay one day …
Crafting Moroccan Zellige Tilework Morocco is known for its intricate, hand-crafted pottery and ceramics. Sometimes hand-painted and sometimes tessellated into intricate mosaics, colourful ceramics are fundamental to Moroccan architecture and daily life.
I love pottery.
Not too far from my home, there is a Moroccan restaurant and emporium where all manner of colourful earthenware is available. While I have occasionally stopped for lunch, I have managed to resist buying house numbers, fountains, kitchenwares, or floor tiles.
But being in an actual traditional family-run pottery store in Fes, known as Morocco’s cultural capital, was a whole different story. I could have taken it all home!
One of the things I love about small-group travel is the access it gives you to local crafts and cottage industries. My group had driven into Fes the day before from the delightful blue city of Chefchaouen (see: Road Stops, Home Visits, and Fabulous Food). I had checked our trip itinerary, and – in addition to the usual notable mosques and palaces – our day in the historic UNESCO-listed, northern-inland Moroccan city of Fes included visits to textile weavers, a leather-works (Watch this space!), and a pottery workshop.
I was particularly excited about the pottery workshop for two reasons: firstly, I love watching and photographing artisans at work; and secondly, I had my heart set on a genuine tajine (shallow earthen pot): that iconic glazed pottery cooking utensil with a conical lid that Morocco is known for.
Art Naji was established inside the medina (old city) by the Fakhari brothers in 1930. Their operations (and those of other potters) were moved to Ain Nokbi, a district just outside the medina in 2013 to provide them with more space and to reduce the impact of the dust and heat of the kilns on the residents of the inner city.
Join me on a visit:
Outside Art Naji Now that the workshop is outside the medina, there is space!
Men outside Art Naji Space to display some of the bigger pottery pieces. Intricate geometric and arabesque patterns are heavily influenced by Islamic and Berber art.
Guide to the Workshop Inside the building, we meet our guide, who will explain the work-flow to us.
Bowl of Fridge Magnets
Working on an Inlay Zellige is a centuries-old art form – originating in 10th-century Morocco and southern Spain – using natural clay tiles that are molded, chiseled, and glazed by hand, and then inlaid into complex patterns.
Zellige Tilework The artisan uses a specialized hammer to create the intricate geometric shapes that zellige tiles are known for. The word zellige(zellij or zillij) comes from an Arabic word meaning “little polished stone” or “to slide”.
Wet Clay
Potter at a Wheel Every step of the production process is as it once was …
Potter at Work .. starting with shaping the wet clay on a hand-turned wheel.
Mini –Tajines in the Making
Unglazed Pottery Kiln-dried pottery waits to be painted, glazed, and re-fired.
Jigsaw Puzzle An authentic zellige tiled piece is expensive: understandable when you see the thought and work that goes into it.
Painting a Bowl Like everything else, painting the traditional colourful patterns is done by hand.
Concentration The detailed work takes focus and concentration.
Work at Art Naji Every nook and cranny is filled with pottery at various stages of completion.
Craftsman
Grinding and Polishing
Beautiful Blues I seem to have wandered full circle – but I can’t help but admire this beautiful piece.
Vase In a separate room, some stunning old pieces are on display. Arabic calligraphy is a common decorative theme.
Fine Wares The showroom features historic Moroccan ceramics – some of them very old – featuring traditional designs, variants of which are still in use.
Blues Fes is known for its blue-and-white patterns.
Tagine On-Order One corridor was full of dish-sets waiting for completion and shipping. I decided on one like this …
The Crate … and six months later it arrived!
The Plates It was so well wrapped it took me an hour to unbox it!
As each piece is handcrafted, it is – as they say: “Perfectly imperfect.” I smile and remember Fes every time I use it.
- 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.
Or - pick any photo from my Flickr or Wanders blog photos.
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Until next time,.jpg)
Until next time,
It is a beautiful spot – and I will return for another stay one day …
