A Gulet in Full Sail They call it the Turquoise Coast: on Türkiye’s Gulf of Gökova every shade of blue is represented across the day.
I had always dreamed of a small-ship cruise on the AegeanSea. That fabled dramatic coastline; countless small islands; and calm blue waters; all suggested the most luxurious of relaxing getaways – especially if you are not responsible for sailing the vessel yourself!
When the opportunity presented itself, the time-frame and the price-point of trips on the Turkish -rather than Greek – portion of the Sea caught my eye. I found a small-ship cruise on the Gulf of Goköva out of Bodrum in the south of Türkiye that fit neatly between my short stay in Istanbul (see: Bosphorus Dreaming) and a ground tour I had planned (see: The Gallipoli Peninsula).
So it was that I spent a day in Bodrum exploring the historic Castle of St Peter while waiting to board my ship: the eight-cabin MS Flas VII, a 33-34 meter luxury Turkishgulet with a captain, a cook, and two crew – and 10 passengers.
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 take advantage of diesel power. On many, the masts are purely for show and are not properly rigged for sailing.
We spent the first few days aboard ours cruising gently into quiet coves, swimming and kayaking in the pristine waters, and walking on almost-deserted islands.
Join me for some quiet, dreamy days on the Turkish Riviera.
My Home for the Week My air-conditioned cabin on the MS Flas VII is equipped with everything I need, which bodes well for the week ahead.
Captain at the Helm Docking spaces in Bodrum are at a premium; in the early evening our captain steers our gulet into a neighbouring cove.
Crew in the Zodiac The anchor is set and a young crew member has attached the shore line to the mooring eye in the adjacent cliff. Our first night will be nice and quiet.
Sunrise through the Seahaze I get up early in the morning – and find a yoga mat on the prow for some stretching as the sun comes up.
Misty Morning Sea Fog The 100km- (62mi)- long Gulf of Gökova is an inlet on the Aegean. We cross south from Bodrum to the Datça Peninsula as the morning fog clings to the lands on the horizon.
Our Schooner We come to rest along the rugged coastline of the Datça Peninsula – where I head out in a kayak.
Yachts Rafted A pair of modern yachts is anchored nearby – but I still feel alone in the quiet.
Turkish Pine – Pinus Brutia Also known as Calabrian pine or Mediterranean pine, the trees bend against the wind and cling to this rugged coast with its myriad small bays and harbors.
Reflected Colours The still sea reflects the red rocky coast in its own remarkable blue and turquoise hues.
Marker on a Cliff The next morning we are on the move again – heading east towards Yedi Adalar(Seven Islands), a chain of pine-covered islands.
Flash 7 at Rest in a Nameless Cove The island of the Yedi Adalar group have countless coves, bays, and anchorages. It is nice to get ashore and go for a walk on solid ground.
Early Crocus – Crocus Tommasinianus Although the islands are uninhabited, all the bays are all connected to each other by dirt paths.
Mediterranean Scrub Higher up, I look down over the vegetation to our gulet at anchor in the blue.
Mastic Tree – Pistacia Lentiscus Native throughout the Mediterranean region, this little aromatic evergreen shrub is used for healing and cosmetic purposes.
Nature’s Artworks : Pine Cones against the Sky
Beehives These islands are uninhabited – but not unused. Villagers from nearby visit their hives regularly – enjoying fragrant honey from the surrounding vegetation.
Another Curve of Cove The Turkish pines lean into the waters all along the shore.
Another Gokova Sunrise The mornings were well worth getting up for!
Another Gulet We weren’t the only ship anchored in the coves of Yedi Adalar. The MS Nikola is another vessel from the same company as ours.
Man in a Runabout They were close enough for me to watch as the sailors made the MS Nikola ready …
A Gulet on the Way … and she chugged slowly back into the Gulf.
The Waters from a Kayak We stop half way through our morning trip for another chance to swim, SUP, or kayak. The colours of the water are constantly changing.
Nature’s Abstracts: Sea Urchins I kayak over the impossibly clear waters, trying to photograph the constantly changing landscape underneath me.
Full Sail in the Gulf of Gokova
The rugged coastline with its untold small bays and harbours against the stunning backdrop of pine-clad hills and mountains was indeed magnificent.
And the meals aboard my gulet were superb. I could get used to this!
The Iconic Grand Palais The French flag flies proudly atop the historic monumental hall built for the 1900 Universal Exhibition in Paris. The Grand Palace has just recently undergone major renovations and is once again in use: “dedicated by the Republic to the glory of French art.”
Some cities feel like old friends. Whether you’ve visited many times or never, the streets and buildings are familiar from popular culture, pictures, and movies.
Paris is like that – around every corner there is a familiar “Aha!” site.
I had a couple of short stopovers in Paris during a recent rainy September. I found myself a modest hotel room in the 5ème Arrondissement – the Latin Quarter. Leaving the cameras packed up, I set off on foot with just my iPhone15Pro and an umbrella. On my first stay, I visited the parks in my neighbourhood (see: In the Streets and Gardens).
On my second stay, I decided to book myself a visit to the Louvre(Watch this space!) and took a boat trip on the Seine.
The Seine is the very heart of Paris. The city was built along a bend in the river, between the confluence of the Marne and the Oise Rivers. The banks of the Seine are so crowded with historic, architectural masterpieces that they have been awarded their own UNESCO-World Heritage listing for Outstanding Universal Value.
My iPhone15Pro served as camera, map, and guide. Join me among the magnificent monuments and buildings of Paris:
Monument to Explorer Marie Joseph François Garnier (1839-1873) Walking around Paris is a joy – there is a new sight on every corner. This bronze statue to a celebrated a French officer and explorer was sculpted by Denys Puech and erected in 1898.
Notre Dame des Champs There is a church in every neighbourhood – and historically, they are predominantly Catholic.
L’Hôtel National des Invalides This elegant building is one of my favourites! My husband and I always stayed near here on our trips to the city. Les Invalides was originally a hospital and a soldiers’ retirement home. Today, the complex contains museums and monuments relating to French military history.
The Eiffel Tower from the Seine Designed and built by engineer Gustave Eiffel (1832 – 1923) for the 1889 World’s Fair and to mark the centennial anniversary of the French Revolution, this iconic lacy metal landmark says “Paris”.
Boat on the Seine and the Pont Alexandre III I have walked (and bussed) the streets of Paris many times, but this was my first time seeing it from the water. Although it was rather wet and windy, the two hour trip was well worthwhile.
Le Pont Alexandre III There are 37 bridges and footbridges across the Seine River as it winds the 13 km (8 mi) across Paris. This one, built in Beaux-Arts style and opened in 1900 for the Universal Exposition, is decorated with golden winged horses.
Pont Royal and the Louvre Although the Louvre Castle was started around 1190, most of the current complex was built in the 17th and 19th centuries. This bridge, linking the Louvre to the Left Bank, was built from 1685-1689 and is the third-oldest bridge in Paris.
Institut de France I get the various domes of Paris mixed up and always have to double-check! This one, housing the Académie des Beaux-Arts, was constructed between 1662 and 1688 and is an example of French Baroque Architecture.
Île de la Cité from the Seine The stone Pont Saint-Michel, built in 1857, links the Place Saint-Michel on the Left Bank to the Île de la Cité.
Notre-Dame de Paris Often referred to simply as Notre-Dame, this medieval French Gothic Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité was started in 1163 and largely completed by 1260. A fire in April 2019 caused serious damage.
On the Steps of Paris
Scaffolding on Notre-Dame While the magnificent cathedral is now repaired and reopened, it was still surrounded by cranes and scaffolding when I was there.
Pont Saint-Louis As we cruise around L’Île de la Cité, the Pont Saint-Louis, a pedestrian bridge linking that island with the Île Saint-Louis, comes into view. In the background, we see the distinctive roofline of the historic Hôtel de Ville (City Hall).
Viaduc d’Austerlitz The beautiful single-spanned Austerlitz Viaduct was opened in 1904 to carry the Métro. The Pont d’Austerlitz in the background was built in in 1801.
Île Saint-Louisand the Pont de Sully This little island in the river is densely populated in large townhouses: many dating to the 17th century.
More Bridges We look through Pont Marie(opened 1635) to Pont Louis-Philippe (opened 1862).
Haussmann Architecture Between 1853 and 1870, Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann (1809 – 1891), under the direction of Emperor Napoleon III, supervised a radical urban renewal programme of boulevards, parks, and public works in Paris. Many of the resultant buildings are still in use.
Pont Neuf – New Bridge We pass under the oldest of the bridges across the Seine (finished in 1607) and can see the bronze statue of King Henri IV, installed on Île de la Cité by sculptor François Frédéric Lemo in 1818.
Tour Boat on the Seine
Winged Horses Walking along the Seine after my cruise, I get another look at the Pont Alexandre III.
L’Hôtel de Salm There is a historic landmark on every block. Originally built as an aristocratic town house by the architect Pierre Rousseau (1751–1810) between 1782 and 1787, today the Hotel de Salm houses the museum of the French Legion d’Honneur. A large Neo-classical copper dome arches over the stateroom on the river-facing side of the building.
Cheval à la Herse – Horse with a Harrow In front of the Musée d’Orsay, people cluster around the large, black-painted cast-iron sculpture created by Pierre Louis Rouillard in 1878.
Pont des Arts Walking back to my room after my visit to the Louvre, I was again charmed by the little kiosks along the Left Bank. Nowhere did I see the vendors of knock-off handbags that crowded the banks of the Seine on my previous visits.
And another Dome! This dome tops Luxembourg Palace – originally built between 1615 and 1645 as the royal residence of the regent Marie de’ Medici. The palace now serves as the official seat of the French Senate. As it is next to the famous Luxembourg Gardens (see: In the Streets and Gardens of Paris), it tells me I am almost back in my own neighbourhood.
According to my phone, I walked almost 20,000 steps.
No wonder I was tired!
But, it was nothing that a glass of wine and a French meal wouldn’t fix.
Weathered Wood and Rough Sand Rising out of the sands of East Beach on Haida Gwaii, Northern British Columbia, the weathered wooden hull of the American-built, Canadian-retrofitted, coal-fired ship the Pezuta, sits where she was deposited by a strong gale on the treacherous Hecate Strait, back on December 11, 1928.
Haida Gwaii, the archipelago in Canada’sNorth Pacific waters off the coast of British Columbia (BC), is a wild and remote place. The woods and waterways abound in legends and memorials to the hardships of times past.
This ill-fated wood-hulled steam freighter was built in the US under their WWI Emergency Shipbuilding Program. By the time it was delivered to Seattle in early 1919, the war was over, and the vessel was considered excess. It ended up in Vancouver in 1927 and was retrofitted for use as a lumber carrier.
But, these northern waters are unpredictable and unforgiving: on December 11, 1928, the seas were even more treacherous than usual on the Hecate Strait: that narrow, shallow waterway between the islands of Haida Gwaii and the mainland of Northern British Columbia. Just past the mouth of the Tlell River, on the eastern coast of Graham Island, the Pezuta broke free of the towline connecting it to a tugboat. The heavily laden carrier buried itself deep into the sandy shore.
Hull recovery efforts failed, so salvage operations stripped what they could. The remnants of this massive ship were abandoned on the beach – where weathered wood and rusty portholes remain.
Today, the walk to the shipwreck is one of the most popular hikes in Haida Gwaii. Known as the Pesuta Shipwreck Trail, the 12.4km (7.7mi) track is rated as moderately easy. It follows the Tlell River and then the beach alongside the Hecate Strait, making for a long, but relatively flat, walk through rainforest and coastal ecosystems.
After spending an ‘easy day’ the day before, near my base in what was then-called Queen Charlotte (see: Fresh Food and Walking Trails), I drove north to the Tlell River Picnic Park in Naikoon Provincial Park where the walk starts.
Join me for a walk in the woods:
Anchor Chains and a Mooring Post Here at the Tlell River Picnic Park there are Provincial Park sign boards with plenty of local information. This is the starting point for the multi-day East Beach Trail as well as the shorter Pesuta Shipwreck Trail.
Into the Woods The path sets off into the dark and quiet temperate rainforest.
Rough Bark I am distracted regularly by the shapes and textures of the moss-covered trees which thrive in this wet, cool climate.
Nature’s Artworks: Sitka Spruce (Picea Sitchensis) Bark These old forests are home to tall sitka spruce, western hemlock, and western red cedar.
A Path in the Woods Soon, I have to watch my footing …
A Rough Path on the Ridge … as the path climbs a short distance onto the narrow ridge strewn with roots and rocks that runs parallel with the river.
In the Spanish Moss These old forests are magical! I’m happy to be walking alone in the quiet. The trees are draped in mosses and lichens due to high humidity and rainfall.
Tall Trees These trees are tall – with some reaching heights of 70 meters (over 230 feet).
Tree Tops Look up! These giants grow a long way up to reach the sunlight.
Along the Tlell River After almost an hour, I emerge from the forest onto a pleasant gravel path that follows the river.
Lodgepole Pine or Shore Pine – Pinus Contorta Out of the shadows of the forest it is easier to get a good look at the different conifers that grow here. Male cones (microstrobili) cluster on the new shoots of a lodgepole pine.
Spruce Needles It is still spring in these northern latitudes: new growth is everywhere.
Huge Driftwood This says the Pacific Northwest to me: cedar shakes on the roof of a cottage, and massive washed up driftwood on the shoreline.
A Bend in the River The walk along the river continues.
Common Ringed Plover – Charadrius Hiaticula I get really excited when I find any wildlife – even the smallest of common birds!
American Robin – Turdus Migratorius
Nature’s Artworks : Ripples in the Sand The ground gets sandier as the trail gets closer to the mouth of the Tlell River.
Footprints on the Beach
Still Life Found: A Colourful Shoreline
Weathered Wood and Rust After almost a hundred years, there is not much left of the shipwrecked Pezuta. Walkers are warned to check tide charts: these low-lying lands can make the wreck inaccessible at high tide.
Nature’s Still Life : Rocks on the Sand
Otter in the River There are two kinds of otters in this region: river otters (Lontra canadensis) and sea otters (Enhydra lutris). While this little fellow is too far away for me to be sure, it is probably the more common river otter.
Tall Tree Trunks Back in the woods, the afternoon sun is slanting through the tall trees.
Ferns and Moss
Geikie Creek About half way back to the car, I recross the little Geikie Creek, where the rich organic matter in the ground turns the water blood red.
It was my last day in these magical islands, and this walk was fitting finale to my stay.
Mason Rack With blues gravel in his voice and a cheeky twinkle in his eyes, Mason Rack is a born entertainer. He and his band had the room rocking at the recent Thredbo Blues Festival in the Australian mountains.
Blues musicians rock!
The entertainers at the Thredbo Blues Festival last month had me smiling from ear to ear. This little event takes place in the charming alpine village for which it is named, high in Australia’sSnowy Mountains. For two and a half days, the restaurants, bars, and public spaces are bouncing with joyful sounds.
I’ve already posted a selection of pictures from the performances Friday evening and early Saturday (see: Portraits in Blues), and have had trouble reducing the rest – from Saturday afternoon through Sunday night – down to a manageable number.
Of course, these pictures would be better with their accompanying sounds! So, I’ve included a badly filmed but groovy short clip to get you in the mood:
Ray Beadle Swing Quintet Rain and wind drove all the daytime performances indoors. So, even though it was early afternoon, I was plunged into pseudo-nightclub darkness to enjoy swinging “Jump Blues” sounds inside the Kosci Room.
Ray Beadle I always make a point of catching award-winning performer Ray Beadle. His joy is infectious, and his musicianship is peerless.
Ed Schots Add a baritone sax to the mix, and you have a rich, swinging sound.
Carolyn Packer Known for her mastery of traditional and electronic keyboards, Carolyn Packer brings her blend of blues, jazz, swing, funk, and soul to the combo.
Ewan Lund Across in the Lounge Bar, the young musicians in the Jesse Redwing Band …
Harry Brus … have some stellar and mature backing. Harry Brus has been on the Australian music scene forever!
Bek Jensen Later – still in the Lounge Bar – Bek Jensen and her band of family share stories.
Through the Crowd Across on the other side of the village, we found a spot in the Candlelight Lodge. We didn’t have much of a view, but we could hear Jack Biilmann’s rich tones through the divider.
Mountain in Cloud Outside, the rains abated, and we could see up the Snowgums Chairlift and over the 1.5 km (0.9 mi) elevated Alpine Coaster track.
Jack Biilmann Jack crossies from faithful classics to story-rich originals. His melodic guitar filled the Candlelight dining room.
Jeff King: Joy and an Acoustic Guitar G.D. & The King Bros with guest Jill ‘Buttercup’ Tweedie are – individually and together – an integral part ot the Australian music scene. I first saw the King brothers way back in the 1980s, in the Sydney Basement.
Jill ‘Buttercup’ Tweedie Jill delivers cheeky vocals with style!
Live Music on the Mountain Early Sunday, I was back up the mountain, in the Merritts Mountain House, admiring the energy of Dave Hole on guitar and vocals, Rudy Miranda on drums, and Graham Burns on bass.
Finger Picking Naturally, Dave Hole’s set ended with a blistering demonstration of his guitar mastery.
Sweet Felicia I had so enjoyed Sweet Felicia & the Honeytones at the opening of the festival that I made a point of catching them again.
Alison Penny with the Honeytones Multi-award-winning Ali Penny is well known and loved on the Aussie blues scene.
Steve Edmonds with the Honeytones Guitarist-extraordinaire Steve Edmonds seems to be everywhere.
Roscoe Clark with the Honeytones Another familiar face, drummer Roscoe ‘Stinger’ Clark keeps the rhythm tight.
Sound Guy Off to the side, the ‘sound guy’ watches the levels.
Mason Rack Band Back downhill in the village, I was introduced to the wonderful Mason Rack Band.
Mason Rack When he’s not sounding like Tom Waits growling an old blues-rock standard, Mason Rack is giggling like a mischievous child and telling stories of growing up in a family of entertainers.
Mason Rack on Weissenborn Lap Slide One of his stories is about buying this classic guitar – when he really couldn’t afford it.
Claire Hollander on Trumpet Meanwhile, in The Pub, Bonnie Kay & The Sweet Patooties are serving up a rousing blend of blues, jazz, rockabilly, and swing.
Steve Edmonds Downstairs in The Keller, the ubiquitous Steve Edmonds is back – this time with his own band.
Song Book Watching Don Hopkins the keyboard-player turn the page on the play list seemed like a good moment for me to close the book on this year’s event.
The live music continued long into the night –
but I’d had a rich and varied experience full of magical moments.
It was time for me to hang up my dancing shoes until next year.
A Valley of Tea With water in the valleys, tea and spices in the mountains, and colourful people everywhere, Munnar – a Hill Station in Kerala, India – really is as beautiful as they promise.
The town of Munnar, in Kerala, South India, was once a popular summer resort for members of the British Raj. Sitting high (1,600 metres – 5,200 feet) in the Western Ghats, this hill station offered cooler summer temperatures than those in the hot and humid coastal cities.
Tea plantations were established here in the late 1800s, and the bushes still dominated the landscape and the local economy.
I had a week’s stay in a modest ‘resort’ above Munnar where I was the only ‘foreigner’. There was no information about the local area in the lobby or in my room. In spite of English’s designation as an official language in much of India, only a few of the staff in the complex spoke it with any confidence.
Still, the wifi worked: I asked Google, AllTrails, and TripAdvisor, and hunted out things to do and places to go on my own. After a few days of just wandering around the neighbourhood (see: Everyday Life in the Tea Plantations), I organised for a driver to take me to nearby Anayirangal Dam.
Opened in 1965, this earthen dam on the Panniyar River was built for power generation. The resulting lake, Anayirangal, was named for the elephants (anay) who frequently come down (irankal) from the adjacent jungle to drink from the waters (see: Kerala Tourism: Munnar). The lake and surrounds have become a popular place for boating and picnics.
I saw no elephants, and I almost missed the only available boat! The vessel had been hired for a large group on a work outing; fortunately, my driver negotiated with them and they allowed me to join them for their tour.
Having a group of friendly women to chat with as we cruised gently on the waters, surrounded by forest on one side and by a sprawling section of the ubiquitous Tata Tea Plantation on the other, made for a lovely afternoon.
On the trip back to the resort, we drove through town itself and stopped at one of the spice gardens, where – for a small fee – I was reintroduced to the many spices grown for harvest at these altitudes. Our last stop before returning home was at a chocolate factory.
Join me for a pleasant afternoon in the hills around Munnar:
Family Group It is not uncommon for work groups to make weekend excursions with their family members. We chat happily together as our canopied boat chugs across the dam.
Anayirankal Dam The Western Ghats rise up steeply from the jungle at the water’s edge.
Portrait of a Young Woman We didn’t have much language in common, but people happily posed for my cameras.
Laundry on the Line Domestic life continues at the edges of the water.
An Earthen Dam You can just see the dam, floating into the haze on the horizon. Built from compacted soil, clay, and rock, earthen dams are popular in India because of their cost-effectiveness and flexibility.
Best Friends These women grew up together, went to school together, and now work in the same office.
Mother and Daughter The women are especially pleased to have daughters who are similar in age: making another generation of friendship.
Kayaks on Anayirankal Dam Close-up to the dam, the earthen texture is clearly visible.
Men on on the Shore
People in the Park After taking leave of the boat and my fellow passengers, I walk up the hill overlooking the dam.
People in the Watchtower A visiting couple takes advantage of a romantic moment.
Overlooking Anayirankal Dam It’s a beautiful view from the watchtower.
Walking in a Temple Procession There are so many Indian Gods that almost any day is a holy day! Thaipusam is especially important: it commemorates the victory of the Hindu God Murugan over the demon Surapadman.
The Thaipusam Kavadi To mark Thaipusam, devotees often pull or carry physical burdens as a symbolic act of sacrifice. This is intended to reduce spiritual debt. In this case, the kavadi, or burden, is the decorated cart.
Kratom Plant – Mitragyna Speciosa I can’t count how many spice-garden tours I have done over the years – but I always learn (or remember!) something new. The kratom is a tropical evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia and used to treat pain, diarrhea, and fatigue.
Coffea Arabica Plenty of coffee is grown in India. It is hard, however, to find a cup of brew anywhere. At my ‘resort’, it was almost impossible!
Coffee Berries
Cacao Pod on a Theobroma Cacao Tree
Nutmeg – Myristica Fragrans Originally endemic to the Maluku Islands in Indonesia, nutmeg was central to some horrific colonial history as part of the global spice trade.
Workers in a Truck Bed Back in the streets of Munnar, life goes on!
Making Chocolates My last stop of the day was at the Munnar Chocolate Factory, where I watched nuts being carefully hand-placed into chocolates.
Chocolate Maker I get a shy smile from the maker of the chocolates from behind her paper mask and protective glass screen.
Naturally, I went home with some chocolate.
If only I could have found some decent coffee to go with 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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But, it was nothing that a glass of wine and a French meal wouldn’t fix.
