 Monte Fitz Roy under an Autumn Sky
Los Glaciares National Park, Patagonia (30March2006). Buenos dios, fellow travellers!
It is Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.
I love the colours that mark the changing of the seasons. My corner of Australia never shows much dramatic change, however, and this year we have been battered by winds and rains which have washed away any colours we might have had.
So, to find those magnificent Autumn reds and yellows, I’ve had to turn to the archives, and dig out some old images from Patagonia: that beautiful, sere and windswept landscape in the foothills of the Argentinian Andes.
 Patagonia
Driving through Patagonia: the expansive plateau of semiarid scrub in southwestern Argentina (29March2006).  Guanaco Baby
Wild Guanacos (Lama guanicoe) are the parent species of the domesticated llama. It is always a risk going back to old photos: it was nine years ago that we were in Patagonia, and I was shooting .jpegs on a small digital camera… Still, hopefully the scenery (and a few tweaks in Lightroom) will make up for photographic short-comings.
We had flown from Buenos Aires to el Calafate – via Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego, which had come as a bit of a surprise as it is not exactly on the way – and then spent more than four hours in an over-heated bus, bouncing over bumps and twisting around bends, before reaching the gravel roads of el Chaltén.
Being in el Chaltén is like being in the early American West: dusty roads and prefab houses, in a forbidding, dry landscape surrounded by magnificent mountains. We kept expecting tumbleweed to roll down the main (only?) street. The town was built in 1985 to help secure the disputed mountainous border with Chile, but continues to exist because of tourism: it is within the Los Glaciares National Park, on the banks of the Río de las Vueltas, and at the base of Cerro Torre and Cerro Fitz Roy mountains.
We spent four days around el Chaltén, galloping over several of the walks in the area, in the wake of our guide Wanda, a delightful Patagonian woman of French-Italian descent, who understood everything except the meaning of “slowly”.
 Río De Las Vueltas
Late afternoon on the De Las Vueltas River; Chile is not far – just through those mountains (29March2006). ¡Vamos!
Our guide Wanda sets a cracking pace up the hills. El Chaltén Waterfall
Our first walk is just a “short” one to get the travel kinks out. Sendero al Fitz Roy
The next morning we set off climbing up above the Río De Las Vueltas valley towards Fitz Roy (30March2006). Ñire
Some of the wonderful colours we start to see around us are thanks to the Antarctic Beech (Nothofagus antarctica), a deciduous tree or shrub native to Patagonia. Autumn Colours
There are several nothofagus (southern beech) species native to South America: ñires, guindos, and lengas amongst them. Beech Bush Colours
Beech shrubs cover the lowlands; beech trees grow higher up (30March2006). Sendero a Laguna de los Tres
The trip notes called this 18km hike to Laguna de los Tres ‘relatively easy’; … Fitz Roy
…it certainly gave us magnificent views of Fitz Roy, otherwise known as Cerro el Chalten. Chaltén is an old tehuelche (Indian) word meaning smoking mountain. We were blessed with blue skies, but the peaks are usually covered by clouds, and the Tehuelche tribes thought the mountain was a volcano. Rocky Creek Crossing
Creek crossing on the way to Poincenot base camp. Ground Cover
These calafate berries are not quite ripe – they are like blueberries when they are ready. Laguna de Los Tres
The peaks of Fitz Roy and the blue, glacial waters of Laguna de Los Tres … Wanda’s Lunch
… make a great spot for a well-earned lunch break. Lago Capri
We skirt Capri Lake on our walk back … Hut
… past an emergency shelter … El Chaltén
… and down to el Chaltén, which looks like a frontier town on the plateau (30March2006). Cerro Torre
Our walk towards Cerro Torre the next day was slightly shorter and easier, but it was so windy at the top at Laguna Torre that we literally couldn’t breathe or speak, let alone take pictures (31March2006). Pony
We shared the trail with tough mountain ponies. Pony Train
A pony train carries out the last campsite of the season as winter looms (31March2006). Sunrise over Cerro Torre
Early the next morning we caught the sunrise over the surrounding mountains. Lomada de Pliege
The day may have started out clear, but it was bleak, blustery, and very wet at the top of the Lomada de Pliege. A faint rainbow showed through the mist (01April2006). Lake Argentina
In the wet weather, it was a slog up the 500m rise to Loma del Pliegue Tumbado. A brief break in the rain afforded the ‘excellent panoramic views of the area’ promised in the trip-notes. Loma del Pliegue Tumbado
We headed back down over the rocky landscape … Our Guide
… and followed the intrepid Wanda through the grasses and back to the cover of the beech trees. Heading back to base, we were blasted by the gale-force winds for which Patagonia is rightly famous. It was surreal trying to push forward through the pelting rain and howling wind, carrying with it the biting cold from the nearby glaciers and stinging sand from the unsealed streets of town. I kept thinking I’d be blown straight back to the mountain, like a tumbleweed in a bad western movie. When I finally reached the hotel, I was so sodden that the receptionist took one look at me and whisked me away from the entry. She was steering me towards the laundry drying-room to strip off – but with my Spanish and her English, at the time I had no idea where she was taking me!
Exhausted over our last dinner, I never-the-less felt exhilarated, and somewhat sorry for those who had stayed safely at home, missing an unrepeatable experience.
After all, who ever had an adventure playing it safe?
Till next time ~
Pictures: 30March2006-01April2006
Posted in Argentina,Landscapes,Nature,TravelTags: argentina,landscape,National Park,nature,Patagonia,Photo Blog,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall,walk
Orange Headdress and Dimples
The Pa’O (Black Karen) people are the second largest ethnic group in the Shan State of Myanmar. Inle Lake, in the Shan Hills in central Myanmar, is a unique environment.
I’ve written before about it’s floating villages (Life on the Water) and about it’s distinctive leg-rowing fishermen (Iconic Images). Most of the lake’s 70,000 residents live in villages and towns on the shore line, where everyday life includes bustling local markets and quiet Buddhist worship.
Bridge over the Waterways
The villages around the lake are accessible only by boat. Indein (In Dein) Village is a short trip up the Indein River – one of the many rivers in and out of Inle Lake. My time on Inle Lake included a visit to Indein Village on the western bank, where the local Pa’O (Black Karen) people were conducting their market exchanges in the brilliant, slanting sunlight.
Pa’O Hill People
Called Taungthu, which means ‘hill people’ in Burmese, the Pa’O are the seventh largest ethnic minority in Myanmar. Pa’O Man
Forced to wear dark indigo-dyed clothing after the defeat of the Mon King Makuta of Thaton by King Anawratha in 1057, today the Pa’O are known for their brightly-coloured turbans. Pa’O Woman in Red
Considered part of the larger Tibetan-Himalayan ethnic family, the Pa’O have been in Myanmar since around 1000 B.C. Pa’O Market Woman
Called “Black Karen” by the British colonialists because of the dark blue or black clothing originally enforced on them by King Anawratha, the Pa’O share elements of language and culture with other Karen groups. A Face in the Crowd
The morning market is a busy place. Heads Together
Lively exchanges are happening everywhere. Woman Selling Greens Young Women Young Hill Tribe Women
The young women in the markets are happy to engage with us and to be photographed. Young Women Cooking Rice Cakes Monks with Begging Bowls
Wooden carved figurines are among the items for sale. Buddha-Head and Trinkets
Jewellery made from silver and semi-precious stones is also popular. Marionettes Into the Temple
Unlike many Karen groups, the Pa’O have been predominantly Buddhist for centuries. Old Stones
The area around Indein – sometimes known as Shan Bagan – is dotted with pagodas or stupas, begun in the 12th century and added to by Shan princes up until the 18th century. Artistic Ability
The corridors leading into the main temple house crafts-people and artisans. Pa’O Girls
It’s not hard to get the young women to take a break from their gift stalls… Pa’O Woman
… and pose for us, flashing their dimpled smiles. Dog at the Chedi Ruins
Many of the stupas or chedi are overgrown and falling into ruins, … Chedi Ruins
… which is probably not a bad thing, … Overgrown Stupas
… as there has been criticism of the quality of the restoration work being done. Fallen Statue Chedi in the Flowers Children at the Chedi Peacock Flowers (Caesalpinia Pulcherrima) Crumbling Chedi Boats on the Indein
Too soon, it is time to leave the village – by boat, of course. Some visitor-reports to TripAdvisor rue the state of the stupas around Indein Village. I think these people may have forgotten that they are not in a theme park: these monuments are built by, and for, the local people as an expression of their faith.
 We are merely visitors.
I am always amazed and pleased by the warmth of the smiling welcome that greets us.
Until next time ~
Pictures: 21September2012
Posted in Architecture,Every Day Life,Myanmar,PortraitsTags: architecture,blog,buddhism,children,environmental portrait,environmental portraits,market,Myanmar,people,Photo Blog,sculpture,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall,worship
Tying a Turban
Rajasthan is known for it’s colourful turbans: the uniform turbans worn by the attendants in Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur are a case in point. Rajasthan is known for it’s colourful fabrics: especially the “crowning” turbans of the men which hark back to the Rajput land-owners and rulers. Traditionally, the size and style of the turban denoted status and rank, and different colours were worn for different purposes, like weddings and celebrations, or during different seasons.
Holy men in white or saffron turbans are still a common sight across India, but in Rajasthan every village, region, or workplace has its own fashion or style.
The male workers at Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur wear a turban as part of their uniform. During one of my visits there, with photographer Karl Grobl and local guide DV, I was treated to a demonstration of their turban-tying skill. In the days of royal courts, young women were employed to tie men’s turbans for them, but today, most men take pride in tying their own – taking care that none of the 25 meters of fabric touches the ground.
Mehrangarh Fort (2008)
High (120 metres – 400 feet) over the blue city of Jodhpur, the ancient fortress of Mihirgarh (“Sun Fort” in Sanskrit) protected a number of palaces and now houses historical museum galleries. Into the Shadows
At the entry to Mehrangarh Fort, Indian women wear a mix of modern and traditional clothing (Kameez – shirts or blouses – worn over Shalwar or leggings, with Dupatta multi-purpose scarves) in colourful fabrics. Of course, Saris are also common. Traditional Musicians
However they tie them, the men working around Mehrangarh Fort wear the same turbans in yellow, with green and red accents. Playing the Pipes
The Achkan, a knee length jacket, over trousers, completes their uniform. Guard at the Gate Man with a Hookah Arches on the Corridor
The hallways and corridors of Mehrangarh Fort are beautifully balanced and delicately carved. Tying a Turban
The brightly coloured turban cloths are 25 meters long, … Tying a Turban
… so getting one neatly wrapped takes time and help. Stating a Turban Finishing a Turban Turbaned
The finished product gets a pat-down… Men in Turbans Tying a Turban
One of the other men demonstrates a different style, … Setting the Turban
… getting it well settled on his head …
Intricate Turban
… before flashing us a big smile. Turban in a Window
The delicate filagree work around the windows is quite beautiful. Moti Mahal (2008)
The Moti Mahal, or Pearl Palace, inside the Mehrangarh Fort, is a stunning testament to the glorious Rathore dynasty. Elephant’s Howdah (2008)
One of the museum galleries contains some fine examples of the elaborate two-compartment wooden seats that were attached to the backs of elephants as chairs. Turban – 2008
The colours and patterns of the fabric in the “uniform turban”… Turban – 2013
… have changed over the years. Cloth Merchant
In a gift shop, a salesman in an elaborately waxed moustache and beard shows off a different style of turban. The Beard
Our hookah-smoking friend shows up at the exit to show off his beard to full advantage. Mother and Daughter
A mother and child share a drink before leaving the fort. On the Way Out
A family pauses on the walkway leading between the fort and Jodhpur below. 
It’s a glimpse into a world with a completely different sense of sartorial style.
Namaste!
Pictures: 15April2008 and 06November2013
Posted in India,Portraits,TravelTags: architecture,blog,environmental portrait,environmental portraits,museum,portrait,portraits,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
Scenes from a Car Window (US-89 N)
Not far from the bright lights of Las Vegas, there are miles and miles of roads through arid, but stunning, landscapes. One of my Australian friends is heading to the States next month: “Las Vegas!” she told me, with some excitement.
Drinks over Las Vegas
Vegas is indeed a world apart: a resort city, known for gambling, shopping, drinking, dining and nightlife; … View from the Stratosphere – 1,149 ft (350.2 m) over Vegas
… an artificially created environment in the middle of the Mojave Desert, surrounded on all sides by mountains. Vegas Night Lights
The brightest city on earth, as viewed from space (or, in this case, from the Stratosphere), Vegas puts on a glittering display every night. (This is one of those many times I wished I had enough weight allowance to carry my tripod on my travels.) I guess it is an exciting city: there are bars and clubs, live entertainment of every description, and of course the gambling. But, after a day or so, I’m ready to escape. The best part of Vegas, in my mind, is that it is on the way to – or from – somewhere else.
One of those places is the nearby Grand Canyon: still on my bucket list.
But, it is also only two and a half hours of easy driving from Vegas to the magnificent Zion National Park, and then another two hours to Bryce Canyon National Park.
For me, these are much harder to resist than the One Armed Bandits – which are now button operated anyway. We hopped in the car and took highway I-15 N out of the city, out of Nevada, and across the corner of Arizona into Utah.
Housing on the Outskirts
Utah is one of the less-populous states – especially outside of its city centres. Small settlements dot the intersections of highways, and caravans or mobile homes sit surrounded by farm implements. View from a Bus
Like most of the National Parks that I have visited in the US, Zion is incredibly accessible. We parked our car and took one of the regular hop-on-hop-off shuttle buses (complete with commentary) that run up and down Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. Temples and Towers of the Virgin
The shuttle buses stop at popular attractions and at the heads of various walking tracks. Red Cliffs Rising
The red Navajo sandstone cliffs rise up all around the canyon. Weeping Rock
It’s a short, easy, walk from the shuttle to one of the park’s more popular spots: the Weeping Rock. Spring waters seep out of the rocks high overhead, raining down on the path below. Weeping Rock Frame
When you stand under the blind arch, the weeping rock frames the surrounding canyon. Weeping Rock Greenery
The constant, gentle flow of spring water ensures that the area around the arch is green with life. Columbine (Aquilegia chrysantha)
Ferns and flowers thrive in the wet, shaded areas. Scenes from the Roadside (US-89 N)
Rusted “still-life” objects provide visual interest as we continue our drive northeast. Desert “Garden”
I can’t resist stopping at the patches of prickly pear on the roadside. Prickly Pear in Flower
The flowers of the prickly pear (Opuntia phaeacantha) are both beautiful … Prickly Pear (Opuntia phaeacantha)
… and delicate. Scenes from a Car Window (US-89 N) Bighorn Sheep (Ovis Canadensis)
Keeping our eyes peeled against the red sandstone … Bighorn Sheep (Ovis Canadensis)
… we spot a mother bighorn sheep with her young. Scenes from a Car Window (US-89 N) Scenes from-a Car Window (US-89 N)
Different coloured buttes have their origins in different geological periods. Scenes from a Car Window (US-89 N)
The surrounding mountains cast long shadows over the landscape. Red Canyon (UT-12 E) Bryce Canyon
The massive walls of Bryce Canyon dwarf the people overlooking the hoodoos on the canyon floor. Visitors to Bryce Canyon
The light changes rapidly over the massive amphitheater. Hoodoos on the Canyon Floor
Far below on the canyon floor the colourful pinnacles can be up to 60 metres (200 feet) high. Pinnacles
The sedimentary rock of Bryce Canyon Amphitheatre was shaped into the delicate-looking hoodoos some 66 million years ago by frost and stream erosion. Pine Cones Nightfall (UT-24 E)
As the light falls at the end of the day, we dine on an outdoor table, overlooking more farm machinery and coloured hills. 
Dining al fresco as the sun goes down ~
I much prefer that to the bright lights of Vegas!
Happy Travels
Pictures: 13-14May2013
Posted in America,Landscapes,Nature,TravelTags: America,blog,landscape,National Park,nature,Photo Blog,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall,USA
Regensburg Streets
Ancient history, charming buildings, and quirky shops attract tourists to the charming little Bavarian city of Regensburg. The cities of Europe – even those which are lesser known to those of us who spend little time there – are fascinating for their charm and their long and rich history.
Regensburg, sitting at the confluence of the Danube, Naab and Regen Rivers, has been the centre of trade, political battle, and religious turmoil since the Stone Age. Located at the northern-most point of the Danube, Regensburg became the site of an important Roman encampment as early as 90AD.
Believed to be the seat of bishops from late Roman times, it is certain that the Bishopric of Regensburg was formally (re-) established in 739. Part of the Duchy of Bavaria from early 6th century and the capitol of Bavaria until the 13th century, Regensburg was also important during the reign of Charlemagne, and had a pivotal role in early Catholicism. Even after the city adopted the Protestant Reformation in 1542, the town remained the seat of a Roman Catholic bishop and several abbeys.
With the building of the Stone Bridge across the Danube in the middle of the 1100’s, Regensburg became a major centre of international trade, the local centre of culture, and renowned for gold work and fine fabrics.
During WWII, the city was home to an oil refinery and a Messerschmitt Bf 109 aircraft factory. In spite of this, strategic bombing on these targets by the Allied Forces left the medieval city centre nearly intact. This left a “notable number of historic structures span[ning] some two millennia and includ[ing] ancient Roman, Romanesque and Gothic buildings”, and resulted in the city’s UNESCO World Heritage Site listing today.
Tourists on the Canal
Regensburg, one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval cities, is ranked among Germany’s top tourist sights. Today, many international tourists arrive by canal boats and take walking tours through the old town centre. “Fragments of Memories”
A memorial plaque on the Danube River at Regensburg names the emigrant ships that docked here in the 1700’s. East Tower of Porta Praetoria
The Romans had their first fort in Regensburg from 90AD. Roman Fort Castra Regina (“Fortress by the River Regen”), originally built in 179, had an entry gate in each wall, with each gate flanked by two massive towers. Porta Praetoria
In 1885, the remains of the Porta Praetoria, dating back to ancient Roman times, were rediscovered when the Bischofshof Brewery, built on the site some time later, was being renovated. Roofline
From the cobbles to rooftops, history is in the stones all around. City-Map Diorama
Gudhorn, a local guide, points out the old-city features to her walking group. Regensburg Housing
Even the modern housing, on the other side of the river, has charm. The Alte Würstküche
The “Old Sausage Kitchen” is reputedly Germany’s oldest restaurant: every day, staff in the 900 year-old building make and serve 6,000 sausages – with sauerkraut and mustard – to customers. Men at Coffee
As is the case across Europe, much business is conducted in the coffee shops, in the streets. David and Goliath
… past a mural of David and Goliath, originally painted by Melchior Bocksberger in 1573, on a building which stands in the place of an old 12th century inn in the “goliards” – a Goliathhaus: a word which, ironically, has nothing to do – etymologically – with the Goliath story. Old Regensburg
A walk down Goliathstraße – “Goliath Street” – towards Haidplatz (Meadow or Heath) Square, leads, naturally enough … Balcony
Everywhere, the old buildings have fresh paint and fresh flowers. Statue of Don Juan de Austria
Oh, how complicated are the royal houses of Europe! Don Juan de Austria (Don John of Austria), who was born near here in 1547, was the illegitimate son of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, heir to three of Europe’s leading dynasties and King of Germany, Italy and Spain, with Barbara Blomberg, a young Regensburg woman. Don Juan was well schooled, and was later recognised officially as an heir. Old-Town Plaza
The plaza around the Old Town Hall is a pleasant place to gather. Old Town Hall
Parts of the Old Town Hall itself date back to the 14th century. Bay Window
The window and door details on the Old Town Hall are intricate and beautiful. Arched Courtyard
Everywhere around the Old Town Hall plaza, there are colourful nooks and crannies. Dirndles for Sale
Traditional clothing styles are experiencing a revival, and modern shops feature the Bavarian dresses in up-to-date fabrics. Home of Reformation Discussions
More accidental history: Philipp Melanchthon (Schwartzerdt), follower and friend of Martin Luther, leader of the Lutheran Reformation, held discussions with Dr. Johann Maier von Eck, defender of Roman Catholicism in this house in 1541. The Lutherans (Protestants) won. Schindler’s House
The city takes pride in the fact that Oskar Schindler, saviour of over 1200 Jews, lived here for a period of time after the war. Another Clock Tower
More cobbled streets and archways lead to the famous 12th-century stone bridge . Regensburg Cathedral
The Romanesque Cathedral of St. Peter was originally begun in 1273 and completed in 1525, with ongoing additional touches and restorations through to the 2000s. “Hutkönig” the Hat King
With an extensive range of men’s and women’s millinery, the “Hutmacher am Dom” got our complete attention for as long as it took to find the perfect style and fit. “2000 Years”
A modern sculpture incorporating 200 fish – to represent 2000 years of Regensburg history – also marked our return to our boats. Wandering around an old city is a great way to learn some history –
And to acquire a new hat!
Happy Rambles!
Pictures: 18August2014
Posted in Architecture,Germany,History,TravelTags: architecture,bavaria,blog,gremany,history,travel,Travel Blog,UNESCO,Ursula Wall
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I believe the closing is meant for me as I elected to stay in the hotel. It is hard to believe that it has been nine years ago that we participated in this fantastic adventure.
Ha Ha!! You weren’t the only one who sat out the last walk, as I recall. 😀
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