Bab al-Ghuri, Khan al-Khalili, Cairo Egypt

Bab al-Ghuri
You can buy almost anything here at Cairo’s Khan el-Khalili Bazaar. If you search, you might even find Aladdin’s lamp in one of the shops nestled either side of this stone gate built by Sultan al-Ghuri in 1511.

Two of the great joys of travel are eating and shopping!

Any visitor to these pages know I love exploring markets. I love the colour and the chaos; I love the photographic challenges they present; I love the insight they give into local people’s lives.

I don’t even mind the pseudo ‘workshop’ visits that are part of almost any organised group trip. For while they are principally aimed at the tourist’s dollars, they are also a break from the more serious museums, and give an insight into local products and craftsmanship. As the vendors hope, I often succumb to temptation – although I try to buy consumables, or small gifts, rather than collecting yet more souvenirs for my already crowded home.

After an intense morning of heat and history at the pyramids of Giza (see: Stories in Ancient Stone), I was happy to have a coffee in the air conditioned comfort of a papyrus store, where a brief explanation of how papyrus is made into paper preceded a lengthy opportunity to buy artworks or hieroglyphics. A visit to the Egyptian Museum (where I wasn’t allowed to use my cameras inside the museum, but could use my primitive old iPhone6) fleshed out some of the morning’s history.

Everywhere we went, markets beckoned, but none was more beguiling than the honeycomb of ancient streets making up Cairo’s magical, medieval Khan el-Khalili. As a centre of trade, this historic souq (souk, or marketplace) was established between 1382 and 1389. Some of the buildings and city gates that the market incorporates date back even further. The density of cultural heritage and historic Islamic, Mamluk, and Ottoman architecture found here contribute to – along with the mosque and museum we had visited that same day (see: The Gayer-Anderson Museum and Ibn Tulun Mosque) – the UNESCO’s World Heritage listing of ‘Historic Cairo’.

If you hit shopping overload, there are plenty of cafes to stop and just people-watch. We did even better! Our day – and our Egyptian sojourn – ended with a home-cooked meal with a local family in Cairo.

Join me!

Woman in a hijab explaining papyrus, Giza Egypt

Explaining Papyrus
As the tour buses role through, saleswomen are kept busy, explaining the iconography in the artworks …

Portrait: Woman in a hijab explaining papyrus, Giza Egypt

Cyperus Papyrus
… and demonstrating how the common Nile grass …

Portrait: Woman in a hijab explaining papyrus, Giza Egypt

Making Papyrus
… gets made into durable paper.

Three men making koshary, Koshary Abou Tarek, Cairo Egypt

Making Koshary for Lunch
If you want good, fast food, go where the locals eat! Koshary Abou Tarek in Cairo is a hive of activity, serving up Egypt’s national dish. A popular street food, koshary (kushari, or koshari) is a tasty mix of pasta, rice, and lentils, with a spicy sauce and garnish. Yum! (iPhone6)

White statue of a pharaoh in a glass case, Egyptian Museum, Cairo

Ghosts of the Past
The Egyptian Museum is said to be the oldest archaeological museum in the Middle East, and houses the largest collection of pharaonic antiquities in the world. (iPhone6)

Sculpture of King Menkaure, Hathor and Waset, Egyptian Museum, Cairo

Timeless Black Schist Triad
The age of these artworks is mind boggling! This triad depicts King Menkaure, wearing the crown of Upper Egypt (centre), flanked by the Goddess Hathor and Waset, the ancient God of Thebes. In spite of its modern appearance, it dates to around 2500 BC. (iPhone6)

Painted limestone statue of Niankhre II, Egyptian Museum, Cairo

“Everyman”
Pharaohs are not the only ones immortalised: this painted limestone statue of Niankhre II, a physician, dates to the Fifth Dynasty (2494–2345 BC). (iPhone6)

Tutankhamun

Tutankhamun’s Collar
The riches that were buried with this young pharaoh are simply awe-inspiring. (iPhone6)

Man glass blowing, Essence Of Life AlFayed Perfume, Aswan Egypt

Glass Blowing
I love watching glass blowers as they sculpt it into wonderfuls shapes over flame. This was near the entry of a large store in Aswan selling essential oils.

Ornate glass bottles, Essence Of Life AlFayed Perfume, Aswan Egypt

Ornate Glass Bottles
Ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians were making perfumes at least 5000 years ago.

Bottles of essential oils, Essence Of Life AlFayed Perfume, Aswan Egypt

Essential Oils
Egyptian priests used aromatic resins to sweeten the smell of sacrificial offerings, and oils have long been believed to have psychological, physiological, and spiritual healing properties.

Bottling essential oils, Essence Of Life AlFayed Perfume, Aswan Egypt

Preparing Fragrances
Today, the essential oils are packaged for tourists to take home with them. After a cooling karkade (hibiscus iced tea), we were treated to samples of healing oils and fragrances that mimicked expensive branded perfumes.

Buying essential oils, Essence Of Life AlFayed Perfume, Aswan Egypt

Buying Fragrance
Even though I had bought frankincense resin at the markets earlier that day, neither I nor the rest of my group could resist! I’ve read many unhappy reviews from similar places in Cairo, but I can’t fault this one in Aswan: I’m still loving my ‘Secret of the Desert’ – and my ‘not-quite-Chanel’.

Fresh fruit at the market, Khan el-Khalili, Cairo Egypt

Fresh Fruit in the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar
Markets bring a city to life!

Souvenirs packed into a display, Khan el-Khalili, Cairo Egypt

Souvenirs
Although this historical market still houses local merchants, craftsmen, and traders, …

Souvenirs packed into a display, Khan el-Khalili, Cairo Egypt

Trinkets
… much of it today targets tourists.

Traditional glass tea set, Khan el-Khalili, Cairo Egypt

Traditional Glass and Brass Tea Set

Qalawun Complex
The souq is bounded on the west by El Moez Street – or al-Muizz Street – transliteration from Arabic is notoriously slippery. This kilometre (0.6 mile) long pedestrian street is crowded with magnificent examples of Islamic architecture. This building, named after the the seventh Bahri Mamluk Sultan Qalawun, was built between 1284–1285 and includes a hospital, a madrasa, and his mausoleum.

Madrasa and Mosque of al-Salih Najm al-Din Ayyub, Khan el-Khalili, Cairo Egypt

Madrasa and Mosque of al-Salih Najm al-Din Ayyub
Directly across the street, the extensive complex started by the Ayyub Sultan As-Salih Ayyub in 1242, stands tall.

Mausoleum of al-Salih Najm al-Din Ayyub, Khan el-Khalili, Cairo Egypt

The Mausoleum
The domed Mausoleum of al-Salih Najm al-Din Ayyub (as-Salih Najm ad-Din Ayyub) was added after his death in 1249. No wonder the UN has declared the street to contain the greatest concentration of medieval architectural treasures in the Islamic world.

Blue-painted doorways, Khan el-Khalili, Cairo Egypt

El Moez Street Doorways
Shops are tucked into every nook and cranny.

Craftsman hammering metal in a laneway, Khan el-Khalili, Cairo Egypt

Craftsman in a Laneway
There are still a few craftsmen working in the narrow laneways – although fewer than in the past.

Craftsman

Tooling Metal
I was fascinated watching the intricate work taking shape.

Bab al-Ghuri, Khan el-Khalili, Cairo Egypt

Al-Ghuri’s Gate
The last Mamluk Sultan al-Ghuri (r. 1501–1516) redeveloped this area; the southern gate of Suq al-Nabulsi remains from that time.

Upstairs balcony, Khan el-Khalili, Cairo Egypt

Living in the Old City
Houses and workshops fill the upper floors of many of the old buildings.

Foods for sale, Khan el-Khalili, Cairo Egypt

Foods for Sale
Dates are ubiquitous in the Middle East.

Old stone gate, Khan el-Khalili, Cairo Egypt

Another Old Gate

Old Minaret against a gray sky, Khan el-Khalili, Cairo Egypt

Minaret
There are so many old mosques in in this neighbourhood, I couldn’t identified most of them, …

Al-Azhar Mosque, Khan el-Khalili, Cairo Egypt

Al-Azhar Mosque
… but the distinctive Al-Azhar Mosque marking the southern boundary of the market stands out. One of the oldest mosques in Egypt, it was originally established in 972. The three minarets make it immediately recognisable: especially the double-finial minaret of Qansah al-Ghuri.

Pots on the stove in a Cairo kitchen, Egypt.

Cairo Kitchen
We finished our last day in a middle-class Cairo home, … (iPhone6)

Portrait: Egyptian woman in her kitchen, Cairo

Cairo Home-Cook
… where our bubbly hostess, teacher and mother of two … (iPhone6)

Portrait: Egyptian woman in her dining room, Cairo

Cairo Dinner Table
… laid out a wonderful meal, and introduced us to her family.

Night lights on the Nile from the Novotel Cairo, Egypt

Last Lights on the Nile
From my hotel room, I had a last view over the majestic Nile River.

I departed Egypt with several pieces of Egyptian cotton which I paid too much for – and some of it was later found to be synthetic. And, my beautiful blue-stone necklace discoloured my neck on the very first wearing!

Sign-Off-Happy-ShoppingCaveat emptor applies even more when you know you are a target, and purchasers in foreign ports need to pay special attention to what they are buying.

But, I love my souvenirs anyway, and I’m always sorrier for the things I don’t buy. It’s all part of the fun!

Pictures: Cairo: 06October2019 and 12October2019; Aswan: 10October2019

Rock pools full of water, shells and sea creatures, Botanical Beach, BC Canada

Rock Pools
It is impossible to count the number of tidal rock pools on Vancouver Island’s beautiful Botanical Beach – and each one is unique in its colours and textures.

It is nice when advertising slogans actually make sense and ring true!

British Columbia (BC), Canada’s western-most province, has coined the phrase: Super, Natural British Columbia. And it fits. Wherever you go, there are natural spaces of the most incredible beauty.

I had landed in Vancouver, and almost immediately headed for the woods and nature trails (see: Back in the Land of Tall Trees). I was lucky: some time later, I was visiting with ‘friends-in-the-know’ on Vancouver Island, off the west coast of BC. They took me to visit what used to be called Botanical Beach Provincial Park, but since 1996 has been subsumed under the larger Juan de Fuca Provincial Park. This magnificent coastal preserve is a two-hour drive from where I was staying in Victoria. It sits overlooking the Salish Sea – or the Strait of Juan de Fuca, depending on the age of your maps – and is accessed through the tiny community of Port Renfrew. Serious multi-day hikers know the locale because it is the trailhead for the celebrated Juan de Fuca Marine Trail and the historic West Coast Trail; even so, it is not an area I would have found by accident.

But, like every other corner of this remarkable province, it is a joy!

Botanical Beach, with its abundance of intertidal life, was identified as a notable location for the study of marine tidepools by Dr. Josephine Tildon from the University of Minnesota. The university set up a marine station in 1900 – but students had to travel by steamship from Victoria to Port Renfrew, and then walk a narrow and muddy trail (with all their scientific equipment) the rest of the way. A road was promised but never built, and the station closed in 1907.     

Fortunately, we were able to drive to the trail head, from whence the beach was an easy one kilometre (0.6 miles) walk!

Come for a waterfront stroll among the tidal pools.

Dappled light on skunk cabbage leaves, , Botanical Beach Provincial Park, BC Canada

Western Skunk Cabbage in the Shadows
Skunk cabbages (Lysichiton americanus) are ubiquitous in the wet spaces here. They are also monocots – which I had to look up: monocotyledons are grass and grass-like flowering plants whose seeds typically contain only one embryonic leaf, or cotyledon. Helpful, right?
The contrasts between brilliant sunlight through a clear sky and dark, damp understory of a tall forest are a challenge for the camera – and for the editing process afterwards!

Interpretive sign on the walkway, Botanical Beach, BC Canada

“Scientifically Significant”
The interpretive signage along the track provides lots of useful information.

Tall tree trunks, Botanical Beach Provincial Park, BC Canada

Tall Trees and Alectoria Sarmentosa
I have always called it Spanish Moss – silly me! Thanks to a signboard along the track to the beach, I now know it’s a witch’s-hair lichen.

The path to Botanical Beach, BC Canada

The Path
We parked near the toilets; as we were about to set off, a woman asked if we’d done the track before. “It’s very muddy and slippery!” she said. …

Walkers on the path to Botanical Beach, BC Canada

Walkers on the Path
… Lucky for us, she pointed us to a cleaner, shorter trail to the beach close by.

Green shoot of a bush on the path to Botanical Beach, BC Canada

Green Shoot in the Sun

View onto Botanical Beach from the pathway, BC Canada

Approaching Botanical Beach
It doesn’t matter how long I spend in BC where sights like this are an everyday occurance, this kind of view always takes my breath away.

Person on the sandstone waterfront, Botanical Beach, BC Canada

A Figure on the Beach
Even if you are not alone, there is a feeling of space.

Steller

Steller’s Jay in the Trees
Regularly sighted in these forests, the native Steller’s jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) was named in 1788 for Georg Steller, a naturalist who first sighted them in Alaska in 1741 from a Russian explorer’s ship.

Pockmarked sandstone waterfront, Botanical Beach, BC Canada

Waves on the Rocks
The soft sandstone foreshore has been pounded by the waves of the wild Pacific Ocean, carved by boulders tossed around by water, and further detailed by purple sea urchins.

Pockmarked sandstone waterfront, Botanical Beach, BC Canada

Rocks in a Tidal Pool
Ridges of shale and quartz jut up through black basalt …. It’s a pity I don’t know my basalt from my quartz!

Bull kelp on the stony beach, Botanical Beach, BC Canada

Bull Kelp – Nereocystis Luetkeana
More than once on this trip, I heard stories about how the over-hunting of sea otters lead to the rise in sea urchins, and the subsequent decimation of kelp forests. This then had numerous negative flow-on effects, especially – but not restricted to – the reduction in other marine life. Scientists are currently looking at ways of restoring the balance; but what would balance look like?

Looking east ove Botanical Beach, BC Canada

The Eastern Shore
An unnamed (as far as I can ascertain) promontory marks the eastern end of Botanical Beach. In any event, the tide was coming in; it was time to work our way back!

Rock pool full of water, shells and sea creatures, Botanical Beach, BC Canada

Tidal Rock Pool
Provincial Park rules prohibit the collecting or harming of any marine species (whether it is alive or not) …

Rock pool full of water, shells and sea creatures, Botanical Beach, BC Canada

Another Rock Pool
… but the wonderful colours and textures make the urge to reach in and touch (almost) irresistible!

Small cave with water dripping, Botanical Beach, BC Canada

A Little Drippy Cave
Even the vertical sandstone walls have been carved into interesting shapes.

Water-filled indentations on the sandstone, Botanical Beach, BC Canada

Nature’s Watercolour Pallet

Rock Pool Moonscape
The incoming tide can rise quite quickly: it is time to move on, before we lose the foreshore.

Mussels attached to a driftwood log, Botanical Beach, BC Canada

Mussels on a Log
Creatures are everywhere we look.

Salmonberry flower Botanical Beach Provincial Park, BC Canada

Salmonberry Flower
Nothing says the Pacific Northwest like the native bramble: the salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis), which will soon be covered in delicious, raspberry-like fruit.

Laurel bloom, Botanical Beach Provincial Park, BC Canada

Laurel
The laurels were also in full bloom, but I’m not so sure these are native.

Text: Take only Pictures

We were lucky: the low temperatures that had dogged the usually warm west-coast spring were ideal for walking, and the copious rains that had been mostly unrelenting all month held off long enough for us to get back to the car for the drive back home.

Super, natural, …

Indeed!

Pictures: 16May2022

Portrait:Sadhu in an orange turban and grey beard, Haridwar India.

A Penetrating Gaze
Sadhus, pilgrims, and locals alike, meet your eyes boldly in the streets of India. The county is street-portrait heaven!

India is truly a street-portrait paradise.

People are everywhere. Swathed in colourful fabrics and draped in layers of beads, they sit or stand against backgrounds of textured wash-painted buildings or rusting roller-doors, colourful ads or fading billboards. It is as if they are just waiting for an aspiring photographer to wander past! They meet your eyes unselfconsciously, and implicitly give consent to the camera lens.

This is especially true in a holy pilgrimage city like Haridwar, where the streets are full of travellers on the move. In Sanskrit, Haridwar means “The Gateway to Lord Vishnu”. Sitting on the right bank of the Ganges river – in and of itself a most sacred entity in Hindu tradition – Haridwar is one of the seven holy places (Sapta Puri) in India where Hindus can be liberated from the cycle of birth and death.

I was lucky enough to visit the city twice: the first time for the Kumbh Mela in 2010 (see: Weekly Wanders Kumbh Mela), and on this, the second occasion after the Pushkar Camel Fair (see: Weekly Wanders Pushkar) with photographer Karl Grobl from Jim Cline Photo Tours.

Early one morning, I braved the November chill to wander the streets, where plenty of willing subjects greeted me and my cameras.

Balcony silhouetted, Haveli Hari Ganga, Haridwar India

The Balcony – Haveli Hari Ganga
Exploring the chaos of Indian streets can result in sensory overload very quickly! Having a centrally-located oasis to escape back to makes it manageable. (iPhone6)

Portrait: woman and child in blankets, Haridwar India

Woman and Child
It is early morning, and it is cold, but people are happy to greet me and smile for the camera.

Portrait: Old woman in a headscarf, Haridwar India

Old Woman
This elderly woman was happy to pause, …

Henna-decorated hands, Haridwar India

Hennaed Hands
… and proudly showed me her hand decorations.

Portrait: Man in a woollen hat, Haridwar India

Man in a Woollen Hat

 Portrait: Child with his tongue out, Haridwar India

Cheeky Child
Children are the same the world over!

Portrait: Man in an orange blanket, Haridwar India

Man in a Blanket
The colours in India always catch my eye – especially when they are against dark, textured backgrounds.

Portrait: Smiling man in an orange blanket, Haridwar India

Big Smile

Three men in a Haridwar street, India

In the Morning Streets
The morning light sneaks into the dark laneways where pilgrims gather to chat.

Three men walking in a Haridwar street, India

More Blankets
Who knows how far some of these pilgrims have walked?

Image of Shiva behind a screen, Haridwar India

Shiva
This is a holy city, and shrines are everywhere.

Rhesus Macaque outside a Shiva shrine, Haridwar India

Rhesus Macaque
The monkeys gather to eat the marigold offerings.

Portrait: macaque outside a Shiva shrine, Haridwar India

Rhesus Macaque – Macaca Mulatta

Women in layers of clothing, Haridwar, India

Women in the Street
People are all layered in an assortment of clothing to ward off the cold; I guess it beats carrying bags!

Portrait: Indian men in woolen hats and blankets, Haridwar

Men in Blankets
More pilgrims – wrapped up in blankets against the November morning chill – …

Indian men in woolen hats and blankets, Haridwar

Pilgrims at Rest
… rest their weary legs and walking sticks on their long journey.

Portrait:Sadhu in an orange turban and grey beard, Haridwar India.

The Eyes of a Sadhu

Portrait: Man in a long beard, Haridwar India

Man in a Long Beard
India is a country of 1.4 billion people – and they are all such individuals!

Portrait: Man in a white head wrap, Haridwar India

Waving Man
Everywhere I have been in the country, the people have been friendly and welcoming.

Lassi Shop, Haridwar, India

Lassi Shop
There are some things things that define a place: lassi – a tasty blend of yogurt, water, spices, and sometimes fruit – is so India.

Man cleaning the lassi-making equipment, Haridwar, India

Cleaning the Equipment
Raw milk is at high risk of transmitting foodborne illnesses, and this shop was taking its job of cleaning the equipment seriously.

Two shiny lassi machines, Haridwar India

Lassi Machine
This equipment was so shiny I could see the street in it!

Three men in turbans, Haridwar, India

Pilgrims
The morning light slants through the narrow streets …

Three men in turbans, Haridwar, India

Men in Turbans
… catching faces, turbans, and bare feet.
.

It was time for me to get myself some masala chai and breakfast – and to leave the pilgrims to their travels.

Until next time –

Photos: 19November2013

Bushy Needlebush – Hakea Sericea
Although it is part of Metropolitan Melbourne, it is easy to lose yourself in nature on the Mornington Peninsula.

It is very easy to find interesting and diverse walks into the woods and wetlands of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. Although it is only an hour south of Melbourne City Centre, you feel like you are a world away.

But, there is no need to rough it here: the region is also home to more farm-to-table speciality restaurants and boutique vineyards than you can possibly sample in a short stay. The accommodation I had booked for my week in the region was in a central location on the compact peninsula, making all corners accessible. Armed with a terrific map highlighting places of interest – including for shopping and eating – and describing a variety of walks (see: Mornington Peninsula), I was able to plan my time around foods I wanted to sample. 

I was staying next to the Eagle Ridge Golf Course, so I enjoyed daily morning and evening walks around the landscaped greens. I also spent time exploring the region’s history (see: A Walk into the Past) and some of the different preserved and recovered landscapes (see: Red Hill Rail Trail and Endeavour Fern Gully). 

On my fourth full day on the Mornington, I walked just over six kilometres (4 miles), out and back on the Balcombe Estuary Boardwalk beside Balcombe Creek. After this meandering stroll into saltmarsh and bushland, I returned to Mount Martha for local wine and flavoursome Italian-style wood-fired pizza made with regional produce and cheese. I think I ate much more than my walked had earned me!

On my last day, I lunched at the hatted-restaurant at Pt Leo Estate, and wandered through their Sculpture Garden (see: Pt Leo Estate). I decided to check out the nearby Coolart Homestead, and explore the wetlands there in the remains of the winter afternoon light before heading back to my room. 

Join me!

Eagle Ridge Golf Course under a winter sky, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria Australia

Eagle Ridge Golf Course
My morning walks around the beautifully-landscaped golf course were a pleasure. (iPhone12pro)

Sandy Mount Martha entry to the Balcombe Creek Estuary Boardwalk, Victoria Australia

Entry at Mount Martha
The hardest park of any walk is getting started! I parked on the wrong side of the estuary at first, and had to consult with locals about where best to put my car.

Rusty metal cutout of a swamp hen, Balcombe Creek Estuary Boardwalk, Victoria Australia

Purple Swamp Hen”
Once on the path everything is well signposted: including with metal signs letting you know what birds to look out for.

Wooden walkway, Balcombe Creek Estuary Boardwalk, Victoria Australia

Balcombe Boardwalk
The boardwalk makes life for mums with strollers a breeze! The walkway was in good condition, and I passed many people making use of it.

Grasses and trees reflected in Balcombe Creek, Victoria Australia

Balcombe Creek
Little detours in the walkway take you down to the water’s edge …

Cormorant and trees reflected in Balcombe Creek, Victoria Australia

Cormorant on the Creek
… where there is plenty of waterbird life to enjoy.

Evergreen leaves, Balcombe Creek Estuary Boardwalk, Victoria Australia

Native Scrub

Grey shrike-thrush in bush, Balcombe Creek Estuary Boardwalk, Victoria Australia

Grey Shrike Thrush
I’m always excited when I catch even part of a bird in the wild!

Grey shrike-thrush in bush, Balcombe Creek Estuary Boardwalk, Victoria Australia

Colluricincla Harmonica
Used to people here, this one sat and watched me for a while – from a safe distance.

Names written into cluster pine bark, Balcombe Creek Estuary Boardwalk, Victoria Australia

Graffiti on the Cluster Pine
The texture in the the cluster pine (pinus pinaster) bark allows room for people to leave their marks.

Cluster pine trunk against the sky, Balcombe Creek Estuary Boardwalk, Victoria Australia

Pine against the Sky
These trees, native to the Mediterranean, grow to reach 20–35 m (66-115 ft) tall.

Plastic sleeves around tree branches, Balcombe Creek Estuary Boardwalk, Victoria Australia

Protecting Nests
Volunteers engage in a variety of activities – including installing plastic sleeves to prevent ground-based creatures like feral cats from attacking precious hollows and nesting sites.

Close up: She oak needles, Balcombe Creek Estuary Boardwalk, Victoria Australia

She Oak Needles
I love casuarinas, and I loved finding out that they were named for way their needles resemble the feathers of cassowary birds. (iPhone12pro)

Eastern yellow robin on a stump, Balcombe Creek Estuary Boardwalk, Victoria Australia

Eastern Yellow Robin – Eopsaltria Australis
Another bird! The eastern yellow robin lives only in the southeastern regions of Australia.

Coolart Homestead against a winter sky, Coolart Wetlands, Victoria Australia

Coolart Homestead
Dating from 1895, this late Victorian-era family home is usually open to the public. Managed by Parks Victoria, the heritage estate is currently undergoing renovations.

Morning Flight by Heather Ellis, Coolart Wetlands, Victoria Australia

Morning Flight
Ibis by local sculptor and potter Heather Ellis adorn a pond outside.

Pine cones against wild bush, Coolart Wetlands, Victoria Australia

Pine Cones
A network of walking tracks criss-cross the 87.5 hectare (216 acre) property, taking in coastal woodlands, wetlands, lagoons, and formal gardens.

Stumps, trunks and undergrowth, Coolart Wetlands, Victoria Australia

Like a Bear in the Woods
I followed the Woodland Walk. It was late in the day, and I imagined I saw creatures in the weathered stumps.

Trees and undergrowth, Coolart Wetlands, Victoria Australia

Into the Woods
According to the website, the dominant trees here are manna gums, drooping she-oak, and coast banksia.

Trees and undergrowth, Coolart Wetlands, Victoria Australia

Tree Trunks Rising

Wetlands, Coolart Wetlands, Victoria Australia

Winter Light on the Wetlands
Several creeks and waterways – some of them estuarine – intersect the property, and the open waters of the Western Passage are just a short distance away.

Overgrown pathway, Coolart Wetlands, Victoria Australia

Overgrown Pathway
The recent strict and lengthy lockdowns have taken their toll: clearly not many people have been able to use these pathways, and they have become quite overgrown.

Tree stump lying on the ground, Coolart Wetlands, Victoria Australia

Still Life Found
I love the natural patterns and shapes one finds in the landscape.

Eagle Ridge Golf Course under a winter sky, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria Australia

Pergola : Eagle Ridge Golf Course
There is just enough light left in the winter evening sky for another stroll around the golf club before dinner. (iPhone12pro)

Truly, some very different terrains!

And, some wonderful meals between walks.

I was sorry to leave the peninsula behind!

Pictures: 22-23June2021

A woman a girl and a toddler in traditional Quechua clothing spinning wool, Ollantaytambo Peru

Spinning Wool above Ollantaytambo
Behind these women in their colourful traditional Quechua clothing, you can see the intricately fitted bricks leading up the hillside to the tambo, or inn, built during the time of Pachacutec (1438 – 1471), the ninth ruler of the Inca state.

When you are trekking at altitude in Nepal, the Sherpas will tell you: Go high, sleep lower. In the Peruvian Andes, the guiding companies seem to take the opposite approach.

Cusco, in the south-east of Peru, is the starting point for most Inca Trail tours. This little city in the Central Peruvian Andes sits at 3350 metres (2 miles) above sea level, while the surrounding towns like Pisac or Urubamba at 2,900m (9,514ft), Ollantaytambo at 2,792m (9160ft), or even Machu Picchu at 2,400m (7,874ft), are lower. So, for our first three days in the Andes, we slept high (not very well, I might add!) and toured lower.

At the time of our trip to Peru, my husband and I were living in Bangkok – which at 1.5 m (5 feet) above sea level is as low as you want to get – especially in rainy season! Fortunately, like most other Inca Trail tour companies, ours gave us two full days to acclimatise.

Cusco and its surrounds are historically and culturally fascinating, and time there is easily filled! We spent our first day walking around the city itself, and visiting the remains of Inca sites nearby (see: Cusco, Heart of the Inca Empire).

On this, our second day, we were heading a little further afield, into the Sacred Valley.

Unfortunately, the pictures that I took were on my very first little digital camera and often fall into the: ‘What was I thinking?’ category. I often can’t crop them into a more modern 2×3 format because I have filled the frame so completely. I am horrified by how many feet I have cut off!

But, they are fond memories of a unique place.

What I never could come to grips with in the region was the smell! I eventually identified it as alpaca and/or llama. It can only be described as being like rancid oil and it permeated everything, even the tap water – which we naturally were warned not to drink, but nonetheless washed in – and was especially strong in the woolen clothing worn by the local people.

Join me in Cusco’s Sacred Valley:

Llama, Awana Kancha Llama Farm, Peru

Llama
Our first stop of the day was at the Awana Kancha Llama Farm. I knew from meeting a guanaco (Lama guanicoe) in Patagonia (see: Patagonia’s Autumn Colours) that llamas weren’t the only camelids in South America,

Camelids poster, Awana Kancha Llama Farm, Peru

Camelids
… but I was surprised by the range – all of which were on display at the farm.

Llama portrait, Awana Kancha Llama Farm, Peru

Llama Portrait
They are all very affectionate – but smelly! Their soft but strong wool is known for its warmth.

Display of natural dyes, Awana Kancha Llama Farm, Peru

Natural Wool Dyes
The centre seeks to maintain and foster ancestral knowledge.

A woman in traditional Quechua clothing weaving, Awana Kancha Llama

Traditional Andean Weaving
They are working to preserve traditional techniques for the production of textiles …

A woman in traditional Quechua clothing weaving, Awana Kancha Llama Farm Peru

Young Quechua Weaver
… and to make sure that younger generations understand the meanings in the complex patterns.

Llama, Awana Kancha Llama Farm, Peru

Grazing Llama
The Awana Kancha project is an association of several communities; as well as rescuing ancestral traditions, they provide economic opportunities to hundreds of local families. The shop was full of traditional fibres made into modern products, and I couldn’t resist going home with a beautifully knitted alpaca evening cape.

Pisac and the Sacred Valley, Peru

Písaq /Pisac and the Sacred Valley
Before descending into the valley and crossing the Urubamba or Vilcamayo River, we admire the town of Pisac from above.

Pink Peruvian peppercorns, flowers and leaves, Pisac, Peru

Peruvian Pink Peppercorn Tree – Schinus Molle

Pisac Church, Peru

Pisac Church
The little church here is more modest than those we had visited in Cusco the day before!

Vegetables on a blue cloth, Pisac Market, Peru

Vegetable Market
I love the colour and chaos of village markets – and the insight they give you into local foods.

Heritage corn on a market table, Pisac Peru

Heritage Corn
A quick internet search tells me there are 55 corn varieties in Peru!

Woven woolen cloths, Pisac Market Peru

Woolen Weaves
The market is full of wonderful woven fabrics in rich colours and lively Peruvian patterns.

Colourful embroidered appliqué cloth, Pisac Market, Peru

Embroidered Appliqués

Young Quechan child, Pisac Peru

Little Cutie

Saleslady with her cheese and onion bread, Pisac Market Peru

Cheese and Onion Bread Turnovers
Fresh and hot from the clay oven, these were delicious!

Old houses of Ollantaytambo with Pinkuylluna looming behind, Peru

Ollantaytambo and Pinkuylluna
Further up the valley, we come to Ollantaytambo, which was an Inca administrative, religious, agricultural, and military complex. The mountain looming up behind is Pinkuylluna, which features grain storehouses and the face of Tunupa. It is believed that the face is natural, rather than man-made. His eyes appear to open or close depending on the light and shadows.

Sone Inca storehouses in Ollantaytambo, Peru

Storehouses
The storehouses were built out of fieldstones to keep grain. The high altitude and dry mountain air kept the produce fresh; when the Spanish arrived, the Inca had enough food stored for more than six years.

Tumbling buildings in Ollantaytambo, Peru

Ollantaytambo
The town of Ollantaytambo is home to two massive Inca ruins, those storehouses up on Pinkuylluna, and the ruins of a 15th-century fortress built by emperor Pachacuti.

Gate to the Tambo or Inn, Ollantaytambo, Peru

Gate to the Tambo or Inn
We walked up the Ollantaytambo side, to the entry gate to what was believed to be a travellers inn above the city.

Stonework around the Tambo or Inn, Ollantaytambo, Peru

Stonework
The stonework around the inn is another example of Inca precision.

Looking down over the green fields of Ollantaytambo, Peru

A Fertile Plateau
The fertile valley below us is the product of the meeting of the Patakancha and Willkanuta rivers.

Graffiti carved into cactus, Ollantaytambo, Peru

Cactus Graffiti
People the world over feel the need to leave their mark!

Houses at Ollantaytambo, Peru

Houses at Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo is said to be the only remaining example of pre-Columbian urban planning. The buildings and courtyards as well as the narrow lanes have their original form.

Terraces at Ollantaytambo, Peru

Terraces at Ollantaytambo
From the bottom of the river valleys, extensive andenes, or agricultural terraces, rise all the way up the surrounding hills. They permit farming on otherwise unusable terrain, and create micro-climates, allowing farmers to grow a range of crops at different altitudes.

 

Old stone village well, Ollantaytambo, Peru

Village Well

Stairs and terraces, Ollantaytambo, Peru

More Stairs

Fertile valley around Cusco, Peru

Fertile Valley
The altitude and the stairs took their toll, and returning to Cusco, we were glad to admire the fertile valley from the comfort of our bus!

Text: ¡Salud!

It was a fascinating insight into an almost-lost culture, and helped prepare us for the trek were were about to undertake.

Until next time –

¡ Salud !

Pictures: 06April2006