Shaded Rail Trail Warm enough in the winter sun, and soft with pine needles underfoot, the converted railway line between Merricks and Red Hill, Victoria, is a pleasure to walk.
Melbourne’s Mornington Peninsula is the very best of boutique backyards!
Part of Metropolitan Melbourne, this magical peninsula just over an hour south of the city centre is home to history (see: Point Nepean National Park), wild places, cool-climate vineyards, and countless farm-to-table restaurants.
Last winter I managed to squeeze a visit to the region between Covid-19 lockdowns: while we have all been doing it tough, Melbourne shut down six times for a total of 267 days. At one point it was leading the world for the dubious status of having the most cumulative time in lockdown.
When I was there, restaurants were still operating on strict Covid spacing rules, so I had to make sure to think ahead and book my lunch and dinner spots carefully. What a good excuse to plan my day around food! Fortunately, the local tourism authority (Mornington Peninsula) produces a terrific map which includes a variety of walks, so I could earn my meals. After all, the best place to be during a pandemic is out of doors.
One of the walks I enjoyed was the thirteen kilometres (8 mi) up-and-back the Red Hill Rail Trail. Once upon a time this was a railway line, taking fresh apples and other farm produce to the markets in Melbourne. The line closed in 1953, and eventually was reclaimed as an equestrian, walking, and cycling trail.
The next day, I sampled more local wine and produce at Foxeys Hangout before taking a short (2 km; 1.2 mi) afternoon stroll around Endeavour Fern Gully, the 27-hectare (66 acre) National Trust property preserving the last pocket of the Mornington Peninsula’s original lush rainforest habitat.
Join me for a couple of walks in very different vegetation zones:
Signposts Naturally, I didn’t see this sign until after I had parked my car at Merricks General Wine Store. Still, I was planning to eat there later!
In the Pines A thick growth of pine trees keeps the track shaded and soft with fallen needles underfoot.
Winter Vines This is cool-climate wine country, growing pinot noir and chardonnay in particular. But, it is winter: the vines are trimmed back and nothing is growing at the moment.
Dog Walkers It is a Sunday: everyone is out with their dogs.
Australian Green and Gold A number of wattle varieties flower in autumn and winter, so the bush is always colourful.
Shared Pathway Although most path-users are on foot, there are a number cycling, and a few on horseback.
Paddocks Horses graze in nearby paddocks. I’m told there is a deer farm near here; I didn’t see it.
Pittosporum Berries
Vines and Poles I love the patterns made by the bare vines against the sky.
Red Hill Mural At the turning-point of my walk, I come across the mural on the side of the Red Hill Trading Company depicting the old steam locomotive that operated this rail line.
Willie Wagtail – Rhipidura Leucophrys On the walk back, I try to catch the little Willie wagtail – Australia’s largest fantail – chirping in the pittosporum.
Pine Forest The shadows have lengthened in the tall pine forest …
Fallen Log … and the fallen logs are left to nurture the darkening ground.
Fairy Mushroom Apparently these are quite common, but I only know them from children’s story books, so I was enchanted.
Eastern Yellow Robin – Eopsaltria Australis Birds are not my forté, so I was happy to spot this little fellow – and even more thrilled to get a photo!
Into Endeavour Fern Gully The start of the 2 kilometre (1.2 mi) walk around Fern Gully was a bit vague and very wet. I was glad to be bearing sturdy shoes.
Walkway around Endeavour Fern Gully Once I was into the property, the elevated walkway was easy to navigate, …
Fern Information … and well marked with interpretive signage.
Path in the Ferns It was lush, and cool, and quite magical!
Fern Patterns I was entranced by the patterns in the tough, but delicate looking ferns …
Manna Gum – Eucalyptus Viminalis … and by the colours in the tall gum trunks.
Peeling Bark It is for good reason that manna gums are also called ribbon gums.
Gum Forest Dappled light plays with the patterns on the tree trunks.
Messmate Stringybark – Eucalyptus Obliqua Long shadows allow mosses and lichens to flourish.
Tall Trees There was a time when most of Mornington Peninsula was covered with indigenous bushland like this.
Gum Leaves in the Sun
Murnong Yam Daisy? I took this photo as I was leaving Fern Gully because I thought it was a Murnong yam daisy – a popular Indigenous bush tucker – but now I’m not so sure. It might just be a dandelion!
Wildflower or weed?
To me it is all the same, in the search for light, patterns, and colours.
It is all natural beauty – and in the picturesque Mornington Peninsula, it is all around: preserved and yet accessible.
A Tunnel on the Flåmsbana It is only a 20.2-kilometer (12.6 mi) trip, but the rail descent from Myrdal, Norway, to Flåm in the valley below, takes in 20 tunnels and some magnificent scenery.
I love train travel, and European trains are an absolute treat.
The Flåm Railway line takes less than an hour each way, but it is one of Norway’s most popular attractions, and has earned its mention in Lonely Planet and National Geographic travel guides.
The Flåmsbana is an engineering marvel that took 20 years to build. First opened in 1941, the 20.2-kilometers (12.6 mi) of winding standard-gauge track comprises 20 tunnels – many of which were built by hand, and some of which house the FlåmRiver, rather than the train itself. With a top gradient of 5.5 percent (1:18), it is one of the steepest adhesion-type railways in the world, and is the steepest standard-gauge railway in Europe.
As the the train drops 866 meters (2,841 ft) between its endpoints at Myrdal, a stop along the Bergen – Oslo line, and the tiny village of Flåm, which sits at sea level in the valley below, it winds through a jaw-dropping landscape of steep-sided mountains, picturesque hamlets, and stunning waterfalls.
Come ride the rails with me!
Myrdal Railway Station The Flåm train timetable dovetails with the train service that runs between Bergen and Oslo. My starting point was Bergen; the little mountain station of Myrdal at the head of the Flåm line is just under two hours east.
Sun over Myrdal Station In my head it was Spring, but the afternoon sun angled low as we pulled out of the station. We are a long way north – 60 degrees north, to be precise – and the Norwegians call this season ‘late winter’. Indeed, there were very few signs of Spring around under the piles of snow!
Bridge Pylons Before long, we have stunning views down into the river valley far below.
Kjosfossen Station We emerge from our first tunnels for a photo-stop at Kjosfossen.
Kjosfossen The afternoon sun was not my friend! It worked against me as I tried to pick out the details around this waterfall system. The very-noisy Kjos Waterfall drops a total of 225 m (738 ft), with the longest drop being 93 m (305 ft).
Rail-Line on the Hill Looking up in the other direction, you can see the trussed rail line above, giving you an idea how far we have dropped already. Zig-zagging up on the right is the 100-year old Rallarvegen, or Navvies Road, a 20-switchback construction/access road that is now a popular cycling track.
Back inside the Flåmsbana The vintage train compartments are designed to look old-fashioned, but they are clean, spacious, and comfortable, with large viewing windows (little use in the many tunnels!). I have this carriage almost all to myself!
Hills and Valleys Emerging from yet another tunnel, it is clear that we are lower down the mountain. Waterfalls are everywhere, …
Red Buildings in the Valley … as are small settlements.
Towards another Tunnel
Brekkefossen Another wonderful waterfall comes into view. I walked to this one the next day, as part of my stay in Flåm (see: A Walk in a Norwegian Wood).
Flåmsdalen – Flåm Valley Here at the base of the mountains and at the head of the head of the Aurlandsfjord (see: On Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord), the grass is green and the land is clearly fertile.
Flåm Skule – Flåm School All the buildings are tidy, and cheerfully painted to ward off the long shadows and the longer winters.
Flåm Museum Two days later, I was ready to get back on the train to head up the hill. I had time for a short stop at the free museum …
NSB El 9 Engine … which outlines the history of the area and of the railroad. This is one of the retired electric locomotives originally purpose-built for the Flåm line – custom-made for steep hills and slow speeds.
Flåm from the Train I discovered later that I took almost exactly the same pictures going up the hill as I had going down – but the midday-light was quite different. Perhaps it’s not so surprising, though: Flåm truly is a picturesque village!
Brekkefossen – Again!
Trains Meeting Berekvam, roughly halfway between top and bottom, is the only point on the line with double tracks; …
Modern Flåmsbana Engine … so, this is the only place you want to see another train coming towards you! The new engines are several generations ahead of the ones we saw at the museum.
Trains Passing
Waterfall in the Valley
Kjosfossen Power Station Built during World War II, this hydroelectric power plant keeps the electric Flåm Railway running.
Pylons over the Valley
Conductor at Vatnahalsen The penultimate stop is at Vatnahalsen, where a number of passengers detrain for a stay at an upmarket hotel nearby.
Snaps in the Show By the time we reach Myrdal to reconnect with the main line, a fluffy flurry of snow is falling.
Ibn Tulun Mosque and the Mosque of Sarghatmish Framed From the 17th-century Egyptian roof terrace of the Gayer-Anderson Museum, two of Cairo’s neighbouring mosques are so close you can almost touch them. (iPhone6)
The centre of Cairo, Egypt’s sprawling and populous ancient capital on the banks of the Nile River, is so dense with vibrant culture and UNESCO- listed history as to be overwhelming.
So, it pays to sample small sections at a time.
The Al-Sayeda Zainab Governorate is one of the city’s oldest and most crowded neighbourhoods. This district centres on – and is named for – the eponymous mosque reputedly built over the gravesite of Sayyida Zaynab, granddaughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
Our focus, however, is another medieval mosque nearby. The Mosque of Ibn Tulun is almost as old, and arguably more famous. Originally built between 876 and 879 AD, this mosque – which has been restored several times – featured in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, as well as in the video games Serious Sam 3: BFE and Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation.
In medieval times, it was common practice to build private homes against the outer wall of a mosque, and by the 1900s this mosque could barely be seen from the outside. In 1928, the Committee for the Conservation of Arab Monuments organised the demolition of all but two of these houses: the “House of the Cretan woman” (Bayt al-Kritliyya), built in 1632, and the adjacent Beit Amna bint Salim, built in 1540. At some point in time, a bridge between the two structures was added at the third floor level, and this combined building was considered to be worthy of protection.
After the property was restored, a retired collector and self-described ‘Orientalist’, Major R.G. Gayer-Anderson, was given permission to live in the house by the Egyptian Government. He oversaw the installation of electricity and plumbing and filled the home with some of his extensive collection of art, furnishings, and carpets. After living there between 1935 and 1942, he returned to England and gifted the house and its contents back to the government. Noted for being one of the best-preserved examples of 17th-century domestic architecture left in Cairo, and now named the Gayer-Anderson Museum, the house is open to the public, and is accessible through the outer walls of the mosque.
I was traveling in Egypt with a small group, and we had flown back from Aswan that morning (see: Boats on the Nile). Fortified by lunch at one of the Gad chain of cheap and tasty Egyptian fast-food restaurants, we set off to explore the mosque and neighbouring museum.
On a photographic note: I wasn’t allowed to use my cameras inside the museum, but for some reason, iPhones were permitted!! The lens in my old iPhone6 was a long way from the modern iterations of camera phones; even so, I hope the pictures give you an idea of the richness of the architecture and artifacts.
Fresh Fast Food What could be better than Shawarma – hot spiced rotisseried meat, sliced with fresh salad and dressing into a warm pita wrap? (iPhone6)
Ancient Mosque from the Bus From the road, you can get a sense of how these old buildings all butt up against each other.
The Ziyada The entrance to the Mosque of Ibn Tulun takes you into a large ziyada, or empty space between the mosque and the surrounding buffer wall. On the right hand side, an entry leads into the mosque itself. The portal directly in front of us takes us into the Gayer-Anderson Museum.
Textured Walls in the Ziyada The walls around the space show their age – and the intricate detailing that went into their construction.
Visitors at the Inner Entrance to the Mosque of Ibn Tulun
Lamp Everywhere you look in the Gayer-Anderson Museum, some magnificent old detail catches your eye. (iPhone6)
Wooden Window Lattice (iPhone6)
Ghostly “Selfie” I’m not big on selfies, but when intricate silver artifacts are encased in glass, it is hard to avoid! (iPhone6)
Silhouetted Urn Latticed windows look out at the crowded city around us; … (iPhone6)
Life on the Rooftops … a city where everyday life goes on.
Inlaid Chest of Drawers(iPhone6)
Bastet and Nefertiti Guarded by a Mashrabiya screen, these backlit figures of the cat goddess Bastet and Queen Nefertiti are replicas; Gayer Anderson donated the original Late Period bronze cat to the British Museum. (iPhone6)
Nefertiti Bust This replica queen is modelled on the original that has lived in the Neues Museum in Berlin since its discovery in 1912. (iPhone6)
Towards the Mosque Back in the ziyada, Ibn Tulum Mosque’s famously distinctive brick minaret with its external spiral staircase stands out.
Quba from the Minaret The climb up the minaret is worth your while, affording views back over Cairo’s largest mosque, the crowded old city, and the hills beyond.
Geometric Patterns – Sarghatmish Madrasa The tower also gives views over other mosques, …
Finials on the Sarghatmish Madrasa … near …
Mosques in the Distance … and further away.
Arches The repeated arches inside the mosque are decorated with floral and geometric designs in the abbasid style.
Quba Framed
Young Woman at the Mosque The people who are visiting the mosque are as interesting to me as the architecture.
Kufic Calligraphy The main mihrab – or niche indicating the qibla, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca, is topped with the Muslim profession of faith: ‘There is no God but God’.
Young Women These young women were part of a university group visiting the mosque, and were a delight to chat with.
It is always wonderful finding locals to interact with! They bring the architecture of these ancient places to life.
Three Tambul Men – Western Highlands With their spears, face paint, and tall, elaborate wigs, these men would be a formidable sight if you came across them accidentally in the jungle!
It was a bit of an anti-climax …
After several days in the Papua New Guinea Highlands, mingling with and photographing the myriad of fascinating and colourful tribes who had come to participate in the annual Mt Hagen Cultural Show (see: Mt Hagen) and the smaller, more intimate Paiya Show (see: Paiya Village), we were meant to be on our way to the beautiful Milne Bay. But, after we had checked out of our hotel rooms, settled our bills, and stowed our baggage on the minibus for the airport, the phone call came: our flight had been cancelled.
All the Air Niugini pilots were on strike in solidarity with eight pilots who had been fired the year before for being part of a nation-wide protest against Prime Minister O’Neill, who was facing fraud allegations at the time.
That is the kind of place Papua New Guinea is: still wild and tribal, where getting from A to B can be difficult. Unless you have a lot of time, a machete, and a good sense of direction, flying is the only way to get from Mt Hagen back to the capitol Port Moresby. And, in this rugged terrain, flights are often delayed or cancelled on account of bad weather, poor visibility, or due to mechanical or staffing issues.
But, the locals demonstrated their resilience and flexibility. Our hotel checked us back into the rooms we had just vacated, the mini-bus took us to the local market instead of the airport (see: Mt Hagen Market), and our local contact, Pym from Paiya Tours, went to work finding us a replacement activity.
And that is how I ended up back in Paiya Village, where some elderly men from Tambul had been ferried in to be our portraiture subjects.
The Tambul-Nebilyer District is in the southwest corner of the Western Highlands Province. The population is supported by subsistence farming in the fertile lands at the base Mt. Giluwe, the country’s second highest mountain. There are several distinctive tribes in the district, collectively numbering just over 75,000 people; they are all known for their impressive headdresses and their songs that resemble war cries.
Although the distance between Mt Hagen and Tambul is less than 50 kilometres (30 miles), the estimated driving time is over an hour and a half. This gives you an idea of the sort of terrain we are talking about!
Come meet some elders:
Hills from the Bus The jungle-clad hills of the Western Highlands extend high into the clouds; the rich soils are a boon to the many small-holder (subsistence) farmers.
St Andrew’s Cross Spider – Argiope Magnifica Jungle is all around, …
Man with a Machete … and only constant vigilance keeps it at bay.
Old Uncle I met this Paiya Village elder several times; he was always a delight to photograph.
Tambul Man Face-Painting When we got into the village clearings, three elderly Tambul men were already starting to prepare as if they were going to battle, or to perform at a sing-sing (cultural festival).
Black Base Paint Even the unfinished face paint is quite ominous – which is its intention! Although these costumes are now mostly used for dance performances, they were originally applied before inter-tribal raids or wars.
Tambul Armbands Feathers, shells, and greenery collected from the surrounding jungle, are typical costume elements.
Tambul Man Fixing his Headdress Headdresses take a variety of forms in the Western Highlands: like the Hela Wigmen from further west, these men sport fabulous wigs of fur and hair, built onto bamboo frames, and decorated with shells, greenery, and feathers.
Tambul Skirt The skirts or long loin cloths are fashioned from fibres, using the same looping technique that goes into making colourful string bilum bags.
Concentration
Tambul Man We are a long way from the ocean: the mother of pearl wig decorations and the shell necklaces and chest plates are prized and valuable items in these mountains.
A Betel Smile and Facial Tattoos Technically banned, chewing areca nut and betel leaf is endemic in the country. You see the red-stained mouths and teeth everywhere.
Tambul Man in Face Paint Tambul-Nebilyer District is at the corner of the Western Highlands, bordering Enga and Southern Highland Provinces. So, Tambul dress, face and body paint, and traditions, borrow from these neighbours.
Face Paint and Feathers Parrot bodies and bird of paradise feathers are such an essential element in tribal adornment, I was always amazed the birds are not more endangered!
Tambul Man in the Jungle The kina moka shell shields these men are wearing as chest plates are highly valued symbols of wealth and power.
Tambul Man with Spears Tall bird of paradise feathers give the men extra height, and the bamboo spears are finely honed.
Local Papuan Man The local villagers loved watching us watching them.
Tambul Man in Face Paint I was hot just looking at the fur in those wig-hats! The painted wooden shield behind this man belongs to Paiya Village people – not Tambul.
Corrugated House Tourism has helped develop some of these remote areas: simple corrugated iron houses with electricity are an improvement on the dark, grass huts with mud floors that people were living in a scant generation ago.
Taro Plants
Sweet Potato As we left the village, I once again marvelled at the lush and tidy vegetable gardens.
It’s a wild and rugged place. One that has bred some strong and resilient people. The men we met were lovely – but theirs was not a look I’d want to challenge in the depths of this jungle! In the current climate, travel in this area has become even more fraught. At the time of writing, only 1.7% of the Papua New Guinea population had been vaccinated against Covid-19, and community transmission of the disease was still spiralling.
Some of this is due to the difficulty of providing health information and services in this difficult terrain.
But more is due to the strength of tribal traditions and beliefs, and a historically justified distrust of outsiders (see: The Conversation).
It is hard to know how to bridge this gap between worlds: tribal resilience and relative isolation may be no match for modern viruses.
Jagannath and other Temples Durbar (Palace) Square is the beating heart of old Kathmandu. Somehow these ancient buildings have survived successive major earthquakes and they continue to bustle with tourists and faithful alike.
You could people-watch for hours in Kathmandu’s Durbar (Palace) Square!
Until the 19th century, the Hanuman Dhoka Palace Complex was the principal residence for the Malla and Shah kings who ruled over Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley and the Newari (Newar) people, the valley’s historical inhabitants and the people who gave Nepāl its name. The Newari still rank as the most economically, politically, and socially advantaged group in the country, influencing much of its art, culture, and religion, even though they only count as the country’s sixth-largest ethnic community.
As it exists today, much of the old palace was built in the 17th century. The roughly five acres of ancient courtyards surrounding it are packed with temples and shrines, many dating back to the 16- and even 1500s. This rich cultural heritage has lead to Durbar Square’s UNESCO listing – collectively with six other declared Monument Zones in the Kathmandu Valley – for its outstanding universal value. The ancient buildings demonstrate intricate detailing and skilled craftsmanship – like they do in Patan’s Durbar Square, another of these Monument Zones which had I visited earlier in the day (see: City of Devotion and Fine Arts). In Newari traditions, Brahmanic (Hindu) and Buddhist elements enjoyed equal status: this coupled with the value they placed on culture and art might account for the variety of old buildings in the palace precincts.
My Lonely Planet guidebook is old: it mentions the damage caused to these wonderful temples by the ‘great earthquake of 1934’. Since that time, the devastating Gorkha earthquake in April 2015 killed almost 9000 people and destroyed many of the precious buildings in Durbar Square and elsewhere. At the time of my last visit in 2017, there were still piles of rubble all around, and many buildings were propped up against collapse.
But, some repairs had been undertaken – and the people were in the streets, bringing the city back to life.
Our Guide Sunita in the Courtyard of the Living Goddess Close to the entrance to the square is the Kumari Bahal – the House of the Living Goddess – with its beautifully carved wooden detailing.
In the Courtyard The Kumari, or ‘living goddess’, is a Newari tradition stretching back 300 years to the last days of the Malla Dynasty. There are ten or 12 Kumarisaround the Kathmandu Valley, but the one who lives here in Durbar Square is the most revered.
The Living Goddess Chosen at age three and vacating her post at puberty, the Kumari is the embodiment of Taleju, a manifestation of the goddess Durga. I’m sharing this postcard because we were not allowed to photograph her – and in any event, she didn’t come to her window.
Keeping the Buildings Up So many of these beautifully crafted buildings are in danger of collapse.
Rooftop Detail The top of the Kumari Bahal features gold ornamentation.
Flying the Nepali Flag This is the world’s only non-quadrilateral flag: the two triangles signify the Himalaya and the country’s two major religions.
All Smiles
Jagannath Temple Thought to date back to 1563, this little temple is well known for its roof struts, richly carved with erotic images.
Wonderful Window Everywhere I look, intricate details – and the evidence earthquake damage – catch my eye.
Kaal Bhairav Kaal Bhairav (Kala Bhairava) is a fierce manifestation of Lord Shiva. This giant 3.6 meter (12-foot) stone carving shows the deity stepping over a dead body and holding a decapitated head in one hand. People worship Kaal Bhairav for courage and happiness.
Eating Grapes
Colourful Dhaka Topi The distinctive Nepalese hat made from specially woven fabric is part of the national dress – and immediately recognisable.
A Pigeon and a Street Shrine Pigeons – and wildly colourful shrines dedicated to the myriad of Hindu gods – are everywhere you look.
Nepali Man and his Sewing Machine I love these street sewing stations and their old pedal-powered machines.
Scissors The scissors are handy – and heavy!
Sewing Work The work continues.
Ruined Shrine A strangler fig tree (ficus religiosa) has taken over this old brick shrine in the middle of a street.
Namaste! Another deity – Shiva, I think – is tucked into in a niche in the old brickwork.
Mahadev Temple Delicate lattice work and carved roof struts are a feature of many of the temples.
Couple on a Temple Stoop
Rubbish and Ruins
Candle Wax and Latticework Decorative lattice almost hides the intricate statuettes tucked inside.
Brass Bell and Marigolds Ringing the bell focuses one’s mind and summons the Gods.
Marionettes The detailed craftsmanship extends into the goods on sale in the shops tucked into corners in this honeycomb of streets.
Small Stupa in a Courtyard The sacred is very much a part of everyday life.
On the Lions Brass lions guard the entry to Shiva-Parvati (Parbati) Temple …
Shiva in the Window … and overhead, Lord Shiva and his consort watch the street below.
Silver and Stones The shops are a treasure-trove of intricately crafted silver and gemstones.
Buddha Heads Religious iconography is in great supply …
Buddha Head … and motivated me to buy and re-read a copy of Jeff Greenwald’s travel classic Shopping for Buddhas.
Durbar Square is an almost-overwhelming richness of colours, patterns, and cultural history. How wonderful that in spite of earthquake damage the city is also brimming with life!
- Performing the Ganga Aarti from Dasaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi
- Buddha Head from Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar
- Harry Clarke Window from Dingle, Ireland
- Novice Monk Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery, Myanmar
Packets of 10 for $AU50.
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Durbar Square is an almost-overwhelming richness of colours, patterns, and cultural history. How wonderful that in spite of earthquake damage the city is also brimming with life!
