Bryggen wharf from across the harbour, Bergen Norway

Bryggen Hanseatic Wharf
The colourful wooden boathouses that make up the historic harbour district of Bergen, Norway, are immediately recognisable.

It’s hard to imagine a more dramatic location for a most picturesque city!

Surrounded by steep, snowcapped mountains with glaciers tucked within them, and sliced by deep fjords and fast-running rivers, historic Bergen has long Viking roots and rich Hanseatic heritage. The iconic medieval harbour district Bryggen is immediately recognisable with its colourful collection of UNESCO-listed wooden buildings.

Norway’s second-largest city and one of North Europe’s oldest ports, the city was said to have been founded in 1070 by King Olav Kyrre on a Viking site, but a trading settlement was already established here in the 1020s or 1030s.

For a period in the early 13th century, Bergen functioned as the capital of the Norwegian kingdom, and it served as a major commercial hub for the Hanseatic League (1356 – 1862) of merchants from Northern Germany. The sale of stockfish (predominantly cod) from Northern Norway made the city an important Northern Europe trading centre for centuries. The Finnegården, one of the more than 60 conserved wooden buildings on the Bryggen Hanseatic Wharf now houses the Hanseatic Museum, which recreates life at the time and explores the legacy.

For me, Bergen was the last stop of a two-week cruise around the edges of Europe, starting in Barcelona (see: In the Land of Flamenco and Gaudí). Unfortunately, my husband was called back to Australia, and had to disembark at our penultimate port of Amsterdam (see: Watercolours), leaving me to complete our itinerary in Norway on my own. 

Thankfully, I already had tours in Bergen (and beyond) organised. The city was easy to navigate and enjoy – in spite of rather inclement spring weather: it sits at 60° North – less than one degree south of Anchorage, Alaska!

Join me for a rainy walk and bus trip through parts of the historic harbour, a bus ride to the vantage-point of nearby Queen Maud’s Outlook, and a funicular railway trip up Mt Fløyen, a “city mountain” in the heart of Bergen.

Looking south across Bergen Harbour, Norway

Bergen Harbour
Vågen Bay is a busy place, and home to a wide range of private, public transport, and commercial vessels.

Bryggen wharf from across the harbour, Bergen Norway

Bryggen Wharf
As our bus turns towards the Nordnes Peninsula, we get views across the harbour to those well-preserved and reconstructed UNESCO-listed boathouses of medieval Bryggen.

Bergen Harbour, Norway.

Bergen Waterfront
Under rainy clouds and behind the boathouses near the fishmarkets, we can see the tower of the stone Holy Cross ChurchKorskirken – opened in 1150.

Clarion Collection Hotel Havnekontoret, Bergen Norway

Hotel Havnekontoret
The waterfront is lined with historic buildings, including the 1920s neo-classical stone Clarion Collection hotel.

Buekorps Museum building from the bus, Bergen, Norway

Buekorps Museum from the Bus
The Buekorps, literally “Bow Corps” or “Archery Brigade” are a Norwegian regional youth organisation founded in the 1850s. The building that now houses the museum was originally built in the 1500, but damaged by fires several times in the 1600s. The current model was built after the 1702 Bergen fire. (iPhone6)

View over the North Sea from Queen Maud

Over the North Sea
Our bus picks up a connector highway, and we tunnel trough part of the neighbouring mountain before climbing up to a lookout in Helleveien, where views extend across the North Sea

Askøy Bridge from Queen Maud

Askøy Bridge
… and over to the long suspension bridge: the Askøybrua across the Byfjorden. Our vantage point is Queen Maud’s view, named for a Norwegian Queen who loved this spot.

Kjøttbasaren, Bergen, Norway

Kjøttbasaren
Back down in the old port, we walk along tiled and cobbled streets, and through ancient painted wooden and brick buildings. To me, this one looks like a traditional gingerbread house! Built between 1874-1876, the neo-Romanesque Kjøttbasaren was originally called Bergen’s Bazaar and was used to control the marketing of food. Today, the building – which was extensively renovated in 2012 – houses restaurants and a Starbucks.

The connected wooden buildings of Finnegårdsgaten, Bergen Norway

Finnegårdsgaten
The beautifully renovated attached buildings opposite house a traditional restaurant, a four-star hotel, and part of the Hanseatic Museum.

Guide with a map in the Hanseatic Museum, Bergen Norway

Inside the Hanseatic Museum
Our guide in the Hanseatic Museum points out the trading routes that the German guild of merchants dominated between the 13th and 17th centuries. In 1360 they created an overseas office here at Bryggen, …

Tourists in the Hanseatic Museum, Bergen Norway

In an Ancient Room
… and built themselves a home-away-from home.

Hanging pot, Hanseatic Museum, Bergen Norway

Hanging Pot
The dark wooden rooms of the museum are filled with artefacts to give us an insight into how these Medieval merchants lived and worked, and the mark they left on Bergen.

The Fløibanen entry, Bergen Norway

The Fløibanen
After lunch, the cloudy skies fulfil their promise of rain, and I make my way to the bottom of Bergen’s funicular railway.

Bergen houses and a tunnel and a roadway from the Fløibanen, Bergen Norway

On the Fløibanen
The cable train passes tall narrow houses and tunnels under roadways as it rises steeply up the mountainside.

A rainy Bergen from the Fløibanen, Norway

Bergen from the Fløibanen
We get some lovely views over the city – in spite of the rain – as we climb Mt Fløien.

Rainy view over Bergen from Mt Fløyen, Norway

Bergen from Mt Fløyen
Even the drizzling rain from low-lying clouds can’t diminish the view from the top.

Directional Signpost, Mt Fløyen, Norway

Directional Signpost
The highest point on Mt Fløyen – one of the seven peaks surrounding Bergen – is just under 400 metres (1,310 feet).

Wooden goathouse in the rain, Mt Fløyen, Norway

Cashmere Goathouse in the Rain
A number of walking trails – each taking about an hour – wind up to the top of the mountain where you can treat yourself at the Fløistuen shop and café.

Cashmere Goat in the Goathouse, Mt Fløyen, Norway

Cashmere Goat in the Goathouse
The presence of a number of goats on the peak, …

Troll in the playground, Mt Fløyen, Norway

Troll in the Playground
… as well as an entire Troll Forest, makes Mt Fløyen family-friendly. Trolls are an iconic feature of Old Norse folklore, fairy tales, and mythology.

Kindergarten children and teacher in hi-viz vests, Mt Fløyen, Norway

Like Herding Cats!
A class of local kindergarten children in their hi-viz vests were on an outing in the rain at the top of the hill.

A rainy Bergen from the Fløibanen, Norway

Train Down in the Rain
From top to bottom, the ride on Scandinavia’s only cable railway takes about six minutes. Naturally, the views going down are just as spectacular as they were riding up!

Lille Øvregaten Street, Bergen Norway

Lille Øvregaten
Back on solid – albeit wet and slippery – ground,  it is easy to see how fire could tear through this city so often: the cobbled streets are winding and narrow, and packed with steep timber buildings.

Gamlehaugen from a bus window, Bergen Norway

Gamlehaugen
We board our bus again, and take a drive around the outskirts of the city, where we catch glimpses of Gamlehaugen, the residence of the Norwegian Royal Family.

Salome sculpture, Clarion Hotel Admiral in Bergen, Norway

Salome
Outside the harbour-front Clarion Hotel Admiral in Bergen, Salome, a sculpture by Norwegian artist Per Ung (1933-2013), dances in a fountain in the rain.

Tourists o the Wet Waterfront, Bryggen, Norway

Tourists on the Wet Waterfront
Our bus passes through Bryggen on the way back to the cruise boat, …

Bryggen Boathouses, Bergen Norway

Bryggen Boathouses from the Bus
… giving me one last look and the heritage-listed wharf for the day.

Although I had to disembark my lovely ship, I had another day to enjoy in this picturesque old city.

Text: Happy Rambling

Now that I had an idea of the lay of the land, I was quite looking forward to exploring more on foot.

Until then,

Happy Rambling!

Pictures: 27April2018 

Sunset silhouetting Riyam Incense burner and the Old Watch Tower, Muscat, Oman

Sunset over Muscat
With the jagged mountain backdrop, that giant incense burner high on a hill, and the outline of a medieval Portuguese watchtower overlooking the water, you could be nowhere else but the capital of the Sultanate of Oman.

When I’m travelling, I love to get out onto the water – or better yet, into the air – to get a different perspective on a new landscape or cityscape.

After a day of exploring Muscat at ground level (see: Sacred Spaces and Between the Past and the Future), I had the chance to take a sunset cruise on the Arabian Sea off the coast of the city in a traditional Omani dhow. When they told me that kahwa (or qahwa) – that deliciously spiced Omani coffee – and dates were included, I jumped at it!

Muscat, the Sultanate of Oman’s capital and largest city, hugs the narrow and rugged coast between the Gulf of Oman and the Al Hajar Mountains. For centuries, this strategic location – where the Gulf of Oman leads east to the Indian Ocean, and west to the Straits of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf – was almost inaccessible except by sea. 

Seafaring Yemenis were probably the first settlers here over 2000 years ago, and they continued their reliance on the oceans for their livelihood and trade. The country’s current name Oman and old Sumerian name Magan both mean ‘sea-people’ in Arabic.

In the early 16th century the Portuguese conquered the town in a bid to protect their own trade routes east. They built fortifications which still stand along the coast and harbour, but were overthrown in 1650 by the Ottoman Turks. The Omanis, under Sultan Ahmad ibn Sa’id, a direct ancestor of the present Sultan, took back control of the city in 1741.

This led to a period of economic prosperity and ongoing naval prowess, but continual infighting between ruling family members, religious leaders, and tribal chiefs eroded many of these gains. British interference fuelled rifts between Muscat and rest of Oman.

Under Sultan Said bin Taimur, who was backed by the British government and ruled between 1932 and 1970, the country was reunified. However, his hereditary kingdom was characterised as being “feudal, reactionary, and isolationist”; and “the gates into Muscat [were] locked every evening at sunset”.

Following a palace coup in 1970, his son, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, took over and ruled until his death in 2020. He modernised the state’s administration, introduced social reforms, and increased spending on health, education, and welfare.

But, old buildings remain, traditional dress and customs are common, and classic dhows still sit in the harbour. It was lovely to head out onto the gulf in one of these old boats – even if it was under motor rather than the old-fashioned sails!

Motor boats, Marina Bandar Rowdha, Muscat Oman

Boats and Cat Island
Under Sultan Qaboos bin Said, Oman was rated the most improved nation in the world in terms of development by the United Nations, and today it is categorised as a high-income economy. There is no shortage of modern boats in the Marina Bandar Rowdha.

Dhow in the lowering sun, Marina Bandar Rowdha, Muscat Oman

Dhow in the Lowering Sun
Men around the city are most often seen in their national dress, the dishdasha, a simple, ankle-length, collarless gown with long sleeves.
Tourism is becoming one of Oman’s largest industries, and old Arabian sailing boats are adapted to play their part.

Sooty gulls in a blue sky, Muscat Oman

Sooty Gulls – Larus Hemprichi
Gulls circle overhead …

Dhows motoring out of , Marina Bandar Rowdha, Muscat Oman

Exiting the Breakwater
… as we make our way out of the breakwater. The rocky outcrops rise dramatically from the harbour waters in front of us.

Young girl at the wheel of a dhow, Muscat Oman

Small Person : Big Wheel
The dhows must be easy to manage: the skipper hand the helm to one of our young passengers.

Cat Island, Gulf of Oman.

Cat Island
Named for the appearance of the crouching animal on the back of this rock, Cat Island signals that we are out in the gulf.

Mountains behind the Harbour, Marina Bandar Rowdha, Muscat Oman

Mountains behind the Harbour
It’s a dramatic and arid landscape rising up behind the harbour.

Al Bustan Palace, Al Bustan, Muscat Oman

Al Bustan Palace
In a domed former palace, set in gardens between the Al Hajar Mountains and the Sea of Oman, an upmarket Ritz-Carlton Hotel is a short beach-walk from the small town of Al Bustan.

Majlis Oman, Parliament building in Al Bustan

Majlis Oman
About thirty kilometres south of Muscat, Al Bustan is also home to Oman’s state council parliament buildings.

A dhow in the waters off Al Bustan, Oman

Al Bustan
We and the other tourist dhow jockey in and out of locations.

Four small sailboats, Gulf of Oman, Muscat

Small Sailboats on the Gulf

Dhow Rigging, mountains behind, Gulf of Oman, Muscat

Dhow Rigging

Al Jalali Fort from the Gulf of Oman, Muscat

Al Jalali Fort
As we turn north again, we can just see the fortifications around the Old City.

Muscat Old Cemetery from the Gulf of Oman, Muscat

Muscat Old Cemetery
Also known as the Christian Cemetery or Sa’Ali Cove Military Cemetery, this hard-to-access cove is the final resting place of one British lieutenant – a casualty of the First World War. There are ten other war-era non-service persons buried here – and a number of other people from the 1800s. The reefs meant we could get no closer.

Motor cruiser on the Gulf of Oman waters south of Muscat.

Ring of Mountains
A variety of commercial, recreational, tourism, and fishing vessels are out on the afternoon waters.

Portrait: Male Omani pouring a coffee pot, Muscat

Pouring the Qahwa
Qahwa (or kahwa) is the Arabic word for coffee: but it isn’t just coffee! In Oman, coffee is blended with saffron, rose water, and cardamon – and sometimes with cloves and cinnamon as well. It is served with fresh dates (and possibly other treats) as a ritual ‘welcome’. I became quite addicted to it!

Afternoon silhouette of old Muscat from the water, Oman

Into the Afternoon Sun
The lowering autumn sun silhouettes the rugged coast and the harbour in front of us …

Al Jazira Island and Fort, Muscat Oman

Al Jazira Fort
… and turns the land and fort opposite the old city golden.

Old Muscat from the water, Oman

Old Muscat and Forts
As we round the point, it is easy to see how these forts – Al Jalali on the left and Al Mirani on the right – built by the Portuguese in the 1580s, commanded the small harbour in front of Old Muscat.

Al Alam Palace from the water, Old Muscat, Oman

Al Alam Palace
The existing Al Alam Palace, with its colourful facade, was rebuilt in 1972 and is still used for official functions.

Al Mirani Fort from the water, Old Muscat, Oman

Al Mirani Fort
The dhow continues north, giving us a closer view of one of the historic forts.

Muscat Canon Turret silhouetted by the afternoon sun, Oman

Muscat Canon Turret
As we round the next point, the lowering sun silhouettes the Muscat Canon Turret and the jagged cliffs around Muscat’s main harbour. The Sultan’s two royal yacht’s, moored in As Sultan Qaboos Port, are faintly traced out in the last light. 

Al Riyam Park from the water, Muscat Oman

Al Riyam Park
Al Riyam Park is an oasis of green between Old Muscat and Muttrah district. This is where the peace treaty was signed with the Portuguese in 1648; today it has amenities, coffee shops, and even a small amusement park.

Riyam Memorial
Built to commemorate Oman’s 20th National Day, the ornamental white watch tower at the top of the rise is designed to look like an incense burner.

As Sultan Qaboos Port at sundown, Muscat Oman

As Sultan Qaboos Port
We continue past the royal yachts in the darkening harbour …

Sunset behind mountains north of Muscat, Oman

Sunset
… to the mountains north of the city where the sun sinks, …

A dhow off the coast of Muscat in the dark, Oman

6PM
… leaving us to return to our harbour in the dark.

Text: Safe Sailing

There is definitely something magic about motoring gently back to port through a warm night on the Arabian Sea.

Wishing you safe sailing!

Pictures: 20October2019

Portrait: two Huli Wigmen and a woman in yellow face paint and headdresses, Mount Hagen PNG

Huli Wigmen – and a Woman
The Huli are one of the most numerous tribes in Papua New Guinea. With their unique face painting and elaborate headdresses, they are also one of the most distinctive.

Papua New Guinea is fascinating!

Home to just over nine million people, at last estimate there were over 7000 different cultural groups with almost 850 distinct languages being spoken. The country is routinely touted as the most linguistically diverse place on the planet.

Of course, with the pressures of the modern world, and the double-edged sword that is ‘education’, the ability to speak Indigenous languages is declining precipitously in the younger generation. And, when language is lost, the finer understandings about aspects of one’s culture, traditional skills and crafts, and one’s place in the natural environment are also lost.

Papua New Guinea’s constitution declares the desire for traditional villages and communities to continue to function as viable units of society and efforts are made in the struggling education system to keep indigenous languages and culture alive.

Sing sings, gatherings of tribes or villages to show off their distinct culture, dance, and music, are a powerful means of passing on traditions to the younger generation. I was at the Mount Hagen Sing Sing Festival with photographer Karl Grobl from Jim Cline Photo Tours and a small group of photography enthusiasts. The array of distinctive tribal groups was mind boggling (see: Mount Hagen)!

With over 250,000 members at the 2011 census, the Huli people from Hela Province in the Southern Highlands are one of the largest ethnic groups – and certainly one of the most distinctive (see: Meet the Huli Wig Men). Unknown to Europeans until 1934, they are believed to have lived in their region for many thousands of years. Their reputations as fearless warriors has helped keep their cultural and linguistic traditions intact.

Traditionally, Huli men and women live separately, with strict gender divisions in roles and responsibilities. Children live with their mothers while young, and at seven or eight years old, boys are sent to live with their fathers. Around puberty, they enter enter bachelor school – or Wig School – where they to learn how to become men. At this time, they start growing their hair – using a combination of magic and a special diet – to be made into the fabulous wigs that they known for. Most Huli men cultivate more than one wig, with some designed for ceremonial uses and others for everyday wear. Each wig takes up to 18 months to grow and shape, and the young men are forbidden from any physical contact with women while they are undergoing this process. All a man’s wigs must be completed before he is allowed to marry.

Given the strict rules under which these wigs are created, I was surprised to find young women among the Huli sing sing group at Mount Hagen, albeit without the over-sized wigs under their feathered headdresses – and no amount of searching the internet shed any light on how this had come about.

Do join me in admiration of their wonderful face paint and ornate wigs!

Huli warrior in a wig and face paint, Paiya Village, PNG

Betel Stain and Bird Feathers
Even in soft feathers and a big smile – stained with the ubiquitous betel chew – Huli men are a fearsome sight.

Huli warrior in a ceremonial wig, Mount Hagen PNG

Ceremonial Winged Wig
Huli wigs are crafted into different shapes: ceremonial wigs sweep up like the wings of a bird. The cassowary quill through the nose is traditional decoration.

Huli Woman in a headdress and red and yellow face paint, Mount Hagen PNG

Huli Woman
Although the women’s headdresses are as elaborate in their concoctions of bird-parts and feathers, they are built on a foundation of cuscus fur rather than human hair.

Huli Woman in a headdress and red and yellow face paint, Mount Hagen PNG

Huli Woman in Face Paint
The bright yellow clay, called Ambua, is considered sacred in Huli culture. Red ochre adorns the whole body. Of course, for sing sing displays, these colours are just as likely to be store-bought.

Huli man in face paint and decorated wig, Mount Hagen PNG

Flowers and Feathers
Everlasting flowers and bits of greenery can be included in the intricate wig decoration.

Huli Wigman

Wigman’s Hornbill
Huli men wear hornbill beaks flanked with boar’s tusks on their backs. The beaks symbolise strength and courage in battle.

Huli man in face paint and decorated wig, Mount Hagen PNG

Huli Warrior

Huli men in face paint and decorated wig, Mount Hagen PNG

Feathers Galore
I have said it before: given the number of parrot and bird of paradise feathers that go into sing sing costumes, it is a wonder any birds survive in the wild!

Huli man in face paint and decorated wig, Mount Hagen PNG

“Kerapia Boys”
A hand-written cardboard sign identified this group as the “Kerapia Boys”. I couldn’t find them on the map!

Huli man and young women in face paint and headdresses, Mount Hagen PNG

“Kerapia Boys Hela Wigmen”
The Kerapia Boys included at least two young women and several very young boys.

Huli men and women, Mount Hagen PNG

Family Portrait
Not everyone is a performer!

Huli Wigmen and women in a sing sing circle, Mount Hagen PNG

Kundu Drums
Each small locality has their own traditional chant and drum rhythm, …

Huli Wigmen and women in a sing sing circle, Mount Hagen PNG

Wigmen Drumming
… and the Mt Hagen show ground is a cacophony of sound, and movement, and colour.

Huli man and young women in face paint and headdresses, Mount Hagen PNG

Women with the Wigmen

Huli men and a young woman in face paint and headdresses, Mount Hagen PNG

Shell Necklaces and Feathers

Huli man in face paint and decorated wig, Mount Hagen PNG

A Clear, Strong Gaze
These are a strong people – and it is good to see them passing their culture on to their young children; …

Huli Boy in face paint and headdresses, Mount Hagen PNG

Huli Boy
… some of whom are still far too young for Wig School.

Culture is never static.

Including young women and boys in the expression of age-old traditions would seem to be a sign that Huli culture is moving forward.

To the Future (text)If the Huli can maintain important traditions while embracing the future and becoming more inclusive to the desires and competencies of different individuals within their community, I’m all for it!

Pictures: 18-20August2017

Metal silhouette sculptures of Australian soldiers, Fort Nepean, Mornington Peninsula Victoria

Soldiers at Fort Nepean
Port Phillip, in Greater Melbourne, was once the most heavily fortified port in the Southern Hemisphere. Here at Fort Nepean, Australian soldiers watched over the city until after World War II.

Point Nepean National Park is a special place with a long and visible history. It sits at the very edge of Melbourne, Victoria: the city wraps itself around Port Phillip, and from the southeast tip here at Point Nepean, you can almost throw a stone across the Victory Bight to the southwestern Melbourne suburb of Queenscliff.

For at least 6000 years, this has been part of the traditional country of the Bunurong People. A number of Aboriginal sites have been identified here, including coastal shell middens which might point to seasonal gathering-places for indigenous people – and certainly reflect their food-gathering practices.

I didn’t see any of these.

I did, however, see plenty of historic examples of European settlement in the region. There is scattered archeological evidence of pastoral and lime-burning practices dating to the 1830s. Shepherd Hut, which includes sections from 1845, is one of the earliest intact limestone building in Victoria and a rare example of employee housing.

The eponymous Quarantine Station was used from 1852 to 1979, and then became the home of an Army Officer Cadet School and the School of Army Health. Defensive structures dating from the 1880s through the 1940s are dotted around the park.

In more recent history, Australia lost Prime Minister Harold Holt here in December 1967. He went swimming at Cheviot Beach and was never seen again. Convention suggests he drowned; conspiracy theories speculate otherwise.

As well as being historically significant, the whole Port Nepean National Park area is a natural treasure. Although the wildlife isn’t as visible here as on Phillip Island – the peninsula just east of here (see: Sleepy Koalas and Moulting Penguins) – bandicoot and black wallaby live in these native bush lands. The park is criss-crossed with pleasant walks – and high enough to afford panoramic views in all directions. Only a one- to two-hour drive from the inner-city suburbs of Melbourne, these long-time Commonwealth and Defence lands were returned to the Victorian State Government after years of protracted political disputes and arguments about costs, including debates over who would pay for the clearance of unexploded ordnance.

Today, the Victorian Heritage Department says that “Point Nepean Defence and Quarantine Precinct is of archaeological, aesthetic, architectural, historical, scientific and social significance to the State of Victoria.”

It is well worth exploring.

Coles Track to Fort Nepean, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

Sandy Track
From the carpark at the Gunners Cottage – built in the early 1900s – it is easy to pick up Coles Track towards Fort Nepean.

Myrtle-leaf Milkwort, Coles Track, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

Myrtle-leaf Milkwort (Polygala Myrtifolia)
Native to South Africa, milkworts thrive in these sandy coastal soils.

Myrtle-leaf Milkwort, Coles Track, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

Myrtle-leaf Milkwort Flower
As pretty as it is, the milkwort is listed by government agencies as an invasive weed.

Coles Track to Fort Nepean, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

Through the Moonah Woodland
Coles Track was expanded to service a telephone wire to the Fort as part of Melbourne’s defence system during World War II. A number of German and Japanese destroyers, submarines, and other military craft, operated in Australian waters between 1940 and 1945, threatening the shipping industry and the war effort.

View south over the Point Nepean, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

Over the Peninsula
Water is visible on both sides: on the south we can see Bass Straight across the melaleuca trees.

View of the rocks off Cheviot Beach, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

Cheviot Beach
These are wild waters. The beach is named for Victoria’s worst shipwreck, the SS Cheviot, which hit a reef in 1887, resulting in 35 of the 59 passengers drowning.

Plaque to Prime Minister Harold Holt on Cheviot Hill, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

Plaque : Cheviot Hill
Australia’s Prime Minister Harold Holt disappeared while swimming in these rough waters in 1967.

View of the rocks off Cheviot Beach, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

Surf off Cheviot Beach

Container ship on Bass Strait, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

Container Ship
Bass Strait is a busy shipping lane.

View of the rocks off Cheviot Beach, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

View from Cheviot Hill

Walkers on Defence Road, Point Nepean National Park, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

On Defence Road
No private vehicles are allowed this far into the National Park, but a periodic shuttle runs up and down for those who don’t want to join the walkers.

Barred window inside Fort Pearce, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

Inside Fort Pearce
Tunnelled into the hillside, Fort Pearce was established in 1911.

Barred window inside Fort Pearce, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

Underground
Part of Port Phillip’s defence system, the gun emplacements, underground ammunition storage, and tunnels at Fort Pearce were abandoned at the war’s end in 1945. Nature reclaimed them, and volunteers later spent years removing the sand and vegetation.

View over the coast from Fort Pearce Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

Lookout below the Fort

World War I gun emplacement, Fort Pearce, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

World War I Gun Emplacement
The gun pits for the Mk VII guns were built in 1911. The munitions magazine is between the pits.

View over the coast from Fort Pearce Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

From Fort Pearce
The fort affords wonderful views back over the dramatic cliffs.

Sea fog over Port Phillip Bay, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

Port Phillip Bay
In the other direction, afternoon sea fog hangs over Greater Melbourne.

Landscape looking back over Point Nepean, Victoria Australia

Looking back over Point Nepean
From Fort Nepean, you can look back over the National Park and Port Phillip Bay.

Waters on the shore of Nepean Bay from Fort Nepean, Victoria Australia

Nepean Bay Beach
These are reasonably sheltered waters, popular for swimming – but has to be wary of the strong currents and rips.

A Post in Nepean Bay, from Fort Nepean, Victoria Australia

A Post in Nepean Bay
The colours and textures in the protected waters are stunning.

Ground-cover succulent with yellow flowers at Point Nepean, Victoria Australia

Yellow-Flowered Succulent
My walk back towards Eagle’s Nest takes me through beautiful vegetation …

Hideaway on a sandy pathway, Point Nepean National Park, Victoria Australia

Hideaway on the Cliffs
… and along sandy paths. The hill at Eagle’s Nest is now home to a large radar tower – but was once the site of Australia’s largest disappearing gun: built in 1889.

Quarantine Station, Point Nepean National Park, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

On the Windy Cliffs
My last stop in the National Park was at the Quarantine Station, established in 1852 – in what was then a very remote location – to house new arrivals to Australia and protect the country from introduced diseases. It was the first permanent quarantine base in Victoria and one of the earliest and most substantial in Australia. (What a shame we don’t have something like this today!)

Quarantine Station, Point Nepean National Park, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

The Quarantine Station
The station was closed for quarantine purposes in 1980, but you can still wander around the nearly-50 heritage-listed buildings.

Although I only walked about eight kilometres, with the hills there was more altitude-gain than I am currently used to!

Text: Happy Walking!

Fortunately, the charming Melbourne suburb of Portsea, right next door to the park, was once again open for cautious business after a three-week Covid-19 lockdown.

The only thing better than a history-rich hike is the coffee you reward yourself with afterwards.

Happy Walking!

Pictures: 19June2021

Apples growing in an orchard with Lake Zurich behind, Bächlihof Farm, Jona Switzerland.

Apples in an Orchard
With Lake Zurich in the background, the orchards around the Bächlihof Farm at Jona are a perfect spot for a Swiss National Day breakfast. (iPhone5)

August 1st is Swiss National Day, and thanks to William Tell, Switzerland’s independence will always be associated with apples.

Who doesn’t know the story of that legendary Swiss hero? That mountain man, that peasant from Bürglen in the canton of Uri, who resisted the commands of a tyrannical overlord, and was then forced to shoot an apple from the head of his son. By shooting straight and true with his crossbow, he succeeded – and became a symbol of the struggle for political and individual freedom against autocracy. In some stories, he used a second arrow to kill the tyrant – sometimes named as Baron Gessler.

What a pity it never happened!

The events are said to have occurred on 18 November 1307 in Altdorf (German for ‘old village’). The first fleeting reference to William Tell is in a 1470 manuscript, and in 1550, historian Aegidius Tschudi elaborates on the tale and credits it as the start of the fight for Swiss independence.
But, representatives of the three forest cantons of Schwyz, Altdorf and Uri actually signed the original Oath of Rütli at the beginning of August in 1291 (see: In Search of William Tell). Resisting the rule of the House of Habsburg (Hapsburg), the fiercely independent people who had settled in these narrow Alpine valleys managed to cooperate among themselves and build the foundations of the Swiss Confederation (see: Swiss National Day).

Meanwhile, the apple story has appeared in the folklore of a number of nations, and a remarkably similar story to the William Tell tale was told in Denmark in the 12th century. But, don’t argue about that with a Swiss! Although Tell might have not been an actual person, his persona is central to Swiss identity. To this day, the Swiss pride themselves as people who value their independence and are prepared to stand against oppression.

Some years ago, we were staying with friends in Rapperswil-Jona on Lake Zurich (see: Lake Zurich) when Swiss National Day rolled around. It was, of course, a Public Holiday, and an ‘adventure farm’ nearby was putting on a breakfast in honour of the day. So, we started our day surrounded by orchards of apples and other fruits, and sampling the glorious pastries made from them.

Then, like any good Swiss, we went for a walk. We meandered pleasantly past typical low-country villages, medieval churches and ancient pilgrim pathways. In the charming harbour of Rapperswil-Jona, we boarded a boat, and motored two hours across Lake Zurich, to the city of Zurich itself. There, we lunched at a popular traditional Swiss restaurant in the Old Town and wandered the ancient streets before returning home by train.

Everything seems so delightfully close and easy to get to in Europe!

Red apples in neat rows, Bächlihof Farm, Jona Switzerland.

Apple Orchard
Safe under the bird-netting at the Bächlihof Farm, row after row of apples are trained up poles.

A clump of Nashi pears growing on Bächlihof Farm, Jona Switzerland

Nashi Pears (Pyrus Pyrifolia)
Apples are not the only fruit trees growing on these extensive grounds.

A clump of Damson plums growing on Bächlihof Farm, Jona Switzerland.

Damson Plums (Pyrus Pyrifolia)
I love the colour of these beautiful plums. They are made into Slivovitz (plum brandy) all over Europe.

Apples growing in an orchard, Bächlihof Farm, Jona Switzerland.

Apples
There are several apple types growing here: they all look delicious.

Pears growing in an orchard, Bächlihof Farm, Jona Switzerland.

Pears

Wooden

Schopf
The wooden function buildings at the Bächlihof Swiss Farmhouse are quite elegant in their simplicity.

Swiss cakes and pastries, Bächlihof Farm, Jona Switzerland.

Cakes and Pastries
Inside Heugade, some of that fruit has been baked into wonderful pastries that are part of our National Day buffet breakfast.

A girl with a pony on a path through the green, Jona Switzerland.

A Girl and a Pony
We might be only 40km from Zurich, but the walkways around Lake Zurich have a very rural/small-town feel.

House in a field, Busskirch, Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland.

House in a Field
Busskirch is a small but historic village on the northern shore of the lake, within the local municipality of Rapperswil-Jona.

St. Martin church on the green, Busskirch, Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland.

St. Martin Busskirch
The early medieval parish church of St. Martin is popular for weddings because of its pastoral charm and idyllic location on the lake.

Statue of Joseph, entry to St. Martin Busskirch, Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland.

St. Joseph
The largest religious group in Switzerland is Roman Catholic, and St. Martin Busskirch is one of the oldest churches here.

Tidy graveyard, St. Martin Busskirch, Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland.

Tidy Graveyard
The small Busskirch cemetery rests over the remains of a 1st to 4th century Roman building. Swiss graveyards are strictly controlled and immaculately maintained. To deal with lack of space, burial plots are on a 25-year lease. After that time, plots are emptied and readied for the next burial.

Pink Japanese Anemone, Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland.

Pink Japanese Anemone (Anemone Hupehensis)
I associate Switzerland with flowers: hedges, window boxes and garden beds – everywhere.

Swan and cygnets, Lake Zurich, Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland.

Family Outing
A family of mute swans (Cygnus olor) wander through grass along the lake’s edge.

Sculpture in the garden, Fachhochschule Ostschweiz Campus Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland.

Sculpture in the Garden
Our lake-side walk takes us past the University of Applied Sciences Rapperswil Campus (Fachhochschule Ostschweiz Campus RJ), where some beautiful, large sculptures rise out of the gardens of grass and sunflowers.

Rusty sculpture outside Fachhochschule Ostschweiz Campus Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland.

Rusty Curves
I love the texture of the rusty metal, and the luscious curved lines.

Holzbrücke Rapperswil-Hurden wooden pedestrian bridge, Switzerland.

Holzbrücke Rapperswil-Hurden
This is the narrowest spot on the lake, and two bridges cross from here. This wooden pedestrian bridge between the Rapperswil and the village of Hurden stands in the place of bridges dating back to time immemorial. Prehistoric timber piles discovered on the other side of the lake date back to 1523 BC.

Water around the pylons under the Seedamm, Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland.

Under the Bridge
The other lake crossing here is more modern in conception: the Seedamm, is part bridge and part artificial causeway.

Port waterfront, Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland.

Waterfront
We, however, are crossing the lake the long way: by boat. On the harbour, we get a lovely view of the ships in the port, the beautiful old buildings dating back to the 1200s, and the castle at the top of the hill that we walked around on another day (see: The Roses of Rapperswil).

Historic Rapperswil waterfront buildings from Lake Zurich, Switzerland.

Rapperswil Waterfront
On the water, we get a whole different view of that wonderful medieval architecture that gives the little city its character. Hotel Schwanen is in a building dating to 1233. The Curti House to the left, dates back to the 16th century, with mosaics and paintings added in 1894.

Tourist boat on Lake Zurich, Switzerland.

Tourist Boats on Lake Zurich
We are not the only boat on the lake.

Cottage on Lake Zurich from the water, Switzerland.

Cottage on Lake Zurich
Our boat makes a short stop on the opposite side of the lake …

Woman on the waterfront, from the water, Switzerland.

Woman on the Waterfront
… and passes a number of other piers …

Into the Limmat River, Zurich, Switzerland.

Limmat River
… before cruising into the river outfall at the southern part of the city of Zurich.

Limmat River Waterfront, Zurich Switzerland.

Limmat River and the Waterfront
The church clock of St. Peter is the largest tower clock face in Europe, with bells dating to 1880. Consecrated in 1706, St. Peter was the first church in Zurich built under Protestant rule.

the Hans Waldmann statue with The Grossmünster behind, Zurich Switzerland

The Grossmünster and the Hans Waldmann Statue
Die Altstadt (“the old town”) of Zürich dates before 1893, and every brick has a story to tell. Foreground here is the 1937 equestrian monument to Hans Waldmann (1435 – 1489). He was a Swiss military leader and mayor of Zurich. In the background, we see the Romanesque-style Grossmünster, a Protestant church built between 1100 and 1220.

Dolce&Gabbana bags, shopfront, Zurich Switzerland.

Dolce&Gabbana
The historic city houses some very up-market shops!

Locks on a bridge over the Limmat, Zurich Switzerland.

Freunde für Immer – Friends Forever
All over Europe, bridges strain under the weight of locks put in place by friends and lovers.

‘Guardian Angel’
In the Zurich railway station, a piece by French-American sculptor Niki de Saint Phalle watches over us.

Text: Happy RamblingBack on the balcony at the home of our hosts in Rapperswil-Jona, nature treated us to a late afternoon rainbow over the lake, and the municipality treated us to fire works after dark.

A full – and very SwissNational Day indeed!

Pictures: 01August2014