Portrait: Burmese woman gardener, Yangon, Myanmar

Gardener
A elderly Burmese woman gives me a gap-toothed beetle-nut grin as she pulls weeds in a public park in Yangon. So many people still perform hard, physical labour with no early-retirement, but are never-the-less ready with a smile! (11September2012)

It was a “simpler” time …

I visited Myanmar late in 2012, with photographer Karl Grobl from Jim Cline Photo Tours and local guide Mr MM. The country had just opened its doors to international tourists, and was on the brink of change. Aung San Suu Kyi was still under house arrest, and was still locally and internationally revered. 

But not all the current troubles are “recent”: when I visited, our planned trip to the Rakhine State was aborted following the violent conflicts (8 June 2012) between Rohingya Muslims and ethnic Rakhines.

Even without that portion of our tour, the two weeks we spent in Myanmar was a richly rewarding experience, about which I have posted many times (see: Ursula’s Weekly Wanders: Myanmar). 

I think of the country often: the golden beauty of Schwedagon Pagoda and other Buddhist temples around the country (e.g.: Bago, Bagan, and the Sagaing Hills); the iconic images of sunset silhouettes of the wooden U Bein Bridge or the leg-rowing fishermen on Inlay Lake; the unique lifestyle around Inle Lake (e.g.: “Life on the Water”, “Indein Village”, “Handicrafts and Tribal Colour”“Thaung Tho Kyaung Market”, and “Tomatoes!”); the heat, confusion and noise of the colourful fresh-food markets (e.g.: Bago, Bagan, Nyaung ShweMandalay,) and the flower markets of Pyin Oo; the profusion of purple-robed monks, novices, and pink-clad nuns going about their daily prayers and study (e.g.: “Light the Way”, “Lining up for Lunch”, “Morning Alms”Nyaung Shwe“Mandalay Temples”, “Sagaing Hills”, Mingun, Bagan); the mystical calm of the Bagan stupas (see: “Living Landscape”, “Dawn to Dusk”, “Heat and Dust”); the unique gold craft, lacquerware, marble carving and marionette making; the ancient architecture (“Kingdom of Inwa”); and most especially the shy smiles of the people everywhere, as they go about their lives (e.g.: “A Burmese Village”, “Riding the Ring Train”Mingun, Pyin Oo Lwin, Mandalay).

When I first arrived in Yangon, it was raining – the kind of relentless, unremitting tropical rain that W. Somerset Maugham described so well in his stories of Southeast Asia. The pounding on the roof was deafening as the waters streamed down the colonial iron lattice-work on the windows of my hotel and bounced back from the pavement below. 

At the first available break in the weather, I ventured out and met my first smiles. 

Golden statue, Kandawgyi Lake, Yangon Myanmar

Golden Statue
Washed clean by the tropical rains, a golden statue rises out of the parks around Kandawgyi Lake, near my hotel. (11September2012)

Karaweik Hall or Palace, on Kandawgyi Lake, Yangon Myanmar

Karaweik Hall
Myanmar’s ornate architecture is unique and distinctive. One of Yangon’s newer landmarks (completed in 1974), the gilded Karaweik Palace, is modelled after the Royal Barge used in the past by the Burmese Kings. Shaped like the mythical Karaweik bird, the restaurant complex looks like it is floating on Kandawgyi Lake. (11September2012)

Elderly Burmese woman writing, Kyakhatwine Monastery, Bago, Myanmar

Writing a Letter
We visited the Kyakhatwine Monastery, Bago, to watch the monks line up for their last meal of the day (Lining up for Lunch). The lay people around the monastery were as interesting as the monks themselves: this elderly woman was hunched over her work when I approached her. (12September2012)

Elderly Burmese woman writing, Kyakhatwine Monastery, Bago, Myanmar

Total Focus
Her total focus as she painstakingly copied the text she was writing was palpable. 

Elderly Burmese woman holding a poster of AAung San Suu Kyi, Kyakhatwine Monastery, Bago, Myanmar

For “The Lady”
The old woman proudly told me that her work was for “The Lady”. Everywhere I went, I saw revered representations of Aung San Suu Kyi. In spite of the current ambivalence about her outside Myanmar, I doubt very much that her image is at all diminished among every-day Burmese(12September2012)

Flowers of the Cannonball Tree - Couroupita Guianensis, Myanmar

Flowers of the Cannonball Tree – Couroupita Guianensis
These unusual flowers are usually only seen in Hindu and Buddhist temples. (13September2012)

Flowers of the Cannonball Tree - Couroupita Guianensis, Myanmar

Cannonball Flowers – Couroupita Guianensis
The hooded flowers are said to look like the sacred snake, or nāga, and the tree resembles the one (Shorea robusta) that Maya was holding onto while she was giving birth to the Lord Buddha.

Burmese woman at a loom, Mandalay Myanmar

Lady at the Loom
In a hot, dark room in Mandalay, women sit working large looms. (14September2012)

Portrait of a Burmese woman at a loom, Mandalay Myanmar

Concentration

Burmese hands at work at a loom, Mandalay Myanmar

Hands at Work
The silk lace that the women are making is complex: requiring different coloured threads and a great deal of concentration. (14September2012)

Burmese hands at work at a loom, Mandalay Myanmar

Silk Shuttle

Burmese novice on a bench, Heho Myanmar

Novice on a Bench
Monks and novices are everywhere in Myanmar; …

Portrait of a Burmese Novice, Heho Myanmar

Burmese Novice
… this particular novice is sitting outside a barber shop in Heho. (20September2012)

Burmese barber cutting a man

The Haircut
Inside the small shop, a man is getting his hair cut.

Burmese barber cutting a man

The Cut
The barber pays attention to his work …

Burmese Novice in a barbershop mirror, Heho Myanmar

Monk in the Mirror
… while the novice watches.

Detail: Clippers of a Burmese barber cutting a man

Clippers

Mirrored reflection of a Burmese barber cutting a man

Reflection

Burmese barber cutting a man

Study
The men are a study in concentration …

Portrait: Burmese barber and his customer, Heho Myanmar

Barber and his Client
… until the cut is finished, …

Portrait of a happy Burmese customer, Heho Myanmar

The Happy Customer
… and they show off the finished product. (20September2012)

Burmese man making dough, Nyaung Shwe Myanmar

Making Dough
You are never far from freshly-made food in Myanmar! (23September2012)

Sticky buns on a griddle, Nyaung Shwe Myanmar

Sticky Dough on the Griddle

Burmese boy on the Ring Train, Yangon Myanmar

Young Boy and his Mother
It is the people that make travel special; the open face of a young boy on Yangon’s Ring Train brings my trip full circle – pardon the pun!

As I said: when I visited, the country was on the brink of change following the 2010 election of a nominally civilian government. Clearly, however, not all the anticipated transformations have worked out as positively as some of us had hoped. The election of Aung San Suu Kyi’s party in 2015 has not eased the ongoing ethnic conflicts.

To the Future (text)

The generous, gentle people that I met all over the country belie the current news headlines. I can only hope they can work out a positive way forward.

Pictures: 11-23September2012

 

The Three Sisters from Echo Point, Katoomba Australia

The Three Sisters
Back in the Dreaming, there were seven sisters who lived in the Jamison Valley in Australia 

Stories abound.

Sitting high above the Jamison Valley, in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains of Eastern Australia, three unusual rock formations stand out. Collectively known as the Three SistersMeehni, Wimlah, and Gunnedoo were formed by the ongoing erosion of wind and rain against the soft Narrabeen sandstone of these mountains.

According to locally-told tales, these three sisters – who were members of the Gundungurra people living in the Jamison Valley – were turned to stone by their father, an Elder named Tyawan. In one version of the story (q.v.: Myths and Legends), he is protecting his daughters from an evil bunyip – a locally feared creature with a terrible voice and a penchant for eating young girls and women. The bunyip, angry at being woken and deprived of his meal, chased and cornered Tyawan, who used his magic bone to change himself into a lyre bird and escape. Unfortunately, in the process, he dropped the bone! To this day, lyre birds scrabble in the undergrowth looking for the bone, and the stone sisters wait to be changed back into the beautiful young women they once were.

Another version of the story is more like the classic tale of Romeo and Juliet: the three sisters fell in love with three brothers from the neighbouring Nepean tribe, but marriage between these groups was forbidden by tribal law. The brothers decided to capture the young women by force; Tyawan turned the girls to stone to protect them, but was killed in the ensuing battle and could never change them back. It has been suggested that this popular narrative is likely to be the recent invention of a non-Aboriginal Katoomba local, Mel Ward, rather than a genuine Indigenous Australian Dreamtime legend.

The Aboriginal traditional owners, the Gundungurra, point out that there were once seven pillars of stone jutting out into the Jamison Valley at Echo Point, and say that they were part of the Gundungurra’s Muggadah or “Seven Sisters Dreaming” that is linked to the Seven Sisters of the Pleiades star cluster. The Star Dreaming story of the Seven Sisters is one of the most widely distributed ancient stories amongst Aboriginal Australia.”

Part of the area is also sacred to the local Darug people: in times past, women would give birth in a cave near Echo Point and the men would watch the third sister for a sign that the birth had occurred.

Whatever their stories, these outcrops are amazing in their own rights, especially as their moods and colours change in the shifting light. They are also extremely accessible: just 110 km (68 mi) west of Sydney, they are visited by busloads of tourists – mostly foreign – daily.

Rather than wrestle with parking at the popular Echo Point Lookout, my husband and I chose to walk the 2.3 km down the hill from our charming 1930s guesthouse in Katoomba, the chief town in the Blue Mountains.

Come join us!

Rhododendrons in flower on the Lurline St, Katoomba, Australia

Rhododendrons on the Street
Katoomba, with its elevation of 1040 metres above sea level, has a subtropical highland climate. On our visit in October, the spring flowers were in full bloom.

Pink petals on a sidewalk, Katoomba, Australia

Petals on the Ground

Pink blossoms in a Tree, Katoomba, Australia

Spring Blooms in the Trees

Wildflowers on a stone wall, Katoomba, Australia

Flowers on a Wall
The town of Katoomba came into its own in the late 1800s with the start of ‘Crushers’, a commercial metal crushing plant, the opening of the Katoomba Coal Mine, and the development of health and recreation facilities. Some of the buildings and infrastructure date back to this time.

‘Kapsalie’
Built between 1915-1916, this lovely federation bungalow is typical of houses in the Katoomba area.

View through gum trees over the Jamison Valley, Katoomba Australia

The Jamison Valley
As we cross from Lurline Street to Echo Point Road, we start to get views through the trees …

View over the Jamison Valley, Katoomba Australia

The Jamison Valley
… and over the valley.

Echo Point Lookout Services, Katoomba Australia

Echo Point Lookout Services
Just before we reach the Echo Point lookout itself, we stop to have a peek into the very modern shopping and food centre, …

Echo Point Lookout Services, Katoomba Australia

Coffee Shop with a View
… where customers sit with panoramic views over the valley.

The viewing area at Echo Point lookout, Katoomba Australia

“Katoomba”
The viewing area at Echo Point lookout is perched overlooking the Jamison Valley and the iconic Three Sisters. I always enjoy visiting the Echo Point Visitor Centre – which has added a roof of solar panels since my last visit. What was more surprising was the lack of crowds! In spite of the beautiful spring weather, there were not the usual hordes of tourists.

Walkway to the Three Sisters, Katoomba Australia

Walkway to the Three Sisters
Echo Point is the gateway to a number of walks: along the clifftops or into the valley below. We settled for the easy 500 metre pathway to the Three Sisters themselves. 

Flowers and Roots along the Walkway to the Three Sisters, Katoomba Australia

Flowers and Roots
In contrast with the non-native flora of Katoomba, the Australian bush features delicate flowers and subtle colours.

Sculpture of a Blue Tongue Lizard, walkway to the Three Sisters, Katoomba NSW

Blue Tongue Lizard
Australian fauna can be skittish and hard to spot. These delightful life-size sculptures along the pathway represent those animals hiding in the bush.

Track to the Three Sisters, Katoomba Australia

Track to the Three Sisters
The concrete pathway winds along the cliff edge …

View over the Jamison Valley, Katoomba Australia

Taking in the Views
… with overlooks giving access to panoramic views.

Grassy moss on a pock-marked cliff wall, Katoomba Australia

Moss in the Crannies
The porous sandstone in the cliff-side walls along the walkway are home to mosses and small plants.

Sculpture of a Echidna, walkway to the Three Sisters, Katoomba NSW

Echidna
A life-size sculpture of one of Australia’s unique monotremes.

One of the Three Sisters, Katoomba Australia

Sister!
We catch our first glimpse of one of the sisters from the walkway. Until 2000, the Sisters were popular with hang-gliders and rock climbers; these activities were stopped on on environmental grounds and out of respect for the Gundungarra and Darug people.

Archway to the Three Sisters, Katoomba Australia

Archway to the Sisters
The Giant Stairway down to the valley floor and the Honeymoon Bridge across to the first Sister were officially opened to the public in 1932.

Stairs down to the Three Sisters, Katoomba Australia

Stairs down to the Honeymoon Bridge

People on Honeymoon Bridge, Three Sisters, Katoomba Australia

Honeymoon Bridge
People take photos on the steps to Meehni, the first of the Sisters – and the only one that visitors are now allowed on.

Closeup of the top of the First Sister, Katoomba Australia

Grass on the Sister
A closer view of the rock formation shows off the strong vertical jointing properties of the Narrabeen sandstone, interspersed with erosion-resistant ironstone.

Man sitting at an overlook, Three Sisters, Katoomba Australia

A Quiet Moment
A man checks the photos on his phone at a Jamison Valley overlook.

The Three Sisters from Echo Point, Katoomba Australia

The Three Sisters
Ironically, the best view of the Three Sisters is from the Echo Point lookout – back where we started from! The coloured striations show the effects of erosion: with the lighter orange and yellow sections being the freshly exposed rock.

The Three Sisters are a unique Australian icon and a symbol of the Blue Mountains. I was very impressed with how much Echo Point and the pathway to the Three Sisters had been improved since my last visit; the whole area was enjoyable and easy to explore. 

Text: Happy Rambling

Of course, we still had a long walk back up the hill to town centre, to a well-earned lunch, and to our hotel.

Until next time,

Happy Rambling!

Pictures: 09October2017

  • Gabe - November 23, 2017 - 12:36 pm

    It was a beautiful spring day visiting this lovely scenic spot.ReplyCancel

Standing Buddha in a niche, Marble Mountains, Danang, Vietnam

Stone Buddha
The Marble Mountains, just outside Danang in Vietnam, are a honey-comb of niches, many with a shrine or deity inside.

The Marble Mountains: I kept calling them “Magic Mountains” by mistake.

But they are a bit magical!

Near Non Nuoc Beach, nine kilometres south of Danang in Central Vietnam, five marble and limestone outcrops rise up dramatically from the flat plains around them. According to legend, a dragon climbed out of the East Vietnam Sea onto the beach and laid an egg. After a thousand days and a thousand nights, the egg hatched, and a beautiful girl emerged. The broken pieces of shell that were left on the beach eventually grew into the five mystical Marble Mountains. (Story paraphrased from Hotels.com; I want to know what happened to the girl!!)

Craggy and steep, these impossible-looking mountains are topped with Buddhist pagodas, and riddled with tunnels and caves. Alcoves and crannies are filled with Buddhist and Hindu temples and shrines, many many of them more than 300 years old. More recently, the tunnels provided hiding places for the Vietcong, very near the military air base maintained by the Americans during the Vietnam War

It is not just me who finds these peaks magical. They are a popular tourist attraction and well-known pilgrimage site.

Their name in Vietnamese is Ngũ Hành Sơn, or “five elements mountains”: referring to the five elements that, according to ancient Asian philosophy, make up everything in nature. The individual outcrops are named for – and said to represent – one of these elements: Thuy Son (water); Moc Son – (wood); Hoa Son (fire); Kim Son (metal); and Tho Son (earth)). 

My husband and I were staying at a coastal resort nearby (see: Resort Living) and it was an easy cycle to Non Nuoc Village at the foot of Marble Mountains. The village is famous for its stone sculptures and handicrafts – although, these days the marble used by the local craftsmen comes from nearby provinces or China, so that the precious mountains here are not destroyed. 

We had a look through the shops before heading to the entry to Thuy Son or Water Mountain. We bought our modestly-priced tickets and started up the 150+ stone steps that rise and wind through the caves and alcoves to the lookouts at the top.

Marble Carvings of Vietnamese fishermen, Non Nuoc Village shop, Vietnam

Vietnamese Fishermen
Non Nuoc Village is crowded with outlet shops selling marble carvings: from the smallest jewellery, through souvenir knickknacks, to the largest religious and decorative objects for public spaces.

Vietnamese wicker-covered teapots, Non Nuoc Village shop, Vietnam

Bright Lights and Crafts
The shops carry a range of local handicrafts; the teapots come in all shapes and sizes. 

Stairs up the Water Mountain, Non Nuoc Village, Vietnam

Stairs up the Mountain
There are said to be 156 steps up to the viewpoint at the top of Thuy Son,

Kwan Yin (Quan Am) in a Niche, Marble Mountains, Vietnam

Kwan Yin (Quan Am) in a Niche
… but there are plenty of things to look at along the way.

Marble Bodhisattvas and Nagas, Marble Mountain, Non Nuoc Village, Vietnam

Marble Bodhisattvas and Nagas
Around every corner, the visitor is met with Buddhist imagery.

White marble Buddha over a reflecting pond, Marble Mountain, Non Nuoc Village, Vietnam

Buddha over a Reflecting Pond
The rising steps are broken by landings …

White marble Buddha in a Garden, Marble Mountain, Non Nuoc Village, Vietnam

Buddha in the Garden
… where visitors stop to rest and pose for pictures.

Tam Thai Pagoda, Marble Mountain, Non Nuoc Village, Vietnam

Tam Thai Pagoda

Inside Tam Thai Pagoda, Marble Mountain, Non Nuoc Village, Vietnam

Inside Tam Thai Pagoda
Some of the shrines are wildly colourful and garishly decorated.

Stone shrine in an alcove, Marble Mountains, Vietnam

Shrine in an Alcove
Others are more subdued: carved from stone and aged with a patina of moss.

Painted carving of Prince Siddhartha on Horseback, Marble Mountains, Vietnam

Prince Siddhartha on Horseback
Buddhism has strong ties to it’s Hindu roots: the Kshatriya Warrior Prince Siddhartha, was the ninth incarnation of the Lord Vishnu, the second god in the Hindu triumvirate. After his enlightenment, he was known as Siddhārtha Gautama, or the Gautama Buddha.

Stone Buddha in an alcove, Marble Mountains, Vietnam

Buddha in an Alcove
As we follow the tunnels through the limestone caves, we come across more altars, …

Stone standing Buddha in an alcove, Marble Mountains, Vietnam

Standing Buddha
… and more Buddhas.

White statues of Buddha

Buddha Teaching
Images of deer are often found in Buddhist gardens. They remind us of the first sermon Buddha gave after his enlightenment: to five beggars in Sarnath, a deer park in what is now Uttar Pradesh, India.

Pagodas roofs, Marble Mountains, Vietnam

Pagodas in the Garden

View North West to Danang from Marble Mountains, Vietnam

Danang
From our first vantage point, we can see north west to Danang

View west from the Marble Mountains, Vietnam

Marble Mountains and Prickly Pear
… and west over the outcrops towards the mountains.

Vietnamese woman selling coconut, Marble Mountains, Vietnam

Coconut Seller
Coconut is a refreshing energiser after a long hard climb!

The Lady Buddha, Hoa Nghiem Cave, Marble Mountains, Vietnam

The Bodhisattva of Compassion
All over Vietnam, you will see statues of Quan Am, the Bodhisattva of Mercy or Compassion.

The Lady Buddha, Marble Mountains, Vietnam

Quan Am
Local Buddhists pray to her for guidance, fertility and protection.

Stairs through Marble Mountains, Vietnam

Stairs into the Caves
In most places, the stairs up and down through the caves are well formed.

Look up through the limestone of Marble Mountains, Vietnam

Look up through the Limestone
In other sections, we were literally climbing through rough gaps in the craggy limestone rock.

Shrine in a Cave, Hoa Nghiem Cave, Marble Mountains, Vietnam

Shrine in a Cave
Another cave: another shrine; …

Sitting Buddha in a Niche, Marble Mountains, Vietnam

Buddha in a Niche
… another alcove: another Buddha.

Xa Loi Tower, Marble Mountains, Vietnam

Tháp Xá Lợi
We come back out into the open behind the Xa Loi Tower.

Heaven

Heaven’s Gate
We make our way through Heaven’s Gate

View over Non Nuoc Village from the Marble Mountains, Vietnam

View over Non Nuoc Village
… and up to another lookout.

Happy Buddha and other giant statues, Non Nuoc Village, Marble Mountains, Vietnam

Marble Carvings
Back at the bottom of the mountain, we admire the sculptures awaiting packaging and transport  …

Giant Kwan Yin in Marble, Non Nuoc Village, Marble Mountains, Vietnam

Giant Kwan Yin in Marble
… as we pass under the blessings of a giant Quan Am

Giant yellow happy Buddha, Non Nuoc Village, Marble Mountains, Vietnam

Bố Đại
… and past a Laughing Buddha who looks as though he’s been abandoned.

Before finding our bicycles and pedalling back to the resort, we stopped into the shops for another look around. We found a small piece of marble to take home with us; the stone might have its origins in China, but the carvers live right here – in the shadow of these magic Marble Mountains.

Text: Happy Travels

Until next time,

Happy Travels!

Pictures: 27February2016

Twin Upper Falls, Linville Falls, NC USA

Twin Upper Falls, Linville Falls
It’s a short walk through a lovely wood to the upper falls at Linville Falls, North Carolina.

We had started planning the year before …

My husband and I had been driving, in our usual hurry, from a friend’s house in North Carolina to an airplane in Nashville, Tennessee. Not far from Asheville, NC, we pulled a short way off the highway to visit the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center. A working wifi, a clean toilet, a few interactive displays, and I was hooked!

I picked up numerous pamphlets and maps, and started dreaming… 

Blue Ridge Parkway pamphlets.

Dreams Start Here!
The Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center just outside of Asheville, North Carolina, has just about everything a Blue Ridge trip-planner needs.

So, when I was mapping out our trip to visit family in Tennessee and Ohio the next year, I expanded the loop with a drive down the Skyline Drive through the Shenandoah National Park and then into the Blue Ridge Mountains via the Blue Ridge Parkway (see: Blue Ridge Parkway, Part 1 and Stepping into the Past, Part 2). Naturally, the days we had originally allotted to the drive had long-since eroded, and here we were: after two days of driving down the Blue Ridge Parkway, we had a fast-approaching deadline, but a lot more road to enjoy.

In the car, I alternated between thumbing through the maps and guide books and watching the road and scenery, while my husband drove. I had to try and pick the highlights as time slipped through our fingers like sands through the hourglass…

Morning View over mountains from Skyline Village Inn Spruce Pine, NC USA

Morning View
It is hard to believe that people get up to this glorious view every day! Skyline Village Inn, Spruce Pine, NC.

That is how, on our third morning on the Blue Ridge Parkway, we came to be driving backwards.

Because I had booked our overnight accommodation based on where I thought we would/should be, we ended up backtracking from the tiny hamlet of Spruce Pine (Mile 330.8), north to Linville Falls (Mile 316.3). The waterfall looked too good to miss.

As it turned out, the town of Linville Falls wasn’t too bad either!

Wild turkey in the spring grass, NC USA

“Turkey in the Straw”
The wild turkeys at the side of the road were a morning treat as we drove north. Unfortunately for me and my camera, they move pretty quickly for a heavy bird!

Man in gators fishing in the Linville River, NC USA

Fishing in the Linville River
The river is quiet near the car park and National Park’s Visitor’s Center – clearly it is a good spot for fly fishing.

Pathway into the Linville Woods, NC USA

Into the Linville Woods
There are many short trails leading to waterfall over-looks; all of them are well maintained.

Tree Roots in the Linville Woods, NC USA

Tree Roots
The extensive roots of the trees form an intricate webbing underfoot.

Hikers on the Trail into the Linville Woods, NC USA

Hikers on the Trail

View over Linville Falls, NC USA

Linville Falls
Our first breath-taking view of Linville Falls as it plunges down through Linville Gorge, was from an upper over-look. The river drops a total of 46 metres (150 ft) down several tiers.

Yellow wildflowers on the Edge of the cliff at an over-look, Linville Falls NC USA

Flowers on the Edge
Wildflowers cling to the steep drop-off next to our viewing platform. The canyon floor seems a long way down!

View of Linville Falls, NC USA

Upper Linville Falls
Just a short walk away, there is a completely different perspective over a different section of the falls.

Orange Fungus, Linville Falls Woods, NC USA

Fungus
The walking paths are full of colour and beauty, from the fungus at our feet…

Mountain Laurel , Linville Falls Woods, NC USA

Mountain Laurel (Kalmia Latifolia)
… to the spring flowers on the trees.

Rocky Fall Base, Linville Falls, NC USA

Rocky Fall Base
At every turn, there is a new view of the racing water.

one of the Twin Upper Falls, Linville Falls NC USA

One of the Twin Upper Falls

Rhododendrons at the Linn Cove Viaduct Center, NC USA

Rhododendrons at the Linn Cove Viaduct Visitor Center
After completing our morning’s walk, we drove back further, to the Linn Cove Viaduct (Mile 304.4). We had driven over the 379 metre (1243 ft) concrete bridge in the dark the night before, and were determined to get a better look.

New geen leaves on a tree trunk under the Linn Cove Viaduct, NC USA

Growth under the Linn Cove Viaduct
The Viaduct was the last section of Blue Ridge Parkway completed – designed to protect the ecology of Grandfather Mountain, one of the world’s oldest mountains. It’s hard to get a good look while you are one it, and there is nowhere to stop, so we decided to take a walk that was meant to take us to a viewing platform.

Greenery under the Linn Cove Viaduct, NC USA

Under the Linn Cove Viaduct
We clambered through greenery, …

Roots and rocks under the Linn Cove Viaduct, NC USA

Path under the Linn Cove Viaduct
… and over rocks and roots, …

Car through greenery on the Linn Cove Viaduct, NC USA

Car on the Linn Cove Viaduct
… but we never found a clear and unobstructed view.

Linn Cove Viaduct from a pullout on the Blue Ridge Parkway, NC USA

Linn Cove Viaduct
Begun in 1979, the concrete viaduct is said to be “one of the most complicated concrete bridges ever built”

Grandfather Mountain from a pullout on the Blue Ridge Parkway, NC USA

Grandfather Mountain
Completed in 1987, the bridge comprises 153 concrete segments, only one of which is straight. It snakes around the slopes of Grandfather Mountain.

Stack Rock Creek (Mile 305) from a car window, Blue Ridge Parkway, NC USA

Stack Rock Creek (Mile 305)

Linville Falls Post Office, NC USA

Linville Falls Post Office (Mile 317.5)
Heading south once again, we stopped in at the charming town of Linville Falls for lunch – and even made use of their quaint Post Office. (iPhone6)

Looking through Road Tunnels on the Blue Ridge Parkway, NC USA

Road Tunnels
Here are two of the vehicle tunnels along the Blue Ridge Parkway; 25 of the 26 Parkway tunnels are in North Carolina.

Green Knob Overlook and signpost, Blue Ridge Parkway, NC USA

Green Knob Overlook (Mile 350.5)
After our long morning, we were fast running out of time, so stopped only briefly at overlooks that appeared interesting.

Craggy Dome from the Blue Ridge Parkway, NC USA

Craggy Dome
The weather turned, …

Driving into rain clouds, Blue Ridge Parkway, NC USA

Into the Rain Clouds
… and we drove up into the clouds …

Looking Glass Mountain from Log Hollow Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway, NC USA

Looking Glass Mountain from Log Hollow Overlook (Mile 416.3)
… and out the other side.

Storm clouds over Graveyard Fields , Blue Ridge Parkway, NC USA

Storm Clouds over Graveyard Fields ( Mile 418)
It seemed fitting that black clouds should roll over Graveyard Fields when we stopped there; no one is sure where the name comes from, but all the proposed explanations are gloomy! (Phone6)

Visitors on the Highest Point of the Blue Ridge Parkway, NC USA

Visitors on the Highest Point (Mile 431)
Like any good tourist, we had to stop at the highest point on the Parkway: the Richland Balsam Overlook (6,047 ft/1843 m).

Thomas Divide Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway, NC USA

Thomas Divide Overlook (Mile 463.9)
After over-nighting in Cherokee, we were back on the Parkway just so we could say: …  (iPhone6)

Traffic backed up at Oconalute River, Blue Ridge Parkway, NC USA

The Final Marker: Oconalute River (Mile 469)
“We finished it!”

It was a beautiful drive, and we can’t wait to do it again –

Maybe in a different season, 

Text: Happy Rambles, Ursula :-)

or maybe just stopping in different places.

‘Til then,

Happy Rambles!

Pictures: 27-28May2016

Indian man in a colourful turban, Pushkar, Rajasthan

Man in a Colourful Rajasthani Turban
At the Camel Fair in Pushkar, the turbans are as colourful as the “characters” you meet!

That direct, forthright gaze!

Eyes red from the ubiquitous dust and the smoke from the dung-fires; skin weathered by time and the elements; teeth broken and stained by hard-living and tobacco – but still happy to stare at the foreigner’s camera with a complete lack of self-consciousness.

For me, one of the many joys of being in India is the ease of making “environmental portraits”: candid, street-style pictures of people (or animals) in their natural environment.

The annual Pushkar Camel Festival or Kartik Mela – in Rajasthan, Northern India, ends with the full moon this Saturday, November 4th. A number of my friends – including photographer Karl Grobl and local guide DV Singh – are there, and I can’t help but feel a little envious as I watch all the pictures coming through my news feed, especially as it has been four years since I was there with them and enjoyed the Camel Fair myself.

But seeing their pictures reminds me that I still have countless photos I have yet to process. So, I was motivated to return to old files and revisit some of the wonderful faces from Pushkar’s dusty fair grounds. I have shared some pictures from the fair before (See: Scenes from a Fair and A Gypsy Portrait), but it has been a while!

Please enjoy these environmental, candid portraits of some of the fabulous faces at Pushkar’s Camel Fair.

Indian men around a camp fire in the dark, Rajasthan

Around the Fire
The people who bring their animals or other trade-goods to the Pushkar Fair grounds sleep on site: in tents or under their carts. When I arrived on my second morning there, it was cold, and still dark. Those people who were up were huddled around their camp fires.

Indian man around a camp fire in the dark, Rajasthan

Young Man at a Fire
There are only small twigs and branches in the surrounding desert – the resulting fires are thin, and don’t give off much warmth against the cold November morning.

Pup tent with a camel in the background, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Pushkar Campsite
The campsite comes to life slowly, as dawn starts to lighten the horizon.

Indian man feeding a Marwari horse, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Feeding the Horses
The Camel Fair is not just about camels: the prized and rare Marwari horses, with their strong bodies and inward-curving ears, are also a feature.

Indian man in a Blanket, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Man in a Blanket

Seated camels eating, Ferris Wheels in the background, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Camels and Ferris Wheels
The camels, with their carefully shaved coats and painted markings, are everywhere.

Camel, Ferris Wheels in the background, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Camel and Ferris Wheels
Their soft eyes and long lashes, and the flowers and pom-poms they wear, belie their notoriously bad tempers.

Indian man in a Green Turban, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Man in a Green Turban

Closeup of an Indian man in an Orange Blanket, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Man in an Orange Blanket
Cigarettes, pipes, and cheroots are everywhere.

Rajasthani camel heroes gathered into an impromptu family grouping, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Impromptu Family Group
If I see a camera, I duck for cover, so I’m always surprised by how enthusiastically I am met when I walk around with mine! A patriarch in this household (the man whose picture leads this post) insisted I stay at his campsite until he gathered up the whole family for a group shot. He then proceeded to give them stage directions from over my left shoulder, so that half the group is looking at him rather than me!

Closeup of an Indian man in a Cream Turban, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Man in a Cream Turban
Rajasthan is an arid, sandy place. November days are hot, but the nights are cold, necessitating the twig- and dung-fires that burn all around the campsite. It is not surprising that everyone has red and irritated eyes.

Closeup of an Indian woman in a green dupatta, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Woman in a Green Dupatta
These people spoke no English, so I’m not sure how many of the children in this group belonged to this woman. I can’t imagine how difficult her life in the desert must be.

Indian men in a circle, Camel Herder Camp, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Camel Herder Camp
Cover a camel cart in tarpaulin and throw a few woven mats on the ground, and Presto! you have a campsite.

Young Indian man and his Marwari Horse, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Young Man and his Rajasthani Horse
My presence there prompted the youngest member of the group to leap up on his Marwari horse …

Closeup of a young Indian Man, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Young Man
… to practice his Bollywood smoulder.

White and brown Marwari horse, , Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Marwari Horse – Equus Ferus Caballus
From the Marwar (or Jodhpur) region of India, these beautiful horses were originally bred by the Rathores, the rulers of Marwar until the 12th century. Today’s horses are descended from a careful cross between native Indian ponies and Arabians. During the feudal period, only the Rajput families and the Kshatriyas (the warrior caste) were allowed to ride them, as they were considered divine.

View of camels feeding, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Camels Feeding
Smoke and dust hang in the winter morning air.

Camels at the Water Trough, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Camels at the Water Trough
One of my favourite spots was the water trough …

Fancily-clipped camels bellowing, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Camels Bellowing
… where the beautifully decorated animals gave voice to their discontent.

Young Indian boy watering several camels, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Watering the Camels
The job of giving the huge animals their drinks can fall to the very young.

Closeup of an Indian man in a Blue Scarf, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Man in a Blue Scarf
That direct gaze with strangers – so common in India – is something I see much less often in other parts of the world.

Closeup of an Indian man in a Blue Scarf, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Man in a Blue Scarf
Once you have eye contact, it doesn’t take much to elicit a radiant smile.

Closeup of an Indian Girl in Yellow, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Girl in Yellow
The rising sun finally cuts through the smoke and dust, …

Closeup of an Indian boy, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Boy in a T Shirt
… casting a yellow glow over everything, and reflecting in the children’s eyes.

Indian Man Drinking from a tap, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Man Drinking
The central water supply is a busy place.

Camel with shaved patterns on its side and rump, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Shaved Camel
I just loved all the different shaving and painting designs the camels sported, …

Close up of a camel in pom poms, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Decorated Camel
… and their colourful pom poms!

Closeup of an Indian man in a red Turban, Pushkar Fair Grounds, Rajasthan

Man in a Red Turban
But, it was the people, and that direct gaze, that I kept coming back to.

There really is nowhere quite like India!

Until next time, Text: Happy Travels

Happy Travels!

Photographs: 13November2013

  • Jan Lively - November 2, 2017 - 1:24 pm

    Oh Ursula Dear, what a joyous look back on our time together at Pushkar !! That was probably my favorite part of the entire India trip and now thanks to you, I get to relive it again. So thank you for your pictures and for your studied research and narrative. Seeing you in my Inbox always, and I do mean always makes my day. Do hope you are well and yes, we are good too. We love to go, but we love being home too.
    Thanks again and keep them coming. . . .ReplyCancel

    • Ursula - November 2, 2017 - 2:56 pm

      Darling Jan!
      So glad you enjoyed the pictures and the memories. You do make me smile. ?
      I’m happy you and the Handsome-One are enjoying some home-time.
      Catch you again on the trails one day! xReplyCancel

  • Gabe - November 2, 2017 - 1:36 pm

    Beautiful portraits & animal shots. Love the horse earsReplyCancel

    • Ursula - November 2, 2017 - 2:57 pm

      Always glad to hear from my number one fan. ReplyCancel

  • […] while I’ve already shared some of the images I made there (see: A Gypsy Portrait, Faces at the Camel Fair, and Scenes from a Fair) – I still have a large body of work to […]ReplyCancel

  • […] DV Singh Jagat. We had spent a lot of time on the dusty fairground amid the camels and horses (see: Faces at the Camel Fair, and Among the Camels and Horses), so a walk into town was a welcome […]ReplyCancel

  • […] Jagat, included the annual autumn Camel Fair in the Northern Indian town of Pushkar (see: Faces at the Camel Fair, and Among the Camels and Horses). Pushkar Lake has attracted pilgrims at least as far back as […]ReplyCancel