.jpg) That Indian Smile!
A red ghoonghat (veil) can’t hide this young villager’s magnificent smile. Like the rest of India, the Great Thar Desert is a beautiful expanse, full of contrasts.
At one end of the spectrum was the luxury tented resort where I, my tour companions, photographer Karl Grobl, and local guide DV Singh, were all staying; Manvar Desert Camp, amongst the dunes of the Great Thar Desert and just off the Jodhpur- Jaisalmer highway, feels like a serene oasis in the daytime heat. The dry air hums all around the beautiful, minimalist sandy exterior, while the interiors of the spacious tents are cool and quiet. The official literature states that: “Staying [in] the tents is really relaxing & soothing experience.”
I would second that: it is hard to describe the calm I felt while staying there.
.jpg) Manvar Desert Camp
A semi-circle of deluxe tents is a luxurious oasis in the Thar Desert sands. .jpg) Quiet Time
The air sizzles with heat and promise.  Dining Tent
“Casual elegance” is the easiest way to describe the dining tent, with its canvas chairs and linen napkins. However, step outside the boundaries of the resort camps – or, more accurately, ride a jeep outside – and the hardships that come from trying to eke a living out of the desert environment become more evident. We visited several villages during our desert stay (see: Life in the Thar Desert; Camels in the Desert; Opium for Breakfast; Living in the Thar Dunes; and Morning Portraits in a Thar Village). Each village impressed me with it’s simplicity: life is not easy here. But, even though they might work hard, people in the villages were always happy to come and meet the visitors.
Khiyasariya, about 120 km from Jodhpur, was one of the last desert villages I visited in the area. According to the 2011 Census, Khiyasariya has about 155 houses, 1166 hectares of land, and a total population of 993 people.
Come and meet some of them:
Men on the Wall
Everywhere you go in India, people are hanging around, draped as if they just are waiting for us to pass and photograph them. Sacred Cow
You know you are close to a village of some affluence when you come across livestock grazing on the sparse desert grasses. Walking to the Well
Women in Khiyasariya have a long walk to the closest water source. Walking with Water
How the woman walk so gracefully with the full containers on the return trip amazes me! Man with Pipe
Meanwhile, one of the village elders … Smoking Man
… enjoys his afternoon smoke, … Head Man
… pausing occasionally for photographs in the bright afternoon light. Woman and Child
The young women of the village are happy to show off their bare-bottomed babies. Washing Dishes
Kitchen tasks are all manual, … Carrying Wood
… and like water, wood for fuel has to be gathered regularly. Kitchen Woman in Pink
… before looking at the camera with an open face… Woman in Pink
In another window, a woman looks out from behind her pink ghoongat … Woman in Pink
… and following us to the village gate. Over the Fence
As we get ready to leave the village, people come out to see us off. Woman and Child
Proud mums try to get their children … Woman and Child
… to smile for the camera, … Kohl-Eyed Infant
… but the kohl-eyed youngsters are not sure what to make of the strangers. At the Gate
Villagers watch as we leave Khiyasariya… Village Kids
… and the school-aged kids come out to wave us off. Moustachioed Finery
Our jeep-driver sports a wonderful Indian moustache. Old Man and a Goat
As we drive back to our camp, we come across one of the old men of the village. Old Goat Herd
He is happy to stop and chat as he makes his way back to Khiyasariya … Sundown
… and the sun goes down over his goats. We headed back to our camp for a dinner and entertainment under the stars: the nights are filled with traditional gypsy folk music and dance (Celebrating Music and Motion).
Meanwhile in the village, life goes on.
‘Till next time –
Namaste!
Photos: 10November2013
Posted in India,Portraits,TravelTags: children,environmental portrait,environmental portraits,India,people,Photo Blog,portrait,portraits,rajasthan,thar desert,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
Russell Morris
With a musical career spanning fifty years, Russell Morris is a true veteran, and easily one of my favourite Australian musical story-tellers. For a country with a relatively small population, Australia is home to a lot of talent in just about every domain – and popular music is no exception. This always surprises me somewhat, because a small populace means a small support base; unlike the “big names” in the big markets overseas, it must be hard for working musicians to make a solid living.
I guess this is one reason why those who last the distance do so because they clearly love what they do. That – along with the music itself – makes their live performances a joy to be part of.
Bluesfest at Byron Bay is billed as “Australia’s Premier Blues and Roots Music Festival”; it encompasses a much broader range of music than that would suggest, however, and I always look with interest to see who is being included in the five-day Easter-long-weekend lineup of local and international artists.
As usual, this year was a treat! We enjoyed a range of talent: fresh-faced and established; local and international; in “unplugged” and “big band” formats (see: Bluesfest 2016).
Join me for a few more musical portraits: a sampling from a great local lineup.
Tex Perkins
I loved the self-titled Dark Horses album (2000) and was keen to catch Tex Perkins on stage. Tex Perkins and Raul Sanchez: “The Ape”
The guitar riffs bounced off each other and all over the stage. Jug Band
Outside in the sunshine, the world feels completely different. In addition to the “Busking Tent”, the festival hosts numerous impromptu “street performers”, like this jug band whose name I did’t catch. Kim Churchill
Kim Churchill is one young local performer who already has a significant presence overseas. We loved him and his down-to-earth barefoot charm (see: Buskers to Big Bands). Ash Grunwald
My friend recommended we catch Ash Grunwald, an award-winning local blues artist who was new to me. We loved him. He has nine albums under his belt; clearly others are already won over. Kasey Chambers and Ash Grunwald
Australian country singer-songwriter Kasey Chambers is branching out… Kasey Chambers
… and bringing more wailin’ rock and blues to her music. She joined Ash and the band for a couple of songs. Ash Grunwald
Alone again, Ash commands the stage. Night Scenes
The Mojo Tent was crowded and bouncing Sunday night for one of my favourite ska and jazz bands, The Cat Empire. Felix Riebl and Cat Empire
Popular with the younger crowd, I first saw these guys play in a Darwin pub with my son in the early 2000’s. Official photographers are everywhere: it is times like this I wish I had a Press Pass! Felix Riebl
It is hard to keep a long lens still amid a jostling crowd! And, it’s even harder to keep still myself: The Cat Empire makes music to dance to. Harry James Angus and Cat Empire
I love their clever lyrics, big, brassy sounds and catchy tunes. Richard Clapton
Richard Clapton is a rock and roll mainstay on the Australian music scene. His songs were a regular feature on local popular radio stations when I first landed in the country in the late 70s. Dom Turner
Dom Turner and the Backsliders are celebrating thirty years of playing, touring and recording. It’s probably about that long ago I first saw them in the Basement, a Sydney club. The Backsliders
This is another band I was determined to see. Playing traditional Mississippi delta and hill country blues as well as original songs, they clearly still love every minute. Dom Turner
Founding member Dom Turner is known for his slide guitar. I lost track of how many different instruments he picked up during the set. Peter Robinson
Peter Robinson plays guitar with a passion. CD Signing
CD signings are a chance to play “devoted fan” and get a moment with one’s favourite artists. Russell Morris was most gracious – and of course, the CDs are great. Sundown
And, so the sun sets over another year of great music… I can hardly wait until next Easter when we’ll do it all again!
In the mean time,
Let’s keep dancing!
Posted in Australia,Entertainment,Music,PortraitsTags: environmental portrait,music,musicians,people,performance,performers,Photo Blog,portrait,portraits,Ursula Wall
Rowing in the Rain
People from Vung Vieng fishing village in Bai Tu Long Bay in North Vietnam supplement their income by rowing tourists around the waters. It’s mesmerising: sitting in a rustic wooden boat, gliding across pristine emerald waters through a jaw-dropping karst landscape while listening to the gentle splash of the rhythmic rowing. The tops of the mountains are shrouded in cloud as a gentle rain falls.
Bai Tu Long Bay in North Vietnam was designated a National Park in 2001. It adjoins the UNESCO World Heritage-designated Halong Bay to the south, and all the tourism there operates with one eye on a UNESCO-auspiced management plan.
Vung Vieng Village, in the heart of Bai Tu Long Bay, is one of four small fishing villages in the area. Home to more than 60 families, it has become a model for eco-tourism development in the vicinity.
Originally, the families of the illiterate fisher-people in this region lived in the many caves that dot the surrounding limestone karst cliffs. Generations ago, however, the people were moved into small villages of floating homes as part of the establishment of the Ba Mun National Conservation Zone. A floating school was established for the children, but attendance rates were problematic, so children now attend a compulsory boarding school on the mainland, some 24 kilometres away.
Traditionally, the floating villages were extremely poor, with their only income for food, fuel and potable water, coming from fishing. With the help of the management planning organisation, tourism operators, and other external funding, this is gradually changing. Managed fish-farming, pearl cultivation, and eco-tourism has helped these villages generate a sustainable income and has raised local awareness of environmental protection issues.
Not only do tourist operators pay for the almost-daily row boats (like the ones we were in, operated by the Vung Vieng-based Van Chai-Ha Long Rowing Boat Cooperative) to ferry visitors around the sights, but they also pay for collected rubbish, helping to keep the waters cleaner.
It’s a win-win, really.
Wooden Row Boat
Our tender drops us off on a tourist dock where local rowers collect us for our morning tour of Vung Vieng. Our Rower
Fortunately, the rowers are brightly dressed, because the morning is rainy and grey. Vung Vieng Village
The floating houses of Vung Vieng Village are clean and colourful. Wooden Row Boat
Tourist are expected to wear their life-jackets, as they are rowed … Vung Vieng House
… past the simple wooden houses, sitting on their floating pontoons. Vung Vieng House
The houses may be simple, but they sit against a stunning karst landscape. Row Boat on Vung Vieng
I think the oars are made from bamboo. I would have thought that a wider design would have made rowing easier, but even the slightly-built Vietnamese women seemed to have no difficulty rowing us around. All the boats have the nets on the back for rubbish: to encourage them to be more mindful of litter, boat operators are paid for all the garbage they collect. Rock-Bridge Reflections
Each of our boats takes us under the limestone bridge in turns, so that we might admire the workings of eons of erosion. Rowing in the Rain
We huddle under our conical woven bamboo hats as the horizon fades off into the rain and mist. Pearl Farm
Soon, the oyster- and pearl-farm comes into view. Vung Vieng Oyster Farm
The buoys that the oysters are suspended from stretch off into the distance. Rowing into the Vung Vieng Pearl Farm Oyster Farm
We are deposited on the floating dock at the pearl farm. Sales Attendant
The gift shop has attendants ready to sell us luminous cultured pearls. I managed to resist the jewellery, but I couldn’t resist this smile. Seeding Pearls
Inside the workshop, the visiting tourists watch as oysters are prised open … Pearl-Seeding Equipment
… and nucleus pearls are embedded for cultivation. Seeding Oysters
It is fiddly and pains-taking work. Oysters
Vung Vieng Pearl Farm cultivates three different types of pearls, which take between one and four years to grow to maturity. Foggy Islands
It was a short row back to our boat, where we packed up our cabin in preparation for lunch and departure. The world around us disappeared into the February fog. Captain Nguyen
Our captain popped into the crowded dining room to wish us bon voyage… Into Hon Gai Harbour
… before we cruised back into harbour. Into Hon Gai Harbour
The weather deteriorated further … On the Ropes
… as we waited for our tender and headed back to shore. Bai Tu Long Bay is a unique and wonderful place. I was there with my husband because we had heard negative reports about the overcrowding on Halong Bay itself; I hope the eco-tourism model provided by Vung Vieng allows the traditional people there to determine their own futures, while preserving their past and guarding their precious environment – for all of us.
 Until next time,
Happy Sailing!
Pictures: 22February2016
Posted in Every Day Life,Travel,VietnamTags: environmental portrait,environmental portraits,fishfarm,fishing boats,landscape,National Park,nature,Photo Blog,travel,Travel Blog,UNESCO,Ursula Wall,Vietnam
Unmarried Himba Male
Travel dreams are made of this! A young man from the Himba tribe rests on the beautiful banks of the Kunene River: the river that serves as a boundary between Namibia and neighbouring Angola. It was a beautiful scene: the red, rocky banks on the Angolan shore of Kunene River contrasting with the rushing green waters and the sandy foreshore on the Namibian side. A young man, recognisable as an unmarried Himba by his hairstyle, sat on a rock, stick in hand.
It was, of course, a constructed image, not a “found” one.
One of the luxuries of being part of a photo-group is that someone else has done a lot of the homework: I was on the banks of the Kunene River in Namibia, a short walk from our campsite at Epupa, with photographer Ben McRae, local guide Morne Griffiths, and a small group of photography enthusiasts. Two young Himba men had been hired to come along as models. It was late afternoon, and the African sun was still hot and jagged, but we were going to work at shooting portraits with Ben’s soft-boxes and off-camera flashes.
We’d had a practice session in the morning: shooting pictures of each other while telling Pedro Ferrão Patrício from Photoburst where to place the equipment in relation to our subjects. I’ve never had much joy with my own flash, and because of the weight, generally just leave it at home. So, it was a lot of fun working with equipment someone else had carried and with willing subjects.
Join me for a “model shoot” in the northern-most reaches of Namibia.
Photographer Ben McRae
Ben’s not crazy about having his picture made, but it’s only fair that he have his turn! Mid-morning, he set up the lights and reflectors in a picnic shelter, and we worked against a stone wall. Namibian Guide Morne
Looking a bit like an ad for polo shirts, Morne takes his turn in front of the lights. In Search of a Location
Late afternoon we set off: two young Himba men in traditional dress and an older Himba man, local guide Tom, who would act as our translator. Himba Guide Tom
Generally, Himba choose to adhere to their rather austere traditional lifestyle. As a guide, Tom has a foot in both camps. He talks to us about the cultural practices of his people. Unpacking the Gear
Our Himba models wait patiently while Ben sets out his equipment. Young Himba Male
Like other Himba, this young man is rather vague about how old he is: years are described by discrete events (e.g.: “the year of the late storms”) rather than numbers, and age is relevant only with respect to puberty and marriage. Young Himba Male
We guess him to be about 17. Young Himba Male
We know he is unmarried by his hairstyle: a single braided plait sculpted to the back of his head. Making the Shot
We take turns working with the young men as Ben moves the lighting around on command. Young Himba Male
Our young subject has a cheeky, intelligent face. Young Himba Male
He speaks little or no English, and I can find out nothing about him, except that he loves soccer – as, it seems, do most young men his age around the world. Unmarried Himba Man
Our other subject is older – we guess around 25. He is due to get married (into an arranged marriage) “soon”. Himba men Unmarried Himba Male
His smile clearly shows the filed gap in his front teeth: Himba children have their front bottom teeth (incisors) knocked out and the two top front teeth filed into an upside-down “V”. It hurts just thinking about it! Unmarried Himba Man
We think the young men are related: cousins or brothers, … Unmarried Himba Man
… but they are not local, so Tom is not really sure. Hairstyle
As the day grows late, the colours of the river deepen. I make a photo from behind, hoping to catch that wonderful thatch of hair. Himba Man Afternoon Lights
The shadows lengthen as the afternoon closes into evening over the Kunene River … Himba Man
… until the ambient light is almost gone. Himba Man at Rest
The lights are packed up and it is time to go – but I can’t resist one last shot, made in the dim twilight of a long African day. I walked back to camp with the two young men, who were eager to get going, as they had more than an hour’s walk ahead of them to their final destination, and the light was falling fast. We picked our way carefully over the jagged rocks in the dimming twilight.
As we came near Epupa Falls on the Kunene River, the older of the two stopped, stretched his hand over the scene, and said to me: “Beautiful.”
It might have been the only English word he knew, but really, what else needed to be said?
Until next time!
Photographs: 18August2015
Kanaka Bay, Newcastle Island
You could be miles away from anyone – except for the giant BC Ferry transporting cars and boats across the horizon. Getting out and about in the “wilds” of Canada’s Vancouver Island is always such a joy.
Truthfully, we are not really in the wilderness; we’re parked on a dock with two pubs and two restaurants within walking distance. Hardly roughing it! But as our ability to access internet has been patchy at best, I do feel a bit disconnected from the rest of the world.
I also feel as if my cameras are being a bit neglected. We’ve been on and around the water a lot, which is always wonderful, but when it comes to dragging SLR cameras and lenses onto a small dinghy or into a kayak – both at reasonable risk of being swapped by rolling salty Pacific waters – I’m less than keen.
So, I’m giving the iPhone a bit of a workout. I find the restrictions challenging, but, as a friend of mine says: “Love the camera you are with!”
Newcastle Island is a Provincial Marine Park just across the water from Nanaimo, accessible by public ferry or private boat.
Last month, my husband and I rowed our dinghy across Newcastle Channel to walk the network of trails on the island. This month, we kayaked around it, stopping for lunch in a rocky bay.
Join me for an iPhone visit.
“Welcome to Saysutshun – Au’ si:em siyeyu“
Once known as Saysutshun, Newcastle Island was a seasonal fishing site for the Snuneymuxw people of the Coast Salish group. Today, Snuneymuxw First Nation people lead numerous cultural activities in the park. Arbutus Bark
Newcastle Island was named after the famous mining town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in England when coal was discovered here in 1849. Today, the island is covered in trees: arbutus, fir, cedar, maple and oak, among others. Trail Markers
Walking around the island is a pleasure: the trails are well marked, and mostly soft underfoot from fallen pine and fir needles. Mark Bay
All types of boats are moored in the protection of Mark Bay. Old Quarry
From the late 1800s, Newcastle Island was a source of architectural sandstone for large buildings (see: Walks in the Woods), and from the 1920s, pulp stones were quarried for the pulp and paper industry. Pulp Stones
It took cylindrical cutters about three hours to carve out each pulp stone. A small amount of gunpowder blasted the cut stone loose, and it was lifted out with a derrik. Pulp Stones
The stones were smoothed with a a lathe; the finished products weighed about 1800 kilos each. Black Tailed Deer
The island is home to beavers (which we haven’t seen), golden raccoons (which we only see when the cameras are in wet-bags!), and dainty black tailed deer. “Light Falling on Cedars” Lilies on the Lake
Mallard Lake in the middle of the island was originally built as a reservoir; today it is a wildlife sanctuary, complete with elusive beavers. Into the Woods
Pathways of dappled light surrounded by the wonderful smell of cedar and fir are a treat for walkers. Look Up! The Forest Floor Dinghy Below
We tied the dinghy up carefully on the rocky shore when we arrived, before scrambling up the hill to the trails. Dinghy Stranded
When we returned after walking eight kilometres of trails, the dinghy was high on the rocks and had to be carried back to water. Aircraft Warning
There’s not a lot of opportunity to take photos when you are watching for incoming sea planes! Sandy Flats
This beautifully calm bay was named for a Kanaka – a Hawaiian immigrant labourer – who was found guilty of murdering his partner, and who was hung and buried here. They say his ghost still lurks. Kayaks at Low Tide
We have a knack! We didn’t spend too long over lunch, but the tide had moved out a long way by the time we finished. Portage
We had to portage over quite an expanse of wet sand before continuing around the island. Almost Abstract: Seaweed and Ripples in the Sun Purple Starfish Great Blue Heron
A great blue heron watched us make our way between Newcastle and Protection Islands before we paddled back into Newcastle Channel and home. Nanaimo sits on the other side of the waterway. 
Green trees, waterways, and sunny days ~
Can’t be beat.
Happy Rambles!
Pictures: 26June2016 and 06July2016
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