 Karen Boy
All over Northern Thailand, bright-faced “Hilltribe” children approach their school day with enthusiasm. “I am not the same, having seen the moon on the other side of the world.”
– Mary Anne Radmacher
Travel is such an eyeopener. There are parts of the world that fill me with joy and humble gratitude.
I love Thailand, and I especially love trips into Mae Hong Son in Thailand’s north. It is gorgeous country: green jungle-draped mountains that rise steeply into the clouds, cold waters tumbling down the hills into the river valleys below, and picturesque thatched-roofed wooden houses punctuating terraces of cabbages and rice for market.
What makes The Hills special, though, is the welcoming warmth of the people. People who work hard and have little, but who are still willing to share.
Many of the people here belong to one of several “Hilltribes” – the ethnic minority groups that live in remote villages across Northern Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar. These communities are often well beyond the reach of basic infrastructure, like electricity and/or running water, and people support their families through subsistence farming.
Across Thailand, schooling is free to all its young citizens and the Department of Education provides classrooms and teachers. It does not, however, provide funding for auxiliary infrastructure, like libraries, canteens and dormitories, and does not help with other school expenses, like books, uniforms and (required) extra-curricular activities.
Schools in “The Hills” – especially beyond the earliest grades – might be a long, difficult walk away. Without dormitory accommodation during the school week and help with school expenses, historically, many Hilltribe children dropped out of school early, and the poverty cycle continued.
It has been ages since I’ve forayed into the remote and rugged hills of Mae Hong Son on the wild border with Myanmar. My last trip was with Susan Race, several years ago. She was on one of her many excursions north to interview students who were recipients (or wanted to be) of modest scholarships, and to oversee one of the many projects she helps manage through THEP, the Thailand Hilltribe Education Projects. I’ve mentioned THEP and the work it does several times before (Budding Potentials 1, Building Better Futures, Schools at the End of the Road, True Thai Colours, and For the Children).
THEP operates completely transparently, and Susan is always happy to have companions on her trips. You just have to be able to keep up! The attached pictures are only a sampling of the projects we visited and the students we interviewed on just one day.
 Plants in the Watering Garden
One of the most effective ways of helping traditional communities is to help them do what they are already doing just a little bit better. One of the first projects Susan was involved with was a hillside irrigation system. Our first stop on this particular day was at a school where the headmaster (Khru Apichart) had built a small shade house.  Girls Reading
On special days, Karen Hilltribe children wear their traditional hand-woven clothing.  Teacher
All the teachers I’ve met at Hilltribe schools work extra hard, looking after children’s needs, well beyond the educational. Tree Planting
Khru Apichart (in the background) has worked tirelessly to improve every school he has been part of. He’d not been Principal at this school long, but had already organised a tree-planting day to help provide much needed shade. Karen Girl with Amulets
Unlike other Hilltribe groups, most Karen are Christian. This little girl, however, was wearing Buddhist/Animist amulets. Weaving the Royal Purple
Behind the school, there is a weaving area – one of the Queen’s projects – where Karen women weave cloth for export to the city. Karen Weaver Khru Sunthorn
One of the first teacher/principals to work with Susan on THEP projects, Sunthorn Ananchai still takes an active interest. Susan and a Student
Our next stop was at Department of Educations offices, where Susan and her colleagues conducted student interviews. In spite of handling a large number of sponsored Student Scholarships, she remembers students’ names and details about their families. Khru Usa
Another tireless worker, Usa Intra knows the value of education and leads by example: she was working hard on her Masters degree when this was taken. She always has a smile for us and her students. Sponsor Interview
Susan is always happy for people – especially student or project sponsors – to come along on trips. With a local teacher acting as an interpreter, a sponsor chats with two scholarship students. Boys on the Pond
Back outside in the sunshine, a group of boys in their delightful school uniforms play in the pond. Opening the Dormitory
Because of the remoteness of many Hilltribe communities, students – especially at Mathayom (High) School level – travel great distances to get to class. So, to keep them from dropping out, school dormitories allow them to stay overnight. Many then go home on weekends. The building of this dorm was sponsored by ANZWG. Inside the Dormitory
Conditions are simple: a tiled room with metal-framed beds, and a string for hanging clothing… Portrait of a Karen ‘Tween
The girls in their dormitory are happy to show off their space. Karen Girl
Beds are bought through sponsorship; there is little other furnishing. Susan and Visitors
Susan explains processes and projects to some of the ANZWG visitors. Boys in the Yard School Canteen
Our next visit was to a school canteen – also built with donated project funding. Meal in the Canteen
There are no extra employees to look after the kids who stay at school: teachers and older students all pitch in to keep things running smoothly. “Gin Khao”
With no furniture, everyone sits neatly on the floor… “Eat Rice”
… to gin khao, or “eat rice”. Eventually, we head off to find our own meals, and tuck into our beds to recharge batteries for the next day’s round of school visits and student interviews.
The indefatigable Susan will be sitting at a table somewhere, going over the accounts and making sure projects are on time and within budget…
With her down-to-earth efforts through THEP, a lot of Hilltribe children can continue their educations and improve the future of their communities. These pictures were taken some years ago, and these children are all older now. THEP recently had its first University graduate!
 With our help, the work can continue.
To the Future!
“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.”
– Gustave Flaubert
Pictures: 25May2012
Posted in Education,Every Day Life,Thailand,TravelTags: blog,children,environmental portrait,environmental portraits,people,portraits,thai,Thailand,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
Speke Hall, Liverpool
Set upon a commodious property, this old Tudor manor retains much of its stately grace under the management of the National Trust. Call it fate; call it co-incidence; call it what you will: my family has strong ties to Liverpool.
My father moved his new bride from Europe to his Liverpool, UK, home after their marriage, and I was subsequently born there. I spent a few years there (which I mostly don’t remember!) until my parents and I emigrated to Canada when I was a toddler – before I acquired the distinctive “Scouser” accent. I made my first trip back to “the old country” as a young adult, and it was in England that I met the Australian who became my partner. He, funnily enough, was from Liverpool – Australia – and both my children grew up in that Liverpool area.
My daughter moved to the UK several years ago, and was nursing in a war zone when she met the man she would marry. He was from (you guessed it) Liverpool, UK. In fact, it turns out that his mother and I were born in the same hospital!
So, we are back in England at the moment: for the marriage of my Australian daughter to her British man. And, I couldn’t resist visiting Liverpool again: with my husband and adult son, to show them some of my roots (see: The Mersey).
My first trip back to England was a revelation to me: after growing up in a land with a relatively young Western history, the ancient stories represented in the stones and walls of the cities and buildings was awesome. More amazingly, as I was taken around the city of my birth by an elderly relative, I learned that my own great-grandparents had met while working as servants in Speke Hall, an old house which is now maintained by the National Trust, and open to the public.
Speke Hall is an almost 500-year-old Tudor timber-framed manor house with Victorian improvements, and is well worth a visit – even if your family didn’t live and work there!
Built between 1530 and 1598 by the family of William Norris II – Catholics during a time of religious tumult in England – the original house included a priest’s hole hidden in the walls and attic. Spy holes and an eavesdropper ensured that visitors could be vetted and any priest in residence could hide in time. Towards the end of the 18th century, the Norris’ moved to the more fashionable London, and the building fell into disrepair. There was a time when it was even used as a cow shed!
The dilapidated estate was sold in 1795 to Richard Watt, who made his money in Jamaican sugar. Over subsequent generations, the fortunes of the house rose and fell, before being inherited by Miss Adelaide Watt when she turned 21 in 1878. She lived in the hall until her death in 1921, and under trust arrangements, much of the farm property was sold – later becoming the site of the Liverpool Aerodrome – and the house was looked after by her butler and staff until it became property of the National Trust in 1943.
What remains of the grounds, on the banks of the River Mersey, is still extensive. The property features playgrounds and picnic grounds; a new Victorian-themed hedge maze; traditional formal gardens established in the 1860s; a large kitchen garden that dates back further and still supplies the coffee shop; expansive lawns; and ancient woodlands. Wandering around the house and gardens, it is easy to forget where (and when) you are – until a jet from Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport next door roars low overhead.
Speke Hall
The approach to the old house is over the old moat. Front Doors
Our entry to the house was through the small inset in the heavy front door. What we can’t see is the “eavesdrop” overhead: the listening tube that allows servants to listen in to what we might be saying. Tudor Courtyard
Construction on the house began in 1530, and around that time two yew trees ( ‘Adam’ and ‘Eve’) were planted in the courtyard of the main building. Tudor Details
Although few of the lines in the wattle and daub house are straight or level after all these years, the details are still beautiful. Volunteer David
We missed the formal guided tours of the house – available on a first-come, first-serve basis – but we were able to wander through it on our own. In each open room, a National Trust Volunteer was stationed to tell us about the history and features. Ancient Yews: Dreamcatchers
Guide David told us that the two yew trees, ‘Adam’ and ‘Eve,’ acted as “dreamcatchers”: preventing evil forces from entering the house. These trees are now some 500 years old. Delft and Fireplace
The morning room is where Miss Adelaide would have her breakfast and meet tradesmen. It is a small world: the last time I saw Delft ceramic tiles was in a Mogul palace in Rajasthan. Library
Original William Morris wallpaper was added by Frederick Leyland during his ten-year tenancy from 1867. “Metal Mickey” Tudor Fireplace in the Great Hall
(The English are so polite: rather than nasty signs, sprigs of holly are place on the fragile chairs to make people think twice before sitting down!) Woodwork Details
All around the house, ornately carved oak panels, many depicting stories of the Norris family, decorate walls and furniture. The Blue Parlour
Victorian elegance with stained glass windows and strong>Louis XV furniture. Plant in the Hallway
I love the leaded windows: a sign of riches in Tudor times. Leaded Windows
From the upstairs hallway, one looks out over the courtyard. Servant’s Bells
“Below stairs” are the very bells that my great-grandparents would have listened out for. Servant’s Bells
Charles Wall worked as a coachman from the early 1890s. Louise (Louisa) Ashley was a housemaid. They married and left the house for independent lives early 1895 or so. Downstairs Diningroom
The size of the servants’ dining room gives an indication of how many staff were employed. Many stayed on for life. Tudor Guide
Back outside, a volunteer guide in Tudor period costume, prepares for the afternoon tour groups. Before leaving the heritage property, we stopped in the repurposed farm buildings which now operate as coffee shop and souvenir sales. Traditional favourites like “scouse” (“lobscous”, a lamb or beef stew); a local version of a vegetable pasty; were on offer.
 Truly, a glimpse into times past.
‘Till next time –
Happy Travels!
Pictures: 21July2015
A Kayan Lahwi Woman
Sitting on a teak staircase in a weaving factory on Inle Lake, a woman wearing a colourful headdress and brass neck rings poses. Inle Lake in the Shan Hills of Myanmar may not be particularly large, but it is rich with culture.
Its shores are laced with canals and waterways that give access to cities and villages housing about 70,000 people. Inle Lake is as ethnically diverse as the Shan State as a whole; pockets of Intha (“People of the Lake”), Shan, Taungyo, Pa’O (Taungthu), Danu, Kayah (Karen), Danaw, and Bamar live on the waters and around the shores. Regardless of ethnicity, most of the people here are devout Buddhists who live largely traditional lives in simple wood and bamboo houses – often on stilts over the water.
The people on the lake are largely self-sufficient, living on their fishing and farming. Extra household income comes from the making and selling of handcrafts – the area is well known for its woven textiles and hand-rolled cheroots in particular – and from the relatively newly burgeoning tourist trade.
I’ve posted photo-stories from this area before (see: Inle Lake). Join me for another boat trip on these beautiful Burmese waters.
Boatman on Inle Lake
As I have said before, the only practical way of getting around on Inle Lake is by boat. Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda
Regardless of ethnicity, most communities around the lake are Buddhist. Some of the temples are just stunning – and represent real feats of engineering and architecture, built as they are, over water. Boatload of Produce
Much of the boat-transport on the lake is by low-riding wooden paddle boats. Wooden Thread Frame
The stilted teak buildings in Inn Paw Khon Village are home to a thriving cottage industry in silk and lotus weaving. Woman Spooling the Thread
The weaving “industry” is labour intensive: this woman had to walk up and down the length of the frame with her silk threads many, many times… Ikat
… before the threads are tied off for dyeing. Ikat (known as mut mee in Laos and Northern Thailand) is a complex dyeing technique used to pattern textiles: warp or weft threads are tied off in a pattern before the threads are dyed and then woven. Worker Next Door
The buildings are so close that you can see across the water and in through the window to the dark workspace next door. A Weaver
Inside the factory is dark, with light angling through the open windows. The Loom
The wooden looms for weaving the lengths of silk fabric are large and complex. Elderly Woman Spinning
People use their skills as long as they are able… Weaver’s Hands
… performing delicate and intricate work … Elderly Weaver
… for long hours and little pay. Weaver in the Light
The work is repetitive and requires concentration. Lotus Fibres
Inle Lake is the only place in Myanmar where the unique fibres from the lotus plant are produced. These are then woven into special kya thingahn (lotus robes) for Buddha images. Dyeing Cloth
Lengths of cloth are hand dyed in buckets. Rolling Cheroots
In Nam Pan Village, on the opposite side of the lake, young women roll cheroots. The cigars come in a variety of sizes and flavours: the crushed tobacco and bits of dried wood can be flavoured with dried banana, pineapple, tamarind, honey, rice wine, or spices, before being rolled in thanal-phet tree leaves. Young Women
Their fingers are quick – but they still have time to check out the visitors. Young Woman in Thanaka
Ubiquitous in Myanmar, thanaka powder – made from ground bark – is used for cosmetic beauty and to prevent sunburn. It also has anti-fungal properties. A Kayan Lahwi Woman
Nearby, a bamboo and teak building houses a Kayan (Red Karen) gift shop. Woman on the Stairs Often referred to as Padaung – Burmese for “Long Neck” – women in the Kayan Lahwi group or “tribe” wear brass rings around their necks, arms, and legs from an early age. The weight of the brass rings on the neck pushes the collar bone down and compresses the sternum and rib cage, giving the neck its lengthened appearance.
No one seems to know why the Kayan Lahwi started wearing the rings. Some stories say it was to protect them from being attacked by tigers, others say it made them look like dragons, and others say it protected the women against the slave trade. Today, most the women will simply cite tradition and beauty.
Historically from the Karenni (Kayah) State, many Kayan Lahwi moved into the Shan State and neighbouring Thailand in the 1980s and early 1990s because of conflict with the military regime. In Thailand, because of their unusual appearance, they became political pawns, and were set up in camps as tourist attractions which have been described as “Human Zoos”.
Kayan Lahwi Women
Women these days tend to wear fewer neck coils – and some don’t wear them at all. Back Weaving
Like other Karen groups, Kayan Lahwi women practice back weaving, using a back strap loom. Light and portable, back looms allow you to weave anywhere, but the pieces can be no wider than your hips. Back Weaving
The Kayan Lahwi women work mostly in cotton and synthetic fibres, weaving brilliant pattern, making the traditional scarves and tunics. I’ve met a number of Kayan Lahwi women over the years, and they have always struck me as intelligent, self-possessed people who are neither pawns nor fools.
Tourism is a double-edge sword: traditional communities and their handicrafts can benefit from the direct financial input of the tourist dollar, but they are also at risk of exploitation by unscrupulous operators, and risk the distortion of values that a sudden influx of money can bring.
I hope that these traditionally self-reliant communities can find away to improve their own lives without losing those things they consider important.
Till next time ~
Pictures: 21-22September2012
Posted in Craft,Culture,Every Day Life,Myanmar,TravelTags: arts and crafts,blog,environmental portrait,environmental portraits,Myanmar,people,Photo Blog,portrait,portraits,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
Fishing on Yundang Waihu
Just another day in Xiamen, China: men quietly fishing in timeless tradition on Yudang Lake, as the modern city rises up behind them. Xiamen, an island-city on China’s southeast coast, has been ranked as China’s second “most suitable city for living” … as well as China’s “most romantic leisure city”, making it a popular destination for domestic tourists.
It is reasonably accessible to foreign tourists, as well. Some time ago, while my husband was busy with meetings in a nearby free-trade zone, I spent a few days following a dual-language map around the city.
First established during the Ming Dynasty (A.D. 1368-1644) as a major Chinese seaport, Xiamen – with its industrial-development, investment, and free-trade zones – continues to be an important land, sea, and air hub for Southeast Asia. Only 180 kilometres (110 mi) across the Taiwan Strait (Formosa Strait) from Taiwan, it considers itself an international city.
Rather ethnocentrically, I took “international” to mean Westernised, but although Gulangyu Island, a short ferry ride from downtown Xiamen, features Victorian-era European architecture, Xiamen itself is very Asian. Many of the Hokkien natives of this area emigrated to other countries in Southeast Asia during the 19th and early 20th century; many have returned with “foreign” (Asian) ideas, and some with money for universities and cultural institutions.
It is probably this free-flow of money and ideas that contributes to the “liveability” of the city: it has preserved the past in its temples (see: Nan Putuo Temple), forts, and other historical buildings (see: Gulangyu Island); it is surrounded by water and filled with parks, lakes, cultural buildings, and public art; and its university, the first university in China founded by overseas Chinese, helps the city look to its future.
Xiamen High-Rises
Yundang Waihu – Yundang Lake is a tranquil oasis in the city – Around Yundang Waihu
– where locals walk, or fish or just sit. Bailouzhou Park Entrance
In the middle of Yundang Lake is a large island park with four access points. Elaborate stone sculptured gates decorate one entrance. Stone Sculpture
Other sculptures can be found within the large park – which also houses various recreation facilities. “Keep the Environment Clean and Preserve Social Morality”
This is China: there are signs everywhere, telling us what to do! Cotton Tree (Bombax Ceiba)
The park is a natural buffer against the city – for the local people, … Cotton Tree (Bombax Ceiba)
… for lovers of beauty and nature, … Lake Waterfront
… and for resident and migratory birdlife. Steps down to the Harbour Waters
The Port of Xiamen is an important and busy deep-water port – Swimmers in the Port
– but even so, swimmers, with their own life buoys, do their morning exercise in the chilly harbour waters. Working Boats
The harbour is full of ferries – Loaded Ferry
– laden with goods and/or passengers. Woman on the Harbour
On a harbour walkway there is a sculpture of a woman waiting for the boats to come in. Gulangyu Island
Across the sea mists, Gulangyu (Kulangsu) Island, a popular domestic tourist destination, is also accessible by ferry service. Fruit Sellers
On the street, fresh-fruit sellers set up their rose-apple stands. Street Scenes
A few blocks away, other fresh fruits are available on the sidewalk. Two Men and a Fungus?
There is a plaque, in Chinese, explaining this art piece. I can’t even guess what they are doing, and could find no information on line – but it is another example of the sculptures dotted around the city. “Poison to Raise Colour”
I think something has been lost in translation; sweet basil seeds are often used in Asian cooking, and are considered a super-food and slimming aide. But “poison?” Perhaps “potion”. Lucky Turtles
Another sculpture has been erected under a tree in a major thoroughfare. China Town?
A Chinese restaurant sits among some other old-style looking shop-fronts. Stringing Beads
There are a variety of things available in the open-air markets on the wide city streets. Mannequin
The shop-fronts make for fascinating window-shopping. Walmart
This I did NOT expect! International, indeed. University Entrance
Xiamen University makes the TripAdvisor list of places to visit. There was a special function on the day I tried, and only those with invitations were allowed in. I spent the afternoon at Nan Putuo Temple instead. “A Brief Introduction to Hulishan”
Hulishan Fortress was built in the 1890s, during Emperor Guangxu’s reign, on a strong base made of camphor tree sap mixed with liquid brown sugar, glutinous rice, clay and sand. Cannon Fire
When I arrived at the fort, “solders” in period dress were reenacting a cannon battle. Standard Bearer
After the reenactment, … Chinese Warrior
… the “soldiers” pose for photographs. Early Cannons
For history buffs or munitions aficionados, Hulishan Fortress has a number of Chinese-made cannons, as well the “King of Cannons”, a 19th-century Krupp cannon from Germany – recognised by the 2000 Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest and largest coastal cannon on its original site in the world. Coastal Cannons
However, I was more interested in the surrounds and the people tending the gardens. Worker Sculpture
I also enjoyed the sculptures, dioramas, and murals, which brought the story of the fortress to life in a way all the signage around the 13,000 square metre site could not. Ammunition Caisson
The views from the fort were nice, and would be pretty spectacular on a clear day. It was evident that the local visitors were enjoying their day out at a site of national historic importance to them. When Britain took control of Hong Kong after the first Opium War, China opened five Treaty Ports, of which Xiamen (literally: “lower gate”; Amoy in local Min Nan dialect) was one.
Some take the name to refer to the city’s location at the mouth of the Nine Dragon River; the more poetic see it as referring to the city’s centuries-old role as a gateway to China.
Either way, it is an example of China at its most accessible.
Till next time,
Happy Travels!
Pictures: 01-04April2014
Posted in China,History,Landscapes,UrbanTags: architecture,blog,environmental portrait,history,landscape,Photo Blog,public art,sculpture,travel,Travel Blog,urban,Ursula Wall
Entrance to Princess Louisa Inlet
The light through the smoke from a 20,000 hectare forest fire in the Elaho Valley some 20 kilometres away casts a muddy orange hue over the entrance to Princess Louisa Inlet in BC. “There, to your left, you can see one of British Columbia’s highest waterfalls,” our guide and boat operator Tim said – and laughed, because we couldn’t see the cliffs rising either side of us, or the waters falling from the tops, or indeed, anything more than four feet away.
Forest fires are raging across British Columbia in Western Canada at the moment. While this is not uncommon in the province’s Interior, the coastal regions – with their maritime climate and frequent rains – are much less used to uncontrollable burns. But, there was less than usual snowfall in the coastal mountains last winter, higher than normal spring temperatures, and less than expected precipitation. So, the extensive forests are dry in the extreme.
Last Saturday (July 4th 2015) when we entered the north side of the Sechelt Peninsula, the day was sunny and hot and the skies were brilliantly blue and clear. Sunday morning, however, the air over Sechelt was full of smoke from the Old Sechelt Mine fire, one firefighter was dead, and a number of homes were on evacuation alert.
We were well out of the danger zones, and thought we’d be fine the next day – an hour’s drive and a two hour boat trip away – in the Princess Louisa Inlet. I checked with the operator of the tour we planned to take: “Will the visibility be ok?” I asked. “No problem!” she assured me.
I guess it is all relative.
Reputed internationally as an area of stunning beauty, the 6 kilometre (3.7 mi) inlet is preserved as a Provincial Marine Park for its unique ecological system. Sheer granite walls, carved out by glaciers millennia ago, rise more than 2,100 metres (7,000 feet) above the still waters in the Pacific coast’s only true fjords.
Of course, with the dense smoke from the uncontrolled 20,000 hectare forest fire in the Elaho Valley, some 20 kilometres away in the Coast Mountains northwest of Whistler, we could see very little of the magnificent scenery we knew to be around us.
Welcome Totem Pole
When we arrive at the Back Eddie Pub in Egmont – the starting point of our tour – we can hardly see the islands across the small harbour. Tour Boat
Smoke hangs in the air and ash falls like snow as passengers make their way to the Sunshine Coast Tour boat, which will take us the roughly 90 km north to the entrance to the Princess Louisa Inlet. Our Guide Tim
Our guide gives us a detailed commentary – when he is not sounding the fog horn and trying to steer through the obscurity. Private Island
Many of the islands around Egmont are privately owned. This one is said to be the small town’s “biggest employer”, as maintenance staff work year round. The Waters
The waters of Jervis Inlet spread out behind us as we speed north. The Woods around Jervis Inlet
The sun is red overhead, casting an orange glow as it tries to illuminate the inlet through the smoke and ash. We can only just distinguish the trees on the rocky shoreline. Soda Creek Waterfall
Our first stop is to admire a waterfall pounding down from the glacier in the mountains above. Young men of the Sechelt Indian Band used to prove their fortitude by standing in the glacial waters on the ledge at the base of the falls. They then demonstrated their bravery by diving from the top. Petroglyph
The first petroglyph we stop to look at, just before Vancouver Bay, is thought to be up to 4000 years old. It is believed the picture was last “touched up” about 300 years ago. Granite and Iron Foreshore
Even through the smoke, we can see the coloured striations of the rocky shores of Jervis Inlet. Petroglyph
Our second petroglyph is high on a rocky ledge, and hard to see through the smoky air. Bald Eagle
High in the ashy trees, a bald eagle keeps watch; its partner is surely nearby. “Beyond Malibu”
These waters off the British Columbia coast have long been visited by colourful characters. Herman Caspar, who was a squatter with no legal rights to the property, sold the land at the entrance to the Princess Louisa Inlet to American aviation executive Thomas F. Hamilton for $500 in 1940. Hamilton wanted to build luxury resorts for visiting yachtsmen and Hollywood celebrities. Unfortunately, his grand plans came to little when someone contracted polio in in 1950, and the resort was abandoned by panicked staff and customers alike. In 1953, the property was bough by Young Life, Presbyterian Minister Jim Rayburn’s organisation, and it has run as a Christian summer camp for teenagers ever since. Seals
Only the eyes of the local harbour seals can be seen through the water and haze. Princess Louisa Marine Provincial Park
The pathway into the woods is a welcome respite from the smoky air. “Laird of the Inlet”
Another priceless character, James F. “Mac” MacDonald (1889-1978), bought 45 acres (18 ha) of wilderness in 1919. Rather than profit from its sale, he set up the Princess Louisa International Society and donated the lands to it in 1953. Since 1964, the area has been managed jointly by the Society and BC Parks. The moss and lichen surrounding the plaque in the park is crisp and brown from heat and lack of water. Picnic Hut
This hut is dedicated to James F. “Mac” MacDonald, the originator of the park. When he built his first cabin in the here, “Capi” (M. Wylie Blanchet) had already been visiting the area with her five children for some years. Moss and Flowers
Inside the forest, it is still hot and buzzing with mosquitos, but there are ample rewards. Loquilts River Waters
Mossy rocks and logs divert the Loquilts River waters at the base of the famous Chatterbox Falls. Chatterbox Falls
Because of the smoke and haze, I found the best view of the famous Chatterbox Falls was from far below. One day, I will get back in good weather, and take the classic “full frontal” shot that adorns all the literature! Malibu Rapids
Many boats can only cross the Malibu Rapids at slack tide. Although the narrow stretch of water is short, it is fast moving (approximately 9 kn or 17 km/h) and creates eddies and whirlpools that are dangerous to small craft. Another Waterfall
Turning into Queen’s Reach, we pass another waterfall, and a private boat dock for Beyond Malibu. Rocky Coast
As we return to base, we sometimes imagine the smoke has lifted – but I suspect we have just got rather used to it. Seals on “No Tree Island”
On what was once “One Tree Island”, the seals pile up on the seaweed at the waterline. Jellyfish
Back at our boat dock, we observe the jellyfish… Great blue heron (Ardea herodias)
… while a heron watches the harbour. Editing my raw pimages was a challenge: all my pictures looked as if they had been run through a sepia filter. I suppose the new Lightroom CC would de-haze all my photos, but would that then accurately represent the day we had experienced?
We had some discussion, when we arrived home, about whether or not we should have been expected to go on the tour, given the dangerous air quality and low visibility.
But, on the other hand, that is the nature of Nature.
She is unpredictable. And we need to appreciate all her colours –
Including sepia.
Till next time!
Pictures: 06July2015
Posted in Canada,Landscapes,Nature,TravelTags: blog,boats,Canada,landscape,nature,Provincial Park,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
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