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Hermanus Cliff Path, South Africa

2012-02-13T10:07:00.000-08:00

Should your travels take you to Cape Town, South Africa, a worthwhile side trip is to the scenic seaside "village" of Hermanus, located along South Africa's whale coast. This popular tourist town has much to offer. But for those that like walking, the Fernkloof Cliff Path is a unique treat.

Hermanus is about 1.5+ hour drive from Cape Town. Your trip starts with the N2 freeway eastwards from Cape Town to Somerset West. On the trip, you will pass through Somerset West, then proceed over Sir Lowry's Pass. Some 8 km beyond the Sir Lowry's Pass summit, you will see the R321 intersection to Grabouw. Continue on the N2 toward Houw Hoek Pass, and thereafter as you descend to Botriver look for the R43 offramp to Hermanus. From the N2-R43 intersection, it is roughly 31 km to Hermanus.

The R43 will take to the town center, and the main road through Hermanus, as shown on the map below. Also shown is a portion of the Fernkloof Cliff Path, starting at the old harbor on the west side of town, and ending at the Kleinrivier (Afrikaans for small river) mouth on the east. It is approximately a 10 km walk.

A view of Hermanus from the Fernkloof mountain range that extends along the north side of town; it is also a popular launch spot for paragliding. Walker Bay is in the background.

The next set of 7 photos were taken along the famous Cliff Path of Hermanus. The trail is well maintained, and surfaced for easy walking or jogging; parts of the trail are wheelchair and stroller friendly. For the most part, the trail hugs the cliff edge, providing incredible views of the ocean and the rocky coastline.

Along the path there are plenty of opportunities to stop and contemplate the scenic view from one of the benches along the trail.

The peak in the background is a side view of Die Mond se Kop (see further details and photos below), also known for its distinctive rock formation.

This is a view of the rocky coastline looking approximately west toward Gearing's Point in the distance. Parts of the trail hugs the cliff edge, and so it is an ideal vantage point for watching whales frolic along the ocean shoreline.

Other parts of the trail pass through ironwood groves, that at times can totally enclose the path.

In the following photo the Kleinrivier Mountain range is visible. These mountains hug the coastline and provide an impressive backdrop for Hermanus. The two nearest peaks in the background are Die Mond se Kop (1187 ft) and Maanskynkop (2066 ft).

A view of the old harbor of Hermanus, with Gearings point in the background.

Looking back toward Gearing's Point from the trail.

A few brave souls enjoying a dip in the Marine tidal pool at high tide, one of several tidal pools along the Cliff Path. The first photo of this blog has an expanded view of the tidal pool at low tide.

On an overcast day the sea and the rocky coastline takes on a totally different appearance. Perhaps a bit eerie, but certainly pleasing in its own way.

On an overcast day, I managed to capture the aftermath of a huge wave that pummeled the rocky coast. For several seconds I had this striking view of foam-laden sea, awash in grey, receding from the rocks.

For those interested in geology and rock formations, the Cliff Path has plenty to offer. In the photo below is an example of layers of Table Mountain sandstone that have been weathered and cracked by the pounding surf.

The next two photos exemplifies the wonderful color gamut that is ever-present as you stroll along the Cliff Path: In the first photo you see lush green fynbos, juxtaposed against the rust fungus-stained rocks, with the gray ocean in the background.

Here is a more expansive view of the green fynbos contrasted against the grey ocean and sky.

There is also ample opportunity to leave the Cliff Path and take a stroll on many of the sandy beaches along the way.

Near the mouth of the Kleinrivier, there is a vast expanse of white sandy beach- called Grotto Beach. The peak in the background is Die Mond se Kop (which in Afrikaans translates roughly as "the hill of the mouth". In this case the "mouth" refers to the mouth of the Kleinrivier (Small River) which is to the right of the photo - not shown.

A view of Die Mond se Kop reflecting the rays of the setting sun in the late afternoon

From June to November the Southern Right whales come into Walker Bay to mate an carf. While we were in Hermanus, we were fortunate to spot some Southern Right whales along the shoreline. In the pic below is a mother with her carf. According to the local Tourist Office, Hermanus offers the best shore-based whale watching in the world- while walking the Cliff Path!

On your walk you may be lucky to see see some of wildlife that inhabit the trail surroundings. Here is a rock hyrax, also known locally as a dassie, basking in the sun along side the path.

This dassie is snacking on local vegetation alongside the trail. Interestingly, the rock hyrax's evolutionary path can be traced back to that of the giant hyracoid family from which today's elephant evolved. So in some strange way, this tiny dassie is a living relative of the elephant!

Even the tortoises are brave enough to venture out near the trail, when the weather is good.

Along the beaches and rocks there is amply opportunity to see the varied bird life that have made Hermanus their stopover point during their yearly migration. An example of a marine bird on Grotto Beach.

During spring and early summer, the Cliff Path is ablaze with fynbos in bloom. Here are some examples doing our visit:

A leucospermum, with its characteristic pin cushion flower head - a member of the protea family

One of several aloes we saw - the aloe leaves turn red during the dry season.

If you stroll along the Cliff Path at sundown, there is a good chance you will be rewarded with a spectacular sunset. Often, especially if a few clouds are present, you are presented with a brilliant progression of orange and red colors that evolve as the sun begins to fall below the horizon of Walker Bay. The following two pics are some examples of the sunsets that we witnessed.

Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, South Africa

2012-01-03T05:16:00.000-08:00

The Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve is located at the southwest extremity of the Cape Peninsula. It is a nature reserve that is now part of the Table Mountain National Park (announced in 1998) which runs approximately north-south along the mountains of the Cape Peninsula. The Table Mountain National Park includes the majestic Table Mountain chain, as seen in the following NASA satellite image (Photo ID: PIA04961). Well known peaks in the chain are Signal Hill, Lion's Head, Table Mountain, Twelve Apostles, Constantiaberg, Chapman's Peak, and Noordhoek Peak. The original Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, now called Cape Point Nature Reserve, is highlighted in the map as well.

The Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve is shown on the following map as the green finger of land jutting into the ocean. It consists of vast fynbos plains, a distinct vegetation known as the Cape Floral Kingdom. It is also home to many birds buck, baboons, ostrich, and zebra. Hiking opportunities, either day hikes or overnight hikes, await the adventurous.

The entrance gate to the nature reserve is at the southern intersection of the M65 from Scarborough and the M4 from Simon's Town. About 1.5 km past the Buffelsfontein Visitors' Center, there is a turnoff toward the Atlantic side of the Peninsula. If you take this turnoff, you are rewarded with a scenic view of Platboom beach, one of several beaches on the Atlantic ocean.

If instead of taking the the turnoff to the Atlantic side, you take the next turnoff from the main road to the False Bay side of the Peninsula (the turnoff is marked Rooikrans and whale watching), you can take a short hike to the cliff edge. The trail head is at the parking lot. At the cliff edge looking north is a spectacular view of Paulsberg, Die Boer and Judas Peak (see below).

Along the trail, which hugs the cliff edge, you can get a sense of the rugged coast line on the False Bay side of the Peninsula, as the next two photos show.

Note: the Rooikrans trail leads to a set of ledges on the side of a multicolored weathered granite cliff face that local fisherman use to fish for yellow tail tuna. To reach the ledges you need to descends down the side of the Rooikrans cliff face. The trail is steep, stony and should be attempted only with an experienced guide.

From the main road to the old lighthouse, you have a direct view of Vasco Da Gama Peak (Elevation: approximately 270 meters). Behind Vasco Da Gama Peak is another peak on which the old lighthouse is located (see first pic in this blog).

If you continue along the main road, which winds around the side of Vasco Da Gama Peak, you eventually arrive at the parking lot for the old lighthouse. At the parking lot there is a restaurant, gift shop as well as the Flying Dutchman funicular that runs between the main parking lot and the old lighthouse. The funicular bears the name of a ship that sunk off Cape Point in 1680. Note that the old lighthouse, which was built in 1860, has been refurbished and rebuilt. Thus what you see today is essentially a replica of the original lighthouse. Here is a view of the "old" lighthouse that was built in 1860. It is located 268 meters above sea level, and so in its heyday it was often obscured by clouds. For this reason a new lighthouse was built about 87 meters about sea level. Construction on the new lighthouse started in 1914, and was first lit in 1919.

Below is a view of Dias beach from the old lighthouse. The rocky headland in the foreground bounding Dias beach is Cape Maclear. The distant headland beyond Cape Maclear is the Cape of Good Hope (34° 21' 29''S, 18° 28' 19''E) which is the most south-western point of the African continent. It is not the southern tip of Africa, however. That distinction is reserved for Cape Agulhas (34° 50' 00''S, 20° 00' 09.15''E), which is roughly 90 miles to the east southeast. Note: the Cape Point (34° 21' 26''S, 18° 29' 51''E) lies a little north of the Cape of Good Hope!

The "spine walk" between the old light house and the new light house takes about 45 minutes. The trail, which overlooks the False Bay side of the Peninsula, is well maintained (see below), and quite safe.

Along the "spine walk" you will have dramatic vistas of the cliffs. The photo below was taken from a scenic outlook looking north-west. The old lighthouse is visible in the upper right. The rocky headlands in the background are Maclear Point and the Cape of Good Hope. The sea cliffs in the foreground ascend some 300 meters from the chilly ocean below.

Here is a view of the sea cliffs looking south from the scenic outlook on the "spine walk".

Below is a view of Cape Point. The new lighthouse is barely visible in this photo.

From another scenic outlook, one has an unobstructed view of the "new" lighthouse built in 1914 which is located 87 meters above sea level.

The nature reserve is home to a distinct natural vegetation called fynbos. Here are some examples of the fynbos we saw in bloom during our visit in early November.

I believe these succulents are a member of the Mesemb family- they look like a dune sourfig, but I may be wrong.

Some daisies

The following is a common Butterbush in bloom

Not sure what this blooming ground cover is. Very beautiful though.

The yellow pincushions (a member of the protea family) were in bloom during November

Here is a close-up of the yellow pin cushion.

The reserve is also home to over 250 species of birds, buck, baboons and Cape mountain zebra. But we were not so lucky. This red-wing starling was our only sighting of fauna on this brief trip!

Street Life in Old Hanoi

2011-12-30T03:19:00.000-08:00

The Old Quarter of Hanoi, near Hoan Kiem lake, is a warren of narrow, noisy, motorbike infested streets that are lined with shops, restaurants, and hawkers. Each street typically specializes in a trade selling products befitting that trade. For example, there are streets that specialize in sheet metal work, spices, paper products, art, liquor, silk, leather, and so on. It is a place to do business, to eat, to haggle over prices, to stroll and learn. Many of streets in the Old Quarter have names that reflect the trades which were practiced there during the 13th century. Thus Hang Bong means "baskets", Hang Dao means "silk", Hang Thiec means "tin" and so on. My hotel was on Thuoc Bac street which means "pharmacy street". It was a street in which local medicines were sold. Today that street is lined with stores selling locks, door latches and other metal accessories. So over time the name of the street may not reflect the trade or products sold there now.

In the Old Quarter, there are few pedestrian crossing, and it is almost impossible to walk on the side-walks because of the parked motor bikes, as shown in the photo below. Often you simply walk along the street edge, noting that motorbikes may approach you in all directions!

To cross a street you purposely walk into the traffic and trust that the motorbikes and cars will avoid you, which they do. But don't hesitate or reverse direction - just walk. Believe me, it takes some getting use to but the strategy works. The shops that line the streets are very colorful, often with goods for sale spilling over onto the sidewalks, as seen below.

In the Old Quarter, and in Hanoi in general, there are no zoning laws: the old and dirty are side by side with the new and clean. Here is and example of a women's fashion store that you might find in a trendy shopping area of Tokyo or New York. Across the street is another story.

In the following photo you have a modern watch store adjacent to a local mechanic shop. Here the owner in front of his cluttered doorway is dutifully at work with all his tools and "paraphernalia" on the sidewalk.

Vietnamese have a love affair with "hoa" (or flower in English). Here is one of many flower shops in the Old Quarter with a spectacular selection of beautiful flowers.

As one strolls the streets of the Old Quarter, you cannot escape the tantalizing aromas (unfortunately mixed with exhaust fumes) from street food being prepared on portable stoves/barbecues. The menu is diverse: from grilled chicken, fried fish, BBQ meat to steaming pho - the popular rice noodle soup of Vietnam. This photo shows a typical "open-air" sidewalk kitchen with locals sitting on little plastic stools enjoying a morning meal.

A pineapple seller preparing freshly cut pineapple. Note: she is forced to literally sit in the street because of the row of motorbikes parked on the pavement.

Truth be told, many people in Vietnam eat dog and enjoy it. In one of my morning strolls around the Old Quarter, I came across this open air meat market. For most Westerners (this writer included), seeing this sight is disturbing, given our Western sensibilities.

Hoan Kiem Lake ("Lake of the returned sword") is the historical and cultural center of Hanoi. Its name is related to a legend in which King Le Loi was given a magical sword to drive out the invading Ming from China. As the following photo shows the water of the lake is darkish green in appearance. The lake is inhabited with tortoises (actually they are Asian freshwater giant turtles), and on occasion there are sightings. In Vietnamese culture, the tortoise is considered a sacred animal and if you should see a tortoise/turtle it is viewed as a good luck omen.

During the weekend Hoan Kiem Lake is the gathering point for locals. The next three photos were taken one Saturday afternoon/evening from a cafe with a high vantage point overlooking the lake.

Later that day when darkness took hold, the shoreline of the lake was awash in a display of colorful lights, as seen in the next sequence of photos:

Here is a night view of the north-east shoreline, as seen from west side of the lake.

At the northern end of the lake is Jade Island, a small island on which the Ngoc Son Pagoda stands. To reach Jade Island you need to cross a wooden, red lacquered bridge called Huc Bridge, meaning "morning sunlight. The following photo is a night view of the bridge, and its reflection in Hoan Kiem Lake. Son Pag

At the north tip of the lake there is a busy intersection with a large complex of shops and restaurants. At night the intersection becomes a blinding display of neon lights, commingled with headlights from the frenetic traffic.

At 7:00 pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday a night market is set up in the Old Quarter along Hang Ngang and Dong Xuan streets. Here vendors sell clothes, souvenirs, pirated DVDs, ornaments, cuddly toys, handbags, food - you name it. During the market the streets are closed to car and motor bike traffic so locals jam pack the market to seek out bargains without fear of been run over by a motorbike. It is a place to socialize and to be seen on the weekend, as captured in the photo below!

Ha Long Bay

2011-12-22T10:38:00.000-08:00

Ha Long Bay, also known as the "Bay of Descending Dragon", is located about 160 km south east of Hanoi on the coast of the Gulf of Tonkin. The trip from Hanoi takes about 3.5 hrs by car. A visit to Ha Long Bay is a chance to experience the amazing karst landscape that has resulted in some 2000 islands and islets in the bay. Ha Long Bay is a designated UNESCO world heritage site, and in 2011 was selected as one of the New7Wonders of Nature. (Note: I have blogs on two other New7Wonders of Nature: Table Mountain and Iguazu Falls.)

Our trip on Ha Long Bay started on a Vietnamese junk boat.

The term "karst" is used to describe weathered surface limestone formations that have resulted from a chemical dissolution process involving groundwater. Limestone is soluble in water containing dissolved carbon dioxide and other organic acids (from decaying vegetation, such as humic acid).

In Ha Long Bay, the limestone deposits, over a kilometer thick, have a long geological history. Some 300-500 million years ago, these deposits were subjected to several orogenic processes that led to tectonic uplift, marine transgression/regression that distorted and buckled the limestone deposits resulting in the karst formations that further developed during the warm, wet tropical climate. Shown below is a typical example of a limestone karst tower.

Many of the junk boat tours go to the same location and so at certain popular attractions there is often a "traffic jam" as boats offload and pick up passengers.

Junk boats visiting a floating fishing village.

There are several floating fishing villages in the "bay" that one can visit and purchase fish. Local fisherman catch fish in the bay, and then later "farm/fatten" them in tanks on the pontoons. The local catch is displayed in tanks (see below) for the tourists.

Here some visitors negotiate a price for a type of mollusc.

A view of Ga Choi Island (also known as Fighting Cock Island). This is an example of a pair of islets. Note the undercutting at the base of these islets.

A fine exhibit of karst limestone towers. To get a sense of the scale of these towers, note the floating fishing village on the lower right of the photograph.

A close-up of a karst tower that exhibits undercutting from wave action leading to a notch cave at sea level.

The view from the exit of Hang Sung Sot (Cave of Surprises) on Bo Hon Island-see below. A steady stream of boats leaving Bo Hon island.

Another view of Bo Hon bay taken from the mouth of the grotto

On these karst towers one can see the lush vegetation that grows at the lower levels.

Here is a view of Ti Top Island, named after the astronaut Ghermann Titov, who visited the island in 1962 with Ho Chi Minh. In the foreground is the crescent shaped beach, frequented by tourists.

At the top of Ti Top island there is an observation deck.

On our trip we had the opportunity to visit several limestone caves. Below are some pictures taken on our visit to Hang Sung Sot - the Cave of Surprises! The name "grotte des surprises" was given by the French who discovered the caves in 1901. The Cave of Surprises is located about 25 meters above the water on Hon Bon Island. The mouth of the grotto is reached by climbing a steep set of steps (about 50 steps) carved into the limestone. As in most caves, multicolored lights are used to accentuate the shape of the weathered limestone. In the picture below the roof of the chamber, about 30 meters high, is covered with concave indentations.

An example of stalactites hanging from the high ceiling

Another chamber awash in colored lights.

One of many pathways in the cave that leads from one chamber to another.

A glimpse of the exit and complex towers of limestone that span from the floor to the roof of the chamber.

Some more impressive stalactites!

The motorbikes of Hanoi

2011-12-18T21:27:00.001-08:00

In Hanoi, the motorbike rules the streets. They are everywhere. Owners are continuously honking their horns as they navigate their way through congested streets where traffic resembles a chaotic flow of metal. The only traffic rule that seems to prevail is: "don't collide with other commuters". The motorbike is the transportation for everyday people. During my recent visit to Hanoi, I attempted to capture how motorbikes are creatively used by the locals during rush-hour traffic.

The first set of pics show how the locals transport commercial products.

Can you spot the driver?

Motorbikes can also be used to transport beer barrels!

And in this pic, the driver precariously balances a collection of metal pipes on his shoulder while navigating through the mayhem of the streets using one hand to steer his motorbike.

Vietnamese people are big fans of flowers. Every morning, the flower market is buzzing with buyers and then there is the question how do you transport your purchases. Here is one happy customer.

Of course while you are commuting to work, you may need to chat with a colleague. No problem, with cell phone in one hand, one can still navigate through the rush-hour traffic.

Another chatter on her motorbike during rush-hour.

Who says you can't dress to the nines when driving your motorbike. Check out those shoes!

When it rains, riding a motorbike becomes more challenging. Ponchos are generally used, and as the following pic shows they even made for your traveling companion.

or simply do it the old fashion way- use an umbrella!

In the morning, moms/dads can be seen taking their young ones to the babysitter/creche/daycare via the family motorbike.There are various options for accommodating the child: Front seat on mom's lap

Back seat strapped to dad

or standing up between mom's legs!

A rare example of everyone wearing a helmet and with child in a safety seat!

This little fellow felt it was safer to not watch how dad navigates through the helter-skelter morning rush-hour traffic.

This family of four managed to squeeze onto the family motorbike,

as did this family!

This tiny tot seems quite content helping with the navigation.

The bicycle can still be seen on the streets of Hanoi. Here an elderly lady wearing a traditional conical nón lá (leaf hat) - made from straw, takes fresh vegetables to her customers.

Lake Tahoe's Incline Flume Trail: A Hike for all Ages

2011-10-10T02:20:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a day hike that keeps the elevation climb to a minimum, then the Incline Flume trail is an excellent choice for young and old alike. In my view, it is one of the most pleasant, easy day hikes in the North Tahoe basin: The trail traverses through forests of red fir and Jeffrey pine (3-needle). You should also catch glimpses a few western white pines (5-needle), and some lodgepole pines (2-needle) on your hike. In June-July the wild flowers will be in bloom, which is an added attraction.

To find the trail head, leave Incline Village on the Mt. Rose Highway (NV-431). The trail head is about 0.5 miles beyond the scenic Tahoe Lake view point (where the highway loops back on itself- see map below). At the trail head there is small parking lot (for about 5 cars max), so it is often more convenient to park on the other side of the highway. The hike ends at the Diamond Peak Ski Resort at Incline Village. If you decide to hike all the way to Diamond Peak, this would be considered as a shuttle-hike (i.e., arrange for pick-up at the parking lot at Diamond Peak). Alternatively, you can consider this as an in/out hike and turn around at some convenient point along the trail. In that way you can determine the length/duration of your hike to fit the needs of your hiking party.

The first part of the trail descends under the cover of fir trees (left pic) to a meadow of corn lilies (right pic)

through which a small creek flows. Crossing the creek, the trail ascends 100 ft or so and passes a large outcrop of white granite boulders on your left.

As you proceed past the boulders, there is another dramatic view of the corn lily meadow in the valley below on your right.

Here is a close-up of corn lilies in bloom.

The next four pics show the trail as it winds its way along the side of the mountain. There is a gradual change in the vegetation, and the composition of the trail and the mountain slope. The thick vegetation and forests give way to a somewhat barren mountain slope.

As the last two photos show the mountain slope eventually becomes composed of a white friable sandstone, dotted with the occasional Jeffrey pine and ground cover. At some points along the trail the white sandstone can crumble under the weight of your body, so be mindful that you do not loose your footing/balance on the narrow trail. If you look carefully you can see the wooden remnants of the old flume structure that followed the trail you are walking on.

A little further along the trail, you will be rewarded with wonderful vistas of Lake Tahoe, as seen in the following two photos.

As noted earlier, this hike takes you through forests of red fir and Jeffrey pine. Here are some photos of the trees along the hike.

An example of a young red fir.

On our hike we were fortunate to see an nice selection of wild flowers in bloom. Here is an example of the ever present mountain pennyroyal.

Horsemint was also in bloom.

Horsemint has a distinctive citrus scent when you rub/crush the leaves and/or flowers between your fingers. Here is another pic of horsemint.

In the shadow of a Jeffrey Pine, we came across this snow plant, sprouting from a thick layer of pine needles. This spectacular plant reminds one of a thick, red asparagus!

The season for Scarlet Gilia (also known as Scarlet Skyrocket) was winding down. But we did manage to see a few outcrops that were sheltered from the direct sun. Here is an example, with their bright red trumpet-shaped flowers.

The blue-purple penstemon thrives in the hot dry Tahoe summers. The sweet nectar of these colorful tubular flowers often attract hummingbirds, but we were not so fortunate to witness such activity on our hike.

Here is an example of the yellow Sulfur flower (from the buckwheat family), which makes for a stunning ground cover on dry rocky slopes.

Tranquility and Wildflowers at Spooner Lake, Tahoe

2011-10-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

Spooner Lake lies within Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park on the eastern side of Lake Tahoe, close to the junction of State Route 28 with US 50, see maps below. The lake is at an elevation of 7,150 ft. There is a 2+ mile trail that circles the lake from which one can observe lake wildlife, meadows, pine and fir forests, a Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) grove, and if your timing is right, a glorious selection of Sierra wildflowers. The best way to approach this trail is as an unguided nature walk, not a hike. Take your time, make many unscheduled stops, consult your favorite wildflower book, enjoy the walk, and embrace the scenery. There is a nominal fee per car to enter the state park.

But what you may not know as you stroll around Spooner Lake is its fascinating history. The lake was an integral part of the early logging days in the Tahoe basin to support the mining of silver in the Comstock Lode, located under what is now Virginia City.

In this blog I share with the reader photos taken from several day trips to Spooner Lake, and also provide a bit of historical context for how Spooner Lake became a lake!

In 1859 silver was discovered in the Comstock, and as a consequence lumbering demands in the Tahoe basin skyrocketed. The challenge of the day was how to get the lumber from the mills in the Tahoe Basin down to Carson City. It was Jim Haines' invention of the V-shaped flume in 1866-7 that revolutionized the Tahoe/Nevada lumber industry by providing a cost efficient method for bringing lumber from the high Sierras to the lumber yards in Carson City. Unlike the earlier U-shaped or box flumes, the V-shaped flumes were cheaper to construct, and tended to minimized log jams: its V-shape kept logs aligned along their axis during travel, and thereby acted as a "slip" and "slide" chute that required a small amount of water for log support. Unfortunately Haines was unable to patent his invention, and by the early 1870s, major lumber companies such as Carson and Tahoe Lumber and Fluming Company (CTLFC) were operating V-shaped flumes throughout the region. The following link shows a photograph of the trestle support structure for a V-shaped flume as it winds its way down the steep mountain side.

Spooner Lake is named after a French Canadian entrepreneur: Michele E. Spooner. He settled on various portions of land near what is now called Spooner Summit and had business dealings with several logging and fluming entrepreneurs in the region. In 1863 Spooner founded a way station that eventually supported a hotel, blacksmith and saloon, and became known as Spooner Station. In 1870 Spooner and his business partner John Lockie operated a shingle mill and saw mill near what is now the junction of US Highway 50 and State Highway 28. In later years, Spooner and his associates expanded their operation to include additional mills, but by 1873 all their mills were taken over by the Carson and Tahoe Lumber and Fluming Company (CTL&FC), headquartered in Glenbrook, and run by D. L. Bliss and partners.

The lake shore around Glenbrook (see map above for location) was originally known as Walton's Landing and was the eastern terminus for schooners that took travelers from the mining towns of Nevada to McKinneys on the west shore of Lake Tahoe. In 1860 the land around Glenbrook (named after a stream in the area), was squatted by pioneers G.W. Warren, N.E. Murdock and R. Walton. Soon thereafter Captain A. W Pray erected a saw mill in the area. In 1873 Bliss and partners purchased Captain Pray's mill, including his lakeshore and meadow lands. With his purchase of Spooner's assets, Bliss' Carson Tahoe Lumbering Company became the dominant lumber company in the area.

But what was the origin of Spooner Lake? Well, operating a flume required access to plenty of water. The water for the CTL&FC flumes came primarily from Marlette lake. But in order to operate the flumes from Spooner Peak to Carson City, three holding ponds (mill ponds) where created in Spooner meadows by building a dam across Spooner Creek, and then directing water from Marlette lake to the holding ponds. These holding ponds were then used to regulate the water flow in the V-flumes to Carson City. After the Comstock era came to an end, the mill ponds in Spooner meadows were abandoned. Then in 1929 the dam was rebuilt to support irrigation projects in the area, and so came about the Spooner Lake we now know today.

Along the trail you will have an opportunity to see various pines trees, most notably Jeffrey pine, Lodgepole pine and White fir. The photo below is an example of a Lodgepole pine. You can readily identify a Lodgepole pine by its needles: they come in bundles of two and are about 1-2 inches in length. Sadly, the Lodgepole pine is susceptible to infection from the mountain pine beetle, but so far in the High Sierras the infestation has not taken hold.

Shown below is an example of a Jeffrey pine. Its needles come in bundles of 3 and are 3-4 inches in length.

On the south-east side of the lake, the circular trail passes through a marvelous grove of Quaking aspens. The tree derives its name from the fluttering of its leaves even in the slightest of breezes. As the photo below shows the bark of the tree is smooth and gray-white in appearance, in stark contrast to all the pines and firs you will see on your walk. Quaking aspens are often sighted in the High Sierras.

The highlight of your hike will be spotting and identifying wildflowers along the trail. Here are a few of the flowers we saw on one of our hikes.

A flowering Woolly Mule's Ear

The Applegate's Indian paintbrush

Pussy Toes(?)

Spreading Phlox

Meadow Larkspur

Sierra Stick Seed

Wax Current

Snow plant with wolf lichen on forest floor

Sage Bush

Anderson Thistle

Sierra Lupine

Blooming Bitter Bush

Enoshima: Some amazing vistas

2011-10-07T22:38:00.000-07:00

Enoshima (赝苌鎇) is an islet (small island), about 4 km in circumference, that is linked to Fujisawa city on the mainland by a 600-meter causeway (consists of two bridges: one for cars and one for pedestrians and bicycles). It lies at the mouth of the Katase River, which flows into Sagami Bay. Its location relative to Tokyo is shown in the following map.

Enoshima is an easy day trip from Tokyo. The easiest way to get there is to take the Odakyu line from Shinjuku (or the JR line from Tokyo or Shinjuku), to Fujisawa. The trip takes about an hour, depending on what type of express train to take. Then from Fujisawa you can take the quaint Enoden half train/half street car line to Enoshima station. From Enoshima station it is a leisurely walk across the causeway to the island, see map below for details.

Your journey to the shrine starts with a walk along a narrow crowded street lined with souvenir shops, marine product shops, sea food restaurants, ryokans, inns - truly, something for everybody. But the main attraction awaits ahead.

At the end of that street, you arrive at a large red tori and a steep flight of stairs that takes you to the main gate of the Enoshima Shrine (see photo below).

The Enoshima Jinja Shrine is actually composed of three distinct shrines each dedicated to a different Shinto goddess of the sea. The main complex, which is known as the Hetsu-no-miya shrine, includes an octagonal building that houses a statue of Benten (or Benzaiten), the patron goddess of Enoshima. A photo of the Hetsu-no-miya shrine is shown below.

It is worth noting that during the Meiji Restoration period, all Buddhist structures on the island were destroyed, because they were associated with the Tokugawa Shogunate in one way or another. (For example, the temple to Benten on Enoshima was made the official family prayer hall by Tokugawa Ieyasu). After World War II, the new Constitution guaranteed freedom of religion, and Buddhist statues such as Benten were restored.

In 2003 a new observational lighthouse was built on Enoshima. It is 59.8 meters high, and at an elevation of 119.6 meters above sea level. The panoramic views from the outdoor, 360 degree observational platform are spectacular, as the following photos show. Below is a view of the yacht harbor, looking roughly north-west. Incidentally, Enoshima was the Olympic harbor for the 1964 Summer Olympics sailing competition.

In the photo below (taken looking due west), is a view of the mouth of the Katase river and the Katase-Enoshima commercial district. In the foreground is the causeway that links Enoshima with the mainland.

Adjacent to the mouth of the Katase river, is the quaint Katase fishery harbor. On clear day, it is purported that one can see Mount Fuji in the distance. On our visit we were not so lucky!

But we were fortunate to witness a remarkable sunset over the Sagami Bay. The sun's rays were filtered by a low bank of clouds that rolled in from the west. The following sequence of photos were taken looking roughly due south over the Sagami Bay.

A little later in the afternoon, the clouds and the setting sun join forces to paint a remarkable image on the ocean surface.

Finally, at some magical confluence of the setting sun and the evolving cloud structure, the ocean became awashed with a sun-drenched wake of light!. Glorious!

As with most popular tourist attractions in Japan, one can always find an intrepid juggler who will keep the young and old spell bounded with tantalizing feats of balance. The young fellow below was no exception. He kept the crowd transfixed with an endless repertoire of balancing acts that seemed to defy the laws of physics. If you look closely his juggling "stage" consisted of two planks: the lower one is pivoted on a tube that can roll; the upper plank is organized as a canterlever, supported at one end on the lower plank

Sannai Area of Nikko

2011-10-06T06:35:00.000-07:00

The city of Nikko is about 140 km (approximately 87 miles) north of Tokyo (see map below), and is reach most conveniently by either a rapid or limited express train from various stations in the Tokyo area (e.g., Ueno, Ikebukuro, Shinjuku). The trip typically takes 2-2.5 hrs. The following web site is is helpful if you are planning on using the extensive train system in Japan: Hyperdia train scheduler

Your destination point depending on what train line you take is either the Tobu Nikko (東武日) station (if using the Tobu line) or Nikko JR station (日光駅) (if using the JR line). The Tobu Nikko station is about a 5 minute walk from the Nikko JR station. At the Tobu Nikko station there is a bus service that will take you to the Sannai area. Sannai is the generic name for the area that consists of two Shinto shrines (Toshogu Shrine and Futarasan Shrine) and a Buddhist temple (Rinnoji Temple), plus over a 100 other historical buildings, including the Taiyuin Mausoleum. If you prefer to walk, simply follow the main street through the quaint town of Nikko; it is about a 15-20 minute walk, though you will be tempted to spend time window shopping for gifts such as hibachi, pottery, dolls, wood carvings, Japanese prints, in the eclectic stores that line the main street to Sannai (see map below).

The following map (courtesy of the City of Nikko) shows the location of various historical buildings in the Sannai area. Nine buildings are classified as National Treasures and numerous others are designated as Important Cultural Properties. Nikko's shrines and temple were registered as a World Heritage site by the World Heritage Committee in 1999. The Sannai area is bordered by two rivers: the Daiya-gawa (river) in South and by the Inari-gawa (river) in the East. Near their confluence is the famous Shinkyo bridge that spans the Daiya-gawa.

There are many sources on the internet where you can learn about the history of Nikko and the shrines. But for something out of the ordinary, I would suggest that you read Robert Charles Hope's account : The temples and shrines of Nikko, Japan, published in 1896! Here is a link to the book . It is a wonderful read about the shrines of Nikko, and what the town of Nikko was like in 1896. As the author notes in the preface of his book: "it is the most comprehensive account of the temples and shrines of Nikko in the English language."

A visit to Nikko is to experience the magnificent forests of towering "cedar trees", which can reach up to 70 m (230 ft) in height, with a trunk diameter in excess of 4 m (13 ft) in diameter. These trees belong to the Cryptomeria genus, a monotypic genus of conifer in the cypress family Cupressaceae. It includes only one species: Cryptomeria japonica which is endemic to Japan, known as Sugi (杉). Interestingly, though the tree is often called Japanese Cedar in English, it is not related to the familiar cedar family: Cedrus. Many of the towering Sugis that one sees today are located around temples and shrines, and can be traced back to the days of the Shogunate.

In his book,"The Forest Flora of Japan" Sargent (1894) records the story of a daimyo (大名), a Japanese feudal lord, who was too poor to donate a stone lantern at the funeral of the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, but requested instead to be allowed to plant an avenue of Sugi so that "future visitors might be protected from the heat of the sun". The offer was accepted and this avenue, which is over 65 km (40 miles) long,still exists.

The popularity of the sugi in Japanese society is not without consequences. Japanese cedar pollinosis, caused by the pollen of the Japanese cedar tree (Cryptomeria japonica), is the commonest seasonal allergic disease in Japan!

Perhaps one of the the most famous images of historical Nikko is the Shinkyo bridge, shown in the photo below. Like many buildings, this is not the original structure that was built in 1636; it has been rebuilt several times. The latest version was constructed in 2005 (inspect the current stone/concrete tori pillars that support the bridge at either end), and painted in brilliant vermillion. Today, as in the past, the Shinkyo bridge is a symbolic gateway to the Sannai area - a gateway to the magnificent shrines and temples of Nikko! According to historical records of feudal times, only the shogun was permitted to cross the bridge. Today visitors are required to purchase a ticket if the want to set foot on the bridge. The view of the bridge and gorge from the traffic bridge is equally impressive, in my view.

The photo below is the Shinkyo at dusk. It has an eerie charm about it!

Five Lakes Hike, Lake Tahoe

2011-01-29T01:20:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a leisurely 2-3 hour hike (about 5 miles in and out) in the North Tahoe region, with some huffing and puffing, then the Five Lakes Hike is a excellent candidate. This is a popular hike during the summer, so expect to share the trail with other hikers and their dogs. The trail head is located on Alpine Meadow Road, at the intersection of Deer Park Road (see map below). There is parking along the side of the road, if you arrive early! To reach Alpine Meadow road, take Highway 89 from Tahoe City to Truckee. The turn-off is on your left just after the River Ranch Lodge and Restaurant.

The trail is a continuous climb from the trail head (about a 1000 ft gain in elevation) until you reach station #6 in the map. The most strenuous part is in the beginning, but thankfully there are plenty of places to take a breather under the welcome shade of fir trees. Of course, this means that on your hike out, it is all downhill!

The trail lies on the eastern border of the Granite Chief Wilderness area. Along the hike you will have spectacular views of contrasting landscapes that sample majestic granite outcrops (see, as an example, the photo above), volcanic rock, groves of fir trees, and alpine lakes and valleys.

The photo below was taken near station #1 on the trail map above. You are looking back toward the trail head with a grove of fir trees in the background through which the trail winds its way upward. The next part of the trail traverses via switchbacks through manzanita brush, some of which you can see in the foreground. At times the manzanita along the trail can be as high as one's shoulders. If you time your hike in late spring or early summer you will also be rewarded with blooming mountain flowers such as mules ears, cinquefoil, mountain primrose, etc.

After the switchbacks, the trail hugs the side of the mountain providing wonderful views of the valley traversed by Alpine Meadow Road. The view of the hillside above the trail is notable for its impressive granite outcrops, as seen in the first photo of this blog.

Here is an example of granite bedrock protruding from the side of the mountain near station # 2.

Just before your reach station #3 on the map the trail passes by a majestic lone Jeffrey Pine (Pinus jeffreyi). For pine tree lovers, the Jeffrey Pine is one of several 3-needle pines (the needles come in bundles of three) that populate the Sierra Nevada mountains overlooking Lake Tahoe. Please note this is your last opportunity to stop for a rest in the shade, roughly at the half-way point to the five lakes. The next opportunity for shade is the fir tree grove by the five lakes (beyond station # 6).

Shortly after station #3 the trail heads briefly south before looping back and heading north. At this point the trail follows a canyon on your left and the climb is moderate.
As seen in the photo above and below, the trail is mostly composed of a light yellow sandstone juxtaposed against the green shrub that covers the hillside. As the following photo shows on a sunny day the intermingling of these colors is captivating.

This stunted Jeffrey Pine eking out an existence on the barren hillside greets you on the trail. It appears to have been struck by lightning sometime in its past.

The next two photos show views of the canyon floor. Note that the far canyon wall is granite, while on trail side it is a sandstone/volcanic rock mixture.

This photo shows the section of the trail near station #6. At this point the trail has taken on a gentle climb, and then turns west and descends into a fir tree grove surrounding the five lakes. The edge of the fir tree grove can be seen in the upper left of the photo.

A view of the pristine alpine lakes at station #7 is the reward that awaits you! Below is a photo of the largest of the five lakes. The lake shore is dotted with boulders that offer hikers an assortment of vantage points for sunning, enjoying lunch, watching owners play fetch with their dogs, or slipping into the lake. When we were there in mid-August, the water was pretty cold (though if you are adverse to cold water like me, then a better descriptive for the lake water is "frigid"). Nonetheless, we saw a number of brave souls cooling off after their hike.
A gallant fir near the five lakes that has seen better days.

From the Five Lakes you can find directions to other nearby trails including the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. The following map of the Granite Chief Wilderness area provides details of the other trails you can access from Five Lakes.

Orographic Cloud Formation on Table Mountain

2011-01-16T05:50:00.000-08:00

The main purpose of this blog is to report on an interesting (but well-known) cloud formation mechanism that we witnessed and captured on film while on top of Table Mountain, July 2009. But before doing so, I must set the stage for the reader.

Table Mountain with its flattened peak is Cape Town's most recognized landmark. It can be seen nearly 100 miles out to sea. It was a beacon of safety for early seafarers who came to the Cape. It was a symbol of hope for those imprisoned on Robben Island during the turbulent apartheid years. Yet even when seen from afar, you cannot ignore the enormity of this iconic granite mass on its surroundings. It is the definitive symbol of Cape Town and its people. Note: I took the above photo from a beach on Robben Island - a 12 km swim to Cape Town (but not by me)!

The follow caricature relief map (which I adapted from an original by slingsbymap) captures the unparallel setting of Cape Town with respect to Table Mountain. As the photo shows, Table Mountain is flanked by two detached peaks: Lion's Head to the northwest, and Devil's Peak to the northeast. Lion's Head declines to the north to merge into Signal Hill, forming the "lion's rump". The natural amphitheater-shaped area of Cape Town bordered by these four mountains is called the "City Bowl".

A aerial perspective of Table Mountain and its subsidiary peaks is given by the following contour map (courtesy of the Table Mountain National Park). Also shown on the map are the numerous hiking trails for those adventurous hikers who wish to access popular land marks on the mountain peninsula.

You simply cannot visit Cape Town without making the pilgrimage to the top. For most visitors the trip to the top of the mountain starts with a breathtaking ride in the Table Mountain Arial Cable Car. During the ascent you get the first of many panoramic views of the city, and a close-up look at the granite face wall of the mountain. On route, the floor of the arial car continually rotates through 360 degrees, so everyone on board gets a chance to see and photograph different view points. The mountain is about 3560 ft above see level, and during the last 200 ft the car ascends almost parallel to the face wall: the view looking down is awesome, a tinge of nervousness and/or vertigo, notwithstanding. The trip takes less than 10 mins.

Shown below is a view of Lion's Head from the top of Table Mountain. The peak is at 2,195 ft. Can you make out the "head of the lion"? Actually, if you have an aerial view that includes both Lion's Head and Signal Hill (see for example, this pic ), then taken together these two landmarks resemble a crouching lion. This is why Signal Hill was originally known as Leeuwen Staart (Dutch for Lion's Tail) by the Dutch settlers in the 17th century.

The view looking due west includes the picturesque west coast of the Cape Peninsula. Looking due west and directly down, you cannot miss the stunning view (see pic below) of Camps Bay and Camps Bay beach, a favorite destination for foreign tourists and locals. This affluent suburb of Cape Town is replete with sidewalk cafes and restaurants, and is famous for its unique sunsets (of course, while sipping sundowners) and eclectic nightlife.

Looking due north, your line of sight is captive to a panoramic view of Table Bay, Cape Town harbor/waterfront and the City Bowl. Also visible in the pic below is the infamous brown haze, a blanket of polluted air that can hang over the city for days. Motor vehicle and residential emissions from the Cape Flats are apparently the prime culprits.

The following photo was taken from the cable car. Here we are looking eastward along the ridge of Table Mountain in the direction of Devil's Peak (the back slope of Devil's peak is partially visible).

Now onto the main topic of this blog. The word "orographic", derived from Greek, is the field of knowledge about the formation and relief of mountains. Thus orographic cloud formation is how clouds form due to mountain reliefs. Table Mountain's much photographed "table cloth" is an example of orographic cloud formation. When seen from afar it is strikingly beautiful, but up close it can be very dangerous to unwary hikers: cloud formation can rapidly engulf hikers and obscure their visibility.

Normally the "table cloth" forms during the summer months as a result of the south easterly winds (known as the Cape doctor). But as the the photos below show, we we able to witness a mini "table cloth" formation along the west slopes of Table Mountain during a sunny day in July.

The clouds are formed when wind (in our case a south to south-westerly wind) pushes moist air against a mountain slope. The moist air is forced to rise. As the air mass gains altitude it cools adiabatically which causes the relative humidity to increase. When the air temperature reaches the dew point, water vapor condenses out to form a cloud. Note the air temperature decreases about 10 C every 1000 meters. So in the case of Table Mountain, the relative humidity of the arriving air must be high initially, or there must be a sudden change in temperature on the summit.

In the first photo we have the formation of a small cloud over a peak overlooking the sea-side resort of Llandudno.

After about 15 minutes we see the early stages of the "table cloth". This is a nice example of lenticular clouds.

The "cloth" continues to grow quite rapidly (about 5 mins later)

And starts to thicken
The next 4 photos were taken over a period of 10-15 minutes.

The "cloth" is now sufficiently dense to obscure the mountain top.

We were blessed with a rainbow. Note also how the clouds roll over the edge and then disappear: in this case the clouds encounter warmer air relative to the dew point, and thus the relative humidity decreases, reversing the process.

Shortly after this photo was taken, the Cable Car siren went off announcing that the Cable Car will be closing because or impending bad weather and every one was advised to leave the mountain post haste, which we did. When it comes to weather, Table mountain is very moody and unpredictable!

After our Table Mountain adventure, we headed south to St. James and made a brief stop at Groot Constantia. This scenic view overlooks Groot Constantia vineyards in the foreground, with the majestic Muizenberg Mountain in the background. False Bay and the village of St. James lie due south and south-west of Muizenberg Peak, respectively.

African Penguins at Boulders Beach

2011-01-15T20:26:00.000-08:00

Boulders Beach is a popular tourist stop just south of Simon's Town on the Cape Peninsula. It is here that a colony of African penguins have settled. A pair of penguins first arrived in 1983 and since then the colony has grown to about 3000. The Africa penguin is distinguished by a black strip across the top of the chest, and it is the only penguin species to inhabit Africa. Boulders beach is not the only site in South Africa where you view African penguins; most other sites are on inshore islands like Dyer Island, about 5 miles from the fishing village of Gansbaai in the Western Cape.

Boulders Beach is part of the Table Mountain National Park, and so the penguin colony is free to wander in a protected environment. The beach is sheltered by large granite boulders - hence its name. Board walks crisscross the area providing excellent viewing of the penguins, and there is a local beach that tourist can access (for a fee). It seems that the penguins pay little attention to the visitors, and happily waddle pass sunbathers on the beach.

The penguins grow to be about 70 cm (27 inches) in height, and when fully grown weigh in at around 4-5 kg (9-10 lbs). The pattern of black spots on their chest (see in pic above) is unique to each penguin. Notice also the pink glands above their eyes- these glands act like a pair of air-cooled heat exchangers for cooling their blood on hot days.

African penguins nest in burrows (artificial burrows are provided at Boulders), and lay 2 eggs which are incubated by both parents for about 40 days. This pic shows a family brood - testament to why the colony is increasing in size!

The bowl-shape depression in the pic below is an example of a natural burrow. But now it's time for our evening walk; let's get moving, the others are waiting:

Do we really have to hike (waddle) up this hill?

Watch out for humans! Look left , look right. With tourists you never know which side of the road they drive on.

My isn't the view grand from the cliff edge!

Well after that adventure I guess a small peck of appreciation is in order. Some say a peck on the beck starts a lifelong relationship!

But remember let's not play hanky-panky under those visitors cars - I may be be our last peck!

Acknowledgement: The photo of the kissing penguins was not taken by me; it was "borrowed" from some obscure web site, which I am unable to find again- so thus the lack of attribution. Sorry!

Visions of Kirstenbosch Gardens

2011-01-14T17:05:00.000-08:00

Any trip to Cape Town, South Africa is not complete unless you plan a visit to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, located about 13 km from the Cape Town city center. The garden is nestled at the foot of the eastern slope of Table Mountain.

The Garden lies within a 528 hectare (1300 acres) estate that was bequeathed to the people of South Africa by Cecil John Rhodes, the mining magnate and founder of the diamond company De Beers, who died in 1902. The cultivated gardens, about 36 hectares (90 acres) in size, are the home to some 7000 indigenous South African plants, including a wide variety of Cape Flora species. For the adventurous hiker, the Garden is a convenient entree for numerous trail heads for exploring the foothills of Table Mountain, and one called Smut's Track, that leads to the summit of Table Mountain. Our visit was late July (early spring) so we witnessed the first of the annual blooms of proteas and ericas.

The next 5 photos attempt to capture the beautiful setting of the gardens. There are expansive lush green lawns, dotted with spectacular artwork by artists from the subcontinent, bordered with plantings of trees, bushes and flowers, traversed with paved paths for easy access, topped with endless vistas of the craggy peaks of Table Mountain, ever present in the background. Surely this must be one of the most beautiful gardens in the world.

Now for some flowers in bloom! The Garden is subdivided into different biodiversity regions and every effort is made to label the plants. So even the non-botanist can enjoy and learn about the Cape floral kingdom. Perhaps the most visited sector is for the Protea genus (the King Protea is the national flower of South Africa). Though it was early spring, we were fortunate to see several species in bloom. Here is our group strolling through the protea section of the garden.

A close up of one of the flowering proteas we saw

More of the same.
Another blooming protea species

and yet another

The Aloe genus is also native to Africa and is conspicuous in the Cape. Here is a pic of a magnificent Bitter Aloe (also known as Cape Aloe) which can grow up to 10ft in height.

The 6oo+ species in the family Ericaceae (Erica) that are endemic to South Africa are often called the Cape heaths and are part of the fynbos genus. Shown below is a rare Erica verticillata that became extinct in the wild, but was recently reintroduced into the Cape Flats.

Another Erica species called Erica abientina (aka mountain fynbos) is shown below. This species is only found on the Cape Peninsula. The name abientina is derived from Latin and means 'like a fir tree', and refers to the leaves which resemble those of fir trees.

The name fynbos (Afrikaans for 'fine bush') is in reference to the needle-like leaves found on many species. Fynbos is a major component of the Cape floral kingdom. Proteas, Ericas and Restios are part of this family. There are over 6000 species that are endemic to the Cape!

The pic below shows an example of coastal fynbos: Heliophilia linearis var reticulata. When in bloom this plant has striking blue flowers.

This next example is of a mountain fynbos, but of the restio family: Rhodacoma capensis. This reed-like plant has a feathery foliage, hardy, and has small golden/pink flowers depending on its sex.
Here is a fine specimen of Pig's Ear (Cotyedon orbculata), named because of its resemblance to a pig's ear.

Finally, I close this blog with a wonderful specimen of a "bird of paradise" (Streliyzia reginae). In South Africa it is also known as the crane flower. The yellow Bird of Paradise, called 'Mandela's Gold', is a a rare form of the more predominant orange Bird of Paradise. I am not sure if the pic below is the yellow form, but striking it is!

Here is a cluster of Birds of paradise:

It is not possible to experience the splendor and nuances of Kirstenbosch in a single day. It is a garden that you have to revisit, again and again. It is one of many reasons why Cape Town has capture the hearts of travelers, near and afar.

Shoyo-en Garden, Nikko

2011-01-14T12:59:00.000-08:00

This delightful garden, created some 300 years ago is located near Rinnoji Temple in the Sannai area of Nikko. The following maps (courtesy of the City of Nikko) show the location of various historical buildings in the Sannai area. I have noted on both maps the general location of the Shoyo-en garden. To enter the garden you need to purchase a ticket for the Rinnoji's Hobtsuden -"treasure house" - museum, which is located in front of the Sanbutsudo (the main temple building)

This map shows more detail of the Rinnoji Treasure Museum's location, relative to the actual Rinnoji Temple. It is tricky to find, but it is worth the effort. Note if you buy a 300 yen ticket you get to visit both the museum and the garden - a great deal!

In October 2010 I had an opportunity to visit this garden during a trip to Nikko. This traditional Japanese garden is not large by any standards. The outer loop path, which encompasses a small pond, takes all of 15 minutes to complete at a leisurely stroll. When I was there the fall leaves were just beginning to show their colors, and so we have some wonderful visions of green, with red and orange foliage peaking out here and there.

The Shoyo-en ('strolling garden') is not high on most tourist lists when visiting Nikko - perhaps because it a little difficult to find. So with luck you will have the garden all to yourself. It is quiet, it is peaceful and invites contemplation.

In the next picture there is a glimpse of the Treasure House Museum from which you access the garden.

For me the highlight of my visit was finding this Japanese White Pine. There are three primary types of Japanese Pine: Black, Red and White. The Black and Red pines can be seen in many gardens around Tokyo. The Imperial Gardens have wonderful specimens. Both these pines produces needles in groups of two. But the White pine is the elusive one. It is also referred to as "goyo-matsu", because it produces needles in groups of five. The needles are considerably shorter than those from the Black and Red pines, reaching only 2 inches in length. This makes it an ideal candidate for bonsai.

In November 2009 there was a special celebration for the 20th anniversary of Emperor Akihito. As part of that celebration they had a bonsai exhibit in the Imperial Gardens of Tokyo, which I was fortunate to see. On display was Tokugawa Iemitsu's White pine: Sandai-Shogun-No Matsu. The tree is considered to be at least 500 years old and is one of the National Treasures of Japan. Tokugawa Iemitsu was a hachi-no-ki (the bowl's tree) enthusiast, and the tree was already some 200 years old when he first took care of it. It goes without saying I was not allowed to touch it - I had to admire this 5-needle pine from a distance!

A final note, the Treasure House Museum is also worthy of a visit. It documents the Tokugawa shogunate era with many interesting manuscripts and artifacts, and has has on display beautiful paintings of all 15 Tokugawa shoguns that ruled during the Edo period of Japan.

Visions of Hampstead Heath

2010-12-31T07:13:00.001-08:00

Several years ago, on a short visit to London, we had a chance to explore Hampstead Heath, located about 4 miles north from the center of London. Hampstead Heath Station (near the south western tip of the Heath) is on the North London Line, so it it an easy train trip from London. The town of Hampstead is an affluent suburb of London populated with A-list celebrities. Highgate, another expensive suburb, lies to the north-east of Hampstead Heath. Though popular with londoners, the Heath is not usually on the to-do list of most visitors.

The "Heath" is a rambling public park replete with ponds, meadows, grassy knolls, heath land, woodlands, and walking/biking trails that span an area of some 790 acres. It is not a traditional manicured english garden, but a place to enjoy nature, get way from the crowds, and if you want to get "lost" in the expanse of the park. In the north section of the park is the English Heritage property Kenwood House which houses a priceless art collection. Here you can see some inspiring landscapes by John Constable, and other priceless art by Vermeer, and Rembrandt - literally something for everyone, and believe it or not, for free admission. There is also a open-air Cafe for taming an appetite after hiking, or for just enjoying a relaxing cup of english tea; for those obsessed with people watching, the the patio is perfect location.

The Heath is located at one of the highest points in Greater London, and from Parliament Hill looking south, there are expansive views of London and the surrounding countryside.

Parliament Hill, also known as Kite-Hill, has a blustering micro-climate that attracts the "one-liners" from all over London. But sadly, on our visit the London kite-flying fraternity was not to be seen. We did occupy this lonely park-bench (see below) at the base of the Hill for a short while to view the aimless strolling of dog owners with their well-behaved pets on the slopes of Parliament Hill.

One of the special attractions of Hampstead Heath is the collection of some 25 ponds scattered around the park. On the Highgate side (see park map above) there are eight "Highgate" ponds. These ponds were originally water reservoirs from the 17th century. They include the separate outdoor bathing ponds for men and women, the model boating pond, the wild-life refuge pond, and a fishing lake. Shown below is a beautiful grove of weeping willows adjacent to one of the Highgate ponds with a strategic park-bench for those wanting to spend time enjoying the serenity of the ponds.

In this quiet section of a Highgate pond, we saw several species of ducks, enjoying the pond's shaded areas.

A view of the wild-life refuge pond.

The dog paddling pool (the lower portion of Highgate #1 pool) is a favorite of dog lovers and their pets, while non-pet owners come out in force to revel in the dog-fetch antics...

A view of some of the elegant townhouses/flats that overlook the one of the Hampstead ponds.

The Heath is also home to some wonderful woodland trails, surrounded by many tree varieties, as well as instances of rare species for the area. For more on tree life on the heath, visit the following web site . This site also identifies the region of the park where certain tree species can be found, with sample photos. But for starters, you can expect to see elm, oak, hazel, hornbeam, birch, chestnut, yew, alder, ash and beech.

The pic below is an example of a picturesque canopy-lined trail that we stumbled upon as we trekked our way up to Kenwood House. As the sunlight filtered through the canopy, we were presented with a marvelous dappled light pattern on the trail floor. Note: there are few trail signs in the woods, so be warned without a map or GPS phone you can easily find yourself walking in circles, or stumble upon al fresco lovers in the undergrowth.

A solitary sun worshipper soaking up the rays in one of the meadows, oblivious to all around.

In the grounds of Kenwood House, you will find Henry Moore's bronze sculpture: "Two Piece Reclining Figure No 5" which sits on a box-like plinth made from slate panels (barely visible in the pic). Moore is famous for his large sculptures of abstract flowing forms. This one is no exception. I read that Moore's inspiration for his flowing forms came from the Yorkshire hills of his birthplace.

After a long day, sometimes you just need to take a nap! This pic was taken at the outdoor cafe at Kenwood House. Priceless.

Winter Storm Incline Village

2010-12-29T08:11:00.000-08:00

Yesterday (December 28, 2010) we experienced a winter storm at Lake Tahoe. The storm started late afternoon with light snow but grew with intensity during the evening hours, and this morning we were confronted with 2+ feet of new snow. The following pic shows the morning view from our deck. Notice the accumulation of new snow on the deck railings!

The Ponderosa pines and firs that populate the back slope of our property were draped with fresh snow, presenting a winter wonderland! Now that the fresh snow has erased all the unsightly blemishes from previous thaws, perhaps it is time to take out the snow sled and "test- drive" our pristine slope.
UPDATE: Temptation was too much see pics at end of blog for sledding adventure

Here is a front view of our hacienda, and a pic of me standing in the driveway with snow up to my knees.

A couple of views of our neighbors in our snow-locked cul-de-sac; several parked cars can be seen partly buried beneath the snow.

The snow-covered power lines are a sobering reminder that this storm could have been a lot worse for all concerned.

And so now we patiently await for the friendly snow-removal folks to plough our drive way..... As I write I hear the sound of shovels, the two-stroke engines of portable snow blowers. A busy day awaits all.
UPDATE: Sledding Adventure! The first task was to trek up the slope overlooking the back of our property. This was easy said than done. At places the snow was 3-4 ft deep. The next two pics show my trek up the slope.

Finally I reached my designated launching point. No science in that decision: I was too tired to trek any further uphill in the deep snow. But as the pic shows, I have gained some elevation, and have a nice sled run ahead of me.

The first thing that happened after I sat in the sled was to sink deeper into the snow. What was I thinking. So I had to do a number of trial runs to pack down the snow into a pre-made sled run. Here is a pic of me navigating the mid-section of my home-made sled run. Yes, I do have that look: "oh my goodness what the hell am I doing!

The recovery phase! I made it. I am done! Enough of this foolishness, if I want to see in the New Year!

Ushiku Daibutsu

2010-10-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

In October 2010, my friends Takeaki and Sachi took me on a visit to see the Ushiku Daibutsu, which is located in Ibaraki Prefecture, about 20 minute bus ride from Ushiku Station. From Tokyo, it takes about an hour by train to reach Ushiku Station. The following map shows the location of Ushiku relative to Tokyo.

Below is a Google aerial view of the Ushiku Daibutsu from which its size relative to its surroundings can be judged. This towering bronze stature of the Amitabha Buddha is the tallest stature in Japan. It is 120 meters (394 feet) tall and weighs 4000 tons. Construction was completed in 1995- took about 10 years. Its measured height includes the 10 m high base and the 10 meter high lotus platform.

In Japan Amitahba Budhha (the "Budhha of Infinite Light") is known as Amida Nyorai　（阿弥陀如来）, and is the central deity of the Pure Land sects in Japan. Below I pose is front of Daibutsu!

It is difficult to comprehend the size of the Ushiku Buddha from photographs. Perhaps these few statistics might help. The left hand of Buddha is 18 meters (about 60 ft) in length; the length of his mouth is 4 meters (about 13 ft). And shown in the photo below is a replica of one of the "beads" on buddha's headgear! The pamphlet in the foreground is 8 inches in length!

You will notice in this pic below that Amitabha Budhha is standing on a bed of Lotus plants - to symbolize that his feet do not touch the ground; that he is separate from the present or impure world (the Gense （現世) in Japanese), and the world of the living. Budhha's hand gestures (called mudrâs) are also important and have specific meanings. The hands of Amitabha Buddha are in a mudrâ pose. The right hand is raised to chest level, with fingers pointing up and palm facing outward, while the thumb and index finger form a circle. The left hand is is held with fingers pointing downward at hip level with palm outward and forefinger and thumb touching. This mudrâ pose is a statement of Amitabha Budhha's teachings and how he leads his listeners by conviction on the path to illumination. The outstretched hand shows that Amitabha's compassion is directed even to those who cannot save themselves.

It is important to recognize that the physical stature is actually a temple, divided into 4 floors that can be reached by elevator. The top floor is located some 85 m above ground and is called Mount Grdhrakuta. From there it is possible to view the surroundings through narrow slits in Ushiku Daibutsu's chest. (The window slits are barely visible from the ground.)

Note: Mt Grdhrakuta (Vulture Peak) is a site described in the Lotus Sutra where Buddha and his monks gathered.

Shown below is one such view of the walkway leading to the Daibutsu.

As is custom, you must remove your shoes when entering the Daibutsu temple. You are given a plastic bag to carry your shoes during your visit. The first floor is called the the "World of Infinite Light and Life". You enter a room in total darkness, to symbolize the dark world. Then a voice in Japanese proclaims that Amida Nyorai gives his light through wisdom to those lost in the dark side. New age music then permeates the darkness, and a single shaft of light shines from above, and as you walk forward the doors open to expose an elevator to the other floors.

The second floor is called the "World of Gratitude and Thankfulness". The official description of this floor is where you can study the Sutra scriptures. However, it is also the floor where you can learn about how Ushiku Daibutsu was constructed. There are numerous photographs and models depicting the various stages of construction. There is also a small gift shop for purchasing small souvenirs and post cards. The following pic is a scaled model of the frame structure used to construct Daibutsu's face. Square bronze plates 6 mm thick (weighing more than 150 kg) were then attached to the frame.

Shown below is the "World of the Lotus Sanctuary", located on the third floor. This floor is circular is shape, with the outer wall tessellated with small rectangular wooden alcoves (tombs). Many of the alcoves are filled with a miniature Buddha. As a visitor, you are engulfed with the gaze of 3000+ golden miniature Buddhas. Simply put, the room is awash in gold. Families can purchase their own Buddha and have it placed in one of the miniature tombs, with their family name etched on a plaque.

Shown below is a photo of one of 3000+ miniature Buddha statures that grace the tombs in the Lotus Sanctuary.

There is a delightful flower garden surrounding the base of Daibutsu, and in Autumn it is a perfect location for viewing "cosmos" and other flowers in season. On our visit the field of "cosmos" was filled with purple, pink and white blossoms, and dotted with young children who were scooting through the field eagerly picking their favorite colors.

The genus cosmos are perennial plants in the Asteracease family, being the family of sunflowers, daises and asters. Here is a close-up of these delightful flowers.

Koishikawa Korakuen Garden

2010-10-11T11:38:00.000-07:00

Koisihikawa Korakuen garden is not on many tourists must-see list when visiting Tokyo, and that is a pity. It has much to offer. The garden is a short walk from Iidabashi JR station- simply follow the signs (in English) from the West Gate Exit that direct you to the pedestrian overpass, which will take you to the other side of the Sotobori moat. The following map provides additional details.

The garden was established around 1629, during the early Edo period of Japan. Edo (Japanese for "bay entrance" or "estuary") is the ancient name for Tokyo that started as a small fishing village and eventually became a metropolis of more that 1 million people during the reign of the Tokugawa shoguns. The Edo period (1603-1868) is synonymous with the Tokugawa shoganate, a form of military government that has its roots in the feudal political system of Japan: lords (called daimyo) granted land (fief) to vassals. In exchange vassals provided military service to the lord. The garden was started by Tokugawa Yorifusa, the ninth son of Tokugawa Ieyasu who was the first shogun of the Takugawa shogunate. Tokugawa Yorifusa, like many other daimyos would make periodic trips to Edo to consult with the shogun and for this reason he maintained a separate Edo residence. The garden was completed by his third son Tokugawa Mitsukuni who was also a prominent daimyo of the Mito area. Mitsukuni was heavily influenced by Chinese-style gardens, as annunciated by the Chinese scholar Shushunsui from the Ming dynasty. The name "korakuen" means "Garden of Pleasure After". It comes from a famous Confucian quote: A wise ruler must attend to his subjects' needs first, and only then attend to his own. The garden features a central pond, connecting streams, secondary ponds, several small hills, and intertwining pathways, perfect for aimless strolls on a sunny day. A map of the garden is shown below.
As you enter the park you immediately see the main features of the garden: a central pond, surrounded on one side by a small hill, punctuated with cobbled strolling paths. The small hill seen in the photo below is called Shorozan, so named by Confucian Razan Hayashi as it resembled Mt. Lushan in China (Rozan is the Japanese pronunciation of Lushan).

There are many vantage points on the paths that traverse Shorozan to view the ponds from afar, as shown below. In this photo notice how quiescent the pond water is-the wake of the duck extends unimpeded for many, many meters.

Or you can interrogate the trails below:

The dense foliage on Shorozan provides protection from the hot sun and consequently an ideal habitat for ferns to flourish.

The garden is in the middle of a busy district of Tokyo and indeed at strategic locations one can see skyscrapers loom above the wooded skyline of the park. Just to the east of the park is Tokyo Dome City which houses an amusement park. Thus the tranquility of the garden is interrupted every now and then by shrieks from thrill seekers on the Thunder Dolphin hyper-roller-coaster ride.

On a sunny day, and if your viewing angle is optimal, the garden becomes an interconnecting set of reflecting pools. The following photos are examples of reflecting pools that I was able to capture with my modest compact camera.

The red flowers in the above photo are red spider lilies- higanbana ( 彼岸花）In the background you can see the wisteria trellis. Here is a close -up of a spider lily blooming during my visit,

The garden has several bridges. Perhaps the most famous is Engetsu-kyo (full moon bridge) shown below. If the light is just right the reflection of the bridge in the pond below produces a full circle - thus the name "full moon". This bridge has survived in its original form, and its design can be traced back to Shushunsui of the Ming dynasty.

The vermillion bridge (Tsuttenkyo) is tucked away on the Shorozan hill. Depending on what trail you take you can either walk over it, or be surprised by it sudden appearance from the trail below. The bright vermillion color juxtaposed against the green foliage takes your breath away.

At the south end of the garden is the inner garden (Naitei) lakelet. This is the area of the garden where the Tukugawa Mito clan maintained a guest house; the inner garden was originally separated from the main garden by a chinese style gate which unfortunately was destroyed by a fire. In the picture below you can see the bridge that takes you to the island in the inner garden lakelet. On the island is a gnarled pine tree that has be sculptured over the years using vertical support poles. On my visit access to the island was prohibited.

As a result of fires, many of the original buildings in the garden were destroyed, but one building has survived: Tokujindo shrine, shown in the photo below. When Tokugawa Mitsukuni was 18, he read about the legendary characters Bo Yi and Shu Qi in the Chinese classic, Records Of the Grand Historian by Sima Quian. He was so impressed by their character that he enshrined their wooden statues in Tokujin-do.

Situated in a grove of red pine trees is a small thatched roof hut called Kuhachi-ya. The original was destroyed during World War II, and a replica constructed in 1959. The hut was used for drinking sake. Apparently, its name is derived from an Edo era saying: Sake is best if the cup is 90% full in the afternoon and 80% full in the evening.

This cute building is located on a small hill near the inner garden; It appears to be a shrine of some sort, or perhaps a place to simply enjoy the garden.

The rock below is called Byobu-iwa or screen rock. According to the description given at garden, the third shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu often visited this spot to contemplate.

Many of the major parks in Tokyo are inundated with crows that perch in the tree canopy and screech at each other. They are so loud and numerous that other more melodic birds cannot be heard or are frightened away. At times this crow racket can be quite annoying. On my visit to Korakuen the crows were not out in force. And thus the chirping of various small birds filled the park air. But I did manage to snag a photo of this lonely crow in one of the pine trees in the garden. A quiet little bugger, to say the least!

Hiroshige's Hundred Views of Famous Places of Edo

2010-10-11T02:34:00.000-07:00

Today on my evening stroll along Kagurazaka Dori I came across an art gallery called Cafe and Art Gallery tucked away in a basement location. I would never have noticed it except the "owner" was setting up a sidewalk poster stand to advertise the gallery,and invited me to visit. What a wonderful find. On display were 100 prints of Hiroshige's views of famous places of Edo (the original name of Japanese capital Tokyo during the Tokugawa shunagate which ruled Japan from 1603-1868). The prints were done by Hiroshige during 1856-8. At the time he was already a famous artist in Japan in the Ukiyo-e style- more on this genre below.

What made this exhibit so special for me is that with each print there was an English translation describing the view and the activity that was depicted in the print. This is not the case in most Japanese galleries. The pic above is #44 in the set and is entitled: " View of Nihonbashi Street Icchrome". In the foreground is a group of Sumiyoshi dancers. Originally these dancers accompanied mendicant Buddhist priests who went from door-to-door seeking money to help support their religious work. Apparently the dancers depicted in the print were entertainers that lived in Edo at the time and practice the art of Sumiyoshi dance, with roots back to the Osaka region.

The next pic is one of the most famous prints from this set: #53: "Sudden Shower over Shin-Ohashi at Atake"

The bridge depicted in the print above is over the Sumida river, and today I would guess it is the bridge that carries Shin-Ohashi Dori. The original bridge was built in 1693 according to the print description. Interestingly, Vincent van Gogh became a collector of Ukiyo-e art, a genre of Japanese woodblock print and painting techniques that tried to capture the "floating world"- a world in which the viewer embraces the pleasures of beauty in art, nature and entertainment, while being divorced from their responsibilities in the mundane physical world. And in honor of Hiroshige, van Gogh made an oil copy of the print! The French impressionists were influenced by Ukiyo-e art, and van Gogh and his brother, Theo, were avid collectors.

So here in a small basement cafe/gallery, tucked away in a district of Tokyo, one has a unique opportunity to travel back in time to glean what it was like to live in the Edo period. As one would say in Japanese "subarashi" - wonderful. I will have to make further visits and contemplate my find over many cups of coffee. If you are in Tokyo I highly recommend you visit this gallery! ( http://art-galley.craps.co.jp/exibition_20101011.html )

Disclosure: The photos in this blog were taken from post cards that I purchased from the gallery. The colors in the originals have more depth and vibrancy.

Wild flowers at Mount Rose

2010-08-03T02:57:00.000-07:00

The main trail head for accessing several hiking trails at Mount Rose is located at the top of the mountain pass along SR 431, which links the north shore of Lake Tahoe with Reno, Nevada ( SR 431 is also known by locals as the Mount Rose Highway). The trail head is called "Mount Rose Summit" in many hiking books, and you can access the trail from the large parking lot. Adjoining the parking lot is a building structure with bathrooms, outdoor maps and brochures for visitors. The following map (adapted from the Tahoe Rim Trail web site) provides a perspective of the trails one can take from the parking lot. Our circular hike route is shown with the red arrows. The Mount Rose Summit Parking lot is at an elevation of of 8,900+ feet.

At the trail head you have an option of taking one of two trails. There is a sign that points to the new Mount Rose Trail, or you can take the old Mount Rose trail. As the above map shows, the old and new trails eventually join up (after about 2+ miles from the parking lot) to form the main trail that takes you to the summit of Mount Rose. We opted to start with the old trail, and then loop back to the parking lot via the new trail. If you are planning a morning hike with a lunch stop, this is the preferred route, as the old trail is exposed to the sun, making the afternoon part of your hike unbearably hot! The old trail also has wonderful vistas of Lake Tahoe ( i.e you don't have to hike up to the summit to see Lake Tahoe).

The old Mount Rose Trail heads roughly due west from the trail head, and after about a half mile connects with the Relay Peak Service road. You can opt to make the connection with the service road earlier by hiking down to the RP Service road from the trail. This makes sense if you are interested in observing as many of the wild flowers as possible that flank the RP Service road. The following photograph shows our hiking group walking along the service road. Tip: The Old Mount Rose Trail is not popular, and on the Sunday of our hike we pretty much had the trail to ourselves. Note: in the photograph you can get a sense of how extensive the wild flowers coverage is along the side of the road!

Here are sample vistas of Lake Tahoe from the trail. In the first photograph (taken at the start of our hike along the service road) you can see Mount Rose Highway descending to the north shore of Lake Tahoe.

The next two views are higher up along the service road.

Now for some wild flowers! In the next picture is a sample cluster of Mountain Pennyroyal. The aromatic leaves are used to make a fragrant tea.

Mountain Pennyroyal also associates with Woolly Mule Ears

and Indian Paintbrush.

Here is a close up of Indian Paintbrush

The next photo shows aa fine example of Mountain Sagebrush. Its fragrant green-gray leaves are distinctly three-lobed.

Alone the trail we had ample opportunity to observed many species of lupines. On the lower slopes of Mount Rose there are many sightings of white lupine (also called pine lupine?); Several examples are shown below. The first is white lupine sharing the space with a Woolly Mule Ear, and the second sharing space with Mountain Pennyroyal.

Here is an an example of Brewer's Lupine (aka carpet lupine) that has managed to "carpet" the hillside slope adjacent to the trail

Finally here are two examples of Tahoe Lupine, In the second photo Indian Paintbrush have invaded the lupine territory.

Along the hike of the Old Mount Rose Trail, we were able to see some less familiar species. The following photo is of a Rein Orchard.

Here is an example of a Showy Evening Primrose. This flower has large yellow flowers that bloom at dusk and then fade to orange-red the next day. Strangely, our sighting was blooming mid-morning!

Here is an example of yellow Sedum sharing the space with a Mountain sagebush.

This is an example of a yellow Goat's-Beard. If you look carefully you can see that the green bracts that surround the flower are larger than the petals. Apparently, this flower opens early morning and closes by noon.

Here Fireweed grows among some sagebush.

A small cluster of Monkey flowers.

And finally some Sierra Daisies.

The hike along the Relay Service road gained about 500 ft, heading due west. Finally, we reconnected with the Old Mount Rose trail and headed north. The trail descended into a meadow replete with wild flowers and flowing streams. Here is our hiking group navigating the trail, which at this time of the year is shared with a mountain stream. Finally we reach the junction point of the two trails, one leading up to the Mt. Rose summit, the other back to the parking lot. About a quarter of a mile past the junction point we came to the waterfall where we stop for lunch.

The next several photographs capture the colors of the meadow. A field of Tahoe lupines.

A close-up look at Corn Lilies.

A panoramic view of the meadow, with Corn Lilies in the background

The fascinating Elephant Head plant. Each flower on the stem has the shape of an elephant head with trunk.

Another colorful view of the meadow.

Below is a red variety of Penstemon.

Here is a view of the trail just before we reach the junction point with the new Mt. Rose trail

At the waterfall we stopped for lunch, rested before starting hike back to the parking lot.

The new Mount Rose trail traverses the north side of Tamarack Mountain ( I guess the mountain is named after the Tamarack Pine that grows on its slopes- The Tamarack Pine is also known as the Lodgepole Pine). During the hike back one can see Mountain Hemlock (single needle), Western White Pine ( five-needle), and Lodgepole Pine( two-needle) next to the trail. One also gets glimpses of the Nevada valley. The follow photo shows part of the valley near Virginia City. This is a great hike. Plan to take 4 hours with lunch stop and plenty of viewing stops. You won't be disappointed!

Pisac: The Old and the New

2010-07-28T03:33:00.000-07:00

Pisac (sometimes spelled Pisaq or Pisak) is the name of both a modern colonial town and the remains of an ancient Inca city, about an hour drive from Cuzco. The ancient town of Pisac is located along a spur of a 3000 meter mountain that overlooks the southern end of the Urubamba valley (the mountain range is on the right in the above photograph, overlooking the colonial Pisac in the valley ).The name Pisac is derived from "pisaca", meaning partridge. The layout of the ancient city of Pisac resembles a bird with the adjoining terraced fields forming the wings.The drive from Cuzco (see map above) approaches Pisac from the south-west. The road winds it way down along a mountain ridge of the Urubamba valley on the opposite side from the ancient Pisac site. During the approach, one has a spectacular view of the valley and the Urubamba river, as shown in the next two photographs.To reach the ruins of the ancient city of Pisac, one can either hike up the mountain starting from the colonial town of Pisac in the Urubamba valley, or as we did, start on the top of the mountain ridge (at the Kanchiracay end) and hike down into the valley. The following satellite image shows a perspective of the valley. Our hike path is shown in red. The white dot is the location of the Inca fortress and the central part of the main ruins called the Intihuatana, which means "place where the sun is tied". This group of temples was used for religious and astronomical activities. During our hike, the path followed a ridge that afforded a panoramic view of the valley to our left ( to the east?) which eventually joins the Urubamba valley downstream of Pisac.At the start of our hike we had a striking view of the side valley (on our left) that eventually merges with the Urubamba valley near the colonial town of Pisac (see satellite image for a perspective).Here is an example of some of the terraced slopes that we saw.At times the hike path was narrow, flanked with Inca garrisons or watch towers, or high rock outcrops, as shown in the next two photographs.
Shown below are the remnants of Inca storage facilities used for grain and other crops, with the attendant agricultural terraces in the foreground.
Below is a view of the confluence of the two valleys downstream of Pisac. The Urubamba river is visible. Here is a view of the Intihuatana from above. These ruins have some wonderful examples of the dry-wall techniques used by the Inca masons. See my other blog for more details regarding this method of construction.The following two photographs are suggestive why one might want to visit the ruins from above, rather than hike up from the valley floor. Even negotiating the path down was tricky and attention to foot location was imperative, as illustrated by some in our group. Our first glimpse of the colonial town of Pisac in the the Urubamba valley. The trail down the mountain is visible in the foreground. The white "patch" in the middle of the town is from the canvas awnings covering the vendor stalls in the farmer's market. All over Peru one finds kids dressed in traditional Peruvian attire with their pet lamb, willing to pose for the tourists for a few Peruvian sols ( about 1 US dollar). In the farmer's market we saw these two gorgeous kids, and ultimately caved in to their pleadings for a pose.Peru is known for its wide range of potato species, but as the next two photos show the variety of corn species is also impressive.

Inca Terraces at Moray: An Agricultural Laboratory?

2010-07-26T08:32:00.000-07:00

The concept of using terraces to grow crops on steep slopes has been used by many civilizations. The Banaue rice terraces in the Philippines that are over 2000 years old is just one of many examples in Asia. The ancient terraces of the Cinque Terra in Italy are another. The Incas faced with the difficult infertile terrain of the Andes also resorted to terracing high slope regions into fertile "chacras" for crop production. As one explores the towns in the Sacred Valley, terraces are the rule not the exception. But without doubt the Inca terraces at Moray are the most fascinating. The huge circular terraces of Moray (see above), are located about 53 km from Cusco, close to the the town of Urubamba. The site is at an elevation of about 3500 m (~11400 ft) and was discovered in 1932 by Shirppe Johnson, some 20 years after Machu Picchu was discovered!
The satellite image below provides a broader perspective of the Moray site. There are several circular terraces. The one denoted by "A" is the main site called Qechuyog that we visited. The terraces were constructed within a natural sinkhole. The overall depth of the depression is about 70m, but only the lower 30m are terraced. In the top picture one can count seven almost circular terraces that ring the lower 15 meters. If you look carefully one can see visitors making their way to the bottom terrace!
The site has undergone reconstruction over the years, and as the following photograph shows, there is ongoing work to repair some crumbling terraces.

The irrigation system for the terraces is a complicated engineering feat. Water enters the terrace system from the highlands to the south by means of a system of canals. In the following photograph which faces south, you can see the vertical irrigation canals or conduits (called paqcha) that bring water to the individual terraces (to the left of the tourists). These conduits are aligned along a single radius. Though not evident to us, it is apparent, that in order to distribute water uniformly to a terrace there must be canals along the base of the terrace walls that take water to the northern part of the terrace, which must be at a lower elevation. Note: Paqcha means waterfall or water fountains in the Inca language Quechua. Another feature that evident in the photograph are the "flying steps" built into the terrace wall.
Since the Incas did not have a written language, there is no credible reference why this circular design was used to construct the terraces. According to Prof. John Earls at Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru, the Moray terraces were perhaps an agricultural laboratory for testing crop performance in different microclimates. The prevailing mantra espoused by tour guides is that because of the depth of the terraces (roughly 70 m or 230 ft ), the temperature at the lowest terrace level will be be hotter by some 15C. But this cannot be due to the normal lapse rate (decrease of temperature with altitude) of the atmosphere which is about 6.5C/1000m - this is the reason why the rim temperature at the Grand Canyon is substantially cooler than the temperature at the canyon floor. In the case of the Moray terraces the lapse rate would account for an increase in temperature of about 0.5C!!!. When we were at the lower terrace, it felt colder not hotter. During the 1980s, Prof. Earls undertook a research project that involved measuring the soil temperature profiles of different sectors of the Moray terraces during a yearly cycle. Details of his study can be downloaded from his web site. His study seems to confirm that there are indeed microclimates at different terrace levels, and also temperature differences for different sectors of a given terrace. In some cases the temperature differences between the upper and lower terraces can be as much as 15C, the upper terraces being hotter. But this is not a general result for all terrace sectors. I was unable to find any recent experimental study of the temperature history of the Moray terraces. Clearly more studies are needed to augment the pioneering work of Prof. Earls, but his hypothesis that the Moray terraces were built as an agricultural laboratory is plausible.

Yours truly taking a breather before beginning the long hike out of the depression.

Chincheros: A trip back in time

2010-07-12T14:58:00.000-07:00

The town of Chincheros has roots that go back to the Inca era. It is surrounded by high Andean peaks and is located in the Sacred Valley, about 17.4 miles to the northeast of the Cuzco at an elevation of 12,343 feet above sea level (see map below). The town was founded in the 1480's by the emperor Túpac Yupanqui as his summer palace/retreat. For the inhabitants of Chincheros, weaving is a way of life, a skill that has been past on from generation to generation. Every Sunday the town hosts a craft fair on the main plaza, where locals in traditional dress sell their woven products. Quechua is freely spoken and age-old customs still remain in force. In the morning it is not uncommon to see the locals herding their animals down the narrow cobblestone streets to nearby grazing pastures.In this blog I try to capture some of the traditions that make Chincheros a popular stop when visiting the Scared Valley. There is some confusion regarding the spelling of Chincheros. Some maps refer to it as Chinchero. Apparently, the name stems from the Quechuan word "sinchi", which means "brave man". A signature attraction for visitors of Chincheros is the beautiful colonial church of adobe bricks, built on the foundations of an old Inca temple. Surprisingly, the entrance door to the church is not at one end of the building, but rather on one of the side walls, facing a grassy plaza with a majestic wooden cross (see photograph below). This is the upper section of the Plaza de Armas (the name for the main square in Peruvian towns). The buildings in the background are on the lower section of the plaza where the sunday market is held.To the left of the wooden cross is a bell tower.A view of one of several portals to the main plaza.The construction of the church was ordered by Francisco de Toledo, the fifth viceroy of Peru and completed around 1607. Viceroy Toledo founded the "Doctrine of Our Lady of Monserrat of Chinchero". The entrance of the church is ordained with a beautiful mural. Our guide Francis gave us a short tour inside the church (sadly, and probably for good reason, photography was not allowed inside the church). The walls and the roof are replete with mural paintings of filigrees and various religious motifs. The altars are adorned with intricate wood carvings, with silver inlays. We saw several effigies (one of Christ) that are carried from the church during religious festivals. On a side wall was a large painting of the Virgin of Monserrate by Francisco Chihuantito (1693), with a noticeable Peruvian style.Another popular attraction at Chincheros is the Inca ruins that lie behind the church. As the following photograph shows there is a wonderful view of the Andean peaks from the ruins.Here is a glimpse of the some Inca terraces adjacent to the ruins.A close up of an Inca wall.The following video clips scans the hills and valley that overlook the ruins.The houses in the old village are constructed with adobe-like bricks, interspersed with stone walls. Most houses have an enclosed courtyard for corraling the household animals: pigs, cattle and or sheep.
The villagers, dressed with colorful clothes, can often be seen on their doorsteps or verandas which have been adorned with resplendent seasonal flower bouquets.Most houses have "good luck" statues on their roofs. The fertile lands that surround Chincheros produce excellent potatoes, olluco and oca tubers, lima beans, wheat and barley for Cuzco markets and surrounding communities. Local farmers lay out potatoes to dry on the grassy plaza next to the church. Here a youngster organizes potatoes into small piles prior to foot stamping to assist the dehydration process.

The Alpacas and Llamas of Awanacancha

2010-07-12T11:17:00.000-07:00

Our tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas began with a visit to the Awanacancha Weaving Centre, located on the road to Pisac. The center exhibits weaving products from several local communities, and more importantly one has the opportunity to view the traditional weavers in action using dyed wool yarns from alpaca, llama, vicuna, etc. One of the other highlights of this visit was a chance to pet alpacas and llamas. The location of the Center relative to Cuzco is shown on the map below:During the Inca era, llamas were the quintessential beast of burden. They stand about 6 feet tall, and fully grown can weigh between 300-400 lbs. Llamas, like the familiar North African camel, are known as camelids. An alpaca is a domesticated species of the South American camelid, and is considerably smaller than a llama. Shown below is a photograph of a llama at the Weaving Center. Note the characteristic pointed "banana-shaped" ears. This is an easy way for non-experts, like me, to distinguish llamas from alpacas.Alpacas were never bred to be beasts of burden; the were bred specifically for their fiber, which is used for making the gorgeous knitted and woven items that ones sees in the colorful markets around Cuzco and other towns in the Sacred Valley. With time, alpaca meat dishes have become common in many Peruvian restaurants. I tried a few alpaca "steak" dishes on our trip, but the jury is out: I am not a fan. Here is a pic of an alpaca with his rastafari look, soon to be shorn:Meet the clean-cut kid from the neighborhood:And go figure this youngster with the "inscrutable smile".Visitors to the Weaving Center are given stalks of alfalfa to feed the alpacas and llamas. As soon as the herd senses the presence of alfalfa, they make a beeline to the source, bear their large canines and eagerly attempt to tear it out of your hand. Here Margaret and Sandy feed a rather calm pair of alpacas: While I am more cautious with this hungry llama:I close this blog with a portrait of a rather handsome fellow ( black/white llama) that took the time to pose for me!

Visions of Machu Picchu

2010-07-10T14:58:00.000-07:00

As the following sketch indicates Machu Picchu lies due north of Cuzco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas- the latter is the region that lies roughly between Ollantaytambo and Cuzco. The nearest town is Aguas Calientes (called warm waters because of the hot springs there) which is located down in the valley beside the Vilcanota River. But there are no roads that connect Aquas Calientes to the outside world. There is, however, a railway line that connects Cuzco with Aqua Calientes. We boarded the train (operated by Peru Rail) at the Ollanta station, which is a short drive from the Inca town Ollantaytambo. The train ride from Ollanta to Aquas Calientes is about 90 minutes.The bus from Aguas Calientes up to Machu Picchu takes about 20 minutes and costs US$7 each way. The bus service is operated efficiently and buses leave Aguas Calientes every 10 mins. The journey takes about 20 minutes, and the view of the Vilcanota Valley below is spectacular! The bus follows a narrow dust road that winds its way up the mountainside as shown in the following photograph:The following photograph is part of the view from the bus looking back down into the Vilcanota Valley as you approach the entrance to Machu Picchu. The river in the foreground is the Urabamba river. The following short video clip is a panoramic view of the hills that surround the Vilconota Valley and ends with the viewer facing the iconic peak at Machu Picchu called Huayna Picchu.

Machu Picchu is at an elevation of 7,710 feet, on the top of a mountain in the Urubamba jungle. The Inca ruler at the time construction started is believed to be Pachacuti. The city was abandoned before construction was completed. It is now believed that Machu Picchu was a sanctuary, rather than an ordinary city, inhabited mainly by priests. The site consists of residential houses, food storage buildings and several temples. There is an interconnected water fountain/ irrigation system that spans the complex, and provides water to a system of terraces for growing crops. The city has some 140 stone buildings, many still in good condition. Most of the roofs though are missing, but the stone supports for the roofs are still standing. No blog can do justice to this majestic site, one of the seven new wonders of the world. In this blog I will show and discuss some of the features that caught my imagination during our visit. The following photographs capture some of my favorite views while I strolled/ climbed/ relaxed at Machu Picchu:

As one strolls through among the pathways (the "streets") of the ruins, you momentarily get glimpses of the valley beyond. This is one of my favorite views: A close-up of the lone tree on one of the grassy plazas at Machu Picchu- known as the "Tree of Life". See pics above for other views.This picture is the "Three-Windowed Temple" at Machu Picchu. It is one of many examples of how the Inca's made use of trapezoidal windows. If you look carefully you will note that the sides of trapezoidal windows were built up with ashlars (a piece of rock hewed to a particular shape for a special purpose). For more more details see my blog on the Inca Masons.One of the many llamas at Machu Picchu that keep the terrace lawns tidy and neat. The "condos" with a view at Machu Picchu. Part of the fountain/irrigation system at Machu Picchu.Another example the fountain/irrigation system at Machu Picchu.These next two photographs attempt to capture the Inca's fascination with erecting building structures or rock carvings that have some alignment with the physical world that surrounded them. Our guide Francis pointed out to us that the following roof support structure was built so that it was aligned with the side of Huayna Picchu, visible in the background.And the following rock carving has a outline that conforms to the mountain ridge in the background on the left.Near the end of our day at Machu Picchu, our guide Francis asked us if we would like go on a trail that few visitors take (he had special permission from the site conservators). One member of our group blurted out " Is the trail dangerous". Without missing a beat, Francis replied: "It is treacherous not dangerous". With that comment we lost a few takers, but many of us were up to the "challenge". The trail was on the back side of Machu Picchu overlooking a valley below. The trail hugged some narrow terraces, and several of us required some help climbing over some awkward ledges. But we were rewarded with some dramatic, if not striking, vistas of the valley and river below. Certainly not the time to get a case of "wobbly boots"!
No photographic trip to Machu Picchu would be complete unless we had evidence that we had been there!Here is a photo of our tour group.A photo of Sandy A photo of yours truly!And Brian after a case of "wobbly boots"!

Jungle Walks in the Tambopata Nature Reserve

2010-07-10T05:30:00.000-07:00

An inkling of what it is like to live, thrive, survive in the Amazon jungle can be realized by taking a few day and night hikes in the jungle. This blog describes some of those hikes we took on our Amazon trip. We stayed 4 nights in two eco-lodges in the Tambopata Nature Reserve: Refugio Amazonas ( first and last nights) and two nights at the Tambopata Research Center lodge. We had the opportunity to take day and night hikes at both lodges. While we were in the jungle, the typical day time temperature was in the high 80's F and the relative humidity was in excess of 80% during the afternoons. Above the canopy which is 150 plus feet from the forest floor the temperature is much hotter. About 10% of the sunlight filters through the dense foliage, and by mid afternoon or on a cloudy day the forest can be quite dark, and flash lights may be needed. At the forest floor the air is still, which makes the humidity even more uncomfortable. It did not rain while we were on our hikes, though on one occasion we did take our ponchos to be on the safe side. The lodges are interconnected, thatch - roofed buildings. There are no windows! Thus birds, air borne bugs, bats, mosquitoes are free to enter any room in the lodge if they so choose . The rooms are furnished with twin beds draped in mosquito netting and simple furnishings with unobstructed views of the forest. At the TRC lodge all rooms are connected by a raised walkway to the communal bathroom, containing flush toilets and cold showers. At the Rufugio Amazonas lodge the rooms have private bathrooms. There is no electricity in the rooms. Candles are provided and flash lights are essential. There are electrical outlets in the main lodge for charging cameras. Power is supplied by generators that are switched on for several hours in the evening, and for an hour or so at lunch. Surprisingly they do have Wi-Fi! In the photo below is a front view of the lodge at Refugio Amazonas: At the TRC lodge, "chicos" (hand-reared wild macaws) often visit you at breakfast and lunch.When preparing for a hike, I was reminded by the famous trademark line from the duty sergeant at the close of roll call in the TV show Hill Street Blues: " Hey, lets be careful out there". Yes, the jungle is dangerous. It was important to wear long trousers, boots and socks, long sleeved shirt, and hat. And apply copious quantities of DEET insect repellent to all exposed skin. And then for good measure spray DEET on your socks, trousers and shirt.The jungle is teeming with wild life, but your chances of seeing any mammals or reptiles such as a jaguar, tapir, armadillo, wild pig, anaconda, caiman, etc, are slim. The jungle is simply too dense. The following photograph shows our group on one of the jungle trails, and gives an idea of how dense the jungle becomes once you leave the trail.Nonetheless, our guide Ivan was able to spot plenty of insects/bugs on or next to the trail. Here is a sample of those sightings: First we have the so-called bullet ant, named on account of its powerful and potent sting, which is said to be as painful as being shot with a bullet. This ant is about 18–25 mm long.The jungle is awash with gorgeous butterflies. Here is an example of one:Spotting insects in the jungle can be challenging since many blend into their surrounding. A wonderful example is the the dead-leaf moth. Can you spot it? Here is another example of a moth: On one of our night walks our guide Ivan was able to coax out this baby tarantula from its hiding spot:We also spotted this hyla tree fog (apparently poisonous) on a night walk. And let's not forget about the ants and termites. On one of our walks we came across a colony of leafcutter ants. The worker ants use their sharp jaws to cut sections of many kinds of green leaves from the jungle and carry them back to the nest, where they are chewed up to form compost for growing a species of fungus to feed the colony. Termite mounds on tree trunks are common sights in the jungle.
On our walks we were struck by the sheer grandness of the trees, the diversity of vegetation, and the omnipresent vines that create a complex visual network for other foliage such as bromeliads and orchids to hang or grow from. The giants of the forest are the Kapok trees (200 feet tall), the Brazil nut trees, the strangler fig trees, and the pona wild palms, a favorite nesting place for macaws. On the forest floor we saw plenty of Heliconias growing, sharing space with the decaying and dying, a forest in flux. Because the nutrients in the soil are near the surface, the forest floor is an intricate web of roots, awaiting to trip up the unwary hiker. At Refugio Amazonas, we had the opportunity to visit the canopy tower at dawn. This is a viewing platform 75 meters high (see photo below).From the viewing platform we had a spectacular view of the forest canopy, and spotted toucans, parrots and macaws.A toucan enjoying the the view of the canopy. ( Our guide Ivan helped me take this photo by coupling my compact camera to his telescopic scope.) Shown below are some of the tallest and oldest giant trees near Refugio Amazonas and Condenado Oxbow Lake. Our friend Margaret provides a perspective for this large strangler fig tree.

Our last hike at Refugio Amazonas was to Condenado Oxbow Lake. This lake is known to have sightings of black caiman, otters, hoatzin, and anacondas. All we saw was a shy hoatzin.Sunset on Condenado Oxbow Lake.

Clay Lick at the Tambopata Research Center

2010-07-08T23:44:00.000-07:00

A visit to the clay lick at the Tambopata Research Center is without doubt a singular experience, whether you are an avid birder or not. The trip to the clay lick starts around 4:30 am. A motorized "canoe/boat" takes you across a side stream of the Tambopata river to an island where you have to wade (equipped with rubber wadders) through a 30 yard wide river stream in the dark, navigating your way over the rocky bottom using your flash light. while carrying camera equipment and a small folding stool. At times the flowing stream is about a foot deep. After about 15 minutes of walking/wadding we eventually reach the "blind" that overlooks the clay lick. Shown below is the clay lick (as seen from the blind) in the eary dawn before the birds arrive.Around 5:00 am the dawn is breaking, no birds are in sight or can be heard. Our guides provide coffee and crackers, and the wait begins. Our friend Keith is shown below viewing the clay lick from his chosen vantage position in the blind.The reason why the the macaws and parrots use the clay lick (called a colpa in the quechua language of the indigenous peoples of Peru), is not fully understood and is subject of ongoing research. According to Dr. Brightsmith of Duke University, there are two main theories why parrots and macaws eat soil: they eat the soil to get key minerals such as sodium, calcium and iron. In addition, their diet includes parts of plants and unripe fruit that contain toxins. The dietary toxins are apparently adsorbed by the tiny clay particles which are then passed out in the feces.As the dawn approaches (around 5:15 am) parrots and macaws start to arrive and perch in the tree canopy surrounding the clay lick. They arrive in twos and fours, parrots and macaws alike.The screeching, screaming, "graawking" of these birds becomes deafening. Scouts are sent out to inspect the clay lick in fly-bys. Brave souls soon find new perches closer to the clay lick. Others follow and finally a few parrots take the plunge and land on the clay lick. Others follow suit, and soon the clay lick is filled with parrots juggling for a prize location. For whatever reason the macaws appear to be much more cautious. They perch on nearby bushes surveying the activity, and every now and then they too would take the plunge. Shown below are some of the macaws we saw when we visited the clay lick: blue and gold and scarlet macaws.

On our second visit to the clay lick, a scarlet "chico" (hand-reared wild macaw from the TRC project ) decided to see if we were willing to share any of the crackers we were savoring with our hot coffee. He circled the blind several times, and then came swooping in and did a perfect 3-point landing on my shoulder. His hunch was correct: many in our group were willing to share crackers in exchange for a strategic perch and photograph! On the two days that we visited the clay lick, the parrots were the most frequent visitors to the clay lick. We spotted the ubiquitous blue-headed parrot ( see below), the orange-cheeked parrot, and the mealy parrot. The latter two as well as some blue and yellow macaws can be seen on my youTube clip of the clay lick : "http://youtu.be/8NjPPFLKLws?a" Though the parrots may appear to be totally consumed with the clay lick (see above), they are mindful of potential predators. It seems that if one parrot senses danger, that danger, real or imaginary, spreads like a plague through the flock on the clay lick, and will flush the entire flock from the clay lick into the air in a cacophony rush of sound and color.

Shown below is the appearance of a hawk on a bush, adjacent to the clay lick. At first the parrots are oblivious of the danger, but soon a few parrots sense the presence of the hawk, and quickly thereafter the flock on the clay lick panics, and surges into the sky to safety. Activity at the clay lick wanes by 7:15 am and by 7;30 am, the majority of the parrots and macaws have left to pursue other activities. We gather our stools, cameras and make the trek back to the boat and lodge for a long awaited breakfast!
Note: I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the expert help and assistance I received from out guide Ivan in taking some of the close-up photograhs shown in this blog and on youTube. Ivan piggy-backed my compact camera onto his telescopic sighting scope to create a cheap "zoom" camera!

Tambopata River Trip

2010-07-08T11:51:00.000-07:00

After our visit to Machu Picchu, we returned to Cozco and then left for a 4 day trip to experience the Peruvian Amazon. During this part of the trip we stayed at two eco-tourism lodges located close to the river bank of the Tambopata river: Refugio Amazonas and the Tambopata Research Center. In this blog I discuss the boat trip up the Tambopata river. The above pic shows what we used for transport up the river. The following pics show the general location of the Tambopata river, relative to Cuzco. We took a 50 minute flight from Cuzco to Puerto Maldonado, the capital of the Madre de Dios region of Peru. Puerto Maldonado is located at the confluence of the Madre de Dios river and the Tambopata river. We are only allowed 11 kg of luggage apiece. The river trip to Refugio Amazonas took about 3-4 hrs. We stayed overnight at Refugio Amazonas lodge and then left the next day for the Tambopata Research Center Lodge. The second leg of our river trip took about 5-6 hours. We were traveling upstream, and depending on the current and the water level, the trip may be shorter or longer than the times given above. Lunch and snacks were served on the boat.From the boat we got a glimpse of the varied wild life that frequents the river banks. We saw caimans, capybaras, turtles and a wide range of birdlife. The next few photos show a selection of the wild life that I was able to capture with my compact camera. The following photograph shows a white caiman basking in the sun on the river bank.Here is a family of capybaras searching for food at the river edge. A capybara can weigh as much as 140 pounds, and can grow to a length of four feet. The capybara, which feeds on aquatic plants, travels in small groups of up to six members, and is frequently eaten by other Amazon animals, such as the jaguar and caiman. If a capybara senses dangers it can, if needed, seek refuge in the water. With its webbed feet, this animal is an effective swimmer.A capped heronA cacoi heronA snowy egretA great black hawkA great egret(?) A neotropic comorantAnother great black hawkIn 1558 gold was discovered in the headwaters of the Tambopata River, and subsequently discovered in other neighboring rivers. With the recent increase in the price of gold, gold mining is now prominent in many rivers in the Madre de Dios district. Most gold is found as alluvial deposits in existing river courses.Today it is extracted manually with the use of small water pumps or on a larger scale using motorized floating dredges, see picture below. The impact of gold mining on the river environment is noticeable. At the confluence of the Tambopata and Malinowski rivers (see map above), one can witness the effect of gold mining. Upstream of the confluence, the Tambopata river is relatively clear, while the Malinowski is a deep brownish-red color; downstream of the confluence the the water in the Tambopata is a deep brown color, as evident in this photograph taken at the confluence:The floating barges, known locally as "dragas", are present all along the Malinowski River. Fortunately, gold mining is prohibited in the Tambopata National Reserve. Since mercury is used to extract the gold from the river sediment, there is great concern about the effect of mercury pollution on the river environment downstream of the confluence. On the dragas, a large diesel powered pump is used to suck the river sediments onto the barge, where the sediment is separated into fine and course fractions. Liquid mercury is added to the the fine sediment fraction which binds with gold if present to form an amalgam. The heavy amalgam sinks to the bottom of the sediment, and is extracted from the sediment and then heated to vaporize the mercury leaving gold nuggets. The recovery of excess mercury is not 100% and thus mercury pollution is of great concern for fish and other wild life. The course sediment fraction is discarded on the flood plains of the river, which in turn alters the natural river flow leading to enhanced bank erosion. Upstream from the confluence of the Tambopata and the Malinowski rivers, the Tambopata remained quite wide, but at this time of the year (dry season) the river was at times very shallow and full of fallen trees.
Navigating our boat was a challenge and on occasion the boat crew had to manually pull the boat across the shallow sections of the river.The satellite image at the beginning of this blog shows the meandering flow path of the Tambopata river and a close up of its river banks reveals the destructive nature of bank erosion. The magnificent trees of the jungle, often at heights of over 100 feet, are perched perilously close to the crumbling river banks.

The Inca Masons

2010-07-01T22:48:00.000-07:00

During our trip in Peru, we saw many examples of Inca architecture, which features precisely cut and shaped stones closely fitted without mortar. The above picture was taken in a street of Cuzco, the erstwhile capital of the Incas. The Inca's masonry methods are essentially lost, though many scientists have tried to explain how the Incas transported these large stones, cut them precisely so that they could be fitted together without mortar, and assembled them. Even more amazing these structures have withstood seismic events over the centuries. In the streets of Cuzco, there is the famous 12-sided stone found in a wall of the palace of the Inka Roca. It is a striking testament to the dedication and ability of the Inca masons to cut unusual shapes and fit them tightly together into a large interlocking puzzle.Can you count the 12 sides?In this blog I will attempt to give examples of Inca masonry art that we saw on our trip. We visited various historical sites that capture the masonry skills of the Incas : Saqsayhuaman, a religious archaeological site near Cuzco; Ollantaytambo, an Inca town in the Sacred Valley of the Incas; and of course Machu Picchu, the famous citadel constructed by the Incas.The first example is from the site of Saqsayhuaman (when our guide Francis first mentioned this site I thought he said "sexy woman"). The two picture below are some examples of the interlocking puzzle of enormous stones. Our guide, Francis, in the foreground provides a perspective of how large the stones are in the wall behind him.
Machu Picchu, an Inca site that was never vandalized by the invading Spaniards, has many examples of the various stylistic forms that can be found in Inca architecture. Wall apertures, including doors, niches and windows, were usually built in the form of a trapezoidal shape, with sides tapering inwards towards the lintel (name for the horizontal block at the top). Note: the Incas had not discovered the principle of the arch, so a tapered trapezoidal shape was the logical way to spread the weight of the lintel, while at the same time reducing its length. In the following pictures you see examples of a trapezoidal door, wall nitches, and windows.

The last picture is the "Three-Windowed Temple" at Machu Picchu. Here you see examples of trapezoidal windows (It appears that the original design called for five windows but two at the ends were later filled in). In this case the sides of trapezoidal windows were built up with ashlars (a piece of rock hewed to a particular shape for a special purpose).Another architectural feature the Inca masons used was to blend their structure with the natural curves of the existing rock. This minimalistic style is very striking and elegant in its simplicity. The sun temple at Machu Picchu, shown in the pictures below, illustrates this wonderful austere design technique.

The Ollantaytambo Inca monument is located at 2600 m above sea level. It contains the unfinished Temple of the Sun. The site overlooks the ancient Inca village of Ollantaytambo which was second to Cuzco in importance during the Inca era. Ollantaytambo is about 75 kilometers from Cuzco.To reach the Temple of the Sun, one starts at the village of Ollantaytambo, and then you navigate up a series of terraces, as seen in the pic below:The view of the valley from the Temple of the Sun is spectacular.The masonry at the Temple of the Sun is exemplified by the six standing red granite monoliths that were to be part of an unfinished circular wall. To prevent the monoliths from collapsing during seismic events, the monoliths are separated by "spacer rocks". The monoliths also contain high relief carvings of sacred images. The relief in the foreground of the image below is of a puma head. On can get a sense of the size of these monoliths by noting the relative height of the barrier for visitors which is at waist level! A close-up of the spacer rock between the monoliths is shown in the image below.Because the site was unfinished there are wonderful examples of how the Inca masons prepared the granite rocks to achieve their interlocking puzzle-like effect. In this image which shows the tight fitting interlocking rocks in a wall, one might assume that the inner surfaces, hidden from view, do not fit precisely, and the gaps are filled with mortar or small pebbles. But this is not the case. In this image one sees the shaping of the inner rock surfaces that would be hidden when the rocks are assembled. Thus not only are the outer surface perfectly matched but so also are the inner surfaces.

Salineras de Maras: Ancient Inca Salt Pans

2010-07-01T07:35:00.001-07:00

The Salineras de Maras salt pans are located about 60 km (37 miles) from Cuzco. These salt pans were built by the Incas and are still being used (by a local co - operative) more than 6 centuries later. The following map shows the location of the salt pans relative to Cuzco.The pans are owed by locals of Maras who keep the profits of the salt that is packaged out and sold. Some plots have been in a family for generations. The above photo is a section of the salt pans, which are created by terracing one side of a narrow valley that leads back down into the fertile Urubamba valley.The salt pans form a stunning visual patchwork of brown, red, whittish flats that traverse the steep hillside of the valley. According to our guide there are over 3000 salt pans and more are being constructed. The sizes vary but are roughly 5 to 10 square meters.The salt pans are feed by a natural underground salt-laden stream that I would guess is about 7% by weight of salt, based on my non-scientific field tasting of the stream (the salt concentration of the Pacific Ocean is about 3.5% ). Note at 15 C water saturated with salt contains about 26.5% by weight of salt, and is commonly referred to as a "brine". The salt-laden stream is diverted, using an intricate irrigation system, to each of the shallow dug-out terraced flats. As the above picture shows the pans are sectioned off by stone barriers, with flume gates that access the irrigation system. Each family works their own area.The soil of the valley is rich in iron oxide and so has a deep red appearance. This mud is carried into the terraced flats by the salt laden-stream so that initially the pans take on a red-brown appearance when being filled. In the following picture you can see the red irrigation stream left foreground) that feeds some of the pans.As the water evaporates, the salt concentration near the surface of the pan increases until the staturation limit is reached. At that point salt crystals appear on the surface of the salt pan. At the same time the red mud settles to the bottom, and the pans transform from a red-brown appearance to a whittish- brown. Each reservoir is replenished every 3-4 days when there is enough sun. As a result of the replenishing process, the pan develops a gradient in salt concentration, the purest salt being in the uppermost layers.Eventually the pan becomes solid mass that one can jump on (as bravely tested by Sandy, see below). At this point the salt is harvested. The purest salt is confined to layers near the top of the pan. These layers are harvested for export, and sold for human consumption. The next layer is for animals, and near the bottom of the pan the salt is intermingled with red soil from the valley, which is harvested and sold to the locals for cultivated lands.Our guide Francis got permission for us to trek through the salt pans. Below is a picture of some of the group navigating the narrow path along the barriers of the salt pans. Walking on dried salt is lot easier than one would think. Unlike wet rock, it is not slippery. In the next picture a portion of our group relaxes after navigating many salt pan barriers.Eventually the valley of salt pans leads into the fertile Urabamba valley, which can be see as lush green region in the background of the following picture.

Humming Birds of Machu Picchu

2010-07-01T02:45:00.001-07:00

The following photos were taken in the gardens of the Inketerra hotel in Machu Picchu, Peru. I was walking through the gardens and stumbled on a humming bird feeder. I was able to approach the feeder from about 5 feet and then standing perfectly still with my Cannon compact camera, focused on the feeder, I took multiple shots of the humming birds as they approached the feeder.

A wonderful experience!

Iguazu Falls: The Lower section

2010-06-23T03:47:00.000-07:00

From the Circuito Inferior (Lower Circuit) one can see various perspectives of the falls from below. These perspectives are gained by visiting eight strategically located observation platforms. In the following photo is a glimpse of the lower falls from one of the paths.

A little further on your view of the falls is expanded

Shown below is a view of the San Martin falls

Here is a pic of the Bosetti falls:

In the next picture is a view of the Bosetti falls from a boat:

Our boat trip also took us to the gorge into which the water from the Devil's Throat flows. In the follow picture our guide took the boat right underneath the falls in the foreground! A very wet experience!
After our boat trip, soaking wet we hiked back up and on the way we came across the following twin falls, which were isolated from the main lower falls.

Iguazu Falls: The Devil's Throat

2010-06-22T01:34:00.000-07:00

Spent 2+ days at Iguazu Falls which is on the border of Argentina and Brazil. In my view Iguazu Falls is more spectacular than Niagara Falls or Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe/Zambia). In this blog I show pics to the section of the falls called the "Devil's Throat".

The ridge over which the Iguazu river plunges is at least a kilometer long or more. The height of the falls averages around 70 meters. To reach the Devil's Throat you have to walk along a "catwalk" that takes you to a viewing platform about 1000 meters from the shore. Here is a view of the catwalk:

In the pic below is your first view of the Devil's Throat as one approaches the viewing platform from a catwalk. At this point one has the sensation that the Iguazu river suddenly disappears into the center of the earth.

Here is close up of the main section of the Devil's Throat. On the viewing platform one gets completely soaked from spray; the roar of the rushing water is overwhelming.

The gorge is in the form of a horse-shoe. In the next pic is a view of the Devil's Throat along the Argentina side of the "horse-shoe" as seen from the viewing platform:

This is a view of the Brazilian side of the "horse-shoe" gorge:

Along the walk to the viewing platform, one has the opportunity to see splendid vistas of the Iguazu river, including many butterflies, turtles sunbathing on "islands" in the river and varied bird life. Shown below is a pair of plush-crested jays:

One of many colorful butterflies that accompanied us along the catwalk

A river turtle catching a few rays:

Welcome

2010-05-19T11:53:00.000-07:00

This will be first post on EkayaSolutions