The Amazon

Facts and Stats

Try to recall some of the world’s most important geographic record holders.  Really important ones, not like … oh … which city had the first McDonald’s?  Some come to mind in a heartbeat while others cause us to ponder, scratch our heads, drift back to those darned classes where we had to memorize such things.  But just for fun let’s test our memory because, lo and behold, we’re going to visit one of them really soon.

Can You Name Them?
(Answers at the end.)

• The highest point on earth.
• The deepest part of the ocean floor.
• The lowest place on earth.
• The highest navigable lake.
• The biggest canyon.
• The driest spot on earth.
• The wettest.
• The world’s longest river.

Ah-Ha !!!

If you answered “the Amazon” for the last question you are wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong!

Oops.  Hang on.  Maybe you’re NOT wrong.  You see it’s rather confusing much like when family members debate over just who it was who started the latest dust-up.  Seems no one can agree on ANYTHING.  OK, that could be a bit of an overstatement but just know that virtually every reference checked offers different statistics about which is the world’s longest river.  So, we’re going with the tried-and-true Encyclopedia Britannica for our info and sticking with them ‘til someone with a red pencil comes along.

Here’s what good ol’ EB has to say about the Amazon.

• Each and every day of the year, the Amazon deposits 1.3 million TONS of sediment into the Atlantic Ocean.
• Springtime brings a pororoca, which is a tidal bore that roars upstream traveling up to 15 miles per hour in a wave sometimes reaching 12 feet in height.
• In peak flood years, the banks can widen to 35 miles, or wider.
• The average flow of the water in the Amazon is approximately 1.5 miles per hour.
• Friagems are cool air blasts that drift north from the South Pole causing average daily temperature in the Amazon to plummet into the 50s Fahrenheit.
• In Manaus, it rains from 60 to 120 inches every year, which is a lot of rain!
• Along the border with Colombia, 140 inches of rainfall are not uncommon.  That’s even more rain.
• It’s 4,000 miles from the Amazon headwaters in southern Peru to the sea.  (It’s only 2,900 from San Francisco to New York City.)  If anyone asks, the distance from Apacheta Creek to the entrance of Marajó Bay is 4,345 miles and that is the current precise distance of the Amazon River as published by a team of specialists from Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (who had neat toys to measure these things).  Those same people used the exact same instruments and parameters to measure the Nile and, you guessed it, it’s shorter.  Shorter, in fact, by almost 90 miles, the distance between your house and a really great shoe store.
• Other experts, however, claim the Nile is longer.  (This is a hotly debated subject so you decide who’s right.)  The issues clouding precise measurement include seasonal fluctuation and complicated streambed distribution so you really can see the problem.  In all honesty, it does seem a bit tricky this measurement thing.
• From the Amazon’s western headwaters in the Andes Mountains, it’s only 100 miles to the Pacific coast.  If some industrious person dug a giant trench to the sea, the Amazon could theoretically slice South America in two.  But that’s a long trench.
• Some trees in the Amazon basin stand 120 feet tall, with the granddaddies of them all soaring up to 200 feet.
• 8,000 species of insects live in the Amazon.  Remember your insect repellent.
• 1,500 fish species swim merrily along in the Amazon.  The piranha is the most famous for its flesh-eating fetish.  If that’s not enough, there are also vampire bats, according to Encyclopedia Britannica, not us.
• The actual Amazon Basin measures 1,725 miles across.  That’s just about exactly the distance from Paris to Istanbul, except here you have to paddle.
• Scientists calculate that approximately 20% of all water draining from this giant Earth of ours, is swept along by the Amazon River.
• It is believed that there are small bands of what are called “undiscovered” groups of traditional Indian people living in such isolated outposts that they have probably never had contact with anyone other than their immediate group.
• 100 miles out beyond the coastline from where the Amazon empties its fresh water payload, the sea’s salinity is distinctly diluted.
• Supposedly, the river was named after the mythological Greek warrior women because indigenous women of the Amazon fought against the early Spanish explorers.
• But, perhaps the strangest factoid of them all is that, following the end of the Civil War, Confederate soldiers fled to the Amazon to set up a new life.  And, again, the experts seem to disagree wildly as to the exact number or if the entire story is just that.  But, if you accept this chapter of “history”, somewhere between 100 and 5000 Confederate soldiers, along with their wives and children, settled in the Amazon region.  Their destination was called the Lost Confederate City.  According to some references, there are even images of Confederate battle emblems carved into the local stone.

Well, now you should at least have enough info to ask some intelligent questions of experts you meet along the way.  Oh, and the answers to the opening questions …  Mt. Everest; Marianas Trench; the Dead Sea; Lake Titicaca; the Grand Canyon or the Great Canyon of Yarlung Tsanpo (or Zangbo) along the Brahmaputra River in the Himalayas … again, controversy!; Antarctica where there’s been no rain in Dry Valleys for nearly 2 million years; Hawaii’s Mt. Wailea is one of the wettest averaging 450 inches a year though, in 1982, they recorded 666 inches.  What an amazing world we live in, eh?

Grand Turk

The Island, Not Gamal

Most chronic Caribbean visitors extol the virtues of their favorite hide-away.  Their undiscovered spot in the predictable sun that suits their particular fancy -- be it a shopper’s paradise, an eco-wonderworld, or simply a spit of powdery sand where one might lay his body down.  Grand Turk is such a spot, especially for those on the trail of whopping big rays and a kaleidoscope of undersea creatures.  Think beach beach beach and you’ve come to the right spot.  In fact, there are 230 miles of white, sandy beaches so you surely won’t be jammed cheek to jowl with a guy in pink Speedos from Poughkeepsie.

The Particulars

Grand Turk is but one of the 30 islands covering 166 square miles that make up the group known as the Turks and Caicos Islands.  All the amenities and the fewer than 20,000 inhabitants are clustered on the eight islands of the group that are inhabited.  The whole lot is found due east from Cuba and just north of Hispaniola (that island of Haiti / Dominican Republic fame), and 575 miles southeast of Miami.  

Grand Turk, home to 3,720 “Belongers” as the islanders like to be called, is east of the Caicos Islands just across a body of water known as the Turks Island Passage.  Yachties and sportsfishermen are quite familiar with this destination.

Since the year 1766, these islands have been under British rule, officially becoming a crown colony in 1973.  Today, she’s known as a “British overseas territory.”  Her flag sports the British Blue Ensign with the colony’s arms, or shield, shown on the “fly.”  This yellow shield features three images – a Turk’s Head cactus, unique to the islands; a spiny lobster representing an important island industry; and a queen conch shell that served as a form of currency long, long ago.

The main languages of the islands are English and French Creole.  The majority of the local people practice Christianity.  And, though the bulk of the landscape is flat with a type of scrubby vegetation covering the local limestone, there are also patches of swamps and marshes.  The land itself is not terribly fertile though heartier crops such as beans, citrus, and cassava are cultivated.  The economic base for this small island nation is a combination of tourism and fishing with the offer of offshore financial services for those in need of such things.

One Of The Top Five!

Grand Turk made the cut.  It has been declared by that tight-knit group of those in the know as one of the top five dive sites in the Caribbean Atlantic… and that’s saying something.  So, what’s so great about these waters, you ask.  In a word, the reef (OK, two words).  The local maze of coral reefs form the third largest barrier reef in the world.  One portion, appropriately called “The Wall”, drops off a whopping 7,000 feet down.  For divers and snorkelers alike, this is Heaven, Nirvana, you name it.  And for those who don’t want to get their hair wet, some of the waters between the reefs and the shore (a mere 50 yards or so) are only waist deep allowing you to bend over with a mask and take it a colorful sampling of what the others might see.  And what might they see?

Rays.  Stingrays, to be exact.  They’re the headliners for the underwater odyssey, so have your waterproof cameras at the ready.  You might need photographic proof for your doubting friends back home.

A Stroll In Town

Salt water not your cup of tea?  Never mind.  There’s an easy stroll in store for you.  Cockburn Town is the administrative capital as well as the cultural and historical center of the islands.  Some historians will speculate that Columbus even set foot here while discovering the New World in 1492.  As you wander, you’ll note the Bermudian and Colonial architecture representative of the 18th and 19th centuries.  Be sure to include Duke Street and Front Street for they feature structures from the “salt era.”  Ask a local to point you toward the Lighthouse, Fire Hill, or Hawks Nest Anchorage, all local points of interest.   
    And birders might like to catch a glimpse of one of the many ospreys that call this island home.  Those interested in a sampling of local fare might order up a plate of sizzling fresh fish served with rice and peas, a local favorite.  Well, all too soon it’ll be time to make your way back to the ship and cast the lines from Grand Turk Island.

Navigating Navplion, Greece

Or………

Naviplating Navglion.  Or, Nafigatin’ Nafplio.

Oh, it’s all so confusing when you travel the world and things just don’t seem to be the way they’re supposed to be.  Like the spelling of the name of the place you’re visiting, for one.  And, writing the letters differently so they look like, well, Greek and you won’t even have a clue anyway unless you pledged some college fraternity or sorority way back when.  Zow, what’s a traveler to do!

In this case, you’ve got two choices.  You can lay low, so to speak, by staying at sea level exploring the waterfront haunts and footpaths that circle the hills.  Or, you can literally take the high road and scale the peak that looms menacingly overhead.

You decide.

A Quintessential Resort

There are those who regale the glories of Navplion and recommend you spend your precious hours here, especially if you have only one Greek destination to visit.  Why?  Well, for starters, because the seafront collection of Venetian villas and stately mansions whisper sotto voce of an elegant past.  Add to that a jumble of comfortable walking streets, the obligatory seafood eateries, a smattering of tasteful boutiques, a sunny beach or two, and a fortress like no other towering above.  History, as well as those who wrote the chapters, left a long tale to tell.  Just ask any of the 14,000 worry-bead-clicking Greeks who call Navplion home.

A Thumbnail Sketch

Geography played an important role in Navplion’s history.  It lays a mere four miles across the Argolic Gulf from Argos, all in the Peloponnese.  For the record, this port has enjoyed a major role in sea trade since the Bronze Age.  The more contemporary story relates that late in the 14th Century Navplion fell to the Venetian leaders.  It was the Turks, however, who ruled the area from 1540 until 1686.  For the following quarter century, the Venetians returned to power.  It was during that time that Navplion was called Napoli di Romania (adding more confusion as alluded to in the opening paragraph).  Never mind.  The Turks returned to rule until 1822 when the Greeks seized the reins of power yet again cementing their position by naming Navplion the Kingdom of Greece’s first capital.

As a result of this tumultuous power-grabbing scenario, the tiny town was reinforced with three, count them three, fortresses.  First and foremost, the mighty citadel of Palamidi.  If your calves resemble Lance Armstrong’s you might wish to climb the 857 (some say 999) steps up for an up-close-and-personal inspection of Palamidi.  Completed in 1714, after three backbreaking years of labor, the Venetians saluted Palamidi as their military masterpiece.  See for yourself the meters-thick walls, bastions, prison cells, and cobbled walkways.  Thankfully, taxis stand at the ready to take you to the top should a Herculean trek not be in your game plan.

For the record, Palamidi served as a prison and until 30 years ago was still garrisoned.

Itching for more?  There’s the Akronafplia Fortress, Navplion’s oldest of the trio of castles.  Guidebooks point out portions dating back to the Bronze Age.  For the record, during two decades ending in 1956, the castle served as a prison for political prisoners.

If you’ve still got energy, there’s Bourtzi, a tiny island fortress approximately 600 yards offshore.  It, too, was the work of the Venetians.  Called the Sea Castle (Castel da Mar), it dates back to 1472 and was the work of Bergamo architect Antonio Gambello.  When the Turks held this fortress, they strung a chain to the pier from Bourtzi to further strengthen their position.

It Screams “Ice Cream”

The sun shines tirelessly in Greece and your day ashore should be no exception.  Part of the joy of exploring exotic destinations is, let’s be honest, eating.  Staikopoulou is a shady street resembling something like a gourmet eat-a-thon.  Fish fresh from the sea, vegetables from local farmers, herbs from the countryside, and chilled wines from regional vintners are displayed for all to see.  The aroma of grilled meats wafts on a sea breeze.  And the gelati recipes left behind by the Venetians provide the finest, creamiest ice creams this side of Venice.  Be sure to order a triple scoop, especially if you made the climb up to Palamidi.  For the others, a single scoop will have to do.

Belfast, Northern Ireland

Blame it on the French

Well, why not?  They’re taking it on the chin for a lot of other things these days—some deserved, some not.  But if a pack of French Protestants fleeing persecution in their own country hadn’t landed in Belfast, Ireland might be a happy, unified little Catholic country today.  Instead, most people’s impression of Belfast is dominated by “the Troubles” and a few noisy spokespeople blaming each other for everything.  What you’ll really discover in this delightful city and this glorious country is that most of its cheerful and welcoming citizenry wishes the two sides would just stop talking and try to simply get along.

Pubs

If you’re wondering what these citizens have to be so cheery about, start with some of the world’s great pubs.  And maybe finish with them, too.  At lunchtime or dinnertime, Belfast’s pubs will overflow with people tucking in for a casual ploughman’s meal, a pint, and some noisy socializing.  If you find yourself sucked in to the swirl of it all try some of the local dishes like sausages and champ (onion mashed potatoes).  If you can’t take your Guinness straight have a “black and tan”.  And if you find a local who’ll stand you a round consider yourself accepted.

The Golden Mile between Donegal Square and Queen’s College has plenty of establishments to choose from.  North of Donegal Square, in a series of narrow alleys called the Entries you’ll find many of the city’s older pubs—as much museums as anything.

Culture

But if it’s real museums you’re after, The Ulster is the one you want.  It’s near the University and the Botanic Gardens, which are also worth a visit.  Donegal Square itself boasts a number of tourist-worthy stops, starting with City Hall at its center.  Marble inside and as much civic pomp as one could hope for outside, Belfast City Hall like so many monuments in this city has survived several IRA bombings.  To the west of the square is the Grand Opera House—a monument to Victoriana and another victim of multiple bombings though splendidly restored.

Heading north from Donegal Square, you’ll stumble upon Belfast’s tribute to Pisa—the Albert Memorial Clock tower in Queen’s Square—a leaning tower to rival Italy’s best.  When you get to the River Lagan you’ll be able to spot two of Belfast’s more famous landmarks in the distance, Samson and Goliath.  They’re the giant cranes that dominate the skyline above the Harland & Wolfe Shipyard.  One of the two cranes is over 300 feet high and the pair straddles a 1500-foot dock.

The shipyard has been in operation since 1833 and in its heyday employed 60,000 workers.  The Harland & Wolff yard has one of the biggest dry docks in the world and can handle ships up to 200,000 tons.  The yard’s most notable client?  White Star Lines for whom they built Olympic, Britannic, and Titanic.  When Titanic went down, the entire engineering staffs from both Harland & Wolff and White Star were lost.

Out and About

For those in search of some excitement further afield, a drive out to Giant’s Causeway will put you in touch with one of the World Heritage Sites.  Sixty million years ago (didn’t everything happen about then?) lava from an undersea fissure crystallized into huge hexagonal columns.  According to local legend, Finn McCool, the giant in question, used these as steppingstones to a distant island where lived a female giant he was particularly enamored with.  What’s nice about this site is that you can actually clamber around on some of these 40,000 fascinating formations as opposed to just looking at them from a bus.

A bit further along is Derry (or Londonderry if you’re British or a Loyalist), which features one of the best-preserved walled towns in Northern Europe.  A walk around the city wall is another interactive adventure for the less sedentary among us.  Derry is also where the Troubles began in 1968 and as much of that sad history occurred in Derry as in Belfast.

The Troubles

There’s really no getting away from it.  Citizens’ desires to “just get along” notwithstanding, the violence of the last 37 years is a fascinating part of Belfast’s history and its mark is indelible—from the political murals still on display in the working class neighborhoods along Falls and Shankill Roads, to the heavily fortified police barracks, to the armored Range Rovers cruising the streets and the helicopters sweeping the skies.  Despite the recent easing of tensions you can’t escape the sense of being in what some consider was recently a formidable police state.  But far from putting a damper on your visit it’s this very history that makes Belfast such a unique destination.

Islam, the Faith

And The Prophet Mohammed*

Michener wrote long ago about this “misunderstood” religion.  Westerners were usually unfamiliar with Islam for it was a faith not widely practiced in our hometowns and cities some 50 years ago when this talented author made his observations.  Islam was rarely even taught in the schools or universities.  But, the same could have been said about Hinduism, even Buddhism, as well as a host of other beliefs.

World travelers today can truly take in the uniqueness of cultures and countries if they understand the root of many of the traditions and mores they experience during their journey.  A basic knowledge of the tenets of Islam will enrich your journey while exploring this part of the world.  And we should not fail to recognize that recent events have reinforced the need for people of all faiths and nations to gain respect for and knowledge of the beliefs of others.

Prophet Mohammed

In the western Saudi Arabian city of Mecca, 570 A.D., Mohammed was born into a Quraysh (also spelled Kuraish) family, then the most influential tribe in the region.  Mohammed was orphaned by the age of seven and lived with relatives, tending their sheep, and traveling with them by caravan north across the vast deserts to Syria.  In his mid-twenties, he married the affluent widow Chadjilla (also spelled Khadija) much his senior, who bore him four girls who survived and two sons who did not.

At that time, citizens of Mecca were passionate followers of what has been called the “pagan Arab spiritual life.”  Equally fervent were those who sought enlightenment through the Hanyfs or people who respected the words of Abraham, as well as other theologies including Christianity, Judaism, and Persian dogma.

The Voice of God

At the age of 40, in 610 A.D., Mohammed regularly retreated to the cool, dark recesses of a small cave.  While lost in the quiet of deep meditation, he experienced a great revelation and heard what he later believed to be the voice of God coming to him through the archangel Gabriel.  Over time, having experienced many such revelations, Mohammed became convinced that he had been chosen by God to be the sole Arab prophet of true religion, for others before him had failed God in this task.

Mohammed feared ridicule if he shared his visions with others.  Therefore, he remained silent for three long years despite his wife’s urgings to come forth with this message.  When Mohammed did speak out, few embraced his preaching for his words enraged those pagans whose prosperity was deeply entrenched in Mecca at that time.

Fearing for His Life

So infuriated were Mohammed’s critics that the Prophet feared for his life, and felt it was necessary to flee from Mecca on June 15, 622 A.D.  This date is pivotal in the Moslem world for it represents Mohammed’s flight to freedom… his escape to Yathrib some 200 miles north.  Once there, he was free to preach the word of God.  Therefore, this escape to safety, or hijrah, signifies the true beginning of Islam as well as the start of the Muslim calendar.

The citizens of Yathrib enthusiastically embraced Mohammed and renamed their city Medinat An-Nabi, the City of the Prophet.  Today, it is known as Medina.

Mohammed preached in and lived out his life in Medina, Islam’s second holiest city after Mecca (which his 10,000 soldiers conquered in 630 A.D.).  At that time, Mohammed marched into Mecca’s Grand Mosque, unceremoniously stripped it of all pagan idols, and decreed it a holy site.

At Mohammed’s time of death in Medina in 630 A.D., his influence was felt throughout Arabia.  Yet, despite these strong inroads, Mohammed was unsuccessful in converting large numbers of Jews and Christians as he had hoped.

Understanding the Five Pillars of Faith

The word “Allah” is Arabic for “God.”  And Allah’s words, as recited to Mohammed, are recorded in Islam’s holy book, The Koran (or Qu’ran).  Spelled out in The Koran are the Five Pillars of Islam, which follow.

Shahadah is the acceptance of the Islamic faith and its tenet that “there is no God but God, and Mohammed is the messenger of God.”

Salat is the commitment to pray five times daily.  Before prayers, Muslims must cleanse themselves in a ritualistic purification.  Sand is to be used if water is unavailable.  While praying, the faithful turn toward Mecca (identified by the mosque’s mihrab), assume the three postures of prayer, which indicate complete submission to God, and recite the Fatina, which praises God.  Prayers are led by the imam, or religious leader.

Zakat is the giving of alms to those in need.

Sawm (also sanm) is the ritualistic fasting required of all Muslims including the complete abstinence of all “intake” from sunup to sundown during the holy month of Ramadan.

The hajj (or hadj) is the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca at an exact date stated by The Koran.  It is the finest hour in a Muslim’s life.  During this prescribed time, millions of hajji travel to Mecca from around the world to walk seven times around the holy Kaaba Stone (“Abraham’s Altar”) before kissing this black monolith.  Believers who are too poor to make this journey to Mecca may fulfill this obligation by substituting a holy mosque closer to home.

Islam Today

The Prophet Mohammed’s* inspiring words pierce the city’s din five times each day.  They echo across the broad reaches of the world from one nation to another, including a huge expanse of Asia and Africa (with heavy concentration in Northern Africa), in the Middle East and Indonesia, throughout Pakistan and Malaysia, even Europe and America.  When muezzins call believers to prayer from atop the mosques’ slender minarets these faithful dutifully gather to whisper the teachings of their beloved Prophet.  May our beliefs share a commonality, and our differences be respected.

Australia’s Jackaroos

Oh, Give Me Land Lots of Land

While the power of Hollywood has pretty much created the definitive “cowboy” and made the American West his home, there are a lot of other places in the world where cow punchin’ of a very different sort takes place.  Think about the cowboys of the Argentine pampas and their bolladeros, or Mongolian cowboys with their miniature horses and funny hats.
The unique aspects of raising cattle in the Outback have led to a distinctly Australian version of this workingman hero too, the jackaroo (and increasingly, the jillaroo.)

Helicopter Cowboys

Out there, in back of the beyond, when they sing, “don’t fence me in” they really mean it!  The typical Australian ranch or “cattle station” isn’t measured in acres but rather in square miles.  Sometimes tens of thousands of them.  All because natural feed is as scarce as land is plentiful.  In the U.S. they may talk about the number of head an acre can support.  Here it’s the number of acres per head.

These enormous distances have led to the emergence of helicopter cowboys for mustering (rounding up) a mob (herd) of cattle.  As recently as thirty years ago, it would take weeks or months for mounted stockmen to gather large herds into holding yards on the way to market.  This new breed of airborne wranglers and ropers can do in a day what would have taken eight guys on horseback one month to accomplish.

But aside from the $20,000 training course and the fancy Top Gun helmet, you wouldn’t know these high-tech cowpunchers from the ground level kind.  They all wear jeans and boots, carry their swag (bedroll) with them, and sleep rough in the bush for a week at a time.  Their gathering techniques don’t differ much either—get behind ‘em, make a lot of noise, and push ‘em where they don’t want to go.  “Much the same rules that apply in the saddle, apply in a chopper,” says one.  “You might be the best pilot in Australia, but if you don’t know cows, you won’t be successful out here.”

The Dog and Pony Show

Airborne or horseback, man’s best friend is still his best friend, and a bloke couldn’t get a better buddy than his “bluey.”  Out where there simply aren’t enough people to provide an adequate labor pool, the blue heeler helps control herds that graze across the vast bushland.  “Heeler” refers to their herding technique of snapping at a cow’s heels.  Blue heelers make great pets too, and it’s rare to find a landowner who won’t brag on the intelligence and loyalty of his four-legged mate.

Australian cattlemen also couldn’t get by without their stock horse, the “Waler”, after New South Wales where the breed was developed.  English bloodstock landed with the First Fleeters was interbred with horses from India, South Africa, and Persia.  What emerged was a distinctive saddle horse ideal for life on the rugged frontier stations.  By 1860 there were half a million of them and they went on to fame and glory carrying thousands of Australian cavalrymen into overseas wars.

Road Trains

The final link in the enormous enterprise that is the Australian cattle business is the road train.  If you’ve ever been blown off some highway by an eighteen-wheeler going past at seventy miles an hour, imagine a sixty-two-wheeler!  These leviathans of the flat track feature not one but three double-decker trailers, hauled by a tractor as tall as a house, powered by a 14-litre turbo-charged engine generating 400 kilowatts of power. When fully loaded with 150 animals it weighs over 115 tons, stretches half the length of a football field from bull bar to tail lights, and even with one set of air brakes for each set of wheels, it takes half a mile to come to a stop from cruising speed.

Road trains sport names like “Whispering Death” and the men who drive them are justly proud of their swashbuckling image and of the enormous skill required to control one.  Many of them spend over 200 nights a year on the road hauling freight, food, and fuel in addition to livestock.  It used to take a team of drovers on horseback five months to push 1500 cattle to market, and the stock often arrived in poor shape.  Road trains have become the lifeline of the Outback and running a profitable cattle station without them just wouldn’t be possible.

The Australian Boomerang

From Tacky Souvenir to Legitimate Sport

For many a world traveler, a genuine Aboriginal boomerang is the perfect memento of the visit to old Down Under Australia—it’s rather unique, packs easily, plus it won’t set off the airports’ bells, whistles, and metal detectors.  But for some souvenir hounds, the bloom comes off immediately after rifling through the luggage upon reaching home.  Attempts to show off for the neighbors by actually throwing this nifty boomerang have resulted in everything from a disappointing and perhaps final flight path; damage to structures or unwary pets; or, most grievously, a perfect throw resulting in injury or death for the thrower.  It’s just about this time when most people realize that boomeranging is not a child’s game but rather a serious sport not to be trifled with.  In fact, the risk-averse novice may want to learn a bit more about these potentially lethal chochkies before actually owning one.

Origin of the Species

The throwing stick has, for the record, been around since the time of ancient Egypt but it was the Australian Aborigines who raised this weapon to an art form.  The oldest boomerang ever found has been carbon dated to about ten thousand years old.  In fact, the word evolved from the Aboriginal “Boomori.”  Good to know should you appear sometime on “The Weakest Link.”

According to Aboriginal legend, the earliest known use was to create day and night.  A couple of lads with boomerangs managed to kill Bila, the sun woman, and the whole world suddenly went dark.  Immediately realizing their bonehead mistake, the deadly duo started throwing their boomerangs in all directions until one of them actually did something right by aiming it toward the east, and a great fire ball rose up, swept across the sky and set gently in the west.  Bingo (not an Aboriginal word)!  Day and Night created.  End of story.

Types of Boomerangs

While the returning boomerang is the most famous, it’s really just for show since if it actually managed to hit anything it would, ahem, drop like a stone.  The hunting boomerang isn’t designed to return, but meant to smack the sense out of a bird or a kangaroo or a wombat.  The club boomerang, on the other hand, is designed to knock the daylights out of the other guy with a boomerang in his hand and mayhem on his mind.  The hook boomerang is a truly fearsome weapon for hand-to-hand combat.  It is crafted to stick in an enemy’s shield causing the handle to flip over and split the other guy’s skull open.  Don’t buy that one!

For really showing off, there are the “alphabet” boomerangs.  A “U” shape one has a short, accurate return flight pattern; an “X” shape one just looks pretty in the air; and a “Y” shape one is for trick throws and crowd pleasers much like a throwing knife if you can get the point to stick into something.

Accessorizing Your Boomerang

Of course, no sport is complete without a distinctive “outfit” or “kit.”  It is reliably reported that Nike is working on a boomerang shoe, due in shops next year, and is hurriedly signing up national teams in anticipation of boomeranging becoming an Olympic demonstration sport.  Until then, the committed “boomer ranger” will have to make do with cool Aboriginal gear like the dilly bag, the nulla nulla, and the woomera.  These can be obtained via the Internet with the logo of your favorite professional team.

Throwing and, More Importantly, Catching

Select a very large, preferably grassy, area.  Throw your boomerang at a 45-degree angle to the wind and never throw in breezes above five miles per hour.  Hold the boomerang at either end with the flat side against your palm, tip in the middle, using the thumb and first three fingers.  Throw straight forward, in a vertical position, from above the shoulder.

The boomerang will return in a horizontal position, which is where you’ll find yourself if you aren’t in the ready position.  Hold your hands open, palms together, like a book.  Catch with both hands following the flight path, to the side of the body.  Avoid trying to catch at head level.  If it looks like the boomerang might hit you, turn your back, bend over, cover your head, then live to try another throw.

Boomerang Milestones

• For those new to the sport, a few stats will give you some goals to shoot for.  And that will be just about all you’d ever like to know on the subject.
• Consecutive two-handed catches: 801, Stephane Marquerite, France, 1989.
• Out and return distance: 134.2 meters, Jim Youngblood, USA, 1989.
• Flight duration: 2 minutes 59.94 sec., Denis Joyce, USA, 1989. (The three-minute barrier is yet to be cracked!)
• Consecutive catches in five minutes: 73, Matthiew Weber, Switzerland, 1991.
• Consecutive catches, two boomerangs, keeping one aloft at all times: 207, Michael Girvin, USA.

Taipei, Taiwan

The New and the Old

Type A. Face to the future. Well educated. Young. On the move. And true to the definition, the young people of Taiwan are competitive, work-oriented, driven to succeed. Other personality characteristics aren’t part of this review, just the broad brushstroke of a motivated populace. What’s noted here is the mobility of a youthful population. And, of Taiwan’s nearly 24 million people, less than 12% are aged 65 or over. For the record, everyone lives in an area measuring a mere 14,000 square miles, hence this is one of the world’s most densely-populated places. To compare, Taiwan is about the same size as Connecticut and Massachusetts combined. So you don’t have to do the math yourself, that means something like 1,600 people share an area equaling only one square mile. Think … really crowded. But in the nation’s capital, where you may be going, that number increases to a whopping 25,000 people per square mile living cheek to jowl on just about every square inch they can find. Thankfully, though, open space has been dedicated across the island nation so a day trip out of the city to a glorious mountain range is often just what the doctor orders. There are stunning peaks, dramatic gorges, ribbony waterfalls, and endless hiking trails.

More than 96% of Taiwan’s citizens can read and write. Perhaps that’s why fewer than 2% of the people live below the poverty line. In fact, you’ll quickly discover that the young people have a strong penchant for consumerism. Knowing about and owning the hottest designer handbags and spiky shoes, sexy sunglasses and winning wristwatches as well as the very latest techno-tricks no matter the cost is a must.

That is Now, This was Then

As a thumbnail sketch of thousands of years of history, just know that the vast majority of Taiwan’s citizens identify themselves as provincial people. Their name, benshengren, distinguishes them from the descendants of those who arrived on Taiwan’s shores in 1949 along with Chiang-Kai-shek. It was during those turbulent times in China that some two million people fled to Taiwan as his followers. They and their offspring are called daluren, meaning “from the mainland”. And let’s not forget the yuanzhumin whose ancestors were here first. They are considered aborigines and represent less than 2% of the population. They live mostly in the mountains and remote areas. And each of these unique communities has left an artistic and cultural imprint on this tiny island nation that measures only about 245 miles long, 95 miles wide.

Not surprisingly, this land is a temple to technology. Who can say what the up-to-the-minute stats are but just know that Taiwan is a major, repeat major, manufacturer in the computer world. Everything from laptops to desktops. And if you have a computer question, stop a-n-y-o-n-e on the streets and ask for help. These whiz kids do know it all.

Time is Short

Best get going if you’re in the mood for some great sightseeing. It’s hard to imagine coming to Taipei and not visiting the National Palace Museum whether you’re a museum buff or not. But be ready because this landmark holds the world’s largest collection of Chinese artifacts, though not all are on view at once.

Here’s the story. As long ago as 200 BC, Chinese emperors amassed a huge collection of valuable pieces including everything from bronzes to calligraphy, porcelains to portraits, sculptures and carvings, laquerware to jade. These artifacts remained in Beijing’s Forbidden City until 1931 when the Japanese forces overran Manchuria. Spirited out of Beijing, the majority of the collection survived even bombing raids. Shortly after the end of WWII, the public was able to view this impressive collection on exhibition in Nanjing for the very first time. Then, hostilities erupted again, this time between the Chinese Communist Party and the KMT (the Chinese Nationalist Party called Kuomintang) under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek. This civil war caused such turmoil that the art collection was moved again, this time offshore to the port of Keelung. As the original intention was to return to mainland China, the powers that be weren’t interested in creating a permanent venue for this art. Time passed. Ideas changed. Ultimately, in 1965, the pieces found a permanent home in the National Palace Museum. Four years of recent renovation has resulted in the museum you see today. For the record, there is a mainland China contingent that believes these items should be returned to their rightful home in mainland China. Best not get into that discussion. And, best put on your “patience” hat because the crowds here can be rather daunting.

Other sites worthy of your time, knowing that the National Palace Museum alone could take weeks to explore, are the National Martyr’s Shrine and the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. The first is a tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice during China’s wars. The latter, also known as the CKS Memorial Hall, took its inspiration from Beijing’s Temple of Heaven.

Of course there are a million other important sites to see and neighborhoods to explore and designer shops to visit and restaurants to sample. Time is of the essence so a tight plan will serve you best. Remember, though, you’ve got to get back to the port before departure time to tell your friends all about your excellent adventures.

The Namib Desert

Dunes and Buggies, Birds and Plants

The rugged shoreline of Namibia’s Atlantic Coast is bordered by a long swath of blowing dunes that covers an immense portion of this country’s land.  The Namib (meaning “place of no people”) Desert measures 800 miles in length, 60 miles in width, and runs the entire span of the country from Namibia’s northern frontier to her southern border with the Republic of South Africa.

Who Survives in this Desert Land?

Well, a curious collection of animals, insects, birds and hearty people has adapted to this harsh environment and actually survives despite the sometimes-brutal conditions.  As the terrain consists of not only miles of parched sand dunes but gravel plains as well, all living things welcome whatever moisture they can get.  Remember that no African country south of the Sahara Desert receives less rainfall than Namibia.

With rainfall so infrequent and unpredictable, those living in the Namib Desert have learned to rely on the life-giving humidity that shrouds their landscape.  Approximately every three days or so, a moisture-rich fog spreads inland from the Atlantic and drapes a mantle of dew across the dunes.  Scientists explain that this fog is linked to the cool waters of the Benguela Current that washes past Namibia.  This fog literally becomes the lifeblood of the Namib inhabitants. 

An odd assortment of desert reptiles actually drinks the moisture they collect from their bodies.  Others, such as the fat and furry golden mole, have a whitish coat that acts as a sun reflector, therefore little of the harsh heat is absorbed into his tiny body. And the spotted brown male sandgrouse may be the cleverest of them all.  He (or she as the case may be) soaks up fresh water in his unique belly feathers.  Once these feathers are saturated, our soggy friend can fly up to 60 miles to his nest where the baby sandgrouse drink from his dripping feathers.  To his offspring, he is rather like a flying water bottle.

Plants Adapt Too

There is a plant called the Welwitschia mirabilis, which is quite an oddity (not to mention a mouthful).  Discovered by the Austrian Fredrich Welwitsch—hence the name--this amazing plant can thrive in Namibia’s hostile environment for as long as two thousand years.  It survives by capturing moisture not through a long stem searching for water below ground but with a huge taproot that rises above the desert’s surface.

Their Greatest Threat

Fragile natural environments are often disturbed by man and by the sometimes-irreversible impact of “progress.”  The fact that Namibia has a population of fewer than one-and-one-half million people living in an area comparable to twice the size of California provides some hope for the protection of this unique habitat.  The Namibian government has set aside large tracts of land as nature preserves where such species as the Hartmann’s mountain zebra and the desert black rhino are protected.  

Then there’s the darkling beetle.  All this matters not one whit to this little fellow who greets another dawn with his head stuck firmly in the sand.  While in this unfortunate and unflattering position, the morning fog collects on his shiny black wing covers.  Gravity then forces this dew to trickle downward, right into his thirsty little mouth.  He knows not of the political winds that blow around his small dune in the Namib Desert.

Journey to the Poles

Beyond the Beyond

“Lands doomed by nature to everlasting frigidness and never once to feel the warmth of the suns rays, whose horrible and savage aspect I have no words to describe; such are the lands we have discovered, what may we expect those to be which lie more to the South, for we may reasonably suppose we have seen the best as lying more to the North, whoever has resolution and perseverance to clear up this point by proceeding farther than we have done, I shall not envy him the honour of the discovery but I will be bold to say that the world will not be benefited by it.”

Damning words of frustration these were. Written by Captain James Cook in his Journal February 1775, his exasperation is palpable. This seasoned veteran of the seas had been sailing on his second voyage of discovery, this time aboard H.M.S. Resolution. This time to the land beyond the beyond. This time in search of Antarctica.

Early Polar Explorers

Historians believe that the very earliest voyages of discovery to the poles were undertaken for several reasons. Some scholars subscribe to the theory that men were driven to the extreme reaches of the earth in search of commercial shipping routes; for theirs or their government’s glory; or in the name of science. As these explorers were all from the northern hemisphere it was predictable that the early explorations would be in the Artic. The far north had long been known to the Norsemen who had sailed to Iceland, then Greenland, and finally North America sometime between 800 and 1100 A.D.

A new trade route to India and China would bring great riches to Northern Europe, especially for the Dutch and the English. Perhaps there was some safe passage through the Arctic. Captains with names like Frobisher, Davis, and Barents all attempted the discovery of this route via the north. All failed. So, too, Henry Hudson.

Ultimately, Roald Amundsen crossed the Northwest Passage. It took this Norwegian explorer three years, from 1903 to 1906, to complete his torturous mission. The American, Robert Peary, was the first to make it successfully to the North Pole, aided by four-dozen Inuit and sleds with teams of dogs totaling two hundred. The year was 1909.

Terra Australis Incognita

The Unknown Land. In the days of ancient Greece, the area on the maps where we now know Antarctica to be found was identified as “Terra Australis Incognita.” Many cartographers and scientists believed that this land, should it exist at all, would certainly be an extension from the African continent. The idea was dashed when the legendary navigator Vasco da Gama rounded the southern tip of Africa, the Cape of Good Hope to be exact, putting an end to this theory. The year was 1498. Some eight decades later, Sir Francis Drake rounded the tip of South America as far south as 57 degrees south latitude. He ascertained that the Pacific and the Atlantic did meet up there so no landmass existed in this location that would block his path.

Enter what many claim to be the greatest navigator of all, Captain James Cook. While on his second voyage of discovery (1771-1775), he and his chilled-to-the-bone crew circumnavigated Antarctica in search of this landmass. That was in 1773. In January of that year, Cook noted in his ship’s log “I am so fully of opinion that there is none that I shall not go in search of it, being now determined to make the best of my way to the East in the Latitude of 60 degrees or upwards, and am only sorry that in searching after those imaginary Lands, I have spent so much time….”
On January 17th, 1773 Cook and his men crossed the Antarctic Circle at 70 degrees south. He went on to report that “At about a 1/4 past 11 o’Clock we crossed the Antarctic Circle for at Noon we were by observation four Miles and a half South of it and are undoubtedly the first and only Ship that ever cross’d that line.”

One year later, Cook again sailed to the edge of known exploration. The captain reported that “I should not have hesitated one moment in declaring it is my opinion that the Ice we now see extended in a solid body quite to the Pole.” He was again at 70 degrees south latitude. He further noted in his log on January 30, 1774 the tremendous dangers he and his crew faced while sailing among the floating ice “islands.” At that point they were sailing at south latitude 71 degrees 10 minutes. Cook wrote, “I whose ambition leads me not only farther than any other man has been before me, but as far as I think it possible for man to go, was not sorry at meeting with this interruption, as it in some measure relieved us from the dangers and hardships, inseparable with the Navigation of the Southern Polar regions.

Captain James Cook had come to the conclusion that a continent did not exist anywhere among the high southern latitudes he had already explored, especially not west of the South American tip of Cape Horn.

Even so, following a respite in the warmer climes of Easter Island and Vanuatu (New Hebrides), Cook again rounded Cape Horn while continuing his search for the Southern Continent. Charting a course to the east, he headed toward the Cape of Good Hope and ultimately back to his homeland.

South Sea Islands

What’s Not to Like?

We have all stood and stared at those slick photos of the sugar-fine sandy beaches lapped by a transparent surf that’s shaded by a slender, gently-swaying palm with the tanned couple in the tinier-than-a-handkerchief swimsuits smooching while backlit by a setting sun.

Wanna be there?  Wanna be them?

Well, The World is certainly going to facilitate the first of these two lofty goals.  You, my friend, are completely on your own with the latter.  That, you know darn well, requires some serious time in the gym, no juicy burgers and salted fries at the pool bar, and about a trillion laps around Deck 12.

I think I have to take a nap.

Naming Names

Islands in the Pacific South Seas are clustered into three major groups.  Polynesia, the largest of the three, covers an area from New Zealand all the way to Hawaii.  Within this massive grouping are seventeen smaller ones that include the Society Islands, Samoa, and Tonga.

Micronesia is the second of the three groups.  It may be less well known because many of its islands are uninhabited.  The names within this grouping that you may recognize are the Mariana Islands, the Gilbert Islands, the Marshall Islands, and the Caroline Islands.

The last of our three groups of islands is Melanesia.  Here, you’ll find the popular Fiji Islands, the historic Solomons, and the fascinating island of Papua (pronounced “pah-puu-ah”) New Guinea.  P.N.G., as it is called, is linked to Australia by an underwater continental shelf.  Eons ago, this land was not submerged.  This allowed both the animals and the plantlife to spread from one landmass to another unimpeded.  Hence the similarity in flora and fauna between the two.  Sometimes visitors are surprised to discover that tree kangaroos, wallabies, and a big bird that is unable to fly called a cassowary live in both Australia and New Guinea.

For most of these islands, it was violent volcanic activity that caused their creation.  Something called the “Ring of Fire” was the result of these eruptions and cooling off of molten material which, when applied layer upon layer, formed these islands.  In fact, smack in the center of this “Ring of Fire” one finds the Hawaiian Islands.

Atolls often ring the tips of these volcanoes that rise above the water level.  These atolls develop when a coral reef grows around the volcanic landmass and traps the seas in shallow lagoons.  For yachties, this is a hazard.  For snorkelers who just want to splash about in these tepid and tranquil lagoons, this is heaven.

Who Lives on These Coral Reefs?

If there was room service, I would.  But, I’d have to share with the likes of sponges, starfish, crabs, sea cucumbers, and shrimp swimming here and there.  They’re all an integral part to the delicate balance of life in and on the sea.  There are even a half dozen species of giant clams that call these reefs home.  Some, unfortunately, are plucked from the reefs to be cooked up for the next meal.

Thankfully, the flattened reeftops as well as other locations on the reefs provide ideal conditions for many sea animals to thrive.  As their life does hang in the delicate balance of the correct amount of light, oxygen in the water, sea temperature, and consistent currents, we must be careful to protect these environments.

Home Sweet Home

As the coral “grows” with the build-up of limestone skeletons of the polyps that float along, the mass eventually breaks the surface of the sea.  Then, a program of compaction occurs.  Grasses and other plant life take hold, and an island is born.  It is then that birds swoop in to set up shop.  Tiny ones.  Big ones.  In fact, on the Marshall Islands of Micronesia, the immense frigate bird has staked out his personal claim.  And who would dare to challenge him?  He’s got an impressive 10-foot wingspan.

Even mammals have made these islands their home, as well.  One of the most prolific of this group is the flying fox (also called a fruit bat).  There are more than four-dozen species scattered about the Pacific.

Snails slime and crabs skitter about on these islands.  In fact, there is one called a “coconut crab” that actually scales up palm trees then snips the greenery that connects the coconuts to the tree.  It (the coconut, not the crab) falls, smacks open, and the crab races in for his afternoon snack.

And isn’t that where we started this discussion?  Those cute posterpeople probably have retreated to a little thatched bungalow for some libation and island specialties.  But, if they want to keep those bounce-a-quarter-on-their-belly bellies, they’d best not eat too much.  That’s the only really hardship on a South Seas island.  The rest is simply paradise.

Bar Harbor, Maine

Don't say, “Bah Hah-bah”

There’s another “don’t” according to John Steinbeck in his book Travels with Charley.

“Don’t ever ask directions of a Maine native, I was told.”
“Why ever not?”
“Somehow we think it is funny to misdirect people and we don’t smile when we do it, but we laugh inwardly.  It is our nature.”

Plus, you shouldn’t even begin to start the conversation with a local about Maine being a province of Massachusetts until 1820.  That really stirs ‘em up and they’ll definitely send you packing in the wrong direction!

And Speaking of Lost

The Vikings.  They were really far from home when they found themselves sailing along the coastline of North America some 500 years before any other navigator from Europe arrived.  At least this is what the legend says.  And scientists confirm that the celebrated Norsemen did carve out primitive settlements in parts of Canada.  Some believe they even came ashore in Maine, as well, during the 11th century.  But what is known is that John Cabot, the British explorer who sailed from Britain in 1497 under orders of Henry VII to discover a route to the rich Far East, did ply these waters.  He was searching for the Northwest Passage, to be exact.  Instead, he found Maine.  Nonetheless, because of his discovery the British laid claim to North America so, all in all, Champlain was pretty happy.

Native American Algonquins, known as Abenaki, were already here.  They were members of the Passamaquoddy and Penobscot tribes.  The British followed and founded a colony in 1607, but floundered a bit.  The French, German, and Scots-Irish followed.  Ultimately, it was John Smith who recorded the coves and islands of Maine’s rugged coastline.  You remember that he’s the lad who owes his life to Pocahontas.  Well, based on his hard work, viable settlements grew.

Shots Were Fired

Throughout the 17th century, the English colonists of Maine wrangled with French colonists from Quebec, assisted in their efforts by local tribes.  Peace was won only after many hard-fought battles.  1759 was the year the warring factions fired their last shots on Quebec’s Plain of Abraham.

Following the 1820 Missouri Compromise, the proud state of Maine joined the union as its 23rd state.  And something called the Webster-Ashburton Treaty, signed in 1842, demarcated Maine’s official border with Canada’s New Brunswick.

The State Today

Maine residents like to protect their well-kept secret that their state is as large as the five other New England states combined.  But, fewer people live in Maine than in any of those other states.  In fact, there are fewer than 1,500,000 residents in the entire state.  Factor in the five million visitors who arrive each year to enjoy the woods and waters of Maine, and it is just about a perfect destination.

Mount Desert Island

Odd name, that.  But, supposedly, Samuel Champlain declared this speck of land “L’ile des Monts Déserts.”  The French explorer had spotted Cadillac Mountain and remarked about its barren peak.  Never mind, he was famous enough to get a big lake named after him.

Bar Harbor is found on Mt. Desert Island.  The island measures 108 square miles and is remarkably unspoiled and lush despite Champlain’s decree.  The Jesuits were the first to set up camp on the island.  Within one short month, the British destroyed it.  For the next one and one half centuries, the French and the British fought over control of the island.  Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, a French fellow, was given the island in the 17th century by Canada.  He spent just one summer here before traveling west to create the city of Detroit.  (See the connection to the car?)

English colonists arrived by the score and controlled Mt. Desert Island until the 1783 Treaty of Versailles established the border between Canada and the US by acknowledging the Thirteen Colonies’ independence from Britain.

Bar Harbor Today

Today, Bar Harbor is home to 5,000 people.  Many support the tourism infrastructure for visitors coming to explore Acadia National Park.  Some 35,000 acres now belong to the park system.  Nearly one-third of this land was the generous gift of John D. Rockefeller Jr. who also created the fifty miles of carriage paths built so everyone had access to the wilderness.

Rich with history, blessed by Mother Nature’s bounty, Bar Harbor is picture-postcard-perfect.  Enjoy it all, including grilled lobster drizzled with hot butter.  You won’t soon forget its joy.

Maasai Warriors

The Towers of Power

On the distant plain, rippled by the relentless equatorial heat, a tall figure stands alone.

Draped in an earthen-red shuka, his long and lean body appears to be carved from pure muscle.  His textbook anatomy, finely honed to defend his cattle from predators and his family from all evil, announces his life as a warrior.  He is a Maasai, someone his god Ngai has entrusted to protect the earth and all his beloved cattle.  And despite or perhaps because of the encroachment of a “civilized” world, this mighty Maasai stands a silent vigil.  Only he can protect his tribe’s rich culture and magnificent customs from a fast changing world.

Who Are These Maasai?

The legend taught by Maasai parents in their native language Ol-Maa to the next generation says they are a tribal people who migrated from the North for, in that land, feed was scarce and rivers often dry.  As their god’s chosen defenders of cattle, the Maasai fled with their herds to the South in search of greener pastureland.

Scientists concur with the legend and identify the Maasai as a Nilo-Hamitic people with typically tall body types and handsome facial features.  Anthropologists believe their migration to this region happened around the 16th Century.  Once the warriors reached the fertile plains between Mt. Kilimanjaro and Lake Victoria, they stopped their wandering.  This area, to the Maasai, was considered to be close to their god Ngai for they viewed the snowcapped peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro to be the home of the gods.

Twenty distinct groups of Maasai live scattered over an 80,000-square-kilometer area of Kenya and Tanzania, and count a total population of approximately 125,000.

Cattle and Kraals

Maasai live a communal life in protected compounds known as kraals.  As man is unfortunately on the African wildlife food chain, this compound must serve as a safe haven during the long and frightening nights.  Mud and dung huts are assembled in a rather large circle that is then enclosed with a perimeter of sharp thorn bushes.  The cattle and the Maasai enjoy the safety of this kraal when its only gate is tightly closed at nightfall.

Women tend to the compound and the children, who are a source of great joy for the Maasai.  Men spend their days caring for the cattle herds, flocks of sheep, and rangy goats.  No cultivation of the earth is permitted for the Maasai believe the earth is sacred and no man should be so bold as to scar the earth.

The Maasai feed entirely off their cattle… its blood (osage), milk (kule), and meat (inkiri).  Cattle signify great wealth and are coveted for their prized horns, which can reach several feet across.

Becoming A Warrior

At approximately 14 years of age, a young Maasai boy takes part in an ancient ritual initiating him into manhood.  Having reached the status of “Junior Warrior”, he then may proudly call himself a Moran.  He joins other Moran in a separate living compound known as a Manyatta.  While here, he and the others prepare for a life as “Senior Warriors” when they may own cattle and take a wife.  Today, “Junior Warriors” are no longer required to demonstrate their courage by killing a lion armed with only their bare hands, an empere spear, and the elogo shield that has been painted with images of the warrior’s past brave deeds.

The Moran also practice their extraordinary dancing skills where they chant and leap to great heights while standing stick strait arms at their sides.

Beads and Body Decoration

Maasai men are adorned head to toe with ochre-and-sheep-fat body paint.  When preparing for battle, their paint patterns are menacing and threatening.  During times of peace, the designs are intended to attract a potential mate.  The women, in turn, lavishly drape themselves in beaded necklaces, headgear, brass armbands, and bracelets.  This jewelry is even more dramatic because the women’s heads are shaved while the men grow their hair long then braid their locks in a beautiful pattern.  Weighted earrings elongate everyone’s earlobes and the women’s shoulders are draped in red, the Maasai’s favorite color.

Today, as civilization marches on to the beat of the Internet, the Maasai must decide whether to adapt and how.  Though they now are well educated, many often return to their tribes after their schooling to continue this legacy granted them by their god Ngai.  The Maasai believe that they alone have been entrusted to protect the earth and the life-giving cattle grazing upon it and take this task serious.  Yet with each passing day their task grows more and more daunting.

India's Elephants

Man’s Best Friend

Let’s see, now.  The resume reads, “very sociable, smaller than my closest relative, agile for my size, and…has 5,500 years experience.” Wow!  What the applicant for the job of “man’s best friend” does not tell you is that he needs 300 pounds of food each and every day of his life.  But, no matter.  That’s a small price to pay for a worker as loyal and hard working as the Asian elephant.

He gets the job of man’s best friend!

Some Whopping Statistics

Elephants are the largest living land mammals in the world.  The Asian elephant, Elephas Maximum to be exact, can weigh up to four tons.  A mature male stands nine feet tall at the shoulder.  Even so, he is smaller than the African elephants that stand 13 feet at the shoulder and can weigh six tons.  (We mustn’t forget to mention the so-called pygmy elephant of western Africa which lives in the woodlands and is usually not more than eight feet tall.)  Elephants can carry up to 1,200 pounds and are so strong they can fare quite well in a tug-of-war against 50 able-bodied men.

Elephants feed constantly tearing bark off trees, ripping up grass, picking fruit from trees with their trunks.  They also use their trunks to drink, hail each other, squirt water or spray dust across their spanking clean backs right after their bath (much like a 4-year old at Grandma’s on Easter.)

Gestation takes 19 to 21 months.  At birth, a baby can weigh more than 200 pounds.  Elephants grow all through their life, even after becoming mature at about age 15.  At 50, they show signs of old age (who doesn’t?) and there is no record of them living past 100 years.

But, tragically, only one in five elephants lives till the age of 30.  As we all know, part of the reason for their shortened lifespan is that they are killed for their tusks which are sold as ivory.*  An average tusk weighs approximately 150 pounds and is about 10 feet long.  Several have weighed more than 225 pounds.  Today, there are only 50,000 Asian elephants left.

It’s Hard to Catch an Elephant

Elephant handlers have their work cut out for them when they want to catch an elephant.  They can’t simply put salt on his tail and cross their fingers, you know.  Throughout Asia, wild elephants are rounded up and herded into an area which then leads into a smaller area, and so on and so on and so on.  Then, the wild ones are staked down (not easy to do) for three days without anything to eat or drink.  After that time, they’re released and led by tame elephants to food and water.  Within one month, they will be relatively tame.

Once tamed, they will work hauling logs and rocks or transporting people and things.  No longer used in warfare, the elephant remains a religious symbol and is revered, especially by the Hindu people.

Its African Kin

The African elephant is larger than the Asian elephant, as mentioned, and is immediately distinguishable because its ears are also much larger.  In addition, the African elephant’s head is bigger and protruding more in the front.  Some 17 million years ago, give or take, the African elephant migrated to Asia and a separate species evolved as the Asian elephant.  No longer numerous in its former habitat, today the Asian elephant lives mostly in the high mountains of Sri Lanka, southern China, India, Indochina and Indonesia.

Oh, yes…and in zoos around the world.  Some animal fanciers are happy that these elephants have been rescued from the wild where hazards or even death might befall them.  Others argue that zoos are inhumane.  Whatever your position is, learn about these marvelous mammals that move easily through the thick jungle serving their masters and nurturing their young.  They are extraordinary animals, indeed.

Everyone is discouraged from buying ivory so the killing of elephants will come to an end.

India’s Faithful

Spirituality and Devotion

Hidden behind a mask of struggle lies the miracle of hope.  A gauzy veil conceals a shy smile and an inner peace.

India’s holy men wander among these souls preaching to the masses about tolerance, and about compassion.  They speak to the throngs of the promise of a better life for those whose burdens are weighted down by today’s unjust world.  These messengers of many gods live with the knowledge that members of their flock endure days that are wrenchingly difficult.  Uncertain.  For many, their future is beyond bleak.

So crowds listen.  And people embrace what they hear.  It is with this peaceful acceptance that India’s multitude can then face each endless and challenging day.

At Peace

The people of India live their faith.  They pray.  They meditate.  They make pilgrimages and set aside holy places in their homes, no matter how humble.  The faithful accept whatever station in life they’ve been designated and carry on with a tranquility unknown to many outsiders.

Over the centuries, many invaders have charged across the Indian landscape.  With them, they brought not only their firepower but also their faiths.  In fact, India is home to four of the world’s greatest religions: Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism.  While more than 80% of India’s 750 million people, give or take, are Hindus, the rest adopt several other faiths.  In descending order, the most popular religions are Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism and Zoroastrianism.

Hinduism

There are two facts that make this religion unique.  First, no individual is acknowledged as the founder of this religion.  And, second, there are no holy scriptures.  While there certainly are sacred words, there is no single body of words that serves as the  source of guidance for Hindus.  The principal gods are the Creator Brahma, the Preserver Vishnu, and Siva the Destroyer.

Hindus celebrate 360 festivals annually.  Their holy men are known as sadhus, which means “wandering hermits.”  These people possess little more than that on their backs, which are usually yellow or ochre-colored robes.  Their foreheads are painted and their bodies covered in a dusting of ash.  They chant or meditate in silence.

Mahatma Gandhi was a Hindu.  Based on his faith, this small but mighty man loved and lived the concept of non-violence.

Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism

By some estimates, one hundred million Indians are Moslems.  People of this land first learned of Islam when Arab ships called in their ports in the 1600s.  Within 500 years, a Muslim kingdom was established in Delhi.  Followers professed a caste-free society and equality for all Indians, and they strongly influenced many Hindus with their philosophies.

Christianity came to India via Saint Thomas, so it is said.  Others claim that Saint Bartholomew is responsible for this deed.  And still others credit Saint Francis Xavier as being the one to smooth the road for the missionaries who followed.  And follow, they did.

Buddha, the Enlightened One, was born in what was then India (today Nepal) to a wealthy and noble family.  He was known as Prince Siddhartha.  This Prince became troubled by the impoverished world he witnessed when he first left the royal grounds, already a young man.  He paused to meditate under a Bodhi (Bo) tree and, while there, he became the “Enlightened One” -- Buddha.  Buddha’s image is seen across India and the position of his hands indicates whether he is “teaching”, “meditating”, or “witnessing.”

Jains, Sikhs, and Parsis

The Jains are completely non-violent and totally tolerant of all other faiths.  Only three million strong, their religion has no Personal God.  The “Three Jewels” of Jainism are: “right faith”, “right knowledge”, and “right conduct.”  Their conviction to non-violence is so overwhelming that Jains are often seen wearing masks and sweeping their path so they do not inadvertently breathe in or step upon an insect and kill it.

Sikhs follow the preaching of Guru Gobind Singh.  Each carries the surname “Singh” and is called only by his first name.  They must never cut their hair but must always wear a turban, a steel bracelet known as a “kara”, a sword, and undergarments.  There are fewer than 15 million Sikhs, by most estimates, and their holy temple is in Armritsar.

The Parsis (also spelled Parsees) originated in Persia.  They worship the “Wise Lord” and restrict outsiders from entering their holy places.  Their people are often in the upper strata of society and business, and are usually fair complected.

The words of many prophets inspire India’s people to love and to accept their lives, especially during troubled times.   Observers can often only envy the Indians’ inner peace and spiritual strength that serve as their unfailing guides.

Interview with a Sponge

The World’s Most Unusual Animal—Can You Name It?

What follows is an actual dynamic and provocative personal interview by an unnamed reporter (hereafter referred to as “R”) with a legendary being (referred to as “MG” —Mystery Guest) whom scientists believe stands alone among animal greats.

Hidden at the end of this captivating account is the animal’s true identity. Will you be surprised?

R: “Thank you for joining us.”
MG: “My pleasure.”

R:  “Your disguise is quite alluring, by the way.”
MG: “Oh, I just do this to foil those around me.”

R: “I’m writing this story on you because you’re known as one of, if not the, world’s most unusual animals.”
MG: “Of course I’m flattered and, frankly, honored.”

R: “First off, for the record, let’s establish exactly where you reside.”
MG: “Well actually, I’m rather fortunate for I have homes all over the world. You see, I’m ever so fond of many environments for I feel it keeps one alive. Friends can always find me in the ocean depths or enjoying the ebb and flow of the lower shores.”

R: “That’s astounding. You must thrive on this variety.”
MG: “Well, allow me to finish. I take to the refreshing sweet waters of vast lakes, cozy ponds, and rivers everywhere as well. I’m just here and there and all over the world.”

R: “Fascinating. And, since we last rendezvoused you seem to have grown some.”
MG: “Quite so. You know a number of my relatives are nearly six feet tall.”

R: “And what a whopping big family you have!”
MG: “The Porifera Demospongiae’s. Have you met them?”

R: “Well, certainly not all of them. That would be a life’s work in and of itself.”
MG: “Then you’ve heard--we now number 5,000 species in the subkingdom of Parazoa. You know how the prolific side of the family is. Well, actually, all of us generate both eggs and, and, well you understand these things, I’m sure. You see we all have both, ah, oh how do I say this? We’re welcomed into both the ‘ladies’ and the ‘gents’ (wink wink).”

R: “No need to explain. I’m from California.”
MG: “Thankfully, then I need not, or should I?, go into the asexual reproduction thing, just for the record?”

R: “Please do.”
MG: “All right. That side of the family sprinkles their gemmules about just as tourists flock to Vermont to view the fall foliage exploding in the most glorious shades of crimson and flame. Then later, as the jonquils erupt from the warm spring soil, our next generation develops wonderfully. And did you hear that some of our elders actually allow their bits and pieces to be fragmented off, like last season’s Burberry sweater, to become members of the next generation? I’m frankly rather appalled by these actions, but it is our nature, you know.”

R: “Thank you for sharing. Now, I’ve heard you’ve been on a strict diet lately? Is that true--you always looked, well, fine.
MG: “Oh yes, it’s marvelous. As a filterfeeder, I simply adore suspended and dissolved organic debris followed by some delightful bacteria. It’s a constant water in, water out, water in, water out. Oh dear, have I revealed too much about myself?”

R: “Not at all. You’re among friends. But some of those friends feel you’ve been a bit on edge recently. I learned you’ve been poisoning others with your toxins. Is that true?”
MG: “Well, they were sharks after all! Really! Lest you forget all the good I’ve done. I’ve helped treat arthritis, and smoothed rough hides despite the fact I myself have been rubbed the wrong way more than once.”

R: “You’re upset, I’m sorry.”
MG: “I’ve done what I could to clean up many a spill. And I’ve absorbed more than my share of things. Just think, compared to any old rag, such as your out-of-style oxford cloth button-down throw-away, I can take on 15 times as much hot water! But I’m throwing cold water on this interview which I now consider finished.”

R: “Well, thank you for your gracious time in enlightening us on your many qualities (sotto voce…. and detriments), you sponge!”
MG: “Oh sure, tell everyone!”

Bangkok, Thailand

Temples and Waterways

Long before the first ray of morning light addresses the fading night sky, Buddhist monks are already deep in prayer.  Meanwhile, hotel staff members are finalizing details, checking the crisp linen and polished silver once again.  Office workers are preparing for long commutes from the outer areas.  And tiny women are sweeping the marble walkways of the shimmering temples with handmade brooms.

Bangkok awakens.  Though this city has changed with the times, it too has remained as it was when travelers arrived from afar only by rail or by steamship.

Temples to the Sky

Bangkok’s hazy skyline is dotted with temples, or wats as they are known in Thai, resembling a giant chessboard with gilded pieces.  Housed within these ornate holy places are saffron-robed monks and the few remaining white-robed nuns, all with their heads shaved.  These monks greet the dawn by wandering side streets accepting offerings in their lacquer ware bowls for they own few material possessions or food.  Those making these offerings of food do so, so that they and their deceased ancestors will be granted spiritual rewards.

A few of Bangkok’s more important wats include the Wat Phra Keo, built on the Grand Palace grounds by King Rama I in 1782.  Within its ornate walls is the Phra Keo, or Emerald Buddha, which is the single most sacred treasure in all of Thailand.  The king no longer inhabits the Grand Palace.  Instead, it is the site of official receptions, traditional ceremonies, and the like.

Wat Pho is reputed to be the oldest Thai temple.  Thailand’s largest Reclining Buddha, a massive golden figure measuring 50 feet high and 150 feet long, lies inside in silent repose.

Looming on the banks of the Chao Phaya River is Wat Arun, the Temple of the Dawn.  While not as immediately impressive as other temples, this wat boasts an interesting porcelain-decorated prang (or tower) which glitters in the midday sun.

Life Along the Klongs

This Chao Phaya River is Bangkok’s lifeblood.  It provides the people with a transportation route, a means of shipping goods from place to place, a source for food, and a focal point for interest and activities.

Many Thai people still live along this river’s tributary canals, or klongs.  Their stilt houses are often more modern than their earlier counterparts.  No longer only simple wooden lean-to’s, many of today’s klong houses feature electricity, public water and sewer connections, trash removal, and mail delivery.  Nonetheless, naked children still splash about in the tepid waters, women still wash clothing and dishes on their watery front steps, and dogs still bark at passing boats rowed by young girls offering everything from ripe bananas to Tupperware.

Houses along the narrower backwater channels, no wider than a canoe, are much as they were long ago when they lacked all modern conveniences.  Accessible only by small boat, they often still have a small plot of farmed land or a pen of water buffalo attached.

As the afternoon sun causes your pace to slow a step or two, it’s time to retreat into one of the fine hotels flanking the banks of the Chao Phaya.  A server, as gracious as a princess, will bring you a frosty iced tea and adjust the oversized umbrella perfectly so you are safe in the shade.  Turn your chair so you can focus on the passing parade of rice barges, speedy boats, and cross-river ferries plying this busy river.  From this spotless terrace vantage point, you’ll capture images of Bangkok you’ll savor long after your visit has ended.

Mumbai, India

Washed by the Arabian Sea

Long ago, a well-heeled gentleman scribbled down his thoughts about this teeming city.  This inveterate globetrotter proclaimed that Bombay (as it was known then) was…“A bewitching place, a bewildering place, an enchanting place--the Arabian nights come again!”

Of course, this quote emanates from the celebrated author Mark Twain in his 1897 work, More Tramps Abroad.  His ability to capture the essence of any destination he visited was uncanny.  Mumbai was no exception.

It is bewitching, almost hypnotic.  Oxcarts lumber down boulevards, wizened garland vendors create floral art, and giggling gaggles of school children march two-by-two.  Graceful women flow past draped in a rainbow of eye-dazzling hues.  All around are silk saris, turbaned Sikhs, and sacred cows with painted red and green horns the length of cricket bats.

Mumbai is bewildering, as well.  The ebb and flow of the human tide as it jostles along busy thoroughfares forms an almost-impenetrable wall.  There’s precious little silence.  Yet the city is all the while enchanting.  This enchantment lives on in its stately landmark structures and pampered parks.   The Mumbai that so captivated Mark Twain more than a century ago remains unchanged.

Tidelands and Titled Royals

From mud flats and marshy swamps, a massive city grew.  And, over time, Mumbai became India’s major cultural center as well as the industrial gateway to the Arabian Sea…and beyond.  Many historic landmarks, remnants from the city’s 19th-century Victorian Golden Period, are clustered around Bombay Fort.  This colorful district, named for the old fortification, extends two miles north from Apollo Pier to the neo-Gothic Victoria Terminus Station.

Apollo Pier is home to the monumental “Gateway of India.”  As the midday heat beats down, visitors gather in its shadow.  When night falls, local people stroll arm-in-arm around the gateway, delighting in its great beauty.  This Moslem/Hindu-style arch was erected to commemorate the 1924 visit to India by England’s King George V and Queen Mary.

Some 26 years later, however, the last British soldier snapped to attention, then marched tall and square shouldered beneath this arch with his head held high.  This gesture signaled that the final chapter of England’s 300-year rule over India had drawn to a close.

Just opposite the “Gateway” stands the famous Taj Mahal Hotel.  Recently modernized, this grand dame of hotels still conjures up the glory of the British Raj.  The upstairs lounge serves as the ideal vantage point from which to sip a refreshing Pimms.  Just outside the windows swirl colorful masses gathered along the jetty in the cool afternoon.  Beyond the crowded harbor is a flotilla of brightly-painted boats bobbing in the Arabian Sea.

North of this hotel is the impressive and important Prince of Wales Museum, noted for its remarkable displays of Asian art and archaeology, both ancient and medieval.  This museum houses one of India’s best natural science exhibits.  The domed building also features exquisite miniatures, porcelain, jade, and fine Buddhist carvings.

A Clock Tower and Hutatma Chowk

Facing a popular park known as Oval Maidan, along Queens Road, is the 260-foot-high Rajabai Clock Tower.  Built in the 1800s, it served as a memorial to a wealthy local banker’s mother.  This intricately ornamental, neo-Gothic tower truly stands out amidst the hodgepodge of other architectural styles nearby.

Hutatma Chowk is another notable landmark in Bombay’s bustling business district.  It is more commonly known by its anglicized name, the Flora Fountain, and adds an almost surreal beauty to the crossroads of Mahatma Gandhi Road and Veer Nariman.

Churchgate Station is one of the oddest yet most compelling of the area’s structures.  Just to the west along Veer Nariman Road toward the Marine Drive, this elaborate complex resembles a neo-Gothic cathedral more than an actual train station.  Its balconies, arches, turrets, and glorious stained glass windows combine to make it one of the area’s most unique buildings, especially when lit at night.

British influence on the architecture and life-style of this cosmopolitan city smacks you between the eyes when viewing the impressive facades of the Victoria Terminus Station and the General Post Office.  Similar to the Anglo-Indian splendor of the Churchgate Station, the Victoria is another example of neo-Gothic architecture from the late 1800s.  This imposing civic structure serves as the hub of downtown railway travel and is a beehive of activity long into the night.  Its Victorian grandeur not only inspires respectful awe, but also provides the backdrop for the frenetic flurry as waves of locals arrive from and depart to all parts of India.

Bombay requires some reflection.  To ponder its former glory and future challenges, its hustle and bustle, hues and blurs, retreat to a polished marble lounge at the Taj Mahal Hotel and let your thoughts gel.  Your head will surely be swimming.

Montevideo, Uruguay

Maté, Meat and Music

Uruguayans absolutely love life.  They’re festive and fun and filled with a quest to embrace each day with some form of excitement, entertainment or enjoyment.  Sports, wine, horses.  Fashion, food, nightlife.  But, there are three things that are absolutely sacred to the people of Montevideo.  To fully slip into the routine of a local’s day, you must learn a bit about their passions.

A Cup of Tea?

Not really.  Not like you think, pinkie in the air, little sandwiches.  No.  Uruguayans, like many of their neighbors in southern South America enjoy the triple-leaded, high-octane, tiger-in-the-tank type of tea spelled “maté” and pronounced “mah-tay.”  Not “mate”, like an Australian friend.

It can truly knock your socks off because it is really strong.  Not only is the tea strong because it’s made from the dried leaves of the yerba maté plant, but they use a lot of it for one single serving.  A lot!  And the leaves are often pulverized into a dusty powder locals call “yerba.”  There’s also a more traditional blend with more roughage, but let’s leave that subject alone.

Everyone has a very particular way of brewing his or her maté.  Like the Brits say, “bring the cup to the kettle not the kettle to the cup”.   Well, the Uruguayans have a ritual that’ll put those Brits to shame.  And they don’t use china cups, no no.  Their maté is consumed from hollowed-out gourds, as well as wooden and ceramic cups.

They must also have the proper straw, which is called a bomba or a bombilla.  Though there are lesser versions, a traditional bomba is made from silver.  It’s more a sieve really in case you don’t twizzle your leaves properly.  You want only the tea, not sludge.

Locals fill their gourds half-full with leaves, partially packed.  Cover with their palm, invert, return upright, shake the dusty bits that stick to said palm then wipe on designer jeans.  They add a pinch of this or a dash of that for flavor or medicinal purposes, then cool water.  One doesn’t want to disturb the nutritional components of the leaves, does one?  No.  Next, they add hot water… just off the boil.  Too much water, wrong.  Too little water, strong.  Cover.  Shake.  Tilt.  Shake again.  Let it settle.

Of course, all the swirling gloms the yerba leaves to one side so the bomba and the water go into the empty portion.  The tea drinker’s thumb must rest atop the straw opening while being inserted into the base of the gourd.

Where’s Starbucks?

Then and only then is it ready to sip.

At this point, though, the kids have missed the bus, breakfast is cold, and Mom hasn’t even started putting on her make-up.

Maté is a social ritual filled with tradition.  Buy a beautiful gourd with a decorative silver rim, a silver bomba, some yerba tea, sit with a friendly person on a park bench and have them show you the ropes.  It’s so South American.

Where’s the Beef?

Question—What country has the highest per capita beef consumption in the world?

Answer—Uruguay with approximately 130 pounds of beef per person per year.  Add to that about 42 pounds of poultry and another 13 pounds of lamb and you’ve got yourself some serious carnivores.  185 pounds total per year means about one-half pound of meat consumed by every single Uruguayan every single day.  Well, I guess you can skip the crudités.  

For the record, and I do mean the record, Uruguayans used to consume an amount of beef annually that basically was the equivalent of their body weight.  To make all this dining possible, there are Uruguayan parrillas that are basically steakhouses where the meat is often carved right at your table off long sabers.  Try the vacio, a lean cut.  And, when dining off the regular menu in traditional restaurants, expect a steak the size of a bicycle seat.

Of course, the follow-up question is, “Why do Uruguayans eat so much beef?”.  Because the meat in this part of the world is among the finest.  In fact, in 2011 Russia imported more than one-third of Uruguay’s output of beef.  And, it’s reported that most Uruguayan beef is grass-fed and hormone-free per legal guidelines imposed by the government.

Give Me the Beat, Boys!

You’ve sipped and supped.  Now it’s time for music. These people love a unique Uruguayan music called Candombe.  Its origin was probably with the African slaves who arrived by ship in the 18th Century.  It was then religious in nature. Drums called tamboriles lay down the beat for today’s Candombe street drummers who march together in a drum corps.  Other casual groups form along the ramblas and beachfront to play their drums for hours on end.  Shouldn’t be long now till you stumble across some drummers for yourself.  And, at Carnival time, the whole thing is spiced up with skimpy costumes, a few feathers and sequins and not a lot more.  UNESCO recognizes Candombe as a piece of “intangible cultural heritage”.  You’ll recognize it as hot hot hot hot hot.