THE BEOTHUKS

                                               Native Peoples

At the time of European expansion and settlement in Newfoundland, the Beothuks were the native inhabitants of the island. The traditional lifestyle of these aboriginal peoples disintegrated with the influx of Europeans and the Micmacs from Nova Scotia. Initial contacts with these people are recorded as friendly, but misunderstanding and suspicion increased to the point where actual killings occurred on both sides for real or imaginary injustices. Finally starvation was added when the Europeans unknowingly blocked the Beothuks access to the coast and of their traditional livelihood. By the early 1800s the Boathooks had disappeared as a distinct cultural group. Research during the past decade has enabled a partial reconstruction of their culture, language and traditional pattern of life that this tragic historic period closed so quickly and forever.

            As hunters they took full advantage of the abundant food resources on the island seasonally either on the seacoast or the interior forests and barrens. Two major migrations were made each year to hunt and gather resources. Summer and spring meant hunting seals, whales and other sea mammals that were numerous during those times. Thousands of shore and sea birds with their eggs were no doubt another food source. In the fall the family groups moved inland to hunt caribou as the animals herded together to migrate.

            It is likely that family groups coalesced for the caribou hunt and to maintain the ‘deer fences’ that are reported to have stretched for miles. These fences funneled the migrating herds into one area so they could be easily speared. These animals provided skins for clothing and shelter and meat for the winter. Small game such as beaver, fox and ptarmigan supplemented the winter food supply. Winter shelter was provided by mamateeks. Soil was banked against the outside of the teepee to shut out the elements. The external bankings have outlined old mamateeks at several archaeological sites, including the Red Indian Lake and Exploits River sites.

            Because of poor preservability of wood and bone tools in the soil for centuries most artifacts found have been of stone, predominately spear and arrowheads reflecting their hunting activities. Beothuk burial sites have produced leather clothing with frills; birch bark vessels, sometimes with decorative stitching and notched edges, elaborately carved pendants and incised bone and ivory pieces as well as an occasional woodcarving. Metal knives, nails, sword and clay pipes indicate that the Beothuks were in contact with early French and English sailors. Beothuk burials have been found in caves and rock shelters along the numerous bays around the island. Red ochre, symbolic to many cultures as a life-giving force, was used lavishly on the body and articles buried with them. John Cabot described the Beothuks as average height with light brown skin and dark eyes and hair. Lt. Buchan of the Royal Navy added that they painted their bodies with red ochre and grease and this may be the origin of Red Indian. The last known Beothuk died in 1829.

KEUKENHOF FLOWER PARK

                                         Fantastic Gardens

            We were in Holland during Holland in Springtime. Keukenhof Flower Park is located between Amsterdam and The Hague in the heart of western Netherlands' tulip-growing region. The place to see spring blossoms  was definitely Keukenhof Gardens 

            In the 15th century Countess Jacqueline of Bavaria owned  the estate where she hunted on  the grounds. In the court next to her fortress, Teylingen, she grew herbs and vegetables for the kitchen. Thus the name Keukenhof means Kitchen Garden.

            In 1850 the original design for the park was made by father and son landscape architects from Haarlem.

The park is unique, world famous, and has been one of the most popular destinations in The Netherlands for sixty years. The garden was established in 1949 by the then mayor of Lisse. The idea was to present a flower exhibit where growers from all over the Netherlands and Europe could show off their hybrids – while helping the Dutch export industry. The abundance of colors and fragrances rival any found elsewhere else in the world.

Keukenhof (roughly pronounced Koo-ken-hoff) boasts more than 7 million flower bulbs planted by hand and is the largest flower garden in the world with nearly 80 acres of magnificent blooms, in 1600 different varieties.  The bulbs are replanted every year. The mild climate and wet spring are ideal for bulb cultivation. The gardens are cared for by thirty gardeners!

Talk about photo ops!

We strolled through the 80 acre park over some of the 15 kilometers of footpaths. Its lovely, tree-shaded grounds have ponds, winding paths, streams, and fountains. Once the kitchen garden of a medieval castle, today it is known as the greatest flower show on earth.

The historic park, truly a feast for the eye and senses, is filled with blooming tulips, as well as hyacinths, daffodils, lilies and crocuses. Works of art and sculptures are amidst the magnificent flowers. It is easy to gain inspiration and to relax in the beautiful surroundings. 

 The theme for 2012 is “Poland, the Heart of Europe”.

            The Keukenhof has won prizes as Europe’s most valued attraction. Every year most of the grass, especially under the trees, is removed and about 7000 kilos of annual grass is sown that is not to be walked on!

            The 1892 windmill arrived at Keukenhof in 1957 and is on the Dutch Monument list.

            There is no question in my mind that this is the most fantastic garden I’ve ever seen and believe me I’ve seen a lot of them.

            Every year about 25 Polish fellows arrive to plant the gardens. They stay 6-8 weeks and then return to Poland and they generally do this for five years

            I couldn’t help but wonder what the grounds look like when all is bare before planting. The combinations, colors, designs and displays vary year to year. What a fun job it would be to design all the gardens!

            We made it to the huge exhibit after several hours of wandering, admiring and photographing display after display. Here we saw tulips that didn’t look anything like a tradition tulip. The double ones looked like peonies. I was fascinated with the ones with fringed edges. Some even looked almost translucent like a fine piece of china bowls. Some were as large as a salad plate!

            We did take one respite to sit and just enjoy the scenery and the wonderful aroma of the hyacinths. The sun shone and the wind moderated making for a delightful afternoon.

AALSMEER, the NETHERLANDS

                                         Aalsmeer Flower Auction

 Having just returned from Holland I want to share an awesome experience. We were up early for a 6:30 AM departure for Aalsmeer. It was more than worthwhile as I’m not sure I can describe the world’s largest market place and the auction that starts each week day at 7AM.

Aalsmeer flower auction takes place in the auction hall covering about 160 acres!  Talk about big! In 1968 two auctions merged into Flora Holland, now  a co-op of 6000 growers. The auction of flowers has gone up and down over the years starting in 1911 until after WW II when it stabalized and grew. The auction moved to its present location, near the airport in 1972. More than 23,000 acres are devoted to growing and greenhouse production.

There are five auction halls with 13 clocks. Buyers sit in moderate sized amphitheaters, each with desk and computer. Flowers enter on the floor below on huge multi-tiered carts via automated railway. The content and number of flowers and the starting bid is posted on a large screen in the front along with a large clock.

In a Dutch auction the cost and numbers go backwards starting with the highest bid. It is lightning fast. Bidders bid by pressing a button linked to the main computer when the price of the flowers reaches what they are willing to pay. The first person who punches the electronic button sets the going price of the day and is obligated to buy the lot of flowers. The trick is to bid before the next fellow. There is only one bid: the highest. Every weekday 19 million flowers are auctioned. There are over 1000 buyers plus today remote electronic buyers.

Once purchased, the flowers are loaded onto airplanes and transported to florist shops across Europe and the U.S., usually to be sold the same day.

The visitors' gallery offers a great view of all that is going on. That gallery walkway is a mile long! On the floor below 1200 people are on foot, riding Sedway-type scooters, golf carts, bicycles as well as many walking pulling or pushing carts. There are also laden carts moving electronically on a single rail imbedded in the floor. The organization is phenomenal as everyone seemed to know what they were doing and where they were going. It was a mind boggling process.

It reminded me of a bee hive or an ant colony down there on the floor.

Activity starts to slow down by 9AM and when we left at 9:40 we wondered what all the people queued up to enter were going to see. We were happy to have arrived so early!

 ,

KURANDA, AUSTRAILA

    A Different Visit

Kuranda is 1000’ above sea level, and can be reached by road, cable car, or train. We arrived by road and returned by train.

            The road was well paved, narrow, and contained 116 curves. It cuts through a beautiful rain forest. that receives 3-4 feet of rain a year! The soil is poor and the terrain steep. However it is so dense that it produces an umbrella which makes the area ecologically self-sufficient. It is one of the world’s oldest rain forests, and is on Australia’s heritage list. Pythons in the forest can grow to be 20-30 feet long!

            The sky cable ride from Cairns to Kurunda is 7 ½ kilometers long, making it the longest in the world. The cables are above the rain forest providing a spectacular view.

            Kuranda is a small town full of shops and eateries. An aboriginal influence was evident. We had plenty of time to wander around, get something to eat and to rest on one of the many benches. It is a pretty quaint little town.                      

Our meeting spot for return to Cairns was the train station. The track goes through 15 tunnels, the longest being 1/3 mile long. We also passed over 30 bridges. Construction of this railroad was an engineering feat of tremendous magnitude and many lives were lost during construction.

            The first soil was turned in 1886. Built in three sections, the first and third sections were relatively easy. The second section involved steep grades, dense jungle, and the Aborigines defending their territory. Section two contains the tunnels and 93 curves going from 5 ½ meters at Redlynch to 327 meters at Myola. Remember in 1887 bulldozers, and modern equipment were not available.  This railroad was built with strategy, fortitude, dynamite, hand tools, buckets, and bare hands and opened to the public in 1891.

            This train ride was every bit as awesome as the one through the Copper Canyon, it’s just shorter. The waterfalls we saw were marvelous. The scenery was certainly gorgeous!                 

The ride was an hour and a half, the last half-hour being in Cairns getting to the railroad station.

It was a fun day in a strange place with different customs and lifestyle. 

THE MASAI

                                               Interesting Culture

 

One morning after breakfast  we visited a Masai village in Amboseli, Kenya.  The huts are built in a circle enclosing a community central area. Brambles, similar to tumbleweed but with thorns, surrounded the outside of the village to keep intruders and animals out. Only nighttime is spent in the hut. We entered one of the small, round, thatched roof huts. They are simple inside with little more than a bed and dirt floor. They live pretty simply and primitively. Men build the pole foundation of the home and the women are responsible for filling the spaces with a mixture of clay and cattle dung.  When this mixture dries it becomes hard like cement. The structure is no taller than the woman can reach. Masai live in arid desert areas, much of it in the rift valley.

The first house on the right of each village belongs to the chief. Being a nomadic peoples when they move all usable materials are taken with them and then the remainder of the village is burned to prevent anyone else from using it.

Several children were happy to perform some dances for us. The Masai chief, in full native dress, was most accommodating posing for pictures.

   Masai girls are still spoken for as very young girls with the parents making the match. This means that often the wife is many years younger than her husband. The Masai culture  practices circumcision of both sexes. Women are circumcised just before marriage. Every ten years there is a male circumcision  ceremony for all males over 14, so the age gap could be 14-24 as all males are circumcised at the same time. At this point the boys become morans. Each right of passage is marked by ceremony , dress, etc. One can read much about a female from the beaded necklaces she wears and about the males by the color of their hair. The culture is not monogamous; most Masai men have several wives.

A Masai woman is not supposed to have a child until the youngest child is able to tend the goats which they deem to be age 5. So the spacing of children with the same wife is generally five years. A man can offer his wife to a good friend, and she in turn can have an affair with a lover as the first wife, being an arranged match, is seldom a love match. Divorce is extremely rare. The wife raises the children. Masai men are not ‘family men’ as we know the term.  

Masai men tend to be tall and slender. Masai men wear typical tribal garb of red blankets. The tribe moves about with their cattle and goats for more fertile feeding grounds on the plains. None of the local tribes eat wild game. Goats are a staple of the Masai diet and they eat it like we eat chicken. Their diet is really very simple consisting of goat, beef, milk, and cheese. Many Masai have very bad teeth, most often with several missing. They seem to have a mutual understanding with wild animals, each leaving the other alone. The men do a jumping dance/ competition and many of them can jump really high.

With the changes in the culture some villages are becoming more permanent with concrete block buildings. Twenty percent of park fees now go to the local people living in the area. This allows the Masai people to be a little less dependent on their goats and cattle. All employees in the lodges are local people and as a result the Masai culture is slowly changing. There are not enough Masai women for wives so some Masai men are marrying Kikuyu women

            It is an interesting culture and it was most interesting to visit with them.

AN UNUSUAL CHURCH

                                                A Village Church

When biking in Germany and Austria between Melk to Krems we stopped in the small village of St. Michael to visit a rather unusual church. Our guide  told us. “This hilly area is wine country. You can see the vineyards are terraced as space is at a premium. The cemetery is very small, but 11,000 people have been buried here. In order to accommodate that many people, eventually skeletons had to be dug up to make room for more recent burials.”

            What did they do with all the old bones? In a room in the back of the church they created an altar with the old dug up skulls. It was pretty eerie. A large wire bin was full of long bones—those from the arms and legs. The whole room was really spooky.

            A docent informed us, “Many years ago churches were built as fortresses to protect the village from invaders. This church originally had five towers, but only one remains today, and the gun turret is clearly visible. Also in those days people didn’t have money to pay for services so they paid in produce, eggs, chickens, or whatever  they had. As a result this church had a nice wine cellar and two rooms to keep smoked meats cool.

            “This church in St. Michael was closed from 1784-1950. In 1950 it took the residents three years to clean up the inside of the church as birds had been nesting within for literally centuries. You can’t  imagine what a  mess that was!  In 1965 the church was renovated. The altar came from another church and is really too big for this small church. Only a few church services are held each year, but many weddings and concerts are held here.”

            An interesting if spooky visit. Not too long ago I picked up the end of a TV program that featured a similar skull room, but I missed where or exactly where it was, other than the fact that it was not the church I had visited.

KENYA TID BITS

Kenya Trivia

 

On a picnic one day by the Mara River I watched our guide take his cold soda and place it in the sun on the hood of the van to warm up. I know Europeans know chilled but  are Americans the only people who like their cola cold?

*****

 While in the Mara we were awakened each morning by the black faced monkeys squabbling outside our tent. It was as if they were saying ‘okay, it’s daylight now, it is time to get up’.

                                                                                    *****

It is impossible to trap a lion as they are too cunning and if you move one, the whole pride needs to be moved which is almost impossible to do.

                                                                       *****

The morning  we drove out from the Ark a beautiful spotted leopard crossed right in front of our van. He was going home to rest after a nights hunt.  He was beautiful. Lucky us!

                                                                       *****

On safari,  game runs are done early in the morning (6:30) before breakfast and late afternoon/early evening. These are the times of day the animals are most active as they rest in the heat of the day.

                                                                       *****

My son returned to our cabin after photographing Mt Kilimanjaro at dawn asking, “Did you hear the zebras barking?”

            “Is that what that noise is? I thought maybe it was dogs.”

            “Nope. There are a bunch of zebras down in that marsh just beyond the path outside our cabin.”

                                                                      *****

The Carnivore Restaurant is located just outside the city in Nairobi’s outskirts. The Carnivore is a popular and famous tourist restaurant. A large cooking pit is in the center of the restaurant where all kinds of wild game is cooked. Waiters come to the table to serve you. They will tell you what the meat is and you may try anything you want.

                                                                      *****

The Somali ostrich differs from other ostriches in that it has a blue head and legs. They are not numerous in Kenya, but we did see several of them.         

WAITOMO CAVE and WATER BALLETS

                                              A New Zealand Natural Wonder

Waitomo  Cave, known as the glow worm grotto/cave, is derived from two Maori words, wai meaning water and tomo meaning cave. The Waitomo River eventually vanishes into the hillside.

On this fascinating and unusual visit we learned from a docent that a New Zealand Mountie and a British surveyor discovered the cave in 1887. They rafted down the river but could go only half way into the cave. Two weeks later they discovered the present entrance and in 1889 the first tour took place.

The glow worm is different from a firefly  The light from a glow worm is less than from a firefly but when multiplied by thousands the sight is spectacular. The life span of the glow worm is eleven months and there are four stages. First is the egg which turns to larvae, then to a cocoon, and finally to a fly---similar to a butterfly. The glow comes from the larvae suspended from the ceiling. It snares its prey by dangling filaments of sticky beads. Chemical oxidation creates the glow.

After touring the cave we boarded boats and floated quietly though the grotto where thousands of worm larvae hung suspended from the ceiling. It was a rainbow of color, like none any man could create. There was no picture taking, so I bought a postcard.  We were all as quiet as church mice as we slowly floated down river. It was the most fantastic sight!

 

ORCHID GARDENS

Today water ballets   and displays are quite common and I’ve seen many in many different locales. However, the Orchid Gardens in Rotorua, New Zealand were my first.

The gardens and flowers were lovely, but the water organ/ballet was spectacular.

A local guide told us, “The gardens were built in 1985 at a cost of 1.3 million dollars. The water organ contains 700 pipes and 14 pumps. This set of pipes was made in Germany at a cost of $250,000, and there are only another four or five sets like these in the world.”

Water shot dramatically from the pipes simulating a ballet and the whole performance was set to computerized music.

When the water show was over I said, “I’d really like to sit through that again.”

My traveling companion agreed and we did. It was a marvelous performance!

PREDJAMA CASTLE

                                           A Cliff Hanger---literally

 Predjama (pred-YAH-mak) Castle, hangs and clings dramatically onto the side of a mountain. It is one of Europe’s most scenic castles. The current one was built in the 16^th century, but ledgers date to hundreds of years earlier.

            We stood mesmerized looking at the castle and wondered how in the world anyone could have built it, especially over five hundred years ago!

            In the 15^th century nobleman Erasmus killed the emperor’s cousin in a duel. He then spent years imprisoned in the castle nursing a grudge. When released, he used the castle, buried deep in the cave above the present one, as a home for Robin Hood antics. Peasants hated noblemen, so they didn’t mind that he kept the spoils for himself. The castle is 400 feet up the cliff, and  there are eight miles of tunnels!

            Soldiers from Trieste laid siege to the castle that lasted a year and a day. The only way to reach Erasmus was through a cave in the valley below and then  follow an extensive labyrinth of caves and tunnels. Soldiers starved and froze while Erasmus’ men sneaked out for supplies. They tormented the soldiers below by dropping leftover food on them. Eventually the soldiers formed a plan. They waited until Erasmus was using the latrine, which by design was on the outside of the castle. With a signal from a spy within, they blew him off the throne—literally--with a cannon ball. He is buried in the parking lot under the huge linden tree which his fiancé planted in 1484.

            We walked through a good part of the castle which was surprisingly comfortable. I didn’t venture very far into the large cave; once the daylight was gone so was I.

During the tour with a local guide we had a chance to view the 67-foot deep dry well that was used for punishment. Being thrown down that required no further punishment!

BALKAN COFFEE CULTURE

            Interesting Culture

            Everywhere we visited throughout the Balkans we ran into the coffee culture which fascinated me.  Coffee bars line the narrow streets and alleys in every town and village. They stand side by side and are interspersed among sidewalk cafés and restaurants. Strong Turkish coffee is the only coffee available, and it is served in tiny porcelain cups which contain about two swallows. Of course it is sipped in tiny amounts. Desserts are available it the coffee bars, but no other food. Desserts are sweet, but everyone loves them.

One can sit all day long with one cup of coffee if desired. No one ever tries to hurry or rush you away. And people do sit for hours visiting or just as often by themselves. People read, work on computers or visit with friends. The coffee bars open early in the morning and remain open late at night.  No one ever seems to be in a rush.

            I found it amazing that in spite of the really tough times these people have experienced and are still living that they never had their hand out. They always seemed surprised and delighted with a tip, but it was never expected and if it was not given there was no grumbling or nasty looks. They are a kind and gracious people.

            We have our own coffee culture in the United States and it is called Starbucks. But it is quite different than that in the Balkans. First the coffee is different. And we mostly drive through or enter, get our fix and leave with disposable coffee cup in hand. In the Balkans there is no disposable coffee container and one does not walk about on the street drinking. We have a much more rush and move-on mentality where the Balkan people are relaxed. Both cultures are interesting---I am familiar with one and fascinated by the other.

FIGHTING FOR A FLIGHT

                                            Sometimes It's Easy, Sometimes It's Not

            After one travels enough you know what flights you want and I for one am not willing to tromp all over kingdom come with multiple plane changes to get to my destination. When we went to the Balkans we were to start out in Vienna. The Vienna stay would be short and I had several things I wanted to accomplish.

Months before the trip I learned that most likely I’d be routed through Frankfort, Germany and not arrive in Vienna until 2:30 or later in the afternoon. After traveling all night that was not satisfactory! Returning home from Zagreb we were stuck with Lufthansa Airlines or one of their partners so I got on the web to see what US city had a direct United flight to Vienna. It was not a problem for me to get to any US gateway city.

            When I found a direct flight from Dulles, Washington, DC I called the tour company requesting that flight. We had quite a confrontation on the phone with my not being allowed to talk to the travel department and being informed that they did not take requests plus a lot of rhetoric about restrictions, contracts etc. I was not about to take no for an answer and informed them I would be a pest as, since it was my fourth visit to Vienna, I knew what I wanted to see in Vienna, where I wanted to go and what I wanted to buy and I did not want to waste the day flying especially after flying all night. About two and a half weeks later  I got my airline schedule in the mail which did put me on my requested flights.

            Our guide met the flight and we were actually in our hotel at 9:30 AM. Of course our rooms were not ready, so I left my luggage with the concierge, got directions to Stephenplatz and took off by myself as everyone else wanted to rest. I had until late afternoon before my travel buddy arrived from L A. I accomplished my goals and was back at the hotel about ten minutes before she arrived.

Coming home there was little chance of avoiding Frankfort, Germany so I just had to cope with that miserable airport and its disagreeable people. But coming home I didn’t care, and if the dirty laundry got lost---oh well. As it turned out we sailed through the Frankfort airport and because the security area we chose was very quiet we even chatted with a couple of friendly young security fellows. It was the easiest pass-through at Frankfort I had ever had.

SOMETIMES IT'S STRESSFUL

            Stress and a Great Drink

When biking along the Danube we had many interesting experiences. Ten kilometers out of Linz, Austria our guide stopped us   saying, “For the rest of the ride today you  must use extra caution. We are about to enter an elevated bike path. It is a concrete sidewalk about three feet above the street level. Traffic will be heavy and moving fast on your right and bikers going in the opposite direction will be passing on your left. Keeping your distance is very important. I caution you to be especially alert.”

It was a stressful six miles. I kept my eyes on the sidewalk and tried to ignore the vehicles whizzing by on the highway below. I would have been more comfortable if we were riding on the inside instead of the bikers going in the opposite direction. Fortunately we all made it safely with no mishaps.

Although stressed at the end of the day  I was surprised to find I was not as tired after this 40 mile day as I was on the first day to Passau. We arrived at our hotel about 5:00PM.

I was dying for a nice big glass of ice tea, something unheard of in most of Europe. After entering the hotel I went directly to the bar and asked  "May I have (buy) a cup of hot tea?”

“Yes.”

When I was handed the tea I asked, “Now, may I have the largest container you have full of ice?”

“Really?” the bar tender said as he gave me a strange look.

“Yes, please. And may I take this all up to my room? I will return everything to you when we come down to dinner.”

The bar tender was shaking his head as I walked  to the elevator.  In my room I grabbed a glass, filled it with ice and poured in the tea. Ay, the pleasure!  And that is how I got my one and only glass of ice tea on the entire trip.

I did return everything to the bar and thanked the bartender. I’m sure I was probably labeled, ‘a crazy American’ but I did not care. I was a happy biker!