KENYAN TID BITS

Memories of  Kenya

            Aaskari was a new word to me and I quickly learned it meant armed guard. During my visit to Kenya they were all over the tourist district, we understood mostly for pick pockets and minor crimes. In our well known hotel askari patrolled each floor of the hotel 24/7. They were on the streets and in front of stores. One evening one of the hotel askari accompanied several of us to an Indian restaurant two blocks away. I must say that I never felt threatened and was only uncomfortable in the local market because it was so big and such a potential fire hazard.

            Bougainvilleas ,in all colors, grew everywhere. They often formed gorgeous living fences and they grew as big as small trees. They hung over walls and were always a beautiful and a cheery site.

In the early 1900s the English indentured the Kikuyus to work in the sisal fields. Unable to read or write they did not understand that their thumb print on a piece of paper was obligating them to five years of very hard work. Many of them left but were arrested and returned to the plantations or put in jail if they refused to work. Because harvesting sisal is so difficult the crop was eventually replaced with coffee. One delightful evening spent in an Indian restaurant, the owner from India enlightened us some more about what a tough job cutting sisal was.

We arrived at the Aberdare Country Club about noon one day on our way to the Ark. The club veranda looked out over the valley and Mt Kenya beyond. What a view! It was a perfect place for the panoramic camera.  After lunch we wasted no time commandeering a rocking chair on the veranda just to enjoy the incredible view. I’d have been happy to have eaten lunch on a tray there but we dined inside with tux-clad waiters hovering over us fulfilling our every desire.

On the gentle lower slopes of Mt. Kenya we stayed at a quaint little English cottage lodge along the Naro Moru River. The area offered us a good opportunity for some nature walks and bird watching. The river was relatively clear but the water cold. There were several small waterfalls along the river. It was another lovely landscaped lodge. That night we lit the fire that was laid in our cabin fireplace and fell asleep to the crackling logs burning. Great!

            A total surprise of this trip was the totally unexpected beautiful hotels. After traveling over miles of rough dirt dusty roads it was a shock to come upon an oasis in the desert with running streams, swimming pools and lovely lush landscaping.  Our first plush hotel out of Nairobi was Amboseli nestled in the foothills of majestic Mount Kilimanjaro.  Part of the foothills are in Kenya but all of Kilimanjaro is in Tanzania.

After checking in at the hotel, I rounded the corner of the lodge veranda and nearly tripped over a yellow faced monkey! Later I observed him going into the coffee room and stealing a packet of sugar, then scampering off to eat his treat. He was fun to watch and he obviously was used to being around people.

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND

A Few City of Edinburgh Highlights

This city of 500,000 is Scotland’s jewel festive epicenter of Scottish culture, as well as an important financial center of the United Kingdom.    Locals call themselves Edinburghers.

Edinburgh has been Scotland’s capitol since the 12^th century. Framed by rolling hills and the blue of the Firth of Forth, it is one of Europe’s fairest cities. Half medieval and half Georgian it is often referred to as to as the Athens of the North. In 1999 Edinburgh became the seat of the Scottish Parliament. Filled with history, battles, kings, bold ideas and literary association the city is the gateway to central Scotland. It is a city of contrasts where the past meets the present and ancient streets are filled with the hustle and bustle of modern day city life. Scotland aligned itself with France in 1513, and England burned the city but spared the now famous castle.

In the 12^th century Edinburgh was a walled city. The 1707 Act of Union with England moved the power to Westminster. The city is divided into Old Town and New Town. Edinburgh University was founded in 1583.

The seat of centuries of Scotland’s colorful and turbulent history Old Town is best seen on foot. The backbone of Old Town is the famous Royal Mile where kings and queens traversed for centuries. Grassmarket, south of the castle, is where the dreaded gallows hanged convicted criminals and burned witches at the stake.  Many squares, terraces, circuses, wynds and closes crisscross the city interrupting the cobbled streets thus making street numbers very confusing and difficult to find. Numbers are often missing, and follow no logical sequence.

James Craig, only 27 years old, designed New Town with its classical grid design that was the first in Europe. The buildings are Georgian. After New Town was built Old Town became a slum and remained so until a 19^th century restoration. Taxes were based on the number of windows in a house, so it is not unusual to see artificial windows on the top floor that reflect no light. New Town dates to the 18^th century, the golden age of Edinburgh. Three main streets: Queen, George, and Princes run parallel in the Georgian masterpiece. The rectangular symmetrical grid links Charlotte and St. Andrews Squares.  The first building went up in 1767 and by 1846 Edinburgh was a true British city with a direct rail link to London. Rose Street, directly north of Princes Street, has more pubs per square block than anywhere else in Scotland. Shops and restaurants are nestled between the pubs.  New Town covers one square mile and contains 10,000 buildings that are listed for architectural merit. (The equivalent to our historical building.)

St. Giles Cathedral, Scotland’s principal church, has a turbulent religious history. It was Episcopalian twice. John Knox delivered fiery Presbyterian sermons here that drove Mary, Queen of Scots into exile.

Robert Lewis Stevenson lived at 17 Heriot Row from 1857 to 1880. A sickly and lonely child, he spent a lot of  time in a third floor bedroom window looking out onto the street. A local wealthy citizen who turned into a sort of cat robber in the evening was the inspiration for Stevenson’s Jeckle and Hyde. The lamplighter who came by each evening to light the street lamps inspired his famous poem The Lamplighter.

The Walter Scot Memorial looks like a church spire without a church. In the middle of Princes Street by the park it really is a monstrosity looking very much out of place. Built in 1844, it towers 200 feet over the sidewalk. Inside the spire is a marble statue of Scot sitting in a chair, his favorite dog sitting beside him.

Holyroodhouse, also spelled Holyrood House, was originally built as a 12^th century abbey, ruins of which are visible from the courtyard.  A little history: Queen Margaret eventually became Saint Margaret. She was very altruistic, doing kind deeds all the time, but not so her son, King David.  One day he was thrown from his horse and suddenly was confronted by an angry stag. When he put his hand up to protect his face the stag turned and walked away. He took this as a sign to change his ways and built the original fortified house down in the valley. The house was built in two sections. Mary, Queen of Scots, occupied the 16th century tower. In the 17^th century additions were added to join the other buildings and form the inner courtyard. The ceilings inside were absolutely exquisite. Made of egg white and horsehair they were as fine as any plaster ceiling. The detail and design was incredible. This would not be my choice of residence and it is said that the Queen detests Holyroodhouse. 

There you have some highlights of Edinburgh.

FAIRY PENGUINS

 The Penguin Parade

One evening while in Melbourne, Australia we drove  to Phillip Island. We had an excellent lobster dinner at The Jetty Restaurant before going to see the penguins. In Auckland we had seen the largest penguins (emperor) in the world and now we were going to see the smallest ones.

The tiny Fairy Penguins live only in southern Australia and every evening shortly after sunset they march across Summerland Beach to their nesting area an event known as the Penguin Parade.

A visitor center was built to protect the penguins and prevent people from trampling the beaches and destroying the penguins' home. Bleachers line the beach for spectators to watch this evening ritual.  If the pathways leading home through the sand are destroyed the penguins get lost. No flash pictures are allowed as the flash hurts the penguins’ eyes.

Over a half million visitors a year visit the center. You can imagine what that many people could do to the nesting area. The penguins live in homes burrowed in the sand.

These tiny animals, smallest of the 18 species, often swim 20 miles off shore feeding. They can dive ten meters and have been clocked swimming 24 mph. Mating season is July-September and these penguins mate for life. Each couple raises two chicks and the parents take turns feeding the youngsters. After 6-8 weeks the little ones leave the nest and learn to swim, they cannot fly. The fairy penguin is, on average, 33 cm long and has an ink blue coat.

Watching the penguins walk across the beach, I whispered, “What an experience! They are so tiny, just precious.”

After the parade one can walk on the boardwalk through the nesting area which is filled with the sounds of the penguins talking. Do you suppose they are asking, “Did you have a good dinner?” Pretty fantastic to be so close to them!

The center has a lovely museum and a nice gift shop.

This was a once in a lifetime experience and it was fantastic!

PLITVICE NATIONAL PARK

                                              One Lovely Park

I chose the trip I did to Croatia because Plitvice Lakes (PLEA-veet-seh) were on the agenda. Also known as the Land of Falling Lakes, the 16 turquoise cascading lakes separated by limestone dams and countless waterfalls are located in Croatia’s first national park and one of Europe’s last old-growth forests. The 114-square-mile park, established as a national forest in 1949, became a UNESCO site in 1979. There is no town nearby, but 700,000 people visit the park each year, however few are Americans. The park has two entrances.

            Running parallel to the Dalmatian Coast the natural landscape of karst formations is located in the   limestone Denaridge Mountains.  Travertine traces can be seen in some of the streams. The area is famous for its numerous waterfalls and green, emerald, and turquoise waters. Clear water, flowing from the mountains, brings calcium carbonate with it which interacts with plants, algae, and moss to create the beauty and ever-changing landscape that is in constant motion. Minerals coat vegetation on the lake bottoms that reflects sunlight creating a blue color. Eventually vegetation thickens, and travertine barriers form and waterfalls emerge. It is one of Europe’s most spectacular natural wonders.

            Nestled between Mount Mala Kapela and Mount Pljesevica the upper and lower lakes have a height difference of 440-feet. The lakes are tranquil in summer, but waterfalls continue to flow during cold, harsh winters filled with ice and snow. The longest waterfall, located in the lower lakes, is 250-feet high. The mountain flow of water determines whether one experiences a light mist or thundering deluge. Lake Kozjak is the largest lake.

            The magical landscape includes forests, lakes, streams, rivers, and miles of pleasant walks in the National Park. Trees cling to cliffs. In the ancient European forest and trees stay where they fall. 

            Abundant beech trees provide nuts for wildlife.  The plentiful wildlife includes brown bear, European owl, mice, squirrel-like dormice, grey heron, otter, wild cats, European pond turtle, wolf, boar, woodpeckers, turkey grouse, black stork, red squirrel, badgers and 160 species of birds.

            The recent war’s first casualty was a park policeman.  Serbs occupied the park until 1995, but fortunately there was little damage to the area other than the killing of much of the larger wildlife.

            Hotel Jezero, a large modern hotel with 229 rooms, is located at the park entrance. Surrounded by lush forest, the region’s tranquil waters are at your doorstep.

            It was a long transfer day from Dubrovnik to Plitvice.  Late afternoon we went for a walk in the woods descending many of the 239 steps to the lake. I could hear waterfalls but couldn’t quite get to them. The weather had cooled considerably. The beautiful area is very peaceful.

            The next morning we woke to a lovely day. Our guide told us, “I was here five times last year and it rained every time.”  We were lucky!

            We walked around the incredibly beautiful lower four lakes.  There are waterfalls around every corner, all sizes, all heights.  The water not only rolled over the edge but also flowed thru several holes in the rock so a fall might have 7-8 falls flowing under the water falling over the top. I have never seen such falls. They were unbelievable.

            The water was not as cold as I expected. The pathways were well packed and smooth. In many places we walked over elevated wooded walkways. I walked slowly as this was a prime destination for me and I wanted to absorb the scenery and beauty as long as possible.

            In one lake  fish swarmed in large schools along the edge in several places. The waster was crystal clear everywhere. The colors of the lakes varied from green to turquoise. The sound of running water was wonderful.

            The 12 upper lakes are less scenic and are visited much less often. The walks in the park are limited to the areas around the lakes, even though the park extends much farther. There are still war remnants left in the rural areas and it is not safe to walk them without extreme caution.

            We were visiting on a Saturday but ran into virtually no other people. We did meet a couple of young American girls who had been studying in Italy and were now headed home. Ah youth!

             The area is often referred to as the Devil’s Garden or Land of the Wolf which translates into lifka.

            Plitvice ranks high on my list as one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited. I didn’t want to leave, but eventually we came to the end at one of the largest lakes and reluctantly left. 

THE SIBELIUS MONUMENT

        An Unusual Artwork

Outside of Helsinki, Finland  the Sibelius Monument is located in a lovely park at the water’s edge of a lake.   A competition, held in 1963, was won by female sculpture, Ella Hiltunun, who won over 50 other sculptors.

The 600 acid-proof stainless steel pipe sculpture shimmering in the park is dedicated to Finland’s famous composer, Jean Sibelius (1865-1957). Originally a lively debate ensued about the merits and flaws of abstract art. The steel pipes are welded together in a wave-like pattern. The purpose of the artist was to capture the essence of the music of Sibelius. It took four years to complete the 30-ton structure which measures 10.5 X 6.5 X 8.5 meters. Unveiled on September 7, 1967 it was Finland’s first abstract monument.

An effigy of Sibelius is included in the artwork. The cigar smoking composer moved from the city in 1904 and died at age 92. It is an interesting and unusual piece of artwork located in a lovely peaceful setting that certainly is easily recognizable.

TITO'S MEMORIAL

Tito's Memorial

After WW I Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia became known as Yugoslavia. Various countries were added until in 1946 Yugoslavia consisted of the original three countries plus Montenegro, Bosnia, Herzegovinian and Macedonia.           

Joseph Broz Tito, who spent a lifetime as a public servant, first in the army then politics, became president of Yugoslavia in1953.       After becoming president, Tito had a special train built for his exclusive use.  This rolling presidential palace was known as the Blue Train.  It allowed Tito to continue state business and to travel among the Yugoslav states.  Over the years he traveled more than 350,000 miles on his train.  The train interior was finished in mahogany, pear and walnut woods and was refurbished in 1972 in anticipation of Queen Elizabeth’s visit.  Tito was much loved by his people.      

 While in Serbia, we visited Tito’s Memorial.  After his death a huge mausoleum was built. The whole complex is a good example of the personality cult, so widespread in Yugoslavia under Tito.  The name House of Flowers comes from the fact that many flowers surrounded the tomb until it was closed to the public. Today only white rocks are where the flowers used to be. It was internally called "flower shop" during Tito's life when it served as his auxiliary office with a covered garden.           

After the breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the entire complex, including the tomb and the memorial museum, was closed and military guards removed. However, today it is again open to the public. Many visitors are from the former Yugoslavia. The museum houses an extensive collection of gifts presented to Tito from his many visits with foreign dignitaries.

He was given a symbolic Olympic sword after every set of games and one room of the museum was devoted to displaying them. Each one was different. Another room displayed gowns, uniforms, swords etc. The grounds were well kept as were all the grounds we saw. The grass was cut everywhere which was not the case in Romania and Bulgaria. In fact we wondered if those countries even had mowers.                                                     

 After Tito’s death among the rulers was the hateful dictator, Milosevic. After the elections of 2000, major street protests occurred resulting in the ouster of President Milosevic.

QUEBEC CITY HIGHLIGHTS

Quaint Canadian City

Quebec City, built in 1608 on the St. Lawrence River,  is the only fortified city, north of Mexico, left in North America. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage City in 1985, Canada’s oldest city is known and loved for its European charms. Centuries-old homes line narrow, cobblestone streets of the exuberant, romantic city.

Ninety-five percent of the nearly 650,000 population in the provincial capitol speak French. The city is one of the safest places in North America. It enjoys a healthy environment with clean air and plenty of green space. Flowing from the Great Lakes to the sea, the mighty St. Lawrence is a gateway to a continent. It is also the heart-line of a province, the soul of a people and the jewel of Quebec City.

The well-preserved Vieux Quebec, Old Quebec, is small and dense, covering only four square miles. It is well  steeped in four centuries of history and French tradition. The ramparts that once protected the 17^th and 18^th century city remain in place and stretch nearly three mile. They are 20-feet high and 49-feet thick.

The park in front of the Frontenac Hotel is the Place d’ Armes. For centuries the square atop the cliff was used for parades and military events. Upper Town’s most central location is bordered by government buildings, including the Renaissance-style Old Courthouse, 1887. The Funicular entrance/exit that connects Upper and Lower Towns is located here.

The Gothic fountain, 1650, at the center pays tribute to the arrival in 1615 of Franciscan monks of the Recollet order. The monk holds an ear of corn in one hand and a cross in the other.

Across the street is a larger-than-life stature of Champlain, 1567-1635, who eventually became Governor of New France.

Quebec City is much smaller than Montreal, so we were able to see several things in a short period of time. Holy Trinity Anglican Church, a stone church dating back to 1804 was one of the first Anglican cathedrals to be built outside the British Isles. It has a simple dignified façade modeled after London’s Saint-Martin-in-the-Fields. The land was given in 1681 to French Franciscan monks by the king of France. When Quebec came under British rule the monks made the church available for Anglicans services.  The church houses precious objects donated by King George III. The wood for the oak benches was imported from the Royal Forest at Windsor. The impressive organ has 3,058 pipes.  The eight bells in the bell tower date to 1804.

The oldest parish in North America is Notre Dame Basilica, 1647, also known as Our Lady of Quebec Basilica. In 1759 cannons from Levis, across the river, damaged the church during the siege of Quebec. In 1922 fire destroyed the second church, but each time it was rebuilt on its original foundation. The façade is classical-style. The large and famous crypt holding 900 bodies, including 20 bishops and four governors, was the city’s first cemetery. Champlain is believed to be buried near the Basilica. The church has only one tower as the ground was not solid enough to support a tower on the left side. The ornate interior includes a ceiling of clouds decorated with gold leaf and richly colored stain glass. The oldest piece in the Cathedral is a sanctuary lamp, a gift from Louis XIV.

Masion Maillou, the colony’s former treasury building  was built between 1736- 1753. Its sharply slanted roof, dormer windows, concrete chimneys, shutters with iron hinges, and limestone walls typifies the architecture of New France. Now housing the chamber of commerce, the green roof and turquoise shutters are hard to miss.

            The Terrasse Dufferin boardwalk offers a wonderful respite from sight-seeing and should not be missed. From here the rooftops of Lower Town can be seen directly below. Constructed in 1878, this wide walkway has an intricate wrought-iron rail. The walkway offers a panoramic view of the St. Lawrence River and the town of Levis on the opposite shore. It extends from Place d’ Armes to the Citadel

            Late one afternoon as we were heading back to our hotel we stopped to ask a couple standing on a street corner, who looked a bit lost, if we could help them find something. We got to chatting and the point of this tale is the fellow asked where we were going to eat that evening. We didn’t know. He told us, “If you follow this street down the hill, there is a restaurant called Portofino Bistro. They have excellent food. You’ll really enjoy it.”

            We did walk down the hill and when we saw the restaurant we decided to give it a try. Portofino Bistro is located in a house dating back to 1760. We enjoyed the warm friendly atmosphere and the friendly people. But most of all we enjoyed the superb lasagna. It was, indeed, a good choice!---thanks to a chance Canadian encounter!

BRITANNIA

                     ROYAL YACHT 

 While in Edinburgh we read that the Royal Yacht was moored in Leith Harbor on the Firth of Forth. We bought a bus day-pass for two pounds and was able to ride the bus all day.

With the day more or less planned we took off with bus route map in hand and walked around the corner to get the bus. We took the bus down to the harbor and saw new territory on the 45-minute bus ride. I was willing to give up the Botanical Gardens if I could see the world’s oldest floral clock, and then walk through the park. After that we caught a bus to the zoo.

At the harbor we bought senior tickets and wandered through a picture gallery before boarding the Britannia.  We learned the 461-foot long, 17-foot wide yacht was built on the Clyde in Glasgow, was commissioned in 1952 and set sail in 1954. The yacht draws 17 feet of water and cruises at 22 knots.

She was the 83^rd royal yacht since the first one in 1660. By the time she was decommissioned in 1997 she had sailed over a million miles and put into 600 ports in 135 countries!

I remarked, “The upkeep for something this big must be tremendous. But still it’s a shame that the public outcry of the expense forced her to be retired.”

We were given new punch-button phones that guided us to each numbered station. It was nice to wander at our own pace. There was a lot of information in a very understandable format.We lingered at some stations and replayed the information. Someone  did an excellent  job planning and routing people through.

The aroma of fresh baking bread filled the air. Two parts of the yacht that really intrigued me. One was the royal dining room with its U shaped table that seated 54 people. It takes three hours to set the table. It was all set, including place cards, for a function that evening. Artifacts from around the world, that were gifts to the Queen, surrounded the room’s perimeter. I wanted to take a picture but it was prohibited, and I didn’t want to risk being a naughty girl!

Behind the dining room in the stern of the ship is a large comfortable sitting room with delightful colors and décor. The room extended from port to starboard.

It was noontime when we exited the self guided self-paced tour through the gift shop. We took time to eat lunch in one of the many restaurants in the Ocean Center, before catching the bus back to New Town.

It was a fun and interesting morning.

DAVOS and INTERLAKEN

                                          A Couple of Swiss Cities

Davos, Switzerland is the sister city to Aspen, Colorado. At 5117-feet  it is Switzerland’s highest town and mountain resort. In winter skiers overrun the town of 11,500 people. The 70 hotels have 8000 beds so people rent out another 12,000 beds in their homes. During the summer of my visit the town was a quiet peaceful one. There are 90 farms in the Davos area and the focus has changed from beef to milk. A good part of the four million liters of milk a year is made into cheese. Most of our hiking here was through lovely quiet forested areas.

Switzerland offered many different foods which I generally found very good. In Davos we were served kirschwasser---a brandy distilled from cherries. Such kirsch is common in much of Europe and it is made from many different fruits. I always find it a bit potent for my taste.

It was most of a day’s ride from Davos to Interlaken via the Glacier Express. We all had taken a book to read on the trip, but the scenery was so spectacular that we all scuttled that idea. Along the route we passed through the eight-mile long Furka Tunnel, the longest narrow railroad tunnel n the world.  The Rhone valley was stunningly beautiful.

The climb up to the Overalp Pass was slow affording us good views of the wildflowers growing in the fields. The scenery was breathtaking.  The snail’s pace up a couple of the mountains made  us wonder if we might roll backwards. The train tracks literally overhung the mountains in several places. It was a stunning eye-catching day!

In Brig we had a layover between trains so many of us headed into town for a look/see. We walked the cobbled streets and alleys admiring the many towers and church steeples. The country is full of them and all seem to be different. Maybe I’ll return one day to do nothing but photograph steeples and towers.

Interlaken has a train station at each end of the city, but only a little over a mile apart. Trains for different destinations leave from each station. Interlaken is located in the southern part of Bern Canton between 12-mile long Lake Thun and 9-mile Lake Brienz. The first steam ships sailed the lakes in 1839. Many small villages are located around the perimeter of both lakes. At 848-feet deep, Lake Brienz is the country deepest lake and four fishermen make their living from the lake. It takes a two-year apprenticeship to become a fisherman. Most of the fish from the lake is perch.

The city of 15,000 is a popular winter ski area. As in Davos, private beds add to the 4000 beds to total 70,000 hotel nights a year. The city’s 5-star hotel, The Victoria, was built in 1869. The hotel Interlaken built in 1400 is the oldest hotel in town. The hotel boasts a stay by Lord Byron in 1816 and Mendelssohn in 1832.  The old wooden monastery was replaced with a stone on in the 1300s.

The city has Japanese, English, and Alpine gardens. The Japanese garden is largest and is a symbol of friendship between the two countries. Horse-drawn buggies roam the streets from Easter to October.

Switzerland is one of my favorite countries and I hope to return yet again one day.