KOALAS

 A Furry Cutie

        One afternoon on my first trip down under we rode out of town to visit koalas in a zoo. A local guide told us, “Koalas are  a marsupial. They have very sharp claws so we wean them from their mother onto a stuffed koala. They can cuddle with the toy, and in captivity we can handle them without too many nasty scratches.

         “Koala is an aboriginal word meaning does not drink. Koalas derive all of their fluid from an exclusive diet of eucalyptus leaves. They are very susceptible to human illness. Virtually all of the koalas on Phillip Island are infected with clymadia and are dying out. They are on a preserve there and when they are all gone, healthy koalas will be reintroduced to the island.”

         Koalas are nocturnal and can travel as far as five miles in search for food. They are a small animal, not much bigger than a good size teddy bear.
        New South Wales and Queensland climates are warm so the koalas are grey with white on the inner ears and chest. Victoria is cooler so the animals are larger with a darker fur, more of a charcoal grey.

        At birth a koala is a furless newborn that looks like a pink jellybean. This tiny animal claws and climbs its way up mama’s stomach to crawl into her pouch where it spends six months. When it emerges the baby clings to mama’s back until it reaches full maturity. Koalas seldom have more than one baby and if they do only one survives as the pouch is only big enough to accommodate one baby. The normal life span is 16-18 years.

        It was awesome to hold a small koala as it clung to its toy.

        In Tasmania we saw koalas in the wild. One actually climbed down from a tree and tried to climb up a gal’s pant leg. We figured the little guy thought her white sneakers were rocks and her pants were the same color as the bark of a tree. The guide rescued the koala but not before he left a couple of puncture holes in her pants.

LOWITZ, POLAND

 POLISH  COUNTRYSIDE

            It is always nice to get out of the city and ride through the countryside. When in Poland we stopped at the Bernardine Monastery where the nuns had prepared and served us lunch.

            The nuns basically run a soup kitchen serving lunch to several poor people every day. They were expecting us and I must say it was one of the most memorial meals I’ve ever had. The vegetable soup was delicious and the bread was hot out of the oven. It was not elegant dining but it was a delightful time. The nuns were friendly and gracious and it was a pleasure to add to their coffers. When we left, the nuns standing on the front stoop, serenaded us with their lovely voices.

            When we arrived at the Lowicz Castle ruins musicians and dancers were waiting for us. Dressed in native costume they performed songs and dances specially for us. This was a real native performance, not some commercial affair.

Lowicz is a small native Polish village. The spokesman for the group explained, “I bought these ruins a few years ago and built this building on the grounds. My wife and I live here. Eventually, I want to restore part of the castle.”

            They were most gracious people and invited us into their home. I don’t know much about the history of the castle but it looked like he had an ambitious restoration project before him.

            Inside the home the man’s wife and a girl maybe 11 or 12 years old were doing some paper cutting. We all stood gaping in amazement at the intricate designs they were creating with sheep-shearing shears! The designs were beautiful and the shears were so big. I couldn’t imagine the patience it would take to accomplish such a fine art.

            We asked if the designs were for sale and were stunned when they said they ranged from 6-10 zoltys which translated into $2-3. We learned that this craft is unique to only this part of the country. I treasure my paper cutting and have it hanging in my living room.

As we were leaving, the fellow climbed a small hill to give us a cannon salute from his real live cannon. What a nice tribute!

TUNDRA BUGGIES

Unique Vehicles

       In Churchill, Manitoba, Canada the tundra buggy could be described as an oblong railroad car mounted on huge all weather/terrain wheels/tires. A viewing platform is at the rear. Each seat has a large window which opens easily for better photography.

       The tundra buggy can travel the tundra, in fall and winter, over frozen ground and through snow, and in the summer, over soggy terrain. The buggy travels 2-3 mph on the tundra and average about 6 miles per gallon. The front tires hold 6# pressure and the rear 9#.

      When loading and unloading the buggy, the bus taking one to the staging area turns around and pulls up so its steps are directly opposite the steps of the buggy, requiring only one step on the ground. Transfers are quick. Polar bears can run 25 miles an hour, and who wants to meet one on ground level.

        The permafrost of the tundra is only 6-12 inches below the surface. I never visualized water on the tundra, but we saw many ponds. Some were as small as a 10 X10 foot puddle, and many were very large. The frozen water areas are called thermal karst. In summer they are  liquid water in a soggy tundra, and in winter a frozen pond.

        Both the federal and provincial governments strictly regulate the tundra. Two companies own the seventeen buggy permits to travel over the tundra, and even that is controlled. Stay on the 'roads' and no running over the tundra like a wild off-road vehicle.

       The first tundra buggy was built in 1980. The tundra highway starts out over an old military road and then travels over esker, a narrow raised area on the tundra.

      A tundra ride is rough, as the buggy bounces over the uneven ground and rock. The buggies are heated, but everything is relative. Granted, a temperature of 40 is warmer than the outside temperature of 0-minus 10, but when animals are spotted, everyone wants to open their window for the photo ops, and the inside temperature plummets rapidly. However, that was a minor inconvenience for the fantastic experience.

TIME IN A TIN MINE

Rock, Darkness and Water
       A visit to the Geevor Tin Mine in Cornwall, England was an interesting one. This claustrophobic old lady went on the mine tour, but I was sure happy to see daylight again! Before entering the mine we donned hard hats and to the knee smocks. Once in the mine, we walked conga dance-style holding onto the waist of the person in front of us. The only light was from the head lamp of the docent who guided us through the mine. It was easy to knock your head and to bump the side of the tunnels, so the required gear was a blessing. It took a lot of self talking to stay calm to get me though, and I gasped big gulps fresh air as we exited the tunnel. It was an experience!
      The docent explained, “In 1911 Geevor opened an old mine. The Victory shaft was sunk in 1919 and extends 1575 feet into the ground. In 1965 three mines were combined for a total of two square miles. In 1975-80 a 1:4 gradient shaft was added under the ocean at 2100 feet. In 1985 the price for tin dropped 60% overnight.
      “This mine, containing 160 miles of tunnel, continued to operate for a while longer but closed in 1990. At that time it employed 370 men, 130 of whom worked under ground. All the workers lived within a 7-10 miles radius of the mine. After the mine closing many of the men moved overseas to work in other mines.”
       In 1991 they started flooding the under ocean mine and it took 3 ½ years to bring the water to sea level. In 1993 part of the mine reopened as a museum.
       Ten percent of the rock mined is turned into tin ore, and it takes 24-30 hours to get it ready to go to the smelters. Iron, copper, and arsenic are also found in the rock.
       The guide continued. “Mining was men’s work. No women were allowed in the mines. Years ago boys as young as 8 were sent into the mines. Often a mine was a family enterprise. It is totally dark in the mines and candles provided the only light! A miner had to supply all his own tools, candles, gun powder etc. One was paid only on what he produced. All miners were contract labor; no hourly wage or health insurance in those days. The men would stay in the mines 10-12 hours in cramped positions from dawn to nightfall. The life span of a miner was only about 40 years. They suffered poor eyesight, as they worked 10 hours a day six days a week. Many died of TB.
       The countryside is dotted with smoke stacks of closed mines. Mining was the life style of entire communities. It was a very hard life!

A SCARY EVENT

MAYBE TOO ACCOMMODATING
      The last day camping with a group in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico we returned to Los Isolates for a final swim with the sea lions. Accommodating one of the swimmer’s request, the guide dropped anchor on the windward side of the island. Big mistake!
      I was the first one in the water and before I even came up for air a terrific surface current had swept me to the end of the island! One of the fellows was right behind me. We swam over to the island and hung on for awhile.
      I said, “Wow, I had visions of landing on that island over there.”
      As my roommate floated by. I waved frantically yelling, “Come over here.”
     “I can’t, the current is too strong!.”
     “The current’s a lot less here. Swim over,” I yelled.
      She did, and while the three of us clung to the rocks we watched another gal float by. She probably weighed over 400 pounds. Think blimp—as she floated on her back, feet first, toes in the air as if charting her float. She was screaming and yelling and floating just as easily as can be.
       By that time the people on the boat realized what was happening and stopped anyone else from entering the water.
       Immediately the little life boat was put in the water and the first rescue was the floating blimp. She had trouble getting in the boat so they simply towed her and came over for us. We three climbed in the skiff and then it headed back to the bigger boat.
       The three of us were able to board the ladder with no problem, but the blimp’s legs floated under the boat and she just couldn’t get her balance to manage the ladder. The crew had to lower a net into the water and eventually lift her aboard. Although this could have been a serious situation it was pretty funny after the fact. She was really very heavy and a real strain for the crew who were always most accommodating.
      Now it was apparent, and we all knew why, we had anchored on the other side of the island a couple of days earlier. It’s always better to follow the safety rules and everyone was fortunate that this situation was without incident.

NEWFOUNDLAND ODDITIES

Some Intersting Things I Learned
        Cloudberry also called bake apple is a popular berry to make jam and syrup. The berry is similar to a raspberry except the apricot-orange bumps are much larger and fewer in number. Cloudberries are found other places, but I first ran on to them in Newfoundland. The partridge berry tastes a lot like a cranberry.
       The trans-Canada highway starts in St John’s, Newfoundland with marker zero and extends 4660 miles across the country to Victoria, British Columbia.
        Ten mile pond is only seven miles long,----but ten miles from a long ago trapper’s home.
        A mug up is the expression for when friends and family get together to drink, talk, tell stories and sing. Screech is rum. Wedgies are fried potato chunks.
       Scuff means to dance, scoff means to eat so one can partake of a scuff
       In Newfoundland the word fish refers to cod, if any other fish is talked about it is identified by name.
      If you are not a Newfoundlander, you are from away. Tickle refers to a small stream of water. A deck on a house is called a bridge. In rural areas front doors frequently do not have any steps because the house is considered not finished and the taxes are lower. It is referred to as the mother-in-law door.
       Shed is a store and a store is a shop. That’s as confusing as a bar and gate in York, England.
       The Newfoundland pony was imported from Ireland and England. They weigh about 700 pounds and have strong forequarters.

        The Newfoundlander dog has a thick curly black coat and big webbed feet. The breed was brought to Newfoundland from England over 200 years ago. They are known for their loyalty and their many heroic rescues. We did not see many of them.
         Newfoundland has some funny place names. Many were influenced by the French and Portuguese and often have been anglicized. There are Heart’s Desire (1612), Heart’s Content (1700s) and Heart’s Delight (1800s), all close together. Originally the heart was hart, but was changed to the more common spelling. Then there is Joe Batt’s Arm, Jerry’s Nose and Herring Neck as well as Brigus and Cupids.

ONE BIG ROCK

ULURU

        For years Uluru was known as Ayers Rock and the big activity was to climb it. Unfortunately there were many accidents. The rock in the Outback—the red center of Australia—is sacred to the Aborigines and climbing the rock today is discouraged. We decided to honor that and got up early to walk the five miles around the rock at daybreak. We finished just as the sun got high in the sky. It was getting hot and we were glad we’d gotten up early!

       It is traditional to sip champagne as one watches the sun set on the big red monolith. It was amazing to see the color change about every two minutes. Crowds of tourist gather to witness the sunsets.
       The only hotel accommodations in the area are in a hotel complex built by the Northern Territory government that was later sold the complex to a Lin Lacy. The complex houses four hotels from a five-star to a backpacker’s hostel. The complex that can accommodate 5000 visitors a night also has a post office, moderate-sized grocery store, shops, and information and tourist center. It has its own water supply and generating plant, some of which is solar. The complex employs 4800 people.
       Uluru refers to a water hole near the summit. At 1150-feet high Uluru is the largest sandstone monolith in the world, and like an iceberg has perhaps 2/3 more lying under ground. It is one of the world’s great natural wonders. There are many caves in the rock and 75 art sites.
       In 1983 the area around Uluru was returned to the native people. However, it was not long before the native peoples realized they were unable to handle and manage the park, so a cooperative agreement was reached with the Park Service who now maintains and manages the area. Twenty-five percent of the park fee plus a $75,000 annual royalty is returned to the Aborigines
      The Aborigines take spiritual care of Uluru, as they believe gods from Dreamtime passed by here imbuing formations with their spirits. Caring for the land is how they confirm their humanity. About 300 of the Anangu tribe live on one side of the rock. We really had to look hard to find their settlement as the village is well hidden in the bush, and I suspect many people are not even aware of it. The entire area is referred to as Yulara, meaning howling dingo.

STRIPTESE

What To Do When It Gets Hot
         The first day in Yorkshire we woke to cloudy skies and considerably cooler temperatures than we’d had the week before. I decided that it would be a good idea to put on my silk long johns since the trousers I was wearing were pretty lightweight.
         I was looking forward to our first moor hike just because of the literary romance of the area. We started the day with a ride to Rosedale and a walk around the village.
        We were to hike over the Spaunton Moor to Lastingham, finishing at Hutton le Hole. Aren't English names interesting?
        What a start! The first and really only undulation that day was straight up 1000-feet to the top of the moor. The cloudy and cool day didn’t tame the steady climb upward over a narrow footpath. Many of us did a fair amount of huffing and puffing, and I, for one, thought we might never make it to the top. My mantra, I think I can, I think I can, I DID.
         Two hours later we were at the top only to find it so windy I thought it might blow a couple of the little people over! We stood in the cold wind near old railroad tracks for an explanation of the old iron kilns where the iron oar was decalcified to make it lighter for transport. It was sheltered on the other side of the kilns and a perfect spot for lunch.
         Fortunately the afternoon was all down hill, gently, over a reasonably good wide path. A couple of days later I learned that most groups are taken up  the moor over this gentle undulating route, but our group was deemed fit enough to make the climb up the moor through the pastures!
        It got warmer and warmer as the afternoon wore on. Coming down off the moor a stop in Lastingham provided a visit to the old crypt church. Built on the site of a Celtic monastery in 1078 it is a shrine to St. Cedd who brought Christianity to this part of England. He is buried within.
         By that time I was more than ready to shed those long johns! I thought about using the crypt to strip down, but decided that the church might not be quite the appropriate place to disrobe. However, the deserted church cemetery served nicely. One boot off, both pant and silky legs off, pants and boot back on, then repeat with the other leg.. In the blink of an eye my hiking boots were laced up, the silkies bunched up in a trouser pocket,  no one knew what I’d been up to, and I certainly was more comfortable.
         Down the path a way I pulled the silkies part way out of my pocket and said to Jan, "Lookie here."
        Totally surprised she exclaimed, “When and how in the world did you do that?”

SOME FUN INCIDENTS

Puskin
          Because Lake Kitzi was still frozen we had to forego our scheduled visit there, so made an unscheduled stop in Mandrogy, Russia. Mandrogy is a get away area for Russia's new rich. After perusing the  pricy gift shop we made a  short walk to a pull ferry that took us across a small river to Puskin Island. Puskin was a writer of children’s stories. It was a cold windy day but on the tree covered island we were sheltered from the wind. We walked a circular path around the island perimeter stopping to view the many wooden characters from Puskin's stories. It was a delightful walk into another culture.

Blueberries and more blueberries
       I was lucky to be in Nova Scotia at prime blueberry season. I love blueberries and unfortunately live in an area where they don’t grow. Believe me I’ve tried. The morning I went to breakfast and saw a punch bowl full of beautiful large ripe berries I was in blueberry heaven. Mumm, those cereal bows are too small, I need to find a soup bowl. I filled that bowl with blueberries, added a bit of milk and dug in. As I left the restaurant I said to the waitress, “I sure enjoyed your blueberries.”
      Smiling she responded, “I noticed.”

Singing Nuns
          One day in Poland when touring the countryside we stopped for lunch at a Bernadine Monastery. The nuns prepared and served a meal of delicious vegetable soup and fresh bread still warm out of the oven. The nuns run the equivalent of a soup kitchen serving several hungry people every day.
         The nuns were most gracious and it was fun talking and visiting with them. When we left, the nuns stood at the doorway at the top of the steps and serenaded us with their lovely voices. It was a delightful stop and a scrumptious lunch.

Water, water everywhere
        The only place where I have been delivered to my hotel by water taxi was in Venice, Italy as we stayed on the island in a local hotel, not on the mainland in a large chain hotel. The luggage was all transported in a water boat. The gondolas of Venice are for tourists. Water taxis get one around in Venice, and water boats transport all goods and supplies. There are no cars or bikes. On dry land one walks!

TURNEFF ATOLL

I Picturesque Spot in the Middle of the Sea.

I went to Belize to participate in a bottlenose dolphin research project. Arriving at Blackbird Caye on Turneffe Atoll I thought I had found paradise. The lush remote island was surrounded by clear turquoise water. The warm Belizean sun bathed deserted sandy beaches. The serenity of the unspoiled natural beauty was awesome.

My cabana, being a triple, was a bit larger than some of the others. All had thatched roofs, a complete bath, and a nice little veranda furnished with chairs and a hammock. Cool ocean breezes kept the buildings comfortable. Large screened windows had a drop down shutter for rainy or stormy days. Without the cool sea breezes it would have been very hot. It had was such a South Seas atmosphere.

Turneffe, 32 miles from Belize City, is the largest of the three atolls and contains 4000 acres of jungle. The resort has a generator to produce all its own electricity and reverse osmosis machinery to produce its water supply. All the water from the faucets is drinkable.

Clearing the jungle for the resort must have been quite a job in the beginning as there was no power for tools at the start.

All of our meals were taken in a unique dining /recreation building. At dinner it was explained, “The front part of this building is round showing an African influence and the back of the building, the kitchen area, is square, indicative of Mayan culture.”

In the center of the large room stood a multi-sided (sexton) serving table. Looking up at the ceiling, the thatched roof resembled the underside of an umbrella. The floor was made of narrow strips of different native woods and the contrast of the boards was striking.

All of our food was prepared by native cooks and included native dishes. The food was good and I had absolutely no complaints. The fresh produce was wonderful. Besides citrus we ate papayas the size of small watermelons and mangos the size of cantaloupes. Never had I seen fruit so big in those varieties and they were so sweet, juicy, and flavorful. Delicious!

One afternoon my roommate and I decided to walk into the jungle to see what we could see. We tucked in pants bottoms in socks and tales of our long sleeved shirts into our waist band. After dousing hands, face and clothing in bug juice we were off. The swarms of mosquitoes were so numerous that we didn’t get very far before deciding our curiosity could remain just that. It was a relief to get back to our cleared bug-free resort.

I enjoyed a couple of wonderful weeks on the atoll and there is a lot more to share---another day.

QUITO, ECUADOR

A High Altitude City

When we went to the Galapagos Islands, Quito, Ecuador was our first stop. A couple days in the capital city gave us a chance to adjust to the climate and time change.

Old colonial Quito is very hilly reminding me of San Francisco. The cobblestone streets are very narrow. The buildings with a Moorish influence are very close together. Many of the stucco buildings have inner courtyards. Our personal guide told us, “Spaniards founded the old capitol city in 1534.”

Street vendors were everywhere. Old men carried heavy loads in large baskets on their backs. The only thing holding the baskets in place were fabric straps. I’m not sure if the men were bent over from the heavy loads or because of age. Life had to be tough.

The new modern hotels and shops are located in ‘new Quito’, an area which came into being in the early 1970s. We were told, “Building codes here are actually earthquake codes requiring steel to reinforce all concrete.”

The streets in the new part of town were wide, the traffic heavy and traffic lights and stop signs very few in number. I’m glad I was not competing with the crazy drivers. We were cautioned to watch our wallets whenever walking the streets anywhere in the city.

Our guide continued, “Ecuador has twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours (6-6) of darkness every day all year. Mornings are sunny and rain showers arrive nearly every afternoon.

“Our country’s main income is derived from bananas and oil, 50% of the oil is exported. There are eight active volcanoes in the country.”

We learned Ecuador was a dictatorship until 1979 when it became a democracy. There are 16 political parties. Provincial senators and the president are elected for one four year term.

General Sucre fought the Spanish. An art theater and the currency are named for him.

At 10,000 feet elevation, we stopped at the site of the Dancing Virgin or Madonna of Quito. Our guide told us, “She was erected in the early 1980s and stands 100 feet tall. She was made in France of cast aluminum and shipped to Quito in pieces, and then erected. She is the only winged virgin in the Catholic Church. The virgin stands on a dragon perched on top of the world. She holds a chain in her hand that extends down and around the dragon’s neck showing that good triumphs over evil. Below the statue is a small chapel.”

It was an interesting city tour that finished right at lunchtime. The equatorial monument another day.

GERMAN CHURCHES AND CEMETERIES

A Different View

When biking from Munich to Vienna, the first church we visited was in Michaelbach, Germany. This was our trial run so was only about a 20-22 mile day.

Our guide explained, “It is the custom in this part of the world to have the cemetery within the walls that surround the church. The wall surrounding the property’s perimeter is usually concrete and about five to six feet high. Then above each grave in the cemetery is a raised bed for a flower garden. This little garden is often enclosed with a concrete ‘curbing’. Relatives often tend these mini gardens with great care. Sometimes the family hires someone to do it and there are people, often elderly women, who make an occupation of just tending these little gardens.”

I thought what a nice custom.

Inside the church there are many many angels. It was explained, “Years ago the angels were a source of contention with church officials, but the people persevered and the angels remain today. Most of them are gold. This church was built in 1728-31, but it took nearly forty years to furnish.”

“Why did it take so long?” someone asked.

“Lack of money and some wars.”

The guide continued, “In 1988 this church was restored at a cost of three million marks. The organ, over a hundred years old, dates back to 1867.”

Each time we visited a church, and there were many, a docent was present to tell us the history. Personally I liked that as we learned so much more than if we had just stuck our head in the door.

As we were leaving getting ready to bike back to the hotel our guide explained, “Outside the perimeter walls of most churches you will find a war memorial. Here, each war is listed separately and the names of all the villagers who lost their lives are listed alphabetically for that war. The date of death is beside each name.”

The church is the center of the village and the ever present memorials are a nice way to remember those who made the supreme sacrifice for their country.