North x Northwest Gingolx (Kincolith), on the west coast of Canada’s British Columbia, is remote. So remote that until recently the only way to get and out was by boat or plane. In 2003, the road connecting Gingolx to the other three Nisg̱a’a communities and Canada’s Yellowhead Highway was finally completed.
Where I am standing feels like a long way from anywhere.
In fact, the border of Alaska is just over the mountains you see in the picture above – just 16 kilometres (10 miles) to the west. But, the only way to cover that gap is by boat or plane.
Gingolx (Kincolith) is a small Nisga’a First Nation community of about 400 people in the northwest of Canada’s westernmost province of British Columbia (BC). Before the incursion of the Christian missionaries who came down the Nass River by raft in 1867, the area was inhabited by two Nisga’a clans.
Today, Gingolx is one of four communities that make up the self-governing Nisg̱a’a Nation, covering roughly 1,992 square kilometers (769 square miles) of the Nass River Valley. Sitting on Portland Inlet at the confluence of the Ksi Gingolx (Kincolith River) and the Nass River – and otherwise surrounded by densely-forested and snow-capped mountains, the villagers who live there rely on fishing, forestry, and tourism for their main sources of revenue.
The town is known as the seafood capital of the Nass Valley. My host at the guesthouse where I was staying near Gitlax̱tʼaamiks – at the other end of the Nisga’a Nation – recommended that I lunch there for some of North America’s finest seafood.
So, I duly planned my day of sight-seeing in the Nass Valley (see: Nisga’a Lands and Memories) to get me into Gingolx near lunch time.
In spite of rainy weather, the village (and its lunch offerings!) did not disappoint. I wandered around the streets with their scattered wooden buildings, and along the lush Ksi Gingolx; I walked along the rainy waterfront and watched as a juvenile eagle searched for its lunch. And, in a charming little restaurant, I dined on freshly caught and cooked halibut surrounded by beautiful Nisga’a art.
It might be at the end of the road – but it is well worth the drive! Join me:
Gingolx – Kincolith Near the end the Nisg̱a’a Highway, I get my first glimpse over the cheerfully painted buildings in the little village of Gingolx.
Thimbleberry – Rubus Parviflorus All around, the large fuzzy leaves of the thimbleberry are full of the white blossoms that predict a crop of lush, red, raspberry-like fruit.
Amazing Incidental Art Like that of other Pacific Northwest Indigenous communities, Nisga’a art features formline designs in red and black depicting animals, spiritual beings, and clan crests. It is an integral part of everyday life, and seen everywhere – like on this traditional canoe casually parked near the Gingolx waterfront.
Lush Green Grasses The lush growth along the Ksi Gingolx looks like it has been planted! But, it is actually the product of the wet, temperate climate.
Nootka Lupine – Lupinus Nootkatensis
Island in the Ksi Gingolx The river here is punctuated by a number of little islands.
Portland Inlet The waters of Ksi Gingolx empty into the Nass River and Portland Inlet. The river is known for steelhead, and is a spawning ground for four types of salmon, as well as fore the all-important ksi-hoon or eulachon, a small fish harvested for its oil.
Still Life Found Rusty iron machinery and weathered wood stand like a sculpture against the green.
Sculptured Rock The landscape all around me is dramatic. This rock-formation makes me think of a wild animal, and I love how the tall fir trees bend gracefully at the top.
Trees and Mountains Even on an overcast and rainy day, it is a stunning landscape.
Great Blue Heron – Ardea Herodias Back on the foreshore of the Nass River, waterbirds hunt for food.
Totem Pole – Carved by Alver Tait Many of the wooden houses have clan poles that tell you about their families – if you know how to read them!
Nature’s Sculpture The foreshore displays its own artworks.
Juvenile Bald Eagle – Haliaeetus Leucocephalus I don’t know where all the grown-ups were, but this juvenile was watching the water closely for fish.
Old Boat Everywhere I look, old boats sit casually above the high-tide mark, …
Old Boats … waiting for their next seasonal fishing trip.
Follow The Food: Halibut And Chips When lunch time arrives, I do as my host had suggested, and stop in at U See Food Ù Eat it Services. It was as good as promised!
Bonny Moore The restaurant (and catering service) co-owner was a delight to chat with – and posed for a photo at my request.
Kincolith Christ Church The arrival of Christian missionaries in 1867, the banning (by BC law) of some cultural practices, and the imposition of residential schooling, has contributed to a complicated blending of traditions. Younger members of the community have reclaimed and revitalized language and culture since the 20th century, but elders tend to hang onto their Christian teachings (eg: Where Christianity Meets, and Diverges, in Nisga’a Culture).
Stump in the Water Nature’s changes command ones attention here.
Water and Mountains I take a last look at the vastness of space to the west of me – and reflect on the continued relative isolation of this place.
Surprisingly, there is a whole lot of land north of me before BC finishes … and even more before you run off the map and into the North Pole.
Even so, I feel like I’m at the end of the known world.
This is a land of rich cultural history and wild natural beauty.
Its very isolation has probably helped it to stay that way.
Delicate Woodwork Windows Madrasa Al-Attarine – the school of the perfumers – was built in between 1323 and 1325. Stunningly beautiful with its fine cedarwood carvings, intricate stucco, and zellige tilework, it sits in the heart of the Fes el-Bali medina, Morocco.
Fes (Fès, Fez) is often considered the spiritual and cultural heart of Morocco.
It is fitting, then that the oldest section of the city, the Fes el-Bali, is home to artisans practicing traditional crafts, and the oldest continuously functioning institute of higher education in the world.
This UNESCO-listed medina (old walled city) is one of the largest and oldest urban pedestrian zones (car-free areas) in the world. It comprises a mind-boggling tangle of small laneways and dead ends – and I was very glad that the small group I was travelling with had a knowledgeable local guide who was tall enough to be seen over the crowds (see: Wandering the Labyrinth)!
Morocco had been on my wish-list forever: as much for the food and culture, as for the crafts and colours. I was determined to go home with a small tribal carpet – which I found while I was trekking in the Atlas Mountains (see: Over the Tizi Oudid). I wanted to source some pottery, and I had ordered a tagine with plates and bowls from artisans that morning (see: Traditional Moroccan Pottery and Ceramics). I have always had my eye out for some sumptuous Moroccan leather, so I was excited that we were visiting the Chouara Tannery, one of the oldest tanneries in the world, first established the 11th century.
Chouara (Chouwara) Tannery is one of three tanneries in Fes. While the dye pots are at street-level, the building itself rises four floors, housing a full range of leather goods, all connected by narrow stairs. At the door, we were met by a man with a plate of mint sprigs to help us cope with the overwhelmingly pungent smell of ammonia, rotting flesh, and animal waste, as the hides are softened then coloured in the open vats.
Today, the tanning industry is considered one of the main tourist attractions in the city. I did my bit: I bought a small cross-body bag and a larger handbag. The quality of both is sublime!
The rest of our afternoon was spent admiring the wonderful, ornate, medieval architecture in the old quarter.
Do join me in marveling at the craftsmanship:
Tannery Vats Workers – who look tiny from up here – soak cow, sheep, goat, and camel hides in stone vats filled with a mixture of water, salt, quicklime, cow urine, and pigeon droppings. The ammonia in this concoction helps break down tough animal fibers and hair, but the smell is eye watering!
Tannery Guide Our guide explains the history, the processes, and the products. The production methods remain unchanged since medieval times: no modern machinery is used.
Round Die Pots After three days of cleaning, leathers are soaked in the dyeing solutions. Even though the dying process uses only natural colorants – like poppy for red, indigo for blue, and henna for orange – the tanneries produce considerable pollution which ends up in the soil and waterways.
Courtyard to a Madrasa Around a corner sits a religious school. Often named for the neighbourhood they are in, this one is Al-Attarine Madrasa, the ‘school of the perfumers’.
Delicate Woodwork As I said above, this madrasa was built in between 1323 and 1325. The carving is so beautiful that I couldn’t stop taking pictures!
Same – Same Every set of windows is different, but I got rather overwhelmed and had trouble telling them apart.
Mihrab The mihrab (prayer niche) looks like marble but is intricately carved and decorated stucco.
Arabic Calligraphy This, too, is carved stucco.
Faces in the Window Those eyes!
A Traditional Moroccan Scalloped Archway Fes has always been a city of travellers and traders. This wooden gate and horseshoe arch leads into Funduq Barka, a historic 14th-century caravanserai – or hostel.
Zaouia of Moulay Idriss II Our next stop was at the holy shrine and mausoleum dedicated to the patron saint and founder of Fes. The slot in this portal is for giving alms.
Inside The interior of the Zawiya of Moulay Idris II is wildly colourful.
Detailed Carving Back outside the historic mausoleum, I pause to admire the wooden decorations. Called tazouaqt, this traditional Moroccan art form involves intricate hand-painted geometric and floral designs on wood.
Funduq al-Najjarin The Inn of the Carpenters is another historic funduq – a caravanserai or traditional inn. In 1998 it was reopened as a private museum for wood arts and crafts. It is now known as le Musée Nejjarine des Arts et Métiers du Bois.
Entry Detail
Moorish Arch – Horseshoe Arch Inside the museum, there are examples of traditional windows with lattice looking out over the courtyard.
A More Modern Chaos Windows in the other direction show the effects of modernisation and the building next door.
Lamp in the Medina There are treasures on every narrow street and around every corner.
Ramshackle Canopy Some of the weathered streets are shaded by tarps, stretched across the narrow walkways.
Handcrafted Brass Lamps Back in the market streets, Moroccan craft is on display.
University of al-Qarawiyyin We take a look into the University of al-Qarawiyyin (Al Karueein). Founded in 857, this university holds the Guinness World Record as the world’s oldest continuously operating institution of higher learning.
Zellige Tile Work and a Central Fountain Inside the university courtyard, I admire the classic Moorish design elements: horseshoe arches, intricate stucco carvings, and geometric zellige tilework.
Fabulous Fabrics Our last stop in the medina was at one of the many fabric stores, where all types of fabrics were available.
Weaver Under fluorescent lighting, a weaver shows us how it is done.
We returned to our riad overwhelmed with images and impressions.
Oh! And purchases.
I just love my Moroccan leather – purchased at the source!
Busskirch Village This little corner of Rapperswil-Jona, with its charming Medieval Gothic church, is as picturesque as the rest of the landscape around the Obersea and Lake Zurich in Switzerland.
Quaint and historic buildings in pretty villages, set against impossibly green grass, and surrounded by snow capped mountains: Switzerland truly is a picture-perfect postcard!
It was a bit of a rushed visit: I had travelled from Paris via Geneva(watch this space!) by train, and had only a few days before I had to return to Paris for a flight. But we made the most of it: talking, eating, and just walking through the charming streets and picturesque fields and forests.
Rapperswil-Jona is a collection of villages and hamlets that merged to form a new political entity in 2007. In addition to the two communities that give it its name, it also takes in Bollingen, Busskirch, Curtiberg, Kempraten-Lenggis, and Wagen.
It sits on the south side of the Seedamm: a moraine of the Linth Glacier that lies across Lake Zurich, partially separating it from the Obersee. Evidence of lake-crossing structures date back to the Early Bronze Age. Today, the causeway at the Seedamm carries a rail line and a highway – making Rapperswil-Jona an important transport hub.
Join me for some easy, relatively flat, small-town walking:
Stately Home My friends live in Jona – an independent municipality in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland until it merged with Rapperswil and became Rapperswil-Jona. That is where we started our days.
Apples Can you say “Switzerland” without thinking of William Tell and apples?
The Historic Haus zum Engel – House of the Angel Houses have names here! This one sits at the eastern end of Rapperswil’s old town. First mentioned in 1530, this Medieval building with its late-Gothic facade now features a mural painted by Swiss artist Jost Blöchliger (1934–1989) following the building’s restoration in the late 1960s.
Fischmarktplatz – Fish Market Square At the south end of the old town, this large square was rebuilt in the late 1800s.
Rapperswil across the Tracks The railway line across the Seedamm is protected from errant pedestrians by fencing. Through it, we can look up over the old town to Rapperswil Castle on the hill.
Komposition in Corten by Silvio Mattioli (1929-2011) In complete contrast with the old town, the OST – Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences features modern buildings and a large abstract sculpture installation of weathering steel.
Holzbrücke and the Heilig Hüsli (Holy House) Pedestrians have been crossing here since time immemorial: this historic track forms part of Jakobsweg, the Way of St. James, (Camino de Santiago). In 2001, this new 841-meter-long wooden footbridge – built in the same place as the original bridge – was opened between us here in Rapperswil-Jona and Hurden on the south side of the lake.
Heilig Hüsli – The Holy House This little chapel was originally built next to the old bridge in 1551, replacing earlier versions. The first recorded mention of a wooden prayer house or chapel greeting pilgrims on their way toward Santiago de Compostela was in 1485.
St. Martin Church Back in the 1st century CE, Busskirch was a Roman lakeside crossroads stage town. The current church was built on Roman ruins some time in the 13th century.
🎶 I’m Getting Married in the Morning 🎶 Horse and carriage is a popular form of Swiss wedding transport.
Between the Mountains and the Fields
Beautyberry – Callicarpa I can’t help but admire the range of plants in the gardens as we walked back home.
Horse Chestnuts – Aesculus Hippocastanum The glossy brown seeds of horse chestnuts – known as a conkers – are not edible. Unlike sweet or European chestnuts (Castanea), which belong to the beech/oak family (Fagaceae), horse chestnuts belong to the soapberry family (Sapindaceae).
From the Meienberg The next morning we walked up the hill behind Rapperswil-Jona. We have views over the town, the lake, and the mountains to the south.
Wayside Crucifix Walking through a hillside neighbourhood, we pause to admire one of many traditional devotional crosses that punctuate this predominantly Catholic country.
Mürtschenstock The mountains of the Glarus Alps rise up, far to the southeast.
Pfarrkirche Maria Himmelfahrt – Parish Church of Saint Mary’s Assumption As we ascend the hill, we have views over some of the town’s historic buildings.
Historic Medieval Complex of Rapperswil-Jona Schloss Rapperswil – Rapperswil Castle – stands on a smaller hill between us and the lake.
Walkers into the Jonerwald The path into the woods – once we get there – is shady and calm.
Wet and Winding A gentle rain sprinkles as we make our way along the level path. Jonervald is a bit of a patchwork of forested lands, cobbled together and linked by walks that sometimes border on private property.
A Stump This is a temperate and humid climate zone, so there is plenty of moss and greenery around our feet.
Light on the Path The autumn trees are at different stages; the yellowing one in front of us strikes me as a beacon.
Into the Woods
Bell Tower We find our way out of the forest via a different road – which leads us to a good lunch. From there, we head back home to Jona, stopping to admire the Pfarrkirche Maria Himmelfahrt (Church of the Assumption of Mary). This church sits in the place of the first Christian house of worship here, dated to 812CE. The church and bell-tower we see today were mostly built in 1852 in distinctive Neo-Gothic style.
The Crucifixion of Jesus with Mary and John It is cool and quiet inside the Maria Himmelfahrt Church – as you’d expect in a Catholic church outside of service times. I think that this gilded wooden Calvary group sculpture is modern – though it is reminiscent of 16th-century Renaissance works.
That was a fitting end to our lovely Sunday walk.
We returned to the apartment, where I packed my bags in readiness for my onward trip the next day.
Masai Giraffe – Giraffa Tippelskirchi Striding across a protected landscape of savannah bounded by wilderness and mountains, a giraffe seems to own the grasslands of southwestern Kenya.
How many distinctively different animals can you see in just one day in the Masai (Masaai) Mara?
More than will fit into one blog post, apparently!
The Mara is home to about 95 species of mammals, including the “The Big Five”: lions, leopards, African bush elephants, African buffaloes, and black rhinoceros. The bird species number over 450. My count on my first full day in the park didn’t mount quite that high, but the frequency and density of animal sightings was still breathtaking.
The total area in the Greater Maasai Mara ecosystem – or simply “the Mara” – is huge: covering almost 1,510 square kilometres (580 sq mi). It includes the Maasai Mara National Reserve (see: Masai Mara National Reserve), the Mara Triangle, several Maasai group ranches, and Maasai Mara conservancies.
Each section is managed somewhat differently, but infrastructure development is carefully managed and wild animals have right-of-way everywhere. In the conservancies, Maasai communities still continue to live in their traditional way, herding their cattle – while the Reserve and the Triangle, you will see only wild animals.
I was on a long-awaited safari: just me and a Kenyan guide-driver. After a four-hour-plus drive from Lake Nakuru National Park the day before (see: Rainy Roads and Potholes), we had arrived into the park early in the afternoon. In the early evening, we drove up an extraordinarily-bad road into the Oloolaimutia Hills to my accommodation just outside the park gates. Tourist accommodation in the conservancies – that is, outside the actual park boundaries – tends to be less expensive, and includes more infrastructure.
Entry into the park is time-limited: strictly 12 hours per entry fee and restricted to between 6am and 6pm. That said, on this particular day we entered the gates after 7am. By mid-afternoon, my camera batteries and I were exhausted.
Join me for some highlights:
A Blue Wildebeest – Connochaetes Taurinus Our first sighting in the morning was a herd of wildebeest grazing. One of the Ugly Five, wildebeest certainly are odd-looking creatures. The blue wildebeest – which isn’t actually blue, as you can see – is the most common. What really caught my eye here was the distinctive hammerhead birds running around at their feet.
Hamerkop – Scopus Umbretta Named for the shape of their heads, these medium-sized water birds are common across Africa, Madagascar, and Arabia. They are also known as hammerheads, anvil heads, or umbrette.
Helmeted Guineafowl – Numida Meleagris As we drive the rough, dirt tracks through the expansive park, native guineafowl scuttle around the road edges.
Topi – Damaliscus Lunatus An elegant topi – a large African antelope – scans the savanna for predators.
Lions on a Hill My guide was determined to return to the road tailings that we had visited the previous afternoon (see: Masai Mara National Reserve). I dutifully took many pictures – even though I don’t find lions sleeping on a pile of dirt particularly interesting or photogenic.
Lilac-Breasted Roller – Coracias Caudatus I was far more excited when I spotted Kenya’s beautiful and colourful little national bird.
African Bush Elephant – Loxodonta Africana Also known as African savanna elephants, these magnificent – but endangered – creatures are spotted regularly in the open savanna.
On the Mara River We cover a lot of ground, and the terrain is constantly changing. Later in the morning, we stop at the river …
Ranger Hillary … where I’m introduced to a young ranger. He took me for a walk along the river in search of hippopotamus.
Nile Crocodile – Crocodylus Niloticus The hippos are mostly hiding, only showing their ears, foreheads, and snout above the muddy river. On the other hand, crocodiles, which are an apex predator in the Mara, can be seen everywhere: on the rocky shore and in the water.
Lone Tree Back away from the river, the grasslands stretch out in all directions, dotted with acacia tree.
Little Bee-Eater – Merops Pusillus I don’t have the the patience – or the lenses – for bird photography, but I couldn’t resist this delightful little bee-eater.
Superb Starling – Lamprotornis Superbus Some time later, as we stop to watch more lions sleeping, a beautiful superb starling lights on a neighbouring jeep.
Impalas – Aepyceros Melampus Many antelope use hills and termite mounds to keep an eye out for predators.
Resting Lions A completely relaxed lion pair snooze after mating.
Lion in a Tree Lions will sleep anywhere!
Topi – Damaliscus Lunatus Such a long face! From another mound, a topi keeps watch.
On the River We crossed the river again. The lush grass almost hides the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) on the opposite bank; we’d seen plenty of these, so didn’t stop.
Warthogs – Phacochoerus Africanus One of the ugly five, these fully-grown examples are not as cute as the young piglets.
Thomson’s Gazelle – Eudorcas Thomsonii It had been a particularly rainy spring and all the animals looked healthy – albeit covered in an abundance of flies.
Eland – Taurotragus I marvelled at the many different types of antelope we saw.
Banded Mongoose – Mungos Mungo These were too quick and too far away for a clear shot – but I just loved watching their antics.
Plains Zebra – Equus Quagga There are several different types of zebras, and they are all beautiful. I know this is a plains zebra, but can’t tell you if it is a Grant’s or Burchell’s.
Black-Backed Jackal – Lupulella Mesomelas
Common Ostrich – Struthio Camelusa Even though she is less flashy than her male counterpart, watching a female ostrich so close is still wonderful.
There is no way I could have lasted 12 full hours!
It was a wonderful day with so many animals, but after hours of bouncing around in the back of a Land Cruiser, I was ready for a hot shower, a tasty dinner, and a comfy bed.
And, with any luck, we’d be back in the park the next morning.
Visitor Centre A traditional cedar longhouse in the Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Provincial Park, Nass Valley BC Canada, serves as an information centre. The striking design on the exterior depicts Gwax Ts’agat (a local super being), as painted by Nisga’a artist Jaimie Davis. The centre displays information on the Nisga’a people and the devastating loss of life from the eruption of the Tseax Cone some time between 1675 and 1780.
The Nisg̱a’a people have lived in the Nass River Valley since before recorded time.
Today, these lands are geographically part of northwestern British Columbia (BC), Canada, roughly in line with the tip of the Alaska Panhandle and only a short distance away as the crow flies. By any other means of transport, they are a long way from anywhere.
The IndigenousNisg̱a’a share long oral and artistic traditions, and have managed to preserve much of their culture and language. They reclaimed the right to self-governance on May 11, 2000 in a landmark agreement with the BC government that includes land and water resources across roughly 1,992 square kilometers (769 square miles) of the Nass River Valley (see: Nisga’a Treaty).
I had made a short foray into the region on my previous visit to northwestern BC the year before (see: In the North Country). I decided then that I really had to return. So, after visiting a friend near Smithers (see: Stops on BC’s Yellowhead Highway #1), I pointed the car west for two and a quarter hours to to Terrace, then an hour and fifteen north on the Nisga’a Highway to Gitlax̱tʼaamiks (formerly known as New Aiyansh).
In these remote lands, that is the blink of an eye, really!
I booked two nights at a guesthouse near Gitlax̱tʼaamiks, the capital of the Nisga’a Nation. The weather was overcast and drizzly, but I managed glimpses of this unique landscapes. I was able to visit all four of the local villages – and to appreciate some of the art and history.
Come along to some unique locations:
Are you sureGoogle Maps? Shhhh! Don’t tell the car rental company. My accommodation was some way out of town, up a lengthy gravel road. Fortunately, it was well graded.
Lava Beds and Mountains Back on the main road, a short detour takes me into the rocky flats that serve as a reminder of that volcanic eruption back in the 18th century. Roughly 2000 people were killed by the fumes and gasses, two villages were buried, and the course of the Nass River was changed.
Welcome to Gitwinksihlkw or Place of the Lizards Pronouncing some of these place names can be a real challenge for English-speakers! Gitwinksihlkw was formerly known as Canyon City. “Home of Hobiyee” is a reference to the most important day on the Nisga’a calendar: the Nisgaʼa New Year. This is celebrated upon the arrival of the first waxing crescent moon in February or early March.
The Right Totem Pole Four tall totem poles mark the two ends of the bridge into Gitwinksihlkw.
The Left Totem Pole The story poles honour the eagle, wolf, raven, and the killer whale.
A Stylized Bird Head This is either the eagle or the raven; unfortunately, I can’t always tell them apart.
Gitwinksihlkw Suspension Bridge – Ukws-Ts’agat Until 1995 – when the road bridge was built – suspension pedestrian bridges were the only way of accessing this village. This bridge, built in 1968, spans about 103.3 meters (339 feet) across the Nass River.
Fisherman on the River On the riverbank, a local fisherman prepares to check his nets. Nisga’a diet is heavily dependent on coastal seafood and freshwater fish.
Totem Poles on the Other Side As I leave Gitwnksihlkw, I get a view of the other two poles.
Hli Goothl Wilp-Adokshl Nisga’a – “The Heart of Nisga’a House Crests” The Nisga’a Museum collection is housed in a beautiful building. The carved wooden crests displayed on the boxes in the foreground illustrate the local Nisga’a clans and house groups.
Inside the Museum The museum contains priceless display of artefacts: many of them reclaimed from collections previously held around the country. The Ancestors’ Collection includes ancestral masks and supernatural figures (nax̱nox).
Eagle Mask There are many similarities across the Pacific Northwest First Nations’ traditions. This 19th-century eagle transformation mask shares features with those of other groups – including the one that inspired the original logo for the Seattle Seahawks football team.
Carved Bird/Scoop Remember the ‘Hobiyee’ – the crescent moon? It gets its name from this: a hoobix – the bowl portion of a traditional wooden spoon or ladle. ‘Hobixis hee!’ literally means ‘the moon is in the shape of the hoobix’.
I continue west to the coastal town of Gingolx (historically called Kincolith), the ‘Seafood Capital of the Nass’ for lunch and some waterside walks. (More on that some other time.)
Nature’s Sculpture On my drive back east along the Nisga’a Highway, I stop to admire some moss-draped twisting trees in the old-growth temperate rainforest.
I Live in Hope! Although the roadside signposts warn of crossing wildlife, I didn’t actually see any. While bears and deer are common sightings in BC, I have never seen a moose in the wild.
Nisga’a Memorial Lava Beds I arrive back at the Provincial Park with time to walk the short Crater Creek track into a poignant terrain.
Lava Rocks The area is buried in basalt rock from the 18th century volcanic eruption of the Tseax Cone. Over time, nature has softened the landscape with a thick blanket of green and yellow mosses and lichens.
Tufted Saxifrage – Saxifraga Cespitosa Beautiful and tough plants embed themselves in nooks and crannies …
Pacific Stonecrop – Sedum Divergens … or anchor in the stony gravel.
Fern in the Lava Rock This park is a sacred site. For the sake of respect, as well as for safety over the the sharp rocks, deviation from the narrow – but relatively easy – track is not allowed.
Wild Rose on the Rocks Life is slowly returning to this sobering place, where the power of nature can still be seen.
Nisga’a Government Office Before returning to my room, I stop in the capitol village of Gitlax̱t’aamiks for supplies – and to admire the beautiful poles agains the darkening sky.
I managed to make it back to my guesthouse before the road got too slippery in the early-evening rains.
This truly is a remarkable place, and I was looking forward to exploring further.
- Performing the Ganga Aarti from Dasaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi
- Buddha Head from Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar
- Harry Clarke Window from Dingle, Ireland
- Novice Monk Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery, Myanmar
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