A metal lantern in front of an ornate wooden building, Fes el Bali, Fes, Morocco.

A Lantern in the Labyrinth
The narrow, winding laneways of the old medinas in Fes, Morocco, are distinguished by ornate multi-storied wooden buildings, richly decorated with carved cedar corbels and geometric lattice screens, and adorned with intricately carved stucco arabesques and calligraphy.

Morocco’s northern inland city of Fes (Fez, Fès) is home to not one, but two medinas – old walled cities. Distinguished by their narrow, winding streets and their rich history, these old quarters – Fes el-Bali and Fes Jdid – are jointly UNESCO-listed as the Medina of Fez and are considered: “one of the most extensive and best conserved historic towns of the Arab-Muslim world.”

This is one of the world’s largest and oldest urban pedestrian zones (car-free areas) and I’d challenge you to find your way through the maze without getting lost. Fortunately, I was travelling with a small group (see: Intrepid Morocco in Depth) and we had a local guide who grew up in Fes el-Bali, playing in the tangle of narrow laneways around his home.

We started our day in the newer Fes Jdid (New Fez), established in 1276. We spent time admiring the magnificent gates of the Royal Palace of Fez (Dar al-Makhzen). The palace was originally built by the Marinid sultan Abu Yusuf Ya’qub in 1276, but much of what we see today dates to somewhere between the 17th and 20th centuries.

We then crossed outside the old city by bus to the locality of Ain Nokbi, where the city’s potters were relocated in 2013. There, we had views over the rambling old Fes el-Bali, and a chance to admire (and purchase) some wonderful traditional pottery (see: Traditional Moroccan Pottery and Ceramics).

After that, we headed into Fes el Bali, the Old Town, which was founded between 789 and 808 AD. There, we explored on foot – albeit with a careful eye out for our guide, so as not to get lost.

So much to see, so little time! Join me for a foray into an ancient city.

Portrait of a man with a map of the Fes medina, Morocco.

Man and a Map of the Medina
Our local guide gives us an overview of the old city of Fes.

Main gates of the Dar al-Makhzen, Fes Morocco.

Main Gates of the Dar al-Makhzen
The original foundation of the Fes Royal Palace dates back to 1276. These magnificent front gates, however, were built between 1969 and 1971. The seven monumental wooden doors are decorated with brass and framed by intricate zellige tilework and carved cedarwood canopy lintels.

Closeup: ornate brass door handles, the Dar al-Makhzen, Fes Morocco.

I 💙 These Brass Door Handles!

Blue and yellow zellige tilework, the Dar al-Makhzen, Fes Morocco.

Zellige Tilework
Everything is ornately decorated. Traditional zellige tilework is made from handcrafted terracotta tiles, baked and mineral-glazed, then tessellated into intricate mosaics.

An avenue behind Fes Palace, Morocco.

Behind the Fes Palace
Away from the palace, a wide arterial street winds through one of the old quarters.

White storks on the medina ramparts, Fes, Morocco.

Storks on the Ramparts
White storks (Ciconia ciconia) are big birds that range across Europe, Africa, and Asia. Here in Fes, they build their large stick nests on the fortifications in the city wall.

View over Fès el-Bali from Ain Nokbi, Morocco.

Fès el-Bali
From a hill in Ain Nokbi, we have an extensive view over the terracotta rooftops and stone walls in the oldest walled medina in Fes: the Fes el-Bali.

Arched window with a metal grill, Ain Nokbi, Fes, Morocco.

A Window in the Wall
The remains of old fortifications are everywhere.

A rusty metal fence, with a view over over Fès el-Bali, Ain Nokbi, Morocco.

Metal Fence

Man talking, Fès el-Bali, Fes Morocco.

Guide in the Medina
Inside the Fès el-Bali, our guide talks about his childhood growing up in these narrow lanes where everyone knew each other.

People in a narrow laneway, Fès el-Bali, Fes Morocco.

Breath In!
Some of the walkways are impossibly narrow; many are dead ends.

People in a narrow laneway, Fès el-Bali, Fes Morocco.

In the Historic Medina de Fez
Buildings rise up multiple stories either side of us.

Man seated in a narrow laneway, Fès el-Bali, Fes Morocco.

Man in a Corridor
This is still home for a lot of people. In fact, UNESCO cites the ever-increasing population in an already dangerously overpopulated area – and the urban over-development which is a consequence of that – as one of the principal risks to the site.

Shop fronts, Fès el-Bali, Fes Morocco.

Under a Lattice Roof
After a while, we come out into a wider avenue of shops.

R

R’cif Mosque
Back in the open, we have a view of the R’cif Mosque. Built between 1792 and 1822 on a cliffside along the shore of the Bou Khrareb River (Oued Bou Khrareb), its minaret stands tall against the sky. The river is mostly underground now, but is followed by a major road which allows access for public transportation and emergency vehicles into the old city.

Hanging bananas and tables of fruit and vegetables in a crowded market, Fès el-Bali, Fes Morocco.

In the Fresh Foods
Back under more lattice roofing, the crowded market aisle is lined with fresh and colourful produce.

Environmental portrait: a butcher on his phone, Fès el-Bali, Fes Morocco.

Waiting for Customers
The crowded market has as many locals as tourists, but the butcher has no customers.

A shop front with skeins of colourful wool, Fès el-Bali, Fes Morocco.

Wool, Textiles, and Dye Pots
We move from fresh goods to fabrics. Many of the shopfronts in the medina are also workshops where artisans dye and prepare wool.

A shopping laneway with skeins of colourful wool, Fès el-Bali, Fes Morocco.

Souk Sebbaghine – Dyers’ Market
The colourful laneways are cobbled underfoot, and the lattice roofing allows some light and air.

Colourful skeins hanging, Fès el-Bali, Fes Morocco.

Dyed Yarns
Vivid yarns hang from the walls and overhead. The skeins include wool, cotton, and sabra (cactus silk).

Colourful skeins hanging, Fès el-Bali, Fes Morocco.

Dyes – Natural and Otherwise
Similarly, the dyes include traditional pigments like indigo for blue, henna for brown and orange, and turmeric or saffron for yellow, as well as more recent (and often cheaper) chemical dyes for virant reds, greens, and purples.

The front of an ornate wooden building, Fes el Bali, Fes, Morocco.

Medersa es-Seffarin – The Metalworkers’ Madrasa
We round a corner out of the textiles and into the metalworks neighbourhood. The façade of the madrasa, or religious school, here is beautiful: decorated with intricately carved stucco and cedarwood.

Man on a scaffold with a paint roller, Fès el-Bali, Fes Morocco.

Painter
Meanwhile, everyday like goes on. Buildings need repairs …

Man in blue at a yellow post box, Fès el-Bali, Fes Morocco.

Mailman
… and mail gets delivered.

We had barely scratched the surface of this wonderful warren – but we still a few hours left!

More on that some other time.

Text: Keep smilingIn the meantime, 

Keep Smiling!

Photos: 18October2024

 

A Burrawang cycad in front of a forest of spotted gums, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia

Nature’s Artworks : An Evergreen Cycad against a Eucalyptus Forest
The sights and scents of the Australian ‘bush’ are unique. The forests along the southeastern coast are home to a range of endemic plants. Here, the delicate-looking rich green fronds of a Burrawang (Macrozamia communis) – a locally-specific cycad – contrast against the tall, muted, trunks of the eastern Australian spotted gums (Corymbia maculata).

It is so easy to take one’s own backyard for granted!

After years of good intention but little action, I finally joined a local community walking group this year – the Bega Valley Bushwalkers -and managed to fit in some coastal walks in my region before setting off again on travel further afield.

One of these, back in early autumn, was in Mimosa Rocks National Park, just an hour north of me. While it is not the first time I’ve walked in this park (see: Coastal Walks, Far South Coast), this particular walk covered some sections that were completely new to me.

We started at the campground at Gillards Beach and hiked north, hugging the coast between Middle Beach and Middle Lagoon to the heritage-listed coastal property of Penders on Bithry Inlet, where we lunched. The return was via a different track through the woods back to Middle Lagoon, and then retracing our steps back to our cars.

This is considered a moderate hike by AllTrails, who follow the shorter straight out-and-back route. Thanks to the beach-walking and a few short uphills, I was exhausted when I finished. But the views and the beautiful coastal forests made it well worth it!

Join me among the eucalyptus:

Red-brown cliff face, golden sand and turquoise waters, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia

Overlooking Gillard’s Beach
It’s a short walk from the carpark to the path, which overlooks the stunning coastline, rich with the colours of the Sapphire Coast.

Close-up: flowers and leaves of a coastal rosemary, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

Coastal Rosemary – Westringia Fruticosa
Although this regional native is named for the shape of it leaves rather than it’s smell, the flowers carry a very faint, sweet fragrance that contribute to the fresh smell of the bush.

Rocks on the sandy shoreline, Middle Beach, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

Nature’s Sculpture: Rocks on Middle Beach
There is beauty and drama everywhere I look.

View over grasses to the calm waters of Middle Lake, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

Reeds and Grasses on the Lagoon
Soon we are working our way along the narrow stretch of land separating the South Pacific Ocean and Middle Lake. Middle Lake is a coastal lagoon that is intermittently open to the sea.

Twisted grey mangroves on Middle Lake, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

A Tangle of Trees
Twisted grey mangroves (Avicennia marina) are among the vegetation that grows along the shores of Middle Lagoon.

Walkers on the sands along Middle Lagoon, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

Across the Sands

Tall eucalyptus trees reflected in Middle Lake , Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

Middle Lake Reflections

Tall eucalyptus trees reflected in Middle Lake, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

Still Waters
Middle Lagoon is a pristine body of quiet water framed by dense eucalyptus forest and backed by the coastal hills of the Sapphire Coast.

Bright green aquatic plants on the surface of Middle Lake, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

Green
Sections of Middle Lake are sheltered by the surrounding native coastal scrub and eucalyptus forest. The shady, shallow waters are covered with bright green aquatic plants.

Blooms and leaves of a smooth cassia, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

Beautiful Invader
Not all of the vegetation belongs here. Smooth cassia (Senna septemtrionalis) is an introduced shrub, widely considered an environmental weed in these eastern coastal regions.

A forest of spotted gums, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

Coastal Eucalyptus Forest
We continue into a beautiful forest, mostly consisting of spotted gums (Corymbia Maculata), which thrive in these sandy coastal areas,

People at the trunk of a giant spotted gum tree, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

A Giant Eucalyptus
The tallest known spotted gum in the world is in a forest about three hours north of here, but this one must be almost as large and old.

Looking up the tall trunk of a spotted gum tree, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

Spotted Gum – Corymbia Maculata
It stretches up, straight and tall, through the canopy. These trees that typically grows to a height of 45–60 m (148–197 ft) – but I suspect that this one is taller.

Close-up: red bark peeling from a spotted gum, , Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

Colourful Bark
Spotted gums are distinguishable by their distinctive patchy and shedding bark …

Close-up: leaf litter, peeled bark, and fresh greenery, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

Almost Abstract
… which, with the leaf litter, makes colourful patterns at our feet.

Walkers moving into green vegetation, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

Into the Woods
The vegetation changes dramatically as we continue towards Bithry Inlet.

Lily pond, Pender

Lily in the Pond
Know as Pender’s, this area is part of a State Heritage site that was home to a collection of buildings designed by the renowned architect Roy Grounds (1905 – 1981).

Bithry Inlet, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

Quiet Waters on Bithry Inlet
After lunch near Penders Beach, we find an alternate track back towards Middle Lagoon.

Eastern grey kangaroo, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

Eastern Grey Kangaroo -Macropus Giganteus
We are treated to some native wildlife.

A twisted southern mahogany, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

Bangalay Trees – Eucalyptus Botryoides
Colloquially known as southern mahogany, these tree can grow as a straight-trunked tree to 40 m (130 ft) high in favourable conditions. In these coastal areas, however, winds, storms, and salty air twist and contort them into wonderfully gnarled shapes.

White bark of a large, twisting, gum tree, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

Twisting Gum
Some of the eucalypts seem to grow more sideways than up.

Shaggy cap mushroom, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

Nature’s Artworks: Fabulous Fungus
Shaggy cap mushrooms (Boletellus emodensis) love the sandy soils, leaf litter, and decomposing wood found here in the shadows of the eucalypts and she-oaks.

Lace monitor, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

Lace Monitor
A tree goanna (Varanus varius) scuttles off the path in front of us.

Walkers on Middle Beach, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW Australia.

Back on Middle Beach
Soon we are back walking along the beach, and almost back at our starting point.

Text: Happy Walking!

It was a beautifully and varied walk.

I finished exhausted – but happy.

Happy Walking!

Photos: 18March2026

 

The Louvre Palace viewed from inside the Pyramid, Paris France

From inside the Pyramid
The Musée du Louvre, the national art museum in Paris, France, contains approximately 500,000 objects – an overwhelming number! And, the building itself is its own work of art.

The Musée du Louvre, the national art museum in Paris, France, is so expansive and so crammed full of incredibly works of art that one can easily be overwhelmed.

I had visited the museum on a brief stay in Paris many years ago – but remembered almost nothing about it. Of course, as most people know, it is home to one of the most celebrated paintings in Western art, the Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci. And, it houses many magnificent ancient Greek and Roman sculptures collected by French kings over the centuries.

In 2024, 8.7 million people visited the Louvre. I was just one onf them.

I had a couple of short stopovers in Paris as part of a longer trip. I spent my days walking through the historic streets, eating in little cafés, and playing tourist on the Seine (see: On and Around the Seine). I had booked myself a timed-entry to the Louvre (good luck getting in without one!), and although it was a long walk from my boat dock, just below the Eiffel Tower, to the museum on the Right Bank of the river, that allowed me to appreciate some of the other iconic buildings that line the UNESCO-listed banks of the Seine.

The expansive art museum occupies most of the Louvre Palace, originally built in the late 12th to 13th century under Philip II as a defensive fortress. Since then, no fewer than twenty building campaigns have seen it develop and change. It has served a range of functions over the centuries, including as a palace, and later as a display space for the French royal collection. During the French Revolution (1789 – 1799), the National Assembly decreed that the Louvre should be used as a museum to showcase the nation’s masterpieces.

The Louvre we see today has undergone many further changes since then, with visible elements representing various architectural styles, including Gothic, French Renaissance, Louis XIII style, French Baroque, Neoclassical, Neo-Baroque and Second Empire style, and Modernism.

It was this beautiful space – as much as the works of art displayed in it – that commanded my attention.

Pont Royal and the École Du Louvre from the Left Bank, Paris France

Walking along the Seine
After a walk along the Left Bank from the boat pier, the third oldest bridge in Paris, the Pont Royal (1685-1689), comes into view. The first part of the huge château complex we see belongs to the École Du Louvre, a selective institution for higher education established in 1882.

Lions at the Lions Gate, the Louvre, Paris France

Lions at the Louvre
The Porte des Lions or Lions Gate wasn’t open for my visit. These green bronze lions are attributed to to the French sculptor Antoine-Louis Barye (1795 – 1875).

The Louvre Pyramid in the courtyard, Paris France

Cour Napoléon – Napoleon Courtyard
The new entry to the Louvre was designed as part of a decade-long project initiated by French President François Mitterrand in 1981 to expand and remodel the building and museum. The Louvre Pyramid, a large glass-and-metal entrance way and skylight in the main courtyard, was designed by Chinese-American architect I. M. Pei and completed in 1989.

In the courtyard of the Louvre, Paris France

In the Courtyard
The Cour Napoléon is surrounded on three sides by the 19th-century palace wings.

The equestrian statue of Louis XIV in the Louvre courtyard, Paris France

The Sun King
An equestrian statue of Louis XIV by Italian sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598 – 1680) sits on a plinth near the entrance pyramid.

Flag on top of the Louvre Palace from inside the Pyramid, Paris France

From Inside the Pyramid

Draped Grecian Marble
In the Department of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities on the ground floor of the Sully Wing, the cool Grecian marble begs to be touched.

Silenus cradling the infant Dionysus, Louvre Museum, Paris France

Silenus cradling the infant Dionysus
This tender and beautiful Roman statue of the elderly satyr Silenus cradling baby Dionysus, the god of wine, is a 1st or 2nd CE marble copy of a Hellenistic Greek bronze from 300 BCE.

Incomplete marble bust of Alexander the Great, the Louvre, Paris France

Alexander the Great 330-30 BCE

Marble sculpture of an old centaur being tormented by Cupid, the Louvre, Paris France

Old Centaur Tormented by Cupid 2 CE

Statue of a resting goat, the Louvre, Paris France

Il Caprone – The Billy Goat
I’m a Capricorn born in the year of the goat, so they always grab my attention. This magnificent fellow is part of an exhibition titled “Masterpieces from the Torlonia Collection”. The statue is a hybrid of ancient and modern craftsmanship: the body dates to the Imperial Roman period (late 1st century to early 2nd century CE), while several other parts were restored in the 17th century. The head is attributed to the Italian Renaissance man: Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598 – 1680).

People and artworks in the renovated summer apartments of Anne of Austria, the Louvre, Paris France

The Torlonia Collection
The Torlonia Collection is the largest and most important private collection of ancient art in the world. The Torlonia princes in Rome starting collecting antiquities in the 19th century. They acquired major collections from other Italian families and through excavations on their estates. This exhibition, installed in the renovated summer apartments of Anne of Austria, marks the first time these artworks have been on public display since the 1970s.

Statue of the Nile, the Louvre, Paris France

Statue of Nilus
This 2nd century CE Roman marble is another breathtaking sculpture from the Torlonia Collection. It shows of the god of the Nile River holding wheat and a cornucopia as symbols of the fertility and prosperity that follow the annual floods.

The Creation of Man painted ceiling, the Louvre, Paris France

Look Up!
Even the ceilings are extraordinary. This one in the Rotunda of Mars is known as the Creation of Man. Originally painted by Jean-Simon Berthélemy in 1802, this version was repainted or restored by Jean-Simon Berthélemy in 1826. The picture shows Prometheus bringing life to a human figure with fire, as Athena and other Olympian deities watch.

The Louvre Palace through a barred window, Paris France

Through the Window
Everywhere, there is light – as windows look out across the courtyard to the other wings.

Venus de Milo, the Louvre, Paris France

Venus de Milo
Some things are just breathtakingly luminous in real life. Created some time between 130 and 100 BC, during the Hellenistic period, this is believed to depict the Greek goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite.

The Winged Victory of Samothrace
This is a marble Hellenistic sculpture showing the Greek goddess of victory, Nike, landing on the prow of a warship. Created around 190 BC, it is considered a masterpiece of ancient Greek art and a symbol of triumph.

Hands on a phone taking a picture of the Mona Lisa, the Louvre, Paris France

La Gioconda – Mona Lisa
I’ve been up close to this 16th-century oil painting by Leonardo da Vinci before. Arguably the most famous portrait in the world, the crush to view this little gem was impossible. I settled for second-hand!

People on the stairs in an arched hallway, the Louvre, Paris France

Arched Hallways
People make their way down the Escalier Daru (Daru Staircase) as closing-time looms.

Steps into an arched corridor, the Louvre, Paris France

Steps in a Corridor
I was distracted regularly by the beauty of the space itself.

Maxim

Gift Shop
Naturally, exiting the museum involves running the gauntlet of souvenir shopping. One can hardly complain, though, when the shops in the underground Carrousel du Louvre mall include the legendary Maxim’s de Paris!

In the courtyard of the Louvre, Paris France

Back in the Courtyard
When I find my way outside, the light has fallen over the palace square.

Having enjoyed a feast for the visual senses, it was time to walk back to my hotel.

Text: Bon AppétitNaturally, it was not hard to find a charming bistro in which to stop and eat along the way!

Photos: 29September2024

Mother and calf African bush elephant, Masai Mara Kenya

Elephants in the Wild
It’s such a privilege witnessing these magnificent African bush elephants (Loxodonta Africana) lumbering across the Masai Maras open savannas in Kenya. I couldn’t help but smile every time I saw them – especially when I watched the females interacting with the young calves.

The grass was as high as an elephant’s eye.

Well – as high as a young elephant’s eye, at least.

The rains came early to the grasslands of East Africa this year. In Kenya’s Masai (Maasai) Mara, February and March were exceptionally wet, and April followed suit (see: The Governors’ Camp Blog). When I arrived in May, rains continued sporadically, the grass was lush and tall, and water sat in puddles on the saturated ground.

Driving south from Nakuru, where we had spend a day following the birds and animals around Lake Nakuru National Park (see: In Search of the Five #1 and #2), most of our four-hour drive was on paved roads – first the local C57, then onto the Chinese-built C12 Highway. These roads worked their way through small villages, lush farmlands, and colourfully painted cement-block shops with corrugated metal roofs. In contrast to our relatively smooth paved motorway, the rainy weather had reduced most of the frontages and slip roads into a patchwork of ruts, mud, and puddles.

Once we entered the Masai Mara National Park, all semblance of paving disappeared. It is no surprise that only 4WD vehicles – most of them specially-adapted safari Toyota Land Cruisers – can navigate the difficult terrain. To prepare passengers for the extraordinarily rough rides that are the consequence of these dirt roads, drivers promise customers a ‘free Kenyan massage’.

Do join me!

View from the dining room to the lake, Ziwa Bush Lodge, Nakuru Kenya

Morning at Ziwa Bush Lodge
Our day starts in a breakfast room just outside the Lake Nakuru National Park. Soft rains keep the dust down and the temperature lower.

Nakuru County scenes : simple village below the highway, Kenya.

Colourful Buildings and Tin Roofs
The morning drive takes us past simple settlements of wooden shanties with corrugated metal roofs.

Green fields on a hillside, Nakuru County, Kenya

Scenes from a Land Cruiser
Nakuru County includes high-altitude agricultural zones with rich and fertile soils.

Njoro Nakuru County shop fronts on a muddy road, Kenya.

Shop Fronts : Njoro Nakuru County
I am fascinated by the simple row-buildings with their fancy names – like this strip of ‘hotels’ and food outlets.

An open truck on a Njoro Nakuru highway, full of standing men, Kenya

Safety First?
Different rules are applied to Occupational Health and Safety standards in many countries.

Painted front of the Tano Bora Curio Shop, Nakuru, Kenya

Tano Bora Curio Shop
Decorated with animal murals, this souvenir shop not far outside the Lake Nakuru National Park is a popular stop – and not only because it offers tourists clean and working toilets.

Carved African heads in a souvenir shop, Tano Bora Curio Shop, Nakuru, Kenya.

Carved Heads
The inside of the dark store is packed wall-to-wall with all kinds of arts, crafts, and trinkets.

A roadside scene from Narok County, Kenya

More Scenes From A Land Cruiser
As we continue south, the road is bordered by large acacia trees, rustic outdoor stalls, parked motorcycles, and utility trucks.

Wet Narok roadside with shopfronts and motorcycles, Kenya.

Narok Roadside
We cross into Narok County and the rains start again. The ramshackle shop fronts continue and the litter increases.

Wet Narok road with potholes and puddles, Kenya.

And the Road gets Worse!
Once we cross into the boundaries of the Mara Conservancies, the asphalt disappears. Surprising, really, considering that tourism is one of the core contributors to Kenya’s economy.

A Masai herdsman with cattle on a dirt road, Narok Kenya.

Maasai Cattle
We share the road with Maasai, who live in traditional tribal communities and herd their precious animals the way they always have.

A herd of wildebeest, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

🎶  ‘I’m a GNU – How do you do?’  🎶 
We cross into the Masai Mara National Park – and while the road doesn’t improve, herds of animals now surround us. The first to greet us were the wildebeest. One of the Ugly Five, these are known to me from childhood as gnu, thanks to the amusing song by Flanders and Swan.

A male topi antelope, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

Topi Antelope – Damaliscus Lunatus
Thanks to the rich grasses, the animals don’t need to concentrate at the waterholes. Instead, many are not far from the main roads.

A Masai giraffe, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

Masai (Maasai) Giraffe – Giraffa Tippelskirchi
Who knew there were four species and seven subspecies of giraffe? I didn’t! These ones, sometimes called called the Kilimanjaro giraffe, are found across East Africa.

Male ostrich, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

Ostrich – Struthio Camelus
The only ostivhes we saw were quite distant.

Lioness in tall grass, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

Lioness (Panthera Leo) in the Grass
The lions, on the other hand, pay us no attention as they go about their lives. There is also a male here – hidden by the grass. During their mating season, lions pair off for days on what the guides call their honeymoon. They will mate as often as the female allows until she knows she has conceived.

Driver/guid in a landcruiser window, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

Sharing Information
Everytime we pass another Land Cruiser, we stop, and the guides chat. They share what they have seen, or ask about the whereabouts of particular animals. My guide was in search of more lions …

African bush elephants, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

African Bush Elephants – Loxodonta Africana
… even though I’m just as happy to watch these gentle giants as they make their way across the landscape.

A female African bush elephant, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

An African Savanna Elephant
These elephants are the largest and heaviest living land animals. It was once believe there was only one species of African elephant; today, however, these bush or savanna elephants (Loxodonta Africana) are recognised as separate from their much smaller forest cousins (Loxodonta cyclotis).

The seilhouette of a man seen through a muddy windshield, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

When your Driver Misjudges the Size of a Mudhole …
In his determined search for lions, my driver managed to get bogged. We were a long time stuck, in spite of the help of two other safari vehicles.

Lime green Toyota Land Cruiser in the mud, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

Another Safari Vehicle
All the customized Toyota Land Cruisers are much the same. This one, who tried to come to our aide, belongs to the same company I was travelling with. After an hour or so, a large truck manage to extract our 4×4 …

Young lioness on a roadworks dirt pile, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

Lioness on the Dirt
… and we continued on to find the lion pride that my driver was in search of.

Male lion sleeping on red dirt, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

Sleeping Lion
Unless you catch them at a hunt, or in the midst ot mating, most of the time lions are simple conserving energy.

Female lion sleeping on red dirt, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

Sleeping Lioness

A female African bush elephant, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

Another Bush Elephant
The light was falling as we made our way back to the park gates.

Black-backed jackal, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

Black-Backed Jackal – Lupulella Mesomelas
A pretty little jackal was my last sighting before we exited the park and drove the rocky road to my overnight accommodation.

Truly a memorable day!

I had to pack myself off to bed, as we had an early start – back into the wet grasslands – the next morning for a full day of game-driving.

Text: Happy Roads!Until then,

Happy Roads!

Photos: 12May2026

Berman Lake woods and their reflection, Berman Lake Regional Park, BC Canada

Trees Reflecting in Berman Lake
Berman Lake Regional Park is just off the highway, 45 km (29 mi) west of Prince George, British Columbia (BC), just off Canada’s Highway 16. It is just a small park – but it promised some short walking trails to break up my driving day.

Thanks to modern technology, solo travel is so much easier than it used to be!

In the bigger picture, I was on my way from Jasper Alberta to the BC Ferries port in Prince Rupert, where I had a reservation on the ferry to Vancouver Island. I was working my way slowly west along the northern provincial highways in Canada’s British Columbia. I had phone data, GoogleMaps, TripAdvisor, Booking.com, and AllTrails at my command, and outlined my route and potential stops every morning before setting off in my rental car (eg: Long Roads and Short Walks #2).

On this particular day, I started in Prince George, BC, where I had stopped overnight. I had a roughly four hour drive west to Smithers BC, where a friend of mine was living. I wasn’t meeting her until the next day, so I could take my time on the road.

My first stop was at Berman Lake Regional Park, only 45 km (29 mi) west of Prince George. AllTrails had suggested some short walks, which turned out to be pleasant, but very overgrown. While the park is small enough around the lake and I was at no risk of getting completely lost, without the App on my phone, I would have certainly lost the trails!

A mere 40 minutes further west, I parked the car again: this time at the Vanderhoof Museum & Visitor Centre for an early lunch and a walk around the Heritage Trail. The museum website lists the trail distance as 1.25 km (0.78 mi), but I recorded 2.1 km (1.3 mi) of walking. Either way, it was a delightful and easy circuit on groomed gravel, past historic buildings, along Stoney Creek, and through a lovely lush birch forest. I was surrounded by afternoon birdsong and clouds of butterflies. 

Join me for some short walks:

Berman Lake woods and their reflection, Berman Lake Regional Park, BC Canada

Berman Lake and Woods
I have the Berman Lake Regional Park all to myself when I arrive. The lake has a scattering of fallen trees – as do the trails! Many of the tracks appeared on my App, but were too overgrown to be accessible. The clear water is a rich brown from the natural plant tannins that have run into the lake from the feeder streams.

"Salmon at Work" sign, Berman Lake Regional Park, BC Canada

“Salmon at Work”
Now, that’s not a sign you see everyday! It was, however, the wong time of year; I saw no salmon.

Bunchberry on the ground, Berman Lake Regional Park, BC Canada

Bunchberry – Cornus Canadensis
Commonly known as creeping dogwood, I love these cheerful ground-covering plants.

Tall trees reflected in Berman Lake, BC Canada

Like a Painting: Reflections in Shallow Waters
Wetlands at the edges of the lake feature fine green reed stems and small clusters of flowering aquatic plants.

Rushes and aquatic plants, Berman Lake Regional Park, BC Canada

Rushes and Reeds
Bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata) – also known as buckbean, grows in the shallow water at the edges of the lake.

Western dog violets around Berman Lake, BC Canada

Hookedspur Violet – Viola Adunca
Western dog violets can be found in the shadows along the path around the lake.

Narrow path through a mix of deciduous trees and conifers, Berman Lake Regional Park, BC Canada

Into the Woods
This classic sub-boreal forest is a mix of tall paper birch trees, white spruce, and an understory of low shrubs and mosses.

Close-up: Peeling birch bark, Berman Lake Regional Park, BC Canada

Peeling Bark
Birch trees are known for their distinctive thin bark that peels naturally. Inland First Nations peoples used this bark for everything from clothing to canoes.

Forest scene: Arnica cordifolia and a tree stump, , Berman Lake Regional Park, BC Canada

Tiny Treasures : Arnica Cordifolia and a Tree Stump

A metal bridge across a creek, Berman Lake, BC Canada

Woods, a Bridge, and Reflections
Beavers – which I never manage to see in the wild! – are at home here. This probably accounts for some of the fallen timber, and might be the reason for the metal bridges.

Classic sub-boreal evergreen forest, Berman Lake, BC Canada

Woods Reflected
The lake is surrounded by tall conifers, including lodgepole pines, hybrid white spruce, subalpine fir, and black spruce.

Close-up: pine tree branch with a cluster of golden-orange male pollen cones at the tip, Berman Lake Regional Park, BC Canada

Young Pollen Cones
Pine trees produce hard, woody, female cones which release seeds, and these smaller, colourful, male cones containing pollen.

Close-up: insect markings on a fallen log, Berman Lake Regional Park, BC Canada

Nature’s Artworks: Scribbly Trunk
Insect larvae have left their mark in the sapwood layer of a fallen tree, just beneath the missing outer bark.

A metal bridge across a creek, Berman Lake, BC Canada

Another Small Bridge

Vanderhoof Museum and Visitor Centre building, BC Canada

Vanderhoof Museum and Visitor Centre
Later the same day, I stopped into the Visitor Centre in the small municipality of Vanderhoof for lunch and a visit to the attractive and well-presented museum which outlines local First Nation and early pioneer history.

Old Smithers House, Vanderhoof Museum and Visitor Centre building, BC Canada

Smithers House
The grounds immediately around the centre are dotted with preserved heritage buildings. This one was built between 1929 and 1935, and was wired for electricity – before that was a common occurrence.

Canadian National railcar, Vanderhoof Museum and Visitor Centre building, BC Canada

Canadian National Railcar
These boxcars were a common sight in my childhood, and always make me smile.

Wild rose in bloom, Heritage Nature Trail, Vanderhoof Museum and Visitor Centre, BC Canada

Wild Rose – Rosa Acicularis
The beautifully groomed Heritage Nature Trail is short, but travels through different vegetation zones.

Dandelion seed head, Heritage Nature Trail, Vanderhoof Museum and Visitor Centre, BC Canada

Make a Wish!

The Heritage Nature Trail through tall trees, Vanderhoof Museum and Visitor Centre, BC Canada

The Heritage Nature Trail
The track is bordered by white-barked paper birch trees, alder, and towering evergreen spruce.

Red-osier dogwood leaves and a bloom, Heritage Nature Trail, Vanderhoof Museum and Visitor Centre, BC Canada

Red-Osier Dogwood – Cornus Sericea syn. Cornus Stolonifera
Afternoon sunlight plays through the trees.

Small cairn with a red heart painted on it, Vanderhoof Museum and Visitor Centre, BC Canada

An Inukshuk with Heart
These traditional Inuit stone landmarks have become more broadly known since one was used as a logo for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Western tiger swallowtail butterfly, Heritage Nature Trail, Vanderhoof Museum and Visitor Centre, BC Canada

Western Tiger Swallowtail – Papilio Rutulus
There were butterflies everywhere along the track; most of them were too quick for me!

Driving west along the Yellowhead, Telkwa BC Canada

On The Road Again
Later in the afternoon, the stunning mountains around Telkwa come into view.

It was a beautiful, sunny day, with just the right balance of driving and walking.

Until next time,

Happy Trails!

Photos: 01June2023