 Man with a Cheroot
A man takes a break, squatting on the bundles of bamboo that sit at the docks of the Thaung Tho Market on Inle Lake. Inle Lake, Myanmar’s second largest freshwater body of water, sits in the mountainous-west of the multi-ethnic Shan State. The 45 square-mile (117 square-kilometer) lake is known for its leg-rowing Intha fishermen and its floating villages. Amongst the reeds and narrow waterways, the ethnic markets and buddhist pagodas are also worth a visit.
The markets around Inle Lake are held on a rotating five-day cycle. The one at Thaung Tho Kyaung, a Pa’O (Taungthu) village in the canals well south of the city of Nampan, is a popular event which brings the local people down from the surrounding hills and in from the waterways.
The Pa’O people are the second largest ethnic group in the Shan State – and many live on and around the lake.
 Life on the Water
Whatever you want to do on Inle Lake, you do it by boat.  Our Boat on the Lake
Our boatman steers us through the waterways…  Portrait of a Boatman
… to our various destinations around Inle Lake. Thaung Tho Kyaung Pagoda
We pass many beautiful Buddhist temples on our travels. Boats at the Dock
Our docking point near the Thaung Tho Market is already busy with boat traffic. Man on a Break
Bamboo is big business. These long, strong, pieces are used extensively for construction. Woman at the Dock
Smaller pieces of bamboo and other non-wood fibres are woven for walls, floors and roofing. Washing Dishes
The Thaung Tho Market is a busy place: they are already washing up at the coffee hut. Paan Maker
Dotted all around the markets are stalls for preparing paan: betel quid. Called kun-ya (ကွမ်းယာ) in Burmese, the quid is a combination of areca nuts with spice and/or tobacco wrapped up in betel leaves. Making Betel Paan
The word “paan” comes from the Sanskrit word “parṇa” (leaf). The betel leaf is spread with slaked lime – a calcium hydroxide paste – which helps release the alkaloid stimulants in the betel leaf and areca nut. Betel Leaves and Areca Nuts
Limed betel leaf is filled with chopped areca nut… Tobacco Tins
… and a mixture of tobacco and spices… Making Betel Paan
… before being rolled into a packet … Chewing Paan
… and tucked into one’s mouth to be chewed. Young Man in Thanaka Powder
Although young, this betel-paan salesman already shows some signs of the oral problems caused by chewing quid. Thaung Tho Market
The markets are a centre for the local Pa-O (Black Karen) people and include produce, clothing and trinkets. Pa’O Women
Although many Pa’O women now wear modern blouses or sweaters instead of the traditional black jackets, they still wear their woven checkered head-dresses. These vegetable-sellers wait for customers, … Pa’O Women
… as they survey the market area. Young Monks
These three boys were enjoying “window shopping” together. It is not uncommon for young boys to become Buddhist novices. Pipes
Ornate pipes are amongst the bits and baubles on offer. Checking out the Goods
A Karen man examines a length of fabric… Transaction
… and makes his purchase… Karen Man
… without ever loosening his grip on his cheroot. Karen Woman and Child
With her baby in a carry-sling, a young Karen mum does her shopping. Boats on the Dock
As we leave the markets, the dock area is busy with people loading the 20-foot lengths of bamboo. I love markets for the glimpse they give into people’s every-day lives.
Two things stood out for me at this one:
Firstly, time is paced differently: there is a lot of standing or squatting while watching and waiting – interspersed with bursts of activity or labour-intensive periods. Whether you are waiting to sell your bamboo or your vegetables, or waiting for your betel paan, you will have long spells of inactivity.
Secondly, stimulants – in the form of coffee, cheroots and betel paan – have a more prominent role than any single food-stuff.
I guess the stimulants help with those long periods of idleness…
Until next time ~
Photos: 21-22September2012
Posted in Every Day Life,Myanmar,Travel,WorkTags: blog,boats,environmental portrait,environmental portraits,market,Myanmar,people,Photo Blog,portrait,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
Rutledge Falls
Part of the Short Springs Tennessee Natural Area, Rutledge Falls is a stunningly beautiful waterfall on Crumpon Creek. It is late spring in Middle Tennessee and the dogwood and magnolia trees are in full bloom. The grass is green and the honeysuckle is hanging from the woods in fragrant bunches.
I am always amazed by how much wild, wooded space there is in Tennessee. From the iconic mountains in the Appalachian chain in the east, to the fertile valleys between the Tennessee and the Mississippi Rivers in the west, the rural countryside alternates with lakes, woods, and waterways. In the towns and suburbs, big houses sit well back from the roadways, fronted by expansive, manicured green lawns and surrounded by stately trees.
In Middle Tennessee where the endless multi-lane highways are bounded on all sides by dense forests of deciduous trees, the lush rural landscape – dominated by rolling hills and fertile stream valleys – is punctuated by picturesque weathered barns of all ages, tidy homesteads, and magnificent horses. And, of course, countless trees.
My husband and I were in Tennessee for family functions – but there is always time for some canoeing on the rivers and walking in the woods.
Do join us!
Dogwood
It is late spring in Middle Tennessee and the dogwood and magnolia trees are in full bloom (iPhone6). Rutledge Falls
Imagine having this in your back yard! Rutledge Falls, Tullahoma, is on private land, but access is open to the public from dawn to dusk. “The Lady of the Falls”
This statue comes as a delightful surprise as you work your way through the woods to the top of the falls. One of three life-sized figures cast by Wood & Perot’s Ornamental Iron Works of Philadelphia, PA, this one, originally called “Night”, was moved to this location around 1958. (For a winter view and more history, visit Lynn Roebuck’s photo.) Rutledge Falls
It is a short, steep, slippery walk down to the water’s edge, … Downstream
… but it’s well worth it for the view. Locals often come to picnic, fish, or swim in the icy waters. Bug: Rutledge Falls Women Chatting
The falls are a popular natural area for tourists and locals alike. Violets in the Leaf Litter: Rutledge Falls Mossy Rocks: Rutledge Falls
The water comes down in small falls around the edges of the creek, … Rutledge Falls
… and in a beautiful veil through the middle. Maple Leaves
A short drive away, still in the Short Springs State Natural Area, there is car parking at the head of a network of trails which includes the short walk to Machine Falls. Mountain Laurel (Kalmia Latifolia)
The air in the woods is hot and still, but fragrant from the spring flowers and foliage. Barrier
The woods are part of a Tennessee State Park, so the steps and trails are regularly maintained – GeoMarker: TVA
– but time and erosion has left some of the Tennessee Valley Authority geo-markers raised up in the middle of the path. Velvet Woods
The woods are dark at the bottom of the hill where the trail meets the bridge over Bobo Creek. Machine Falls
The waters of Bobo Creek drop more than 18 metres (60 feet) over the almost-60-foot-wide Machine Falls – one of the prettiest waterfalls I’ve visited in a long while. In the Falls
Access to the falls is through the cold creek waters; trees and slippery rocks line the sides of the creek, making a dry-footed access impossible. Woods with Character
The spring woods are a lush mix of sycamore, buckeye, magnolia, beech, and tulip trees. The tree barks, and the shrubs and flowers at ground-level, make good excuses to stop on the steep climb back up the hill. The beauty of nature is hard to beat, and I always feel refreshed after time around woods and waters.
I’m looking forward to our next visit.
Till then ~
Happy Paddling!
Pictures: 14May2015
Posted in America,Landscapes,Nature,TravelTags: blog,landscape,nature,Photo Blog,Tennessee,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall,USA,walk,woods
Pikes Peak
Pikes Peak, the highest summit of Colorado’s southern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, is a stunning backdrop for the rock formations in the “Garden of the Gods”, as seen from the Garden of the Gods Club & Resort, Colorado Springs. It’s impossible not to look to the sky in Central-Eastern Colorado: mountains, cliffs, and ancient stone monoliths launch up into a limitless expanse of blue – broken only by the vapour trails of airforce training jets thundering through.
It seems apt that the area is home to the “Garden of the Gods”: magnificent natural rock formations, set against the backdrop of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains and under that ridiculously blue sky.
Fine sand from primordial beaches, coarse sand, gravel, silica, and hematite, compressed by the ages into ancient sedimentary beds of red, pink, grey and white sandstones, conglomerates, and limestone, were lifted up and tilted during the same geological upheaval – millions of years ago – that raised the Rocky Mountains and Pikes Peak. Subsequent ages of erosion and glaciation worked their magic, carving out the amazing formations we see today.
Named “Garden of the Gods” in 1859 by Rufus Cable, a young surveyor, the lands were gifted to the City of Colorado Springs upon the death of their owner Charles Elliott Perkins in 1909. Today, the park is open to the public daily, free of charge.
We were staying nearby, and managed a couple of visits to the extraordinary Gardens – as well as to the simulated Anasazi Cliff Dwellings at Manitou Springs, and Colorado Springs’ United States Air Force Academy.
Impossible Colours
Blue-green semi-desert shrublands, dramatic grey and red Lyons sandstone rock formations, a snow-capped Pikes Peak, and a cloudless blue Colorado sky… Garden of the Gods Club and Resort
… combine to make for an arresting view. Kissing Camels and White Rock – Garden of the Gods
The colours of the white and red Lyons sandstone formations are even more dramatic close up. Garden of the Gods
The jagged red rocks rise up out of the landscape. North Gateway Rock
Hiking trails – including those accessible to wheelchairs – wind around the 1,364 acres of public parklands. Scotsman
The rocks in the Garden of the Gods have imaginative names – some dating back to the Pikes Peak Gold Rush of 1858. Balanced Rock and Steamboat Rock
Garden Drive is one of the paved roads winding through the Gardens… Balanced Rock
… giving close access to several distinctive rock features. Kindergarten Rock
The longest continuous expanses of exposed rock in Garden of the Gods is the pink-grey sandstone of Kindergarten Rock. North Gateway Rock
Gateway Trail leads past the limestone monoliths into the gardens. Climbers
Almost invisible against the rock face, climbers make their way up to the peak. On the Rock Face
Climbers need to be licensed, ascend with a buddy, stay on established routes, and use proper equipment. Sentinel Rock
Visitors sit and chat along the Central Gardens Trail. Central Gardens Trail
Sharp spires are all around the shadowed central gardens. Garden of the Gods Awe Inspiring Kissing Camels
The Kissing Camels are a prominent feature on top of the North Gateway Rock formation. Woman at the Springs
The Cheyenne, Mountain Ute and Arapaho people who settled in the region at the base of Pike’s Peak considered Manitou Springs sacred. They thought that the bubbles in the effervescent artesian springs all around the area were from the breath of the Great Spirit “Manitou.” The Manitou Cliff Dwellings
The Ancient Ones (Anasazi) left cliff dwellings – like these reconstructed ones – abandoned all across Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. Our visit to this small museum prompted our later visit to Bandelier National Monument further south in New Mexico. T-38 Talon Thunderbird
A jet trainer sits outside the United States Air Force Academy with the ubiquitous Pikes Peak in the background. The United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel
The unique architecture of the Cadet Chapel is the first thing visitors to the Academy see. Fly Boy and Girl in the Terrazzo
Cadet dormitories stretch around the Terrazzo at the Air Force Academy… Cadets and an F-15 Eagle
Static aircraft sit in the Academy quadrangle. Inside ~ Looking Out
The Chapel overlooks the greens and the dormitories. Inside the Chapel
It is cool and dark inside the chapel, where the windows vault into the sky. Cadet Chapel
The glass in the lower level of the multi-faith chapel is stained in warm colours. 
That fresh air, wide open sky, and magnificent scenery – natural and man-made – certainly inspires one to look up and give thanks.
Happy Travels!
Pictures: 16-17May2013
Posted in America,Landscapes,Nature,USATags: architecture,blog,landscape,nature,Photo Blog,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall,USA
Bicycle Sunset
Parked along the road that leads to Jaswant Thada (near the Mehrangarh Fort), a bicycle sits silhouetted against the late afternoon Jodhphur sun. Chaos and colour.
For me, those words sum up India.
The chaos is ubiquitous – as a pedestrian, you need to be aware of all parts of your body as you walk across broken pavements punctuated by piles of rubbish and cow pats, through crowds of burdened porters and grasping beggars, and past whizzing bikes and tuk-tuks and potentially dangerous bulls …
But, as any visitor to these pages knows, I love it. On my first visit to Rajasthan many years ago, I was struck by the colours and how they seem to vibrate through the hot, dusty air, and I continue to be captured by it.
Of course, it is not always hot: nothing quite compares to the penetrating cold-damp of a Delhi winter fog. And, it is not always the bright sunlight of mid-day: if you are on a photo-tour, you are bound to be up before the first light and still out as the sun sets at the end of day – as I was one long November day in Jodhpur.
But, whatever time of day or season, the colours – and the faces of the people – are still arresting.
Enjoy!
Long Shadows
If you are travelling on a Photo Tour, you can expect to be up and out before dawn, and still up long after sunset… In a pre-dawn street of Old Jodhpur, the shadows of our group, with photographer Karl Grobl and local guide DV, are projected against a painted wall by the lights of our bus. Woman on the Stoop
There is life in the streets long before the sun approaches the horizon: people are setting up their shop-fronts and chai stalls… Shrine
… or tending one of the many wildly-coloured Hindu shines dotting the streets. Street Lights down a Corridor
Laneways full of detritus are shadowed in the low light. Corridor
Blue-washed houses with green painted doors are a common sight in Old Jodhpur. Portrait of a Woman in Red
People in the streets are always ready to stop, smile and have their pictures made. Dog in Blue Watchful Blurring the “Pepsi”
As morning breaks, people start on their day’s business… Girl on the Move
… hurrying past on foot … Wheels
… or on scooters. Dog on a Stoop Woman at the Tap Man on a Balcony The Morning Paper Black and Yellow Tuk-Tuks
Drivers sit in their three-wheelers, waiting for business. Beware the Bull!
This brahman bull is known for his bad temper: he’s no risk to the passing scooters, but those of us on foot need to keep a wide berth. The Blue Door Passing the Blue Door Veggie Seller and her Wares
Morning street markets are just that: goods in baskets, on the street. The produce all looks very fresh. Veggie Seller Veggie Seller
Old scales with lead weights are a part of the transactions. Tuk-Tuk Chaos
You get a real sense of the street chaos from inside a tuk-tuk on a busy road. Jaswant Thada
After a visit to the nearby Mehrangarh Fort, we made a late afternoon stop to Jaswant Thada, the white marble mausoleum built in 1899 for Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. Musician on a Traditional Stringed Instrument
Hoping for donations, performers in brightly coloured turbans entertain visitors to the Jaswant Thada memorial site. Musician on a Harmonium
A simple Indian harmonium can be boxed up and carried away. Musician: Jaswant Thada Rao Jodha Ji Statue
As we leave the Jaswant Thada monument, the afternoon sun drops behind the statue of Rao Jodha Ji, founder of Jodhpur, on his magnificent Rajasthani horse.  Wonderful, chaotic, clashing colours – any time of day.
Namaste!
Photos: 06November2013
Posted in Every Day Life,India,Portraits,TravelTags: architecture,blog,environmental portrait,environmental portraits,hindu,India,people,Photo Blog,portrait,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
Once again, Thredbo, that little village, high – ok, so it is only 1365m, but in Australia, that is high – in the Australian Alps, has dished up some great festival music.
Cool blues in the January heat (Thredbo Blues Festival 2015) and hot traditional and contemporary jazz in the crisp Autumn air (Thredbo Jazz Festival 2015) make great excuses to get into Kosciuszko National Park. I’ve said it before: (Summer Blues; All that Jazz; Blues in Colour) I love music in the mountains!
The venues: outdoor verandahs at risk from wind and rain; restaurants with crowded tables and clanging cutlery; dark indoor spaces with glaring, streaming backlight from the bright afternoon sun; pubs with laughing conversations behind and bouncing dancers in front; all make for photographic challenges – but that is part of the fun.
Brody Young
The festivals start with the collection of a wrist band at the office – and a Yalumba wine tasting or three – on the Village Square. Doggn It Blues Duo
From the Village Square, we move into the closest restaurant for good food, more wine, … John Cupit on Harp
… and great sounds … Doggn It
… as local groups play the blues the Aussie way. Phil and Trudy Edgeley
We always try to take in a lunch performance at Eagles Nest (1937m) at the top of the chairlift; … Merritts Nature Track
… it gives us such a good excuse to walk back down. Trigger Plant (Stylidium montanum)
The flora along the trail provide a good excuse for a pause: this track was longer and steeper than I remembered. Shaun Kirk
Back in the Village, one-man-powerhouse Shaun Kirk is filling the tiny courtyard at Berntis with wonderful, joyful sounds. People are standing and sitting wherever they can grab a space – I was hanging to a railing on a steep staircase to take this shot. Rory Ellis with Andrew Toner
We were so blown away by Rory Ellis’ music and songs that we booked the dinner show – and bought a CD. I tried to upload a track for you, but the Mac won’t read it: think Jonny Cash meets Burl Ives. Making Mojitos
The drinks were pretty good, too. Swamphouse
Meanwhile, in the Schuss Bar, it could be late night in Louisiana, as Swamphouse stomp out their “gutbucket boogie”. Charlie A’Court
An absolute crowd-pleaser, visiting Canadian Charlie A’Court took up residence in the Lounge Bar. Matt Burrows
It’s the stuff of fairy tales! Charlie A’Court was at Narooma’s Great Southern Blues Festival in October 2013, and on impulse, handed his guitar to a 16-year-old in the audience. That youngster, Matt Burrows, so impressed Charlie – and the audience – that he earned a spot at the Thredbo Blues (see: Guitar Kid Gets Dream Break) – Matt Burrows with Charlie A’Court
– and back on stage with Charlie. Andrea Marr
Singer-songwriter Andrea Marr chats to a fan … Music: “Andrea Marr Play On/Off”
… as the music stands and the Funky Hitmen wait to introduce her … Funky Hitmen Saxophone
… with bold, brassy sounds. Russell Morris
An Australian icon and Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) inductee, Russell Morris didn’t disappoint. Rory Ellis with Andrew Toner
Dinner as the sun went down marked the end of our Blues… Dixie Street Allstars
… but we were back in May for some Dixie jazz in the Autumn sun. Piano: Sydney Latin Allstars Belle Peppers
Making room for the band and their equipment, while fitting in the diners is a tricky balance, but the venues manage. Lunch at the Knickerbocker is always a treat; Liza Ohlback and the Belle Peppers were added seasoning. Ali Penney
Sun streams over the hill behind her, as Ali Penney sings her heart out. Keyim Ba
For a complete change of pace, we headed back to the Lounge Bar for an Australian-based West African band that had everyone up dancing. Sibo Bangoura
Percussionist with joy and attitude, Sibo Bangoura had us all smiling with him … Richard Adams
… as did Richard Adams of The Nairobi Trio – in a completely different way. The Nairobi Trio
Why Nairobi? I don’t know – as they perform jazz standards and, to me, have a celtic + gypsy flavour. Illya Szwec
We are plunged back into darkness for great sounds and excellent food, as we enjoy classic blues & roots music from Illya Szwec and his band, in the Cascades Restaurant. This week, a FaceBook friend of mine posted a reference to a study claiming that, on average, people stop listening to new music at age 33 – to which my friend quipped: “33 1/3”.
I didn’t read the study, so I don’t know if “new music” meant new genres, young musicians, or just new takes on old standards. I don’t know who that study talked to, but I was well over 33 when my children were still at home exposing me to their “new music”. Granted, I didn’t love all of it. But, I listened.
Now, I get annual doses of it at local music festivals.
And, I love it as much as I did when I was 33.
🙂
Keep Smiling!
Pictures: 16-18January2015 and 02May2015
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Well done
Nice trip down memory lane. Some excellent portraits, for sure.
Thanks, Gabe and Katy. Nice to have your visits. 😀