 Carnival Sensation
Our ship is tied up at Prince George Wharf, across from Festival Place, Nassau, the Bahamas. This time a year ago, my husband and I were on a big boat, on a very short trip from Port Canaveral (Orlando) Florida, to Nassau, capital of the Bahamas.
You might ask why we were on what can only be described as a floating resort-cassino in the North Atlantic Ocean.
That’s a very good question, one we would struggle to answer without a very lengthy explanation. Suffice it to say, my husband is a glass-half-full kind of guy, the sort of person who doesn’t look a gift-horse in the mouth – and therefore doesn’t tend to look for attached strings or hidden Trojan soldiers.
Anyway… Never mind how we came to be there; never mind that our planned shore-trip had been washed out by recent flooding; never mind that it was still raining: we had only a few hours in Nassau, and we were going to make the most of it!
 Paradise Island Lighthouse
It’s not exactly beach weather, but looking across Nassau Harbour from the deck of our boat, we can see the Paradise Island Lighthouse sitting at the end of Colonial Beach.  Family in the Rain
It rained off and on as people made their way off the large cruise boats docked on Prince George Wharf.  Atlantis Paradise Island Resort
A sprawling resort complex on Paradise Island, Atlantis includes accommodation complexes and water-park attractions. The Bridge Suite, in the Royal Towers, is listed at US $25,000 a night; apparently the 10th most expensive hotel suite in the world (2012), and – according to our guide – booked solid for months in advance. Festival Place
Our entry into Nassau is through Festival Place, where we go through the usual customs and immigration rigamarole, and run the gamut of small shops before exiting out the other side. Guide James
James, our Bahamian guide to Nassau points out the sights as he drives us through the wet cobbled streets… Bay Street
… filled with cars, buses, pony traps and pedestrians. Queen’s Staircase
Our first stop is at the bottom of the Queen’s Staircase. Queen’s Staircase
Between 1793 and 1794, 66 steps were cut into the limestone and bricked up by slaves. The stairs, which lead up to Fort Finlay, were named for Queen Victoria who was the long-standing monarch of Britain – and therefore ruler of the Bahamas, which was not an independent nation until July 10, 1973. Fort Fincastle Prow
Built on Bennett’s Hill by Governor Lord Dunmore around 1793, Fort Fincastle is shaped like a paddle-steamer. Fort Fincastle Cannon
The fort overlooks the city of Nassau, Paradise Island, and the eastern approaches to New Providence. Our ship might be one of those in the water, in the cannon’s sights. Banana Rock Cafe
Today, the fort is flanked by coffee shops, … A Boy and a Puppy
… private homes, … Saleslady with Attitude
… and tourist shops. Braids in the Shops
Young women examine the goods on sale… Crowding Shoppers
… while others watch and wait. Plants on the Fort Guardhouse
Sitting like the pooch from His Master’s Voice (HMV), a dog guards the guardhouse. Columbus – Government House
After our visit to the fort, we take a short drive around the city, slowing down for sights of interest, including Columbus’ statue in front of Government House. Columbus’ first landfall in the New World in 1492 was in the Bahamas, so he is honoured all around the city. Guide with the Seaworld Explorer
We get onto a boat with another guide, for a scenic trip through the waters around Paradise Island. Ophah’s Homes
A number of celebrities own expensive properties in the Bahamas. These two belong to Oprah Winfrey. Family
At the underwater marine park near Athol Island, we board a semi-submarine, and watch the sea life outside the windows. Under Water
I always forget how little light penetrates the water. The fish are hazy through the thick perspex. Upper Deck
Before long, we’re back aboard our boat, ready to head north. 
I’d definitely go back – but the next time it will be on our own terms, with fewer strings.
I’d also opt for more time being there, rather than so much time getting on and off boats!
And, I’d prefer if it wasn’t raining.
Happy Sailing!
Photographs: 31May2013
Posted in Bahamas,History,Nature,TravelTags: architecture,blog,boats,environmental portraits,Photo Blog,The Bahamas,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
Four Novices
In the beautifully lit, covered south-entrance causeway leading to Shwezigon Pagoda, four young novices walk with their begging bowls. Bagan, in Central Myanmar, is known for its temples.
Not all its temples, however, are ruined relics of the Pagan Empire (9th to 13th Century). Others – like the beautiful Shwezigon Pagoda – are still living, breathing places.
Shwezigon was Pagan’s first Buddhist temple. It was started by King Anawrahta after he took the throne by force in 1044, unified the country, and introduced Theravada Buddhism to the people. Most accounts agree he died in 1077 or 1078: before the elaborate pagoda was completed. One story says he was killed by a wild buffalo; others mention only the phase of the moon at the time of his death. The Shwezigon complex, somewhat modified from Anawrahta’s original plans, was completed in 1102, under his son, King Kyanzittha.
The symmetrical pagoda is 160 feet high and 160 feet square at the base. It sits in a square compound, where it is surrounded by smaller temples and shrines – and flanked by typical burmese markets, crowded full of people.
Women in the Market Burmese Child Smoking Woman Mother and Child
Everyone in the market is wearing their protective thanaka powder. Burmese Child
Children learn the “V” sign early. Saleswoman in Pink Mother and Baby Baby in the Market Shwezigon Pagoda
The prototypical circular Burmese stupa: the gold-leaf gilded Shwezigon Pagoda sits in at the centre of a square compound. Golden Lion
Stylised lions guard the pagoda. Plaque in Marble and Gold
Richly decorated Burmese prayers punctuate the courtyard. Brass Flower Trees, Stone Almes Bowls, and Incense Burners Nun Praying
In pavilions around the pagoda, there are plenty of peaceful places to sit. Nun with a Book of Prayer Book of Burmese Prayer Barefoot
Pilgrims and visitors carry their shoes through the covered causeway leading to the pagoda. Three Novices Novice Running Novices
Our photo-group leader Karl Grobl and local guide Mr MM have persuaded the Abbot to let us “borrow” a few novices – Jumping Novice
– and we encourage them to engage in some un-novice-like behaviour. Running Novice
The novices clearly enjoy the task that has been set for them – Running Novice
– flying down the sedate, grand, covered causeway at Shwezigon’s South Entrance – Running Novice
– with great enthusiasm. 
With roots in Bagan’s rich history, Shwezigon is a beautiful temple to visit.
My visit was only made better by the novices, the nuns, and the other people who comprise the life within the compound perimeters.
Keep Smiling!
Pictures: 18September2012
Posted in Architecture,Myanmar,Religious Practice,TravelTags: architecture,blog,buddhism,buddhist,children,environmental portrait,environmental portraits,Myanmar,Photo Blog,temple,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
Taj Mahal Morning
The classic view of an Indian icon. “Not a piece of architecture, as other buildings are,
but the proud passion of an emperor’s love wrought in living stones.”
– Sir Edwin Arnold
We all know the story: the Taj Mahal, considered the epitome of Mughal art and architecture, was built by emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved third wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
Prince Khurram, the son of Jehangir, the fourth Mughal emperor of India and the favourite grandson of Akbar the Great, was born in 1592. According to popular story, in 1607 he was wandering through Meena Bazaar when he spotted a girl selling silk and glass beads. She was the daughter of a noble Persian family and it was love at first sight. They became engaged, but were not married for five years – during which time, the prince married two other women and had two children.
He and Arjumand Banu Begum were finally married in 1612, when the prince was 20 and she was 21. In 1627, after the death of his father and a bitter power struggle with his brothers, he became the Emperor of Agra, and his favourite wife became known as Mumtaz Mahal, Persian for “the chosen one of the Palace”. She died in 1631, aged 40, giving birth to their 14th child.
Shah Jahan was heartbroken by his wife’s death, ordering the court into mourning for two years, and commencing construction of the Taj Mahal, the magnificent mausoleum to house her body, in 1632.
I was thrilled to be visiting the Taj Mahal for sunrise.
I had been in Agra once before: in 2008 with my husband. We had tried to book an early start to visit this designated UNESCO World Heritage site; our guide had told us the gates didn’t open until 9am – and then arrived an hour later than the time we had arranged with him. This time, however, I was on a photo-tour organised for me and my companions by photographer Karl Grobl and local guide DV Singh. So, we were at the gates early – very early – and still we weren’t the first! A group of American women had beat us to the front of the queue.
Morning Guard
A young guard keeps an eye on the visitors as we queue up in the cold of pre-dawn. Spruiker
As we drink hot chai from the street vendors to keep warm, an agent offers visitors local guides. Morning Guard
It is a long wait for 6am when the gates will open, and the light rises slowly. Taj Entry (2013)
Once the south gates open … Taj Entry (2008)
… people make their way into the gardens… Taj Mahal and the Reflecting Pool
… and there it is! That most perfect of buildings! Sunrise
We arrived on the grounds early enough to watch the sun rise over the mausoleum. Taj Morning
Moment by moment, the white marble changes colour, along with the sky behind it. Pilgrims on the Stairs
Wooden steps lead up to mausoleum platform. Dome and Finial
Unlike his father and grandfather who were rather liberal, Shah Jahan was a pious Muslim. The mausoleum is built in a style that combines Islamic, Persian, Ottoman Turkish and Indian architectural elements. Marble Carving and Inlay (2008)
The mausoleum is beautifully constructed of carved white marble, inlaid with semi-precious stones including jade, crystal, lapis lazuli, amethyst and turquoise. Taj Mahal Mosque
As the sun rises, it angles over the mosque. Sunrise over the Mosque
… silhouetting the minarets against the morning sky. Yamuna River
It seems very quiet at the back of the mausoleum, where the morning mists roll over the river. Mausoleum Marble
As the day lightens, the inlaid marble starts to gleam against the blue sky. Visitors to the Mausoleum
No photography inside! Visitor to the Taj
Rugged-up against the cold of Autumn, many Indians are determined to visit their heritage sites. Visitors
Around 3 million people a year visit the Taj Mahal. Scalloped View
Back at the main gate, the archways frame the Taj Mahal beautifully. The story has a bitter-sweet ending. Shah Jahan became ill in 1658, and his descendants fought for rule of the empire. Aurangzeb, his third son, was the eventual winner. When Shah Jahan recovered, Aurangzeb declared him incompetent to rule and placed him under house arrest in Agra Fort. He lived out his days in a room there – able to see the Taj Mahal, the tomb of his love, but not able to leave – until his death in 1666. Then, he was reunited with his wife: interred next to her in the mausoleum he had built.
From Agra Fort (2008)
A view over the river flood-plains to the Taj Mahal from Agra Fort to the east. The Back of the Taj
The evening before our visit to the Taj Mahal, we took advantage of the view from across the Yamuna River. Recognised by UNESCO as “the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage”, the beauty of Taj Mahal has been threatened by air pollution. The structural integrity is threatened by dropping water levels and by water pollution from the Yamuna River, which reaches Agra heavily contaminated with chemical and human waste from upstream.
Sadhu
A Sadhu from a nearby camp tells us off if we venture too close to the fencing… Razor Wire at the Back of the Taj
… but the razor-wire fencing is convincing enough on it’s own! It is a shame that such an iconic site is so at risk. It also seems ironic, somehow, to see a tribute to love wrapped up in razor wire.
But that is India – Incredible India.
And I am thrilled to have seen it at all –
 Twice!
That is pretty special.
Pictures: 21April2008 and 16-17November2013
Posted in Architecture,India,Portraits,TravelTags: architecture,blog,environmental portrait,India,Photo Blog,travel,Travel Blog,UNESCO,Ursula Wall
Srey Channthy
Powerful vocals; heartbreaking stories…
(Double click for: Whiskey Cambodia, from the album of the same name by The Cambodian Space Project)
A female chanteuse in long hair and short skirt is dwarfed by the stage until she opens her mouth. Her vocals wail across Asian half-notes – off the scale and back again – to a back-beat of pounding music ranging from Khmer pop, to psychedelic rock, and beyond. It was easy to imagine oneself in a dark, smoky bar in Phnom Penh, circa late 1960s. The room would be filled with mostly white, male patrons: world-weary foreign correspondents, hard-drinking army personnel on R&R from the war in neighbouring Vietnam, and expat French businessmen left over from the colonial days.
But, no, I wasn’t in Phnom Penh. I was at the Crossroads Stage at Bluesfest 2014 on a hot Sunday afternoon in Australia’s Byron Bay, and The Cambodian Space Project was filling the room with sound. Billed by the festival organisers as an “Asian Rock ‘n’ Roll space odyssey”, they were on my “not-to-be-missed” list.
Srey Thy (Channthy) and The Cambodian Space Project Under the Pol Pot rule of Cambodia between 1975 and 1979, anyone deemed an “intellectual” was targeted. Over 17,000 Cambodian people were executed in the Killing Fields, and these included most of the country’s writers, artists and musicians. As a consequence, the country’s musical, artistic and literary traditions were as good as wiped out.
Srey Thy was born as part of the baby-boom that followed the Vietnamese liberation of Cambodia from Pol Pot’s horrendous rule. She grew up in a poor, rural region, working hard from a young age, and inheriting her mother’s love of singing.
According to the band’s bio, Julien Poulson, a musician from Tasmania with a grant to work on a project aimed at reviving Cambodia’s lost musical traditions, first heard Srey sing in a karaoke bar in Phnom Penh in 2009. He persuaded her to join him, and together they are the nucleus of The Cambodian Space Project.
Srey Thy is firmly grounded in her rural roots, and the band regularly plays in remote villages across Cambodia. Srey recalls their first visit to her home village in her song: Whiskey Cambodia. With a cheeky smile, broken English and sparkling eyes, she told the Byron Bay audience that the villagers were worried because they had “no red wine” for the foreigners, and the guests would have to make do with “whiskey Cambodia” – which, I can attest, is an extremely potent brew.
Srey Channthy Julien Poulson Srey Channthy Singing the Songs of the Past
The band’s repertoire includes Khmer-pop songs made famous by singer-songwriter Pan Ron, who was at the height of popularity in the 1960s and early 1970s, before being killed in 1975 by the Khmer Rouge in one of their final mass-executions. Romantic Ballads
The set also included songs popularised between 1967 and 1975 by Ros Serey Sothea. Known as “the golden voice of the royal capital,” she is also thought to have been killed by the Khmer Rouge.
The songs were all in Khmer (although one was at least partially sung in French – a remnant from the days of colonial rule), and the explanations of the titles were almost as much fun as the music: my favourite is “Cut your Beard (I love you)”.
The Cambodian Space Project (CSP)
Monday evening, against a backdrop of stars, the group took to the Delta Stage to once again woo and wow the audience. The Chanteuse
I was as captivated by Srey’s songs and story-telling as I had been the day before. Stars in our Eyes
Srey was born and raised in one of the poorest regions of Cambodia. She learned to sing from her mother, who survive the Khmer Rouge purges by disguising herself as a peasant boy. Twist and Dance
One minute I was reminded of the go-go dancers who graced the clubs and television sets of the late sixties; the next minute Srey incorporated elegant traditional Khmer dance moves.
Power and Pain
Srey is at her most powerful on CSP original works, like the lament: “The Boat”, a hauntingly beautiful song about asylum seekers trying to make their way to Australia. She had me in tears. More than once.
I’m sure part of that is my deep attachment to her homeland, and a small sense of the pain that is there. What an achievement it is to rise above it, and turn that pain into music! Music that commemorates those murdered Cambodian singers of the past and music that also tells stories of today: “positive and powerful stories”.
For Srey Thy is not just a stage presence with an enormous voice; she is a human rights advocate and a songwriter working for a better future.
For herself, and for her country.
Impressive.
Pictures: 20-21April2014
(On a tragic note: Srey Channthy was killed on 20 March 2018 when the tuk-tuk in which she was a passenger was hit by a car. She is greatly missed.)
Posted in Music,PortraitsTags: biography,blog,Byron Bay Bluesfest,environmental portrait,people,performance,performers,Photo Blog,portrait,portraits,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
Stage Lights
Sound and people fill the large marquees; sometimes the performers seem to be a long way away. Bluesfest 2014, Byron Bay. This year, the Easter long weekend marked the 25th anniversary of the annual Byron Bay Bluesfest.
We were ready!
Thanks to glorious, sunny, Autumn weather, we were able to leave our rain-coats and gumboots in the car – along with the folding chairs the organisers had rendered superfluous – as we made our way through the ticketing and security checkpoints onto Tyagarah Tee Tree Farm, not far from the famous beachside town of Byron Bay.
We had so enjoyed our three-day pass last year (Singing the Blues) that we had signed on for the full five days, thinking that if it all got too much, we could take time out. Which, of course, we didn’t. For the most part, we arrived as bands were tuning up, and left long after the cold nights had fallen. While I didn’t catch all of the 107 artists who performed across the seven stages, I made a pretty good try of seeing a lot of them – several more than once.
After five days of bouncing around, shoulder-to-shoulder with a mass of other excited music fans, I had sore legs and feet, a happy heart, and flash-cards full of more than 2000 images. Of course, attempts at shooting moving-objects-at-a-distance-in-low-light-while-dancing resulted in a lot of blurry and/or noisy and/or out-of-focus pictures destined for the scrap-heap, and it is taking me forever to go through them.
For now, at the risk of sounding like a name-dropper, I’ll share a selection of shots from the first two days.
Enjoy!
Tijuana Cartel
Although the sun was shining brightly when we arrived Thursday afternoon, it was already dark at the stage ends of the massive Crossroads marquee where drums, … Tijuana Cartel
… keyboard and guitar beat out Mexican rhythms. Hats and Heads
There was a buzz of excitement in the air, and already a lot of people around. The trick was finding a spot with a view! Arakwal Opening Ceremony
As is befitting any function held on Traditional Lands, one of the first events payed homage to the Indigenous people of the area. Festival Director Peter Noble introduces the Arakwal performers and elders. Black Sorrows
Joe Camilleri on saxophone with Garland Jeffreys performing guest vocals. Food Court
There was plenty of choice at the various food stalls at the food court and scattered around the festival site. I ate my way through a variety of tasty cuisines. Lantern Parade
Oversized characters from children’s books weave through the night crowds. Charlie Musselwhite
Legendary. Just legendary! Charlie Musselwhite Band Dr John and the Nite Trippers
Billed as playing “voodoo-funk, creole blues”, the 73 year old Dr John is also the model for my favourite muppet. Dr John on Guitar
No wonder they call it “psychedelic rock”: that inimitable voice and his crazy, rambling lyrics… trippy indeed. John Mayer on the Livescreen
We stopped at the Mojo Tent on our way out Thursday evening to catch a bit of John Mayer‘s awesome guitar (and uncomfortable patter) before heading home to recharge our batteries – literal and figurative. Daniel Champagne
People were already pushed into the tiny Juke Joint when we arrived shortly after noon Friday. Daniel Champagne‘s prodigious guitar-playing got our day off to a wonderful start. Cavanbah
Suzanne Vega clearly had more draw-power than the tiny venue allocated to her allowed for. I had been looking forward to her performance, but sadly, missed out. Beth Hart
It was a day of power-house women… Beth Hart
…and this woman is truly a force to be reckoned with. What a voice! I had goosebumps. Beth Hart and PJ Barth
It is always a joy to watch good performers having fun. Camera Operator
Bluesfest performances are recorded; many of the clips (authorised and otherwise) are already available on-line. Joss Stone
Another young powerhouse: soaring vocals, heartfelt lyrics and charming chatter – Joss Stone delivers. Buddy Guy
“Heaven is lying at Buddy Guy’s feet while listening to him play the guitar.”
– Jimi Hendrix
So, what do you call it when the 77 year-old Buddy Guy shows off his Jimi Hendrix licks? Beyond heaven. Boz Scaggs
Boz took me back to Silk Degrees, one of the few albums I owned as a teenager, … Boz Scaggs’ Guitar (Livescreen)
… as well as putting his distinctive stamp on classic songs and some new compositions. The Doobie Brothers
Even those in the packed audience who were presumably too young to remember the string of Doobie Brothers‘ hits from the 70s were up and dancing in the aisles. The Doobie Brothers
Although they are all over 60, they haven’t lost a beat. Duelling Guitars
Patrick Simmons and John McFee playing complementary guitars. The Doobie Brothers Livescreen
The Livescreens outside the marquee allow the participants camped out on blankets on the grass to watch the performance against the cold night sky… Night Lights
… or to watch the crowds and the livescreens inside. I was smiling to overflowing.
From being introduced to performers I didn’t know, both local and international, through meeting timeless legends from before my time, and ultimately revisiting the sounds of my youth, it was a brilliant couple of days.
That wasn’t the end of our festival – or even the end of our night (more on that some other time) – but what a high!
There is just nothing like music.
Keep smiling!
Pictures: 17-18April2014
Posted in Australia,Culture,Music,PortraitsTags: Australia,environmental portrait,environmental portraits,music,musicians,people,performance,performers,Photo Blog,portrait,portraits,Ursula Wall
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