.jpg) History in the Stones
Built on the site of a Roman fort, Lancaster Castle has been a fort, a garrison, a royal visitors’ residence, a law court, a prison, and even a place of executions. When you grow up and live in The Colonies, a visit to England can feel like a cultural homecoming. So much is familiar! You recognise places you’ve never been, and half-remember stories you’ve never heard.
I had always wanted to visit the Lake District: images of that pastoral countryside had somehow taken on a mythical quality in my mind. And of course, like any good English child of the mid-twentieth century, I had copies of Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabit and Jemima Puddle Duck long before I had ever heard of Dr Suess. Then – many many years later – I saw the 2006 film Miss Potter on an airplane, and my desires to visit were rekindled.
The world has a funny way of drawing circles: I was born in Liverpool (UK); my children were born very near to Liverpool (AUS). My daughter met, and was about to marry a man from Liverpool (UK), and so my husband and I were travelling from Australia to England for the wedding and an extended stay.
Finally I had my chance to visit/revisit the northwest of England.
My search for reasonably affordable accommodation led me not to the Lakes itself, but to Carnforth, a small town in the north of Lancashire, within a stone’s throw of Yorkshire and Cumbria. This turned out to be the perfect location for us: our resort was well enough equipped to give us things to do (morning walks and afternoon kayaks) as we recovered from the long days of travel, and it was set within easy reach of rich historical treasures and wonderfully pastoral scenery once we were ready to explore.
It was a half hour’s drive to the Yorkshire Dales, where we walked through woods and fields, over stone bridges, and past numerous waterfalls, singing “All things bright and beautiful” to all the sheep we met – in honour of James Herriot, the original “Yorkshire Vet” and author of the delightful All Creatures Great and Small (see:Ingleton Waterfalls Trail).
Our vist to Lancaster Castle the next day was a complete contrast. This rambling medieval fortress is one of Europe’s longest running prisons and one of England’s best preserved castles. For a time, it was the only Assize Court for the county, and it is still in use as as a Crown Court. No pictures are allowed inside, and although the entrance to the courtyard is free, if you want to go into the building itself, you have to pay to join a tour.
As frustrating as I find walking around with my cameras and not being able to use them, the tour was well worth our time and money. I’m sure all the guides are well trained: ours was certainly a wealth of fascinating historical information and amusing anecdotes. I was intrigued by the stories of “Hansbrow’s Hotel”, as the debtor’s prison was colloquially named for the Governor of the Castle (1833-1862) Captain James Hansbrow. As this name suggests, conditions were not too bad for some inmates! However, this was not the case for the founder of Quakerism, George Fox, who was incarcerated on numerous occasions: he wrote about his tower room in Lancaster where the cold, damp, and smoke adversely impacted his health.
In August 1612 the Lancaster Castle Summer Assize convicted ten people of witchcraft and they were hanged on the moors above the town. The Clerk of the Court published his account of the trials the following year, giving us a unique insight into the thinking of the day. For example, the origin of the modern word “haggard” comes from the trial of Margaret Pearson who was convicted of riding a horse to its death (“Hag Ridden”) .
There were many grim tales of hangings within the castle, and the sight of the original branding iron, used to burn an M into a convicted person’s hand, marking them a as a ‘malefactor’, gave me pause. But the stories that most caught my attention were those of transportation, for it was here that the connection to Australia came back into play. It was in Lancaster Castle’s courts that large numbers of prisoners in the 18th and 19th Centuries were sentenced to Transportation to Australia.
Among the 688 convicts who landed in Australia in January 1788 as part of the First Fleet were Elizabeth Youngson, age 13, and her brother George, age 12. Both confessed to their crime of breaking into a silk warehouse and stealing fourty-seven shillings and ninepence. Although originally sentenced to hang, their sentences were reduced to seven years transportation. All the prisoners walked in chains from Lancaster Prison to the small ships at Portsmouth – a distance of some 260 miles (418km). We got to handle the heavy chains, and it is impossible to imagine walking the 90 or so hours it would have taken, wearing them.
We certainly needed some lighter entertainment the next day, so we headed to the beautiful Lake Windermere in Cumbria. We stopped in at The World of Beatrix Potter (no photos allowed!), lunched on the lake, and to appease my huband’s love of classic cars, spent time in the Lakeland Motor Museum.
Any fan of old British television will remember the comedy double-act of Morecambe and Wise. It turns out that Eric Morecambe took his stage name from the seaside town that he grew up in. As Morecambe was only fifteen minutes away, we stopped in for a walk along their ‘award winning’ promenade.
Everywhere we went, there were links to personal memories and shared history.
.jpg) Lancaster Castle Turrets
It is generally thought that Lancaster Castle was founded in the 1090s on the site of the Roman fort built in 79 AD. The actual history of the building is uncertain. The earliest structure standing today is the Norman keep which probably dates to the 12th century. Much of what we see was built at the start of the 15th century. .jpg) Our Young Guide
Our young guide had plenty of fascinating stories to tell us as he led us through the courts and jail – where no photos are allowed.  Kayaking on the River Leven
One of the things I love about England is all the out-door green space, and all the people making use of it. Look Up!
A model of the iconic World War One Sopwith Camel, as flown by Ace pilot Canadian Donald Roderick MacLaren – and Snoopy from the Peanuts cartooon – greets us as we walk into the Lakeland Motor Museum. Douglas Motorcycles
The Lakeland Motor Museum started as a private collection … Almost Abstract : Hillman Minx Drophead Coupe Grill
… and now comprises over 30,000 motoring related exhibits … Old Trademarks
… packed into a cacophony of colours and logos. Stylish Picnic
There is something very stylish about the early days of motor cars! ‘Top of the Pops’
There was a time when England was at the leading edge of popular culture. Ultramarine Blue
Britain also had a varied manufacturing industry. Before the motoring museum took over this site, it was home to the Reckitt’s Blue Dye Works carton packaging sheds. Licence Plates
These brought back memories! When my father changed our annual licence plates, he would take a picture of my brother and myself standing in front of whatever car we had at the time, holding one each. 1920s Garage
A classic British Standard Motors “Swallow” is in for repairs. Burlingham Langdale Caravan
This 1948 caravan, manufactured by the Burlingham coachbuilding firm in Blackpool is an absolute sweetie! Cat on Lake Windermere
A cat looks for bits of icecream we might have dropped … Lake Windermere
… as we enjoy afternoon views over the lake. Lake District Mountains
You can actually see the Lake District from Morecambe, and this delightful sculpture on the promenade lets you know what you are looking at. Sand Buckets
It might be the Irish Sea, and neither safe nor warm, but any weather is beach weather in England. Birds on the Roof
I love public art like this; … Bird on Marine Road
… Morecambe’s promenade was a pleasure to walk. Eric Morecambe
This work by English sculptor Graham Ibbeson was unveiled by the Queen in 1999. Morecambe Winter Gardens The Stone Jetty
The remains of Morecambe’s original harbour, from around 1853, was rebuilt and extended in the 1990s as part of a coastal defence initiative. Cormorant Sculptures
The TERN Project is a collection of public art installations celebrating the birds and other wildlife of Morecambe Bay. Cormorant on the Stone Jetty Birds on the Fence Boats on the Flats
Morecambe Bay is the largest expanse of intertidal mudflats and sand in the United Kingdom. Boats on Low Tide
The quicksand and fast moving tides make the bay dangerous for walkers and fishers. Those fishing boats weren’t going anywhere for a while!
It was time, however, for us to move on – and leave the northwest behind.
Until next time,
Happy Travels!
Photos: 15-17July2015
Young Daasanach Teen
With her hair braided in the distinctive pattern favoured by all the girls in this village, and draped in the customary beads, a Daasanach girl and her friends are happy to show me around their homes. When I was young, I had a book with pictures of children around the world in their traditional National Costumes. I found the concept difficult to understand, given that where I lived, people dressed differently from each other, and fashion trends changed with every season.
I find it even more remarkable, these countless years later, that there are still so many pockets in the world where every item of clothing, every piece of jewellery and body art, and every hairstyle, is dictated by the community, and one’s place in it.
It was a rainy afternoon in the Omo Valley in a remote corner of south-western Ethiopia. I was travelling with photographer Ben McRae as part of a small-group Piper Mackay Photo-Tour. After a morning spent in a Hamar village (see: Hama Village Portraits), we were visiting a Daasanach settlement not far out of the market town of Turmi.
These two villages couldn’t have been more different!
Daasanach or Dassanech means People from the Delta; they are the southern-most of the tribes who live in Ethiopia’s Omo Valley, and stretch across southern Ethiopia, Sudan, and down into Northern Kenya, concentrating in the delta region where the Omo River enters Lake Turkana
Less than 3% of roughly 50,000 Daasanach are urban; the majority of these semi-nomadic Cushitic people live along the Omo and depend on it for their livelihood, especially since being pushed out of their traditional Kenyan lands either side of Lake Turkana. Their cultural and agricultural customs are intricately tied to the harsh and often unpredictable conditions of the region’s semi-arid climate: they practice ‘flood retreat cultivation’ where the (usual) July floods on the Omo River leave rich silt behind. Unfortunately, recent years of severe and sustained droughts alternating with deadly floods have made Daasanach lives more precarious. Added to this, the damming of several large rivers that once fed Lake Turkana and the increased use of river waters for irrigation have reduced water flow. The riverbanks are suffering from deforestation and are hosting additional disease, and the shrinking lake has been overfished, putting extra pressures on food supply.
The village we visited was not far from town, and some of the young people (male) who hired themeselves to us as local guides had good English and high ambitions. My young guide wanted to become a doctor; an aim I had difficultly reconciling the simplicity (poverty?) of the surrounds he was living in. He was still in High School, and with luck, might be eligeable for a scholarship, but his ability to study was completely restricted to ‘town’ where he had limited access to electric light and internet.
These tribal communities face an ongoing struggle to try to maintain traditional values, and at the same time bridge the huge divides between ‘our world’ and theirs.
Outside a Daasanach House
Daasanach houses are made from a frame of branches, covered with hides, woven boxes, and corrugated iron. Clothing is simple (or absent), but many of the men sport perky hats. Goats in the Kraal With the Headman
I don’t usually include photos of myself, but it is not everyday you get to pose with the village headman and a portion of his gaggle of children! (iPhone6) Headman with some Children
I never managed to establish how many children this man actually has! Men typically have more than one wife, making for large families. Headman
We were an entertaining novelty in the village, … Woman with a Shovel
… but work must go on. Daasanach Girl
This young girl is on the brink of womanhood. In this tribe, that means she has already been circumcised (which happens between age 10 and 12) … Complex Daasanach Hair Stylings and Back Scarring
… and will be married before too long (around 17). Daasanach Man and Child
The Daasanach are a tall, slender people, and the men seem to be all limbs when they squat on their wooden stools/headrests. Portrait of a Young Daasanach Man
Men and women both love their beaded jewellery. Headdress of a Daasanach Man
Some of the men dress their hair with coloured clay and feathers, … Daasanach Man in a Hat
… while others prefer funky hats. Daasanach Men
There is a casual mix of traditional and modern in the men’s clothing. Making Patties
The wooden stools are reserved for the men; women sit with their cloth (or leather) skirts directly on the packed dirt. Making Patties
Most of the women I see are busy at work. Daasanach Man on his Traditional Wooden Seat
The carved wooden seats are almost invisible against the sandy-coloured dirt. I was told that this man’s shoulder- and chest-scarring represented his accomplishments in inter-tribal warfare, … Daasanach Warrior
… although his back-scars looked the same to me as those I had seen on many of the villagers. Daasanach Girls
I lost count of the number of young girls I met in the kraal; … Daasanach Girl
… they all seemed very self-possessed, and not at all shy in our presence. Girls with Water Containers
When I spotted three girls bringing the water in for their families, I was a bit slow with the camera. They happily repeated their walk for me. Woman with a Goat
Meanwhile, unprompted, a woman sits outside a hut with one of her goats. Man Reclining
The men all have their wooden stools/pillows. Personally, I don’t think this looks remotely comfortable, but it is how the men rest, especially if they are out with their animals. Boy Milking a Goat
Daasanach rely on their goats and cattle – especially in dry season when the crops aren’t growing. Plastic bottles are highly valued, and used for milk and other liquids. Afternoon Light over a Daasanach Compound Men Chatting
All the men carry their headrests around as they go about their business. Woman Grinding Grain
The women are very efficient with their grinding stones. Woman in the Smoke
Once the animals are all in the corral, fires are lit. I was told this keeps away bad spirits… Kids in the Smoke
… and mosquitos. Women on the Horizon
When you have no electricity, evening falls quickly. It was dark. It was time to return to our modest accommodation – complete with running water, electricity, and patchy wifi.
Back in my room, reflecting on my own education and advantages, I couldn’t help but wonder what the future holds for the smart young people in these traditional villages.
I wish them well.
‘Till next time,
Responsible travels!
Pictures: 18October2018
Posted in Africa,environmental portrait,Ethiopia,TravelTags: Daasanach,Daasanach Village,environmental portrait,environmental portraits,Ethiopia,Omo Valley,portrait,portraits,travel,Travel Blog,tribal life,Ursula Wall
Ferns on Wanggoolba Creek
In the white sands of the creek valley, shaded by the tall canopy of the sub-tropical rainforest, ferns thrive and crystal clear waters flow. ‘My father says there has been a rainforest here
for over a hundred million years.’
So begins the stunningly beautiful children’s book Where The Forest Meets The Sea by Jeannie Baker. This picture book about the Daintree Rainforest in Far North Queensland is illustrated entirely in sumptuous mixed-media collages that live in one’s memory long after the book is closed.
I guess that is why I think of the book every time I’m in a tropical or sub-tropical rainforest.
As I did when I visited Fraser Island in Southeast Queensland.
This island is a short ferry-ride east of Hervey Bay, almost 1600 kilometres (about 1000 miles) south of the Daintree pictured in the storybook, and the sub-tropical forests there are much younger, but there is still a feeling of timelessness as you stand among the tall tree-trunks and the ancient shade-loving ferns.
At 184,000 hectares (710 square miles), Fraser Island is the world’s largest sand island. It was formed over hundreds of thousands of years as winds, waves, and ocean currents carried sands from the Australian south-east coast – as far south as Antarctica – out to the continental shelf, and back again.
Stretching 122 kilometre (75 miles) from top to bottom, the island is big enough to get lost in, with countless kilometres of diverse walking tracks and more than 100 freshwater lakes, but small enough to sample in a couple of days.
UNESCO-World Heritage Listed for its combination of shifting sand-dunes, tropical rainforests, and lakes, Fraser Island is home to half the world’s perched freshwater dune lakes and is is the only place in the world where rainforest is found growing on sand dunes at elevations of more than 200 metres. The diversity of vegetation that has adapted to survive in sand, a soil that is notoriously low in nutrients, makes the island unique.
Fraser Island has a special place in the culture of the Butchulla people, who have lived in the region for more than 5000 years – possibly as many as 50,000 years. They call the island K’gari, and the lakes there are an integral part of their dreaming stories. Native title rights were granted in 2014, giving the Indigenous people the right to hunt, fish, and take water for domestic purposes; and the right to be involved in business development into the future. The Queensland State Government, the National Parks and the Butchulla People are expected to work together to maintain the integrity and beauty of the site.
For it is magically beautiful. Come explore:
Harbour : Hervey Bay
My morning starts pre-dawn in the southern Queensland coastal city of Hervey Bay, where I park my car and wait for a bus to the ferry. Four-wheel drive vehicles and special permits are needed for anyone wishing to drive on Fraser Island: booking a two-day coach tour is much easier! Almost Abstract : Inside the Deckhouse
I love the multi-layered effects you get from reflections in glassed spaces. The ferry cabin has glass on all sides. Our shuttle buses retreat into the distance as we pull backwards into the channel. Mangroves in the Intertidal Flats
The ferry crosses from River Heads, 20 minutes south of Hervey Bay, through the protected waters of the Great Sandy Marine Park to a boat landing near the world-famous Kingfisher Bay Resort. Mainland Australia floats on the horizon, just a 50-minute crossing away. Lake Mckenzie
Our first stop was to take a short walk to Lake Mckenzie, one of the most visited natural sites in Australia. Lake Mckenzie
Lake Mckenzie is a perched lake: that is, a closed pool of water – in this case, 150 hectares (371 acres) in area and just over 5 metres (16 ft) in depth – sitting above the water table, and fed only with rainwater. Organic matter that naturally builds up at the bottom of the lake acts like a plug, keeping the water from draining away. The sand around the lake is nearly pure silica, making it beautifully soft and fine. Boorangoora
The Butchulla people called this lake Boorangoora, meaning Waters of Wisdom. The lake’s acidity prevents many species from growing, so the waters certainly have an intense beauty and clarity, and they feel like warm silk. Treads in the Sand
That soft silica sand is everywhere. More than 1500km of sand tracks crisscross the island; our bus is a luxurious MAN all-wheel drive vehicle built in Germany and custom-designed for the island’s conditions. (iPhone6) Staghorn Fern
Our next stop was at Central Station, which is the gateway to several walks into a towering rainforest of satinay (turpentine), brush box, and Kauri pine. Natures Artwork
These rainforests are exceptional because they grow on the sand dunes at an elevations of 200 metres. Patterned Bark
The tall, straight trunks of the trees as they reach for sunlight, made them a target for logging until the 1980s. Central Station
Central Station was a forestry camp in the 1920s when logging was big on the island. Trailer in the Forest
Now the station is a day-use area with information boards and picnic tables. Floral Tree
From the Station, we pick up the Wanggoolba Creek boardwalk, … Wet Forest Floor
… back into the dark shelter of the rainforest. Tree Trunks Wanggoolba Creek Boardwalk
The beautiful boardwalk takes us through piccabeen palms (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana) and giant king ferns (Angiopteris evecta). Waves of White Sand
The boardwalk follows Wanggoolba Creek, which is so impossibly clear and blue that it is called the ‘invisible creek’. Fraser Island Satinay – Syncarpia Hillii
In the 1920 the satinay – sometimes called a Fraser Island turpentine – became a major timber export after it was found to be salt-water-, fire-, and termite-resistant. The wood was used in the construction of the Suez Canal and the rebuilding of the London Docks. Wanggoolba Creek
This was a Sacred Women’s Business place for the Butchulla people. Track to Lake Wabby
After lunch, we walk through a completely different forest of twisting eucalypts, … Hammerstone Sandblow
… across the dunes of of the Hammerstone Sandblow, … Lake Wabby
… and down to the island’s deepest lake. The emerald-coloured Lake Wabby is both a window lake: formed when a depression lower than the water table is surrounded by higher land; and a barrage lake, created when moving sand dunes block a watercourse. Hammerstone Sandblow is slowly encroaching into Lake Wabby, and one day will obliterate it completely. Path in the Woods
The sandy track to and from Lake Wabby is 2.4 kilometres long. Wild Orchid on the Track
There are plenty of flowers along the track … Grasses and a Eucalypt
… and some magnificent gum trees. “Love Notes” in a Scribbly Gum
Previous walkers have left their marks. Guinea Flower – Hibbertia Scandens Sculptured Gums
Twisting eucalyptus trees line the trail … Yellow Banksia
… and banksia trees love the dry, sandy soil.
I was entranced!
And, after a night in a modest room at the Eurong Resort, I had another day of exploring to go.
Until then,
Happy Travels!
Pictures: 07June2019
Posted in Australia,Landscapes,NatureTags: Australia,Fraser Island,landscape,National Park,nature,Photo Blog,travel,Travel Blog,UNESCO,Ursula Wall
Offering Incense
If Ancient Egyptians wanted a good afterlife, they had to offer the right gifts to the myriad of Gods. Inside his own tomb, Ramesses III is pictured with a gift of incense. The Ancient Egyptians had a complex religious system which pivoted around their belief in immortality.
They saw death as a temporary interruption to life, rather than as an endpoint. But, there were several catches: the form of one’s afterlife depended on one’s social status in this life; ensuring eternal life required paying appropriate homage to the various gods; and – perhaps most importantly – the spirit needed to be able to find and reenter the correct body after corporeal death.
These beliefs lead to incredibly complex mummification processes and funerary rites. The funeral ceremony helped the dead to bridge the physical world to the eternal world of the afterlife.
We know all this because the texts describing the processes of mummification, the magic spells to protect the ‘deceased’ on their journey, and the rituals and protocols required of them and the living mourners, were all painstakingly rendered on the walls of the tombs of the most affluent and most revered of the Ancient Egyptians: the Pharaohs (see: The Writing on the Walls).
Since the discovery of the Rosetta Stone in 1799, Egyptologists have been meticulously interpreting the hieroglyphs that cover the walls of the Pharaohs interred in the Valley of the Kings across the Nile River from Luxor, giving us all a richer understanding of the lives (and deaths) of peoples who lived some 3000 years ago.
Join me for a glimpse into the tombs of Merenptah, Rameses III, and Tut Ankh Amun.
Works Ongoing
The Valley of the Kings is an extensive area across the Nile from Luxor (Thebes). For about 500 years, it was the burial site of most of Egypt’s Pharaohs from the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties. Almost all the known 63 tombs and chambers were opened and robbed in antiquity, but exploration and restoration continues today. Workers on the Hillside above the Tomb of Pharaoh Merenptah
The whole area of Thebes, with its temples and palaces at Karnak and Luxor, and the necropolises of the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens, is UNESCO-listed. This (hopefully) also protects the conditions of workers in the suffocating heat. Walid Explaining Tomb KV5
The guides don’t enter the tombs, but use the explanatory signboards outside to explain the layouts, the artworks, and the significance to their groups. Entry to the Tomb of Pharaoh Merenptah
I opted to climb up the hill to explore the Tomb of Pharaoh Merenptah. Hieroglyphs in the Tomb of Pharaoh Merenptah
The minute you step inside the tombs, you are in another world. Entering Tomb KV8
The Tomb of Pharaoh Merenptah (Merneptah) or Rameses IX is steep, descending deeply into the surrounding limestone. More Hieroglyphs
The walls all have a story to tell. Calcite Sarcophagus
Merenptah was unusual among the Pharaohs in that he was interred inside four nested sarcophagi. Reduced to fragments more than 3,000 years ago, the outermost sarcophagus was the largest ever found, at 4.1 meters (about 13 1/2 feet) long. Exit from Merenptah’s Tomb
The tombs are all incredibly dark – but no cooler than the blinding morning outside. Guard at the Exit
A ticket to the Valley of the Kings gains you entry to three tombs. Although everyone cheerfully snaps phone-pictures, if you want to use a camera, you pay extra! Attendants make sure the rules are adhered to. Man in a Coffee Shop God at the Entry
The Gods are everywhere – this one is just inside the Tomb of Pharaoh Rameses III. Incense Offering
The crook and flail, both used by early shepherds, symbolise the power and majesty of the kings of Ancient Egypt. The Serpent and the King
The funerary texts depicted on the walls of the tombs helped to explain the expectations of Egypt’s deceased. Snakes and serpents – representing transformation and change – feature heavily. Funerary Boat in the Tomb of Rameses III
Boats transported the dead person from this life into the afterlife. Hieroglyphs on the Columns
KV 11 is one of the most popular tombs in the valley, and even during a quiet season crowds file past the decorated columns. Hieroglyphs
It is also one of the best preserved. Corridor in the Tomb of Rameses III
There is plenty to appreciate. Inner Tomb of Tut Ankh Amun
The last tomb I visited was that of the Boy King Tut Ankh Amun. (iPhone6) Mummy of Tut Ankh Amun
This small tomb is on a separate ticket which didn’t include my camera. Like the other visitors, I relied on my phone. (iPhone6) Workers in the Valley
Back outside, the sun continues to bounce off the stony landscape, and the workers continue their labour. Explaining the Restorations
The air-conditioning in the Valley of the Kings Visitors Centre was exceptionally attractive after a morning out in the oppressive heat of the valley; pausing to read the posters made for a good excuse to enjoy it! The beauty of the functional artworks – and the complexity of the belief system behind them – is just mind-boggling.
But, the heat – dry as it might be – is enervating. With images of eyes and birds and serpents and kings swirling around my head, I was glad to return to the air-conditioned comfort of my bus.
Wishing you safe travels – in this life and beyond.
Pictures: 07October2019
Water Lily in Bloom
Wherever you find water in South East Asia – whether it be in lakes, or ponds, or pots – you will find a dazzling array of water lilies and lotuses. (iPhone6) When ever I think of Sri Lanka, I think of water: lotus and lily ponds, flooded rice paddies, dams and reservoirs, and rain. Lots of rain.
I was travelling solo on a trip that had been originally planned for two, and although it was November, the south-western monsoon clearly didn’t realise it was meant to be finished. Fortunately, the property where I was staying in North Central Province had great food and good internet. I had access to a kayak, and spent a couple of hours paddling on the local reservoir.
My room was also equipped with giant umbrellas, so I could enjoy my rainy morning walks around the rice paddies and lily ponds in the middle of nowhere. And, better yet, it came with a bicycle! I had a few ideas of places to visit, but the transport prices in the compendium were listed in US dollars and clearly well over local market value! There had to be a better way. I took advantage of a brief break in the weather, google-mapped the route to the nearest town, and set off on the bike to try to find a tuk-tuk driver.
The locals in town – who spoke no English – were clearly not used to tourists who weren’t prepared to pay resort-prices for over-sized over-chilled air-conditioned cars, and basically stared at me in wonder. I must have been at the only resort in the area catering to foreigners! But, I was determined. I’ve spent enough time in Asia to know that if you simply smile and dig your heels in, eventually someone will find a way to problem-solve.
Sure enough, they finally managed to locate a local tuk-tuk driver who was able to travel outside the town (I think the tuk-tuks are colour-coded?). He recognised the name of one of the places I had written down: the Aukana (Avukana) Buddha Statue (අවුකන බුද්ධ ප්රතිමාව). With a lot of sign-language and pointing at my watch, and the help of half the neighbourhood, we agreed he would pick me up after lunch.
Although he spoke the barest few words of English, and I speak absolutely no Sinhala, my driver and I managed fine (much to the surprise of the reception at my resort, who noted all his details with concern before they let me go off with him). Although the site was only an hour away, if I understood him correctly, he had last visited when his children (now grown) were small, and he clearly enjoyed the trip as much as I did.
Rice Paddies
The rains were intermittent, and between the showers, the skies were blue and the temperatures soared. My bungalow was set among the sparkling rice paddies of Thirappane, where people were hard at work. Water Lilies
Every morning on my walks, I paused to appreciate the flowers. One of the differences between lotuses and water lilies is that lotus leaves and flowers rise up out of the waters, while lilies float. Even so, I think these are lilies. Like the symbolic lotus, these flowers are rising out from their muddy roots and base desires, up to the higher realms of divine awareness and beauty. (iPhone6) Trees on the Tank
The local reservoir was a tangle of water hyacinth and other floating plants, and huge, water-loving trees. (iPhone6) Kayaking on the Tank
In spite of the short rain squalls, it was a lovely paddle on the tank – just mind you don’t go down the overflow! (iPhone6) Kayak and Horses on the Tank
The skies darken, as it threatens to rain again. A pair of horseriders pick their way through the water hyacinth in the distance. (iPhone6) Tuk-Tuk Selfie
One of the things I love about using local tuk-tuks is that you feel much more a part of the surrounding countryside. On this occasion, that openness meant getting pelted with rain periodically in spite of roll-down platic windows. Aukana (Avukana) Buddha
According to most reports, this large Buddha statue was sculpted out of the granite rock face behind it in the 5th century AD. Standing Tall
At almost 12 meters (about 40 feet) tall, the Aukana Buddha is the tallest ancient Buddha statue in Sri Lanka. Looking up the Aukana Buddha
It is also considered to be one of the best examples of an ancient standing Buddha statue in Sri Lanka. The graceful pleats of the robe are impressive. At the Feet of the Aukana Buddha
It is said that the statue is so well aligned that a raindrop on the nose would fall straight down to small depression carved between the toes. We had plenty of rain, which dulled the light, but the scafolding in place for ongoing maintenance meant I couldn’t test the raindrop story! Asisa Mudra
The hand position of the Buddha, the Asisa Mudra or “posture of blessing”, is not commonly seen outside Sri Lanka. Visitors to the Standing Buddha
It is a quiet site – and not a particularly extensive one. Only a few faithful braved the rain to pay tribute. Buddhist Stupa
I was the only foreigner there, and the Abbot made a point of coming out to talk to me. After a short chat – his English was immaculate – he found out I had worked in Thailand, and promptly offered me a job at the local temple school! Buddha in an Alcove
Buddhism was officially introduced into the country in the 2nd century BC, making Sri Lanka the oldest continually Buddhist country in the world. Today, about 70% of the population practice the state religion of Theravada Buddhism. Hindu Priest
Adjoining the site, there is a small temple to Ganesh; freedom of religion in Sri Lanka is constitutionally protected and about 13% of the population is Hindu. I paid my dues and received extra blessings. Kala Wewa
While the provenance of the Aukana Buddha is under some debate, there is no doubt about the giant reservoir nearby: Kala Wewa was built by the King Dhatusena in 460 A.D. Kala Wewa
Dhatusena (Datusena/Dasenkeli) was king from 455 to 473 AD. This twin reservoir complex, with a capacity of 123 million cubic meters, is one of 16 interconnected tanks built under his rule to develop agriculture in the country. More Water Lilies (iPhone6) After making it back to the resort safely, my driver and I were both enboldened, and with the help of a translator, we agreed arrangements for a trip further afield the next day (see: Sigiriya).
In the meantime, though, I had time to wander among the rain, the rice and the water lilies.
Until next time,
Happy Wandering!
Photos: 02-04November2018
Posted in Every Day Life,Landscapes,Sri Lanka,TravelTags: buddha,buddhism,Photo Blog,Sri Lanka,temple,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
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