Tiled bell tower on the Igreja dos Carmelitas, Porto Portugal

Igreja dos Carmelitas
Porto is called the City of Granite, but the liberal use of blue and white azulejo tiles lend a fairy-tale lightness to the elegant old buildings. Finished in 1628, the Igreja dos Carmelitas was once the church of an order of Carmelite nuns, and is separated from its neighbouring monastery church, the Igreja do Carmo, by a one-meter-wide residence.

Porto, Portugal’s second largest city, sits nestled into the granite hills either side of the Douro River.

One of Europe’s oldest centres, the early Proto-Celtic settlement of Cale dates back to at least 300 BC. It was conquered by the Romans around 136 BC. and served as the outpost city of Portus Cale (Port of Cale) for many years. This heritage lives on both in the name of the country (Portu-cale) and the city itself (o Porto).

The city’s location at the intersection of the Atlantic Ocean and the Douro River (a major river crossing the Iberian Peninsula) has long given it status as a commercial hub. More recently – in the second half of the 17th century – it is also known for lending its name, “port”, to the fortified wine made from the distilled spirits of grapes from vineyards flanking the Douro Valley.

The city’s rich history is evidenced in its beautiful old buildings, which – thanks to the two-mica granite that most of them are built from – have stood the test of time. The historic old Ribeira district, together with the iconic 19th century double-decker Luiz I Bridge across the Douro, and the formidable Renaissance Monastery of Serra do Pilar overlooking it, have been UNESCO-listed as part of “an outstanding urban landscape with a 2,000-year history.”

The city is a rich treasure-trove for wanderers. The small ship that my husband I were travelling in was docked at the very modern Porto Leixões Cruise Terminal some ten minutes drive away from Porto, so we took advantage of a shore-excursion bus to access some of the high points of this charming sea port.

Do come along!

Small boat fishing off the Outer Breakwater, Leixoes, Portugal

The Outer Breakwater – Leixões
One of the things I love about approaching places from the water is the very different view you get of the life of a port. This fisherman in his open boat looks so tiny against the vast Atlantic Ocean behind him!

"She Changes" sculpture, Porto Portugal

“She Changes”
The bus taking us from the port to the city had heavily sun-screened windows which tinted all my photos the most awful colours! Even so, I loved this sculpture, known locally as anémona (the anemone). Installed in 2005, it was designed by American artist Janet Echelman to reference the region’s fishing industry.

Porto Tram, R. das Carmelitas, Porto Portugal

Porto Tram
From the vantage point of our bus, we get a good view of the local transport options.

Shop-fronts, R. das Carmelitas, Porto Portugal

Plaza – R. das Carmelitas
The cobbled streets are pedestrian friendly.

Portrait: female guide, downtown Porto, Portugal

Guide Elsa
Our local guide makes sure we have maps and know our appointed return-time before setting us loose with a variety of options.

Outside Livraria Lello & Irmão, Porto, Portugal

Livraria Lello e Irmão
My first stop was at the wonderful neo-gothic façade of one of the world’s most beautiful book stores. There was already a queue, and Filipe Teixeira the doorman was the checking tickets – which need to be pre-purchased (€5) around the corner.

Inside Livraria Lello & Irmão, Porto, Portugal

Livraria Chardron
Built in 1906 by the Portuguese engineer Xavier Esteves, the bookstore is possibly best know for its iconic twisting crimson staircase, where visitors all want their pictures taken.

Harry Potter Books, Livraria Lello & Irmão, Porto, Portugal

Harry Potter Books
The story is that JK Rowling partly wrote the first Harry Potter book in Porto – and in this library – while working in the city as an English teacher in the early 1990s.

Inside Livraria Lello & Irmão, Porto, Portugal

Staircase
Rowling is believed to have modelled the fantastical staircases of Hogwarts on this amazing forked staircase rising to the gallery on the first floor.

Mirrored bookshelf, Livraria Lello & Irmão, Porto, Portugal

Almost Abstract – Bookshelves
The interior is truly gorgeous, if a little hard to appreciate with the crowds in the space.

Women looking at books, Livraria Lello & Irmão, Porto, Portugal

Shopping
The €5 fee can be used against any purchases.

Busts of Portuguese authors on the shelves of Livraria Lello & Irmão, Porto, Portugal.

Portuguese Authors
Most of the books are, of course, in Portuguese. Busts of local authors adorn the shelves.

Inside Livraria Lello & Irmão, Porto, Portugal

Opulence
Much of the interior is treated with painted plaster designed to mimic sculpted wood. Light streams in from the stained glass ceiling.

The Fountain of the Lions, Porto, Portugal

Fonte dos Leões
Not far from the library, we find the Fountain of the Lions, a 19th-century fountain built by a French company in response to an 1882 Porto initiative to bring water into the city.

Igreja do Carmo, Porto, Portugal

Igreja do Carmo
Partner to the older Igreja dos Carmelitas next door, the late Baroque-style rococo Igreja do Carmo was built between 1756 and 1768. The locally-made tin-glazed ceramic azulejo tiles, depicting Mount Carmel and the founding of the Carmelite Order, were added in 1912.

Statue of Vímara Peres, Porto Portugal

Vímara Peres
We rejoin our bus, and it takes us up to the highest point in the city, the Terreiro da Sé, a vast esplanade which overlooks the old town. A statue of ninth-century nobleman Vímara Peres (820 –873), the first ruler of Portugal, rises against the sky.

Porto Cathedral, Portugal

Porto Cathedral
Originally built in the early 1100s, this Baroque Roman Catholic Cathedral, with 20th century modifications, is one of the city’s oldest landmarks.

Ramos Pinto Cellars on the Douro River, Porto, Portugal

Ramos Pinto Cellars
From the Terreiro da Sé we have views over the Douro River and the Ramos Pinto Cellars: just one of the many port wine cellars in the region.

Saint Lawrence Church, Porto, Portugal

Igreja Sao Lourenco
We also overlook the mossy spires of the 16th century Church of St. Lawrence, …

Torre dos Clérigos, Porto, Portugal

Torre dos Clérigos
… and over the rooftops to the bell tower of the Baroque Clérigos Church, built between 1732 and 1763.

Tourists seated at the base of the Pillory of Porto, Portugal

On the Plinth
People sit at the base of the Pillory of Porto, once a place for the hanging of criminals, and an enduring symbol of the power of justice.

Tiles in an alcove at the Porto Cathedral, Portugal

Tiles at the Cathedral
Blue and white azulejo tiles adorn the cathedral …

House fronts, Porto, Portugal

Balconies and Tiles
… and the houses outside its borders.

Monastery of Serra do Pilar, Porto, Portugal

Monastery of Serra do Pilar
Back in the bus again, we drive past the historic circular monastery, built across the 15- and 1600s …  

Dom Ponte Luís I bridge, Porto, Portugal

Dom Ponte Luís I
… and the double-decker metal bridge spanning the River Douro. When this bridge – designed Teophile Seyrig, a disciple of Gustave Eiffel – was started in 1880, it was the longest of its kind in the world.

Church of Saint Ildefonso, Porto, Portugal

Church of Saint Ildefonso
The eighteenth-century Igreja de Santo Ildefonso was undergoing renovations when we drove past.

Ribeira Housing, Porto Portugal

Ribeira Housing
Our last stop was in the charming and picturesque UNESCO-listed riverside district.

Rebeira Housing, Porto Portugal

Lamps and Laundry

Rabelo Boat on the Douro River, Porto Portugal

Traditional Rabelo Boat
From our river-front coffee-shop table, we watched the Rabelo boats – traditionally used to transport port barrels – take tourists along the Douro River.

St. John Baptist, Porto Portugal

St. John the Baptist
On our way back to the bus for the last time, we passed this quirky modern sculpture of St. John the Baptist by Portuguese artist Joao Cutileiro, …

Decorative blue and white building tiles, Porto Portugal

Porto Building Tiles
… and more traditional blue-and-white building tiles.

Porto Leixões Cruise Terminal, Portugal

Lines and Curves
Our last images were of the ultra-modern Porto Leixões Cruise Terminal, …

Porto Leixões Cruise Terminal, Portugal

Porto Leixões Cruise Terminal
… designed by local architect Luís Pedro Silva, and opened in 2015.

Police man, Porto Leixões Cruise Terminal, Portugal

Local Police – Porto Leixões Cruise Terminal

I’m not sure I have ever seen so many churches in one day!

Porto is a delightful city to explore, and we had the additional pleasure of knowing we’d be sampling some of the local wine with our dinners once we were back on the boat.

Cheers!

Photos: 19April2018

Orange light on the red sands of Wadi Rum, Jordan

Afternoon Light in the Wadi
The rains have stopped, but there are still clouds overhead and puddles in the sand as we bounce across the desert in Wadi Rum, Jordan, in the back of our Bedouin trucks.

Lawrence of Arabia screened on free-to air television here in Australia on Easter Saturday. It seemed an odd choice for the Easter weekend, but nothing is ‘normal’ this year.

I’d forgotten what a long movie it is (four and a half hours with ad breaks!) but with the Covid-19 lock-down, it’s not as if I was going anywhere else! So I settled in. The portrayal of the archaeologist, army officer, diplomat, and writer Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence and his role in the Arab Revolt of 1916–18 as depicted in the movie is problematic, but those visuals! And that wonderful score!! Watching the opening scenes where the sun slowly comes up over the empty horizon, the long sequences of two camel riders dwarfed by the majestic sand dunes, and the later images of mirages dancing in the heat, I was reminded how much I love the film – and how much I love the desert.

I first saw the movie at a drive-in as a youngster, when I was learning about ‘Arabia’ in Social Studies at school. I certainly didn’t understand the plot details or the subtleties of characterisation, but I was captured by the flowing sands and the expanses of space and sky. I later read a biography of T.E. Lawrence’s life, and watched the movie many more times.

Watching the film again this last week made me ache to get back to my pictures from some of that very same landscape.

I thought about Lawrence – and that movie – a lot last year while I was in the Wadi Rum Protected Area in the south of Jordan. Souvenirs of Lawrence’s time in this region are everywhere. And the landscape itself is – quite literally – awesome. The name is apt: Wadi means valley, and Rum means high or elevated; the dramatic red rock cliffs rising high over the floor of the desert valley at Wadi Rum are nothing short of spectacular. 

As if this wasn’t special enough, it actually rained while we were exploring the rock formations! Wadi Rum is one of the driest places on earth, with precipitation generally limited to short, light showers on 15 days or less a year. So, the spattering of rain and hail as were clambering over the sands added extra mystique.

The resulting colours and light were just amazing – and constantly changing under the late afternoon sun.

Do join me in the magic of the Wadi Rum desert.

Rock formation the Seven Pillars, Wadi Rum, Jordan from the highway.

The Seven Pillars of Wisdom
After about four hours of driving south from Amman, Jordan’s capital city, the dramatic sandstone formation named for Lawrence’s autobiographical book, come into sight from our bus windows. Before the First World WarLawrence was writing a book about the seven great cities of the Middle East. The planned title – Seven Pillars of Wisdom – comes from the Book of Proverbs (9:1) in the King James Bible. However, when the war broke out, Lawrence was based here in Wadi Rum as part of the British Forces of North Africa. Instead of finishing the first book, he used the title for his autobiographical account of his experiences during the Arab Revolt of 1916–18. The title was then borrowed to name this stunning rock formation.

The Seven Pillars and the Wadi Rum Visitor Center, Jordan

Wadi Rum Visitor Center
The Visitor Centre is an essential stop, as we all need entry permits for the UNESCO-listed Wadi Rum Protected Area. It also affords us another view of the Seven Pillars of Wisdom.

Seated Bedouin men, the Wadi Rum Visitor Center, Jordan

Vendors at Rest
As well as information about the area, the Visitor Centre houses gift and souvenir shops. We weren’t giving them much business!

Grocery Store, Wadi Rum Village, Jordan

Grocery Store: Wadi Rum Village
The village of Wadi Rum is tiny – but we are able to buy drinks and tasty local take-away lunches of rice and spicy topping.

Truckload of tourists in Wadi Rum Village, Jordan.

Trucks into the Desert
We leave the highway – and our air-conditioned bus – behind, and head off into the desert in rustic pick-up trucks.

Truckload of tourists in Wadi Rum, Jordan.

Into the Wadi
There are no roads here; we make our own tracks across the valley floor.

Camel in Wadi Rum Jordan

Camel at the Ready
Naturally, where you have Arabian desert, you will find camels.

Camels in Wadi Rum Jordan

Camels
These, however, are not for us – we will get our chance to ride the next day.

Tourists and red rocks, Wadi Rum Jordan

Tourists and the Red Rocks
It is like a scene from another planet; no wonder that The Martian, starring Matt Damon (amongst other movies), was filmed here.

Wadi Rum, Jordan

In the Wadi
The wadi seems to go on for ever, each rock formation more magnificent than the last.

Truckload of tourists in Wadi Rum, Jordan

Tourist Trucks
The protected area is 74,180 hectares (183,300 acres) of unique desert landforms.

Camels in Wadi Rum Jordan

Camels Made Small
The sandstone cliffs dwarf us. There are six Bedouin tribes that still live in villages in the Wadi Rum area. Many operate tourism ventures, like these camels for hire …

Campsite, Wadi Rum Jordan

Campsite in the Shelter
… and the overnight campsites we see along our way.

Woman on a red dune, Wadi Rum Jordan

Dunes in the Wadi
It starts to rain as we climb our first dune, rendering the colour of the sand an even darker red.

Hail on a red dune, Wadi Rum Jordan

Hail on the Sands
The light dances on the rocks below as hail joins the rain. The afternoon has been hot, so the cooling hail is welcome.

Camels in the Hail, Wadi Rum Jordan

Camels in the Hail

Hail on a red dune and the valley, Wadi Rum Jordan

Rain and Hail
The light changes from one moment to the next as the clouds block the sun overhead. (iPhone6)

Truck in the Red Sands, Wadi Rum Jordan

Truck in the Red Sands
The rain storm passes, and we head to our next stop.

Light on the rock formations, Wadi Rum Jordan

Light in the Desert

Flowing water in the red rocks, Wadi Rum Jordan

Flash Flooding in the Wadi
A wadi is a valley that is usually dry; …

Fresh Water in the Wadi
… the waters from the recent rains have people excited to bathe.

Tourist truck in the Red Sands, Wadi Rum Jordan

Trucks in the Desert Light
It is the iron oxide in the sand and stone here that gives us all the different shades of red.

Vehicles parked on the Red Sands, Wadi Rum Jordan

Car Parking in the Brightness
The light glistens off the puddles collected in the rocks as we climb another formation.

People on the rock formations, Wadi Rum Jordan

Climbing the Formations
This is Instagram Selfie heaven! People climb onto the outcrops to get pictures of themselves.

Lawrence’s House, Wadi Rum Jordan

Lawrence’s House
It is hard to imagine someone living here! This shelter was built over the ruins of a Nabataean water cistern.

Lawrence’s House, Wadi Rum Jordan

Lawrence’s House
According to legend, Lawrence stayed here during the Arab Revolt. Little remains …

Rock formations, Wadi Rum Jordan

Rock Formations
… except for the magnificent views.

Rock formations, Wadi Rum Jordan

More Formations

Petroglyphs, Wadi Rum Jordan

Petroglyphs
Wadi Rum has been inhabited for more than 12,000 years. The petroglyphs at Khaz’ali Canyon are thought to date to the Thamud people who lived here from at least the 8th century BC to about 600 CE.

People on Horses, Wadi Rum Jordan

Horses on the Trail

Full of Stars Domes, Wadi Rum Night Luxury Camp, Jordan

Wadi Rum Night Luxury Camp
The down-side of the surprising rain was that the skies were not as clear as normal – so the starry skies over the domes inspired by The Martian would have been less impressive.

Tourist Tents, Wadi Rum Night Luxury Camp, Jordan

Tourist Tents
I didn’t mind: I was tucked into a woven Bedouin-style tent, complete with ensuite.

The autumn night was cool, and I was glad to snuggle into my bed, dreaming of red rocks and desert heroes  – and looking forward to the wadi sunrise in the morning.

What a majestic place!

Like Lawrence, I too fell in love with it.

Until next time …

Pictures: 14October2019

Young Enga woman in traditional costume, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea

Enga Woman
High in the rugged mountains of Papua New Guinea, Engan people practice age-old cultural traditions.

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a rugged land of steep, jungle-clad mountains and fast-flowing rivers. The impenetrable terrain has not only cut the interior of the country off from outsiders, but has segmented the local population as well. PNG is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse countries, with over a thousand tribal clans across its 22 provinces, and more than 850 indigenous languages being spoken. 

The highest and one of the most rugged of PNG’s provinces is Enga, which sits in the north-most region of the Central Range or Central Cordillera. Unknown to outsiders until 1934 when gold prospectors made forays into their territory, even other Highlanders call Engans ‘mountain people’! But the province is also unique in that it has only one major linguistic and ethnic group, making Enga speakers (approximately 300,000 people) the largest single native-language group in the country.

Like many of the Highland tribes, the Engans have a long history of inter-clan tribal fighting. In the 1850s, Engan leaders developed a system of ritual gift (often pigs) exchange called tee to reduce the violence. “Tee” means “to ask for” in the Enga language, and the Tee ceremonies create exchange networks and allow bigmen (chiefs) to show off their influence and wealth.

The easiest way to meet and mix with representatives of PNGs many tribal people and to get a small taste of their traditions of dress and customs is to attend a sing sing – a gathering of tribal groups to share culture, dance, and music. I was at the Paiya Village Mini Cultural Show in the Western Highlands Province with photographer Karl Grobl from Jim Cline Photo Tours and a small group of photography enthusiasts.

A group of young women (the men weren’t attending) had come to the festival from Enga, the province next door, to share their suli muli dance. This ‘dance’, which involves jumping up and down, beating their kundu drums, and singing “suli muli”, has become synonymous with ‘Engan‘ as a tribal identifier.

I particularly enjoyed spending time with these engaging young women, and ‘chatting’ with them even though we had no shared language.

Join me!

Young potato plants, Paiya Village, Papua New Guinea.

Through the Crops
These Highland mountains are fertile; we walk past tidy crop rows on our way to the fair grounds.

Two Enga women in traditional costume, Paiya Village, Papua New Guinea.

Engan Women
At the top of a hill, I meet a group of young Engan women who are in the process of getting ready for the sing sing.

Engan Tattoos
Facial tattooing is common among Engan women. The black around the eyes is paint, reserved for special occasions.

Engan Woman in a Woollen Cap
I am staggered by how many people in the tropics wear woollen hats! Not all the women are dancing; …

Young Enga woman being helped into traditional costume, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea

Getting Ready
… a number of helpers are along to help to complete the preparations. Those wonderful giant hats are made of moss and plant fibres.

Young Enga woman in traditional costume with her drum, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea

With her Drum
All the women have their kundu – drums.

Three Enga women in traditional costume, Paiya Village, Papua New Guinea.

With their Kundu
… which they use to accompany their rhythmic jumping-dance.

Young Enga woman in traditional costume, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea

Enga Woman
These young women were bright and engaging; …

Young Enga woman in traditional costume, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea

Enga Women
… we managed lengthy conversations – without the benefit of a common language!

Young Enga woman in traditional costume, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea

In a Dark Cottage …
The buildings around the property don’t have electricity; inside one, more Engan women are getting ready for their performance.

Animal Pen, Paiya Village, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea

Animal Pen

Papuan child in a pink shirt, Paiya Village, Papua New Guinea.

Child in Pink
The children local to the village hang about to watch the proceedings.

Engan Dancers in traditional costume, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea

Engan Dancers
The women get together for an impromptu demonstration of the suli muli.

Short Suli Muli Video

Suli Muli
When they perform on the festival grounds, they are in their full costuming, …

Engan Dancers in traditional costume, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea

Engan Dancers
… complete with tall bird of paradise feathers in their hats …

Engan Woman in Body Paint and traditional costume, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea

Engan Woman in Body Paint
… and a lumpy body-coating made from clay, mud, plant oil, and pig fat. 

Engan Dancers in traditional costume, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea

Engan Dance Troupe
They circle the festival grounds several times before breaking off into social groups.

Young Enga woman in traditional costume, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea

Proud Profile

Two young Enga women in traditional costume, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea

Two Young Engan Women

Young Enga woman in traditional costume, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea

Last Word …
It turns out that my principle contact was also the last photo I took of the Engan women at the festival.

Text: Keep smiling

They were a joy to meet and photograph.

Until next time,

Keep Smiling!

Photographs: 18August2017

  • Kupu K. Waiakane - September 25, 2020 - 3:16 am

    In Enga, man has his own ways of dressing in traditional attires while woman has her own ways of dressing in traditional attires. But these women are dividing into two. The mixture of tradition dressing for both male and female. Half men’s dressing (head/top) and half women’s dressing (hips or bottom). This does not look like Engans. Mixing up altogether.ReplyCancel

    • Ursula - September 25, 2020 - 4:12 am

      Hi Kupu,
      Thanks for your visit. These women were quite passionate about their roots, and I was happy to talk with them about this.
      Cheers, UrsulaReplyCancel

  • Kaistar Winnie Tau - August 31, 2023 - 4:34 am

    My brother, Kapu K Waiakane.
    Which part of Enga Province are you from??
    You insane! These women are from West Part of Enga. They are wearing round hats because it’s part of our culture, not all women dress with cascas skin on their head. They either can dress in both ways they want to. I hope and believe you’re from another Province!ReplyCancel

    • Ursula - August 31, 2023 - 12:43 pm

      Hi Kaistar!

      Thanks for taking the time to clear that up! I could only go on what the women told me. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Rachael - October 13, 2023 - 11:58 am

    Engans full traditional dressingReplyCancel

  • Jane Wia - August 6, 2025 - 4:46 pm

    Beautiful pictures, thank you for sharing.

    JaneReplyCancel

  • Lhondessha Pupaka - November 26, 2025 - 11:05 am

    These women are the ”Suli muli” singing group. Only common in Western part of Enga.ReplyCancel

    • Ursula - November 26, 2025 - 12:15 pm

      Yes, as I have said in my write up, they are. They were lovely!ReplyCancel

Landscape: Short Point, Merimbula Australia

Water’s Edge at Short Point
Blue skies, red rocks, and sapphire waters: just another beautiful day on the Far South Coast of New South Wales, Australia.

I am very fortunate: I live in a beautiful little corner of the planet.

I am also a bit lazy, and aside from regular morning walks on my boardwalk (See: A Little Slice of Paradise), I tend to not explore my neighbourhood as much as I should. So, I’m always glad when someone else organises something, nudging me out of my inertia.

My local branch of the National Parks Association of NSW had to cancel their January bush walk because all our parks were closed due to fire danger. Luckily for us, the date of the March meeting fell in that very small window of opportunity between the catastrophic bush fires and damaging storms that followed, and the recent coronavirus lock-down. It was a brief interval during which we could still get together (although already without any hugs, cheek kisses, or any other physical contact) as a group of nature-enthusiasts, and go for a hike.

Our walk co-ordinator chose a short and easy stroll to give participants – most of whom are older, and some of whom are unwell – an opportunity to relax and socialise after what has been an exceptionally difficult summer. Clearly, it was a good choice: we participants spent as much time chatting, debriefing about individual fire experiences, and commiserating over derailed future travel plans, as we did admiring the flora, fauna, and vistas. It was a perfect Autumn day: warm, sunny, and clear.

Join our little group on the short but lovely Mundooi Walk along the Short Point Beach section of the Sapphire Coast:

Walkers reading the signs, entry to Mundooi Walk, Tura Beach Australia

Entry to Mundooi Walk
Initiated by the local Lions Club, this lovely two-kilometre track is enriched by the interpretive signage funded by the Bega Valley Shire Council through project funding to the Tura-Mirador Landcare and Far South Coast Landcare Association.

People on the viewing platform over Short Beach, NSW Australia

View over the Sapphire Coast
From the viewing platform, we can look east over Short Point Beach and the Pacific Ocean, north to Tura Head, …

View over Short Beach, NSW Australia

View over Short Beach
… and south to the coastal communities of Mirador and Merimbula.

Gull on an empty expanse of Short Point Beach, NSW Australia

Gull on Short Point Beach
You could believe yourself to be all alone! However, the path follows the narrow strip of land between the beach and private housing.

Walkers on a path through Myrtle Melaleuca armillaris, Short Point Beach, NSW Australia

Walkers in the Coastal Bushland
We follow the track into the thickly packed stands of bracelet honey myrtle (Melaleuca armillaris). The flowers are finished, but the bush still smells beautifully fresh.

Yellow-tailed black cockatoo in myrtle, NSW Australia

Yellow-Tailed Black Cockatoo
We hear the yellow-tailed black cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus funereus) before we see them cracking seeds high in the myrtle branches overhead.

Yellow-tailed black cockatoo, NSW Australia

Yellow-Tailed Black Cockatoo
Blue skies allow a clearer view of another “cockie” nearby.

Ancient dune, Short Point Beach, NSW Australia

Ancient Dune
The dune on the foreshore here is said to have been formed over 8000 years ago when the sea level was lower. Still standing between 6-8 metres, it is held together by sea-grasses and long-established vegetation.

Back Lake, Short Point Beach, NSW Australia

Back Lake
Back Lake is classed as an ICOLL – an “Intermittently Closed and Open Lake or Lagoon”. The mouth of the lagoon closes over when there is insufficient rainfall to flush the sand out.

Fisherman standing Back Lake, NSW Australia

Fishing in Back Lake
Back Lake is one of the many ICOLLs in this region, providing recreational opportunities for the community, but also raising environmental water-management issues for our local council.

Family on Short Point Beach, NSW Australia

Family on Short Point Beach

Short Point Recreation Reserve overlooking Short Point NSW Australia

Short Point
The grassy lands of Short Point Recreation Reserve overlook the beach …

Rocks on Short Point NSW Australia

Rocks on Short Point
… and the tumbled rocks on the foreshore.

Walkers on the cliffs under Short Point Recreation Reserve, NSW Australia

Walkers on the Cliffs
After lunch on the grass at the Short Point Recreation Reserve, some of us head down the rocky ledge below.

Waves washing over Short Point rocks, NSW Australia

Short Point to Middle Beach
The rocks here are in ancient layers; the waters wash over them. … 

Water on the rocks at Short Point, NSW Australia

Waters on Short Point
… or collect in pools.

Waves washing over Short Point rocks, NSW Australia

Waters on Short Point

Close up: Pocked rock with salt in the crevices, Short Point, NSW Australia

Rough and Rocky Textures
Salt is encrusted in the dried-out pockets in the rocks.

Sooty Oystercatcher on the rocky foreshore, Short Beach NSW Australia

Sooty Oystercatcher
A sooty oystercatcher (Haematopus fuliginosus) prowls the rocky foreshore.

Sooty oystercatchers on the rocky foreshore, Short Beach NSW Australia

Sooty Oystercatchers
There are others on the foamy tide-line, looking for food.

Man rock fishing on Short Point, NSW Australia

Rock Fishing on Short Point
Across the sapphire waters, you can see Middle Beach, and the marks of aeons layered into the colourful rock-face beyond it.

Red Rocks on Short Point, NSW Australia

Red Rocks on Short Point
Rocks along this coastline date back to the Devonian period. They are rust-coloured from iron oxide sediment caused by the rise in oxygen levels created by the world’s first forests.

Walkers on the rocky ledge, Short Point, NSW Australia

Walkers on Short Point
We work our way back along the shelf, …

Rocks on Short Point, NSW Australia

Nature’s Building Blocks
… past giant tumbled boulders, …

Man rock fishing on Short Point, NSW Australia

Lone Fisherman
… and leave the solo fisherman in the sea spray on his rocky promontory.

Whether it was the walk itself, the wonderful weather and beautiful scenery, or the chance to debrief with like-minded people, I returned to my car lighter in spirit.

Text: Stay Well - UrsulaTruly, it was a much-needed breath of fresh air!

Wishing you well as we all batten down.

Pictures: 15March2020

Brekkefossen, Flåm, Norway

Brekkefossen
Just outside the hamlet of Flåm in the fjords of southwestern Norway, the Ljosdøla-Brekkeelvi River drops about 100 metres over the Brekkefossen, or Brekke Falls.

Is there anything more uplifting than a walk in the woods with the sounds of falling water?

The short walk from my accommodation outside the little village of Flåm in southwestern Norway, along the Flåmselvi (Moldåni) River, past bucolic fields and wooden farm houses, into a birch forest and up a mountainside to views over the Brekkefossen Waterfall, was a delightful antidote for what had been a rather stressful arrival into this breathtakingly beautiful area.

For the Flåmsdalen (Flåm Valley) in Norway’s Vestland is stunning. Called a “typical West Norwegian fjord valley”, the actions of sequential glaciers over millions of years have cut their way through the surrounding mountains, creating steep slopes covered in trees that rise to snow-capped peaks and drop to fast-moving waters. The hamlet of Flåm, whose name comes from an Old Norse word meaning “a little place between steep mountains”, sits at the innermost arm of the Aurlandsfjord, a 29-kilometre long fjord that is part of the branching UNESCO-listed Sognefjord system.

Travelling solo and carrying roller-bags that had traversed three continents, I had arrived the the day before into a town better suited to back-packers. The nature of the exclusions on my travel-insurance meant that I was riding the rails across Norway without my husband, who had been called back to Australia prematurely… That’s a long story for some other time, but suffice it to say, in spite of my going to great pains to call ahead from Bergen the day before, the keys to my accommodation were not at the reception office, and the reception office was as far from the train station – and from my pre-paid rooms – as it was possible to be in this tiny town.

But, I was determined to make the best of my day in this incredible environment: I booked an afternoon boat trip into the Nærøyfjord (see: In Aurlandsfjord) and took myself for a morning walk into the woods, following the well-marked maps from the local information centre.

I know that the reference to “Norwegian Wood” in the Beatles song of the same name was a comment on the cheap pine wall-panelling popular in London in the 1960s, and nothing to do with Norway, but I found myself humming all the lines I could remember as I walked up the mountainside and into the beautiful birch forest …

Do join me for a walk in the Norwegian woods!

Brekkefossen, Flåm Railway, Norway

View from the Train
My first sighting of Brekkefossen was from the Flåmsbana, the steep railway down the mountainside from Myrdal to Flam.

Flåm Housing, Norway

Flåm Housing
Flåm is a small village of about 450 people, but gets very busy in summer with tourists. Luckily, at the end of April, the weather was still cool, and the guest- and farm-houses were quiet.

Birch tree trunk in front of a green field, Flåm, Norway

Birch Tree
The fields are green with spring growth, and the trees – fell birch (Betula pubescens ssp. tortuosa), I believe – are beautiful.

Along the Flåmselvi, Flåm, Norway

Along the Flåmselvi
It is a pleasant walk on asphalt up along the Flåm River, which starts as runoff from the Omnsbreen Glacier, and travels 40 kilometres (25 miles) before emptying into the Aurlandsfjord on the other side of town.

Sheep in a Field, Flåm, Norway

Sheep in the Fields
Tidy fields line the other side of the road.

Brekke Gard Hostel GuestHouses, Flåm, Norway

Brekke Gard Hostel
The route takes me back past where I’d had to retrieve my keys the evening before, …

Farmhouse, Flåm, Norway

Flåm Farmhouse
… and past more farms with mossy roof tiles and fresh paint.

Farmhouses, Flåm, Norway

Flåm Farm Buildings
I get my first glimpse of the waterfall over the local farms …

Brekkefossen Waterfall Track, Flåm, Norway

Brekkefossen Track
… before I leave the road and head up a stony track.

Birch trees on mossy ground, Brekkefossen Waterfall Track, Flåm, Norway

Norwegian Woods
The path rises steeply up through the birch trees, and I start to hum:
“I once had a girl – Or should I say she once had me –
She showed me her room – Isn’t it good Norwegian wood?”

Signpost, Brekkefossen Waterfall Track, Flåm, Norway

Signpost
Fences ensure that walkers don’t stray into protected lands.

Flåm Village though the trees, Norway

Flåm Village
Looking back at the village through the trees, I get a real sense of how surrounded by steep mountains it actually is.

Water falling over mossy rocks, Brekkefossen Waterfall Track, Flåm, Norway

Water Falling
The river runs down over mossy rocks at our feet …

Mountains rising, Brekkefossen Waterfall Track, Flåm, Norway

Mountains Rising
… and the mountains rise up through the still winter-bare trees around us.

Taking Photos over the Valley, Brekkefossen Waterfall Track, Flåm, Norway

Taking Photos over the Valley
After about 30 minutes uphill hiking, the trail opens up on a grassy ledge. The views over Flåm and the fjord makes the short, but steep climb, well worth it!

Brekkefossen, Flåm, Norway

Brekkefossen
As the falls come closer, the sound is deafening …

The Bottom of Brekkefossen, Flåm, Norway

The Bottom of Brekkefossen
… and a very faint rainbow is visible in the pool at the bottom.

Flåm Village from the Brekkefossen Waterfall Track, Norway

Flåm Village
It is a stunning spot, and of course, the 2.5 kilometres back to the centre of town are much quicker than the hike up the hill!

Brekkefossen, Flåm Railway, Norway

Brekkefossen from the Train
I got to appreciate the Brekkefossen’s power again from the Flåmsbana the next day as I headed back up the mountain to the main rail line at Myrdal.

What a magical place! And, how restorative is a walk in woods near water…

As we “Socially-Distance” ourselves, I revel in my woods and water. I hope you, too, have a patch of nature within your sphere.

Text: Stay Well - Ursula“And when I awoke I was alone
This bird had flown
So I lit a fire
Isn’t it good Norwegian wood?”

Pictures: 29-30April2018 and 1May2018