Man in a Red Turban India is a feast of colours and impressions. Everywhere you go, people in brightly dyed fabrics sit in contrast against roughly painted or wash-tinted walls – as if they are just waiting for random street-photographers to appreciate them.
I just love the photogenic faces of India!
So much of Indian life happens in the streets and public spaces. As a foreigner, wandering around – either alone, or in the company of a guide or group – I have always found that my cameras and I are welcomed into that street life. I meet the eyes of strangers, and they acknowledge me and my desire to make their picture; sometimes they want to see the result on the digital display on the back of the camera, but most of the time, we just exchange a laugh and a thumbs-up, or a namaste of thanks. Some people indicate they are reluctant or unwilling to be photographed – a sentiment I completely understand, and naturally, respect – but in India, that doesn’t happen that often.
It has been ages since I’ve spent time in India. My last small-group visit, with photographer Karl Grobl from Jim Cline Photo Tours, and local guide DV Singh Jagat, included the annual autumn Camel Fair in the Northern Indian town of Pushkar (see: Faces at the Camel Fair, and Among the Camels and Horses). Pushkar Lake has attracted pilgrims at least as far back as the 2nd Century BC. Today, the lake is registered as sacred, and is ringed by Hindu temples, Sikh gurdwaras, and 52 bathing ghats.
The start of the Camel Fair and the Hindu observance of Prabodhini Ekadashi are determined by the Hindu calendar, taking place on the 11th lunar day of Kartik – which usually coincided with November on the Gregorian calendar. The town and the adjacent fair grounds are filled with crowds of religious pilgrims, animal-traders, entertainers, touts, merchants, and international tourists (see: Street Scenes in Pushkar).
Most of the international tourists are like me: travelling alone or in small groups with big cameras, and are there for the life and the colour.
Seated Sadu The life of a Hindu aesthetic is relatively simple: what you see here is probably everything this man owns: blankets to sit on and wrap in, a kumbh – or pot – for collecting sacred waters, a copy of the Rama Gita or some other holy text, and a small bag for other assorted toiletries, etc.
People on the Ghats Today is Prabodhini Ekadashi – “awakening eleventh” – the day that Vishnu woke up from his four-month sleep over Chaturmas. Ritual observances include chanting, fasting, and bathing in Lake Pushkar.
Woman in the Crowd The streets are busy with pilgrims heading to the ghats and temples.
Salesman in a Kumbh Shop During the Pushkar Fair period, a ritual bath in the lake is said to lead to salvation. Hindu faithful also carry water home with them: often buying special containers, or kumbh, for the purpose.
Prayer Beads and a Blazer I can’t help but wonder how far some of the pilgrims have walked carrying their kumbhs.
Sadhus on the Road The different styles of sadhu are fascinating to watch as they make their way into town.
Sadhu Portrait
Cooking Street Food The streets are lined with fresh food …
Sequinned Textiles … and colourful goods.
Colourful Dupatta Women in red headscarves check out the jewellery on offer in stalls alongside the road.
Pilgrim Women Friends find places to sit and rest on their walk into town.
Older Woman in Blue
Woman with a Young Boy
Woman in Pink and Red
Selling Vegetables Roadside vendors clump into groups, where the conversation is as important the sale.
Mannequins The shop-front mannequins seem strangely out of place.
Street Colours The streets are full of colour as pilgrims make their way …
Child in the Crowd … through the crowded streets …
Outside Gau Ghat … and into Pushkar’s most important bathing ghat.
Woman with a Head Load Even though the pilgrims keep coming, …
A Moment’s Respite … there are moments of quiet reflection, …
Heat and Smiles … and there is always time for a smile.
Face amid the Saris Between the ghats and the fairgrounds, the crowds continue.
Old Sadhu
Women at Tea Shop I love masala chai! An open-air teashop just outside the fairgrounds provides me with a good opportunity to stop, …
Woman in a Pink Sari … chat with the women, …
Woman in a Marigold Sari … and raise a cup of chai.
Hot, sweet, rich, masala chai –
As hot as the streets, as rich as the colours, and as sweet as the welcoming smiles.
Yet again Ursula, it is wonderful to see your smiling face in my Inbox, reliving our great time together once more. Do hope you are well and thank you for the little walk here down memory lane. You are so amazing too. . . . the stories and the depth of your knowledge. Absolutely Amazing. Miss you Girlfriend. . . .ReplyCancel
A Camel and the Pyramids What could be more iconic? A camel in the heat-haze of the desert, a Bedouin tent, tumbled ruins, and pyramids on the horizon!
There are some sights – no matter how many times they have been shown in photos or on film – that you just have to see for yourself.
Sure, there are stock images online that are taken in better weather conditions and from better angles, and the hosts of travel programs get superior entry and access – but none of that can add up to the amazement and wonder that comes from a first-hand experience.
I’ve just returned from my first foray into the Middle East, where the evidence of human civilisation stretches back millennia. A different archaeological wonder lay around every corner as I walked around locations so laden with ancient historical stories that I felt as if I could hear them in the pulsating heat and smell them in the ubiquitous burning incense.
My first day included the short bus ride from my Cairo hotel to Al-Jīzah on the outskirts of the city. Nothing prepares you for that first sighting of the Great Pyramid of Pharaoh Khufu, rising some 147 meters (481 feet) from the Giza Plateau as it comes into view out of dusty bus windows. I caught my breath and swallowed hard.
Naturally, as we walked around the pyramids – jockeying for position with tourists from all over the globe and firmly refusing camel rides, postcards, and trinkets – we were told the stories of their construction. I’ll give you the short version: roughly 4,500 years ago (some time between 2575 and 2465 BC), they were built – not by slaves, as I was told in Grade 3 Social Studies, but by skilled under-employed farmers during the agricultural low season. Current thinking is that during the annual Nile floods, the populace could not work the lands, but could transport building materials on the rising flood waters, and could construct the massive pyramids and the funereal complexes that surrounded them. Egypt’s pharaohs were expected to become gods and return to their bodies after death, so everything they might need was interred with them, deep in secret rooms where robbers or enemies would presumably not find them.
Of course, we all know how that worked out.
But, raided though they might have been, the tombs themselves still stand: testaments to incredible design and engineering skills, superb logistic organisation, and wonderful artistic ingenuity. Thanks to the Rosetta Stone, which allowed scholars to decipher the hieroglyphs so intricately carved and painted on the interior walls, we have a rich understanding of the lives of the pharaohs and the processes involved in their embalming.
The largest tomb at Giza is the Pyramid of Khufu or Cheops – often called simply The Great Pyramid of Giza – is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain reasonably intact. The whole Giza site comes under UNESCO-World Heritage protection as Memphis (the first Capital of Ancient Egypt) and its Necropolis.
Join me for a glimpse.
View from the Marriott Mena House It’s as if every period of history is represented! Once the site of an old hunting lodge set on 16 hectares of gardens, Mena House in Giza first opened to the public in 1886. Photographs of screen stars, presidents and princesses who have visited sit in a case in the elaborate drawing room of this oId stone palace, and I could well imagine Hercule Poirot sitting under the elaborate gas chandelier, looking out over the manicured lawns and the Great Pyramid.
Entering Giza It is barely eight o’clock on an October morning, but the sun is already high, the light is blinding, and the heat bounces off the stones, both old and new.
Exploring the Tomb of Pharaoh Khufu or Cheops With the Robbers’ Tunnel entrance – excavated by workers employed by the Caliph al Ma’mun, a ninth century Arab governor of Cairo – overhead, visitors clamber over the lower levels of the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Take my Portrait! All over the giant stones, each weighing 2.5 tonnes, …
Check out my Selfie! … people share pictures of their experience.
Walid Explains Our guide is passionate about his country’s history and culture, and enthusiastically explains how the pyramids were built.
Rough Stones The ancient stones were once covered by polished limestone casing stones which would have been smooth and gleaming, shining white in the sun.
Pyramid of Pharaoh Khafre The limestone capping remains on the top of the smaller Pyramid of Khafre, …
Pyramid of Pharaoh Khafre … giving us a good idea how glorious they all must have looked.
People in the Street As well as visitors from all around the world, there are locals, in traditional dress, walking around the site.
Dog at the Pyramid of Khafre The skinny dogs are dwarfed by the giant stones.
Camel-Back Official There is a visible security and police presence.
Leading the Animals Camels and ponies are available for hire.
In Front of the Pyramid of Khafre Tourism in Egypt is still in decline following the Arab Spring and the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, and many touts and guides are struggling to make a living.
Pyramids of Giza The Pyramid of Khafre and the smaller Pyramid of Menkaure float in the heat haze.
Camel at Giza Camels wait for riders …
Camels at Giza … while some get lucky. (iPhone6)
Cairo in the Heat Haze Behind us, the massed high-rises of Cairo disappear into the smog.
Camel and Khafre To me, the camels define the scene.
Mastaba of Seshemnefer IV from the Bus Not all of the tombs are for pharaohs; this one is for Seshemnefer IV, who was Head of the Royal Harem up until about 2340 BC.
Pyramid, Ponies, and Patterns
Perspective is Everything! Giza is home to the enigmatic sphinx.
Inscrutable With the body of a lion, the sphinx’s head was thought to be modelled on Pharaoh Kafre, but the monolith – carved from limestone bedrock – is giving up no secrets.
Giza and the Sphinx If you are not careful with your camera angles, the relatively small (20 m (66 ft) high) sculpture is dwarfed by the massive pyramids behind it.
What an extraordinary introduction to Egyptian mystery and history.
Walking among structures that have stood for so long was simply awe-inspiring.
[…] be over a thousand years younger than the magnificent Pyramids of the Old Kingdoms at Giza (see: Stories in Ancient Stone), but even the graffiti defacing them is older than the buildings I grew up […]ReplyCancel
[…] the mind-blowing pyramids at Giza (see: Stories in Ancient Stone) to the amazing tombs in the Valley of the Kings (see: The Writing on the Walls, and Take me to the […]ReplyCancel
Red, White, Green, and Blue Whitewashed walls, red or brown tiled roofs, green mountain shrubbery, and the blues of the Mediterranean sky: the mountains of Andalusia in Southern Spain are known for their charming Pueblos Blancos or White Villages.
The literature we had been sent called the town of Mijas‘the most charming and picturesque Andalusian village of the Costa del Sol’. They had me convinced with their picture of tiny whitewashed houses lining a steep, narrow staircase, decorated with wrought iron and hanging pots of geraniums; the idea of a stop for churros con chocolate in one of the many coffee shops was just a bonus!
In the mountains of Andalusia, there are a number of picturesque towns collectively known at the Pueblos Blancos or White Villages. We had a day docked in the Spanish coastal city of Málaga (see: Málaga – Costa del Sol) and took the opportunity to make the short bus trip into Las Alpujarras – as the mountains on the south slopes of the Sierra Nevada are called – to spend the afternoon in Mijas Pueblo. This traditional hillside village is nestled on the mountainside about 430 metres (1,476 feet) above sea level, overlooking the Costa del Sol.
The town dates back to prehistoric times, and boasts artefacts from the ancient Greeks and the Phoenicians. It came under the rule of Rome, the Visigoths, and later, the Moors – who ruled Andalucia for centuries before being conquered by the Catholic Monarchs in 487.
In the past, Mijas relied on agriculture, fishing, and some farming and mining for its livelihood, before turning to tourism in the 1950s. Today, the commercial centre of Mijas and the tourist centre of Mijas Pueblo have a symbiotic relationship as separate entities.
As is the case in many of the Pueblos Blancos, the Mijas local council enforces the regular whitewashing of all buildings to protect the tourism and heritage value. Historically, the whitewash mixture (lime, water, chloride, and white cement) was used to keep the houses cooler in summer and to repel insects.
It is a pleasant walk around the town – although with the meandering network of small streets, we kept getting lost! In many places, there are magnificent views back over the countryside and to the coast, which has earned the town the nickname: “Mirador de la Costa del Sol” or “Viewpoint of the Costa del Sol.”
Come for a walk:
“Mijas“ Say no more! The colourful town name on the promotional literature, and on the wall outside the Tourism Office, tells the visitor this is a lively place that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Andalusian Donkeys The Asno Andaluzor Andalusian Donkey is the oldest European breed of domestic donkey, native to this general area. Today, they are rare – except here in Mijas, where they have progressed from working the fields and local mines, to becoming a tourist attraction.
Paseo Burro – Donkey Taxi Mijas Pueblo donkeys are as infamous as they are famous: animal rights activists have agitated over the years to improve the situations of these sweet little animals. We were lucky to not see any overburdened by overweight riders, and were pleased to see most of them were shaded as they waited for work.
Chapel of the Virgin of the Rock Excavated into the rocks around 1548 by Mercedarian friars, the Chapel of the Virgin is a monastery and Catholic holy site.
La Ermita de la Virgen de la Peña de Mijas The chapel is tiny …
Inside La Ermita de la Virgen de la Peña … but richly decorated, and with precious relics.
Jesus and the Bell Outside, Jesus of the Sacred Heart stands over the chapel.
Buying Fresh Nuts In the chapel courtyard, local nuts are for sale.
Water-Powered Mill Outside the old flour mill, a water mill has been restored …
Antiguo Molino de Harina – Old Flour Mill … and the ancient stone walls are decorated with plants.
Mijas Street Paved and cobbled streets lined with boutiques, coffee shops, restaurants, souvenir outlets, and residences meander off in all directions.
Mijas Street The narrow streets are steep, and full of stairs and tourists, …
Mijas Stairs … but the whitewash and hanging flowers make everything bright and cheerful.
Courtyards There are shops and restaurants to discover around every corner.
Pottery in Mijas Brightly coloured ceramic pottery hangs from artisan’s walls. (iPhone6)
Wrought Iron and Plant Pots The parish church of Iglesia Inmaculada Concepciónsits atop a hill on the horizon.
Mijas Courtyard The local residents must stay very fit with all the stairs!
Callistemon Colour is everywhere.
Fountain Plaza de la Constitución
Andalusian Hills New developments stretch out across the hills – but, they must conform to the rules of colour!
Mijas Panorama From one vantage point, we can look across the 10 kilometres to the sea – and beyond.
Bronze Statue Mijas pays tribute to the role that donkeys have had in its history: outside the Tourist Office, a statue of a donkey – designed by local artist, Lázaro Cruz Jaime and financed by the local Lions Club – takes pride of place.
Andalusian Horse As a horse-lover, I dreamed of Andalusians as a child. I was thrilled to see them in their native home, where they have been recognised as a distinct breed since the 15th century. Such magnificent animals – and much daintier than I expected.
Andalusian Horse I was pleased I had a bit of fruit in my bag to share with this beauty.
Andalusian Donkeys It’s a quiet afternoon, tourist-wise …
Man and his Donkeys … and the donkeys are taken back to their small pens for the night. International pressure has forced the council to keep a closer eye on the handling and care of these donkeys, but there is still room for improvement!
As the donkeys went home for the night, we filed back onto our bus to head back to our boat in Málaga harbour, where we would set sail for the next port on our agenda …
Golden Silk Orb-Weaver – Nephila Surrounded by mangrove jungle and clumps of native hardwoods, where the only sounds are the buzz of the tropical insects, the thrum of the heat, and the lapping of distant waves, we come across a beautiful resident of Marathon Key, Florida.
On a long, circuitous drive that my husband and I made around the United States, we managed to hit the southernmost point of Key West (see: Mile Zero and Hemingway’s Cats). As much as I would have loved to stay in that delightful, laid-back island-city, it was far too expensive! A motel room in the city of Marathon, just 80 kilometres (50 miles) north, in the middle of the Florida Keys, was about half the price, allowing us to indulge in guilt-free mahi-mahi dinners as the sun went down.
The city of Marathon takes in 13 islands, or ‘keys’ in the term coined by the Spanish, from the word ‘cayo’ meaning ‘small island’ in the language of the Taino Indians of Hispaniola. Marathon is a major sport-fishing destination, known for its beaches and reefs, and popular for deep-sea, reef or flats fishing. We are not fisherman, and didn’t have the time or inclination to scuba dive or snorkel, so a morning walk around the Crane Point Museum and Nature Center on Grassy Key seemed like an ideal option.
Crane Point is considered special because it is one of the last untouched ‘tropical hardwood hammocks’ in the Keys. A ‘hammock’ is a closed-canopy forest in Southern Florida, and predominantly made up of evergreen and semi-deciduous trees and shrubs originating in the West Indies. Hammocks are important habitats for wildlife and many West Indian plant species. They are under threat from invasive plants, feral animals, and – especially in the Keys – land development. Crane Point was saved from being developed into proposed private homes and shopping malls when it was bought in 1989 by the Florida Keys Land Trust, a not-for-profit conservation organisation.
The oldest home in the Keys – outside of Key West – is here in the woods. In 1903, George and Olivia Adderley, Bahamian immigrants, built their family home using tabby, a concrete-like material made by burning conch and other shells to make lime, and then mixing this with water, sand, ash and broken shells. This historic building has been renovated and is open to view. The Adderley’s lived a hard but simple life here, eking a living by making charcoal, and selling sponges they collected in the reefs off the Keys.
Crane Point is named for Francis and Mary Crane, keen conservationists and horticulturalists who bought the property in 1949. They built their home on neighbouring Big Rachel Key, linking the two with a causeway. They worked to preserve the hammock, enhancing it with flowering exotic trees and shrubs in keeping with the ecosystem.
Today, groomed and managed nature trails wind around the 63 acre property, sampling a thatch palm hammock, a hardwood hammock, a mangrove forest, tidal lagoons and wetland ponds, and accessing the historical George Adderley House, a rehabilitation centre for local wild birds, various museum exhibits, and views over Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.
Join us for a walk:
Crane Point Museum and Nature Centre Also known as the Crane Point Hammock Museum and Nature Trail, the centre comprises nature trails, bird aviaries, and historical buildings set on 63 acres of woodland and mangrove: what Florida residents call a “hardwood hammock”.
Florida Thatch Palm As soon as we step out of the entry, we are surrounded by greenery. The Florida thatch palm (Thrinax radiata) is native to many Caribbean islands, Central America, and this part of southern Florida, but grows nowhere else in the United States.
West Indian Milkberry – Chiococca Alba Glossy leaves are all around, …
Greenery … including underfoot.
Pathway into the Woods The 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) of trails around Crane Point lead through a variety of habitats.
The George Adderley House We come across the Adderley’s home in a small clearing. The renovations have left some of the interior stones bare to make the construction methods more transparent.
Storm Shutters In the absence of glass, rough wooden shutters are the only protection from the elements. You can see how the tabby-mixture is plastered over the stones used to build the house.
Inside the George Adderley House The interior is – unsurprisingly – very simple and very dark.
“A True Pioneer” The Adderley’s were true pioneers – as the sign explains – making charcoal and collecting sponge to trade for the things they couldn’t produce themselves.
Zebra Longwing Butterfly (Heliconius Charitonius) Alighting on a native-Florida firebush (Hamelia patens), a little zebra longwing butterfly – the official state butterfly – flits in the garden.
Gray Kingbird (Tyrannus Dominicensis) on a Wire High overhead, a gray kingbird watches for insects. Widespread in the Caribbean, these birds are regular visitors to the mangrove swamps of south Florida.
Rosy Rat Snake (Elaphe Guttata Rosacea)
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus Occidentalis) Injured birds are cared for in the Wild Bird Center. It was interesting looking at the brown pelicans – so different from the Australian pelicans on our waters at home.
Caged Western Osprey (Pandion Haliaetus) It is always sad seeing injured raptors in cages.
Red-Shouldered Hawk (Buteo Lineatus) Of course, the advantage is that birds in the rehabilitation centre pose for pictures, …
Swallow-Tailed Kite (Elanoides Forficatus) Overhead … while the raptors flying free are too fast and too far for me to get crisp shots!
Off the Coast of Marathon In a couple of places, we get views back to the city. I love the reminder of how close we are to ‘civilisation’ – and how close this land was to being lost! An egret wades in the waters of Florida Bay.
Butterfly in the Mangroves As we follow the path around the point, we come across a mangrove skipper (Phocides pigmalion), …
Boat off the Keys … and another opening in the mangroves giving us views over the water: this time, towards the Gulf of Mexico.
Jamaica Caper (Capparis Cynophallophora)
‘Mangrove’ ‘Mangrove’ refers to the salt-tolerant trees and shrubs that live in the tropical coastal intertidal zones. They are critical to reducing erosion and providing safe habitat to fish and other small creatures.
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis Cardinalis) The beautiful song of a male cardinal sees us off when we’ve completed our loop.
It’s a small gem of a spot, and was well worth the stop.
We had a dinner-date in northwest Florida, so, we left Craine Point behind and set off north towards Key Largo.
Boy and his Bactrian Camel Believed to have been domesticated sometime before 2500 BC in Northeast Afghanistan or Southwestern Turkestan, Bactrian camels are the traditional pack animals of Inner Asia.
The annual Golden Eagle Festival in Bayan-Ölgii Province, Mongolia is a recognition of the Kazakh practice of hunting with eagles and an attempt to foster these skills into the future.
But it is more than that: it is a celebration of the rich cultural traditions of the between 100- and 200-thousand ethnic Kazakhs who live here in Western Mongolia.
These semi-nomadic Kazakhs are known for their affinity with nature and their deep connection to their animals. For centuries, they have trained Himalayan golden eagles to hunt with them, forming a deep bond with the magnificent birds. To cover the sparsely populated expanses of landscape known for its rugged terrain and extremes of temperature, they rely on hardy Kazakh ponies and/or wooly Bactrian camels, with most Kazakhs learning to ride at a very tender age. The herds of livestock they drive to distant plateaus in search of feed are both their livelihoods and the measure of their wealth.
These Western Mongolians are fiercely independent: most of those who live here are the descendants of people who left Kazakhstan in the 1930s to escape Russian rule. Their Turkic ancestors arose as a unique tribal identity between 1456 and 1465 in the steppes of Eurasia, and they have been known as nomadic ‘steppemen’, wandering outside the direct authority of the prevailing rulers, since before that time. They are as hardy as the weather, and the animals travelling with them are as wild as the landscape: the horses are agile but unruly, and the hunting eagles are returned to the wild after ten years or so, and are never fully tame. These animals may be family – but they are not pets.
We (myself and other travellers, Mongolian guides G and Segi of Shaman Toursand photographers Jeffrey Chapman and Winslow Lockhart from Within the Frame) had been staying with a family of eagle hunters for three days, and had had the honour and privilege of following them while they worked with their birds. The eagle-hunting season starts with the first frosts, when animals on the ground thicken their coats and change their fur colour. Training the birds requires staged exercises and lots of patience and repetition, and we had watched as the family got their raptors back into hunting form (see: Nurguli, Kazakh Eagle Huntress; How to Train your Eagle; and Eagle Hunters in the Wild).
So, when the actual Golden Eagle Festival started, I was as interested in the other animals – especially the camels and horses – as I was in the huge birds.
Domestic Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus) – not to be confused with the distantly related, critically endangered wild Bactrian camels (Camelus ferus) still living in small pockets in the region – have been important for steppe nomads since being domesticated sometime before 2500 BC. They can carry weights of 170-250kg (370-55-lb) across long distances, making them particularly useful for nomads who transport their portable homes over a landscape that even modern 4 wheel-drives struggle with. The long outer hair is woven into ropes; the soft under hair is spun into wool for knitting or felted into fabric; and their milk is a rich source of food. At the end of their productive lives, they provide meat and leather.
Similarly, the dainty-looking but hardy and tireless Kazakh ponies are beloved companions, a means of transport, and a source of milk, hair and meat. Standing only 142-144 centimetres (14.0 – 14.0 1⁄2 hands; 56 – 56 1⁄2 in), their heritage stretches back to the 5th century B.C.
Come meet some of the hardy people and animals of the Mongolian steppes:
Nothing for Miles … One of the least-densely populated nations in the world, Mongolia has plenty of space. As we approach the Golden Eagle Festival grounds, we can see the gers lined up in the distance.
Kazakh Hunter and his Golden Eagle The búrkitshy or berkutchi – as eagle hunters are called in the Kazakh language – and their búrkit, or golden eagles, are the stars of the festival.
Mongolians and their Bactrian Camels With their woolly coats and fatty humps, these domesticated Bactrian camels are tolerant of cold, drought, and high altitudes, making them perfect for the Mongolian steppes.
Portrait of a Bactrian Camel Not only are they much more comfortable to ride than their single-humped cousins (Which I know from experience! see: On the Road to Erdene-Zuu), they seem ‘friendlier’ with their long, soft hair.
Fair Grounds It is day one of the two-day festival, and the stands and tents are being set up across the plateau.
In Motion Eagle hunters in their beautifully embroidered outfits and fur-trimmed hats ride in with their magnificent birds perched on their arms with the aid of a forked support-stick.
Camel Handler in a Fox-Fur Hat Semi-nomadic eagle hunters often own extra horses and camels to help them transport camps.
Riding through the Gers The eagle hunters keep coming, riding in from their temporary camps high in the surrounding Altai Mountains; …
Here’s Looking at You! … some stop on their way into the fairgrounds to have their pictures taken. The big bird is hooded to keep her calm, but she turns her head towards me when she hears my voice.
Aymoldyr and the Falcon The golden eagles might be the most common birds used by Kazakh eagle hunters, but they are not the only ones: while the eagles are trained to take down foxes and hares, falcons and merlins can be used to hunt smaller birds and animals. Meet: 6yo Aymoldyr and her Saker Falcon (Falco Cherrug). Every eagle-hunting family has a distinctive style of elaborately embroidered hunting costume.
Flag Carriers The first official events of the two-day festival are the opening parade, where all the participating eagle hunters ride in (including a small contingent who have come across the border from Kazakhstan) and the presentation, where a jury evaluates the appearance and the traditional clothing and equipment of the eagle, the hunter, and the horse.
River Crossing On Day Two, the blue skies stretch over a flat, autumnal landscape as we ride in our four-wheel drive Russian UAZ (Ulyanovsky Avtomobilny Zavod) vehicles from from our campsite to the fairgrounds.
Markets at the Eagle Festival We arrive at the festival grounds early: the vendors have their blankets out, but as yet, few goods are on display.
Eagle Hunter on the Plateau The flag on the top of the hill marks the point from which eagles are released when their handlers whistle for them from below. The eagle hunt is the highlight of the festival. The eagles chase a dummy ‘fox’ which is pulled by the eagle hunters.
Golden Eagle in the Blue Skies Before long, magnificent big birds are taking turns, circling in the cloudless skies overhead.
Eagle Hunter on a White Horse Their handlers zig-zag the field below on their feisty Kazakh horses, pulling a fox skin on a string for their eagles to ‘capture’.
Eagle Hunter and his Eagle The teams are scored on how fast the eagles capture the foxes, and how efficiently the handlers reclaim their birds.
The Eagle has Landed Team after team of horseback hunters take their turns calling their bird of prey in for the hunt.
Aisholpan and her Eagle Thanks to the 2016 documentary The Eagle Huntress about her life, Aisholpan is probably the best-known eagle hunter at the festival. She had just returned from a promotional tour in the USA. I saw her briefly earlier in the day, and she rewarded me with a huge, self-possessed smile. In her sumptuous white fox furs, she’s as regal as any of the men as she watches her eagle come in for the ‘kill’.
Golden Eagles’ Wingspan Golden eagle are very large raptors, with hunting females weighing up to 6.35 kg (14.0 lb). Their wingspan can reach 2.34 metres (7 ft 8 in), almost dwarfing their handlers and the Kazakh horses.
Golden Eagle in the Sky Another eagle s0ars in the sky, with her jesses trailing behind.
Eagle and the Hunter And, another comes in for the ‘fox’. The audience watches and takes pictures.
Watchers at the Festival Most of the audience are Kazakh locals who are happy to share their regional festival with the visitors.
Alone on the Steppe There is an overwhelming sense of space around the festival venue, …
Local Audience … even though there is a decent crowd – local and tourist – around the rope barrier that marks the grounds.
Camels on the Plain There aren’t many camels racing, so I’m lucky to catch two of them in action; these camels can reach speeds of up to 65 kilometres per hour (40 mph), although the riders seem to be working as hard as the beasts!
Racing Camels The ‘race track’ for the camels and their riders is cordoned off with a rope; my longest lens does its best to bring the action closer as the giant beasts lumber across the plain.
Camel Running The Bactrians’ thick wooly coats, and long hairy manes and beards have already thickened for winter. When the weather warms in spring, the shaggy winter coat is shed extremely rapidly, in clumps.
With the camel races finished, it was time to go back to the birds.
For even if they are not the only ones at the festival, they are the stars!
- Performing the Ganga Aarti from Dasaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi
- Buddha Head from Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar
- Harry Clarke Window from Dingle, Ireland
- Novice Monk Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery, Myanmar
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As hot as the streets, as rich as the colours, and as sweet as the welcoming smiles.
Walking among structures that have stood for so long was simply awe-inspiring.
Until next time,
Yet again Ursula, it is wonderful to see your smiling face in my Inbox, reliving our great time together once more. Do hope you are well and thank you for the little walk here down memory lane. You are so amazing too. . . . the stories and the depth of your knowledge. Absolutely Amazing. Miss you Girlfriend. . . .
Always a delight to have your visit, Jan! Maybe we can catch up Stateside next year … I’ll email you. x
[…] These photos are from the streets of Pushkar : https://www.ursulasweeklywanders.com/travel/people-in-the-streets… […]
[…] These photos are from the streets of Pushkar : https://www.ursulasweeklywanders.com/travel/people-in-the-streets… […]