.jpg) Sleeping Koala
Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus), Australia’s iconic arboreal marsupials, spend most of their time up in the tree-tops, where they sleep as much as 18 hours a day. It is always nice to explore ones own “back yard”.
I relish the opportunity to get up close to animals, and I don’t need much excuse to take a road trip, so when I saw a Groupon advertisement for a day-trip to Phillip Island – ninety minutes out of Melbourne, I jumped at it. I had visited the island many years ago, and had alway wanted to go back.
About 140 km (87 mi) south-southeast of Melbourne, this popular tourist destination has a humid subtropical climate, consistently reliable surf beaches, a plethora of sea birds, and a variety of marine and land-based wildlife. Joined to the mainland by a long bridge, it is probably best known for its breeding colony of adorable little penguins (Eudyptula minor). Every evening, after their hours – or days – at sea fishing and feeding, groups of penguins return to the shore at Summerland Beach and waddle back to their burrows. This nightly “penguin parade” has attracted visitors since the 1920s.
Over-enthusiastic tourism – as well as the development of local housing and the increased traffic when the first bridge was built in 1939 – put enormous stress on these little birds, and their numbers were greatly reduced. By the 1950s, the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife recognised the need to introduce concerted conservation efforts. Viewing stands and fences were introduced to manage the public. More recently, scientific study and management groups have been formed and a residential buy-back program has removed all the housing in the Summerland Beach area. Attempts have been made to control foxes, and the vegetation has been rehabilitated.
Today, the Phillip Island Nature Parks offers complementary ecotourism experiences on Phillip Island, operating as a peak-body for a number of wildlife attractions. The local Tourism Authority also touts the scenery, the motorsports, and other activities. You can pack a lot of activity into a day on the island!
Of course, Australia is a big country, and Melbourne is a full day’s driving from my house. But there were a couple of other things I wanted to do in that general area, so I loaded up the car and made a proper trip of it.
Join me for a few of the sights:
.jpg) Almost Abstract: Melbourne Reflections
I always enjoy visits to Melbourne: the downtown is compact, attractive and full of parks along the river that winds through it. .jpg) Almost Abstract: Melbourne Traffic
The traffic trying to escape the city – even on a Saturday – was no joy!  Feeding the Kangaroo
Our first stop was at the Maru Koala and Animal Park, just before Phillip Island. Visitors can buy food to give to the native wildlife. Tammar Wallaby (Macropus Eugenii)
Some of the animals are well fed, and need a little coaxing Koala in a Tree
This park allows visitors to have their pictures taken with koalas – in controlled circumstances: the same claws that keep the marsupials from falling out of their trees could do you a real damage! Kookaburra behind Wires
Not all the animals roam free! The kookaburra has a large wired-in enclosure. Long-Billed Corella (Cacatua Tenuirostris) San Remo Fishing Fleet
As we cross the 26 km (16 mi) long San Remo Bridge to Phillip Island, we have views over the fishing fleet – and swimmers in the harbour. Walkway – Koala Conservation Centre
At our next stop – the Koala Reserve – I take the opportunity to walk the tracks through the woodlands. Woods – Koala Reserve
The eucalyptus – swamp gums, mana gums, and blue gums – are just beautiful in the afternoon light. Swamp Wallaby (Wallabia Bicolor)
I’m rewarded with a sighting of a skittish swamp wallaby, … Short-Beaked Echidna (Tachyglossus Aculeatus)
… and a glimpse of an elusive echidna. Sleeping Koala
Elevated walkways allow visitors to get near the treetops where the koalas are all snoozing. Their specialised diet of eucalyptus leaves is high in fibre and low in nutrients. As a consequence, they spend much of their time sleeping to conserve energy. Koala Feet
It amazes me how they drape themselves around the branches, sleeping without falling. Koala in a Tree
They can be hard to spot as they nestle into the nooks of the tall gums. … and Another Sleeping Koala!
They may be emblematic of Australia, but koalas only live around the Eastern and Southeastern coastal regions of the country. They are increasingly vulnerable – mostly because of habitat loss, and I’ve only ever seen them once in the wild (see: The Great Ocean Road). Even in zoos they can hide, so it was nice to get so close to these balls of fluff. Wetlands
It is great to see so much of Phillip Island semi-protected these days. The Koala Reserve borders on to the Rhyll Wetlands and Bird Sanctuary. The Nobbies
Our penultimate stop was at Point Grant, at the western-most tip of the island. An extensive boardwalk allows views over Bass Strait, and out towards Seal Rocks – home to the largest colony of Australian fur seals in the country. The Nobbies Visitors Centre
A very modern-looking visitors centre sits high on the bluff, giving people who wish to pay for the use of the cameras a “seal cam” view of the fur seals on Seal Rocks. Waves at the Nobbies
I settled for a windy walk on the boardwalk – taking in the power of the waves … View from the Nobbies
… and the beauty of the endless expanse of ocean. Wind and Shadows on the Boardwalk
Hang onto your hats! The winds off the Bass Strait are ferocious as people check under the boardwalk for penguins. Little Penguin Hiding
And there is one there, hiding out of the wind: the first we’ve seen. Little penguins moult between February and April, staying ashore for about 17 days while they replace their feathers. You can just see fluffy feathers like fresh snowflakes on the grass. Blue Sea, White Waves, Black Rock
The shoreline here is like an intricate lacework: the constant wave action has worn away the softer rocks, leaving only the black basalt laid down by eruptions of lava between about 48 and 40 million years ago. Autumn Colours
In contrast to the black basalt, the hills are covered with succulents, classified as “Bird Colony Succulent Herbland”. In the Glare of the Afternoon Sun
The little penguins come in at sundown, so we all need to move: it is time to walk back up the boardwalk, into the wind and the glare of the lowering sun, towards the waiting cars and buses. Swamp Wallaby from the Bus
Any driver will tell you that from late afternoon through to twilight is the time to watch for unpredictable macropods on or near roadways. Inside the Penguin Parade
This was all new since my last visit! Being in the Penguin Parade Visitor Centre is a bit like being in an airport terminal – complete with shiny surfaces, souvenir shops, clumps of confused people, and over-priced food. There are some informative displays, but mostly it is a fancy “holding pen” until people are let onto the viewing decks. Cape Barren Geese (Cereopsis Novaehollandiae)
Native to southern Australia, these lovely geese (or shelducks – the taxonomy is uncertain) mate for life, so are usually seen in pairs. Little Penguin (Eudyptula Minor)
This is what we are here for! As the light drops, little penguins – also known as fairy penguins because of their size, or blue penguins because of their colour – poke out of their homes to work on their preening. In the past, the little penguins lived in sandy burrows they fashioned themselves, but they have always been opportunists: making use of caves, rock crevices, or nesting under logs or piles of rubble. Wooden nesting boxes have been located all around Phillip Island to help encourage penguins to return to their previous nesting grounds, which were for a long time disturbed by too much human presence. Moulting Little Penguin
These are the smallest of all the penguin species – and the only ones with blue plumage. No photography is allowed on Summerland Beach after the sun lowers and the rafts of penguins start to make their way ashore.
We sat on the cold bleachers for an hour while one little group stood out in the surf, trying to decide whether to cross the short expanse of sandy beach between them and home.
Once they waddled past, the whole crowd oohed and ahed appreciatively – these little nocturnal carnivores are very cute!
Thank heavens Phillip Island has managed to protect them –
for now.
Photos: 23March2019
“See the Music”
Gail Christofferson’s commissioned artwork in the Nashville Airport immediately conveys the beauty and importance of music in this southern city.
(27May2015 – iPhone6) Nashville wears its love of music – especially country music – on its sleeve.
The moment you arrive at the International Airport, you know you are in country-music country, with exhibits and installations tipping their Stetsons to local stars and luminaries: mostly from the country music scene. Turn on the rental-car radio, and the the pre-sets will mostly be country stations. Take to the streets, and you’ll see more boots and hats than you can count. And you’ll see guitars – lots and lots of guitars.
Even the local architecture contributes to the music theme: the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is shaped like a giant keyboard!
But, there is more to the city than country music – or even music in general. True, the downtown area is replete with music bars and music venues of all sizes – some with historical significance – and there are numerous museums to the artists and the art form itself. But, every time I’ve been in the city, the Bridgestone Arena has been at full capacity, hosting a football game or some other sporting event. The city is the state capital, and the Tennessee State Legislature is an integral part of the downtown, along with the expanses of green parks, and historical tributes that form a long corridor through the city.
The most surprisingly anomalous building (in my mind) is the Parthenon in Centennial Park: a full-scale replica of the Athenian original, built in 1897 as part of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition and a tribute to the city’s nickname at the time: the “Athens of the South”.
One of the things I love most about Nashville is its apparent lack of pretensions – the Parthenon aside! I’ve never watched the eponymous TV show, so I don’t know the “true story” of the city and the music business – my perceptions could be all wrong. But, on every visit I have made to the city, I’ve felt completely comfortable walking around the sights and wandering in and out of venues. Every-second bar and eatery has a performer playing; many of these bars and taverns are simple places with wooden floors and wooden benches. The music starts early and runs late: if you don’t care for a performer, just walk up the road to the next venue!
On my first visit to the city, many years ago, my husband and I had wandered into a real “country” performance: a female singer with big-blond hair and a sparkly belt on her low-slung jeans was singing the standards – releasing one hand from the mike to hoist her jeans at regular intervals. As she introduced a song, my husband and I looked at each other: we had been away from “the South” too long, and had not understood a single word she had said! We had to back-channel through the run-on sentence and parse it into words – a challenge made easier once she started singing and we could identify the original artist. “Ayye’ve binaysked tesingsuum lerredaliyn.” Loretta Lynn it was. When we had had our fill of the angst and heartbreak, we moved up the road, where the accents represented a completely different segment of the South’s people, and a small band of brothers was laying down some solid blues.
That’s Nashville!
Into Nashville
The city’s downtown is compact, making it easy to get around. At the left of the skyline is the 33-story AT&T Building completed in 1994. It is nicknamed the “Batman Building” – for obvious reasons.
(11May2016 – iPhone6) Guitars are Everywhere!
The Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum pays tribute to all genres of music, and includes many instruments played on original recordings.
(12May2016 – iPhone6) “Birth of Bluegrass”
Important buildings that have had a role at seminal moments in music history are dotted around the city and marked with informative signposting.
(12May2016 – iPhone6) Twisted Sister Metal Sculpture
Quirky artworks are a constant fun surprise around the city. Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge
Originally known as Mom’s, Tootsie’s was renamed after it was was accidentally painted purple – I have no idea how you can “accidentally” paint a building!
(12May2016 – iPhone6) Inside Tootsie’s
It is dark inside the most famous honky tonk in downtown Nashville, but the three stages – decorated with photos and memorabilia from countless performers who have played there – are filled with great sounds and good vibes. Nashville Street Scene
The upper level at Tootsie’s has an outdoor area that gives great views over the street life on Broadway. Broadway Boot Company
As well as numerous bars (most listed on Google as “unpretentious”), Broadway is home to a number of leather-boot shops, … ♫ These Boots ♫
… selling boots in all manner of styles and colours; yes – I did find the perfect pair!
(12May2016 – iPhone6) The GooGoo Shop and Desert Bar
Nashville is also home to the GooGoo Cluster: … Making GooGoos
… a wonderful concoction of chocolate, peanuts and caramel. Johnny Cash Museum Guide
Across the road from our GooGoo break, we wait for our turn into the Johnny Cash Museum. Johnny Cash Records
I’m not a particular fan of the singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, and author Cash, but I was impressed by what I learned in the small, but well laid out museum. He was/is one of the best-selling music artists of all time in all musical formats. (iPhone6) Riverfront Station
A Hop-on Hop-off Trolley Tour is a good way of covering more ground and seeing more city sites. Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Tennessee State Capitol from under the James Robertson Parkway
The State Capitol building sits on a small hill; the rain keeps everything green.
(12May2015 – iPhone6) Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park
The 19 acre park that runs several blocks towards the State Capital includes a number of tributes to elements of Tennessee history, … World War II Memorial
… including a rather beautiful remembrance of World War II, and America’s role in it. Hop On Hop Off Trolley The Parthenon
The scale model of the Parthenon is the central feature of Centennial Park. Fun at the Parthenon
The building – which houses exhibits – was closed the day we were there, so visitors made do with posing outside. Couple at the John W Thomas Statue
It is a beautiful day – which is lovely, as it rained on our last visit – and people are enjoying the sunshine. The John W Thomas Statue
Thomas was a local businessman and the president of the Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition in 1897. Confederate Soldier’s Monument Guitars on the Lawn
Outside the central downtown, our trolley takes us past various recording studios … Musica
… and past the joyful bronze sculpture in the Music Row Roundabout. Musica, by Alan LeQuire, represents the physical expression of music. The Musica statue has not been without controversy: it was privately and anonymously funded, but still raised the ire of some who objected to the nudity.
I see it as joyful and exuberant.
But, that is Nashville: elements you may not care for or agree with, but with an unpretentious “homespun” charm, and honest musical joy.
I always leave humming.
To the Music!
Photos: 16May2016
Posted in Landscapes,Museum,Travel,USATags: architecture,art,city,museum,music,Nashville,sculpture,Tennessee,TN,travel,Travel Blog,urban,Ursula Wall,USA
Young Woman Biting her Thumb
Even by Ethiopian standards, the Mursi tribes are remote; even by Omo Valley standards, they are considered fierce. If I had to choose one word to describe the Mursi people of Ethiopia’s Omo Valley, I’d have to say “proud”.
There are roughly 7,500 pastoralist Nilo-Saharan Mursi living across approximately 1900 square kilometres of semi-arid land in an isolated corner of southwestern Ethiopia, close to the border with South Sudan. A tall, good-looking people, they are linguistically and culturally related to the more-populous Suri. The Mursi are a proud group with a rather aggressive reputation. Other tribes fear them, and tourists approach them with caution. They are prepared to have their pictures made – but it will cost you!
I was indeed visiting to make pictures.
I was travelling on a Piper Mackay photographic tour under the direction of photographer Ben McRae. My six fellow-travellers and I had got into our Grand Holidays Ethiopia Tours & Travel vehicles early – very early – to drive from Jinka, across Mago National Park, and into Mursi lands, arriving at our designated village before the sun – or the villagers – were up.
The Mursi measure their riches in cattle and are considered among the wealthiest groups in the Omo Valley. Virtually every important life-event is marked by the exchange of cattle.
But, tourists – especially photographic groups – are the real cash-cow! For many years, all the Omo Valley tribes have operated a “pay-per-click” tourism business, and the Mursi are experts at it. They are also in demand because of their remarkable headdresses, and because their women are among the few groups who still wear lip-plugs. They will face the camera: fierce and magnificent. They won’t necessarily engage with the photographer. Or smile.
I’ve talked before about the dilemmas of pay-for-click tourism, and have posted some of the pictures I “bought” in this Mursi village (see: The Mursi and Mursi Men). One of the biggest problems I had was the transactional nature of the exchanges, and the fact that it encourages “model shoots” rather than fostering any real cross-cultural understanding.
But, I had only a few hours and a lot of Ethiopian birr in small notes; it was not my place to completely change the socio-cultural dynamic. When the black back-drop, the off-camera flashes, and the soft-boxes came out, I took my turn in the queue.
Even so, I tried to interact with people, instead of just seeing them as photo-subjects – or worse: objects to be photographed. I’m not entirely happy with my pictures, but I am pleased that I tried to honour the people, rather than just trying to mould them into stylised shapes for the sake of “pretty” pictures.
This post – my last from this village – includes a few of the people I met and photographed, and hopefully captures a little of their mighty attitude!
Mursi Village Morning
Mornings in the village get off to a slow start. The fires outside the simple huts are small, the utensils are few, and the treasured water bottles are reused many times. In full face- and body-paint, women grind grain for the staple sorghum porridge or fruit for the local fermented drink. Baby, No Lip-Plate
I haven’t yet found a definitive explanation of lip-plate wearing, but among Mursi women it is said to be an expression of maturity. Although inserting the plate is not compulsory, women are thought to be more “graceful” if they do. Beads, No Lip-Plate
Even women who have cut and stretched their lips and ears for plates do not wear them all the time. The skin hangs loose when the plates or rings are not in. I found this woman – with her beaded fringe and steely expression – transfixing. Old Woman
Eye problems, dental problems, and a sagging lip: ageing is no fun anywhere, and I have to wonder about the additional difficulties faced in these remote communities with inadequate access to health services. Woman in a Headdress
The women wear some extraordinary headdresses, constructed from some unlikely materials. Woman in a Metal Headdress
Each headdress is more fantastic than the last! This one of metal, fruit, and horns was a winner. Woman with a Lip Plate
The woman wearing it demonstrates how she puts her lip plate in. Young Women
These young women were determined to show off their scarification – and to earn double pay-per-click! Woman in a Beaded Headdress
So many people have red eyes! Probably from the smoke and dust in the environment. Stretched Earlobes
There is a simple elegance in these faces; … Fruit and Horn Headdress
They hardly need the elaborate headdresses to highlight their beauty! Woman in a Doorway
The low doors to the huts are small; the lip plates are large. I can’t help but wonder how people get in and out of their houses! Family Tableau
In and outside the village compound, people just seem to drape themselves into groups in the glaringly-bright morning light. Youngster with Cow Horns
Fierce attitude against a searing sky – there is nothing tame about the Mursi people! The popular nilla headdress of warthog tusks joined with iron fittings to a leather and rope headpiece is worn by men and women, and even made to decorate cattle. In this instance, the look is embellished with cow horns. The Look
The proud gaze, framed by the nilla headdress, meets the camera head-on. Beads, Bangles, and a Baby Sister
Everywhere, you see young children in charge of their younger siblings. Even the very young know how to collect the requisite photo money: this little one has it rolled up and tucked into his arm bangles.
Mursi Scarification : Natural Light
As the light grew more harsh, I made use of it to highlight the keloid scars.
(ISO200 110 mm 1/400sec at f/11 -3EV Bright natural light) Mursi Scarification : Natural Light
Traditionally, only girls had kitchoga on their stomach and on their backs. If the young women decide it is too painful a process, the full designs may be left unfinished.
(ISO200 200 mm 1/400sec at f/18 -3EV Bright natural light)
Mursi Man and his Weapon
I’ve posted this shot before (see: Mursi Men): it is such a prototypical portrait of a Mursi warrior with his automatic weapon.
(ISO200 63 mm 1/125sec at f/7.1 + Off-Camera Flash) Young Mursi Mother
It is not quite noon, but the day is already unremittingly hot and bright. We run out of time to “pose” everyone in front of the black cloth – this young mum was happy to be photographed where she sat against the greenery of the surrounding bush.
Ethiopian Mountains
And so, with our last portraits made, we piled into our vehicles to drive back to Jinka, and from there, to catch a flight back to Adis Ababa. It was ironic that only after that Mursi village visit – the last tribal visit of our whole Omo Valley trip – while we were lunching in Jinka, we found a little book that explained a little about the customs of each of the Southern Ethiopian groups: Omo Valley: a Guide to the Ethnic Groups by Minalu Adem.
Of course, nothing in that booklet, or in the reading I have done on line, gives any kind of clue as to how these remarkable and unique tribal people will travel into a future of state-sponsored development and global capitalism with their cattle and their AK47s, and with their cultural traditions and animist practices that have changed little over hundreds of years.
I wish them luck.
Pictures: 23October2018
Posted in Africa,Culture,Ethiopia,PortraitsTags: environmental portrait,environmental portraits,Ethiopia,Mursi,Omo Valley,people,Photo Blog,portrait,portraits,scarification,travel,Travel Blog,tribal life,Ursula Wall
Face in Powder
Holi – known as the ‘festival of colours’ or the ‘festival of love’ – is a joyful occasion. Today is Holi: the much-loved Hindu ‘festival of colours’.
In India and Nepal, Holi is celebrated for a night and a day: starting on the full-moon evening of the month of Phalguna or Phalgun on the Hindu calendar. This usually falls somewhere between the end of February and the middle of March, according to the Gregorian calendar. This year, Holi is on March 21; two years ago – when I was in Nepal as part of a photographic group with travel photographer Gavin Gough and photojournalist Jack Kurtz – it was observed on March 12.
The first written mention of Holi dates to a poem from the 4th century. Then, it was a celebration of the start of Spring, and a thanks for fertile soils and a good early harvest. Today, it also celebrates the victory of good over evil: one story is that it is a symbolic representation of a legend from Hindu mythology, with full-moon bonfires commemorating the victory of Prince Prahlada, a worshiper of Lord Vishnu, over his resentful demon-king father and demon-aunt who tried to murder him by fire.
Holi is the time to rid oneself of flaws, to end conflicts with others, and to forgive debts and grievances. But, mostly, the day is for partying and pure fun. Armed with water guns and coloured powder, people (especially – though not exclusively – young people) roam the streets in groups, covering everyone they see in colour. Many groups carry drums and other musical instruments as they sing and dance from place to place. In Nepal, Holi is a public holiday, so the streets and city squares are full of revellers.
Out doors, everyone is fair game, and it pays to wear clothing one is not attached to! The colours are meant to be water-based (traditionally, natural dyes from turmeric, neem, dhak, and kumkum; today, more commonly commercial pigments); in practice, they are messy. I had plastic covers taped over my cameras, and was wearing light-coloured clothing that I was willing to leave behind, an old scarf to protect my hair, and goggles over my glasses.
I was prepared for almost anything as we headed into the ancient Newar city-state of Bhaktapur in the Kathmandu Valley, just a short drive from our hotel in Kathmandu.
Face-Powder in the Crowd
The town square is crowded with young Nepali looking to apply colour to anyone they find, but the mood is friendly and respectful: … Model in the Crowd
… a model in traditional costume (who is in the square for a formal photo-shoot) passes through the crowd untouched. This is in stark contrast with stories I have heard out of India, of visitors being roughly handled while being covered in powder. Into the Streets of Bhaktapur
Laughing and singing, the group moves off into the old city. Powders on the Pavers
Traditional colour are made from medicinal herbs prescribed by Āyurvedic doctors, and are thought to prevent Spring fevers and colds. They are sold in the weeks before Holi – … Colours for Sal
… but there are plenty available on the day. Boy with Colour on his Nose
Most of the colour I see is cheerful, … Old Newari Woman
… but some of it is more traditional vermillion tilaka. Wearing Colour
Groups of young people are all around, … Pasting Colour
… happily plastering each other … Young Woman with Face Powder
… with cheerful Holi colours. Smile in Powder
The broad smiles are as warm as the sunny morning. Powder Selfie
Just like young people the world over, the friends in the square pose for selfies. Group on a Lion
Holi is a time for friends: they gather in groups around the earthquake-damaged relics in the city, … ‘Colour Gang’ in the Street
… and roam the narrow, cobbled roads; … Like Tevye in ‘Fiddler on the Roof’
… some of them singing and dancing, accompanied by drums, flutes, and tambourines. Friends in the Sun
Everywhere, groups of friends are giggling and laughing as they fill the streets with colour. Powdering Faces
Holi gives young people the opportunity to test out relationships. Blue Man Water Spray from Above
At an intersection, people at a window high up pour water onto the group of revellers gathered below. Face Powder and Frivolity Crowds in the Square Face Powder Flying
The powder goes everywhere; … Exchanging Face Powder
… some of it even lands on its target. ‘One of Us’
Visitors to Bhaktapur are having almost as much fun as the locals.
Unlike other Hindus festivals, there are no religious requirements around Holi; people can simply relax, celebrate, and have fun. This is probably part of what makes it one of the favourite local holidays.
It was wonderful to share in the fun.
Happy Holi!
Photos: 12March2017
Posted in environmental portraits,Nepal,TravelTags: environmental portrait,environmental portraits,hindu,Nepal,Photo Blog,portraits,religion,Religious Practice,travel,Travel Blog,UNESCO,Ursula Wall,worship
Chef Orlando Lardi Making Pizzoccheri
Wherever you go in Europe, you find al fresco dining and unique regional cuisines. In Val Poschiavo – a valley in the Italian-speaking corner of Switzerland – buckwheat, or what the locals call ‘Saracen wheat’, is a dietary staple. Pizzoccheri, a tagliatelle made from buckwheat, wheat flour, and a range of vegetables, is a much-loved local speciality. I love Europe!
I love the history in the stones and buildings. I love the food and wine. I love how every place is so different from its neighbour. I love how accessible those places (generally) are by rail, and how train journeys are (usually) clean, safe and efficient.
Of course, we were travelling the easy way: we were in Switzerland, and train trips there are as clean, safe and efficient as they come. And, we had the added advantage of touring with Swiss friends who knew the region well.
The first part of this particular trip had taken us – by train – from Pfäffikon in the canton of Zürich, and through the magnificent Bernina Pass to Alp Grüm, before dropping into the Val Poschiavo (see: Railway Dreaming). Our travel companions had family working in the town of Poschiavo, so we broke our rail trip south for an overnight stop before picking the train up again the next day.
Poschiavo is a town of just over 3,500 people, situated in the southernmost corner of Switzerland. The Bernina Pass is the town’s only direct connection to the majority of the canton of Grisons or Graubünden, and the remainder of the country. The official language in the surrounding valley is Italian – although the canton as a whole recognises Swiss German and Romansh as well – and it is easier to get into Italy than back to the rest of Switzerland.
We were looking forward to being on solid ground after a morning on the train – and to taste-testing the unique local foods.
Village in a Valley
Our train has transported us south through a magnificent mountainous landscape before dropping into the Val Poschiavo (see: Railway Dreaming). Our travelling companions have family in the town of Poschiavo, so we broke our rail trip south on the UNESCO-listed Bernina Express to meet them for lunch. (iPhone6) Chef Orlando Lardi
The best short-cut to good dining is local knowledge. We follow our friends into town, and find Orlando Lardi, one of the general managers of Hostaria del Borgo, outside his restaurant making the local speciality: pizzoccheri. Also known as pizzoccheri alla valtellinese, this hearty alpine dish is popular throughout this valley that runs along the Swiss border and into Italy. Pizzoccheri on the Boil
Like any other pasta, the trick is fresh ingredients: combined with love and kept on the boil until al dente. The vegetables – most commonly chunks of potato, cabbage, and Swiss chard – are put in the pot first, and the pasta is added once they are partially cooked. Ingredients
In addition to the basic tagliatelle ingredients of eggs and flour (buckwheat and plain wheat), pizzoccheri rely on the extra staples of garlic, potato, cabbage, Swiss chard, butter, cheese, sage, and mountain herbs. Plating up the Buckwheat Noodles
Chef Orli dishes up an order of pizzoccheri. No one is quite sure where the name comes from: some say it is from piz, meaning a ‘little bit’ in the local dialect. Others think it comes from the Italian pinzare, ‘to pinch’; others claim it’s from the dialect word bizzo, meaning ‘a mouthful’. Cheesing the Noodles
The dish is rich enough for cold winter weather: full of sage-and-garlic infused butter, bitto (a semi-soft Alpine cheese), and freshly grated Parmesan. Pizzoccheri Noodles
Of course, the main ingredient is a love of food and cooking; we enjoyed every mouthful. The West Portal
Once we could move again after our hearty meal, we set off to explore the small town. Our first stop was at the medieval collegiate church of San Vittore il Moro, with its west door carved in Baroque style. The building is listed as a Swiss Heritage site of national significance. Inside the Collegiate Church of San Vittore il Moro
It is an elaborate church for a small town – and it isn’t the only one! The populace of Switzerland is predominantly Christian, dating back to the Roman era. According to the 2014-2016 census, members of the Catholic Church (37.2%) outnumber those in the Swiss Reformed Church (25.0%), with other Protestants adding only a small percentage (2.9%). That is especially true in this area, in the mountainous canton of Grisons or Graubünden, where the practice of Protestantism was forbidden for a time by a treaty in 1622, following battles between competing factions wanting control over the alpine passes. Here in Poschiavo, 86% of residents are Roman Catholic. Piazza Comunale
The late-summer weather is beautiful, and the restaurants spill outside into the piazza. Sausages in the Square
It is market day – or maybe every day is market day? Bone Edelweiss
The outdoor market includes tourist trinkets and carved handicrafts. Naturally, renderings of the country’s national symbol are on offer. Budding Photographer
A young visitor to the market … “Smile!”
… and I take pictures of each other. Mountains Overhead
Our sunny afternoon is framed by glorious mountains… Another Plaza
… and elegant 19th century Renaissance architecture. The market stalls line several streets in the borgo (village). Casa Comunale la Tor (1712)
Flags, geraniums and bicycles: what could be more Swiss? Reformed Church
Built in 1649, the Reformed Church of Poschiavo … Reformed Church Interior
… is much simpler inside than its Roman Catholic counterpart. Geraniums
Every where is tidy – and embellished with flowers. Skulls in the Chapel
The tiny Oratorio Sant’Anna has/is an ossuary, and has countless skulls arranged on shelves: the oratory operates as a mortuary chapel. Oratorio Sant’Anna
… especially when contrasted with the ornate altar, dating to about 1740. Ossuary – Oratorio Sant’Anna
Chalk drawings depicting the cult of the dead, surrounded by skulls, are an eerie sight, … Between the Skulls
A porthole in the ossuary looks out over a garden full of new life. Skull
Although the Oratorio Sant’Anna dates back to 1439, and the railings on the portico leading into it date to 1732, it has only been used as an ossuary since 1902-1903. Crossing into Italy
Later that evening, our hosts drove us across the border and into the Italian hills, where we ate at a wonderful little family restaurant in what used-to-be a mountain-raider’s hide out. (iPhone6) That’s what I love about Europe: you can be in Switzerland for lunch, wander through history all afternoon, and still drive to Italy for dinner.
And of course, in both countries, the food was fresh and wonderful.
Until next time,
Happy Travels!
Pictures: 06August2014
Posted in Every Day Life,History,Switzerland,TravelTags: architecture,christianity,cuisine,environmental portrait,food,history,Photo Blog,Switzerland,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
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