Two hours drive south of Sydney is a magnificent stretch of ancient rainforest (protected as part of Budderoo National Park). A four kilometre loop boardwalk and forest trail leads through the towering trees of this rainforest remnant that once coated this highland area. Tangled vines of strangler figs, huge buttress roots, vibrant birdlife dancing among the branches and dense green moss on primeval rocks litter the pathway leading to the veil-like elegant Minnamurra Falls.
Strangler figs are remarkable, germinating in a niche of another tree and spreading its roots in a knotted gnarly tangle down the sides of its host in search of nutrition and upwards in search of light in a battle a share of the sun’s life-giving rays.
Highlight of walking in Minnamurra Rainforest is searching for the Superb Lyrebird. Well camouflaged in the dingy light-deprived forest floor, these greyish-brown ground dwelling birds can be heard scratching and pecking through the leaf litter of the forest undergrowth constantly hunting for little insects flinging leaf matter aside with its powerful claws. Excitingly we didn’t wait long for our first sighting, a lone female scratching and digging for a meal expertly dodging the thicket of branches and sticks near the start of the trail.
Outstanding mimics, the lyrebirds tuneful songs are mixed with convincing copies of many other bird calls along with any human sounds it experiences. Chainsaws, barking dogs, clicking cameras, chatting forest workers, mobile phone rings and car alarms are blended into its wonderful symphonic repertoire (David Attenborough presents a video example here). Throughout the walk, the melodic tunes can be heard echoing through the rainforest canopy.
Further along the path, a male lyrebird (see top photo) walks near the trickling river. The male boasts an aristocratic fan of tail feathers that it presents in a mesmerising courtship dance to attract females. With two striking orange feathers and a bridal veil of delicate feathers, it supposedly appears like a Greek lyre that gave the bird its name (personally, I can’t see it). The lyrebird's distinct plumage is denoted on the Australian ten cent piece.
Arriving at the end of the trail, Minnamurra Falls throws fine silky streams of water tumbling down a layered cake of rocks. Glittering in the dappled sunshine, rainbows dance in the misty spray as the water carves its way through the rainforest floor.
Not on many visitors’ agendas, escape the bustle of Sydney and enjoy walking the refreshing ancient Minnamurra Rainforest keeping an ear for the telltale haphazard scratching and the choral rhapsody of this superb Australian bird.
Monday, July 11, 2011
In Search of Lyrebirds (Minnamurra Rainforest, Australia)
Friday, July 8, 2011
My Seven Links
I was pleased to receive an invite from one of the finest travel bloggers, Barbara of Hole in the Donut Cultural Travel to participate in a fun initiative. The brainchild of TripBase and titled "My Seven Links", it offers a method to unearth and dust off old blog articles based on a series of questions. Barbara's can be found here while mine appear below. To finish off, I'll tag a further five bloggers to keep the chain going. It is a great way to learn about a few new travel blog.
1. My Most Beautiful Post
One of the most striking and naturally beautiful countries I've ever visited is the Iceland and its natural wonders. Littered with waterfalls, glaciers, volcanoes, weird rock formations and geysers all explained in Icelandic sagas and all left in their wild natural state, I can heartily recommend Iceland to any traveller.
2. My Most Popular Post
With help from lots of Google hits, I am surprised that my most popular article is on the artistic optical illusion art of M. C. Escher and his museum in The Hague. As you stare at Escher's art, you notice waterfalls that constantly travels down-hill or connecting staircases that forever lead upwards.
3. My Most Controversial Post
I don't tend to write controversial articles preferring to focus on the wonderful sights and treasures, both popular and little known, that the world has to offer. So very few articles have provoked even an occasional distasteful comment or upset email. A couple upset remarks arrived by email on discussing Peru's national dish of guinea pig or cuy. While cultures and nationalities, within reason, are entitled to choose what they eat, I can't see anything distasteful about trying Peru's national dish but a few weren't happy.
4. My Most Helpful Post
I received three wonderful emails from fellow Australians who lost beloved relatives in World War One in a savage battle for a small French village in the north of France. Whether reminding or helping someone relive memories of or in one case triggering an email exchange for them to eventually visit the tiny town, my article on a day in Villers-Bretonneux helped readers out. A humble plaque in the museum says "they gave their today for our tomorrow" - a simple and wonderful tribute.
5. A Post Whose Success Surprised Me
Travels has been featuring a Drink Around the World series for around 18 months that highlights a monthly iconic or unusual drink that I've tasted in my travels. The Scottish bright orange soda Irn-Bru and their creative ads triggered memories for lots of travellers who ventured to Scotland.
6. A Post I Feel Didn’t Get The Attention It Deserved
Early on in the life of the blog, it often felt articles that had a lot of time invested received little traffic or comment. One favourite place is the rarely visited Lofoten Islands in the north of Norway in an article that I (immodestly) believe captured some of the wild natural beauty and life on these remote Norwegian wilderness islands.
7. A Post I'm Most Proud Of
To my mind, the finest one day travel experience available anywhere is to trek through rich jungle and spend an hour with the endangered Mountain Gorillas. I'd like to think that my article captured some of the effort, excitement and uplifting experience of seeing a group of gorillas in their natural habitat, the trekking fee helping preserve the last few hundred of these majestic primates.
And finally to hand the baton on to five fellow bloggers who host excellent travel blogs:
Vera at A Traveler's Library
Eunice at TravelerFolio
Ryan at Pause the Moment
Lifecruiser
Folie à Deux
Enjoy reading and please subscribe if you are keen to get regular updates.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Top Five Fairytale Castles in Europe
guest post by Travelex
Whether you are still living the Disney dream or you have a little princess desperate to visit a castle like the one in her favourite fairytales, this guide will provide you with the best fairytale castles to be found in Europe. Pick your favourite, check currency exchange rates, pack your tiara, and visit some of the most beautiful and historic buildings on the continent.
Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
Steeped in history, this beautiful castle is the embodiment of 19th century romanticism and thanks to its stunning position atop the Alps, its towers and spires and magnificent landscape, Neuschwanstein has become one of the most popular destinations in Europe. The structure was also the inspiration behind Disney’s Sleeping Beauty castle, it doesn’t get much more fairytale than that!
Chateau Haut Koenigsbourg, France
Built in the 12th century, the Chateau Haut Koenigsbourg in France offers spectacular views of the Alsace Valley, a sight that stretches all the way to the Rhine River. Attacked and badly damaged by fire in 1462, the castle was then rebuilt only to be left abandoned some 200 years later. Over the years it was left empty and overgrown and as such, drew similarities with Sleeping Beauty’s abandoned castle.
Alcázar of Segovia, Spain
One of the most famous castles in Spain, the Alcázar of Segovia has a beautiful exterior and lays nestled at the base of the Guadarrama Mountains. It is suggested that construction of the castle began as early as the 11th century and was then rebuilt following original sketches after a fire in 1862. Once the residence of many Spanish kings and the site of Isabel’s proclamation as Queen of Castile, you can’t help but feel like fairytale royalty at the Alcázar of Segovia.
Bardi Castle, Italy
Surrounded by legendary stories, the medieval structure dominates the small town of the same name and lies approximately 50km from the city of Parma. Step back in time and visit during the summer months, when you might be lucky enough to witness one of the many medieval festivals hosted at the castle.
Vaduz Castle, Lichtenstein
Perched on a rock terrace, this fairytale castle can be reached via a beautiful tree lined footpath. The castle remains the true residence of royalty and today houses the Prince of Lichtenstein. As such, it is not open for viewing by the public, but there are beautiful views to be had of Vaduz Castle from anywhere within the capital and August sees it host to a spectacular fireworks display that illuminates the entire city.
Photo Credits: Neuschwanstein Castle, Haut Koenigsbourg Castle, Alcazar of Segovia, Bardi Castle, Vaduz Castle
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Customs House gets an Electronic Facelift (Sydney)
As part of Vivid 2011, various Sydney buildings were lit with a dazzling array of colour and imagery. The highlight was Sydney's stately Customs House where the grand 19th century colonial building was given a 21st century electronic facelift. Eight projectors were carefully aligned with a fine precision to the various columns, and levels of the building to create a visual feast. To ensure perfect alignment, the projectors were held into place with ballast as the slightest move would have thrown the whole image out (see the setup in more detail)
The result was a ten minute visual degustation menu as Customs House sneezed, bulged, melted, vapourised, filled with water, crinkled, flamed, crumbled and was splattered with paint bombs (pictures below can be expanded by clicking on them). The clock wizzed around at break-neck speed like a Mad Hatter's timepiece while the stately coat of arms irreverently glowed all colours of the rainbow.
More description of Vivid 2011 and the lighting of the Sydney Opera House is highlighted in an earlier article.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Drinks Around the World: Palm Wine (Ghana)
Both a suspicion of local liquids that travelling in Africa brings and the unappealing look of the foamy, milky offering in a local bowl should have ensured that I never tasted palm wine or nsafufuo that the local Ghanaians call it (the Nigerians call it emu which entertains this Australian). Little specks of vegetable matter (or were they small insects) loll on the surface like holiday-makers on their favourite summer beach.
With a feigned look of pleasure I cautiously lift the bowl to my lips. To my surprise, a semi-sweet fluid drips onto my tongue like a velvet candy bar. Quickly I enjoy a few more mouthfuls of this luscious drink, bored of lukewarm beer and treated water. Though there is no sense of alcoholic taste or odour, palm wine is potent and is a poor mixer with the harsh Ghanaian sun. It has a similar flavour to creamy liquors but is somehow more refreshing and natural.
Palm wine is popular throughout West Africa being stored in all kinds of strange vessels from fancy local artistic calabashes to sun-cracked plastic bottles. Often available by the glass or cup in markets, palm wine varies in sweetness, the unsavoury cloudy appearance being no clue as to the intensity of flavour.
Collection requires athletic folks to scamper up the tree using a vine or rope to support them. After a careful cut, the tapper strategically places a container or gourd at the base of the palm fronds to collect the dripping palm nectar (which instantly starts fermenting on leaving the palm).
I have no idea if it is true but I was told that monkeys drink the alcoholic potion, intoxicated primates tumbling uncontrollably from the palm trees in an uncivilised display from our biologically near relatives. Ghanaians telling the story teeter unsteadily mimicing the drunken monkeys, laughing uproariously but I don't know if the joke is on the poor monkeys or the gullible visitor listening to the tale.
If you get the chance in Ghana or neighbouring country (and you most likely will), accept the generous offer to taste this delicious and velvety potion.
Photo Credits: palm wine container, palm wine, tree climber
