MADEIRA, PORTUGAL: Islands in the Sun, Guest post by Steve Scheaffer and Karen Neely

Promenade frente mar, Funchal, Madeira

My brother Steve and his wife Karen recently returned from a relaxing vacation in Madeira. I have never been there and I had to look it up on a map! It is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal, an archipelago situated in the Atlantic Ocean, just under 400 kilometers (250 miles) to the north of the Canary Islands and 520 kilometers (320 miles) west of Morocco. 

City of Funchal Azulejo (blue and white tiles typical of Portugal)

The capital of Madeira is Funchal, located on the main island's south coast. The region is noted for its famous namesake wine, delicious food, historical and cultural sites, flora and fauna, dramatic landscapes including the laurel forests that are classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its embroidery artisans.  

TWA Hotel at JFK

Steve and Karen did a package trip to Madeira, flying from Seattle to JFK in New York, staying overnight at the TWA Hotel, then flying the next day via Azores Air to Madeira. 

Balcony of Savoy Palace in Funchal, looking eastward.

They stayed for two weeks at the Savoy Palace in Funchal, Madeira, doing day trips in the city and the surrounding countryside.

Monte Palace Garden, part of an imposing estate constructed for an 18th-century consul and now home to over 750,000 square feet of botanical gardens filled with native and imported plants.

Shortly after arriving, they sent this email: So far this is a fun place to visit. Lots of tourism and weather that's better than Winter. So far the food is really good and different. We took the gondola up to Monte today to see the garden up there. It's 550 meters high and the clouds lowered as well as the temp so we rode the lift back down. 

Wicker basket sleds--quickest way to the bottom of the hill.

On Sunday we might go back up so we can ride down in a wicker sled. Lots of folks from the EU here.

Ribeira da Janela–Northside

Steve and Karen have graciously offered to share a few of their many excellent photos of Madeira. In some ways the landscape reminds me of Hawaii (all the volcanic rock and steep cliffs) but it seems even greener. And the architecture makes me think of Portugal. I think you will enjoy the pictures as much as I have. Madeira is now on my bucket list for future travel!

Ponta do Sol, west island.

Market stall with red peppers.

Igreja da Nossa Senhora, Monte

Madeira Island Laurel Forest “Laurissilva”, UNESCO site.

 

The Laurel forest up in the middle of the island.

Typical route to interior of the island.

Cabo Girao. View straight down from glass bottomed walkway 580 meters above sea level.

One of two rivers in downtown Funchal.

Jardin Botanico, Funchal.

Karen and Steve

LALIBELA, ETHIOPIA: Rock Cut Churches and Christmas Celebration, Guest Post by Kathryn Mohrman

 52 Places to Go: Week 52

Pilgrims came to Lalibela from all over Ethiopia--by plane, bus, car, van, donkey, and on foot.

My friend, Kathryn Mohrman, an avid and excellent photographer, recently visited the highlands of Ethiopia on a photo tour with about a dozen other photographers.  She has graciously agreed to share some of her photos and impressions of the trip. Kathryn is a professor at Arizona State University and travels widely for her job as director of several projects with partner universities in China and Vietnam. You can see photos from her trip to Morocco last year at her 2/4/13 post on this blog.  I have known Kathryn since we were students together at Grinnell College in Iowa. This post was first published at The Intrepid Tourist 2/17/14.

This is the approach to the church of St. George (you are looking at the roof of the church).  Notice that the church is free standing--there is an open area all the way around the structure.

Orthodox Christians in Ethiopia celebrate Christmas in early January. In the 12th century, King Lalibela created a group of churches hewn out of rocky cliffs in the northern highlands to form a "new Jerusalem" for believers. Today many devout Ethiopian Christians make a pilgrimage to Lalibela to celebrate the birth of Christ. Lalibela is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The heart of Lalibela is a series of churches hewn out of rocky cliffs.

Lalibela is in the highlands of Ethiopia at about 8000 ft or 2400 m above sea level.  This was winter so it was fairly dry with no crops growing.We saw lots of livestock grazing in the fields--and walking down the roads.  In fact, I was almost run over by a bunch of galloping mules.

A few of the churches had frescoes painted on the ceilings; others had Bible scenes on canvas or wood as wall decorations. Passageways were carved through the rock to connect one church to the next.

Many thousands of pilgrims crowded the little town of Lalibela.  Often they had to wait quite a while to get access to the sacred sites. We saw informal preaching, singing and dancing in the courtyards surrounding some of the churches.  People were having a good time in addition to celebrating Jesus' birth. Turbans signify priests--they are expected to marry and have families.  Monks are celibate.

Priests would shake this instrument to accent the rhythm of their hymns.

We visited a monastery where we saw a number of precious objects.  This beautiful book was created in the 9th century when Europe was in the Dark Ages.
In the past there were hermits in little caves near the churches.  No hermits today, at least not in the main areas in Lalibela. 

People were expected to remove their shoes to go inside the churches.  Most pilgrims took off their shoes in the courtyards as well.

There is a Bible verse that says "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!"  Historic Jerusalem had a Needle's Eye gate and this is the Lalibela version.

As Christmas drew near, more and more people crowded into the courtyards.  On the night of Christmas Eve, many people camped out overnight in or near the churches to be ready for dawn on Christmas Day when a huge procession culminated the celebrations. (Read more about the celebration in this Smithsonian article.)

Several hours before dawn on Christmas Day, pilgrims were jockeying for position.  Many of them carried tall tapers although some used LED flashlights or their cell phones for light. Some priests, especially those who were collecting donations, wore beautiful robes and carried decorative umbrellas.

A large group of pilgrims came in several buses, complete with portable kitchen equipment.  After the final ceremony, the group gathered near my hotel for lunch before heading home.

 Noon on Christmas Day. 

This guy was one of my favorites.  I learned a proper greeting in Amharic which I said to him as he passed.  He walked a few steps, then turned around and blew kisses to me.  !!!

MADAGASCAR: Leaping Lemurs, Guest Post by Owen Floody, Part 1

 52 Places to Go: Week 35

Diadamed Sifaka, Madagascar

In June 2016, our friend Owen Floody planned and led a trip to Madagascar.  Owen recently retired from a career of teaching and research at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania. He has always been an avid photographer and in his retirement has taken several trips that allow him to pursue his passion. He has been a frequent contributor to The Intrepid Tourist. Here is part 1 of a short reflection on his Madagascar trip and a few of his excellent photographs. 

One of the world's places that might best be seen soon, in case it is not preserved over the long term, is Madagascar.  The history and isolation of this large island off the east coast of southern Africa have blessed it with some wildlife that is unique (especially its lemurs) along with some that is unusual though not unique (e.g., its array of colorful chameleons). Madagascar also presents a wide range of habitats, including several types of rainforest at different altitudes (coastal to montane), dry deciduous forests, grasslands, deserts (“spiny forests”) and large expanses of sharp limestone pinnacles (“tsingy”).

Tsingy

Alas, some if not all of these habitats are at risk, in part due to the widespread use of charcoal for cooking: Most or all of Madagascar’s unprotected forests already are gone, increasing the pressure on the protected areas that remain.  Tourism can help in this regard, by giving local residents a stake in forest preservation.  Evidence for such beneficial effects can be seen, for instance, in the requirement for local (in addition to national) guides and in the development of community-based wildlife reserves.  The net effect is that a visit to Madagascar can have the immediate effect of exposing you to some wonderful scenery and wildlife at the same time that it encourages the preservation of these resources for future visitors.

Bamboo lemur

Madagascar’s roads can make it a challenging place to tour. On my recent trip, we began with an abortive trip from the capital Antananarivo (Tana) to a pair of rainforest parks directly to the east, hoping to see and, even more to the point, hear the dawn chorus of the indri, the largest of the lemurs.  Alas, what we discovered is that the indri hunker down and clam up in the rain.  Still, this excursion permitted us to visit the semi-captive lemurs on Lemur Island, as well as the residents of a local reserve specializing in chameleons and other reptiles.

Chameleon

Once back in Tana, we boarded a flight for Morondava, on the west coast.  From there, we drove north with the goal of visiting Madagascar’s premier tsingy site, the Tsingy de Bemaraha (a World Heritage site).  Along the way, we were enchanted by Baobab Avenue, an amazing concentration of huge baobab trees.  

Baobab Avenue

In addition, we stopped to hike within the dry deciduous forest at Kirindy Reserve, looking both for lemurs and their major predator, the fossa, which despite appearances is a type of civet or mongoose, not a cat.

Fossa

Nevertheless, it was the tsingy that stole the show. Within the park, we took two hikes, through the Petit Tsingy and Grand Tsingy.  Both provided great opportunities to view the tsingy from above (viewpoints), within (as we hiked along gaps in the formations), sometimes even below (as we crawled through short caves or tunnels within the rock).  This variety of perspectives helped to impress upon us the height of the limestone pinnacles.  Combining this with the aerial extent of the formations emphasized at the overlooks, one could not fail to come away from this site in awe of its stark majesty.

Once we tore ourselves away from the tsingy, we retraced our steps, first to Morondava, then on to Tana, where the second major phase of our trip began. 

Note: I devised the trip itinerary, which was ably implemented by Cortez, USA, a California-based tour-operator that specializes in Madagascar.  In the past, Madagascar has been criticized for the quality of its tourism infrastructure.  With respect to the roads, this was and still is justified.  In all other respects (accommodations, food, guides), however, I thought that we were extremely well treated on this trip and so would urge others, especially others with an interest in unusual wildlife, to give Madagascar a try.

 

This article was first published January 16, 2017. 

For Part 2 of Owen's post about his trip to Madagascar, click HERE. 

MADAGASCAR: Leaping Lemurs, Guest Post by Owen Floody, Part 1

Diadamed Sifaka, Madagascar

In June 2016, our friend Owen Floody planned and led a trip to Madagascar.  Owen recently retired from a career of teaching and research at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania. He has always been an avid photographer and in his retirement has taken several trips that allow him to pursue his passion. He has been a frequent contributor to The Intrepid Tourist. Here is part 1 of a short reflection on his Madagascar trip and a few of his excellent photographs. 

One of the world's places that might best be seen soon, in case it is not preserved over the long term, is Madagascar.  The history and isolation of this large island off the east coast of southern Africa have blessed it with some wildlife that is unique (especially its lemurs) along with some that is unusual though not unique (e.g., its array of colorful chameleons). Madagascar also presents a wide range of habitats, including several types of rainforest at different altitudes (coastal to montane), dry deciduous forests, grasslands, deserts (“spiny forests”) and large expanses of sharp limestone pinnacles (“tsingy”). 

Tsingy

Alas, some if not all of these habitats are at risk, in part due to the widespread use of charcoal for cooking: Most or all of Madagascar’s unprotected forests already are gone, increasing the pressure on the protected areas that remain.  Tourism can help in this regard, by giving local residents a stake in forest preservation.  Evidence for such beneficial effects can be seen, for instance, in the requirement for local (in addition to national) guides and in the development of community-based wildlife reserves.  The net effect is that a visit to Madagascar can have the immediate effect of exposing you to some wonderful scenery and wildlife at the same time that it encourages the preservation of these resources for future visitors.

Bamboo lemur

Madagascar’s roads can make it a challenging place to tour. On my recent trip, we began with an abortive trip from the capital Antananarivo (Tana) to a pair of rainforest parks directly to the east, hoping to see and, even more to the point, hear the dawn chorus of the indri, the largest of the lemurs.  Alas, what we discovered is that the indri hunker down and clam up in the rain.  Still, this excursion permitted us to visit the semi-captive lemurs on Lemur Island, as well as the residents of a local reserve specializing in chameleons and other reptiles.

Chameleon

Once back in Tana, we boarded a flight for Morondava, on the west coast.  From there, we drove north with the goal of visiting Madagascar’s premier tsingy site, the Tsingy de Bemaraha (a World Heritage site).  Along the way, we were enchanted by Baobab Avenue, an amazing concentration of huge baobab trees.  

Baobab Avenue

In addition, we stopped to hike within the dry deciduous forest at Kirindy Reserve, looking both for lemurs and their major predator, the fossa, which despite appearances is a type of civet or mongoose, not a cat.

Fossa

Nevertheless, it was the tsingy that stole the show. Within the park, we took two hikes, through the Petit Tsingy and Grand Tsingy.  Both provided great opportunities to view the tsingy from above (viewpoints), within (as we hiked along gaps in the formations), sometimes even below (as we crawled through short caves or tunnels within the rock).  This variety of perspectives helped to impress upon us the height of the limestone pinnacles.  Combining this with the aerial extent of the formations emphasized at the overlooks, one could not fail to come away from this site in awe of its stark majesty.

Once we tore ourselves away from the tsingy, we retraced our steps, first to Morondava, then on to Tana, where the second major phase of our trip began. 

Note: I devised the trip itinerary, which was ably implemented by Cortez, USA, a California-based tour-operator that specializes in Madagascar.  In the past, Madagascar has been criticized for the quality of its tourism infrastructure.  With respect to the roads, this was and still is justified.  In all other respects (accommodations, food, guides), however, I thought that we were extremely well treated on this trip and so would urge others, especially others with an interest in unusual wildlife, to give Madagascar a try.

Look for Part 2 next week.

SAIGON, HOI AN, AND HANOI, VIETNAM: Guest Post by Gretchen Woelfle

Bicycle vendor, Hanoi, Vietnam

My friend and fellow children's book writer Gretchen Woelfle recently returned from an exciting 18 day trip to Vietnam. Here is the second of three installments about her trip.  Note: Although Saigon was officially renamed Ho Chi Minh City in 1976 at the end of the Vietnam War, it is still commonly referred to as Saigon.

 

My cycling tour of Vietnam [see post for 4/4/16] included free days in several cities. I arrived early and stayed a few extra days to see a bit more of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and Hanoi.

Saigon traffic--what pedestrians face

Saigon

My first impression of Saigon was of a swarm of wasps furiously buzzing and zipping through the streets.  For wasps, read scooters and motorbikes.  Just as wasps would, these buzzers ignored all traffic conventions – traffic lights, stop signs, even traffic lanes.  Crosswalks were worse than useless, for they gave you a false sense of security. The only way to cross the street was walk purposefully across without stopping, letting the wasps zip around you. By the end of the trip I was striding forth almost confidently.

Safely landing on the sidewalks we discovered that they are not walkways, but parking lots for aforesaid scooters and motorbikes, so we often ended up walking (carefully) in the road. Sidewalks were also home to vendors of all sorts, making walking even more difficult.

Street vendor making a call on the job

Maps, even an iPhone GPS didn’t prevent us from getting hopelessly lost. Trying to walk from the Fine Arts Museum to our hotel in the humid heat, and passing the same roundabout not once, but twice, we finally gave up, and jumped in a cab. The driver headed in the opposite direction from where we had been walking.

On Saturday night one of the wide boulevards (lined with upmarket stores) was closed to traffic and filled with crowds of all ages.  Musicians set up here and there, performing hip hop, pop, karaoke, and traditional Vietnamese music. At the end of the long avenue a bronze Uncle Ho stood overlooking the whole scene.  What on earth was he thinking?

Guardian dragons at a Hoi An temple

Hoi An

Midway through our cycling trip, we had a free day in Hoi An. This beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site contains many old buildings that reflect its 500-year-old history as an international trading port. Both sides agreed not to bomb Hoi An during the war. Museums, temples, and workshops displaying fine crafts (beyond the usual tourist tat,) kept us walking and shopping all day long.

Tea set for sale in Hoi an

Hanoi

We reached Hanoi via a twelve-hour overnight train from Hue: 5 pm to 5 am. (I actually slept better than I thought I would.) First thing to notice – many more cars than in Saigon. Crossing the streets required even more courage, dodging cars and buses, as well as motorbikes.

Saturday night in Hanoi

We stayed in the Old Quarter, a maze of narrow streets with small shops and street vendors selling all sorts of produce and street food, interspersed with tourist shops. Our guide told us that northerners are much more conservative than southerners, and Hanoi youth who want unconventional partners move to Saigon. But on Saturday night we saw restaurants and clubs full of hip young people, spilling out onto the streets and alleys.

Dragon dancers, Hanoi

The Museum of Ethnology offers a view of another Vietnam: the dozens of tribal peoples who live in remote rural areas. Clothing, musical instruments, tools, and other artifacts are displayed inside the museum. Their traditional houses and compounds are recreated on the grounds. A performance of water puppets, with music and narration, gave a glimpse of a charming folk art performed primarily for tourists. Groups of schoolchildren bypassed it altogether.

Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi

Sunday dawned foggy and full of atmosphere: a perfect day to stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake. Families joined us in enjoying the buskers and artists plying their trades. A spring equinox festival with raucous colorful dragon dancers filled a park near the lake. We found a delicious retro café in the French Quarter to savor our last day in Vietnam.

Park cleaner at Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi

Having filled my suitcases to bursting with various arts, crafts, and silk scarves (all remarkably cheap,) I gave myself one last indulgence at our hotel:  a three hour body scrub, massage, and facial, all (including tip) for $47.

I chose to go to Vietnam, rather than another Asian country, because of the war that loomed so large in the lives of my generation.  Next week I’ll cover some of the remnants of the war I saw on my journey.

See http://www.exodustravels.com/usa/vietnam-holidays/cycling/cycling-vietnam/mov-94296 for details of our itinerary.

Bibliography

Pham, Andrew, Catfish and Mandala. NY, FSG: 1999. Vietnamese-American who fled as a child, returns to cycle through Vietnam in his 20s, with flashbacks to his history. Excellent book.

Dinh, Linh, Love Like Hate. NY, Seven Stories Press: 2010. Multi-generation family novel, from 1960s to the present.  Good look at life in postwar Saigon.