In a city of splendid architecture, and a fascinating history and culture, it is no wonder that tourists provide an opportunity for musicians, artists, magicians, entertainers and tricksters.
Empty churches are everywhere in Prague, as the country has the lowest religious adherence in Europe. The large Jewish population was almost totally murdered by the Nazis in World War Two. The city’s empty churches and synagogues are now important classsical music venues.
A visit to Far North Queensland (FNQ) a couple of weeks ago reinforced the conclusion that a longer time is much better. With the world’s oldest rainforests and largest coral reef, as well as scenic country, wilderness, misty mountains, tropical agriculture, intriguing towns and a distinct culture, FNQ is substantially different to my home territory 3,000km to the south.
Friends Peter and Steve generously provided accommodation at their rainforest B&B, located about an hour and a half south of Cairns. This base offers exceptional relaxation in a very special environment; with the sounds of a rushing stream and rapids coupled with late Wet Season showers on a tin roof, the deep green of the rainforest, wild bird calls… as well as walks beside surrounding sugar cane and banana farms, and allowed easy day visits to:
Mission Beach looking out to the Coral Sea and Dunk Island, one of many islands close to this coast. You can walk 14 km along the beach for similar sublime views, then explore the rainforest as a contrast, hopefully to sight a Cassowary.
A wild Brush Turkey making eye contact at breakfast time.
Utchee Creek swimming hole at the rainforest B&B.
In Australian country towns, pubs usually represent the strongest architectural presence, occasionally challenged by churches. Pub patronage has generally been more enduring.
The Criterion Hotel in South Johnstone.
The Malanda Hotel at Malanda in the Atherton Tablelands – above. Below – the Grand Hotel in Atherton and the Royal Hotel at Herberton.
Innisfail was substantially destroyed by a cyclone in 1918. An Art Deco theme in the rebuild is a feature of the town, similar to the architecture of Napier in New Zealand, rebuilt after that town was destroyed by earthquake in 1931.
The sign for Ansett Airways – ‘Book Here’ – omits to mention that the airline became bankrupt in 2001, probably just another example of local humour.
While some towns in FNQ are flourishing, others like South Johnstone are in decline.
Sugar mills remain important.
South Johnstone; the cane train line to the sugar mill runs up the middle of the main street.
Tully’s sugar mill. Tully is the wettest (or second wettest) town in Australia averaging more than 4,000 millimetres (160 in) annually.
I’m heading north again very soon.
Bergerac was once important in the Dordogne River boat trade. Now, as a medium sized town of about 30,000 people in south west France, a day visit easily allows enjoying the market (Saturdays and Wednesdays), an exploration of the medieval centre and port, securing a table for lunch, and a walk along the river.
A bridge over the Dordogne River in Bergerac.
There are many lunch choices.
The market is a meeting place.
Just off Victoria Street, Richmond, Australia.
A visit to the Flinders Ranges in outback South Australia is one of my favourite camping trips; an opportunity to enjoy the solitude of Australia’s haunting and ageless landscape, distinct flora and fauna, bushwalks, ancient rock art and more. One visit is not enough, as the Ranges cover a vast area, stretching over 400 kilometres.
On the way from home near Melbourne, I stay at campsites on the banks of the Murray River, at quaint and quiet country towns, or in some of South Australia’s prime wine regions like the Barossa Valley and Clare Valley. Tasting wines before camping in the desert has a certain piquancy.
The tranquility of the Murray River is occasionally broken by a flotilla of pelicans gliding by the campsite, or a passing houseboat.
Burra is an appealing South Australian country town close to the Ranges. Typically, it has grand buildings, a characterful pub, and fine streetscapes, a testament to a more prosperous past; in its case, copper mining.
Another classic country pub at Peterborough.
Bush camping at Wilpena Pound in the Flinders Ranges. The billy is boiling on the open fire while the solar panel charges the battery to power the portable refrigerator and lights.
Emus wander through the camp, at home in an arid environment.
Red gums line the creek beds waiting for infrequent rains to flood the watercourse.
A walk or a drive provides these views.
Ruined stone houses are common around the Flinders Ranges. European settlers established farms in the nineteenth century and misunderstood the Outback climate, believing that a good season or two was typical. Ultimately, the usual drought-like weather conditions prevailed and within a generation, most small settlers were ruined. A tragedy for them, but worse for the Aboriginal people who were displaced by the settlers, after living in the area for tens of thousands of years.
I walked to Boreraig in late August 2017. Boreraig was a Highland crofting village until its inhabitants were forcibly evicted in 1854. The walk provides an opportunity to enjoy the Isle of Skye’s unique scenery, as well as to reflect on the Highland Clearances, and the continuing widespread involuntary displacement of people around the world.
The walk commences at the ruin of Cill Chriosd (Christ’s Church in Gaelic) once the main parish church on Skye. Here, the church ruins and graveyard at the left stand below Skye’s imposing Cuillan mountains, with the ruined wall of the Suardal marble cutting and polishing works in the foreground.
Next, it’s a lengthy and steady climb.
It’s a long way to fall from the crest of the hill before the descent into Boreraig.
Walking or mountain biking are the only options to reach Boreraig by land. I saw only one other couple on my walk. An old stone fence from the village can be seen beyond the cyclists.
About 120 people lived in Borereig’s 22 houses before their forced eviction. Once a beautiful setting for a village, now it’s sombre, eerie and forlorn.
Stone fences snaking into the distance, and piles of overgrown rocks where houses once stood, are a lonely reminder that a community once existed here.
The return walk offers more of Skye’s ever-changing light and views.
On the right above is Beinn na Caillich, one of the Red Cuillan. Local legend claims that the grave of a Norwegian princess from the Viking era is located on the summit where she was laid to rest so that she could forever face the land of her birth and feel its winds.
If you stay on Skye for a while, it’s easy to believe in legends.
In many cases, sheep replaced people in the Highland Clearances as they offered more money to the landowners.
I’ve written more about Skye here:
https://wordpress.com/post/nomadicpaths.wordpress.com/5477
Walk details
http://www.go4awalk.com/walks/walk-search/walk.php?walk=h149
The Clearances
The Highland Clearances were a disaster for Scottish Gaelic culture. Like all major historical events, they are complex. The Laird of Boreraig, Lord McDonald of Skye, claimed that the crofters of Boreraig had to move “because they (the people) were too far from Church.” This was not the real reason for their eviction. Lord McDonald was close to bankruptcy at the time. In an attempt to reverse the debts, the administrators of the McDonald estate cleared Boreraig and other villages and replaced the people with sheep, because sheep provided bigger profits.
More reading
This site has a brief history of Skye:
http://www.scottishaccommodationindex.com/isleofskyepics.htm
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/clearances/29.htm
http://www.blaven.com/sevenmiles.aspx
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/boreraig-and-suisnish-1-1393025
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boreraig
https://canmore.org.uk/site/11562/skye-boreraig
In some countries, finding a public toilet/WC may be easy (as in China, France, New Zealand, or Australia), or virtually impossible (as in the USA or Italy).
Where a country lacks public toilets, locals probably expect that visitors will follow their own example, and use an establishment such as a bar or café. However, in popular tourist destinations, grim faced waiters and grimmer signs, or locked doors, provide a strong disincentive to anyone seeking relief without becoming an involuntary customer. In smaller villages and localities, there may be no such prospect at all. Is it possible that locals in those countries have developed a Darwinian survival trait that allows them to better control their bodily functions?
Most public toilets make no concessions to aesthetics. Not so this one in Pont Aven, Brittany; my selection for the most beautiful public toilet in the world. Why? It’s an elegant structure, reminiscent of the hórreos or granaries of Galicia in Spain. Traditional stone construction integrates subtly with the convenient central location in the village, and the Aven River below provides soothing sound effects of running water.
