Tag Archives: caves

UK: The Rock of Gibraltar

April 2, 2015 ~j

Before we started traveling, I never once thought that I’d someday be standing on a hotel balcony in Spain, while simultaneously looking at a British territory and the coastline of Africa. But, that’s where I found myself folks!

The coast of Morocco — Coast of Morocco in the distance on the left and Spain on the right from Gibraltar

That’s the second time I’ve been close enough to visit Africa, but just haven’t been able to make it work. One day Africa…one day!

Going from Spain to Gibraltar, you really do get the stereotypical UK experience. There are the cheesy red phone booths, Bobby’s on patrol, and dozens of Fish & Chip shops. The Gibraltar Pound Sterling is awesome too–who doesn’t want a monkey on the 5p coin?!?

Visiting to the Rock of Gibraltar is synonymous with visiting the Barbary macaques that make the rock their home. Other than us humans, the Barbary macaques are the only free-living primates in Europe. Technically they’re monkeys, not apes, but just go with it–everyone calls them Barbary Apes, so we will too.

Approximately 300 macaques live there, so I knew we’d see them. Only, I’d heard quite a few stories of attacks by greedy, territorial apes; that wasn’t something I was keen to discover.

Luckily, I didn’t have any issues. Jon managed to climb up a small look-out to take a photo, and worked his way into the path of two apes that came charging after each other. Slight body check by primate, and he was none the worse for wear!

In 1713, Spain signed the territory over to Britain “in perpetuity.” As long as the Barbary apes remain on the Rock of Gibraltar, the Rock will remain British Territory. After WWII, their population had dwindled to less than a dozen. Churchill ordered their numbers to be increased because of this traditional belief. So, more monkeys were brought in from Algeria and Morocco.

Today they’re closely monitored and cared for by a dedicated veterinary team. The Barbary macaque is on the endangered species list, so preservation is tantamount.

Beyond visiting top of the rock by cable car to visit the Apes, there are all sorts of old war tunnels, St. Michael’s Cave with impressive formations to visit along the way back to the residential/shopping district at the base. We spent some time shopping, and then hopped a bus to Europa Point, the most southern point of Gibraltar.

St. Michael’s Cave, Gibraltar

Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim Mosque, Gibraltar

Gibraltar Cable Car

The Point has a few buildings, including the Ibrahim- al-Ibrahim mosque and the Europa Point Light House. It is also the perfect spot to take photos across the Strait of Gibraltar of the Rif Mountains in Morocco.

Rif Mountains, North African Coast from Gibraltar

Having history, geology, and fun Brit shops the check out (Yes, we went to Marks & Spencer), combined with the scenery and the apes makes the Rock of Gibraltar a pretty awesome place to visit.

Happy Travels
~j

New Zealand, Oceania

Don’t forget to pack the pine trees!

February 19, 2012 ~j Leave a comment

Flights, miscellaneous transportation, and accommodation are all booked. Now, we just have to get everything ready. Fazh finally found some good shoes to wear, and his back pack is due to arrive next week. I have the usual stuff to pick up, like bandaids and travel meds (Advil, Immodium, Polysporin etc.)

Fazh let me know he already has three travel bottles of shampoo to take. He has less hair than most, and it is only for 2 weeks; I’ll make him leave 2 shampoos at home. As the trip gets closer, he’s also becoming paranoid about situations that would be horrendous when traveling, like having bowel issues while on a bus trip. No one wants stomach problems while traveling–ever. To make matters worse, for the 7 hour bus trip we have one day, there is no toilet facilities on the bus. Here’s another great convo for you all:

Fazh: What happens if I have to go to the bathroom on the bus?
Me: Well it will stop about every 2 hours, so you shouldn’t have a problem.
Fazh: No. What happens if I HAVE TO GO?
Me: Well I guess you pee or poop your pants.
Fazh: I’ll bring a tarp and some wet wipes then.
Me: Maybe some Depends, and some air freshener because you’ll stink.
Fazh: Yes, you know those little trees, I’ll get some of those and stuff them down my shorts.
Me: The pine tree air fresheners?!?
Fazh: Yes, and they’ll be like, “WHO SHIT A TREE?!?!”

So, because he’s worried about the bathroom situations (which aren’t an issue here, he goes out and about and functions like a normal human being) I asked him if he would be ok on a 2 hour trip under ground to check out Ruakuri Cave in Waitomo. I don’t know what kind of facilities are going to be available and he said…

Fazh: They’ll say, “Who pooped in the corner? It must have been the Canadian because there is a moose antler in it.”

Seriously, what have I signed myself up for?!?! I’m sure he’ll be happy I’m sharing this with the world, but it cracks me up. You should be able to have most of the full experience too.

New Zealand, Oceania

Charles, you don’t need that!

February 15, 2012 ~j Leave a comment

So, you might know that I’m taking my dad (Fazh) to New Zealand in a little over 2 weeks. He’s gone a little nutty with excitement. Months ago I gave him Eyewitness New Zealand to read through. He started dog earring corners, and writing notes in the book, essentially making a list of things he wanted to see. This is his trip, so I’ll do my best to make sure as much of what he wants to see is included. Some of the requests created a logistical nightmare. We only have 2 weeks and he’s got about 2 months worth of stuff on the list.

Most important to him was seeing how kiwi fruit grows, seeing a Kauri tree logging harbour, seeing a sheep shearing, going to the glow worm caves, and seeing penguins. He also wants to take the InterIsland ferry and the TranzAlpine train. Then he decided that Milford Sound and the Moeraki Boulders would be good options as well. All of those things I’m alright with except for the logging industry. That wasn’t going to be logistically possible, and was promptly cut. (I also couldn’t make the TranzAlpine work. The Coastal Pacific works just fine though.)

I think the fruit is what he’s most excited for, it isn’t like we don’t have kiwi fruit in the supermarket here, and it isn’t like he has never see a sheep being shorn in Canada either. Who am I to argue?

As the trip gets closer, he gets sillier. Here’s a conversation from last week.

Me: We’re going to have to get you some snacks for the 7 hour bus ride we have one day so you don’t turn into a cranky bitch.
Fazh: Stock me up on marshmallows and licorice, and I’ll be fine.
Me: Uh, maybe we could get you a sandwich and a drink or something to pack with you instead of just sugar.
Fazh: Where are you going to get a sandwich there?

Like he has a steady diet of pure sugar here? Like there are no supermarkets in New Zealand? No bread, no sandwich supplies? Really?!?

And today he calls me at work:

Fazh: I have to go buy a backpack for the trip. I think I’m going to get something camouflage so that I can use it for hunting and fishing later.
Me: Ok, but you have to get something small. 30L or less. It has to be small enough for carry-on. I’ll take you shopping on Thursday after work so you can pick out something good.
Fazh: I have ear plugs for the plane. They have a string connecting them so I don’t lose them. And I’m going to pick up a Louis L’Amour book. They’re all the same–the cowboy will ride his horse around, do some shooting, run around for a while, kiss the girl and they’ll ride off into the sunset together. Those books are all the same. I’m going to buy one right now.

(FYI: He bought FOUR Louis L’Amour books today! Who brings 4 books on vacation? They weigh a fricken ton, and I’m being the luggage stickler forcing him to take only carry-on. Ol’ Louis might just have to sit this one out…or at least 3 of them will. Jeeze!)

And after work:

Me: Did you find a backpack?
Fazh: Yes, I looked at them. I saw one that looked comfortable.
Me: Did you try it on?
Fazh: No, you told me not to buy it unless you looked at it. I also saw some Merrell running shoes that looked comfortable. They had a deal buy 1 pair get 1 pair half off so they could have gotten $200 out of me.
Me: You know you can buy just 1 pair right?
Fazh: Well I didn’t buy any because you told me not to buy anything.
Me: …….

But the best part of the day, and for all of you who get this conversation, I hope you find it as funny as me. (FYI: he’s 62, able bodied, and does not limp.)

Fazh: I don’t want you yelling at me because I’m old. I don’t want you yelling at me because I’m limping around. I don’t want you yelling at me because I’m slow.
Me: I’ll yell at you, you’ve got a 20 minute time limit, move it along mister. I’m gonna yell at you if you so much as think about eating an extra cookie.
Fazh: Then I’ll start calling you JOAN!*
Me: Charles you don’t need that!

Moral of the story, I might go cuckoo.

*Joan is my Grandma’s name. She’s the food police with my Grandpa.

Asia, Vietnam

To Hoi An and Beyond!

January 16, 2012 ~j Leave a comment

Day 5 in Vietnam we left Hue, and drove to Hoi An for a day of sight seeing before heading onto Da Nang airport to fly to Ho Chi Minh City. As we had a deadline for the day, we arranged for a car as transport. Our driver, Van, didn’t speak much English, and I have very very basic garbled aka horrendous Vietnamese at best. Luckily, the trip wasn’t an unusual request; so, despite the language barrier, we were able to stop at a lot of sights along the way.

The drive from Hue to Hoi An took us over Hi Van Pass, or Ocean Cloud Pass if you prefer the translation. The lengthiest stops were at Lang Co Beach and Marble Mountains. (FYI: At Lang Co Beach while we were taking photos, a guy appeared out of no where and tried to sell me old/out of circulation Vietnamese coins. I declined. Then he tried to sell me a loonie. Random!)

Marble Mountain Buddha

Lang Co Beach

Marble Mountains caught my interest a while ago. The Departures team ended up visiting the caves on one of the Vietnam episodes. The photos below are of some of the Buddhist shrines sculpted/carved into the mountains. Word is that the cave was used by the Viet Cong as a field hospital during the war. The photo doesn’t do the temple justice. It was as large as any fantastical cathedral, only this is a natural marble cave that has been a Buddhist shrine for centuries.

Marble Mountain Buddha - field hospital — Marble Mountain Buddha – field hospital

From Marble Mountains, we continued on to Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a gorgeous little place! If you have time, and want to have clothing custom made for yourself, this would be the destination. There are so many amazing design shops it is indescribable. The core of Hoi An is really small, maybe three or four streets, so it is easy to visit with just a few hours time. The Japanese covered bridge is at the far side of the historic area.

Japanese Covered Bridge – Hoi An

Boats on the Thu Bon River

Here’s a little googled tidbit of history for you:

According to local folklore, the bridge was erected after Japan suffered a series of violent earthquakes which geomancers attributed to a restless monster lying with its head in India, tail in Japan and heart in Hoi An. The only remedy was to build a bridge whose stone piles would drive a metaphorical sword through the beast’s heart and fortuitously provide a handy passage across the muddy creek.

Inside the bridge’s narrow span are a collection of stelae and four statues, two dogs and two monkeys, which suggest that work began in the year of the monkey and ended in that of the dog. The small temple suspended above the water is a later addition dedicated to the Taoist god Tran Vo Bac De (“Emperor of the North”), a favourite of sailors as he controls wind, rain and other “evil influences”.

from: http://www.hoiantravelshow.com/japanese-covered-bridge.html

After a really long day we made it to Ho Chi Minh City.

Happy Travels,

Asia, Vietnam

Ha Long Bay: Sung Sot Cave & Ti Top Island

January 15, 2012 ~j Leave a comment

We signed up for a 2 day 1 night trip through Ha Long Bay. Getting to the Karst islands, we had to sail through shipping lanes of the South China Sea. I was not expecting to see massive freighters in wide open ocean, but we did. There were also several ships that were dredging silt from the sea floor (to be used in making concrete was the explanation received.) As we traveled, we checked out our cabins, and the deck areas, and enjoyed the company of our fellow passengers. Then, we were served a crazy lunch. Who eats 10 courses for lunch?!? I will make an entirely separate post for the food on board the junk.

Shipping Lane South China Sea

Ha Long Bay Symbol

Ha Long Bay Junk

After lunch, we visited the Sung Sot caves, which seemed a little too touristy, but still interesting to see. The grottoes have walkways set out, and lights to feature all sorts of formations. The entrance to the caves is about 25m above the water. Just to give you a feel for the size of the cave, we probably walked about 1.5km throughout the site and didn’t see all of it. There were probably a few hundred people in the cave, and it was not crowded by any means.

Sung Sot Cave, Vietnam

We also climbed to the pagoda on top of Ti Top island. I wasn’t too keen on this little side adventure because I felt hideous from the drive still, but I did it anyway. The history of the island is kind of interesting if you’re into the nerdy stuff. On November 22, 1962, a Soviet Cosmonaut, Gherman Titov visited the island with Ho Chi Minh. In remembrance of the visit, Ho Chi Minh named the place Ti Top Island.

Top of Ti Top

View from Ti Top

The only thing missing from our Ha Long Bay adventure was blue skies for the photos. We had white washed out sky the entire time. The scenery was still amazing. We took a smaller boat through to a grotto. Apparently there are monkeys that live on the cliff walls, but we didn’t see any. We did see a little fishing village and some locals out on boats. All in all a good experience. Yay for crossing off another UNESCO site.

Throughout Vietnam, I felt like a dollar sign rather than a person, and I haven’t felt that way in any other country. But, I experienced that feeling a lot in Vietnam. It is indescribable the aggressive level of service shop keepers try to give in the hopes of making a sale because the competition is so fierce. If the neighbouring shop is selling the same thing, they have to capture every dollar they can. This deterred me from buying in the bigger cities, Hanoi and HCMC. There were a few negatives of the trip, and that was one them for sure.

The other negative was the exploitation of the environment–ie: fishing with electricity which just kills EVERYTHING, or fishing and not throwing anything back so that the juvenile fish cannot grow or reproduce, or fishing with explosives, or fishing with lights at night. (We saw almost all of those taking place, not the explosives method, but it happens.*) I did try to ask the guide, as he was fishing for tiny squid with a spot light at night, if there were limits or regulations, and he looked very puzzled that something like that could be in place.

I’m certain there has to be some sort of regulatory body, but clearly it isn’t followed. This also makes one think before booking with a company that uses these practices. We look for reputable, safe, eco-conscious companies to support, and this instance was not in line with those values. The guide caught 1 palm-sized squid that was eaten in its entirety by the crew.

*Aside from the spot light fishing, all of the other methods were observed while on the Mekong River–NOT in Ha Long Bay. And, the captain of our Mekong boat called out the people fishing with electricity, but they paid no mind.

this bird flies