Natural splendour, real musics, wines, wordpower
Australian governmental advice says “do not travel” to this destination.
A great many tourists do go there, albeit very few “Westerners”; our group aside, we saw only a handful of “Caucasians”.
Over several days in Indian-controlled Kashmir, we saw many thousands of Indian tourists..and almost as many Indian soldiers and police.
Petty corruption and “checkpoints” are a nigh-constant annoyance – and the two are inextricably entwined – but at no time did we feel “unsafe”.
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Originally, in the 17th century CE, what is now known as “Old Delhi” was Delhi – a walled, Mughal city.
Now, it is no longer walled, and occupies only a minute proportion of Delhi’s mushrooming metropolis.
As it happens, I have experienced a number of the world’s megacities. (metropolises of more than ten million humans)
In 2024, Old Delhi’s 300,000+ residents probably comprise circa one percent of Delhi’s population.
Various lists of the world’s megacities offer sometimes-ludicrously-divergent rankings and alleged population figures, but most agree that Delhi’s metropolis now has many more human residents than does the entire Australian nation.
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Spantik (aka “Golden Mountain”) soars 7027 metres above sea level.
It is rather more than three times higher than the Australian continent’s highest peak.
In the Karakoram, however, many mountains are mightier than Spantik.
Pakistan has 108 peaks that exceed 7000 metres!
We are just-returned from an unforgettable trip which began in Delhi and concluded in Beijing.
Primarily, however, it was focused on Kashmir, the Karakoram and Kashgar.
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This series final chapter reveals the identity of the “red flecks” in the preceding post’s landscape view.
There’s no finer location in which to experience the two relevant species in their natural state than Fitzgerald River National Park’s East Mount Barren.
If you wish to enjoy a natural experience of them (both species are now popular with gardeners) the only places where you can have that experience are all in or near to Fitzgerald River National Park.
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There is no such thing as “the best place on earth”.
However, there is certainly no better place on earth than Fitzgerald River National Park, if you love unspoilt coastal magnificence, and flowering plants, most especially ones that grow – naturally at least – in only one “place”.
The photo was taken near the Park’s eastern end, whilst standing atop East Mount Barren, looking west.
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We had limited time, so my longer zoom lens did all the “walking”.
My vantage point was almost the same as per “16A”, but the focal length was nearly 18 times greater.
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Chances are excellent that you have never heard of Civita – a southern Italian mountain village which sits within Calabria’s spectacular Raganello Gorge.
It is a very rewarding destination, both scenically and culturally…and there is adventure tourism” too, for climbers, kayakers and “white water” enthusiasts.
Civita is sometimes referred to as “the village of the Devil’s Bridge”.
The higher rim of the Raganello River’s gorge towers above Civita, but from village’s edge to Devil’s Bridge – which spans the river – it is still a long way down.
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You are looking at an alpine chough, flying overhead, just as we emerged from a “suprisingly” delicious lunch.
Not all “tourist venues with a view” serve bad food, and not all Bavarian restaurant fare is decidedly “meaty” and/or “stodgy”; our local trout, served very nearly atop the Jenner, was both lovely and light.
Comments closedThe featured image is a wide angle (24 mm) shot, taken from the summit of the Jenner (1874 metres ASL) in Berchtesgaden National Park.
Germany’s only alpine national park is a destination I would heartily recommend to almost anyone; even if you are neither “trekker” nor “mountain climber”.
It is a place where you can experience bona fide “alpine splendour” easily, safely, comfortably, with no risk of altitude sickness.
In order to reach the Jenner’s summit we only had to walk steeply for circa ten minutes; the Jennerbahn (cable car) had already whisked us most of the way up.
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The “14B” image involved the same telephoto lens as did “14A”.
Here, however the focal point is very much closer – water’s edge, just in front of me.
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