Abandoned Tobacco Dryers
Tobacco Drying Sheds
Until 2006 Tobacco was the major industry in the area surrounding Myrtleford in the Ovens River valley, Victoria, Australia. Scattered throughout the are disused tobacco drying sheds like this which was photographed through the early morning mist in 2009. Farming is now the important industry in the region, including wine grapes, walnuts and chestnuts, berries, fruit, olives, vegetables, hops and beef and dairy cattle.
Testing
Testing
Anyone who knows about elite yachting knows that to enter a yacht into the Americas Cup contest requires lots (that’s LOTS) of money. That obviously limits entrants to millionaires (maybe billionaires) who can fund the development and testing required to produce two very technical craft for the challenger series, followed by the main Americas Cup event itself. The next Cup series will be sailed in 72 foot catamarans with wing sails and a crew of about a dozen sailors. And these craft literally fly on their winged dagger boards.
This image was taken at the limits of my 18-200 mm zoom telephoto lens. From camera position to the Emirates Team New Zealand cat is approximately 4 km, with the lens zoomed right out. The image has been cropped to give an even “closer” view. Although there was only a light breeze the yacht still had one hull lifted completely out of the water. Already when testing their yacht in San Francisco Bay, Team Oracle have managed to nosedive and flip their boat, spilling all the crew into the water. Its expensive having an accident in these yachts!
Up, Up and Away
In a recent post on his blog retireediary, Hong Kong based Michael Lai showed an image of fairy chimneys in Cappadocia, Turkey. This image brought back memories of our tour of Turkey in 2006 and I thanked Michael for his image. In his response he mentioned that he did not get the opportunity to go hot air ballooning during his trip. So, for Michael, as a form of thanks for his post I have included some images taken during our wonderful early morning flight.
Take Off
Burner
Moon Shadow
Skimming the Tops
Fairy Chimneys
Plenty of Company
Big Surf
Surf at Porpoise Bay
One of the features of any coastal area that is exposed to the prevailing weather is surf. The Catlins Coast catches all of the weather systems that come from the south, and south here means the Antarctic and South Pole. It was an overcast and windy day when we visited Porpoise Bay and nearby Curio Bay, and the wind had a decidedly polar feel to it. The waves were large and unwelcoming, fascinating and alluring at the same time.
Porpoise Bay
Rocks at Porpoise Bay
The tiny settlement of Curio Bay in the Catlins region of Southland on New Zealand’s South Island hugs the long white sandy beach of Porpoise Bay, while Curio Bay proper is around the headland at the southern end of the beach. Near the camping ground at Curio Bay is a reef at the foot of the cliff of the headland, which is where this image was taken. The sandy beach is to the left of the image. A pod of endangered Hector’s Dolphins live here and they can often be seen from the beach, hence the name.
Nugget Point from Short Bay
Nugget Point from Short Bay
To reach Nugget Point one has to drive some 25 km off the main road south of Balclutha to the coast at Port Molyneux , and then via Kaka Point, Willsher Bay and Short Bay along the coast on The Nuggets Road. Immediately it becomes clear that this is a coast with many reefs and why it was such a hazard to to early mariners in the time of sail and no GPS-based navigation. This view was taken at Short Bay, the last small bay before the final sweep toward the point. One of the many reefs along the coast cuts through the scene just below the skyline. The famous Nugget Point lighthouse can be seen at the end of the headland.
Surat Bay
Surat Bay, Catlins Region, Southland, New Zealand
Surat Bay on the Catlins coast in Southland has one of the most beautiful unspoiled beaches in New Zealand. The bay is named after a 1,000 ton immigrant sailing ship that became wrecked here in 1874 after striking rocks further south along the coast. No lives were lost. The wide golden sandy expanse at low tide acts like a mirror as the breaking waves recede and leave a glassy surface that reflects the sky and view in the distance beyond. It is also one of the favourite resting areas for sea lions that come here from their breeding grounds in the Auckland Islands south of New Zealand. Click on the image for a larger view.
Tautuku River and McLean Falls
Tautuku River, Catlins Forest Park, Southland, New Zealand
The Tautuku River is in Catlins Forest Park and it cascades over the McLean Falls, one of the most photographed waterfalls in New Zealand after the equally picturesque Purukaunui Falls, also in the Catlins Forest Park. The walk to the falls passes through native New Zealand forest beside the Tautuku River. McLean Falls is a favorite travel destination for many of the visitors who tour the Catlins on the South Island of New Zealand.
McLean Falls, Catlins Forest Park, Southland, New Zealand
Purakaunui Falls
Purakaunui Falls
The Purakaunui Falls are a multi-tiered waterfall on the Purakaunui River in the Catlins region of the southern South Island of New Zealand. These falls are an iconic image for southeastern New Zealand, and were featured on a New Zealand postage stamp in 1976. This image with its silky water was inspired by a well known photograph taken by New Zealand photographer Craig Potton.
Nugget Point Light
One of the most popular places to visit in the Catlins region between Dunedin and Invercargill in New Zealand’s South Island is Nugget Point. A walk to the lighthouse which was constructed here in 1870 from rock quarried nearby yields spectacular views of the rugged coast that caused a number of shipwrecks in this country’s early settler days. In 1989, along with all other lighthouses around the New Zealand coast, it was automated.
Poles
Poles
This is another image in my series taken at dusk of the sand control poles at St Clair Beach, Dunedin. A previous image in the series can be seen here.
A Bit of China
Although Dunedin was founded by settlers who were predominantly Scottish in origin and is known as the “Edinburgh of the South”, another ethnic group that played a significant part in Otago history was the Chinese. As in most settler countries that experienced big “gold rushes” in the nineteenth century, people from China were part of the ethnic mix of people chasing the allure of the yellow metal. It was also common at that time for European settlers to have a deep suspicion, even hatred, of the Chinese migrants, who were segregated, taxed excessively, denied status in the community, and consigned to menial work. But these people were resourceful. They came from a place where they knew real hunger and hardship and were looking for the better life that a fortune in gold could provide. The gold was, as usual, harder to find that everyone had hoped and many of the gold-seekers moved on the the next big find to try their luck there. Like others in the gold rush communities, some of the Chinese settlers saw opportunities to grow and sell food, provide laundry facilities and trade in other goods needed by the miners. As time moved on attitudes changed and the Chinese settlers gained more rights and became integrated into the community, but still retained their cultural roots.
As a fitting, permanent, recognition of the Chinese people who first came to Otago during the 1860s gold rush and stayed to establish some of the city’s businesses, the Dunedin Chinese Garden Trust developed a yuanlin style garden in Dunedin which was opened in 2008. The garden has become an important attraction in Dunedin.
Tea House
Red
- Courtyard
Pavilion and Pond
Queen Anne
When I was a child in the early 1950’s it was a luxury to to have a box of Queen Anne chocolates in the home. Times were still tough after the end of World War 2 and money was short in many households as returning soldiers retrained into civilian jobs, got married and started families. This was the period of the post-war baby boom.
Queen Anne chocolates were manufactured in Wellington and sold throughout New Zealand by Adams Bruce Limited, a company started by Christchurch bakery and confectionery makers Ernest Adams and Hugh Bruce in 1920. In the 1930’s my late mother used to work in an Adams Bruce shop in Auckland. Queen Anne chocolates were considered to be among the best you could get at the time. The image of Queen Anne appeared in stained glass as part of the shop front decoration, and also as a key image on the front of chocolate boxes.
Most shop fronts like this one disappeared from the 1960’s onwards as old shops were renovated and plate glass frontages became the norm. It was a great surprise therefore to find this original frontage on George Street in Dunedin during a recent visit. Although the shop has been converted to another use, the period decoration still retains it’s original charm.
On a historical note, Queen Anne chocolates went out of production in 1976 when Ernest Adams Limited rationalised its business and the Wellington factory was closed down. In 1997 the brand was resurrected by Sarah Adams, granddaughter of Ernest Adams, and this great New Zealand chocolate icon reappeared in the shops.
Still a Winery
In a previous post about a historic winery mention was made of an old and now unused still and its associated boiler. I have now had an opportunity to tour the winery and can show a few images of the oldest part of the complex. The winery started its life as a wine research station operated by the New Zealand Government Ministry of Agriculture. Fortified wines were part of the experimental work carried out here, thus the requirement for a still to produce the alcohol to fortify the ports and sherries.
Although the still is no longer used, it makes an impressive sight. It used to be a centrepiece in the wine tasting room under a previous ownership and is sure to have raised a lot of questions. The maker’s plate bolted to the side leaves no doubt where it was manufactured.
In a room next door is the old steam boiler that used to feed the still. It now looks quite derelict and covered with bird droppings but it still makes a statement about the technology in use at the beginning of the twentieth century. The steam also provided power for other machinery in the winery.
In the barrel room next to the tasting area is a banner which shows the wine making process to help visitors understand the work flow in the winery. It’s a bit tatty now and quite simplistic, but it served the purpose.
A shelf in the old tasting room displays some of the wine styles that were being produced by the Ministry of Agriculture. The labels bear the New Zealand Government crest. In those days New Zealand was trying to copy the wine styles of France and Germany, a practice that has long since ceased. Wine makers throughout the country now produce distinctively New Zealand character wines from both classic and newer grape varieties.
“DID IDSAY THAT OUT LOUD?”
Every English speaking person who travels abroad comes across an occasion where a quaint usage of the language is sighted. I’m sure it is the same for speakers of other languages as well as foreigners mangle their native tongue. When travelling in Asia the most common sightings of unusual English phrases is on clothing and signs. I couldn’t help myself when I saw this young girl walking in a main street in Seoul. I’m sure she knew what the words were intended to say, but was probably unaware of the spelling error!
Chuseok Girl
After a short trip to the south of South Korea we returned to Seoul to celebrate with our hosts the harvest festival of Chuseok. This a family gathering time and a celebration of a good harvest and of ancestors. In the days leading up to Chuseok the shops are full of gift items and special foods and furniture that are part of the rituals that go with the day.
Chuseok is also a time when you see the national Hanbok costume worn in the streets, especially by older people and children. Supermarkets and department stores bring out racks of Hanbok to entice first-time buyers or older customers to update their costumes. Hanbok is often characterized by vibrant colors and simple lines without pockets. Although the term literally means “Korean clothing”, hanbok today often refers specifically to hanbok of Joseon Dynasty and is worn as semi-formal or formal wear during traditional festivals and celebrations.
This image was captured on a Seoul metro train and shows a young girl with her mother. Mother probably has a wedding photograph showing her wearing Hanbok, but probably only otherwise wears it on formal occasions. Young girls especially like to be seen in Hanbok at the time of Chuseok.
Monks Swimming
Whenever I see this image taken at a beach on Geojedo, an island near Busan in South Korea, I immediately think of the title of the book by Malachy McCourt “A Monk Swimming”. The title arises from a childhood mishearing of “amongst women”, a phrase from the Catholic rosary prayer, Hail Mary.
The image of the two Buddhist monks was taken in the early evening when we were wandering along the beach after a day of exploration and a visit to the Samsung Heavy Industries Shipyard on Geojedo.
Brass Cleaners
A visit to any place of worship, no matter what religion, usually presents a group of willing people preparing or maintaining property or articles of worship as part of their commitment to the faith. Such was the case when we visited a Buddhist temple in Gyeongju Province, South Korea. This happy group of ladies was polishing the temple brass in the shade on the lawn beside the temple. There was animated chatter and laughter as they went about their task of bringing the brassware back to a high luster.
Selection
Before we went to China in 2008 for our Yangtze River Cruise my wife and I spent three weeks touring South Korea with our hosts, the parents of our new Korean daughter-in-law. One of the highlights of this time was a visit to the Jagalchi Fish Market in Busan. It was a wet day and people visiting the market crowded the areas under the canvas awnings seeking shelter while they inspected the daily catch offered by the market vendors. Many of the fish on display were new to us and we were fascinated to watch local housewives carefully selecting fish for that night’s meal.
Fan Ladies
And now for the last of the Chongqing series. This was also almost the last photograph taken at the end of our Yangtze River adventure. It was a warm afternoon. It was the fans that caught my attention as these two ladies emerged from the shop doorway. In order to capture moments like these in street photography you have to be constantly on the lookout, but patience and persistence pays off. And thus our second trip to China, the first was in 1987, came to an end.
Lunch Time
This is the last of my series on street vendors in Old Chongqing. Here the lady is cooking in the street. In the bowl there appears to be a type of tofu, while the wok contains what looks like sliced tofu in a broth. It is clearly a popular dish, judging by the number of people seated at the tables in the background. Whenever we ventured into the back streets in China we came across food outlets similar to that shown above.
Food Parcels – Eat In or Take Away
This is another image in my Old Chongqing street vendor collection. Food is prepared in a similar way to this in many countries. Here it was wrapped in bamboo leaves. In Greece grape leaves are used, and in the Pacific islands it is banana leaves. Food steamed on a bamboo basket placed in a wok is a common way of cooking food in China.
Refreshments and Fags
A Fag is a British colloquialism for cigarette. In the narrow lanes of Old Chongqing we found this fellow selling a selection of refreshment items including Wrigley’s chewing gum! Also on the stand was a range of Chinese branded cigarettes and lighters. I don’t know what was in the clay pots and bamboo cylinders. That’s what makes walking in foreign lands so fascinating.
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