They
wandered along an RBG path;
Filtered
with sun and streaks of shade.
Family
love was on their brows
For
he was Papa Drake and she was Mother Goose.
And
strutting slowly ahead ~ a gosling
With
his still feathery fuzz ~
lookin'
around at his big world.
(M
BK)
Francis Bacon states: Travel in the younger sort, is a part of
education.
And in the elder, a part of experience.
Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that
all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry and die. It can introduce the
idea that if we try to understand each other, we may even become
friends.
(Maya Angelou)
Hidden
Waterfall
An awe-inspiring waterfall in Iceland can only be reached by through
a crack in a cliff.
Called “Gljufrafoss” it is also close to another famous waterfall
“Seljalandsfoss” in the southwest part of the country, If
visitors want to view “Gljufrafoss” from above, they can hike up
a canyon to the top to take a look. Or, they can wade in a stream
through a crack in the rock walls surrounding the falls. Although
the water is cold, the trek is worth it. Adventurous viewers will be
rewarded with a close-up view of the water as it tumbles down the
canyon. Visitors are advised to wear water-proof boots and raincoats
for this outing!
The
Findhorn Feeling
“Scottish
eco-village offers visitors the experience of connecting with
themselves and the land,”
writes Karen Cumming ~ a journalist who loves a great education.
“The
world has recently teetered on the brink of nuclear war...the
president of U.S. is routinely caught lying to the media...and the
earth's temperature is so hot, the polar ice caps are melting. As
dear-departed Dad would say: The
world has gone to hell in a hand basket.
Many of us have stressful jobs...technology beeps at us from morning
till night...traffic makes us crazy...we eat too much...and we sleep
too little. It's enough to make us scream “ENOUGH!”
I
had just finished post-grad studies in Workplace
Wellness and Health Promotion. Long
days of commuting to class on the GO Train and long nights of working
on assignments, had left me decidedly unhealthy. I felt burned out
and looking for a way to disconnect from the world in order to
reconnect with myself. Instantly, I jumped online to do some
research ~ leading me to book a plane ticket.
Destination: Northeast Scotland and the Findhorn Foundation.
(a world-renowned eco-village, holistic education centre and
spiritual community).
It resonated with me ~ and felt drawn to it...the feeling was
powerful.
I
got my first taste through an introductory course: Experience
Week that
draws hundreds of people from around the world each year. The idea
is to 'attune' what is right for you. The Foundation's mission is to
spread what it calls the transformation
of human consciousness in everyday life.
Published with this article, Karen submitted a dramatic colour photo
of Windmills framed by a Rainbow in rural fields near Findhorn.
Saving
a Species From Becoming Dinner
Richard C. Paddock from the New York Times, writes from Legian,
Indonesia:
The people of Bali have long been of 2 minds about endangered sea
turtles. Some want to save them ~ some want to eat them. But Legion
Beach is crowded with tourists from around the world who come for the
sand and surf...and now to see the sea turtles ~ classified as 'a
vulnerable species'.
After a turtle laid her eggs and returned to the Indian Ocean, a
conservationist volunteer
dug up the 136 eggs (each the size of a ping-pong ball)
then put them in a bucket and took them away to hatch in a safer
spot.
“The
sea turtle belongs to everyone, so everyone should take
responsibility.”
A spacious colour photo depicts children
sitting
on a giant turtle structure that houses the Bali Sea Turtle Society's
conservation centre.
The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new
landscapes,
but in having new eyes. (Marcel Proust)
Tourists
Can Discover the Ancient Sport of Falconry Up Close
Having a Falcon Land on Your Hand is Really an Incredible
Experience
writes Lisa Rathke from The Associated Press.
“From
Woodstock, Vermont: Falconry is an ancient old tradition in many
parts of the world, including Canada, the United Kingdom and the
Middle East. Now it's starting to be offered as an activity for
tourists at hotels, vineyards and other sites around the U.S. from
Vermont to Colorado to California.
“The
ancient sport of using birds-of-prey to hunt wild animals has existed
for at least 4,000 years. Experiences designed for tourists typically
show off the birds' flight and faithful return to their handlers
through these programs ~ and birds don't usually bring back
creatures they've caught.
During a 45-minute-session at the Woodstock Inn in Woodstock,
Vermont, a professional falconer flies a trained bird and provides a
history of falconry and information about raptors. Then, guests can
try it themselves, handling and free-flying a Harris's hawk ~ or they
can just observe the sport. In longer 90-minute-sessions, a second
raptor is flown
Bouchaine Vineyards in the Carneros region of California's Nappa
Valley
started
using falconers in 2016 to keep other birds (like starlings and
migratory species)
from eating their grapes. Visitors were so intrigued to see the
Peregrine Falcons fly
and work with their trainer, that the vineyard decided to offer
experiences
to its guests along with wine-tasting and lunch.
“It's
wonderful to showcase the birds ~ and to be able to hold a glove out
and have a falcon land on your hand is really an incredible
experience,” said Chris Kajani, Bouchaine winemaker.”
“At
New England Falconry in Vermont last month, a young Harris Hawk was
eager to do what he was trained to do. He launched from a high
wooden platform, soaring through the swirling winds over a grassy
field and landed squarely on the falconer's gloved hand, where he was
rewarded with a a piece of meat. This Harris hawk had rich brown and
tawny feathers...sturdy yellow legs with long black talons...and
intense eyes that allow him to spot prey while soaring high in the
sky.”
“Each
falcon has a unique personality...as do sceeching barn owls used.”
The World is a book...and those who do not travel, read only a
page. (Saint Augustine)
Written by Merle Baird-Kerr...July 28, 2018
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