We sit with the last of the headhunters. Deep in the mountain jungles of Sarawak in north Borneo, one hour upstream from the nearest township, darkness has fallen and we have just witnessed a warrior dancing demonstration on grass mats inside the Iban tribe’s traditional longhouse which holds 20 families – about 200 people.
Archives for July 2015
Jessica’s Head
Sure the specimen had been nibbled by a few rodents and one or two bug larvae had migrated their way across the face…but considering how old it was the head looked surprisingly good.
Mother Canada Could Die
Nicknamed “Mother Canada,” construction of the memorial, including an enormous statue of a draped female figure with arms outstretched towards… Europe, is scheduled to begin this fall. The project is now in doubt, in part because of three developments in this story over the past two months.
The Wonders of Rose Hips
Rose hips are the tasty end-point fruits that follow the flowering of roses. They’re so loaded with vitamin C that they outrank oranges by a two-to-one margin. They also contain vitamin A, calcium, iron and other beneficial minerals.
The Mystery of the Plain of Jars, Laos
When I first saw Site 1 at the Plain of Jars, I was struck by how nonchalantly the 250 huge stone jars there were scattered across the landscape. All of them seemed to be planted about one-third below ground level and tossed at an angle, but not always the same angle nor in the same direction. The mystery is that no one knows what the purpose of the jars was.
The Agility of the Average Dog
Anyone who has let their dogs have a good run around knows just how agile dog are. Whether they are romping through the woods, narrowly avoiding collisions at the dog park, or playing the sport of dog agility, dogs seem to be masters of the running/jumping/turning thing. It doesn’t take much effort to teach them to use their powers for “good” on an agility course.
Kunisaki: Wandering Off the Beaten Path
Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu tends to be off the international travelers map because of its distance from the popular destinations of Kyoto and Tokyo. For those who do make it to Kyushu the hot spring towns of Beppu and Yufuin and the dramatic landscape of Mt. Aso are well worth the trip.
Northern Ireland – From Giant Ships to the Giant’s Causeway
Northern Ireland’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site is the Giant’s Causeway, a natural geologic formation of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns formed 50 to 60 million years ago.
Nature and Me
Today, I send out these words with a series of photos of my morning kayak. Embrace the air and lakes as much as you embrace one another – get outside, wander in the forests, swim in the oceans and see the paintings provided by a greater power.
Tarmac Meditations #161: A small step for mankind but a huge step for me
Yesterday, I didn’t know which way was up. This morning, someone bought an image from my website!