Kilmacduagh Monastery, Galway, Ireland
Kilmacduagh (traslation “Church of Duagh’s son”) Monastery, near Gort in County Galway, Ireland. Founded in the early 7th century by Saint Colmán, son of Duagh. The above aerial views enable you to see the grave sites in St Colmán’s Cathedral as well as the adjacent Round Tower (32.5 m, 112 ft), the tallest pre-modern building in Ireland. Please click on an image to open larger version.
Valaise Blacknose Sheep
Valaise Blacknose Sheep in front of the Matterhorn in Zermatt, Switzerland
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Two Swiss Couples Beneath the Matterhorn, Zermatt, Switzerland
Switzerland has the second highest life expectancy in the world, and living here, I never wonder why!
Gaudí’s Moderistá Architecture, Barcelona
Please click on any image to enlarge
Sagrada Família Basilica, built 1882-present
The Crossing
Baldachin and Crucifix over the high altar
Details of the Passion Facade, which was designed to convey Jesus’ suffering
Casa Batlló, built 1877 and redesigned by Gaudi in 1904
Casa Milà (La Pedrera) built 1906-1912
Passion Facade of Sagrada Família, Barcelona
Details of the bronze “Gospel Door” at the Passion Facade of the Sagrada Família Basilica, Antoni Gaudí’s masterpice in Barcelona.
Beautiful Zürich, Switzerland
Birds-eye view of the Landiwiese on Lake Zürich
Matterhorn Over Stellisee
This shot of the epically beautiful Matterhorn was taken while hiking the 5-Seenweg (Five Lakes Hike), which offers 5 stunning lake views of the alps and is a true Swiss classic.
Etosha National Park II, Namibia
It breaks my heart to say that this is my LAST post from my trip to Africa. It was truly the trip of a lifetime, both as an incredible family adventure as well as a photographers dream destination.
Days 13-15. As mentioned in my previous post, the tail end of our trip was in Etosha National Park. The last three days were spent in the Erindi Private Game Reserve with such creature comforts as a cool bed, air conditioning, and all you can eat buffets surrounded by clean smelling tourists. It really felt odd to be experiencing Africa in this manner, and we frequently longed to get back to the true bush. The morning and evening driving safaris were now with the private Erindi team (our FANTASTIC guides Sascha and Jimmy from Southern Cross Safaris had left us in Erindi and headed back home to prepare for their next trip). These tours now felt a little more like theme park rides in that many of the larger animals were radio tagged for easier tracking, and there was often a number of vehicles surrounding the larger animals. Overall, it was still a fantastic experience and we were treated to a huge and diverse variety of animals on every tour.
Finally, I want to thank Southern Cross Safaris for an epic experience. Sascha and Jimmy made us feel like family, and their wilderness knowledge and experience opened up a world to us that few get the opportunity to see. We can’t wait to return!
Click to enlarge images.
Drinking
Momma and Baby
Out for Dinner
Swainson’s Spurfowl
Baby Elephant
Mongoose
Weaver Birds Nests
Momma and Baby Black Rhino
Black Rhino
Baboons
Sandgrouse
The Gang
Me and the Girls
Our Last Namibian Sunset
Goodbye Africa…
Etosha National Park, Namibia
Days 11-12. When planning our trip, we designed the last few days to be a little on the easier and more comfortable end of the safari spectrum. Rather then set up our own tents and cook our meals while isolated in the deep wild, we decided to stay in two different safari lodges (complete with hot showers and beds…and crowds of clean tourists and all you can eat buffets overlooking watering holes). It was a bit of a shock, and we felt awkward experiencing Africa in this more controlled and catered manner. The first two days were spent at the Halali Camp, and luckily our original guides stayed with us at this camp and also took us on the early morning and evening game drives in Etosha National Park. Click to enlarge images.
Black Nosed Impala
Earth’s shadow
Etosha Pan
Evening Springbok
Momma and baby Black Nosed Impala
Pale-Chanting Goshawk
Pale-Chanting Goshawks
Etosha Pan
Southern Black Korhaan
Springbok
Grandma and the girls
Waterbuck
Etosha Pan Posse
Etosha Sunset
Crismon-Breasted Shrike
There was nothing in Namibia that impressed us more than the spectacularly beautiful mating season courtship rituals of the crimson-breasted shrike.
Jackals and Hide
Namibia Day 11 began with a morning game drive, our first at Etosha National Park. Soon into the drive we came across a fresh kill, a springbok that had been taken down recently by presumably a cheetah. By the time we arrived, the cheetah had eaten its fill and moved on, leaving the remains for the scavengers. What ensued appeared as somewhat of a survival “dance” between the jackals and the vultures as they repeatedly parried each other for a chance to feed.
Click on the image below to view a short video of the encounter. Caution: Gory! Also, please change quality to 1080p (auto is 720 ) and view full screen!
Damaraland to Etosha, Namibia
Day 10 brought a drive out of the wild and into “civilization”. We were headed to Etosha National Park (with showers and beds), a 22,270 sq km/8,600 sq mi park which gets its name from the Etosha Pan, a salt pan which covers a quarter of the total area of the park and is so large that it is identifiable from space. Our drive to the park took us through scattered Damara villages, where farmers who subsist on herding cattle, sheep, and goats still live primarily in simple homes constructed from dung and termite mud (collected from MASSIVE termite hills) spread on a wooden frame.
Massive termite hills were scattered throughout the countryside.
Himba Women out for a stroll
Springbok “pronking”
Kori Bustard
Milky Way over Damaraland, Namibia
Night 9 brought a goodnight and goodbye to the Damaraland (Palmweg) Concession in north-western Namibia, bringing to a close the most primitive wild camping portion of the tour. From here we head back to “civilization” in the form of Etosha National Park.
Click on photo to view an enlarged 10 panel shot of Milky Way taken from the edge of our campsite.
Exploring the Wilds of Damaraland, Namibia
Namibia Days 8 and 9 were spent exploring the massive Damaraland (Palmweg) Concession in north-western Namibia. Daily sunrise departures from our camp into the concession provided the best opportunity to enjoy the cool mornings and experience the wildlife as they completed their nighttime activities and began to settle in and take cover from the approaching scorching sun and high temperatures. Our afternoons were spent taking cover as well, mostly resting/reading and playing games in the shade at camp. Late afternoon and evenings consisted of additional drives to explore the surroundings and/or gin and tonic “sundowners” as the sun dipped beneath the African horizon.
Rhinoceros rubbing stone, which has been polished to a shine over the centuries by Rhinos scratching themselves.
Black-backed jackal
Baking bread in a cast iron pot over coals, a nightly ritual.
Oryx
Spotted Hyena
Creepy to think that if we stepped out of the vehicle these guys would tear us to shreds.
Rüppell’s Bustard
Welwitschia (Welwitschia mirabilis), the “National” plant of Namibia and endemic to the Namib Desert. Each plant produces only two leaves, which split into many segments as a result of the leaves being whipped by the wind. The largest plants are over 1500 years old.
Rainbow Sunset Over Palmweg Concession in Damaraland, Namibia
The long day 7 drive through the concession area was a slow, difficult, and at times uncomfortable (very steep terrain mixed with heavy rains) journey. As we arrived and searched out a campsite, the clouds began to clear and we were treated to a spectacularly beautiful double rainbow sunset over the camp. We were now as far out of touch from the rest of the modern civilized world as I have ever been. Over dinner our guide Sasha described the “lion” protocol for the camp (imagine him telling us this at night as light from the small fire flickered on half of his face): Never leave your tent alone at night. Need to pee? Take the bucket from outside your tent door into your tent, pee, put the bucket back outside of the tent. Need to do a #2? Wake the three men up and walk as a group to the makeshift toilet as you scan the surroundings with headlamps for reflective “eyes” around camp. Hear something at night creeping outside your tent? Don’t move, make a noise, or turn on your light. Do not call for anyone. Follow these rules, and you likely will not get eaten. We all slept great after that. And for the record, we did hear some hyenas not too far from camp as we were falling asleep.
This is my favorite photo from the entire trip. Click to see it in full resolution!
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