We are pleased to announce that due to a change in visa regulations, we can now offer our August trip to Tibet, Shotun Festival Discovery, to everyone regardless of nationality. Nick Rains will be hosting the trip and it's sure to be a unique opportunity for some amazing photography.
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Introducing...
Turkish Delights
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Did you know that Turkey is the birthplace of:
Coffee Culture: In the Ottoman Palace of the mid-16th Century the Turks were the first to brew coffee as a drink. As it gained in popularity coffee houses began springing up over Constantinople, and coffee was introduced to Europe early the next century. Turkish coffee is now listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.
Santa Claus: The original Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, was born here around the year 280. He was a Christian bishop, and his reputation for helping the poor and needy saw him transform over the centuries into the bringer of gifts at Christmas.
Murder on the Orient Express: Agatha Christie wrote this masterpiece of a crime novel at the Pera Palas Hotel in Istanbul, the southern terminus of one of the world's great train journeys.
The Temple of Artemis and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus: Turkey was home to two of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World,and has been the backdrop to pivotal and important moments in history for thousands of years.
Turkey might also be the birthplace of:
Aesop: If he lived at all, it is thought that this most famous teller of fables was born a slave on the Black Sea Coast around 620 BC.
But is definitely not the birthplace of:
Turkeys..
To see what else this most tantalising of destinations can offer, check out our Delights of the Turquoise Coast trip, we set sail this September!
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Spotlight on...
Mongolia's Archaeological Wonders
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Although Genghis Khan is known throughout the world for his role in Mongolia's great conquests, the country is still largely an archaeological mystery, and northern Mongolia is home to monuments that continue to baffle and intrigue researchers in equal measure. These are the deer stones that are thought to have been made by Bronze Age nomads around 1000 BC, and are so called because they are inscribed with carvings of reindeer. Lying on the border of Siberian Russia, this area of Mongolia represents a crossroads between Central Asia and the Arctic, and it has been noted that there are similarities between the deer stone carvings and that of Eskimo death masks, as well as Scythian (Iranian) animal art, suggesting Mongolia's influence on, and connection to, the people and culture of the region.
In Mongolia's Arkhangai province groups of deer stones litter the landscape, at 550 stones it is the largest deer stone site in the world, and the tallest stands at 15 feet high. The intricate carvings depict herds of deer that almost appear to be flying, as well as other animals, weapons and tools, and mysterious patterns and symbols that have sparked intellectual debate as to their significance. The deer themselves have special meaning because according to traditional beliefs they are thought to carry the soul into the afterlife, and one theory is that the stones mark the graves of important people. Stone burial mounds are also found at many of the deer stone sites, suggesting that they were erected as a memorial to the dead. Reindeer are still raised in this region, and the nomadic herders have merged the stones with their own Buddhist beliefs and rituals. So whatever their origins, they are still playing an important role in the spiritual life of Mongolia today.
This August acclaimed landscape photographer Gary Waidson will lead you to explore and capture the mysteries of this fascinating land on our Arkhangai Discovery trip, that will also take in the beauty of the steppe, working monastaries, and gorgeous mountain scenery, as well as provide insight into traditional Mongolian culture.
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The Black Houses of the Isles
The Isle Harris and Lewis of Scotland boasts stunning windswept landscapes, and befitting this stunning backdrop you can find the black houses of Gearrannan. Unique to the Scottish Isles, these houses represent the perfect marriage of form and function. Although they only have a history of about 150 years, their construction and design used centuries-old building techniques, and we could learn a lot from them today in terms of their eco-friendliness.
The black houses consist of a double layer of stone walls in the middle of which was a layer of peat or earth, providing fantastic insulation from the biting Atlantic winds. Rooves were thatched, and with no chimney smoke from the constantly burning peat fire in the kitchen would mingle with the thatch. This provided an excellent fertiliser, and the thatch would be replaced every year.
People and their livestock lived together with the main central room serving as kitchen and communal area at one end, and byre for the cows at the other. The animals could provide extra heat for the house, and their urine would leach into the land, the ammonia providing a sterilising agent for the dwelling. Although considered "primitive", their ingenious design was proven when doctors arrived on the Isle in the 20 th Century and began cleaning up the urine and adding chimneys to the houses - an outbreak of TB duly ensued. It turns out that the urine and peat guarded against TB and midges respectively.To discover more about the hidden treasures of the Scottish Isles and the unique photographic opportunities this landscape affords, you can join our Guest Artist Ian Cameron this October on our Scottish Isles Discovered trip. We look forward to seeing you soon.
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