Magic Iceland
I woke hoping for a special day. I had anticipated experiencing some wonderful landscapes, visiting a glacier, and perhaps being able to catch the elusive Aurora Borealis into the bargain. The feeling in my bones was that this would be the day, and they were not wrong. Having hired a car to explore a bit further than Reykjavik, the weather started off grey and dull, with little indication as to how it would change throughout the day. It rained as we drove across the land, and seemed like it was down for the day. However, as we reached the town of Vik at around midday, the sun peeked through the clouds and things definitely started looking up. Huge chinks of sunlight burst forth through the dark cloud, illuminating the little church on the hill above the town, as if in glorious welcome.
“For me, a landscape does not exist in its own right, since its appearance changes at every moment; but the surrounding atmosphere brings it to life - the light and the air which vary continually. For me, it is only the surrounding atmosphere which gives subjects their true value.”
Being from Ireland, I’m very aware of the weather and its moods, which can change in seconds. Constantly lending a different look and atmosphere to any landscape, once dark and brooding, once bright and airy, misty and mysterious, the variations are endless. This day in Iceland was certainly filled with a palette of much light and colour splashed about in abandon for our delight. To top it all off by the end of the day, it had started to snow.
We were due to stay a night at the Ion Adventure Hotel, a brutalist inspired structure situated in an isolated location amongst the lava fields near Mount Hengill. Here in the wilderness, the Aurora Borealis finally showed itself in a snaking dance of hues across the sky. There was great excitement in the air that night as it had snowed quite heavily and we were lucky to be able to get to the hotel before the heavier snow had started falling. Once the snow clouds had parted, and the stars twinkled in the icy air, the possibility seemed almost palpable and everyone at the hotel waited in anticipation. People ate their evening meals in the restaurant area, peeking out the windows like little children, watching for any sign of movement across the sky. The staff too were on the lookout and were prepared to let us know immediately if things kicked off in the skies above us. There was even a wake up call on offer for anyone wishing to nap and be woken should the spectacle get started.
There was another wonderful facility at the hotel in the form of a hot spring outdoor pool. Not wanting to forego the use of this, I got into my swimsuit and bathrobe and went for a delightful dip at around ten thirty, eleven o’clock. Typically, as fate would have it, I was still in the pool (minus my camera) when the light show started. Colour shifted across the sky in ribbons of light. From pinks to greens and whites, the colours shifted and changed for almost half an hour transfixing everyone who witnessed it, and then suddenly, as quickly as it had appeared, it stopped and we were left breathing clouds of white into the cold air surrounded by the sparkling stars in an inky night sky.
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes. ”
“To be an artist it is not necessary to make a living from our creations. Nor is it necessary to have work hanging in fine museums or the praise of critics . . . To be an artist it is necessary to live with our eyes wide open, to breathe in the colors of mountain and sky, to know the sound of leaves rustling, the smell of snow, the texture of bark . . . To be an artist is to notice every beautiful and tragic thing, to cry freely, to collect experience and shape it into forms that others can share. ”
The Mighty Mekong
We were headed on a surprise trip. Five of us, on two bikes, drove through Tân Châu and headed down an obscure, tiny, bumpy lane straddled on both sides by small residential homes. Towards the end of lane we hit the river and it was here we embarked on the ferry to cross the mighty Mekong to where our destination lay on the other side. As we reached about half way across the wide, brown river, I spotted what looked like many colourful umbrellas and awnings which I initially took to be a market. Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be a swimming spot teeming with children and adults all swimming Vietnamese style, still fully dressed in their day to day clothes. Being close to sunset, the ambient light added warmth and charm to the scene before me. My excitement rose and I was ready to take my first plunge into the muddy waters of the Mekong River (in my clothes). I was not disappointed.
“The Mekong, translated as the Mother of Rivers in Lao, travels 4,350 km from it’s source on the Tibetan Plateau through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. ”
Without doubt the Mekong has a majestic presence. Rising at just over 17,000 feet above sea level, it is the twelfth longest river in the world, seventh in Asia and the longest one in South East Asia. From there it travels 4,350 km through six countries, China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and lastly Vietnam where it finally drains into the South China Sea below Ho Chi Minh City. This powerful river sustains life, gives life and is life, playing an important role in the lives of millions of people in providing sustenance, energy, fresh water, fertile river silt for farming, transportation, recreation, and much, much more.
“Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.”
Tra Su Cajuput Forest
Imagine being able to enter a wonderful watercolour painting, wandering around in it, taking in all its beauty, softness and colour. This is Tra Su Forest. Patches of light breaking through soft foliage lighting up the heart, coupled with muted greens that sooth the soul. Flashes of bright, vibrant colour here and there as a bird makes its presence known amongst the vegetation. This area of conservation in Vietnam, consists of a large mangrove forest, now a sanctuary of about 850 hectares of flooded water ways, plant, bird and wildlife all waiting to be explored. The route there has got its own visual interest in the wide open rice fields and smaller towns on the way, glimpses of everyday life in Vietnam from the back of a bike. This oasis of muted colour and soft dappled light is well worth a visit to relax and refresh the senses.
““The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.””
The forest at Tra Su consists mainly of Cajaput trees which have been used for their pharmaceutical properties in the past, as well as other aquatic plant life and wildfowl in and around the water ways. The many varieties of green are a feast for the senses. At one point a magnificent royal blue bird peeked out from amongst the undergrowth but being unable to capture it, the flash of iridescent colour will have to remain etched in my mind forever. There are a few eateries, along with several ice cream vendors and shops selling refreshments and souvenirs, so a full day can very well be made of a visit to the sanctuary here. A tall tower in one part of the sanctuary allows for a birds eye view across the whole area with several levels to stop and overlook the forest and mountains in the distance. At the top awaits the best view of the whole area with an all encompassing 360 degrees to enjoy.
“In a forest of a hundred thousand trees, no two leaves are alike. And no two journeys along the same path are alike.”
“Being amongst trees has always been precious. Guardians of nature, and symbols of knowledge, their presence for mankind has always held much importance, each giving breath for the other in wondrous and inexorable symbiosis”
