Labbacallee Wedge Tomb, County Cork

The tomb at Labbacallee near Glanworth in Co. Cork is Ireland's largest example of a wedge tomb, with a chamber that measures nearly 14m long. Wedge tombs are the most common of Ireland's megalithic tombs, and are most commonly found in the western half of the country. The name 'wedge tomb' simply refers to the simple wedge shape, as the height and width of the monument decreases from the front to the rear. Wedge tombs are the last of Ireland's megalithic tombs, and usually date to the Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age periods.


Labbacallee was excavated by Harold Leask and Liam Price in 1934. They found that the burial chamber was divided into two parts, a long gallery (see the header photo) and a small box like feature at the eastern end. This eastern feature contained cremated remains, and an unburned but headless skeleton of an adult female. The skull was found in the gallery next to the skeletons of an adult male and child. The remains of these three individuals were radiocarbon dated, the results revealed that they appeared to have been interred separately between 2456–1776 BC.

Folklore has always helped to protect some of Ireland's ancient sites. At Labbacallee, local legend tells the story that long ago four men went during the night to dig for gold that they believed to be buried inside the tomb at Labbacallee. As soon as they started to dig, a strange cat with fire erupting from its tail appeared, the men were terrified and dazzled by the blinding light coming from the tail of this hellish cat and they panicked, running across the fields fleeing for their lives, and in their confusion fell into the nearby River Funshion. One of the men drowned, but the others lived to pass on the warning not to disturb the ancient dead at Labbacallee!

 
The tomb is quite easy to find, from Glanworth simply head south on the R512 and take the first left after the church. The site is about 2km down this road. It will be on your left hand side behind a small stone wall. There is room to pull in off the road in front of the monument. There are a number of other great sites to see nearby, including lovely Glanworth itself with its Castle and Friary, and nearby you can also find the wonderful Bridgetown Priory.

I hope you enjoy this blog, we're trying to cover as many sites as we can across Ireland. If anyone has any suggestions about sites you'd like us to cover please do leave us a comment. If you enjoy information and images of Irish heritage sites then do follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ If you'd like to support us then please consider downloading an audioguide to one of Ireland's wonderful heritage sites. They are packed with original music and sound effects and are a great way of experiencing the story of Ireland. They only cost €1.99 and are fun whether you are at the site, or listening from the comfort of your own home. If you enjoy stories of the turbulent medieval period in Ireland try our guide to Viking and Medieval Dublin, visit us at www.abartaaudioguides.com for free previews and to download your free audioguide to the Rock of Dunamase  or the free audioguide to the wonderful heritage town of Kells in County Meath
All photographs © Neil Jackman / abartaaudioguides.com
 

Gates of India on the right, Taj Mahal Hotel on the left

The first time I was in Mumbai, then called Bombay, was 1970 and I was so happy to be in India after driving for months and months and months across a far less hospitable western and central Asia. I was on my way to Goa in my trusty VW van. I only stayed in a hotel once in the whole 2 years I was on the Indian subcontinent and it was at the very end of the trip. In Bombay I slept in my van right at the Gates of India in the shadow of a hotel I came to stay at many times years later, the Taj, sight of some of the worst of today's violence. It usually gets rated as Mumbai's most luxurious and prestigious hotel. Last time I was there Roland was taking a shower when there was a power blackout. There was no electricity, of course, and something very odd happened. The water in the shower turned to sewage. [A similar thing, although it was thankfully a sink and not a shower and there was no contact, happened to me at New Orleans' best hotel, the Windsor Court, but they gave me a coupon for two free nights to assuage their embarrassment. The Taj knew no embarrassment and we were forced to walk up and down countless flights of stairs several times.]

Today Islamic terrorists dealt a severe blow to India's tourism industry by attacking the Taj, the Oberoi and several other top of the line tourist spots, killing an unspecified number of people-- looks like over 100-- and holding others hostage. The situation is still fluid as I write. Americans and Brits were especially sought out among the hostages and then shot.

Simone Moro: The Lessons of Broad Peak in Winter


Simone Moro has done an interview with MountEverest.net about his recent experiene on Broad Peak in which he attempted a Winter summit. You may recall, the team arrived early and had a great deal of success in establishing Base Camp and setting fixed ropes. They even managed to establish their high camps before the bad weather set in, forcing them off the mountain. What followed were weeks of blizzards, high winds, and extreme cold, preventing them from making a summit push. Despite all that, a weather window did open eventually, but the climbers found that Camp 4 had been buried and were forced to turn back as that window slammed shut quickly.

Simone says he learned a number of lessons on the climb however, such as logistically planning ahead to send cargo and heavy equipment before the team arrives to make sure that there are no issues with vital gear. Part of the teams gear was delayed in transit and caused some headaches early on. He also said that had they stayed on the mountain, he still wouldn't have made the summit. Once the weather turned bad, it stayed that way.

However, he also says that he'll definitely go back. He isn't finished with Broad Peak, and he loves the solitude of Winter in those mountains. Perhaps next year we'll be following another Winter attempt. Very insightful read.
Over the past week or so, we've all been astounded by the news and details of Ueli Steck's solo summit of Annapurna along the South Face. You've no doubt heard me and others use a host of superlatives in an attempt to convey just how impressive this climb is. But to truly get a sense of what Ueli accomplished you'll want to watch the video below. It is a 55-minute long documentary from 1970 that tells the tale of the first ascent of the mountain along this route. The team that accomplished this feat is filled with climbing legends from the U.K., including Sir Chris Bonington, Dougal Haston, Don Whilians and more. The film is a real slice of mountaineering history and well worth your time if you have an  hour to kill. It'll give you an appreciation of what this team accomplished and provide more insight into what Ueli faced as well.

Haroldstown Dolmen, County Carlow



This is Haroldstown Dolmen in County Carlow. This absolutely stunning example of a portal tomb is one of the finest examples of its type in Ireland. Portal tombs (also known as Dolmens) generally date to the Neolithic period (between 4,200 –2,400 BC), the time of the first farmers in Ireland. They are typically characterised by their huge capstones, supported by a series of large upright stones set on end to create a chamber. They are most commonly found in lowland settings, such as near rivers or streams, though the majority of portal tombs are located to the Northern half of Ireland, there is a notable amount in the south-east and in the west in Counties Clare and Galway. Carlow has two particularly fine examples with Browneshill Dolmen (which possesses the largest capstone in Europe, weighing in at around 100 tonnes) and this beautiful example at Haroldstown.

  
The portal tomb at Haroldstown consists of two massive and slightly tilted capstones, supported by ten vertical stones. There are suggestions that this tomb was actually used as a home for a family during the nineteenth century, with the gaps between the supporting stones plugged with turf and mud.  

You can find this stunning site located near Tullow off the R727. It is just after the bridge that crosses the Dereen River and the site is free to enter, but do take care to close gates behind you as it is part of a working farm. The dolmen is certainly one of the most striking and photogenic sites I have come across so far!

If anyone has any suggestions for sites that you would like to see covered please leave a comment below or drop us a line at info@abartaaudioguides.com or on our Google+ Facebook, or Twitter accounts.




New Everest Video Podcast

Episode: 0 of a new Everest video podcast has hit the web. It's the work of Phil Michael and Chris Stanko of SecretSpotEverest.com fame. The episode is entitled "The Launch" and details the future plans of the show which will be quite ambitious to say the least.

The plan is to use the show to follow Phil and Chris' climb of Everest, which is currently scheduled for the Spring 2008 season. They even hope to do live broadcasts from Kathmandu and have an exploratory expedition to basecamp on the North side scheduled for the near future.

The podcast comes in various flavors including a high quality H.264 version, as well as QuickTime and Windows Media versions as well. There is also a version pre-formatted for your iPod, PSP, or other handheld media device (Zune? Yeah, right! ;) ) or if you just want to listen to the audio, there is an MP3 file of that as well.

This episode is a teaser of things to come and will certainly give you a taste of what to expect. It should be interesting to see how future episodes unfold as the team prepares for the climb.
Photo © Manal Al Dowayan-All Rights Reserved

Finally!

Someone came up with the timely idea to publish a photography blog titled the Greater Middle East Photo blog, with the commendable intent to provide space for photography from a region which is sadly under represented.

This new blog hopes to be a facilitator of great photos, great photographers, and great minds discussing photography from the greater Middle East. I hope so as well. The Middle East has been lagging behind in terms of photography, and this blog will perhaps be an added venue to showcase more of its talent.

The photograph above is by Manal Al Dowayan; a photographer who lived for most of her life in a semi-enclosed compound in Daharan in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Much of her work is about female identity in the conservative Muslim Middle East. The photograph above is titled "I am an educator", while the writing on the slate reads "ignorance is darkness" repeated many times. Her work is featured on the Greater Middle East Photo blog.

Note: My apologies for the shorter blog posts in the coming few days as I'm behind schedule in preparing my class material and presentations for the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop in Istanbul this coming week.

Gear Closet: Chrome Merino Cobra Pullover

Each year the outdoor industry invests millions of dollar chasing the Holy Grail of technical fabrics for use in a variety of gear. The top companies are constantly developing and refining lightweight, durable materials that are breathable, moisture wicking and odor fighting as they try to one up the competition in performance. It turns out however that nature has already provided us with the perfect material in the form of merino wool, which not only has all of those great qualities and more.

A number of great apparel companies already offer wonderful products made from merino wool and I've personally used plenty of them over the years. I am continually impressed with how well the material performs, particularly in active pursuits in cooler weather. Thats why I was eager to put the Merino Cobra Pullover from Chrome to the test. This great looking garment was created with cyclists in mind but it is so well designed that it can be used for a variety of outdoor sports, including trail running, hiking, mountain biking or even snow sports.

The Cobra Pullover is built to be form fitting without restricting motion in any way. It is clear that Chrome put a lot of thought into its design, making it a great option for outdoor athletes. For instance,  the high-quality neck zipper slides down far enough to allow you to pull on this extra layer without even needing to take off your helmet. It also comes with a high neck collar that can be flipped up to help ward off a cool wind. Thumb loops pull the extra long sleeves down over the hand, providing some much appreciated warmth when the temperature starts to drop, while a longer torso keeps warm air trapped close to the body.

As you would expect, the Cobra Pullover benefits greatly from Chrome's version of merino wool. The fabrics so an excellent job of wicking away moisture, helping to keep the wearer warm when out for a ride or a long run. But its ability to breathe allows heat to vent away from the body as well, keeping us cooler when we start to overheat. Temperature regulation is one of the benefits of merino and this pullover does a great job in that regard. The garment also happens to be odor resistant, which means you can go straight from the trail to a restaurant without fear of sending your friends running for the door. Travelers will love that feature as well, as it comes in incredibly handy on extended active trips.


Other nice touches include a large, zippered passthrough pocket along the back that provides ample storage and a smaller key pocket on the right arm just above the wrist. That pocket has an integrated fabric loop that you can attach your keys to, making it even more difficult to lose them.

The Cobra Pullover is one of those rare pieces of gear that looks as good as it performs. Chrome has put a lot of thought into the design and it shows. This is definitely an article of clothing that you won't mind wearing out and about around town, which isn't always the case with performance wear. This pullover has classic good looks going for it and when you put it on, you'll be right at home on the bike, trail, coffee shop or just about anywhere else you may go.

For a piece of clothing made from merino wool, the Cobra Pullover is actually priced quite affordably. Chrome sells it for $140, which is very competitive when compared to similar products from competitors. This is a warm, durable, well built active wear that is versatile enough to be used in a wide variety of activities. I really like what Chrome has brought to the table and think that it will be a favorite with cyclists and other outdoor enthusiasts alike. With the holidays just around the corner, it would also make a great gift for the gear hound on your list.

Osvaldo Forlino's No Menu Bar in Singapore

Linguine with Prawns

For some reason, every time I went to the No Menu Bar, it was always at the Chinese corner rather than the pasta that they sold next door. Today I finally came down here, and found it surprisingly affordable at only S$12 (US$9.60) for that plate above. Granted, the dish really wasn't anything to go nuts over (I probably could have made something pretty similar at home), but it was one of the few places in Singapore where reasonable quality pasta wasn't a total ripoff.

The Travel section of the Washington Post has featured a collection of short videos titled India In Motion. The videos are somewhat eclectic, and start with fast paced clips of Mumbai, then Udaipur, Jaislamer, Agra, Haridwar and Rishikesh.

The videos are by Whitney Shefte, while the design is by Kat Downs. It's unfortunate that some of the music choices chosen to accompany the videos are incongruous. For instance, I'm still scratching my head over the logic of having music which sounds it's played by a Central European zither group with a video clip featuring camels in Jaisalmer!

I realize that the Washington Post is not the National Geographic, but India In Motion is superficially researched, and seems to meander with no clear objective and purpose. It puzzles me when a project such as India In Motion, with the considerable backing and funding of one of the premier newspapers in the world, ends up being an incoherent mess like it is.

FAST FORWARD 3 DECADES AND INSTEAD OF CEYLON, IT'S SRI LANKA



I know for sure that in my mind and in my tales, I had painted a picture of Ceylon as an earthly paradise. I certainly remembered it that way from the month I spent there in 1970. So for some of my friends, it also became a place of their dreams, especially for my adventurous friends, in this case, good old Roland and a new character (new to this blog, anyway), Steve, both of whom decided to join me for a trip there in 1997.

Actually, Roland and I flew there and Steve met up with us-- almost randomly, in Kandy, after a couple weeks. First off, Sri Lanka is about as far away as you can go and still be on earth. I remember the plane trip there in terms of days instead of hours. We flew on Cathay Pacific, one of my over-all favorite airlines-- like just below B.A.-- but no matter how good the airline, even in first class, a plane trip this long is a nightmare.

When we got to Colombo I was a physical mess from the flight. Scorning the corporate modernity of the Intercontinental, I opted for the (faded) grandeur and glory of the dowager of Colombo hotels, the Galle Face, which was built during the Civil War-- the American Civil War! I remembered back to 1970 when I used to park my van nearby and sneak in to use its luxurious facilities, and dream that someday I might be able to stay in such an august and venerable establishment. I usually tend to opt for that kind of hotel over a newer flashier one. (Like everyone I know who goes to Milan prefers the incredible dynamite newish Four Seasons Milan Hotel to the traditionally best hotel in town, the Principe di Savoia-- except me; I almost always like the traditions and Old World charms of this kind of establishment.) Unfortunately, Colombo didn't quite fit into that box.

Now, I notice on their website that the Galle Face underwent a much-needed facelift in 2005. When we arrived late one night in 1999, bedraggled and exhausted from the planes, we dragged ourselves up to the room and barely noticed the antiquity (not antiques, oldness). It wasn't just a little (understandable) mustiness either. Everything was too small, like built for little people in the 1800s. There was a sink in the room and when I woke up the next morning I had to bend down so low to brush my teeth that I totally pulled my back out! Since basically no improvements have been made to the country's infrastructure (read: roads) since (their) civil war started, I knew bumping along pot-holed roads with a screwed up back would be no fun.

Fortunately, the hotel directed me to "the blind masseur," who was reputed to have magical abilities. I figured he must be good because he was the masseur who was used by the mother/daughter team who were the President and Prime Minister of Sri Lanka at the time: Sirimavo Bandaranaike and Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. I also figured he must go to them once I was in his establishment which had the distinct vibe of a house of ill-repute. He gave me a great massage and I later found out-- from Roland, of course, who was "waiting"-- that it was indeed a house of ill repute!

To be honest, Sri Lanka's many much-ballyhooed charms aren't in Colombo and we were soon bouncing along the roads, which were noticeably worse than they were in 1970; wars'll do that to a country. We headed south in a rental car. And south from Colombo means one thing: beautiful tropical beaches without compare. I think the first one we came to that I recalled from my 1970 trip was Hikkaduwa. It was nicer in my youthful memories but it was still ok-- just a gorgeous beach, maybe a little too touristy for my tastes. We stayed in a charmless motel-type hotel right on the beach so that was cool. All the charm was the proximity to the ocean, the palm trees, the blue, blue skies... We met a monk who was very friendly and showed us his hut.

The only really unpleasant thing about Hikkaduwa that I recall was when we hired a boat to show us the coral reefs. The guy was a real doofus who seemed to actually take delight in smashing off pieces of coral. Roland and I both freaked out and told him to take us back to the beach. But the freak beached the boat on a huge coral reef. I mean it had taken thousands of years for this to grow and he was smashing it to bits in minutes. He told me to get out of the boat and give it a push. The coral is razor sharp and my feet immediately started bleeding. Right then the coral reef protection police saw him and started screaming into a megaphone. He actually took off and left me bleeding on the coral reef. Roland was still in the boat. I had my snorkel mask on. I painfully made it to the edge of the coral and jumped in the water and decided to swim back to shore through the labyrinth of the most gorgeous living coral environment I had ever experienced. It blew my mind. Unfortunately, as I navigated through the schools of incredibly beautiful fish and the colorful coral corridors, every now and then I'd see a real big fish, big enough to be a shark. And then I would remember about my bleeding tootsies and how bleeding tootsies attract sharks. I'm more afraid of sharks and crocodiles than anything else in the world. I managed to hold down the panic and eventually get back to the beach. I filed a formal police complaint against the boat operator.

After a couple of very relaxed days we headed further down the coast. We stopped for an hour in the historic old colonial town of Galle; nice. Then we went to a relatively secluded beach town, more up my alley: Tangalla. I think we were pretty much the only tourists in town. It's a real paradise, very tropical and peaceful with an undisturbed beach. We stayed in some weird bizarro hotel shaped like a boat. We went swimming in a secluded bay-- just us and some Lankan kids in a big truck tire-- and found a big cow bone. I seem to recall that we didn't eat in restaurants per se but in people's homes who prepare fresh food for passersby. The food was the best. I would have been happy staying there for the whole time but after a few days we headed further down the coast to Hambantota.

It's not as lush and green as you head east along to coast, although I remember passing a swamp filled with the biggest array of birds I'd ever seen just before we got to Hambantota. Hambantota is a little misty in the ole mind except for a few very vivid memories. I think the hotel we stayed in-- a dump-- was called the Suisse Hotel. An entire wing of it seemed to have been abandoned to a huge colony of bats which would come flying through the hallways-- much to the delight of everyone (all locals)-- around dusk everyday. There were a couple of Germans, a couple of Frenchmen and me and Roland staying there. They didn't need the other wing. The hotel was right near the huge expansive beach which was so pure and beautiful and-- as we soon found out-- thoroughly treacherous. We had heard the best diving in Sri Lanka was just east of Hambantota. The "just" was something we should have paid more attention to. You're going to think I'm exaggerating when I tell you that the undertow was so powerful that before I was in the ocean barely above my ankles I was being swept out to sea. I never experienced such an awesome force of nature before (other than once when I was in an empty field in Afghanistan and there was an earthquake).

Anyway, that pretty much put an end to our swimming adventures on the south coast of Sri Lanka. We decided to spend the day at the Bundala National Park instead. We hired two guys and a jeep for our own little safari and we were really happy with how pristine the scrubby jungle was-- tons of birds and monkeys and little deer. We were lovin' it. Then one guide told us to come with him down a path on foot while the driver waited in the jeep. He brought us to what looked like the original Garden of Eden, a lake that appeared to have never been in contact with humanity. The birds were singin', the monkeys were chattering; there were elephants on the other end of the lake spraying water on eachother. Can you imagine how beautiful it looked and sounded? And then a tiny spotted deer approached the lake. He was as big as a large dog and maybe 5 or 6 feet from me, a little tentative at first, watching us but when he saw we made no aggressive moves towards him he stuck his face in the lake for a drink. What happened next took one second-- considerably quicker than my description. The whole forest exploded in sound like a nuclear bomb blast. The monkeys went ape-shit; the birds were yellin' their heads off and flying around like madmen and the imperturbably happy-go-lucky elephants started trumpeting excitedly. Roland and I lost our breath. A gigantic crocodile came flying out of the lake and in one movement grabbed the deer, sank back into the lake, rolled over once and disappeared.

The guide noticed our discomfiture and started kicking the water to attract more crocodiles. We scurried up the bank and blindly started running out of the jungle, forgetting that Sri Lanka is the snake bite capital of the world. When we were al back safely in the (open) jeep the guide told the driver to drive along the non-jungle side of the lake and scare the sunning crocs by getting real close to their tails. I wasn't happy about the jaunty angle the jeep was at and was completely terrified. I was delighted to get back to our own car and head up into the highlands. As we headed away from Hambantota we passed a snake bigger than me slithering down the road. Half a kilometer on we saw two little barefoot girls in school uniforms walking down the road in his direction. I'll get into part 2 of my Sri Lanka adventure in a day or two.

Diego Vergés: The Mentawai

Photo © Diego Vergés-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Diego Vergés-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Diego Vergés-All Rights Reserved


As I indicated in an earlier post on The Travel Photographer blog, Diego Vergés is back from his 4 months trip to Indonesia (and PNG) and its various islands, and is currently working feverishly on his inventory of images.

He tells me that he has so far edited and readied only one of his expected 8 or more photo essays on the various indigenous groups of Indonesia, and that's the gallery on the Mentawai. The images are spectacular, and I encourage you to view them as they provide a window into a culture which I suspect will soon vanish.

You'll notice Diego's characteristic lighting techniques from the above photographs, and which he told he learned from The Strobist. Photographing the Mentawai, he used off camera lighting, a reflector and a softbox. For cameras, Diego uses a Canon 5d and a 5d Mark II, with prime lenses (24mm f1.4 and 50mm f1.4).

The Mentawai are the native people of the Mentawai Islands, which is a chain of about seventy islands and islets off the western coast of Sumatra. They live a semi-nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle in the coastal and rain forest environments of the islands, and number about 64,000. They are known by their deep spirituality, body art and the tradition of sharpening their teeth for beautifying reasons.

The Mentawai practice traditional animism, and as with other indigenous cultures, are threatened by encroaching modernism.

The Rock of Dunamase is one of my favourite sites in Ireland, and another that doesn't get the visitor numbers it deserves. The first historical reference to the Rock of Dunamase came from the Annals that record it being plundered by Viking raiders in 843 AD. But the site was extensively refortified after the Norman invasions of Ireland, the site was said to be part of the dowry given by Diarmuid MacMurrough when his daughter Aoife, married the leader of the Norman Invasions Richard de Clare (Strongbow). 
The Rock is superbly situated on a prominent height above the lowlands of Laois

It was again a wedding gift, when Aoife and Strongbow's daughter married William Marshall. He carried out extensive works at the Rock and lived there from 1208 - 1213. Again through marriage the Rock passed to the powerful Mortimer family.

After the Mortimer lands were confiscated by the Crown in 1330, the Rock of Dunamase was given to the O'Moore family but it was left abandoned. It is likely that the site was 'slighted' (basically blown up) by Cromwellian Generals Hewson and Reynolds in 1651. 


 



The imposing gatehouse at the Rock of Dunamase

During the late 18th Century, it had become fashionable to romanticise and restore old ruins such as these at the Rock of Dunamase, and Sir John Parnell, Chancellor of the Irish Parliament (and great-grandfather of Charles Stewart Parnell) bought the Rock. He tried to construct a banqueting hall on the Rock and even brought in many of the later medieval features (such as window frames) from other historic sites. Parnell died before the work was completed, and the site was allowed to fall back into ruin by his son. 


Today the Rock of Dunamase is owned by the OPW, and is one of the most atmospheric sites to visit in Ireland, with stunning views across the landscape. It is free to enter, but do take care during poor weather conditions as the steep paths may become slippery.


It is located near Port Laois, about an hours drive from Dublin City Centre.


Enjoy a great day out with stunning views at the Rock of Dunamase

Google Brings Street View To U.S. And Canadian National Parks

I've always been a big fan of Google's Street View technology. It's the amalgamation of the excellent Google Maps and photos that are taken and geo-tagged at various locations around the planet. The results are that we can explore a map from above then with a simple click, zoom down to street level to see exactly where it is we'll be traveling. It can be tremendously useful when visiting a place for the first time and it is often fun to explore an area right from your computer.

For some time now Google has been using the Street View tech to map some really cool locations. For instance, you can visit the Galapagos Islands, the Great Barrier Reef and even Everest Base Camp directly from your browser. But today, the Internet search giant has announced that by working with the U.S. National Park Service and Parks Canada, 44 national parks have been added to Street View as well, allowing us to take a virtual escape to those destinations even when we don't have time to actually go ourselves.

Some of the locations that been added include Sequoia National Park, Joshua Tree and Mt. Rushmore. You can also pay a visit to such historical landmarks as the Alamo, the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall in Washington DC. If you're looking to head north of the border, check out Moraine Lake and Lake Louise in Canada's Banff National Park as well.

Of course, I'd never even begin to suggest that Street View is a viable option for going to visit these places for yourself. It is however, fun technology that allows you to scout ahead before you actually go in person. It is also a nice way to escape the office, even if for just a few minutes, during a particularly long and boring day. It is also a nice reminder of how far we have come in terms of mapping technology. I hope Google continues to expand on these initiatives in the years ahead.

Think Tank Multimedia Buyer's Guide

Photo Courtesy Think Tank

I don't have any Think Tank products (except for its see through bag for cables and stuff), but I must say that it's one of the companies that seems to be in lock-step with the industry's evolution with multimedia.

Here is it's latest effort in the multimedia field which is the Multimedia DSLR Buyers Guide. It's essentially a fluff piece about various products that can be used by photographers as additional tools for story-telling purposes. While some of the information is pretty basic, I found it quite useful when I got to the Accessories and Wired It Up sections. Naturally, Think Tank also lists its various bags as "must-haves" in the guide, and deservedly so.

As readers of this blog know, I do not advertise products of any kind, unless I've tried and liked them. I haven't tried Think Tank bags but I like what it's doing with its product line. Otherwise, I have no relationship of any sort with it.

The Rest of Everest: Bonus Episode - LUNGevity Team Breathing Strong


Earlier today the LUNGevity Team summited Everest, using O2 but without Sherpa support, and in tribute to them Jon, over at The Rest of Everest has released a Bonus Podcast with a brief Q & A with the team.

Jon met up with the guys while in base camp while he was in Tibet at the beginning of April. He talks with both Brian Oestrike and Justin Hewitt about what lay ahead for them on the climb and what their expectations were for going up above 8000m for the first time.

The latest new from their blog says that the guys are back in C2, exhausted, but happy and in good spirits. Brian and Justin were climbing to raise money and awareness for lung cancer, a noble cause for sure. Congratulations on a job well done guys!

If you're looking for a regular episode of The Rest of Everest, be patient. Jon promises us a new one tomorrow. But the news of LUNGevity topping out was too big not to share.

Kilimanjaro Climb: Machame Route - Day 4



Barranco Camp (3950m) to Barafu Camp (4550m)

First off, apologies for not getting this posted sooner, but real life has prohibited me from doing updates as often as I would like over the past week or two. I'm hoping things will return to normal this week.

The theme for Day 4 is "Up!" as that's what you'll be doing all day. Climbing up. There are a series of long, continues climbs throughout the day, beginning with the Barranco Wall (seen in the picture above) which will be the focus of your first hour to hour and a half for the day. You'll break camp after breakfast and after a short walk across the valley, you'll begin tackling the wall, which is about 1500 feet tall. There is a fairly well defined path up the Wall, but you'll still find yourself doing some non-technical rock climbing/scarmbling at times. When you glance over your shoulder, you'll aslo have some amazing views, but it is also a long way down. It's best to just keep focused on the trail and continuing the cimb to the top. This is one of the tougher parts of the climb prior to Summit Day.

After you top out on the Barranco Wall you'll follow the path down a short descent into the Karanga Valley and the trail will wind about in a much easier fashion for a time. You'll still have to watch the rock scree and mind your balance on the descent, as you will begin to encounter some icy rocks and slick surfaces. The going is fairly easy for an hour or so until you'll run into another tough, challenging climb that is very vertical. While it's not as long, nor as challenging, as the Barranco Wall, it is pretty much straight up the side of the mountain, and it's certainly no walk in the park. At the top, you'll break for lunch however, and the break, along with the hot meal and tea will help to re-engergize the legs.

After lunch, it's another long, slow, steady climb to Barafu Camp. The trail up is fairly bleak and desolate, as you're well into the alpine desert once more, with little to see except for rocks and dry soil. Glancing up will give you a nice view of the summit, and you'll also have amazing views of both Kibo and Mawenzi peaks. The glaciers are also in full view and it's important to sneak a peek at the scenery from time to time, as you'll mostly be focused on putting one foot in front of the other, and following your guides up the trail.

The rest of the afternoon is a bit of a slow, challenging slog up the side of Kilimanjaro. You won't encounter the steep, vertical walls that you faced eariler in the day, but the trail will continue to climb for the next few hours, with little relief. Shortly before you reach Barafu Camp you'll have to scramble up and over more rocks and boulders before finally reaching the end of the march for the day.

Barafu is quite barren and rocky and is the last camp before your summit push, and while there is little to see around the camp itself, the views of the summit and the area around the mountain can be quite stunning. You won't get too much time to enjoy them however, as you'll have an early dinner, and then off to the tent for some much earned rest before departing at mid-night for the summit.

For me, Day 4 was the day that my lack of sleep finally caught up with me. The night before I probably had 20-30 minutes of light dozing, so at this point of the climb I was probably going on about 8 total hours of sleep in about six or seven days, dating back to when I left the States. Despite that, when I left the tent that morning, I felt strong and ready to go. Surprisingly so in fact. However, by the time we topped out on the Barranco Wall, I could tell that my energy levels were not where they needed to be. The second long climb, just before lunch, took it's toll on me as well, but lunch and the hour long break helped to get my legs back under me, but once again, I could tell that I wasn't bouncing back the way I had on the other days so far.

The final straw was the long, slow, afternoon climb. It was quite a challenge for me to continue up the mountain, and by the time I reached Barafu Camp, I knew that I wasn't going to be going up to the summit. That afternoon exhaustion set in and I'd never felt so weary as I did when I finally reached camp. I was running on reserves, and all I wanted to do was climb into my tent and sleep. Unfortunately, sleep was the one thing I couldn't do. Even as exhausted as I was, I couldn't sleep. Over dinner, I discussed the way I was feeling with the guides, and while they encouraged me to continue the climb, I knew that it was in my best interest to not push myself further. Getting to the top was only part of the equation, getting back down ws not going to be easy either, and I had a full week of safari ahead of me too, and running myself ragged or getting sick was not an option. I was certainly disappointed in the way I felt, but deep down inside, I knew it was the right choice.

While I was exhausted, that didn't mean that I wasn't aware of the beauty of our surroundings. The views were spectacular and the summit looked amazing. We were also treated to a strong snow storm for an hour or two, that was a nice change of pace from the damp mist and rain from the lower portions of the climb. The wind was quite strong and ruffled the tents, and while it was cold, it wasn't uncomfortably so. The gear I had brought along served it's purpose quite well, and were it not for the lack of sleep, I'd have been looking forward to the summit.

Viking and Medieval Dublin, City Tour

Have you ever wondered how Dublin got its name? Or where medieval Dubliners went for a pint? Read on to discover just some of Dublin’s medieval past that is still visible today!


Imagine you could travel backwards in time in Dublin, and strip back the glass, metal, concrete and tarmac of the modern city to replace it with timber, wattle, thatch and stone to see what Dublin was like over a thousand years ago.

Dublin is a city of two names, the first of which comes from the early medieval period. There was a natural island in the middle of the River Liffey which became the main crossing point of the river. At low tide the river at the island became so shallow that mudflats were exposed, the early Dubliners lay down interwoven branches of saplings over the mudflats and these mats or hurdles allowed people and animals to cross the river and gave the area it’s Irish name Ath Claitha - The Ford of the Hurdles. This original fording point of the Liffey is thought to be located close to the Brazen Head pub which is on Bridge Street, close to Merchant Quay.

Prior to the Viking settlement, a monastery had been established close to where Trinity College stands today. The monks called the area Dubh Linn, Gaelic for Black Pool, as a large murky pool formed where the River Poddle met the Liffey. The Vikings kept this name, calling it Dyflinn in their Norse language, when they chose this spot to be their first Longphort or overwinter camp in 841 AD. The Vikings chose this area as it possessed many natural defensive advantages. This first overwinter camp laid the foundations for the development of the modern city of Dublin.
A tenth century Viking returns to Wood Quay to find a few changes....

Wood Quay

The site that is synonymous with Viking Dublin is Wood Quay. Once the heart of one of the largest Viking settlements in the world, unfortunately much of this settlement was lost forever when Dublin City Council constructed the large concrete offices of the Dublin Corporation Offices. The story of Wood Quay was a long and complicated issue involving archaeologists, politicians, local councillors, international experts, senators, the courts and over 20,000 outraged members of the public. The fight to save Wood Quay continued throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s but ultimately the development went ahead.

So why was the site at Wood Quay so important? The preservation of the archaeology at the site was almost unparalleled, and it offered amazing insights into the Viking and later Norman settlement. The archaeologists discovered quay fronts where the ships used to moor to offload their goods, numerous houses, shops, and craft and textile manufacturing areas and a large amount of artefacts that informed us about what people ate, how they dressed, how they worked and even how they lived and died in Dublin over a thousand years ago. Many of these artefacts are now on display at the National Museum of Ireland, on Kildare Street.

The Viking settlement excavated during the Wood Quay saga mainly represented the second phase of Viking settlement in Dublin dating to the tenth and eleventh centuries.
A feature of the site was the many waterfronts and revetments which held back the waters of the Liffey, and the old Norse wall which has been reconstructed and is on display within the civic offices.


Winetavern Street, Fishamble Street and Cook Street


Winetavern Street is one of many street names that tells us what was happening in this part of Dublin during the Viking, Hiberno Norse and medieval periods. One of the most common finds from this area of the Wood Quay excavation was tavern tokens. They look like small coins but are units of currency and could be used in the taverns that used to line this street during medieval times to buy a cup of wine or ale. These taverns developed during the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Fishamble Street gets its name from all the fish markets that were once held there. It is an ideal location for a fish market due to its proximity to the LIffey, and Cook Street was the area of Dublin where all the bakers sold their breads, pies and pastries. They had to sell their goods outside of the city walls as so many fires would have posed a considerable risk to the city with its tightly packed timber houses.
A late twelfth century Norman foot-knight at Cook Street

On Cook Street you can find a surviving portion of the medieval walls that once enclosed the city, with the only functioning medieval gate in the city walls at St. Audoen’s Arch. This wall has been modified over time, particularly in the early twentieth century. It now runs for 90 metres and stands approximately 7 metres in height. The original wall is thought to have been commissioned by the great Brian Boru’s grandson – Muirchertach O’Brien in around 1100 AD. After the Anglo-Norman captured Dublin at the end of the twelfth century, they quickly began a programme of refortifying the old viking walls. They also reclaimed large areas of land from the Liffey. This area was once prosperous and settled by wealthy merchants. The large gateway you can see at St. Audoen’s allowed them to access the port and their warehouses.








St Audoen’s Church

St. Audoen's Church
Constructed at the western side of the medieval city wall, St. Audoen’s dates to the late twelfth century, although it may stand on the site of an earlier church as a ninth century graveslab was found on the site. The church was dedicated to St. Ouen (or St. Audoen) of Rouen, the Patron Saint of Normandy. The church was extended and modified many times over its history. The first phase was completed by around 1200 AD. The church was a simple two celled design, with a nave and a narrower chancel. The entrance of the building was through the decorative moulded doorway that was carved in a typical late-Romanesque style. In the early years of the thirteenth century, the second phase of the church saw the chancel and nave combined to create one large room.

The next phase in the early fourteenth century saw major modifications at St. Audoen’s, with the development of an elaborate four bay arcade creating a new nave that nearly doubled the size of the church, following that a fifth bay was constructed in the arcade and a new chancel. The original Romanesque doorway was moved to a recess in the western end of the church where it can still be seen today. In the fifteenth century a four storey bell tower was constructed at the western side of the church. This tower houses large bronze bells, one cast in 1423, making them the oldest church bells still in use in Ireland. Extensive excavations of the site were carried out in the 1990’s and they revealed a wealth of information about the site. Today St. Audoen’s is an OPW heritage site and is a wonderful (and free) place to visit. For opening hours see here http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/dublin/staudoenschurch/
Christchurch Cathedral
Christchurch and St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Christchurch Cathedral was originally founded in around 1028 AD and was commissioned by the Hiberno-Norse King Sitric Silkenbeard after he had completed his pilgrimage to Rome.
St. Laurence O’Toole was elected abbot of Dublin in 1162, and became instrumental in saving Dublin City from being sacked by the Anglo Normans, who had been employed by the King of Leinster, Diarmuid Mac Murrough as mercenaries to win back his lands from rival Irish Kings. Laurence was a reformer and strongly believed the Irish church needed to be modernized and changed. He worked diligently from Christchurch and attended many negotiations with the key political figures of the time. In 1180 St. Laurence succumbed to a long illness while on pilgrimage in France. His body was buried in France, but his heart was sent back to Ireland. Encased in a heart shaped iron box it became one of Irelands most famous relics. Laurence was canonized as a saint 45 years after his death and the relic of his heart was placed in Christ Church cathedral with sprigs of mountain heather from Glendalough around it. It survived many persecutions, the most serious being the Reformation which was initiated by Henry VIII in the 1540s. Henry ordered that all relics in Christchurch be taken to Skinners Row (across the road) and burned. Many famous relics were destroyed including the true staff of Jesus which was famed throughout the country for its healing powers, yet Laurence’s heart remained untouched, until March 3rd 2012 when it was stolen from the Cathedral. Its whereabouts are still unknown. In the 1180’s the Christchurch that we are familiar with today began to take shape. John Cumin, the first Anglo-Norman arch bishop, had Christchurch reconstructed in stone in the fashionable Romanesque style of the time.

For entry fees and opening hours please visit http://www.christchurchdublin.ie/Visitors/Visitor-Information.htm\
St. Patrick's Cathedral

Dublin is rather unusual as it has two cathedrals situated very close to one another. St. Patrick’s Cathedral was constructed on the site of an earlier church in the twelfth century and consecrated as a cathedral on St. Patricks Day 1254. Like Christchurch, St. Patricks has changed dramatically over the centuries, particularly in the nineteenth century when the Guinness family carried out a programme of conservation and renovated and reconstructed the crumbling building into the fine cathedral it is today, see http://www.stpatrickscathedral.ie/index.aspx for more details.

Dame Street


Located on the very eastern most edge of the medieval city, Dame Street takes its name from a large dam that was constructed here across the River Poddle in the medieval period. This dam maintained the depth of water around the Castle and city walls.

Medieval Dublin was small, it was said that you could walk from one side of the city to the other in less than ten minutes, but despite its small size it was densely packed, by the thirteenth century it was thought that the population of Dublin exceeded 10,000. Wealthy Dubliners lived in tall houses that could reach three stories in height. The tall houses made the streets dark and dank, with no rubbish collection people simply threw their waste out of the windows. The streets would have been full of dogs, cats, rats and pigs feeding off the waste. Such unsanitary compact living led to epidemics like the Black Death breaking out and causing devastation to medieval Dubliners. A particularly bad outbreak in 1348 is thought to have killed hundreds. People were buried in mass graves in an area of Dublin still known as the Blackpitts today.


Dublin Castle


The area on which Dublin Castle stands today was part of the early Viking settlement in Dublin. As the population grew, the Vikings constructed a fortified wooden fence or palisade to protect the settlement from raids from the neighbouring Gaelic Irish kingdoms.
Dublin Castle
After the Normans seized control of Dublin, King Henry II visited his newly acquired territories. He left forty of his knights to defend Dublin. They refortified the south-eastern corner of the old Viking fort, the area that faced onto the pool in the River Poddle. The original Norman defences were probably an earthwork castle rather than stone, but in 1204 the King ordered a stone castle to be constructed on the site. There was a great need for strong defences for Dublin. The growing settlement was surrounded on all sides by Gaelic kings and chieftains who would relish the chance to raid this settlement of foreigners. This was highlighted by a savage attack that became known as Bloody Monday. On Easter Monday in 1209, a number of the Anglo-Norman citizens of Dublin ventured out to an area known as Cullenswood where modern Ranelagh stands today. They hoped to enjoy the weather, spending the afternoon picnicking and hunting in the fresh air away from the cloying stink of the city. Unbeknownst to them, a band of Gaelic warriors, probably led by the O’Byrne and O’Toole families, saw their opportunity and descended on the unaware citizens. They massacred around 500 people in a bloody and savage attack.

Following this the work on the city defences was accelerated, with the Castle being completed by around 1230 AD. The castle was surrounded by a deep moat, with imposing high stone walls and large circular towers at each corner. The Castle has changed dramatically from its medieval origins. It was severely damaged by a fire in 1684, and was largely demolished in the eighteenth century to make way for today’s castle. Only one tower from its medieval past still stands above ground, and the Black Pool which originally gave Dublin its name has now become the Castle gardens.
A FitzGerald halberdier from the sixteenth century


These are just a few of the echoes remaining of Viking and Medieval Dublin. We have produced an audioguide to help navigate you around the City and to highlight in more detail the incredible heritage that still surrounds us. Our guide is packed with original music and sound effects, and helps to bring to life the story of the early Dubliners. It costs just €1.99 and is available from http://abartaaudioguides.com/our-guides/viking-and-medieval-dublin-audio-tour (follow the link for a free preview). If you’d like to discover more about Medieval Dublin I recommend paying a visit to the superb (and free to enter!) National Museum of Ireland on Kildare Street, and Dublinia opposite Christchurch, where you can come face to face with Dublin’s medieval past.

This is the first of my articles on cities, heritage towns and villages. If you know of a great site near you please leave a comment below.

The historical re-enactment photoshoot was with Claíomh. All photographs © abartaaudioguides.com

Revisiting Commonwealth Crescent Food Centre

Yu Sheng

I wasn't intentionally trying to come here a second day in a row. But I needed to run an errand nearby, and we figured that we'd get some breakfast here before moving on. This time the porridge lady was open, so I grabbed her yu sheng. And now I remembered why I liked it so much: that lovely bouquet of cilantro, ginger, and spring onions sitting in the center, all seasoned with sesame oil and a dusting of white pepper. I never tried her porridge, but the yu sheng is right up there with Joe Pork Porridge and Ah Chiang.

And oh yeah - unfortunately I didn't care that much for the soup version of Jian Kiang's wantan mee, as the broth was sweet, and they still ended up loading it up with that dried up char siu. Well, I suppose it's like trying to get New York pizza in Chicago: just stick to the local version instead. I guess that means I'll be going for the dry version here. And if I really get the cravings for HK-style noodles while still being on the equator, then the Noodle Place will get me by.

Book Review: The Eiger Obsession


I've been teasing a book review for The Eiger Obession since before I left for Africa. There is something to be said for a 28 hour (One way!) travel time for helping you get caught up on your reading. Here are my thoughts on the book...

The Eiger Obession by John Harlin III is an interesting dichotomy of parts. On the one hand, it's a biography of Harlin's father, John Harlin II, who was an amazing climber in the Alps during the 50's and 60's, and on the other hand it's an auto-biography of Harlin III himself, and his life following his father's death on the Eiger back in 1966. Finally, it's the story of a son, following in his father's footsteps, to silence some demons, and even breakout from a long shadow, and form his own identity.

John Harlin II was pilot for the U.S. Airforce stationed in Europe during the 1950's. He was tall, athletic, and very charismatic. He was also a climber of no small skill, and he loved the Alps. They were practically his own personal playground, and over the years, he put up new routes, and climbed all the major peaks in the range. He became a legend in the European climbing community and even earned the nickname "The Blonde God". There was one route however that Harlin hadn't conquered, but continued to have dreams of completing: The Eiger Direct. Up until that time, there was only one route up The Eiger, the biggest, baddest face in the Alps, and it wandered all over the wall until it reached the top. Harlin wanted to put up a straight route, a more direct route. So, in 1966 he went after that route, with a team of excellent climbers I might add, but in doing so, he lost his life when a frayed rope broke while he was on it. In the end, the team reached the top, and the route was called the "John Harlin Route", but his death had profound consequences on the people who knew him.

The second half of the book follows Harlin's son, John Harlin III, as he grows up and becomes quite a good climber in his own right. However, along the way, he can always feel the shadow of his father over him, as other climbers question his abilities and accomplishments. And of course, always looming over him, is The Eiger itself, which he finally faces for an upcoming IMAX film entitled The Alps. Upon conquering The Eiger, Harlin III at last puts some of those demons to rest.

The book itself is very well written and does a good job of mixing the biographical and autobiographical elements. Harlin III, who is no stranger to writing and editing, paces the book nicely, and you'll find that it's quick and easy to read, while still offering all the details and information necessary to tell the story it needs to. He also does a fine job of walking the fine line of being an adoring son, who remembers his father in one light, while still examining the way others saw him as well. Harlin II was known to exaggerate the truth from time to time, and other climbers found him to be a bit of prima donna or poser on the mountain, and yet the author acknowledges those elements in his father, without losing his own boyish admiration that many of us can relate to with our own fathers.

The book is also a nice history of The Eiger itself. Harlin gives us plenty of background on the mountain that became the stage for both his father, and in due time, himself. It's probably the most famous face in the Alps, and while it's been climbed numerous times, it still remains iconic to this day.

In the end, The Eiger Obession is a very satisfying read. It's a well told story of two men, father and son, who climbed for different reasons, but shared much more than just a name. I enjoyed the book all the way through, and would highly recommend it to climbers and non-climbers alike. The story is compelling and told in such a way that anyone can enjoy it. It should also make a great companion to The Alps when it's released to IMAX theaters soon. The book would also make a great Father's Day gift in a few months as well, and will make a fine addition to anyone's personal climbing library.

I've got another book finished that I'll be reviewing soon as well. Something of a completely different nature, but just as enjoyable for very different reasons.