Top 10 Natural Wonders Of The World
Posted November 10, 2009 , comments closedPart of what makes the Grand Canyon so beautiful is an understanding of how much time when into its creation. Millions of years were spent by the Colorado River sculpting and carving away at the rock to develop what can be seen today. The depth of the canyon is breathtaking. The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long and up to 18 miles in width from rim to rim. The Canyon also goes down a full mile.
Auroras are natural displays of light in the sky but the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, is the most beautiful of all. Visible from the Northern Hemisphere, the Aurora Borealis can be seen as a greenish glow or even faint red.
The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s hugest coral reef system and is home to 3,000 single reefs and stretches about 1,600 miles. The reef is located off the coast of Australia and can even be seen from space. Although humanity and environmental causes threaten the reef, it remains one of the most concentrated spots for unique aquatic life on Earth.
The Niagara Falls are stunning waterfalls located on the border of Canada and the United States. Formed during the last ice age by receding glaciers, the Niagara Falls is the most powerful and beautiful waterfall in North America.
Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world and reaches 29,029 feet at its summit. Mount Everest, located in the Himalayas in Asia, has attracted climbers from around the world. Many have died attempting to reach the summit of Mount Everest, considered the worlds most physically demanding challenge.
Victoria Falls, located in southern Africa, are some of the largest waterfalls in the entire world. The width of the falls is about 5,600 feet and the height is almost 360 feet, creating one large sheet of water.
Paricutin is a cinder cone volcano located in Mexico that is located near a village covered by lava. In 1943 the volcano started merely as a fissure in a cornfield. Farmers witnessed the initial eruption of stones and ash and the volcano grew quickly afterward, reaching the height of five stories in only one week. After a year the volcano had reached over a thousand feet and continued erupting for eight years.
The harbor of Rio de Janeiro is considered one of the most beautiful harbors in the world with wonderful weather and free beaches. Located in Brazil, the harbor is surrounded by mountains and was formed by the Atlantic Ocean.
The Amazon Rainforest, or Amazonia, covers 1.4 billion acres and is home to 2.5 million insect species, 2,000 birds and mammals, 40,000 plant species, 3,000 fish and over 300 reptiles. 20% of all birds in the entire world live in the beautiful Rainforest, making it the most diverse place on earth.
The Galapagos Islands are volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean with a population around 40,000. What makes the area so unique is the diversity of the animal life and it’s reputation as the place that created the theory of evolution due to natural selection.
31 Places to Go for Halloween
Posted October 17, 2009 , comments closed31 Places to Go for Halloween
With Halloween just around the corner, you may be wondering where some of the spookiest, creepiest, eeriest, most haunted and/or best places to visit on Halloween are located around the world. Places where mummies stare back at you or ghosts roam the hallways, caves where witches hide from the world or dungeons where people were once imprisoned and tortured are scattered throughout the world, giving the heebie jeebies to travelers and residents alike.
So, in honor of this spooky holiday, here is a list of the 31 creepiest Halloween destinations around the world. And, we’re not talking fake haunted houses and corn mazes with paid actors. We’re talking downright terrifying places where mysterious happenings occur year-round and which are guaranteed to give you goose bumps. From haunted prisons to caves to catacombs, these bone chilling places will scare the daylights out of you, and may just give you nightmares for weeks.
1. Mummy Museum, Guanajuato, Mexico
Their haunting faces and hollowed eye sockets will make you quake in your boots. Teeth exposed from open mouths, fingers stiffly crooked for eternity, grey skin clinging to protruding hip bones and ribs, shoes still laced on unmoving, shriveled feet… The Mummy Museum in Guanajuato will haunt you long after your return from this picturesque Mexican colonial town nestled in the hills of the highlands in Mexico. However, these mummified remains are still a mystery to this day.
The mummies were originally exhumed when families were unable to pay a burial tax due each year for deceased relatives. When a family was unable to pay the tax, the body of their relative was exhumed and put on display in the mummy museum. The puzzling part? Rather than decomposing the way bodies usually do after being buried, these corpses were naturally mummified, leaving clothes, skin and sometimes hair preserved and intact. The reason? Some hypothesize it has something to do with the mixture of minerals in the soil, some think there is something a little more paranormal going on.
Either way, after an afternoon in this creepy museum full of mummies of all shapes and sizes (there are even baby mummies that look creepily like little dolls), you are guaranteed to have the heebie jeebies.
2. St. Michan’s Church, Dublin, Ireland
Although St. Michan’s church in Dublin, Ireland was founded in the mid 16th century and has the oldest organ still in use in the entire country, this next creepy destination is much more known for the vault that lies beneath the church. Down a limestone and mortar tunnel that extends below the church is a series of galleries for placing coffins.
Some galleries have been sealed off with wooden or iron doors, others have been left open. Through the iron doors of some, visitors can take a peek at a multitude of coffins laying helter skelter, the occasional arm or leg poking from the coffin lid. Then, in one of the open chambers, deep in the dark, damp tunnels below the church are 4 caskets with the lids completely removed, exposing mysteriously mummified remains—corpses partly covered with a layer of taut, leathery skin. Three of the four coffins lie in a row with a woman on the right, a man with a hand cut off and both feet missing in the center and a nun on the left. Some hypothesize the corpse is missing limbs because he was a thief and was punished by having them cut off, others believe he was simply too large to fit in the casket.
The final mummy in the vaults of St. Michan’s is a man believed to have been a soldier returned from the crusades, whose body is cut in half to fit in the casket and whose hand lifts eerily into the air. If visitors are brave enough to venture further into the underground vaults, they can see the caskets of the Sheare brothers, who were hanged, drawn and quartered in punishment for treason after an uprising in 1798. The most mysterious thing about the mummies of St. Michan is that no one understands why these bodies have not decomposed like others in surrounding areas. Maybe it’s the climate in the underground vaults, maybe it’s the high concentration of lime in the soil, or maybe it’s just something a little more paranormal and a lot spookier. It’s up to you to decide.
3. Catacombs of Paris, France
Although a popular tourist attraction year-round, the famous catacombs of Paris are a particularly good place to visit in honor of Halloween. The underground ossuary, which was organized in a section of the city’s vast network of underground tunnels in the 18th century, were designated as a place to store the remains from condemned cemeteries in the Paris city limits. In the late 1700s, bodies from several burial grounds in Paris were moved into the underground tunnels. The result is the mass stacking of bones you see today, with skulls and femurs lining the walls like decorations.
The creepy Parisian catacombs have also inspired ghostly stories for generations. King of creepy, Edgar Allen Poe uses the Paris catacombs as a reference in his story the “Cask of Amontillado” and there have been several books written about vampires who seek refuge among the bones and dead in the catacombs. Who knows, maybe the next time you are roaming the bone filled tunnels below Paris you may just see a monster living among the dead.
4. Old Jewish Cemetery, Prague, Czech Republic
The cracked and cock-eyed tombstones in the Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague date back to the 15th century and this cemetery is the second oldest Jewish burial site in all of Europe. The crooked graves and tombstones, with caskets protruding from the ground in some places, give this cemetery a definite creepy crawly feel.
It is unknown how many people are actually buried in this cemetery, because the tombs have been layered on top of each other. In fact, it is because Jews were forbidden to bury their dead outside of their own quarter that these layers of tombs and stacked remains (there are thought to be twelve) exist. Surrealist author Franz Kafka also often enjoyed periods of reflection in this creepy, old graveyard. Perhaps he was seeking inspiration for his next work.
5. San Bernardino Ossuary, Milan, Italy
In a non-distinct and rather unassuming church in Milan is a church full of bones. As you turn the corner in this plainly decorated little church and venture down a cold, narrow hallway (I’m getting the creeps just thinking about it) you find yourself in a chilly, one-room chapel with walls lined with human bones. The cages along the walls, holding skulls and leg and arm bones, are stacked high to the ceiling – but rather than just utilitarian piles or plain old orderly stacks, most of the bones are arranged in a decorative fashion, including several large panels where the bones are formed into cross-like designs.
In wire cases along the back doors are the skulls from individuals who had been beheaded in a nearby piazza outside the modern day La Scala opera house. As it turns out, this chapel in San Bernardino alle Ossa became a storage place for bones when a cemetery next door became full, and in 1210 a room was built to house the bones of deceased. So, since the 13th century, dead people (and maybe their spirits) have been housed in this little church in Milan. What says Halloween better than hanging out with a bunch of bones?
6. Bhangarh, India
In a ghost town in the Rajasthan state of India between Jaipur and Alwar City, there remain ruins from a once prosperous town that was mysteriously and abruptly abandoned. Although tranquil during the day, it is said no one dares to hang out in this ghost city after dark because, as legend has it, a curse forced the whole town to be vacated overnight. While some may scoff at this myth, even the Archaeological Survey of India has placed its office near Bhangarh close to a temple to protect it from spirits of the town and has placed a sign stating: “Staying after sunset is strictly prohibited in this area.”
There is a myth surrounding this ghost town that involves a princess and a magician who fell madly in love with her. The magician tried to use his black magic to make the princess his sexual slave, but was killed when his plan was foiled. Legend has it that as the magician died; he cursed the city and wished eternal death upon any person dwelling in the town. The following year, there was a huge battle in the town, which killed everyone involved. Since then, it has been said that anyone who dared to live in Bhangarh would have their roof collapse and would die—which is mysterious as today all of the ruins of houses are without a roof. Whether the creepy legend is true or not, if the Archaeological Survey of India thinks this place is too dangerous at night, so do I.
7. Dia de los Muertos Celebration, Oaxaca, Mexico
On All Hallows Eve, Mexican families are known to don costumes, visit the graves of their loved ones, and hold parades in honor of their deceased friends and relatives. Although practiced all over Mexico, Dia de los Muertos is one of the most important celebrations in Oaxaca, as well as one of the most visited events by outsiders. Skeletons are the decoration of choice, and locals pass cemeteries with food, music and drinks, emphasizing both death and celebration at the same time.
The Day of the Dead is a tradition that fused macabre celebrations from Europe with ancient Mayan and Aztec traditions, which resulted in the modern day festivities. The Day of the Dead celebration in Oaxaca is known as one of the largest and most boisterous in all of Mexico, and with skeletons decorating the entire city, lots of traditional food and drinks made in honor of the dead, and a large cemetery parade, Oaxaca is one of the best places for any traveler to visit on Halloween. It will get you in the Halloween spirit and have you wishing Halloween in the United States was as colorful and involved as much pageantry as it does in Mexico.
8. Sedlec Ossuary, near Kutna Hora, Czech Republic
Although there are a scattering of ossuaries across Europe, where bone filled walls will give anyone the creeps, this famous ossuary in Sedlec in the Czech Republic is one of the largest, most ornate and spookiest ossuaries of them all. It is thought there are 40,000-70,000 human skeletons in this church, which have been artistically arranged to form decorations and furniture in the church. The site of the church has long been a cemetery, but during the Black Death that swept Europe and killed thousands, a church was built at the site to make room for all of the dead.
Around 1400, the gothic style church was built and the lower chapel was used to house the mass amount of graves unearthed during construction. A monk was given the task of exhuming remains and stacking the bones in the chapel. In 1870, with the hundreds of thousands of bones in disarray, woodcarver named Frantisek Rint was hired to organize the heaping piles of bones. The result was a macabre masterpiece, including bell shaped mounds of bones in the corners of the chapel, an enormous chandelier made from bones (which contains at least one of every bone in the human body), and garlands of skulls draping the walls. There is even a coat of arms made from bones and the signature of Rint written using bones. The ossuary has been the backdrop for the movie Dungeons and Dragons, Blood and Chocolate and the novel The Black Angel for its extremely creepy decor.
9. Feng-Du “Ghost City,” China
Feng-Du is a necropolis built into a mountain in China that holds the realm of the dead and is the entrance to the Chinese Hells. This famous ghost city was made even creepier when the Three Gorges Dam was completed and left Feng-Du an island, with parts of the ghostly palace submerged underwater. On Ming Mountain, which is said to be one of the 72 graveyards for Taoism, there are 75 Buddha and Tao temples. It was here on Ming Mountain that it is thought the dead gather near the “spirit world,” lending the name of ghost city to Feng-Du.
There are many magic stories that come from this ghost city and it is believed by some that Feng-Du has become a place for terrible spirits, haunted by tormented souls. As the only ghost city in China, there is a yearly celebration here in March, which includes “Spirit Shows” honoring the spirits that haunt Feng-Du. With the completion of the Three Gorges Dam, now generations of tombs have been consigned to the depths of the Three Gorges Reservoir and the ghosts of Feng-Du will be joined in their watery home by those whose descendants have been forced to desert them.
10. Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, France
If you like the idea of walking the corridors of cemeteries on Halloween, than Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris is the place to do it. With its miles of tombstones and mausoleums, Pere Lachaise is the mother of all cemeteries. The old burial place is not only home to many French greats (not to mention American rock musician Jim Morrison, probably the cemetery’s most famous resident), but the cemetery’s above ground tombs, statues and thousands of tombstones make for a perfect, creepy Halloween backdrop.
In the fall, golden and red leaves cling to the dying branches of trees in the cemetery, making October the perfect, eerie time to explore this huge cemetery. Surrounded by the ghosts of Balzac, The Doors music legend, and Chopin, visitors might get goose bumps and feel their skin crawl in this sprawling land of the dead. Or perhaps they will feel inspired by the souls of the deceased French poets, leaders and authors. Obviously, you’ll need to visit for yourself to see what effect this place has on you.
11. Bran Castle (aka Dracula’s Castle), Romania
A fortress situated on the border of Transylvania and Walachia in Romania, this castle was the home of the Bram Stoker’s legendary Dracula character, which has led to persistent myths that it was once the home of Vlad Dracula, or “Vlad the Impaler,” who was a ruler in the area known for the exceedingly cruel punishments he imposed during his reign and which inspired Stoker’s famous book.
The cruel leader who was rumored to live in this castle was mostly known for his preferred method of executing his opponents which was called “bung poling,” where the person was dropped upright onto a sharpened tree trunk starting from between the legs and forcing the tree trunk through the chest or neck. It is rumored Vlad “Dracula” would impale thousands at the same time, often leaving the bodies on the stakes decaying for months. Whether Vlad actually lived in Bran Castle is uncertain, but what better place to visit on Halloween than the Dracula’s Castle, which has inspired a plethora of terrifying vampire tales.
12. Fremantle Prison, Australia
This prison in Western Australia has a long sordid history and served as a place of incarceration for almost 150 years. Its inmates included British convicts, local prisoners, enemy aliens and prisoners of war. In the twentieth century, the prison became a maximum security facility, where the worst and most dangerous criminals were kept. The prison was also the site of a number of hangings, which were carried out at 8am every Monday, and put to death some of the country’s most dangerous murderers. Because of its violent and creepy past, this prison is rumored to be haunted by a variety of ghosts, who roam the halls, cells, gallows and tunnels underneath the prison.
The Government of Western Australia runs daily and nightly tours of this haunted, creepy prison, including one tour that takes you into terrifying water filled tunnels that run beneath the prison and connect to some of the solitary confinement cells. A nighttime tunnel tour beneath an old, creepy prison sounds like an excellent, albeit terrifying, way to celebrate Halloween.
13. Mary King’s Close, Edinburgh, Scotland
This series of underground closes in the Old Town area of Scotland have been shrouded in myths and mysteries for centuries. The closes, which were once narrow street passageways that were later closed by using the surrounding buildings as foundations for newer ones, make up a network of dark and creepy underground tunnels.
Blood-curdling tales of ghosts and murders, as well as stories of plague victims being cast into the close and left to die have given this close a particularly terrifying mystique. Edinburgh is internationally renowned for its strange paranormal activity and dark tales, and these underground tunnels seem to be one of the more haunted areas of the city. There is even a dark corner in the close where visitors leave stuffed animals in attempt to appease the ghost of a woman who was murdered in the tunnels centuries ago. It is said her ghost, as well as others, haunt visitors, making these ghost filled tunnels the perfect place to experience the paranormal this Halloween.
14. Rose Great Hall House, Montego Bay, Jamaica
Once the home of Annie Palmer, who is also known as the Great White Witch, this old plantation home in Jamaica is said to be haunted by the witch herself, as well as the people she is said to have murdered in the home. Annie Palmer, who was the wife of a powerful sugar plantation owner, was known as a cruel and gruesome mistress who tortured and killed her slaves for the smallest infractions. The Great White Witch was also known to take her slaves to bed and then murder them when she grew tired of them, burying them in unmarked graves on the property. It is thought she also murdered her first husband, John Palmer, and avidly practiced Voodoo. It was her Voodoo practices, including sacrificing human infants, and black magic that earned Annie Palmer the reputation of the Great White Witch. Rumor has it Palmer was finally murdered to stop her cruelty.
Despite efforts to entomb the witch’s body and build a grave that would prevent her from rising and roaming the grounds of the plantation, the Great White Witch continues to haunt the house to this day. According to local legend, the White Witch and her victims actively haunt the house and she has been seen wearing a green velvet dress and riding a black horse, whip in hand. She has also been heard walking the halls of the house, and cries of the babies and slaves she murdered have been heard filling the halls. Voices are reportedly sometimes heard coming from the dungeon where she tortured victims, and lights commonly are switched on and off throughout the house with no one around. If you are brave enough to explore this house, then prepare to come face to face with the ghost of the Great White Witch.
15. La Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires, Argentina
This impressive cemetery is as beautiful as it is creepy. It is decorated by elaborate marble mausoleums, Greek columns and tall gates. Located here are the graves of some of Argentina’s most influential and important figures, including presidents, scientists and wealthy landowners. While the cemetery is a popular tourist destination and many of the mausoleums are well-maintained, there are others that have creepy cracks and lids jolted off coffins, which perhaps happened as souls of the dead tried to escape and haunt the cemetery.
The other spooky part of La Recoleta Cemetery? There is a colony of feral cats, which reside within the gates. The cats mostly hide during the day, but come out at dusk in anticipation of a group of women who come to the cemetery each day to feed them. Something about the imagery of feral cats living among tombs just seems so Halloween–making this a great spot to visit on October 31.
16. Manchac Swamp, Louisiana, United States
New Orleans has long been high on the list of many seeking out haunted locations full of Voodoo, black magic and all things dark and scary. Located outside of the city is the notoriously haunted and scenic Manchac Swamp, which has been ranked over and over again as one of the creepiest places on Earth. As night approaches, it is said that you can see the red eyes of ghost alligators as they float above the dark waters, following any visitors as they venture deep into the spooky depths of the swamp.
Tours that carry torch lamps will take you into the depths of this eerily silent swamp, where it is rumored you can hear creatures of the night singing bewitching songs, and see victims from a 1915 tidal wave which carried hundreds to their death in the swamp floating beneath the surface of the water. There are also stories about the ghosts of pirates, swamp witches and restless spirits haunting the swamp under a Voodoo curse. This swamp didn’t get the name Haunted Swamp for nothing, so venture into this spooky swamp past dark only if you dare.
17. Haunted Well of Himeji Castle, Japan
Thirty miles west of Kobe, Japan are the well-preserved remains of an imposing wooden castle at Himeji. The haunted Okiku’s Well, located near the Hara-kiri Maru (Suicide Gate) where people were forced to commit ritual suicide by disembowelment (defeated Japanese soldiers were often forced to commit suicide), was not dug as a source of drinking water, but rather was created as a means of washing away the blood of the suicide victims and was named after a woman who died there. In Japanese culture, ghosts take on different forms and Yuurei ghosts are those that were murdered or committed suicide.
The most hauntings by Yuureis come from wronged female spirits. Okiku was a servant for a lord who lived in the castle, and she was wrongly accused of stealing one of a collection of precious plates. Okiku was tried and found guilty and was punished by being tortured, sexually assaulted and killed. Okiku’s body was thrown into the well and because of the way she died it is believed her soul could find no eternal peace. It is said Okiku haunts the well today, where in the early morning hours you can hear her screams rising from the depths of the well where her mutilated body was tossed centuries ago. So, if you find yourself in Japan this Halloween, make a trip to Himeji’s castle, camp out near Okiku’s well and wait to see if you hear the woman’s ghost screaming from below.
18. Ballygally Castle, Ireland
Located in Northern Ireland, this castle overlooks Ballygally Bay and is now a hotel. It is also reputed to be one of the most haunted places in all of Ireland. It is said that one of the castle’s former residents, Lady Isobel Shaw, amuses herself even in death by knocking on the doors of different rooms and then disappearing abruptly (as ghosts are wont to do).
Lady Shaw, who was locked in her room and starved by her husband, leapt to her death from a window of the castle, and it is said she has not left the property since. Another former resident, Madame Nixon, is said to have been seen roaming the halls of the hotel in her silk dress. If you are feeling brave this Halloween, get a room in this hotel and see if you experience any paranormal activity.
19. Rookwood Cemetery, Sydney, Australia
The largest cemetery in the southern hemisphere, the Rookwood Cemetery (also known as Rookwood Necropolis) is of course home to corpses as well as rumored hauntings and paranormal activity – but it’s unlikely you’ll visit many cemeteries with more than a million corpses in it. In fact, this is probably the most impressive cemetery you’ve ever seen and is a city in its own right (hence the name of Necropolis, or city of the dead). This is not just an historic site, however, as it’s still in operation as a cemetery – it’s the largest Victorian era cemetery still in use today anywhere in the world.
You can join a tour during the daytime, but it seems much more appropriate to take one of the many twilight tours on offer, don’t you think? With the immense numbers of graves, mausoleums and a crematorium, there are plenty of creepy nooks and crannies to explore for any visitor to explore at any time of year, but this city of the dead can become particular interesting (and spooky) at Halloween time. Who knows, maybe you’ll just see a restless soul wandering among the million tombstones.
20. Capuchin Crypt, Rome, Italy
Located in a small space comprised of several tiny chapels in Rome, the Capuchin Crypt is the final resting place for over 4,000 Capuchin monks, who died between 1528 and 1870, as well as several poor Roman citizens. There are six total rooms in the crypt, where large numbers of bones are nailed to the walls in intricate patterns and some bones create working light fixtures and chandeliers.
There are themes for each of the rooms, including a room decorated using bones in honor of the Resurrection, a room full of skulls, one with pelvises, and another with leg and thigh bones. There is also a crypt of three skeletons, which include a center skeleton holding a scythe (a symbol of death). A sign in the last chapel reminds visitors that “As you are now, we once were. As we are now, you one day will be.” Although visitors flock to this crypt at all times of the year, I can imagine few spookier ways to spend Halloween than in crypts decorated with human bones.
21. Raynham Hall, Norfolk, England
This haunted hall in Norfolk, England is home to arguably one of the most famous ghost pictures of all time – and if you’re a ghost story lover, then pay no attention to the people who have decried it as an obvious hoax. The picture is of a woman known as the “little brown lady of Raynham” descending a staircase in Raynham Hall. The ghost is supposed to be that of Lady Dorothy Townshend, who married the Hall’s owner (Lord Townshend) in 1713.
Lady Townshend is said to have died in 1726, but rumors at the time said that instead of dying she was actually locked up in the house by her husband. So, whether you believe in ghosts or not, it’s easy to see why Lady Townshend might very well haunt the halls of her former home and prison since her death (whenever that actually was). The photograph of the Raynham Hall ghost was made in 1936, but since that time no sightings of the ghost have been reported in the Hall. In fact, more recently there have been reports that indicate Lady Townshend might have moved house herself to a different spot in Raynham. But why don’t you hang around in Raynham Hall all night on Halloween to find out for yourself?
22. The Chase Vault at Christ Church, Barbados
A great unsolved mystery revolves around an old burial vault in this church that was built on a high, windswept hill overlooking the Caribbean. The Chase Vault is the location of this sinister and chilling mystery, which took place sometime between 1807 and 1820. Often called the Barbados Tomb Mystery, this story has been repeated thousands of time and is often found in books of the best global ghost stories.
The tomb, which was built to house deceased members of a rich plantation family named Chase, is made up of limestone and was tightly sealed with a large hunk of marble at the entrance. Several members of the Chase family had been buried in the vault between 1808 and 1816, when the vault was reopened in 1816 in order to place the coffin and body of Samuel Brewster inside. However, when the family opened the vault, there were met with a scene of mystery. Not only was the 240 lb. lead coffin of Thomas Chase in the wrong location, all of the coffins except the first coffin to be placed in the vault were in disarray. Despite there being no evidence of the seal from the marble door had been opened, fine sand was placed inside the vault before it was resealed in order to catch the footprints of anybody who may enter the vault. When the vault was later reopened, the seals were found to be intact, yet once again all of the coffins were in disarray with the exception of the first coffin placed in the vault.
The heavy lead coffin of Thomas Chase was also leaning against the inside vault door, thus blocking any alleged perpetrator’s exit. Some believe that the spirits of two family members who committed suicide (and therefore, were cursed and restless) moved the coffins. In any event, the coffins were moved and buried elsewhere and to this day the mystery has not been solved.
23. The Hellfire Tunnels and Caves, West Wycombe, England
These artificial caves were dug out of the hill at West Wycombe in 1740, when the notorious owner, Sir Francis Dashwood, ordered that they be created. At the time, the creation of artificial landscapes was popular among nobility as a means of displaying wealth. The design was meant to reflect Greek myth, and the small stream at the end that is supposed to represent to river Styx.
The caves were later used for occasional meetings for the infamous Hellfire Club, of which Sir Francis Dashwood was the founder. To this day, no one knows exactly what happened in these Hellfire meetings in the caves. This place is dark and creepy and at the end of the tunnel there is an “Inner Temple” where you can watch a what some speculate a Hellfire meeting might have looked like. Any dark cave associated with the word “hell” sounds like a good old spooky place to visit on Halloween.
24. Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town, South Africa
It is no wonder that the oldest surviving building in Cape Town is rumored to be haunted. The castle, which was built between 1666 and 1679 as a replacement to an older military fortification, was declared a national monument in 1936 and has been vigorously restored. Located in the castle are cells where prisoners marked the walls with terrifying graffiti. The most decorated was the Donker Gat (the dark hole), which was a windowless dungeon and torture chamber located in the depths of this castle.
During winter floods, it has been recorded that rising water levels in the dungeons would drown prisoners chained to the walls in the dark hole. It would seem natural, then, that is castle is haunted, no? A semi-luminous ghost is said to have been seen roaming the halls of the castle and ringing the castle bell from time to time. Lady Anne Barnard, who once lived in the castle, is also said to be one of the most prominent ghosts, as her curly-haired but transparent ghost appears at parties and can be seen bathing in the Dolphin Pool of the castle.
25. Old Changi Hospital, Singapore
Singapore is rumored to be the most haunted place in all of Asia, and the Old Changi Hospital houses its fair share of supernatural guests. The run-down hospital has been a favorite spot for paranormal investigators and school children out for a ghostly thrill for years. According to rumors, voices can be heard echoing through the halls of this old hospital at night and rooms where the blood from deceased bodies was once drained have a concentration of ghostly encounters.
Brave souls now attempt to make it all the way to the roof of this creepy place, despite the fact that people who work nearby are scared of the hospital. Even if you don’t believe in ghosts, this spooky old and abandoned hospital is sure to give just about anyone the willies and only the truly adventurous should explore this notoriously haunted spot this Halloween.
26. Salem, Massachusetts, United States
Whether you believe in ghosts or not, this New England town is a great Halloween destination for anyone. I mean, witch costumes are aplenty on this holiday and pretty much every student in the United States has learned about the notorious Salem Witch trials. As the location for those famous Witch Trials, where twenty-six people accused of witchcraft were tried, convicted and put to death, Salem is now the home to several museums which describe and commemorate the witch trials.
One popular destination is The Witch House, which still stands on the corner of North and Essex streets It can be toured by Halloween lovers and tourists alike, who can see eerie memorabilia like “witch pins” and a small bottle containing finger bones. Visitors to Salem can also go on one of the many tours of the city that will tell tales of its haunted past. Not surprisingly, most of the hauntings are by people who were hanged during the Salem Witch Trials – but I can’t think of a better reason to haunt a place than being wrongly accused of witchcraft.
27. Ossuary in Hallstatt, Austria
This picturesque mountain town in Austria, which is an easy day-trip from Salzburg, is known for its ossuary full of painted skulls and stacked bones. The ossuary contains over 1200 skulls alone, with the most recent being added in 1997. The ossuary, which is located behind the Parish Church of St. Michael, contains decorated skulls dating back to the 15th century.
Due to lack of space in the cemetery, the right to any grave would expire after 10-15 years, when the bodies were then exhumed and the skulls were lovingly decorated by family members with the names of the deceased, their professions in life, when they were born, and when they died – and then placed in the ossuary. Even if you can’t read the inscriptions, you can usually tell the men from the women by the extra decorations – women tend to have flowers while men tend to have leaves.
This isn’t the first bone-filled church in Europe on this list (in fact, ossuaries like this were once incredibly common), but the decorated skulls – and the fact that it’s still in use in modern times – definitely make it an interesting Halloween destination.
28. The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado, United States
What could be scarier than sleeping in the hotel that inspired Stephen King’s famously scary novel, The Shining? The Stanley Hotel, which also happens to have commanding views of the nearby Rocky Mountain National Park, is where King was staying when he had the idea to write The Shining. The TV series based on the novel was filmed at The Stanley, but the movie itself was filmed elsewhere. Still, visitors to the Estes Park hotel can check out room #217 where King stayed and where The Shining was born.
And in addition to the already-creepy association of the hotel with one of the scariest movies in history, it’s also reportedly haunted by ghosts – including hotel founder F.O. Stanley (he prefers to hang out in the lobby and the billiard room, evidently), Flora Stanley (who occasionally still plays piano for guests in the music room), and a woman called Miss Wilson who haunts the aforementioned room #217. Guests have also said they hear children playing in the hall outside room #418 when there are no children around. So, although seeing “Redrum” written on the walls with blood is doubtful, spending a Halloween night in this spooky and supposedly haunted hotel is a good way to test your nerves.
29. Valley of the Kings, Egypt
For more than 500 years, the Valley of the Kings served as the burial place for kings and powerful nobles of Ancient Egypt. Standing on the west banks of the Nile, there are thousands or ornate tombs, some of which contain numerous entrances and complex chambers, others of which are simple pits. These tombs are also home (or, more accurately, were home) to thousands of mummies, carefully wrapped and preserved.
Since the discovery of King Tutankhamen, this area of Egypt has ignited the curiosity of archaeologists and laymen alike, who love stories of ghostly mummy raids and spooky happenings. Many of the tombs have curses written upon them, warning any who enter may suffer from death. This legend was given validity when several members of the team that first opened Tutankhamen’s tomb mysteriously died, adding to the creepy nature of this area. Whether you believe in the curse or not, this ancient burial ground remains full of mystery to this day, making it a great Halloween destination.
30. New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
As one of the oldest cities in the U.S., New Orleans has a rich and very haunted history. In fact, Halloween in New Orleans is considered second only to Mardi Gras. There are parties, masquerade balls, haunted torch tours, and special Halloween exhibits throughout the city. There is also the annual Ghost Gallivant, which takes visitors into the famous cemeteries at night and has spooky Voodoo magic themed Halloween events.
Visitors can go on tours of the famous above-ground cemeteries (including the one in which the famous Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau is buried, where devoted followers continue to leave offerings to this day), and anyone who has ever read an Anne Rice novel will want to check out her home in the Garden District – it served as her inspiration and the setting for not only some of her famous vampire books but also her series about the family of witches.
Just walking through the Garden District or French Quarter at night is enough to make anyone understand why the city is reportedly full of vampires and witches. There are ghost stories and legends in so many of the buildings and cemeteries in New Orleans that is must-see destination at Halloween – or anytime if you’re a lover of spooky things.
31. Bell Witch Cave, Tennessee, United States
To get to the source of a particularly well-known spooky legend in American folklore, you’ve got to go where the legend lives, so to speak. So to find out more about the famous Bell Witch, you’ll need to go to her cave. Local legends recount that the Bell Witch has haunted this cave since 1817, when the then-owners of the property (whose last name was Bell) were bombarded by horrible noises outside their home and one of the Bell children said she’d been assaulted by something she couldn’t see.
These days, it is said that the witch appears to people in human form and there are many unexplainable pictures of shadows and other such entities in the cave. While the cave remains in private hands, it is opened to visitors during the summer and – conveniently for you – during the month of October. Upon entering the cave, it is alleged that one will be overcome by the feeling of being watched and if you take a rock from the cave, you will forever be cursed by the Bell Witch. Many others have also reported voices in restricted areas of the cave that cannot be reached by any human.
About the Author
Bootsnall staff writer Julie Blakley’s fascination with cemeteries started at a young age, when her father would walk her through the historic cemetery bordering her preschool on their way home. Since then, she has traveled near and far, never missing an opportunity to visit cemeteries and eerie hangouts around the world. When she’s not investigating tombstones at Pere Lachaise, Julie is writing the France Travel Guide and dreaming of her next travel adventure.
original photo locations: Mummy Museum in Guanajuato from here, St. Michan’s Church in Dublin from here, Ossuary in Hallstatt from here, Fremantle Prison in Australia from here, Raynham Hall in Norfolk from here, Hellfire Caves in Buckinghamshire from here, Cape Town Castle from here, Chase Mausoleum in Barbados from here, Old Changi Hospital in Singapore from here, Bell Witch Cave in Tennessee from here.
Melbourne’s Tram Restaurant
Posted , comments closedIt’s a cold late-winter Tuesday in Melbourne and I’m standing on a tramstop under the glare of the Casino’s neon. A brown shelter keeps the rain off but not the bitter wind out. Trams rattle past ferrying commuters home from work. A crowd builds. Then, out of the fading light comes a glow of soft light. It’s here: Melbourne’s Colonial Tramcar Restaurant.
It’s an old W-class tram, painted burgundy (not the traditional green) and festooned with lights around the door, like the mirror of a faded star. It glides to a stop in front of us.
Remembrance of trams past
Let me tell you right now that I am a born and bred Melbourne girl. I grew up with trams. I caught a clanky, jerking W-class tram to and from school everyday. And along with a lot of others, I’ve watched sadly as Melbourne experiments with different shapes and sizes of more modern, smoother, big trams. The boxy shape of the W-class is the one in photos, on keyrings and T-shirts. It’s beloved of locals and tourists alike. No smooth, heated, modern ride can take its place in our hearts.
Melbourne’s restaurant trams about to pick us up for dinner
And don’t even get me started on the days when trams had conductors; I might cry a gentle tear in memory of the guy we called Frenchie: balding, grinning, accented (almost certainly not French but we were kids). He could twirl his hat around two fingers and always had a joke for the hoards of school kids besieging his tram. Then there was the conductor who overheard a gang of boys telling a racist joke: she pulled the emergency cord, delivered a lecture, and threw them out onto the street. Those were the days.
For a while, there was even a Painted Trams programme when prominent local artists decorated trams top to bottom. Moving art on the streets. Fabulous. Only in Melbourne would people say: ‘I caught the Jon Cattapan to work this morning.’ Or: ‘I crashed my car into the Mirka Mora – wrote it off but Mirka’s painting hardly had a scratch.’
Food on a tram? Quel moderne
But trams were never a place to eat. A chocolate bar perhaps. Cola and a meat pie on the way home from the football maybe. But sirloin steak? Wine? Unheard of. Until 1983 when the first Tramcar Restaurant hit the rails.
Now there are three trams with kitchens trundling around Melbourne, three times a day: lunch; early dinner (pre-theatre), and a later, longer dinner. Visitors to Melbourne flock to it – see the sights while having a meal and a glass of champagne? Genius. It’s taking the locals a little longer to catch on.
In Melbourne to visit my family, I had to work hard to persuade my sisters to consider the idea. My friends flatly refused: it’s just not the done thing as a city resident; trams are for getting from A to B, not ridden for pleasure but only out of necessity. Big mistake.
Finally, with sisters in tow…
My sisters and I huddled in our coats on windy Tramstop #125 as two restaurant trams came into view. The maitre d’ helped us board: the step up is quite steep (it’s even harder stepping down full of food and wine, trust me), showed us to our table and poured the champagne.
The interior is rich and gold. Little lamps, tasselled curtains, white table clothes and shiny silverware; a far cry from the trip to school.
Inside the tram restaurant, looking out over the Yarra River
But the thing that made us happiest was the couple seated across the aisle from our table of four. We’d noticed them at the stop: he was perfect in his suit, she had on a flippy little cocktail dress in white. Immediately we decided tonight was the night: he was going to propose. And now we were seated in prime position to hear her answer. We sipped our champagne and prepared for the romance to unfold.
We were doing the early sitting of dinner so the menu was three courses: bread and dips appetisers, steak or chicken main, white chocolate and passionfruit mousse or sticky date pudding dessert. Not hugely adventurous but they’re cooking on a tram so that’s forgiven. (The later dinner is five courses, lunch is four.)
Smooth as silk, tram-jam free
Having learnt early in life how to stand without falling over as a W-class tram bucked and braked, we were all stunned by how smooth the ride was. I know they have equipped the trams with extra suspension but they’ve also apparently recruited the most talented drivers. In fact a friend of mine confessed that when she was driving trams, she applied several times to drive the restaurant and was deemed ‘not smooth enough’.
Inside the tram restaurant
The other strong memory of standard tram travel is tram jams – getting stuck in a line of trams caught by peak hour traffic or a car turning right. The restaurant tram is carefully routed so it avoids the worst snarls, travelling mainly down roads with a designated tram lane, and seems to have been timetabled to not have to stop constantly behind the normal commuter vehicles. I have almost no memory of us stopping – except for traffic lights, or to turn around. And we departed and arrived on the minute scheduled – now, why can’t they run the whole public transport system this well?
Our route began by heading past the Casino across the Yarra River to the edge of the city. As day faded into evening, we saw the city lights twinkle, bridges and boats. Then we turned around and headed through one of Melbourne’s oldest suburbs, South Melbourne, with its grand old Victorian terrace houses and a pub on every corner.
Turning around is one of the tricks of the tram restaurant. Melbourne trams can be driven from either end. While trams around Europe swing around a huge looping track to go back the other way, their driver staying put in his chair, Melbourne trams stop in the middle of the road, the driver leaps out carrying his driving handle, runs the length of the tram, hops in the cabin at the other end, and starts driving back the way they came. What this means for diners on the restaurant tram is that it doesn’t matter which side of the table you sit – half the time you’re facing forward, and half the time you’re looking at where you’ve just been.
The food? Mostly delicious
The pate and dip for appetisers were delicious, and the champagne slipped down very well as we sat warmly behind one-way glass watching the less cosseted struggle home in the wind. Our orders were taken and the main course arrived quickly. Clearly most of the food is pre-prepared and just heated for serving on the tram. I had a vegetarian meal which was alright but nothing special, my sister-in-law had chicken which she said was a little tough, but both my sisters had steak and said it was absolutely delicious. The menu is limited and I think the trick is to choose what needs to be cooked on the spot, like steak. They were also really impressed by the local wines included in the price.
By now we were heading through St Kilda, Melbourne’s historic and quirky seaside suburb. It was dark and lights twinkled on the water of Port Phillip Bay while closer at hand people hurried to restaurants and cake shops in famous Acland Street. We stopped, the driver ran past the window, and we headed back, past theatres, and the laughing mouth of Luna Park, towards the city.
Dessert came quickly – the first dinner sitting runs to a fairly tight schedule – and the sticky date pudding was delicious. Perfect for a stormy night. My sister said the chocolate mousse could have been better. Then coffee and tea – urn not espresso machine - and yummy chocolates and liqueurs, also included in the price. They even had my favourite: Frangelico. Very happy.
Back home and pleasantly surprised
When the meal was finished, the waiter came and gave us each a flower to take home – a nice touch. Except it was a carnation: Australia has great native flowers and one of those might have been more interesting. Although, Australian flora can be a little too interesting: big, spiky, spooky. I can sort of see why they chose the carnations.
Off the tram and back on Tramstop #125, we looked at each other in surprise. It was like we’d been transported to a different world. On the tram, we’d been warm, eaten well, drunk richly, watched the world go by; now we were back in it. I could have stayed on the tram another few hours. Perhaps even remained for breakfast.
And as to the couple opposite… Well, just before dessert came, he pulled out a small wrapped box and gave it to her. She blushed and he waited. She opened it. Kissed him. We got ready to congratulate. Until we saw that it was earrings. And that she was already wearing a wedding ring. And so, thankfully, was he.
Only a birthday then. Oh well. But hey, I still got to drink champagne on a tram: never did that going to school!
-Philippa Burne
Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Melbourne tours & things to do in Melbourne, including the Colonial Tram Restaurant. You can also read reviews of the Melbourne tram restaurant and browse photos of the Melbourne tram restaurant over on the Viator site.
15 of the Best Expat Blogs
Posted , comments closed15 of the Best Expat Blogs
Of all the entertaining varieties of travel blogs out there, there’s one category that sets itself apart in a way that I find most appealing – and that’s the expat blog. I’m a wannabe expat myself, so clearly that’s part of the draw for me, but I also think the way an expat approaches blogging is inherently different from any other travel blogger. In fact, many of them wouldn’t even consider themselves travel bloggers, and there’s a good reason for that.
It’s because they’re not.
Being an expat blogger can mean writing about cultural observations about one’s chosen home, or about the new cafe or shop or museum one discovers in the getting-to-know-you phase of living in a different place. But once you’re settled in, it can be hard to continue to look at where you live as a traveler might. Which is why so many expat blogs are one part travel guide, one part cultural anthropology class, and one part “what I had for breakfast” blog.
Obviously, with this kind of ingredient list it takes a good writer (or photographer) to keep things interesting. So in this article I want to highlight a few of what I think are the best expat blogs out there.
15 of the Best Expat Blogs (in No Particular Order)
Miss Expatria (Rome & Montpellier) – Christine Cantera, AKA Miss Expatria, is one of my favorite bloggers, period. She’s hysterically funny but also unfailingly charming with her enthusiasm for everything. She’s like a kid in the candy store of the world, and no matter where she is she’s in love with something enough to tell you about it. Reading her blog, you feel like you’re chatting with an old friend over coffee. Or wine. Or both.
David Lebovitz: Living the Sweet Life in Paris (Paris) – David’s a food writer who lives in Paris, so the blog is equal parts food porn and Parisian (sweet) life. His cultural observations are amusing as well as interesting, and a recent post about what he’d miss if he moved away from Paris was particularly enlightening. (His Twitter updates are immensely entertaining as well.)
Alexandre Gervais (Tokyo) – Alexandre Gervais’ self-titled blog is a showcase for his photography, and what beautiful photography it is. He’s from Montreal, and moved to Japan to learn Japanese – thankfully he’s also a top-notch photographer who enjoys sharing his surroundings with the rest of the world. The words are minimal on the site, but the pictures are huge; and, for photo-geeks, the technical details of each picture are provided, too.
Traveling Mama (Morocco) – Tina and her family are, technically speaking, in the middle of something of a round-the-world trip. It’s just that they’ve been in Morocco since early 2007 and her husband runs a language school there – so I think it’s probably more accurate to call them expats than travelers at the moment. Either way, the blog is beautiful (the fact that Tina’s husband is also a skilled photographer doesn’t hurt!) and the writing lovely.
Danish Accent (Portland) – One of the best things about an expat blog is the potential for seeing your own home country in a new way, so finding expat blogs in the United States is particularly fun – especially when that blogger lives part-time in your home city, too! Peter Fogtdal is an author who splits his time between Copenhagen in his native Denmark and Portland, Oregon, where he’s a literature and writing professor. His blog includes posts about his travels and cultural observations, as well as information about the books he’s written.
Still Life in South America (Buenos Aires) – As the about page of this blog states, it’s “part travel journal and part resource for fellow travelers,” which is a pretty good combination for an expat blog. It’s written by an American writer and English professor who moved to South America in early 2008 with her husband in order to learn Spanish, and they’ve lived in Buenos Aires since mid-2009. You may never know the name of “the writer,” but the writing is great, and the photos are plentiful.
Isoglossia (Slovenia & Bulgaria) – I’m oddly drawn to Isoglossia, despite it feeling like it’s more about things like potty-training and other child-rearing topics than about travel, because the author is bitingly funny. John is an American who recently moved his family from Slovenia to Sofia, Bulgaria, so it’s possible the new environs will inspire more travel-esque posts in the future. Even if that’s not the case, however, the site is worth stopping by for a good chuckle now and then (as is the Twitter feed). And any travel trivia freak will be happy to know just what an isogloss is.
Rome Photo Blog (Rome) – There’s no shortage of “daily photo blogs,” but I particularly like Jessica Stewart’s. She’s a talented photographer who has a knack for spotting things in her adopted city that you might miss if you were just passing through (she’s particularly fascinated by street art). Looking at her photos makes me look at my surroundings, wherever I am, in a new way – which is a great attitude to have whether you’re traveling or not.
Diary of a White Indian Housewife (Mumbai) – Sharell met the man of her dreams in a Kolkata nightclub while on leave from her job in Melbourne, and that changed her life forever. They got married and moved to Mumbai, where she is – as the blog title indicates – a “white Indian housewife” who writes about travel in India for About.com and about life in India on her blog. There are cultural observations, travel tips, and tidbits about daily life – and there are also lots of pictures.
Le Franco Phoney (La Clusaz) – As you can probably tell from the cute blog name, this blogger has a sense of humor. Australian April Hollands moved to the French Alps after two stints living in England in order to be closer to snow (she loves winter sports), and has been blogging since mid-2008. April’s a writer with a background in journalism, but don’t worry about getting overwhelmed by hard-hitting serious topics on her blog. You’ll find more in the way of funny observations about life in France on the blog than anything else, and that’s one of the things that makes it so delightful.
Touching Up My Roots (Croatia) – This blog is about one American family’s journey tracing ancestral roots in Mrkopalj, Croatia. The blog’s author, Jennifer, is the one with the Croatian family ties, but her husband and their two kids are along for the adventure, too. There’s evidently a book in the works, but you can follow along before publication on Jen’s Croatia blog – full of photos and colorful local personalities. And for fun, check out the kids’ blog, too.
From Russia With Love (Rostov-on-Don) – Eileen Emch is a missionary in “the largest city in southwest Russia,” Rostov-on-Don, and has lived there since 1999. She’s been blogging since 2006, and her blog is full of observations on both the local culture and what travel is like in the former Soviet Union. She’s an experienced and eager traveler (not to mention an eager blogger), and she takes lots of pictures.
Living in Egypt (Cairo) – As Maryanne Stroud Gabbani says on her website, “I have experienced Egypt myself as a tourist and then as someone living here on a day to day basis. I know the difference.” Maryanne’s been in Egypt since the 1980s, blogging since 2003, and she now leads horseback riding tours in Giza. Her perspectives as both a long-time local and yet still an outsider make for an interesting read.
Emilie Johnson (Paris) – There’s a nice mixture on this blog of travel tidbits and what Emilie’s daily life is like in Paris, plus she takes lovely photos. The cast of characters includes her French husband and his adorable daughter as well as her in-laws, so you get a feel for French family life in addition to expat life. Read up on Parisian life quickly, though, as it appears Emilie’s returning to New York (with her French family in tow) in early 2010. Let’s just hope she keeps blogging.
Ahoy, Hanoi! (Hanoi) – Although the author of this blog is starting to bounce around a bit location-wise, he’s still firmly outside his home country and pretty funny no matter where he is. Ben August had planned to spend six months in Hanoi, but then he met a girl – you know how that goes. He ended up staying for more than a year, and even returned after traveling for awhile. Ben’s got a great sense of humor, and posts lots of photos and video of his life in Vietnam and his travels throughout the region.
Finding Expat Bloggers
We’ve all heard how everyone has a blog these days, and sometimes that feels true – which is why I said this is only a list of some of the great expat blogs out there. There are, as you might expect, a kajillion (that’s a technical term) expat blogs, and a huge number of them are really interesting.
If you’re looking for more expat blogs, one handy place to look – especially if you’re looking for blogs in a specific location – is the Expat Blogs site. You can find blogs by country, and you can also find information about living in that country.
And if your favorite expat blog wasn’t included in this list above, please let us know what it is in the comments section below. We love finding out about new expats worth following.
About the Author
BootsnAll staff writer Jessica Spiegel is midway through the excessively long paperwork process involved in becoming a legal immigrant to Italy, and in the meantime she continues to write about Italy travel for BnA on WhyGo Italy. You can also find her on Twitter @italylogue.
photo by mangpages
I’ve been up the mountain and I had a choice – Huayna Potosi, Bolivia
Posted , comments closedI’ve been up the mountain and I had a choice – Huayna Potosi, Bolivia
I have just returned from Huayna Potosi and my initial feelings are that I will be a happier man if I never set eyes on it again. I still feel physically terrible from the ordeal, quite simply it was the hardest thing I have ever done.
There turned out to be seven of us who were gluttons for punishment; three Israeli’s, one of them a girl and each with equally unpronounceable names, a red-haired Australian called Scott who confessed he’d never actually seen snow in the flesh so to speak, a Frenchmen named Julian, and James and myself (two fine upstanding Englishmen). Throughout the entire kitting up process and drive to the first “refuge”, everyone’s spirits were noticeably high as we shared a few jokes in the minibus. Though I became a bit worried we might be out of depth when we encountered a group of Brazilian mountaineers there preparing to climb the mountain as part of their training for an Everest expedition next year!
Leading us were a group of three experienced mountaineers, all indigenous Bolivians, Quechua-speaking save for a smattering of Spanish and wearing state of the art gear “loaned” to them by the tour company. Truth be told all were probably desperately poor and reliant on the tips of tourists for their livelihood. We were told that victims of altitude sickness frequently had to be taken down the mountain by the guides and for that reason the company operated on a 2:1 tourist to guide ratio. Obviously someone had played a bit fast and loose with the remainders when calculating the needs of our party.
The first day was surprisingly civilised, intended as it was, to ease us into the task ahead and further acclimatise us to the altitude. We arrived at the refuge unloaded all the kit, took in the scenery, which was impressive, then had a nice two course lunch, (one of them being that Bolivian staple, chip soup), before heading off for a practice ice climb. That involved a 3 hour round trek and a crash course in basic ice axe, crampon and rope climbing techniques. I found the ice climbing difficult, my ice axed seemed to have an annoying habit of bouncing off the ice instead of burrowing into it, but I wasn’t worried. I’m not a performing monkey, I do it when it matters. My mood improved. This might not be the most ill-advised thing I have ever agreed to, I thought.
In celebration of this revelation and in the absence of any TV or radio or books, or indeed anything, we played charades. And by “we”, I mean me and James as everyone else pretended they didn’t know the rules and had no interest in learning them. Two man charades is an interesting game; it seemed from the reactions of the refuge’s other inhabitants to give more pleasure to the spectator than it did to the participant. I can’t imagine why. Anyway this epic encounter had to end at some point and after the excitement had died down we went to bed. At 8.30pm.
The next day we set off to refuge number two, where we would spend that night, before our final push to the summit. We retraced the previous day’s steps to the place where we practiced our ice climbing, then pushed on further, our guides leading the way, setting a pace that although not lightening, showed no signs of relenting. It became clear that breaks would not be on today’s agenda. At one point we had to walk on top of the water pipes which took water from the mountains down towards La Paz. For some reason this reminded me of the iconic scene in Stand By Me, where they walk down the railway track. I decided to lighten the mood a little bit by whistling a bit of Ben E King. Nobody else joined in. They probably had their minds on the task in hand, but I’m pretty sure they appreciated it.
After about four hours or so of trudging along we reached a glacier over which a guide informed us was the second refuge or high camp. The glacier sloped up around 100m or so, regardless we were told not to bother with crampons as these were only needed for the next day. Instead we used our ice axes like a kind of walking stick and contoured up the treacherous slope, Chaplin-esque. I’ve got to be honest I did question the guides decision that crampons were superfluous to requirements for this section as we repeatedly slipped and slid our way up. But on seeing them stroll up in their trainers, casually smoking bare-handed whilst the rest of us wore two pairs of gloves each, I decided not to question their leadership. James and I pushed on to the glacier top where we sat and waited for the group to reassemble. Looking down we saw Matta, one of the Israeli’s, (who I believe may have shortened his name for my benefit), and Julian who were really struggling, lying on their backs in the snow catching their breath. We decided maybe now was a good time to start taking our Sorochi altitude pills, each one so big it practically needed two bites.
I’d love to hear how an estate agent would describe the second refuge. Perhaps as “homely”, “compact”, almost certainly in a “secluded location” and most likely as “rustic” and “oozing with charm and character”. Personally I’d describe it as a dilapidated two room shack, lacking any basic amenities, stuck on the side of a bloody great mountain 5000m up, though that may lack a certain je ne sais quoi. It consisted of a kitchen of sorts, where chip soup (inevitably) and hot drinks could be prepared on a calor gas stove and a bedroom in which the ten of us would all sleep. The three guides on the floor, the seven of us above them on a kind of shelf, huddled together against the minus 20 degree cold of outside. I can be as condescending as I like now, but it did the job. Not that there was much time given over to sleeping, mind. In order to reach the summit before the sun came up and the melting snow became dangerous, we were to be woken at 2am for a 3am start. One guide had already “bagsied” me and James, not so much impressed by us I felt as happy to avoid taking Matta and Julian who looked increasingly sick as the afternoon wore on.
As the plan dictated at 2am, we were woken and began getting dressed by candle/head torch light. 3 pairs of socks, 3 pairs of trousers, 2 thermal vests, 1 alpaca hoody, 2 coats, 2 pairs of gloves, hat, helmet, gators, mountain boots and crampons later, I was ready and looking bloody cool I’d imagine. Our guide however, broke any delusions we may have had (and I certainly did) of being fearless explorers, by roping James and I to him, like a pair of naughty horses.
And so we walked, trudged and plodded through snow and ice and any and every conceivable mixture of the two. It was pitch dark and we walked with our heads down in silence. None of us spoke. There was no small talk. This seemed appropriate giving the mountain the solemnity it deserved. As we walked higher we saw the impressive lights of La Paz, the world’s highest capital far below. Other than that we looked at the ground. Anything else became too much effort. After two hours or so, it was an effort to put one foot in front of the other. You had to find rhythm in the monotony of plodding on, to distract you from the tiredness. Occasionally we stopped for drinks and chocolate bars that my stomach could no longer take, our guide expressing approval of our progress with the odd “muy bien”. Around half five our guide instructed us to rest, we had reached the final approach. So impressed was he at our pace that he “rewarded” us with the difficult ascent: up a 60 degree slope of compressed snow and ice around 150m high I guessed. I’d hate to have pissed him off! Everyone else was “punished” with a gentler ascent along the summit ridge. Even the Brazilian Everest wannabees took the easy route.
The next 45 minutes to an hour were not pretty. Climbing as we had been taught to do so, first our ice axe, then digging the spikes of one crampon in, then the other, ensuring that two of this three anchored you into the cliff face at all times. Our guide advised us “despacio, despacio” (slowly), as if there was another choice. Fatigue and altitude were winning. Snail’s pace does snails everywhere a disservice, we would have killed to have attained snail’s pace. Ever frequently I had to demand a rest, at which point I buried my covered head into the cliff face taking the strain off my muscles, and gasped for amounts of oxygen that weren’t there. Increasingly my willpower became weaker than my lungs and we could barely go for 2 minutes before I needed to stop. Not until our progress took us within sight of the still dark summit did I discover a steelier resolve and manage to wrench myself to the top with an impressive 5 minute continuous ‘burst’.
The summit itself proved far from the sanctuary we had envisaged, a most inhospitable place you had to be roped onto less you get blown off. Nevertheless we had made it and before sunrise. Although this latter point is, in my eyes, not so much an achievement as an oversight, as it turns out summits are pretty cold and if the sun is yet to come up you can’t see anything. Imagine our surprise then to find Matta already up there, having raced round the summit ridge route with his guide, seemingly recovered from the altitude sickness that had afflicted him just the day before. By way of celebration he decided to strip completely naked for a photograph, much to the amusement of the two guides, one of whom turned to me and said “I’ll give him four minutes”. I’m still unsure if he was joking or not. We posed for a few pictures with a Bolivian flag we had got from the recent world cup qualifier against Venezuela in La Paz, I inwardly cursed both the metric system and our decision to use it writing the mountain’s height on the flag. 6088m is just not as good as 19,976ft anyway you spin it. Subsequently I have told anyone who will listen and many who won’t that the mountain I climbed was 20,000ft, it just sounds better and is easier to remember. On our way down we encountered the others on the way up, minus Julian whose sickness did not miraculously disappear. We exchanged a knowing nod, which I think communicated congratulations to each other, commiserations for Julian and never again for any of us!