The Globetrotters eNewsletter
eNewsletter Archive

On how my first birdwatching trip to Candaba, Pampanga
Province, Philippines made my enthusiasm for conservation take flight.

Trudging stealthily on a marshland trail, struggling to keep alert despite it
being 5:30 in the morning. With binoculars slung over my neck and a species
list on hand, I tried to make as little noise as possible. Is this an
episode from National Geographic or a feature on the Discovery Channel? No,
but that’s what I felt like on my first bird-watching trip.

It was a cold day in November when I was surprisingly able to coerce two of
my friends to pry ourselves out of bed at 3 in the morning to drive down to
the Haribon Foundation center. All we knew to prepare for the trip was to wear
dark clothing, bring a hat, some food and pay the joining fee. There I met
some 20 or so individuals, scientists, bird-watching enthusiasts from here
and abroad, and regular clueless folks like me.
src="http://www.globetrotters.co.uk/newsletter/pictures/enews_052004_image003.jpg" align=left
alt="our brief encounter with an injured bird">
We got to our destination the Candaba Marsh at dawn, and even before getting
off our van, they told us to spot Egrets flying over and into the distance. How
majestic they looked! Enormous wing span and quite easy to spot due to their
size and number. It was right about there when I was handed a checklist of
the different species of birds we could spot in this particular location. My
eyes widened as I counted 92 listed there! And I was only expecting maybe 2
or 3 species! I couldn’t believe that we had so many different kinds of
birds here in the country! It was also of major interest to me that as one
scientist noted, the Philippines has 80 or so endemic species whereas
countries like the UK had none. All the more curious, I was to find out how
many I’d be able to spot at the end of the day.

My excitement mounted as our scientists Blas Tabaranza and Tim Fisher pointed
out to us the lone Purple Heron sitting high atop a sparsely leafed tree, the
many Black Winged Stilts, easily identified by their long bright red spindly
legs and the daintily colored Blue-Tailed Bee-eater. I was pleasantly
educated that even the Chestnut Munia or “Maya”. the local name for
the common sparrow, was not the Maya I thought to be. Its head was black and
body brown. All in all I was able to jot down 19 kinds of birds that day. I’m
quite sure that wasn’t all there were that day since the I wasn’t able to
quickly spot everything pointed out to us.

Whereas before I saluted Haribon’s conservation efforts only in theory, to be
alongside them was a concrete expression, one that further strengthened my
resolve to support the projects and one that I hope would be followed up with
many more wonderfully mind-broadening adventures!

Christina Alejandro is a product designer for a chain of gift shops and also
a member of the WWF and Haribon Foundation, both environment oriented
organizations. She loves travelling and has visited the US, Europe,
Australia and some Asian countries. Christina’s website is: href="http://welcome.to/calej">http://welcome.to/calej

All long-distance buses seem to
have termini fairly near the Central Station [trains]. Outside this there is
a massive square where most local buses start and from the other side there
are roads into the centre, of which the Via Roma is the widest. The place
where I stayed is just to the left of the Via Roma [third turn] and is
visible from it. This is the Rosalia Conco d’Oro, completely
unprepossessing from outside but snug, clean, comfortable and friendly inside
and with a lift to the third floor reception and rooms. Toilets and showers
are shared but I never had to wait.

However short your time here,
there is one thing which is simply NOT TO BE MISSED, the Duomo at Monreale.
This means one of the buses which does not start from the station and it is
necessary to get first to the Piazza del’Indepenza to catch it. [Bus
#309 from the station.] Words fail me at describing the appeal of this
cathedral and I am happy to quote from the Rough Guide ‘the most
extraordinary and extensive area of Christian medieval mosaicwork in the
world, the apex of Sicilian-Norman art.’ I certainly cannot envisage
anything better. To me this is one of the sights of Europe. Although totally
different in style, I should place it in the same quality box as the
Alhambra.

This Duomo must have been quite
remarkable in the twelfth century for the dazzling speed of its construction.
It is believed that it was done and dusted within twelve years. The reason
for this would appear to have been political rivalry between the king and an
archbishop but it does leave us now with a whole building of a single style.
I regarded this visit as being of great historical interest as I had seen
nothing of this type of Greek and Byzantine workmanship, but I did not expect
it to appeal to me artistically. Talk about being bowled over; the impact of
the view of the interior on entry was like a physical blow. Although I have
seen nothing of its type to equal it, it has left me ready to appreciate a
much wider artistic range of church interiors.

I suppose the crowning glory in
terms of art must be the mighty mosaic of Christ – ‘mighty’
not used lightly here as the head and shoulders are a good sixty feet high! I
think, however that the ones that moved me once were those of most of the
best known Old Testament accounts which go all around just below the high
windows of the nave. Some real humour is very visible in the sections on the
Creation and Noah’s Ark. Lastly, on the subject of this cathedral, do
not on any account miss seeing the cloisters. I forget whether the entrance
is on the same wall as that to the cathedral or the wall to the right hand
side as you face it, but it is worth finding.

There are some wonderful
mosaics elsewhere in Palermo as well. The church of La Martorana near the
centre has some of these and is probably one of the first things to see in
Palermo. However do not miss seeing the church next to it as well, the little
twelfth century chapel of San Cataldo. This is innocent of mosaics, very
plain in fact, but its very simplicity gives it a considerable appeal.
Strange to English eyes but rather appealing too, are the bright red domes of
the roof. I have more difficulty in writing about the Palazzo dei Normanni,
now the seat of Sicily’s autonomous government. Only a limited amount
can be visited here but this includes the Capella Palatina. Here there are mosaics
which should logically have something of the same effect as those at Monreale.
However for me, although I could appreciate the skill and artistry well
enough, they had no such impact. It was not anti-climax because I saw these
before going out to Monreale. In the Capella I was more fascinated by the
lovely Arabic ceiling. Whilst on the subject of churches I shall mention one
that is no longer consecrated but is a striking building. This is San
Giovanni degli Eremiti, not far from the Piazza del’ Independenza and
the Norman palace. The twelfth century church was built on the remains of an
earlier mosque and it is very much an Arabic type of building, well worth a
visit, although its Christian style cloisters also call. The fact that the
garden is now quite wild seems to enhance rather than detract from the beauty
of the building.

David was a keen walker,
particularly on mountains before he developed serious heart problems in 1995.
He has now adapted his holidays to what he is able to do and we are
presenting his account of 12 days in Sicily over this and the coming months.
Next two episodes: Palermo.

Next episode – Palermo Part 2

The success of the Harry Potter
films has resulted in a spate of tour operators organising tours of Harry
Potter film locations - and don’t forget there’s a third Harry
Potter film coming out in June 2004. There’s no reason why you cannot
see some of these locations yourself without joining a tour. Here is where
some of Harry Potter’s movie locations can be found:

Hogwarts school was shot in and
around Lacock Abbey with some additional computer graphics to add to the
mystery. Some of the scenes in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the
third soon to be released movie were shot around the narrow streets and
stalls of south London’s Borough Market – a favourite movie set where
much of Bridgit Jones was filmed.

Platform 9-¾ was filmed at
London’s main line station, King’s Cross between platforms 4 and 5. This
is where Hogwarts students catch the train to Hogwarts boarding school. These
days you will see, as the Beetle did the other day, a simple Platform 9-¾
sign hanging on a brick wall in a corner of the station. The adjoining
railway station, the Gothic-style St. Pancras, was used for exterior shots. Australia
House in central London provides the façade for Gringott’s Bank.

Various sites around Oxford were
used in the first two films. Christchurch College was a model for the
Hogwarts dining hall. Parts of the Bodleian Library were used for Hogwarts
school scenes (the Divinity School as the Hogwarts hospital wing; Duke Humfrey’s
Library as the Hogwarts library. The cloister and other parts of 900 year old
Gloucester Cathedral were used in Hogwarts scenes. Up in the north
east of England, the exterior of Alnwick Castle was used for Hogwarts’ Quidditch
games and flying classes.

• The British tourist office can
  provide information, including a map of some Harry Potter film locations (0800-462-2748)
  or go to www.travelbritain.org/moviemap).
• Warner
  Brothers’ official Harry Potter movie site has previews and more: href="http://www.harrypotter.com">www.harrypotter.com.
• The BBC has Web pages with useful information and photos on Harry Potter
  sets, including Lacock, Oxford and Gloucester. See: href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/oxford/harry_potter/index.shtml">www.bbc.co.uk/oxford/harry_potter/index.shtml

If you ever wondered which
European countries were joining the European Union this year, look no
further, for here is a list:

Travel industry experts say that
small central European countries joining the European Union on May 1 are
unlikely to lose their identity as visitors flood in. The concerns increased following an announcement by
low-cost airline easyJet earlier in the year that it will start flights to
the Slovenian capital Ljublijana. “It is a viable worry,” Frances Tuke,
of the Association of British Travel Agents, told CNN. “There is always
some concern over any new travel destination that is poorer than the origin
of its tourists.” And Matthew Mavir, boss of lastnightoffreedom.com, a
stag and hen weekend package supplier, warned that Ljublijana could easily
lose its identity as the big tour operators move in. “It has happened
with Prague and Dublin, so there is a definite danger,” Mavir said. “The more money you can save on a low-cost flight to these places, the
more you have to spend on beer and going out.” easyJet’s
spokeswoman refuted this saying: “That is unfair: easyJet carries a
whole range of people from all walks of life, from students to lords and
ladies.” A spokeswoman from the Slovenian Tourist Board in London said
that Ljublijana attracted a sophisticated sector of the market that would
appreciate its charms. “Hotels in the city are still expensive,” she said.

I’m writing this as we
turn into Spring. The weather is on the turn now. Each day you can feel it
getting slightly warmer, although it does still get a bit nippy at night. A
couple of Saturdays ago my friend Joao came over from Lisbon and we had a
late lunch sitting by the sea enjoying the sunshine and the following day I
drove up to Ericeira to meet up with my friend Vanessa to visit Mafra market.

I left home about 9.00 and had
a fabulous drive up the coast. Everywhere is so green at the moment and the
blossom is starting to come out. Even the badly burnt areas around Mafra
have changed colour. All the allotment areas are a vision of freshly turned
earth and newly planted vegetables. The locals were all out along the
roadside with their little tables selling bags of potatoes, onions, turnips,
garlic, bread, chorizo etc etc. This is quite a common sight at weekends and
in some places you can buy beautiful bunches of flowers. There is a lovely
miniature village on the outskirts of Ericeira and opposite it is an area
just devoted to vegetables and fresh bread. The miniature village also does
a mean doughnut – always worth a stop!

We set off to explore further
up the coast towards Peniche. It was lovely to see new parts of the country.
The coastline is very beautiful and the villages and little
towns quite fascinating. Some are still very traditional and quaint but
spoilt by seventies infill building. We also passed a very amusing Vespa
rally. This consisted of about 80 different coloured Vespas of varying ages,
driven by young, middle-aged and old bikers!

Then, of course, lunch beckoned.
The previous weekend Vanessa had been to a restaurant that she said was
amazing so we tootled off back towards Ericeira looking for the village. We
found it quite easily but then had to ask directions to the restaurant. She
said that the road went from tarmac to rough but when the rough started it
was something else. Basically the road ran out at the edge of a cliff. I
sort of sat there dumbstruck and she offered to drive – I gratefully
accepted. The access to this restaurant is down a rough three-quarter size
track with a direct drop into the ocean and has about three hairpin bends in
it! She managed perfectly of course. It’s me – I hate heights
and can’t swim, so that combination was a guarantee of a panic!

The place was fantastic. It’s
on the edge of the cliff with views out over the Atlantic (next coastline the
USA). It is run by fishermen so the fish is chucked up the cliff and
straight into the kitchen. It has three dining rooms and by the time we left
at about 1.30 the place was packed out. Because we were early (12.10) we
managed to get a table for two by the window. The majority of the tables
were already set up for families with bread, olives, pasteis (home made mixed
fish ones) and varying sizes of big saucepans containing caldeirada (a
wonderful Portuguese fish stew). There was a daily fish menu but they also
did meat dishes. The kitchen was open to view and the chef is a fisherman
himself.

Vanessa had a half portion (a
full portion can feed three) of mixed fried cuttlefish and manta ray which
was served with tomato and black bean rice and chips in small chunks; I had a
skewer of monkfish with prawns with a salad. We had a local bottle of
fabulous white wine and the total bill was 21 euros (approximately £14). Can’t
wait to go again but only if Vanessa will drive down the cliff!

Eventually made it to Mafra
market. It’s a good market with the usual stalls of T-shirts, jeans,
bedding, household goods, baskets, materials, sunglasses etc. The underwear
stall was selling bras and knickers at 2 euros a piece! And good quality too.
It was a very windy day so the stallholders were desperately holding things
down with the nearest available stone. The market is held in front of the Mafra
Palace which makes it a rather good setting. The olives they sell on Cascais
market are beautiful. I bought some big black ones (€2.70 a kilo) and
marinated them in garlic, olive oil, Italian seasoning and chilli flakes.

Which countries are represented by these flags? For the
answers, see at the end of the e-news.

We are sorry to say that Mac is not very well, but he is still e-mailing
strong and recently sent the Beetle a collection of Mac reminiscences about
some of his travels in 1992. Here we have thoughts and experiences on India.

Vasco De Gama, Goa, India 14 Jan 1992. Got on narrow
gauge train at 830PM and arrived at Mirji Junction at 5AM where I was to
change for a wide gauge train to Delhi at 7AM. They put a notice on board in
station what train car you are suppose to go on and what berth. My name was
not on the list although I had made a reservation. Sometimes they would have
my name as Wilfred (my first name) as last name and no reservation under
either my first, middle or last name. I then looked for the number 67 (my
age then.) They put your age beside your name so all India now knows my age.
There was not even a number lucky 67 number. The station supervisor was not
worried. He said the conductor would know even if my name was not there
and to get in berth A5 if no one was in this berth. This was not
First Class which my ticket was, but second class air conditioned
sleeper which I had found I already preferred to First Class.

They gave me a side bed without curtain (all others had)
and it is door where everyone passes. It is like laying on display in Lenin’s
Tomb with a continual parade of people going through door and looking at me
in surprise. Ha! It turned out though to be a good way to meet people as
many asked me where I was from and asked me to visit them if I passed through
their city. I met the High Sheriff of Calcutta this way, a lady Indian
architect (unusual) and a Indian Army Officer that later showed me all around
Agra on his motorcycle.

Kalismer India. Got a haircut and shave in a hole in a
wall barber shop that was just wide enough for a barber chair and with a
mirror in front of you and a mirror in back of you. You could see what the
barber was doing to the back of your head. What a good idea. Barber spent
ten minutes lathering and brushing my face and then shaved it. It was so
cheap that I had him do it a second time! 5 rupees (twenty cents.)
Haircut was 10 rupees (forty cents) Getting a shave and haircut in
India was like it used to be in Japan with lots of attention and I like that.

At the YMCA hotel in New Delhi they gave you a card with
address, phone number, your room number and on its back a map of city
showing location of your hotel. Great Idea.

30 Jan 1992 in New Delhi, India. If in Delhi, try to be
there around the 26 Jan for their national day. Parades with decorated
Elephants, colourful pageants etc.) When I ordered eggs fried sunny side up
this morning they did not understand sunny side up. An Indian said I should
have said eggs Bulls eye if I wanted them sunny side up.

The huge Jain Mosque, the largest in India in Old Delhi
has souvenir stands in front selling pictures of Saddam Hussein (whatever
happened to him??) of Iraq. No pictures of Bush or me.

In the First Class waiting room in Old Delhi train station
(there is an Old Delhi Train Station and a New Delhi Train Station (different
trains to different destinations leave from each and they are quite
aways apart. Both of them are old and I am usually at the wrong one. A
well dressed Indian came up to me in the 1st Class waiting room with a porter
(coolie) (they do call them coolies) carrying his luggage (brand new) on his
head (on the coolies head.) He spoke to me and asked where I was from.
He had just came from one of the Arab States (Qatar) where he had worked as
an engineer for several years. When I mentioned about the mosque
having pictures of Saddam Hussein for sale outside the mosque and that I had
heard there was a bar in Dubai that was serving both sides at the same time (Iraqis,
Iranians off ships and American servicemen at the same time to the surprise
of both sides he said he was not surprised that the Iraq Embassy in Bahrain
was open all during the 1992 Gulf War. I didn’t think Iraqis or Iranians
Moslems drank but some do. This bar was Ponchos, was a Mexican style bar,
very popular with foreigners living in Dubai and one time a ship had been torpedoed
and those rescued and the torpeaders were in bar at the same time !) Dubai
evidently allows or looks the other way at some practices that other Arab
countries don’t allow.

In Indian train station waiting rooms I would
sometimes lay my silver space blanket down on the floor and sleep using my
belongings as a pillow. If I had to go to the toilet I would sometimes ask
an Indian lady if one was there (although I think they had separate rooms for
women only if they desired) to look after my stuff. I found Indian women
were flattered if you talked to them as a human being and they were very good
at giving information and looking after ones stuff and one. It was just me
sleeping on the floor many others did too. Instead of getting up early at
your lodging for an early train I would sleep that night in the waiting room
as did many Indians.

The Indian engineer said they had fantastic lotteries in
Dubai. They will deliver the prizes anyplace in the world. Luxury cars, lotteries
for apartments in London and Washington, D.C. etc. Fantastic duty fee shops
and Dubai is a world of luxury. Qatar is one of the richest countries in the
world (Kuwait used to be)

I was in India several times using Indian Rail Pass.
You were not questioned about sleeping in 1st class if you had a rail
pass. Besides the waiting rooms some of the train stations had accommodations
(with beds, mosquito knits etc ) nearby Arriving in Calcutta at an
ungodly hour I slept in these accommodations one time rather than try
to make it outside that early.

India is interesting.

And on a parting note: The National Geographic Traveller
for April 2004 has a very good article on the Rajasthan section of India. To
me that is the most exotic part of India. I found this comment amusing. “If you find the sometimes less than spotless conditions in India up
setting try pretending you’re British. The British don’t mind a
little dirt,” a resident of Jaipur commented. “They look on
it as part of the adventure” Me: if my British friends at the
Globetrotters Club want to sue National Geographic, I can get them a good lawyer!
Another comment was that if someone in India puts a garland of flowers around
your neck you are supposed after a few minutes to take the garland off and
carry it in your hand to show that you are humble. I wore mine for days. No
wonder India asked me to leave!

If you would like to contact Mac, he is happy to answer
e-mails: macsan400@yahoo.com

Ever tried to book a reasonably priced hotel room in London?
Failed miserably? Well, look no further. easyJet founder Stelios
Haji-Ioannou has come up with a new idea (although we’d like to know
what happened to easyCruise?) – he has bought a 12-room hotel in
Kensington, London and plans an easyHotel brand which is hoped to be
replicated around the world.

The hotel aims to replicate the success of his budget
airline with bargain prices in return for a genuinely no frills “sleep-and-shower” experience. The room is one of 25 in what will
be London’s closest equivalent to Tokyo’s “capsule hotels”, though
there will at least be space to stand up. The hotel’s prefabricated 9ft by
10ft rooms, probably made out of glass fibre or moulded plastic, will be
slotted into the shell of the 19th century building and connected up to water
and electricity.

Guests will be provided with a Japanese-style double
mattress bed with clean sheets and a duvet, a shower, a lavatory, wash basin
with a mirror and a rack for hanging clothes - and a roll of toilet paper. There
will be no breakfast included, no restaurant, not even a reception desk, no
phones, TVs, nor will there be any pictures on the wall or carpet on the
floor. Towels and toiletries will have to be provided by the guests, and
anyone who wants their bed made during the day will be charged extra.

Some of the rooms, which are only nine times bigger than a
phone box, may not even have windows. All bookings will be made on the
internet or over the phone. Those who book early for stays on the less
popular nights will get the £5 bargains. However, the average price is
likely to be just over £30 - the level at which Mr Haji-Ioannou says the
hotel will break even. The top price will be around £50 to £60 for those
taking the last few available rooms. For more info and pictures of the new
hotel in Kensington, London, see: http://www.easyhotel.com/

What is it: Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a disease that is spread
to humans by infected mosquitoes in Asia. It is one of a group of
mosquito-borne virus diseases that can affect the central nervous system and
cause severe complications and even death. It is a seasonal disease that
usually occurs in the summer and fall in temperate regions of China, Japan,
and Korea. In other places, disease patterns vary with rainy seasons and
irrigation practices.

How do I get it: JE virus is transmitted chiefly by mosquitoes that
live in rural rice-growing and pig-farming regions.

What happens if I get it: symptoms usually appear 6-8 days after the bite of an
infected mosquito. Most infected persons develop mild symptoms or no symptoms
at all. In people who develop a more severe disease, Japanese encephalitis
usually starts as a flu-like illness, with fever, chills, tiredness,
headache, nausea, and vomiting. Confusion and agitation can also occur in
the early stage. The illness can progress to a serious infection of the brain
(encephalitis) and can be fatal in 30% of cases. Among the survivors,
another 30% will have serous brain damage, including paralysis.

Diagnose and treatment: diagnosis is based on tests
of blood or spinal fluid. There is no specific treatment for Japanese
encephalitis. A vaccine is licensed for use in travellers whose itineraries
might put them at risk for Japanese encephalitis. All travellers should take
the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites to prevent Japanese
encephalitis and other mosquito-borne diseases.

How can I
avoid contractingJapanese
encephalitis: avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. The mosquitoes that
transmit Japanese encephalitis feed mainly outside during the cooler hours at
dusk and dawn. Travellers should minimize outdoor activities at these times,
use mosquito repellent on exposed skin, and stay in air-conditioned or
well-screened rooms. Travellers to rural areas should use a bed net and
aerosol room insecticides.

Ryanair will not be offering flights to Eastern Europe,
despite European Union expansion, according to chief executive Michael
O’Leary. Potential growth on routes into Poland and nine other
countries who joined the EU on 1 May sparked speculation of a pending sweep
into the region by low cost carriers, but Ryanair are wary. O’Leary
said: “I think Eastern Europe is over-fashionable at the moment. I
think it’s a market that will develop slowly over the next year or two.
There’ll be a lot of focus on a couple of sexy destinations like Prague
and maybe Warsaw.” He added that Ryanair will open up to another six
bases in Western Europe in the next two to four years before then maybe
considering Eastern Europe.

If you’d like to write a review on Ryanair, then go
to: href="http://www.ciao.co.uk/product.php/ProduktId/77254/pName/ryanair_com/TabId/2/Start/15">http://www.ciao.co.uk
where there are plenty of reviews of the service, booking on-line and the
Ryanair website – some good, and some not so good. The good reviews
include comments such as: “OK.
FOR FLYING AT SHORT NOTICE”, “Cheap, Quick and Reliable!”,
“so cheap”. The not so good reviews include the following
comments: “STRAIGHTJACKET SEATING”, “NON-EXISTENT CUSTOMER
SUPPORT - TOUGH LUCK IF YOU HAVE *ANY* PROBLEMS AT ALL and
“hidden costs and odd dates“

If you really,
really want to, you can read Ryanair’s in-flight magazine on-line. For
the fascinating and scintillating read, go to: href="http://www.ryanair.com/inflight/inf_2503004.pdf">http://www.ryanair.com/inflight/inf_2503004.pdf