Kenilworth Castle

Kenilworth Castle
© Megan Palmer, 2012

I was one of a long history of visitors to Kenilworth Castle, a dramatic sandstone castle in Warwickshire. King Edward II was removed from the throne at Kenilworth, and it was at Kenilworth that Henry V received the insulting gift of tennis balls from the French, which eventually led to the famous battle of Agincourt.

During the Elizabethan period Kenilworth was owned by Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. Dudley is best known for his close relationship with Queen Elizabeth I and is often believed to have been the man she would have married, had she not been queen. She visited Dudley at Kenilworth on two separate occasions. In order to impress her, he spend a fortune on elaborate renovations. Nonetheless, they never married, and he died with heavy debts.

Kenilworth fell into ruin after the English Civil War, but became a tourist attraction as early as in the 18th century – the castle became particularly popular after the publication of Walter Scott’s historical novel, Kenilworth. Visitor’s names, dating as far back as two hundred years, can be seen scratched into the immense red stonework. Those humble people have now become a small part of the castle’s history too.

Dancing with Dinosaurs

I had a beer on Friday night. Nothing unusual about that, you say? How about if I add that my company included reconstructed dinosaur skeletons, cases full of living insects and the stuffed remains of an African crocodile?

No, I didn’t have one drink too many! I was one of many visitors who took part in Culture 24’s Museums at Night initiative. On these evenings, museums around the country open their doors to visitors until late in the evening, and run special events to celebrate the museum’s collections. Some of Oxford’s finest museums participated: the Ashmolean, the Pitt Rivers, the Natural History Museum and the Museum of the History of Science. As with their usual admissions policy, entry to all was entirely free.

I spent the evening with some friends at the Oxford Natural History Museum, and the adjoining Pitt Rivers Museum, which displays an impressive array of ethnographic material collected over more than one hundred years. Oxford’s Natural History Museum exhibits, in my view, a world class collection. The Museum’s collection includes the most complete remains of the now-extinct dodo, an impressive collection of fossils and the extraordinary remains of the ‘Red Lady of Paviland’. It’s also the building in which Charles Darwin participated in the famous 1860 debate on the theory of evolution, best remembered for the heated exchange between Aldous Huxley and William Wilberforce.

Throughout the evening there was a selection of live music – with increasingly enthusiastic dancing as the night went on – and also art workshops and children’s activities. Some of the Pitt River’s ethnographic sound recordings were also played, which sounded particularly eerie when echoing around its cavernous vaults. The entire Victorian-period building was prettily lit with multi-coloured lights, which highlighted and complemented its dramatic architecture. DJs provided an eclectic selection of music that had most people moving and shaking by the end of the night. Best of all, all around us there were crowds of families, couples, and groups of friends who had all come along to experience the museum in an entirely new way. As a history and museum enthusiast, it was fantastic to see so many people enjoying the museum in this novel way. Also, never underestimate how naughty you can feel drinking a beer and having a dance in a place that you normally associate with being quiet and orderly! I expect there was a curator or two wringing their hands anxiously at the sight of it all…

Spices at a Mysore Market

Indian Market Stall
© Megan Palmer 2012

Fuchsia, turquoise, canary yellow… I wish that English market stalls featured these bright heaps of colour. These powders are used as part of religious ceremonies in India (see my feature on Chamundeswara) and can be used as paint and dyes. I took this picture in a back street market in Mysore, Karnataka, much to the amusement of the vendors who followed us around with unabashed curiosity.

Mountain Mist at Râșnov Castle

Râșnov Castle, Transylvania
© Megan Palmer, 2012

These atmospheric towers are part of Râșnov citadel near Brașov, in Transylvania. The castle is less well known that the nearby Bran Castle, widely known as ‘Dracula’s Castle’ (see Daniel Doolan’s post for some wonderful pictures of Bran). Both are fascinating places but Râșnov is far less visited, despite its dramatic location and tumultuous history. Sitting atop a mountainous outcrop, Râșnov’s ruined medieval citadel overlooks the Bran pass, a Transylvanian valley that was something of a crossroad for invading armies (there were plenty of those). Râșnov provided refuge for villagers up until the mid-nineteenth century and was conquered only once, when the enemy discovered (and cut off) the only water source. Wisely, in 1623 the inhabitants decided to add a deep well to the site and set two Turkish prisoners to task, promising them their freedom as reward. Today you can still see Quranic verses carved into the sides of that well, which took the prisoners seventeen years to dig. The fate of those Turkish men remains unknown.

Wish trees in Japan

Japanese Wish Tree
© Megan Palmer, 2012

At Buddhist shrines across Japan you’ll find many of these peculiar white leafed trees. Each branch has dozens – sometimes hundreds – of individual wishes that have been tied on by hopeful visitors. From a respectful distance I watched men, women and children all take turns to silently make their wish by fastening their hand-written request onto the already laden branches. I loved the idea that these collections of individuals’ hopes and dreams were brought together like a living, organic thing. What a fascinating insight we’d get into the human experience if we were to read the entire collection.

Travel Editor article update

Read my news piece about a great new Cotswolds travel pass launch here:

http://www.thetraveleditor.com/article/9127/News_Events_All_Inclusive_Cotswold_Travel_Passes_Arrive.html

First views of the Torres del Paine National Park

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
© Megan Palmer, 2012

This picture was taken from the southern reaches of the Torres del Paine national park in Chile. My friend and I had travelled for hours from Punta Arenas through Patagonia’s stark but beautiful grass plains. Packs of alpaca and guanacos guarded the park entrance, eyeing new arrivals warily. Our path soon led us deep into the park, far from any signs of human activity, hiking along the edge of this vast lake. It took the best part of the day to reach our humble lodge. As you tread through such a wild landscape while the sun disappears behind the mountains, you can’t help feeling a little apprehensive about the unseen pumas that take down those wary guanacos every night.

Adventures at a Japanese Temple

Read all about my unforgettable experience at the Kiyomizu Temple in Japan here:

http://www.bucketlistpublications.com/2012/04/24/entering-the-darkness-at-kiyomizu-temple/

Paradis Malahide review published!

Bucket List publications has published my review of the Paradis Malahide hotel on the shores of Lake Kivu – you can read it here:

http://www.bucketlistpublications.com/2012/04/22/paradise-on-lake-kivu/

Article published in Bucket List Publications

I’m thrilled to announce that Bucket List publications has published my article about wild gorillas. You can see it here:

http://www.bucketlistpublications.com/2012/04/20/gorillas-in-the-mist/

Bucket List Publications focuses on unique aspects of adventure, travel, and the interesting dreams of other Bucket List Adventurers. As the name implies, Bucket List Publications features bucket lists and adventures from around the globe. It portrays the beauty and limitless possibilities of the bucket list seeker.