By Suzanne Rodriguez
          Palau: A Living Eden Filled with Nature’s Novelties       
Ever wonder what it’s like to hang out with aliens from another planet? It’s easy enough to find out: just spend an afternoon snorkeling in Palau’s Jellyfish Lake. The experience of floating in backlit, hazy-green water while surrounded by millions of pale-orange, delicate, and balloonish-looking creatures is beautiful, mesmerizing—and decidedly unearthly.

Officially known as Ongeim’l Tketau, Jellyfish Lake is located on tiny, uninhabited Mecherchar Island, one of Palau’s nearly 600 Rock Islands. About 12-acres in size, the landlocked lake was formed between 12,000 to 15,000 years ago, at the end of the most recent ice age. When ocean levels rose, filling depressions in the island’s limestone composition, Golden Jellyfish became trapped in the new saltwater lake. Today about five million Golden Jellyfish inhabit the lake (another one million Moon Jellyfish reside at much lower depths but are rarely seen by humans).

Author snorkeling with jellies

Over time the jellies have evolved with such tiny nematocysts–stinging cells—that their sting is now imperceptible to humans, which makes it safe to snorkel in their midst. Ranging from the size of a large coin to a grapefruit, the graceful creatures engage in a ceaseless, pulsating dance, slowly moving across the lake as they chase the sun’s shifting light. When they bump into a swimming human, they quickly veer away and resume their dance. The experience is so unique that it served as a reward for two separate challenges of the television series Survivor (Survivor: Palau in 2005 and Survivor: Fans vs. Favorites in 2008). 

But as unique as Jellyfish Lake might be, it’s only one of countless “unearthly” wonders in Palau. According to National Geographic, the island nation, about 800 miles southwest of Guam, is “as lush as any paradise of our imagination…a Living Eden where all is not what it seems—a home to a world of novelties concocted by nature unconstrained.” 

Among Palau’s other novelties are the small, lushly green, and largely uninhabited Rock Islands. Made of limestone with coral origin, most are undercut at their base by eons of wave action and nibbling by primitive mollusks called chitons. The undercutting can be so extensive that many islands stick out of the water like giant mushrooms perched atop stems.

Rock Island—Photo by Kevin Davidson

A boat excursion through the Rock Islands is a constant adventure. Schools of bright-colored fish feed in reef shallows, exotic birds nest in high trees, white-sand beaches beckon passers-by to pause and laze around, caves filled with stalactites beg for exploration.

Sometimes a half dozen islets form a circle, with channels wide enough for a boat to enter into the center of a perfectly still, bright turquoise mini-lagoon. One island (Ulong) contains ancient rock paintings. Others hold rusting relics from World War II. Yet another holds giant stone money carved by ancient seafaring visitors from Yap who never returned home. Maybe they just found the Rock Islands too beautiful to leave!

Aside from the jellyfish, my favorite Rock Island destination is The Milky Way. Our boat pulled into a protected shallow cove where clear water atop milk-white sediment mirrored the sky. Mostly pulverized white limestone and a bit of mollusk waste, the sediment is known for its wondrous powers of skin-rejuvenation. Everyone aboard was in a bathing suit, so when the crew hauled up buckets of soft, creamy sediment, we plastered it all over our faces, hair, and exposed body parts. When it began to dry I jumped in the water, swam myself clean, and—having undergone a natural treatment in the world’s most beautiful spa—climbed back aboard with freshened skin and shiny hair.

Perhaps the greatest of all Palau’s wonders lie beneath the sea’s surface. Thanks to crystal-clear waters and a dedicated national effort to preserve its extensive coral reef system, Palau is a diver’s paradise. More than 550 species of hard and soft corals, 300 sponge species, and 1300 species of reef fish reside here. Among them are the reclusive Chambered Nautilus, the endangered Hawksbill turtle, and the rare giant clam.

With at least 50 dive sites, each day offers a new underwater adventure. Explore the stalactite-laden rooms in Chandelier Cave. Brave the Big Drop-Off—the 1000-foot, coral-imbedded drop called the world’s best dive by none other than Jacques Cousteau. Photograph reef sharks and barracuda at the famed Blue Corner. Enjoy the riot of small, colorful fish at Ngerchong Coral Gardens. Or dive among the 40 World War II plane and ship wrecks that have long since become part of the marine ecosystem.

Man and Manta — Photo by Kevin Davidson

Palau has plenty of dazzling wonders on dry land, too. Palau’s largest island, 127-square-mile Babeldaob, possesses a pristine interior that has changed little over the centuries and is home to many animal species found nowhere else on earth. Until recently this island was nearly impossible for visitors to explore, but, thanks to the recent completion of a 53-mile highway encircling the island, that situation has changed. The interior remains difficult to access, but there are plenty of wonders to discover on and near Babeldaob’s  coast.

The Ngchesar Jungle River Boat Cruise eco-adventure takes you on a 5-mile round trip along the isolated, mangrove-edged Ngerdorch River and out to the ocean. Along the way you might catch sight of a pretty Palauan Fruit Dove, a pin-wheeling fruit bat, a leaping Archer Fish, or locals collecting big mangrove crabs for dinner, and you’re practically guaranteed to see salt water crocodiles.

A Babeldaob “must-see?” The eerily beautiful Ngarchelong Stone Monoliths located at the island’s northern tip. There, on a large open meadow with a stunning view of the ocean beyond, 40 mysterious stone monoliths, dating back 2000 or more years, stand guard. A few have faces, and their sizes vary (some weigh as much as 5 tons). Nobody really knows when or how these stones came to be, but to the Palauans they are imbued with sacred meaning.

And after you’ve spent time here, sampling the novelties of this emeralad-green Living Eden, you’ll understand why they feel that way.

From the Sky — Photo by Kevin Davidso.

By Suzie Rodriguez

  Even 10 miles distant, this bleached-limestone plateau is a dazzling sight, rising an abrupt 400 feet from a flat and dry valley. Beautiful but incongruous, it seems to float on a hazy edge of reality until, as you draw closer, its massive whiteness sharpens in detail. Graceful ripples and convolutions appear, forever frozen into the rock. Snow-white stalactites and water rivulets glint in the sun. Still, shallow pools mirror the bright blue sky. The beauty is so overwhelming—so unexpected—that even the most jaded traveler is stunned into silence.

But that’s nothing new. Pamukkale has amazed visitors for centuries. It was, after all, one of the world’s first thermal-water resorts, a mecca for ancient spa-goers. Evidence exists that the Hittites erected a religious shrine on the site 3500 years ago. The early historian Xenophon wrote that King Darius of Persia spent the winter of 401 BC here with his entire army, soaking away the travails of battle. The Apostle Philip is believed to have been murdered here in AD 80, and, a few years later, the Roman emperor Hadrian came to enjoy the waters.

It’s these same waters that have, quite literally, made Pamukkale what it is. Thanks to a tectonic fault, hot waters, high in calcium salts, sprang from an outlet atop the plateau. For at least 14,000 years the calcium-rich water has bubbled upward from the earth’s depths, flowed along the ground, and tumbled over the high cliff edge, gradually hardening and forming a few square miles of glistening-white limestone layers. These mineral deposits, influenced by weather, take on fantastic shapes: There are 50-foot stalactite waterfalls, evenly-stepped travertines, shallow petal-shaped pools, and large flat expanses with the texture and look of snowy fields.

As if sheer beauty and a dip in curative thermal waters weren’t enough to make Pamukkale interesting, it shares its cliffsite with the well-preserved ruins of an ancient Roman city. Long thriving by the time of Hadrian’s visit, Hierapolis (“Sacred City” in Greek) was small but wealthy and crowded with temples. It also contained an immense theatre, a mile-long colonnaded street, a necropolis, a gymnasium, an agora (marketplace), and two splendid baths.

Despite this visual splendor and fascinating history, I’d never even heard of Pamukkale until I visited Turkey. I spent a month traveling the country, discovering how difficult it is to categorize. With its feet set in Europe and its body sprawling into Asia, it’s at once Western and Eastern, modern and archaic. I witnessed Turkey’s dual nature everywhere.

For instance, I remember journeying along the Black Sea, close to the Georgian border, with my companion, Dennis, a university professor. It was an extremely hot summer day, yet the women watching children play on the white sandy beaches were cloaked head to toe in heavy black chadors. Two weeks later, on Turkey’s Aegean Coast, women wore bikinis.

Once in Turkey, it is hard to ignore Pamukkale. We saw big posters of its snowy white travertines and stalactites displayed in every single train, bus and ferry station. We decided we had to see the place. So when we found ourselves on the Aegean coast near Izmir, a few hours from Pamukkale, we turned inland.

We caught our first sight of the travertines the minute the road carried us past Denizli, a prosperous provincial capital 10 miles south of Pamukkale. Dead ahead were the white cliffs which, at that distance, look a little like a palace for giants (the word Pamukkale means “cotton castle” in Turkish). The road wound beside, and then atop, the cliffs, where we found a few small hotels sharing the plateau with the limestone formations and the Roman ruins of Hierapolis.

Our simply decorated room in the Hotel Belkes/Palmiye had a mesmerizing view of the valley far below. The best thing about it, though, was that we could jump through the sliding doors at the back and into our very own thermal pool. But we saved that for later. The day was too hot to spend immersed in volcanic waters and, besides, we were anxious to explore the travertines.

Most guidebooks use words like “fairy-tale world,” “wonderland,” and “dreamscape” to describe Pamukkale, and when I moved onto the limestone, I understood why. Surrounding me was nothing but whiteness. The limestone formations’ shapes and angles changed constantly in the sun, from puffs of cotton to long, flat fields. Here and there water flowed, descending pool by pool to the valley floor. My senses were constantly set off balance. When I walked across a flat white expanse, I expected the crunch of snow but met the resistance of rock. Wading barefoot through a basin seemed like walking upside-down on the sky.

The next morning, after a leisurely breakfast overlooking the travertines, we took off to explore the ruins of Hierapolis. Founded during the Greek Hellenistic era (beginning in the 4th Century BC), the city was destroyed by an earthquake in 17 AD and restored over the next century by the Romans. Hierapolis reached its peak of wealth and fame in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, a time in which many monumental temples and other structures were erected. Repeated earthquakes finally destroyed the city for good. Thanks to excavation and partial restoration, however, today’s visitor can catch a glimpse of Hieropolean life.

One of the most impressive buildings is the large 2nd century Roman baths, with its massive walls and arched vaults. The Romans—men and women alike—were constantly in baths, using them less for cleansing than for ceremonies, sports, chatting, showing off, and just generally hanging out. The Hierapolis baths contained a steam room, cold and hot pools, an enclosed sports field, and two ceremonial rooms measuring 120 by 170 feet, both faced with high-quality marble.

Perhaps the city’s best-preserved structure is the theatre, which contains fairly intact marble pillars, arches, statuary and reliefs. In its heydey the theatre could hold 15,000 people. Performances are sometimes held in summer on the beautifully restored stage.

By lunchtime the day had turned too hot to tramp through ruins, no matter how fascinating. We opted for lunch and a swim, planning to continue our historical tour in early evening.

And what a swim! For a few dollars we gained entry to the Pamukkale Turizm Hotel and its bubbling springs. Two thousand years ago, on this very spot, the ancient spa-lovers immersed themselves in the Sacred Pool. An immensely popular place visited by three Roman Emperors, the pool was surrounded by marble columns and a graceful portico. When earthquakes destroyed Hierapolis, the columns and other marble structures fell into the pool, where they remain to this day.

Swimming over these fragments of the past is akin to floating atop Atlantis or some other mythical kingdom. A marble arch, still bearing a bas-relief of grapes, hints of bacchanalian rites. An elegant, fluted column speaks of delicate white robes limned in purple.

That night, after another glorious sunset, we strolled to the theatre, climbed to the highest seats, and sat silently beneath a butter-colored moon. From our aerie we could gaze over the ruins of Hierapolis, across the shadowed travertines of Pamukkale, and into the darkened valley. I thought of Hadrian sitting here, of Darius resting nearby, of the Hittites erecting a shrine.

Then a match flared on the stage below, breaking the moment. A silky laugh rang out, and the scent of thyme and roasting lamb wafted through the night air. We stood, suddenly hungry, and headed to dinner. 

Pamukkale 1: Limestone concretions – GNU Free Documentation License 1.2 or later.Pamukkale 2: Travertine hot springs formations. – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0Pamukkale 3: Travertine hot springs formations. – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0Pamukkale 4: Hot springs – GNU Free Documentation License 1.2 or later.Pamukkale 5: Reflection of limestone in hot springs. Released into public domain.Pamukkale 6: Roman ruins at Hierapolis, Pamukkale. Released into public domain.Pamukkale 7: Limestone travertines of Pamukkale. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Germany.Pamukkale 8: Walking on the travertines. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0Pamukkale 9: Pamukkale pools. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0Pamukkale 10: More pools. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

Casa Luna … what a wonderful restaurant, the best of Bali 

See this sign and go in. . .

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However, this post is about a Casa Luna recipe this traveler  enjoyed—not at the restaurant, but back at home. It comes from Janet’s wonderful book describing what it was like to come from Australia, meet a local Balinese man … and fall in love with the man and with his Bali. It’s a good read about a woman who immerses herself into another culture.

One tasty recipe from her book is for Acar, or fresh carrot and cucumber salad. Grab 1 carrot, 2 cucumbers (peel and cut up both), 2 Tbs of white sugar, 1 tsp sea salt, 1 shallot (peeled and sliced), 1/2 cup rice vinegar, and one cup water. Mix the sugar and salt into the vegetables, crushing and bruising to release the flavors. Add the vinegar and water. Put in the refrigerator to cool … nice and tasty for a hot day!

 www.casalunabali.com

‘Tis the Season for Science at the California Academy of Sciences, as the popular exhibit celebrating the science behind holiday traditions returns for a second year.  It’s a festive must-see for children and adults alike.

Enjoy indoor snow flurries twice an hour in the Piazza. View taxidermy specimens of the real birds mentioned in “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” including swans, geese, “colly” birds, hens, doves, and a partridge in a pear tree. Get into the holiday spirit with art and music from the Bay Area’s greatest talents, including carolers, musicians, dancers, theater troupes, and more.

Enter an immersive digital dome, shaped like a giant snowman, and see two new shows about the science of snow on Earth and on other worlds.

Visit a pair of live reindeer that have taken residence in the East Garden, and learn about their amazing adaptations during a daily presentation, Reindeer Rendezvous.

Walk through the “Spice Forest,” a life-size sculptural representation of trees, featuring an aromatic display of the raw botanical specimens from which we get cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and other familiar holiday ingredients. Push buttons on each “tree” for a whiff of the spices.

Lichens and mosses are the reindeer’s favorite food. One species of lichen is so commonly eaten by Santa’s sleigh-pullers that it’s called “reindeer lichen.”

Exhibit ends January 16, 2012.

Programs and Activities

• REINDEER RENDEZVOUS

  Daily at 12:30 pm
  Gather ’round for an up close and personal experience with live reindeer. Learn about their fascinating adaptations, including an annual migration of up to 3,000 miles per year, and why they are so important for the ecosystems of the far north.

• HOLIDAY QUEST

  Daily at 1:30 pm
  In this fun and interactive game show-style program, explore the globe, gain a new perspective on holiday plants and animals and the places they come from, and perhaps even win a prize.

• PLANETARY EXPLORATION

  Daily at 12:00 pm from November 28 – December 16 and January 3 – 16
  Daily at 2:30 pm from November 25 – 27 and December 17 – January 2
  Using Google Earth, we take a close look at how seasonal phenomena like the winter solstice affect life. Explore how life has adapted to Earth’s quirks, and investigate the possibility of life on other worlds!

• TART SIDE OF DNA

  Saturdays & Sundays at 2:30 pm from November 23 – December 16 and January 3 – 16
  In this 15-minute program, we will crush up cranberries and extract their DNA for all to see up close, without the aid of a microscope. Join in the investigation, and discover why some scientists call DNA the most extraordinary molecule on Earth.

• FESTIVE PERFORMERS

  Throughout December
  Enrich your family’s visit with art and music from some of the Bay Area’s greatest talents, including Dance Along Nutcracker, Un-Scripted Improv Group, Yuletide Carolers, and more.

• HISTORIC CALIFORNIA REVISITED

  Daily at 11:30 am from December 17 – January 2
  Discover how Californians of yesteryear viewed conservation and their natural surroundings in a colorful, interactive historical program.

Our writing and photo team have been in Bali, Indonesia for some time now and we are looking forward to their stories and photos. We hope to see them in December. 

Kotor is a small town on the coast of Montenegro, and has a lively marketplace filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and eggs, wine and cheese.  We embarked on a cheese quest … Story and photos by Jim Shubin

Approaching Kotor, which is on the far right

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Kotor seems to be prosperous: the women are stylish, the town sports an inordinate number of shoe stores, and investors from England, Ireland, and Russia are buying up real estate for 5,000 Euros/square meter. The people of Montenegro have voted in favor of independence and hope to join the EU in 2012. From the Adriatic Sea, one travels a narrow waterway far inland with steep cliffs surrounding the town. Founded in the 4th and 3rd centuries BCE, there are two fortresses and a cathedral overlooking the town. There is a lot of Italian influence here as the Venetians located an arsenal here from the 15th to 18th centuries—which explains why the main square is called the Square of Weapons. Restaurants and cafes circle the square, and nearby is the market, where plenty of produce, fish, cheese, and vegetables can be found. 

It was easy to find the market, and it was fun! We tasted almost everything—it seems the vendors like to feed the shoppers. On our cheese quest we came across a couple of vendors, one of whom we ended up calling The Feta Man. He assumed we knew what he was talking about but we had no idea, as we don’t speak Montenegroian—but with our simple Italian we got the gist of his bragging. “The best Feta in the world!”—he spoke quite loudly. His sales pitch was persuasive and after sampling a bit, we decided to buy some cheese for our lunch.

I had a 5-Euro coin and handed it to him, asking for a small slice. Pocketing the coin he grabbed a sheet of waxed  paper, took his largest chunk and began to wrap it. It was about a 5-pound piece. “Attesa, attesa!” I shouted—to no avail. It  seems he had suddenly forgotten how to speak Italian. He handed me the wrapped cheese with a big smile and no change, also handing me a plastic bottle of Pepsi Cola.

“No, No. We don’t drink that stuff.” I could only say it in English.

“Ya, Ya,”  he replied, “Vino, vino—buon vino casalingo.” 

So there we were, walking  around town with a liter bottle of homemade wine, no glasses to drink it in, a 5-pound bag of stinky feta, no bread to eat it with, and out of money.

Venice is a city where one can wander with no set plans, and so it was with us. We happened upon a building with a huge anchor in front and letters high above the door reading: Museo Storico Navale. Museo could only mean museum (we hoped) so we walked in. Having fallen in love with Venice’s gondolas, we had no choice. Here is what we saw:

Entry to the Nautical Museum.

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High-ceilinged and on the dark side, this museum is not on a lot of visitors’ agendas. It was easy to move around, read the signs, and not feel rushed or crowded. The ceremonial vessels here are decorated to the hilt: Old ships and barges and real cannons of many sizes litter the floor. Eighteenth century vessels with elaborate carvings and gold leaf sit silent, while sails with marvelous designs reach towards the roof. There are portraits of famous Italian captains, paintings of ships, and maps dating to the sixteenth century.

We saw the symbol of Venice—a winged lion with a sword and a bible open to the words: Pax tibi Marce evangelista mdus, which translates “May peace be with you, Mark, my evangelist.

One needn’t be a boat lover to enjoy the museo’s history, the fine details, and the lavish look of ancient vessels.

Post and photos by Jim Shubin

A lesson in relaxation — by David Greitzer

Saying you’ve barged through the canals of France is like saying you’ve reached the end of the internet.  In a word — impossible.  However, it is possible to experience some of what seems a infinite task. It’s kind of like eating an elephant; just take one bite at a time. With the right attitude, company and minimal pre-planning, navigating a canal like the Canal du Nivernais in North Central France is a great first way to ease into the experience.

Languidly cruising through the Rochers du Saussois, shear limestone cliffs in the Burgundy region.

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There are reputable companies that rent self-piloted barges for several different routes along what seems like an endless series of waterways. The main concerns before selecting this as your vacation experience are: choosing a boat rental company; boat’s sleeping capacity; region/route of travel and availability; rental price; length of stay; hidden fees such as fuel, food, bicycles.

Self-drive penichette companies have nearly every contingency planned for when it comes to renting a canal barge for a pleasant one- to two-week vacation. With minimal research to find the best match, you’ll find an answer to most of your questions.  See main concerns above. Locaboat, Crown Blue Line, Rive de France, Nicols all offer self-drive barges or penichettes through several canals and routes throughout France.

Posing inside the Caves Bailly Lapierre. These caves dug deep in the limestone are shared by 71 regional winegrowers and provide the natural coolness with which to store and age wine . Tours and tastings are available daily.

Temporarily securing the penichette’s lines while the lock fills is very easy.

Sheela-na-gig’s invitation is fraught with danger. Our relationship began with my quick peek at a wildly pornographic image in Thomas Cahill’s popular book, How the Irish Saved Civilization. An ancient goddess, Sheela is rendered symbolically, stripped of all but the essential features. She is naked, bald, and breastless, and reaches both arms behind her bent legs, using her hands to spread her genitals wide open—as wide as a barn door—in exuberant invitation. There was no question in my mind about the figure’s intended meaning. As soon as I saw her, I was transfixed…          

Download a PDF of the Sheela-Na-Gig story here.