ZECO TRAVEL TALK

Spirits are high and smiles are big after an absolutely tremendous day in Palau! Everyone seems to love this magical place and the gorgeous weather showed it all off beautifully. Thomas and Natalia, back on their old home turf, were just great with arranging spontaneous multiple tours—diving, snorkeling, kayaking, and birding. The multi-colored blue waters have so much to offer here… And these reefs are some of the best in the world. We were able to see a healthy population of large fish such as Napolean wrasse, anemone fish, snapper, tuna, jacks, and a number of sharks, such as black tip, white tip and the gray reef shark. Another contingent cruised through the Rock Islands—rounded mounds covered with lush green vegetation which I like to call the “chia pet” islands! This is a really lovely and unique place, and cruising the channels between them is a peaceful, other-worldly experience.

Gorgeous weather and Turkey’s amazing sites continued to wow us. We headed to Cyprus on a short flight; our hotel here is surrounded on three sides by the Mediterranean—just lovely! In Nicosia, we explored the narrow streets of the old town and its 400-year-old Venetian walls, then made our way up and into the foothills of the Five Finger Mountains to the Bellapais Monastery… I’m not sure what was more impressive, the Gothic construction or the incredible views of the harbor town of Girne below. The ancient Kyrenia Castle in Girne has been transformed into a series of museums and we really enjoyed our time at the Underwater Archaeology Museum which was impressive, especially the partially reconstructed shipwrecked sailing ship.

I can honestly say that our lunch at what appeared to be a roadside stop was one of the best meals I’ve ever had. We sat outdoors on a patio under a thatched covering, looking out over a small marina and the sea. The food was out of this world—there were no fewer than six mezes (small plates), including one with yogurt made at the restaurant earlier in the morning. And I seriously think we need a moment of silence for the olives! I have no idea what they do to them but they were like eating little bits of gold. Then, if that wasn’t enough, a local fish arrived at our places—whole, head and all—grilled to perfection. Thankfully our guide Yasar was there to help filet mine or I think I’d still be trying to work every last little piece off the bones!

Heading east over the mountains we visited the old trading center of Famagusta and its beautiful Cathedral of St. Nicholas, now a museum. And the Monastery of St. Barnabas was just superb with its iconic Christian art, probably the best we’ve seen. Our last site visit here was the ruins of Salamis with a 5,000-seat amphitheater that was used for artistic performances, rather than gladiator games. We also found some of the most beautiful mosaics of the trip. We are now on our way back to Antalya to board our gulets for five days of sailing along the Turquoise Coast…

Our day on Rabaul (Papua New Guinea) was an incredible mix of culture and natural phenomena. Once ashore, we set out to visit the World War II Museum, the fascinating Japanese barge tunnels (the island was a Japanese stronghold during the War), and the Tavurvur Volcano hot springs. The volcano had been rumbling and spewing ash plumes for the past few days and while we were visiting, we not only had the chance to observe this, but it started raining and the ash came down mixed with the rain! In other words, whites were no longer white, our skin was no longer tan, and our hair was black! But we all had a blast, literally!

After dinner on board the ship, we returned to Rabaul for a performance of the famed Fire Dance performed by Baining tribes-men. We sat by a mesmerizing campfire and the dancers appeared wearing huge masks and grass skirts and performed barefoot in, around, and through the fire to the constant beating of drums… it was so exciting and electrifying.

The next afternoon we had the best snorkel of the trip so far—off of Tingwon Island. There was a gorgeous and very healthy reef wall with an incredible variety of fish and coral. The visibility and conditions couldn’t have been better and everyone came back beaming! We celebrated back on board with a delicious rum punch…ah paradise!

All of us at Zegrahm Expeditions are very pleased to see today’s announcement by Secretary of the Interior, Dirk Kempthorne, that the polar bear is now officially listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Using 28 years of research and study findings on receding sea ice—the primary habitat of polar bears—the Fish and Wildlife Service proposed the threatened listing in January 2007. The dramatic loss of ice in the past five years exceeded all previous records, and in the last year alone, Arctic ice fell to the lowest levels ever recorded by satellite. One of the five determining factors in listing a species is evidence of “present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of habitat.”

Many of our travelers who have joined us on past expeditions to Spitsbergen, Greenland, and Baffin Island have witnessed polar bears hunting from ice floes or pebbly shores—a sight never to be forgotten. In 2008 & 2009 we are continuing our tradition of adventures in the far north with expeditions to Greenland and the Svalbard Archipelago with the renewed hope of continuing to see these magnificent animals.

Our time in Turkey is flying… In Ankara, The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations was fantastic; the exhibits are so well done and transport you through the different time periods and cultures. We had a wonderful lunch at an old Ottoman home within the ancient Citadel in the heart of the city, then had a rare chance to visit rooms not usually open to the public in the Mausoleum of Ataturk, thanks to our great guide, Yasar.

In addition to the amazing sights, the trip has been a gastronomic extravaganza! The produce is incredible… I have never heard so many different interpretations of “yummy,” and over an orange! Our favorites have been the grilled vegetables with wonderful sauces, and the always abundant olives in so many varieties…

Our drive to Cappadocia was fascinating. On the way we stopped at the Valley of the Monks and the Zelve monastic settlement, where three valleys of rock-carved cave homes and churches converge, some decorated with primitive paintings. In the evening we watched a performance of the Whirling Dervishes which was just fantastic—mesmerizing, really. Read more

We had a wonderful trip to the Galápagos… I am still dreaming of the many places we saw. Spending time with Jack (Grove) and Pauli in this rarified environment was such a treat, and being with Greg Estes, our veteran naturalist guide, in his own territory really added to the experience. The most amazing aspect of being on these islands is that there is a total absence of fear. There are no weapons and no predators. We went ashore one morning on the pristine island of Genovesa, and basically just slowly moved around at the mouth of a tidal basin that ended in mangroves, where we observed the birds—mostly red-foot boobies, their fledglings, some Galápagos doves, and a lava heron or two. It was probably one of the most peaceful moments of the trip. I was reminded of that when we got back to the mainland and I spotted a bird I wanted to observe more closely. As I moved closer, of course it flew away. I had forgotten I was no longer in paradise, where you can walk between and around nesting albatross and lovemaking frigatebirds and nobody seems to notice you are big and somewhat out of place. M. & H. Smit

Our visits this past week to Rano Island, Vanuatu, and Utupua and Santa Ana in the Solomon Islands were truly memorable, both for the incredible array of colorful sights, and for the warmth of our welcome by the villagers. Here are some brief excerpts from emails we’ve received from our staff aboard the recently-refurbished Clipper Odyssey on our Faces of Melanesia voyage:

…One thing that stands out—and everyone has commented about it—is just how amazing it is that each island is still so different. The dances are different, many of the flowers and plants are different, the people look different, and their clothes (or sometimes lack thereof) are different. But the warmth of the welcome is always the same! We are all loving coming to these remote places… when the Zodiacs hit the sand the entire village is there, often with flower leis or palm necklaces to greet us. They have huge smiles and are eager to shake our hands and welcome us. In many of the villages the little kids run up and hold our hand and escort us through the village… It’s very special and touching each time. The music has also been fabulous. My favorite new instruments are the pipe drums that are either made out of bamboo or PVC pipe and they’re played most commonly with a flip flop! It makes the most wonderful sound…you can’t help but sway your hips, tap your feet, clap your hands and smile!!

Rano – At dawn the Clipper Odyssey pulled into a lovely inlet surrounded by islands with white sandy beaches and fringed with palm trees. As we boarded Zodiacs, welcoming music by the local band echoed from shore, and when we stepped onto the island we were overwhelmed with color! The path along the white sandy beach was lined with birds of paradise, heliconias, hibiscus, and red ginger flowers. The women and children wore bright muu-muu dresses, the men had on Hawaiian-style shirts, and as we walked into the village a market of local goods was spread before us: sarongs of every color in the rainbow, dyed and dried palm baskets, and lovely purple and pink shell necklaces. Read more

With the recent return of our first Galápagos trip of the year, we thought we’d post an advance notice of a momentous occasion: February 12, 2009 will mark the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth and has been designated “Darwin Day – An International Celebration of Science and Humanity.” Events will include symposia, seminars, stage productions, and exhibits held at universities, museums, and theaters around the world. UNESCO will also be associated with the celebrations that honor the man credited with the first measured study of biological evolution through the process of natural selection. The anniversary also marks 150 years since the publication of Origin of the Species and 50 years since the establishment of the Galápagos National Park. The Charles Darwin Foundation commemorates its 50th anniversary in 2009 with the launch of a new Darwin Galápagos Education Center. Zegrahm’s Galápagos voyages visit the Foundation on Santa Cruz Island. For more information, and for regular event updates, visit the website: www.darwinday.org.