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Category: photographs

Triple K “expedition (#9 in teaser series: the Golden Temple)

Published June 9, 2024 by Pelidoug

Triple K “expedition (#9 in teaser series: the Golden Temple)

 

 

 

In my experience, not a few of the world’s renowned, allegedly “holy” places have proved underwhelming, tawdry, unfriendly, and highly commercialised – oft-grandiose, but lacking in both actual grandeur and actual humanity.

Sikhism’s most significant shrine is, however, truly grand…and this is one temple site where all comers are welcomed, warmly, and where no visitor is in any way “taken advantage of”.

Amritsar is home to circa two million people; each year, fifteen times that number visit the Golden Temple.

Many of them – whether pilgrims, tourists or simply hungry people – there enjoy what is (handsomely) the world’s most massive meal service, served gratis, no questions asked, every day.

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Triple K “expedition” (#8 in teaser series: “vernacular” Kashmiri architecture)

Published June 7, 2024 by Pelidoug

Triple K “expedition” (#8 in teaser series: “vernacular” Kashmiri architecture)

 

 

They are in varying states of repair, but many striking examples of distinctive “traditional”/“vernacular” architecture still stand in Kashmir’s capital.

Such buildings typically employ both timber and bricks in their construction, and they have proved remarkably capable of withstanding earthquakes.

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Triple K “expedition” (#7 in teaser series: Black Kites)

Published June 6, 2024 by Pelidoug

Triple K “expedition” (#7 in teaser series: Black Kites)

 

On the Indian subcontinent –  especially in urban areas –  one particular raptor usually “rules the skies”.

Black kites are especially abundant in Delhi and Srinagar.

Not coincidentally, black kites are generally rather more “opportunistic scavengers” than “majestic predators”.

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Triple K “expedition” (#6 in teaser series: looking up, in Kashmir)

Published June 5, 2024 by Pelidoug

Triple K “expedition” (#6 in teaser series: looking up, in Kashmir)

 

On this trip – whether the relevant terrain was contested, or unambiguously within India, Pakistan, or China – there was a lot of still-solid “up” to look at.

All of the world’s “7000+ metres ASL” peaks are less than 2,000 kilometres distant from Srinagar, and most of them are very much closer than that.

The pictured peaks are less than 7,000 metres above sea level, but all of them are enormously higher than is Australia’s highest peak.

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Triple K “expedition”. (#3 in teaser series: arrival in Paradise)

Published June 2, 2024 by Pelidoug

Triple K “expedition”. (#3 in teaser series: arrival in Paradise)

 

Australian governmental advice says “do not travel” to this destination.

A great many tourists do go there, albeit very few “Westerners”; our group aside, we saw only a handful of “Caucasians”.

Over several days in Indian-controlled Kashmir, we saw many thousands of Indian tourists..and almost as many Indian soldiers and police.

Petty corruption and “checkpoints” are a nigh-constant annoyance – and the two are inextricably entwined – but at no time did we feel “unsafe”.

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Triple K “expedition (#2 in teaser series: Old Delhi)

Published June 1, 2024 by Pelidoug

Triple K “expedition (#2 in teaser series: Old Delhi)

 

Originally, in the 17th century CE, what is now known as “Old Delhi” was Delhi – a walled, Mughal city.

Now, it is no longer walled, and occupies only a minute proportion of Delhi’s mushrooming metropolis.

As it happens, I have experienced a number of the world’s megacities. (metropolises of more than ten million humans)

In 2024, Old Delhi’s 300,000+ residents probably comprise circa one percent of Delhi’s population.

Various lists of the world’s megacities offer sometimes-ludicrously-divergent rankings and alleged population figures, but most agree that Delhi’s metropolis now has many more human residents than does the entire Australian nation.

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Triple K “expedition” (#1 in teaser series: a relatively modest mountain)

Published May 31, 2024 by Pelidoug

Triple K “expedition” (#1 in teaser series: a relatively modest mountain)

 

 

 

Spantik (aka “Golden Mountain”) soars 7027 metres above sea level.

It is rather more than three times higher than the Australian continent’s highest peak.

In the Karakoram, however, many mountains are mightier than Spantik.

Pakistan has 108 peaks that exceed 7000 metres!

We are just-returned from an unforgettable trip which began in Delhi and concluded in Beijing.

Primarily, however, it was focused on Kashmir, the Karakoram and Kashgar.

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“Landscape” view/ much closer view (#17B in series: Fitzgerald River NP)

Published May 30, 2024 by Pelidoug

“Landscape” view/ much closer view (#17B in series: Fitzgerald River NP)

 

 

This series final chapter reveals the identity of the “red flecks” in the preceding post’s landscape view.

There’s no finer location in which to experience the two relevant species in their natural state than Fitzgerald River National Park’s East Mount Barren.

If you wish to enjoy a natural experience of them (both species are now popular with gardeners) the only places where you can have that experience are all in or near to Fitzgerald River National Park.

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