It’s a calm crossing from Portsmouth around Brittany and across the Bay of Biscay to Santander in Spain.
Phase 2 of the long haul of flying from Melbourne to London (phase 1) to collect my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 and ride to Morocco.
Stopped for a pint at the Ship and Castle next to the ferry terminal before joining the queue to board. There were plenty of bikes doing the crossing but only one Moto Guzzi.
My sister lives in London and it was wonderful to spend some time with her before embarking on this adventure.
Visiting the lovely little Lyric Theatre in Hanger Lane to see a play.
And heading to the south of England to go walking along the Avon River
The lustre of pearl drove the colonial development of Broome in the 1870s and remains a major industry to this day.
Prior to this for millennia the aborigines used and traded mother of pearl shell and used it for decoration and ceremony.
This Riji is the carving of pearl shell shell unique to the North East Kimberley.
These pieces of Riji are part of an exhibition called Lustre the history of pearling in Australia.
The Shinju Matsuri celebrates the role of the pearl in Broome.
The festival integrates culture of Japanese and Chinese pearl divers who came here over a century ago and made Broome home with indigenous and colonial history.
The lantern festival at Cable Beach captures a Japanese Tradition.
The street parade is led in a burst of colour and energy by the Chinese Dragon.
The Shinju festival also offers lots of exhibitions street music and art.
There is a beautiful projection down at the Town Beach
But it was the Riji that totally captivated me.
So I took a long ride, over 200km each way to the top of the Dampier Peninsula.
Over made roads and some thick sand roads
To meet Bruce Wiggan, a local elder and master pearl shell carver at his studio.
Aboriginal art tells a story. This piece tells the story of the making the laws of hunting between local tribes. These laws, this agreement bought harmony.
I’m now the keeper of this beautiful piece of Riji and it’s story.
Agra is the home of marvels none greater than the Taj Mahal
In some ways it overwhelms the other significant sites of Agra
So lets save it for last and start with the Tomb of Akbar
Akbar the Great led a huge expansion of the Mughal Empire and built both its military and economic strength.
Akbar arguably took the Mughal Dynnasty from Warlords to Emperors ruling over lands from Uzbekistan in north and well into southern India in the south and to Bangladesh in the east.
Coming by road from New Delhi to Agra the Tomb of Akbar is the significant monument you will come to first as you enter Agra
The Red Fort or Agra fort was the residence of the Mughal Dynasty
The Fort is better described as a walled city given its huge size
But the huge fortifications are definitely fort like
Inside the fortifications the remains of the sumptuous apartments give an indication of the luxurious lifestyle enjoyed by the Emporors who resided here
The Fort became a prison for one emporor Shah Jahan, who had commissioned the Taj Mahal, the tribute to his wife who had died.
While the Emperor was ill his youngest son seized power, imprisoning Shah Jahan, in a wing of the fort
From where he could peer out at the tribute to the love of his life and mother of his captor
The Taj Mahal – the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, the wife of Shah Jahan.
As you walk through the entrance gates you can not be taken by the beauty of the Taj Mahal
I’m sure Ive read it is the most beautiful building in the world and from my first sight I can not fault that claim
From afar
From every angle it is truly an awe inspiring building
Up close the detail of the carving in the marble and the inlay work is breath taking
The view from the main deck of the Taj Mahal back to the main gate one surveys the opulence of the grounds.
And of course I could not help but admire the beautiful colours that are India
