Archive for August, 2009
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Known to the Ancient Egyptians as Abu or Yabu, meaning elephant, Elephantine Island is a truly ancient site resting as it does at the First Cataract of the Nile, and creating a natural boundary between Egypt and Nubia.
Being the largest island at Aswan, it was easily defensible and at one time was thought to be a major ivory trading centre, possibly giving rise to its name. But rumour has it the name may also arise from the elephant-shaped granite boulders lying around its shores.
It is said that Khnum, the ram-headed god of the cataracts, dwelled in caves beneath the island and controlled the waters of the Nile. Nowadays, the southern tip of the island holds the ruins of the Temple of Khnurn, which was rebuilt in the 30th dynasty. Up until 1822, there were also temples to Thutmose III and Amenhotep III here, but the Ottoman government in their wisdom destroyed them.
Elephantine is an exquisite island, steeped in ancient history and blessed with significant artifacts. Transported instantly back in time, you wander under banana trees and date palms through colourful Nubian villages with narrow, dusty alleyways and mud houses painted or carved with crocodiles and fish.
On the edge of the island is one of the oldest Nilometers in Egypt. It is a stone `yardstick’ used to measure the height of the River Nile. It was last reconstructed in Raman times and was still in use as late as the 19th century. Its 90 steps, leading down to the river, are marked with Hindu-Arabic, Roman and hieroglyphic numerals, and inscriptions carved deep into the rock during the 17th century can be seen at the water’s edge.
Elephantine Island is a green, flower-festooned oasis of calm lapped by the turquoise waters of the Nile and clinging quietly to its exotic past.
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Aldabra Atoll is a member of the Aldabra Group, one of the archipelagos of the Outer Islands of the Seychelles. The second largest atoll in the world after Kiritimati, Aldabra is the coraline tip of a volcanic sea mount, rising from depths of 4,000 to 4,500m (13,120 to 14,760 ft). At 34 km (21 mi) long, 14.5 km (9 mi) wide and just 8 in (26 ft) above sea level, the atoll is made up from four coral limestone masses forming a circle around a lagoon of 224 sq km (86 sq mi).
The lagoon is tidal loses two-thirds of its waters at low tide. Aldabra was given World Heritage status in 1982 to protect its delicate ecological environment.
Because the atoll is so isolated, many of its species of flora and fauna are found only here. The islets and rocky outcrops in the lagoon provide nesting areas for thousands of birds.
It has possibly the largest population of red-tailed tropic birds and the second largest colony of frigate birds in the world. Many other birds are found here also, including the Aldabra flightless rail, the only flightless bird found on any Indian Ocean island.
The Aldabran giant tortoises are, however, the atoll’s most renowned residents, being the last of the giant tortoises which were once spread across the entire region. Commercial exploitation is believed to have made all other giant tortoises in the area wiped out by the mid-19th century, and very nearly exterminated the Aldabran population. Two species of marine turtle also nest on beaches on Aldabra: the green turtle and hawksbill turtle.
Unlike the nearby Seychelles, the atoll is inhospitable to humans as the limestone has been eroded into sharp spikes and water-filled pits. However, the mangroves support fish nurseries, and the lagoon is home to a wealth of marine life, from black-tipped reef sharks to eagle rays and parrot fish.
For almost a century, scientists have been studying the flora and fauna of the atoll, which is uninhabited other than by those working at the scientific research station.
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The Canaries are a group of seven volcanic islands off the Atlantic coast of Africa. The islands cover a total area of 7,450 sq km (2,900 sq ml) containing some of the world’s most stunning scenery. Each island has its own individual landscape and flora and fauna, ranging from the desert of Fuerteventura to the lush mountainous forest of La Gomera. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is the cosmopolitan capital of the archipelago, reputed to have the best climate in the world.
The name Islas Canarias is likely derived from the Latin term Insula Canaria, meaning “Island of the Dogs”. It is speculated that the so called dogs were actually a species of Monk Seals which are now extinct.
The Spanish first invaded the Canaries in 1402, but it took the better part of a century to gain complete control of this strategic point on the Atlantic trade route. For the next 300 years, the islands grew increasingly rich from trading profits until, in the 19th century, a recession led to mass emigration to America. The development of the tourist industry eventually turned the tide and today, around 10 million tourists visit the islands every year.
Tenerife, the largest island, has the most varied scenery. It has a landscape of fertile valleys, steep cliffs and wide sandy beaches dominated by the towering outline of El Teide, the third largest volcano on earth at 3,718 m (12,195 ft) high. La Palma, the green island’, has the world’s largest volcanic crater, La Caldera del Taburiente with a diameter of 9 km (6 ml) and a depth of 770 m (2,525 ft).
The smallest island, Hierro is also the rockiest with a dramatic coastline plunging straight into the sea. Lanzarote is the most extraordinary of all. It boasts a surreal volcanic landscape of petrified lava from 18th and 19th century eruptions. The stark beauty of its eerily empty scenery, dotted with ancient vineyards, brilliant coloured flowers and sparkling white houses is unlike anywhere else on the planet. Visiting these islands is a truly memorable experience.
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