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New Zealand: Air Safaris’ Grand Traverse flight over the Southern Alps

The majestic mountain spine along New Zealand’s South Island is known as “The Southern Alps”; the Maori Ngai Tahu name for these mountains is “kā tiritiri o te moana”. For many locations around the South Island, you cannot avoid or ignore the sight of looming towers of rock and snow.

Between visits to the Franz Josef Glacier and Fox Glacier, I’d been thinking about whether or not I should have a look at the mountains from above. It would be beautiful, but it also seemed very expensive. What to do, what to do … it sounds stupid writing it out now, but a unique opportunity had presented itself, and I knew I’d have deep regrets if I didn’t take it.

I bit the proverbial bullet and hopped onto a plane with Air Safaris for a 50-minute “The Grand Traverse” tour including aerial views of various glaciers, Horokoau (Mount Tasman), and Aoraki (Mount Cook).

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Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound, East Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh: 2 days in the Scottish Auld Reekie

What happens over two days in Edinburgh?

I had an opportunity in early November to visit a friend in Edinburgh, Scotland; the city was a place I’d been looking forward to visiting for some time.

It shouldn’t surprise anyone the weather was cool, wet, grey, and windy … except when it was cool, dry, clear, and windy. The weather summary might have appeared something like: “mostly cloudy with rainshowers, accompanied by fresh westerlies and occasional clear spells.”

But coming from Vancouver, Canada, I really should be made of sterner stuff. Besides, the Old and New Town areas in Edinburgh were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.

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Zollverein Colliery, Essen, Ruhrgebiet, Germany, Deutschland, Welterbe Weltkulturerbe, UNESCO, World Heritage, fotoeins.com

Essen UNESCO WHS: Zollverein and Coal-Mining History

A desolate former coal-mining industrial region isn’t a usual candidate for a place to visit. However, the Zollverein coal mine in Essen, Germany provided the impetus to seek out aspects of industrial photography. There’s something special about the way light strikes metal which brings out various aspects of shape, form, and texture.

I’m beginning to understand the historical significance of coal-mining to the people and to the economy in the Ruhrgebiet (Ruhr river region). Over decades, a cloud of “grey” hung over the region, as air- and water-pollution took its toll, and the economic influence of coal began to diminish.

To mark its importance to the modern industrial development and history of the region, the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. The entire refurbished complex now houses space for art, design, and cultural exhibitions, and is also home to the Ruhr Museum, shedding light on the industrial history of the Ruhrgebiet, providing historical accounts of the economic importance of coal mining and its consequent decline, as well as descriptions of existing and future economic redevelopment plans for the Ruhr region.

Essen was designated as one of three European Capital Cities of Culture for 2010; a number of projects, sites, and monuments throughout the Ruhrgebiet were on display, including the Zollverein.

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Lake Matheson, Westland National Park, West Coast, South Island, New Zealand, fotoeins.com

New Zealand: Lake Matheson & the southern Alps at sunset

Rewards go to the patient, especially those on daytime walks through the temperate rainforest to the Franz Josef Glacier and the Fox Glacier.

After all, this area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After my visit to Fox Glacier earlier in the day, I arranged for a short 10-minute shuttle from Fox Glacier town to Lake Matheson (Te Ara Kairaumati) before sunset. Even in winter’s low-season, I was surprised by how few people were around to enjoy the view.

The sequence of photos below span a period of just over one hour in time. Appearing in most of the photos are the two grand snow-frosted peaks: Mount Tasman (Horokoau) on the left and Aoraki (Mount Cook) on the right.

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New Zealand: forest walk to Fox Glacier

With coach services, I’ve been making my way down the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island. I spend a couple of days around Franz Josef town, and I describe the walk from town to the Franz Josef Glacier.

Will a visit to the Fox Glacier be as memorable? To find out, I head south on Highway 6 (Haast Highway) to Fox Glacier town, some 20 kilometres from Franz Josef town. Fox Glacier town was once known as Weheka which is also the original Māori name for Cook river nearby.

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