A Female Lava Lizard on Espanola Island in the Galapagos Islands
The Española Lava Lizard, or Hood Lava Lizard is one of nine species of lava lizards endemic to the Galapagos Islands. As it’s name suggests, it is specifically endemic to Espanola, or Hood, Island.
This particular lava lizard is a female lava lizard, as can be determined by the colouration of the face. While different lava lizards species have different colouration’s and their colours can change at times, the females often have a bright red colour under their necks.
Overall, male lava lizards are larger than the females. Both males and females will perform ‘push ups’ if they feel threatened by your presence, or to determine dominance over another lava lizard nearby.
The scientific name for this lava lizard is Microlophus delanonis and it was photographed at Punta Suarez on Espanola Island.
What happens when you come across someone named Sergey in Far East Russia who is one part artist and one part sailor?
You end up having an encounter that is a little bit odd and a lot interesting.
Wall Art at Sergey’s House on Bering Island
Sergey’s House isn’t exactly an easy place to get to.
He lives on Bering Island, which is part of the Commander Islands off the coast of eastern Russia. Now, even if you do find yourself wandering around this remote Russian island, you’re not guaranteed that Sergey will be home, and if he isn’t home – you don’t visit his house.
The somewhat ominous doorway and entrance to Sergey’s House
So who is this Sergey and why is he so oddly interesting?
The oddity simply comes from the environment. Sergey lives in the only settlement of these islands. He’s had to adapt to the environment as he has grown older. Somewhat charismatic – if you understand Russian – his unique character comes out in his artwork which is scattered all throughout his home, which is also his workshop. Paintings are his main passion, yet sculptures from the spoils of the land are dotted throughout his cabin of a home as well. What he takes pleasure in, and has a passion for, may come across as different – but somehow he found a way to have a vibrant life in a very inhospitable landscape.
He has a catty confidence, that keeps you on your toes, whether he’s showing you a piece of artwork he is painting or sitting beside his wood burning stove, enjoying a bit of drink and fish. After spending a bit of time in his home and learning a bit about him, I decided he had a kind of Keyser Söze legend to him, which is why you won’t find any photos of him here.
Art and History Exposition, Bering Island, Russia
Outside his home, the cold near-Arctic waters of eastern Russia are only a short walk away. There was a time, when he was younger, that Sergey sailed his own boat across the Commander Islands and Aleutian Islands over to Alaska. He did this trip solo, more than once. This element of adventure is still apparent in his paintings and workshop, even though his adventuring days are over.
Sergey’s House, like the entire Bering Island, feels like a living museum. It’s a welcoming, yet harsh place. Dreary landscapes dotted with specks of vibrant colours. Remote Russia at it’s greatest, a place that seems stuck in time, yet somehow carries on.
Some of Sergey’s artwork and collection of historic documents
Dating back to 2010, countries and world destinations have been battling it out on Twitter and January 31, 2013 will be the day that the final #TravelMatch vote is cast.
If you haven’t cast your vote yet, simply head over to Twitter and follow the #TravelMatch hashtag. Send a tweet to @redhunttravel voting for either the Faroe Islands or Bhutan to win! Votes must be received before February 1, 2013.
Not sure who to vote for? Here is a little recap of information from these two finalists who each won more matches than 240 other countries and destinations that participated in Travel Match.
Monks are a common sight in Bhutan…I haven’t been so these monks are from Sri Lanka!
About Bhutan and the Faroe Islands
Two very different countries have found themselves victors of four past matches to make it here. One country is landlocked, the other is surrounded by sea. One has a strong Buddhist culture, one is rooted in Nordic culture. Bhutan is in the heart of Asia, the Faroes are in the remote North Atlantic Ocean. Together, these two countries have a population of fewer than 800,000 people.
They’re both relatively off-the-beaten path as you might say. It wasn’t until 1992 that alcohol was legal in the Faroes, and even now anything stronger than 2.8% alcohol has controlled distribution. Hard liquor isn’t allowed to be produced in the country either. On the other hand, consumption of strong alcohol is common in Bhutan, and much cheaper too! On the fast-food front they’re both holdouts, with the Faroes only recently having a Burger King arrive, while Bhutan hasn’t caved to international fast food chains yet.
If you like nature and wildlife, they both have a lot to offer, with sea birds and sheep dominating the Faroes and more diverse, albeit elusive wildlife in Bhutan. They’re both countries that remain unique in the world, with their own set of traditions and cultural heritage.
Atlantic Puffins are commonly seen in the Faroe Islands…although this is a Tufted Puffin from Russia as I haven’t been to the Faroes.
Yet, both countries aren’t without their fair share of controversy either. Bhutan kicked out roughly 20% of their population – 100,000 people – in the 1990s, purely to preserve their cultural heritage. Their current conservation efforts are often questioned as they pit cultural conservation against natural conservation, resulting in frequent conflicts between wildlife and farmers.
Over in the Faroes, a tradition of hunting whales for their meat has been met with increasing scrutiny in recent years by people who claim it is neither necessary nor humane. Yet, the culture of the Faroe Islands is dependent on fishing and the sea. Their hunts are only done for personal consumption without any commercial involvement, making the annual whale hunt a key part of their food supply.
On the brighter side, the Faroes are frequently said to be among the most beautiful islands on earth, with their soaring sea cliffs and lush green hills. Hiking and outdoor adventures are plentiful in the Faroes. Bhutan may have kicked out a lot of people, but they are now bringing in a lot of tourists by claiming to be the Happiest Nation on Earth – well at least the only one that officially measures Gross National Happiness!
It’s an interesting battle to finish the Travel Match series. One thing that became evident over the course of the 111 matches was that few ‘popular’ destinations lasted long into the series. The travel voters on Twitter have had a soft spot for more obscure, remote and less-visited destinations.
We shall wait to find out later this week who will be crowned the Travel Match champions. Bhutan or the Faroe Islands?
A Black-Naped Hare at Ruhunu / Yala National Park in Sri Lanka
A cute creature, the Black-Naped Hare, also called the Indian Hare, is common across Indian, Sri Lanka and other parts of Southern Asia.
Not to be confused with rabbits, hares are entirely different animals. These hares enjoy feeding on twigs and berries and have larger ears and hind legs. They’re a pretty impressive size really!
This particular black-naped species is unfortunately a victim of poaching in parts of India, but still has healthy populations in the wild.
Abandoned since 1923, the ghost town of Kayakoy is an interesting place to visit, not far from the touristy hub of Fethiye.
The attraction at Kayakoy is being able to walk amongst the crumbling buildings that once housed around 2,000 Greeks, before they were forced to leave after the Greco-Turkish War. Among the buildings that are most impressive are the old churches, which are in better condition than many of the other structures.
Kayakoy – A Ghost Village in Turkey
Officially nobody really lives here now, but a number of buildings are actually being used. Don’t be surprised if you come across the odd chicken, camel, squirrel, goat, or person wandering through the streets of the abandoned village.
The hillside setting of the village is great and you can imagine it once being a very nice place to live. Most people visit the village now via various hiking trails that connect to the coast and the Lycian Way trail route.
Abandoned Greek Orthodox Church at Kayakoy
It’s an interesting place to explore for a few hours, especially if you’re into the history of the region. With hundreds of buildings dotting the hillsides, it can be rough trekking to some of them, but photography opportunities can also be rewarding by wandering around buildings that date back to the 18th century.
An Old Building at Kayakoy
Horses and animals are commonly seen around Kayakoy
