Lasting Impressions

A creative writing travel blog about places that have remained etched in the memory. Told in chronological order where all journeys are part of one experience.

Independent Travel

2000 was the year of independence when solo travelling became the norm. South America was beckoning and proved irresistible. The first odyssey included Rio de Janeiro, the river of January and home of the famous carnival. Though, this was summertime, so not when the prices spike and the festival is in full swing. The city is a hodgepodge of colonial buildings like the Museo Historico Nacional (National historical museum), the beautiful Jardim Botanico (botanical gardens), the Christ the redeemer statue and sugarleaf mountain as well as the famous Copacabana beach, Santa Teresa tram ride over a viaduct and the barra shopping mall, the largest on the continent to name but a few highlights. Otherwise, Ipanema and Leblon are upmarket beaches. A sexy, endearing location that is worth the effort. Just keep your wits about you. Salvador de Bahia is in the northeast, most notably Pelourinho, which is a powerful reminder of how slavery once reared its wicked head on these shores. Its colourful buildings are certainly memorable. Age old traditions like candomblé (black magic ceremony) and capoeira, which is a unique blend of Brazilian-African martial arts combined with dancing can be experienced in all their glory.

Continuity

In 2001 it was a continuation of the South American theme and Colombia and Peru stood out. Cartagena des Indias, Colombia in the Caribbean really fuelled the imagination. Sir Francis Drake, the British explorer, had tried his utmost to overcome the Spanish defences here but was repelled. Blas de Lezo, a one-eyed, one-armed defender, did himself proud at the battle of Cartagena fending off invaders. I was told that the defences were impenetrable with ingenious ship busting underwater technology that was way ahead of its time. Its fabulous forts and multi coloured structures give this magnificent city an exhilarating exotic energy that is hard to beat. The humidity in the height of summer is something of an endurance test as the sweat continues as soon as you exit the shower. The Incas ware master builders. Trapezoidal architecture was so robust, it lasted over several hundred years. How did they move those stones that can now be viewed at Maccu Piccu? They were astrologers and perhaps they knew more about the stars than we do nowadays. A poisonous red caterpillar with fur squiggled by and tourists posed with a llama. The site itself is magical. First thing the idea of scaling the peak without taking the easy way out, i.e. the tourist bus, was foolish at best. Chewing coca leafs helps with altitude sickness but not when you see a gigantic mountain peak towering over you at 4 in the morning. The bus at 7am was a welcome sight. Just go early to avoid all the crowds.

Hot, Hot, Hot

A year later in 2002 Marrakesh and the Sahara come to the fore. Djemaa el Fna is the most frenetic, enticing, visually arresting, dynamic main square in the world. There are snake charmers, kid boxers, old school dentists who extract teeth the old-fashioned way, monkeys and more. At a certain point a drum-beat gets faster and faster until the point of no return when things actually calm down and one can relax once more. The Sahara is a barren place with anti-social opening hours. By 5pm its safe to come out and do your thing. Have a beer near the date trees and cherish every drop. The cans are meagre but behold the taste of the amber nectar when your thirst is quenched like never before. Like a scene from Ice Cold in Alex, this is a moment of bliss that may never again be matched. Find a place to sleep which doesn’t require you to keep the door open, i.e. with air con.

Sunrise, Sunset

2003 was a great year. Angkor and India will never be forgotten. Granted, Cambodia is a country with a checkered past. The Khmer Rouge are thankfully long gone and the people have managed to put the past behind them (as much as they can) and tourism focuses on the world heritage site of Angor Wat. One of the top three Buddhist sites in the world, Angor, which constitutes the bas reliefs that are based on the Ramayana, Bayon (Angor Thom), whose stone heads can be seen on Cambodian banknotes and Ta Phrom, where giant tree rots seemingly gobble up ancient temple walls. If ever a place existed that could surpass the human imagination, then this is it. Sunrise and sunset here should be witnessed first-hand for maximum effect. India is the ultimate destination for any traveller. If you haven’t been there, then you aren’t a traveller. India is a place to find yourself, to discover life and the origins of religions, culture, the wonderful food and much, much more. Rajasthan is very touristy but cannot be ignored. From the yellow fort of Jaisalmer with its Jain temples of Lodhruva to the many palaces in Udaipur to Hawar Mahal in Jaipur, there is plenty to see. Kolkata is a city of extremes. The place where the great Satyajit Ray, father of Indian classical cinema, was born is also a place where poverty will confront you out in the streets. Cochin is a colourful place with the marvellous Matancherry synagogue and a laid-back atmosphere. The Taj is as iconic as you’d imagine it to be; a truly remarkable creation in the name of love and artistry.

2013-2014

Jakarta, Indonesia is a huge city with issues. Sure, there is pollution: both the noise and air varieties. Family history-wise it was where my grandfather set sail for the Netherlands in 1930. Taman Prasati, is a cemetery that included Dutch graves, which were somewhat defaced by angry Indonesians. Former President Sukarno's grave was also here. Only the most important members of society like archbishops, governors and generals were buried here, so not my great, great grandfather, who was President of the supreme court in the Netherlands Indies. Café Batavia is a charming place that has managed to retain its authentic vintage atmosphere and is highly recommended. Mt Bromo is home to a Jurassic era volcano and is best seen at sunrise. A totally magical place where the mist makes way to view this splendid sight. A Central American tour from Yucatan to Panama city took in 8 countries. The Mayan sites and Granada, Nicaragua spring to mind. From Chichen Itza to Palenque to Uxmal to Tikal to Copan and beyond, the Mayans built mega cities that have only partly stood the test of time. Some temples, for example, are not completely intact, but still have a certain power to render the visitor flabbergasted. The sheer scale and the ambitiousness of these places needs to be seen to be believed. Your imagination can run rampage as you think of the ancient ball game or sacrificial alter, which can be terrifying. Granada is another vibrant colonial city in the Caribbean with a lot going for it. The Hipica horse festival is a sight for sore eyes. The riders drink rum and circle you in a square as the onlookers get equally tanked up. Watch your belongings and enjoy the show.

Megalopolis

Tokyo gets special pride of place. A futuristic fabulous mega city which needs at least a week to see it to do it justice. From the impressive imperial palace to the excellent electronic empire of Akihabara. From the hip Harujuku to the Koshikawa botanical gardens to the regal Rikugien gardens. From Shambolic Shibuya crossing to chic Shinjuku and from rip-roaring Roppingi to tremendous Toyosu fish market, there’s something for everyone. Last but not least, Kyoto is a seriously superb destination. Its gardens and temples make it worthy of note. The golden pavilion, silver pavilion, Fushimi Inari Taisha, Arashiyama bamboo forest, Tenryu-ji are a few to start with, while, all in all, there are a total of 17 world heritage sites that can be visited.