I had always had a deep desire to visit Mesa Verde Park, the location of the oldest and the largest collection of cliff dwellings in the United States. These provide a look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo or Anasazi people who lived here from 600 AD to 1300 AD. Having always been intrigued by ancient architectural structures in different parts of the world, it was important for me to study this piece of history of the country that was now my home.
At Cliff Palace, the largest cliff dwelling at the park, one can visualize a small township of people living in about 150 rooms. Because of the proximity of the rooms, it is clear there existed a culture of co-operation and group participation. This culture also displayed a level of sophistication - the dwellings were typically built on levels in a cliff, perhaps as a protection from the elements and invaders. Kivas or ceremonial rooms were underground chambers used by Ancestral Puebloans to conduct healing rites or to pray for rain, luck in hunting, or good crops. They also served as a place for a group to stay warm as a fire was lit for rituals. Overall the dwellings radiated an atmosphere of simplicity and peace.
It is surmised that these dwellings were abandoned due to a famine or drought. Some inhabitants migrated to New Mexico and Arizona. The modern pueblo people who live in these states today are probably descendants of the Anasazi people.
There is so much one can learn from history today. There is a sense of wonder that people who did not have the kinds of tools and technologies we have today, were able to use ingenuity to build homes and survive. It seemed possible for up to two hundred people to live in small spaces with simplicity and harmony, something which at times seems unimaginable in todays world. It is refreshing to take a cue from a civilization like this.
You can view the variety of images of this area here.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
The Fall Season in Red Rocks Country, Colorado
The Aspen trees are so prevalent in Colorado that there is even a town named after them. Fall in south Colorado is made even more dramatic with red rock landscapes in the background. The landscape in Colorado is very different from California even though some of the trees may be similar. Photographing in fall also becomes more of a challenge because of frequent high winds. At a time like this I am grateful for digital technology which enables me to take some images without a tripod in strong winds.
It is fascinating to see how the trees rejuvenate after a fire. The Aspen trees in fact show a tendency to reproduce well after a fire, getting nourishment from the charred vegetation. Another interesting observation about the Aspen is that it reproduces by cloning sending out suckers from existing root systems. It is yet another example of nature finding a way to survive and propagate. The golden shimmer of Aspen leaves fluttering gives them the familiar name 'the Quaking Aspen' and is a truly dramatic part of the fall landscape.
When I am busy photographing, I am often caught up in the majesty of the moment, admiring and capturing the scenes I see. It is only after I return from a trip that I have a chance to reflect and analyse some of the impressions I took. On further analysis I find that I have not only captured beautiful scenes but learnt a little more about natural selection, geology and geography also in the process, a great bonus.
You can view the gamut of fall scenes in Red Rock Country here.
It is fascinating to see how the trees rejuvenate after a fire. The Aspen trees in fact show a tendency to reproduce well after a fire, getting nourishment from the charred vegetation. Another interesting observation about the Aspen is that it reproduces by cloning sending out suckers from existing root systems. It is yet another example of nature finding a way to survive and propagate. The golden shimmer of Aspen leaves fluttering gives them the familiar name 'the Quaking Aspen' and is a truly dramatic part of the fall landscape.
When I am busy photographing, I am often caught up in the majesty of the moment, admiring and capturing the scenes I see. It is only after I return from a trip that I have a chance to reflect and analyse some of the impressions I took. On further analysis I find that I have not only captured beautiful scenes but learnt a little more about natural selection, geology and geography also in the process, a great bonus.
You can view the gamut of fall scenes in Red Rock Country here.
Fall in the Western United States
The fall season in the western part of the United States has a drama of its own. Unlike the east coast which has a varied tapestry of colors, in the west the sweeping golden color of the Aspen trees form tunnels and passages of gold. Lake Tahoe, more popular for summer and winter visits, has a quiet calm and beauty about it at this time of the year. I was pleasantly surprised to find so much to photograph on one October visit with friends. I also found a dramatic color display along the Stanislaus river in Gold Country, California.
A uniqueness about the fall season in the west is scenes of snow-capped mountains with splashes of color in the foreground. The snow starts falling as the trees start turning color, giving us the indication of the passage of time and the changing of seasons.
Photographing the fall scenes showed me that there is beauty everywhere and at all times - you just have to look for it.
A uniqueness about the fall season in the west is scenes of snow-capped mountains with splashes of color in the foreground. The snow starts falling as the trees start turning color, giving us the indication of the passage of time and the changing of seasons.
Photographing the fall scenes showed me that there is beauty everywhere and at all times - you just have to look for it.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
The fascinating Geology and Geography of Grand Staircase Escalante
As I photograph different areas of the remote Grand Staircase National Monument in Utah, I am grateful that it was declared to be a protected area in 1996. It protects a huge area of southern Utah encompassing the Grand Staircase in the west, Kaiparowits Plateau in the east and the canyons of the Escalante. The Grand Staircase is a geological formation spanning eons of time and is a territory of multicolored cliffs, mesas, buttes, and canyons.
It seems sacrilegious to mine for coal in these beautiful cliffs, which is what had once been intended for this area. The unusual rock formations at Devil's playground and the painterly colors at Kodachrome Basin Park and the Toadstools are truly geological wonders. It has been a real pleasure to wander through these varied scenes each representing a different geological time, in a small area. This area will draw me back again and again. I hope to both capture what I see and study this area's geology in more depth.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Kaui - rugged, untouched and beautiful
The Hawaiian islands mean different things to different people. To many the pristine beaches are wonderful for family vacations and swimming and surfing. To others, the beautiful oceanside resorts are a place to decompress and escape from the vagaries of the everyday routine. And to the outdoor enthusiasts, the rain forests and other rugged areas have a rich choice of hiking. That is what I have always loved about Hawaii - that anyone can find something to love in these islands, and in spite of the occasional crowds in popular places, there is a place for everyone.
Not being much of a swimmer myself, to me the beach is often a place for reflection and looking to photograph the best sunrise and sunset. I have found Hawaii to have some of the best sunsets of all the places I have photographed. On a recent trip to Kauai, I wanted to focus on the more untouched areas. I am glad that a large part of the Napali Coast has been preserved and one has to work a little hard to see parts of it. Having always had a love of exploring canyons, I finally found a chance to hike around the less traversed Waimea Canyon in Kauai. I found it to be very beautiful and different from the Grand Canyon, even though it is often called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. It was carved thousands of years ago by rivers and floods that flowed from Mount Waialeale's summit. With a lot more trees, varied vegetation and red volcanic ash, it has a character of its own. It was well worth the strenuous hike to observe different parts of it.
We often watch helplessly as many beautiful places in all parts of the world get destroyed with too much careless urbanization. One can only hope that Kauai will remain as it is.
Not being much of a swimmer myself, to me the beach is often a place for reflection and looking to photograph the best sunrise and sunset. I have found Hawaii to have some of the best sunsets of all the places I have photographed. On a recent trip to Kauai, I wanted to focus on the more untouched areas. I am glad that a large part of the Napali Coast has been preserved and one has to work a little hard to see parts of it. Having always had a love of exploring canyons, I finally found a chance to hike around the less traversed Waimea Canyon in Kauai. I found it to be very beautiful and different from the Grand Canyon, even though it is often called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. It was carved thousands of years ago by rivers and floods that flowed from Mount Waialeale's summit. With a lot more trees, varied vegetation and red volcanic ash, it has a character of its own. It was well worth the strenuous hike to observe different parts of it.
We often watch helplessly as many beautiful places in all parts of the world get destroyed with too much careless urbanization. One can only hope that Kauai will remain as it is.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Nature's Spring Tapestry
I enjoy my garden and carefully cultivate different flowers and vegetables in it. I mourn the loss of a plant to frost bite or heat dehydration. I tell myself I will try to do a better job next year caring for them.
A wildflower does not get such tender loving care. It learns to find the most conducive environment to grow in, and last as long as possible. Its life span depends on the weather conditions - if it is too hot or there has not been too much rain, not many wildflowers will grow. We are once again reminded of the laws of nature and survival of the fittest. As I watch the breathtaking view of a bed of flowers in Carrizo Plains, a dramatic display seen after five years, I feel grateful that good rainfall this year made it possible.
Carrizo Plains is a protected area with the highest concentration of threatened and endangered wildlife in California. Driving through it this year in the spring season, there were flowers as far as the eye could see. The palette of nature's colors looked almost unnatural. Goldfields, Owl's clover, and Lupine were prolific. What was fascinating was that these flowers were found in different parts of the preserve within a twenty mile radius, each finding its ideal ecology.
On my return to the Bay Area, I photographed the flowers at Alum Rock Park and found 22 varieties in a span of 3 miles. Most of the flowers were different from those seen at Carrizo Plains. It once again told us the story that each type of flower survived in a specific ecology and how fragile its existence can be.
A wildflower does not get such tender loving care. It learns to find the most conducive environment to grow in, and last as long as possible. Its life span depends on the weather conditions - if it is too hot or there has not been too much rain, not many wildflowers will grow. We are once again reminded of the laws of nature and survival of the fittest. As I watch the breathtaking view of a bed of flowers in Carrizo Plains, a dramatic display seen after five years, I feel grateful that good rainfall this year made it possible.
Carrizo Plains is a protected area with the highest concentration of threatened and endangered wildlife in California. Driving through it this year in the spring season, there were flowers as far as the eye could see. The palette of nature's colors looked almost unnatural. Goldfields, Owl's clover, and Lupine were prolific. What was fascinating was that these flowers were found in different parts of the preserve within a twenty mile radius, each finding its ideal ecology.
On my return to the Bay Area, I photographed the flowers at Alum Rock Park and found 22 varieties in a span of 3 miles. Most of the flowers were different from those seen at Carrizo Plains. It once again told us the story that each type of flower survived in a specific ecology and how fragile its existence can be.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Morocco - Mountains and Oasis
"We will drive to the top of the Atlas mountains and then see the expanse of the Sahara stretched below us". That is how my husband had imagined it would be, having heard a lot about the varied scenery in Morocco. Well, we did have a truly breathtaking drive up the Atlas mountains. However we did not see the desert from the top, but oasis-like scenery. Of course that would make sense geologically, as the Atlas mountains act as a barrier between the Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines, and the Sahara desert.
The drive from Marrakesh to Ouarzazate through the Atlas mountains was one of the most scenic drives of Morocco. Along the way we saw sheep dogs, cattle, and charming villages decorating the mountainside.We drove right to the top of the 1600m-high pass at Tizi n'Tinififft and got the most spectacular view. It was worth braving the cold winds of a December morning. From this point we could see the oasis region of Draa Valley in the distance. On the way down to Ouarzazate, one of most famous Kasbahs of Morocco, Ait Benhaddou gave us a rich tapestry of history. Kasbahs or fortresses, were built as protection from invaders from the south.
Ouarzazate to Draa Valley gave a rare, untouched view of the oasis landscape with palm trees and cactus. At Draa Valley we were welcomed by school children who were very curious to know more about us, even though we did not have a common language. Dates, fruits and vegetables could be seen in the farms. The doors of the homes were artistically decorated made to welcome visitors.
As our Moroccan driver proudly told us, every village has a school and a mosque. We learned to look for these distinctive signs as we drove through different parts of the Moroccan countryside.
Our drive to Dades Valley, another oasis area, took us along the route of a thousand Kasbahs. A young woman gave us an intimate description of the Kasbah Ameridihl. Though she told us she spoke only a little English, the language that was second nature to her was that of the internet. She promised to stay in touch with Hotmail and MSN. One again we were reminded of how flat the world was, and how easily boundaries could be crossed with today's technologies!
The drive from Marrakesh to Ouarzazate through the Atlas mountains was one of the most scenic drives of Morocco. Along the way we saw sheep dogs, cattle, and charming villages decorating the mountainside.We drove right to the top of the 1600m-high pass at Tizi n'Tinififft and got the most spectacular view. It was worth braving the cold winds of a December morning. From this point we could see the oasis region of Draa Valley in the distance. On the way down to Ouarzazate, one of most famous Kasbahs of Morocco, Ait Benhaddou gave us a rich tapestry of history. Kasbahs or fortresses, were built as protection from invaders from the south.
Ouarzazate to Draa Valley gave a rare, untouched view of the oasis landscape with palm trees and cactus. At Draa Valley we were welcomed by school children who were very curious to know more about us, even though we did not have a common language. Dates, fruits and vegetables could be seen in the farms. The doors of the homes were artistically decorated made to welcome visitors.
As our Moroccan driver proudly told us, every village has a school and a mosque. We learned to look for these distinctive signs as we drove through different parts of the Moroccan countryside.
Our drive to Dades Valley, another oasis area, took us along the route of a thousand Kasbahs. A young woman gave us an intimate description of the Kasbah Ameridihl. Though she told us she spoke only a little English, the language that was second nature to her was that of the internet. She promised to stay in touch with Hotmail and MSN. One again we were reminded of how flat the world was, and how easily boundaries could be crossed with today's technologies!
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