The document summarizes the author's 47 visits to and deep love for the Seychelles islands over 24 years. It describes the natural beauty and marine life the author discovered underwater, as well as the complex history and politics of the islands. The author formed close connections with the Seychellois people and culture, viewing the islands as an "emotional centre" where they found balance.
The Real Malay is physically described as short and well-built with dark features. While reserved with strangers, Malays are generally kindly with polite manners. They are courageous, trustworthy, and good conversationalists with a strong sense of humor. Malays are also conservative, proud of their culture, and respect authority. However, they intensely dislike insults and believe blood must be shed in revenge. Overall, the Malay character is complex with both admirable and problematic traits.
This document discusses the genocide of California Native Americans that occurred following European contact and settlement. It notes that the indigenous population declined by 90-95% (around 130 million people) in just 200 years after 1492. It describes the concept of "Manifest Destiny" which was used to justify the expansion and conquest of Native lands in North America by white settlers. It criticizes this belief and the actions taken against indigenous peoples as a means for white settlers to compensate for their genetic weakness as albinos and prove their superiority. The document examines accounts from early Spanish explorers and missionaries about their interactions with and views of Native Californians.
1) An explorer is lost from his group climbing a mountain in Ecuador and falls down the unknown side, surviving through a series of snow slopes.
2) He discovers a remote, isolated valley cut off from the rest of the world, inhabited by a strange race of blind people who have lived there for many generations.
3) The valley was cut off by a landslide long ago, leaving the people to gradually lose their sight over generations living in the unchanging environment.
This document provides a summary of the genocide of California Native Americans that occurred when white settlers arrived in the region. It describes how settlers justified taking Native lands by promoting the concept of "Manifest Destiny," which held that white Americans were destined to expand across North America. It then details some of the initial encounters between Native peoples and European explorers and missionaries in California. However, it argues that the settlers ultimately carried out massive violence and genocide against Native populations in order to steal their lands.
The document provides descriptions from the narrator's travels through various locations in South Asia and the Middle East. It describes encounters with locals, cultural and religious sites, and the varied landscapes encountered. Impressions of cities, bazaars, mountains, and rural villages are conveyed through vivid sensory details. People, places, and experiences on the narrator's journey are captured.
The document provides background on the declining Assyrian empire and the city of Nineveh in ruins. It then introduces a 17-year-old boy who dreams of becoming a toy maker but his mother wants him to be a warrior. After his parents die, he is found unconscious on the river bank and wakes up on a dilapidated ship led by a pirate captain. The captain insists the boy work as a slave on the ship but the boy is determined to pursue his dream of toy making.
Romulo describes himself as a Filipino who inherits both a glorious past from his hardy Malayan ancestors who first settled the land, as well as an uncertain future. He feels a responsibility both to honor his ancestors and ensure his children's freedom. Romulo's blood carries the immortal seed of heroes who fought against foreign oppressors for independence. As both a child of the East and West, he stands at the vanguard of progress and will not rest until democracy, justice and equality are secured in his homeland for future generations.
Sheherazade told the king stories over 1,000 nights to prevent her execution. Some of the most popular stories included:
1) The Story of Aladdin's Lamp, where a poor boy finds a magic lamp containing a genie who grants him riches.
2) The Story of Sinbad the Sailor and his voyages encountering wonders like a giant bird and roc.
3) The Story of the Forty Thieves, where Ali Baba discovers a thieves' den and outsmarts them with help from his clever slave Morgiana.
The Real Malay is physically described as short and well-built with dark features. While reserved with strangers, Malays are generally kindly with polite manners. They are courageous, trustworthy, and good conversationalists with a strong sense of humor. Malays are also conservative, proud of their culture, and respect authority. However, they intensely dislike insults and believe blood must be shed in revenge. Overall, the Malay character is complex with both admirable and problematic traits.
This document discusses the genocide of California Native Americans that occurred following European contact and settlement. It notes that the indigenous population declined by 90-95% (around 130 million people) in just 200 years after 1492. It describes the concept of "Manifest Destiny" which was used to justify the expansion and conquest of Native lands in North America by white settlers. It criticizes this belief and the actions taken against indigenous peoples as a means for white settlers to compensate for their genetic weakness as albinos and prove their superiority. The document examines accounts from early Spanish explorers and missionaries about their interactions with and views of Native Californians.
1) An explorer is lost from his group climbing a mountain in Ecuador and falls down the unknown side, surviving through a series of snow slopes.
2) He discovers a remote, isolated valley cut off from the rest of the world, inhabited by a strange race of blind people who have lived there for many generations.
3) The valley was cut off by a landslide long ago, leaving the people to gradually lose their sight over generations living in the unchanging environment.
This document provides a summary of the genocide of California Native Americans that occurred when white settlers arrived in the region. It describes how settlers justified taking Native lands by promoting the concept of "Manifest Destiny," which held that white Americans were destined to expand across North America. It then details some of the initial encounters between Native peoples and European explorers and missionaries in California. However, it argues that the settlers ultimately carried out massive violence and genocide against Native populations in order to steal their lands.
The document provides descriptions from the narrator's travels through various locations in South Asia and the Middle East. It describes encounters with locals, cultural and religious sites, and the varied landscapes encountered. Impressions of cities, bazaars, mountains, and rural villages are conveyed through vivid sensory details. People, places, and experiences on the narrator's journey are captured.
The document provides background on the declining Assyrian empire and the city of Nineveh in ruins. It then introduces a 17-year-old boy who dreams of becoming a toy maker but his mother wants him to be a warrior. After his parents die, he is found unconscious on the river bank and wakes up on a dilapidated ship led by a pirate captain. The captain insists the boy work as a slave on the ship but the boy is determined to pursue his dream of toy making.
Romulo describes himself as a Filipino who inherits both a glorious past from his hardy Malayan ancestors who first settled the land, as well as an uncertain future. He feels a responsibility both to honor his ancestors and ensure his children's freedom. Romulo's blood carries the immortal seed of heroes who fought against foreign oppressors for independence. As both a child of the East and West, he stands at the vanguard of progress and will not rest until democracy, justice and equality are secured in his homeland for future generations.
Sheherazade told the king stories over 1,000 nights to prevent her execution. Some of the most popular stories included:
1) The Story of Aladdin's Lamp, where a poor boy finds a magic lamp containing a genie who grants him riches.
2) The Story of Sinbad the Sailor and his voyages encountering wonders like a giant bird and roc.
3) The Story of the Forty Thieves, where Ali Baba discovers a thieves' den and outsmarts them with help from his clever slave Morgiana.
This document introduces a series that will tell the stories of unsung heroes from the land of Elvendia, using characters and quests from the video game The Sims Medieval. It follows Lady Ani-Mei, the queen of T'Landia village, as she deals with problems in her kingdom like bandits and unburied dead while falling in love with the royal bard, Keenan. The prologue establishes the setting and characters, showing Ani-Mei resolving various issues and embarking on a secret courtship with Keenan, hoping to one day make him king.
Madeleine Pickens created the Mustang Monument Eco-Resort and Preserve in Nevada to provide a safe habitat for over 600 wild mustangs. The resort offers luxury accommodations like tepees and cottages for visitors to experience the landscape and observe the free-roaming mustangs. Local ranchers disagree with Pickens' efforts as mustangs compete with cattle for grassland. Pickens is determined to sustainably support the mustangs through tourism and create awareness of preserving the historic horses of the American plains.
The wind in_the_willows_-_kenneth_grahameNhuận Ngọc Đỗ
This document provides an overview of Kenneth Grahame's 1908 children's book "The Wind in the Willows". It was a classic fantasy featuring anthropomorphic animal characters like Mole, Water Rat, and Mr. Toad. The stories grew out of tales Grahame told his young son. It also includes the first chapter of the book, introducing Mole and how he meets Water Rat after exploring the riverbank on a sunny day.
Ishmael signs up for a whaling voyage, taking the lowest position aboard the ship. He feels it was his destiny to go to sea, though he questions why he must take such a difficult role while others have easier parts. Ishmael hopes the voyage will relieve his melancholy and restlessness on land. He prefers being a simple sailor to a passenger or officer with more responsibility.
This document is the first chapter of a novel about Blackbeard the pirate. It introduces the Earl of Derwentwater and his party who land on the remote island of Trinidad. They explore the beautiful scenery but are unsettled by strange sounds. Blackbeard then suddenly appears and introduces himself, revealing they are now in his power on the island.
American History. Liberty Education Series on Gloucester, Virginia Links and News website. Incredible content you just do not find all in one place. Visit us. Free downloads are available.
1) The document is a statement of Filipino identity and heritage written by a Filipino author.
2) It describes Filipinos as descendants of ancient Malayan pioneers who bravely crossed the seas in frail ships to find a new home in the Philippines. The land became sacred to Filipinos over centuries of inhabitation and development.
3) The author expresses a sense of duty and responsibility as a Filipino to uphold their glorious past and work towards an uncertain but promising future, continuing the legacy of heroes who fought for Philippine independence.
Cheryl-Samantha Owen is a conservation photographer from Kenya who uses her photography to inspire conservation action. She believes that for people to want to save something, they first need to love it. Her photos capture animals and environmental issues in a way that highlights both beauty and threats. Currently, she is leading a campaign to protect coastal wilderness in Kenya where biodiversity and culture are endangered.
This document provides an overview of tiger sharks and new research enhancing understanding of them. It discusses how tiger sharks have an undeserved reputation as man-eaters, and how a research team in South Africa is using tagging and observation to learn about tiger shark behavior, movements, habitat use, and diet. Their findings reveal that tiger sharks play an important role in regulating dolphin populations and consume a wide variety of prey. This research is improving knowledge of tiger sharks and aiding conservation efforts for the species.
The document describes a three-day visit to Reilly's Rock, a lodge located within Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary in Swaziland. The lodge and surrounding sanctuary provide a peaceful oasis surrounded by nature, where guests can observe various wildlife from their rooms or during guided tours. Ted Reilly, who grew up on the property and established the sanctuary, gives tours highlighting the sanctuary's conservation efforts and successes in protecting and propagating threatened species.
The document provides an overview of the Tana River in Kenya and the threats facing its way of life. It describes the Tana River Delta's unique ecosystems and the communities that depend on it, including the Pokomo people. However, the delta is now under threat from large development projects, including a proposed super-port. While such projects could bring economic growth, they risk damaging the environment and disrupting the livelihoods of local communities. The document advocates for protecting the delta through conservation efforts that would allow sustainable development while preserving the region's ecological and cultural heritage.
The Shark Spotters program is a non-government organization that was formally adopted in 2004 by the City of Cape Town to help minimize the risk of shark attacks at beaches. They employ spotters who use binoculars and radios to monitor beaches for sharks from vantage points. When a shark is sighted, they raise flags and sound sirens to clear people from the water. The program is aimed at balancing human use of beaches with conservation of sharks, as opposed to past lethal control methods. It is the only program of its type worldwide and has helped increase understanding of sharks.
This document discusses issues facing the West Coast rock lobster fishing industry in South Africa. It notes that rock lobster populations have declined dramatically to only 3% of original levels due to overfishing. While the fishery has been carefully managed, a recent dispute emerged when government disregarded scientific advice and maintained catch limits, damaging conservation efforts. Additionally, rock lobsters are shifting locations and growing more slowly due to climate change and overfishing. Conservation groups are working to raise awareness of sustainable seafood choices.
The document summarizes the decline of the African penguin population due to various environmental pressures. It notes that their numbers have dropped by over 95% since the early 1900s due to overfishing reducing their food supply, climate change altering ocean currents and temperatures which affects fish distribution, and pollution like oil spills that can contaminate penguins. Conservation efforts aim to rehabilitate oiled or abandoned penguins and help manage fisheries and reduce pollution to improve conditions for the endangered penguins.
1) The document describes a zoologist observing and photographing a family of bat-eared foxes in their den in Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve.
2) It details the daily routines of the fox family, including the female foraging at night while the cubs play outside the den in the mornings.
3) The zoologist works to get close-up photos of the cubs by hiding under a vehicle near their den in the early mornings, enduring insects and scat to get fox-eye level shots of their behavior.
The document summarizes the work of photojournalist Cheryl-Samantha Owen who has been diving and documenting reefs along East Africa's Swahili Coast. Some of the most vulnerable and overfished reefs in Africa, scientists have made important discoveries about how to strengthen their resilience to climate change. The photographs show researchers measuring coral size in Kenya, a fisherman catching coral grouper, acropora coral spotted in Aldabra Atoll, and scientists monitoring whale sharks in the Gulf of Tadjoura to better conserve the species.
This document summarizes a thesis submitted by Cheryl-Samantha Owen in partial fulfillment of a masters degree in Conservation Biology at the University of Cape Town. The thesis examines whether the supply of trophy elephants to the Botswana hunting market is sustainable. It develops a population model to simulate elephant population dynamics in northern Botswana under different hunting pressures, calf survival rates, and carrying capacity limits. The model suggests the current hunting quota is sustainable and unlikely to threaten the availability of trophy-quality elephants. Increased quotas could reduce large trophy animals but not compromise male elephants suitable for trophy hunting. However, a decrease in calf survival could greatly reduce the trophy elephant supply.
Nairobi, Kenya's capital city, has transformed dramatically over the past century from an unplanned railhead settlement to a modern metropolis of over 3.5 million people. A 48-hour visit offers a taste of Nairobi's contrasts - from the bustling city streets to nearby natural areas hosting diverse wildlife. Key sights include the National Museum, Nairobi Arboretum, Railway Museum, and day trips to Nairobi National Park and the Giraffe Center to see elephants, giraffes and other native species. Meals provide flavors from local coffee to Indian curries, while craft markets and art galleries offer glimpses into Kenyan culture.
Bird Island is a small uninhabited island in the Seychelles that is home to over 1.5 million sooty terns as well as other seabirds and marine animals. The island was facing environmental degradation until a 40-year restoration plan was implemented, which has led to a thriving colony of sooty terns and the return of other species. The island is now an ecotourism destination that balances conservation efforts with sustainable tourism through practices like controlling vegetation to provide suitable breeding habitat and supplying a limited number of sooty tern eggs to satisfy local culture while preventing overcollection.
This document introduces a series that will tell the stories of unsung heroes from the land of Elvendia, using characters and quests from the video game The Sims Medieval. It follows Lady Ani-Mei, the queen of T'Landia village, as she deals with problems in her kingdom like bandits and unburied dead while falling in love with the royal bard, Keenan. The prologue establishes the setting and characters, showing Ani-Mei resolving various issues and embarking on a secret courtship with Keenan, hoping to one day make him king.
Madeleine Pickens created the Mustang Monument Eco-Resort and Preserve in Nevada to provide a safe habitat for over 600 wild mustangs. The resort offers luxury accommodations like tepees and cottages for visitors to experience the landscape and observe the free-roaming mustangs. Local ranchers disagree with Pickens' efforts as mustangs compete with cattle for grassland. Pickens is determined to sustainably support the mustangs through tourism and create awareness of preserving the historic horses of the American plains.
The wind in_the_willows_-_kenneth_grahameNhuận Ngọc Đỗ
This document provides an overview of Kenneth Grahame's 1908 children's book "The Wind in the Willows". It was a classic fantasy featuring anthropomorphic animal characters like Mole, Water Rat, and Mr. Toad. The stories grew out of tales Grahame told his young son. It also includes the first chapter of the book, introducing Mole and how he meets Water Rat after exploring the riverbank on a sunny day.
Ishmael signs up for a whaling voyage, taking the lowest position aboard the ship. He feels it was his destiny to go to sea, though he questions why he must take such a difficult role while others have easier parts. Ishmael hopes the voyage will relieve his melancholy and restlessness on land. He prefers being a simple sailor to a passenger or officer with more responsibility.
This document is the first chapter of a novel about Blackbeard the pirate. It introduces the Earl of Derwentwater and his party who land on the remote island of Trinidad. They explore the beautiful scenery but are unsettled by strange sounds. Blackbeard then suddenly appears and introduces himself, revealing they are now in his power on the island.
American History. Liberty Education Series on Gloucester, Virginia Links and News website. Incredible content you just do not find all in one place. Visit us. Free downloads are available.
1) The document is a statement of Filipino identity and heritage written by a Filipino author.
2) It describes Filipinos as descendants of ancient Malayan pioneers who bravely crossed the seas in frail ships to find a new home in the Philippines. The land became sacred to Filipinos over centuries of inhabitation and development.
3) The author expresses a sense of duty and responsibility as a Filipino to uphold their glorious past and work towards an uncertain but promising future, continuing the legacy of heroes who fought for Philippine independence.
Cheryl-Samantha Owen is a conservation photographer from Kenya who uses her photography to inspire conservation action. She believes that for people to want to save something, they first need to love it. Her photos capture animals and environmental issues in a way that highlights both beauty and threats. Currently, she is leading a campaign to protect coastal wilderness in Kenya where biodiversity and culture are endangered.
This document provides an overview of tiger sharks and new research enhancing understanding of them. It discusses how tiger sharks have an undeserved reputation as man-eaters, and how a research team in South Africa is using tagging and observation to learn about tiger shark behavior, movements, habitat use, and diet. Their findings reveal that tiger sharks play an important role in regulating dolphin populations and consume a wide variety of prey. This research is improving knowledge of tiger sharks and aiding conservation efforts for the species.
The document describes a three-day visit to Reilly's Rock, a lodge located within Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary in Swaziland. The lodge and surrounding sanctuary provide a peaceful oasis surrounded by nature, where guests can observe various wildlife from their rooms or during guided tours. Ted Reilly, who grew up on the property and established the sanctuary, gives tours highlighting the sanctuary's conservation efforts and successes in protecting and propagating threatened species.
The document provides an overview of the Tana River in Kenya and the threats facing its way of life. It describes the Tana River Delta's unique ecosystems and the communities that depend on it, including the Pokomo people. However, the delta is now under threat from large development projects, including a proposed super-port. While such projects could bring economic growth, they risk damaging the environment and disrupting the livelihoods of local communities. The document advocates for protecting the delta through conservation efforts that would allow sustainable development while preserving the region's ecological and cultural heritage.
The Shark Spotters program is a non-government organization that was formally adopted in 2004 by the City of Cape Town to help minimize the risk of shark attacks at beaches. They employ spotters who use binoculars and radios to monitor beaches for sharks from vantage points. When a shark is sighted, they raise flags and sound sirens to clear people from the water. The program is aimed at balancing human use of beaches with conservation of sharks, as opposed to past lethal control methods. It is the only program of its type worldwide and has helped increase understanding of sharks.
This document discusses issues facing the West Coast rock lobster fishing industry in South Africa. It notes that rock lobster populations have declined dramatically to only 3% of original levels due to overfishing. While the fishery has been carefully managed, a recent dispute emerged when government disregarded scientific advice and maintained catch limits, damaging conservation efforts. Additionally, rock lobsters are shifting locations and growing more slowly due to climate change and overfishing. Conservation groups are working to raise awareness of sustainable seafood choices.
The document summarizes the decline of the African penguin population due to various environmental pressures. It notes that their numbers have dropped by over 95% since the early 1900s due to overfishing reducing their food supply, climate change altering ocean currents and temperatures which affects fish distribution, and pollution like oil spills that can contaminate penguins. Conservation efforts aim to rehabilitate oiled or abandoned penguins and help manage fisheries and reduce pollution to improve conditions for the endangered penguins.
1) The document describes a zoologist observing and photographing a family of bat-eared foxes in their den in Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve.
2) It details the daily routines of the fox family, including the female foraging at night while the cubs play outside the den in the mornings.
3) The zoologist works to get close-up photos of the cubs by hiding under a vehicle near their den in the early mornings, enduring insects and scat to get fox-eye level shots of their behavior.
The document summarizes the work of photojournalist Cheryl-Samantha Owen who has been diving and documenting reefs along East Africa's Swahili Coast. Some of the most vulnerable and overfished reefs in Africa, scientists have made important discoveries about how to strengthen their resilience to climate change. The photographs show researchers measuring coral size in Kenya, a fisherman catching coral grouper, acropora coral spotted in Aldabra Atoll, and scientists monitoring whale sharks in the Gulf of Tadjoura to better conserve the species.
This document summarizes a thesis submitted by Cheryl-Samantha Owen in partial fulfillment of a masters degree in Conservation Biology at the University of Cape Town. The thesis examines whether the supply of trophy elephants to the Botswana hunting market is sustainable. It develops a population model to simulate elephant population dynamics in northern Botswana under different hunting pressures, calf survival rates, and carrying capacity limits. The model suggests the current hunting quota is sustainable and unlikely to threaten the availability of trophy-quality elephants. Increased quotas could reduce large trophy animals but not compromise male elephants suitable for trophy hunting. However, a decrease in calf survival could greatly reduce the trophy elephant supply.
Nairobi, Kenya's capital city, has transformed dramatically over the past century from an unplanned railhead settlement to a modern metropolis of over 3.5 million people. A 48-hour visit offers a taste of Nairobi's contrasts - from the bustling city streets to nearby natural areas hosting diverse wildlife. Key sights include the National Museum, Nairobi Arboretum, Railway Museum, and day trips to Nairobi National Park and the Giraffe Center to see elephants, giraffes and other native species. Meals provide flavors from local coffee to Indian curries, while craft markets and art galleries offer glimpses into Kenyan culture.
Bird Island is a small uninhabited island in the Seychelles that is home to over 1.5 million sooty terns as well as other seabirds and marine animals. The island was facing environmental degradation until a 40-year restoration plan was implemented, which has led to a thriving colony of sooty terns and the return of other species. The island is now an ecotourism destination that balances conservation efforts with sustainable tourism through practices like controlling vegetation to provide suitable breeding habitat and supplying a limited number of sooty tern eggs to satisfy local culture while preventing overcollection.
1) Divers in South Africa regularly encounter sevengill sharks in the kelp forests off Miller's Point. The sharks are bold and inquisitive.
2) Researchers are studying these sharks to learn more about their population dynamics, as commercial fishing threatens the species. Divers help by photographing the sharks' unique markings to identify individuals.
3) The area around Miller's Point appears to be an important pupping ground for sevengill sharks, though more research is needed to confirm this. The sharks' long gestation period and late maturity make them vulnerable to overfishing.
Dwesa Nature Reserve is a small protected area along the Wild Coast of South Africa that packs a mighty biodiversity punch. Despite its small size, it is home to nearly 300 bird species, large mammals like rhinos, eland and leopards, and diverse coastal and forest habitats. The reserve protects one of the few places in the world where rhinos can be seen grazing against an Indian Ocean backdrop. It also hosts nocturnal "beach parties" where rhinos spend nights on the sand to escape parasites. Dwesa faces challenges like poaching but remains a treasure along the Wild Coast where wildlife still moves freely between habitats along the coastline.
Vipul Kumar Singh has over 8 years of experience as a consultant and corporate trainer in various Microsoft products and technologies including Windows Server, System Center, and private cloud. He has conducted training for many large corporations in countries around the world. Vipul has several Microsoft certifications and has worked as a senior trainer and consultant for KoenigSolutionsPvt. Ltd. since 2009, where he trains overseas and corporate clients on System Center and Windows Server projects.
Woodward Governor Company needed organizational change due to issues with its marketing mix, product quality, pricing, and responsiveness to customer needs. A change program was developed with goals of achieving $500 million in sales, 40% market share, and 20% earnings by 2003. The program included restructuring the company's market approach and internal capabilities. However, implementation of the change program was slow and faced resistance, with results taking longer than expected to materialize.
Current Challenges in International BusinessOliver Parker
This document discusses current challenges in international business and implications for education. It outlines issues like intellectual property protection, security threats, evolving communication and business models, changing government policies, and the rise of new global powers. International business relationships and knowledge management are also transforming. This requires professional education to adapt programs with topics like emerging markets, e-business, ethics, and public-private partnerships. Flexible learning models incorporating online, blended, and corporate training options better prepare students for a shifting global business environment.
This summary provides an overview of two documents about national parks and preserves in New Mexico.
The first document describes a trip to Valles Caldera National Preserve, the site of the largest volcano in the world. It explains that the preserve has served as an important hunting ground since the days of Native American tribes like the Kiowa and Comanche. The landscape reveals evidence of the area's volcanic origins through minerals in the cliffs and rock faces.
The second document is about Bandelier National Monument. A park ranger explains to visitors that the structures are not ruins, but still homes for the ancestral Pueblo people who inhabited the area. Though the people are gone, their spirits remain and the land continues
Oceania Legasea, a young mermaid, leaves her underwater kingdom to explore on her own. She discovers a deserted island chain called Sirenum Scopuli and decides to establish the first colony of merpeople above water. Oceania purchases a large beachside property to build a home for her descendants, founding the matriarchy of Legasea. Though she must sell her possessions to afford amenities, Oceania is excited to begin her new life and lineage on the islands.
The document provides a summary of the short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving. It describes the setting of Sleepy Hollow as a quiet valley inhabited by descendants of Dutch settlers. It introduces Ichabod Crane, the schoolmaster of Sleepy Hollow, and describes him as a tall, lanky and superstitious man. It details how Ichabod ingratiates himself with the community by assisting on farms and leading the church choir. The summary concludes by describing how Ichabod enjoys frightening himself with ghost stories told by the old Dutch wives in the village.
This document is a summary of Herman Melville's novel Moby Dick. It begins with background on the etymology of the word "whale" in several languages. It then provides short extracts and quotes about whales from sources like the Bible, Shakespeare plays, and accounts of early whaling voyages. The summary concisely highlights the wide range of references to whales in literature and history covered in Melville's novel.
The document provides an overview of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, a remote Australian territory in the Indian Ocean. It describes the islands' untouched beaches, abundant marine life ideal for snorkeling, and small population of around 600 people. It focuses on the author's experiences visiting several of the islands, including Prison Island, Direction Island, and Home Island. On Home Island, the author observes celebrations marking the end of Ramadan and learns about the unique culture of the Cocos Malay people, who make up most of the population.
The document summarizes key aspects of place and setting in Gothic literature and Emily Bronte's novel Wuthering Heights. It discusses how Gothic settings like abbeys, ruins, and wild landscapes were seen as crude and frightening in the 18th century. It then analyzes several important settings in Wuthering Heights, including the moors where Catherine and Heathcliff played as children, and how these settings symbolize the wild passions of the characters and play a role in the story.
Slavery was a brutal system that existed in America from 1619 to 1865. Millions of slaves were taken from Africa and forced to work on plantations in the Southern states. Slaves endured horrific conditions, with long work hours, physical punishment, separation of families, and little access to healthcare, education or religious freedom. Though some slaves found ways to resist the dehumanizing system through literacy, faith and escaping, slavery dominated the Southern economy and profoundly shaped American history until the Civil War and Emancipation.
The Island Of Doctor Moreau by H.G. WellsPicture Blogs
The document is a chapter summary for The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells. It provides an overview of the first 3 chapters:
Chapter 1 introduces the narrator Edward Prendick and how he ended up adrift at sea after a shipwreck, surviving for 8 days on a lifeboat with two other men.
Chapter 2 details his rescue by a passing ship, the Ipecacuanha, and meeting its passenger Montgomery who nurses Prendick back to health and tells him about their destination.
Chapter 3 describes Prendick's unsettling encounter with a misshapen, hairy man who emerges from the ship's hatchway, his strange face deeply shocking Prend
CHAPTER I.
The Shells of the Sea of Galilee i
CHAPTER H.
The Well of Jacob, . . . . . . . 12
CHAPTER in.
The Dew of Hermon, 27
CHAPTER IV.
The Scene of our Lord's Nativity, .... 40
CHAPTER V.
The Mistletoe of Bethlehem, 56
CHAPTER VI.
The Kiblah, 66
CHAPTER VII.
The Fountain of Capernaum, 78
CHAPTER VIII.
The Bells of the Horses, 88
CHAPTER IX.
The Way to Damascus, loi
CHAPTER X.
Thu Escape of St. Paul from Damascus, , . . • 114
Dorothy Sambrooke, the daughter of Senator Jeremy Sambrooke, has fallen in love with Steve Knight, a local Hawaiian man, during her family's month-long visit to Hawaii. As Dorothy's transport ship departs from Honolulu harbor, she realizes the depth of her feelings for Steve and is devastated that their social circumstances prevent them from being together, as Steve has some native Hawaiian ancestry. During an emotional farewell, Dorothy throws her flower garland to Steve, despite her father's disapproval of their relationship due to Steve's mixed race.
The document provides a first-person account of camping alone on Angel Island in San Francisco Bay. The narrator describes hearing wildlife at night that disturbs their sleep, and their heightened senses of sound in the wilderness. During the day, the narrator observes the island's scenery and history of military use. They encounter an eccentric couple arriving by boat and interacting strangely. The next morning, the narrator discovers a large amount of money wrapped and hidden under a cliff, though does not indicate what they will do with the finding.
URSULA K . LE GUIN (11. 1929) is Ilrcv titrrr,ylrlrr of hi.docxdickonsondorris
URSULA K . LE GUIN (11. 1929) is Ilrcv titrrr,ylrlrr of '/'hilctri~~rrr Kroc*/~c*r, r r
writer, and Alfred Louis Kroeber, a pioneerirrg a n l l r r o ~ ~ o l i ~ , ~ i s l at tlrc llrrir~clrsil,y I ) /
California at Berkeley. From her family background Id(# Guirr acqrrin1rl rr rii~uble
orientation, humanistic and scientific, that shows in all her writ in^. She 7i)tls
educated at Radcliffe College and Columbia University, where she corrrl?l~,tod rr
master's thesis i n medieval romance literature. In 1953 she married the historirrrr
Charles Le G u i n , with w h o m she had three children. Although she wrote her first
science-fiction story at the age of twelve, she didn't begin publishing until t w e n t y
years later. O n e of her stories, "Semley's Necklace," grew into her first publishrd
novel, Rocannon's World (1966). Another story, "Winter's King," introduced the
setting she developed for her first major success, the novel The Left Hand of
Darkness (1969). These stories and novels, along with Planet of Exile (1966),
City of Illusions (1967), The Dispossessed (1974), the novella The Word for
World Is Forest (1976), and stories i n The Wind's Twelve Quarters (1976),
form the Hainish cycle, a series of independent works sharing an imaginary historic
background. Le G u i n has also published several other fantasy novels and three more
story collections.
Although Le Guin's earliest work primarily attracted a devoted audience of
science-fiction readers, her later work - especially The Left Hand of Darkness
- has wider appeal. In that novel she explored the theme of androgyny o n the
planet W i n t e r (Gethen), where inhabitants m a y adopt alternately male and female
roles. Le G u i n insists o n Aristotle's definition of Homo sapiens as social animals,
and she shows how difficult it is to think of our fellow humans as people, rather
than as m e n and women.
Le G u i n brings to fantasy fiction a wealth of literary scholarship, crediting
Leo Tolstoy, A n t o n Chekhov, and Virginia Woolf (among others) as her primary
influences. Most of her stories, like "The Ones W h o Walk A w a y from Omelas," are
about reciprocal relationships, illustrating "the sort of golden rule that whatever
you touch, touches you." This m a x i m has scientific backings i n ecology and philo-
sophical echoes i n Taoism and Z e n . Le G u i n doesn't claim to be a brilliant stylist
or an original thinker. She has said that she works best with what she calls "fortune
cookie ideas" suggested by someone else. Through her stories she shows how simple
concepts hide a mass of complexity and contradiction that can create anarchy when
human beings t r y to act o n them. In 1979 Le G u i n published a book developing her
ideas about writing, The Language of Night: Essays on Fantasy and Science
Fiction.
RELATED COMMENTARY: Ursula K. Le G u i n , "The Scapegoat i n Omelas,"
page 1472.
The Ones Who Walk Away f ...
The document provides instructions for requesting writing assistance on the HelpWriting.net website. It outlines a 5-step process: 1) Create an account with an email and password. 2) Complete a 10-minute order form providing instructions, sources, and deadline. 3) Review bids from writers and choose one based on qualifications. 4) Review the completed paper and authorize payment or request revisions. 5) Papers can receive multiple revisions to ensure satisfaction, and plagiarized work results in a full refund.
The Legend of SleepyHollowBy Washington IrvingThe .docxcdorothy
This document provides a summary of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving. It describes the setting of Sleepy Hollow as a quiet, sleepy valley settled by Dutch colonists. It introduces the story's protagonist, Ichabod Crane, a lanky schoolmaster who boards with local families in exchange for teaching. Ichabod enjoys the company of women and telling ghost stories, but fears the legend of the Headless Horseman, said to ride through Sleepy Hollow each night in search of his lost head.
Washington Irving - The Legend of Sleepy HollowGeorge Grayson
This summary provides the key details from the document in 3 sentences:
The document introduces the setting of Sleepy Hollow as a quiet rural valley near Tarrytown, New York. It describes the schoolmaster Ichabod Crane who comes to teach in Sleepy Hollow, earning his keep by boarding with different families. The legend is introduced of the Headless Horseman who haunts Sleepy Hollow and is said to be the ghost of a Hessian trooper searching for his lost head.
Seychelles is an island country made up of over 100 islands located off the coast of East Africa. It has a population of around 26,000 people on its capital island of Victoria. The culture is mixed due to influences from Africa, Asia, and Europe. Some interesting facts about Seychelles include that it has 183 islands, Vasco de Gama was the first European to visit in the 15th century, and it gained independence from Britain in 1976.
This oral history project conducted interviews with 21 people in Fiji, mostly of mixed European-Pacific Islander heritage, called "Part-Europeans". The interviews explored their childhood memories and experiences with racial discrimination as marginalized groups in Fiji society. One interview was with 86-year-old Lema Lowe, who recalled idyllic childhood days on her family's coconut plantation in the 1920s. However, life was also difficult, as recounted by Jess Jackson, a New Zealander who struggled when she first arrived to help run her husband's plantation in the 1950s amidst poor conditions. The interviews uncovered both "Pleasures of Memory" and "Memory and Trauma" around their racial identity and status as
Plan the shoot, shoot the plan. The article discusses the importance of planning in photography, using the analogy of planning dives to avoid decompression issues. It describes how award-winning photojournalist Sam Owen planned her shot of penguins being released after an oil spill, practicing with a toy penguin and sketching the shot before capturing what she envisioned. Some level of planning, like researching sun/moon times, local events, and compiling shooting lists, can improve travel photography results.
Uganda has a tumultuous political history but is emerging as a nature tourism destination with its unspoiled wilderness areas still holding Africa's original allure. The author visits Kidepo Valley National Park where she witnesses abundant wildlife including lions, elephants, and rare shoebill storks. She also tracks mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, an important habitat for the endangered species. While responsible tourism can help conservation, the author hopes Uganda's forests and savannahs are protected from overdevelopment as the country grows.
The document describes two elephant culling operations witnessed by conservationist Clive Walker in Zimbabwe and South Africa in the 1980s. In Zimbabwe, Walker accompanied sharpshooters who tracked and rapidly shot 17 elephants on foot within 35 seconds. In South Africa, elephants were darted from a helicopter with a paralytic drug and then shot by ground crews. Culling operations aimed to control elephant populations but stirred debate between those who saw it as necessary population management and those who condemned it as inhumane.
The Tana River Delta in Kenya is an important wetland ecosystem that is home to diverse habitats and over 22 species of internationally important birds. It is a critical area for thousands of resident and migratory waterbirds, as well as a vital breeding and nursery ground for fish. The delta supports significant wildlife such as elephant, crocodile, hippo, and the rare East African coastal subspecies of topi. However, the delta is currently facing destruction from a major sugar cane project that would convert over 33,000 hectares of wetland. Conservationists are fighting to save the delta from this threat.
The document discusses several contributors' favorite places in Tanzania. Dean Polley describes communing with chimpanzees in Mahale Mountains National Park and the strict viewing protocols. Cheryl-Owen discusses the variety of habitats and wildlife in Arusha National Park, including flamingos, giraffes, and recommending Maps Edge for local operators. Tim Jackson highlights the unique coastal location and wildlife of Saadani National Park.
This document summarizes the photographer's experience documenting an oil-covered Cape gannet being treated at the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB). The photographer was drawn to the bird's "tragic beauty" and followed its recovery. Though too weak to be cleaned initially, the gannet grew stronger with rehydration treatments and swims. The photographer waited for moments to photograph the gannet, such as when it slept with the sun highlighting its oil-coated feathers.
1. For most visitors it’s a trip of a lifetime, a dip into an earthly
paradise. But for Tim Ecott, a first Seychelles experience
spawned 47 others and a total immersion in a world that is
more complex, and less sandy, than you might imagine
Seychellesunplugged
PLACES
127
SAMANTHAOWEN
2. PLACES
Sunday best
Women and children throng
to mass, and smart dresses
and hats are de rigueur
>In the shallow waters of Baie Ternay off the
island of Mahé I came face to face with my first turtle,
ancient eyes in a wizened face that made me feel like
crying. It was the week my mother died, but under-
water my mind was newly occupied by wonderful
things. I peered into orange sponges where dark red
brittle stars hid. I saw 30 eagle rays flying into the
safety of the blue. There was the sense of something
new on every dive, a trepidation about what might
appear from the darker water away from the reef, and
a compulsion to go there. I became addicted to being
underwater,obsessiveaboutlearningthenamesofthe
fishIsaw.AndIfelldeeplyinlovewiththeSeychelles.
It was not my first visit to the islands. I had
passed through in 1988, en route to reporting for the
bbc on the turbulent politics of Madagascar and the
Comoro Islands. As the aircraft doors opened, the
sweet dampness of the tropical air stirred memories
of my childhood in Malaysia. The twin forces of rec-
ollection and discovery created an emotional link, a
passionthatwasasinvasiveandtenaciousasatropical
vine clinging to the trunk of a sandragon tree.
I became intrigued by this line of reefs, islets and
atolls stretching across the western Indian Ocean.
Even the names were poetic: rocky Frégate and
Félicité to the east and north
of Mahé, southwards the
Amirantes–corallinespecks
like Desnœufs where the
harvest of birds’ eggs was
awaited as a delicacy on
Mahé tables. And far away,
below the African Banks,
sailors talked of Providence,
Farquhar and mysterious,
uninhabited Aldabra.
I determined to visit as
many of the 115 islands as
possible. I wanted to discov-
er what each was like, and
what it was about the country that kept drawing me
back. Over 24 years, through a combination of deter-
mination and serendipity, I have returned twice that
many times. For a while I lived there. Seychelles holds
the most vivid memories of my life.
Mahé is the largest island, not quite 20 miles long
and five at its widest point. Along with nearby Pras-
lin and La Digue, it’s home to over 90% of the popu-
lation – though Victoria, with its single set of traffic
lights, has something of a Toytown feel. The capital
sits in the shadow of the Trois Frères, granite peaks
covered with dense forest, a sharp-edged, prickly
placethickwithhumusunderfoot.Giantmillipedesas
fat as Cumberland sausages crawl through the leaf lit-
ter. The air is heavy with the scent of rich decay, and
pitcherplantswaitforinsectstocrawlintotheirsticky
maw. Cinnamon trees and vanilla vines escaped from
ancient plantations survive, away from human inter-
ference. Mahé’s luxuriant interior remains a secret,
accessible only to the adventurous few who brave
the 90% humidity and the sloping, slippery terrain. I
was once lost up there, with a local pilot who claimed
he could navigate among the trees by compass.
After nine hours we found our way back, scratched to
pieces, dehydrated and munched by mosquitoes.
As years passed my tally of islands grew, and each
one taught me a little more about the country – and
about myself. Inextricably linked to my emotional
life, the visits gave me adventures and exotic memo-
ries. I considered spare money not spent on a ticket to
Seychelles wasted. I returned to dive and, for about
a year, combined an obsession with the liquid world
with a love affair with a diving instructor. It was a
relationship built upon getting close to fish. Under-
water, I believed we were united in spirit, and I barely
noticed our total failure to communicate above water.
Each island had its own character, its own story:
Aride with its rocky shores, where elegant red-tailed
tropic birds and scythe-winged frigate birds breed;
the crumbling mausoleum of a planter family on Sil-
houette; half a million mobster sooty terns on Bird.
Four hundred and fifty miles south of Mahé, on
Farquhar, home to a few workers harvesting copra,
bleached turtle bones were laid out like a jigsaw in the
sand. At sunset on Frégate, flying foxes glided above
the forest canopy in search of ripening mangoes. On
Curieuse (once a leper colony), I heard the grunting
lovelamentofmalegianttortoisesastheyhauledtheir
heavy-toed limbs aloft to mount the fortress of their
mates.Iatefreshwahoominutesafteritthuddedonto
the bouncing deck of a wooden schooner in a rolling
sea.Igorgedoncrispsmadefrombreadfruitandeven,
ashamedly, tasted fruit-bat curry.
If diving was crucial to falling in love with the
islands, what was born in the water soon moved onto
land. It became apparent that this was not some pass-
ing romance: while I still notice their beauty, Sey-
chelles’ lingering charm is something deeper, more
complex and, ultimately, more earthy. “You will only
understand this country”, a Seychellois friend told
me, “when you have made love to a Creole girl in an
old house with a tin roof when the monsoon rains are
drowning out the sound of everything else.”
Seychelles is sexy. Sexual conquests here are a
badge of honour and sign of strength – certainly for
men. Once, after interviewing a local bishop about
the church’s stance on something political, I lingered
for an informal chat. Seychelles is nominally Roman
Catholic, but it’s the women and children who make
up the majority of the Sunday-morning congregation.
Immaculate dresses, smart shoes and a hat are still the
church uniform. “Women have much more of an obla-
toryspirit,”thebishopexplained.Hesighedandfixed
me with an enquiring gaze. “Tell me, my son,” he said
casually, “how long have you been living here?”
“Almost a year,” I replied, “with my wife and
baby daughter.”
“And do you have a local mistress yet? It’s only a
matter of time you know. I advise you to leave before
the year is out, for the sake of your soul and to avoid
eternal damnation.”
I have resisted the urge to take a Seychelloise mis-
tress, so far, though it hasn’t stopped colleagues, even
friends, believing I have one. These islands intox-
icate. The first European to fall under their spell was
Lazare Picault, who claimed the previously unin-
habited specks of land for France in 1742. There was
a half-hearted attempt to set up a plantation culture,
and various African, Malagasy, Indian, Chinese and
European traders, planters, freed slaves, sailors and
colonial administrators made their ways to settle the
128
CORBIS,ANZENBERGER
islands; you can see their mixed influence on the face
of every Seychellois today. After the Napoleonic
wars,SeychellesbecameBritish,butthecolonialmas-
ters were distracted by their possessions in east Afri-
ca and India and, while it was strategically convenient
to own Seychelles, they were run as part of Mauritius
until the early 20th century. A small, largely French
landowningclassdominatedthecultureoftheislands;
the native Creole sounds French, perhaps the reason
people still seem to think the islands were a colony of
France until independence in1976.
That’s when things became really interesting.
Seemingly removed from mainstream politics, but
scattered across almost half a million square kilome-
tres of crucial shipping routes, Seychelles became
alluringtothesuperpowersduringthecoldwar.Soviet
and Western nuclear submarines played hide and seek
inSeychelloiswater,whilethegovernmentcapitalised
onitsnon-alignedstatus,stayingpartoftheCommon-
wealth and renting out a mountaintop to the United
States for a satellite-tracking station with one hand,
whilepocketingEastern-blocaidwiththeother.
Seychelles only enjoyed one full year of democrat-
ic statehood, under the leadership of “Jimmy” Man-
cham, a London-educated, self-styled playboy from
a wealthy trading family. His plan was to make Sey-
chelles an Indian Ocean tax haven for the jet set. Peo-
ple like Peter Sellers and George Harrison had been
seduced into buying land in the 1960s and the early
1970s, and Mancham wanted more like them. But it
didn’t match the ideals of his prime minister, France-
Albert René, who stormed the police station armed
with a pistol and told the radio station to announce a
curfew.HehadsomeEastern-blocsponsorship,train-
“You will only
understand this
country when
you have made
love to a Creole
girl in an old
house with a tin
roof when the
monsoon rains
are drowning
out the sound of
everything else”>
Tropical punch
The Seychellois people are a
cocktail of different races
3. >
130
ing and weapons. Like Mancham, René was a lawyer,
but from a poor family and with a grudge against the
old “grand blanc” landowners. He confiscated the
properties of foreigners and set about turning Man-
cham’s pleasure dome into a socialist, one-party state.
It’s not just the sharks, the giant millipedes, eagle
rays and gentle chittering fruit bats. I have formed a
deep attachment to the Seychellois. I respect their
ability to carve nationhood from a population – and a
landmass–notmuchbiggerthantheIsleofMan.Col-
leagues who reported from the hotspots of mainland
Africa were sometimes dismissive of my determina-
tion tofolloweachtwistandturnintheislands’politi-
caldevelopment.Theyaccusedmeof“reportingfrom
the beach”. I couldn’t see the problem.
“Sir James”, as Jimmy Mancham had become, was
already in exile in Putney, south-west London, when
I first met him. I had just returned from interviewing
his nemesis, President René. Although I had moved
freely around Mahé, people warned me that I was
being followed, and that I should be careful. They
spoke of people disappearing in the dead of night, and
one prominent opposition activist in London had re-
centlybeenmachine-gunnedtodeathonhisdoorstep.
Mancham offered me whisky, which we sipped
as he talked about the events of the coup. It happened
during the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Commonwealth
conference. He was asleep when the phone rang at
3am. It was Adnan Khashoggi, the Saudi billionaire,
who broke the news. “I wasn’t alone,” Mancham
recounted with great seriousness. “There was a beau-
tiful blonde sleeping peacefully in the bed beside me.”
Unable to return, he stayed in exile in London,
trying to drum up support from the British govern-
ment and influential friends. When a reporter from
the Evening Standard was sent to interview Man-
cham, he clasped her hand and recited some of his
poetry. She became his second wife. At the end of the
cold war, when Seychelles went back to multi-party
politics, Jimmy returned to challenge René at the
polls. He stepped off the plane to the strains of “Una
Paloma Blanca”, the song he had adopted as his infor-
mal theme tune. His political star had waned, how-
ever, and René won decisively at the polls, leaving
Mancham to a graceful retirement.
Over the years, I met René several times and
found him courteous, quick-witted and pragmatic.
But many Seychellois found life impossible under
his Cuban-style regime. About 15% of the popula-
tion went overseas, many of them coming to Britain,
where a large exile community sprang up in Houns-
low. It was as bitter a contrast to life in Seychelles as
you might imagine. But for many, especially the Cre-
ole majority, René came to symbolise a freer, fairer
Seychelles, and when he finally stepped down from
the presidency in 2004, he was the longest-serving
head of state in the Commonwealth.
After that socialism waned, the economy was lib-
eralised,thecelebritiesreturned.Privateislandswere
available for rent, helicopters and yachts became part
of the scenery. The arrival of the Duke and Duchess
ofCambridgefortheirhoneymoonlastyearsprinkled
a new dash of stardust. As they left, President James
Michel gave them a coco-de-mer. It was an obvious
souvenir for a young couple fresh from a fortnight on
a private island. The coco-de-mer is a giant coconut
which, when de-husked, resembles a plump female
pelvis. Some call it the love nut, although I never hear
the phrase without thinking of the unromantic bar of
that name in Victoria, popular with visiting sailors.
I have my own coco-de-mer, but it is kept out of
sight in a box made from veined calice du pape wood.
Occasionally, my 11-year-old son will lift the lid and
encourage a friend to peer inside. Adults and children
alike often recoil from its erotic form, complete with
tufts of vegetative pubic hair attached to the rotund
seed of Lodoicea maldivica. But when I show the coco-
de-mer to visitors it is not with prurient intent: I want
them to marvel that this is the largest seed in the plant
kingdom and that it comes from a perilously endan-
gered tree found only on two islands in Seychelles. As
my son says: how cool is that?
On the surface, the end of the cold war restored
tranquillity to the Seychelles. Yet scratch a little, and
notmuchhaschanged.Thecurrentpresidentwasone
of the original band of a dozen men who helped René
stage the coup. There are democratic, free elections,
but the ruling party always holds sway.
Seychelles draws modern adventurers, just as it
oncedrewpirateslookingforsomewheretoburytheir
treasure.Topreservethehigheststandardsoflivingin
Africa, it has welcomed property developers, foreign
potentates and an ever-increasing number of tourists.
But some recent foreign visitors have been unwel-
PLACES
Pirates of the Indian Ocean
ABOVE Coastguard marines step
over two Somali pirate motor skiffs,
captured in Seychellois waters
BELOW One of the 100,000 giant
tortoises that rule the roost on the
coral islands of Aldabra
come: the Somali pirates. They have hijacked not only
foreign yachts and cargo ships, but local fishing boats
too. Astonishingly, Seychelles has become the hub of
the fight against modern-day piracy. Jean-Paul Adam,
the world’s youngest foreign minister when he was
appointed in 2009, aged 32, has managed to attract
financialandmilitaryaidfromAmerica,theEuropean
Union, China, Russia, the Emirates and Britain to
build an anti-piracy command centre and a new prison
to accommodate pirates who are caught, tried and im-
prisoned or repatriated. I remember when Jean-Paul
wasaschoolboyontheSeychellesswimmingteam.
It is those kinds of realisation that underline how
well I know the islands. I feel as at home in Seychelles
as I have ever done anywhere. No longer just a series
of tiny dots on the map, it has become a self-contained
universe. From here, it is the wider world that seems
chaotic and impoverished. I have found balance here,
an emotional centre on islands where the forces of
nature are still untamed, and where people are domi-
nated by their landscape and not the other way round.
Last year I finally made it to Aldabra, 700 miles
southofMahé.Itwasaculminationofyearsofhoping
and dreaming that I could one day set foot on the giant
coral necklace. The lagoon in the middle of the coral
islands could hold Manhattan – twice over. A few
scientists are allowed to stay at a small base on short-
term research projects, but no tourists. Here there are
100,000 giant tortoises, about ten times the number
in Galapagos. It’s the last place on earth where giant
reptiles dominate an ecosystem.
Underwater, Aldabra is equally special. Man-
groves around the islands are a breeding ground
for hundreds of species of fish. Swift tides rushing
throughthenarrowchannelsflushnutrientsinandout
ofthelagoon,attractingbirds,fish,turtlesandsharks.
Floatingovertheseawardreefsfeltlikebeingtheonly
diver in the Indian Ocean. As so often when diving, I
thought of my mother, wishing she were alive to hear
about it. On land, surrounded by the vast blue hori-
zon, I felt the contentment of isolation that is the true
giftoftheouterislands.Isawnightjarssleepingonthe
forest floor, and Aldabra rails – the last flightless birds
in the Indian Ocean – pecking at baby giant tortoises
that tucked their heads inside their shells to escape.
At the western edge of the lagoon, hundreds of red-
footed booby birds soared above the mangrove. I fell
asleep to the skitterings of land crabs climbing the
coconut trees and paddled through a pass in the reef
withlemonsharksfollowinglikepuppiesinthetrailof
bubbles left by my feet. It felt not like the ends of the
earth, but a vision of its very beginning. !
Do as the Berliners do. Rory MacLean, travel writer and
historian, separates the schaden from the freude
Whenin...Berlin
GOING NATIVE
ILLUSTRATION NEIL GOWER
DON’T repeat the fallacy that John
F. Kennedy called himself a jam
doughnut. In one of the most moving
speeches of the 20th century, JFK
said, “Ich bin ein Berliner”. Nothing
was wrong with his grammar, and no
Berliner misunderstood him in 1963.
DO carry a beer bottle on the U-Bahn
if you want to be taken for a local.
DO write a novel. In the cafés of
Prenzlauer Berg, you can’t swing a
copy of “Alone in Berlin” without
hitting half-a-dozen wordsmiths.
DON’T go clubbing before 4am,
especially if headed for Berghain,
the world capital of Techno. In this
converted power station, the bass
beat grips the chest and pounds the
body in waves so powerful that – in
the second they stop – you feel like a
dust mote floating up into the yawning
cavern of the building. Ear plugs are
essential, and not considered uncool.
DO brunch at the Café am Neuen
See, a 1970s glass pavilion dropped
into the Tiergarten park, surrounded
by lush trees, flooded with light and
fantastic nosh in the heart of the old
West. Berliners have refined Sunday
brunch into the planet’s most relaxing
meal with croissants and conversation,
eggs, salmon and contentment washed
down with litres of strong coffee.
DON’T hold hands with your partner
unless you are gay. Heterosexuals do
not hold hands in Berlin.
DO indulge your sexual fantasies. The
city abounds in (legal) sex clubs like
the KitKat, “wellness” pay-as-you-go
brothels such as Artemis and escort
services for busy female execs. Tax
receipts are available on request.
DON’T ask a local guide, as one ill-
informed tourist recently did, “Can
you direct me to the Third Reich?” The
guide replied, “Just walk down this
street and turn right at 1933.”
DO go to both East and West; stay in
either the stylish Soho House (East)
or the soothingly cool and reasonably
priced Ellington (West). In many ways
Berlin remains divided along the lines
of the Wall. Mitte is the hip, post-
communist centre, but its cutting
edge has lately dulled. To the west,
green Tiergarten and Charlottenburg
are reclaiming their glamour. Or head
south to Kreuzberg, neighbourhood of
Turks, thinkers and drinkers.
DON’T come in January and February
unless you are a night owl. Weeks can
pass without sight of the sun.
DO visit the Neues Museum. A
bombed-out ruin for almost 60 years,
it has been recreated by the British
architect David Chipperfield and
can now be read like a book, telling
– through its original walls, surviving
textural details, all-but-lost classical
frescoes and soaring new spaces –
the story of man’s ability to create,
destroy and preserve.
DO eavesdrop in second-hand record
shops, especially the wonderful Long
Player in the Graefekiez. CDs and
MP3 are banned in this oasis of vinyl,
with its special passion for hip-hop,
soul, funk and the blues.
DON’T eat currywurst, the ubiquitous
grilled sausage served in lightly spiced
tomato sauce. Save your euros for the
daring, Michelin-starred Restaurant
Tim Raue: DeSietra caviar on avocado
ice cream, pink shrimps with Chinese
rose wine and shiso and tissue-thin
diamond label beef with Madagascar
peppers. Goat’s milk ice lollies,
covered with white chocolate and
fennel, clean the palate. Only the bill
will be more breathtaking.
GETTY,SAMANTHAOWEN