Cave Art of Lascaux, France - Revisited

There are rumours another cave near Lascaux has been found, but it will not be made accessible to the public. 

This news gave rise and unlocked the memory door for me to mention “How did we get approval to visit the caves of Lascaux back in 1967 when they were already closed to the public four years earlier?”  Following up the recent eight posts about wildlife and animal encounters, it is fitting to speak of this since the cave art depicts mostly animals rendered by unknown Masters, some 17,000 plus years ago. There were eleven of us from Toronto, Canada.  Ten artists and one philosopher and metaphysicist. The artists included a sculptor, dancer, couple of painters, writer, poet etc.  

We arrived at Montignac, the town where Lascaux caves are located in the Dordogne, on a chilly and wet November morning in 1967. Whenever finding myself in another country and needing to know something about a town, I always go to a local bar/bistro.  In Europe especially barkeepers are well informed. So, that’s what we did.  When I went to the local bar and asked the barkeeper if he knew who the guardian of the caves was, he said, “Fermez!”  (“Closed!”)  

  Yes, I said, but who has the keys? After consuming a few ‘reds’ and eggs marinated in vinegar, we learned it was the former Mayor.  When asked for his address, the barkeeper said, “Not so fast!” But when he learned my colleagues were artists who had come all the way from Canada especially to visit the caves, he mellowed somewhat. I promised we would come for lunch and dinner at his place for two or three days.  He was content, and gave me the former Mayor’s address.   

The house was surrounded by a stone wall, with a long-handled pull bell at the door. Turned out the former Mayor was occupied, but could spare 15 minutes the next day. When I appeared again, just like the barkeeper had, in answer to my request he said “Non! Non! Ce n’est pas possible!  Fermez already four years”! But when he heard more about our small group, being artists and a philosopher, and all the way from Canada, he became pensive.  “All artists, are you? Especially to see the caves?"

Eventually he gave permission and not only that, arranged for a very qualified guide.  We each received helmets with flashlights, and also another flashlight to hold. Thus began for us an unforgettable exploration of discovery over the next two days in the ‘closed’ caves of Lascaux. In a much earlier post (Nov 6, 2008) we mentioned our visit, but now we have shared the story of how we obtained permission to experience the ‘closed caves of Lascaux’.

Henri van Bentum

Farewell to Futbol Legend - Eusebio

The amazing "Black Panther" from Mozambique, Eusebio, who played his entire career for Benfica of Lisbon, Portugal went "Over the Horizon" on January 5.  The world has lost a futbol legend.  Eusébio da Silva Ferreira was 71 years old.

To give you an example of how amazing he was, during his 745 career matches he scored - get this - 733 goals!  I had the privilege of watching him play, showing his genius and goal-scoring virtuosity, in Amsterdam at a European Cup Final between Benfica and Real Madrid.  

He was right up there with the "Black Pearl", Pele, and for many was an unsung hero.

Henri van Bentum

Part Eight: Encounters with Wildlife - Komodo Dragon, Indonesia

Blue Ribbon Eels, Indonesia

On another one of our several snorkel/dive expeditions, this time in the Banda Sea of Indonesia, we were on a boat that held 24 passengers, 15 of which were colleagues of mine. That’s how I was able to join these memorable snorkel/dive journeys, through travel with a group of friends.  By having a dozen or more people, we’d sometimes get one or two free tickets or at a 50% discount. We sailed from Bali.  

The ocean life of Indonesia’s tropical waters makes you feel like you’re in a giant aquarium.  All those dazzling colours.  Fish that look “like jewels with fins”, as I wrote in one of my Aphorisms.

 

 Octopus, Indonesia

You don’t need to be a diver to experience this expedition, snorkeling provides sights galore of the fascinating underwater life. A buddy and I spotted an amorous octopus couple amongst the brain coral and blue-green giant clams, so big they could easily snap a leg in two.

Giant Clam, Indonesia

Then there are multicoloured Nudibranch with the Spanish Dancer being the prima dona of the species, black and white sea snakes, which are venomous. Not for the feint hearted.

 Banded Sea Snake, Indonesia

 

Spanish Dancer (Nudibranch), Indonesia

During the voyage we anchored at several islands (there are more than a thousand in Indonesia). 

Map showing remote location of Komodo Island, Indonesia

One of which was Komodo, part of the Lesser Sunda Island group. A fair distance from Bali and very remote, this island is home to the notorious giant monitor lizard or Komodo dragons. They are the heaviest lizards on Earth. (Very different from a recently discovered, smallest (1/2 inch) lizard in the world). 

 Komodo dragons have long, flat heads with rounded snouts, scaly skin, bowed legs, and huge, muscular tails. Despite its bulk and size, averaging 3 metres in length and 150 kg, it can run up to 18 km per hour in short bursts. We walked in the blistering hot sun and humidity for about half an hour in order to see first-hand these giants having their “lunch”. We had a guide with a rifle, so we were daring to enter the ‘dragon’ territory with this protection. Lunch was a goat which had previously been “put to sleep” and hung by a rope on a small, but strong tree trunk.

It was not long before we noticed a slow-but-sure approach of the dragons, tongues flicking, and increasing speed as they approached their ‘lunch’.  A well-fenced area enables the viewer to witness the spectacle without too much danger.  It allowed us to see how swiftly and ferociously these so-called monsters devoured the goat.

Animals who escape an attack are still not safe, because the Komodo’s saliva teems with over 50 strains of bacteria. In a day, the victim dies of blood poisoning. Dragons calmly follow an escapee for many kms using a keen sense of smell. In the past (and still today) many daring or curious explorers never returned from their trip to this region and became instead a meal for the Komodo dragon.  Hence nowadays the safely measures imposed by the government. Despite these precautions, I found myself looking around in all directions with my binoculars, to be on the safe side.  You never can tell, can you?

Henri van Bentum

Saying farewell to 2013 and Ahoy to 2014

 

My old, wise friend 2013 was so gallant as to accompany me on the last days of his visit. Wishing him well, wherever he goes. 

Out with the Old and in with the New.

The young year arrives on his pony, and welcomes and wishes all a Happy and Healthy New Year

Henri van Bentum

Encounters with "Wildlife" continued: Part Seven, Elephant Orphanage, Sri Lanka

One of the 37 ports-of-call we experienced on our millennium circumnavigation, where I was aboard ship as guest artist and lecturer, was Colombo on the island of Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon). 

We humans are not the only species that has orphans.  We thought, as part of this “Encounters with Wildlife” series, to post our experience during a visit to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage which has the largest herd of captive animals in the world. 

This marked my fourth visit to this island of tea, textiles and rice  with a long and rich, documented history going back over 3,000 years. Sri Lanka has the highest biodiversity density in Asia. Before docking in Colombo, we’d heard there was now an Elephant Orphanage, established to feed, nurse and house young elephants found abandoned by their mothers, or who had fallen into pits and ravines in their quest for water during drought period. Other orphans have been displaced from their wild habitat by development projects or have been found abandoned before weaning, diseased or wounded.

 To get there, we took a scenic train ride through this beautiful island. Vans drove us to the site, located northwest of Kegalla and halfway between Colombo and the ancient royal residence of Kandy.  Established in 1975, the property is large and covers 24 acres.  Elephants from a few weeks to five years and now the Orphanage includes a breeding section.

Mahout giving a bath to his elephant

There are 48 mahouts who take care of the elephants. The female and young elephants in Pinnawala range freely as a herd during the day in an area of a few acres. They are herded about .5 km twice a day to drink and be bathed in the river. At night, the females are individually chained in stalls. Adult males are do some light work such as transporting feed. They are chained and managed individually. 

Feeding Time

The majority of calves born in Pinnawala are not bottle fed, but a few are bottle fed as a tourist attraction. The elephants eat mostly cut-up coconut cane, banana, bamboo and palm tree leaves.  Visitors can feed the baby elephants but from behind a fence. All others – the ‘elder’ ones, wander about under guidance of their mamout and bathe in the Maha Oya River where a viewing area was constructed.  The very young ones are taken to the river to bathe as well, under close supervision. The Sri Lankan elephants are smaller than their African cousins.   

 Elephants from Orphanage bathing in the Maha Oya River

We wandered amongst them and also observed a large group of working elephants bathing in the river. “Most of the elephants at Pinnawala are healthy and once attaining adulthood, will be sold or donated or retained for breeding.

A few disabled elephants are given residential care. One tusker, Raja is blind, and one female, named Sama, lost her front right leg to a land mine”. Recently the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage has come under some scrutiny by the Born Free Foundation and apparently quality of care of elephants who are donated or sold away from Pinnawala has been a big public issue. In 2012 The Sri Lanka Environment Trust spoke out against authorities who continue to 'donate' tamed elephants to people who had 'poor' past records of taking care of animals.”

Henri van Bentum