Goodbye my Angel, goodbye.

Goodbye my Angel, goodbye, goodbye.

There's only so much you could do to try

to make

the whole world right.

I saw how hard you tried.

I tried to tell you the gulf's too wide.

But you swam against their tide

of pride.

They made the water rise.

I pulled you to the side.

They always want to play it their way.

They want your help that's what

they say,

but it's just how they play.

I saw them turn away.

I saw you spread your gossamer wings.

I knew the song that you could bring

and help

how this whole world sings.

I shared the pain it brings.

They had to turn it into a fight,

when all you wanted was to take flight

and change

what they all thought was right.

I saw them react with spite.

Straighten out your iridescent wings.

Spread them out, and you will fly-

you'll sing:

you're not the sort to cry.

I'll share the song you bring.

There's a new world where you'll fly again.

Angels like you will always survive

and thrive,

but you need to leave me behind...

I have never learned to fly.

Goodbye my Angel, goodbye.

Don't ask me about this.

Goodbye my Angel, goodbye.

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Marine Iguana: Evolution of species.

Ever since I read Charles Darwin's "Origin Of Species" as a 10 year old, I have been fascinated with Galapagos Islands. They were our first choice for my wife and I to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary this past January. Finally a dream comes true!

Barren volcanic archipelago,

Formed by violent conflict down below

Where Nazca, Pacifica and Cusco

Constantly struggle to and fro.

This titanic clash of tectonic foes

Caused scorching molten lava flows

To erupt from ash draped volcanoes

To create the Islas Galapagos.

In these isolated and virgin lands,

Nature painted a different plan

Far from the interfering hands

Of that worst of predators- Man!

The harshest evolutionary course

Awaited the toughest participants

Unlucky to wash upon these shores:

Death for the losing contestants.

On jungle mainland, the blustery
Storm destroys an ancient tree,
And washes it down the river valley
Where currents carry it far to sea.

Though waves attack her plant life-station,
She clings on to the vegetation
Deep in suspended animation:
A refugee in enforced migration.

She washes ashore one stormy day.

Land she grasps with desperate claws,

And struggles through chill surf to lay

A tenuous hold on these barren shores.

Would fate have her survive and stay?

Or starve to death and then decay,

Just like each other poor castaway

Who had fertilized this barren bay?

Her slender, lithe and sinuous form-

Now unsuited for this harsh terrain-

While in jungle homeland trees the norm:

Here evolution would be set in train.

In the weeks she fights to stay alive,

The birthing of her young to arrive.

And from the few who will survive

New species Nature will contrive.

And from her brood one stumpy male

With shortened snout and paddle-tail,

To swim and forage he will prevail,

While all his siblings eventually fail.

When washed ashore one stormy morn,

Another spies this lonesome male.

And from their union more are born 

With shortened snout and paddle-tail.

In harsh and trying circumstance,

Sustaining traits Nature will enhance.

Those that adapt have better chance:

Natural selection, not happen-stance.

Marine iguanas scientists say,

Are merely Nature's adaptive way

Of how tree iguana have held sway

When mainland floods cast them away.

In reality, establishment of a new species on these islands would take many millions of years of castaways arriving and perishing there, but eventually a pregnant female would eke out a precarious existence and establish a line of descendants that would become our modern Land and Marine Iguana. 

Tree iguana, Iguana Park, central Guayaquil.

From the mainland Tree Iguana, Galapagos Islands Marine and Land Iguana are thought to have evolved. Rafts of vegetation are washed down mainland Ecuadorian rivers and out to sea carrying any animals clinging to it, most to perish in the waves. Being cold blooded, reptiles are able to survive long periods without food or water clinging to floating debris where cold temperatures will send them into inactivity or stupor. 

Marine Iguana, Rabida Island, Galapagos. 

Shorter, flattened tails for swimming, salt excretion glands, and shorter snouts with wider mouths enable these to be the only marine iguana specie.

Land Iguana probably evolved from similar castaway Tree Iguana stock.

Probability is that during the millions of years since early Tree Iguana were first washed ashore on Galapagos to adapt and survive there, the Tree Iguana on the mainland has also evolved further specialized adaptive features from the common ancestor of both.

Marine Iguana, Floreana Island, Galapagos.

Shortened snouts and widened mouths for cropping the algae and seaweed which it feeds on. Tails are flattened vertically to allow it to be an excellent and agile swimmer. Marine Iguana vary in size and coloration from island to island and the those of Floreana Island are the most colorful of all. 

Land Iguana, South Plaza Island.

 Note the different snout characteristics. Heavier and generally larger than the marine specie, its diet is mainly vegetation of which Opuntia would be around 80% from which it derives water. It will also eat insects or carrion. We observed one climbing a low bush to get to a frigate bird's nest, presumably after the eggs, but the weak branches would not support its weight and it fell a metre to the ground.

Marine Iguana: Evolution of species.

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Galapagos Islands Animal Antics.

A few pics from our Galapagos Islands cruise in January this year.

Dull, overcast days did not make for good clear pictures but still love these pics!

Sea lion pup awaits his mum who has taken the day off and gone fishing.
"My mom's going to come back soon."

Marine iguana, Rabida Island. And yes, the rocks and sand are that bright red when the sun appears.!

 "Yep, love you too!"

Frigate bird with attitude, hitching a ride on our boat.

Sally Lightfoot crabs are this brilliant...even before you cook them....which you're not allowed to do.

Another marine Iguana soaking up the warmth of the sun.

Great Blue Heron, but in the very low evening sun it takes on a golden colour. My favourite photo of the cruise.

Flamingo shot taken late afternoon, and at extreme range of my Canon SX40HS, 35 times optical.

Watch out for that lava lizard!  

"Alright, alright! Can't you read the sign!"

"My mum's asleep. She's had a hard day fishing!"

"Hiya big boy"

Our 10 day cruise was with G Adventures, our 40th wedding anniversary splurge.
So here is a cute wee guy that the chef found running around the boat's galley. He looked so delicious but didn't have the heart to eat him. Besides in the Galapagos Islands you are not allowed to eat the wildlife, so we eventually set him free.

Galapagos Islands Animal Antics.

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I've Been Running....

I've been running on fast with the utter desperation

of trying to escape that image of tragedy.

I'm haunted right now by the sight of mutilation

of the mother who once loved and nurtured me.

I've been running on looking for some deep shading cover,

need to get some shelter over me.

Helicopter's close and soon they're gonna discover

just another wee frightened refugee.

They've got high powered guns.

They've got thermal imaging technology.

They've got tranquilizer drugs

and sharpened machetes.

So there's nowhere to run!

Nowhere a safe retreat!

Panicked and stunned:

just another...

 desperate refugee.

I've been running on low and feeling that deep exhaustion,

panicking with the loss of energy.

But driven on now by the thought of extermination

of the mother that once loved and protected me.

I've been running on long from the stink of the decimation.

Horns are going to be the death of me.

Anyone hear, can you enforce the regulations

on the killers of the mother that once cared for me?

Let's get more APU teams moving.

Let's find the funds -

for high powered guns!

And get those prosecutions moving!

No bail for these -

just throw away the keys.

Don't allow no smooth talking lawyers

in a world that treats poachers so leniently.

Or there's...

nowhere to run.

Nowhere a safe retreat.

Hunted and gunned:

just another...

disappeared specie.

Rhino poaching total for 2007 in South Africa was 13.

2011 saw 488 kills.

At the time of writing this post, already the total for 2012 is now 94!  Total now 109!  119!
Edited 23/3/12. Now 139!
over 300!

The overall world total will be higher.

For more information on why rhino poaching is escalating read -
Graphic Images from The Rhino Wars

Pictures of rhino calf are by 

Pam Krzyza of Outraged South African Citizens Against Poaching.

Join OSCAP here- https://www.facebook.com/groups/OSCAP/

Join Save Our Rhino here- https://www.facebook.com/groups/saveourrhino/

I've Been Running....

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Music from our travels.....some.

Elena

Embroidered Russian peasant prettiness,
Irkutsk -solitary, ignored.
Others ignored your part.
Eyes shine
while your deft fingers
Plucked strings in my heart,
As upon a delicate balalaika
Your music became mine.
I repaid you with a crowd.











  Shiba.
  You Swazi street-clogging soul supremo!
 Was it God's music,
 Or the heartbeat of a nation
 Throbbing
 With the wasting disease?
 I traded cents for a silver disc,
 You gave priceless acceptance and memories.
 My gift - YouTube has you now.
 We're evens.

Todd Various.
Detroit's corporate cubicle escape artist.
I obeyed your commands
Formed the square,
Drilled in Edinburgh's Royal Mile.
Another straitjacket escape,
Like a butterfly from cocoon did
You can fly anywhere.
What is it now? 18 countries with your skills?
I took photos;
Your brash optimism cost me 5 Quid.






Mascato..
Cool kids congregating clandestinely?  
Don't get caught in a dark African night!
Fear bound me to the shadows.
Then a songbird sang the light,
Brought forth the chorus,
Banished the fright.
Mascato, you never saw me
But I fell in love with you.









Lajos Sarkozi.
Karpatia quartet accompaniment.  
Budapest's Hungarian rhapsody.
An der Schonen blauen Donau,
Dining in Gypsy entrancement,
Aw what the heck!
The Danube was just out the window!
I had to buy your
Fluid strings, flying bow!

 Emmylou,
 Been a long journey since Boulder to Birmingham
 They'll all have to join hands together
 As your angel voice soars true.
 I'm gonna pump up the volume when time comes
 To pay the ferryman his due.
 I have your library:
 There's none overdue.

Music from our travels.....some.

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Corruption, Spy Glasses,and Knickers,

I could be forgiven for nearly peeing my pants when that momentary tsunami of fear swept through. Awash, I floundered to gather my thoughts while being escorted from Guayaquil Airport's Departures Lounge and down through long corridors and across the tarmac towards Security Inspection in the baggage loading building, a harsh functional affair with several security guards lined up awaiting me. Chappelle Corby probably felt as wet pantied when she got hauled up with drugs she maintained someone had hidden in her boogie board cover. Gee, imagine her thoughts as she got done with those drugs and then copping 20 years in a Bali prison! 20 years and she may have been innocent. Wow! This is your life now girl!

Maybe we should have invested $5 to have our bags wrapped by those bright orange giant glad-wrap machines at the check-in? Maybe someone has stuffed drugs in my bag? Maybe 20 years awaits me....?

We had heard the "McIntosh" in amongst the repeated Spanish gibberish announcements, but ignored it each time: if they wanted us then they'd better use English! Eventually we did front up once the English announcement was made calling me to report at the departure gate for our flight .
Blithely thinking we may just be getting an upgrade for the long flight home after 4 weeks in Ecuador and Galapagos Islands, the guts was knocked out of myself when I was told I must accompany the English speaking airline official as my already checked in bag was to be searched by Security! What on earth for!
"You must come to the Security Inspection immediately!"
Kay said later that I looked like a man going to the firing squad - the colour had drained from my face!
Yeah well, I was caught unaware, and natural to think the worst: I'd read too many travel stories of people having drugs found in their bags.

A bag I recognised as ours lay on the table between the airline official and myself and the seven bored looking security guards, one whom addressed me in Spanish.
"Is this your bag Mr McIntosh?" the airline official translated to me.
"No Senor." I could manage that much Spanish.
"Your passport please."
"My passport is with my wife back in the lounge Senor. You did not ask me to bring it."
A hurried conversation in Spanish and the airline official goes off to retrieve my passport.

Why would they want to search my bag? What had the checked-in security scan picked up?
I'm thinking "I wish I could video record this situation. Who knows what is going to happen?"

Damn, my spy Sunglasses were just the gear I needed now in case things turned nasty, but I couldn't because they were now recording some corrupt official back in ....
(.... can't tell you that as may incriminate a friend.)

Check these out-
spy-camera-sunglasses.html

On our travels I carry a pair for video filming in situations where a camera may be a target for thieves. The pinhole between the lenses above the nose bridge is a camera; battery and 2Gb mini SD card are in the side frames.

Corrupt tender process.

 In Ecuador a friend showed interest in these as his sister works in a business that is to purchase heavy excavation machinery: a few contenders vying for million dollar contracts. His sister is being pressured, and losing her job has been threatened by a government official if she will not buy from a certain supplier - backhanders are thought to be involved. My friend was to attend a meeting between his sister, the corrupt official and the hopeful supplier. These are just what he wanted to record the meeting and expose the official's corruption! I gave them to him free as he's a genuinely nice guy and his sister should not be forced into being part of the corruption. Hopefully I'll be able to report back on the outcome.

Corruption is endemic in many countries. It's part of life, accepted practice that if you want to make a deal someone gets a slice of the action as a backhander or facilitator.

Suva Fiji, many years ago, a late night bar, whiskey and soda being poured, myself guest of an ex-mayor of Suva, with a prominent building company owner; we three discussing the just finished night's meeting where the spokesperson had addressed around 100 business and government officials - the subject: Stamping Out Corruption!"

"It's not corruption. It's 'speed' money. I don't pay the bureaucrat to do anything illegal - I just pay him to have my contracts on the top of his huge pile of papers each morning!" hissed the company owner. "The government bureaucracy is so slow it costs thousands of dollars in delays to work. I pay someone off to have my contracts get through faster, which saves the government money in the cost of building their hospital  anyway!"

Interesting point that - speed money. Bribery, or corruption...or just a facilitating fee to an underpaid, inefficient public servant who knows that if he does speed up his work rate - the 'speed' money will slow down.

So an underpaid official leverages his position to ensure supplicants offer up the cash!

Just prior to flying to Ecuador, I had read on a Tripadvisor Africa forum thread of a corruption incident. "Madam, I am the official. I can hold on to your passport until you miss your plane. $100 please."
The writer of the post went on to say she paid up.

While waiting for my passport, these incidents and others came to mind. Petty official corruption. 

How do we mere ordinary travellers combat official corruption? 

Perhaps there is a way!
Miniaturized secret surveillance technology is so small, almost undetectable, very cheap, and so readily available these days!

spycameras.com/spy-pen  Spy pens and spy key chains are now being sold as low as $29 if you shop around.
Now imagine being able to record when a jumped up toad of a corrupt border official extorts cash from you?

Wouldn't you be doing everyone a favour by recording it, uploading it to YouTube and plastering the incident across social media and embarrassing his bosses to take action against him, and in doing so making it known we can all now do the same?"

We can fight back against them! We ordinary people can discipline them and help put an end to this corruption!

Soon every official is going to become aware that anyone can be carrying a small surveillance device and think twice about their wee scams.

Sure many readers are going to protest about this post. But it is already happening- there's a huge amount of them sold. Who do you think is buying these cheap $25 pens? It's a multi-million dolar business.  This technology is with us - we are going to have to learn to live with knowing that at any time someone may be videoing you.

As with any new technology, there is always an upside and a downside. 

The upside is that we can help stamp out corruption in many places by secret surveillance and uploading to Youtube to expose this extortion.

My expansive train of thought about what I was possibly facing was broken into as my passport arrived and the questioning started afresh

"Your passport says you are a shoemaker. You seem to have travelled many places for a shoemaker."

"Yes Senor. I have." . Border officials have asked this question before. Do I launch into how a shoemaker's passport is nearly full of visas? He'll just up the bribe demand anyway.

"Is this your bag senor?"

"No Senor. It is not my bag."

"Your name is on this bag."
"It is my name on the check-in luggage tag but it is not my bag senor."

"If your name is on this bag, it must be yours."

"No senor. It is not my Bag."

The security inspector opens the bag, reaches in and pulls out... ladies clothing!

"This bag Senor...whose bag is it?"

"My wife's bag Senor. Obviously the checked luggage labels have been placed on the wrong bags when we checked in together, Senor."
(He probably thinks I'm a very weird guy....)
A very quiet security inspector makes a quick cursory check of my bag and signals the inspection is over and I am free to go...back to the departure gate and a very worried wife who was ready to ring the embassy!

Wow, did we have a grand laugh as our tension released with gales of laughter when I told her it was her clothes that were pulled out! Passengers must have thought we were very weird!

NB: Not at any stage did any Guayaquil security inspector make any gesture of bribery. It was just a random checked-in bag inspection I was told later. This story is about how I thought, reacted and perceived possible events at the time, and I do not wish to slander the guards who keep our airlines safe.

As for my spy video sunglasses, well I truly hope they do the trick and help unmask that government official who is corrupt! 

Corruption, Spy Glasses,and Knickers,

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