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As an interaction designer, I love art works which uses technology and are interactive. I also love truly crazy ideas. So this piece by japanese collective Chim↑Pom is a by-chance encounter of pure awesomeness.
This work intends to provide an alternative source to energy by converting “libido” to electricity. Chim↑Pom inserted tiny erotic ads in newspaper to solicit calls from “needy” male adults. When they call this number, the machine will convert radio waves into electricity by an optical sensor with a relay. This “invention” is currently patent-pending, apparently.
When this work is shown at Art Basel Hong Kong, a similar ad was placed in a newspaper in Hong Kong. To figure out how this works, I called the number—if you zoom into the photo you will see my number on the iPhone. When it rings, the light bulb lights up through the machine. The calls are real, also — as the director of the gallery told me that quite a few people called multiple times thinking that it is a legit number.
Crazyisgood. SML Love.
Chim ↑ Pom an artist group formed in August 2005 in Tokyo and is consisted of six members: Erii, Ryuta Ushiro, Yasutaka Hayashi, Toshinori Mizuno, Takashi Okada, and Inaoka.
Chim↑Pom
Libido-Electricity Conversion Machine “EROKITEL” third and practical model “KIBOU”, 2011
Mixed media, sports paper ad
# Chim↑Pom（チン↑ポム）
Chim↑Pom（チン↑ポム）は、2005年8月、東京で結成されたアーティスト集団。メンバーはエリイ、卯城竜太、林靖高、水野俊紀、岡田将孝、稲岡求の6人編成。
ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chim↑Pom
# Mujin-to Production
2-12-6 Miyoshi Koto-ku
Tokyo 135-0022
Japan
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-05-23T16:44:22+0800
+ Dimensions: 3648 x 5472
+ Exposure: 1/40 sec at f/4.0
+ Focal Length: 32 mm
+ ISO: 800
+ Camera: Canon EOS 6D
+ Lens: Canon EF 17-40 f/4L USM
+ GPS: 22°16'59" N 114°10'22" E
+ Location: 香港會議展覽中心 Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC)
+ Workflow: Lightroom 4
+ Serial: SML.20130523.6D.14290
+ Series: 新聞攝影 Photojournalism, SML Fine Art, Art Basel Hong Kong 2013
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
‘Interactive Installation by Chim↑Pom: Libido-Electricity Conversion Machine “EROKITEL” third and practical model “KIBOU”, 2011 (Mixed media, sports paper ad)’ / Mujin-to Production / Art Basel Hong Kong 2013 / SML.20130523.6D.14290
/ #Photojournalism #CreativeCommons #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLFineArt #Crazyisgood #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #Art #FineArt #ArtBasel #ABHK #ChimPom #チンポム #MujintoProduction #Japan #WTF #interactive #mixedmedia #installation
The picnic table is in the right and bottom third of the photo, but the photo could have been better if I had balanced it out with something else interesting on the left.
First time in a long time I've properly packed for a bike ride. I just have really great luck with not having mechanical issues. This stuff all fits in that little messenger bag, although just barely.
129 East 19th Street, NYC
by navema
East 19th Street, between Irving Place and Third Avenue, is known as the Block Beautiful for its notable row houses of East 19th Street. The block was an informal colony for artists and writers in the 1920s and 1930s, such as author Ida Tarbell, painter Cecilia Beaux, and the sculptor Zolnay. Music critic and novelist Carl Van Vechten, lived at 151 East 19th Street and with his neighbors, painters George Bellows and Robert Chanler, threw wild parties, about which Ethyl Barrymore commented, "I went there in the evening a young girl and came away in the morning an old woman."
Frederick J. Sterner, the architect credited with starting the revival of the block in the early 20th century, lived at No. 139, which he coated with stucco and decorated with colored tiles. A few other houses on the block have similar stucco, and some have unusual artistic touches like the pair of jockey statues at No. 141 and the nuzzling giraffes above the door at No. 149.
One of Manhattan's most interesting landmarks is the picturesque stable-studio at 129 East 19th Street. Charles Moran, an importer, built a town house at 24 Gramercy Park in 1847 on a lot stretching back to the north side of 19th Street between Irving Place and Third Avenue. Moran still had not built on the 19th Street side of the lot when he sold the house in 1855 to James Couper Lord. It was Lord, an iron merchant and philanthropist, who built the two-story stable at 129 East 19th Street in 1861.
A later account stated that the building never was used as a stable, and census records for the Lords and neighboring families show no coachmen or stablemen living on their properties. There is no record of the Lord stable's appearance in the 19th century.
The first account of its 19th-century occupancy is a 1903 article in The New York Times, which attributed its diamond-paned leaded glass windows to an unidentified glass worker who occupied it for some time in the 1890's. Indeed, classified directories show that Craig F. R. Drake, "stained-glass maker," leased and occupied the building for a year, in 1899.
In 1903, a new lessee, F. Berkeley Smith, filed plans to convert what was described as a studio into a residence. Smith was trained as an architect but was apparently independently wealthy -- he summered in Paris and wrote "The Real Latin Quarter," "How Paris Amuses Itself" and other books. He had worked with the architect R.H. Robertson, and a Robertson employee, August Pauli, designed extensive interior alterations for the 19th Street house.
Smith installed fireplaces for heat -- a Bohemian touch in a time when a furnace was considered civilized -- two bedrooms, a boudoir for Mrs. Smith and a trunk room, all furnished with wooden wainscotting, antique metal lamps, furniture and art work.
A photograph taken by Joseph Byron in 1904 shows a brick stable with neo-Gothic trim, window moldings, bottle-end stained glass and other artistic touches. In 1903, The Times wrote that there was "no more picturesque exterior" in the whole city, "none so riotously gay in color" with window boxes of geraniums, evergreen shrubs, bright brass hardware, green painted brick and white trim, "an exterior that attracts the attention of the least observant passerby."
ABOUT THE BLOCK BEAUTIFUL
The picturesque little ''block beautiful' is a mixed bag of houses on 19th Street between Irving Place and Third Avenue. A variety of owners there are making changes that reflect multiple attitudes toward the individual buildings and even the block as a whole. Brick and brownstone rowhouses went up on 19th Street in the 1840's and 1850's, especially after the establishment of Gramercy Park in 1845. Although conceived as upper-class accommodations, half a century later they were simply aging housing, especially as newer districts with newer houses opened up farther north.
The usual pattern for such districts was a gentle slide into middle- and working-class housing -- Victorian gentry showed a distinct distaste for settling in anything but virgin territory. It took Frederick Sterner to reverse this trend. Born in London in the 1860's, Sterner emigrated to the United States in 1882 and practiced architecture in Colorado before coming to New York in 1906. He took an office on Fifth Avenue near 19th Street and rented space in an old house at 23 West 20th Street.
Casting about for a place to build his own house, Sterner was discouraged by high land prices in more desirable areas farther north, and then determined to make over a house to his own taste closer to the business section of town. He bought an old brick house at 139 East 19th Street and gave it what became his signature touch -- a coat of tinted stucco, shutters, decorative ironwork and a projecting tile roof. Sterner carefully used old brick and polychromed tile panels to give his design an informal, handmade character -- the direct opposite of the showy limestone town houses that were still in favor farther uptown.
On a block of aging brick and brownstone, the effect was dazzling, something like Bob Dylan's shift from scruffy folk music to electric guitar in the 1960's. Sterner used inventive and brilliantly colored tile work around the doorway of 139 East 19th Street -- even the tiled planters are still miraculously intact. Sterner's example attracted others interested in a slightly bohemian location, among them Joseph B. Thomas, a banker and polo player, who had the architect redo 135 East 19th Street into a picturesque Gothic house.
But Sterner bought more houses on the block and, also working with other owners, gradually spread his delicate Mediterranean style to at least eight of them, enough so that the Sterner style quickly became the dominant character and was even imitated by other designers. In 1911 House Beautiful praised Sterner's work and added, ''Why does anyone build a city house when a remodeled one can be made so fascinating?''
Harriet Gillespie, writing in American Homes and Gardens in 1914, described 19th Street as a ''block beautiful,'' a term that had been in general use since the turn of the century, when reformers first considered how to stabilize aging neighborhoods.
Working for Thomas, Sterner also designed the dramatic half-timbered apartment house at 132 East 19th Street. Completed in 1911, it was soon home to the muckraking author Ida Tarbell, the society painter Cecilia Beaux and the stockbroker Chester Dale, who was then beginning to assemble his great art collection. The architect's brother, the painter Albert Sterner, also lived at No. 132.
THE painter George Bellows took over an old house at 146 East 19th Street, adding an attic studio, and the painter-muralist Robert Winthrop Chanler had a studio at No. 147; perhaps it was he who added the surprising colored panel over the doorway of two giraffes, with necks intertwined.
Writing in The New York Times in 1921, Helen Lowrey, a reporter, firmly credited Sterner with the idea of the picturesque ''Italian'' front and the entire idea of reviving older neighborhoods for upper-class occupancy. By that time developments at Turtle Bay, Sutton Place and other areas had spread Sterner's ideas widely.
In 1914 Sterner moved up to 63d Street between Lexington and Third Avenues and repeated the block beautiful process there, finally building his own magnificent house at the southwest corner of 65th Street and Lexington. In 1925 he moved to London, and never practiced again in New York; he died in Rome in 1931.
Gradually East 19th Street between Irving and Third became the block beautiful, as other efforts faded away, and it was included in the Landmarks Preservation Commission's Gramercy Park Historic District, designated in 1966. Many minor changes have been made to the houses, both before and after landmark designation. The Thomas residence, now owned by Oleg Cassini, is unchanged, but the stucco-front Sterner houses have lost many of their distinctive elements -- in some cases shutters have been removed, in others the pastel colors have been toned down. Some previous owner destroyed Sterner's distinctive tile and brick entryway at 145 East 19th Street, and in 1992 Lee Ann Jaffee, working with the architect Richard Ayotte, decided to substitute a nominally Greek revival doorway, but the effect does not reverse the earlier dilution of the house's character.
Next door, at 147 East 19th Street, someone has chopped away at the two giraffes to put in an electrical conduit.
At 143 East 19th Street Lynn Wagenknecht has one of the few intact mid-century houses, and her architect, Thomas Tsue, has been restoring that building to its original character.
On the south side of the block other architects are more in evidence. In 1924 the architect Frank Forster stripped the mid-19th-century brownstone at 142 and gave it a neat Dutch door and supremely intelligent ironwork. Despite an extensive interior alteration, the front has been left lovingly unrestored by the new owners. Cicognani Kalla Architects designed the recent alteration, and Pietro Cicognani says ''there's some beauty in being anonymous.'' And at 128 East 19th Street, an unidentified designer put some trim Art Moderne ironwork up on the house of the late Lincoln Kirstein, co-founder of the New York City Ballet, probably after Kirstein bought it in 1953.
At the apartment house at 132 East 19th Street, now a co-op, the board has just finished replacing the four stone spheres on the pillars in front, and Jonathan Foster, the board president, says that they are gradually restoring the entire front to Sterner's original designs.
ABOUT GRAMERCY PARK
The area which is now Gramercy Park was once in the middle of a swamp. In 1831 Samuel B. Ruggles, a developer and advocate of open space, proposed the idea for the park due to the northward growth of Manhattan. He bought the property, which was then a farm called "Gramercy Farm", from James Duane, a descendant of Peter Stuyvesant. Ruggles developed the property: he landscaped it, drainied the swamp, and caused about a million horsecart loads of earth to be moved. He then laid out "Gramercy Square", deeding possession of the square to the owners of the 60 parcels of land he had plotted to surround it, and sought tax-exempt status for the park, which the Board of Alderman granted in 1832. It was the second private square created in the city, after Hudson Square, also known as St. John's Park, which was laid out by the parish of Trinity Church. Numbering of the lots began at #1 on the northwest corner, on Gramercy Park West, and continued counter-clockwise: south down Gramercy Park West, then west to east along Gramercy Park South (East 20th Street), north up Gramercy Park East, and finally east to west along Gramercy Park North (East 21st Street). Landscaping and construction of Gramcery Park occured between 1833 and 1844.
At #34 and #36 Gramercy Park (East) are two of New York's first apartment buildings, designed in 1883 and 1905. Elsewhere in the neighborhood, nineteenth century brownstones and carriage houses abound, though the 1920s brought the onset of tenant apartments and skyscrapers to the area.
On September 20, 1966, a part of the Gramercy Park neighborhood was designated an historic district, and extended in 1988. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
Notable residents:
*James Harper – #4: an original resident, 1847-1869, Mayor of New York from 1844–1845 and one of the founders of the Harper publishing firm.
*Samuel J. Tilden – #15: New York Governor and 1876 Presidential Candidate whose house (a Victorian Gothic mansion), a National Historic Landmark, is now the National Arts Club.
Edwin Booth – #16: famed Shakespearean actor, founded the Players Club. The brother of John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of Abraham Lincoln. In the center of Gramercy Park is a statue in his honor.
John Barrymore – #36: star of stage and screen.
Daniel Chester French – #36: sculptor responsible for the seated figure of Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Alfred Ringling – #36: who founded the Ringling Brothers Circus.
Stanford White – an architect, who renovated The Players Club, lived where the Gramercy Park Hotel is now located.
James Cagney – the actor once lived in one of the buildings on Gramercy Park South (East 20th Street).
West Quoddy has the only 3rd order and one of only eight Fresnel lenses still in use on the Maine Coast
This is the third tome I have visited St Vncent: first time I found it locked, or more likely did not push the door hard enough, second time I did go inside but only took a handful of shots. So this time, it means a lot of snapping.
Both this and Wingham were among the first churches I visited in this project, and with years of accumulated knowledge a return is always good to see what you missed the first, and second time.
As it turned out, I could not find the church. It is signposted off the main road, then nothing. We were two miles in the country before I found a place to turn round, but a check of the county map and we turned back to the village and found it on Church lane, of course.
Littlebourne is another village and church on the banks of the Nailbourne, a winterbourne, that flows through here to Bridge, eventually to Barham. Downstream it turns quickly into the Little Stour which in turn flows into the Great Stour at Plucks Gutter.
The view from the south is limited due to mature trees, but from the north reveals several periods of buildings with rooflines at different angles and heights.
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The villages 13th century church, St Vincent of Saragossa, is thought to have been founded by the monks of St Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury and contains an ancient wall painting depicting Saint Christopher, patron saint of travellers. The church also has what is reckoned to be one of the finest collection of stained glass windows designed by Nathaniel Westlake in the country. Nathaniel Westlake was a leading designer of the Gothic Revival movement in England.
Work done in 1995 by experts from the V&A Museum established that he designed each of the windows over the long period of his work with the Company, thus giving an outstanding example of the development of his style.
The Church has a six-bell peal, the oldest bell dating back to 1597, the newest 1899.
www.littlebournebenefice.org.uk/littlebournechurchhistory...
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LOCATION: Situated at about 40 feet above O.D. on Head brickearth (over Upper Chalk). A little to the west of the river Little Stour. Littlebourne Court, originally belonging to St. Augustine’s Abbey, lies immediately to the north-west. Wickhambreaux and Ickham churches are not far away to the north and east.
DESCRIPTION: As with many North-East Kent churches, this church points south-east, and it is first documented in Domesday Book, with the eastern three-quarters of the nave of the present church presumably being, in part, of an early Norman date. The only visible evidence for the earliest structure, however, is outside the south-west corner of the nave. Here one can see reused Roman bricks, and the original steep slope of the very early 13th century south aisle (continuing the line of the nave roof). The nave must be earlier than this, so is at least 12th century in date. It is also worth noting the very rare dedication, to St Vincent.
The whole of the south arcade for the south aisle still survives in its very early 13th century form, with four pointed arches (that on the west is smaller). The arches have continuous flat
the piers themselves. All the dressings are in Caen stone.
Later in the 13th century a large new chancel was built, probably at about the time (c. 1245) when St Augustine’s Abbey were endowing the new vicarage there, after the appropriation. The chancel has four tall lancets on either side, and an eastern triplet which has internal shafting on the jambs, and deeply moulded rere-arches and hood-moulds. All the other lancets have plain rere-arches, and all the chancel windows sit internally on a filleted roll-moulding which steps up at the east end and runs under the triplet. There is a piscina on the south-east with a pointed arch (with hood) over it, and bar-stopped chamfers on the sides. On the north-west side of the chancel is a small doorway, which was restored in the 19th century. The chancel was fairly heavily restored on the outside in the 19th century (‘1865’ on one of the rain-water hoppers), but much of its original coursed whole flints are still visible, as well as some of the rows of putlog holes. The chancel also has a separate roof, with a west gable, but this was rebuilt completely in c. 1865.
At about the same time as the chancel was being rebuilt in the early to mid-15th century, a very plain tower was added at the west end (It is similar to the neighbouring tower at Ickham). This has a tall simple pointed arch (with flat chamfers and abaci) into the nave, and on the west is a simple pointed doorway with flat chamfers and a tall lancet above it. The tower is unbuttressed, and has four more wide restored lancets (one in each face) in the top (belfry) stage. Externally the tower has the remains of its original plastering over coursed flint with side-alternate Caenstone quoins. On top of the tower is a later medieval (14th/15th century) brooch spire (now covered in slates).
The tower was restored in 1899, and the bells were rehung in a new timber and cast iron frame. There are now six bells, dated 1597,1610, 1650 and three of 1899 (said to have been recast from two late medieval ones). Glynne tells us that there was an organ in a west gallery under the tower, but this was removed during the restoration. A shed (now 2 cloakrooms) was also added to the north side of the tower in c. 1899.
A small Lady Chapel may have been added to the north-east side of the nave in the later 13th century as shown by its two light trefoil-headed (with circular opening above) east window (it has an internal rere-arch). All other evidence for this above ground was removed by the early 14th and early 19th century re-buildings (see below). The Lady Chapel is first documented in the late 15th century, but most churches acquired a separate Lady Chapel in N.W. Kent in the 13th century.
In the early 14th century both the south and north aisles had their outer walls rebuilt. On the south this was a continuous heightening and rebuild for the full length of the nave (with the evidence for the earlier lean-to aisle surviving in the west wall, as shown above). There is however still a later 13th century lancet in the centre of the south wall, with a probable later 13th century south doorway next to it (though completely rebuilt externally in the 19th century). The other aisle windows are all, however, 2 - light early 14th century traceried windows, and the gables and separate pitched roof over the aisle is also perhaps 14th century (it is still hidden under a flat plaster ceiling). In the south aisle wall are some reused Reigate stone fragments, and the large later south buttress has Ragstone quoins and reused Reigate And Caenstone fragments (and heavy 19th century knapped flintwork). Some Purbeck marble is reused in the wall west of the south porch. This aisle also has a small square-topped piscina in its south-east corner, and a very small stoup just inside the door on the east.
Hasted tells us that ‘a few years ago the north isle fell down, when there were some curious paintings discovered by the breaking of the plaster from the walls. This aisle was immediately rebuilt’. It is however, clear from the present remains (and from the Petrie water-colour view), that the church was again rebuilt in the early 19th century, with the present flatish 4-bay crown/king post nave roof and lath and plaster ceiling. The two dormers on the south side of the nave roof are presumably of the same date as is the shallow-pitched shed-roof over the north aisle, and the wooden post and two semi-circular arches into the north aisle. On the north-west side of the nave one can see an infilled pointed arch (? of chalk) with abaci, suggesting that there was originally a 13th century 3-bay north aisle (and Lady Chapel). The scar for the south-west corner of this aisle which did not continue to the west end of the nave, is just visible, and the late 18th century collapse was clearly at the west end of this aisle, which was not rebuilt (the other aisle-wall window being reset in the nave wall). The north wall of the north aisle must have been rebuilt in the early 14th century with buttresses and new two-light traceried windows. There may have been a north door here.
Only the chancel was heavily restored in the later 19th century (1865) with a new south porch in 1896, replacing a brick one, according to Glynne. A porch is documented from at least 1505.
BUILDING MATERIALS: (Incl. old plaster, paintings, glass, tiles etc.):
The main local material is flint, and whole flints, in courses, are used for all the early work with dressings of Caenstone. Some Reigate stone is then used in the 13th century, with Kent Rag for the quoins in the early 14th century. There is also some reused Purbeck marble in the walls, and Bathstone is used for the late 19th century restorations. Hasted mentions ‘the remains of good painted glass’ in the chancel side lancets and ‘seven sacraments, etc. handsomely done, with rich borders’ in the eastern lancets, ‘but they have been some few years since removed’ (op. cit. below, p.155). Also he mentions armorial glass in the S.E. window of the south aisle, and other now-vanished glass is known from the church - see C.R. Councer (below).
EXCEPTIONAL MONUMENTS IN CHURCH: None, but remains of medieval wall-painting on the north side of the nave, at the west end. Also a leger slab, with a small brass inscription in it, dated 1585, in front of the chancel arch. Also some early 19th century Benefaction boards on the west wall of the south aisle. Most of the furnishings in the church date from the restoration of 1864-4, or later.
CHURCHYARD AND ENVIRONS:
Size & Shape: Large north-south rectangular area around church, with large extensions to north (20th century) and south (19th century).
Condition: Good
Building in churchyard or on boundary: Lych Gate of timber (1892) to the south. Very large c. early 14th century great barn of Littlebourne Court (172ft long) runs along west boundary of the churchyard.
Ecological potential: ? Yes. The burial under a ‘great palm’ (ie. Yew Tree) in the churchyard is mentioned in a will of 1542, and there are still some quite large Yews north of the church.
Late med. Status: Vicarage endowed in 1245 with a house, some tithes, etc. A chaplain had to be found to celebrate weekly in Garrington Chapel.
Patron: St. Augstine’s Abbey, Canterbury (and alienated to the Italian monastery of Monte Mirteto in Italy, 1224). In 1538 it went to the crown, and then on to the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury in 1541.
Other documentary sources: Hasted IX (1800) , 155-8. There is much documentation in Thorne’s Chronicle and the ‘Black Book’ of St Augustine’s. Testamenta Cantiana (E. Kent, 1907), 196-8 mentions burial in the churchyard from 1473, the church porch (1501), various ‘lights’, the altar of Our Lady (1499+), reparation of the altars of St James and St Nicholas (1473), for paving between the chancel and the west door (1419).
SURVIVAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL DEPOSITS:
Inside present church: ? Good.
Outside present church: ? Good, though there is a large soil build-up around the church, and a brick-lined drainage gulley (up to 2ft deep) has been made all around the church.
RECENT DISTURBANCES/ALTERATIONS:
To structure: None, but chancel stalls brought from St Johns, Herne Bay in 1974, and organ in north aisle from Holy Cross, Canterbury in 1972.
To floors: Brick floor relaid at east end of S. aisle - Oct 1991.
Quinquennial inspection (date/architect): Feb. 1990 Maureen O’Connor.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL ASSESSMENT:
A Norman nave was given a lean-to south aisle and perhaps extended to the west in the very early 13th century, with a plain west tower being added soon after. The chancel was rebuilt (and greatly enlarged) in the mid 13th century, and there was probably also a Lady Chapel and nave north aisle by the later 13th century. The outer walls of the aisles were rebuilt in the early 14th century. A timber spire was also built. In the late 18th century the west end of the north aisle collapsed and this was rebuilt along with the nave roof, etc. again in the early 19th century. Chancel restored in 1865, and west tower in 1899 (with rehung bells). A new south porch was built in 1896.
The wider context: One of a group of churches belonging to St Augustine’s Abbey, Canterbury with major rebuildings in the 13th and early 14th centuries.
REFERENCES: S.R. Glynne, Notes of the Churches of Kent (1877), 167-8. (He visited in 1851). C.R. Councer, Lost Glass from Kent Churches ) (1980), 77-8.
Guide Book: None available in church, but see St Vincent’s Church, Littlebourne by Elizabeth Jeffries (1984) - very poor for architectural history.
Plans & drawings: Petrie early 19th cent. view from N.E., with continuous roof slope over nave and N. aisle.
DATES VISITED: 19th December 1996 REPORT BY: Tim Tatton-Brown
www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/01/03/LIT.htm
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LITTLEBORNE
LIES the next parish south-eastward from Stodmarsh, taking its name from its situation close to the stream which bounds the eastern part of it, and at the same time to distinguish it from the other parishes of the name of Borne in the near neighbourhood of it.
There is but one borough in this parish, called the borough of Littleborne.
Littleborne extends to the skirt of the beautiful and healthy parts of East Kent, and verging farther from the large levels of marsh land which lie near the Stour, quits that gloomy aspect of ill health so prevalent near them, and here begins to assume one more cheerful, pleasant and healthy; and Twyne tells us, (fn. 1) that it was allotted by the abbot and convent of St. Augustine's, who possessed the manor, for the plantation of vines. The village is built on the high road leading from Canterbury to Sandwich and Deal, at the eastern boundary of the parish, adjoinining to the Little Stour, and consists of about forty houses. The church stands at a small distance from it, having the courtlodge close to it, with the parsonage at a small distance. This parish extends northward as far as the Stour, opposite to Westbere, in which part of it however, there is but a small quantity of marsh-land, near which is an estate called Higham, which antiently was owned by a family of that name. Above the hill, south-eastward from hence, there is a great deal of woodland, and among it a tract of heathy rough land, belonging to the archbishop, called Fishpool-downs, through which the road leads to Wickham. At the bottom of Fishpool hill is the valley called the Ponds, now entirely covered with wood, part of which is in this parish. The ponds were supplied from a spring called Arrianes well, probably for Adrian's well, and were of a considerable size and depth, made for the supply of the convent of St. Augustine, the owners of them, with fish for their refectory, the sides of them now equally thick with coppice wood, were antiently a vineyard. These woods continue from hence adjoining the high road towards the village in great quantities, much of which belongs to the archbishop, and are intermixed with a great deal of rough bushy ground. The lands in this parish are in general very poor and gravelly, but towards Wickham they are much more fertile both for corn and hops, of which there are several plantations. This parish extends across the river eastward towards the hill, and takes in great part of Lower Garwinton, and part of the house, and some little land of Upper Garwinton within it, which is entirely separated from the rest of it by the parish of Adisham intervening.
Polygonatum scalacæci, Solomon's seal; grows plentifully on Fishpool-hill in this parish.
A fair is held here on the 5th of July, for toys and pedlary.
In the year 690, Widred, king of Kent, gave to the monastery of St. Augustine, in pure and perpetual alms, five plough-lands called Litleborne, on condition of their remembring of him in their prayers and solemn masses. And in the year 1047, king Edward the Consessor gave another plough-land here, which consisted of the estates of Bourne, Dene, and Wiliyington, to archbishop Eadsin, free from all service, except. the trinoda necessitas, and he bestowed it on that monastery. After which the manor of Little borne continued in the possession of the abbey to the time of taking the survey of Domesday, in which it is thus entered under the general title of the land of the church of St. Augustine:
In Dunamesfort hundred, the abbot himself holds, Liteburne, which is taxed at seven sulings. The arable land is twelve carucates. In demesne there are three carucates, and thirty-five villeins, with fourteen cottagers having six and an half. There is a church, and thirtyeight acres of meadow. Wood for the pannage of four hogs. In the time of king Edward the Consessor it was worth twenty-five pounds, afterwards twenty pounds, now thirty-two pounds. Of this manor the bishop of Baieux has in his park, as much as is worth sixty shillings.
After this the abbot and convent's possessions here were increased by several gifts and purchases of different parcels of land. (fn. 2)
King Henry III. in his 54th year, granted to the abbot and convent free-warren in all their demesne lands of Littleborne, among others. In the 7th year of king Edward II.'s reign, anno 1313, in the iter of H. de Stanton and his sociates, justices itinerant, the abbot, upon a quo warranto, claimed and was allowed in this manor among others, free warren in all his demesne lands of it, and view of frank-pledge, and other liberties therein-mentioned, in like manner as has been already mentioned before, in the description of the manors of Sturry and Stodmarsh. (fn. 3) By a register of the monastery of about this time, it appears, that this manor had then in demesne the park of Trendesle. In the 10th year of king Edward III. Solomon de Ripple being custos, or bailiff of this manor, made many improvements here, and purchased more lands in it, all the buildings of it being in a manner wholly re-built and raised from the ground, with much cost, by him. In king Richard II.'s reign, the abbot's manor of Littleborne was valued at 23l. 8s. 6d. the admeasurement of the lands being 505 acres. After which this manor continued with the monastery till its dissolution, anno 30 Henry VIII. when it came into the king's hands, and remained in the crown till king Edward VI. in his 1st year, granted the manor and manor-house, with all lands and appurtenances, and a water-mill lately belonging to the abbot and convent of St. Augustine, to the archbishop, among other premises, in exchange for the manor of Mayfield, &c. parcel of the possessions of whose see it still remains, the archbishop being the present owner of it. The manor, with the profits of courts, royalties, &c. the archbishop keeps in his own hands; but the demesnes have been from time to time demised on a beneficial lease. The family of Denne have been for more than a century lessees of it, who now reside in the court-lodge.
On the abolition of episcopacy, after the death of king Charles I. this manor was sold by the state to Sir John Roberts and John Cogan, the latter of whom, by his will in 1657, gave his moiety of it to the mayor and aldermen of Canterbury, for the benefit of six poor ministers widows (for whose use he had at the same time demised his dwelling-house in Canterbury, now called Cogan's hospital. But the manor of Littleborne, on the restoration in 1660, returned again to the see of Canterbury.
The manor of Wolton, alias Walton, lies in the southern part of this parish, adjoining to the precinct of Well, and was antiently possessed by a family who took their name from it, one of whom, John, son of John de Wolton, held it at the latter end of king Henry III.'s reign. But this family became extinct here before the reign of king Edward III. in the 20th year of which, Roger de Garwinton held it by knight's service, (fn. 4) in whose descendants it continued till it passed into the family of Petit, of Shalmsford, who held it of the abbot of St. Augustine's by the like service, in which name and family it continued till it was at length alienated to Sir Henry Palmer, of Bekesborne, whose descendant of the same name passed it away by sale to Sir Robert Hales, of Bekesborne, in whose descendants it continued down to Sir Philip Hales, bart. of Howlets, who in 1787 alienated this manor to Isaac Baugh, esq. of Well, the present owner of it.
Wingate, alias Lower Garwington, in a manor, which lies on the other or eastern side of the river, adjoining to Ickham, taking the former of those names from a family, who were owners of it in Henry III.'s reign, and held it by knight's service of the abbot and convent of St. Augustine. In which reign Simon de Wingate held it as above-mentioned, but before the 20th year of King Edward III. this name was extinct here, and Thomas de Garwinton then held this estate, lying in Wingate, held of the abbot by the like tenure. (fn. 5) In the descendants of Thomas de Garwington, who resided at their mansion and manor, since called Upper Garwinton, adjoining to it, seems to have continued some time, and from them, as well as to distinguish it from that, to have taken the name of Wingate, alias Lower Garwinton. After this family had quitted the possession of it, the Clyffords appear from different records to have become owners of it, and after them the Sandfords, and it appears by the escheat rolls, that Humphrey Sandford died possessed of it in the 14th year of king Henry VII. and that Thomas Sandford was his son and heir. After which it came into the hands of the crown, for king Henry VIII. in his 30th year, granted the manors of Wingate and Garwinton to Sir Christopher Hales, then master of the rolls. He left three daughters his coheirs, who became jointly, entitled to it, and on the division of their estates it was allotted to the youngest daughter Mary, who entitled her husband Alexander Colepeper, esq. to it, in which name it continued till the 22d of queen Elizabeth, when it was passed away by sale to Thomas Fane, esq. whose son Francis, earl of Westmoreland, sold it to William Prude, alias Proude, esq. who being a lieutenant-colonel in the army, was slain at the siege of Maestricht in 1632, having devised this estate in tail male to his eldest surviving son Serles Prude, who died in 1642, leaving only two daughters his coheirs, upon which it came to his next brother William, who left an only daughter Dorothy, and she, the entail being barred, carried it first in marriage to Nethersole, by whom she had no issue, and secondly to Christopher May, esq. of Rawmere, in Suffex, whose only daughter and heir Anne, entitled her husband William Broadnax, esq. of Godmersham, to the possession of it. His son Thomas Changed his name, first to May and then to Knight, and died possessed of this manor in 1781, leaving an only son Thomas Knight, esq. of Godmersham, who in the year 1785 exchanged it for other lands in Crundal with Thomas Barret, esq. of Lee, the present owner of it.
Upper Garwinton is a manor, which lies adjoining to that last-described, southward, at the boundary of this parish, next to Adisham, in which parish part of the mansion of it stands, being written in the survery of Domesday, Warwintone, one of the many instances in that book of the mistakes of the Norman scribes. It was, after the conquest, parcel of those possessions with which the Conqueror enriched his half-brother Odo, the great bishop of Baieux and earl of Kent, and was exchanged by him for other lands with the abbot of St. Augustine's, accordingly it is thus entered in that record, under the general title of the land of the church of St. Augustine:
The abbot himself holds Warwintone, and the bishop of Baieux gave it to him in exchange of his park. It was taxed at half a suling and forty-two acres of land. The arable land is one carucate, and there is in demesne, with three cottagers, and sixteen acres of meadow. In the time of king Edward the Confessor it was worth four pounds, and afterwards forty shillings, now four pounds. This manor Edric de Sbern Biga held, and now Radulf holds it of the abbot.
Whether this description extended to the last-described manor of Wingate, is uncertain, though most probably, as both were held of the abbot by knight's service, it was comprehended in it. However that may be, this manor of Garwintone, called as above, erroneously, in Domesday, Warwintone, was held of the abbot by a family who took their surname from it; one of whom, Richard de Garwynton, resided here at the latter end of king Henry II.'s reign, and had a chapel at his mansion here; and in 1194, the abbot granted to him and his heirs, to have the divine office celebrated for three days in a week in this chapel by the priest of Littleborne. (fn. 6) His descendant Thomas Garwinton was possessed of this manor and several other estates in this part of the county, in the 20th year of king Edward III. whose great-grandson William Garwynton dying S. P. Joane his kinswoman, married to Richard Haut, was anno II Henry IV. found to be his heir not only to this manor, but to much other lands in these parts, and their son Richard Haut having an only daughter and heir Margery, she carried this manor in marriage to William Isaac, esq. of Patrixborne, whose descendant Edward Isaac, at his death, gave this manor to his two daughter by his second wife, viz. Mary, married to Thomas Appleton, esq. of Suffolk, and Margaret, to John Jermye, second son of Sir John Jermye, of the same county, and they seem to have shared this manor between them. Thomas Appleton sold his share afterwards to Anthony Parker, who with Isaac Jermye, eldest son of John above-mentioned, joined in the sale of the entire see of it to Sir Henry Palmer, of Howlets, and he by his will in 1611, devised it to his nephew John Goodwyn, whose heirs some time afterwards passed it away by sale to George Curteis, esq. afterwards knighted, and of Otterden, and he alienated it to Sir Robert Hales, of Bekesborne, in whose descendants it continued down to Sir Philip Hales, bart. of Howlets, who in 1787, passed it away by sale to Isaac Baugh, esq. the present owner of it.
Charities.
John Dorrante, of Bekesborne, yeoman, in 1560, gave by will, to discharge the poor from the assessments of the church, the overplus to be paid to the most antient poor of the parish, the sum of 3s, 6d. on Palm Sunday and the Monday before Penticost; and 21s. 6d. on Christmas-day yearly, out of the house and lands called Church-house, now vested in Mr. Peter Inge.
Henry Sloyden, of Wickhambreaux, in 1568, gave by will to the poor of this parish and of Wickham, six acres and a half of land, called Church-close, to be divided between them yearly, now of the annual produce of 3l. 9s. 9d.
Sir Henry Palmer, by his will in 1611, gave 10s. to be paid yearly out of his manor of Welle, for the use of the poor.
James Franklyn, by will in 1616, gave to the parishes of Littleborne, Chistlet, and Hoathe, in Reculver, 5l. each, to be employed in a stock for the poor. This 5l. is now increased to 11l. this interest of which being 8s. 93frac34;d. is distributed among the poor in general.
Valentine Norton, gent. by his will, was a benefactor to the poor; but there are no particulars further known of it.
The poor constantly relieved are about fifty, casually thirtyfive.
This parish is within the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the diocese of Canterbury, and deanry of Bridge.
The church, which is dedicated to St. Vincent, consists of three isles and a chancel, having at the west end a low pointed steeple, in which hang five bells. The church is kept very neat. It is a good sized building, and is handsomely ceiled. The chancel is lostly, and has four narrow lancet windows on each side, and three at the end; in the former are the remains of good painted glass, and in the latter some years ago were the seven sacraments, &c. very handsomely done, with rich borders, but they have been some few years since removed. In it is a memorial for George I'anns, curate, obt. 1699. In the middle isle are several memorials for the family of Denne, for many descents lessees of the court-lodge, and descended from those of Dennehill, in Kingston, In the south-east window of the south isle is a saint holding a shield of arms, in front, Gules, three cocks, argent, being the arms of Bunington, on the lest side a moon, on the right a sun, all very well done; and there were formerly in one of the windows, the arms of Higham, argent, a lion passant regardant, between six cross-croslets fitchee, sable, impaling Gallaway, ermine, three lozenges, gules. A few years ago the north isle fell down, when there were some curious paintings discovered, by the breaking of the plaister from the walls. This isle was immediately rebuilt. In the church-yard, at the north-west part of it, are several tombs and head stones of the family of Denne before- mentioned.
¶The church of Littleborne was antiently appendant to the manor, part of the possessions of the abbot and convent of St. Augustine, and continued so till the year 1224, when Robert de Bello being chosen abbot, and finding much difficulty in obtaining the pope's benediction, to facilitate it, gave this church to the monastery of St. Mary de Monte Mirteto, in Italy, to which the pope, in 1241, appropriated it. Immediately after which, this parsonage, so appropriated, was demised to the abbot and convent of St. Augustine, in perpetual ferme, at the clear yearly sum of thirty marcs. (fn. 7) Four years after which, anno 1245, archbishop Stratford endowed the vicarage of it, the advowson of which was reserved to the abbot and convent of St. Augustine, when he decreed, that the vicarage should be endowed with a mansion, the tithes of filva cæ dua, of hay, and in three acres of arable, one acre of meadow, and in the receipt of three marcs and an half in money from the religious yearly, and in the tithes of flax, hemp, ducks, calves, pigeons, bees, milk, milkmeats, mills, wool, pigs, and in all oblations and other small tithes belonging to the church; and that the vicar should serve the church in divine rites, and find one chaplain to celebrate weekly in the chapel of Garwyntone, and to find bread, wine, and tapers, for celebrating divine rites in the church. Which endowment was afterwards, in 1370, certified by inspeximus, by archbishop Wittlesey. In which state this church and advowson remained till the final dissolution of the abbey of St. Augustine, in the 30th year of Henry VIII. when they came into the king's hands, and the king, in his 33d year, settled both, by his dotation-charter, on his new-erected dean and chapter of Canterbury, with whom they continue at this time. The parsonage has been from time to time let on a beneficial lease, Mr. Thomas Holness being the present lessee of it, but the advowson of the vicarage the dean and chapter retain in their own hands.
The vicarage of Littleborne is valued in the king's books at 7l. 19s. 10d. but the yearly tenths taken are sixteen shillings, the sum total being erroneonsly cast up in the king's books at eight pounds. The antient pension of 3l. 17s. 4d. from the abbey of St. Augustine's, is yearly received by the vicar out of the exchequer; the demesne lands of the court-lodge pay no greattithes, and the archbishop's woods in his own occupation pay none. In 1588 here were one hundred and fifty communicants; in 1640 the same, when it was valued at thirty-five pounds. It has been augmented by the dean and chapter with fifty pounds per annum.
The chapel of Lukedale, in the precinct of Well, was once esteemed as within the bounds of this parish, of which more may be seen herefter, under Ickham, to which parish Well is now annexed.
Once the summer capital of the Raj in Burma, Pyin U Lwin retains some of the 'hill station' look that cities like Darjeeling and Simla in India used to have in the 1960s and 1970s. Because of its history as a summer capital and a military centre of the Indian Army during British times, it has both a large Indian population and strong Anglo-Burmese and Anglo-Indian communitues. As a town near the border of China, many Chinese people are also settling down in this pleasant hill town. It is also an important market centre for goods from the Shan State and Kachin territories and an important military base. At an elevation of 1070 metres above sea level, there is an abundance of flowers, strawberries, and coffee beans, that will make you find a curiously diverse place on your visit. The city and its surrondings are very green and, together with the comforting climate, make a pleasant atmosphere for some days to chill out.
HISTORY
The British 'discovered' Pyin U Lwin after the capture of Mandalay at the end of the Third Burmese War. An early Englishman described it thus: "Pyin-u-lwin, a charmingly situated village of some five and twenty houses, with a market-place and a gambling ring, won our hearts. ... I inspected a curious magnetic rock in the neighbouring jungle. Some years afterwards it was described as a new discovery by a geologist of note. It has been lost again, but will doubtless be found some day." (Herbert White, "A Civil Servant in Burma"). The British soon established a military post there and the village was renamed Maymyo (May Town) after the commander of the post, Colonel May, a veteran of the Indian Mutiny. Within a few years, after it was connected to Mandalay by rail, it became the summer residence of the British Government in Burma (the civil service would move, almost to the man, from Rangoon to Maymyo). A little later, it was made the headquarters of the Burma Division, a largely Gurkha and Indian division, and the remanents of that division forms the core of the 'Nepali' population of Pyin U Lwin. White goes on to describe it as "Without pretension to the picturesque, it is a place of great charm and quiet beauty, with no palm trees and few pagodas, conspicuously un-Oriental, more like a corner of Surrey than of Burma." While the Surrey analogy will seem a stretch to anyone who has visited Surrey, Pyin U Lwin still seems less like Burma than almost anywhere else in the country.
CLIMATE
Cooler, relatively speaking, than the plains and the temperature rarely goes over 30°C in summer. Winter temperatures often fall below 10°C at night, so be prepared.
GET IN
BY TRAIN
The train station is North of the city and there are services to and from Mandalay, Hsipaw, and Lashio. Trains from Mandalay (ordinary class US$2, upper class US$4) leave at 4:00 am arriving at 8:09 am. Numerous hairpin bends and a steep ascent make this an interesting, if rather long, ride. You can get out and walk at various points while the train switches direction or makes its slow way up a steep ascent. There are two trains daily to Hsipaw and Lashio (5:30am, 8:34am) the journey is about 6 hours and 10 hours respectively and goes over the famous Gokteik Viaduct. Trains from Hsipaw and Lashio arrive at 3:40pm and 6:40pm. The Pyin U Lwin train station is a bit far from the town centre and most accommodation but horse-carriages and taxis are there to meet the trains.
BY BUS
There are scheduled night bus services to Pyin U Lwin from Yangon and return. Buses to and from Hsipaw will drop you off but you have to pay the fare for the entire trip. The buses tend to be full so it is unlikely that you'll get a seat on them when leaving Pyin U Lwin. There is also a night bus leaving Nyuang Shwe (Inle Lake) at 7 pm. It stops at the main bus station in Mandalay, but you stay on and it continues to Pyin U Lwin. Cost is 18,000 kyat.
BY PICK-UP
There are two pick-up stations in Pyin U Lwin. Frequent pick-ups to/from Mandalay on the corner 27th/82nd (1,500 kyat-Dec 2014) arrive/depart from opposite the clock tower and train station area (more cars available). You can try going on the seats beside the driver, they are popular though and might cost you 500-1000ks more. Hsipaw and Lashio bound pick-ups leave early in the morning from the Shan Market west of the town.
BY TAXI
Shared taxis to/from Mandalay (6000/5500 kyat (14 Dec 2014)) and to/from Hsipaw (10000 kyat) will drop or collect you at your hotel. The Mandalay bound shared taxi stand is across the clock tower while the Hsipaw/Lashio shared taxi stand is across from the Shan Market if you want to arrange the trip yourself. It is best to arrange a shared taxi the previous evening.
Private taxis between Pyin U Lwin and Mandalay should be about 30,000 kyat (downtown Mandalay) or 35,000 kyat (Mandalay airport). Negotiate.
There are also private taxis from Pyin U Lwin to downtown Mandalay for 15,000ks.
GET AROUND
It is easy to get around on foot or on bicycles (1,200-2,000 kyat per day from your hotel) or even on foot in the city centre. Or hire a gharry, old garishly painted horse-drawn Victorian carriages that seem to live on in Pyin U Lwin. For far-flung places, frequent pick-ups ply the Mandalay road, motorcycle taxis (you ride on the pillion) are available in the market, as are taxis. You can also rent a motorcycle to get around from a shop near the mosque. Ask at your hotel.
SEE
Unique horse carriages and British colonial houses make Pyin U Lwin stand out!
Pyin U Lwin is relatively free of the ubiquitous pagodas. Some colonial Tudor style houses still stand (mostly around the National Kandawgyi Gardens), albeit in poor condition, and walking around is an interesting way to see how the Raj lived. There are many churches as well, the oldest dating back to about 1910.
National Kandawgyi Gardens established in 1915 by Alex Rodger as the Maymyo Botanical Gardens, the garden has a rich and diverse collection of flora, including many English plant varieties, and is without a doubt among the most beautiful botanical gardens in the world. A rose garden, a stupa in the middle of a pond, an aviary, and an orchid garden are amongst the highlights. The park includes a bird area with an impressive collection of exotic species.
Seeds are available if you want to carry them back to your home country. A popular spot for the locals, the gardens are about 1.5 km south of the city and you'll need your own transport (walk, bike, carriage, taxi) to get there and back.
Garden opening time and fee: 10am 6 pm, foreigners pay 5USD/5000kyat, 200 kyats locals, however some attractions close at 5pm (butterfly museum) and it takes at least 3 good hours to walk around the park.
Purcell Tower - the clock in this tower is reported to copy the chimes of Big Ben (or so says Lonely Planet). The tower is on the main intersection in Pyin U Lwin, across from the Mandalay pickup and share taxi stand. You can't miss it.
English Cemetery - way across town, beyond the tracks and the train station lies the old English cemetery. The cemetery is in very poor condition having been 'nationalized' by the junta and most of the headstones are in disrepair with unreadable inscriptions. Still, a few survive and will be worth the time spent if you are a history buff. St. James church, once Anglican but now catholic, lies across the road. Drop in and see the plaques to the various British lives lost in various wars. The friendly chaplain will show you around. Take a bike or a horse carriage since the cemetery is quite far.
Shiva Temple - Hindu temple to the god Shiva, on the road behind the clock tower.
Chinese Temple - South of the town (close to Candacraig) is a large and colourful Chinese temple built by the many Yunanese immigrants to the town.
The Candacraig (now the Thiri Myaing Hotel) - colonial mansion built as a guest house of The Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation in 1904. Made famous by Paul Theroux in The Great Railway Bazaar, it is a good place to stop and see how the colonials lived. For the last couple of years the property has been abandoned and the mansion is falling into disrepair. As of April 2015, the mansion is under renovation. While it is possible to enter the property, the access into the house itself is forbidden. From the outside, it is possible to see an old table tennis plate that was used back in the colonial days.
Other colonial houses remade into government run hotels include The Croxton and Craddock Court.
DO
Anisakan Falls - nestled in a rugged gorge and framed at the base by a Buddhist temple, Anisaken Falls make a good half day hike from Pyin U Lwin. Mandalay bound pick-ups (300kyat) drop you at the village of Anisakan (tell the driver you're going to the falls and he'll drop you at the road to the falls rather than in the village itself). From there, follow a long road (about 2 km) through the village, across a railway line, by a monastery, and through fields to the start of the trail. Alternatively, take a taxi from Pyin U Lwin to the trail-head and back (about US$15) (March 2014: We managed to bargain a tuk-tuk down to 5000 kt from Pyin U Lwin to the trailhead one way or 10000 both ways with him waiting for us. We took it only one way and to get back we got a ride with some monks in a pickup truck from the trailhead to the village and then on a pickup truck on the main road for 500 kt per person to get back to Pyin U Lwin). Stalls at the trailhead and at the falls sell water, soft drinks, and snacks at high prices. There will be many people trying to show you the way but there is no need as the road down the hill is very clear and even a vehicle can go. The trail is steep but short, 35-45 minutes from the trail-head to the bottom of the falls. You can then return the way you came or hike up to the top of the falls on a steep trail that runs along the falls itself (starts near the broken down bridge on the same side of the stream you came in on). If you hike up the falls, you'll notice (with heart pounding from the steep climb) that the falls are actually three falls and the view of the lowest level becomes increasingly delightful as you head up. Once on the top, it is a short walk back to the trailhead. You can also take this trail on the way down. Start by walking down the road and then when you see two stacked power lines, look to the right and you will see a trail going up the hill. This is the trail. There are several offshoots to view the falls, but the main trail stays to your left. If you came by pickup, walk back to the main road and flag a Pyin U Lwin bound pickup, there are plenty. Some local village girls selling beverages will likely tag along with you from the shop at the trail head if you come without your own guide. You don't need them on your way to the falls but they will come to great help if you choose to return by the steep foot trail as it easy to lose right direction on the offshoots and you might end after a long climb to a dead end. They do not sell guide services (as it probably would require official permit) but they expect you to buy a drink or two on a higher price (1500 kyat piece) if you rely on their help. Please pay for their effort in that case. Unfortunately swimming is forbidden at the main fall.
Pwe Kauk Falls - known as Hampshire Falls in British times. Not much to look at by the standards of falls elsewhere but they are a popular picnic spot and seeing Burmese families picnicking and enjoying themselves is the main reason to go. A precarious bridge crosses the stream and disappears into a fig tree. The falls are on the way to Lashio so you'll need to hire a taxi but, if you want to save money, hang around long enough at the Lashio taxi stand and you'll find a share (share taxis to the falls wait for you and bring you back). A one hour hike from the falls (take a guide, it is easy to get lost) gets you to the natural caves of U Naung Gu where you'll find several Buddhas.
Pyeik Chin Miang - further along the road to Lashio are these deep caves full of Buddhas. Almost everything is new so don't get carried away! A huge pool a little way down is a popular swimming hole. Share taxis to Pwe Kauk Falls often make the trip here as well.
Shan villages - if you're not planning to go on to Hsipaw or Kyaukme, you can stop by at the Shan villages of Mogyopit, Yechando and Ye Negye on your way to Pwe Kauk Falls.
BUY
Pyin U Lwin is famous, in Myanmar that is, for strawberries, coffee, flowers and sweaters and the market is full of shops selling these products. In Spring (late February, early March), flower stalls line the road to Mandalay. Strawberry jam is readily available (it'll show up in your breakfast). And, many stores around the clock tower sell sweaters the specialty of all old British hill stations everywhere.
EAT
Pyin U Lwin has quite a few Indian sweet shops with the usual complement of Indian sweets (barfi, laddoo, gulab jamun, etc.). If you have a sweet tooth, this is the place to indulge it. There are several shops close to the Mandalay pick-up stand (on Lashio Road by the Clock Tower), and at least one near the Central Market.
Aung Padamya Restaurant: A bit of a distance from the clock tower (behind the Shan Market) and in a residential neighborhood (in what looks like a converted garage) this is possibly the best Indian restaurant in all of Myanmar. However they have no menu and as a result, you pay high tourist prices. They only have one curry which has coriander in it. So if that is not your thing avoid.
Golden Triangle Cafe and Bakery: Update April 2016: Although it's still mentioned in all guide-books, since the end of 2014 this place DOES NOT exist anymore! (It's been an American run cafe and bakery on the Mandalay - Lashio road (across from Grace Hotel II), this was the one place in Myanmar where you could get a decent espresso (it has to be good, as it is twice as expensive as in your own Country). Pizzas, Burgers (mutton and veggie, beef is rare in Myanmar), sandwiches. Try their milk shakes and fresh fruit juices.)
Krishna Restaurant: An unmarked South Indian restaurant in a lane behind Grace Hotel II (House 50, Block 5, Gorakha Road - parallel to the Mandalay-Lashio Road), Krishna serves Indian curries with lentils, chapatis, and rice. Well priced and good home cooked food. Try their unsweetened lassis! Another alternative for those into South Indian food might be the "South Indian Food Centre" (walk the main road east of clock tower and take the first lane to the right, just follow the signs). As of may 2014, they do serve chapatis.
The Club Terrace: A slightly more expensive, nicer restaurant near the golf course with a English translations on the menu which serves good Malay and Thai food.
The Night Market : Every day around 5PM there is a night market with a lot of street food, behind the clock tower, which replaces the day market. You can find a lot of fried stuff also suitable for vegetarians, as well as traditional tea, amazing Myanmar salads as well as Indian food.
If you are vegetarian or simply feel like having a tasty salad, try one of the Myanmar traditional salads (Tomato salad, ginger, cabbage, lemon, pickled tea leaf, etc. ). They are very tasty and can be found in every city. You can find them in Pyin Oo Lwin at the night market, or during the day in several local eateries. One of these is on the main road, on the turn to the Hindu temple on the right, next to a big tree. If you are in doubt, just ask for it!
Vegetarian Restaurant at Chinese Temple, Chinese temple close to Candacraig. You can choose buffet (rice, soup, salads and veggies: 1500ks) or order from menu. Make sure you try their samosas for 50ks, they are delicious.
GET OUT
Gokteik Viaduct - this famous bridge, a marvel of British ingenuity and American engineering is a couple of hours away by train. Most tourists stay on the train and head for Hsipaw and/or Lashio, but it is also possible (and well worth the time) to make the trip there and back in a day. The train leaves Pyin U Lwin at 8:22am (if it is much later it is written on a board in english near the ticket booth). They ask you to arrive at 8:00am. A 1st class soft seat costs 1600 kyat each way.
Hsipaw - laid back Shan town a few hours to the north-east, and a good place for trips to Shan and Palaung villages.
Mandalay - A fast and cheap way is to take a shared Taxi. They run very often during the day, you probably wont wait more than one Hour. Price was 1500Kyat without barganing. Just follow the mainroad(Mandalay-Lashio Rd) to the west / in Direction Mandalay, after you pass a circle you will see them waiting.
Bagan - There are two minivans leaving at 10am and 2pm, better book a day in advance(e.g. at Grace Hotel II), takes about 5 hours, 13000 kyat
WIKITRAVEL
ODC2 - Our Daily Challenge - Coming to our Senses
Your visit, comments and views are always appreciated.
Have a terrific Thursday!
From the autumn 2016 trip to Vietnam:
Touchdown brings me ‘round again to find…solid ground. Though I sometimes do feel like a rocket man. Including layovers, this trip to Vietnam consisted of 8 separate flights. The third one brought me to tiny Phu Quoc Island, a tropical island 40 kilometers west of the southern tip of Vietnam (and less than 5 kilometers from Cambodia on the mainland). The island, then, is actually west of the southern tip of Vietnam, and less than an hour flight from Saigon. The flight goes something like this: “Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated as it’s time for take…and now we’re landing.”
There are actually two tropical islands off the southern coast of Vietnam that I would have liked visiting, Phu Quoc being the more appealing of the two. (The other, for those curious, are the Con Dao Islands which actually are south of the mainland…but there doesn’t seem to be daily flights to/from there, which took it out of this trip’s consideration.)
Compared with Thailand, you would probably never think of coming to Vietnam for a tropical island experience – mainly because it’s not developed – and you’d be correct. I can easily name a handful of islands in Thailand (or Malaysia) that I would prefer to visit from an island standpoint.
However, that’s not to say that I was disappointed by Phu Quoc. On the contrary, I love the island. I found myself thinking, many times, “If I were an investor interested in developing a tourist resort, this would almost be at the top of my list.” (So, any investors reading this…feel free to take a slightly closer look at this island.)
It’s an easily accessible island with many daily flights to Saigon, and also flights to Hanoi. It claims to be an international airport, so I assume there are flights from Cambodia, as well, though I can’t say for certain. I can only say…it’s easy to get here.
Once you get here, you’ll find Vietnam’s largest island (though not large in comparison with many others). It’s 50 kilometers from north to south and 25 kilometers at its widest. It’s triangular in shape and, poetically speaking, can be said to look like a tear drop. Located in the Gulf of Thailand, the island also includes smaller neighboring islands as well.
Phu Quoc has slightly over 100,000 full-time residents, mostly living in Duong Dong, the island’s main town on the midpoint of the west coast of the island. Other than tourism, the economy here is driven, obviously, by the sea. Fishing, seafood, and so on are the staple here. Phu Quoc is the producer of the most famous fish sauce coming out of Vietnam. (Phu Quoc’s fish sauce can be found on grocery store shelves around the world.)
It’s also an island of hills. Our tour guide claimed that Phu Quoc has 99 mountains and, while I can’t (or won’t) dispute that, it struck me as a curious claim. There are hilly parts, though, and they include two waterfalls, one of which we visited on a day trip.
I mention that Phu Quoc struck me as being somewhat underdeveloped. I’ll elaborate by saying that they have a solid foundation – lots of restaurants (catered to foreigners; western food, pizza joints, etc., in addition to local/Vietnamese cuisine) – and hotels ranging from budget to top end. The basic utilities on the island (electricity, internet, etc.) are also completely stable and reliable. Where they could develop more is in the following: infrastructure and the actual amenities of tourism.
The roads weren’t shoddy, by many standards, though there’s still a lot of room for development. Once this is improved, it’ll make getting around more comfortable for anyone who wants to be completely insulated from “natural.”
The other thing that struck us as a little odd is that there doesn’t seem to be much going on at night (unless you’re a fisherman). It’s still a very quiet island and there weren’t many options for bars, clubs, live music, for example. (This is a huge difference between here and, say, Koh Chang in Thailand; the only other nearby island I have for comparison.) There aren’t convenience stores here that are open 24 hours a day and they don’t have much to offer after dark…besides the Night Market. Perhaps that’s the way they want to keep it, but there’s certainly potential here.
During the daytime, though, there’s plenty for tourists. As a photographer not equipped with waterproof gear, I was much more limited, but for the typical tourist you have options of fishing, diving, snorkeling, and swimming. The beaches were, in my opinion, a little dirty, but there are others on the island that are better, I think. (All in all, it would be nice to see things cleaned up a bit…)
In addition to water pursuits, there’s Phu Quoc National Park (that we didn’t visit; apparently better other times of the year) and – though the crux of the economy is tied to the sea – there are also other aspects of the economy that they represent well: pearl farms, pepper farms, cashew plantations, fish sauce factories, and local wine (wine aficionados, don’t get your hopes up).
For the land-loving folks, this is far from a crowded island. There are a number of beaches, the national park in the northern part of the island, and a few small waterfalls (one a classic, the other more of a rapids where you can swim). In short, there’s not a lack of things to do during the day.
With the long-winded generalities about the island out of the way, time to carry on with our experience. We took an early flight out of Saigon, around 9 or 10 o’clock. Flying into the airport, in the heart of the island (on the south side), my first impressions were “green” and “hilly.”
Naturally, it’s a small airport – everything here is small – which made it easy to get our things and be on our way to the hotel. I paid about $5 for the ride into Duong Dong. Our hotel, the Sea Breeze, had very friendly staff. (I can actually say that about every hotel we stayed at, with the New Moon in Danang being the least friendly…and they weren’t bad by any means at all.)
Anyway, the Sea Breeze was a fine place to sleep, though the Cat Huy was slightly nicer. But, for three nights, this hotel was perfect. Comfortable bed…and they did same day laundry service. I don’t remember the cost, but it was probably between $20-30 USD/night.
The hotel wasn’t one that had a restaurant or breakfast included (Saigon, Hoi An, Hue, and Hanoi all did), but there was a restaurant attached and a few feet away. I had breakfast there two of the three mornings and, while not the best western breakfast I’ve had, the staff were exceptionally friendly. I think that’s a Vietnamese quality…be really cordial to folks.
We had most of Friday on the island, plus the entire weekend, with a Monday morning flight to Danang (via Saigon) around 10:00 in the morning. Friday, then, was a completely unplanned day. So we spent Friday toddling around Duong Dong.
The first place we went (besides the hotel, obviously), was to find something to eat. We ended up going with was a decidedly non-Vietnamese restaurant named Buddy’s, walking there via the Night Market street. For me, I loved ‘em because they had milkshakes with real ice cream. Didn’t matter what else they had. That was enough to get me to go back 2-3 times.
After lunch and sitting around Buddy’s for a while, we walked across the street and followed the river out to its mouth in the Gulf of Thailand. (The river is why the main town was built at this spot.)
At the river’s head is a curiously named spot called Dinh Cau Castle. There is nothing about this place that shouts out “castle” if you were to just chance upon it. It’s actually a combination lighthouse-temple. The temple aspect is just a small room with a statue dedicated to the Goddess of the Sea. The lighthouse, obviously, has its practical purposes. It’s more a light station, though; there’s no house for a keeper.
However, this was a very enjoyable spot (much nicer than the Thien Hau “Pagoda” in Saigon) and would end up being the spot where we watched the sunset on Friday and Saturday. The lighthouse-station-temple was built in 1937. There are a few tables benches on an upper platform to sit and enjoy the view of the sea (or the river mouth with its fishing fleet behind you) and there’s also a jetty going out into the sea that gives some nice perspectives. I can only say that I was surprisingly pleased with both Friday and Saturday’s sunsets.
Staying at Dinh Cau well past sunset, we strolled back towards the Sea Breeze via the Night Market, which is rather clean as far as Asian markets go. (I mention this to contrast it with Phu Quoc’s Day Market, mentioned below.)
Before getting back to the hotel, we stopped at the recently (2015) established Crab House (Nha Ghe Phu Quoc) on the main road at the south end of the market. The owner was – as all seem to be – very friendly and talkative. I was curious to know why the interior had banners from a handful of SEC schools (US folks will know what this is) along with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Turns out, the guy used to live in Muskegon, Michigan, which isn’t terribly far from where I was born (and a town I’ll be passing near in about 3-4 weeks’ time).
Junebug & I split the Crab House battered garlic pepper fries (65,000 VND); miniature crab cakes with sweet mango coulis (175,000 VND); and com ghe: hot, steamy jasmine rice with fresh, sweet crab meat, julienne cucumber, and nuoc mam cay (Phu Quoc fish sauce) for 175,000 VND. Add in two cans of Sprite at 20,000 VND a pop and that’s a happy stomach. (The exchange rate, while we were there, was around 21,000-22,000 VND to the US dollar, so we’re looking at…$20-25 for a fresh seafood dinner for two.) With a thoroughly happy stomach, it was time to call it a night, even though it was barely 8:00.
Saturday brought with it another day trip with a small group. This was similar to the Saigon trip with Bao in terms of time and what we did, though I think Bao was a better guide than the girl here. She seemed disinterested half the time, though was never rude or mean, per se. Anyway, at $11/person, it wasn’t a bad way to spend the day.
Since the one part of this tour I was looking forward to most was a waterfall, I was grateful that it was overcast almost the entire day. For parts of it, rain was pretty heavy. (It even made me mildly – albeit very mildly concerned about the flight out on Monday as it was the first of two for the day.)
First up, though, was a pearl farm where I found it interesting to see them pulling pearls out of oysters. That thrill lasted for about a minute or two. However, we were scheduled to be here for close to an hour. (They were hoping that people would buy pearl jewelry.) Given that we were in a fairly heavy rain, I was surprised that there were so many people here. It made me think the entire day would be like this with overcrowded spots. (Forunately, that didn’t come to pass.)
With no interest in buying jewelry, I spent the hour on the back patio looking out at the very rough and stormy sea, and a few of these shots are from there. Finally ready to go, we were waiting on two Vietnamese women from the group (a recurring theme for the day) before we headed off to the next stop: a pepper farm.
To call it a pepper farm would be to stretch one’s imagination to its utmost. It was about 5 rows of pepper trees with each row being no more than 10 meters long. (I’d like to hope this is just the “sample” section they show us dopey tourists.) Much more attractive was the attached shop where they hoped you’d buy pepper. This time around, I pulled out my wallet. There’s one of us born every minute, you know. I bought four separate jars of pepper, one of which wasn’t a powder (and was subsequently confiscated in Guangzhou as I rarely check luggage and this trip was no exception). At about a dollar a jar, it wasn’t a bad deal.
From the pepper farm we were off to the wine shop. This tour was beginning to feel like just going from one spot to another to buy local goods. This wasn’t grape wine, but was a berry wine and was, for the most part very sweet. Don’t think port or sherry, though. It wasn’t quite that sweet, but it was close. Certainly not bad, but also something I could’ve done without. However, they seemed proud of their wine, and I don’t blame them. (It’s better than most of what I had in Korea.) Once again being held up by the Vietnamese ladies, we finally all settled back into the van and went off to Suoi Tranh.
The waterfall was actually much nicer than I expected. Apparently, half the year, it’s dry, so it worked out well that we came at the end of the rainy season. The fall is a classic cascade in a very nice, wooded setting. (Even if it were sunny, it probably would’ve photographed rather well because it had enough cover to give it shade.) We were given 45 minutes to walk the 600 meters up to the falls and back, which meant a bit of a rush for me, but…fortunately, the Vietnamese ladies were even slower than I was.
The creek leading up to the falls had some nice rapids, too, but it also had some unfortunate eyesores: a manmade fall at the entrance (why would you need that when you have the real thing a few minutes away?) and, worse, some fake animal statuary. Count my lucky stars, but these all disappeared after the first 100-200 meters, and you were left with a tasteful and well-made natural path leading up to the falls.
After this – it was around 12:00 or 12:30 by this point – we hopped in the van and headed to Sao Beach at the southern tip of the island. To get here required driving down a very bumpy road for a few minutes at the end. (As I said…they can still do a little infrastructure work here unless one of the unstated tourist goals is to make people feel like they’re bouncing around in a bag of popcorn.)
The beach was…pleasant, I guess I can say. It wasn’t a large beach. In length, it covered a small cove, so it had a nice setting. It also isn’t a wide beach; only about 30 meters from the restaurant to the water, and maybe even less than 20 meters. I saw a little too much trash around which disheartened me, though we aren’t talking dirty to levels that I’m accustomed to seeing in China. I didn’t go swimming, and the lunch at the restaurant here – though Vietnamese – was among the most unimpressive meals we had in the entire two weeks here. The best part of the time at the beach is that the weather cleared up from overcast and rainy to mostly cloudy. So it wasn’t crowded here, nor was it raining.
We left the beach at 2:00 and drove to a nearby fish sauce factory. This was a lot like the pearl farm, pepper farm, and wine shop. “We make this here. Please buy it.” Of the four of these places, the pearl farm is the only one who actually had some kind of “demonstration,” and that lasted about a minute.
If it seems I’m being critical of the roped in commercialism of these types of tours, perhaps I am a little jaded. The spots in and of themselves are actually quite interesting and I just accept this as an unnecessary evil. They need to survive somehow, and for that, I guess I’m grateful that they do this. Back to the actual tour, the fish sauce factory was quick and interesting. (Though I don’t like seafood that much, I do like fish sauce to add flavor.)
The last “scheduled” stop was Nha Tu Phu Quoc – Coconut Tree Prison – right across the street. This isn’t a place that I would otherwise go out of my way to visit, though in conjunction with the beach and the fish sauce factory, it was perfect. (Individually, none of the three spots amazed me, but as a whole, they were quite pleasing.)
The prison was built by the French in the 1940s and this was one of the ARVN’s POW camps during the Vietnam War. Apparently, prisoner treatment here was quite inhumane, as detailed by the signs around the barracks. The recreations of people, though, aren’t the most lifelike I’ve ever seen and seem kind of cheap. There aren’t any period photographs, so there’s a little “oomph” missing here, but it’s still a good effort all around.
Our last stop before being dropped off back in Duong Dong was at Ham Ninh, a small fishing village on the east coast of the island (almost directly across the island from Duong Dong. We didn’t do anything here except have 15-20 minutes to walk to the end of the pier and come back. As uneventful as that may sound, I enjoyed it a lot because the surrounding scenery and seeing the fishing fleet up close (along with a lot of small floating restaurants) made it unique and worthwhile to me.
When we got dropped off, we went right back to Buddy’s and repeated the same thing from Friday night (minus eating at the Crab House). I can’t recall what we ate for dinner on Saturday night and perhaps we didn’t. Lunch at Buddy’s was late enough that I doubt we were terribly hungry by evening except for some snacks.
The only difference between Friday & Saturday was my positioning to photograph the sunset. Friday night was from up near the lighthouse, and Saturday was a little ways out on the jetty. Skies were equally moody both nights.
I’m easy like Sunday morning. No rush to wake up since there was absolutely nothing whatsoever on the agenda. Brunch, around 9:00 or 10:00, after stopping by the post office to send off some postcards, was at Buddy’s. From there, we crossed the river to the day market and spent about an hour or so wandering up and down the street photographing a variety of things.
Going back to the west side of the river, we spent a little while at Dinh Cau, but decided not to watch the sunset there for the third night in a row. We had a late (and small) lunch of a wood-fired pizza, which was surprisingly delicious – so much so that I considered going back for dinner.
Instead, we went to one of the few access points for Long Beach (the beach nearest the hotel) to watch the least spectacular of the three sunsets in my opinion. Sunday night’s was cloudier than Friday and Saturday’s. However, there are still some interesting pictures. It’s just the most muted of the three, by far, and there’s simply less to work with.
After sundown, we walked the few hundred meters north up the main road, passing the Sea Breeze, and stopped at a local restaurant. (I suggested it not because it was local, but because they proudly talked of the ice cream that they have.) The food was not terribly great. I had fish and chips that didn’t have enough tartar and was a bit bland. I also ordered some smoked cheese that, when they brought it, they didn’t say what it was and, since it looked more like noodles than cheese, didn’t eat it. The ice cream, however, was sorbet, and it was wonderful.
All in all, Phu Quoc was about as good as I wished it would be, and I was lucky enough to have three reasonably good sunsets and decent weather for the weekend. Also, the waterfall was actually nicer than I had expected, we ate well (for the most part), and it was a relaxing weekend. Not a bad way to spend life.
After breakfast Monday morning, we grabbed our bags and headed to the airport at 9:00 for the first of two flights on the day.
As always, thanks for dropping by and viewing these pictures. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments and I’ll answer as I have time.
Symphonie Fantastique
Munch, Charles
RCA Victor LPM-1900
1955
Found this beautiful cover staring up at me at estate sale crying out my name.
About the Cover
The album cover is a reproduction of an original oil painting by Jane Sinnickson. Recognized for a highly individualized technique, she has paintings in public and private collections throughout this country and Mexico. Jane Sinnickson, who attended Cincinnati Art Museum and is represented in exhibitions of paintings at the Cloisters, the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Silvermine Guild, has long been an admirer of Berlioz, and in this work she pays tribute to the composer and his love for the Irish actress, Henrietta Smithson.
View of Mt Rainier and the Winthrop Glacier from Third Burroughs Mountain. Third Burroughs is effectively an extension of a ridge off Mt Rainier and gets you up close and personal with the mountain.
Playing/learning shallow DoF to effect depth perception, shot f2.8 with focus on third bush, at approx. 8 meters. Focal Length 105mm.
Errdig, Wrexham, Wales.
Chicopee's John Espinosa slides into third beating the throw taken by Ludlow third baseman Cam Beaulieu.
Timbers Kauai Ocean Club & Residences, 3770 Ala’oli Way, Lihue, HI 96766
In 1879 William Hyde Rice bought a large section of Kalapaki Bay from Princess Ruth Keelikolani for $3,000. Princess Ruth was a member of the Kamehameha family, the founding dynasty of the Kingdom of Hawaii. William Rice started Lihue Ranch to breed cattle and fine horses and erected a beach house overlooking the bay. In 1899, Rice's son, Charles Rice and his wife Grace made Kalapaki their residence. On April 1, 1946, Rice's second wife, Mrs. Patricia Rice, was home at Kalapaki with her infant son when a series of 30 to 40 foot tall tidal waves completely destroyed the Rice's 19-room house. Miraculously, the pair survived. The ranch really was huge – more than 5,000 acres. Today it is still a working cattle ranch and dairy – just as it was when Rice ran it – but it’s been whittled down to about 3,000 acres.
In June 1959 Walter D. Child Sr., board chairman of Inter-Island Resorts, paid $800,000 for 23 acres from Charles A. Rice at Kauai's Kalapaki Bay near Nawiliwili - to build a destination resort. The $3 million Kauai Surf opened in 1960 as a 10-story, 104 room hotel. It was the tallest building on Kauai and the first with an elevator - which in itself became a local attraction. The architect was Frank S. Robert of the firm Vierra and Robert, Honolulu. M.A. Bradbury was the opening General Manager and Lee Siebenthaler was the executive chef. Sebenthaler opened the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel as the Buffet Manager. In 1965 the hotel opened the glass-encased Golden Cape restaurant on the roof of the 10-story main hotel building. At a cost of $500,000 the Golden Cape was considered as the first and finest luxury supper club on Neighbor Islands. Hans Buchi was the maitre d'hotel at opening. Howard Hirsch, a Beverly Hills interior designer, said the decor expressed the Hawaiian monarchy from the 1890's. The Golden Cape was named for the feathered capes of early Hawaiian royalty.
In 1965 Inter-Island Resorts traded 15 acres in downtown Lihue where the Kauai Inn formerly stood for 62 acres of land adjoining the hotel that was owned by the Lihue Plantation Company (Amfac). Inter-Island hired Willard G. Wilkinson to design a nine-hole 3,350 yard golf course. Wilkinson also designed Mid-Pacific and the Pali Municipal on Oahu. Kauai Surf had an 88% occupancy in 1964 according to Glenn Lovejoy the general manager. Lovejoy served as general manager for 11 years before being appointed vice president of InterIsland in 1973.
Hurricane Iwa struck Kauai in 1982 causing severe damage to the Kauai Surf. Opened in 1960 the Kauai Surf heralded the development of luxury resorts on Hawaii's outer islands. InterIsland Resorts built the Kauai Surf, Kona Surf and the Maui Surf for guests demanding the finest in service and accommodations. In 1986 Hemmeter Investment bought the Maui Surf and the Kauai Surf from Interisland Resorts for $94 million (appraised value was $121 million) with plans to remake both hotels into world class resort complexes. Hemmeter was a top graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration had accepted a job at Sheraton’s Royal Hawaiian Hotel as a management trainee in 1962. The sale to Hemmeter would put 500 employees out of work for up to 14 months - the time needed for the renovations. Hemmeter demolished all existing restaurants and would build six new ones. Also planned was six new tennis courts and a tennis stadium.
Chris Hemmeter's Westin Kauai at Kauai Lagoons is a redo and expansion of the Kauai Surf, which was damaged by a Hurricane Iwa in November 1982. Hemmeter's financial partner for the re-do and expansion was VMS Realty Partners which spent $350 million on the first phase of the project. In 1988 Hemmeter ranked 389th on the Forbes Wealthiest American list. The architect was Lawton Umemura & Yamamoto of Honolulu. Many disliked the 3-story escalator from the porte cachier to the registration lobby and the fact the hotel was higher than a palm tree. Hemmeter plowed under Kauai Surf's original 18-hole layout and built two new golf courses. Surrounding the resort was a mile of lagoons which handled 90 - 4 passenger outrigger canoes and five 40-passenger mahogany taxi boats. The resort had 107 draft houses pulling carriages through part of the 580 acre development which included the opening of the Jack Nicklause - designed 36 hole golf courses which opened in Feb 1988.
In January 1991 Mitsuo Kokufu owner of Shinwa Golf Group paid $200 million to the Hemmeter group for the Kauai Lagoons - 775 acres and 36 holes of golf - which Shinwa seeked permission to build a third golf course, retail centers and an additional hotel. The acquisition did not include the existing 850 room Westin Kauai Hotel.
Hurricane Iniki struck the island of Kauai on September 11, 1992 with Category 4 winds of 145 mph. It was the first hurricane to hit the state since Hurricane Iwa in the 1982, and the first major hurricane since Hurricane Dot in 1959. Kauai's largest hotel, The Westin Kauai, suffered blownout windows, flooding and considerable landscaping damage. Preliminary damage estimates was in the ''tens of millions'' needed to rebuild. By April 1993 lender Bank America Corp seized the Westin resort from the owners, developer Chris Hemmeter and VMS Realty Corp. The Hemmeter group was behind on payment for loans totaling $183 million. Hemmeter filed personal bankruptcy in 1997. When the Westin, after Hurricane 'Iniki in 1992, was repossessed by the bank, Hemmeter claimed he had already made millions.
Shinwa's grand vision plans were ruined in 1992 by devastating Hurricane Iniki, which caused the Westin hotel to close. The hotel re-opened in 1995 after it was bought by Marriott International and converted the hotel to a Marriott Hotel and time share sales. Marriott would convert 400 of the hotel's rooms into 220 time share units. Shinwa sold its Hawaii assets to help reduce a $600 million debt. Canada based GolfBC acquired Shinwa's Kauai property in 2003 and partnered with Honolulu developer Kevin Showe (Kauai Development LLC ) to develop the property.
New plans expanded the groundwork laid by Hemmeter in the 1980s by adding approximately 750 vacation homes to the already running Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club. The project would include a restaurant with golf and ocean views, a marina, and a spa and fitness center totaling more than 12,000 square feet. All development would highlight the resort's 38-acre, man-made lagoon, which guests would be able to use to taxi between resort locations, Showe said. The former restaurant - Inn on the Cliffs - would become a 12- unit condo and the former retail center, Fashion Landing would become a spa and fitness center. "There is no other resort in Hawaii that has a navigable waterway -- and because of the prohibitive cost, it couldn't be created today," said Showe. Kauai Lagoons' residential properties, The Ritz Carlton Club at Kauai Lagoons, was expected to break ground in 2006. Sales for the first phase of Ritz-Carlton Residences would begin in early 2007 with prices for two-, three- and four-bedroom private homes expected to start at $4.5 million. The presence of the lagoon drew Ritz-Carlton to Kauai, said Richard Culkin, project director of marketing for the Ritz-Carlton Club at Kauai Lagoons. Marriott and Ritz-Carlton halted construction at its $1.4-billion Kauai Lagoons project in 2008 after completing utilities work and the foundation for three buildings.
In 2014, time share giant Marriott Vacations Worldwide reached a $60 million sales agreement with Honolulu developer Ed Bushor for the long-stalled 450-acre Kauai Lagoons property and golf course. The sale included the partially built Ritz-Carlton Residences. Management of the 27-hole course was given to Billy Casper Golf. The course consists of three nines - the Kiele Mauka, Kiele Moana, and Waikahe. Previously Bushor had developed in 2005 the Wyland Waikiki Hotel and in 2010 he developed the Edition Waikiki with Ian Schrager.
In October 2015 David Burden, CEO and founder of Timbers Resorts, reached an agreement for a $310 million redevelopment of the 450 acre former Kauai Lagoons on behalf of the majority owner Oaktree Capital Management and minority owner Ed Bushor (Tower Investments). Tower Investments originally sourced the deal and will remain an investor. Finally after many starts and stops, construction would commence in December 2015 on phase one, the Timbers Kauai Ocean Club & Residences, using the framework initially planned by Ritz-Carlton. The 47 residences will range from two to four bedrooms and will include townhomes and condos ranging from 1,600 square feet to 3,600 square feet with 1,100-square-foot lanais. 48 residences will have golf course and ocean views. The existing golf course will be renamed to the 'Ocean Course' (formerly Kiele) and is planned to kick off in 2016. The 47 luxury residences opened in 2018 within three buildings are offered as wholly owned or fractional interests. The fractional interests are fee simple, deeded real estate.
David Burden founded Timbers Resorts in 1998 with a goal of developing high-end resorts in unique locations, aiming to provide the best in accommodation, amenities, location and value. By providing the services and amenities of a five-star hotel and a hassle-free whole and fractional ownership program Timbers Resorts has created one of the most luxurious second-home ownership opportunity around which includes access to the Timbers Reciprocity Program and the ability to trade vacation time with other destinations in the Timbers' portfolio. Current Timbers Collection properties can be found in Aspen, Beaver Creek, Cabo San Lucas, Jupiter, Kaua'i, Kiawah Island, Maui, Napa, Scottsdale, Snowmass, Sonoma, Southern California, Steamboat, Tuscany and Vail.
Due to its proximity to the cliff-sides, Timbers Kaua’i has been deemed the “last-of-its-kind” as construction regulations require new properties be at least 500 feet away from escarpments. “Timbers Kaua’i was grandfathered in due to the timing of its approval process. Therefore, the residences are the last property to be built on the island with closer than close proximity to the ocean.
Girvin Associates provided the master plan and landscaping for the resort, Poss Architecture + Planning in Aspen, CO was the architect and Wilson Associates provided the interior design for the public spaces and accommodations. Gary Moore, a 20 year veteran with Timbers, is the managing director at Timbers Resort Kauai. Eric Cucchi is the general manager.
Hokuala’s Jack Nicklaus Ocean Course (named Hawaii’s Best Golf Course) features the longest stretch of oceanfront holes in Hawaii. The 5th and 6th holes require forced carries over a gorge of mango and papaya trees. The back nine has a completely different feel with the Pacific Ocean and trade winds becoming a factor. Hole 14 is a dynamic par 3 that plays from a blufftop tee to a blufftop green, with shots missed left standing a good chance of landing in the Pacific. The hole is ringed by swaying coconut trees, with ocean and mountain views. Number 15 is a new hole along the same bluff, playing to a green in the shadow of the recently opened Timbers Kaua‘i Ocean Club & Residences, where some of the newest and most coveted real estate on the island is located. Then there’s No. 16, you fire your tee ball toward the crest of a blind fairway that careens downhill to a putting surface next to a picturesque lighthouse. It plays less than 285 yards from the resort tees, and with the downhill run you stand a chance of getting close. But birdie, par, or “other,” the picturesque beauty of this hole overlooking Nawiliwili Harbor will outweigh your extra strokes.
Photos and text compiled by Dick Johnson, December 2019.
The rule of thirds is a "rule of thumb" or guideline which applies to the process of composing visual images such as paintings, photographs and designs. The guideline proposes that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections. Proponents of the technique claim that aligning a subject with these points creates more tension, energy and interest in the composition than simply centering the subject would.
(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds)
Institut Valencià d'Art Modern.