Clancy Tucker's Blog, page 109

12 August 2019 - ANCIENT ANIMAL FOSSILS FOUND IN CHINA

 ANCIENT ANIMAL FOSSILS FOUND IN CHINA
G'day folks, 
The fossils from the Cambrian Period include dozens of new species and provide a window into life more than 500 million years ago.

The Cambrian was a time of vibrant, wonderful life. Fossil-packed sites like the Burgess Shale in Canada have revealed the unique nature of early animals around 508 million years ago. The strange creatures found in the rock are so delicately preserved that the ancient deposit seemed like a rarity, showing the unusual appendages and body shapes of the time.

In the century since the Burgess Shale discovery, however, other fossil wonderlands of similar age have been uncovered elsewhere on the planet. The latest to be recognized was found in southern China: the Qingjiang Biota.

In a paper published today in the journal Science, Paleontologist Dongjing Fu of Xi’an’s Northwest University and colleagues describes the Cambrian Period fossils. At 518 million years old, the collection is about 10 million years older than the Burgess Shale. The way the fossils formed, however, is similar to those in North America. Visible in high contrast as dark fossils on gray stone, the organisms of the Qingjiang Biota are preserved down to the finest details. The fossils include trilobites, jellyfish, shrimp-like arthropods and even tadpole-like animals from the earliest days of the vertebrate family.




Dozens of these species have never been seen before. “What makes the Qingjaing special compared to other Cambrian sites with soft parts preserved, such as the Burgess Shale and Chengjiang Biota [in southern China], is the fact that there is over fifty percent entirely new taxa of animals and algae that are previously unknown to science,” says University of Lausanne paleontologist Allison Daley. Even better, she notes, is that the fossils are of “truly exceptional quality,” preserving the anatomy of the species without some of the natural distortions that sometimes result from the fossilization process.

“It shows how we have these little windows back to the past and how finding another site can change what we know,” says University of Bristol paleontologist Jakob Vinther.

Some of the most beautiful specimens from the site are of soft-bodied creatures that don’t easily enter the geologic record. “The presence of so many stunning cnidarians was an absolute pleasure to see,” Daley says, referring to the jellyfish and sea anemones that thrived in this ancient ecosystem and are some of the key fossils that make the Qingjiang Biota stand out. “The significance of this site is in the way it fills several gaps in knowledge about key animal groups,” including cnidarians, strange invertebrates known as “mud dragons” and comb jellies. Representatives of all these groups are still alive today, making them some of the most ancient and successful animals in the world.




This wealth of squishy-bodied specimens hasn’t been visible at other Cambrian sites. “The diversity of cnidarians and ctenophores and sponges seems unique and therefore may give us a lot of clues to the origin and evolution of these groups that other sites couldn’t,” Vinther says.

The seeming flash fossilization of the Qingjiang Biota preserves an entire community of species, as close as paleontologists can get to time traveling back to 518 million years ago. “The fact that the assemblage of taxa is so different from other sites will also reveal the characteristics that influence what taxa live together in the same place at the same time,” Daley says, “and show us information about their ecological interactions.”


The Qingjiang Biota also adds a new wrinkle to the ongoing fossiliferous debate about the Cambrian explosion. The “explosion” was a dramatic diversification of life during the Cambrian Period, but paleontologists are still discussing whether the evolutionary event was a real, sudden change or if it simply looks that way because of incomplete fossil sampling. While the Qingjiang Biota doesn’t necessarily resolve the debate, Daley says, it adds to the picture of amazing evolutionary radiation during the Cambrian.

The identities and interactions of the Qingjiang Biota creatures have yet to fully come into focus. For now, they offer a new window to a time we know little about, and, Daley says, “I can’t wait to see the detailed studies on these amazing fossils in the future.”


Clancy's comment: Exciting stuff, eh? 518 million years old? Wow.
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11 August 2019 - Pelle Svanslös Crosswalk in Sweden

Pelle Svanslös Crosswalk in Sweden
G'day folks,
This might surprise you. 
The road signs in front of Carolina Rediviva Library in Uppsala have something unusual: cats. On closer look, you might notice the adult cat leading kittens has no tail. He isn’t just an ordinary bobtail cat. He’s Pelle Svanslös (“Peter No-Tail” in English), a popular character from a children’s book series with the same name.



The Pelle Svanslös series—there are 12 books in total—was written by Gösta Knutsson between 1939 and 1972. As his name suggests, Pelle has no tail. A rat bit his tail off when he was a kitten. But despite this mean mishap, Pelle grows into a kind-hearted young cat. He has been loved by many Swedish children for decades.




Pelle and his feline friends live in Uppsala, Sweden, where the author also lived for many years of his life. To mark the cat’s popularity, Uppsala added some features related to the children’s literature star around the city, such as a statue, a peep-hole (his residence), and these crossing signs.



Clancy's comment: Mm ... I wonder if my local library will do something for me when I die?
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10 August 2019 - HISTORICAL EVELYN'S MULBERRY IN ENGLAND

 EVELYN'S MULBERRY IN ENGLAND
G'day folks,
Legend has it this gnarled old tree was planted by Tsar Peter the Great during his visit to London. 

Laid out by the writer and gardener John Evelyn, Sayes Court Garden in Deptford was among the most renowned botanical collections of 17th-century England. Now mostly vanished under more modern construction, the largest remaining green space in the area is Sayes Court Park, an unremarkable example of 1950s landscaping apart from one feature that has supposedly survived since Evelyn’s time. 
In the middle of the park, fenced off and with wooden supports holding up its aging limbs, sits a mulberry bush that is reckoned to be over 300 years old. How it got there is not entirely clear and there are many varying accounts. In 2018, a stone was placed at the base of the tree to present the most popular—and probably most apocryphal—of all the stories.




In the 17th century, Deptford was a hub of shipbuilding, which attracted Tsar Peter I, or “Peter the Great” of Russia to the area to research the latest techniques. In 1698 Evelyn leased his Sayes Court Garden to the tsar, who then seemed to forget the main reason for his visit and instead spent his time researching the local pubs. His drunken behavior caused significant damage to the estate—legend has it he trashed the garden by pushing his friends around it in a wheelbarrow, and the mulberry was planted to make up for his exploits.


More likely is that the bush was planted by Evelyn himself, or even predates his possession of the land. Almost a century earlier, King James I had sent out black mulberries to London landowners hoping they would attract silkworms and start a British silk industry. (He failed to realize that silkworms prefer white mulberries.)

Whatever its origin, the mulberry tree is very popular with locals, who quickly gather the fruits when they appear during the summer months.



Clancy's comment: Three-hundred years of age?  Who cares who planted it? The tree has survived.

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9 August 2019 - MWELA ROCK ART PAINTINGS IN ZAMBIA

MWELA ROCK ART PAINTINGS IN ZAMBIA
G'day folks,
Australia possesses some extraordinary rock art, but here is some work found in Zambia. It is one of the largest concentrations of rock paintings in Southern Africa. 




Head to the outskirts of Kasama, and you’ll find a series of rock outcroppings containing hundreds of paintings from Stone Age communities. It’s one of the largest collections of such paintings in all of Southern Africa.



The rock outcroppings, which dominate the local landscape, contain numerous caves and were a natural gathering point for both animals and ancient humans. The majority of the paintings there are attributed to the Batwa.




The paintings at the site, which covers an area of about 40 square miles, fall into two distinct categories. Some have a geometric or schematic style, while others follow a more realistic animal tradition. The geometric paintings include dots and lines arranged in squares, grids, circles, and ladders. Animals depicted in the paintings include elephants, elands, lions, bush pigs, and praying mantis. The paintings are thought to have either been guides to the animals that people hunted or used for ceremonies such as weather divination.





Nearby archaeological digs have discovered Stone Age tools. These artifacts include blades, bored stones, dimpled anvils, grindstones, axes, and microliths. These tools, along with the rock painting, show that the area around modern Kasama has been continuously inhabited for thousands of years.


Clancy's comment: I find these fascinating. How they have lasted for so long is amazing, and I wonder what rock art is yet to be found.
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8 August 2019 - THE BUTTERFLY ROOM - AUSTRALIA

THE BUTTERFLY ROOM - AUSTRALIA -
G'day folks,
Well, here is a restaurant with a difference. Hundreds of tiny dead butterfly eyes gaze down at diners in this Australian eatery. 
With its exotic Nyonya fusion menu of Malaysian, Indian and Chinese cuisine, the Singapore House would stand out simply for its exquisite food, even without a room full of butterflies.




The food is unusual and highly praised, but what truly takes this restaurant to another level is its decor. With warm lighting glowing from suspended lampshades and slanted skylights, the gleaming mounted tortoise shells and the eyes of various taxidermied beasts of burden glimmer brightly as you sip Singapore Slings. Reminiscent of the Victorian era, creature-heavy Dr. Doolittle tales, the Singapore Room is like stepping into an adventure storybook.




 Despite its many charms, nothing is more charming to some, and disturbing to others, than the Butterfly Room. Hundreds of frames containing a brilliant color spectrum of mounted butterflies grace the interior of the most sought after dining spot in the building. Accented in warm golds and reds, the butterflies clutter the wall in geometric clusters and leave diners awash with the feel of British Colonialism in Asia, or for the more squeamish, a thousand bug eyes watching them eat.







Clancy's comment:  I guess it could be worse than butterflies, eh?

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7 August 2019 - BAT MIGRATION IN KASANKA, ZAMBIA

BAT MIGRATION IN KASANKA, ZAMBIA
G'day folks,Zambia's smallest national park is home to one of the world's largest annual mammal migrations.  Located on the edge of the Bangweulu Wetlands, Kasanka National Park, the smallest and one of the lesser-known national parks in Zambia, is nonetheless a gem for wildlife lovers, home to a diverse array of habitats and animals. The high number of pans, papyrus swamps, dambos, and floodplains makes Kasanka an especially good haunt for birders, with more than 400 avian species recorded in the park. 
What the park is most notable for, however, is the enormous annual bat migration. Between November and December each year, some 5 million to 10 million straw-colored fruit bats (Eidolon helvum) descend on the park to feast on the area’s musuku, mufinsa, and other fruit trees. Scientists are not sure exactly where the bats spend the rest of the year, though they are known to come from deep in the Congo rainforest.



Visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of this thrilling sight are led on guided tours to various tree hides in the park during the dawn and dusk hours when the nocturnal creatures are especially active. There are so many bats that they darken the sky. The sheer number of bats makes this tradition one of the largest annual mammal migrations on the planet.
     Clancy's comment: Wow, that is one hell of a lot of bats.
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6 August 2019 - Ruins of the Anchieta Island Correctional Institute - BRAZIL

Ruins of the Anchieta Island Correctional Institute - BRAZIL -
G'day folks,The ruins of this Brazilian island prison still bear the scars of the bloody rebellion that closed it down.     Construction on the island prison that would come to named Anchieta Island Correctional Institute began in 1902, but by 1952 the conditions at the prison had reached a breaking point and a violent riot ensued which left the jail abandoned and crumbling, as it still sits today.  After uprooting the settled and native populations on Anchieta Island, the construction of the prison facility began.  Room was made for guards and their families in addition to the cell blocks which were built to house the criminal element from off-shore Sao Paulo. At first the inmates were the standard variety of offenders, most of whom lived on the site in the fashion of a prison colony, but by the late 1920s more and more political prisoners were being moved to the site.  The prison operated fairly without incident until 1952 when the inmates staged a violent rebellion that left countless guards and inmates dead and wounded. After the riot, the remaining detainees were transferred to other facilities and the Anchieta Island prison was closed, leaving the prison buildings to crumble and be retaken by nature.







  Today Anchieta Island is a popular stop for tourists visiting Sao Paulo. The lush nature that covers the island is the main attraction, but the abandoned prison site is also still accessible. In fact the very nature that brings so many visitors to the island is turning the old buildings into picturesque ruins as the plants reclaim the site. The peaceful greenery does little to communicate the violence that the prison site is remembered for. 

Clancy's comment: Mm ... I can only imagine what hell took place here.
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5 August 2019 - LARRY YOKE - GUEST AUTHOR

 LARRY YOKE - GUEST AUTHOR -
G'day folks,
Today I interview a highly motivated author from the USA.
Welcome, Larry ...

1.   TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR WRITING JOURNEY.
I live in the Sunshine state of Florida. I am happily married to a woman who is also my friend and CPA. I started very young as a poet to impress my then girlfriend. Now I write all sorts of iterations, poetry, short stories, novellas and books and write in multi genres.
2.   WHEN AND HOW DID YOU BECOME A WRITER?
I started writing poetry as a young boy, took up guitar added music to my words. As I got older, in my teens, I branched out to writing short stories and now I’ve blossomed out to being an international award winning multi genre author.
3.    WHAT TYPE OF PREPARATION DO YOU DO FOR A MANUSCRIPT? DO YOU PLAN EVERYTHING FIRST OR JUST SHOOT FROM THE HIP?
I use current stories ripped from the pages of today’s news that may have some similar relationship then I figure out a way to connect them with plot lines and various characters to carry out and drive the story. I love to be creative as much as I can to push myself and the stories.



4.   WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT BEING A WRITER?
I love the creative aspect of writing. Every piece I write, whether it be a poem, story, novella or novel, I love putting it all together as one would a puzzle until it becomes fleshed out and a complete picture.

5.   WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING A WRITER?
I’m a good writer, but bad at the marketing angle. It takes so much time to promote and market your latest work, I find it takes me completely away from what I love doing best—writing! One more thing just as hard is letting go my creation and handing it off to another. Pushing that send button takes a lot out of me.
6.   WHAT WERE YOU IN A PAST LIFE, BEFORE YOU BECAME A WRITER?
I worked in a corporation environment as an installation manager for a major Telecom company. My story here is: Many of the managers, directors and VP’s would come to me to correct or write documents for them. My reputation as being a formal writer of a certain high quality preceded me.
7.   WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST WRITING ACHIEVEMENT?
I like to write series so that I can bend and mould my characters depending on the storyline. My second book in the Detective Gloria Ramos series titled “Broke Girl” is so far my crowning achievement. I entered the book in a writing competition on a whim and won! I get many kind reviews and feedback from readers.
8.   WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?
I’m working on the fourth in the Detective Gloria Ramos series and my first adult novella based on a true story of a woman who was abused by her father, uncles and priest, savagely beaten and raped then threatened with death if she tells anyone.

9.   WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
I love to write and to share my stories with others. There is an enate desire, of which I cannot control other than by sitting down at my keyboard and letting my imagination run free. It’s a complete turn on for me!
10.              WHAT GENRE DO YOU WRITE?
I’m multi genre: fiction Poetry, short stories and books, memoire, historical family saga and adult fiction.
11.              DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR NEW WRITERS?
If you have the passion and the stick-to-it-ness then don’t ever QUIT! Find your niche, start there and branch out, as you learn and become more seasoned, into other areas.




12.              DO YOU SUFFER FROM WRITER’S BLOCK?
I do suffer writer’s block occasionally. When that happens, I don’t try to force the story, I let it come organically. If you’re a good writer, the pieces will fall into place.
13.              DO YOU HAVE A PREFERRED WRITING SCHEDULE?
I do not have a writing schedule. I simply write when I feel I have something to add or to jot down. I do try to write at least something every day, even if it’s nonsense or an idea for my current or a future project.
14.              DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE WRITING PLACE?
I’m most comfortable in my office which, by the way doubles as our laundry room, of course, not when it’s washing day.
15.              WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST JOY IN WRITING?
My favourite part of writing a story is the beginning of the project. The first sentence and paragraph are so important to the remainder of the story. It also signals the beginning of a new adventure and growth for me personally and my readers.
16.              WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHOR AND WHY?
My favourite authors are, I have two, Wilbur Smith and John Irving. They’re the best when it comes to story-telling, full of action, romance, drama, historical settings and creative characterizations. They both write in multi genres and are so diverse in their stories I feel these traits are the hallmarks of great writers.
17.              WHAT’S THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT YOU EVER RECEIVED FROM A READER?
I was told to never, ever quit! They couldn’t wait for the next instalment.
18.              WHAT WAS THE WORST COMMENT FROM A READER?
One reader described “Possum Kingdom”, the first in the Gloria Ramos series, as pretty sexy, almost vulgar with the opening sex scene.
19.              WRITERS ARE SOMETIMES INFLUENCED BY THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THEIR OWN LIVES. ARE YOU?
My very first novel “Second Chances” included several stories about me and others I grew up with, although the main character was named Hunter O’Connor. I have a sequel coming out later this year title “Crossing Rivers”: a historical family saga of both my parent’s families growing up and facing many life threatening dangers and other terrible events. The names have been changed to protect the innocent and those who are not.
20.              OTHER THAN WRITING, WHAT ELSE DO YOU LOVE?
I love to play guitar, fish in the Gulf of Mexico, bike ride, take long walks, golf, blues music and read, read, read, oh yeah, indulge in my main vice—ice cream.




21.              DID YOU HAVE YOUR BOOK / BOOKS PROFESSIONALLY EDITED BEFORE PUBLICATION?
All my books are professionally edited prior to publishing. I touch my manuscripts at least thirty times before handing my babies off to be corrected, sliced and diced. It’s a necessary evil, we all must endure.

22.              DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT DAY.
I wake early, have coffee, playing solitaire against 400k other players, read the Wall Street Journal, answer emails and start writing til noon. Go to the beach! Watch Tiger Woods win the Masters! Watch Game of Thrones and Billions! Finally talk to my wife on the front porch as it quietly rains.
23.              IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND WITH ONE PERSON, WHO WOULD IT BE? WHY?
My wife! She’s funny, a great friend, patient and very resourceful when I’m not!
24.              WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TO WORLD LEADERS?
We need to stop and listen to our planet talking to us about how we’re damaging it beyond repair. We only have one. After that is used up, then what?

25.              WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?
Continue writing and stretching my skills into different directions like script writing and possibly non-fiction or Si Fi.
26.               WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON BOOK TRAILERS? DO THEY SELL BOOKS?
I’m not completely sold on book trailers, yet. I’ve not heard if it is useful or not except by those who produce them. I’ll keep my eyes open for more feedback.
27.              DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN ANY OF YOUR CHARACTERS?
Yes! Hunter O’Connor is my alter ego in “Second Chances’ and “Crossing Rivers”. I really try to live vicariously through him. He is a writer and will appear again in the not too distant future.
28.              DOES THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY FRUSTRATE YOU?
Publishing is not the frustrating part nor is the writing of the manuscript, it’s the marketing! You can have your book set up on all of the online book retailers, along with the other 8 million books out there, but if you don’t have the proper promotional package going for you, then be prepared to be frustrated and settle for fewer book sells.
29.              DID YOU EVER THINK OF QUITTING?
No, I don’t think of quitting. Having said that, I have slowed down so that I can enjoy life in Florida and travel with my wife. Those things are very important to me.



30.              WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE MANUSCRIPT TO WRITE? WHY?
My favourite manuscript to write was my first novel, “Second Chances”, I’ve written many poems and short stories up to then, but I wanted more, I was capable of more. I took several of the stories I wrote put them in a sequence, then tied them together and built the characters around family members and friends I knew. It was a thrill ride I will never forget!
31.               HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE ‘SUCCESS’ AS A WRITER?
  Success as a writer is starting and finishing a project whether it’s large or small, polishing it to a fine bright shine, passing it on to be shared by others and getting an at-ta-boy afterwards. It’s not always about the money.

32.              WHAT SHOULD READERS WALK AWAY FROM YOUR BOOKS KNOWING? HOW SHOULD THEY FEEL?
They were entertained by the scenes, characters setting, and also learning something about that time and place. I include actual stories, a smidge of history and settings in my stories.
33.              WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE YOUR BOOKS MADE INTO MOVIES? EVER WRITTEN A SCREENPLAY?
I would welcome the event of having my books turned into movies. The detective series is full of current news events with high levels of character building, actions, chills and thrills and usually with a happy ending = made for the movie audience. I have not written a screenplay, but that is on my short list to learn the craft.
34.              HOW MUCH THOUGHT GOES INTO DESIGNING A BOOK COVER?
I love for my covers to be striking and give a hint of what’s to come. I actually peruse the many graphic designers listed on the internet displaying their pre-made covers. There is so much great talent out there I always find that one special design that completely fits my story and I go with that one, adding my own title, tagline, and back matter.
35.              WHAT’S YOUR ULTIMATE DREAM?
To win the Pulitzer in Literature! We all need something to aim for!
36.                WRITING IS ONE THING. WHAT ABOUT MARKETING YOU, YOUR BOOKS AND YOUR BRAND? ANY THOUGHTS?
This is my Achilles heel. My brand is becoming more and more apparent, but without professional guidance and handling the cost in time and money often does not justify itself. I use various promotional web sites, both free and with a fee attached. I sell more books internationally that I do in the US. I’m slowly, but surely getting more and more involved in social media and interviewing professional publicists to help in the arena. Anytime I can land an interview, with a book blogger I take full advantage!




37.               ARE YOUR BOOKS SELF-PUBLISHED?
I have a publisher, Apollo Communications who publish my books and happen to have their own printing presses. They set me up on all the online book retailers and libraries around the globe. Promotion is pretty much in my humble hands.
38.              DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN FIVE WORDS.
Creative, detailed, systematic, storyteller and funny
39.              WHAT PISSES YOU OFF MOST?
What pisses me off the most is when I have to kill off one of my main characters. I spent much time and effort creating and developing them to eventually doing them in to heighten up the story or change direction. It’s like losing a close friend.
40.              WHAT IS THE TITLE OF THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? GOOD ONE?
You won’t believe this, but it’s one I’ve read many times before, but it’s one of those timeless classics you have to pick up from time to time and read again – The Catcher in the Rye!


41.               WHAT WOULD BE THE VERY LAST SENTENCE YOU’D WRITE?
If I don’t see you in this life, I’ll meet you in the next!
42.               WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU HAPPIER THAN YOU ARE NOW? CARE TO SHARE?
I’m very happy and content with how things are going for me right now. I have a beautiful wife and life in Florida. I’ve recently moved here from Dallas, TX. I’m living life anew, reborn and happy…And that Pulitzer Prize for Literature thing...



43.               ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO ADD?

I wish for people to enjoy my books and poems that are sold/ordered everywhere. I’ve been featured in three anthologies with two in Emerging Poets and one of Emerging Fiction Writers published by Z Publishing 2018 and 2019: sold on Amazon exclusively. I have four books published: “Second Chances”, “Possum Kingdom”, “Broke Girl”, “Little Birds” and number five soon to be released, “Crossing Rivers”. I have two more books in various stages of production, one very close to hand off to the editor, my first novella and the other is the fourth instalment of the Gloria Ramos series. Both will be out next year. I have no plans on stopping any time soon. Like my uncle, author of over 140 books says, “As long as you enjoy what you’re doing--Don’t never, ever quit!”



 AMAZON


Clancy's comment: Thanks, Larry. I like your book covers. Very striking. Stay well, and keep writing.I'm ....

4 August 2019 - RARE PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE PAST

RARE PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE PAST
G'day folks,
It's time to look into the past and smile.























Clancy's comment: I loved all of them. Extraordinary stuff, eh?
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3 August 2019 - AMAZING CLIMBING TREE IN COSTA RICA

AMAZING CLIMBING TREE IN COSTA RICA
G'day folks,
Well, here is yet another interesting production by nature. A secret climbing tree hides along the side of a Costa Rican road. 



With no signs or markings on the road to indicate the trailhead, most people discover el arbol hueco through word of mouth. It’s a few meters off the road and easy to find when you know what you’re looking for, mostly because it stands out from the other vegetation in the forest.



This magical “hollow tree” (in reality a series of ficus trees that have zigzagged together over the years) is located right off a small road on the outskirts of Santa Elena, in Monteverde, Costa Rica. With a hollow interior and easy to grip “branches,” you can easily climb to the top and imagine yourself as a character from Fern Gully or Avatar.





Get close to the tree, and you’ll see its hollow interior is perfect for climbing and can fit two to three people at once. The top does get narrow and you don’t want to be maneuvering around a traffic jam so high up, so it’s best to take turns and allow one person to climb at a time.





While it may feel a bit scary to be up so high, the climb itself is almost like going up a ladder, and being encircled by the tree does give a sense of protection and comfort. But don’t be fooled into a false sense of security—there are no harnesses or safety equipment available, so be careful!



Clancy's comment: The wonders of nature, eh?

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