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For more information and to book please call a Wexas Middle East specialist on 020 7838 5958 editorial All kinds of magic Regular readers might notice that this issue of Some of these features are the very flipside of Traveller has had something of a rethink, both in conventional travelogues saturated with stunning, terms of style and content. Not just for the sake of it, spectacular, sun-drenched style. To run them obviously. For more than four decades this magazine alongside dreamier pieces hopefully highlights that has aimed to publish articles many other travel the world is all the more achingly rewarding because magazines don’t have the commercial inclination of that sol y sombra, those contrasts. to run; we’ve picked pictures we think are so well taken we would never dream of manipulating them, To walk the streets of India is to observe all or swapping some of the grittier ones for others that Amy these vagaries, captured so cleverly in Francesco have more aspirational appeal. Sohanpaul Lastrucci’s pictures of Amritsar. The defiantly rings the optimistic shades of hot pink against drab poverty, But we’ve long wanted to give our articles the space changes of searing red against grey and crumbling streets, they deserve to breathe, and to showcase the images the purposeful pleasure in cooking and devouring that we choose more elegantly, so a redesign has been roadside snacks of samosas and kebabs for a fast in order for some time now. And more than anything, food fix of fundamental pleasure against the chaos we’ve wanted, while moving forward in terms of the of it all. There’s a similar sense of optimism and visual direction, to return to the glory days in some fun in our other photo story, on a slowly resurgent ways. To remember the old editorial imperative that Detroit. The cracks and dereliction still loom large, sparked the birth of Traveller, to emphatically revive but amidst them, there’s fun to be had and a future the magazine’s original, now old-fashioned in so many on its way. ways ethos of mixing inspiration with reality. At the other end of the spectrum, sophistication It seems more trite than ever these days to pretend skates lightly through our piece on the Bauhaus that this world we’re lucky enough to traverse for fun in Dessau, written by Freddie Reynolds, Traveller’s is solely a long and lovely stretch of cobalt skies and former deputy editor, very back on board for this unspoilt vistas and charming locals and delightful issue, for which he’s done so much more than write cafés and you-must-absolutely-sees, from sea to another slightly surreal but sublime piece. More sparkling aquamarine sea with no hardships, poverty, surreal still is Alex Robinson’s piece on a magical political tensions, fears and tears in between. encounter on a South American beach, and still stranger, we have a mesmerising account of lunch How can it be when we know only too well that others with a vodou priest in Haiti. are forced to traverse it out of nothing more than sheer need (and not greed as many would have us believe)? It’s not all about the strange stuff though. Fergal Keane’s powerful piece on migration, a take The animals and landscapes of Uganda, simultaneously so much more human and pragmatic photographed by Cheryl-Samantha Owen, are than those headline-grabbing emotive and designed- straightforward enough in their staggering appeal; to-scare images, is one of the most thought-provoking Alex Stewart’s piece on Oman is enough to entice pieces in this issue. anyone to wind their way into the desert and beyond; Helena Atlee’s ode to marmalade-making in Sicily So is Sarah Ward’s letter from Greece, which includes serves up another sort of temptation. the reaction of the locals to both their on-going economic crisis and their sympathy for those washed So here it is, the old and the new Traveller, full of the up on their shores. Justine Hardy, who we’re delighted odd and the ordinary ways in which people live their to welcome as a new regular columnist, has sent as lives around the world, features that follow high and a tasty starter a piece full of her trademark incisive low roads, pictures that reflect both the wonderful insight, on the varied lives behind veils. and the weird. We hope you like it. vol 46 · no2 · 2015 traveller 3 HONORARY EDITORIAL BOARD Kate Adie obe is a distinguished bbc foreign correspondent who has spent 30 years reporting from the world’s frontlines. Traveller is Britain’s original magazine for intelligent Publisher travel. Since 1970 it has reported on the real experience and Chairman Professor David Bellamy obe frgs phd f ibiol f ls is one of the world’s leading conservationists, an icon of wildlife television, of travelling the world, and many of today’s leading Ian M Wilson and founder of the Conservation Foundation. explorers and adventurers are on the Editorial Board. ma dphil (oxon) Colonel John Blashford-Snell obe frsgs is Britain’s best-known frgs frai expedition leader and the founder of Operations Raleigh and Traveller has 18,500 subscribers. The magazine can be Drake for young people. accessed at www.traveller.org.uk, which also displays Editor Dr Jean-Michel Cousteau is a noted marine scientist and contributors’ guidelines. Traveller is distributed to the Amy Sohanpaul successor to the mantle of his father, the late Jacques Cousteau. members of Wexas Travel Contributing William Dalrymple ma fras frgs frsl is one of Britain’s finest travel writers, winner of many prizes and an expert on India TRAVELLER is produced by FIFTH FLOOR PUBLISHING for Editors and the Muslim world. Wexas Travel, Dorset House, Freddie Reynolds Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NT, UK Sir Ranulph Fiennes bt obe dsc is a distinguished adventurer Mark Reynolds WEB www.traveller.org.uk and expedition leader, responsible for the world’s first pole-to- pole journey. EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES can be emailed Design Robin Hanbury-Tenison obe dl ma frgs is a pioneering to [email protected] Kelly Al-Saleh champion of rainforests and tribal peoples, and the President TEL 020 7838 5998 of Survival International. Writer Fergal Keane obe is a bbc special correspondent who reported from South Africa for many years, and an acclaimed author. Guy Everton Sir Robin Knox-Johnston cbe frina is the first man to sail non-stop and single-handed around the world, and author of many books on sailing. Sir Christopher Ondaatje cbe oc is chairman of the Ondaatje Foundation and author of ten books including Sindh Revisited and Journey to the Source of the Nile. Michael Palin cbe frgs is the world’s favourite television traveller and a member of Monty Python’s Flying Circus. WEXAS ENQUIRIES Professor John Prebble ba llb bcl jsd is an international TEL 020 7589 3315 barrister in tax law, and formerly Dean of Law at Victoria University, Wellington. EMAIL [email protected] WEB www.wexas.com Dr Christopher Roads ma phd frgs is an expert in the use and history of firearms and former Deputy Director of the WEXAS BLUE MEMBERSHIP £85 per annum (£105 overseas) Imperial War Museum. WEXAS GOLD MEMBERSHIP £165 per annum (£172 overseas) Jonathan Scott is a leading wildlife photographer and Membership includes other publications and benefits presenter of the bbc’s Big Cat Diary. He is patron of a number TRAVELLER SUBSCRIPTION £20.85 per annum (£30 overseas) of wildlife conservation societies. ADVERTISING Dave Warne TEL 020 7838 5818 EMAIL [email protected] John Simpson cbe is the bbc’s World Affairs Editor and has PRINTING Pureprint Group reported from 120 countries during his 40 years with the bbc. Colin Thubron cbe frgs frsl is Britain’s most distinguished The views expressed in the editorial column are not necessarily those of anyone but the editor, travel writer, author of a string of award-winning books on and other editorial matter should only be ascribed to the authors concerned. The printing of an Asia and Russia. advertisement in Traveller does not necessarily mean that the publishers endorse the company, product or service advertised. The title Traveller is registered as a trademark in the uk. Sir Crispin Tickell gcmg kcvo is an eminent environmentalist, The title The Traveller is registered as a trademark in the United States Patent Office, Washington dc, leader of the Climate Institute of Washington and Green and in Canada. All rights to editorial material are reserved throughout the world under the Universal College Centre. International & Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Reproduction in any manner, in whole or in part, in English or in any other languages, is strictly and specifically prohibited without the express Sir Hereward Wake bt mc dl is a baronet and retired major consent of the publishers. Copyright © 2015, Wexas Ltd. Traveller (incorporating Expedition) who has been involved in youth expeditions worldwide. vol 46 no2, 2015, issn 0262-2726. 4 traveller vol 46 · no2 · 2015 contributors Every issue we seek out today’s most distinguished and interesting travellers to contribute to the magazine THE PEOPLE BEHIND OUR STORIES ALEXANDER ARMSTRONG CAROLINE EDEN HOSSEIN FATEMI JUSTINE HARDY one half of comedy duo journalist and photographer photographer who has celebrated author, journalist, Armstrong and Miller whose whose work has featured in travelled extensively since the yoga teacher, the founder latest series, Land of the numerous publications as mid-90s, mainly focusing on of Healing Kashmir and Midnight Sun, takes him to the well as on Radio 4’s From Our Lebanon, Pakistan, Iran, Russia Traveller’s new columnist. far north. Own Correspondent. and the USA. SEE PAGE 48 SEE PAGE 18 SEE PAGE 33 SEE PAGE 40 TIM HAYWARD FERGAL KEANE FRANCESCO LASTRUCCI CHERYL-SAMANTHA food journalist, restauranter BBC special correspondent freelance photographer OWEN photojournalist and the author of Food DIY and member of Traveller’s whose work has been born in Kenya who has and The DIY Cook. honorary editorial board who exhibited worldwide. Here spent a lifetime travelling SEE PAGE 102 has spent recent months he documents the colourful the African continent. She reporting on the refugee crisis streets of Amritsar. reports from Uganda. in Europe. SEE PAGE 10 SEE PAGE 71 SEE PAGE 22 MAHESH RAO FREDDIE REYNOLDS ALEX ROBINSON SARAH WARD award-winning author who freelance writer and editor award-winning journalist, fiction author who spends grew up in Nairobi and now based in Cambridge. Here guidebook writer and much of her time on the lives in Mysore. His new he writes about a visit to the photographer who specialises Greek island of Hydra, where book, One Point Two Billion, is Bauhaus in the East German in Latin America. Here he she writes from for this issue. published by Daunt Books. city of Dessau. reports from the coast of SEE PAGE 56 SEE PAGE 86 SEE PAGE 25 Brazil. SEE PAGE 51 vol 46 · no2 · 2015 traveller 5 59 PORTRAITS 59 The Scent of the Green Mountain Alex Stewart follows Wilfred Thesiger’s 18 Alexander Armstrong footsteps in the Jebel Akhdar in Oman Freddie Reynolds talks to the comedian, actor and television presenter about his recent 71 The Emerald of East Africa series, Land of the Midnight Sun Cheryl-Samantha Owen shares a passion for Uganda’s wildlife 102 Tim Hayward The food journalist, author and restaurateur Intro pages feature recalls the places that have changed his life maps by Stamen VISIONS Design, under CC BY 3.0. Data by OpenStreetMap, 10 Paved with Gold FEATURES under CC BY SA. Francesco Lastrucci visits the north Indian city of Amritsar and explores the vibrant 25 Art as Life streets around the city’s Golden Temple Freddie Reynolds visits Walter Gropius’ Bauhaus in the East German City of Dessau 40 Living for the City Hossein Fatemi photographs the communities 33 Divine Dining breathing new life into down-near-out Caroline Eden has lunch in Port-au-Prince Detroit with Haiti’s late chief vodou priest, Max Beauvoir 51 In Fernanda’s Eyes Alex Robinson has a magical encounter on the beach on Brazil 6 traveller vol 46 · no2 · 2015 contents 40 25 102 10 OPINION NEWS AND REVIEWS TVOL 46 · NO2 · 2015 R A 22 Fergal Keane V 08 Events E L The BBC Special Correspondent reports from L For the autumn and winter seasons E the front line of the European refugee crisis R 80 Art of Travel 48 Justine Hardy We take a look at Beat 6: The Eland Edition, £8.95 Traveller’s new columnist lifts the veil on a collaboration between Eland Books and Kashmir On the cover: the Heart illustration agency Luke Best, from 56 Letter from Hydra Beat 6: Eland 85 Bookshelf Editions Author Sarah Ward writes from Greek island With Neil Rollinson, Mahesh Rao, Petina of Hyrda On these pages Gappah and reviews of the latest travel books (clockwise from left): Oman, by 90 Moveable Feast Alex Stewart; Helena Attlee uncovers a hidden world Detroit, by Hossein Fatemi; of marmalade Dessau, by Freddie Reynolds; Amritsar, 95 Hotels by Francesco Reviews of Château de la Treyne and Le Vieux Lastrucci; Florence, Logis in the Dordogne by Nickolay Vinokurov. 98 Inside track Expert views on New York State and Canada vol 46 · no2 · 2015 traveller 7 events S T Mashrou’ Leila 28 november N This Lebanese five-piece was formed in Beirut in 2008 as the E indie scene became a focal point for musicians to meet and escape V the stresses associated with the country’s on going political E unrest. Since then, the band’s ever- popular brand of pop has spread across the Arab world, earning them the label, ‘the voice of the Arab Spring’. This November they’ll reach the Barbican in London. Tickets £20–25. barbican.org.uk Broken Lives: Slavery in Modern The Fabric of India India to 10 january, 2016 to 24 april, 2016 India has been a byword for Above: Stork This revealing exhibition at the colourful textiles for centuries. art by Francisco International Slavery Museum in Many of the words we use today – Mingorance, Natural History Liverpool highlights the plight of muslin, calico, chintz – have their Museum the ‘Dalits’ – formerly known as origins in India, where abundant Left: Maori ‘Untouchables’ – in modern-day cotton and intricate embroidery Chieftainess, India, examining the shocking techniques first attracted British from the Artist & Empire exhibition marginalisation, poverty and merchants. This exhibition at Tate Britain crippling labour experienced by at the V&A showcases the Right: Ajrakh millions of people in the world’s subcontinent’s fascinating fabric inspired jacket largest democracy. Admission free. output. From £14. by Rajesh Pratap Singh, Victoria and liverpoolmuseums.org.uk vam.ac.uk Albert Museum Artist & Empire: Facing Britains Wildlife Photographer of the Year Imperial Past 16 october to 10 april, 2016 25 november to 10 april, 2016 This major exhibition at Tate Each year the Natural History Britain brings together a vast Museum hosts one of the world’s collection of works including most popular photography maps, portraits, photographs, competitions. Last years winner sculptures and artefacts that was Michael Nichols’ black-and- explore the legacy of the British white image of a pride of lions Empire. Works by Joshua Reynolds, basking on an exposed rock, George Stubbs, Hew Locke and and this year’s entries promise Sonia Boyce all feature. be similarly outstanding. From Admission from £12.70. £13.50. tate.org.uk nhm.ac.uk 8 traveller vol 46 · no2 · 2015 events Emily Jacir: Europa Right: Material for a film (detail) to 3 january, 2016 (Telegram: 18/10/1972), 2004, by Emily Jacir, at Palestinian artist Emily Jacir works the Whitechapel in a variety of media to create Gallery thought-provoking installations, short films and performances that enable greater audience interaction. Her European- themed works are currently on display in the Whitechapel Gallery. Admission free. Below: Limestone sculpture of the whitechapelgallery.org Egyptian god Horus in Roman Military Costume. 1st–2nd century Wilderness Lectures ad © The Trustees of the British selected wednesdays Museum This series of fascinating lectures at the University of Bristol features intrepid explorers, adventurers and adrenaline junkies. From November, CURATOR’S COMMENT speakers include Alain Robert, Leo Houlding, John Pilkington, Maria Liejerstam, Niall McCann and Only through the remarkable preservation Dave Cornthwaite. made possible by Egypt’s climate do we From £8.50. know about this ancient land’s Jewish wildernesslectures.com communities and the subsequent arrival of Christianity and later Islam. This exhibition reveals the story of how ancient Egypt was transformed by Jews, Christians and Muslims, featuring In focus gospels that were excluded from the New Testament, illustrated manuscripts and colourful clothing. Egypt: Faith After the Pharaohs 29 october to 7 february, 2016 Neal Spencer, Keeper, Ancient Egypt and Sudan, No museum outside of Cairo houses more Egyptian British Museum antiquities than the British Museum. Pyramid pieces and the Rosetta Stone tell only part of the nation’s story – its history since embraced Islam, Christianity and Judaism, and this new exhibition illustrates how monotheism transformed Ancient Egypt into today’s Arab Republic. Admission from £10; under 16s free. britishmuseum.org vol 46 · no2 · 2015 traveller 9 visions / punjab Paved with Gold pictures by Francesco Lastrucci As the day’s first light begins to filter through the heady haze above Amritsar, the Golden Temple is a hive of activity. Worshippers line the causeway connecting the temple with the outer walls of the complex, a spectrum of saris and turbans slowly shuffling forward. A droning, chanting voice and the gentle pitter-patter of the tabla drift across the water of the square pool that surrounds the temple, known reverently as the Pool of the Nectar of Immortality – from which the city gained its present name. Amritsar is the centre of the Sikh world. The pool was sanctified by Guru Ram Das in the sixteenth century, and Valmiki wrote the celebrated epic the Ramayana around the hallowed site. In keeping with Sikh magnanimity, the temple welcomes visitors of all colours, creeds and genders in astonishing numbers every day to dine free of charge on dhal, rice, vegetables, chapati and roti, seated together on the floor, all equal under God. This miraculous feeding of the multitude requires the help of volunteers and generous donations, and the temple also feeds a wider industry of hospitality and market trading that keeps the city alert and alive long into the night. 10 traveller vol 46 · no2 · 2015