Ceramic factory, Cappadocia.

..Ceramic factory at Cappadocia, Turkey

A visit to a ceramic factory in Cappadocia is a must-see. If 'factory conjures up a vision of a dismal, concrete structure, you are in for a pleasant surprise.

 

     

The ceramic factories here are tucked away in caves dug into the mountain ranges. 

A demonstration at the factory of an urn being made.

The urn is then fired, painted white and intricate designs are drawn on the surface. 

These designs are then filled with colour and the product is fired again.

The end result is a work of art! 

Pottery workshops are available for those interested.

The finished products range from decorative platters, urns and reliefs to dinner sets and other functional things. 

(pictures by Global nomad)

Seal colonies

Seals are a common sight near the town of Kaikoura, New Zealand. You will find seal colonies on either end of the town. The seal colony to the south is a short walk from town. Parking is available if you decide to drive down. The landscape is at its picturesque best here and you will find seals lying on the rocks or swimming. And one can get to very close to them. The seals seem unimpressed by the tourists and show no reaction to the excitement they cause or to the pictures being clicked. I would, however, exercise caution in how close one gets to them. It would be a good idea to follow some wildlife safety guidelines. There are companies offering tours where you can swim with the seals.

I highly recommend a visit to the seal colony. It is easily accessible, the view is great, there always seem to be a number of seals, the seal pups adorable and it is an incredible experience for free.

                                                 (Photo courtesy: Global Nomad)

Swimming with the Dolphins

                         
Swimming with the dolphins off the Kaikoura coast is an incredibly exhilarating experience. There are various companies that provide these tours. We chose Dolphin adventures. In hindsight, it turned out to be a smart decision to make our bookings a couple of months in advance, as they were completely sold out three weeks before our trip. You have the option of either swimming with the dolphins or enjoying the tour from the boat. I strongly recommend the former.

The Dolphin adventures Team is thorough and professional. Once you are fitted with the necessary
wetsuits and snorkelling equipment, you are shown a short film on the dos and donts of swimming withe dolphins. It is made quite clear to the guests that we are entering the dolphins' environment and therefore it is imperative we do not harm or disturb them in any manner. The boat then takes us to 3 to 4 snorkelling sites. The professionalism of the Dolphin Adventures team comes through again on the boat. Guests with sea sickness are handled with expert ease and made to feel comfortable. They were people of all ages in our group, the youngest being 10 years old and the oldest in their 70s.


 We encountered dolphins right at the first site. At the 3rd site, we encountered a pod of almost 300 dolphins. They are quite unafraid and extremely playful. It is recommend that you DO NOT touch the dolphins. But you will find that the dolphins swim around you, nudge you occasionally, dive over you, try to make eye contact and swim alongside you. Swimming with these gentle and friendly animals with a spectacular backdrop of the Kaikoura Seaward Mountain range is a surreal experience like no other.

And DO rent an underwater camera if you don't own one. These are available for rent with Dolphin Adventures. There are so many photo worthy moments while swimming with the dolphins that is it truly a missed opportunity without an underwater camera.



                                                 (Photo courtesy: dolphin encounter.co.nz, kaikouramotel.co.nz)

The Green Dolphin

A visit to Kaikoura is incomplete without dinner at The Green Dolphin restaurant. The breathtaking view from the restaurant is matched by the delicious menu that The Green Dolphin offers. The local crayfish is an absolute must-have. The restaurant is popular with locals and tourists alike, so advance bookings are highly recommended.