Vignettes of the World
In the last entry on the Ellery Creek Big Hole, I noted that the colors of the desert evoked an unexpected marvel upon my sensations. Perhaps that observation has come into full focus at the Ochre Pits. It is said that the Ochre Pits is …
The tour left Standley Chasm for Ellery Creek, where we would have our picnic lunch. The Ellery Creek Big Hole is an oasis in the desert, with a body of water large enough in which to swim. In fact, the Ellery Creek Big Hole is …
We left Simpson’s Gap in less than an hour and arrived at Standley Chasm soon. The Standley Chasm measures 80 meters in height and 5 meters in width. To the Western Arrernte Aboriginals, who are its original occupiers, Stanley Chasm is known as Angkerle Atwatye, meaning “the Gap of Water.”
As the natural formation’s English name, Standley Chasm is named after Mrs. Ida Standley, who was the first schoolteacher in Alice Springs. It is the effort to recognize her contribution to the welfare of the children of Alice Springs during 1914 and 1929. Mrs. Standley taught both European and aboriginal children. She was an important figure serving in the then difficult circumstances of the Alice Springs community.
As a cultural site for the Arrernte Aboriginals, Stanley Chasm was the community venue for the women of the tribe. There is an abundance of red gum trees in this area. The other plants are used for medicinal and artistic purposes. For example, the special Bat-leaved Coral Tree called Inarnta Beantree is uniquely native to Australia. It has medicinal use for the native peoples.
Today, Standley Chasm is privately held by the Iwupataka Land Trust. In other words, the Aboriginals remain the actual owners of the land in this area. They are responsible for the maintenance of both the land and the businesses there. I will say more about the wonderful Standley Chasm Angkerle Café there — it is wholly owned, run and operated by the Aboriginals.
When we were dropped off we were told that we had maybe a little over an hour at the Standley Chasm. Those who could walk would take the trail and reach the Standley Chasm in a little more than half an hour. Those who were not able to walk could opt to sit at the café for wonderful coffee and light breakfast. The trail is accessible by wheelchair, although it may be a little bumpy at certain sections. There is a way to connect to Section 3 of the Larapinta Trail on this short trail.
The walk was exceedingly pleasant in the morning hours. There was no climb at all, and we reached the Standley Chasm in about 35 minutes or so. The experience of approaching the Standley Chasm was somewhat similar to that of Simpson’s Gap, as our visuals narrowed when we walked toward the final stretch of the Chasm. There was also a pool at the end of the journey.
The views were beautiful at Standley Chasm. The hills that formed the walls of the Chasm are also rusted in red earth. “Quartzite walls were formed by ancient seabeds approximately 2.2 billion years ago, making them some of the earliest mineral formations on the planet” (Our Dusty Backroads). It was a long process of oxidation that turned these naturally cool-colored quartz into the warm hue of red now.
The chasm created a narrow tunnel view through the open air. There was perhaps just one iconic shot to be taken here, and people had to line up a little to take turns. But don’t be fooled, the geology of the Outback will surprise you with things hiding in plain sight.
Beneath the chasm’s rocky surface is a river that flows continuously beyond the passage of time. There is no visible water to be seen, for sure, but if you spend a day digging, you will eventually find the underground water that serves as the ever-erosive force that shapes the face of the desert in unimaginable ways. I will explore this aspect of the geology in a later entry on East Macdonnell.
Perhaps the first course in appreciating the indigenous cultures of Australia is the idea of the Dreamtime. In the broadest sense, the Dreamtime is the name given to the Aussie Aboriginals’ understanding of their world. Be it myths or traditions, the Dreamtime informs the Aboriginals in the imaginative ways they understand the origins of nature, the concept of time and the relationships between them and the forces of nature that shape their cultural practices and social norms. It is passed down through generations of aboriginal descendants. A lot of such ideas are expressed in their art and oral traditions, which often come with fused artistic and pragmatic purposes.
The Dreamtime at Standley Chasm is an exemplary of the aboriginal Dreamtime. Suffice it is to say that the European proposal of the idea originated from their study of the Arrernte Aboriginals in Central Australia. Although the use of the word Dreamtime has been subject to scholarly criticism, the word does convey a positive expression for aboriginal myths, worldviews and culture. I think it inspires interests in their stories.
The story that explains the formation of the Standley Chasm is passed down by the descendants of the Mukaringa Country. Two euros (a smaller kind of kangaroo called wallaroo) were traveling from the west to Angkerle Atwatye. Before they arrived, the Standley Chasm did not exist. They got into a huge fight. Their tails were hung in the air. One of the euros fell hard onto the mountain range, and its tail broke the mountain into half. That was how the Angkerle Atwatye came into being.
In the aboriginal cultures, there is a clear division of labor between men and women members of the tribes. Women and men grew up receiving distinct trainings, including the versions of stories that are told to them. Only the public versions of Dreamtime can be shared with us.
After admiring the Standley Chasm, I made my way back to the meeting point, which is the Standley Chasm Angkerle Café. I ordered a cappuccino with buttered raisin toast and the combo was delightful.
Seated at my table was a British couple and a man from Texas, all of whom are members of the Autopia tour. We started discussing the war in Israel and I had some really stimulating discussions with them about the affairs of the world. They took keen interest in Hong Kong politics, especially after the 2019 incidents. Being American, I became immediate friends with the man from Fort Worth. We would then be having many good conversations for the rest of this tour.
Common Ground, Two Euros at Angkerle Atwatye.
Our Dusty Backroads, Standley Chasm: Billions of Years in the Making.
The Wikipedia on Standley Chasm.
The Wikipedia on Ida Standley.
The Wikipedia on The Dreaming.
I refer to the Outback as a colloquial reference to the part of Australian hinterland that comes with a vast expanse of desert and an enormous diversity in natural endowment. If one must put a finger on the proper names, the Outback is located in …
The Australian Outback has captured my imagination for as long as I remember. Although I have been to a number of the eastern coastal cities in Australia, the Outback remained a place of mystery to me. I had thought of that vast desert region to …
In the last entry I discussed the Hong Kong Red Swastika Building. Lying not far away from the Hong Kong Red Swastika Building is the Tin Hau Temple of Causeway Bay. That was one stone, two birds for me.
The exact year of construction of the Tin Hau Temple of Causeway Bay is unclear. But its history is tied with that of the Tai clan. It is said that the Tai folks found a red stone shaped like an incense burner at the shore. They believed that it was a sacred object sent by Tin Hau. Thereafter, they built a shrine at the shore and housed this sacred stone for worship. It became very popular with the fishermen’s community. The Tais then raised funds to build a Tin Hau Temple. The temple stands on the reclaimed land of what used to be a fishing village.
Traditionally, a temple in Hong Kong is dated by the sacred objects, and usually the brass bell that graces almost all temples are the first clue to look for. The sacred objects in this Tin Hau Temple are dated to different periods of the Qing dynasty. The brass bell bears the date of the 12th year of the Qianlong reign (1747). The name plaque of the temple and the accompanying couplets have stood at the temple since the 7th year of the Tongzhi reign (1868). The stone altar table where the statue of Tin Hau sits is engraved with the wordings, “the 2nd year of the Guangxu reign” (1876).
Traditionally, Tin Hau is worshipped by the fishermen’s community as she is the Goddess of the Sea. In a lot of Hong Kong’s inhabited islands, Tin Hau is the goddess of choice for the islanders. Yet, this Tin Hau Temple does bear some unique features as opposed to other Tin Hau Temples.
First of all, the temple is significantly more spacious than the other traditional temples in Hong Kong. It has the format of two halls, two bays. Tin Hau, Judge Bao and the God of Wealth are the resident deities.
On the sides of the temple is a pair of stone lions that bear the date “the 25th year of the Daoguang reign” (1849).
Before the temple building lies a large open area. A stone table supports three treasures, they are incense holders, bearing the date “28th year of the Guangxu reign” (1902).
The temple is built of blue bricks and stones. As with all temples the ridge of the roof is adorned with clay figurines, and the ones at this Tin Hau Temple are the work of the famous Shiwan craftsmen. The main motif is the two dragons toying the pearl. Otherwise, the other figurines at various lower levels depict famous scenes in Chinese operas.
Hung on the sides of the main entrance are two colorful large lanterns. Wall murals are also standard features in Hong Kong temples and this Tin Hau Temple comes with ample displays of mural art. At the side walls outside of the main hall, clay relief mural installations add a touch of traditional mysticism.
One comes to appreciate the temple beyond its religious purpose. It has aesthetic qualities that show wonderful artistic value and craftsmanship. In all measures this temple is more beautiful than other standard temples in Hong Kong.
Also known as the worship of Mazu, Tin Hau worship is recognized by the UNESCO as a global intangible cultural heritage. On the 23rd of the third month on the Lunar Calendar, the followers of Tin Hau hold celebration festivities for Tin Hau’s birthday. There are ceremonies that “receive the Goddess,” opera performances offered to Tin Hau, fa pau (paper floral tributes) and a procession. Traditionally, the celebration begins at the large open area before the Tin Hau Temple of Causeway Bay.
The Tin Hau Temple of Causeway Bay is a Declared Monument. The address of the Tin Hau Temple is 10 Tin Hau Temple Road, Causeway Bay.
A gentle reminder: when I was inside the temple, I was told that photographs are not allowed. Please be respectful.
The Antiquities and Monuments Office on The Tin Hau Temple of Causeway Bay.
GBA Times, Causeway Bay’s Tin Hau Temple and its Hundred Year Heritage (Chin).
The HK Hub, The Cultural Guide to Tin Hau Festival, Celebrating the Sea Goddess’ Birthday.
Oh, the Swastika! Surely that it is a symbol of horror, but in China it stands only for a charitable purpose. For a very long time, I thought the Red Swastika symbol for the Chinese religious and charitable organization was a flipped version of the …
I was looking for a place of worship that has both historical and architectural significance. It came to my attention that the Hung Shing Temple in Wan Chai is a declared monument. I decided to pay a visit. The History of Hung Shing Temple Also …
The Guia Fortress would be the final stop for this historic excursion into the roots of Macau’s proud history. After lunch at Wabi Sabi, I made me way up a gentle incline to the Guia Fortress. Guia Hill is the highest point in the Macau Peninsula at 91.6 meters. Needless to say, like the Monte Fort, this is a perfect vantage point in which to enjoy the aerial view of the Macau Peninsula.
The Guia Fortress had served a weather-telling function of Macau’s observatory. Before heading up the historic structures, you would go through a small exhibition featuring the observatory’s work here. It mainly involved the hoisting of typhoon signals.
Along with the Monte Fort, the Guia Fortress was critical in the defense of Macau during the Dutch Invasion of 1622, at which time construction of the Guia Fortress had begun in anticipation of the impending conflicts with the Dutch. The period of construction took place in 1622, and the fortress was further expanded in 1638. The Guia Fortress consisted of a guardhouse, a magazine and a tower. The 52-meter air Guia Hill Air Raid Shelter had a generator, oil storage, lounge, and a lift to the light house. It is now a venue of exhibition.
For centuries, the Guia Fortress served as a structure of defense exclusively. The military use would continue until 1976, when the Portuguese forces withdrew from Macau after the post-revolution Portuguese government decided to divest of all its colonies in the world. Perhaps then it was only natural that the Guia Fortress took up a new role as the cultural spokesperson of Macau, its ruins attesting a proud history in defending Macau.
The Guia Lighthouse is not open to the public, but the beautiful architecture itself is a great attraction. Built in 1865, the Guia Lighthouse was the first western, modern lighthouse in China. It stands at 15 meters in height. In clear weather, the lighthouse has the visibility of 32km.
Macau’s coordinates are based on the exact location of the Guia Lighthouse.
The Clarist nuns of the Philippines arrived in Macau in 1633. They were housed in the Capela de Nossa Senhora da Guia, which was built in 1622 by the nuns of the Order of St. Clare. The current church structure was of 1637. The Guia Chapel was therefore a witness to the Clarist nuns’ ministry around the time that the fort was built. Thereafter, the Clarist nuns established the Convent of St. Clare.
The Chapel of Our Lady of Guia, also known as the Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows, is built in granite. With dimensions of 16 meter in length, 4.7 meters in width, the church façade features a pediment outlined in yellow and a white front. There are stairs on the side leading to the rooftop. The church also comes with a sacristy.
One architectural point to note is that the church is built in granite with a very thick wall as its support structure. The walls of the chapel are more than one meter in thickness. This is markedly different from other religious structures in Macau, whereby the churches are built in wood with beams as the support system. Although the rooftop is a gabled roof, the interior of the chapel is one of a barrel vault. Scholars have noted that this feature is more consistent with the style of small churches in the Philippines, known as “earthquake baroque.”
The Chapel now exhibits the frescoes that are part of the incredible heritage that marks the cultural significance of the Guia Fortress. The frescoes show biblical tales depicted in a Chinese artistic tradition, with a touch of mythology. This blend of Chinese artistic expression in biblical representations is unique even in all of Macau’s religious architecture.
Frescoes are the wall paintings where pigments are mixed into the wet fresh plaster immediately after it is applied to the wall. As the wet plaster dries, it absorbs the pigments and painting becomes part of the wall. It is therefore more durable than other forms of murals.
Over the years, the frescoes were covered by many different layers of plaster. Between 1996 and 1998, restoration work was conducted on the Chapel. Workers discovered the frescoes. With due care, the workmen chose the best matching materials and pigments for each section, exercising scientific methods in the process. They had to remove the mud and the coating without scraping away the pigments.
Although both the fortress’ defensive function and the chapel’s religious purpose have retired into the folds of history, the art displayed in the Chapel is the unique testament to Macau as a Portuguese territory in China, where eastern and western influences met and fused into one another.
Photo: The dual eagle image fresco features two eagles with a crown.
The opening hours of the chapel are 10:00 am to 5:o0 pm.
There is supposedly a cable car that can take visitors up to the top of Guia Hill, where the Fortress is situated, but I didn’t notice such when I visited. It was a pretty hot day that I went and so if you are to walk up the hill, prepare enough water with you.
Descriptions on site at the Guia Fortress.
The Wikipedia on the Guia Fortress.
Macao Tourism Office, Guia Fortress, Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows and Lighthouse.
O Clarim, Macau Church Heritage – the Guia Chapel.
Baike.baidu.com, Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows (Chin).
Gu Yeung, The Relics of the Order of the Augustine in Macau – Beginning with the Crowned Dual Eagle of the Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows (Chin).
The Houhai Zhongxinhe Park (Houhai Central River Park) has been showing some spring colors and I took a walk there in February. The date of visit is February 8, 2026. The Houhai Zhongxinhe Park Meaning Houhai Central River Park, the recreational space at Houhai Zhongxinhe …