Greetings from the Desert Palms in Alice Springs. Early departure today from Uluru; our return trip to Alice Springs took however a quite different turn when we decided to explore a very unique area which required us to take a road suitable only for 4-wheel drive vehicles, getting therefore our money's worth on the rental of our huge beast.
The arduous road took us through some spectacularly scenery where you felt at one with the landscape. Parts of the road was laden with boulders and we had to cross several dry river beds in the Owen Springs Reserve. The white barked gum trees were a spectacle!
Our destination was Angkerle Atwatye, known in English as Standley Chasm, part of West MacDonnell Range National Park. The chasm is a fissure between two sheer rocks that, when seen one hour on either side of noon provide a truly unique experience,glowing from reflected sunlight to create a breathtaking display of rich and vibrant color.
To reach the chasm we had to climb along a trail where you felt immersed in a most mesmerizing Outback reality.
We arrived at the Chasm past the ideal time, but we found it to be inspiring, regardless of the time of day. We were the only people there.
One of the most exhilarating takes of our journey. Thank God, we had purchased head nets, because the pesky little bush flies were as abundant here as they were in Uluru.
By late afternoon we reached Alice Springs, amiably called Alice by the locals. Alice is the only sizable town between Darwin on the northern shores and Adelaide on the Southern Ocean, yet it is only home to a mere 24,000 people. I find it to be rather insignificant as far as aesthetic beauty, but being the heart of the Aborigine community, it is rendered quite intriguing, as everything in town is in a sense culturally inspired by the indigenous population.
Murals are also found nearly everywhere in this city. They are so artistically beautiful, that once again I feel compelled to share a few.
After a very satisfying dinner in the center of town, we drove to the top of Anzac Hill to admire the view. We were too late to enjoy the sunset, but not so to appreciate the panorama.
In homage of the early inhabitants of this amazing continent, who have suffered great indignation at the hand of the European colonizers, I will leave you tonight with an image of their banner, the Aboriginal flag that proudly flies on Anzac Hill, but also, at long last next to the Australian flag in most government and cultural buildings throughout the nation.
If you enjoy these posts, it would be wonderful if you took a minute to leave a comment, as some are already doing. Many thanks. A domani (until tomorrow).
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