Some of the key attractions to visitors to the Dordogne region of France include:

Lascaux caves.

The prehistoric paintings at Lascaux are probably the most renowned cave paintings in the world. The cave paintings you can now visit are a copy of the prehistoric paintings contained in the original Lascaux caves, 200 metres away, because human breath was damaging the originals. The replica paintings have been made using the same materials and techniques as were used for the original paintings, 19,000 years ago.

The Lascaux cave paintings are mostly pictures of large animals, including the ‘auroch’ – a now extinct early relative of the ox (it is thought that the Auroch was worshiped as a sacred beast in prehistoric times). Truly a remarkable experience, and you quickly forget that you are looking at modern day replicas.

Sarlat

Sarlat is a beautiful medieval town a few kilometres north of the River Dordogne. The old town, dating from both medieval and renaissance times is a pleasure to visit, especially during the spring and autumn, or early in the morning. If you can catch the early morning sunshine on the yellow sandstone buildings, so much the better.

Wander through the back streets around the cathedral to get a feel for how the town must have been 500 years ago.

Les Eyzies

Les Eyzies is at the centre of a very beautiful area, in the Vezere Valley, with numerous cliff and rock formations, surrounded by rivers, hills and tranquil countryside. At the centre of prehistoric life in Europe, there are several interesting cave systems and prehistoric relics to visit around Les Eyzies.

Les Eyzies is also home to the National Prehistory Museum which houses one of the world’s most complete collections of prehistoric artefacts. Just a couple of hundred metres from the National Prehistory museum is Abri Pataud, a cro-magnon shelter dating back almost 40,000 years. The cave-lined Vézère valley has been classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO

Chateaux

In the Dordogne region there are reputed to be 1001 chateaux. Many of the most magnificent are open to the public. Start perhaps with the Chateau de Commarque, Chateau de Castelnaud, or (my personal favourite) Chateau de Beynac, set high above the Dordogne river and the attractive village of Beynac.

Each has its own impressive tale to tell of centuries of conflict, often between the French and the English during the Hundred Years War, and each has its own magnificent views over the surrounding countryside.

Most beautiful villages

There are several villages in the Dordogne region that have received the prestigious ‘Most Beautiful Villages of France’ award. These include Monpazier, a perfectly preserved medieval bastide town to the south of the region; La Roque-Gageac, a picture postcard village spread out along the Dordogne river, with troglodyte dwellings and a tropical garden spreading up the cliff behind; and Beynac, mentioned above for its castle but equally attractive as a village in its own right

Several other villages in the immediate vicinity also have the award.

The Dordogne region provides a glimpse into a world virtually unchanged as the centuries have unfolded, and a visit is always an unforgettable experience.

The author lives in France to the south of the Dordogne region. To learn more about the Dordogne region please visit northofthedordogne.com www.northofthedordogne.com, and to discover other regions of France visit francethisway.com www.francethisway.com

The Alaska Iditarod race held each year in March sparks controversy over the treatment of the dogs. It is a popular event that is intended to commemorate Alaska’s culture and heritage of Alaskan Huskies pulling sleds through mountainous and rough terrain. Mushing was a means of travel in Alaska in the early years with a team of sled dogs pulling a sled with a driver on board.

The route taken for the race is based on the year it is run. Even numbered years, the routes goes from Anchorage to Ruby. This is the northern route. In uneven numbered years, the route is run from Anchorage to Unalakleet, the southern route. The distance of the race is around 1,200 miles and is the longest dog sled race in the world.

The first Iditarod was held in 1973 and reportedly 15 to 19 dogs died during this race. It is estimated that approximately 130 dogs have died since the early days of the race, when there was no official count taken of the number of deaths. Thus, the exact amount of dog deaths during the early years is not exactly known.

The last ten years have shown deaths resulting from strangulation in towlines, internal hemorrhaging, liver injury, heart failure and pneumonia. Also, included as a reason for some deaths is a deterioration of the dog’s muscles and organs during extreme exercise. There have been incidences of racers kicking their dogs to death, striking them with sharp objects and mushing the dogs through dangerous deep water and ice.

During the race, dogs sustain injuries to the spine, bone fractures, sore paws, torn muscles, sore joints, dehydration and diarrhea. About half the dogs who start the race are not able to make it to the finish line.

In training the dogs for the race, it is reported some dogs are injured or die from the grueling paces they are put through. The training is done in remote areas of Alaska and many dogs are forced to pull extremely heavy loads. The strain of pulling these loads can cause hip and spine injuries.

The mushers are also criticized for culling the dogs. They are accused of killing any puppies or dogs that do not meet the standard of a good race dog.

Along the race trail, there are around twenty checkpoints with a veterinarian on duty to provide medical care for the dogs. These checkpoints serve as rest areas for both the dogs and the musher. The dogs are fed and allowed to rest at these checkpoints and any dog that is sick or injured is left off at the checkpoint.

The veterinarians who care for the dogs at the checkpoints defend the treatment of the animals, saying many untruths are told about the dogs running themselves to death. They claim the number of dog deaths is normal when you consider you are talking about 1,000 dogs, so three to five deaths out of 1,000 dogs is not an alarming figure. Kennels that house 1,000 dogs can expect around 3 deaths in a two week period.

Almost all mushers are members of several animal care groups that promote responsible care and humane treatment of the dogs. They say the stories of dogs and whips could not be further from the truth. They are out and out exaggerations and cause protest from animal rights activists.

Mushers love their dogs and contend that the Alaskan Huskies’ instinct is to run and pull sleds. This is what they were bred for, the same as bird dogs who instinctively hunt birds. The Huskies have been used for generations in Alaska to pull sleds, so it is easy for them, whereas it would be very difficult for some other breed of dog. Pulling a one ton sled from a dead stop is what one Husky is capable of doing. Endurance is the Husky’s strong point.

So, the battle between the mushers and the animal rights groups continue, as does also the race itself. In the first race in 1973, the prize money was $50,000. That figure has risen to around $500,000 in recent year’s races and the race is scheduled to be run again next year in March, as always.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to alaska.guide-to.info/ Alaska

I think the most important thing travelling does is it broadens your outlook. You see how similar people and their feelings are across the world. From South Korea to Spain I saw people complaining of mother-in-laws We are bound by certain things I guess.

Another thing it does is it can make you more tolerant – to other people’s beliefs and their way of life as you see them in their own surroundings. So when you go back to your own country you are more understanding of other’s cultures.

Another important thing it does is – it teaches you. It teaches you a lot. It teaches you what you never learned in school. To expect the unknown. Unknown places, people. It makes travelling a fascinating experience.

Travelling teaches you to be independent. To plan. To manage your plan. It helps you in professional as well as personal life.

I certainly became more organised when I started travelling on my own.

Travelling brings out the ‘real’ person in you. If you are not sure if you want to marry your girlfriend / boyfriend, travel with them for couple of weeks – you will find out the answer.

It teaches you to compromise. Your food habits, organisation skills, likes and dislikes, flexibility will become evident. When you go out of your known surroundings, you get to know much more the other person. Well, not just before marriage, I learned a great deal more when I travelled with my wife.

I started ’serious’ travelling for professional reasons at the age of 23 (in 1994) when I went to Hong Kong/South Korea for a business visit for one month. I did not speak Korean and did not know anyone else who spoke Korean. Being a vegetarian compounded the problem as I struggled to get the message across in hotels.

But it amazes me how human mind works. On my second visit to the restaurant, I again faced the problem of what to eat. I took the paper tissue kept on the table and drew a chicken on it. Then I put a BIG cross on it. Then I drew a four legged animal and again drew a cross across it. Then it was turn of the fish and again a big cross.

Then I drew an Egg next to the chicken I drew earlier and put a BIG YES tick on it (like the Nike logo). Then something with leaves again a yes there.

The waitress could not believe what was going on, but at the end of it she was amazed and gave a huge smile that she understood.

She also called her manager to see this weired fellow’s drawings and both of them laughed and put fingers on some menu options on the menu card. I ordered one of it and found that I indeed got an egg fried rice!

However later I got better. Next day, I requested one of my colleagues who could write a bit of english to write some common things for me in Korean (including one that said ‘I’m a vegetarian – no meat or fish for me. Egg is fine’) and later on only thing I had to do was to carry that paper with me and show the message.

So, go out, meet some fascinating people, see the world. And your world will not be the same again.

Prasad Mahabal

I’m an avid traveller who wants to visit several countries before I retire.
I also want to share my experience and tips for free at: MyEnglandTravel.com MyEnglandTravel.com

You can use this article for free for any purpose. A link to MyEnglandTravel.com MyEnglandTravel.com would be greatly appreciated.

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