Wellington

Cable Car

Alas Wellington has lived up to its reputation for wet and windy weather but, nevertheless, we enjoyed our visit there. Our motel was nice and central so we were able to walk around the town without taking the car. Headed first for the Cable Car which took us up the hill to the Botanic Gardens. After a quick visit to the Cable Car Museum, we headed for the Carter Observatory which is located in the gardens. Here there was an excellent exhibition about all things astronomical with some very well done audio visual presentations and a Cooke refracting telescope from the 1860s, much to John's delight. After visiting the exhibition, we saw a show in the planetarium. This was in two parts - first a dramatic but slightly too long film about space travel, then an all too short planetarium display, looking at the stars in the sky above Wellington.

Cooke Telescope

From here we wandered down through the Botanic Gardens, brollies up. Beautiful gardens which we would have explored a bit further had the weather been a bit more clement.  Saw the Peace Flame, which is fire taken from the aftermath of Hiroshima, committed to remain alight until all nuclear weapons have been eliminated from the world. This part of our walk ended at the Begonia House where we stopped for some lunch.

Peace Flame (in centre of pond)

The walk then continued down the hill to the Parliament Building - an elegant building onto which has been attached a 1960s extension, known locally as 'The Beehive'. This could have been an interesting modern building (though John Milne subsequently told us that it's reputed to be an unpleasant building in which to work) but looked somewhat out of place juxtaposed to the older, classical style building. Next we passed Government House, an imposing two-storey wooden building, official residence of the Governor-General, and then we reached the quayside. Walked back along the quayside which has obviously been redeveloped recently, passing some nice looking restaurants, and back to the civic centre to which we had walked the previous evening.

Waterfront restaurant

In the evening (by which time it was raining really heavily), we drove out to the Miramar Peninsula where we had dinner with John Milne and his family and spent a very pleasant evening there.

Introduction To Planted Aquarium

Aquascaping (Planted Aquarium ) is the craft of arranging aquatic plants, as well as rocks, stones, cavework, or driftwood, in an aesthetically pleasing manner within an aquarium—in effect, gardening under water. Aquascape designs include a number of distinct styles, including the gardenlike Dutch style and the Japanese-inspired nature style. Typically, an aquascape houses fish as well as plants, although it is possible to create an aquascape with plants only, or with rockwork or other hardscape and no plants.

Although the primary aim of Planted Aquarium (Aquascaping ) is to create an artful underwater landscape, the technical aspects of aquatic plant maintenance must also be taken into consideration. Many factors must be balanced in the closed system of an aquarium tank to ensure the success of an Planted Aquarium  (aquascape). These factors include filtration, maintaining carbon dioxide at levels sufficient to support photosynthesis underwater, substrate and fertilization, lighting, and algae control.

Designs

In the world of planted aquariums and the art of aquascaping, there are quite a few styles that are commonly used among aquascapers. Each style has their own unique characteristics that bring beauty and creativity to a planted aquarium. Some may favor those who are beginning the planted aquarium hobby, where as others may be for the more skilled and experienced enthusiasts. With that being said, lets take a look at few aquascaping styles that are used when setting up an aquascape and find out which style you prefer.

Dutch Style Planted Aquarium

The Dutch style was the first style ever used and attempted for a planted aquarium. This style was developed in the Netherlands since the 1930’s, which have been around for quite some time and still exists and used among aquascapers today.

The principles behind the Dutch style technique consist of using many plants; specifically stem plants of no more than 10-12 species, to create a lush arrangement. The use of stem plants in the Dutch style are grouped and neatly planted in rows from back to front. Choosing a selection of plants with diverse sizes, leaf colors, textures, and growth rates are important when creating a Dutch style planted aquarium. These plants should be carefully organized so that there is a contrast in color, leaf size, and texture between each type of plant. Depending on what type of plants you use, the placement of your plants should also be at different heights to provide depth and create focal points. To create the lush look with your stem plants, you will need to heavily trim your plants periodically and provide them with a good amount of nutrients.

Due to heavily planting with this typical style, an algae bloom in the beginning stages will not likely occur You will also find that driftwood and rocks are not used in this type of style. Another great addition to the Dutch style planted aquarium is the use of fish. Having a school of fish will bring the whole aquascape together, creating a sense of completeness. Most tetra species would make a great choice when deciding what school of fish you want to use.

Nature Style Planted Aquarium

A contrasting approach is the "nature aquarium" or Japanese style, introduced in the 1990s by Takashi Amano.[1] Amano's three-volume series, Nature Aquarium World, sparked a wave of interest in aquarium gardening, and he has been cited as having "set a new standard in aquarium management".Amano's compositions draw on Japanese gardening techniques that attempt to mimic natural landscapes by the asymmetrical arrangement of masses of relatively few species of plants, and carefully selected stones or driftwood. The objective is to evoke a landscape in miniature, rather than a colorful garden. This style draws particularly from the Japanese aesthetic concepts of Wabi-sabi , which focuses on transience and minimalism as sources of beauty, and Iwagumi , which sets rules governing rock placement. In the Iwagumi system, the Oyaishi , or main stone, is placed slightly off-center in the tank, and Soeishi , or accompanying stones, are grouped near it, while Fukuseki , or secondary stones, are arranged in subordinate positions. The location of the focal point of the display, determined largely by the asymmetric placement of the Oyaishi, is considered important, and follows ratios that reflect Pythagorean tuning. Plants with small leaves, such as Eleocharis acicularis, Glossostigma elatinoides, Hemianthus callitrichoides, Riccia fluitans, small aquatic ferns, and Java moss (Versicularia dubyana or Taxiphyllum barbieri) are usually emphasized, with more limited colors than in the Dutch style, and the hardscape is not completely covered. Fish, or freshwater shrimp such as Caridina multidentata and Neocaridina heteropoda, are usually selected to complement the plants and control algae, but for reasons of minimalism the number of species are often limited.

 

 Within the Nature Aquarium style, there are two sub-styles. The first being the driftwood style, and the second being the iwagumi style. Both these sub-styles will be covered at length in the next few editions.

driftwood style

iwagumi style

Biotopes

The styles above often combine plant and animal species based on the desired visual impact, without regard to geographic origin. Biotope aquascapes are designed instead to replicate exactly a particular aquatic habitat at a particular geographic location, and not necessarily to provide a gardenlike display. Plants and fish need not be present at all, but if they are, they must match what would be found in nature in the habitat being represented, as must any gravel and hardscape, and even the chemical composition of the water.

Paludariums

In a paludarium, part of the aquarium is underwater, and part is above water. Substrate is built up so that some "land" regions are raised above the waterline, and the tank is only partially filled with water. This allows plants, such as Cyperus alternifolius and Spathiphyllum wallisii, as well as various Anubias and some bromeliads, to grow emersed, with their roots underwater but their tops in the air, as well as completely submersed. In some configurations, plants that float on the surface of the water, such as Eichhornia crassipes and Pistia stratiotes, can be displayed to full advantage. Unlike other aquarium setups, paludariums are particularly well-suited to keeping amphibians., 

Saltwater reefs

Dutch and nature style aquascapes are traditionally freshwater systems. In contrast, relatively few ornamental plants can be grown in a saltwater aquarium. Saltwater aquascaping typically centers, instead, on mimicking a reef. An arrangement of live rock forms the main structure of this aquascape, and it is populated by corals and other marine invertebrates as well as coralline algae, which together serve much the same aesthetic role as freshwater plants.

Pantai Eksotis Tanjung Papuma ( Jember )

Hampir semua kota di selatan dan pantai utara Pulau Jawa memiliki karakteristik yang berbeda . Di Jawa Timur ada beberapa pantai utara yang layak dikunjungi , tiga dari mereka di Situbondo Pantai Pasir Putih , Pantai Lamongan dengan WBL , dan Kenjeran pantai di Surabaya .

Sedangkan wilayah selatan , yang banyak daerah wisata pantai . Mulai dari pantai di Grajagan Banyuwangi untuk Prigi Psikologi . Ciri khas dari pantai selatan Jawa adalah gelombang tinggi dengan gelombang yang keras menghantam batu , tebing curam dan pulau-pulau kecil yang mengelilingi pantai .

Tentu saja sangat berbahaya jika pengunjung hati-hati untuk tidak bermain di sana . Dengan demikian tanda-tanda atau petunjuk tanda-tanda larangan mandi di sekitar pantai ada banyak . Selain daerah-daerah sepanjang pantai selatan Jawa selalu berdampingan dengan Nyai Roro Kidul cerita mitos yang diyakini mendominasi daerah .

Salah satu pantai selatan Jawa Timur dikunjungi adalah Tanjung Papuma di Jember . Pantai yang terletak 3 km sebelah barat dari Cape Frog lebih banyak dikenal sebelumnya. Watu Ulo Pantai ditandai dengan gersang dengan pasir hitam . Jika pantai berpasir putih Tanjung Papuma dengan rimbunan pohon yang ada di sekitar tepi pantai .

Sebagai tempat wisata alam yang cukup menarik dan menantang untuk rekreasi keluarga dan acara keluarga di tempat kerja. Karena tempatnya di tepi hutan dan juga adanya dasar dan ketersediaan yang cukup tim outbond yang berkualitas siap untuk membantu mengatur kegiatan untuk membiasakan diri dengan alam dan sesama rekan kerja .

Di tempat ini , terutama pada tebing dan batu ditemukan fosil kerang dan ikan yang masih terawat dan belum tersentuh tangan-tangan jail . Rupanya manajer juga tidak menyadari potensi ini , dilihat dari kehadiran fosil yang masih tercecer di dasar tebing dan pantai .

Perlu diingat , untuk sampai ke Tanjung Papuma kita tidak bisa menggunakan bus besar yang diberikan menikung sempit dan tajam dan curam menanjak sekitar 45-50 derajat . Tetapi manajer telah memberikan sepeda motor kendaraan bagi mereka yang sudah naik bus besar . Tentu saja harus membayar secara terpisah dari harga tiket seharga Rp 12.500 , - satu orang .

Satu hal yang masih perlu diperhatikan oleh manajemen adalah tentang kebersihan lingkungan . Memasuki manajer Tanjung Papuma menyarankan pengunjung untuk meninggalkan kenangan dan bukan sampah . Namun sampah yang disediakan kurang memadai untuk pantai dapat dikunjungi lebih dari tiga ribu pengunjung pada hari libur. Sepanjang pantai Papuma ada membersihkan pasir putih dan indah , dan memungkinkan para wisatawan asing yang datang untuk berjemur di pantai . Selain keindahan alamnya , pantai ini juga kaya akan fauna seperti Lizard , Ayam Hutan , burung-burung dengan ragam , Boar , rusa , landak dan trenggiling . Di pantai ini disediakan beberapa sarana pendukung bagi mereka yang ingin menikmati suasana di Papuma lebih lama, seperti penginapan dan berkemah. Saat matahari terbenam , suasana di pantai Papuma akan lebih indah untuk dinikmati. Twilight redup dan semakin gemuruh laut desir menyebabkan suasana dramatis di mana enggan untuk meninggalkan .

Ingin meregangkan otot-otot Anda dan menyegarkan pikiran Anda setelah ditelan membosankan rutin , Tanjung Papuma satu tempat yang tepat untuk memilih .
Bagi mereka yang suka bepergian pantai , pantai Tanjung Papuma adalah tempat yang wajib dikunjungi dan cerita kecil tentang ini Papuma :

• Location

Papuma pantai tanjung terletak di desa kabupaten Jember Ambulu Sumberejo . Pantai adalah sekitar 37 km dari pusat kota Jember . Akses jalan ke pantai baik karena semua jalan telah diaspal dengan aspal , kita bisa menggunakan mobil , sepeda motor atau mobil sewa yang bisa didapat di kota Jember dengan harga sekitar 150 ribu . Selain wisata pantai yang terhubung dengan pantai selatan Jawa timur di cape Papuma ada juga bukit-bukit dan hutan seluas sekitar 50 ha saat ini mulai dikelola dan dipromosikan oleh Perhutani Unit II Jawa Timur .

• History

Seperti kita ketahui cape adalah negeri kecil yang menjorok ke laut , sementara Papuma singkatan berasal dari pasir putih Malikan . Malikan adalah nama yang diberikan oleh Perhutani setelah mulai membuka lokasi wisata ini .

• Beauty

Sebelum sampai ke pantai kita akan melewati hutan , sebagian besar pohon jati yang ditanam berikutnya setelah gerbang masuk kita akan melihat kawasan wisata penuh pohon hutan seperti kelapa murni , tali dan berbagai pohon kecil lainnya dan hutan yang konon masih menyimpan berbagi flora dan fauna tropis , seperti berbagai jenis burung dan monyet juga tergantung dari pohon-pohon .

Setelah melewati malikan hutan kita akan disuguhi pasir putih yang bersih . Perahu barat sepanjang pasir putih ada memancing merapat . Jika Anda ingin melihat kapal nelayan turun dari antara 11,00-13,00 siang dan kita bisa membeli ikan langsung dibakar nelayan untuk menangkap di pantai , tentu saja dengan bantuan para pemilik warung makanan di sepanjang pantai .

Setelah menelusuri pantai pasir putih ditambah mengagumi panorama pantai , pantai yang bersih , air jernih , dan setelah melihat ke tengah akan terlihat begitu banyak batu atau karang - penduduk pulau atol menyebutnya , karena besarnya dan terombang-ambing di tengah laut biru ini akan terlihat seperti pulau-pulau karang .

Ada 7 ( tujuh ) karang besar Papuma ini , pulau-pulau karang baris memiliki nama sendiri diambil dari tokoh pewayangan seperti , pulau Guru , Pulau Kresna , Pulau Narada , Pulau Nusa Barong , pulau-pulau dan pulau katak tenda karena atol berbentuk seperti katak raksasa atas konsekuensi tenggelam di laut .

Sementara ombak sedang pasang akan menjadi indah sekali ketika kita melihat dari sudut pandang bawah Sitihinggil karena akan terlihat tepat di depan sebuah batu karang besar yang dilanda gelombang besar .

Sementara gelombang kecil surut atau kita bisa turun dan berdiri di bebatuan saat air pasang batu-batu yang tidak terlihat karena tertutup air laut , kita bisa berdiri di atas batu sambil sesekali terkena ombak sambil menonton pemandangan eksotis .

Pada saat air surut kita juga bisa melihat banyak nelayan yang menangkap ikan dengan pancing , kalau kita berani menyeberang pemancing untuk bergabung dengan karang tengah benar-benar lebih menakjubkan karena kita bisa berdiri tegak dan batu besar di atas tengah laut sementara gelombang yang menabrak karang ketinggian sekitar 5 meter sensasi sungguh luar biasa . Dari joglo di Siti Hinggil kita bisa melihat seluruh wilayah tanjung Papuma dari pasir putih , perahu nelayan , keripik batu , karang kecil di bibir pantai serta potongan pulau-pulau karang di tengah laut .

• Lodging

Jika Anda ingin menghabiskan malam di tanjung Papuma di sini adalah beberapa vila-vila yang disewa oleh manajer tur kehutanan , dengan variasi harga dari fasilitas penginapan , kamar ber-AC , single bed , kamar mandi pribadi , TV dan kecil teras di tag harga sekitar 300-400.000 . Tetapi jika Anda ingin kembali ke berlumpur kota menginap sambil menikmati berbagai makanan khas Jawa Timur silahkan mencari penginapan di sekitar ' s alun-alun kota berlumpur sebagai tempat strategis untuk bersantai sambil berkuliner.

Tarif penginapan bervariasi 70000-100000 kamar ber-AC dengan non fasilitas en-suite , TV dan tempat tidur tunggal en atau dengan harga kurang dari 120 ribu dan di atas dengan AC , kamar mandi pribadi , TV dan sarapan pagi . Beberapa penginapan seperti Hotel Merdeka yang dekat alun-alun kota Jember atau Hotel Paradise . Untuk itu ada dana lebih, ada sedikit Mahalan silakan coba di Star Hotel Mulia atau Panorama .