Recommend to the Jakarta Police Headquarters, as the Lady Gaga concert giver permission to cancel the event to be held at the Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta on June 3, 2012.

The number of those who vehemently opposed the American singer was the reason for refusing regional police concert titled “The Born This Way Ball” is.

Head of Public Relations Jakarta Police Commissioner Rikwanto explained, advice to Police Headquarters for the reference materials studied.

“Thus, Lady Gaga concert canceled fixed, given the socio-cultural factors that impact on the safety factor,” said Rikwanto, Tuesday, May 15, 2012.

Rikwanto said, the Lady Gaga concert organizers had permission to enter the event on 25 April 2012 and then to the Jakarta Police, while the regional police recommendations to the Police Headquarters posted on May 8, 2012.

According to him, regional police also have coordinated with the event organizer (EO) Lady Gaga concert-related problem in it. ”We have to say why do not you recommendations. To Lady Gaga, found many that do not fit with our culture. EO itself already understand that operate in Jakarta,” said Rikwanto.

Some references are to be considered police to issue recommendations Lady Gaga concert rejection, among them:

A. Input from various parties that the MUI, which is said to Lady Gaga on stage attractions and photos do not deserve to watch a lot of people, dressed too sexy, spit genitalia, stimulating, thus forbidding the concert.

2. Some factions in the Parliament said that the concert was too vulgar, the implication is not good, and not educate so as not to allow the concert was held in Indonesia.

3. Input from FUI, so as not held due to indulgence in lust to do with the problem in terms of appearance.

4. Traditional institutions of the Republic of Indonesia said that Lady Gaga has no behavior or not in accordance with oriental custom.Culture as it does not fit into Indonesia.

The first thing that you need to think about is where you are going to stay. If you would like to stay somewhere quiet then you could stay in a smaller hotel, for example. In addition to this, it would probably interest you to know that there are places that you can stay that are adults only. This means that you’re not going to get disturbed by childing running about and screaming their heads off, so you really can enjoy your holiday.

One of the things that you could make the most of without children is relaxing. If your hotel has a spa or a pool then this might be the ideal opportunity for you. If you had stayed somewhere where there were children, they would have been playing in the pool making a lot of noise, but the fact that there are only adults where you’re staying means that you can have a relaxing time. It is also good to be able to enjoy a meal out without having to worry about the fact that one of the children at your table could throw a tantrum at any time.

You would be surprised at the number of places that hold significant historical interest in the UK. If you had children, there would be no chance that you would be able to do anything such as see those places, but without, you are free. There are many castles that you are allowed to go in and have a look around, as well as museums of local heritage which can be very interesting. If you like walking, you will find that there are many places around the UK where you can get a good bit of fresh air. You could even stop at a country pub along the way and have a spot of lunch! One of the things that are great about the UK is the National Trust sites. These are places of outstanding beauty and historical interest that you could quite easily spend an entire day exploring if you should so wish to. 

No matter which of these things you might wish to do on your holiday, you can pretty much guarantee that you’re going to be getting a much more peaceful holiday than you would if you had chosen to go on holiday with your friend and her three kids! So sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. 

One of the great things to do as a family is go to a theme park. This is brilliant because there really is something for everybody. The rides for the younger children don’t take long, and the little ones would enjoy watching the older children on the bigger rides that they would be able to go on when they were older. In addition to this, there are other things that you can do at theme parks such as go for a meal, buy things from the shops, walk around the gardens or attend shows. There is something that you could do even if you wanted to take grand parents with as well for the holiday.

Another thing that is good is to go to a holiday park rather than just a simple camping site. By holiday park, I mean somewhere like Centre Parks or Ho-seasons where you can do a lot of things. You can choose from activities such as swimming, playing on slides, outdoor pursuits, and creative activities in centres. The good thing about this is that it is safe to let your children go to places on their own because there is no traffic in these places and there are a lot of things that you can do without having to stray too far from your accommodation. The places where you stay are often self catering in places such as these, and this is great because you don’t have to stick to specific meal times like you would if you happened to be staying in a hotel or somewhere like that.

Learning to compromise is very important on a family holiday, because there are obviously some things that some of you would like to do but not the others. This means that you might have to make the decision to do certain things on one day and then save other things for the next day; but you should find that everyone is a little bit more laid back on their holiday so you might not get the same kinds of arguments from your children as you would if you were at home.

Although planning a family holiday might seem daunting to you now, if you have a look at the things that are available in the area that you wish to visit, you should soon find that there are things that you can do which mean that you don’t have to worry about some members of your family feeling left out at all. 

The good news is that most holiday parks have things that they would be entertained by. Many having adventure swimming pools with something there for everybody; whether you would want to swim, go on slides, or just sit and relax by the pool with a good book. You will often find that teenagers are easier to entertain than younger children, as they don’t need your attention every second of the day. In addition to this, if you want to, you can do something completely different to them as they are old enough to look after themselves without you having to worry about what might happen to them.

If you’re on a site with an amusement arcade, then this is fantastic for teenagers, as they often like to spend hours in places like that and wouldn’t have to spend all that much money in doing so. They would also be able to meet other teenagers their own age and could make friends with them, and this means that you would be able to relax knowing that they had something to do.

If your teenager would like to do something that would excite them rather than simply entertaining them, then taking them to a theme park might be a good thing to do. This is great, because as well as the rides there are often other attractions which would keep them occupied for an entire day. There is also usually the option to get something to eat while you’re there, which means that you really could make a day of it.

Although it might be tempting to stop your teens from taking things on holiday like their gadgets, chances are they would be happiest if you allowed them to take these, and would be lost for something to do otherwise. There is plenty of time for them to be able to enjoy gadget free holidays when they are older with their own families, if this is what they like to do right now then they are old enough to make the decision for themselves.

Overall, don’t stress out too much about entertaining your teen. There are things that they can do which would entertain them, and this means that they wouldn’t be under your skin at all during the course of the holiday. 

Online competitions are an excellent source of income for many people. “Professional compers” as they like to be called are now more prominant in society than ever, so this proves that there must be something worth doing if they’re managing to make a living out of it like that. There are several ways in which money can be earned, and it’s usually very easy and only takes a couple of minutes.

The first thing that you have to bear in mind is that if you start to pay for entering competitions then you’re never going to make a profit. You’d have to win a lot to get back all of the money that you’d spent in the first place. When you enter a competition by text message, it can often cost you as much as £6 per entry, and the odds of you winning are really not worth paying the amount of money that you need to. If ever a competition is advertised, always use the free internet entry. You’ll find that even postal entry is pricey, as you have to pay for the envelope, paper and stamp; and you have to actually take the time to walk to the post box which would waste a lot of your time in the long term. 

If you buy magazines regularly, then you will see that there are always competitions in those that you can enter. These usually involve finishing a puzzle to find a prize word and then sending a coupon off either online or in the post. These are good, as they are usually cash prizes, and fewer people enter them than you might think so you have a fair chance of winning them.

Another thing that you can quite easily do is find competitions online. Websites such as Loquax.co.uk keep a record of all competitions that are available online, and this means that you only have to click on that one website to be able to see everything that could enter. I would recommend that you enter them even if you don’t like what the prize is, because it could always either be given to somebody else as a gift or sold on the internet.

Although you’re never going to make a full living from online competitions, there is always the chance that you might win one of the big prizes and be able to treat yourself to something that is really special. 

Positives

• Freedom. Learning to drive would give you a lot of freedom to do whatever you wanted whenever you wanted to do it. If you needed something from a shop late at night, you wouldn’t have to worry about whether it would be safe to walk there, because you could just drive instead. You could go on days out without spending half of them waiting around for a bus.
• Job opportunities. Having a car is now a staple requirement for many job offers. With the economy in the state that it’s in at the moment, it would mean that you had an advantage over other people. In addition to this, you would also be able to look further afield as you would have the chance to drive there instead of having to rely on public transport to get you to and from places.
• Social life. If you have a car, you are much more able to go and see your friends than you might have been in the past. You wouldn’t have to worry about what times the trains stopped running, and you wouldn’t have to wait an hour if you’d just missed a train by the time you decided that you would like to go and see one of your friends. 

Negatives

• The cost. The average person spends at least £1,000 on their driving lessons and their tests. This isn’t an option for many young people, meaning that they just never get around to learning to drive. In addition to this, the cost of a car once somebody has passed their test means that even though they have passed they cannot afford to drive regardless. 
• Responsibility. Being in charge of a car means that you have a lot of responsibility on your shoulders if something should go wrong. When you are driving a car, you are responsible for all of the passengers in that car, so the guilt would be with you for the rest of your life is something should go wrong.
• Environment. The number of cars of the road recently has meant that global warming has advanced much faster than people would have imagined. If there is any way that you could do so, taking the bus or the train to work or to the shops would be much more environmentally friendly than it would be to take a car. 

Joseph Parish

In the majority of disaster scenarios we are confronted with one of two types of personal actions we can take towards protecting our family. We can prepare to bug in and remain at our homes or we can bug out as many people may be planning to do. If you happen to live in a major city where remaining could become a dangerous situation for not only your emergency supplies but also for your own security, perhaps your best bet may be to bug out. Even then one must have a viable plan and naturally you will need a destination as to where you would go. This destination could be anywhere but in the city whether that would be in a secure underground bunker or in a remote country location a fair distance from the dangers of the city. If all your provisions are contained in your city location you are likely to lose a good portion of them if you are unable to transport them to your safe location.

On the other hand if you decide to barricade yourself in your city bound home you must have sufficient supplies to handle the extended duration of your stay indoors. You would require sufficient supplies of ammunition and weapons to fend off attackers, spare parts as necessary for your weapons and various pieces of equipment. Eventually you will need to look towards departing the city. Your food supplies will run thin and you will need to consider growing replace supplies in the upcoming spring. You simply can not accomplish that it the city environment. That brings us to the point where you must bug out for your safety and continuity.

Prior to initiating your bug out process your first thoughts should be where are you plan to travel to. Do you have sufficient fuel to get to your intended destination? I always try to figure a tank of gasoline to get to the final bug out spot. During any sort of evacuation you will encounter bottle-necking at the gasoline stations. There will be no easy tasks for getting fuel for your vehicle. In some cases, it may be rationed or the station may not even have any fuel to sell. Keep clearly in mind the type of vehicle you will be using as this could play a major part in where you bug out to. An 8-cylinder SUV uses considerably more gasoline than you would consume with a small 4-cylinder station wagon. As such you will need to consider what you can carry in regards to food and water. Smaller vehicles hold less than full size trucks.

If the power grid is disabled you may not be able to fully use your GPS. Over the last several years I have grown very fond of my Tom-Tom and can not even think of life without it however as a backup I always maintain a good briefcase full of old fashion, hard copy maps just in case they are needed. Don’t overlook the value of a compass in your navigational efforts as well. The two items – maps and compass are unbeatable.

Next, you will need to consider the safety factors which lead us to think about domestic security as we make our way in our travels. Like most family members the majority of our local police force will be at home protecting their family, therefore we can not count on them to uphold the law as we pass from point to point in our way to the bug out retreat. What manner of hazards will you encounter in your major route as you head out-of-town? Roving bands of criminal elements will likely be wandering around watching for any opportunity that they can seize to acquire additional food, water or emergency supplies. You as a traveler will be the prime target of these types of unscrupulous people.

Granted, as you travel you will feel that you can  make the best possible time by taking the major highways but keep in mind that there are a few reasons that these roads may not be considered the best choice. Major interstate highways represent a highly visible route which may draw un-necessary attention to your vehicle. What if all the traffic heading in the same direction suddenly comes to a complete halt? This could be due to the possible lack of fuel along the route or to some other disruption in your path of travel. Could you imagine sitting in your vehicle for several days at a time waiting patiently for the crowd to move on. Tempers will flair and heated discussions are likely to develop. Having to stop will expose you and your family to unneeded dangers from roving thieves.

If there are any bridges or overpasses in your path of travel these should be viewed as potentially dangerous areas. Since you have only one direction for which you can travel you are at the mercy of a well planned ambush by roving bands of low life marauders. It does not take a large group of individuals to pull off an effective ambush if they are situated in the right positions. These geographically hazardous areas represent the proper terrain to pull such an event off successfully. In my opinion, you would be best to avoid those types of areas in your travels. You would find little concealment and cover from an onslaught of bullets. This means that you must come up with an alternate route which is not a major highway.

Practice on both your main direction of travel and your alternative path to try to identify any potential concealment locations which could be detrimental to you and your family. Another thought would be to locate safe havens along your route where you are afforded the opportunity to rest and freshen up before continuing your journey. Your safe havens need to offer very limited entry as well as protection and cover from possible ambush. Concrete buildings offer a great means of protection. Public buildings which are not too far from your chosen route such as fire stations or park buildings are good choices for your safe haven.

We have only touched upon the basics involved here and I leave it to you to accomplish additional research and to give proper thought to securing your bug out activities in a safe and proper manner.

Copyright @2012 Joseph Parish

www.survival-training.info

Vavar mosque(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The pilgrims undertaking the pilgrimage are a distinct species. Come December, and you see shaggy men dressed in black or dark blue, walking barefoot in the evening visiting temples, and you know the Sabarimala pilgrimage is close. Forty days prior to the start of the pilgrimage, they wear a mala or a garland made of Tulasi or Rudraksha with a pendant of Ayyappa. The pilgrim receives this garland from a temple priest or from a Guru called Guru-swami. Guru-swami is one who has successfully completed the Sabarimala pilgrimage at least 18 times, and can lead his disciples in the best traditions of the pilgrimage.

Along with receiving the mala, the pilgrims undertake certain ‘vrata’ or vows. These austerities are meant to purify the body and liberate the mind from the endless worldly desires and attachment, and train it to develop an attitude of total surrender to the Lord. And what are these vows? First and foremost, vow of celibacy during the time of wearing the mala. The mala is removed ceremoniously only after the completion of the pilgrimage. Secondly, no smoking, and no intoxicants or drinks. Only one full-fledged meal during the day supplemented with very light food for the night dinner. Regular worship and visits at the local temple. No lies, no stealth….

The intention of the austerities is to identify onself as the embodiment of the omnipresent and universal consciousness called God. In fact, the avowed pilgrim is addressed by everyone as ‘Ayyappa’ and greeted with ‘Swamiye Saranam’, which means ‘(Let us) surrender to god’. This is also the mass chant or group slogan when they walk barefoot the 45-kilometer through the forests and chant “the pebbles and thorns are cushions to our feet‘. The chorus is rhythmic and energizing.

Making of the Irumudi

Only those who carry the Irumudi are permitted to ascend the 18 steps which lead to the sanctorum, and those who do not carry an Irumudi can only enter the temple precincts through the side entrance.

The eighteen steps

Climbing the 18 steps

The concept of Ayyappa as the son of Shiva and Mohini, the female form of Vishnu is highly symbolic. When the mind is drawn inwards, there is awareness of the thoughts. Mohini represents the powerful form of the intellect, the inquiring nature. Inquiring nature leads to discrimination of the real from the un-real and helps in transcending to the awareness state. This awareness then witnesses everything and finally transcends to the bliss of pure Consciousness. Intellect is other form of Consciousness and so the union of the Consciousness and awareness state is Ayyappa.

Source

Ayyappa denotes that dynamic principle and the silent principle are one and the same and is the meaning of That-Tvam-Asi, the big inscription board you find when you reach the sanctum sanctorium of Lord Ayyappa in Sabarimala

The entire spiritual journey is also highly symbolic. The tough trek through the jungle conveys symbolically that the path to spirituality requires immense efforts. The coconut represents the human body, the outer shell of the coconut symbolizes ego, and the ghee that is poured in is the Atman (human soul). Of the three eyes of the coconut, two represent the intellect and the third one is the spiritual eye. The rear compartment of the Irumudi symbolizes ‘Praarabdha Karma’ (accumulated worldly possessions), which the devotee exhausts during the journey. The devotee opens the spiritual eye of the coconut, breaks the coconut and pours the ghee (Atman) onto the idol (Brahman). The pilgrimage conveys that the liberation of Atman comes from giving up ego and attachment to wordily possessions.

The vrata continues till the pilgrim returns from his pilgrimage to Sabarimala and removes his ‘mala’ after breaking a coconut and offering prayers.

Hindu-Muslim Unity

As pointed out earlier, pilgrims undertaking the seventy kilometer trek from Erumeli to the mountain top shrine of the god Ayyappa at Sabarimala, first pay respects to His lieutenant and a Muslim pirate-turned-saint Vavar and ask his permission to proceed. 

Devotees break coconut offerings at the mosque, and the priest distributes sacred ash, vibhuti.

The Sabarimala shrine may be open to folks of all religions, but not for women between the ages of 10 and 50, to exclude women in the menstrual age group.

The heavy influx of pilgrims during the peak season has caused stampede resulting in the death of hundreds of people last year. The Ayyappa shrine is in the middle of Periyar Tiger reserve, and this place has a fragile ecology. Many renovations in infrastructure have been suggested including building motorable roads, but both environmentalists as well as the more traditional devotees have opposed this. For the environmentalists, this could endanger the already dwindling numbers of tigers. The traditional devotees of Ayyappa want the trudging to be as difficult and as challenging as in the past to remain as spiritually satisfying.

To be sure, most Americans are not on a first named basis with Bodrum, Turkey, but more will be as U.S. tourists look for new vacation spots that offer safe fun in clean environs. That, along with endless blue water and skies, dry warm summers, pristine streets and beaches, great shopping, and an off-the-planet nightlife is sure to fix Bodrum firmly on the global holiday map and the bucket list of millions.

The sunny resort town of Bodrum on the Turkish Riviera has been a local vacation favorite of the people of Turkey for decades, and is now being popularized by the global jet-set. We heard one visiting young couple refer to Bodrum as, “The capital of the new cool.” 

Celebrity hot spot 

Star-gazers haunting Bodrum’s byways and clubs have reported recent sightings of Beyonce, Tom Hanks, Pamela Anderson, Uma Thurman, Dustin Hoffman, Naomi Campbell, Sting, Nicole Kidman, and Norah Jones – to name just a few.  

Some real – real old celebs  

It’s not all about current Hollywood and Cannes famous people – Bodrum has attracted some very heavy hitters in the past. Anthony and Cleopatra slept in Bodrum, and it is said that Alexander the Great, who conquered the city in 334 B.C., idled away the hours exploring the areas numerous coves and white sand beaches before pushing on. 

Homer wrote, “Halicarnassus is the land of eternal blue.” Perhaps he was taking a break from writing his epic “Odyssey,” when he took the time to contemplate and describe his surroundings in the old city of Halicarnassus – later named Bodrum. 

To top off the list of ancient who’s who, it turns out that Herodotus, the Greek historian, known to the world as, “The father of history,” was born in Halicarnassus (Bodrum) in the 4th century B.C.  

Well, with superstar credentials like that, we wanted to see Bodrum for ourselves. 

Getting there

Our flight was in Business Class on Turkish Airlines. It is a 12-hour journey from Los Angeles to Istanbul, and happily, one of the most comfortable flights in our travel experience. Among other niceties, the Business Class seats on Turkish Airlines fully recline. We arrived refreshed in Istanbul, and made a quick connection to Bodrum.

We will have much more to tell about Turkish Air in our upcoming review of the airline and its services, including its super new international lounge in Istanbul. Can’t wait? Click on the Turkish Airline Business Class tab here.

Lodgings for all tastes in Bodrum 

Whatever your lodging preference, from furtive villa hideaways to über-luxurious space on the Aegean, Bodrum has it all.

We stayed at the 5-Star Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay. This is a sprawling luxury hotel with sufficient amenities to delight the most discriminating travelers. We are working on a separate feature story about this magnificent oceanfront hotel, so stay tuned. If you would like to check it out ahead of our review look at http://www.kempinski.com/en/bodrum  

History is everywhere you look in Bodrum 

As you drive to and through the busy resort town of Bodrum, look around because there are prominent historic landmarks everywhere. Here are some examples: 

The Amphitheatre

The ancient Bodrum Amphitheatre is not far from the town center on the road to Gumbet and overlooks the tranquil harbor, the castle, and azure sea. The theatre stones were assembled back in the 4th century BC. In early times, there was room for 13,000 spectators to view long forgotten spectacles.

Today the outdoor theatre is an active venue for concerts and other entertainment for residents and visitors to Bodrum. Its modern-day capacity is a considerable 4,000 people, but that is far smaller than in ancient times.

The Mausoleum 

Bodrum is famous for being the site of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The ruin of the famous Tomb of Mausolus or Mausoleum is open to the public, but after two millennium of earthquakes, wars, storms, and being salvaged for parts to build other structures, there isn’t much left. Still, it is worth a visit just to imagine the enormity and its past grandeur so many centuries ago. 

The Bodrum Castle

At the center of Bodrum’s two crescent shaped harbors is the impressive 15th century castle of St. Peter built by the Knights of St. John of Rhodes. The castle has a tempestuous history and is full of remarkable stories and artifacts. It also houses the famous Museum of Underwater Archeology. We cannot begin to do this most interesting castle justice in this short article. It will be the star feature of a special report in the near future.

The Myndos Gate 

The public portal that faced the city of Myndos was the scene of one of the bloodiest battles between Alexander the Great and the Persians of Halicarnassus (Bodrum). Much of the original structure remains, but an ancient moat has long since disappeared. 

Be sure to explore 

In Bodrum, you can get away from it all or get into the thick of contemporary Turkish life. Be sure to visit the Bodrum Bazaar, a shopping paradise where you can find everything from fruits to fashions – and try your hand at bargaining – it’s expected and respected. 

The old city of Bodrum has colorful winding streets reminiscent of Mykonos and Santorini. As you walk the narrow alleys, think of the many centuries of footsteps and the untold secrets held in the cobbled stones beneath your feet. 

Colorful courtyards are everywhere and full of brilliant bougainvillea sprawled over whitewashed walls in rushes of pink and purple.

Bodrum is an unforgettable natural habitat of magnificent beauty that is greatly enriched by historical treasures, fantastic shopping, and a nightlife that only stops at daylight. 

You will also note that buildings are going up everywhere. Hmmm, may be a good time to look into real estate in Turkey?  

If you go 

Anytime is a good time for a vacation in Bodrum. Of course, summer is the busiest season, and for good reasons – warm, dry days in the high 80’s, whispering breezes, and ocean temperatures in the mid -70’s – just right for a refreshing plunge. There is also very little chance of your vacation being spoiled by rain. 

It is no wonder that the New York Times recently referred to Bodrum as the St. Tropez of Turkey. It is a fit analogy indeed. 

Bodrum is a perfect vacation destination for the family, or a special romantic getaway. It is clean, safe, fun, and the inhabitants are most friendly.

Get more information at http://www.bodrumfun.com 

This article is a cursory introduction to the fascinating topic of vacationing in southern Turkey. There is much more to tell, and we will do that in future articles. 

Happy travels!

© Travels with Wayne and Judy Bayliff

Photos © Wayne and Judy Bayliff -  Airline photos courtesy of Turkish Air

You can see the world with Google Maps. http://maps.google.com/

Boating, camping, fishing, and swimming are highlights of activities available to 1.2 million annual refuge visitors. Naturally, there is a variety of wildlife throughout the year, from the cautious white-tail deer grazing at the trees’ edge in the spring to the Canada geese swooping in for a stop over during winter migration along the Mississippi Flyway.

Quick History

The refuge was established on August 5, 1947 with 44,000 acres of land in rural Williamson County, not far from Marion (pop. 17,193), a city perhaps best known as being the location of a VA hospital and the Marion Federal Penitentiary. In that year, the War Department transferred the land, part of which had been used for a munitions plant, over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The refuge centerpiece is 6,965 acre Crab Orchard Lake created in the 1930’s by damming Crab Orchard Creek for recreation benefits and for flood control. It has a maximum depth of 30 feet with a nine foot Average.

Background

The refuge itself has 23,000 acres of land and water open to recreational uses and 21,000 acres that are restricted in an effort to preserve wildlife.

A visitors center on Illinois Route 148 offers displays and exhibits of various environments found in the refuge, along with displays on the various prehistoric inhabitants such as the mound-building Mississippian culture. There is also free parking, gift items, and restroom facilities.

The Ice Age glaciers extended down as far as Southern Illinois thousands of years ago, and following that, during the era of habitation, Indian tribes are believed to have commonly regarded the region a hunting ground open to all, not exclusively claimed by any tribe or nation. Kaskaskia (Illini Confederacy) and Shawnee may have actually lived in the refuge’s immediate area.

National wildlife refuges were established by President Theodore Roosevelt (1903) to provide a preserve and breeding ground for native birds.

Birds, Eagles, Waterfowl

And, in fact, the refuge is a haven for birds of all varieties. Crab Orchard provides a safe resting area for as many as 180,000 Canada geese in a typical December. Viewing and hunting Canada geese alone is believed responsible for an estimated $6 million economic influx annually.

Winter visitors often observe American bald eagles throughout the refuge, driven south by iced-over water sources from which they normally feed on fish. Winter is also their breeding season and the refuge currently has three bald eagle nests in use.

In all, 25 species of waterfowl winter over in the refuge and rear their fuzzy chicks with more than 245 species of birds to be found in the refuge, from the heron standing in shallow lake water or flooded field to the huge turkey vulture riding the thermals overhead or the red-headed woodpecker seeking a snack buried beneath a tree’s bark.

Other Wildlife

Other than birds and waterfowl there are to be found white-tail deer year-round, coyote, beaver, raccoon, and wild turkey. A wildlife list is available at the visitor’s center.

Hunting is allowed for deer, turkey, goose, and duck.

Fishing

Fishermen enthusiastically go after largemouth bass in Crab Orchard Lake. Also located in the refuge, Little Grassy Lake is noted for its crappie and 800-acre Devil’s Kitchen Lake, with depths reaching 90 feet, for bluegill and rainbow trout. There are also six small ponds in the refuge that are open.

Other Activities

There are hiking trails (a map from the visitor’s center offers six nature trails) and plenty of opportunities for photographers and picnickers.

Boating is permitted at all three lakes with a user fee charged — Crab Orchard Lake has a marina with slip rentals while Devils Kitchen and Little Grassy lakes are closed to boat motors of more than 10hp.

There are plenty of special activities scheduled throughout the year for visitors.

Farming Too

Visitors and wildlife share the land with farmers. To help in the preservation mission, farmers sharecrop about 5,000 acres of land and each year leave a portion of their crop in the field to feed local wildlife.

Although travel through the refuge is unrestricted, user fees are charged for all vehicles and boats, even for driving the roads off the highway.

Information

For information, check the website at http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=33610