As Bob Segar said ... I think I'm goin' to Kathmandu!!

Home of the Himalayas and beautiful people

I really had little idea of Nepal and what it was all about other than one of my favorite Bob Segar tunes that was more catchy than descriptive. I knew it was Everest ....and I knew it was Spiritual and I knew it was very close to where the earthquake struck last April that registered 7.8 on the Richter scale and well well over 100 on the holy fuck scale. With over 9000 dead with another 22000 wounded it is a major tragedy of our times. And we always focus on the dead and injured as a measure of tragedy but it is so much more than that -- as it usually is. The effects will be felt for many years socially, economically and sadly, culturally. So many important historical sites have been reduced to ruin. While the small temple on the left has not fallen ... it is clearly unstable and unlikely to stand for all of time as originally intended. There are many that look like this...and many much worse. Kathmandu is a dust bowl with major infrastructure destroyed and ongoing efforts to repair hampered by life that must continue, uncooperative weather and  serious economic deficiencies. When I traveled north by bus --- it was 12 hours to cover 200 kms with the bus getting stuck a number of times on the main highway. It's very rough.







There is no escape from the physical manifestations of the deep spiritual relationship the Nepalese people have with their panthenon. Symbols buildings and customs permeate every aspect of life here.  Most are easy to understand and appreciate. Others are more complicated and shrouded in mystery.  I visited the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu and watched the cremation ceremonies on that day. At first it was incomprehensible and I gagged a few times as the smell of burning flesh caught me unaware. I looked away a few times finding the sight hard to absorb. But slowly, and after some time, I began to get more comfortable with the idea. My friends and I made some off-color jokes about having a bar-b-que later ... or "who loves ribs"...and while in bad taste are a reasonable defense mechanisms when westerners come face to face with practices that are not sanitized, commercialized and containerized to separate all aspects of life from death. Here, on the banks of the Bagmati river, the family gathers early in the morning to prepare the body by washing it in the river and wrapping in cotton. According to the deities worshiped, different rituals then take place leading to the body being placed on a platform constructed from hay and wood. The fire is then continued until all traces are gone and the ashed simply swept into the river to begin a life elsewhere.











An interesting social reality I learned about was that the farther down the river one goes to be cremated... the less karma you had at the time of your demise. So at the top you have Priests, children under twelve and woman with unborn children. The Priests because they have served. And children under 12 as they have neither gained good Karma nor attracted bad. That's how the mothers with unborn get to the top of the list as well. But as you travel down the river, the ceremonies are less ornate, the crowds smaller and so on. Imagine having to publicly cremate your uncle who has lived a roguish life and is far from the Priests and under 12's. It struck me that this custom, while hard to imagine is a way of publicly shaming families of those who lived life dishonestly, or cruelly.

Recently in Pakistan there is the case of Revenge rape of a 16 year old girl that was ordered to satisfy the crime committed by her brother. He had raped a 13 year old girl and been caught. A Jirga was convened which is a body of local elders who review honor killings and the like -- and they adjudicated and selected this punishment. Some pretty crazy ideas here... wtf!

Pictured here is a beautiful young Nepalese boy with my lunch of 3 fresh hot delicious samosas. Filled with potato, peas cashews and served with a tahini and chilli honey dip... they are only one of the many amazing foods in this country. Cost: about 20 cents each. Lunch for less than a dollar is also a favorite of mine.

But for me...it's the genuine smile on his face. It's a look you see again and again despite the ravages of the earthquake and poverty that has been endemic in this region. Kathmandu is a calm peaceful and beautiful place that time has remembered fondly and history will never forget. The birth place (well Lumbini 100 kms away) of Buddha and the launch point for of 10 of the 14 highest mountains in the world, it is a unique and special place.

I would like to return to Kathmandu someday and see the progress made but I suspect it will be many years before real progress is a reality .














Thanks for Reading.....Layno!!!

Giddy in Goa

Laid back in Southwest India

 

The word from all I spoke to was "never go to Southwest India in monsoon season" -- and many times I thought about changing my plans while again and again admonishing myself for not planning better.  In the end  -- I went -- and it was an almost perfect experience!!!



In truth, the reality is that a hostel can make or break your stay regardless of the season. I choose hostels because even though you share rooms, the opportunity to compare notes on what to see is worth the privacy/comfort trade-off in my view. Thank goodness for the Hostel World App which gives you a clear view of what is what in the various hostels in India and around the world. The easy-to-use review mechanism allows folks to give feedback on practical and subjective aspects of the experience. Atmosphere and helpfulness are the ones to watch ....... oh and the number of reviews is crucial (more on THAT later)

So Dream Hostel in Goa (Vagator) was a dream. It's laid back and the owner is really warm and helpful. The group there was super friendly and fun with many interesting conversations had deep into the night and well into many bottles of beer.



In addition to fabulous beaches, this is the place where Vasco de Gama and a bunch of other Portuguese spent 500 years. This area is really interesting to me as I've visited Fort Jesus on the Kenya coast where De Gama also spent some time once he rounded the cape and made famous the route to spices and riches. Old Goa is a history lovers dream with so much of Portugal exported to this far-away exotic land. The church above and behind yours truly was the spiritual and physical manifestation of Christianity for the Portuguese Expatriates and the Hindi people. I think it's clear that Christianity was not as successful here having a difficult me competing with Hindi, Islam, Buddhism, Janism and the like.

A dream I have harbored for many years has been to ride a Royal Enfield around India. The Enfield is a special machine in that it is as Iconic as it is almost completely unreliable. It's redeeming feature is that the English-made contraption is easy to fix and carries the badge of a motorcycle company that has produced machines in each of 3 centuries. The first motorcycles were produced in  the1890's though didn't come to India until the 1930s. When production in England failed (it was owned by Norton lastly) production came to India where it is still produced in almost exactly the same as it was many years ago. Often referred to as the Harley Davidson of India, it is a big heavy low powered machine that is comfortable ride and produces a very satisfying chugggg as you motor along.

Since riding my friend Steven Kerney's Keystone mini-bike when I was 11, I have loved the sense of exhilaration and freedom that for me, defines the 2-wheeled experience. This was no different. I drove the coast road with the warm breeze again my skin; the ocean beside smelling fresh and clean. I abandoned the helmet in favor of the feeling of being free and a bit wild in this wildly exotic land. At times the monsoon rains came so hard I had to slow to a crawl to see ahead.Soaked and smiling I continued my magical journey with the Enfield. What a day we had!!!!

I rented from these characters here on the left, where the administrative process was simply handing me the keys and stating the price.... which was about $10 for the day. Given the issues with reliability of the machine and the sketchy look of the renters I wasn't surprised when at the farthest point from the "rental shop" the throttle cable broke and I was stranded on the side of the road. I managed to get back by operating the carburetor by hand, while alternating between chuckling and swearing the 50 kms back to the shop. I gave him half the amount we agreed to and got back on my scooter. Another adventure in life!!

Thanks for reading....Layno!!

Monsoons in Mumbai

A far more sophisticated Delhi...and much wetter!! !!!!!

There's 25 million people in Delhi and a mere 22 million in Mumbai (formerly called Bombay...which I prefer) so clearly a much smaller town. I can say for sure that almost all of them were on the train or in the temple on the first day I ventured for a look around. The trains are literally packed like sardines. And as you can see I was relegated to hanging on the side of the train as we rocketed along careful to keep your arms and legs inside and an eye on your bag so as not to have anything nicked. I heard that 4 people die every day falling off trains in Mumbai. I could see that. I showed up for the train with a cappuccino in one hand and a newspaper in he other. Nope...not today. Ha!!! Women are in separate cars due to wandering hands and the push - shove - punch that happens when the train arrives. Hilarious... The temple was amazing as was the process of lining up and getting some time inside. There were likely 50000 people all making their way to the front to get the dot!

Yup-- got the Dot!!

A note on traveling from place to place in a taxi or the infamous tuk tuk. Not surprisingly you will have to negotiate a price so having an idea of what the price might be is important if you don't want to be taken. Always laugh heartily at the first offer. But even more important is the need to determine if the driver really does know the address. I have had drivers enthusiastically indicate their full understanding. Yes yes yes ... no problem... only to end up with the driver having no idea. But!!!! He got the fare and in frustration you'll likely leave ending up on the side of the road.

One cool thing I've not seen before is an expressway that goes out over the ocean and reconnects on the other side of town. Hmmm ... great idea. Mumbai is far more sophisticated and developed than Delhi. There are large modern buildings everywhere and even though it's home to the world's largest slum (Slum dog millionaire) and half the 22 million are living well under the poverty line, it's coming along very well. The current government is progressive and focused on significant change even though the Modi group is not without its foibles.

Travel is as much about the major sites and attractions as it is the little things along the way. It's tempting at times to just to take a cab. The cost is relatively low and you're out of the monsoon weather and more protected from the pickpockets along the way. Weather is crazy! From dry to incredibly wet quicker and more uncomfortable than another Donald Trump tweet. That said, you can definitely miss out on the juicy bits in between.  Here we have some public art and a great looking character selling his olives and puffing on a ciggy. You gotta love the henna beard and hair and laid back manner.

The gateway to India-- with my dot .....

The Gateway to India behind me is where the British finally left this fine country to the people it belongs to. I'm not a big fan of colonialism though have to admire some of the monuments erected in celebration of the conquests! On the left here is the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya' museum. Try giving that destination to a cab driver. I took the train :)

The museum was exceptional in terms of content and taking on the monumental task of explaining the convoluted history of Maharajas and Generals, trade and tyranny.



The 2008 attacks in Mumbai left 165 people dead punctuating the continuing conflict between Pakistan and Greater India. The Taj Mahal hotel was nearly destroyed in the attack but has been completely renovated and restored to it's former glory. I love old famous hotels and wandered through this one thinking of the people and conversations that had been had here over many years.

Taj Mahal hotel restored to its former glory and with more pomp and circumstance than the changing of the guard!!!

On my way south to Goa in a sleeper bus... a most excellent way to travel and save the cost of a room night!! Ahhhh

Thanks for reading...Layno!!!!

Jumping over to Jaipur Rajasthan

 

There's more history here than the rest of India combined

The train to Jaipur from Delhi was as pleasant experience as you could have really. The seats beside me remained unoccupied for the duration and I was able to stretch out, read and enjoy the scenery as I click-clacked my way south and west of the capital. This is unusual in India as the trains were used up a decade ago but still continue service regardless. This one was in pretty good shape... not by European standards.... but keeping all in context. So busy are they, in fact, that there are special quota's for tourists so that you can get a seat. Now this is the off season (who goes to India in July !!!) so I was able to secure a decent passage.

I met up with a quite a few cool folks at the Mustache Hostel in Jaipur and went to explore the Amber Fort with Max and Lisa. Lisa, a yogi from Germany had just completed a 10 day Vipassana retreat where she had meditated 10 hours a day with no talking throughout the entire time. Hmmm not a chance for this Chatty Cathy. I'd go mad in about 30 minutes. All those people around you and you can't talk??? Like a diabetic in a candy store I'd be the first to crack. Max, an engineering student from Germany was a smart cookie with lots of historical and thoughtful comments about this and that.

Many chose to ride the elephants for the trip up to the fort and it was cool to watch them lumber along. It's not however without a lot of sympathy for the great beautiful beasts. They are truly magnificent and deserve our respect if not even reverence. I got carried away and hugged one....to the shouts and bellows of the handlers. Guess that's a no no.  And how could the land that brought us Ganesh, the Deity who removes obstacles and chaperones success not be revered through the living and breathing embodiment?  The lazy fucks in the photo above should get off and walk. Take the elephant back to the jungle so it can lumber respectfully and happily rather than grudgingly and shamefully. There!!!!! Said it!!!!

The fort itself is in great condition and a treat to visit. One can imagine the extended family of the various Maharajas lounging luxuriously around it's large open spaces. Built in 1592, it's primarily build from red sandstone and white marble.

Two super clever additions were a canon factory and water system. The cannon making factory is completely intact and I was pretty intrigued by the ingenuity primitive as it is by today's standards. Even more interesting was the plumbing. A single beast of burden turns a wheel that dips vases attached to a rope into the lake water far below and then dumps it into a holding tank at the top of the fort Voila...running water. Surprisingly it was still intact as well.

A note on Cows ....Moooooooo

Cows are where you don't expect them. Roadsides alleys...hahaha... I even saw one walking through a grocery store the other day. Oh my God that was hilarious.... And of course they can't be admonished or treated poorly cause it could be your Aunt or Uncle or Grandfather. An unfortunate reality however, is that once a cow no longer produces milk, it is abandoned in the city where it lumbers like the walking dead looking for food as they waste away and slowly starve to death. Hmmm not a great way to treat dearly departed Aunt Agnes.

A quick shot of the floating palace from the far bank.... beautiful and tranquil... love the curved roof line.

A classic Royal Enfield 350 bullet sits ready to ride. It's THE bike of India.... I will ride one soon!!!!

Settling down for a delicious lunch with Max and Lisa. You'd better love veggies. No beef no chicken no pork!!

ooooommmmmm

Thanks for reading ........Layno!!! .....

Agra in the Afternoon... India!!!!

The most beautiful building in the world!!

 

What the fuck is this now??

I thought it rained in Canada... not like this!!!

Moh, Jon and I left Delhi for Agra early and as is the case this time of year, it was already smoking hot. Who visits India in July????  Not a great omen on a day where we intended to explore outside rather than an air conditioned museum .  Agra is some 300 kms southwest of the city over flat-ish dessert like ground. I have seen heavy rain before but not like this. India monsoon rains are frighteningly heavy bringing our little taxi almost to a stop at times.

Hours later we dutifully braved lineups in 40 degree weather and paid the 1000 rupee entry fee. (Locals pay 50 I think). However!!!! we were able to go in the tourist line which was shorter and had free bathroom services! The heat was extraordinary and as you can see below my "dry-weave"shirt is anything but! To the credit of my travel mates - there were no complaints rather a lot of good laughs along the way. Moh is from Iraq and owns a couple of beautiful salons in Germany and is in India on a vacation. From the the goods ole USA, Jon has just finished his education and on a round the world trip before taking a position with Deloitte in the September.  I also would point out that half of traveling is what you see and the other half is the people you meet. Excellent guys to hang with for sure!!

Moh, Jon, myself and our guide

Finally through the turnstiles and despite the heat - it's like entering a  fairy tale. The Taj (crown palace)  truly is exquisite in every respect. Standing back, the proportions and shapes are seductively inspiring. The translucent marble softens the edges making it appear to be one with the sky and at the same time in complete contrast with the tan dessert sand that surrounds it. Since 1634, the white marble has darkened so is now almost constantly being cleaned using an ancient skin lightening mud concoction. This does no damage to the marble and leaves it sparklingly fresh. Not surprisingly it was a failure as a  skin lightening..... a bit too harsh :)

Up close and personal the attention to detail is fantastic. In particular the marble lace carefully inlaid with gems covers the openings to the outside world in an almost magical fasion. So light and delicate, almost like snowflakes intertwined and about to melt.

We next visited Agra fort where the Mughal Emperor Jahan was imprisoned by his son after building the beautiful Mausoleum. It's a love story you see. He so loved his third wife (mostly for popping out 13 kids though died during the birth of number 14) that he built the Taj to honor her. Sadly, once imprisoned in Fort Agra, he could only look at this creation a km away and cherish his 3rd wife entombed below the great white structure. He joined her there after his death where the two remain side by side to this day - below the most beautiful building in the world, Awwwww.
Above and left is his view of the Taj from Fort Agra.

My love affair with Saris

Going back to my days growing up in a small Canadian west coast town, I remember being captivated by the saris I was fortunate to catch a glimpse of from time to time. Later in Vancouver, sightings were more frequent and more tantalizing. Now here - in the midst, I must say that the bright colors and intricate details of Indian women's' dress are a complete delight. While clearly wrong -- I did snap a couple pictures in reverence to the dazzlingly glory of saris.

Thanks for reading!!!! Layno