It is a daily struggle to decide whether to give to beggars. Knowing that there is a lack of a well developed safety net we sometimes give money to disabled adults. Around Nepal there are signs asking people to not give money to children begging in the streets as it encourages them to keep doing it and harms them in the long run. However it is heart breaking to look into the eyes of a six year old child asking for money while you enjoy your leisurely breakfast. I imagine many of the children are begging as their family or caregiver requires it. A young boy about seven and girl about six approached us today. I know providing them money can be damaging but I could not turn away with out buying them some breakfast. I recently read in the local paper about a mother killing herself and her two children as she could not afford about $3.00 Canadian in school fees. On the trek we saw a child happily dragging around his one wheeled bicycle.(Had there been a bike repair shop in the vicinity I can tell you J would have fixed it on the spot). And another child playing volley ball with a wadded up plastic bag over a piece of twine.
Everyday there is something that makes you smile and something that breaks your heart. I guess the secret is to not become immune to either. And to do what we can to make this world a kinder and more equitable place. I am so grateful, and protective of, our Canadian safety nets, such as universal health care. There is always room for improvement but we must be vigilant in protecting it. I know compared to majority of the world I am extremely fortunate. If you have not already seen it, take a moment to watch the following video, A Miniature Earth;
There are some charities operating here including the terrific SOS Children's Village; a wonderland faith neutral child sponsorship program. (We have sponsored a girl in China for a few years via this program.) Some other great charities include: Kiva which provides micro loans to assist people in developing their own businesses and providing a path out of poverty, Smile Train; which repairs cleft palettes, UNICEF and Red Cross - disaster relief.
Watching the following video and reading the accompanying book; The Life You Can Save a few years ago changed my approach to charitable giving.
We think that by protecting ourselves from suffering we are being kind to ourselves. The truth is, we only become more fearful, more hardened, and more alienated. We experience ourselves as being separate from the whole. This separateness becomes like a prison for us, a prison that restricts us to our personal hopes and fears and to caring only for the people nearest to us. Curiously enough, if we primarily try to shield ourselves from discomfort, we suffer. Yet when we don’t close off and we let our hearts break, we discover our kinship with all beings. His Holiness the Dalai Lama describes two kinds of selfish people: the unwise and the wise. Unwise selfish people think only of themselves, and the result is confusion and pain. Wise people know that the best thing they can do for themselves is to be there for others. As a result, they experience joy.
When we see a woman and her child begging on the street, when we see a man mercilessly beating his terrified dog, when we see a teenager who has been badly beaten or see fear in the eyes of a child, do we turn away because we can’t bear it? Most of us probably do. Someone needs to encourage us not to brush aside what we feel, not to be ashamed of the love and grief it arouses in us, not to be afraid of the pain. Someone needs to encourage us that this soft spot in us could be awakened and that to do this would change our lives. [Pema Chodron, When Things Fall Apart, p. 87-88]
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Trekking in the Himalayas
We started with a night in Pokhara and the next day we made our way to the beginning of the trek in the Annapurna area. We started our trek at around 900 meters elevation and ended at 2750 meters. It was about 50 kms round trip. However, the more important measurement is that it was very steep! We spent our first night in Hille in an average trekking tea house. The unheated room consisted of two wooden platforms with foamie mattresses, a bottom sheet, pillow and blanket. The tea houses and rest stops along the way generally have a non-flushing squat toilet, which you have to throw a bucket of water down after you are finished. The first day of trekking was tiring but enjoyable. It was a steady incline up to the first tea house.
The second day nearly killed me. The trek was straight up on stone stair cases carved into the side of the mountain. I kept hoping for a flat spot around every bend and instead I was met with a seemingly unending climb. I was not grateful for much at this point, but I was certainly grateful for my trekking poles. They are amazing devices and I am a convert to hiking with poles from now on. It's like having a personal hand rail. At one point our guide tried to reassure me by saying that the lunch break was just up and over the trees where some other hikers could be seen as faraway dots. I promptly burst into tears. He then offered that a donkey ride could be possible. I assure you that the donkey would not say the same thing. The poor donkeys already haul up the supplies for the tea houses and villages, they certainly do not need to haul me up! Besides it seemed like less of a defeat to just turn around. However, I regained my composure and made it to the lunch spot. After that the worst of the climb was over. It was still steep but there were flat spots and more reasonable height gain. I was in awe of the local people zipping up the steep trek, often in flip flops, hauling heavy loads. Below is a photo of part of the trek and a donkey hauling up chickens.
We made it to our second stop for the night in another simple unheated tea house. As you climb up it gets colder and I slept with long johns, pants, shirt, fleece, socks and toque, but I stayed warm! It's funny how much more you enjoy things when there are less distractions and time is slowed down. The tea house made the best corn bread, which was actually more like fry bread (bannock). After all the hard work and cool air it tasted like magic. In the evening we gathered around the dining room fireplace, made from an old metal barrel with a stove pipe jutting out and up through the roof. A sweet young cat made me break my rule of not petting animals as we travel. Actually she broke the rule by jumping on my lap and settling in for a snuggle. It made me miss having a cat and I look forward to adopting a rescue kitty when we return. It was blissful to sit around the warm fire, full belly, satisfaction from a day of successful trekking and a warm kitty in my lap.
The evenings have left time to make progress in the Positive Psychology book I am reading; Authentic Happiness, by Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D. From a social work perspective, it does focus much more on the individual versus environmental impacts but it comes from a strengths based approach. (I think both individual and environmental factors are important to address.) It is about building upon individual strengths regardless of the persons past or circumstance. It has some helpful insights into the role of mindfulness, savoring, gratitude, kindness, self talk, finding more meaning in your work (regardless of what the actual job is), sense of purpose, in building happiness. I also really appreciated its strong foundation in research and evidence based practices. The author also has a website, http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx, with many of the insightful questionnaires used in the book where you can gauge your own areas of strength and development.
I really enjoyed the following story on mindfulness from the book;
After three years of study, the novice monk arrives at the dwelling of his teacher. He enters the room, bursting with ideas about knotty issues of Buddhist metaphysics, and well-prepared for the deep questions that await him in his examination.
'I have but one question,' his teacher intones.
'I am ready, master,' he replies.
'In the doorway, we're the flowers to the left or to the right of the umbrella?'
The novice retires, abashed, for three more years of study. (page 109, Martin E. P. Seligman)
On the next day of the hike I resolved to be more positive and mindful as I trekked. The day offered many opportunities to connect to the present moment. The path way was slick from the last evening's rain and I had to carefully plant each foot on the stones to keep from slipping. Sadly as I rounded one bend I was met with a sickly smell and over the edge of the path, down the embankment was a dead donkey who had obviously slipped from the trail. Along the way you also need to dodge the ample donkey dung. As we headed into the more heavily forested area I noticed a great number of lady bugs dotting the path. This offered another mindfulness moment as I did not want to squish any on the way. So each step and pole was carefully placed to avoid slipping, dung and the little creatures. I am quite sure our porter, who dutifully followed behind me not matter how slow I was, thought I was nuts as I snapped photos of lady bugs, side stepped them and occasionally turned one right side up. As I connected more fully to the present moment I also found I enjoyed the trek more.
We successfully made it to Ghorepani at 2750 meters elevation. J bravely got up at 4:30am and did the hike to Poon Hill, (with an elevation of 3150 meters it should be called Poon Mountain) while I slept. This stop was even colder so I added gloves to my bedtime ensemble. It was so cold that my trusty timex watch stopped working during the night, but once warmed up it started working again, We spent two nights in the village before heading back down. The views of the Annapurna range from Ghorepani are glorious. We opted to cut the trek short by one night and therefore only had one night, two days, to make it down from Ghorepani. The trek down was nearly as hard as the steep day up, as it is so hard on the joints. My legs are burning! It rained a bit on the way down but we missed the worst of it.
The food during the trek has been simple but mostly good. We ate a lot of Dal Bhat, a traditional Nepali dish of lentils, rice, potatoes and a green vegetable. We have now returned to Pokharaand I am looking forward to some more diverse food options, heat, internet, clean clothes, more consistent electricity and western toilets (although the squat ones are really not that bad just a little tougher to navigate at times, such as when one has seized up leg muscles).
The trek was an amazing experience and for me quite an accomplishment. It made me miss our lovely Canadian wilderness and national parks. At this point J and I are planning to come back to Canada for a few weeks in August to take our electric car - Joanie the Tesla, on a road trip, before head to the USA. We are planning on heading to two of our favorite spots, Waterton National Park andKaslo, BC. We are still in the planning stages and will add in other stops along the way for battery charging and exploring. Check out my trek photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8751723@N02/
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
The second day nearly killed me. The trek was straight up on stone stair cases carved into the side of the mountain. I kept hoping for a flat spot around every bend and instead I was met with a seemingly unending climb. I was not grateful for much at this point, but I was certainly grateful for my trekking poles. They are amazing devices and I am a convert to hiking with poles from now on. It's like having a personal hand rail. At one point our guide tried to reassure me by saying that the lunch break was just up and over the trees where some other hikers could be seen as faraway dots. I promptly burst into tears. He then offered that a donkey ride could be possible. I assure you that the donkey would not say the same thing. The poor donkeys already haul up the supplies for the tea houses and villages, they certainly do not need to haul me up! Besides it seemed like less of a defeat to just turn around. However, I regained my composure and made it to the lunch spot. After that the worst of the climb was over. It was still steep but there were flat spots and more reasonable height gain. I was in awe of the local people zipping up the steep trek, often in flip flops, hauling heavy loads. Below is a photo of part of the trek and a donkey hauling up chickens.
We made it to our second stop for the night in another simple unheated tea house. As you climb up it gets colder and I slept with long johns, pants, shirt, fleece, socks and toque, but I stayed warm! It's funny how much more you enjoy things when there are less distractions and time is slowed down. The tea house made the best corn bread, which was actually more like fry bread (bannock). After all the hard work and cool air it tasted like magic. In the evening we gathered around the dining room fireplace, made from an old metal barrel with a stove pipe jutting out and up through the roof. A sweet young cat made me break my rule of not petting animals as we travel. Actually she broke the rule by jumping on my lap and settling in for a snuggle. It made me miss having a cat and I look forward to adopting a rescue kitty when we return. It was blissful to sit around the warm fire, full belly, satisfaction from a day of successful trekking and a warm kitty in my lap.
The evenings have left time to make progress in the Positive Psychology book I am reading; Authentic Happiness, by Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D. From a social work perspective, it does focus much more on the individual versus environmental impacts but it comes from a strengths based approach. (I think both individual and environmental factors are important to address.) It is about building upon individual strengths regardless of the persons past or circumstance. It has some helpful insights into the role of mindfulness, savoring, gratitude, kindness, self talk, finding more meaning in your work (regardless of what the actual job is), sense of purpose, in building happiness. I also really appreciated its strong foundation in research and evidence based practices. The author also has a website, http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx, with many of the insightful questionnaires used in the book where you can gauge your own areas of strength and development.
I really enjoyed the following story on mindfulness from the book;
After three years of study, the novice monk arrives at the dwelling of his teacher. He enters the room, bursting with ideas about knotty issues of Buddhist metaphysics, and well-prepared for the deep questions that await him in his examination.
'I have but one question,' his teacher intones.
'I am ready, master,' he replies.
'In the doorway, we're the flowers to the left or to the right of the umbrella?'
The novice retires, abashed, for three more years of study. (page 109, Martin E. P. Seligman)
On the next day of the hike I resolved to be more positive and mindful as I trekked. The day offered many opportunities to connect to the present moment. The path way was slick from the last evening's rain and I had to carefully plant each foot on the stones to keep from slipping. Sadly as I rounded one bend I was met with a sickly smell and over the edge of the path, down the embankment was a dead donkey who had obviously slipped from the trail. Along the way you also need to dodge the ample donkey dung. As we headed into the more heavily forested area I noticed a great number of lady bugs dotting the path. This offered another mindfulness moment as I did not want to squish any on the way. So each step and pole was carefully placed to avoid slipping, dung and the little creatures. I am quite sure our porter, who dutifully followed behind me not matter how slow I was, thought I was nuts as I snapped photos of lady bugs, side stepped them and occasionally turned one right side up. As I connected more fully to the present moment I also found I enjoyed the trek more.
We successfully made it to Ghorepani at 2750 meters elevation. J bravely got up at 4:30am and did the hike to Poon Hill, (with an elevation of 3150 meters it should be called Poon Mountain) while I slept. This stop was even colder so I added gloves to my bedtime ensemble. It was so cold that my trusty timex watch stopped working during the night, but once warmed up it started working again, We spent two nights in the village before heading back down. The views of the Annapurna range from Ghorepani are glorious. We opted to cut the trek short by one night and therefore only had one night, two days, to make it down from Ghorepani. The trek down was nearly as hard as the steep day up, as it is so hard on the joints. My legs are burning! It rained a bit on the way down but we missed the worst of it.
The food during the trek has been simple but mostly good. We ate a lot of Dal Bhat, a traditional Nepali dish of lentils, rice, potatoes and a green vegetable. We have now returned to Pokharaand I am looking forward to some more diverse food options, heat, internet, clean clothes, more consistent electricity and western toilets (although the squat ones are really not that bad just a little tougher to navigate at times, such as when one has seized up leg muscles).
The trek was an amazing experience and for me quite an accomplishment. It made me miss our lovely Canadian wilderness and national parks. At this point J and I are planning to come back to Canada for a few weeks in August to take our electric car - Joanie the Tesla, on a road trip, before head to the USA. We are planning on heading to two of our favorite spots, Waterton National Park andKaslo, BC. We are still in the planning stages and will add in other stops along the way for battery charging and exploring. Check out my trek photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8751723@N02/
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Friday, March 30, 2012
Bhutan
We spent seven nights in lovely Bhutan! Our quest to visit Bhutan began after hearing little tidbits about this fascinating country which led us to watch the movie Travelers & Magicians filmed in Bhutan. As well we were intrigued by the Bhutan government commitment to recognize GNH - Gross National Happiness as an important indicator for the country, rather than just the standard GDP - Gross Domestic Product. And finally we wanted to explore Buddhism within Bhutan. Traveling to Bhutan is a little different than traveling to other countries. There is a daily tariff per person ($250.00 usd when we went) but it does include accommodation, meals, guide, in country transport etc. If the group is less than three people there is an extra per person charge. To see the current charges and travel requirements see: http://www.tourism.gov.bt/plan-your-trip/travel-requirements
A little backgrounder; Bhutan is a country of 700,000 people nestled among mountains and it borders northern India (among others). The government has both a king/monarchy, and elected representatives as well as a monastic component. Within the beautifully adorned regional dzongs there is a section for the the government officials, monastics, a temple and a square (for events etc). Dzong architecture (from Tibetan རྫོང་, Wylie rDzong, sometimes written, Jong) is a distinctive type of fortress architecture found in the present and former Buddhist kingdoms of the Himalayas: Bhutan and Tibet. The architecture is massive in style with towering exterior walls surrounding a complex of courtyards, temples, administrative offices, and monks' accommodation. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzong_architecture Punakha Dzong is pictured below.
GNH - Gross National Happiness was first formulated in 1974, by former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck and is even reflected within the constitutionof Bhutan. "The Royal Government of Bhutan in 2005 made the decision to develop GNH indicators in order to move the concept of GNH from the point of academic discourse to a measurable one. The indicators aim to check whether programmes and policies are consistent with the values of GNH. The government intends to create conditions for situations to be better-assessed and for policy-makers to be better-informed in taking appropriate measures for actual implementation of GNH policy & programmes." source: http://www.grossnationalhappiness.com/ I think this is an extremely important pursuit and measurement that I hope other countries will adopt. I just read in the New York Times about the United Nations' Happiness Project which "the United Nations will implement Resolution 65/309, adopted unanimously by the General Assembly in July 2011, placing “happiness” on the global agenda." There is a lot we can do individually and collectively to cultivate happiness. Check out one of my favorite articles on cultivating happiness The How's of Happiness.
During the trip it was a little difficult to find vegan food as butter and cheese are used extensively, however vegetarian options were fairly easy. The cafe about half way up the trek to the Tiger's Nest Monastery was actually all vegetarian. I also learned that as part of the country's Buddhist foundation animals are apparently not allowed to be slaughtered within Bhutan, and instead meat is imported. (It should be noted that many other individual Buddhists and Buddhist communities are entirely vegetarian or vegan. For example Thich Nhat Hanh is vegan. We will be attending a retreat at his center in France in June, 2012.) J and I are long time vegetarians, and have been vegan for the last couple of years. For us this also aligns with one of the five main Buddhist precepts; to abstain from harming living beings. I have been pondering this more as I read the local papers citing bird flu outbreak in Nepal, swine flu in India, and anthrax among cows in Bhutan. Combining these issues with ecoli, salmonella, antibiotic resistant MRSA, cardiovascular disease, environmental concerns etc, perhaps by following the precept of not harming living creatures, I am also not harming myself.
During our one week trip we focussed on exploring dzongs, temples, walks, the botanical garden, visiting an arts school, a museum of traditional rural life, viewing the scenery and finally a trek up to the Taktsang Monastery (also known as Tiger's Nest). The temple complex was first built in 1692 and was renovated after a fire in 1998. The trek was certainly a highlight of the trip and I thought I would not make it. Several people only made it part way, or took one of the horses as far up as the animals can go, or opted to not attempt it all. The monastery sits on top of a mountain 3100 meters in the sky. Once you reach about 3000 meters you have to descend a steep stone stair case and then go up another one on the other side to reach the monastery, which is almost impossibly perched cliffside.
I learned a few interesting tidbits about Bhutan on the trip. Several buildings, mainly in rural areas, display phallus paintings or carvings on the exterior. Phallus paintings in Bhutan are esoteric symbols, which have their origins in the Chimi Lhakhang monastery near Punakha, the former capital of Bhutan. The village monastery was built in honour of Lama Drukpa Kunley who lived in the 15-16th century and who was popularly known as the "Mad Saint" or “Divine Madman” for his unorthodox ways of teaching, which amounted to being bizarre and shocking. These explicit paintings, though embarrassing to many urbanites now (this folk culture is now informally discouraged in urban centres[1]), can be seen painted on the walls of houses and buildings throughout Bhutan, particularly in villages, and are credited as Kunley's creations.[2][3] Traditionally symbols of an erect penis in Bhutan have been intended to drive away the evil eye and malicious gossip.[4] source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phallus_paintings_in_Bhutan To read more about this phenomenon and see some photos of the art see this article: Wanderlust: Penis worship in Bhutan.
I also noticed the raised thresholds and lower doors in many buildings, or as I like to call them the tripping head smashers. After visiting an interesting museum, which was complete with a re-creation of a traditional rural house, I learned of the true purpose of this design. Apparently it is to keep the inhabitants safe from zombies, who would not be smart enough to both raise their feet and lower their heads in order to invade the house. So far I remain smarter than a zombie.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
A little backgrounder; Bhutan is a country of 700,000 people nestled among mountains and it borders northern India (among others). The government has both a king/monarchy, and elected representatives as well as a monastic component. Within the beautifully adorned regional dzongs there is a section for the the government officials, monastics, a temple and a square (for events etc). Dzong architecture (from Tibetan རྫོང་, Wylie rDzong, sometimes written, Jong) is a distinctive type of fortress architecture found in the present and former Buddhist kingdoms of the Himalayas: Bhutan and Tibet. The architecture is massive in style with towering exterior walls surrounding a complex of courtyards, temples, administrative offices, and monks' accommodation. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzong_architecture Punakha Dzong is pictured below.
GNH - Gross National Happiness was first formulated in 1974, by former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck and is even reflected within the constitutionof Bhutan. "The Royal Government of Bhutan in 2005 made the decision to develop GNH indicators in order to move the concept of GNH from the point of academic discourse to a measurable one. The indicators aim to check whether programmes and policies are consistent with the values of GNH. The government intends to create conditions for situations to be better-assessed and for policy-makers to be better-informed in taking appropriate measures for actual implementation of GNH policy & programmes." source: http://www.grossnationalhappiness.com/ I think this is an extremely important pursuit and measurement that I hope other countries will adopt. I just read in the New York Times about the United Nations' Happiness Project which "the United Nations will implement Resolution 65/309, adopted unanimously by the General Assembly in July 2011, placing “happiness” on the global agenda." There is a lot we can do individually and collectively to cultivate happiness. Check out one of my favorite articles on cultivating happiness The How's of Happiness.
During the trip it was a little difficult to find vegan food as butter and cheese are used extensively, however vegetarian options were fairly easy. The cafe about half way up the trek to the Tiger's Nest Monastery was actually all vegetarian. I also learned that as part of the country's Buddhist foundation animals are apparently not allowed to be slaughtered within Bhutan, and instead meat is imported. (It should be noted that many other individual Buddhists and Buddhist communities are entirely vegetarian or vegan. For example Thich Nhat Hanh is vegan. We will be attending a retreat at his center in France in June, 2012.) J and I are long time vegetarians, and have been vegan for the last couple of years. For us this also aligns with one of the five main Buddhist precepts; to abstain from harming living beings. I have been pondering this more as I read the local papers citing bird flu outbreak in Nepal, swine flu in India, and anthrax among cows in Bhutan. Combining these issues with ecoli, salmonella, antibiotic resistant MRSA, cardiovascular disease, environmental concerns etc, perhaps by following the precept of not harming living creatures, I am also not harming myself.
During our one week trip we focussed on exploring dzongs, temples, walks, the botanical garden, visiting an arts school, a museum of traditional rural life, viewing the scenery and finally a trek up to the Taktsang Monastery (also known as Tiger's Nest). The temple complex was first built in 1692 and was renovated after a fire in 1998. The trek was certainly a highlight of the trip and I thought I would not make it. Several people only made it part way, or took one of the horses as far up as the animals can go, or opted to not attempt it all. The monastery sits on top of a mountain 3100 meters in the sky. Once you reach about 3000 meters you have to descend a steep stone stair case and then go up another one on the other side to reach the monastery, which is almost impossibly perched cliffside.
I learned a few interesting tidbits about Bhutan on the trip. Several buildings, mainly in rural areas, display phallus paintings or carvings on the exterior. Phallus paintings in Bhutan are esoteric symbols, which have their origins in the Chimi Lhakhang monastery near Punakha, the former capital of Bhutan. The village monastery was built in honour of Lama Drukpa Kunley who lived in the 15-16th century and who was popularly known as the "Mad Saint" or “Divine Madman” for his unorthodox ways of teaching, which amounted to being bizarre and shocking. These explicit paintings, though embarrassing to many urbanites now (this folk culture is now informally discouraged in urban centres[1]), can be seen painted on the walls of houses and buildings throughout Bhutan, particularly in villages, and are credited as Kunley's creations.[2][3] Traditionally symbols of an erect penis in Bhutan have been intended to drive away the evil eye and malicious gossip.[4] source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phallus_paintings_in_Bhutan To read more about this phenomenon and see some photos of the art see this article: Wanderlust: Penis worship in Bhutan.
I also noticed the raised thresholds and lower doors in many buildings, or as I like to call them the tripping head smashers. After visiting an interesting museum, which was complete with a re-creation of a traditional rural house, I learned of the true purpose of this design. Apparently it is to keep the inhabitants safe from zombies, who would not be smart enough to both raise their feet and lower their heads in order to invade the house. So far I remain smarter than a zombie.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
You can take the girl out of social work but...
You can't take the social work out of the girl. It's true I actually miss working from time to time. It started with me sleep talking about the Alberta Works online policy manual and financial benefits codes. Poor J.
The next day I went to a local shop to get a sim card for data on my cell phone. After filling out the extensive paperwork which includes a photo, copy of passport, address, occupation, finger prints etc. The shop owner asked me about being a social worker. I explained that I worked for a long time in HIV he excitedly exclaimed that his sister is studying social work and specializing in HIV. We had a good conversation and he asked me for any recommended resources. I restrained myself and only provided one, the comprehensive Catie website. He also asked for my email, which I provided (after all he already has my finger prints), for his sister as he was sure she would like to talk to me. I hope she emails!
Other than that we spent some time wandering several kilometers through central Kathmandu. We visited many small and medium sized temples, looked at shops, lounged in the peaceful Garden of Dreams park and just took in the sights. We also went up to Swayambhunath temple, otherwise known as monkey temple, that overlooks Kathmandu. The temple winds up a large hill and is covered with Buddhas, stupas, and other Buddhist symbols and statues. There are, as the nickname suggests, monkeys. I accidentally scared one and he charged at me and growled. Dodgy little fellas.
The next day I went to a local shop to get a sim card for data on my cell phone. After filling out the extensive paperwork which includes a photo, copy of passport, address, occupation, finger prints etc. The shop owner asked me about being a social worker. I explained that I worked for a long time in HIV he excitedly exclaimed that his sister is studying social work and specializing in HIV. We had a good conversation and he asked me for any recommended resources. I restrained myself and only provided one, the comprehensive Catie website. He also asked for my email, which I provided (after all he already has my finger prints), for his sister as he was sure she would like to talk to me. I hope she emails!
Other than that we spent some time wandering several kilometers through central Kathmandu. We visited many small and medium sized temples, looked at shops, lounged in the peaceful Garden of Dreams park and just took in the sights. We also went up to Swayambhunath temple, otherwise known as monkey temple, that overlooks Kathmandu. The temple winds up a large hill and is covered with Buddhas, stupas, and other Buddhist symbols and statues. There are, as the nickname suggests, monkeys. I accidentally scared one and he charged at me and growled. Dodgy little fellas.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Change of plans
There is a concept in Buddhism of Impermanence, essentially that everything changes and nothing stays the same. According to the Four Noble Truths we suffer when expect life to not be impermanent; when we are attached to things, ideas, craving/desire, and when we yearn for things to be different than they are. We are experiencing a bit of this right now. We had booked the Mount Everest base camp trek. However, on reviewing the length, elevation (over 5000 metres at base camp), weather, and level of difficulty I knew it would prove to be to arduous for me. I am sad that J does not get to complete the trek. (I did offer to stay behind in Kathmandu but it did not seem like the best idea).
So instead we turned our Everest trek into a seven day trek in the Annapurna foothills plus a sightseeing flight near Everest to get a glimpse. We completed the flight early this morning. The mountains are quite majestic, but Mount Everest does not seem so big among the many giants. In the photo it is, obviously, the tallest most pointed one.
The Annapurna trek is very scenic and will pass sections of rhododendron blooms. We trek for about four hours or so every day and stay in tea houses (small hotel/lodges) at night. A porter hauls our gear and a guide leads us. A highlight of the trek is the view from poon hill.
But first things first. We have decided we need a little break. (I know, I know, we are traveling for a year, isn't that break enough?) The chaotic, dusty, noisy, ramshackle streets of Thamel, (central Kathmandu) are fun, exciting and full of quaint shops and great places to eat, but they are also tiring. I have started wearing a breathing mask, as the locals do, when on long walks. It seems to help my lungs a bit. For our break we are moving to the Hyatt for a week. It's on the edge of Kathmandu on several park like acres. It is also near the many Buddhist temples and the great Boudhanath Stupa, which we want to spend more time exploring. Thamel remains a short taxi ride away should we miss the chaos. I admit I am looking forward to consistent electricity and wifi, a tub, real pillows, maybe on occasion an elevator (although I am grateful for the exercise on the four flights of stairs to our current room), a pool, outdoor space, and less noise (I assume the generator will not be outside our window as it is now).
After a week at the Hyatt we will head to Bhutan for a one week tour. All travelers to Bhutan must be on an escorted tour. Closer to our departure I will share more of our itinerary. After Bhutan we return to Kathmandu for 2 nights before embarking on our Annapurna trek and then back to Kathmandu for about 2 nights. Then we will head to Europe somewhere, around mid-April.
- All photos are shot by me using my iPhone 4s and edited using instagram.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
So instead we turned our Everest trek into a seven day trek in the Annapurna foothills plus a sightseeing flight near Everest to get a glimpse. We completed the flight early this morning. The mountains are quite majestic, but Mount Everest does not seem so big among the many giants. In the photo it is, obviously, the tallest most pointed one.
The Annapurna trek is very scenic and will pass sections of rhododendron blooms. We trek for about four hours or so every day and stay in tea houses (small hotel/lodges) at night. A porter hauls our gear and a guide leads us. A highlight of the trek is the view from poon hill.
But first things first. We have decided we need a little break. (I know, I know, we are traveling for a year, isn't that break enough?) The chaotic, dusty, noisy, ramshackle streets of Thamel, (central Kathmandu) are fun, exciting and full of quaint shops and great places to eat, but they are also tiring. I have started wearing a breathing mask, as the locals do, when on long walks. It seems to help my lungs a bit. For our break we are moving to the Hyatt for a week. It's on the edge of Kathmandu on several park like acres. It is also near the many Buddhist temples and the great Boudhanath Stupa, which we want to spend more time exploring. Thamel remains a short taxi ride away should we miss the chaos. I admit I am looking forward to consistent electricity and wifi, a tub, real pillows, maybe on occasion an elevator (although I am grateful for the exercise on the four flights of stairs to our current room), a pool, outdoor space, and less noise (I assume the generator will not be outside our window as it is now).
After a week at the Hyatt we will head to Bhutan for a one week tour. All travelers to Bhutan must be on an escorted tour. Closer to our departure I will share more of our itinerary. After Bhutan we return to Kathmandu for 2 nights before embarking on our Annapurna trek and then back to Kathmandu for about 2 nights. Then we will head to Europe somewhere, around mid-April.
- All photos are shot by me using my iPhone 4s and edited using instagram.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Chaos in the mountains
As we disembarked the plane we started the visa on arrival process. A word to the wise, ensure you have the correct visa amount in approved foreign currency such as USD, Canadian, Euros etc, as they do not accept Nepalese rupees, their own currency! Luckily after lessons learned from past trips, such as the stranding in India which resulted in J's parents having to wire us money, we keep an emergency reserve of USD on us. You need to have 2 passport size photos, which luckily there is a photo booth inside and the cost was 200 rupees about $2.50 Canadian (they only take rupees, which we were able to get from the onside money exchanger). However, there is no ATM in this visa area and you cannot proceed with out your visa. For a 90 day, multiple entry visa (we always go for multiple entry after the mishap in China. Who knew going from main land china to hong kong counted as an exit?), it costs $100.00 USD per person. Trekking permits are separate.
After clearing the visa process we took a taxi to our hotel. We drove along dusty streets, lined with ramshackle buildings, past dogs, cows, and kids frolicking along the edges. We noticed people playfully tossing homemade water balloons (made from tied plastic bags) at each other, while covered in fluorescent colors of dusty paint. Apparently it is a holiday here, we've become accustomed to never really knowing for sure whats going on as we travel. The current holiday is the Holi Festival. "The ancient Hindu festival of Holi falls on late February or on early March. Allegedly named after the mythical demoness Holika, it is a day when the feast of colours is celebrated. The festival is of a week. However it's only the last day that is observed by all with colours. Phagu is another name for Holi where Phagu means the sacred red powder and Pune is the full moon day, on which the festival ends. People can be seen wandering through the streets either on foot or on some vehicle, with a variety of colours smeared over them." source: http://www.nepalhomepage.com/society/festivals/fagupurnima.html From reading the local news apparently there is a crack down on men throwing balloons of dirty water at unsuspecting women. But it seems that everyone we have observed is actively participating, and thankfully I remain balloon and paint free.
Things here seem to pulsate, but yet nothing moves along very fast, except the motorcycles darting in and out. Restaurants are a leisurely process (as is the wifi). Electricity is intermittent and there is not always a generator backup. (We always travel with flashlights). The streets are quite dark, the blackness interrupted by small fires in the gutters. When the grinding of the hotel generator ceases you realize it is covering the noise of the barking dogs, honking horns, an occasional alarm, and the far off pounding of techno music.
Our hotel is quaint and comfortable. We have a clean room and clean linens, (inconsistent) wifi, satellite tv, locking cabinet, bathroom and a kitchenette (fridge, cupboard, and sink). With the intermittent electricity the fridge is less of an ice box and more of a bug vault, keeping any food items safe-ish from any unseen ants and the like.
We took a short walk to get orientated. Looking up to the top of a six story apartment building, it is interesting to see a flock of chickens on the roof. The streets are filled with travel agencies, trekking stores, restaurants and everything a traveller could need. We ventured over to a hippie hangout, a bookstore and vegetarian restaurant called Pilgrims, where we ate the yummy traditional Nepalese momo. It's like a steamed (or fried) dumpling filled with curried vegetables. The bookstore is amazing, packed with antique books, Buddhist books, travel books and everything else! Plus a lovely assortment of souvenirs (textiles, carvings, statues, jewelry,etc) and post cards. This establishment shall figure heavily in our stay in Kathmandu. I will have to restrain myself from purchasing copious amounts of Buddhist books and knick knacks. We also located a grocery store which seems specify all for trekkers. It's articles with camping foods, instant soups, all kinds of chocolate, nuts, beverages etc. I found some vegan dark chocolate as well. I noticed one poor traveller, with severely swollen red hands, which appears to be from frostbite. It's a good reminder for us to be very prepared before heading out on any hikes. (The temperature in the actual Kathmandu area is pleasant, around 18 degrees.)
We plan on being in Nepal for a while. It is quite inexpensive and there're is a variety of adventures to be had. We will be looking into trekking, wildlife preserves, temples, and perhaps some rafting.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
After clearing the visa process we took a taxi to our hotel. We drove along dusty streets, lined with ramshackle buildings, past dogs, cows, and kids frolicking along the edges. We noticed people playfully tossing homemade water balloons (made from tied plastic bags) at each other, while covered in fluorescent colors of dusty paint. Apparently it is a holiday here, we've become accustomed to never really knowing for sure whats going on as we travel. The current holiday is the Holi Festival. "The ancient Hindu festival of Holi falls on late February or on early March. Allegedly named after the mythical demoness Holika, it is a day when the feast of colours is celebrated. The festival is of a week. However it's only the last day that is observed by all with colours. Phagu is another name for Holi where Phagu means the sacred red powder and Pune is the full moon day, on which the festival ends. People can be seen wandering through the streets either on foot or on some vehicle, with a variety of colours smeared over them." source: http://www.nepalhomepage.com/society/festivals/fagupurnima.html From reading the local news apparently there is a crack down on men throwing balloons of dirty water at unsuspecting women. But it seems that everyone we have observed is actively participating, and thankfully I remain balloon and paint free.
Things here seem to pulsate, but yet nothing moves along very fast, except the motorcycles darting in and out. Restaurants are a leisurely process (as is the wifi). Electricity is intermittent and there is not always a generator backup. (We always travel with flashlights). The streets are quite dark, the blackness interrupted by small fires in the gutters. When the grinding of the hotel generator ceases you realize it is covering the noise of the barking dogs, honking horns, an occasional alarm, and the far off pounding of techno music.
Our hotel is quaint and comfortable. We have a clean room and clean linens, (inconsistent) wifi, satellite tv, locking cabinet, bathroom and a kitchenette (fridge, cupboard, and sink). With the intermittent electricity the fridge is less of an ice box and more of a bug vault, keeping any food items safe-ish from any unseen ants and the like.
We took a short walk to get orientated. Looking up to the top of a six story apartment building, it is interesting to see a flock of chickens on the roof. The streets are filled with travel agencies, trekking stores, restaurants and everything a traveller could need. We ventured over to a hippie hangout, a bookstore and vegetarian restaurant called Pilgrims, where we ate the yummy traditional Nepalese momo. It's like a steamed (or fried) dumpling filled with curried vegetables. The bookstore is amazing, packed with antique books, Buddhist books, travel books and everything else! Plus a lovely assortment of souvenirs (textiles, carvings, statues, jewelry,etc) and post cards. This establishment shall figure heavily in our stay in Kathmandu. I will have to restrain myself from purchasing copious amounts of Buddhist books and knick knacks. We also located a grocery store which seems specify all for trekkers. It's articles with camping foods, instant soups, all kinds of chocolate, nuts, beverages etc. I found some vegan dark chocolate as well. I noticed one poor traveller, with severely swollen red hands, which appears to be from frostbite. It's a good reminder for us to be very prepared before heading out on any hikes. (The temperature in the actual Kathmandu area is pleasant, around 18 degrees.)
We plan on being in Nepal for a while. It is quite inexpensive and there're is a variety of adventures to be had. We will be looking into trekking, wildlife preserves, temples, and perhaps some rafting.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Turtles!
We went down to the main kuta beach area today to visit the Bali Sea Turtle Society (BSTS) (BSTS facebook page). The centre finds the turtle eggs laid on the beach and transfers them to the protected turtle hatchery, that looks like a giant turtle. This gives the little guys a better chance of surviving until they hatch and can be released to the sea.
This is not the regular nesting season for turtles but a clutch of Olive Ridley turtles just hatched this week. This turtle grows to an average adult length of 70 cms.
As a way to build awareness, solicit conservation donations and generally entertain tourists, you can release your own turtle. J and I of course decided to release two turtles. I named mine Tony and J named his lazy. True to his name, Lazy was the last to make it to the water when we released all the turtles. A total of 79 baby turtles were safely released into the ocean.
These little ones face a dangerous journey to adulthood. This journey is compounded by human pollution and garbage. As I stroll the beach much of the garbage I see is plastic bags, cigarette butts and straws. Please reduce plastic use, recycle, don't litter and invest in reusable shopping bags and straws such as these lovely stainless steel straws.
“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” ― Chief Seattle
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
This is not the regular nesting season for turtles but a clutch of Olive Ridley turtles just hatched this week. This turtle grows to an average adult length of 70 cms.
As a way to build awareness, solicit conservation donations and generally entertain tourists, you can release your own turtle. J and I of course decided to release two turtles. I named mine Tony and J named his lazy. True to his name, Lazy was the last to make it to the water when we released all the turtles. A total of 79 baby turtles were safely released into the ocean.
These little ones face a dangerous journey to adulthood. This journey is compounded by human pollution and garbage. As I stroll the beach much of the garbage I see is plastic bags, cigarette butts and straws. Please reduce plastic use, recycle, don't litter and invest in reusable shopping bags and straws such as these lovely stainless steel straws.
“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” ― Chief Seattle
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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