Beaches, Tshirt and beautiful sunset from the balcony. Feels great to be catching some sun now after all the adventure of the Himalayas. After my last letter i went on a mountain-trekk in Nepal for 2 weeks, and got a small glimpse of mountaineering! We were trekking the Annapurna circuit which is a 14 day trekk around the mountain of Annapurna. The trekk follows a donkey-track through small rural remote villages which are totally inaccessible for any vehicle. It starts off at 700 meters above sea level, and passes the worlds highes pass on 5400 meters. Some of the views along the route are just to die for, so check the pictures from this adventure into the WILDerness. ;-)
2006/11/15-30 Trekking in Nepal - Mountain Annapurna
http://www.bubbleshare.com/album/104061.78351b09974
Straight down from the baron and cold mountains of Nepal, i decided to do a 10 day meditationcourse in the Vipassana tradition. To be able to learn the technique, a hard diciplin had to be followed. During the 10 days none of us were allowed to speak, make gestures, read, communicate, consume any intoxicants or have physical contact. The day starts at 4 o clock in the morning, and then follows 12 hours of sceduled meditation untill the day ends at 9 and the lights are turned off. The course tought me a great deal about myself, and I learned an invaluable technique to cope with difficult situations, which would turn out very useful in the land of the hindus...
2006/12/01-10 Vipassana MeditationCenter Nepal
http://www.bubbleshare.com/album/104063.2122dc9ec89
Before i left Nepal to go to India, i visited the tailor in Kathmandu, to and got myself a nice black suite for around 70Euros, and then took off to try out my new meditaton-skills on the birthplace of Lord Buddah - Lumbini. Lumbini is a small village, which archeologs have proven to be the exact birthplace of prince Guattama, which later became known as Lord Buddah.
2006/12/11-15 Tailor and Lumbini - birthplace of Lord Buddah
http://www.bubbleshare.com/album/104068.b43b87ea0d1
2006/12/11 Rituel slakt i Hindutempel - Daksinh Khali
http://www.bubbleshare.com/album/104073.f970e231a67
Arriving in India was a crazy experience. It started off with me oversleeping on the train, and waking up in a totally different town. Catching another train in the other direction, i met 2 very nice Indian men who were out on a Hindu pilgrimage, and invited me to join their quest for the trueth. I surfed the cosmic flow, passed my destination one more time, and ended up at "Hatiswalli baba" ( translates to "wise man with elefants") right out in rural India. Baba had two horses, two elefants, and two mobilephones. Upon arrival we greated Baba by touching his foot, (where the spirit emminates from), and sacrificing hindu-style to the gods. Baba then showed off by writing down the three questions that my friends were seeking answers too. Quite amazing! As for me, he calculated with his pocket-calculator, and told me who i was, and some details about my past. Impressivly acurate! It was a special feeling to sit in the light of the candles, and look at the old man when he told the fortune of my friends by 'feeling the energies' of the rice that they had brought with them from home. I couldn't help myself from smiling everytime Baba was interrupted in his rituals by one of his two ringing mobile phones... So, if you want a hotline to the hindu-gods, i've got Hatiswalli Baba's card!
2006/12/15 Elefant Baba - My first day in India
http://www.bubbleshare.com/album/104078.f802ef50c3e
Arriving in Varanassi - One of the three holies citys in india - is a story for the next mail... First few pictures are here:
2006/12/16 Varanassi 1
http://www.bubbleshare.com/myalbum/104087.e40ddf16d3a/editor
Friday, December 29, 2006
2006/11/13 - New photos from Mt Everest
Hi all!
We've got back to Kathmandu valley after 3 weeks of Tibetan experiences! On the way back we stayed one night at Mt Everest Base Camp on 5200 meters. I already miss the views from the Tibetan plateu! Tomorrow I'll be leaving for some trekking in Nepal. We're going to the Annapurna-area to enjoy one of the worlds finest trekkingroutes. I've put 3 new photoalbums online from eastern Tibet and Mt Everest:
2006/11/04 Eastern Tibet:http://www.bubbleshare.com/album/86592.74716db6874
2006/11/06 Lhasa by night:http://www.bubbleshare.com/album/86594.5175def50a0
2006/11/06-08 Lhasa till Mount Everest: http://www.bubbleshare.com/album/86600.26301505a0c
take care all!
/Marcus
"The mountains are the bones. We are the blood. " - Tibetan Lama
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Lhasa - city of contrasts
Sitting on our balcony outside our hostel-room in Lhasa... The sun is shining, birds are singing on the yard, and so are the Tibetan woman on the other side of the yard. I feel great! I just had a shower (in warm water, for once!), and finally my stomach works fine, and accepts the food that I want to eat. Lhasa is a city of contrasts. The light here are just perfect for taking photos. The sun creates sharp shadows in all the smiling faces around us. The colorful monk-clothes glows with an intense red light, just like the coral-necklaces on the traditionally dressed Tibetan woman doing her pilgrimage.... Contrasts. The second the sun sets below the great Himalayan range it gets cold. Very cold. Our room has no heater, and the thermometer on my watch reads 5 degrees when I wake up in the middle of the night and have to run for the toilet.... Contrasts On so many levels. The most peaceful and loving people on earth living under a cruel Chinese oppression. Praying monks and nuns in the middle of the holy city guarded by police and military. A Chinese red and white banner reading something like "china helping the Tibetan people" right in front of the "Potala Palace". Once home for the spiritual and political leader of Tibet - the Dalai Lama - now just another empty tourist attraction where you’re bags are x-rayed and checked for illegal pictures of the former resident.
Despite governmental supported mass-immigration of Chinese people (which are promised reduced taxes if they move to Tibet), and bad conditions for the native's the Tibetans seems to live their lives with hope, and happiness. A people with the most honest eyes, and curious smiles, seem to host no aggression to what so ever. And I believe that the Buddhist message of compassion lies deeply rooted in every Tibetans heart.
We arrived Lhasa after a crazy 5 days rollercoaster in a LandCruiser over the Himalayan range. The tour included incredible sights from 5200 meters, fantastic monasteries and forts, colorful prayer flags reaching towards the sun and clear starry nights. We were riding the "Friendship highway" in 130km/h, and the driver insisted to play the same mix tape over and over again. A mix tape made up by equal parts Tibetan schlager, Indian bollywood-hits and cheesy Chinese pop. 5 days, same tape, max volume! The ride also teaches us not visiting the dreadful Tibetan public toilettes，and gives us all a slight case of mountain sickness. Mountain sickness is natural on altitudes above 2500 meters, and creates symptoms like headache, difficulties to breathe and sleep.
The first day we climbed from 2000 meters up to a pass on 5200 meters. We all got out of the car, and felt like we just landed on the moon! The views, the sounds, the light, the air even time itself was as take from another planet! Everything very slow. Wee-wee for 15 minutes? Trying to walk! Moonman?... Deep breaths! 90 years old, or just "high"? ;-)
Upon arriving Lhasa the three of us just throws in our backpacks on the hotel, and head straight for the holy Tibetan part of the city, and the "Jokhang ". The Jokhang is the most holy place in Lhasa. This is where all the pilgrims from all over Lhasa come to do their "kora". A kora means walking clockwise around something holy, to attain better karma. A kind of pilgrimage. The Jokhang kora circulates the Jokhang. Walking the kora together with thousands of happy Tibetans all dressed up traditionally is an amazing experience! This takes place every day! Everybody is happy, and the streets are packed with salesmen selling everything from touristy crappy necklaces to monk-clothes and human skulls. It's a religious Mecca, and also a center of commerce for everything about Tibetan culture. We have been walking the kora everyday. It's always something different! Once I was walking and trying to make a few shots with my Nikon, I heard this massive trumpet sound! Turns out that it's 4 monks in around 25 years age, trying out the 4 meter Tibetan prayer-horn! You know, one of these horns they use in “7 years in Tibet”! I stand in awe, and give them applauders, and walk further just to stumble into 5 old monks singing nose-song-prayers! Sometimes Lhasa is just amazing!
Our friend Malle has left Lhasa, and me and Stefan are going on a 3 day tour to eastern Tibet tomorrow. Since there is no real arranged tourist-trips, we decided to just hire a LandCruiser, and put up notes all over Lhasa if there were any other interested to join us to share the costs. Turns out that we are 9 persons renting a huge LandCruiser! All happy backpackers from all over the world. A Canadian geologist, a girl from London, teaching Tibetan children English, a Dutch rastafari, two girls from Austria and Holland, a Scottish couple, me and Stefan. A great crew! Looking forward for tomorrow!
Despite governmental supported mass-immigration of Chinese people (which are promised reduced taxes if they move to Tibet), and bad conditions for the native's the Tibetans seems to live their lives with hope, and happiness. A people with the most honest eyes, and curious smiles, seem to host no aggression to what so ever. And I believe that the Buddhist message of compassion lies deeply rooted in every Tibetans heart.
We arrived Lhasa after a crazy 5 days rollercoaster in a LandCruiser over the Himalayan range. The tour included incredible sights from 5200 meters, fantastic monasteries and forts, colorful prayer flags reaching towards the sun and clear starry nights. We were riding the "Friendship highway" in 130km/h, and the driver insisted to play the same mix tape over and over again. A mix tape made up by equal parts Tibetan schlager, Indian bollywood-hits and cheesy Chinese pop. 5 days, same tape, max volume! The ride also teaches us not visiting the dreadful Tibetan public toilettes，and gives us all a slight case of mountain sickness. Mountain sickness is natural on altitudes above 2500 meters, and creates symptoms like headache, difficulties to breathe and sleep.
The first day we climbed from 2000 meters up to a pass on 5200 meters. We all got out of the car, and felt like we just landed on the moon! The views, the sounds, the light, the air even time itself was as take from another planet! Everything very slow. Wee-wee for 15 minutes? Trying to walk! Moonman?... Deep breaths! 90 years old, or just "high"? ;-)
Upon arriving Lhasa the three of us just throws in our backpacks on the hotel, and head straight for the holy Tibetan part of the city, and the "Jokhang ". The Jokhang is the most holy place in Lhasa. This is where all the pilgrims from all over Lhasa come to do their "kora". A kora means walking clockwise around something holy, to attain better karma. A kind of pilgrimage. The Jokhang kora circulates the Jokhang. Walking the kora together with thousands of happy Tibetans all dressed up traditionally is an amazing experience! This takes place every day! Everybody is happy, and the streets are packed with salesmen selling everything from touristy crappy necklaces to monk-clothes and human skulls. It's a religious Mecca, and also a center of commerce for everything about Tibetan culture. We have been walking the kora everyday. It's always something different! Once I was walking and trying to make a few shots with my Nikon, I heard this massive trumpet sound! Turns out that it's 4 monks in around 25 years age, trying out the 4 meter Tibetan prayer-horn! You know, one of these horns they use in “7 years in Tibet”! I stand in awe, and give them applauders, and walk further just to stumble into 5 old monks singing nose-song-prayers! Sometimes Lhasa is just amazing!
Our friend Malle has left Lhasa, and me and Stefan are going on a 3 day tour to eastern Tibet tomorrow. Since there is no real arranged tourist-trips, we decided to just hire a LandCruiser, and put up notes all over Lhasa if there were any other interested to join us to share the costs. Turns out that we are 9 persons renting a huge LandCruiser! All happy backpackers from all over the world. A Canadian geologist, a girl from London, teaching Tibetan children English, a Dutch rastafari, two girls from Austria and Holland, a Scottish couple, me and Stefan. A great crew! Looking forward for tomorrow!
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