temple Archives - Page 4 of 5

Asia India Nepal Trip 2016

Return to (New) Delhi

I typed a whole post about this day/night back in Delhi, but lost it somehow. This is an abbreviated version.

I flew from Kathmandu back to New Delhi. The flight was so late or early that I had about 2 hours sleep and felt kind of like garbage, but i did get out and walk around and was finally able to enjoy some Indian food, as I was not sick this time. I walked through the insane traffic in the streets of Pahar Ganj, around the Smyle Inn Hostel where I was staying again.

It was blazingly hot and humid, but i couldn’t sit still. After an afternoon lunch of various curries (where the proprietor tried to change me twice the price on the menu) I walked towards this huge monkey temple I had seen when I taxed to the airport.

In the temple was a labyrinth of rooms leading to “hell”, which various spots to pray and donate money along the way. It was very tacky, but interesting. Some man insisted in giving me a bindi, which i didn’t really want, but accepted to be polite…and then the man wanted $10. He did not get it. I left.

That sour note, aside, i loved Delhi and look forward to visiting other parts of India in the future. For now though, it was time to fly home, via Shanghai.

Asia Nepal Nepal Trip 2016

Viva Nepal!

I arrived back in Kathmandu from Nagarkot mid-afternoon and felt pretty pleased with myself because while the first time i arrived in Kathmandu it was just a confounding tangle of streets and tributaries, this time i was able to give directions to the taxi driver to find my hotel.

I spent the majority of that day in my hotel, partly due to a thunderstorm but mostly due to the hotel i was staying at. As has become my habit, i booked my last two nights in a fabulous hotel. This time is is the Hotel Dalai La. It is gorgeous. Fancy and with a terrific courtyard restaurant. I felt so sloppy on arrival with my dirty clothes and my dirty self, as i had not showered for six days, but not only were they polite to me, but they upgraded me to a superior room. I spent the evening luxuriating in a needed hot shower and watching movies.

This morning, after breakfast, i taxied to Swayambhunath, aka “The Monkey Temple” a hilltop collection of Buddhist and Hindu temples surrounded by trees and countless, curious monkeys. Arriving at the temple involves climbing up 365 steep stairs, flanked by Buddhas and frequented by those ubiquitous monkeys.

The temples at the top are similar to others i have seen on this trip, but it was splendid how crammed together they all were and how busy they were with pilgrims, people praying, and making offerings.

I walked around for quite some time, watching monkeys steal food from people and visiting craft shops (me, not the monkeys). One man, attempted to open my chakras by hitting a large healing bowl with a mallet and moving it about my head, chest, and back. I felt vaguely uncomfortable, which may or may not be the feeling of open chakras.

I descended the mountain, wandered around a few more stupas, spinning prayer wheels as a went, then taxied back to Thamel.

From there i just walked aimlessly for a few hours, weaving with the traffic, declining offers of of guides, rickshaws, taxis, and pashminas. I walked through an area that sold nothing by dentures, then another that sold only textiles. It is all endlessly fascinating.

But come to an end it must. I am now in the excellent courtyard of my hotel having a cigar and dinner and that will be it for me for Nepal. I fly back to New Delhi in the morning. Nepal has been amazing and i have seen only a sliver of it. The takeaway from this is: selecting vacation destinations based on Eddie Murphy movies is an excellent idea.

Asia Nepal Nepal Trip 2016

Prayers and Squares in Bhaktapur

One doesn’t really need two days in Bhaktapur, but i had given myself two days for a more relaxing pace. This proved to be just fine. On my second day i was able to be leisurely in a way that i could not if i had to cram in sightseeing. I awoke at about 5am and shortly thereafter the square awakened. The large temple right outside my window had its door unlocked and then the bell ringing began. People began to enter the temple and each person that entered rang the bell at the threshold several times before entering. The men arrived empty handed but the women all arrived carrying brass trays on which (as best as i could tell) was a few smaller vessels filled with oil and some sort of power, as well as lots of flower petals, and in some cases bananas. I could see through the latticework on the windows that candles were lit. (Non-Hindus may not enter the temple so whatever else happened inside is a mystery.) this carried on for several hours. I also saw women climbing the stairs at the ruined temples and scattering flower petals and something else. When people left the temples they had flower petals on their heads.

I enjoyed my morning coffee at a decidedly western looking cafe called Beans, which had comfy sofas, excellent coffee, and a broad view of the square.

After breakfast i set out wandering. I wanted to find “potters square” (a square where pottery is made, dried, and decorated) and another more far flung square with more temples and whatnot. Of course it is really more about the walk than anything. For example, I came across a group of men pulling by a large rope a massive wheeled cart, for what purpose i do not know, but it was squarely medieval in appearance.

I took a wrong turn heading for potters square and ended up walking through a residential area by the river, where the unpaved roads and brick buildings were in poor repair but it was interesting to see the goings on. A family of pigs picking through trash at the river bank, women sorting sticks for sale for what i do not know, people selling produce, women doing laundry. And of course, the requisite temples.

Turning back i came across potters square, which was tiny, but nice, with men creating the pots on wheels, women laying pottery in the sun to dry and glazing it, and people tending to straw covered kilns. And of course there were various vendors of the finished products.

I then set off for Tachupal Tole, which proved to be a lovely walk and a pretty square, marred only by some peripheral construction. Goats wandered about and men stood in groups watching the construction efforts. Tourists passed through in groups snapping pictures.

There was a large well in the square and women ceaselessly lowered jugs on ropes to the bottom, filling them with water, hoisting them out, emptying them into a large vessel, and repeated. It is amazing to think how luck those of us are who need only turn on a tap.

I sat in the square and had water and a lassi before strolling on, pausing just long enough to enjoy some of the erotic carvings on the main temple. (You’ll notice that in the picture below the woman is washing her hair while getting rogered. I found that funny.)

And that was pretty much it for me for the day. Aimless wanderings, beverages, and not much else. I had plans for the evening, but they were cut short when a huge windstorm came up, shaking the windows and ringing all of the bells violently. I a city it would have still been fine to walk around, but here, with unpaved roads and so much broken brick and piles of dry dirt from the reconstruction, one would have been blinded by all of the dust swirling about. So i stayed put, reading my book by flashlight, and going to bed very early, which was fine.

Asia Nepal Nepal Trip 2016

Patan

On my last day in Kathmandu before going out of the city i decided to visit Patan. Patan is a separate city from Kathmandu, known as the city of arts, but with Kathmandu’s sprawl, it now feels simply like a suburb. The drive never left the city, though it was as interesting drive as Kathmandu away from the tourist sights is quite different. More graffiti, a few sad looking malls, a couple of movie theatre. All very poor looking, but organized and functional. The traffic stuck to its proper sides of the street (unlike in Thamel).

Patan’s main sight is its Durbar Square, which is similar to that in Kathmandu but with a bit more variety in the buildings that survived the earthquake.

All around the square were winding streets with shops selling masks, paintings, and jewelry. And of course there were temples and shrines. It seems that every block has one, and judging by the spilled wax and scattered flower petals, they are in use.

I really enjoyed Patan. There were the same amount of guides hassling for business, but it seemed quieter and more peaceful than Kathmandu. Nothing particularly exciting happened, but i had a lovely time, wandering mapless, and stopping for coffee or tea when i found just the right spot.

A word about coffee. They have their own coffee beans here and when they are well prepared in a nice pourover or espresso, they are excellent, but most places serve Nescafe or something equally unpalatable. When you find a good place though the coffee here is excellent.

The rest the day was spent hanging out in Thamel, cigar smoking, reading, eating dinner. Nothing interesting but all pleasant. I was, however, ready to move on.

Asia Nepal Nepal Trip 2016

Pashupatinath

This morning i went for coffee and a lassi and then haggled my way into a taxi to Pashupatinath, an important Hindu temple and surrounding area on the banks of the Bagmati River. The temple itself though was not the draw. What makes the site so interesting is that on the banks of the river dead bodies are ritually cremated and then their ashes scattered in the river.

The site itself is interesting to explore, as the river banks are dotted with temples and shrines, with sadhus (elaborated decorated Hindu holy men) lounging about, Hare Krishnas speaking with spiritual gurus, and monkeys scampering. And then there are visitors, like me.

I felt like kind of a dick when i entered through a side entrance and found myself shoulder to shoulder with grieving families right at the side of the pyres. I watched as two bodies were carried out, covered in golden cloth and marigolds and laid on the pyres and as they were then covered with straw and set alight. I didn’t stay too long in the particular spot and i felt so conspicuous – plus, i wanted to take photos but would dare doing so in the thick of things, so i moved up above the activities and then stood on a bridge over the river.

You can see in the picture above the blackened feet and head sticking out. It didn’t smell bad but was so smokey that it was difficult to breathe in some places.

I saw it all a bit out of sequence, but before the bodies are laid on the pyres, they are carried to another part of the river and their feet are dipped in the water, to make sure they are really dead, i was told.

Leaving Pashupatinath i went to Bodhnath, which is the largest stupa in Asia and is a centre of Tibetan Buddhism, sadly the spire on top of the dome was damaged in the earthquake and had to be taken down. Reconstruction in underway. While this did diminish the beauty of the monument, the area was still a delight with Buddhist temples and monasteries and inviting shops selling handicrafts, incense, and tea. Incense burns everywhere as do tiny butter lamps.

I had lunch at a vegetarian restaurant that provides free meals to monks (lentils, vegetables, rice, and yogurt).

Asia Nepal Nepal Trip 2016

Kathmandu – Durbar Square

After breakfast this morning i set off on foot in Kathmandu from Thamel to Durbar Square. This was no easy feat. My map was mostly useless, due to the tangle of signless streets, so i headed vaguely south. The air was wonderfully cool and the city was fairly peaceful. Several wrong turns and false starts later, the temples emerged in front of me, shrouded in pigeons. Success! The journey though was also terrific, taking me through less touristy neighbourhoods and past scenes of daily life.

Durbar Square is at the heart of Kathmandu and is home to numerous temples, shrines and palaces. It is also busy with locals, worshiping, selling wares, and lounging on the steps. Sadly much of the square was badly damaged in the earthquake last year. The largest temple was completely destroyed and many others damaged. There are piles of rubble and wooden supports holding up the remaining buildings, but it is still amazing to explore.

Many of the statues and much of the ground are still stained with the colors of the Holi festival early in the week. People selling singing bowls, prayers wheels, and religious bric-a-brac. People feeding the hoards of pigeons. Rickshaw drivers waiting for their next fare. Women selling nuts and marigold chains.

It was delightful. The oddest moment was visiting the temple that is home to Kumari, the living goddess. I was told that in minutes she would be making her daily appearance so i decided to hang out and wait. How often can one see a goddess in the flesh? Worshipped by Nepali Buddhists and some Hindus, she is believed to be the reincarnation of a particular goddess. The Kumari is selected from a particular caste when she is very young, like 4, and is picked based on various physical characteristics (i.e. Eyelashes like a cow, neck like a conch, etc.) and following a series of trials (including spending the night in a room filled with severed animal heads without fear). Once selected she serves as the goddess until puberty, at which point she is replaced. No photos are allowed. She finally came to the window on the 2nd floor and sat for our viewing. She was dressed in what appeared to be fine robes and wore dramatic makeup (think Jon Benet Ramsay meets Amy Winehouse). She sat for a minute, if that, looking bored, and than disappeared. Weird and a little awkward.

While waiting for Kumari, i met a nice English woman traveling the world. We hung out for bit and had coffee (the first truly good coffee i have had on this trip), wandered around and saw the rest of Durbar Square, and then went for lunch on “Freak Street” (so named because it was popular with the hippies who traveled to Kathmandu in the late ’60s and early ’70s). For lunch i had my first mo mos: delicious steamed dumplings served with spicy sauce, sold everywhere.

Parting ways with my lovely lunch companion, i wandered around the streets just north of Durbar Square, taking in the sights and crowds. There are shrines everywhere. The streets were so busy that it wasn’t always possible to get pictures, but i did ok.

I decided to take a rickshaw back to Thamel. My first rickshaw! It was very fun snaking through the streets, a bit above the chaos, on the bumpy wheels.

Arriving back, i walked over to the Garden of Dreams, a small and elegantly landscaped green space on the edge of Thamel and sat until i was bored.

I didn’t do much for the rest of the day. A walk, a delicious dinner of traditional Nepalese dal bhat, and a cigar in a pleasant courtyard decorated with flowering shrubberies, prayer flags, and twinkly lights.

Asia South East Asia 2013 South Korea Thailand

Temple of Dawn & Cold in Seoul

We did so much in our first full day in Bangkok that we were a bit burnt out on the third and final day. We had already done so much exploring and seen so much, but we had saved a couple of things for the final day: we began by walking down to one of the many piers along the river and caught a boat across to the Wang Kang pier where a market was bustling. It was a fun one to explore, as it was a bit different (a bit more clothing and odds and ends and a bit less pig entrails). We did that until we grew weary and then caught a couple more boats south down the river. Each crossing of the river by boat is brief and cheap (3 Baht) and quite pleasant.

We arrived at our final destination: Wat Arun, which means ‘Temple of Dawn’. It is one of the oldest Wats in Bangkok and is very interesting as it is decorated with perfect symmetry of design largely out of broken pottery. It also has steep stairs that one can climb about half way up the outside. It isn’t too far, but the stairs were quite steep and seemed like a bad idea, given my sprained ankle from my fall at Angkor Wat. It was a beautiful structure though.

After that the afternoon sun was merciless and we hailed a tuk tuk back to the area around our hotel before killing a few hours languishing on restaurant patios, enjoying cold and fruity drinks, snacks and cigars, just killing time until it was time to go to the airport.

When we left (narrowly missing the lantern festival) the moon rose large and full over the city.

After a 5 hour flight we arrived in Seoul, having had no sleep and realizing that it is winter here and the temperature was about 2 degrees celcius. We were still dressed for the tropical weather of Bangkok. I hadn’t really factored this into my plans. We had a 12 hour layover in Seoul and when i have done this previously, it had been summer and perfect for walking. I had foolishly planned a wonderful walking route around Seoul to occupy us during our layover, but we arrived not only finding it wintery but windy. Canadian though we may be, we are just not that hearty.

We gave it a go though, taking the train to Seoul station and walking to Namdaemun market, where we had some breakfast bibimbap and tried to warm ourselves by browsing through the market shops, but we had to admit defeat. It was just freezing. We headed back to the airport, stopping ay Seoul station for coffee and looking around in a supermarket and various shops selling cute and confusing items.

No photos from Seoul this time. We were too icy and tired to even think of it.

Fortunately the airport in Seoul is extraordinary and we have had no trouble keeping ourselves entertained and catching up on much needed rest. We will be boarding our flight to Vancouver presently. The trip has been a great one. I hate to return home, but we are both badly in need of clean clothes and baths, so home it is.

Thanks for following.

Asia South East Asia 2013 Thailand

Bangkok

Our first full day in Bankok was an active one. Betty Lou will tell you without any prompting that we walked for at least 10 hours. Fortunately, the weather was unexpectedly mild and pleasant.

We left our hotel after breakfast and walked a bit randomly, visiting a couple of stunning temples we stumbled upon. It was still quite early and they were empty except for us and a caretaker. Most of the temples we have visited here are more ornate than those in Cambodia, and there are fewer monks about. Just as lovely but different.

We then visited Wat Phra Kaewa and the Grand Palace. The complex was simply amazing. It was brimming with temples and palace buildings and statues, all covered with detailed ornamentation; it was such an explosion of color and sparkle and that all we could do was walk around in awe and daftly say “wow”.

Following the Grand Palace and associated wats, we walked further south to Wat Pho, which was also lovely (although i must admit that at this point things started to get blurry – too much of similar, beautiful things viewed in a short time can be exhausting). It was smaller and more manageable however and we enjoyed the ornamental structures.

The big site at Wat Pho however is the reclining Buddha, which did not disappoint. It is a large gold Buddha laying on its side, is covered in gold (except the soles of its feet which are mother of pearl design) and is 46m long and 15m high. Pretty amazing. The room was filled with the loud sound of people putting hundred of coins, as offerings, into metal bowls which lined the walls.

My plan after that was to walk down to Chinatown, but we became sidetracked by this amazing flower market. Apparently it operates 24 hours and it runs for countless blocks, in which people are surrounded by giant baskets, or in some cases, whole rooms of orchids, marigolds, and other flowers. Along the way, workers were fashioning the fresh flowers into decorative garlands, and ornaments on to which candles were to be placed before the flowers were used as offerings at temples, or more specifically in this case, used in a full moon lantern festival which was set to occur the next night (and which we would miss by a couple hours due to our airport deadline). It was really interesting and very busy.

In the evening we had a leisurely dinner on Rambuttri Street (near Khao San Road and our hotel) and then i smoked some shisha while we watched the endless procession of tourists. The place has a definite night life vibe, which carried on far later than we did. I was detemined to get up early the next day to pack in yet more sightseeing before our flight (lest there be one temple or market alley we might miss). It was a great day.

Asia Cambodia South East Asia 2013

Battambang

Battambang day two.
We had arranged a tuk tuk driver to take us around to the various sights I wanted to see, which were outside of the city. Our driver called himself “Dollar” and proved to be a terrific guide for the day. He was handsome, spoke excellent English and was quite willing to talk to us about his life now and previously when he was a monk, as well as his mother surviving the Khmer Rouge and his dream of moving to New York. He also gave us a lot of information about the sights.

Our first stop was the bamboo train. Cambodia has no trains; they were all decommissioned some time ago, but there is in Battambang, in one of the rural villages on the outskirts, one remaining train…of sorts. The bamboo train consists of a low platform of bamboo slats through which the ground is clearly visible. The platform sits atop two axles each with two metal wheels/cylinders. The contraption is powered by a small motor which seems to be operated with a wooden stick. There are no brakes.

Dale, Betty-Lou, & Mr Dollar on the bamboo train

Apparently the thing can reach speeds of up to 40k per hour but we did not seem to travel that fast. We sat in the platform and were zipped though the countryside, leaves slapping our arms much of the way, past rice fields and over rickety bridges which cross muddy streams. The tracks are mostly even and mostly straight, but the ride is bumpy at times. It was great, like a really primitive amusement park ride. At the end of the line (after about 20 mins) we arrived at a “station” consisting of a few shacks selling water and bananas and some t shirts and scarves. There were a few children around who were keen to show us the brick making factory nearby, which was really two giant kilns that looked like beehives, in which they made bricks by burning the left over husks from the rice harvest.

On the way back we passed numerous other trains coming in the opposite direction. There is only one track, so when another train comes in the opposite direction, the drivers decide somehow who should get off. One of the trains is quickly dismantled to allow the other to pass and then first train is put back on the tracks and everyone carries on their way. They whole thing was really fun and cost $5 for the ride.

We reboarded our tuk tuk and set off to our next stop. The dirt roads were incredibly uneven. It had rained the night before and heavily that morning and there were deep holes and furrows in the narrow road, which made the travel interesting and slightly frightening when we had to pass by another vehicle and drive perilously close to the edge of the drop off into the rice paddy. The bumpiness was just fun.

We next went to a small mountain and drove half way up in a jeep (your options are walking, motorbike, or jeep) to a temple, some golden shrines with buddhas, various monks, and some caves. The caves had been used by the Khmer Rouge to throw people to their deaths, but now a steep staircase has been installed and there is a shrine at the bottom with a large, golden buddha and glass boxes in which the bones of the dead are collected. The cave was somber and beautiful, but what made the visit less fun were the stinging red ants that covered the stairs and the handrail on the way down. I was mostly exempted from their wrath, but Betty Lou had them on her ankles, up her pant legs to the thigh and on the back of the neck. To her credit, she handled it well – far better that i would have.

After that the jeep took us to the top of the mountain to the temple Phnom Sampeau which was beautiful, but even more stunning were the views over the verdant landscape. While we were up there we saw one large, loner monkey walk out of the trees and right into someone’s house.

Back at the base of the mountain at Dollar’s suggestion we ate lunch at an outdoor restaurant in what was basically the yard of someone’s modest home. Betty Lou had fried ginger with chicken, i had morning glory with rice, our driver had soup and rice and with water the whole bill was $7. And the food was delicious.

The next leg of our journey involved another stretch of insanely bumpy dirt road in the tuk tuk. The holes and furrows were even worse, but it was exciting and it afforded us some a wonderful look at rural life.

We stopped at a grouping of trees which were filled with hundreds and hundreds of giant fruit bats. They were mostly hanging upside down in the trees, but were very much awake, screeching and flapping their wings. Every few seconds a few would fly around, stretching their enormous wings (these are some of the biggest bats in the world). It was incredible.

Next up was a stop at a tiny winery – a new thing in Cambodia (they do grow grapes here). We sampled the wine (not great, but drinkable), a brandy (not bad and very strong), grape juice (nice), and a honey ginger juice (delicious).

Finally we stopped at a local fishing village to see locals fishing from boats, using large nets.

The day was wonderful. We saw so much pristine countryside and authentic rural life. The weather was excellent and our host delightful. He charged $20 for the day and i for once did not haggle. (I’m pretty sure Betty Lou slipped him a 50% tip.)

The evening finished up with dinner at small corner restaurant where we watched a cat stalking a rat. More wildlife, up close.

It is now the next morning and we are waiting for the bus to Bangkok. They say it will take 6 hours. I have my doubts.

Asia Cambodia South East Asia 2013

Siem Reap to Battambang

Our final day in Siem Reap was spent in town. Two full days of temples was enough to satisfy us and so we spent the fourth day shopping for souvenirs in the market. There are so many beautiful things, but of course one has only so much room at home and in one’s suitcase, so we tried to limit ourselves. That being said, we have had to purchase a third bag to carry our purchases.

Betty Lou shopping the market amuses me greatly. Cambodia is a culture of bargaining. One never pays the first price and, while not merciless, some haggling is expected. I enjoy this process; Betty Lou does not. While I play along with ‘the whole, hesitate, walk away and name low prices as a starting point’, she willingly pays the first price, or, often, she pays more. A shopkeeper asks $4 for a pair of earrings and Betty Lou pays $5, saying that they are worth more than the asking price. With this strategy in place, I am sure the merchants of Siem Reap were sad to see her go.

But go we did, after a couple meals sitting in the perfectly warm night air. The following morning we took a bus to Battambang. We were told the journey would be 3 hours and it was closer to 5, but the ride was very lovely, through the countryside. At one point we stopped for a break and we bought sweet rice and beans cooked in a bamboo stalk, which one peels back in order to feast on the contents. There were also roasted beetles and crickets for sale, but we took a pass on those.

Battabang is not a particularly nice looking city. It is dusty and the buildings are old and not particularly well maintained, aside from that though, there are some nice restaurants and cafes and some interesting, poorly kept french colonial buildings. The main reason for stopping here though is for the countryside, which is said to be some of the country’s loveliest.

We checked into our Hotel (the Royal Hotel), which is unremarkable, but adequate, and very affordable. It is also right across the street from the market and steps from good places to eat.

One of the welcome things about Battambang is that it is so quiet compared to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. Here people are not constantly trying to sell us stuff or offer us services. People are mostly just going about their daily lives. It is nice to take a look at a regular city in Cambodia.
The first evening we went for a bit of a walk and had some amazing curries; i also visited a temple and saw many monks chanting before i settled down at a local restaurant for a cigar and a bit of reading. The next day would prove to be action-packed.

Wandering North

Tag: temple

Return to (New) Delhi

Viva Nepal!

Prayers and Squares in Bhaktapur

Patan

Pashupatinath

Kathmandu – Durbar Square

Temple of Dawn & Cold in Seoul

Bangkok

Battambang

Siem Reap to Battambang