Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Day 24 - Delhi and The End
This is our final blog posting. After a whirlwind tour through India, we caught a flight from Leh to Delhi and then the early flight to home. What an unbelievable and unforgettable trip of extremes. Its hard to list favorites (though admittedly the last week in Ladakh was great) as it was the journey and the travel itself (including both the hassles and the conveniences) that makes India so unique and rewarding. We highly recommend going.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Days 22-23 Tso Moriri and the Tibetan Himalayas
"Fresh" from our 7 hour trek from Spituk to Stok we got in our jeep headed for Tso Moriri, a mountain lake in Southeastern Jammu and Kashmir. Of course, our guide told us that the trek was only going to be 2-3 hours so by this point we had no water, no food, nothing. Exhausted and starving - we made the long ride to Tso Moriri near the border of Tibet/China.
Tso Moriri is described by the Lonely Planet as a place so remote - the marmots outnumber the people 50:1. The lake is one of the highest lakes in the world, in the middle of the mountains and Tibetan desert - about 15,000 feet above sea level. The nomadic Khampa peoples live here, as do wild ass and black necked cranes, and is considered a wildlife treasure.
A funny message from the Tso Moriri "Tourist Welcome Association". These road-side messages were funny and everywhere. Terrible translations probably, and almost all designed to encourage people to slow down. My favorite was "Better to be Mr. Late than Late Mr."
We arrived at about midnight and Lauren and I were already regretting that we hadn't brought our camp cooking gear (we only had our tents). We had no idea what we'd eat or where we'd eat it. We had bought three large packs of cashew nuts and several ramen noodle bowls, thinking that if worse came to worse, we'd snack on these, beg/borrow for boiled water, and then return to Leh early. Fortunately we found this "general store" in a hut next to the lake - perhaps half for foreign tourists and half for locals. It was like a dream come true. We enjoyed lots of time here with the locals and drinking tea and eating the hearty Tibetan cuisine.
Unsure of where to actually put up our tents - especially at Midnight - we found some locals who were willing to let us stay in their homestay, who turned out to be young Tibetan Monks. The accommodations, while spare, were fantastic and turned out to have unbelievable lake views.
We don't have any good close lake pictures because when we walked up to the lake and were taking pictures we were almost immediately covered (literally covered) in flies. Over 200 flies on each of us. Fortunately they didn't sting, but I think we were there right at breeding season and the moment we were about 100 feet from the lakeshore, we all of a sudden had flies all over us. No matter - the views were great anyway and the mountain settlement where we stayed was fabulous.
Our homestay...
Prayer flags strung up between two peaks (see the moon behind!)...
Kids...
Playing soccer with the kids...(actually me dribbling the ball off the side of the hill)
Khampa nomads and their herds
Tso Moriri is described by the Lonely Planet as a place so remote - the marmots outnumber the people 50:1. The lake is one of the highest lakes in the world, in the middle of the mountains and Tibetan desert - about 15,000 feet above sea level. The nomadic Khampa peoples live here, as do wild ass and black necked cranes, and is considered a wildlife treasure.
A funny message from the Tso Moriri "Tourist Welcome Association". These road-side messages were funny and everywhere. Terrible translations probably, and almost all designed to encourage people to slow down. My favorite was "Better to be Mr. Late than Late Mr."
We arrived at about midnight and Lauren and I were already regretting that we hadn't brought our camp cooking gear (we only had our tents). We had no idea what we'd eat or where we'd eat it. We had bought three large packs of cashew nuts and several ramen noodle bowls, thinking that if worse came to worse, we'd snack on these, beg/borrow for boiled water, and then return to Leh early. Fortunately we found this "general store" in a hut next to the lake - perhaps half for foreign tourists and half for locals. It was like a dream come true. We enjoyed lots of time here with the locals and drinking tea and eating the hearty Tibetan cuisine.
Unsure of where to actually put up our tents - especially at Midnight - we found some locals who were willing to let us stay in their homestay, who turned out to be young Tibetan Monks. The accommodations, while spare, were fantastic and turned out to have unbelievable lake views.
We don't have any good close lake pictures because when we walked up to the lake and were taking pictures we were almost immediately covered (literally covered) in flies. Over 200 flies on each of us. Fortunately they didn't sting, but I think we were there right at breeding season and the moment we were about 100 feet from the lakeshore, we all of a sudden had flies all over us. No matter - the views were great anyway and the mountain settlement where we stayed was fabulous.
Our homestay...
Prayer flags strung up between two peaks (see the moon behind!)...
Kids...
Playing soccer with the kids...(actually me dribbling the ball off the side of the hill)
Khampa nomads and their herds
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Where we are / were
Just a quick map to show you where we went...
(BTW - the northernmost state Jammu and Kashmir is dotted line because all borders are actively disputed by everyone (Pakistan, India, China)...)
(BTW - the northernmost state Jammu and Kashmir is dotted line because all borders are actively disputed by everyone (Pakistan, India, China)...)
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Day 20-21 - Climbing the Himalayas
We left Leh in the morning for our first day of trekking, from Spituk to Rumbak, about a 4 hour hike - roughly flat. Our guide - a Nepali - and our ponyman (and 4 horses just for our stuff!!) and us set out at around 10am.
The views were spectacular. This was such an unbelievable experience. It was one of those situations where you take a picture because the view is so awesome, but then 10 minutes later, as you get further along the trail, the next view is like 10 times better, so you take another...and another...and repeat. This region is spectacular.
Our first view...(this is a mountain tributary to the Indus River)
Lookin' good...ready to trek
Setting off to the great unknown...
Tibetan prayer-flags
Rumbak - a mountain village...population 5?
View along the way
Dinner, cooked by our guide...
Our tent...
Lookin' great with our tent...
Really tired...
The next morning, we awoke and set off for the summit at about 4,900 m (16,000 feet). This mini-peak alone would be the 5th largest mountain in the US.
Running down the mountain...
The views were spectacular. This was such an unbelievable experience. It was one of those situations where you take a picture because the view is so awesome, but then 10 minutes later, as you get further along the trail, the next view is like 10 times better, so you take another...and another...and repeat. This region is spectacular.
Our first view...(this is a mountain tributary to the Indus River)
Lookin' good...ready to trek
Setting off to the great unknown...
Tibetan prayer-flags
Rumbak - a mountain village...population 5?
View along the way
Dinner, cooked by our guide...
Our tent...
Lookin' great with our tent...
Really tired...
The next morning, we awoke and set off for the summit at about 4,900 m (16,000 feet). This mini-peak alone would be the 5th largest mountain in the US.
Running down the mountain...
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Day 17-19 Preparing for the Indian Himalayas
We now enter Phase III of our Indian adventure - zigzagging again this time to the North, to Ladakh. Ladakh is in the Indian Himalayas, in the province of Jammu and Kashmir, and is where Buddhist (Tibetan), Hindu, and Muslim cultures meet.
Ladakh is a place so remote and so affected by extreme weather (in the summer the lows are below freezing and the highs are above 90 degrees) that the flights leave REALLY early in the morning, to avoid any bad weather. So we booked a night at the Airport Lounge hotel (free) and slept on the waiting area benches.
The seats were actually pretty nice to sleep on. So I tried to opine my feedback so the airport officials could know. (actually the machine didn't work, and we just thought the sign was really funny)
Our flight on June 5 took us to Leh, which is the world's highest airport at 3505 m above sea level (~14500 ft) in the HIMALAYAS.
Anticipating altitude sickness, we spent the first 2 days taking it very easy (10 hr sleep, daily naps) and getting ready for our two adventures:
1) climbing the Himalayas
2) exploring Tso Moriri, on the edge of Tibet, described by Lonely Planet as "a place where marmots outnumber humans 50 to 1" and a place of which "no navigable maps exist" inhabited only by the Khampa nomads.
Clearly this is an awesome idea, and we are psyched for the cap to our trip.
Especially with such awesome trekking gear (no joke):
Its amazing what 65 cents per day can rent you (orange paisley jackets).
Leh was such a great contrast to the rest of India. Predominantly Buddhist and very cool due to the high altitude, the area was more like Central Asia/Tibet/Mongolia than the rest of India.
Side note: they make really interesting bread here...
Ladakh is a place so remote and so affected by extreme weather (in the summer the lows are below freezing and the highs are above 90 degrees) that the flights leave REALLY early in the morning, to avoid any bad weather. So we booked a night at the Airport Lounge hotel (free) and slept on the waiting area benches.
The seats were actually pretty nice to sleep on. So I tried to opine my feedback so the airport officials could know. (actually the machine didn't work, and we just thought the sign was really funny)
Our flight on June 5 took us to Leh, which is the world's highest airport at 3505 m above sea level (~14500 ft) in the HIMALAYAS.
Anticipating altitude sickness, we spent the first 2 days taking it very easy (10 hr sleep, daily naps) and getting ready for our two adventures:
1) climbing the Himalayas
2) exploring Tso Moriri, on the edge of Tibet, described by Lonely Planet as "a place where marmots outnumber humans 50 to 1" and a place of which "no navigable maps exist" inhabited only by the Khampa nomads.
Clearly this is an awesome idea, and we are psyched for the cap to our trip.
Especially with such awesome trekking gear (no joke):
Its amazing what 65 cents per day can rent you (orange paisley jackets).
Leh was such a great contrast to the rest of India. Predominantly Buddhist and very cool due to the high altitude, the area was more like Central Asia/Tibet/Mongolia than the rest of India.
Side note: they make really interesting bread here...
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Days 13-16, Chennai and Wedding
We arrived in Chennai late Thursday night and were welcomed by the Dewans' driver. We just can't thank Erica, Feroz, and Feroz's family enough for letting us stay with them for four nights. We loved getting to know them, and being in someone's home was such a treat. They definitely spoiled us with their food and hospitality.
Friday afternoon was our first wedding event -- the mehendi ceremony! We arrived early, so found a nearby coffee house. North Indian coffee is terrible, so I had not had very much coffee during our trip thus far. Needless to say, I was thrilled to learn that South Indian "filter coffee" is renown for its strength and deliciousness.
Traditionally, the mehendi ceremony is a time for the women (it is for women only) of both families get to know each other. The bride's hands, forearms, feet, and ankles are covered in ornate henna designs by henna artists (as far as we could tell, for decoration only). The other women typically get the palms of their hands decorated as well. Also, the groom's name is hidden somewhere in the bride's henna designs, and he must find it before the henna wears away.
Ajay and Anusha opened the ceremony up so that men and friends could join in. This was definitely a highlight of the weekend! We met many of Anusha and Ajay's friends and family and ate delicious food -- samosas, chat, milk cake, curries, and coconut water!
Better yet, Anusha's female relatives (including one who knew about Teach For America) insisted that I get the henna on my hands - which was, of course, the main motive for why I had staked my spot in the henna room :) I was so thrilled to get it done! Here are some pics...
Here are pics of Anusha's little guests, who were also very excited about their henna:
The henna requires two hours to dry, so Michael had to do everything -- even feed me! -- during this time.
Saturday morning, we woke up and set out to see some of the Chennai sites. We didn't have much interest for temples and historical sites, so we started with my personal favorite -- the AVM Studios. We walked around and saw filming for an upcoming action movie.
We were really hoping to be cast as extras...but no one showed any interest... It was remarkable how open the studios were. The set hands even offered us drinks and spots in their shade as we watched the filming. We would have liked to have watched more (apparently, some action scenes were to be filmed that day) but it was just too hot. So, we escaped to Spencer Plaza, a mall with AC. The mall was unremarkable, but Michael did get a much-needed hair cut and we did get to cool off. For lunch, we ate Goan (west Indian coast) food at Coconut Lagoon. We definitely recommend this place -- we had delicious crab curry and a mushroom "khoon" soup.
That night was the official engagement ceremony for Anusha and Ajay. Traditionally, the marriages were arranged, and so this was to be the first real time for the families and bride and groom to meet one another. In this ceremony the contract of the marriage is put together (it will be executed the following morning, at the marriage ceremony) and the families exchange clothes for the bride and groom to wear. Anusha looked stunning. We got to see a few beautiful outfits (each with a custom-made set of matching bangles) on Anusha. Unfortunately, we don't have great pictures, as all of the ceremony happened on stage. Here is our best shot...
The ceremony was followed by a delicious South Indian thali dinner. We sat down in front of a fresh banana leaf, which was first sprinkled with water (We didn't know what to do - we were later told we were supposed to use the water to clean the banana leaves.) Then a series of people came by each ladling a delicious curry or snack on to our leaf plate; within 20 seconds our banana leaves were full of delicious rice, soups, chutneys, and small dishes. All of this we were supposed to eat with our hands, using the thin potato pancakes. All of this was delicious -- and we loved the wide variety of flavors.
The next day. the wedding began at 6am with Ajay walking out of the wedding hall, dressed and acting as if he was leaving the city to become a celibate monk in the mountains.
As he walked out, Anusha's father stopped him and asked him to return to the wedding hall and marry his daughter. After some back-and-forth, Ajay agreed to return. At this point, Anusha came out and she and Ajay put garlands of flowers around each others necks. This was part of a game--since the bride and groom were traditionally children, this was a game played to keep them occupied during the ceremony. The men of each family would put the bride and groom on their shoulders and make it difficult for them to put the garlands on each other. There are apparently many such games played during the ceremony, but this was the only one that we understood.
The ceremony lasted for a few hours -- again with some changes in outfits. We are sorry to say that we did not understand that much of what happened. For one part, the bride and groom sat on a swing and many relatives washed their feet...
Then, like the engagement ceremony, there was a stage with priests and the bride, groom, and their parents. Towards the end of the ceremony, the bride and the groom walk around the fire seven times. After walking around the fire, they are officially married. We were so surprised to see that, in general, the guests had lost interest by this time -- most of them had left the main hall to eat breakfast in the reception area. We joined the rest of the guests for another thali meal, and then went back to the Dewans' to rest.
We spent the rest of that day with the Dewans -- we had a great brunch and got to meet Mrs. Dewan, who flew in that morning from Singapore. That night, it was time for our last wedding event -- the reception. At this event, the bride, groom, and their families stand on stage and a long line of guests forms. One by one, the guests go up on the stage, wish the new couple well, and have their picture taken with the new family. We spent an hour or so talking to people we'd met, went up on stage ourselves, and then went to Zara's (a local bar that was recommended to us) for some wine.
Friday afternoon was our first wedding event -- the mehendi ceremony! We arrived early, so found a nearby coffee house. North Indian coffee is terrible, so I had not had very much coffee during our trip thus far. Needless to say, I was thrilled to learn that South Indian "filter coffee" is renown for its strength and deliciousness.
Traditionally, the mehendi ceremony is a time for the women (it is for women only) of both families get to know each other. The bride's hands, forearms, feet, and ankles are covered in ornate henna designs by henna artists (as far as we could tell, for decoration only). The other women typically get the palms of their hands decorated as well. Also, the groom's name is hidden somewhere in the bride's henna designs, and he must find it before the henna wears away.
Ajay and Anusha opened the ceremony up so that men and friends could join in. This was definitely a highlight of the weekend! We met many of Anusha and Ajay's friends and family and ate delicious food -- samosas, chat, milk cake, curries, and coconut water!
Better yet, Anusha's female relatives (including one who knew about Teach For America) insisted that I get the henna on my hands - which was, of course, the main motive for why I had staked my spot in the henna room :) I was so thrilled to get it done! Here are some pics...
Here are pics of Anusha's little guests, who were also very excited about their henna:
The henna requires two hours to dry, so Michael had to do everything -- even feed me! -- during this time.
Saturday morning, we woke up and set out to see some of the Chennai sites. We didn't have much interest for temples and historical sites, so we started with my personal favorite -- the AVM Studios. We walked around and saw filming for an upcoming action movie.
We were really hoping to be cast as extras...but no one showed any interest... It was remarkable how open the studios were. The set hands even offered us drinks and spots in their shade as we watched the filming. We would have liked to have watched more (apparently, some action scenes were to be filmed that day) but it was just too hot. So, we escaped to Spencer Plaza, a mall with AC. The mall was unremarkable, but Michael did get a much-needed hair cut and we did get to cool off. For lunch, we ate Goan (west Indian coast) food at Coconut Lagoon. We definitely recommend this place -- we had delicious crab curry and a mushroom "khoon" soup.
That night was the official engagement ceremony for Anusha and Ajay. Traditionally, the marriages were arranged, and so this was to be the first real time for the families and bride and groom to meet one another. In this ceremony the contract of the marriage is put together (it will be executed the following morning, at the marriage ceremony) and the families exchange clothes for the bride and groom to wear. Anusha looked stunning. We got to see a few beautiful outfits (each with a custom-made set of matching bangles) on Anusha. Unfortunately, we don't have great pictures, as all of the ceremony happened on stage. Here is our best shot...
The ceremony was followed by a delicious South Indian thali dinner. We sat down in front of a fresh banana leaf, which was first sprinkled with water (We didn't know what to do - we were later told we were supposed to use the water to clean the banana leaves.) Then a series of people came by each ladling a delicious curry or snack on to our leaf plate; within 20 seconds our banana leaves were full of delicious rice, soups, chutneys, and small dishes. All of this we were supposed to eat with our hands, using the thin potato pancakes. All of this was delicious -- and we loved the wide variety of flavors.
The next day. the wedding began at 6am with Ajay walking out of the wedding hall, dressed and acting as if he was leaving the city to become a celibate monk in the mountains.
As he walked out, Anusha's father stopped him and asked him to return to the wedding hall and marry his daughter. After some back-and-forth, Ajay agreed to return. At this point, Anusha came out and she and Ajay put garlands of flowers around each others necks. This was part of a game--since the bride and groom were traditionally children, this was a game played to keep them occupied during the ceremony. The men of each family would put the bride and groom on their shoulders and make it difficult for them to put the garlands on each other. There are apparently many such games played during the ceremony, but this was the only one that we understood.
The ceremony lasted for a few hours -- again with some changes in outfits. We are sorry to say that we did not understand that much of what happened. For one part, the bride and groom sat on a swing and many relatives washed their feet...
Then, like the engagement ceremony, there was a stage with priests and the bride, groom, and their parents. Towards the end of the ceremony, the bride and the groom walk around the fire seven times. After walking around the fire, they are officially married. We were so surprised to see that, in general, the guests had lost interest by this time -- most of them had left the main hall to eat breakfast in the reception area. We joined the rest of the guests for another thali meal, and then went back to the Dewans' to rest.
We spent the rest of that day with the Dewans -- we had a great brunch and got to meet Mrs. Dewan, who flew in that morning from Singapore. That night, it was time for our last wedding event -- the reception. At this event, the bride, groom, and their families stand on stage and a long line of guests forms. One by one, the guests go up on the stage, wish the new couple well, and have their picture taken with the new family. We spent an hour or so talking to people we'd met, went up on stage ourselves, and then went to Zara's (a local bar that was recommended to us) for some wine.
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