Travel to Sacred and Exotic Destinations

A Farewell Dinner in Kashmir

2010-07-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

I decided I would do a farewell dinner for the people who made my stay at the hotel and in Kashmir a delight.
I have invited 12 people for a delicious dinner tonight.

It is now 4:45 and it is almost ready. The table is set, and all I need is a rest, a shower, and the guests arrive at 7:30.
What fun...Janna the cook and I started out in the cleaned hotel kitchen. Then one by one the young men who wait tables, clean the hotel, and help in the kitchen came in asking if they could help. Mind you they have about 12 words of English between them.

Janna the chef has about the same amount, but we have always gotten along in the kitchen because of our shared love of cooking and good food. Yummmm, and taste this on the spoon is a language to itself.

So it is show time and they follow my instructions perfectly.
I had Ajaz blistering green peppers on the fire, someone cleaned a dozen red onions , mountains of garlic, and Janna chopped them fine as only he can do. Janna chopped 2 kgs. of tomatos in record time, some for the lamb, some for the blistered green pepper and tomatoe salad, and finally the Italian tomato soup.
Musifir who is the computer techi, and foodie, came in and began peeling the roasted aubergines and into the blender with lemon juice, olive oil, and once again heaps of garlic for the Babaganou. No pita bread so it will be chipatis tonight.
Ibrahim, the day manager, wanders in to see what all the laughter is about and ends up sitting disecting the cooled roasted peppers.
Someone at the sink is cleaning and sorting the dhania (cilantro)another peeling carrots, grating cucumber, mashing the pots of cooked carrots and pot of cooked cauliflower and garlic by hand cause there is no masher. I then jump in and add the fresh garlic, olive oil, dhania, cumin, and mix it by hand which gives it the soul and love my Balinese cooking teacher told me years ago.
Janna cut up the lamb and removed much of the excess fat. I had the butcher down the road de-bone it on his tree stump using hand gestures to explain what I wanted.
Slow cooking is the answer to it's tenderness.

So it is....
Italian tomato soup
Cold cooked salads...cauliflower, carrot, green pepper and tomato, all done with heaps of garlic, dhania, cumin, and olive oil just like I learned in cooking class in Fez Morocco.
A yogurt salad similar to the Greek Tizitki, but Iranian, with pan roasted hazelnuts, almonds and raisens.
Lamb done with prunes Moroccan style with heaps of garlic, onion, and pitted prunes.
There will be more of those roasted nuts tossed on top at the end.
Besmati rice
Bananas Foster...New York style...bananas cooked in butter and brown sugar till it gets really thick...no brandy we are Muslims here...poured slowly over vanilla ice cream.
YUM!

Did I ever have fun finding all of these ingredients...some came from Cape Town.
Ajaz always drove me all over town to find all of the ingredients I needed throughout my Kashmir stay.

Farewell Joanna.....until next year!

Flyfishing for Trout in the Himalayas

2010-06-22T06:45:00.000-07:00

I just experienced my first Fly Fishing Trip for Trout in the Himalayas

We hit the road at 5am for our very long bumpy 4 hour drive to Daksum, the most beautiful valley in the region. We pass fields upon fields of freshly planted rice which are now emerald green. We turn off the major 2 lane road, where you find the saffron growing in November, to a 1 lane road from hell. Through small villages with pots holes the size you'd lose a VW Beetle in we charge in our SUV's.

We climb into the mts. and finally reach our destination at about 7,500 feet.
The green green valley is surrounded by the snow capped Himalayas. The Daksum river races past with small rapids that might be run in a small rubber raft.

A family fishing trip in Kashmir calls for lovely carpets to be spread on the ground under the shading Chinar trees. A gas 2 burner, fry pans for cooking the fish, and extra food brought just in case there weren't great baskets of fish caught that day.

Some went up the river 1km. and worked their way down, others went far down the river and kept going. I learned that 5-6 casts and you move on cause the water has been "disturbed" If you catch a fish it is disturbed too, so you move on and don't try for the others lurking between the rocks.

I was loaned a great graphite rod and reel for the day. Even with that I still didn't look like Brad Pitt in "A River Runs Through It"....but I was told by the old man who was assigned to me that I was casting well. He tied my flies, drug me up and down ALL of the river, hopping over small streams, shallow areas, with him holding my hand most of the time for balance.

At lunch time we had some of the fish that had been caught thus far. I was fortunate to be given extra fish cause I was the visitor, and they knew I loved fresh fish straight from the stream into the pan.

My shoulder is just a bit sore. I only toppled over once trying to balance on the large and small boulders along the river bed. Didn't tear, sprain or scrape any part of me so I was pleased. Only sank once at the rivers edge up to my ankle in slimmy mud. A bit sunburned, but all in all an injury free day, and my Tevas are washable.

I caught 1 very very small Rainbow Trout that sparkled in the sunshine. Too small to my mind so it was thrown back. When I returned to camp I saw that they kept such small fish. In the USA you would be shot for keeping such tiny fish. My first fishing teacher, my father, would have been horrified.

FYI as a young girl I held a record for years for catching the biggest trout in a small place in the Santa Cruz mts. that I went to with my father. I was the son he never had.

Since the years of trouble throughout the 90's and early 2000 years, tourism and the economy in general, has been depressed and created a lack of food. Fishing year round they have fished out the river. Some say the terrorists poisened the river and killed the fish?? Who know which rumors are true.

After all the guys finally gave up trying for that 7kg. trout we packed the vehicles at dusk and headed out on the long bumpy drive home.

So if you have ever had a fantasy to fish for trout in the Himalyas it can easily be fulfilled. Let me know and I will point you in the right direction.

A Halwa Party in Kashmir

2010-06-19T05:23:00.000-07:00

Halwa is pronounced Halva.
Today is a Holy Islamic Day called Urs Ajmer Sherif. This is a mosque in Ajmeer near Jaipur in Rajasthan. Today in Ajmeer it is probably 48 degrees C...about 118 degrees F. Pleased the celebration is here in the cool mountains of Kashmir today.

As I entered the large garden I saw a huge umbrella tent shading the work area.
The grass was covered in colourful mats.
A line of about 5 meters of open wood fires held three 25 gallon pots bubbling away with the Halwa mixture. There are approximately 30 women and 8 young men there to do all of the work. The older men are sitting around the garden in the shade merely as observers, waiting for the lunch to come.

Two people per pot are constantly stirring the mixture with large long handled spoons. One was quite liquid while the rest were thickening nicely. As it thickens it begins to lift from the sides of the pot. Several women and a few young men were helping with this very hot work over the open fires.
No menstrating women are allowed to take part in the proceedure.

These fellows handle the pots too. When the time is just right they lift and carry them to huge galvanized tubs where it is poured like golden lava. Here it cools enough to work with. There were women sitting smearing Halwa on a medium sized thick hard pancake called a Bagrkhan. I find them flavorless so a good base for something sweet. Others were dipping the cooling mixture into 1 cup-1 pint aluminum containers. Large pots, bowls and jugs were also being filled. A hot sticky job for sure.

The garden is permeated with the wonderful fragrance of cardamom, cinnamon, ghee (clarified butter), and saffron.
The saffron is used for colour as well as flavor. It is added to large pots of water to steep and change colour. Now it is added to the mixture.

Large glasses of cool lassi is served to everyone in the garden. This is a plain yogurt mixed into water with salt, cumin, and mint added. What a refreshing drink on a hot summers day.

The completion of this huge task will be about 12 noon, it has been going on since
6am. As large amounts are packaged the Halwa is delivered to the poor, the orphanges and the old age homes.
This event is held every year and funded by my friend Rasool. It is a family event, with his wife, daughters, with Masarat in the lead, sisters, nieces, and close friends all involved.

When the job is completed lunch is served. Today it is the traditional celebratory Kashmiri Waz Wan. There have been cooks in the back garden cooking away all morning as well. Into the house where large platters of rice topped with kebab, chicken, dumplings of lamb in yogurt, a couple of veggies, made just for me I am told, and a delicious slab of lamb ribs is served. These ribs are roasted to a crispy finish and then simmered in ghee. Talk about heart attack material. I must say it is my favorite of the meat dishes. I love pork crackling too.

Now it is time for a nap!

Now for the recipe...good luck cutting it down to a workable level!

Tools needed:
3 25 gallon pots which are filled 5 times
6 large long handled wooden spoons

Ingredients

90 kgs. of semolina
60 kgs. of ghee
180 kgs sugar
40 kgs. of dates, raisens, cashews, fried coconut
Water

Spices...
Lots of whole cardamom seeds, cinnamin, and 25 grams of Kashmiri saffron
White poppy seeds to sprinkle on the top of the finished Halwa

Cooking time:
1 hour per pot stirring constantly

Who's up for a Halwa party??????

A Visit to a Prophet

2010-06-17T07:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went to see an old man they call Baba. He lives in a small village called Sopoore very near the line of control on the Pakistani border with Kashmir.

Hundreds come to see him each day. He is about 77 years old, and frail. He takes no food, or water nor does he often speak.
People are healed, obstacles are lifted from their lives etc. All of this is done in prayer and in the mind, as he speaks to none of the people who come. He must work exclusively with telepathy, many highly enlightened people do.

Baba disappeared many years ago into the Himalayas. Twelve years passed before he re-appeared naked, which is how he usually appears unless it is too cold. The morning I saw him he was in a long wool flannel robe called a pheran.

It was a 2 hour drive so we left Srinigar at 7am. Fayaz and Raj, my friends who took me, have been visiting Baba for more than 20 years. Fayaz and his good friend Raj, who is visiting from New York City, attended the same English school in Srinigar. Their lives went in vastly different directions, until they met again at Baba's. One Kashmiri Muslim, one Kashmiri Hindu, both in search of understanding and peace in their lives.

Fayaz is in the "inner circle" I am told, which is why when we arrive he goes up and sits on the raised bed Baba sits, leans, and sleeps on while people come and go all day long. Raj and I join him.
As I entered the small room he allows visitors to gather in I felt an unbelievable rush of love. Was it him or was it the collective energy of all the visitors? Who can tell.
Soon after I joined them on the dias, sitting on his blankets, I was overwhelmed with emotion and tears came to my eyes. I looked up and my friend Raj was weeping as well.

The guys rub his stooped shoulders, his scarred feet with holes, comb his beard and trim his nails. He allows all of this without saying a word. He bends and rubs his balding white head against another man's knee like a kitten wanting to be stroked. It is all extremely tender attention. He then indicates he wants to rest so he puts his head on a pillow that was at my feet and they cover him with a blanket.
At one point Baba had glanced at me, and then again. The guys ask me later if Baba had looked at me and I said yes he did. I have a feeling this was something special.

I decided to go into a deep meditation and see what transpired. I saw an old man standing in my mind's eye, and he looked very like the old man sleeping at my feet.
That, or I have gone completely bonkers.
I decided to ask him to remove the anger in my heart and I soon felt extremely light.
I asked about the book my friend Tessa and I are writing with the help of Babaji.
He confirms that what we are doing is genuine and beneficial.
Then he says to me you don't need to eat as much food as you do to live. Didn't expect such frank comments. I sat a long time in meditation,it felt extremely peaceful.

People toss bags of dried fruit, sweets, bottles of water, letters, key rings, hair clips, you name it, and it appears on the bed. He picks them up and tosses them into the laps of Raj and Fayaz's and they re-distribute them to their owners. I am told these things will be taken home and shared with family members.
People stretch in and touch his feet, his robe and even the blankets I am sitting on. They take the energy they gather and touch their hearts, lips, or run the hand down their faces. Such a display of devotion is awesome to witness.

In an ajoining room Baba's daughter-in-law has put out bowls of cookies, biscuits, snack mix, cakes etc. and offers tea to anyone who sits. Raj translated my experience to her and she said she would answer any questions I had about Baba.
Her husband, Baba's son, is a doctor. He has taken blood samples to be tested and for all intents and purpose he should be dead with what the readings indicate.
He eats only a flat crisp bread, drinks salty tea, and has taken no water for the past 1 1/2 years.
I ask about the deeply scarred holes in his feet. She says no one knows how he got them, but at times they fester and fill with worms as the one on his back also does. I have heard the same thing she tells me of many highly enlightened people. He takes on the woes of the world and this is what happens to his body because of that.
We decide to enter the room again and Baba is sitting up now. More people have gathered in the room and we sit for awhile longer.
As we are leaving the house a woman is cooking food that I am told feeds the people who come. A lunch and then a dinner. All of this is free.
The wire fence around the house is tied with strings of hope and prayers.
As we leave the police who guard the compound allow us out and more are arriving.

So does he hang onto his body so there is something tangable for people to relate to? I am sure it is more powerful than a picture hanging on a wall.
I feel blessed to have witnessed this old man they call Baba. On the way home there is a promise to return before I leave Kashmir. What great pals!

P.S. Shortly after my return to South Africa in July Baba passed on quietly in a hospital in Srinigar. They say millions of people arrived for days to his humble home in Sapoor to pay their respects and feel the energy that remains.

Happy Healthy Traveling in 3rd World Countries

2010-06-02T21:35:00.000-07:00

Your good health maintained....Recently I have encountered people who have become very ill while traveling in India. I am astounded to hear that so many people haven't a clue about how to protect their good health while traveling. They came from New Zealand, United States, and Germany, places I thought were more clued up. They had never read anything about heat stroke, dehydration, and the various tummy bugs???
Why when you have limited time for your holiday would you be no negligent? Do you really want to spend 3-5 days in bed running to the toilet every hour? Or worse yet, 3 weeks in the hospital with kidney failure.
It can be avoided with a few precautions.
There are terrific products on the market that help you maintain good health while traveling. A week prior to departure start taking Pro Biotics and continue the duration of your trip. There is also a French product called Touristurim. You can find it on the internet and locate where they sell it. In CapeTown it is the Wellness Center in Cavenidsh Square.
It is for all sorts of parasitic invasions. Again start taking it 1 week prior to departure. I use it as an anti malarial as well.
Take ALL of your regular vitamins and suppliments to maintain a balance in your system. Carry Imodium, Pepto Bismal, Carbo Patuli, and a course of antibiotics if you take them.
Weather....Please read up on the weather before you plan a trip. Know that you don't do desert destinations in the summer months when it is upwards of 45-48 degrees in Morocco, Egypt, and much of India. That is way over 113 I believe, eggs fying on sidewalk temps. Stay out of the tropics as well which will boil you alive and or drench you in monsoon rains which bring typhoons.
Do your research, don't depend on travel agents to know anything about anything...remember they rarely travel themselves, and probably never to where you are headed. They are in the business of selling you a product and nothing else.

Stay Happy and Healthy as you Travel!!!

Living in Kashmir

2010-05-29T01:36:00.001-07:00

I moved into my home away from home in a rainstorm. I was told it was unusual for this time of year, but isn't it everywhere??
I was put up on the 3rd floor which ment 3 flights of stairs several times a day. I wanted exercise and boy do I have it now.
For a picture of my surroundings...open the door and you walk into my sitting room furnished with the traditionally designed sofa, chair, and tables. A plasma TV hangs on the wall for the HBO movies each night. There are tall windows at one end that look down into the garden.
My bedroom is larger with 2 walls of tall windows for lots of light, and vistas of the snow capped Himalayas. I am enjoying sleeping with them opened to the night mountain air.
I have a large chair in one corner with a floor lamp for reading. I sit here in the mornings to do my breathwork, my meditations and that contemplative time.
All of the curtaining and bed throws are in the lovely crewel embroidery work famous in Kashmir.
It is still dark and I can vaguely hear something in the distance which is getting closer...am I dreaming, is someone singing?? Just to the left of the hotel is a Mosque and the Mosin there has a wonderful singing voice. I have never heard a call to prayer sung so beautifully. It is 4am and the first call which is followed by one at 6:30, 1pm, 4:30, 6:30 and lastly 8pm. After awhile you hardly notice it, except when the voice is harsh and preachy like a good old Southern Baptist hell fire and brimstone sermon.
Mustafir, one of the many family employees, has put on a famous recording of a Mosin from Mnachester, England for me to listen to as I type. He sounds like a choir boy singing.
Religion is an integrated part of daily life here. The guys here at the hotel take off their ties, lay down their prayer rug, pray for about 15 minutes, and back to work again. On fridays it is more prevalent with the Mosin calling at 1pm and the kitchen staff throwing off their uniforms, putting on their own clothing, and heading next door to the Mosque.
I pass 3 Mosques each day when I walk 1 km to the lake. And we thought Fish Hoek in the Cape had alot of churchs. It pales in comparison.
Each morning I look out the window to check the clouds for possible rain. If it looks clear I put on my Merrills and off I go down the road 1+ km to the lake. On my journey I pass men selling plastic pails door to door, the horse and cart carrying large metal cans of fresh milk, and at this time of year sheep, goats, and their herd dogs.
Unlike many places in the world now I see many women and men walking along the road. Not every family has a motor vehicle. Those that do might be with the husband at work, so the wife walks to her errands. There are loads of public buses, but most times men are hanging off the steps due to the numbers onboard. The lovely little 3 wheelers called Tuk Tuks in many countries are available as a taxi.
I arrive at the lake and sit for a short while to watch the canoes dredging up the vegitation growing on the lake. It is dried on the shore and used for fertilizer or food for the animals.
One day as I sat a herd of sheered sheep and shaggy goats were approaching. I decided to cross the road and stand in their path. They saw me, acknowledged me, and came right for me surrounding me completely. They were softly bleeting as I spoke to them. What a delightful experience that was.
A wonderful thing has happened in Kashmir, they have banned ALL plastic bags! You are given a fiber woven, strong re-usable bag for your purchases. Why doesn't the rest of the world catch on??

A Wedding in Kashmir India

2010-05-28T02:30:00.000-07:00

It is late spring in the northern hemisphere and I am spending a couple of months in Kashmir. After 3 three week tours to southern India, northern India, and Nepal this year I decided I'd take a break, avoid the South African winter, Soccer World Cup, and relax here in the Vale of Kashmir for awhile.
I am staying in my friend Rasool's new boutique hotel in Srinigar. I am 1+ kms. from Dal Lake which I walk down to each morning.
With all of this time on my hands, many friends suggested I blog about my experiences here.

I arrived May 20th and immediately had some Salwar Kamez's made from the silk sari's I had bought in Bangalore in southern India in February. This is a pair of baggy pants that are pleated across the front top of the thigh. A knee length tunic with differing sleeve lengths comes over these. You then wear a 3 meter died to match scarf around the throat and down your back or softly over your head as the Kashmiri women do.

Day 1 was an evening family dinner for about 200 people....a small affair to them.
As I arrived that evening the large garden was lit with multi coloured twinkie/fairie lights that led you up the path. They were in the trees, on the schrubs, and on the roof too. Two extremely large tents were erected in the garden for the festivities. One was for the women and one for the men. The famous Kashmiri crewel (wool hand embroidery) worked fabric was used as the walls with windows of lace. There were large chandaliers hanging down the middle of the tent with ceiling fans for the warmer days.
The woman's tent was approximately 20X50 meters in size. The men's tent was a bit smaller. The floor was covered in large local carpets overlapping each other so they could be sat upon. They included the small trees and schrubs that exisited in the garden.
At one end of the woman's tent sat a group of women with 2 huge samovars containing "Saffron Tea". This is made from fresh saffron, peeled chopped almonds, cinnamon, cardamom, green tea and sugar. This tea I am told is only consumed in Afghanastan and Kashmir. It was delicious accompanied by different cookie/biscuits.
Kashmir grows the most famous and costly saffron in the world which blooms in the crocus flower in October. The Persian saffron is respected as well, but the Kashmiri is the finest.
I was told by a member of the family that the women spent days in preparations for this regal feast. On one day a dozen or more gathered to clean all of the rice that was to be fed to the approximate 600 guests over the 3 days. Another day they gathered to shell and peel the almonds used in a variety of things including the delicious "Saffron Tea". Then 1 day for chopping all of the onions and garlic to be used. As my male friend told me, this is about the women and for the women of the family.
Each day a different beautiful outfit was worn by each woman attending. Such amazing designs, shades and combinations of colours in these Salwar Kamez's. All of the gold jewelry that was given to these women at their own weddings, and throughout their marriages is worn. Wow the amount of gold there was astounding.

The bride was a beautiful 24 year old woman entering a marriage arranged by her parents. Those who can afford it bring in the services of the matchmaker...a Eunich with a list of names of eligle young men and women from Kashmir. This is not to be scoffed at, he has every detail of every marriagable male and female for miles around.

She too had a different elaborate outfit on each day. Her position on the floor changed as did her dress. The first evening she was on the floor surrounded by the elder women. The second day she was placed accross the room on carpets with a lovely silk carpet as a backdrop. The final day she was on a dias, carpets in front, back and the area she was sitting on.
I doubt she could stand on her own with the amount of heavy jeweled fabric that draped from her body. Her makeup was impeccable and the jewelry glitterded from her head, ears, neck, and hennaed hands.

The second evening was much like the first, but far more people in attendance. Close friends were mixed in with the family tonight. Drumming and tambourines were played while many of the women sang traditional songs. A professional henna woman was brought in to henna the women and I had a lovely design put on my hands. Some had the designs going right up the arm. The bride is hennaed this night as well and her design goes right up to the shoulder and her feet are done as well.

If you read Salmon Rushdie's book "Shalimar the Clown" you will have learned about the Waz Wan cooks who have been famous in Kashmir from the times of the Mugul emperors.
There are families of these all male cooks with recipes passed down through the ages. Some are secret and only a few old men still know them.
Tented ceilings were set up behind the house for them to cook on open fires in huge kettle type pots and pans. Meat was chopped on tree stumps, a sight to behold.

We were served huge plates of rice and men wandered through the tents ladling heaped spoonfuls of delightful mysterious dishes. Most of the meat was a combination of lamb and spices poached into a dumpling of sorts. The spiced minced meat cooked on skewers over open fires was much like the "Kafta" of Egypt or Morocco. Chicken was served as well as a variety of veggie dishes.

Day 3 Is the "BIG"day. The women arrive in their most beautiful outfits with all of their jewelery. Top to toe a fashion statement. Bangles that stack from wrist to mid arm, heavy gold earings that cover the entire ear, often held in place with a chain over the top of the head, ending in jeweled slippers.

The men have changed from their denims which they have worn the past 2 days. They say they must work and help serve and so good clothing isn't worn. Today however they are in suits, or at the least slacks and a sports coat.
The little girls and boys reflect their parents with the boys in denims and the little girls in the frilliest dresses I have ever seen.

This lunch is the most extravagant yet. Musicians play traditional music in the background.
Some leave, some stay on for the the next set of festivities.
The only time the groom's family are present is the last evening when they come for dinner. The groom is fed and then he gathers his bride and off they go. The guests remain on until late into the night singing, dancing, knowing this was an incredable experience had by all.

A Visit to McCloudganj, home of the Dalai Lama

2009-12-18T01:55:00.000-08:00

Not recommended for the faint of heart. This drive to Dharamsala is a killer journey of 12 hours if you have good drivers who know the way. I have learned to hire vehicles and drivers from McCloudganj. They drive to Srinigar, sleep over, and then we have an early start with drivers who know the roads. We head out at 7am in 4 wheel drive vehicles.
We begin on nice paved mountain roads that twist and turn through the Himalayas. Hopefully you don't get behind an army convoy like we did the last trip.
The roads begin to deteriorate around Jammu. They soon turn to gravel, shale, dirt, with waterfalls spilling onto the roads, and sheer drops that take some a bit of getting used to. Don't expect good facilities for those necessary toilet stops. Tissues and handy wipes are a must on these journeys.
You will be stopped a couple of times to have your passports inspected, checked for current visas, so have them handy. They want to know who you are, where you come from, and what you do for work. It is best to send 1 person from the party, who knows everyone's details, with all of the passports, it moves more quickly.
We pass through small and smaller villages with shops to buy cold water and soft drinks.
If you are a cricketer you will find apparently the best bats made of willow sold all along the road near Phalgam. Also in this area pure saffron can be found in stalls. The purple crocus flower grows in fields along the road, and is harvested in October.
We fight for the right of the road as Henna bearded nomads with their families appear around corners with herds of sheep, goats, water buffalo, cattle, and a few dogs.
Once again, as we arrive at our destination, everyone thought it was a real adventure and worth the journey.
We actually travel further up the mountain to spend our time in McCloudganj, known as "Little Tibet", and situated at 7,200 feet. It is where the refugees arrive as they flee Tibet. This is the home of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan gov't in exile.
My 3rd visit was the first time the Dalai Lama was in residence, but not taking visitors. Richard Gere had just left, staying at Chonor House, the same hotel we use.
Speaking to the locals about the Dali Lama they all say even if they can't see him, they appreciate that his presence can be felt by everyone, and they all benefit from his residence.
Chonor House is the only place to stay in McCloudganj in my opinion. The hotel has 10 rooms and a suite, and is owned by the organization headed by the Dalai Lama. You must book far in advance if you want to experience this lovely establishment. Each room is different to the next with beautiful murals of Tibetan life on the walls.
The terrace where we always have breakfast and sometimes dinner, hangs on the edge of a mountain and faces the nearby Temple and Monastery.
The staff is amazingly calm and serene and a real pleasure. There is a lovely comfortable library for guests to use. A small internet cafe for guests. The peace and tranquility is wonderful.
We always see the Karmapa, head of a different Buddhist linage, who resides in a monastery down in Dharamsala. He also escaped at a young age and was welcomed into India. He gives blessings to visitors 2-3 times each week. Tenzin Palmo's nunnery is also in the area.
McCloundganj is a wonderful small hilly town/village with very steep narrow roads all round and through it. We enjoy meandering around, exploring the shops, talking to locals, having a drink in small open terraced coffee/tea shops.
The Tibetan refugees who live here are extremely friendly and many speak very good english. The streets are always full of red robed monks and nuns going about their daily business of living.
One day I got lost from the group. As I sat trying to re-trace my steps an elderly nun sat down and began speaking to me asking if I was lost, where I came from, and how did I like McClouganj.
Great, and very reasonable shopping at the Children's shop. All profits go to support the orphanage run by the Dalai Lama's organization. Norbulingka institute is in Dharamsala. You will find a beautiful temple, art gallery, and studios where the Tibetan youth are learning Tibetan arts and crafts so they will be preserved for future generations.
We spent evenings watching a variety of terrific documentaries in basement theaters.
I saw a sign for Tibetan massage and decided to try it out. It is an interesting combo with a lot of deep tissue and energy work. The in house massage therapist at Chonor House is an amazing healer. I suggest you book him on arrival if you want the experience. I understand he works on Richard Gere and is great friends with him.
Loads of western food is available. We enjoyed very authentic Italian. Nick's terrace restaurant is a slowed down place with great banana pancakes and good pizza.
There is even a place for that major chocolate overload.
The monks at the Kamapa's monastery make some great "momo's" which is a veggie filled dumpling. Reminded me of "pot stickers" from the Chinese restaurants in San Francisco.
There is a real mixture of western and eastern culture here.
I learned on my 2nd trip that we can catch an overnight train to Delhi from a town 3 hours away, instead of that long drive back to Srinigar and a flight to Dehli.
Gives us another afternoon in McCloudganj too.
The food of India changes as you travel. Different focus on spices, chili and the use of yogurt. So far I believe my favorite is Rajasthani cooking. It is a nice compliment of spices, not too hot, and great sauces made with a lot of yogurt.
Tandoori ovens and plenty of buttered "nan" bread. Black dal was new to me, having only experienced brown, yellow and red lentils. The flavor is distinct and I do believe my favorite now.
Ayurvedic products can be found all over India, but in particular Rajasthan and Kerela, where they teach the various medical courses. There are several spas and clinics you can stay in for days or weeks.
That hard to find Neem oil, and a variety of special essential oils like attars and absolutes can be found in many cities. Attars are oils captured in pure Sandalwood oil. The best is from Mysore in the south of India. There is nothing like pure Indian Rose and Jasmine essential oils. They are a fraction of the price you will pay outside of India.
As you can see India continues to fascinate me. I am heading south to Goa and Kerela in January 2010. I plan to do a cooking class to see the differences in the food of the south.
I'll update you on my return.

We arrive in Kashmir

2009-12-15T09:59:00.000-08:00

When we arrive at Srinigar airport we are greeted by my old friend Anthony, my guide of 17 years ago. After hugs and plenty of tears he gathered us up and took us to the houseboats on Dal Lake where my great old friend Rasool was waiting for us.
Rasool's family has owned and operated these houseboats for many years.
Every detail is organized and arrangements made to ensure a wonderful 5 days.
Houseboats were another destination for the British during those hot summers. When they all left the country the houseboats remained, and they became a thriving business for tourists.
There are many new ones that have been added to the lake, but the design is the same, the wood is the same, only the interior decor is unique to each houseboat.
Rose gardens are planted on tiny pieces of land between houseboats and floating veggie gardens grow everything imaginable.
The bird life is abundant with beautiful Kingfishers poised on tree stumps.
This is truly a mountain paradise. It is far cleaner than the rest of India where the constant litter does get to one after awhile.
Srinigar is in a valley 1 1/2 miles high surrounded by the snow covered Himalayas.
We did a day trip to Sonnemarg which is at 7,500 feet. The drive hugged a snow run-off river that was icy just to look at, and there was still plenty of snow on the ground. The villages along the way were just begining their spring thaw. As usual we met herds of goats, and sheep who refused to share the road.
The air gets thin at this altitude, so we had to slow the walking down considerably.
On another day we drove a differnt direction into the mountians to Gulmarg, which sets at 8,500 feet. A variety of pine trees cover the mountain sides, you would never imagine this to be India. Soon we arrive in another valley blanketed with white and yellow daffodils, a ski resort in winter and a golf course in summer.
Phalgam, at 6,500 feet is the kick off point for trekking in the Himalayas, something I did 21 years ago. Ponies and ponie men, called Sherpas, hire on for an adventure of a lifetime.
You follow the Litter river to about 13,000 feet and if you so desire you can continue from this base camp to much higher elevations.
Below in the town you can hire ponies for short rides or go whitewater rafting down the Litter river. Fly-fishing is quite a popular sport here along this raging river. My friend Rasool caught a 7kg. German Brown Trout while I was staying with his family a few years ago. On another day he returned with a cooler box full of trout...what a feast we had.
Days can be spent on the houseboats or taking shakara rides around the lake. A shakara is a gondola type boat that carries you to shore or around the lake.
If you want to shop the goods are literally brought to your door. If you love carpets, and especially silk ones, you have arrived in carpet heaven. Each carpet is made by families in the valley. The handmade papier mache is beautifully painted and varnished to perfection. Suede bags, hats and jackets, and real Pashminas are available in a variety of colours and qualities.

Moving through India

2009-12-14T06:41:00.000-08:00

The Taj Mahal surpasses expectations, you can not fully describe it; you must experience it. The Taj, the Red Fort and the marble factory are the highlights of the rather smelly city of Agra.
10th century sculptures at the temples of Khajuraho are well preserved and set in lovely gardens overflowing with bouganvilla. They are both exotic and erotic, surely the models for the Kama Sutra. In fact all of the vendors sell small books of the Kama Sutra in several languages.
Varanasi is considered the most holy of cities on the Ganges, with temples sliding onto her shore, some tilting very near the water's edge. At dawn we are rowed along the ghats (steps into the water) to observe the ritual bathing that begins each morning at dawn. Cremation sites are situated at one end, with fires burning around the clock. No photos please.
Many believe if you die in Varanasi you break the cycle of death and re-birth. Many old people come here to await their passing, living in simple hostels with their families who care for them.
Nearby, at Sarnath, is where the Buddha gave his first sermon under the Bodhi tree.
At the top of the Ganges is Haridwar, another sacred and holy place for Hindus. It is one of the 4 places one must visit before dying. No meat or alcohol can be found within this city.
The festival of light, held on the shores of the Ganges, is exciting every night of the year. We took part giving and getting blessings. Red cotton string is tied around your wrist while the holy man chants in Hindi, and you try to repeat it. A smear of red on your forehead and the blessing is complete. Now to add your banana leaf basket filled with flowers and a candle to the flotilla moving quickly down the Ganges.
We stayed in another Haveli, the Hari Ganga right on the Ganges with a bathing beach. The water here flows rapidly and can be dangerous to swim in. Several women took the dip at 7am with the Holy men nearby.
Rishikesh is also set along the Ganges a few miles up stream. You find a very rapid current here which is great for river rafting. Rishikesh is where the Beatles and several "famous" people learned meditation in the TM style with the Maharishi.
It is a great place to chill out, possibly stay in an ashram. You can learn to meditate, do yoga, and eat pure vegitarian food for reasonable prices.
An overnight train ride from Delhi to Darjeeling on the 1st class Rajdhani Express is a unique experience. Three meals per day, teas, and snacks all served on chinaware. When the train stopped at stations our butler jumped off and bought us cold beers, juice, and soft drinks.
Darjeeling, resting between Sikkim and Nepal, is one of the many hill stations created by the British during the time of the Raj. The extreme heat of summers was not well tolerated by these people used to a cool climate.
Tea was planted and Darjeeling became famous for it's tea crops. We visited a tea plantation and learned which leaves are used for white, green and black tea. I did a white tea tasting in a tea shop in town, and there is a vast difference.
Before dawn, at 4am, we head up Tiger Hill to watch the sunrise over the Himalayas. If you are lucky, Everest appears through the cloud.

A Journey to India

2009-12-13T23:15:00.000-08:00

It had been years since I last visited India. I made 3 trips in the late 80's from San Francisco, and became one of the many who fell in love with India. I had been asked many times if I would consider a tour to India, so I decided to give it some thought.
I contacted my friend Rasool in Kashmir asking if he could help with the logistics, he said he would do Kashmir, and recommended a friend in Delhi who was well respected in the travel business. Raj has been terrific over the years bringing in the best prices by comparison, yet not skimping on quality.
I placed advertisments to entice others to join me on a real adventure. Why I attracted another group of women I have no idea, not many men even inquired. Fourteen of us, many of my regular women, from Cape Town, Durban, Berkeley, California, Seattle, Washington, and Pennsylvania connected in Delhi.
India offers the exotic, the magical, the mystical, and the spiritual for all who seek. You take what you need, and leave the rest.
You often hear that it is so colourful, beautiful, exciting, stimulating, exotic, thought provoking, exhausting, hot, dusty, dirty, and wonderful. You love it or you hate it. India changes people-she is a real leveller. She forces you to focus and be in the moment. You will never look at the world the same after a journey to India.
We begin our journey in Delhi, a big city (16 million) full of wonderful architecture, lush garden parks, and the lovliest flower filled roundabouts. We have a quick look around, visiting Chandi Chowk in old Delhi, pay our respects to Ghandi, and headed off by train to Rajasthan to explore Jaisalmer, and her honey coloured Haveli's in this fortress town in the desert.
I believe the best thing to do after a long train ride is to have a massage. The hotel's Ayurvedic massage therapists pampered many of us our first afternoon.
I had been hearing stories of Jaisalmer and it's beauty for over 20 years from fellow India travelers. It is not an easy destination to arrive at, but so worth the journey. It is on the southern border of Paskistan, on the ancient silk route from Persia and Kashmir. The wealth of the area came and still comes from trading. The Haveli's (3 story homes) were built by wealthy merchants and resemble honeycomb palaces.
There are several beautiful Jain temples you may visit. If you enjoy riding camels there is a late afternoon ride into the Great Tar Desert.
Rajasthan is known for it's bright colours and Jaipur is one of it's exceptional cities. The buildings are red and pink, the colour of the earth here. There are palaces of marble and mirrors. Piles of marigolds, rose, and jasmine necklaces, destined for the temples, are sold in the flower market. The scent consumes the air.
Elephants and camels are among the work force.
Men wear big turbans of red and of gold, and huge handle bar moustaches. Women wear the most beautiful jewel coloured saris, with sparkling bangles up both arms. Even the street sweepers, and the homeless women looked like princesses.
We stayed in a 19th century Haveli mansion decorated in period furniture.
A local gem healer came to the hotel to do individual readings, telling us the best gems and colours to wear for our well being.
There is a huge Ayurvedic school of medicine in Jaipur along with several massage centers. We were given a reference for one run by an Ayurvedic doctor, several of us indulged ourselves again. Shiradera (spelling?)is the slow dripping of oil onto the forehead. It is ment to release tension and rid you of headaches.
Riding up the steep hill to the Amber Fort on the backs of elephants was quite an unforgetable experience.

Sacred Music Festival

2009-12-11T07:45:00.000-08:00

We entered Fez in the afternoon, a very different vibe in the oldest medival city in the world. We headed for the old Medina to locate our Riad.
We thought our place in Marrakech was wonderful, then we walked into our home in Fez. The mosaic tilework is awesome. Fez is the blue city, it is apparent in the tile work on the floors and 1/2 way up the walls in many Riads. This is a great place to buy ceramica.
The Sacred Music Festival, run by Sufis, is held in Fez each year from late May into June for 10 days. It is not an old festival, about 15 years in existance.
I learned about it from a friend who fell so in love with Fez, she packed up her life and moved there permanently. She was a great help locating affordable Riads at festival time. She can be found at Fez Riads.com
She sent me the festival program, translated from French, which gave us a chnace to go through it and decide in advance what music we wanted to experience. Concerts ran every afternoon and evening. Each evening a huge free concert is held in a square for the locals who can't afford the price of a concert ticket.
I chose Ravi Shankar, and at 85 he could still play an amazing Sitar. There was beautiful Baroque played in the courtyard of the Batha museum under Barbery Oaks in the late afternoon. We enjoyed Senegalese music like that of Ishmail Lo, and ancient Indian and Japanese music and dance. Outside Fez are Roman ruins which were the backdrop for an all women's group singing acappella music of the mountains.
The medina in Marrakech was difficult to manoeuvre, but the Fez medina was a maze like no other. Had we not had a guide we'd still be trying to find our way out!
The food...let us not forget the food. Have you ever eaten a "Tagine"? It is a spicy stew made of chicken, beef, or lamb with preserved lemon rind, apricots or prunes, almonds, and olives. Olives are presented everywhere and every souk large or small has olive sellers. Huge green, medium sized green, black, and brown olives mixed with hot spices, mild spices, lemon rind, garlic, and for me the olive lover, a complete orgie of flavors.
Pigeon pie dusted in cinnamin and powdered sugar had a unique flavor, and a delicious experience. The food is spicy, but not necessarily hot spicy. Hererra soup means soup of the countryside. It is similar to a thick hearty minestroni with lots of cumin. Tammi's, sitting on the corner as you enter the medina, is an experience not to be missed. For great lamb burgers try The Clock, both in Fez.
The Fez medina has a wonderful honey section for you honey lovers.
On the coast you can sample a variety of fresh fish from the Mediterranean. The souks also sell all the dainty pastries made of nuts and pastes of almond, hazelnut, pistachio, and then there are the chocolates.
A walk through the food section of the Fez medina is an experience even if you don't love to cook.
For you lovers of Rose oil Morocco makes some of the best, and far cheaper than Indian or Bulgarian. It's available in many herbariums.
Argane oil has become famous due to the recent attention from the exclusive skin care companies in France and Switzerland. The French culinary world has toasted it and it reminds me of a blend of peanut and toasted sesame oils. You can buy pure cosmetic grade oil to take home, like I do, and add it to your face creams. Buy the soaps with Argane oil and feel the difference in you skin in only a short time.
It isn't cheap, but available to us.
Into the Rif mountains and the amazing blue city of Chefchouen. (Did you know mossies and flies don't like the colour and vibration of blue?)This small picturesque city nestled in the mountains became the home of Muslim immigrants and then the Jews who fled Spain in the 15th century.
The intensity of the blue in this city is mezmerizing. Every door is painted a different shade of blue. Often the walls, and sometimes even the paths in the medina are painted blue.
Another friend is on the coast south of Tangier in Asilah. He has restored a small Riad in the medina. After my group headed for home I headed there for a short visit. I spent my last days in Morocco eating Spanish influenced paella, fresh anchovies and sardines while basking under the clear African sky.
I found the Moroccan people easy and friendly. It is ment to be the most liberal of the Muslim countries. Maybe the influence of the Berbers, the French, or the expats who flock to Morocco's extotic cities. Whatever creates this feeling of ease I am pleased it exists.
Although we couldn't visit any mosques in Marrakech or Fez, we peeped through doorways and could see how beautiful they were. Never did any of us feel unsafe. We stayed in the medinas and wandered about without a problem in the evenings. I was pleased to discover how easy and safe it was for women to travel in Morocco.

Sahara Desert Camp

2009-12-11T07:09:00.000-08:00

As we passed small desert villages the houses were painted amazing shades of yellow, trimmed in every shade of blue, and clustered Kasbahs rested in valleys next to a stream. We arrived in Erfoud and the temperature must have been 42 degrees C. Omar had a friend who ran a hotel in town. It had pool, so off we went, no bathing suits, justs shorts and T shirts.
We arrived at our tented Berber camp in Merzouga in the late afternoon. The tents were covered in a fabric of woven camel hair. Festive rugs on the floor and camp cots furnished our new homes. A huge colourful tent housed the bar and restaurant where we enjoyed our meals at the edge of the largest sand dunes in the world at Erg Chebbi.
At sunset and sunrise people climbed up onto the camel of their choice and off into the desert they rode. Some even opted to spend the night far into the desert. I sat in the open air lounge and took pictures of the ever changing colours of these awesome dunes.
This is fossil country. We have seen the brownish gold ammonites from Madagascar, but the basalt and granite ones come from here. Trilobites and all sorts of other fossils can be purchased from several fossil workshops in the area.
Out of the desert and back into the mountains we drove. We passed Nomads living in tents, in the beautiful green valleys. There were little streams and rivers running in every direction. Fields of red poppies, and a huge splash of an iris blue flower with no name. A quick stop to buy freshly picked cherries, and back onto the road again.
The majesty of the High Atlas Mountains is home to the finest Cedarwood oil.
Cool cool air and then old growth Cypress and Cedarwood trees appeared. Were we still in Morocco with all of this cool fresh air and Alpine looking villages? Then the monkeys appeared along the roadside, and we knew we were still in Africa.
Fez and the Sacred Music Festival awaited us.

Marrakech.....

2009-12-11T06:28:00.000-08:00

We had all heard stories of Marrakech and her endless labyrinth of souks. Carpet souk, food, ceramic, iron and the slippers in the leather souk that would tempt us all. Hand carved lemon wood kitchen utinsils are fantastic, and they fit easily down the side of our cases.
Place Jemma Fna is a delight. It is mandatory that you have a large glass of the best orange juice in the world, sold here from rolling kiosks. I was told that the harsh climate and scarce rain creates citrus that is so concentrated nothing can compare to the flavor. I completely agree.
In the evenings, once the sun sets, food stalls pop up everywhere as the snakes and monkeys head home after a hard day of working the crowds. If you feel adventurous you can go for the roasted goat's head being sold in several stalls.
There is fantastic people watching from the fringe of open air cafes that surround the square.
The Majorelle Gardens are not to be missed. French painter Jacques Majorelle fell in love with the light of Morocco. He created the gardens during his days of painting in Marrakech. French fashion designer Ives St. Laurent bought this property, restored it, and it is magnificent. Here you will find the most intense blues ever.
There is a small museum on the grounds with the most exquisite pieces I have ever seen. Robes of brocade, scarves, jewelry, knives and swords, old doors, rugs, camel blankets, all presented in the most tasteful setting.
The gift shop has a selected assortment of the finest items. The blue is a major focus here as well. The cafe has lovely iced things to cool you down and if that isn't enough the intermittent misters will.
After 5 days and nights in the exciting high energy of Marrakech we said our farewells and headed for the Sahara.
Get out the motion sickness pills, it is time to head over the High Atlas mountains.
Several of us were Aromatherapists, and others simply loved the scent of roses. The Valley of the Roses, in El Kelaa M'Gouna, is where the French come each year to harvest the roses and extract the oil for the French perfume industry. The roses grow here in hedges that meander around this village. Children line the roads selling necklaces of tiny rose buds that are so fragrant, and the scent lasted for months.
We spent 2 nights on a bluff overlooking an oasis in a very old mud brick Kasbah.
Some took long walks exploring some of the ruined Kasbahs in the area, others picked apricots, some swam in the shallow river that wound through the oasis, while others rested or read.
We drove out through the Dades Gorge and all of it's rose red splendor. The Todra Gorge was similar to the Swartburg Pass in South Africa with it's high walls, and a river running through it.
The entire area was planted out in Palmeries. We stopped and did a walk through one to discover what lay under this canopy of palm trees. There were women working the land, children playing, goats and cows roaming, all under cover of the palm trees making it much cooler than in the open desert.

A Journey to Morocco

2009-12-10T12:03:00.001-08:00

One of the joys of being a tour organizer is that you get to choose places that hold a special fascination. After several trips to Egypt and Bali I decided it was time to expand, including other sacred and ancient cultures.
Morocco, an exotic country basking under the clear African sky.
I contacted women who had been with me on other journeys, told them about my idea of Morocco and 5 immediatley said YES! Other women heard, contacted me, and soon it became an all women tour with 15 of us heading for Morocco and the Sacred Music Festival.
Several people said I was mad to put a group of middle aged women together, I was asking for trouble. Well I am here to tell you that it was one of the most supportive, sharing, high-spirited, life changing experiences in all of our lives. It was not without it's moments either.
Travel stretches and expands like no other experience. You might learn things about yourself that have been hidden for years. The interactions with people from different belief systems enhances your tolerence for diversity. I have observed people blossom into their authentic selves while traveling.

After hiking in the souks with backpacks filled to maximum there were massages given to sore shoulders, and a bit of reflexology for those sore feet. One woman could tell us the name of every tree and flower we encountered. Artists, the identical twins, saw the beauty in everything. So much so that they bought one of the incredible Riads in the Fez medina to hold art and writing workshops.
Morocco is a photographers paradise. Our traveling professional photographer changed the film in my broken camera each day in her makeshift "black box" while giving tips for the best photos in such harsh bright light. Everyone brought something to the mix.
A sharing supportive camaraderie developed as though we were all best friends from the start, when in fact almost none of us knew each other.
We arrived in Casablanca, met up with the American women and boarded our Mercedes mini bus. With Hassan at the wheel, and Omar as our guide, we headed straight for Marrakech
High spirited, independant women were not at all like Omar's usual groups. With lots of laughing and teasing he finally began to unwind, relax, and share in the laughter.
As we entered Marrakech every building was the terra cotta colour of the earth. We made our way to our Riad, down narrow lanes that wound through the medina. As we entered it was like stepping into Ali Baba's living room.
Riads are old townhouses located in the medinas of Morocco. Several stories tall, no windows, only a door on an alleyway. Inside they are magnificent, all different to each other except....they all have a water feature of some kind from a fountain to a dipping pool. Roses, lemon trees, Ficus trees, all planted in the center with an open sky that provides the only natural light for the Riad.
On the roof you will find outdoor living to perfection. There are canopies to block the harsh sun, potted trees, palms, flowers, with comfy furniture to lounge around on.
Peep over the side and you can watch the bustling medina below.

Hello Cairo

2009-12-06T15:02:00.000-08:00

Good bye country life...hello Cairo and 16 million people. Into the countryside to visit the first and oldest Pyramid, the Step Pyramid at Saqqara. Then THE Pyramids we all have fantisized about on the Giza plateau. Today it is the second pyramid, Chephren that is open, it changes daily. This is not for the unfit. We climb up and then down, I am not counting the steps, but someone is...165 X 2.
It is hot, there is no air, and some feel as though they are going to faint. We get out in record time, but everyone is so pleased they did it. Would you do it again...certainly would.
Now lets find a camel or a horse and ride down to the Sphinx. What is the mystery in that right paw?? Hopefully someday the Egyptian gov't will allow more research to be done.
On a visit to Old Cairo and the Coptic area we discover where the baby Jesus was supposed to have been hidden. Nearby was the oldest Coptic church and the oldest Synagogue in the world.
The Mohamed Ali Mosque has beautiful ceilings, and the most tremendous chandeliers I have ever seen. Geyer Anderson House maintains the original furnishings of an old luxury house once owned by a wealthy Englishman.
Evenings watching whirling Dervish, or a trip to the Khan El Kalili bazaar. Stop to have a coffee in the cafe of mirrors where Mahfouz often sat and wrote his books.
The Egyptian museum is a full day, and some say 2, to view it properly. The King Tut exhibition is quite fantastic. Statues of Akhenaten and his Queen Nefertiti's head are the only items of them left in Egypt. The amazing head of Nefertiti we always see pictures of is being held captive in a German museum.
I visited the climate controled mummy room for an extra fee and saw the remains of several Pharoahs and Queens. Look closely at Rames II ,the hennaed hair, the strong jawline and nose, high cheekbones, and you can visualise what he must have looked like 3,000 years ago. The wigs on the Queens look like hair fashion today.
So much to take in, overwhelmed, awe struck, something happened to me there, and I must return again soon were the comments. I always have enjoyed Egypt and that is why I return again and again. My spirit soars, a calmness envelopes me, I am at peace, I am in harmoney.
Each time I return I find my vibration has once again been elevated.

Down the Nile

2009-12-05T05:38:00.000-08:00

You can board the luxury cruisers at Aswan or Luxor, but I prefer sailing from Aswan.
We spend 3 nights on this small luxury cruise ship stopping along the way to visit the temples of Kom Ombo and Edfu. The 5***** cuisine 3 times a day is delicious. A Galabaya (traditional dress) night sees the female guests dressed as Cleopatra for a night.
If 5*****cruise ships are not for you their is a the option of sailing down the Nile on a Falucca. I did this once in high winds so it took forever to get from Aswan to Luxor, but in better conditions alot of fun.
Once landed in Luxor we visit the Luxor Temple where they are still finding artifacts under the grounds surrounding the temple.
Karnak Temple is magnificient, with contributions by many of the great pharoahs of the past. In the evening we return for the sound and light show...a dramatically lit walk through time.
The Luxor museum has a small tasteful exhibition of many of the items found on the grounds of the Luxor Temple.
We make our home in a small Egyptian owned and operated hotel on the west bank.
As one sits in outdoor cafes across the road from ancient temples and watch the village life go by one feels as though you have been transported back into biblical times.
Women dressed in black with bundles of sticks piled high on their heads herding sheep
home at days end. Men on camels carrying freshly cut cane, children on donkeys carrying the largest cabbages I have ever seen. Everyone asking us were do you come from?? South Africa?...Bafana Bafana!!! Nelson Mandella!! "Welcome to Egypt" they call to us. The genuine warmth and hospitality is wonderful. I walked alone in the desert at dawn, in the evenings an after dinner stroll, never did I ever feel unsafe.
From our windows we view green fields and Habu Temple, the funerary temple of Ramses III. Here we find the most colourful depictions of life in ancient Egypt. It is difficult to believe the work is over 3,000 years old. Located on the west bank are the Tombs of the Nobels, Dir El-Medina, and the Valley of the Kings and Queens.
We were fortunate to visit Queen Nefertari's tomb on 2 occasions.
The first time I saw it I understood what AWE was. The colours are breathtaking, the finest details intact, and nothing has been touched up. Five million US $$ was given by the Getty family in San Francisco to restore and preserve this tomb of a queen.
We were picked up just before dawn to go hot air ballooning. What a thrill as we soared high up into the sky, then coming down again gliding over the tops of palm trees. As the sun rose in the sky everything turned an amazing pink.
We sailed over Queen Hatshepsut's Temple, Ramses II funerary Temple,the village of Habu, and so very close to the Colossi of Memnon we could almost touch it.
Our landing was smooth and we did a grounding dance with the balloon crew...and got the Tshirt.

A Journey Through Ancient Egypt

2009-12-04T05:37:00.000-08:00

When one is drawn to visit ancient and sacred sites and avail themselves of the powerful energy there, it is in perfect alignment with their souls purpose.
Aswan is where one should begin a Journey Through Ancient Egypt. This is the home of my favorite temple, the re-constructed Philae Temple...a temple to ISIS, the Goddess of love. You arrive by motor launch to this small island, surrounded by a lake created by the British high dam. We see hieroglyphs for the first time. Their way of carving on stone the daily life, and the preparation for life in the hereafter gives one a clearer understanding of how they lived and died.
If you sit just inside the first courtyard you can still feel the energy that has survived the ages.
There are Nubian villages surrounding Aswan where people try to preserve the traditional way of life. Wonderful cotton scarves woven on open air looms is one of many sites you will see.
A stop in a funky cafe for lunch and some traditional music and dance...yes we danced. There is a wonderful museum depicting the life of the Nubians which has recently been created in Aswan.
We rise at 4am to make our way by bus to Abu Simbal, the majestic temple Rames II built for his beloved wife Nefertari. We all agree it was worth the early journey into the desert to see this work of art resting on the shore of the Aswan dam.
At sunset we board Faluccas, ancient Dow style boats still found here, Dubai, and in Zanzibar, that are used to sail the Nile. The islands, the bird life, and the wind in Aswan make it the best place for sailing.
Although the bazaar in Cairo is larger and more sophisticated, I prefer the Aswan street bazaar. Brightly coloured scarves blowing in the breeze, piles of spices, the aroma of incense and cooking food, the turbaned men smoking shishas (water pipes with honey flavored tobacco) and drinking strong black tea help create the colourful ambience.
The art of bargaining is taken very seriously in these markets. If you don't do it properly you will be taught. If you want the highest quality cotton in the world you can find it here in linens and traditional clothing.
At the end of the evening we are loaded down with more things than we ever intended to buy...but they were all such bargains. We can barely fit us and our purchases into the taxi.
Tomorrow morning it is camels into the desert to visit San Simian, a 5th century Coptic (christian) Monastery.

Food is sensual

2009-12-02T22:20:00.000-08:00

Food is sensual and can be a wonderful experience. One of the joys of travel is being exposed to different flavors, textures, and traditional recipes. Even if you are not a gourmet cook you can appreciate the finesse that goes into each preparation. Buying the spices in the markets, taking them home to experiment, is a joy for many a traveler. A blend of 35 spices can be bought in most souks, (that is a outdoor market place in the old medinas) in Morocco. It will give your tagine that added umph, it's what makes it taste authentic.
You will find, if you ask around in some of the restuarants, cooking classes are available in many places. I have done them in the breakfast room of my Homestay in Delhi, India where I learned to make "Nan" bread without a clay oven. The Morning Glory resatuarant in HoiAn, Vietnam has the most impressive setup for classes and where I learned to make fresh spring rolls...did you know there was a difference? Honeymoon Bakery Guesthouse in Ubud, Bali is where I learned to make green pancakes flavored with coconut milk and coloured with pandan leaves, and in a Riad in Fez I learned how to roast eggplant and rub the skin off in a bag.
They all started with a morning market tour to buy ingredients, then off to the kitchen you went to prepare what you later got to eat. I am looking forward to doing one in Goa to learn about southern India cuisine. There is a difference.
The rule I made for myself many years ago when I began to travel the world was eat the local dishes and only drink the local beers or wine. Sometimes the wine is pretty rough, and it has been known to stain my teeth.

2009-12-02T06:33:00.000-08:00

Travel has been a passion of mine for nearly 40 years.

Traveling to ancient, exotic, and sacred destinations opens one up to many experiences. It is said that travel broadens the mind, and you may add to that, it expands your awareness and touches your soul, it is healing and transformational. I enjoy observing the transformation that takes place for so many travelers, including myself.

Stimulating sights, sounds, smells, and tastes await you at every corner.

As a travel organizer and tour leader, I make your dreams a reality. I take you to the magical places and expose you to the energy that awaits you there.

Each trip always brings with it new surprises and experiences. It will open you up, twist you around and sometimes bring you far out of your comfort zone. It is how we grow. At the end of it all we observe the world with different eyes.

Your senses will be heightened as you walk down a street in Varanasi to the Ganges at dawn, or enter the honey coloured city of Jaisalmer, riding camels in the desert at sunset, wandering the medina in Marrakesh, or skimming along the waterways in the Mekong Delta.

Listening to the beating of a drum, or the sound of an old horn in the souks can take you out of yourself and back to ancient times in some of the oldest Imperial cities in the world.

Observing the daily routines of the women beneath the palmeries on the edge of the Sahara fills you with a sense of spirit.

And let us not forget the markets, souks, bazaars. The bright rich colour of all of the hanging scarves, and the slipper souk in Marrakesh are not to be missed. The spice stalls and the dried fruit, nuts and honey stalls of the amazing and sometimes overwhelming souk in Fez.

Whether you are in the market for bellydancing coin studded scarves in the Aswan bazaar, leather bags and poofs in Marakesh, the silver anks in Cairo, a silk scarf from Jaislamer, sparkling bangles from Jaipur, silk embroidery of Vietnam, or the beautiful carpets of Kashmir, you will have the time of your life.

If you can not fathom the bargaining process, pay the asking price and it is still a unique purchased filled with memories.