Out on a long weekend - about 4 hours south of San Francisco is the city of Pismo Beach intertwined with the city of Oceano and houses the ocean dunes - a huge 5400 acres of sandy bliss, looks like a desert placed next to the oceans. The only place on the CA coast where you can actually ride your 4x4s on the beach - get your RVs for an excellent night on the beach! Or if you can, rent an ATV and go on a rampage on the dunes - so much for the global warming post below! This was a shot taken from our vacation rental on the beach - the howling winds are somewhat felt in the huge waves in the ocean.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Ocean Dunes
Friday, January 30, 2009
Going green!
Daily life can be inspiring in a multitude of ways. I have been sitting and leading a fully protected, unnatural way of life, increasing my carbon footprint by - running a car that gives me 20mpg, leaving my airconditioning and heating systems on when I am not using them, needlessly wasting 20 gallons of water for a shower, when I can do with a fraction of that, using plastic, not recycling bottles, eating food grown with non-sustainable farming techniques and knowingly or unknowingly promoting green house effects in many more ways thatn I can think of.
But then I do one thing that is perhaps a small step in the right direction. I have moved to CFL lamps - in addition to reducing my electricity bills, they are also a bit artistically designed - quite unlike the flat tubelight rods of the past.
Shot with a Nikon D-80 and somewhat artistically cropped.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Halloween in Salem
I hear this is where it all started way back in 1626 AD. Legend has it that the name was derived from the greetings of the Jewish and Moslem settlers - 'Shalom' and 'Salam' - both meaning peace. How ironical then that the city eventually attained fame through the infamous witches and witch trials - and today derives much of its revenue from witch related tourism.
I find myself in Salem this Halloween , and it is a good surprise to see the holiday spirit in quite a contrast to the rest of the US. This was a clean fun family entertainment - lots of people dressed up in costumes, and an all round clean night of entertainment. Loved it - would have been better if I could find a decent parking spot!
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Berries in Cape Cod
I am in Cape Cod today - having taken a detour from Boston to this
lovely city on the waters of hte Northeast. More precisely I am somewhere in between Barnestable Town and East Sandwich. The Landscapes are lovely and the fall colors are in their full glory - albeit I must say that the fall is a little more subdued than what I would have expected for the Northeast at this time of the year. I click some wild berries growing around the highways - and since I am feelingreally hungry I must go find a restaurant to have brunch. Adios!
at 3:33 PM Labels: berries, cape cod, fall colors
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Pristine
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Summertime!
This could be anywhere in Spain or Italy or the Mediterranean, or maybe Miami.
But this is California, Capitola. A great place to spend a relaxed Saturday afternoon and enjoy the spoils of a bright sunny day. Can't really get better than that.
We were a bunch of loud people at the Capitola state beach and our cacophony was only matched by the more than 2000 pelicans drifting along the coast along with their bait. It is a pretty sight to see them suddenly dive from the skies to the depth of the ocean and get a bite of the fish, grab it in their beaks and swallow them alive, the fish almost trembling inside their long necks! Blissful existence!
We took out motorboats into the ocean and enjoyed falling over the waves and riding with them while they lasted. It was exhilarating.
Below are some pictures from the tour, taken with a Nikon D-80. all's been well with this camera, except for a lot of vignetting with the sky shots. I guess I need a better lens!
at 11:36 PM Labels: California, capitola, santa cruz, summertime
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Flori-nation
The flora is abundant on the Angel Island, jsut off the coast of the San Francisco city. Here is a quick peak into the diversity. I have no idea what the names of these are, but if anyone knows, please leave a comment. As Erin commented previously, I think the purple one is a milk thistle. I might be terribly mistaken though.
Nevertheless, enjoy the flori-nation!
Priceless Freedom
I was on my way to the Angel Island this weekend. These shots were taken aboard the short 30 minute ferry ride from San Francisco.
I love how the seagulls drift in the winds, without fluttering their feathers unnecessarily, slowly gliding along and then a sudden dive for food! Just love the freedom these shots embody! The city of San Francisco can be seen in the background in the first shot!
at 10:33 PM Labels: angel island, ferry, freedom, san francisco, seagull
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Globally yours!
On the Day of Baisakhi, I find myself at the Fuqua school of Business in Durham, North Carolina. This is a shot of the Sikh flag proudly displayed amongst the flags of other countries - at once alluding to a rich cultural heritage that is truly global in its thought and action. What better place than a world class business school to preserve such values.
A Brighter shade of Pale
Yawningly speaking, Durham is indeed a sleeepy town, with less to do at home and even lesser outside. Oh well, one can go grocery shopping or eat out at one of the 4 restaurants down the street. Other than that everything you might get here is a luxury. Since it is raining outside, I am indoors, staring at some shopping bags and this one gives me a good incentive to shoot. The lines are as straight as I could capture off a rumpled bag with an iPhone camera. Whipped up some shadows and highlights in Picasa, and added a touch of film grain. Looks neat to me. Any takers?
at 12:25 PM Labels: colors, durham, lines, north carolina
Monday, March 03, 2008
Economic Recession
You know that the economy is headed to wards a recession when the macroeconomic indicators are not favorable, or you bought a house in 2006 only to find out that you can now get one free with the purchase of the first one.
Even if you stay away from the news, here is something that could have told you that the economy is already in a recession.
Saks Fifth Avenue apparently has figured out that its margins are no longer sustainable. So the usually vibrant decor at their flagship store in Union Square San Francisco has now been replaced with cheap plastic disposable cups stacked on top of one another.
Cost of Raw materials: $2.99. Labor cost for assembling the decor: $0.40. Customer Eyesore: Priceless.
Saks, we know that you did not attract many guests to your drinking parties for the holiday season. Stop harassing us now and for the city's sake, restore an iota of elegance to the store to justify your sky high designer prices.
at 4:19 PM Labels: cups, economy, plastic, saks fith avenue, san francisco
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
London Calling!
Thanks to the legendary fog of Delhi, and courtesy British Airways, I find myself in Londin today. This was totally unanticipated and hence all the more welcome. I feel incredibly lucky to roam in the UK without a visa! Oh well, the immigration officer gave me a 24 hour permit to do whatever I can.
My flight to Heathrow was delayed by the fog and I have missed the connecting flight to San Francisco. The next one leaves tomorrow and all other connections are heavily overbooked. BA puts me up at the Renaissance . The going rate for tonight is 209 pounds and I feel better. I check in and am given a Dinner and a breakfast voucher together worth 30 pounds. As I move to my room, I am immediately struck by the lack of services:
1. Poor TV channel selection, not to mention an utter lack of interactive TV. There are 3 Arabic channels, another 6 European ones, 2 from BBC, 1 ITV and CNN each, and of course there is the Zee TV from India.
2. No free Wi-fi access. An unthinkable proposition in the US, the Wi-Fi sets me back by 25 quid for the day.
3.
Not to waste any time during my serendipitous sojourn through London, I call a friend and we decide to meet in Hounslow, a short underground ride from Heathrow. After the hotel ATM rejects my debit card, I decide to get some cash from a gas station. This Texaco is owned and operated by an Indian. He refuses to give me cash back unless I but 5 quid worth of stuff. I buy some chocolates and give him my debit card He still refuses to give me cash back. Apparently, he thinks it is a credit card, inspite of the fact that there is Debit printed on the card.
I take a free bus to Heathrow and am relieved to find out that the ticket machine accepts my cards. I meet up with a friend in Hounslow. Inspite of the general opinion, the place seems civilized. The parking spots are numbered and a board tells you how many are available so that you don't circle around looking for a space that does not really exist. How convenient.
I pick up a Kronenbourg 1664 and drink it up while walking the streets. I am beginning to love London. I am feeling hungry and we venture into Nando's a South African chicken chain with a Portuguese flavor! The chicken is the same but the Peri-Peri sauce makes a big difference. Highly recommended with another Kronenburg!
It is the Chinese New Year and we decide to head to London central to be a part of the celebrations. I take a train to Waterloo and then walk across the Thames towards the festivities. The big ben and the giant ferris wheel are visible. Having seen them so many times on the screen, the images are not striking. The buildings have been preserved, and the outer facade is what still inspires budding architects. We walk across the Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square and the Covent Garden, with another Kronenburg - this time it is a white beer, and it takes a few sips to getting used to the taste. Its a Wednesday night and the pubs are a bit slow, but I am told it will pick up tomorrow, long after I am gone. But I will be back for a gala time soon! So long, London!
at 1:15 PM Labels: British Airways, Delhi, fog, Kronenburg, London, Nandos, Peri-Peri, Renaissance
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Thanks for all the stats!!!
In August 2007, I started tracking (I use Google's free software for it, nothing too fancy) where my readers are coming from, and it has thrown up quite a few pleasant surprises. After 6 months of tracking, I can now confidently say that this blog has been read on every continent in the world, however briefly the window may have been open. If you don't believe it, the proof is in the picture on the right. All I can say is keep visiting and hopefully you will find some more interesting stories.
I never expected to be read in Reykjavik, Hoorn or Mikkeli. Surprisingly Russians have still not discovered this blog.
Google searches have led a lot of people to find solace here. On an average, people have spent 4 minutes and 21 seconds on this site. People's curiosity is sometimes amusing, and I found it particularly laughable to see some of Google's keywords pointing to my blog. Here are the top 10 that I found extremely hilarious (reproduced here without any malice towards the searchers):
1. Ladakh Donkeys
2. Ancient Mongolian helmets
3. As seen on TV! One and only Nubra!
4. Advise on maintaining good nerves while driving on mountain roads
5. Where Charas Manali (a certain chap emailed me to ask if I knew any charas peddlers in Manali)
6. Punjabi dhaba amsterdam
7. Nu bra san francisco (not sure if she was searching for nubra or a nu bra)
8. Caughtcha and caught-cha
9. Bloggers
10. Did it snow in July?
Then someone dropped in from Newgen. The tracker lists his/her service provider as "Newgen is a software company". Amusing.
I also know that the Additional General of Meteorology was here, spent 7 minutes and visited 3 pages on the site.
Someone from Guiliani Partners was here, apparently looking for some election material on international relations.
Someone's internet provider is listed as O-No!
3 people liked the blog so much that they visited 20+ pages here.
25 people were here for 1801+ seconds (>30 minutes) ....what a waste of time!!
Apparently people still use AOL search more than Yahoo! 2 guys dropped in from AOL whereas Yahoo! has not sent anyone here. By comparison Google sent 138 people.
Nobody has searched on this site for stories, but people find it amusing to exit the pages through the Youtube video bar on the right! Now that you are here, try them both! Later times for more stories!
at 11:12 PM Labels: continent, donkeys, Ladakh, Leh, Leh travelogue, Nubra, statistics, thank you, world
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Napa Vineyards
I am in the Napa valley today and am exploring the various delicacies of the grape. We are at the Artesa winery. The architecture is striking and blends very well with the rolling hills. It is winter and the harvest season is long over. The vines are bare and we are confined indoors for the tasting session. The winery has a resident artist who sells his art through the channel. Although some of the art is striking, I find it highly overpriced.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Santa Barbara
We arrive in Santa Barbara on a Friday night. It is a small town between San Francisco and LA on the Pacific coast in California. Although we have covered only about 300 miles, we are exhausted from 2 days of driving along the highway 1. With much difficulty, we manage to find a small time motel room, with a single bed and pay $190 for the night. The room is about 8'x8' with a bathroom about 8'x6'. Must have been commissioned by someone who loved to shower. Having checked in, we decide to check out the nightlife at the State street. The clubs are decent with a good mix of music . Some of them look shady, and we avoid them. A guy asks me the meaning of Khalsa, and I have a good conversation.
It is not until the next morning that we realize how beautiful the city is. It is nestled around the bay in such a way that you can see the sun rise through the ocean on the west coast. Probably a one of its kind. We have a lunch buffet at an the Flavor of India. The dal was perfectly cooked, and the food was flavorful and not spice laden. A highly recommended place if you are in the area. I run into a girl at the buffet, and then keep running into her at different places for the rest of the day. No sparks fly though.
at 2:09 PM Labels: California, Indian, pacific, restaurant, santa barbara
Friday, November 23, 2007
More from Highway 1
An elephant seal lazying around along the Highway 1 in Piedras Blancas. The elephant seal is the largest of its kind and the adult bulls be as long as ten feet in length. These seals were hunted to near extinction in the 19th century. Surprisingly though, these mammals started colonizing the unspoiled beaches and coves just south of Piedras Blancas on the California coast. You can just pull out on the side of the road and watch these creatures in a state of bliss. It is probably one of the very few places in the US where you don't have to pay to devour a natural sight.
at 1:45 PM Labels: California, elephant seal, highway 1
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Cruising Hwy 1
Cruising the Highway 1 along the Pacific Coast in California is always fun. If the sun is shining, it is one of the most refreshing drives anywhere in the world. At the very least it epitomizes a sense of mixing "I want to break free" and "Bohemian Rhapsody" into a single track. The views are scintillating . The colors are vivid with an enormous amount of detail in the landscapes. This picture was taken with a wide angle lens deliberately held steady with the left hand to give a telescoping effect.
The scene is somewhere between the Big Sur and San Simeon on the Thanksgiving Day circa '07. We had a wonderful thanksgiving meal at a roadside place in Cambria and halted for the night at a roadside inn.
at 1:28 PM Labels: California, cambria, Highway, landscapes
Monday, October 22, 2007
Guitar Tree
At the Experience Music Project, Seattle.
Titled "Roots and Branches" this is a cool piece of modern art/sculpture inside the EMP. It stands about 20' tall and has hundreds of guitars and a few pianos, drums etc stringed together as a tree. There are a few automatic guitars which are a sheer joy to watch as they play one string at a time all across hte fretboard. There are 6 guitars that play together, so thats how the full chordal sounds are derived.
The EMP was promoted by Paul Allen and Zunes are conspicuously placed all around for your listening pleasure. A Highly recommended "Thing To Do" for any music lover, the EMP also has a section on the historical evolution of guitars. You can be in your own world with the instruments and try them out one at a time. There are separate booths for you and your friends to jam together. This place simply Rocks!
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Watching out for ETs
There was a narrow window of blue sky in rainy Seattle this weekend. It paid to get a good shot from the base of the tower. Incidentally, while the space needle is well known the Experience Music Project right at its base finds little mention. Next time in Seattle, check both of them out!
at 9:28 PM Labels: EMP, ET, seattle, space needle
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Its raining
Seattle is a rainy city. I was still about half an hour away when it started pouring. This was taken aboard a 737. It was also the first time I noticed that at high speeds the rain did not stick to the aircrafts body. The surface was as dry as if we were in the desert. The horizontal streaks visible in the light shows how hard the rain is actually falling. As we approached the runway it got a lot more sticky, with the raindrops gradually streaking across my window.
Sent from Aman's iPhone aboard a boeing 737
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Travel Tales from Ladakh.....Naturally
It is my last day in Ladakh. It makes me sad that my memory system remembers this fact, when it could have other more important things to take care of. But it is a resolve to come back again, perhaps sooner than later , and to soak myself in this experience all over again.
As I head back to Leh, I try to capture almost everything that I can see through to the lens. Even though Ladakh is a photographer's heaven, it does not translate so in the pictures that I take now. Take this shot on the right as an example....On the surface, it looks OK to me, but I sense something is missing. It does not attach itself to me through an emotional cord, as do some of my other pictures. I guess, you have to very intimately know the scene (in Ladakh) that you want to capture and that comes from the heart. As this realization ticks in, I give up and just try to enjoy myself under the open skies and the clean air. Here's a shot without which a mention of Ladakh is perhaps incomplete! Until next time I venture into Ladakh....SoLong!!
Tomorrow, I fly back to Delhi.
Monday, August 20, 2007
More from Nubra
Nubra Valley is just fascinating! We checked into a nice plush guest house last night...a little bargaining and we got a room for Rs.350. we have everything, except a TV. It is ironic that I spend more than that on a single meal sometimes, and drive a hard bargain at these guest houses. Nevertheless, I simply like this place. It has beautiful gardens and flowers are in full bloom. We had a nice dinner yesterday and I woke up to the smell of chai in the kitchen! At the morning chai, I meet an elderly Swiss gentleman. He seems to be enjoying his stay as well. We get into a conversation about the Alps and the Himalayas. At his age, he seems to like the conveniences associated with the Alps such as a restaurant around every corner and somewhat more oxygen to get by the day. Otherwise he seems to be happy going through the motions in Ladakh. He does say that he would have enjoyed it immensely if he was younger. I am glad to be taking this trip now in my life!!
The way to Sumur is through the other side of the mountain. We retrace our wheel marks in a quest to go around the huge rock and are once again mesmerized by what we see. In the desert we spot a couple of double humped camels. When we approached them, they banded together in unity and as we retreated, they seemed to go off their own ways. Remarkable, how animal instinct works! These camels were sold off to Rajasthani dealers last year for about Rs.35K each, but they did not survive the weather and died as soon as they got out of Ladakh!
We make another stop at the Sumur monastery. It is empty for all the Lamas are in Leh listening to HH the Dalai Lama's preachings. We wander around, take a few pictures and are on our way again.
On route to the Panamik village, we stop at the sulphur hot springs. These were pretty disappointing, specially after having seen the Yellowstone geysers and hot springs. however, unlike their Yellowstone counterparts, these hot springs deliver water that can be used for all human purposes. It is non toxic and potable. Legend has it that it can be used to cure most of the stomach's ailments, but we were too healthy to give it a try!
We take lunch at a road side restaurant. It is the only one and the best in miles of desert around us. A siesta after lunch is appropriate and we drive to a nearby stream for some cool weather. I lay down on a rock in the middle of the stream and am soon off to a sound sleep. the power nap ends with a honk from our driver who is insistent upon taking us to a place like we have never seen before.
As we climb up the mountain, he assures us that it is worth a visit. The mountain is not as steep, but it is probably a half an hour's walk. we are surrounded by desert and another huge mountain range encircles the desert. As we reach the top of the mountain, a clear body of water begins to take shape. It looks like a sight straight out of a world that is least imagined. The picture below says it all, and I have no further words to express.
Life is just beautiful here, and I do not want to leave. I am forced by the others to call it a day and hunt for a lodging for the night. Luckily, we find an amazing guest house in Sumur. It has 5 rooms and only us as guests. The caretaker is an awesome guy who makes great chai. We are treated to a lavish dinner, cooked from vegetables plucked straight from the farm. I experiment a bit to capture the moon and with some camera histrionics come up with a shot like this. Everyone is impressed!! But it is the result of a solar flare! I keep trying to capture the moon late into the night and a distant light keeps troubling me. I lose my patience and give up. I guess it was a good thing to do because I can now enjoy the beauty of the starry night!
at 12:16 PM Labels: camel, desert, double humped camel, flowers, guest house, Ladakh, lake, Leh, Leh travelogue, moon, mountain, sumur
Sunday, August 19, 2007
On Top of the World
A pleasant morning and I am off to the Nubra Valley (Diskit, Khalsar, Sumur, Panamik in hte map). I am joined by some familiar folks here-- the Indian guy who directed me to K2 adventures, the Italian I met at La Pizzeria yesterday and two other Italians who seem to know how to have fun! If they hadn't told me their native places, I'd have assumed they were from Sicily.
The best part of this group is that everybody loves chai....and while traveling through India that is what you should look for! Awesome for me!! Our first stop is at South Pullu, catch some breath and scale up to hte heights of the Khardungla - It is the highest motor able road in the world at an astounding height of 18380 ft. As I get out, I am struck by the lightness of being (with apologies to Milan Kundera) , the air is really thin!
I meet a guy on a solo motorcycle tour across the length and breadth of India to raise awareness for CHRYSALLIS - a performance arts center for the challenged. Established in 1999 in Bangalore, they claim to have trained over 5000 children with disabilities to work in over 60 dramas. His camera had malfunctioned (as happens to a lot of electronic devices at such heights -- esp. the zoom feature) and I offered to take a picture and put it here.
Down the KhardungLa, we reach the Khardung village and stop for chai. Nubra valley has just begun and we are be headed towards Diskit. No points for guessing that Diskit has a fabulous monastery as well . HH the Dalai Lama was here a few days ago for sermons. All the valley people seem to have followed him to Leh for the next set of sermons and the gompas bear a deserted look, for the monks have also retreated. The monastery was founded around 1420AD and is home to about 120 lamas. We go around the monastery by ourselves and admire the beautiful landscape all around.
After lunch we beat a retreat to Panamik. I wonder how this place ever came into existence. Imagine standing in the middle of a desert, with a clear blue sky, with mountains surrounding you, and low and behold, there is also a stream of water under your feet! It is simply amazing, and if you havent been there, no amount of pictures can tell the tale. But since this is a travel blog, I am putting up some to share. I dont think I have any words to describe what I (or the others) saw. we just laughed till we were sick, and then we just gazed at it in gay abandon.
at 11:14 PM Labels: chrysallis, desert, diskit, khardungLa, Ladakh, Leh, Leh travelogue, mountain, Nubra, water
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Finally....back to Civilization
The trek has proceeded wonderfully well. Although due to extremely unavoidable circumstances, I and the French guy need to be in Leh this evening , we will not be able to continue to walk the rest of the way. We are being hitched onto Alchi by a car (it seems like a luxury). We are in Nurla right now and Alchi is an hour's drive away. The drive is beautiful, as I might have said so many times about the earlier ones in Ladakh. But the landscapes are awesome. Someone remarked that India is boring for landscapes. I strongly suspect that he/she had not visited Ladakh. I must however agree that the scene is totally mesmerizing, so much so that it is almost impossible to get any sense of perspective on distances or heights of the ranges that surround you. It is easy to keep walking miles and miles to reach a place that seems a stone's throw away. And still it is not any nearer.
Alchi is one of the oldest monastery complexes in Ladakh, dating back to about 1000 AD. It consists of 3 temples and 2 other sites. The early Indian influence can be easily seen in the paintings and decor around the monastery. The carvings on the main door are as old as the monastery itself and can still be seen in pristine conditions. We move out of Alchi after satisfying ourselves that there is nothing to see. The gurudwara Pathar Sahib is on our way back, and I decide to give the Frenchman a quick tour. He seems very impressed with the atmosphere and is particularly taken aback at not finding anyone pestering him to offer donations or buy anything. He remarks " I feel very safe in here and this place is very peaceful". I give him a quick briefing about the Sikh religion and we have chai at the gurudwara before returning to Leh.
Back in Leh, I hunt for a hotel for the night. Its not easy to find a decent one. I bargain hard for a good room. The initial price is Rs. 1000, but I get it for Rs. 600, including breakfast, a TV set and the best thing of all - 24 hours of hot shower! There is also a promise that the price will be honored 3 days later after my return from Nubra Valley.
After a shower, I am off to hunt for a trip to Nubra Valley for tomorrow. I don't want to make the same mistake as with Pangong Tso of not having enough time when I get there. I am determined to go for 2 nights and 3 days, come what may. I bumped into a good Indian fella who directed me to K2 adventures. He is going to Nubra tomorrow as well and I may be able to tag along. I arrive at K2, the guy is a little pissed off at I don't know what, makes me wait for about half an hour, doesn't bargain and puts me on a tour to Nubra for tomorrow. I am pleased. I catch a good shot of the setting sun flashing some rays on the mountains.
Next I hunt for my other friends in Leh. I bump into one of them and we agree to meet at the La Pizzeria at around 8:30 PM. I find myself a set of new friends (Canadian, British, Italians) and at La Pizzeria and we have a good time. Most of them are leaving tomorrow for Agra and Varanasi. There's an Italian guy who is going to Nubra as well, maybe I will bump into him tomorrow!
Friday, August 17, 2007
Pushing Down on the Hills
It's all downward from here. Thats how the 4th day of the trek was defined. And indeed it was the only truth we heard in the last few days....well apart from the streams of water thrashing down on the mountain terrain.
We depart from the camp early....well our early is beginning ot be around 10 AM now. We make our way to the village of Tar. the route follows a stream melting from a glacier. Looking at the maps we anticipate that it will lead us to the Indus finally. After about 3 hours of walking we reach Ta, a small village nestled in the hills. We are taken in by a family for lunch. It is a beautiful house. The living room in true Ladakhi tradition is adorned with numerous paintings and is well stocked with a large number of utensils. I am told that these utensils are not used on a daily basis, but only during a festive occasion when the whole village eats together. We are hungry and the family serves us apricots and chai.
One of the guys is back in Ladakh after about 15 years working in Delhi. He is excited to see me. Apparently the villagers are thrilled to see me. They say that foreigners are a common sight in these parts of Ladakh whereas Indians trekking hte mountains are rare. I am accorded a warm and royal welcome. The guy used to be a tour guide back in the days and had accompanied bmore than 200 expeditions (he said 223) in the Himalays. He worked with the Rimo Adventures, a company he said was started by Tenzing Norgay's niece. He seemed appalled at the falling standards of the guides these days. For the last 5 years he was based in Delhi, working for a software firm. Now his ambitions are taking him to Australia where he has found his professional calling. Good luck to him!!
The house was covered in beautiful flowers (see left) , apricot and apple trees. They grow their own food mostly and engage in cooperative farming techniques. Even though the house is in a pretty remote location, it is well furnished with modern amenities. Electricity is free, powered by solar cells and Govt. subsidies. there is a phone line and a rough calculation reveals that at the present rate the Govt.'s investment cannot be recouped in more than 30 years.
We leave the natives and make our way towards the campground. It is another 2 hours of walk and right on the banks of the Indus. The Indus is one river that stubbornly refuses to flow quiet.
We freshen up at the Indus. The water is cold but the sun is still up and shining bright. My back is all red from the exposure, but I am loving it! Life is excellent whenever I am near a water source, so this feels amazing!! We walk into a restaurant, chalk up some good mutton momos and beer (oh yes, we are near civilization again!!!!) and are ready to have a great dinner cooked by our guide. Oh yes, he joined us back in Tar after dropping off the Dutch guy. We are told that the guy is in good hands and we are relieved.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Climbing the TarLa
I am woken early morning by the Dutch guy. He is not feeling well. It seems that some of his previous allergies have reappeared and his face is swollen. Painkillers have had no effect, and it seems it is best for him to leave for Leh. Our guide runs down the mountains and is back in an hour. He says something can be arranged to take him back to Leh safe. Our guide leaves us and we are on the mercy of the donkey man and the donkeys to climb the TarLa.
It is a beautiful morning though and I click some shots before breakfast. Breakfast is heavy in anticipation of a big climb ahead and so are our lunch packs.
We begin steady and I think the donkeys have a tough day! No grass on the way either, the landscape is really barren. I follow a stream uphill as it flows through loose gravel and stones. Water always takes the path of least resistance and I thought that would be the best route to take. 3 hours later we stop at a fork and finish off our lunch packets, gain some more energy and start all over again.
After about a 5 hour climb, we finally reach TarLa. It is a beautiful view from here and it is my first climb over 5000m. TarLa is precisely at 5250m. It is awesome to be able to walk on both the sides of a mountain simultaneously (with one foot on either side).
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Donkeys are serious Business | Trek day 2
It's Day 2 of our trek and we are all excited having been woken up at 6:30 with a hot cuppa chai! The Wanla river serves as a source for morning ablutions and we have a good breakfast - porridge, cereal, omlettes, etc. Our cook and guide are really awesome!!
11:00 AM: we are stuck in Wanla as our donkeys have failed to arrive. Yes I did say donkeys!! Donkeys have never been as serious a business as they seem today! We need them to carry our tents and movable kitchen. Since we are out of all communication aids in this region (no telephones, cellphones etc. work here) we have no idea when our donkeys will arrive!
We decide to take a trip to the monastery to spend some time and amuse ourselves.
Apricots grow in Ladakh in large numbers and wherever we go, we are treated to apricots (both fresh and dried) by the locals. They are the sweetest apricots I have ever had! After about 3 hours of walking we cool off our heels at the river and watch mountain goats race up and down the hill slopes. It is amazing to see how these creatures survive in this harsh climate! At another village I witness a new technique in recycling old tins and cans! The locals have stacked them up to support infant trees and in some other cases they have been made into the spinning wheels for the Buddhist chant of "Om Padme Mane Hum". On the left is the example!
The stretch is panoramic. It is beautiful, calm, captivating, serene and all that comes to mind that is associated with the word peaceful. We arrive in Urshi sans the donkeys. Since most of us are hungry, we decide to wander into the village and ask the locals for some help. Mind you there are no restaurants, hotels, or any other public conveniences. We are at the mercy of our donkeys! Nevertheless, we found a great guy who took us into his hospitality. We went to his home and he served us hot chai! Along with it, we had a taste of the local Chang, a barley based local beer. It is simple to make and takes about a week of fermentation. The first draft from the barrel is the most potent whereas the strength reduces after several drafts have been made. Our host informed us that this was from the 2nd one, and so we did not insist on a second serving. The guy has 3 kids, 2 daughters and 1 son. All of them go to school. The boy though went to a residential school in the town of Khaltse. He informed us that the school paid for his lodging, meals, uniform and education. He seemed happy with the arrangement, and so did the kids. It was the Independence day and he was back home for the holiday. On our way back, we spotted the donkeys coming. What a relief!! Now we could have some good food and sleep in our sleeping bags and tents away from the cold and unfriendly weather of the mountains! I finish reading Karma Cola and we have a great dinner before I hit the beds. I am told that it will be a tough climb tomorrow. Although I can see the peak at TarLa, it seems like it will be a good day of work.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Trekking | Lamayuru to Alchi
I am taking a trek from Lamayuru to Alchi for the next 5 days.
I signed up through a local travel guy who runs RIGO Adventures, right in the center of the Leh city. I have heard it is a great trek, climbing over multiple passes, the highest being the TarLa at 5250m above sea level. There is another trek for the Stok Kangri, which is well above 6000m in altitude, but knowledgeable people say that the Lamayuru Alchi trek is more physically demanding. We will find out the truth.
On the trek I am joined by a German, a Dutch, a Frenchman and a Spanish couple. We start off the day early in Leh around 8 AM and head out towards Lamayuru, west of Leh along the Leh-Kargil-Srinarar route. Lamayuru is the oldest gompa in the entire Ladakh region, having been founded in the 11th century. It is amazing to see the architecture survive even after a 1000 years of construction, most of it accomplished by very basic building materials. The monastery houses more than 150 residential monks of the red-hat sect. The picture on the left shows a traditional worship item at the monastery. The colors just caught my eye and I thought it was a good shot!
As we moved from Lamayuru, it was not the breathtaking landscapes that caught my attention, but a large coal deposit by the side of the mountains. I am not sure if it had any calorific value, but I had never expected to see fuel on our way.
After a few hours of walk and we decided to camp at the Wanla camps, by the banks of the Wanla river. As with other small towns, there is a monastery, which we plan to visit tomorrow early morning before proceeding further. In the meanwhile, after a tired day's walk up through a not so high mountain pass, we are at Wanla. The camps are set up and it seems like a surreal experience. It is not cold, and the only sounds I hear are from the river dashing itself against the rocks and the mountains. There are other fellow campers around, but we do not make much contact. There is a small restaurant nearby and a chotu comes up to me with some chai. I relish the chai and settle down with a book to read. The Dutch guy gives me Gita Mehta's Karma Cola to read. It is a fascinating read. Although, I am sure that if I had read it anywhere else, I would have had a relatively tough time understanding it. Out here in Ladakh, where most of my fellow travelers are non-Indians, it suddenly begins to make sense. I recount my last nights conversation with a Canadian, who said that she was disillusioned with the west and was searching for something to help her find some meaning to her life. I guess, in India you can only get lost!! (pun intended). On a related note, I also found how compartmentalized the west's view on India is and how easy it is for us (Indians) to give them that impression. Mind you, it is not misleading, but Indian customs, traditions, not to mention religion, are not always logical and in step narrative. It is tough to transcend from logic to to arbitrary faith within a small time span.
Anyway, its been a good read, and I am all excited to resume the trek tomorrow again!
at 11:49 PM Labels: dutch, french, german, gita mehta, karma cola, Ladakh, lamayuru, Leh, Leh travelogue, spanish, trek, wanla
Monday, August 13, 2007
I am loving it in Leh!
I always thought that if I spent a long time in a small new city, it would be really hard for the place to meet my ever curious demands. seems like Leh is (very) different. For it is probably my 6th day in the city, and I still have a lot to find out about it...for starters, I have yet to venture into Changspa and Changi and then I have to go to the German bakeries all around (Penguin, Dolphin) and just catch up with people.
I meet my old friend Luisa in the marketplace. She is with Ming, a guy I chatted up for like 5 minutes a couple of days back while searching for airfares. And with them is a big group of people, Canadians, Americans and Italians. Seems like a nice group and I join them for a lunch at the most authentic Tibetan place in Leh (I forget its name now, but if you are in the city, this place is next tothe Chokhang Vihara and bang opposite the Leh View Cafe and the Leh Bookstore). I recommend that you give it a try. I have a veg Thukpa and it tastes pretty good.
It is a clear day and I am still excited about the Pangong Tso from yesterday. I can't help but sell it to my fellow travelers, who seem to enjoy the pictures. It is already afternoon, and we go to visit the Tsemo gompa, the highest in the city.
We climb down from the Tsemo and hit the Ladakhi womens festival in Changspa. There is singing and dancing. I am surprised at the presence of a large number of NGOs. Some are engaged in teaching English to the local community, whereas others are concerned with maintaining the delicate ecological balance in Ladakh. For one, it does not rain in Ladakh and some houses are still made of mud. Last year, it did rain there quite heavily and if it continues in a pattern, most of the inhabitation may be in clear danger.
I meet up with more people later at dinner at KC's garden cafe. there is a huge party with outdoor campfires and we are having a good time. I meet an expedition team on a bike ride from Manali to KhardungLa. Before embarking on the trip, I had seen their footage on the Aaj Tak news channel. Now I was having dinner with the guys, very cool people. They plan to hoist the Indian flag at the KhardungLa on the 15th. I wish I could be with them, but I leave for a trek tomorrow morning. I shoot some pictures and bid adieu to some folks. I promise to catch up with some other folks when I return.
at 11:46 PM Labels: Leh travelogue
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Pangong Tso
It is an early morning for me. I am headed to the Pangong Tso in the North Eastern part of Ladakh. 'Tso' literally means a lake. The lake is at a height of about 13900ft or 4250m above sea level. I wanted to stay over a night at the Pangong Tso, but it seems that my travel guy has been unable to find other passengers who'd like to do the same. So, I will have to return to the city by night. I am a little disappointed as I wanted to stay there for a couple of days and soak in the pleasure of sunrise which I have heard is awesome. Further, the sky is a little overcast. Though it rarely rains in this part of the world, a cloudy sky means no color aberrations in the mountains to watch out for. It seems rather dull and boring.
We leave Leh at about 7 AM and by 8AM, we are having a great breakfast at Upshi. There is a punjabi dhaba that serves aloo parathas with chhole (chick peas) and yogurt. It is as Punjabi as it can get! I am delighted.
It is a well laid out road from Upshi. Though the distance is only about 130kms, it takes a good 5 hours to get there. Mountain roads are notorious for their climbs. With me today are 2 Aussies (mom and daughter), an Italian, and two fellow Indians. It seems like a good company and we should have a good time together.
Road signs in Ladakh are amusing. They offer profound wisdom with a tongue in cheek sense of humor. Sample some of these:
1. On my curves, check your nerves
2. Be gentle on my curves
3. If married, divorce speed
4. Drive carefully, Live cheerfully
5. Love your neighbor, but not while driving.
6. If you sleep, your family will weep.
7. Drive on muscle power, not rum power.
8. After whiskey, driving is risky.
9. No race, no rally, enjoy he beauty of the valley; and my favorite of them all
10. Drive like hell, and you will be there!
Most of the drive from Leh is through a dramatic landscape. The road traverses the third-highest pass in the world, the ChangLa. There is a small teahouse and a temple dedicated to the ChangLa Baba. Army guards can be spotted playing cricket as and when they get some time. The lake is open only during the summers from May to September. A special permit is required to visit the lake. While an Indian can get his individual
permit at Leh, foreign nationals need to be in a group of at least four. One third of the lake falls within the territorial boundaries of India, while the rest is in China (Tibet). As we approach the lake, a speck of blue can be seen amidst the brown barren mountains. That's the lovely sight of the Pangong. Even though it is clouded, the hues are remarkable, putting an end to my fears of the morning. It is one of the most pristine landscapes I have ever seen.There is a small campsite in the village of Spangmik towards Tibet where one can stay for a night. Although only the basic facilities are provided. At the villagehead of Spangmik it starts drizzling and we rush indoors for lunch. It is good ol' Maggi instant noodles served with duck eggs and chai. Delicious! It starts getting cold and we head out towards the city. Remember it is a 5 hour drive back. The slight drizzle has already caused cascades of waterfalls along the way, and we are in knee deep water before we know it. Its good to have a 4x4 which can wade through it all, yet we have some exciting moments.
at 11:22 PM Labels: dhaba, Ladakh, lake, Leh travelogue, pangong tso, parathas, punjabi
Saturday, August 11, 2007
A Day of Enlightenment
In Ladakh, there are only 2 things that truly fascinated me: The Gompas and the desert surrounded by the mountains. Well, that may actually be three, and if I count the Indus and the various water channels, I can expand my list. Truly, most of my sightings in this part of the country have been really bizarre. Nowhere in my travels have I encountered such beautiful buildings and structures in the middle of a beautiful nowhere.
I get up and am informed that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is scheduled to visit the city at the local Gompa and inaugurate a new mosque in the town center. While everyone is excited about his visit,
After lunch I head out to the Hemis Gompa. It is on the way to Manali, about 40 kms south of Leh. All bikes seem to be rented out for the day, so I decide to take a cab to the monastery. It is neatly nestled in the mountains, with not an iota of evidence of its existence, unless you decide to pursue the road across the Indus. Hemis is the biggest gompa in Ladakh, representing the Mahayana culture of Buddhist thought. It was built around the 1630s and has also been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are about 500 resident scholars and it is a treasure house of priceless manuscripts, paintings, thankas and other precious objects. It also has a museum, that was contributed by a Malaysian couple. The museum houses the appointment letter of HH the Dalai Lama, hand written on an exquisite yellow silk cloth. The pillars at the monastery are a work in craftsmanship, with paintings and intricate patterns that date back to the origins of the monastery itself.
After a brief stopover at the Indus, I make my way to the Leh View Cafe for dinner. I am joined by some Italians, A Spanish and an Aussie. While most of them are pretty laid back and cheerful people, the Aussie is a little more aggressive. I think it comes from his being a Vietnam war veteran. A few people ignore his zealousness and have a nice warm conversation. As the only Indian on the table, I am quizzed about a range of topics, from religion to region, from sports to politics, culture to army etc. The Aussie gets all excited by the Kashmir conflict and starts passing his own judgments on the issue. It would have been alright if he was objective and rational in his thoughts....but then most people are not rational. I know it is a tough issue to comprehend, but people who have had only the western news channels to feed them stories about Kashmir should refrain from pretending that they know how to resolve the crisis. Sensing that the discussion might take a serious turn, I ask the Aussie to leave the table. Knowing that he is outnumbered, he leaves with more aggression, but for us happiness is restored across the table. The Spanish guy commented and I quote: " I will remember you throughout my life as the Indian guy who protected the honor of his country against an unreasonable Aussie."
at 10:58 AM Labels: Dalai Lama, gompa, hemis, Ladakh, Leh, Leh travelogue
Friday, August 10, 2007
Moving around
Leh is simply awesome! It has been a couple of days and I am now getting into the groove here. It is a very laid back city. People seem to have all the modern comforts, and still life is very unlike that of a big city. People seem happy and so are we.
We decide to head to the Shanti Stupa. It is perched on the top of a small hill just west of Leh. the hill is actually over at around 11000 ft, but looks tiny when compared to the rest of the surroundings. It affords a panoramic view of the city. The stupa was built in 1980s through Japanese contributions and is a beautiful monument decorated with colourful paintings and enshrines large statues of Buddha, depicting various stages of his life: birth, enlightenment, meditation and death.
The view of the Leh valley from the Shanti Stupa is beautiful. The desert looks like a scene straight of the middle east rather than of a place in hte Himalayas. I guess, thats the stark and naked beauty of Ladakh that cannot be appreciated without a visit. A patch of greenland coexists with a patch of the most barren land that I would have ever seen. On the right is such a desert picture as seen from the Shanti Stupa.
We return to the city for lunch at the World Garden Cafe. It serves great Margharitas. Since the weather is very good, we decide to rent some bikes and move into Shey, the ancient capital of Leh, visit the Thiksey monastery and cool off our heels at the banks of the Indus.
Shey is located about 15 kms south of Leh. It was once the former summer capital of the kings of Ladakh. Thiksey monastery is a stone's throw from the Shey palace. The monastery was built in the 14th century, and consists of about 12 floors. The incarnate lama’s private abode lies at the top of the monastery. There are about 100 monks of the yellow- hat sect of Buddhism. A new temple was constructed recently in the main courtyard, and contains a large statue of a compassionate Buddha. The H.H. Dalai Lama constructed this Buddha, 15 meters tall, in 1980 to commemorate a visit to Thiksey. The statue is the largest Buddha figure in Ladakh and it took four years to construct. It is made up of clay and covered with gold paint.
I am informed that traditionally, Ladakhi families donated one son to become a lama in a monastery, but this practise is gradually disappearing. I did encounter a young Lama at the Gompa.
at 9:59 PM Labels: Dalai Lama, gompa, Indus, Ladakh, Leh, Leh travelogue, shanti stupa, thiksey
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Getting Leh'd Part 2
Today could actually be the first day of getting Leh'd, for we venture out into the city, its nearby monasteries and villages and meeting the locals.
The day begins with a good breakfast and we head to find us a cab to take us to the various places we want to see. The excursion begins at around 11 AM. Our driver for the day is Irfan, a boy of maybe 21. He informs us that he is from Srinagar, but has spent a good deal driving around the Ladakh region. He looks amateurish.
Our first halt is the Phyang Gompa, in Chhiwang about 22 kms west of Leh. Phyang gompa is also known in Ladakhi as the Gouon gompa, which means "blue peak" for it is beautifully situated on a hilltop. The monastery was built by King Lkra-Shis-Namgyal, founder of the Namgyal dynasty in 1500. He filled the monastery with beautiful statues, thankas and copies of the Kandshur (the translated word of the Buddha). Phyang has over 100 lamas. The statues at the front of the temple are of Mahakala flanked by four statues of his various manifestations. The faces of these statues are covered with cloth and only displayed to the public once a year during the Phyang festival. Also preserved are some ancient Mongolian armaments, including armor, shields and helmets taken from defeated Mongolian soldiers.
Next we head to the famous Gurudwara Pathar Sahib. This is a unique place of worship for the Sikhs and others alike and is highly revered by the Indian Army in the region. So much so that the day to day operations and maintenance of the shrine is undertaken by the Indian Army. The people are very friendly and they share the guru's langar (community kitchen) with . It is a fantastic lunch for us. Chai is always available and quenching our thirst we move ahead.
We make a stopover at the confluence of the rivers Indus and Zanskar, near a village called Nimmu, about 40 kms west of Leh. this is a pretty sight. The remains of the ancient ocean Tythes and its seabed are apparent in the form of the lose sand and gravel that abounds on the banks of the two rivers. In the picture, the Indus is to the left whereas the Zanskar is on the right. Indus is relatively cleaner, because it carries less sediment with it.
A short drive from the confluence is the village of Nimmu. The small village has an army base camp and also has its own set of monasteries. We unwind and relax at a small restaurant in the village and make some plans for the evening. A painting of what looks like an old Mongolian warrior to me catches my eye. The guy seems happy and content. To me, he looks like a descendant of Chengiz Khan (Genghis Khan to the west).
We head back towards Leh again. It is late afternoon and a bottle of Maaza keeps me good company. Before we get back to the city, we decide to take a halt at the Spituk Gompa. By now, I am getting a little fascinated by the windows at Gompas. They are made in a very basic architectural fashion. A wooden beam rests on the side walls of the windows. It serves as the top ledge and holds up the intricate wood carving that further decorates the windows on the top. Spituk was founded in the late 14th century. It houses the seats of his Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Bakula Rinpoche. The annual festival is called the Spituk Gustor, held in the summers. Since the dates are based on the Tibetan Lunar calendar, it is advisable to check every year.
Back in Leh, we decide to hit the Leh View Cafe again. It is turning out to be a good place for me.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Getting Leh'd Part 1
Its been a slow start to getting Leh'd. The AMS (acute muntain sickness) has not withered away fully, though I feel much better with the aid of Dismox. A quite breakfast at the guest house with a cuppa chai ensures a slow morning. I venture out into the Moti bazar for a small walk. I like the bazaar, for the shopkeepers do not try to wrestle your attention to sell something. A couple of them advise me to rest for a while before making any ambitious plans for the trip. A short walk down the small roads leads us into the Tibetan Bazaar and into the hubris of the Bus Station. A large crowd has gathered in the vicinity.
There is a street play being enacted and the crowd is enthusiastically cheering both the director and the actor. In the good old days the director was a "madari" and the actor used to be a monkey. I guess animals have rights in Ladakh these days.
We return to the guest house for a hearty lunch and take a nap. Although the time could have been utilized much better, the nap sure did save us from some sunburns. The days are not hot, but the direct rays of the sun coupled with the thin air makes it a little uncomfortable. It is said that a person with his hands in the sun and his feet in the shade can simultaneously suffer from sunburn and frostbite in Ladakh. This may be an exaggeration, but I guess it makes the point clear. Do not mess with the weather in Ladakh.
Later in the afternoon, we decide to scale the peaks of the old palace. Locals reveal a route that passes through the alleys next to the Jama Masjid. It is a decent climb for about 25-30 minutes and provides spectacular views of the city below.
The palace is an old monument (under renovation these days). It provides a glimpse into the mountain architecture of the early 1600s. The building is made in the Tibetian style using stone, mud and wood. It stands tall at 9 stories.
What strikes me immediately is the great difficulty of hauling up tones of stone and building materials to erect the strcture in the 1600s. The alleys in the palace are dark and we just while some time away in its luxurious balconies that offer a great view of the Ladakh skyline. The sun is about to set and a myriad colors are seen over the ledge.
A portrait of the Buddha on a steep mountain slope catches my eye. It is hard to imagine artists making these giant paintings on such unforgiving surfaces. It is a beautiful sunset as seen from the Tsemu monastery. We head down after dark and get some authentic Chinese food for dinner and call it a day.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Manali to Leh Day 2
A pleasant morning awaited us as we brushed our teeth and continued the rest of our journey from Paang to Leh. I was impressed by the hospitality of the locals inspite of the hard conditions and I left a genergus tip.
A slight climb from Paang brought us to a high altitude plateau. At more than 4000m in altitude, it is perhaps the most beautiful place I have seen. We are surrounded by still taller mountains on all sides, and it is a breathtaking scene. The mountain hues change with every ray of the sun, every moment in time and with every blink of the eye. The air is thin and the distant landscapes are all the more clearer to the eye. What is perhaps missing is a perception of distance. The bottom of the hill, that is surely distant could be 10kms or 20 or even 50 kms away. I have absolutely no idea and think i will leave it to the cartographers to do their job.
we reach TaglangLa around 8 in the morning. Shortly before the pass we stop for a breakfast of duck egg omlettes and tea. The eggs were were deliciously cooked and the tea well made. We are joined by a Czech group of adventure tourists. Some of them seem pretty sick. The leader of the pack calls herself Shweta, and it turns out that they were all on the same bus with us from Delhi to Manali. Shweta has armed herself with a degree in Hindi from the Agra University, so she does not go around carrying the Lonely Planet's Indie du Nord for directions on what to do. She approaches me and asks if we can help their cause by accommodating a couple of passengers. We oblige. Shweta insists on speaking more complex Hindi than I do, and her companion knows no English/Hindi at all. Conversation is difficult.
We stop at the very sight of the Indus. It is my first visit on the banks of the Indus and I am emotional about it, specially being almost at the origins of the river that has played an important role in the human civilization. The water is cold but sweet, and we have a good time refreshing ourselves.
Onwards to Leh, we follow the Indus in its course going through gorges and canyons till we reach the small town of Upshi. After two days the cellphones are now active once again. We have chai at a restaurant with a colorful menu (shown on the right). The chai is delicious and and we approach Leh with uncontrolled ecstasy.
Leh is a remarkably green region in the middle of the vast expanse of the Ladakh desert. Oxygen is rare and that explains the immense greenery. Army is omnipresent, and seems to be very friendly as well. We check into a guest house and are immediately overpowered by the acute mountain sickness. We spend the day recovering with medication, water and chai.
For dinner, we head to the Leh View Cafe, the highest terrace restaurant in Leh and eat to our heart's content. We cannot help noticing that we are the only Indians around. The town of Leh seems to be flooded with foreign tourists, much like Vashishth and Manali. Only that Leh is bigger and with people from all over the world. The city center is full of restaurants, hotels, guest houses and travel agents. There is a mosque, Jama Masjid, and a monastery, Chokang Vihara. The rest is for us to explore. The Old Leh palace is seen on the hill.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Manali to Leh Day 1
A hot shower at 4:30 AM is not the best way to wake up, specially when it is raining and you feel comfortable and cozy in the bed. The rain wasn't too heavy, but still more than a drizzle. Our driver was there to greet us and without wasting too much time, we were off towards Leh. On the right is a road map to the area. I do recommend a 2 day trip, simply because it is easy on the driver and so that you can enjoy the sights of nature at your leisure. Driving 18 hours in 1 day over a mountain terrain is a sure way of inviting trouble.
On our route we consistently traversed the landscape at a height of more than 3000 m. On the way up we came across the origin of river Beas, a waterfall of not an insignificant proportion that is fed by rains and melting glaciers. The first major pass we hit was the Rohtang La. "La" means a pass, so calling it RohtangLa pass would be doubly superfluous. RohtangLa is at a height of 13051 feet/3979 m. In the local language Rohtang means "the pile of corpses" It was raining heavy now, and there is always a chance that the rain can turn into a snowstorm. Our driver did warn us that his heart skipped a beat driving under wet conditions up to the RohtangLa.
Below is a picture of our car negotiating the rains and flash floods in the tough terrain.
RohtangLa is a natural access point to the valleys of Lahaul and Spiti in Himachal Pradesh with an obvious extension into the Ladakh region. The Rohtang also serves as a climactic and cultural divide between the Indian mainland and the Ladakh region. the mountains suddenly turn arid and the culture changes to a predominantly Buddhist population beyond the Rohtang.
We made a couple of stops for chai and aloo parathas before hitting Sarchu by the mid afternoon. Sarchu is a nice place that serves as a natural midpoint halt between Manali and Leh. I am told that it has ultra modern tents and facilities for tourists, although from the outside, it sure looks like any other halt. Since it was only afternoon, we decided to continue to Paang, about 3 hours away, and camp there for the night. At Paang, we were first introduced to the Ladakhi culture. there were happy faces around us that seemed contended with life. the only glum looking soul was a German biker who asked me if I could help him with a spare nut, but I had to politely refuse, simply because I did not have any. We had a good meal of chicken soup, dal and rotis. Although I must say that the dal had a really interesting taste and could be spiced up with just the basic elements such as the salt.
Ironically, I had a few moments ago tasted the much famed Ladakhi salty chai here. It was pink in color, with a layer of fat and rather delicious.
For Rs.30 a night, we got a bed to sleep in and so passed our night at Paang. There were voices of singing and dancing nearby, but we were too tired to leave the comfort of our tents and take a peek. We intended to leave at dawn and head straight into Leh. As the night unfolded, more travelers were given space in our tents and it turned into a noisy affair. I was able to catch a few winks here and there, and in between the commotion.
All through this time, I had harbored hopes of seeing the ChandraTaal or SurajTaal in the Spiti and Lahaul valleys respectively. Our driver made a total mockery of my hopes by claiming that they were inaccessible. I was more than disappointed with not having seen the SurajTaal, which was a small detour on the way. not only that, he claimed that the VishalTaal was the actual SurajTaal and did not stop when we arrived there. It was saddening for me to entertain the thought of having missed out on SurajTaal. Maybe it calls for a whole new trip, and I am sure to return sometime again.....hopefully soon.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Manali
My first impression on Manali is somewhat mixed. I expected a lot of people holidaying here, but it seems that the monsoon season has few takers for a Manali adventure. After a first class morning chai at a roadside stall, we reached Manali about 10 in the morning and checked into the hotel Beas View. apart from being a good accomodation, it has a decent kitchen and we had a good healthy brunch .
We headed out to the Vashishth baths. Legend has it that the sage Vashishth when meditating in Manali had an urge for a hot bath and so erupted the hot springs in the area. The water was warm and quite unlike in the Yellowstone springs, it is usable for a variety of human purposes. The main temple is shown in the picture here. The nearby area is flushed with foreign tourists, and locals tell me that people from Israel form the bulk of the tourists. Charas in Manali is supposed to be the best in the world, available cheap at about Rs. 600 for 10 grams. I reckon it is a big draw for foreigners, who are increasingly embracing the local culture, in the hope of an easy path to salvation. We stop by for a quick snack at the Rainbow Cafe nearby. The owner is a Nepali and we hit it off quite well. He does not deny our beliefs about the local charas. An Italian nearby is quite frustrated at not being able to catch the Formula 1 race that is on tonight. The TV simply refuses to give him the right signals. After a light snack at the cafe we head off to explore the rest of the city.
Our next stop is the Hadimba temple. Until this visit I was not aware that Hadimba was worshiped as a goddess. The temple is a fine piece of architecture, constructed in the 16th century. It lies on top of a hill that affords great night views of the Manali city and the Kullu valley. We stop by at a garden restaurant for a lavish meal. It is surprising how so few Indians can be seen at the restaurant initially, but as the night picks up there is a steady inflow. I guess we Indians really dine later. Behind me is a table occupied by a family with small kids. To my left are seated 3 women and 2 men, having a good time. The women however, incessantly justify their heavy (or light) smoking habits, while the men just nod at the (un)appropriate moments.
We have a good meal and head out to our hotel. It is a long day tomorrow as we start our rendezvous on the Manali-Leh highway at 4:30 AM. Life it seems will be great for a couple of weeks.
at 8:23 PM Labels: Hadimba, Hot springs, Leh travelogue, Manali, Vashishth
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Tonight: On the road to Manali
Manali should be a good place to just relax for a day or so. Here's a map from Delhi to Manali to keep things in perspective.
The next posts will be quite a deviation from the regular posts earlier, most notably in the narration. I will try to make them a more travelogue(ish) and try to capture my local observations about everything, probably accompanied by a picture or two.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Fresh Mangoes!!!
Boy, I had not had a decent one in the last 5 years and was completely lost in the moment!
This also happens to be my 200th post on the blog!!!! Im off to celebrate.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Geometricity
Nevertheless, HK skyline is not boring boxes of concrete held together by glass panes.
at 1:54 AM Labels: hong kong, structures
Friday, July 13, 2007
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Ajmer City @ Dawn
I was in Ajmer for a friend's wedding recentl. Not too impressed by the city . It was overwhelming and looked and felt chaotic. I could not understand how the sanitation and the basics of modern day living are still so omni-absent in a large city like Ajmer. Most disappointing was the area around the Dargah Shareif and seeing how empty bottles and candy wrappers found their way into the shrine precincts.
Nevertheless, a short drive into Pushkar, about 12kms from Ajmer felt good. This image captures the beauty of Ajmer just before dawn. Hopefully it will inspire people to restore some order of semblance to the historic city.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
The Grand Canyons
Anyways, this is a shot of the grand canyon, clearly outlined along a sunny trail. Although it was high in the day and not a good time to shoot landscapes, I managed a somewhat decent shot with a one stop ND. The contrast in the foreground gives a sense of perching-up-on-the-top-to-take-a-picture.
I love the reds in this shot. Would have been good to get some greens on the island too!
at 9:14 AM Labels: grand canyon, structures
With millions of years of stories in hidden causeways for us to explore, nature photography can be a very humbling experience indeed.
at 9:07 AM Labels: grand canyon, structures
Friday, March 16, 2007
Highway Star
at 3:06 AM Labels: structures
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Peace
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Candles
The CCD on my camera broke down as I was driving through the Lonlist Highway, NV. Some say it was the heat, others say it was humidity, but regardless, Sony has had a recall on its cameras and I should have it fixed free of charge!
Anyways, this was taken at the community of Middlegate at the intersection of US 50 and SR 361 in NV. Three candles burnt the wax on the counter as fellow travellers around me enjoyed a cold beer in the middle of nowhere! The family owned and operated inn serves the best hamburgers I have ever had in my life! No wonder the inn is plastered with $ bills on the inside. Hunt for one that says "Shine On" when you are there!!
Sunday, August 06, 2006
pretty but.......
something's not quite right in this....i can't seem to figure it out. If you can, do leave a comment!