Himalaias, Nepal
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My lunch on the way to Besisahar, the trekking starting point
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From Kathmandu to Besisahar we took 8 hours by bus. I was enjoying to seat on top of it again!
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Rice fields dominate the landscape
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We were riding to the west, below the Himalaias range
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The guest house backyard, where we stayed the 1st night
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...and my room. In that evening, I met another traveller also about to start the same circuit: Sabina
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She was from Germany and we would be partners for almost the whole trekking
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So the group was me, my guide Gopal, Sabina and Rahju, her Tibetan guide
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This was our 1st morning of trekking: day 1/15. Ahead of us there were more than 200km to walk
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Lunch break. Everything was SO perfect: I imagine Switzerland being similar to this, no?
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An important holly season had just started and people were celebrating in familiy
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We would walk 5-7 hours a day, in average. The circuit starts at an altitude of 600mt above the sea level
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... reaches the peak at 5,500mt in Thorong La, and finishes at around 800mt in Benni
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Here they are, my 3 pals: Gopal in the left, Rahju and Sabina behind them
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These kids were very cute :)
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So far, the scenery was pretty much like this: green hills and yellow rice fields on the slopes
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The way was still very confortable to walk in: dry and not too steep
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This circuit goes up, counter clockwise around the Annapurna mountains, part of the Himalaias range
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Did you notice the baby swinging right in the center?
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In that night our guest house was the hottest place in town! Kids came in groups to sing.. and ask for money
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Sabina at breakfast time. I was trying to annihilate a cold with lemon tea and honey, before it ruinned my trekking
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I remember so well this valley! There was a river along the way, the sound of a waterfall and green hills around us
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No sight of snow, yet
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... nor of the Maoists. But they would show up. Both!
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Here they are, the Maoists! This group of rebels don't recognize the King nor the Government in Kathmandu
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So they ask foreigners to pay a daily fee, similar to the permit we had paid before in Kathmandu
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After a brief and ambiguous explanation of their political stand, we could put questions
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... and had to decide to pay or not. I asked 3 things (the 3rd was to take the picture), we paid and we got a receipt!
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We were told later that it had been wiser. Everybody pays, in fact. If not, as "enemies of the Nepalese people",
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... we would eventually get robbed in a less polite manner and our guides harmed, when less expected
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I had finally met the Maoists! after so many warnings in guide books, net sites and encounters with other travellers
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A typical kitchen in a typical Nepalese house
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In Chamje, after dinner, we had great fun! All the trekkers in the room got together and sang popular songs
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... from their own countries: England, Germany, Portugal, Australia and Nepal. The biggest hit was definitely "Piriri"
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.."I am a monkey, you are a donkey, yessam pi-ri-riii"! The Mustang coffee, with hot wine, helped to warm up the room
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Danaqu, day 3/15: the temperature was going down fast. Once more, only cold shower was avalaible :o
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We got there around 4pm, as usual. I went to take some pictures, then freezed in the bathroom and finally had dinner
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... with a new friend, Caroline from Paris
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It had been a hard day: we walked more than 20km
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We were now meeting many westerners in the way: English, Germans, Spanish and specially French in large groups
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During the day, weather was ok, we could walk with a tshirt. But at night... an extra blanket was needed
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We could hear the coks singing. The smells and sounds leaded me again to the distant rural villages in Portugal
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We would stop for a tea twice a day plus the lunch brake
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Normally we would leave at 8 in the morning and finish the journey at 4pm, after 6 hours walking
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This trekking industry has flourished in the last 10 years and has opened new ways of living for many Nepali
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Another tea (tchai) brake. Time to update my diary
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These old trails where now colourful trekkers enjoy so much, have been trading routes since hundreds of years ago
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Cars can't come so far up here. The only transports available are mules... and men
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The effect of going up in the mountain, thus, is clearly visible in the prices
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Each day, the same tchai, a bottle of water, dahl baht (main national dish) or a single room would cost more 15 or 20/
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Here is Caroline, a very sweet and brave girl. She was travelling alone, with no guide or porter
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... meaning: she had to prepare each journey by herself and specially carry 20kg on her back!
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These guys were not around when Maoists showed up to say Hello...
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Sometimes we had some check points, to register our names and passports and show the permit
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The trekkers we were meeting in the way were now very familiar faces, most of the times
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This is a typical arch at the entrance or exit of each village
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There were praying weels for good luck in every village, as well. We liked to follow the ritual. One never knows...
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Day 4/15: arrival to our guest house in Chame, on the other side of the river
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Religious and colourful stone inscriptions
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Serious troubles with my camera battery started in this night. The charger was broken!
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... and these batteries were not easy to find
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... serious little problems, of course. Life was not in danger YET! :)
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Here, the youngest of The Brit Bros: two brothers from UK, always in a great mood
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They had been with us in that evening of songs... and Mustang coffee
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Consumption of alcohol should be refrained in high altitude so we did not repeat it... very often
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Here, a big group of French trekkers
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The night before, I remember, I had woke up with noises inside my room! In silence I turned my torch into it...
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And saw a big rat around my biscuits and chocolates!
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It wasn't alone, there was a whole family running in the floor, ceiling, behind the walls... How disgusting :p
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At the arrival at Chame, we went to buy gloves for the cold coming days and sunglasses for Gopal
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Having lunch, dal bhat for sure! These restaurants looked more and more like western ski resorts
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The snowed mountain peaks were getting closer
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The 1st yack! I was very excited :)
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Sabina too
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That afternoon we finally saw Annapurna II, the 2nd highest mountain in the range. And stepped in the first ice as well
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Arriving to Pisang, day 5/15. It had been a soft day, it was still 2h30pm
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This place seemed to be gorgeous and we had time to visit it in the sun light... and warmth
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Each day we'd seat to check Sabina's map, the distances and altitudes
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But we never knew exactly at what time we would get to the next village
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This is our guest house, runned by an Irish girl and his Nepali boyfriend
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Pisang North, a twin village 20 min walking up, with a Budhist temple inside
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It was very cold. We were now at an altitude of 3,100mts
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After the next journey, in Manang, we would stay 2 nights to aclimatize
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AMS, or altitude sickness, could destroy completely this adventure
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The key is to climb with no rush after the 3,000mts. We were meeting some travellers with toubles who had to go down
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Synthoms are headaches, fatigue, difficulty to sleep, sickness or persistent caugh
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But so far everything was going perfect.. except for Gopal, wounded in his feet. He would see a doctor in Manang
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The colours and textures of the villages and people's clothes fit so naturally in the landscape
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Contrarily, trekkers can be seen from miles away! Enviornmentalists could claim visual pollution against Decathlon style
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In my lonely walk, I stopped at a cellar's door, where a man was counting dozens of sheeps inside
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In fact, he seemed more to be recognizing each one
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The moon was ridding high, in a bright blue sky
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In my room, freezing! For the 1st time we had hot shower. Hands got a temperature shock but the body was thankful
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After breakfast. The night before we felt so cosy in here: very nice people from Israel, Norway and Germany
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We gathered around the heater, having tea, wating for the dinner and talking. Soundtrack: Counting Crows
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I had been ages without listening to western music
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On the road again. Sometimes we would sing very loud. I taught Gopal and Rahju "As meninas da ribeira do Sado" :)
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Lunch break: I even slept. Now Gopal was probably saying "Come on, time to go. Jam-jam!"
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A common sight: checking the dearest ones' heads, looking for something I don't even want to know!
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We found some difficult passages with deep mud or ice. Finally... Manang! And races with mules in the main square
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Caroline, from France. Sabina, from Germany. Glenn, a new friend from Boston, USA
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... Gopal from Nepal and Ricardo, Portugal. The G5 summit!
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The guest house was full, mostly with Australians. As we were staying 2 nights, I had time to do some laundry. Wow! :\
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That morning we went up to a monastery at 3,800mt, as an exercise of acclimatization
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... and to get from this priest a blessing to complete the Pass successfully !
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It was not pure generosity: there was a fee to pay! Glenn and I figured that he should be the richest man in the valley
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We met up there our friends, the Brit Bros
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In Manang we finally had access to internet, but extremely expensive
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Down in the village, we could taste excellent German bakery. I'll never forget those chocolate rolls!
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I also attended a clarification session about AMS. I had had all the symptoms 1 month before, in Bhutan
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In theory I was now more vulnerable to suffer from it. But I was feeling great :)
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Here is Neyland, the oldest of the Brit Bros
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Peeling potatoes. Along with rice and noodles, potatoes are a popular meal among Nepalese... and trekkers
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In my 2nd night in Manang, I went for a movie with Caroline in a tiny and freezing "theatre": 7 Years in Tibet
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When we got out, it was night. In a bright blue sky, millions of stars over the white mountains... impressive sight!
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Day 8/15, my room in Yak Kharka: 2 days before the Pass
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At lunch I had spaghetti with canned ham, the 1st meat in a long time! Right after we went for another exercice
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We were now climbing 400mt in altitude, 5-6 hours, each day... plus 300mt or so in that acclimatizing exercise
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We stopped many times in the way to drink bottled water... and sometimes to bite a chocolate bar: supreme luxury!
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Day 9/15, arrival to Thorong Pedi at 4,400 mts: the last shelter before the Pass
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The day before, most of the trail was totally mud. Today, it was ice, much worse. I was very uncomfortable with ice
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It was an absolute and absorbing silence. Not even the commom crows or eagles were visible at this point
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The D day! We got up at 3am and started the climb at 4, with a torch in one hand and the stick in the other
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Last break b4 the long walk. It was a large group, maybe 15 including the guides. I could feel some tension in the air
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That day, we would walk for 10 hours: climbing until 5,400 and then descending to Muktinath at 3,800mt
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I was carrying my camera in my chest, but it was SO cold that taking it out would take 5 minutes of sacrifice
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AND WE DID IT! Throng La Pass at 5,400mts. But the worst was yet to come
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The wind was stronger than the usual, Gopal said
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Actually, for me there were 2 main challenges: 1) resist to AMS, and we had done it, now that the peak had been reached
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... and 2) survive the icy and sometimes really narrow trails in the 5 hours descent. I got really scared sometimes
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Finally! At 1h30pm we got the 1st tea house after the Pass. We could rest a little bit, at last
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Me, exhausted. Our feet were completely wet.. we tried to get our boots and socks dry while having lunch
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At the Pass we have available 1/2 of the normal oxygen at the sea level. At that point it was 2/3. In Everest it is 1/3
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With snow, it was funny.. and easier. At some points, we were trying to walk with snow up to the hips
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At 4pm, 12 hours after the start, we reached Muktinath, a charming little village
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Sometimes, after the hardest passages, with the body totally beaten and with all that cold, someone would say:
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"What a stupid way of spending holidays, huh?"
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But then... the beauty of the scenery, the calmness, the sharing, the fresh air and the warmth of the sun in the face...
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We felt such a privilege to be experiencing those moments!
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I was now in a monastery in Muktinath
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Enjoying a morning of leisure time
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My legs were hurting, after the effort in the day before. We had gone up 1,000mt in 4 hours and down 1,700mt in 8
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... with strong wind and in icy trails. The rest of the circuit now would be like a walk in the park
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I had finally given some use to the long jacket I had rented with the sleeping bag, included in the trekking pack
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In the night before the Pass, I followed Sabina's idea and kept my clothes for the next day inside the sleeping bag
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Room was always freezing. I was told -5C, once. Energy resources is a serious issue in this area: wood is becoming rare
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... and there are no alternatives. Governments have been encouraged to develop systems based on renewable sources
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I always slept well, though. I usually fell asleep reading with the light of a torch, like inside a cocoon
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With no TV, newspapers, mobiles or internet, and tired as we were, we would go to bed no later than 9pm
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Suddenly, Sabina noticed how beautiful and frightening this was, to be here in Himalaias. We are so small and fragile!
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And yet, there are people making their living here
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This was day 12/15. We had left Kagbeni, at 2,800mt and we were in the way to Marpha
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In Kagbeni we got the best lodge: very clean and confortable. The village, typical and rural, was also very pleasant
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Marpha. The group of friends splitted up in that day: some got a plane at Jomsom directly to Pokhara, in the south
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Rahju and Gopal got into a jealousy scene, so Sabina and I got separated too!
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In Marpha, I got another horrible night with rats wandering around my bed :p
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We were meeting new faces now, people making the circuit in the opposite direction, but only until Muktinath
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A beautiful pass here, in the dry and large trace of a river. Gopal found some fossils in small and rounded stones
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Temperature was going up but now the body was getting tired quicker
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From Marpha we went to Ghasa and then Tatopani, where we enjoyed a hot spring pool by the river
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Day 15/15: in the way to Benni. It was over. We were tired but very happy with the adventure
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Before returning to Kathmandu, I spent some days in Pokhara, the 2nd city of Nepal. Touristical but very pleasent
Chennai - Calcutta, India
fligth Colombo-Chennai
19 Sep, 6am. Beggining the 2nd part of this Asian adventure
Chennai-Calcutta
On the same day I left to Calcutta. 40 hours by train
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Madras was named Chennai and Calcutta turned to Kolkatta, the original names before the british arrival
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The monsoon was ending... the floods are still visible
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I was amazed by the scenery and excited for what was still to come
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Sometimes the train had to slow down or even to stop
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The water level had reached the railway tracks and the bridges
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But the rice fields appreciate that
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I was travelling in a 2 tier AC. That means a compartment with 2X2 beds
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I met there first one Sikh business man and after an engineer from Calcutta in his way to work, in an oil platform
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We talked a lot, they knew many things about Portugal and suggested some places for me to visit in India
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Leo: a lunatic Dutch that I met in Calcutta, convincing me that the end of the world is very close...
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There were not many tourists or white people around, so very often people got curious
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I explored the city walking for more than 4 hours under the rain
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The traffic is mad, the city is huge
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A barber street shop
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The food is made and served in the streets
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My room in YWCA. Budget travelling
Sunderbans, India
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Bus from Calcutta, in my way to Sunderbans, 5 hours south
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The first boat after 2 buses
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No sight of other tourists or white people
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Magical atmosphere, very quiet
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Common people in their routines
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The weather was great
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Reaharsing my first shots
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I was still a bit afraid of taking my camera out
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I didn't know what to expect in the arrival
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I only felt that that it was very far away from everything
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In a kind of lost world, primitive and beautiful
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People live on what they fish, cattle
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... on agriculture and collecting
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There are many kids
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The houses are made of mud
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I had reached the last main island and now had to cross it in a rickshaw
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I was sharing it with a nice old lady and her grandson
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This was an unforgettable ride through the paradise
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Eveywhere I looked it was SO perfect !
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That daytime helped, it was in the sunset
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Many times we crossed women loaded with water
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I was seated backwards, facing the passing ones
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Here the Feminine Association in their daily meeting
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Now the 2nd boat ride. We were almost there
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At last, my room in the lodge. A self portrait assisted by the mirror
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My room's backyard. In the night, I woke up with noises inside the room. A monkey had got in through here. Creepy!
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In the next day, I rented a boat and went on a safari. This was called a water monitor
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Two Indian princesses
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I touched this crocodile, captured alived too close to the villages
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Nice and deer
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My boat's pilot and his new friend
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Waiting for the tigers to come drink water, at the top of a watching tower
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I was so lonely and suddenly... giving an interview for Star TV!
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Meditating in the sunset
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Going back to the lodge
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Wires to isolate the lodges from the tigers
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Sunset in Sunderbans
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The next day, I joinned the Star TV team in their shootings
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Visiting a village
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The reporters
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Sunderbans is a World Heritage Site
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A rare balanced combination of humans with nature
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Nilanje, the reporter
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The traditional female clothes, so colourful, as anywhere else in India
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This is a dangerous land, though it doesn't look like
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Every year there are casualties with tigers
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... crocodiles
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... poison snakes and spiders
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But nevertheless, this seems the happiest people I saw in my whole life !
Bhutan
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Even before landing, we were overwhelmed by the sight of Everest above the clouds (not in the picture)
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Soon we discover that the green hills dominate the scenery of Bhutan
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There isn't any house or building out of the context
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After lunch, the first ride around Paro, the 2nd largest city in the country
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In Paro valley. Even the clothes, look ! it's not costumes, it's for real
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A monastery in the hills. There are plenty of both
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My first climbing in the first afternoon: HALF of that way !
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That same monastery
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The first night was in a 5*hotel, the greatest luxury in 3 months
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In every corner we can feel it's another world
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I was coming from Calcutta, so some differences were noticed...
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There weren't many tourists. The few were mainly americans and japanese seniors
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One detail
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In the next morning we left
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...for a 4 days trekking towards Thimpu, the capital
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Already in the way
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A typical Bhutanese family house
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We stopped here for lunch
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There are many cows, but less than in India
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Being sensitive :)
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An extraordinary yellow fungus!... I think
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This 1st day was in fact a good walk in the forest
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Very relaxing, not difficult at all
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The weather was dry and a bit chilly
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In the summer we get hot and too much rain. In the winter, too much cold and snow. Sep/Oct is nice
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Our first camp
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The Cook, very cheerful, always singing... in the pentatonic scale!
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My 3 companions: Choguyal the guide, the Horseman and the Cook
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Precious little fire. It was sooo cold !
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Great dinner: curry, of course
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The Horseman. Robust and gentle man but hard to communicate with: no english
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Morning hygiene: the top seller Colgate Total 75ml :)
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Starting the 2nd journey
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Slept badly, with the cold. But was blessed with dozens of shooting stars :)
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The flags are for long and healthy lives
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Our 3 horses and the mule in the skyline
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All just for me: 3 men, 3 horses and 1 mule!
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A tourist must pay around USD 220/day to enter Bhutan
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In the end, they still get a good profit, both the agency and the Government
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The 2nd was the toughest day: 9 hours going up and down, in the rocks and mud
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A brake to enjoy the view
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Lunch time. The Horseman always praying the mantras with the counts in his hands
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I remembered Scotland in this part
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The Highlands
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Reaching the 2nd camp site
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I was getting some altitude synthoms, without knowing
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Terrible headaches, fatigue and difficulty to sleep. Later on, sickness after eating
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We got from 2,600 to 4,100mt in a couple of days, faster then the usual and recommended
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After settling the camp, Choguyal went fishing. I helped him, although the mood wasn't the best
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The view from my 5* tent, the next morning
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"Would you like a cup of tea ?" we have to read in the eyes
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Despite the chilly morning, I was feeling great
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Everything was so quiet. We could only hear the horses' bells
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This should be close to 3,700mt of altitude
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A religious construction, very common: stones on top of stones
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In specific places, as we passed by, we also grabbed a stone and added it to the pile
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Horseman collecting wood for the fire in the night
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Passing by a monastery
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The monks
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Many kids, little monks, playing around
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It felt like staying there for good!
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Everyone I met in Bhutan was always so nice...
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It was fantastic: the sights, the silence, the fresh and pure air
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And no mosquitos, spiders, snakes, tuc tuc drivers.. what else can you ask for?!
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Finally in Thimpu , in a night club. Girls come after you to get paid to... sing
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The drummer
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A pool game: Portugal won. Luckily, I admit
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In the Timphu market
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There are no supermarkets in Bhutan
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In fact, Thimpu is proud of being the only capital of the world with just 1 traffic lights cross
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Can you identify that object? it is all around in Bhutan. Even larger, in front of some houses :o
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I learned that there aren't divorces in Bhutan. Not because it's forbidden
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...but because it's extremely expensive for the one that aks for it
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Nobody has all that money. Fact: the family ties in Asia are much stronger than in the West, as I observed
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The parliament
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Tradition meets technology
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Walking around the city, I found a traditional arch contest having place
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Just look at their clothes!
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The flags, the building, the hills, the ominpresent green
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And the peacefulness
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To be in Bhutan feels like falling in another dimension. It's surreal
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The catering staff, waiting for the tournment lunch break
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Future archers
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A monk in a monastery
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Another monk. Bhutan is a Budhist kingdom
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Now inside the monastery
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Lucky to be allowed to take these pictures
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Invited to a funeral party, I accepted hot white wine with egg and butter, and fried rice with onion and cheese. Tasty!
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There is a King, married to 4 Queens! The law allows any man to do the same, but common people don't have enough money
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The Timphu valley
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Driving back to Paro, where the airport is, for 4 hours
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It was raining - we had been lucky while in the trekking
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The rice fields get this misty yellow tone
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Stunning landscapes
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Bhutan is like an extremely expensive museum
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I wonder how it is in the Eastern districts... I have to come back!
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Choguyal fishing again
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In our driver's house. He has a private praying room! There is no misery in Bhutan
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People are not rich, but live with dignity. Most of them live on the agriculture
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Back in Paro. It's beautiful, but I am sad
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The morning after, in the airport
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While waiting, an official came and made me a quality questionnaire about my visit
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Look at the architecture of this small but exquisite airport
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Almost leaving the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon
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... the enchanted land. I will be back ! Tachi delek
Calcutta - Udaipur, India
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Calcutta: after walking hours, I finally found the Indian Coffee House, in the universities area
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The Victoria Memorial. Inside, a good exposition on the city's history, including the Portuguese influence in the 1500s
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I left Calcutta by train and 24 hours later reached Agra, to visit the greatest Indian icon: Taj Mahal
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I was one of the first to get in, at 6am
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There were still few tourists around. Nevertheless, I hadn't seen so many white people in a long time
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It was quiet and the temperature was nice
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The guide was pointing the best spots to make the pictures
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...but I gave myself some space for creativity
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It's the best hour to be in. At the sunset, the light is nice too but it's crowded
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I was delighted. After all, Taj Mahal is a world timeless celebrity... and I could touch it!
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So huge, simple and simetric
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Well, maybe simplicity is not the word
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Watch the precious stones crusted on the marble, all around
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Looking backwards, the garden and the entrance arch
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Inside... well, I won't tell you. You have to come and see for yourself :)
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Being a tourist
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Taj seen from the Agra's Fort
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The King who built Taj wanted a new one, black. The sons disapproved the idea and kept him in the Fort... for good
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In the Fort
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Workers
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The marble is widely spread in the region, in the richest buildings... and in the souvenirs
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I think he was measuring the whole Fort as a punishment since he was 6...
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A rickshaw driver
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A tailor. I had decided to retire my jeans that same morning. He made me new trousers in 50 min for 10 eur
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In the same store they produce the tissues... and bombard the visitors with high quality carpets, blankets, blouses,...
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From Agra I went to Pushkar, Rajasthan. I travelled by bus, in sleeper class, all night long
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... and found John's place. This guest house brings up the best of the town: very Shanti. Doucement! :)
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My simple room
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Pushkar's lake
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The gaths, the sacred baths
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The traditional ladies' wear: orange dominates
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It is gathering time. In Pushkar many people come here to watch the sunset
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On top of that hill, there's a hindu temple. We should visit it at the sunrise
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So we did! This is the morning after. I got up at 5, still with the sky full of shimmering stars
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Most of my companions were israelis. They invade India every year and in little towns like this...
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they seem as many as Indians! The monkeys agree
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Pushkar seen from that hill
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It's a small town with many temples and religious myths, visited both by Indian pilgrims and western tourists
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I stood some time in that temple enjoying the peacefulness, the landscape and a very soft and inspiring oriental melody
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Back to town, looking to the lake through the narrow streets and immaculated white walls
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Shops for tourists in the main street
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Always very colourful, the way Indian women dress brings us back to ancient times
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Souvenirs. Shoppers can be terribly unpleasent to visitors
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Walking around the lake
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The food tastes good, but very oily sometimes. Pushkar is 100/ veg. We can't find even an egg!
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Religion and tourism, side by side
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Cows, cows, cows... and not a single beef !
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At the door of a temple
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Hmm, sleepy...
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A Hindu temple. Tourists were not allowed in this one, not even on bare feet
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The gaths of Pushkar
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The main square, the sunset view point
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The lake
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Sacred bridge. Shoes in the hands, please
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The cows and pigeons are part of the set
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Gaths are for the soul's purification. Pictures are not allowed, please
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... so, what am I doing ?!
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Every hindu Indian should visit a sacred place each year. Many go to Varanasi or Gangotri, where river Ganga is born
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... or Pushkar
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The whole town is covered by a serene atmosphere. No loud voices or traffic noises
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Wow! But watch out the camels. They run fast and don't horn
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On the second day, I went for a bicycle ride and touched the simplicity of these people lives
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Outside Pushkar, people are mostly farmers
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The sights and sounds, even the smells... it seemed I was back in the north of Portugal
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Excluding the skin and the colourful clothes, rural people are the same everywhere
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As well as their need to get together and play cards... or shells
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A temple outside town, in another hill
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... and another view of Pushkar
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It was very hot and hard to climb. An israeli woman came up after, almost with a heart attack
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I changed some words with the priest, but most of the time we remained in deep silence. I think I slept, eventually
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There are many net-cafes in Pushkar so I talked to Portugal very often
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I was specially connected to a friend I should meet in Varanasi or Rishikesh, later on
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So I had to define my travel plans accordingly. On that night I set off to Udaipur, about 350km south
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I made a friend in Pushkar, Hu Ann from China, who travelled with me
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And here we are: Udaipur, Rajasthan
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A view to the lake, from the guest house
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Just walking and shooting, in the narrow streets of Udaipur
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Women stay at home with their children, while men go to work
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Excluding the cows vestigials, the streets are extremely clean
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It felt nice being able to walk freely like if it was the historical centre of an european capital
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No beggers nor (too) determined shoppers
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The camera is a source of curiosity
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Now imagine their surprise when I showed them the picture
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Like Pushkar, Udaipur is organized around its lake. But bigger
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Women doing the laundry
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They also clean their karma in these waters
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And kids play like in a swimming pool
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The weather was getting hot, but bearable
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The colours are always so intense. Here, the spices in a store
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Look at the dresses and the walls
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Udaipur has inspired many artists. In Sri Lanka I'd read The Last Song of Dust, sang by this very same lake
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There were many artists in my guest house: some europeans exiled, an Australian rocker, a German couple of writers
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There is no age limit do dress lively but kids have their school uniforms
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In the middle of the lake there is the Island of the Palace. Now it's a luxury hotel
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Babies get their eyes painted, all over India
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An uncautious heart here could easily fall in love
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The Gods offerings: flowers, fruits, cookies and colour powders. Everything carefully ornamented
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Sometimes, this classical buldings facing the calm waters reminded me of Venice
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The archs of ancient palaces
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Many cosy corners embraced by lake's calmness
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Someone called it Romantic Udaipur. I prefer "Sintra of Rajasthan" :)
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On top of the roofs we can find many restaurants. I ate magnificently in Udaipur
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And I could drink like 6 tchais (tea) a day. They can be milky and spicy
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Back to my suit
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Again, the living and dinning room of our guest house
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The pilows were very comfortable. We had here very nice chats for hours, people from all over the world
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That door leads to the room of that exiled european artist, a resident in the house
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The 2nd morning, Hu Ann and I took a rickshaw and went out the boundaries of Udaipur
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Here she is. A really great fotographer
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A far away sight of Udaipur
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We visited an abandoned palace
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The tuc-tuc driver with my backpack and my Lonely Planet
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Following my friend's artistical inspiration
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There were no other tourists around
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I remember thinking that this could be an excellent set for a dance performance
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I also fantasized of make my living by selling B&W pictures and traveling around the world :)
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This is that part of India I didn't imagine that existed
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I always imagined the profusion of colours, sounds and smells, the crowded places, the misery...
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But there's much more, obviously
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And I thought of it when wandering by these rooms, leaving behind the echo of my steps
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Back to the colour. And to the laundry
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Hitting the clothes
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Still in the suburbs of Udaipur
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A scene from the bible, huh ? Without the electrical posts...
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Buffalos getting refreshed
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Back to Udaipur
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Looking at the other side, more of the same
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A squirrel for lunch
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Who said they were shy animals?!
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Night talks over the lake
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Gandhi.... gandha filme ! (portuguese lousy joke :)
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Remember the Muppet Show?
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This was near by the Zoo
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We began here a session of dozens of pictures... to us!
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Some kids were passing by and we became the target
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Udaipur by night...
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And on the road again, towards Jaisalmer. 8 hours by bus, again in sleeper class
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Not recommended to claustrofobic or people with a weak heart
Jaisalmer, India
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Jaisalmer is in the extreme west of India, close to the Pakistanese border
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It is the gate for the desert of Thar
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Unbelivable architecture
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Reasonable availability of Palmolive shower gel 250ml :)
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The great walls of the old city
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Entering those walls
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Muppets as a souvenir
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And more beautiful carpets
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The top view from inside the old city
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Just like S. Jorge castle
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In the last decades, Jaisalmer has regain some military importance as a base to the border with Pakistan
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(sneaking into the houses while I speak)
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The army was more visible here than in any other part of India I have visited
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All these houses are inside the walls
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... like living in a museum
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This is a land of fairy tales. Of camels, sand dunes and loving pricesses
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Nice sleep... We never know when these bloody turists decide to get in!
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It's easy to get lost in this labyrinth
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Sometimes I wasn't allowed to take pictures, specially by women. Other times, they asked for money
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Such dignity, this lady
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And so cool, her husband :)
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You can see a lot of these souvenirs
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... and of this. Unfortunatelly, I was already carrying 20kg on my shoulders
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Caws everywhere
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Preparing my next journey, by train to the north
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Back to the old city
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A big cerimony was being prepared for that afternoon
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Everyone put on the best suit
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The stairways and the trone
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... from where HE could be seen even by the smallest
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... and the humbliest
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The great Maraja of Rajasthan!
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Zoom in
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The nobles were there
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The advisors were there
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Drug dealers were there too...
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The black&white masses
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... and the coloured masses
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The sand tone of the sunset
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... in the palaces of Rajasthan
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Here it is, going down
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Contemplation
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Back to my room
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At my guest house front door with the boss. He was helping me out with the next journey
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Morning view from the guest house balcony
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Jaisalmer walls
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Beggining the desert safari. Still by jeep
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A royal cemetery. Magnificent effect, that mausoleum in the middle of nothing
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We were there alone... except for the craws, if I remember well
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A good fotographer would make his day here
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Then we headed to a temple. Women are not allowed in those days of the month!
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A cerimony was taking place inside and we didn't mix up
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Finally the camels!
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I never had been so close to one, I think
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They are very gentle animals... but stink :p
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Now on top of it! I thought it would be more unconfortable. But must be careful going up and specially down
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Neily, one of my 6 partners in this raid to the desert
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Stephanie, from Paris
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Helen, from UK
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Alexandra, France
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And Marine, France. (Gosh, Anna. Sorry! I don't have any pic of you alone :(
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Neili, great smile and a great singer, we would find out later
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Pic nic in the desert
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... and back to work
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Where did they come from?! And their saris, like traffic lights in the desert...
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Some kids that we met in a village
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Look at the earings... In the West he wouldn't survive the age of 10
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The small village, lost in the desert of Thar
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The boys were nice
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But the girls... I was stoned for attempting to make a picture of them!
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These were not luxury houses
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But we saw no misery
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Curiosity on both sides
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The soft drinks supplier. He was very nice to our camel drivers: he would give them a Coke if we paid!
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Our camp site for the night
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A photo session in the dunes
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The pakistanis are coming!
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Let me see this side...
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Now the indians are coming!
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Ok, it's clear
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Anna and Ricardo (see? I let you pose with me :)
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The desert, the sunset and a camera: anyone can do great in these conditions
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Silhuettes
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Here they are, the british representation: Anna and Helen
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Et ici, les 4 francaises
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O tuga, by Helen
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So many girls... and I went back to the sun
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... No comments! :\
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There were very nice talks and singings. Macharena was the biggest hit, that night
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Neily was great, with her powerful voice and interpretation. Alex too, in the choirs, but my memory failed to help her
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Helen by the moon
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Belle Stephanie
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... in the morning sun
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I didn't know that camels last 20-30 years and only the males work. Camels' sexual revolution is yet to come...
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Marine and our friends saw something
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Alexandra, worried ?
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My driver. He was about to get married and saving for a camel: 30,000 rupees, 600 eur
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Very sexy, the camel. By Anna
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The last scene: the harem :)
Amritsar - Rishikesh, India
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The Golden Temple, in Amristsar
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This is the heart for the Sihk religion
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The temple is open 24 hours
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Meals are for free. Volunteers cook it and wash the dishes
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People line up in the floor with their plate in hands and receive the food
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There are rooms simply for people to seat and get together, in peace
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It is always crowded, at any time
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The only impositions to enter are to cover the head and remove the shoes
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Like in a giant bowling club, we have before the entrance several counters to leave bags and shoes
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Despite the crowd, this place is very quiet
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There's a voice praying through the speakers, all the time, 24 hours
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Amritsar has witnessed 2 horrifying moments in the 20th century
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In the 1st half, the British army opened fire against a huge demo, in a walled park 600mt away from here
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Thousands were dead, mostly Sihks. The bullets are still visible in the walls. So is the well where people jumped in
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... trying to save their lives. There's a memorial in the place now. We can see the scene in the movie "Gandhi"
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And in the 80s, the Indian army following Indira Gandhi orders, entered the temple by force surprising a group of Sihks
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... rebels hidden inside. It was at the expense of many civilians and destroying part of the temple
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From Amritsar I went to Chandigarh, the only city in India planned from the start
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It was conceived under the supervision of Le Corbusier, famous French architecht, in the 1950's
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This is a park with a permanent exhibition of these figures, made of stones and... waste!
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It is very suprising. We walk through many open-air rooms in sequence, each one within a theme and type of material
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I couldn't imagine a city like Chandigarh was possible in India
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The roads are wide, the traffic is organized and we hear much less horns
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There are (?) few cows and beggars. People do look different!
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I never thought that architecture and urban planification could have such influence on people
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The city is divided into sectors. We'd say we live in the sector 22 instead of in the Quartier Latin, for example
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I mean... everything is so straight and organized, that in the end I guess it lacks some... soul
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I went first to visit the Court, designed by Le Corbusier, an ex-libris of the city
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Very disappointing, I must say. Huge, surprisingly colourful for a law institution, too much dominance of cement
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Everything was going great. In the bus from Amritsar, it was included a Pepsi and a Bollywood movie! Very funny
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... and also a shuttle to my sector, instead of the tout's attack to the tourists, at the bus arrival
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In most of the cases, the tourists were... ME
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Then, I accidentaly found the hotel I had picked from Lonely Planet
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Friendly and efficient staff and a great room with TV
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I hadn't watched CNN or BBC for a long time, then
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See the roads? This is NOT India, ok?!
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I was rushing to the hotel, to leave that same nigth to Rishikesh and then Gangotri
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This is the bus park
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I was going after that friend, whom I would meet somewhere in this tiny little country
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This was at around 2am, in Rishikesh, taking the 2nd bus to Gangotri. I got my late night snack: bananas, biscuits
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... masala tea and water. In fact, this was my breakfast, lunch and dinner whenever I was travelling
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It was sooo cold! I coulnd't sleep all nigth long. The windows wouldn't close, the road was so steep and narrow
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... and also the rocks falling over the road! I actually saw a car smashed by one
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I will now publicly thank this fancy restaurant for the only belly disorder in NINE months!
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Gangotri is the starting point for pilgrims to go to Gomuk, one day trekking
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Gomuk is where the sacred Ganga river comes out from the Himalaias mountains
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Gangotri. Just beside my guesthouse, I took here my meals and met people from US, Spain, France and Israel
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The next morning, I bought a wool blanket and a cap, and headed to Gomuk
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Amazing sightseeing
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I was hoping to find my friend in the way up... but didn't
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We forget how hard it is to arrange a date without a mobile phone
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During the day, the temperature was ok. The sun was really warm
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I was so happy of being finally treeking in the Himalaias!
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It was a quiet walk but crossed many people: western tourists and Indian pilgrims
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... and residents. He didn't ask for money. I guess he was a kind of a monk, a saint
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Many mules
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... and donkeys
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So, my friend was not there, I had to look for her in Rishikesh. The next morning I left Gangotri...
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and got to the world capital of ioga, meditation... and rafting
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Even The Beatles spent 1 week here in the 60s, in their search for spirituality and oriental inspiration
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I made new friends: Thal from Israel, Filipa from my home town!, Lisbon
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... and Antonio, also from Portugal. Altogether, I met 5 portuguese in this travel. Very few
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And Ines, THAT friend! We had finally met, in the night I arrived to Rishikesh
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This was in the beach, in the bank of Ganga river
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People would come here to get a rest from ioga and meditation sessions... I did to escape from the traffic and noise
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I stayed 4 nights in Rishikesh, had to calm down a bit and regain energies
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In one of those days, wandering alone beside the river, I met a priest who invited me to his little house
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(my room) We had a long talk about life after death! He said he had been close friend of Krishnamurti! Wow...
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On the 4th day, I packed again and headed to Nepal, only 12 hours away! This time I got to sleep in the bus
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In the 2nd bus, to Bambassa: sometimes I'd woke up and feel so nice! Excited by the adventures yet to come
Arrival to Nepal
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I arrived to Bambassa at 4h30am, took a rickshaw with this nepalese friend and then crossed the border with the sunrise
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I was reading, too late, that this was not the safest entrance in Nepal because of the Maoists attacks in the region
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This bridge is one of several Indian investments in Nepal to promote good relationships with the neighbour
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Nepal and Bhutan are tiny little countries between world super powers: India and China
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Both receive great helps from these gigantic countries and play a key role in maintaining the region in balance
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I was making time to catch a bus to Kathmandu, about 600km east
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So, I went to this little village by the road and got some shots of the first Nepali people I had seen!
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My friend confirmed to me that Maoists attack villages to recruit members
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And when not succeeded, they beat and sometimes mutilate young boys in those villages
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He had been spanked once! Because of the rebelds, the army does check points on the roads, each 50km or so
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In the bus I travelled on top of it with a new friend: Oren, Israeli. Luckily a passanger was carrying a long matress!
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It was one day and a half journey. Terrific! This part of the country is mostly plains
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Another check point...
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Everybody in the bus but us had to get out: as foreigners, we hardly would be desguised Maoists!
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Soldiers coming up to check the bags... and for curiosity :)
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They are very friendly. And young! The soldiers, the drivers and helpers...
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And they enjoy the camera very much
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Gradually, plains were giving place to luxuriant green hills
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And the temperature was going down
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We stopped for 2 hours during the night, waiting for some check points to open at 4am
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Some passangers got out and slept on the floor under the bus. We made our bed on top of the driver's cabin!
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This is our room in Kathmandu, at last. Playing Pink Floyd
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And our first steak in AGES!
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In Thamel, Kathmandu
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It's an area for tourists: many guest houses and shops, but maintaining the Nepalese charm
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Exploring the back yards of the neighborhood
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Religion is omnipresent, a mixture of Hinduism and Budhism
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An inner square
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We feel like wandering in a middle age town
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On my 2nd day in Kathmandu I was invited by the Portuguese consulate to attend a cerimony
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Our embassadors in New Delhi, with whom I lunched with, awarded the Portuguese consul in Nepal with a medal of honor
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I wasn't prepared for that occasion's dress code, so I felt a little embarassed
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When finished, I walked for a couple of hours to visit the "monkey temple"
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A holly season in Nepal was about to start and many of these structures were being installed for kids to play
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Budhist monks are all around
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Nepal is a rural country. Even in the centre of the capital we can notice that
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Kids playing with bottle caps
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Nice Nepalese souvenirs
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I had now reached the temple
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This is the stairway to Swayambhunath
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A view of the city
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This is called the monkey temple as a joke, because there are hundreds of them in the area
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It's a beautiful place, but crowded with pilgrims and tourists
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The temple has been an attraction to visitors since the 5th century AD
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It's one of the most important Budhist sites in Nepal
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People go round the large stupa clockwise
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Surrounding the area we can find many small temples, prayer wheels as many other religious objects
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... and nice young girls too
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Here is the main stupa. Its white dome is visible from miles away
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It can be seen from every side in the Kathmandu valley
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Even the dogs were being dressed up for the up coming season
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In each of the 4 sides of the main stupa, we can find a pair of eyes and a 3rd one above
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That represents the wisdom of looking within
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Instead of the nose, there's the nr 1 in nepalese, signifying Budhism as the only path to the enlightment
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In Swayambhunath there is a centre for monks to live in
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I didn't imagine they would like soccer!
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And they play well :)
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Ears are not represented in the stupa: Buddha is not interested in hearing prayers for him!
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In this visit I met one Russian friend with whom I went to spend the next weekend, in a safari
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We are now in Kathmandu's Durbar square, the community's center
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People gather in here. There's also a food market and many religious sites
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There's such a joy in the air...
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Many tourists are attracted to this place but it doesn't lose its authenticity
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Families were getting prepared for that holly season, something similar to our Christmas time
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Part of the ritual is when in the evening, kids go singing at the doors. Also, girls offer presents to their brothers
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It is time to party in the streets, too. Live music and dance
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Bahktapur, 1 hour from Kathmandu
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It was an ancient kingdom, independent until 200 years ago
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The old town is very well preserved and the entrance is subject to a fee of USD 20!
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This is its Durbar square, with lots of charming old palaces and temples. Around it, people go on in their normal lives
Safari in Chitwan, Nepal
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Anna, my Russian friend with whom I did this safari
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The arrival at Chitwan: a typical house in the little village outside the national park
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We were surrounded by trees, domestical animals and kids playing happily
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Before the sunset, we went for a walk and met a thirsty rhyno. Wow!
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Great excitment
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We had to remain silent, quiet... and alert. They can be dangerous
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In the next morning, we went to explore the park
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It was chilly
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We started with a boat ride
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Amazing! So close to these crocodiles...
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There are 2 types of crocodiles in Chitwan: this one is NOT the vegetarian type!
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We never felt in danger, though
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A major attraction of the park is the variety of bird species
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We were going down the river for 1 hour and then walk back in the jungle for 3 hours
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The greatest thrill was of course... find a tiger!
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Look at their marks in the this tree
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We didn't see any, unfortunately. But we saw monkeys and spiders
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We were walking in small groups and very quiet, to detect any special noise
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Mushrooms
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... in profile
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Exotic insects
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Back to the village, I went to visit the people in their farming duties
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Rice is the main subject of their work
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... but not exclusively
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This land is becoming very productive now, attracting people from the mountains in the north
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...and from neighbor countries, as Tibet and India
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For many decades, it was impossible to survive in this area, due to the malaria disease
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Now that problem is resolved
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The land is very fertile and the weather is excellent
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It is a typical rural community
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They are curious about the tourists but very discrete
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Usually they don't mind being fotographed
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... but sometimes run away from it, smiling and shy
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In this visit, they tried to sell me some traditional stuff
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... but they didn't insist unpleasently
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I felt such a privilege to be there, so freely, among them
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We had to run now, the elephant safari was about to start
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We should buy bananas to indulge our big friends
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Naturally, they don't bother to peel it... the elephants I mean
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Another friend, from east Germany
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On our elephant, there was also a couple from Holland. This is the other elephant's driver
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And here's the 1st rhyno in the afternoon. I coulnd't believe our luck!
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In the other elephant, there was a group from Eslovaquia
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Rhynos are such a lazy and muddy animals!
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We had to be very silent and they would apparently ignore us
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We can be seated like that for hours and surprisingly not feel unconfortable
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There we were, in the jungle in southern Nepal, on top of an elephant and praying to find a tiger
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Weird tree, huh? Not very sociable...
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Another one... I would now exchange 3 rhynos for a tiger!
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For more than 3 hours we sighted rhynos, monkeys, wild pigs and deers
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A Tharu cultural programme: music and dance. They are the dominant ethnic group in the area
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Early in the next morning, we went for bird watching
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We didn't see many but we caught by surprise a single male rhyno that came after us. We had to run!
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Kids coming from fishing
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Elephants coming from the mist. Surreal
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They had been collecting grass, their own food
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When attacked by a rhyno, we should 1) try to climb a tree 2) run and turn fast many times, and 3)
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... throw a piece of cloth into the floor. The animal would stop to smell it
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Single male elephants can be dangerous to man, too
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I had had a scary experience with one, in Sri Lanka
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Fortunately, nothing serious never happened, just a discharge of adrenalin!
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It was not the case now... I was soooo relaxed :)
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This is how they prepare elephants' food
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Basically, balls of grass with cereals inside
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Passing through the village, back to our hotel
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Tharu are not vegeterian: a pork was being killed at that time in that road
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But caws are respected and walk freely everywhere
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They also eat goats and chicken
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After breakfast, we get a bike and rode to an elephants breeding center
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It included crossing a river
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Babies are really small and cute
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Later it was SHOWer time!
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An accident happened here: a tourist fell out the elephant and broke an arm... gosh!
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Portugal is big! :)
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I tell you: elephants are extremely patience with humans
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My german friend agrees
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So this was it: a safari in Nepal!
Goa and Sri Lanka
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Panjim, the capital of the estate of Goa. Hey, this menu is in Portuguese!
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I left Kathmandu on the 22nd Nov and traveled about 1,500km for 4 days non-stop, by bus and train
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I was thrilled with the profusion of Portuguese vestiges in the region: the wall signs, the lawyers and drugstores names
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.. the buildings facades and the way some people dressed. The older ones would still speak Portuguese, for my amazement
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One day I rented a bike and went to Old Goa, former capital of the estate
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There are here many Catholic churches and it is an important pilgrim destination for Christians
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There's a museum on the Portuguese era, with a portrait of every Governor until the last one, only 40 years ago
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I had been wandering alone 10 weeks for exotic ambiances: different food, languages and alphabets, architecture, people
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.. religions and traditions. And now I'd found myself in a hybrid world, the perfect transition in my way back home
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I was very proud! I had also recognized these signs in other distant places as Brazil, Azores, Angola and Sri Lanka
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Being a small country, Portugal has left such a strong and long lasting legacy in every corner of the globe...
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My bicycle
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In Goa there's an aura of Sunday-morning-laziness in the air. It's a fresh place where one finds peace and order
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From Goa I went to Palolem, in the south, 4 hours by bus
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The sea, at last! Now I felt in ecstasy :) An idylical beach, miles away from those freezing nights in the Himalaias
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These were my 4 "vacation" days, within the 12 weeks traveling. I did nothing but sleep, eat, swim and read
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I made there a new friend: Tia, from Scotland
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Goa is a gorgeous and very interesting place to visit. And these beaches are the paradise on earth
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... so, if you want a great spot for your next vacation, consider it!
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In the meanwhile, I was preparing my final trips: first return to Sri Lanka and then to Portugal
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I had to go to Chennai and take the plane to Colombo. This is Bangalore, half way to Chennai, south center of India
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I got there in the morning and left in the evening, by bus. It's known as Sillicon Valley of India, the center for IT
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And there's Sri Lanka! Back to the beach: I had still too much Nepalese ice to unfrost :)
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Beach in Mirissa. I spent one week in Sri Lanka, before taking the plane to Lisbon
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I wanted to see again my friends I had left in September, and visit my favorites places as well
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The idea was to visit new places in the East, but the situation with tamils got worse again :(
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So I spent some days in the south, instead
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In the fort of Galle
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It was first built by the Portuguese in the 16th century and then rebuilt by the Dutch, 150 years later
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Sri Lanka is dominated by the Sinhalese, mostly Budhists. But there are large comunities of Hindus (the Tamil), Muslims
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... and Christians, these latter living mostly in the coast
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To watch the sunset in the fort of Galle became to me somewhat mystical!
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Inside the fort, there's a small village. Houses and streets still evoke the ancient colonial times. It has such a soul!
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I was staying at Unawattuna, 30 minutes east from Galle
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They say this beach is in the world Top Ten! I don't know the accuracy of the statement, but could be true :)
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After Colombo, Sri Lankan southern cost is where we find more westerners, both tourists and workers
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This area was dramatically affected by the tsunami, in Dec'04
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One year later, signs of the destruction are still visible, as well as many camps for people who lost their homes
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Some people say that certain areas now are much better than they were before the tragedy
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Natural devastations have that positive side: urban rehabilitation
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But there are still much work to be done in Sri Lanka. Nr1: to finish the stupid conflict
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This is an amazing country. Beautiful and varied landscapes, rich history and culture, nice people and food
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It's certainly a fantastic choice for a tropical vacation... and a very effective way of helping the local economy
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I am not overstating: check my breakfast table, 1mt of altitude and 4mt distant from the sea level!
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Gitinha. To know and become friends with this young lady would have been enough to justify this whole Asian adventure :)