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We spent the following day exploring the town.Here the Siegestor arch the gateway to the old town. |
| Further into Marienplatz (which means St Mary’s square) is the Town hall.I loved this building although it was really hard to photograph. |  |
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It can’t be a city tour without at least one church so here it is, the Frauenkirche Cathedral. |
| We decided on a half day tour (it was winter so trips to the Eagles nest weren’t running and Neuschwanstein was a whole day thing). Throughout our tour – The rise of the 3rd Reich, there seemed to be a strong alcohol theme.”This is Munich”, replied our guide Roland. “Everything here is about Beer” 🙂 |  |
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In his early days, Hitler had apparently been sent under cover to investigate political meetings for the army.The yellow building in this photo is the site of the first one he attended.It was here he realised he liked what he heard and could use it to his advantage. |
| The site of Hitler’s first rally. held at the Hofbrauhaus.On stage, with a 10 point plan.Most of the people present were just there to drink but with little else to do but relax decided to listen in !. |  |
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Haus der Kunst, the Nazi’s first monumental structure.Art Gallery in a brutalist style (ironically, although the Stalinists were the complete enemy of the Nazi’s, their architecture was almost identical). |
| Jewish memorial to victims of the holocaust.On the site of the original synagogue. Destroyed Nov 10th 1938 when all synagogues were destroyed during/immediately after, Kristallnacht. |  |
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Bavarian state chancellery.The building wings on either side of the building were destroyed during the war.When they were rebuilt, they were constructed from glass to symbolise a new Germany and transparent government. |
| Bellow ground level, in front of the Chancellery, The Munich war memorial. It remembers German soldiers who have died in war. |  |
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The White Rose movement were against the Nazi’s.Caught and treated in a brutal fashion, brother and sister Hans and Sophie Scholl were executed. |
| Feldenhalle.People were ordered to salute the symbol and would actually walk around and out of their way to avoid it. |  |
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Our tour finished here.Hitler’s office, 2nd floor, 3rd from the end.Its here that he met Neville Chamberlain and arranged the Munich agreement.
Chamberlain returned to the UK announcing Peace in our Time. Less than a year later Germany invaded Poland and World War II began. |
| From these pictures, it should be obvious that we had a superb time (and we did).However, Munich is right next to the Bavarian Alps, and to be honest, it was freezing a lot of the time.We visited a sports shop, where Dan was able to buy some gloves and this spectacular hat.
I hardly ever make a mistake when packing, but on this occasion I wish I’d brought more warm clothes. |
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For a bit of fun we visited the Hunting and Fishing museum.Wasn’t terribly good but it was warm. |
| Inside though, some of the displays were half finished.Not at all what I’d expected to see in Germany. |  |
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I had this photo knocking around from my first trip to Munich.The helpful staff in the hotel, told me where it was. Somewhere called Konigsplatz (Kings place). The Propylaea gate built by Ludwig the 1st.Lee, David and Caz. |
| And in the present day, the same building with Glenn and Dan. |  |
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Me standing in front of the state museum of classic art in Konigsplatz. |
| Not long before we go home.We find a beer hall and eat some traditional Eintopf stew. |  |
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It normally has to be booked weeks in advance, but due to a cancellation, we managed to get on a tour of the BMW factory.No camera’s were allowed so no photo’s to show you, but it was amazing, with staticaly charged paint which jumps towards the car while being printed and hundreds of robots.
From here, a taxi to the airport and home. |
Author: admin
Munich – return after 20 years (1/2).
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Inspired by James Bond films where our hero turns up at the airport and says “get me the next flight to …” I was inspired to see Europe and went Interailing.Most of the places on the trip, I’ve visited a few times since, but once place that left a mark and didn’t get any attention was Munich.So I rustled up a few friends and off we went. |
| I absolutely love Germans. Across the whole of Europe, they’re easily my favourite nationality.I’m fascinated by their sense of organisation and it always amuses me when German friends get annoyed by being stereotyped as hyper efficient.On arrival at the airport, this virtual booth promises to answer your question.I thought the picture on the screen of the smartly dressed tourist assistant was designed to catch my eye and then I’d need to type a question on the keyboard. |  |
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But no.We press the button and a real person appears in hi definition 1080p video, speaking perfect English.We asked for details of our train, what time and where. She answered all our questions, wished us good evening and we headed off towards the town. |
| Our hotel had been chosen by Glenn.It was superb and the service excellent.Only problem with nice hotels, is that the cost of the room, is only the beginning. The price of everything else goes up as well.In this case, beer was £6 per pint.We headed out and I was delighted to find the famous Augustiner (listed in my guidebook) just across the road (more about that later). |  |
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Next morning, after the best breakfast I’ve eaten in years (they must have kidnapped someone from England to make the scrambled eggs that good !) we head out for the day.The Munich underground, wasn’t as modern as I’d expected although the carriages arrived exactly on time. |
| Our first stop was Olympia park.It was the place that totally inspired me on my previous visit to Munich. Back then, it was 20 years old, and now 40.It was insightful to see, as back home there had been numerous discussions about London’s Olympic facilities, and what would happen to them once the Olympics were over. |  |
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Considered revolutionary for its time, it included large sweeping canopies of acrylic glass stabilized by steel cables.The lake in this picture was frozen but in the summer, people canoe in it. |
| The view of Olympia hill.A man made hill that overlooks the stadium (the landscaping of the site, cost 20 times what the actual facilities cost). |  |
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A view from the top of the hill.A plaque says that the hill isn’t naturally occurring.It was constructed from bomb destroyed homes in Dresden. |
| For 33 years, Bayern Munich played regularly in the Olympic stadium.In 2005 they moved to the Allianz Arena, which they share with TSV 1860 Munich. |  |
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The swimming pool and behind it the Olympia tower, 291m high.It was closed to the public on this visit, but previously I’d stood on the viewing platform with Dave, Lee & Caz. |
| Our next sight was the must see BMW welde (BMW world). Not to be confused with the BMW museum, it features displays and things for children.One thing I’d love to try. You can buy a custom BMW and pick it up from here and drive it home (wherever that is in the world!). They will actually organise your trip home, hotel reservations, restaurant bookings the lot. |  |
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One of the attractions.A bubble car is driven up and down every hours by an immaculately dressed blond women, chauffeuring young children around in it. |
| Through the window, the BMW worldwide headquarters.7000 people work in this building mostly working on new innovations and ideas.Before leaving, we were lucky enough to have a tour of the BMW factory and got to see some of the ideas brought to life.The bowl to the right of it is the BMW museum which we’d visit next. |  |
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The BMW museum was both spectacular and immaculate.Glenn commented that he had been in hospitals that were dirtier. |
| Inside they had classic cars, racing cars, motorbikes and aeroplanes. |  |
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Dan and Glenn looking at a section on engines. |
| Specific things are featured (however subtly) on every BMW model, be it a sports car or a 4×4.One example, is the twin “kidney grills” on the front.I’ve seen them a hundred times, but never really noticed before. |  |
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A massive section on car design featured several concept cars and most interestingly, this clay car.They don’t wast money designing the new shape of a car, casting it in metal and then putting it in a wind tunnel.Its much quicker and cheaper to do it with clay and put that in the wind tunnel. |
| I was convinced the bar across the road from ours was the “proper” Augustiner (said to be the best beer hall in the city).Many ale houses masqueraded as the Augustiner and I was taken in.This is the actual one in the centre of town. |  |
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On the inside, its bigger than a cinema and packed to the rafters. |
| The imposter, near our hotel.Although I felt dirty and used, I quite liked the place, so we continued to drink here on the way back to our hotel each day. |  |
Tour of India and Nepal – The Trisuli Centre.
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We set off in our bus for lunch at the Trisuli centre.The vehicle had no power steering, and I wonder to this day, how the driver (who slept in the vehicle at night) managed to drive it for so long without passing out. |
| We travel along the Pokhara – Kathmandu highway.A view of the Marsyangdi River as we drive high above the valley. |  |
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A road was blocked due tan accident and we asked these friendly children, at the side of the road, for alternate directions.Earlier some other locals had given directions, in return for a lift on the back of our bus (they hung onto the ladder at the back, at one point it looked quite scary). |
| We arrive at the Trisuli Centre for lunch.Ethical travel very popular at the moment, the Trisuli centre was an area of natural beauty, which had been renovated environmentally through donations made by the Adventure Company. |  |
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A short walk from the Cafe, was this beautiful Oasis, with a stream, a quiet garden and this bridge. |
| Nearby, some very old Tree’s reminded me of the kind I had last seen at the Angkor Wat. |  |
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I glanced at this tree, and hardly noticed anything inside. |
| On closer inspection, the dead leaf, turned out to be this butterfly. |  |
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Me standing in front of one of the old tree’s. |
| We crossed this amazing bridge.Himalayan Encounters who organized the Nepalese side of our tour, are the largest white water rafting company in Nepal, and most of their work, is done on this river.
I didn’t go on this trip for “summer holiday” experiences, but this really was, one of the most beautiful days that I can remember. |
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On the far bank, were Canoes, and some of the tented accommodation, used by the rafter’s on expedition. |
| You can see that this outside frame, around the tent, provides shade from the heat.Wherever we were, our guide always seemed to find the best place for shade, I learned over the week to watch and copy him.
The tents actually had beds inside, this would hardly be rough camping. |
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For Bushcraft enthusiasts, a close up of the construction of the shelter. |
Tour of India and Nepal – Pokhara.
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Pokhara is a remarkable place of natural beauty, situated at an altitude of 827m above sea level and 200 km west of Kathmandu valley.The serenity of the lakes and the magnificence of the Himalayas rising behind them create an ambience of peace and magic.
A popular staring point for treks including the anapurna circuit. In the centre of the Phewa Lake is the Barahi temple features a two story pagoda. |
| Pay to use toilets are quite common in many countries, but this was the first time, I had seen one that used a “sliding scale” pricing system. |  |
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Phewa Lake is the centre of all attraction in Pokhara.It is the largest and most enchanting of three lakes that add to the resplendence of Pokhara.
We hired 2 boats, and headed across the lake to visit the world peace pagoda. |
| As we arrive, we walk up the hill, to the world peace pagoda.The hillside villages we could see, reminded me of Italy.
It was a special moment for me. Okay, it wasn’t a proper trek, but it was still hill walking, and to be doing it in the Himalayas’ for the first time was significant. Realising this would be a special photograph, I put 2 pillows into my rucksack, so it kept its shape. There is nowhere else in the world where mountains rise so quickly, within 30 km, from 1000m to over 8000m. |
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The world peace pagoda is situated on the top of a hill on the southern shore of Phewa lake.It has four images of Buddha facing in four directions. |
| As we walk back down the hill it starts to get dark.We met this “walking haystack” coming the other way.
I gave him a little money for agreeing to be photographed. He misunderstood and tried to give me some Marijuana !. An interesting institution of Pokhara is the British Gurkha Camp in the north of the city. It has been established as a recruitment camp for Nepalese as Gurkha soldiers. About 370 are selected annually in December out of a pool of over 20,000 applicants. About 140 eventually join the Gurkha Contingent in Singapore while the rest join the British Army. |
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In the evening, we head into town for an evening out.I decided to have a T Bone steak. Delicious.
Our guide takes us to a bar/club called Paradiso It actually had vintage motorbikes and all sorts of memorabilia. Once the ale started flowing, everyone reverted to type. The arm wrestling competition begins in earnest. |
| Devi’s Fall known locally as Patale Chango (Hell’s Falls) also know as Devins and David’s is a lovely Waterfall.The water from the Phewa lake converges into this small area and the force of natural energy is spectacular.
Legend has it that a trekker by the name of Davy, was washed away by the Padi Khola and mysteriously disappeared down into an underground passage beneath the fall. |
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But this was the Himalayas’, and I wasn’t here to see waterfalls.I desperately wanted to visit the world mountaineering museum. Our guide said it wasn’t on the itinerary, but arranged a private taxi to take me (he was able to give the driver specific directions, as its very easy to get lost).
The museum was enormous in size, had all sorts of authentic artefacts, pictures and articles. |
| Some photo’s and diary entries by early explorers and mountaineers.To Celebrate 50 years since the accent of Everest, another section said the world owed grateful thanks to the following
Tensing Norgay Sherpa (first ascent of Everest). Edmund Hillary (first ascent of Everest). Two other interesting additions were: Babu Chhiri Sherpa Appa Sherpa (The plaque said 12 times Everest Summitter (he has since done it 5 more times)). |
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Not everything in the museum was pleasing.A whole series of displayed showed some of the things that had been discarded in the mountains.
It was pointed out, that metal canisters like these would have taken more than 400 years to biodegrade. |
| There were dozens and dozens of fantastic mountain photographs.Many of them, were taken by one of my Heroes, Doug Scott.
I actually have a copy of the same picture hanging in my home. |
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This Jacket was said to have been worn by Morris Herzog.The French team, were the first mountaineers to climb above 8000 metres and Summit Annapurna
At the time, nobody knew what would actually happen to a human being at that altitude and they were subjected to medical experiments for years afterwards. I have read Annapurna several times. In an era where politics, prejudice and money seem to contaminate every worthwhile endeavour, one quote from the book has always stayed with me. When selecting the people for the trip, 20 men were selected. Herzog said simply “these were the best mountaineers in France. Nobody said otherwise even in private”. |
| My Taxi driver takes me back to Pokhara, and I ponder what to do with the afternoon.It was here that I got the first hint of what Kathmandu would really be like.
I mentioned, that I wouldn’t rent a mountain bike today, but would rent one in Kathmandu to see it. He replied that riding a bike there, would be suicide. It was then I started to think that maybe Kathmandu wasn’t like Chamonix or courmayeur !. I rented the bike, and had a great ride around the village and part of the lake. |
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Pokhara was the ultimate adult playground.There were dozens of places where you could organise treks/trips/white water rafting/mountain biking. All the main Treks around the Annapurna ranges are run from Pokhara.
There were also tours running all around the region, and even an overland trip to Lhasa. This previously couldn’t be done “on the fly” as it would involve travelling into a Chinese special administrative region. |
| I wondered around to meet up with my friends, and saw Kingsley was having his head shaved.There were also loads of Cyber Cafe’s, bars and stuff like that.
It was here that I bought the excellent Jane, a torch, as astoundingly, she hadn’t brought one with here. |
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We visited a Tibetan refugee camp and had a tour of their carpet factory.From 1959 to 1962 some 300,000 refugees came to Nepal from neighbouring Tibet, which had been annexed by China.
These camps have evolved into entire settlements. Because of their different architecture, prayer flags, gompas and chorten, these can easily be distinguished from the other settlements in the area. I quite fancied buying a rug, but they were pretty expensive. |
| I saw this sticker on the window of the tea house.The Panchen Lama is the one of the two highest ranking lamas (together with the Dalai Lama) in the Gelugpa (Dge-lugs-pa) School of Tibetan Buddhism (the school which controlled Tibet from the 16th century until the Communist takeover).
There is a controversy about who is the true present (11th) incarnation of the Panchen Lama: the People’s Republic of China asserts it is Qoigyijabu, while the Tibetan Government in Exile maintains it is Gedhun . Choekyi Nyima was arrested at the age of six years by the Chinese in 1995. He then became the world’s youngest political prisoner. |
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I wandered around the village market and bought lots of presents.At one point word went around the stalls, that an idiot on a buying spree was “in town” .
I commented to one of the stall holders, that although I only had 1 wife, I had enough presents for 3. |
| We woke early in the morning to watch the sunrise over Sarangkot.I went into the hotel reception to pay the bill.
It was then that I realised the the hotel staff, actually slept on the floor in reception. It was humbling to see that the people who had worked so hard to take care of me, cook my breakfast and stuff like that, but didn’t actually have a room of there own. |
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The best viewpoint of Pokhara is Sarangkot (1600m) to the west of the city.There was a small tea house, and I had some hot chocolate.
The the most stunning of Pokhara’s sights is the spectacular panorama of the Annapurna range that forms its backdrop. |
| Stretching from east to west, the Annapurna massif includes Annapurna I to IV and Annapurna South.Although the highest among them is Annapurna I at 8091 meters, it is Machhapuchhre, which dominates all others in this neighbourhood.
The famous fishtail mountain is considered holy, so you need a permit to climb it. Unfortunately, there was too much cloud, so this picture didn’t really work out the way I would have liked. |
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Exploring North Africa with Survival School.
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We finally arrive in North Africa, where the three land rovers we will used during the next 9 days await us.
Standing next to me is my mate Pat, who I had met on a previous survival school course. I had been looking forward to visiting Morocco. I had been told that many of the people in the country, lived as people lived in the bible (which is a bit strange, since the majority of them are Muslims !). |
| After a few hours travelling through Morocco, and seeing the sites and sounds of that culture, we stop for refreshments at a roadside Cafe.
Mint Tea. The 2 main peoples of Morocco, are the Arabs, the the Berbers. The Berbers are traditional Nomadic people, and were/are considered the warrior class of that country. Our guide and drivers were Berbers and as Muslims, joked that the mint tea, is called Berber Whisky in their culture. |
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A view from inside our land rover.
There were only 4 people and a driver to each Land rover, so it was a lot more comfortable than I had expected. |
| On the first night, we find some brush land, half a mile back from the road, and bivvi out.
Later the next day, we stop to take some pictures, while travelling over a mountain pass. |
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We arrived in the Old town of Meski. The town was moved about 40 years before, and previously resided in an old Kasbah, which is walkable from the new town.
Meski is a real desert oasis, and our guide Mohamed, had his son Ahmed gives us a tour of the town. Everyone in the town has some land assigned to them, and here, an old man of 70 + is working and laughing, even though its 7:30 in the evening. |
| In the centre of the town, was a public swimming pool, where all the people went during the evening.
There was a cafe next to it, where people were drinking, and playing pool. Unfortunately, the light had gone, so I have had to enhance this picture, that’s why it looks so grey. |
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We visited a small shop, to by some souvenirs.
Most people bought a desert headdress, and wore them throughout the course. Here, Sylvie (who was married to Mark, a London Zoo keeper, ace bushcrafter and animal expert – also on the trip.) poses with her newly bought Headdress. I embarrassed myself at bartering by having my first offer accepted enthusiastically. When I dropped my price by 5 pounds, the seller was still delighted. I was obviously offering way to much, but I paid what I thought it was worth and have no regrets. |
| Our guide Mohamed was a chef and owns a restaurant in Meski,
here he cooks a delicious meatball tagine for us at his restaurant. |
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That night, we bivvied out at the old fort, about a quarter of a mile from the new town.
In the morning, me and a few of the lads go exploring. |
| The place was right out of Tomb Raider and I loved it there. |  |
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Ahmed came over to give us a tour of the old city.
Here he shows us the well, which was the sole source of water for the whole town. |
| Being in the deserted town, was a special kind of adventure for me.
The sun shining on the town, from outside the city walls. |
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A view of the Meski oasis, from inside the deserted Meski Fort.
Several clay channels run to some of the outlying fields, so that more vegetation can be grown outside the Oasis. |
| As we continue our journey to the Sand Dunes, we stop by the road for refreshments.
Here I am photographed next to one of the longest roads I have ever seen. |
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A picture of the sand dunes at Erg Chebby.
During the afternoon heat, the only place to be, was in the shade, but in the morning, wandering around the dunes gave an immense sense of calm and peace. |
| A few of the team walk around the sand dunes in the early evening.
Walking along the ridges was the only practical way to cross sand dunes. Walking up and down them, no matter what your fitness, was exhausting. |
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Me standing in the black desert.
Only about 20% of all desert is made of sand, most of it is made of rocks like this one. You can get an idea of the size of the desert and feeling off isolation from this picture. |
| Some of the interesting people I saw in Morocco.
Here a person earns a living, simply by fixing bicycles and repairing punctures. |
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Some children play football, barefoot, in the black desert. |
| Me standing at the top of the Dunes.
One of the strange things about desert, is that when you are wandering in the dunes, there is a sense of isolation, but back at camp, There was none. There was only one tree, in our camp, and as a city dweller, it was strange to feel “on display” and have no “corner of your own” I got over it after a few days, but its one of the extra experiences you get from being in the desert. |
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The Sky before last light. |
| As we were travelling out of the desert, I saw some nomadic Berbers, who live in the desert, miles from anywhere.
Having lived isolated in the Dunes for just 5 days, and seeing how hard it was, I had nothing but respect for these people. |
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On the way back, we are treated to a delicious hotel meal, and a camel ride to the high Dunes.
Here, the Berbers help Pat, mount the camel for our trek. The white camel in the picture, is the one I would ride. Once at the top of the high dunes, we bivvied out. In the morning, we watched the sunrise, and then travelled down to the hotel to have breakfast. I had dried bread for breakfast each morning, and when I went to the toilet after 8 days, I thought I was going to damage myself. |
| Casting shadows in the Dunes. |  |
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We relaxed for the last 2 days. Since our background is UK bushcraft, a forest provided the ideal place to do this, and we were able to light fires/carve spoons and just get our own space. |
| After 2 days of relaxing, we had a night in a hotel just near the border (the Moroccan border we crossed, was like the bar in Star Wars !) and made our way back to Gibraltar for our flight home.
We briefly stop at the side of the road for a team photograph. Although the desert craft of the Berbers is unquestionable, there photography isn’t, and they manage to cut me out of the picture (maybe it was something I said !). |
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Tour of India and Nepal – Khajuraho.
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We set of to visit the Erotic temples of Khajuraho.
On the way, we get the chance to visit an Indian village School. Even though the School is in the middle of a village, and many lessons are taught outdoors, no compromises were made. The teachers were very professional and the children well behaved. Just a look from one of the teachers would see a misbehaving child fall into line without a word. Reminded me of what Schools used to be like in the UK. |
| I learn an important tip on travel photography from Kingsley (one of the many things I learned from him).
Basically, when you photograph a local. Always show them the picture. Usually, as in this picture, they are quite delighted, which means everyone takes away something good from the experience. |
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We had all brought pencils and paper and stuff like that to give to the children.
We were very impressed, when a very young child wrote the entire English alphabet in right before our eyes. At first I didn’t want to go into the School, had a bad time at School personally, and I wanted one of my friends to donate my pencils and stuff. In the end, as good friends would, they talked me into it. The Children were so focused on learning, that they seemed oblivious to the poverty that surrounded them. As I said goodbye and left, I was nearly crying. |
| We arrive at Khajuraho.
Our simple accommodation had this amazing pool complex outside. Khajuraho village is surrounded by the mountains of Chatarpur in the district of Madhya Pradesh and is 395 Km southeast of Agra. |
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The lads made straight for the pool, and even had a go on the water slide.
Water isn’t my thing (but that doesn’t mean I’m dirty or I smell or anything !), I have never associated recreation and water together. I continued to read my guide book, and you’ve guessed it, have a couple of bottles of beer. |
| In the hotel bar, this simple yet amazing device.
This free charger, would fit practically every type of mobile phone. Why does the “developing” country of India have ideas like this, yet I have never seen anything like it in “modernised” Great Britain. |
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By now, it was so common, that I practically forgot to take a picture.
Kingsley attracts more “Bovine” attention. |
| Today this village remains with 22 temples, which give us a glimpse of a golden time of art and devotion at their peak. Out of 22 temples, two were made from sandstone. The stone blocks were first carved and then the interlocking pieces were assembled to form a temple. Each temple is different from one another.
The contrast of it being so ornately carved, and yet, this wasn’t a coffee table statue, it was an entire building, and scale was incredible. |
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Probably the most photographed place in Khajuraho.
There is some pretty extreme stuff in here, with men and woman doing just about everything that’s possible between them, and the occasional illustration of a man pleasuring a horse !. |
| The Western Group is the largest of all the temple groups of Khajuraho.
It is not compact and located in the center but also include the most renowned and noteworthy monuments built during the reign of the Chandela rulers. They are also known to have been maintained well by the Archaeological Survey of India and the lush green lawns surrounding them with multihued shrubs and fragrant blossoms add to their beauty. The most prominent temples of the group are the Lakshmana Temple, the Matangesvara Temple and the Varaha Temple that are a part of a single complex, the Visvanatha and Nandi temples situated near the above-mentioned complex and the Chitragupta, Jagadambi and the Kandariya Mahadeo temples a little to the west of the complex. One of the smaller structures that reminded me of a Tibetan bell tower. |
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Unesco world heritage site.
The Khajuraho temples do not contain sexual or erotic art inside the temple or near the deities; however, some external carvings bear erotic art and tantric sexual poses. A common misconception is that, since the old structures with carvings in Khajuraho are temples, the carvings depict sex between deities. This is just one small section of the outer wall of one of the temples. Here there are several hundred carved figures and each one is different. |
| A similar scene, taken more closely from a different angle at Kandariya Mahadeva temple.
The name Khajuraho is derived from the Hindi word khajur meaning date palm. |
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Lakshmana temple.
The city was once the original capital of the Chandela Rajputs, a Hindu dynasty that ruled this part of India from the 10th to the 12th centuries. The Khajuraho temples were built over a span of a hundred years, from 950 to 1050. The Chandela capital was moved to Mahoba after this time, but Khajuraho continued to flourish for some time. These are fine examples of Indian architectural styles that have gained popularity due to their salacious depiction of the traditional way of life during medieval times. They were rediscovered during the late 19th century and the jungles had taken a toll on some of the monuments. |
| The artisans were masters of their of art.
The body of the subject would bend in 3 distinct places, and the tilt of the head would add to the aura of seduction. According to Hindu legends, Hemvati was a beautiful young Brahmin woman for whom the famous temples of Khajuraho have been built. The legend goes that she was bathing in a pool near her house in Benares (now Varanasi) in the moonlight. Her ravishing beauty so much captured the fancy of the moon god that he could not help descending to earth to meet her. Hemvati had an affair with the moon god. She conceived a child out of this relationship. Since it had happened out of wedlock, Hemvati was worried and asked the moon god about her fate once he departed from the earth. |
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The moon god prophesied that their son would be the first king of Khajuraho. She was asked by the moon god to leave for a forest of khajurs (date palm trees) far away from Benares to deliver her child. When he grows up, the moon god told her, he should perform a sacrificial ritual that included among its rites the depiction of erotic figures. He should also build 85 temples at the forest of Khajurs, which subsequently came to be known as Khajuraho, all carved with erotic figures. This would free his mother, said the moon god, from the blemish of extramarital love.
Hemvati then left her home to give birth to her son in a tiny village. The child, Chandravarman, was as lustrous as his father, brave and strong. By the time he was 16 years old he could kill tigers or lions with his bare hands. Delighted by his feats, Hemvati invoked the Moon god, who installed him as king at Khajuraho. Chandravarman achieved a series of brilliant victories and built a mighty fortress at Kalinjar. At his mother’s request he began the building of 85 glorious temples with lakes and gardens at Khajuraho and performed the ritual which expunged her of her guilt. The now familiar symbol of Ganesh. |
| This picture shows the elevation of some of the temples, and the beautiful gardens that surrounded them. |  |
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This astounding picture shows a man pleasuring 3 woman while standing on his head.
Our guide commented, that he would need to be an adept at Yoga, if this was even possible at all. |
| Our crew sat outside one of the temples. |  |
Tour of India and Nepal – Orchha.
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One of my favourite parts of the trip.
We arrive at our hotel, straight after a couple of hours on a train, and in a mini-bus, and are shown straight to the garden terrace, and offered a drink. Indira briefs us on the local, and our planned itinerary in for the next 2 days. |
| The beautiful room I stayed in, next to the river.
Once again, basic accommodation, proved to be nothing of the sort. |
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The electrics, in some of our accommodation, was a little old, but added to the character. |
| The view from my balcony, showing the the river that ran past the hotel.
Waking in the morning and looking out across the water, was a special moment for me. |
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The main street, of this simple village. |
| My friend Kevin in front of the Man Mandir Palace and Gwalior Fort, in his “foreign correspondent” pose. |  |
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A projected view of one of the palace walls. |
| The main wall of the fort, taken through one of the gates. |  |
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Another part of the fort, showing the detail of the stone carvings. |
| The beautiful courtyard, showing the high walkways, all around.
It took several hours to see them all. |
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A temple inside the palace, had this picture of Hanuman (the white monkey in the picture) I had seen a song/dance rendition of the Reamker, which features Hanuman, while visiting Cambodia. |
| Gate at the back of the palace, with superbly carved elephants. |  |
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Underground, in a recently opened area. |
| Indian Women in Traditional dress. |  |
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In the centre of the forecourt, was this bath, similar to the ones I had seen at the Angkor Wat. |
| As we head up to the walkways, I pose on the stairs with Indira.
I really is hard to describe, just how excellent she was as a guide. I remember reading a quote once: What’s the difference between a gymnast and an acrobat ? They both do the same things, but the gymnast tries to make the activity look easy, and the acrobat tries to make it look hard. Indira made travel organization look simple, but having arranged my own trips several times, I knew that it wasn’t. |
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View of the forecourt, from high up on one of the walkways. |
| A view of one of the other forts, through a “window”. |  |
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High up on one of the walkways, out of the window, there are views of the village. |
| Angela and Paul, with a Hindu Holyman (possibly, or more likely, someone who dresses like one).
On the left of the picture, another “Holyman” wanted to get in on the action. |
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We visit a traditional Indian village.
Kingsley and Indira sample some street food, and as usual, wherever Kingsley goes, livestock are sure to follow. |
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I’ve done quite a lot of bushcraft and shelter building, but, using techniques i had been taught and practiced, this was actually someone’s home. |
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This bed was hand made by the occupants of the house.
Indira had told me as a child, she slept in a similar bed. The construction was amazing, and could easily have been constructed with just a swiss army knife. The cordage was hand made in a similar fashion to the stuff I did at Woodsmoke where cordage was twisted against its natural “turn”, and created an binding effect. |
| An eating house in the street, with food cooked on an open fire.
It always seems strange when I see people using skills I learn as a hobby, which they use as a practical day to day skill, in the same way I operate a microwave. One of the few souvenir shops around here, made me laugh. It had a sign in the window which said “More crap inside”. Priceless. |
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The other fort, much nearer to the village, which I had photographed several times from a distance.
When we walked around, we found that several homeless people were living there. |
| India is really moving on, in terms of business.
Even though it was a small village, there were many posters like these, advertising training in computer technology. |
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This one, wasn’t actually fastened onto the wall, it was painted directly onto it. |
| The local police station. |  |
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After we had walked around the town, Indira took us across the rive on this bridge, and we were able to relax here. |
| Here I relax in what Kevin called my “C&A Man” pose.
A few minutes later, Kingsley, good naturedly started to hand out pencils to a few of the local children, and we were mobbed !. |
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Looking across the river at one of the other forts. |
| We decide to leave the minibus and walk back to our hotel.
A superb relaxing walk and a great end to another brilliant day. |
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Before dinner, I grab a bottle of beer, and join everyone, “paddling” in the water at the back of the hotel.
We were sharing the hotel with some other guests, who also like to drink, and sadly at 10pm, the Hotel ran out of beer !. |
Tour of India and Nepal – Varanasi.
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We arrive in the city of Varanasi, the Holiest of India’s City’s and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
The Munshi Ghat, my personal favourite. |
| We arrive in the late afternoon. Relax around the hotel, and in the evening, visit the Hotels superb restaurant. |  |
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Early the next morning, we set out towards the Ganges, to see the City awaken. |
| The Ganges is sacred to Hindu’s, who refer to it as the holly river.
We look out across the river and watch the sun rise. Some of the boats, were already out on the water. |
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We walk down the steps to our waiting boat.
Thousands of people visit the waterfront steps (known as Ghats) to begin the day. |
| As the sun comes up, we travel along the waterfront, and visit the various Ghats.
Despite the early hour, their was a “carnival” atmosphere to the morning, as many dozens of boats converged on the water. |
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Sitting in our boat, in the early morning, it was very relaxing.
Several people in small boats, paddled up beside us, and tried to sell us floating candles. The idea, is that you light a candle, for someone who has passed away. One of my friends lit one. I have decided not to show that picture, out of respect. |
| Some of the colours, when the sun hits the Ghats were impressive. |  |
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Hindu’s consider it auspicious to die in Varanasi and many travel here for that purpose.
There is a ritual when people die, performed by their eldest sun. Their body is burned on a ceremonial fire, and their remains are thrown into the Holy river. This is a picture of one of the burning Ghats. Afterwards, there ashes are placed in the Holy River. |
| Rana Ghat where people wake early and perform ritual ablutions in the Holy River. |  |
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A view down the length of the river showing more people washing, who have waded out further into the water. |
| The Kedar Ghat, where clothes are washed, and then laid on the steps to dry.
One of the most beautiful mornings I can remember. |
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We drove around, on a guided tour, and visited the Campus of Banaras University, the largest in India.
After this, we paid a visit to the Bharat Matar, or Mother India. Inside is a large scale map of India on the floor. As it was a beautiful day, I decided to stay outside in the sunshine, and asked the lads to take my camera, go inside, and take a picture for me. This is the picture that they took, not exactly what I had in mind. |
| This is the actual Bharat Matar.
Its most impressive, and I am disappointed now, that I didn’t go inside after all. |
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As we walk around back through the City in daylight, you can see just how busy and vibrant, it is.
Many serious travelers that I have spoken too, have told me India is there favourite country, and I could certainly see why. |
| We decide to head further afield and see a bit more of the City.
Our excellent guide Indira, arranges some motorized rickshaws, and off we go. In the picture, you can see the driver smiling. One of the things that struck me about India. People have an order of magnitude less, than your average person in the UK, and yet they are still happy. I wonder if some of the “hard done too” people I know, would benefit from living in India for a year !. |
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For lunch, we visit the bread of life bakery on Shivala Road.
Its well known, for offering pensions, healthcare and education to its employees and their family’s. They also contribute significantly to the families of Motorized Rickshaw drivers who have been killed in road accidents. It was nice to visit somewhere nice for lunch, and contribute to charity at the same time. |
| There were plenty of backpackers in there, the place is popular, and practically famous.
I think a lot of people had visited it, to eat some pastries, that remind them of “home”, because it can be quite hard to get proper “pastry”. Unfortunately, the power had failed, and the over, had broken, so our food options were limited. |
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As we left the bread of life, Kevin and I travelled together in the Motorized Rikshaw. I was delighted to see, that I wasn’t the only person that find this kind of transport terrifying.
I took this picture to try and capture the feel of tearing through the streets in one of these things. |
| As the Rickshaw stops at the lights (an occurrence that seemed to be rare) I saw this young girl doing her homework as she looked after her fathers workshop. |  |
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Just before dusk, we pass the river, and all the boats are empty.
The river that was furiously busy earlier in the day, is now serene and quiet. I realized that this must happen every day, and it reminded me, of the circle of life (I do a lot of thinking, when I am travelling). |
| We visit a factory, and learn how silk is made.
Obviously, there was an attached shop, and we had the “opportunity” to buy. Cynicism aside, the stuff in the shop, was superb and the prices far cheaper than we would have paid in the UK. The loom in this picture, is 80 years old. |
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As we head out in the early evening, we travel in “Noddy” cars like this.
When I came to open the door, you could feel the click of the mechanism was smooth and secure, these vehicles are very well built. |
| Our driver, like most of the people we met in Varanasi, wore trousers, a shirt and shoes, clothing that would be fairly formal back home in the UK.
At that temperature, I don’t think I could have bare the heat, in the suit I wear for work. |
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We take a boat to the far side of the Ganges and visit the 17th century Ramnagar fort.
It was originally home to the Mharaja of Benares (an older name for Varanasi) It is very well preserved, but then it would be, the king ( the former king ) still resides here. Sadly we had had such a relaxing time walking up the beach, that when we arrived, the fort was closed. |
| We head back to the beach, to catch our boat back to the other side.
We watch the sun set on the Holy River. |
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As we reach the other side, we disembark at Dasaswamedh Ghat, where we will watch the nightly Aarti (ritual thanks and blessing given to the river). |
| I managed to find a place quite high up, to get pictures and capture the ambiance of the ceremony.
Several people, perform ritual dances, facing out onto the river. There was traditional music playing out of loud speakers. |
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Unfortunately, in the middle of the ceremony, the power failed. The lights went out, and the music stopped.
Power failures had been a constant occurrence throughout our visit to India, but up until this point had just added to the experience. I wondered what they were going to do ? They were obviously prepared for this, some musical instruments were produced, and auxiliary power fixed the lighting. |
| It’s said that no trip to North India is complete without a visit to Varanasi.
I haven’t seen the rest of India, so I cant comment comprehensively. What I can say, is that the place was a treasure trove of cultures, adventures and experiences, and I had a fantastic time there. |
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Tour of India and Nepal – Lumbini.
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Dropped off by bus, we bid farewell to Indira, and walk towards the Nepalese Border.
I had read that at times, the Nepalese side was so disorganised, that a person could leave India, and end up spending several hours in “no mans land” until the border guards actually woke up. Nothing like this happened, we got through without event. I didn’t buy a visa in advance, which saved £25. I normally do to avoid hassle, but on this occasion, I decided to save a bit of money, and it worked fine. We meet our Nepalese guide, board our bus, and head towards the town of Lumbini in the Himalayas foothills. |
| After check in, we get cleaned up, get some food, and have an early night.
Lumbini was the birthplace of the Gautama Buddha the apostle of peace and the light of Asia in 623 B.C. (he later founded Buddhism, and is known better to westerners as the Lord Buddha). The site is home to Monasteries from Buddhist country’s all over the world. It is in 2 zones, separated by a Canal. East Monastic Zone is dedicated for the construction of Theravada monasteries. West Monastic Zone is dedicated for the construction of Mahayana traditional monasteries. The place evokes a kind of holy sentiment to the millions of Buddhists all over the world- and is the Mecca of every Buddhist, being one of the four holy places of Buddhism. |
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Buddhists undertake certain precepts as aids on the path to coming into contact with ultimate reality. Lay people generally undertake five precepts. The five precepts are:
1. I undertake the precept to refrain from harming living creatures (killing). 2. I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not freely given (stealing). 3. I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct. 4. I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech (lying, harsh language, slander, idle chit-chat). 5. I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicants which lead to loss of mindfulness. |
| Bodhi tree and pond at Lumbini
The Lord Buddha sat under a tree like this on the night he attained enlightenment. The tree itself was a type of fig with the botanical name Ficus religiosa. In the centuries after the Buddha, the Bodhi tree became a symbol of the Buddha’s presence and an object of worship. Many temples throughout the Buddhist world have Bodhi trees growing in them which are or are believed to be offspring of the one from Anaradapura and their worship forms an important part of popular Buddhist piety. |
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The exact location of the Birthplace of Buddha, remained uncertain and obscure till December the 1st 1886 when a wandering German archaeologist Dr Alois A. Fuhrer came across a stone pillar.
Historians now know this to be the Ashokan Pillar featured in the centre of this picture. |
| To the south of the Pillar is a garden with the sacred pool (Puskarni), believed to be the same pool in which Maya Devi took a holy dip just before giving birth to the Lord and also where infant Buddha was given his first purification bath.
In the background is another Bodhi Tree, and many fluttering prayer flags. Prayer flags are actually colourful cotton cloth squares in white, blue, yellow, green, and red. Woodblocks are used to decorate the prayer flags with images, mantras, and prayers. |
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The foundations of the original birthplace of Buddha inside Mayadevi temple. There is a marker stone, showing the exact spot where he was born.
The site was Revealed after a hard and meticulous excavations under the three layers of ruins on top of the site. I took this picture inside, as the building constructed around it, to protect it from the elements, looked (sadly) much like a red children’s fort and was most uninspiring. |
| Our guide showed us this temple.
It is possible to go there for a week, and “study” enlightenment. This involves 7 days of not speaking a word. It was joked that I would struggle to complete this. Our guide pointed out that they would prepare you in advance and you would get lots of meditation practice first. |
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Eternal peace flame directly on the Canal, near the world peace pagoda. |
| The Korean Monastery still under construction.
This had the look of many of the “Soviet” buildings I had seen in China and Vietnam, and didn’t strike me as in any way, religious or enlightening. |
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I’m not exactly sure, but I think this is the entrance to the Chinese temple.
I took the picture specifically because of the 2 lions outside. |
| Each lions mouth contains a ball, and its said to be impossible to remove it (some kind of Arthurian legend perhaps). |  |
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Inside the Chinese Maitreya Temple. |
| Our crew pose for a snapshot, on the steps outside the the main hall, of the Chinese monastery. |  |
Tour of India and Nepal – Kathmandu.
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We finally arrive at Kathmandu, a place I felt like I had waited all my life to see.When I got there, it was a bustling city, and reminded me of the dirtier parts of Manchester on a sunny day.
Anyway I was here now, and wanted to make the most of it. Our first trip was Bouddhnath 6km to the east of Kathmandu. A colossal and ancient stupa (Buddhist temple) and one of the biggest in the world and stands 36m high. Like many of the things I had seen on this trip, it was a world heritage site. It took its name, meaning dew drops, from a legend that when built dew was mixed with mortar, as there was a drought. |
| Around the stupa were many smaller temples like this one. Outside a pilgrimage of American Buddhists arrived by coach.Sadly, in a major tourist attraction like this, scams are inevitable:
A man dressed as a monk, was praying, some people gave him money, then we realised, that he wasn’t actually a monk at all. A woman approached us. We thought she was begging, so declined. She said that she didn’t want money, just asked us if we would buy milk for her baby. It was hard to refuse. We found in reality, the woman, and the shopkeeper were in cahoots. The milk was massively overpriced and when we’d gone they would have split the money. |
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Nearby we went to see how authentic Thangka (Buddhist) painting was done.Some of them were very beautiful, but I had already purchased a picture from a Thali village I was fond of, and the prices here were very expensive.
In the centre bottom of this page, is the newest Thangka design, created personally by the Dalhi Lama. They have trained more than 300 artists here. |
| Similar to the burning Ghats I had seen in Varanasi.The dead were brought here, to be ritually burned, this was normally done by the eldest son. |  |
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Swayambunath was another Stupa that we visited.The pilgrim’s route to the Swayambunath Stupa is a steep stone staircase of more than 300 steps, often claimed as 365.
At the base of the staircase is a large, brightly painted gateway. Inside was a massive prayer wheel nearly 12 feet tall that requires two hands to turn. Filled with thousands of prayers, this wheel strikes a bell each time it makes a complete revolution (perhaps just to make sure someone up there is listening). Be sure to give it a spin before beginning the climb to the top of the hill. |
| On the way up, I saw some of the monkeys that live here.I was advised to beware, as they carry disease, and can be aggressive. I found that to be good tempered. |  |
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From the top, there are spectacular views of Kathmandu.The earliest record of its existence dates from a 5th-century stone inscription.
Scholars and archaeologists believe that there was probably a shrine here as far back as 2,000 years ago. There were dozens of Buddhist prayer wheels built into the wall around the stupa. |
| We enter the internationally renowned Durbar Square (this would have been a bit more significant, if we hadn’t visited a Durbar Square in Bhaktapur, the day before).In reality Durbar Square means Palace complex, and isn’t an unusual name at all.
Getting back on track, sitting in Durbar Square, drinking coffee and watching the world go by is one of the things I have always wanted to do. At one point, the civil police stopped us and asked to see our tickets. Many of the streets here, don’t actually have an names, which can be confusing. |
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In scorching heat, this chap carries this enormous heavy load. |
| It is believed that the name of Kathmandu City is derived from the name of this temple. Kastha means wood and Mandap means pavilion.We had lunch at rooftop restaurant overlooking the square.
One of the popular temples of Durbar Square, Kashamandap is known locally as Maru Sattal. It is said to be built by single Sal tree. |
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Rather unusual looking postbox.We saw the outside walls of the Royal Palace, but it was closed.
There had been a protest the day before, and people had been shot. |
| Kumari Ghar is the temple of Kumari – the living Goddess. Kumari is believed to be the bodily incarnation of the goddess Taleju.The current Royal Kumari, Preeti Shakya, was installed in 2001 at the age of four. Both Hindus and Buddhists equally venerate her.
The Goddesses social calendar must have been busy on the day we were there, as we weren’t granted an audience from her balcony. There is a square inside the temple, which some of the most amazing carvings I have ever seen and the building is simply majestic. |
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A statue of Bhairab.It shows Shiva in his most fearsome form. He has six arms, carries weapons and a body, has a headdress of skulls, and tramples a corpse. |
| That evening, we have our goodbye dinner. It was sad, I had made some really good friends, and I had soaked up so much of the culture that surrounded me, that I wasn’t sure how I would manage back home.We would be flying home the following evening, so it was our last night out together.
Our guide took is to a superb authentic restaurant, where several dancing birds and yetti’s performed for us. It was uncomfortable sitting on the floor, but after plenty of beers I hardly noticed. |
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On the last day of our trip, we have a private flight around the Himalayas and and Mount Everest. |
| Although I am an eternal optimist, I know that I will never climb to the top of Everest.As I sat there, I know it was the closest I would ever get to the summit, which was both euphoric and sad at the same time. |  |
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Most unusually we were invited one at a time, to go into the cockpit.I got to look out of the front window, talk to the captain and co-pilot and be shown what the controls do (although they wouldn’t let me touch them). |
| The Summit of mount everest.The rest of the day, I just wandered around Kathmandu and killed time until our flight home.
A few of my friends, asked me why I was so quiet (if you know me, its noticeable when I shut up). After seeing the Summit of Everest with my own eyes, I didn’t feel much like chatting. |
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One of the many shops, selling outdoor equipment.Interestingly, many of the items, are made of material from the same supplier as the actual goods and produced by people who have previously worked in an official factory.
You can usually only tell the difference by the finishing and the quality of the stitching. Still, if like me, you think most modern outdoor gear is overpriced and over engineered, it produces a superb alternative. |
| Overall, I was a bit disappointed with Kathmandu. I imagined it as some sort of simple mountaineering town, when in reality it was like walking around a very warm liverpool.You can see from this picture, how busy the backpacker district (where thankfully, we didn’t stay) was. |  |
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A must see for me, was the Fire and Ice restaurant, said to make the best Pizza’s in Asia.Alan Hinks was interviewed after completing the Challenge 8000 (there are 14 mountains above 8000 metres, at this altitude, the human body cannot acclimatise) more human beings have stood on the moon than the top of all these mountains.
Run by an Italian Lady, who has the parmesan made in Lhasa. |