A Quick Visit To Hong Kong...

February 19, 2014

Hong Kong

A final adventure on my way home with a fifteen hour layover in Hong Kong...long enough to take a tour of the city and eat some mighty fine Chinese food. Kowloon Peninsula is wall-to-wall shops; I've never seen such hustle and bustle of people buying and buying and buying. And then there was the shopping mall of seven hundred stores where I had lunch at the House of Jasmine. I had heard how Hong Kong is the “mecca” for shopping, but all I could manage was to buy some Belgian chocolate...too much energy and too many choices for me!

After lunch, I met up with the tour guide and we were on our way to Hong Kong Island...a beautiful spot surrounded by the South China Sea and a paradise for the wealthy. Land is a precious commodity in Hong Kong so the apartment buildings go up and up and up. Although the view from one's terrace might be spectacular, with my fear of heights, I don't mind not knowing anyone living in one of those skyscrapers as I would not be able to visit.

Lots of fun and a great way to end a remarkable journey...

Two Faiths Living Side By Side...

February 15 – 19, 2014

Kathmandu, Nepal

About five km. from the city center of Kathmandu and located on the western bank of the Bagmati River is the Pasupatinath temple, one of the holiest temples in the world and revered and worshipped by both Hindus and Buddhists. It is originally thought to have been a simple stone structure, but rebuilt many times, and possibly attaining its present shape in the late 14^th century under King Jayashiti Malla. The temple and its surroundings were renovated in 1959 by King Mahendra and there is now a trust set up to take care of maintenance and repairs.

Lord Pasupatinath is  worshipped as both Lord Shiva and the Buddha, who, according to Hindu and Buddhist belief, both taught the value of love, humanity, and universal peace and, as the temple complex is revered by both religions, it is a reflection of the religious harmony that exists in Nepal.

 What captured our attention for well over an hour was the viewing of cremation sites. In Varanasi, India, these ceremonies take place in the evening, whereas here, cremations take place all day long. Although death is personal and the grief experienced at a loss is felt most deeply by family and close friends, the act of cremation  is both a private and public event. Gathered around the mourners were throngs of people who had come to pay respect to the deceased and bid a last good-bye. We stood across a small river bank and, as we watched, mesmerized, we were all reminded at the fragility of life and that, regardless of one's religious beliefs, there is finality in death. 

Bhaktapur, whose history goes back to the early 8^th century, and, for several centuries, the sovereign city of Nepal, is its cultural capital. Currently populated by about one hundred thousand people, primarily Hindu and Buddhist, it is another example of how two faiths can live side by side, enjoying one another's traditions and festivals. The art, architecture, and cultural heritage of the city are visible throughout; the money earned from tourist entrance fees is used to preserve Bhaktapur's history, keep it clean, build and develop infrastructure, educate its inhabitants, and give them grants to purchase wood and bricks to build their homes in traditional styles.

The Himalayas - Pristine Beauty Up In The Heavens...

February 15-19, 2014

Kathmandu, Nepal

An early wake-up call, followed by a ride to the airport with the hope that our flight in the Himalayas would go as scheduled. Specially pressured planes accommodating twenty passengers, ten on each side, make the trip, but only if the weather conditions are favorable; getting a good view of Mount Everest is tricky and many a tourist has been disappointed when flights have been canceled due to the fog. Although our adventure was delayed for a couple of hours, it all turned out perfectly; flying above the exquisite, snow-capped mountains and seeing Mt. Everest in the near distance is one of those magisterial memories.

As one half of Everest is in Tibet and the plane is not allowed to be in Chinese air space, the pilot cannot fly around the mountain so he flies to the farthest point for the best view and then turns the plane around so that passengers on both sides have an equal opportunity. Each of us was also invited to go into the cockpit for a “close-up” look...and it was priceless.

Let the photos tell the story...

Kathmandu - From The Everyday To The Sublime...

February 15-19, 2014

Kathmandu, Nepal

I hadn't thought much about what Kathmandu would be like before I went, and, after spending four days there, I'm not sure that I really understand the “pulse” of the city. Although it's certainly much cleaner than India and the traffic is better controlled, it's a hectic place trying to catch up to the 21^st century, but still far behind socially and economically. Scooters are everywhere and small shops and crowded streets are prevalent. Somewhere, however, in the middle of the noise and traffic, is the spiritual and political history of this country where one is transported to another place and time.

The cultural centers of Nepal are concentrated around the Kathmandu valley and in the heart of the ancient city is Durbar Square, a complex of temples and shrines, both Hindu and Buddhist, architectural marvels that epitomize the religious and cultural life of the people. Until the early 20^th century, the kings of Nepal were crowned and lived in a palace on Hanuman-dhoka Durbar Square and, because of its importance, the square has been designated a World Heritage Monument Site. 

The weather was chilly and rainy that first day, but the wet air didn't dampen the fascination with what we saw and learned. Eighty percent of the country is Hindu and while only ten percent is Buddhist, a small percentage of the population, I felt, keenly, the presence of the monks when, that first afternoon, we visited Boudhanath, one of the largest Buddhist stupas (shrines) in the world.