June 26, 2014 Ladakh, Kashmir-Jammu

Thiksey Monastery

Ladakh is bound by mountains with sheer walls of rock and ice. This rugged region is home to one of the last undisturbed Tantric Buddhist populations on earth with smaller communities of Shia and Suni Muslims. It is virtually cut off from the world from November to May and has an almost medieval way of life. Quite a few people speak English, though some only a few words.

Maitreya Buddha, two stories tall!

The centuries old monasteries were amazing! They perch on a hill overlooking the valley and are ornately carved and painted on the interior with bright colors and house statues overlaid with gold leaf.

The museums held a number of ancient texts as well as a surprising grail made from a human skull. There were religious items from the 9th century that were brought over the Himalaya from Tibet when China took over, killing many monks and nuns.

Leh Palace

Leh, the capital of Ladakh, is a tourist town and busy backpacker center, which backs onto ruined palaces in the lee of the Himalaya. The sky is dark blue due to a breathless altitude of 11,500 ft. The Leh Palace that overlooks the town was built in the 17th century by the Buddhist kings. It is very similar to the Potala Palace in Tibet. 

Jama Masjid Mosque, Main Street

Ladakh is truly a must-see if you have the time. It is a wonderland for trekking, hiking, and many other outdoor sports. Unfortunately I broke my foot there and had to return to the U.S. after getting a fuscia color cast at the local hospital. It cut my trip to 2 1/2 months rather than the 6 months I had planned, but one can always go back!

June 23, 2014 Manali-Leh Highway, Himachal Pradesh to Kashmir

Bridge over Beas River

The Manali-Leh Highway is considered the highest in the world.  The highway is dirt, gravel, some pavement, and a few streams to cross as deep as the running board on a jeep!  The bridges that are made up of steel beams with loose sheet metal pieces on top. These bridges criss-cross the Beas River at a 16,797 ft. pass as well. The road is only open from June to October as the passes are snowed in the rest of the year.

Thawing River

The rivers and lakes were thawing as it was turning "summer" in the Himalayas. There is just nothing like being on top of the world and witnessing the magnificence of it all! 

10 foot Snow Banks

If not for the beauty of the setting, it was the 19 hr. ride from hell! Both the driver and front passenger kept their windows rolled down even though several passengers and I asked them to roll them up as it was literally freezing. About half way there, they admitted there was a hole in the floorboard letting in exhaust fumes and "it was better to be cold than suffocate" he said! The large wool shawl I bought in Kullu was great for a cover-up, but was black from the fumes and it took washing 3x to get the soot out!  I  was in bed sick for 36 hrs. after the trip, unable to eat much. Such is the price I had to pay for a trip to Ladakh, but I am so looking forward to getting out and exploring this fabulous valley! 

June 19, 2014 Vashisht, Himachal Pradesh

Hiking the Himakayas

I had a great day hiking today! A young woman from my hotel, Julie from France, invited me to hike to the large waterfall, so off we went.  On the way up the mountain, we passed a small temple, stopped for chai at a makeshift cafe on the path, and as we turned a corner, there was the very tall waterfall we had come to see.

After about 2 1/2 hours Julie and I separated - she went up over the hill and I hiked down the side of the mountain to the highway to return to my hotel.

Upon arriving in Vashisht, I started planning my trip across the south side of the Himalaya to the high mountain valley of Ladakh.

June 9, 2014 Vashisht, Himachal Pradesh

Downtown Vashisht

Sunrise & Mist in the Himalayas

Vashisht is a small village about 3 km north of and on the slopes above Manali, the jumping off point for the Manali-Leh Highway, the highest in the world. Indian tourists come here for the hot spring baths, and foreign tourists for the laid-back atmosphere, hiking, and charas (hashish). Most places close from October to April due to the heavy snowfall. Some of the restaurant owners and workers go to the Goa beaches for the season and return in May.

I was referred to a guesthouse on the outskirts of town on the mountainside, and the owner came to the bus stop in Manali to pick me up. The view was good, but it afforded no privacy or quiet time. After 3 days I moved into town to the guesthouse highest up the mountain for the view. It cost less than the first one, and was a corner room with bath, balcony, WiFi, TV, and privacy. It was a good move!

My Alarm

The next morning I was awakened by a bird on the rail of my balcony. Looking out, you could see the mist above the river below as the sun rose, highlighting the snow topped peaks of the Himalayas. From here I could see more of the mountains, including the one to the north that is covered in snow...so beautiful! 

The Mall, Manali

I went to Old Manali to explore what used to be the main city. It winds up the mountain from the main part of town and has many guesthouses, restaurants, and shops. I bought a flute and hope to learn to play it! As I walked back toward town, I discovered a wonderful nature park, and paid my 5 rupees entrance fee. It was not only lovely, but a shortcut back to town. Two local women sat on the grass tending their cow that grazed nearby, as tourists pet the local dogs. The pines were tall and the grounds clean. Soon I was back in Manali and ready for lunch.

Nature Park, Manali

June 4, 2014 Manikaran, Himachal Pradesh

Hindu Temple

Hindu Temple

I decided to take a day trip to Manikaran, the next town north, to see the hot baths. The ladies' side where we went was closed, but I am not sure I wanted to get in that water anyway....

Feeding the Masses

It was hot and steamy in the largest one, Sri Guru Nanak Ji Gurdwara bath compound, with not only hot baths, but several temples as well. There was a large room, part of the Shiite Temple where food was served free of charge.  

Shiite Services

The mirror work on the walls and the ceiling was spectacular! Past the temple and up a short staircase, there was a Shiite Temple with service in progress. I was unaware that photos were forbidden, so of course, I took one!

May 26, 2014 Kasol, Himachal Pradesh, India

View from My Balcony

I took the local bus south to Bhuntar, where I made my connection for Kasol in the northern part of the Parvati Valley. It is the next to last town on the road with only a few small villages to the northeast. The sign on the bus read:

33% seats for ledies (ladies)
10% seats for children under 14 yrs.
5% seats for senior citizens
NO OVERLOAD ALLOWED!

Of course, as the school children and locals from the country going to town piled onto the bus, filling all seats and cram-packed into the aisles, I was grateful for my window seat. Both the Kullu and Parvati Valleys are known for their quality marijuana, which is not the same as the wild hemp that grows along the roads and rivers. Wild roses grow everywhere, mixing white with the many shades of green. As we climbed in altitude, I spotted the snow capped Himalayan Mountains and it reminded me of the fact that with each change of towns, I was going higher in altitude. I arrived in Kasol 3.5 hrs. later.

Himalayan Mountains

I checked into the Turquoise Cafe & Lodge, which offered a nice room with a private balcony, directly above the roaring rapids of a tributary to the Parvati River. I all but lived on this balcony for 2 weeks observing the activities of the local people. The sound of the river was a constant presence and conducive to writing, relaxing, and sleeping.

Local Inhabitants

There was a small shanty town on the opposite bank of the river. I observed their lifestyle as they gathered all the plastic water bottles in huge bags, hauled them down to their "yard", crushed them, and re-bagged them for hauling to the recycling facility to sell. I find the Indian people to be very resourceful in finding ways to live when they have no resources. I often thought that a trash system would be good.  As it is, they sweep it up in the street and burn it, or dump it down the banks of the river.

Kasol is known as the well established hippie hangout of this valley. The tourists consist mainly of Israeli youth who were recently released from the army, and are ready to party. The rest were a mixture of Indian & Western tourists, and other travelers. Many days I sat at the marble top table on the balcony, listening to the river and typing. The owner of the hotel, Pratibha, and I became great friends and shared time and tea many days. We still keep in touch, but I will miss seeing her.
 

Morning Nap

The birds soared high overhead, over the tall pines in this high mountain valley. Ravens...lots of them! They kept the town picked clean of edible waste, both on land and water. Every creature has its purpose in nature.

The hiking trails were well maintained as the locals made use of them in their daily lives. As I hiked, I observed a man with a small herd of pack animals, both horses and donkeys, taking a nap under an overhanging rock; animals were tethered and pack saddles thrown aside. This was more proof of the laid back lifestyle of this forested haven.

May 23, 2014 Kullu, Himachal Pradesh

View from Balcony

 It's 6 a.m. and the sun has turned the clouds golden as the town is starting to awaken. Mostly the dogs and cows are up. I can see the bus stop down the hill and the first one will be pulling out soon. This is a quiet town where life rolls on and no one seems to be bothered by what others do. There is a difference in the ethnicity which is evident in a different style of dress and a more Asian look, clearly Tibetan/Nepali influence.

Kullu is divided by the Sarvari River, which swiftly flows below my balcony. The bus station is north of the river along with an extensive fruit and vegetable market, and the hotels and cafés uphill to the south. The footbridge across the river is populated by cows soaking up the sun, vendors from the countryside, the regular foot traffic, and the occasional motorcycle. The main shopping street going south up the hill is foot traffic only as there is a low, heavy chain that crosses the street on either end.

Laundry Time

Wild Hemp

I watched as two men did laundry on the huge rocks that fill the riverbed below, while another fished a bit further upstream. Marijuana grows wild by the road, along the river, and pretty much everywhere. It is one of the largest cash crops in these mountain valleys, although I am quite sure the government would deny that. It is not advisable to hike up in the woods here as you may inadvertently run across a marijuana farm and they are protected at gunpoint. Dozens of tourists have vanished in these high mountain valleys, particularly the next valley over, the Parvati Valley.

I managed to find WiFi yesterday in a photocopy shop, but I have yet to see an internet cafe. ATMs are scarce as well, but I stocked up on rupees before I left Shimla. Well, it's time to order chai now so I will post more later.

May 18, 2014 Shimla

May 18, 2014  Shimla

Shimla, the former summer capital of India, is a quaint town with colonial British architecture. If it were not for the hundreds of affluent Indian tourists, from as far away as southern India, you would not think you were in the same country.

I sat in a cafe in Scandal Point, the center of town, and watched tourists pose for photos, sit with their sweetie, stroll by holding hands, and enjoy their holidays in the northern mountains. I know it is a cultural difference, but I have never seen so many men walking holding hands or with their arms around each other. The streets are pristine clean, possibly due to the laws posted forbidding throwing trash on the ground or spitting.  That would be a 500 rupee fine!

Hills of Shimla

The food is tasty with a good mixture of cuisine, but the waiters could work in Manhattan they are so somber and abrupt! That's a first for me in India as everyone is always so helpful and friendly to me here.

Shimla's famous Jakhu Temple sits almost to the top of the hill with a pink statue of Hanuman, the monkey god, towering above the town. There are numerous examples of British architecture, including the Town Hall, the mock-Tudor post office, the Gothic Offices of the Accountant General, and a bit above Shimla, the Rothney Castle.

I only saw 3 Western travelers here, 2 Brits, and 1 from Australia. It is season here and the rooms are hard to come by and double the normal price. I only stayed 2 days, then took the bus to Kullu, which is further north on the road to Manali.

May 17, 2014 Bus to Shimla - Sad Post!

The bus to Shimla was more than I bargained for.  I am not sure what happened to the luxury bus I booked, but I was put on another one which was running about an hour late. So I slept a bit and at 4 a.m. I am awakened by a man repeating his wife's name; he could not wake her up. After a bit of a ruckus, I inquired if she was breathing or had a pulse as she was not responding.  He shook his head 'no' and the woman across from me begged me to try to help. I had him stretch her out on the floor and the two of us administered CPR; I pumped her chest and he did mouth to mouth. She did not make it.  The bus driver got him a taxi at the next town and they took her to the hospital. She was in her early thirties and their 2 yr. old daughter was with them. Neither one were crying. I don't think the little girl knew what was happening.

May 14, 2014 Pushkar to Jaipur



Sunset last night brought with it a fierce storm with not only strong winds, but hail. Rain blew in around the windows on both sides of my room, it blew under and around the door, and soon the windowsill and floor was flooded. I pulled both towels out of the bath, shoved one under the door, and laid the other on the floor below the windows. The door banged and rattled, and there was no going to sleep. After about an hour, it subsided and I wrung out the door towel and replaced it as the water continued to flood in.

This morning is cool and sunny with the pilgrims headed to the sacred waters. There are more today as the holiday is winding down to its final days. The buses are packed so I opted for a private car to the next town over, Ajmer, where I catch the train to Jaipur, a 2 hour ride.

By the time I left, there were hundfeds of pilgrims here. They come each month on the full moon!