The Golden (Week) Rule

A small Buddha statue with several offerings on the Koburi Pass hiking trail

There’s only one thing anybody wants to know right now…

Did you do anything for Golden Week?

I’ll concede there’s a small chance this topic is only relevant among people living in Japan and, if it’s coming up in English, it’s only a hot topic among 0.01 percent of the population. But hey, that’s my demographic!

UN Farmers Market and Cinco de Mayo

We started our Golden Week with a weekend trip into Tokyo to visit one of our favorite farmers markets and hit up the Cinco de Mayo Festival at Yoyogi Park.

The latest edition of "True Portland"—a high-quality Portland, Ore. guidebook written by Japanese authors in Japanese—was released recently. The authors had a pop-up tent at the UN Farmers Market featuring Portland products like Jacobsen Salt and Fuller Foods Serious Cheesy Puffs.
The latest edition of “True Portland”—a high-quality Portland, Ore. guidebook written by Japanese authors in Japanese—was released recently. The authors had a pop-up tent at the UN Farmers Market featuring Portland products like Jacobsen Salt and Fuller Foods Serious Cheesy Puffs.

Oregon Beer Geeks is a company in Japan that imports beer from Oregon and sells it online. At the UN Market, they had two beers from Burnside Brewing and one from The Commons Brewery, both based in Portland.
Oregon Beer Geeks is a company in Japan that imports beer from Oregon and sells it online. At the UN Market, they had two beers from Burnside Brewing and one from The Commons Brewery, both based in Portland.

Lunch at the UN Farmers Market—a vegetarian take on Hawaiian plate lunch, a hummus and veggie bagel pizza and Burnside Brewing's "Too Sticky To Roll India Red Ale" and "Sweet Heat," an apricot and Scotch bonnet pepper wheat beer.
Lunch at the UN Farmers Market—a vegetarian take on Hawaiian plate lunch, a hummus and veggie bagel pizza and Burnside Brewing’s “Too Sticky To Roll India Red Ale” and “Sweet Heat,” an apricot and Scotch bonnet pepper wheat beer.

Tokyo's take on Cinco de Mayo is a lot like America's take—lots of drinking and sad Mexican-ish food. The best find was probably this Day of the Dead Porter from Mexico's Cerveceria Mexicana brewery.
Tokyo’s take on Cinco de Mayo is a lot like America’s take—lots of drinking and sad Mexican-ish food. The best find was probably this Day of the Dead Porter from Mexico’s Cerveceria Mexicana brewery.

Chichibu’s Hitsujiyama Park

Chichibu is our favorite place for outdoor adventures in Japan. It’s about an hour away by train and is usually pretty quiet. However, during Golden Week, thousands of people descend on the otherwise sleepy town to see the shibazakura or mountain phlox at Hitsujiyama Park.

Video: Mountain Phlox in Chichibu

Phans of the phlox phlocking to Chichibu (see what I did there?)
Phans of the phlox phlocking to Chichibu (see what I did there?)

The phlox fields at Hitsujiyama Park in Chichibu
The phlox fields at Hitsujiyama Park in Chichibu (click to zoom)

The heart of the phlox garden
The heart of the phlox garden

Mt. Buko sits in the distance
Mt. Buko sits in the distance

People sitting around the edge of the garden having a picnic and, in many cases, a nap
People sitting around the edge of the garden having a picnic and, in many cases, a nap

Tourists getting in the way of the view of the phlox :-)
Tourists getting in the way of the view of the phlox 🙂

Local Chichibu honey for sale at Hitsujiyama Park. A very large queen bee is inside each jar.
Local Chichibu honey for sale at Hitsujiyama Park. A large queen bee is inside each jar.

"Hitsuji" means "sheep" in Japanese and "yama" means "mountain," so the aptly-named Sheep Mountain Park should have a few sheep wandering the grounds. The local paparazzi went crazy for this one.
“Hitsuji” means “sheep” in Japanese and “yama” means “mountain,” so the aptly-named Sheep Mountain Park should have a few sheep wandering the grounds. The local paparazzi went crazy for this one.

A window in a home near the park proudly displaying its winnings from the UFO Catcher games
A window in a home near the park proudly displaying its winnings from the UFO Catcher games

Mt. Buko and a bright red neighborhood shrine. The scarring at the top of Mt. Buko is a result of heavy mining of limestone used for the ever-present construction in the larger cities.
Mt. Buko and a bright red neighborhood shrine. The scarring at the top of Mt. Buko is a result of heavy mining of limestone used for the ever-present construction in the larger cities.

After a day of walking, we went to an onsen (hot springs) in the nearby Yokoze neighborhood. This is proof that I can use chopsticks like a champ!
After a day of walking, we went to an onsen (hot springs) in the nearby Yokoze neighborhood. This is proof that I can use chopsticks like a champ!

Koburi Pass

We milked every last second out of Golden Week, heading out on the last day of the holidays to nearby Hanno for some hiking. We found a very non-touristy spot called Koburi Pass. We befriended a couple of older Japanese ladies at the train station, one of whom nearly missed the train when she went upstairs to get us some local sightseeing pamphlets.

Lots to see along the way, like this statue of Buddha playing a mandolin
Lots to see along the way, like this statue of Buddha playing a mandolin

These happy farm animals were painted outside a local butcher shop
These happy farm animals were painted outside a local butcher shop

Walking up the road to the hiking trails leading to Koburi Pass
Walking up the road to the hiking trails leading to Koburi Pass

Several small shrines appear along the path, like this one of the Seven Gods of Fortune (七福神). Hikers leave coins at each shrine for good fortune.
Several small shrines appear along the path, like this one of the Seven Gods of Fortune (七福神). Hikers leave coins at each shrine for good fortune.

A view of the Okuchichibu Mountains as we approached the top of Koburi Pass. Mt. Fuji was barely visible due to the cloud cover, but it's not at all visible in this photo
A view of the Okuchichibu Mountains as we approached the top of Koburi Pass. Mt. Fuji was barely visible due to the cloud cover, but it’s not at all visible in this photo

Lunch under the pagoda of Marishiten Temple.
Lunch under the pagoda of Marishiten Temple. 

From the very top of the pass, we could look over the entirety of  Saitama Prefecture. On a clear day, Tokyo Skytree is visible, nearly 50 miles away.
From the very top of the pass, we could look over the entirety of Saitama Prefecture. On a clear day, Tokyo Skytree is visible, nearly 50 miles away.

Springtime in Japan in all of its glory. The wisteria trees in bloom.
Springtime in Japan in all of its glory. The wisteria trees in bloom.

Viburnum plicatum is better known as the Japanese snowball.
Viburnum plicatum is better known as the Japanese snowball.

Mountain laurel is native to the eastern United States, but it found its way to Japan
Mountain laurel is native to the eastern United States, but it found its way to Japan

Koi swimming free in a stream near the train station
Koi swimming free in a stream near the train station

How did you spend Golden Week? Leave a comment below!

Shōwa Day

A young Emperor Hirohito in the lab

Japan celebrates Shōwa Day today, kicking off a series of holidays known as Golden Week. This year’s holiday comes with a healthy dose of controversy.

Shōwa Day marks the birthday of Shōwa-era emperor Hirohito, but less as a celebration and more as a time of reflection. It was during Hirohito’s reign that Japan invaded China, used toxic gas against its enemies and entered into a treaty with Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany leading up to World War II.

Abe, Abe and Obama: Prime Minister Abe (Ah-bay) with President Obama and at the (Abe) Lincoln Memorial (AFP-JIJI)
Abe, Abe and Obama: Prime Minister Abe (Ah-bay) with President Obama and at the Lincoln Memorial (AFP-JIJI)

2015 marks the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. Japan’s current Prime Minister Shinzō Abe is in the United States, preparing to speak in front of a joint session of Congress—the first Japanese leader to address Congress since the end of WWII.

Abe is under fire from Chinese and Korean leaders for his “revisionist” views of Japan’s role in the war, in particular the sexual enslavement of women in Japanese military brothels. Previous Japanese prime ministers have offered up apologies, but Abe’s stance has hardened relations with Japan’s neighbors.

Abe and wife Akie at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum with Holocaust survivors
Abe and wife Akie at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum with Holocaust survivors (AP)

Abe’s U.S. visit also comes with positives. In addition to new trade and defense agreements, Abe toured the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and used the opportunity to tell the story of Chiune Sugihara.

Chiune Sugihara has been called the "Japanese Schindler" for his role in saving thousands of Jews during the Holocaust
Chiune Sugihara has been called the “Japanese Schindler” for his role in saving thousands of Jews during the Holocaust

In 1939 and 1940, while Japan was aligning itself with Germany, Sugihara served as Japan’s Imperial Consul in Lithuania. During these years, he issued visas allowing more than 6,000 Jews fleeing the Nazi pogroms to travel to Japan.

He died in 1986, largely unknown in his own country, but a hero to many outside Japan. Prior to his death, he was honored with Israel’s Righteous Among the Nations honor, given to non-Jews who helped save refugees during the Holocaust. He has streets named for him in both Lithuania and Israel and asteroid 25893 Sugihara was named in his honor.

Nepal: Before and After

Young Buddhist monks-in-training having a little fun at Boudhanath
To donate to the relief effort,
see the links at the bottom of the post

When I started to outline the post about Nepal in my head, it felt like it’d be a quick rundown with some nice pictures. I really enjoyed Nepal as a country, but it came at the end of our exhausting tour of northern India. The travel sniffles had set in and we were ready for a couple days of relaxing.

On our first morning in Delhi, we took a walk through the neighborhood near our hotel. I remember seeing the residential buildings in varying states of decay and remarking that it was easy to see why earthquakes in the region cause so many deaths.

On April 25, 2015, a massive and devastating earthquake struck about 50 km outside of the capital city of Kathmandu. The 7.8 magnitude quake was followed the next day by a 6.7 aftershock. At the time of this post, the official death toll is over 2,500 and another 6,000-plus have been injured in Nepal, India and Tibet.

The fault line responsible for the quake is the same one that created the Himalaya mountain range, enough upheaval over millions of years to create nine of the world’s ten tallest peaks. The quake also occurred at a shallow depth; shallow quakes cause the most surface damage.

Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu when we visited in February
Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu when we visited in February
Cracks in the stupa of Boudhanath in Kathmandu (Photo by @JigmeUgen on Twitter)
Cracks in the stupa of Boudhanath in Kathmandu (Photo by @JigmeUgen on Twitter)

It’s a bit eerie now, looking through photos from our trip and reading the news coverage of the heartbreaking damage throughout the country. The stupa at Boudhanath, built shortly after the death of Lord Buddha, is the largest of its kind in the world. Buddha’s eyes can be seen from several vantage points all over Kathmandu. Today, the internet features images of large cracks in the 1,200-year-old stupa’s golden tower.

Extensive damage atop the Swayambhunath complex (Abhimanyu Chakravorty, Indian Express)
Extensive damage atop the Swayambhunath complex (Abhimanyu Chakravorty, Indian Express)
The stupa at Swayambhunath in February. The old shops and monastery residence building is still standing.
The stupa at Swayambhunath in February. The old shops and monastery residence building is still standing. The pagoda can be seen in both photos.

Swayambhunath, a 1,500 year old religious complex, sits atop a hilltop to in western Kathmandu. 365 stairs lead to the top and is a popular trek for religious pilgrims visiting the complex. Known as the Monkey Temple for the holy monkeys that inhabit the grounds, it’s a sacred site for both Buddhists and Hindus.

Several old brick buildings encompass the stupa, housing souvenir shops and residences for the monks living on the grounds. Amazingly, only one death has been reported in the Swayambhunath area. The brick buildings surrounding the stupa have been destroyed.

Pashupatinath Temple experienced little to no damage in the quake
Pashupatinath Temple experienced little to no damage in the quake

Karma’s sick and twisted sense of humor seems to have saved Pashupatinath Temple. Nepal’s answer to Varanasi, the sacred temple is open only to Hindus and Buddhists of Indian or Tibetan descent. Cremations take place all day inside the temple along the banks of the Bagmati River. Somehow, Kathmandu’s holy final resting place escaped Nepal’s deadliest earthquake in 80 years.

The spirit of the Nepalese people will get them through this difficult time, but Nepal is very much a developing country and will need a lot of help to get back on its feet. Rescue workers from all over the region arrived within hours of the quake and the international community is already hard at work on getting food and aid supplies into the country.

Please consider a donation to Mercy Corps or Public Radio International has a list of other charities who have been pre-vetted and are contributing to the relief effort on the ground.

Fighting For You! Election Season in Japan

This guy's fighting for the future of Kawagoe's kids (未来は子どもたちのために)

It’s been awhile since we’ve had a good Japanese mystery to investigate. A couple weeks ago, workers began installing long white boards all over town with squares numbered 1-50. A large date—April 26—appeared at one end with a whole lot of indecipherable Japanese surrounding it.

The election poster board, called kouei keji ba (公営掲示場) or public posting area
The election poster board, called kouei keji ba (公営掲示場) or public posting area

A few days later, nearly all of the boxes were plastered with election posters from all of Japan’s major political parties. It’s time to elect our local mayors (kuchō/区長) and assembly representatives (kugikai/区議会)! I say “our,” but as foreign citizens, we don’t get a vote. At least we have plausible deniability if it all goes south… “Not my kuchō!”

In addition to the posters, candidates ride around in vans with loudspeakers, sharing their message with the people. They wear white gloves as they wave out the window, apparently a symbol of honesty.

The posters themselves were pretty standard fare, although I did notice a couple of trends. First off, several candidates seemed to be taking the theme of “fighting for you” literally. I counted six posters with candidates raising clinched fists, ready to punch the opposition right in the face. Some of my favorites…


This guy will not only fight for us, but might also organize a pickup basketball game!
This guy will not only fight for us, but might also organize a pickup basketball game!

The next candidate had comic-style posters of him fighting for the people of Kawagoe on his website during the election. Kinda cool.

Manabu-san looks way too happy for someone who has spent 25 years working in Kawagoe City Hall (25年間川越市役所勤務の経験を市政に生かします!).
Manabu-san looks way too happy for someone who has spent 25 years working in Kawagoe City Hall (25年間川越市役所勤務の経験を市政に生かします!).

Misao-san took a slightly different route with the
Misao-san took a slightly different route with the “Who has one finger and wants your vote? This guy!” theme

Odaka-san has a bit of a "Um, I'll fight for you?" look about him, but as a local fire chief, and PTA president, he's got the goods.
Odaka-san has a bit of a “Um, I’ll fight for you?” look about him, but as a local fire chief, and PTA president, he’s got the goods.

The other prominent theme is the use of cartoonish representations of the candidates. It says “Look, I’m fun!” Some of the best…

Maki-san is bring
Maki-san is bring “a new wind to Kawagoe” (川越市政に「新しい風」を)

Tetsuya-san is a 53-year-old working in
Tetsuya-san is a “53-year-old working in full bloom” (働きざかりの53歳)

Kirino-san has doubled-down with the fist-pumping cartoon
Kirino-san has doubled-down with the fist-pumping cartoon

I'd say this is actually a fairly good likeness of Yamaki-san
I’d say this is actually a fairly good likeness of Yamaki-san

Mizuyo-san loves Kawagoe and apparently loves to bicycle as well
Mizuyo-san loves Kawagoe and apparently loves to bicycle as well

Sekiguchi-san looks a lot happier in his caricature than in his actual picture
Sekiguchi-san looks a lot happier in his caricature than in his actual picture

Life and Death: Varanasi, India

Fortunate are the People who Reside on the banks of the Ganga

We stepped off the boat, climbed a steep set of crumbling stone steps and entered the city’s dark back alleyways. The always-fragile electricity failed and everything went pure black. A few long seconds passed before the lights flickered back to life. Re-illuminated, several men carried yet another dead body past us, chanting “Ram Nam Satya Hai”… The name of God is truth

The chaos of a Varanasi evening as seen from the back of a bicycle rickshaw
The chaos of a Varanasi evening as seen from the back of a bicycle rickshaw

We followed one of the boat’s crewmen toward the center of the market,  the narrow alleys filled with eager shopkeepers trying to get your attention. A motorbike pushes through the crowd. We get stuck between a group of people—faces marked with colored powder—and a large bull. Whispers of “Hasish?” come from the shadows, preying on those looking for an additional perk on their spiritual journey.

It sounds like a scene from a thriller movie, but this was very much real life. Welcome to Varanasi, India—the world’s oldest city.

A City of Death

Varanasi is one of Hinduism’s three holy cities along the Ganges River. When a Hindu person dies, the family will transport the body to one of these cities for cremation and the ashes will be brushed into the Ganges. Hindu’s believe in reincarnation and that placing the ashes in the river will allow the soul to escape the cycle of reincarnation, setting the spirit free to move into the afterlife.

Varanasi's ghats, stone steps leading to the Ganges, are used for ceremonial bathing and cremations
Varanasi’s ghats, stone steps leading to the Ganges, are used for ceremonial bathing and cremations

In most Western countries, death is something to be hidden away. But in India, it’s very much a public affair. After a preparation period in the home, the body is transported to the city. The body is wrapped in a shroud—most that we saw were gold in color—and carried through the streets to the ghats alongside the river. The eldest son is in charge of the preparations and leads the processional.

Our tour guide gave us the option of visiting Varanasi’s famous ghats (stone staircases leading down to the Ganges) to view the cremations, which take place all day, everyday. I’m glad to have seen it as it offered an important look into the country’s culture, but it’s not something that you can really prepare to see. It’s simultaneously beautiful and disturbing.

Smoke from the previous day's cremations still smoke while piles of fresh timber are stacked for the next grieving familes
Smoke from the previous day’s cremations still smoke while piles of fresh timber are stacked for the next grieving familes

Out of respect to the grieving families, we were requested not to take photographs—and I believe human decency dictates this as well. The body is laid upon a wooden funeral pyre and covered in clarified butter (ghee), which is both a cleansing ritual and a practical method to help the body burn. The eldest son—who has shaved his head in a sign of respect to the deceased parent—lights the fire and performs rituals. He stays with the body until the fire has burned out. The ashes are brushed into the river and several more days of ritual follow.

I can remember vividly the sight of the body on the pyre. My stomach soured and clenched with the feeling of seeing something you shouldn’t see. The top of the head and the bottom of the feet were visible, reminding you that a person is inside the blazing fire.

A City of Life

As you move away from the Ganges, the city comes to life. Like most of India, tourism is a critical part of Varanasi’s economy with more than 3.2 million visitors—mostly Hindu pilgrims—coming through the city every year.

CW from Left: The famous Blue Lassi Shop serving yogurt-based drinks; the bustling city streets; a street vendor was making dosa from scratch
CW from Left: The famous Blue Lassi Shop serving yogurt-based drinks; the bustling city streets; a street vendor was making dosa from scratch

The first permanent settlements in the area date to the 12th century B.C. You can feel the history as you get lost in the narrow alleys packed with shops and food stalls. Varanasi grew in importance in the 6th century B.C. thanks to a burgeoning silk manufacturing industry, an enterprise that is still the city’s dominant industry 2,500 years later.

Our tour group sitting amongst the various scarves and blankets in Ganga Handlooms, a shop in the alleyways of Varanasi
Our tour group sitting amongst the various scarves and blankets in Ganga Handlooms, a shop in the alleyways of Varanasi

Our tour leader took us to one of the silk shops. Not unlike a carnival barker, the show is part of the sales experience. They bring out piles of beautiful, colorful fabrics. Your uneducated hands and eyes try to decipher which is rayon and which is silk, but guess completely wrong (hint: both scarves are rayon!). Burning the thread is the only way to tell the difference (silk singes like hair, rayon melts like plastic).

They pull out the silk and the cashmere and the really-nice cashmere, known as pashmina. Pashmina comes specifically from the inner wool of high-altitude Pashmina goats who shed their thick winter coats every spring.

Getting what's left of my hairs cut at an open-air Varanasi barber shop
Getting what’s left of my hairs cut at an open-air Varanasi barber shop

On our free day, we wandered the streets and eventually were befriended by a local shopkeeper. He gave us the nickel tour of the lesser-known sites along with his myriad of opinions on the state of the city and India as a whole. Along the way, we passed a barber shop set up in a tiny alcove in one of the alleyways. I mentioned wanting to get my beard trimmed and he offered to help orchestrate the transaction.

Granted, I don’t have many hairs left to trim, but the barber did a nice job, polishing off the experience with a variety of face creams and a post-trim face massage. When he finished, I asked our new friend how much I owed the barber. They bickered back and forth for a bit… the barber said the haircut was 25 rupees, but because I was a tourist, he felt like he could charge 50 rupees.

We encountered this many times along the way in what I considered to be a “win-win-win” situation. The barber feels like he can get double his regular fee because I’m a tourist. His “double” fee is about 80 cents USD, so I win because I just got a haircut for less than a buck. He wins because I think an 80 cent haircut is ridiculous and give him 100 rupees (because a $1.60 haircut is somehow not ridiculous).

  1. He wins.
  2. I win.
  3. Everybody wins!

Animal House

A little animal fun…

This dog and monkey were playing along the ghats
This dog and monkey were playing along the ghats
This cow was waiting for the bakery to open, but the shopkeeper strong enforced the "No shoes, no shirt, no service" rule
This cow was waiting for the bakery to open, but the shopkeeper strong enforced the “No shoes, no shirt, no service” rule
Bulls and goats just hanging out along the ghats on the Ganges
Bulls and goats just hanging out along the ghats on the Ganges

Mornings in Varanasi

And finally, the peaceful side of Varanasi can be found at 6 a.m.

Fire ceremonies called Aarti take place along the Ganges as a form of worship to Hindu's many deities
Fire ceremonies called Aarti take place along the Ganges as a form of worship to Hindu’s many deities
The sunrise on the Ganges was magnificent
The sunrise on the Ganges was magnificent
The morning sun cast a beautiful light on the ghats and buildings along the Ganges
The morning sun cast a beautiful light on the ghats and buildings along the Ganges
Fishermen are out before the sun, getting ready for their day's work
Fishermen are out before the sun, getting ready for their day’s work
Colorful boats along the banks of the Ganges wait for the sunrise
Colorful boats along the banks of the Ganges wait for the sunrise

In Bloom: Sakura

Sakura

For two magical weeks, spring boldly announces its presence all over Japan in the form of sakura—the blossoms of the Japanese cherry tree. Families and friends come together for viewing parties and everyone has a bit more pep in their step. Then, as quickly as they arrived, they begin to fall like snow, replaced by green buds and the promise of warmer days. Enjoy the view!

Sakura
Part of the large cherry tree grove at Kawagoe Aquatic Park

Hanami
Our own private hanami (cherry blossom viewing) at Kawagoe Park included homemade vegan sausages

Sakura Booze
Sakura-inspired beverages come and go as quickly as the blossoms themselves. Pictured are two sakura-flavored beers and a sakura-flavored rosé wine.

Sakura Cat
This fancy cat dressed up in her best pearls for the Nakameguro Sakura Festival in Tokyo

Sakura Dango
Tri-colored “sakura” dango—mochi balls on a stick—at Tokyo’s Nakameguro Sakura Festival

Sakura Sunset
The sun sets behind the sakura in Kawagoe Aquatic Park

Nakameguro Sakura Festival
Lanterns and blossoms at the Nakameguro Sakura Festival in Tokyo

Watch the video in full-screen mode to get the full sakura experience

Need more sakura? Check out last year’s last year’s pics too!

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Air Asia Flight

Over the course of a month of traveling, you’ll end up using a lot of different types of transportation. Obviously, there’s a bunch of taxis and buses, but southern Asians use a variety of different transportation methods as part of their daily lives. Here’s a sampling of how we got around India, Nepal and Thailand.

Metro Trains
Clockwise from left: Waiting for the metro train in Kawagoe; The Delhi Metro; Bangkok Metro (MRT)
Airplane
We had five flights on our trip: Tokyo to Delhi, Kathmandu to Bangkok, Bangkok to Koh Samui, Nakhon Si Thammarat to Bangkok and Bangkok to Tokyo
Pink Taxi
We took a pink taxi in Bangkok similar to this one (Photo by Ilya Plekhanov, Wikipedia Commons)
Tuk-Tuk
Tuk-Tuks or auto-rickshaws are a common way to get around in southern Asia. We used them frequently in India and Thailand.
Passenger Train
Business class seating in a passenger train from Agra to Jhansi in India. Pretty comfy and clean.
Electric Cart
Only electric vehicles are allowed near Taj Mahal as the pollution was beginning to turn Taj’s marble yellow. We rode a cart similar to this one to the gates (Photo from jotarofootsteps.blogspot.com)
Private Van
In India and Nepal, our tour group used private buses and vans to move shorter distances. Usually our luggage was tied to the top and usually someone climbed on top of the van to get it down.
Sleeper Train
Inside the horror show that was the sleeper train from Orchha to Allahabad in India. A group of men argued loudly all night in the bunk across from us. (Hey Farren!)
Sailboat on the Ganges River
On the Ganges River in Allahabad, we drifted in sailboats to a remote beach where we camped and played cricket.
Varanasi Boats
In Varanasi, India, we used motor boats to watch the sunrise opposite the city’s famous ghats.
Bicycle Rickshaw
Riding a bicycle rickshaw in the streets of Varanasi, India. We felt bad having another human being peddle us around, but it was better than having to walk back to our hotel.
Crossing the Border to Nepal
We rode a bus to the India/Nepal border, then crossed the border on foot before boarding another bus to our hotel in Lumbini, Nepal
Bicycles
In the Narayani Zone in Nepal, we toured the local village on bicycles. We both got a “Hero Queen” bike.
Canoe
Our group loaded into two canoes and paddled our way to Chitwan National Park in Nepal
Safari Jeep
In Chitwan National Park in Nepal, we saw one-horned rhinoceros and crocodiles from our safari jeep
Scooter
In Koh Samui, we rented a scooter for the day and poked around the east side of the island. Later, in Nakhon Si Thammarat, we rode on the back of scooter-taxis to our songthaew to Kiriwong Village.
Tour Boat
To reach Thailand’s Angthong National Marine Park, you have to catch a ride with a tour boat. We camped on Angthong’s main island for a couple nights and returned with another boat.
Kayak
Both days we were on Angthong, we rented a kayak and paddled out into the Gulf of Thailand
Long-tail Boat
Long-tail boats are widely used in Thailand by fishermen and tour companies
Ferry Boat
We finally pried ourselves off of Koh Samui and took a large ferry boat to the mainland. Dozens of cars sat below deck. Above deck, comfy seats, televisions, massage services and a convenience store were available for passengers.
Songthaew
Songthaew‘s are one of Thailand’s primary public transportation methods. The modified pickup trucks stop along fixed routes and have padded benches in the covered truck bed. People hop on and off along the route. 
Back of Pickup
Twice we rode in the back of a pickup truck. In Kiriwong Village, Thailand, a Thai from Krabi helped us set up our homestay lodging and gave us a ride to the house.
Back of Pickup #2
In Nakhon Si Thammarat, a woman named Joon helped us make change for our songthaew fare, then went out of her way to give us a ride to our hotel in the back of her pickup truck. Her mother was driving and stopped for a snack along the way while her two daughters enjoyed their 7-11 Slurpees.
Back of Motorcycle
In Kiriwong Village, we hired a local guide to take us hiking to the waterfalls in Khao Luang National Park. He picked us up on his motorcycle. I wasn’t sure I’d ever see my wife again when I snapped this picture! 🙂
Water Taxi
In the old part of Bangkok, water taxis run up and down the Chao Phraya River, dropping passengers at the big tourist spots. They’re crowded and the boat attendants do a lot of yelling and pushing.

What’s the craziest method of transportation you’ve ever taken in your travels? Leave a comment below!

Behind the Walls of Agra Fort

Agra Fort

The morning after our visit to Taj Mahal, the breathtaking experience still fresh in our minds, we woke up early wondering how you follow up something like that.

We started the day with a taste of an authentic Indian breakfast: brown bread and hard-boiled eggs, curry and fry bread. The British influence showed as well with the ubiquitous beans and toast. And coffee. Sweet nectar of life at the early hour.

The rest of our group joined us at breakfast; a fellow Cascadian from Washington, two Aussies and a Canadian (sounds like Cascadian!) from Toronto. After breakfast, our now-complete group hopped aboard a bus toward Agra Fort.

Agra Fort is one of India’s many UNESCO World Heritage Sites, added to the list in 1983. Our local tour guide was excellent—a man in his 80s with encyclopedic knowledge of the fort’s long history. While the original structure dates to the 11th century, the Mughal Empire rebuilt the Fort over several years in the 1500s, turning it into a palatial castle. The Indian military still uses a portion of the fort for training.

Agra Fort
Openings in the outer wall provided protection for archers from outside invaders. Larger openings at the top of the wall were used to pour hot oil on those who dared make it that far.

I couldn’t help but have flashes of The Wall from Game of Thrones as we entered. The front of the castle, built from towering red sandstone, is fortified by layers of security. A drawbridge provides a crossing over the old moat, which was once full of hungry crocodiles. Once inside, the gate is protected by a “dry moat” of land between two walls. Openings along the top of the wall provided openings for crossbow fire or the pouring of hot oil or boiling water on enemies waiting at the gates.

Palace Grounds
Inside the Agra Fort palace grounds

But if you’re lucky enough to be invited inside, paradise awaits. Imperial palaces open into living spaces that were once adorned with silk curtains, ornate carpets and beautiful marble carvings. It’s easy to imagine people living a life of comfort in these places.

Inlays and Paint
Left: Semi-precious stone inlay work appears as vibrant as the day it was set. Right: Paint and gold leaf has faded over the years, but is still visible in areas protected from the weather.

The gold leaf and paint has long since faded, but the inlay work remains as vibrant today as it was 400 years ago. Onyx, turquoise and other semi-precious stones are laid in intricate patterns in white Indian marble. Indian marble is more porous than Italian marble, so the light shines through,  creating a translucence that brightens the space.

View of Taj Mahal
The emperor had an excellent view of Taj Mahal from his throne, especially in the pre-pollution days

Atop the palace, the emperor’s throne platform sits in the middle of the public audience space. Taj Mahal fills the distant sky, although only a ethereal outline was visible in the morning haze.

Agra Fort and Religious Symbolism

In Muslim tradition, gardens complete every open space. Outside, the fort’s mosque shines a bright white, built with the leftover marble of Taj Mahal.

Mosque
Agra Fort’s mosque was built using marble leftover from the construction of Taj Mahal

Religion plays a major role in the customs and behaviors of Indian society. India is the birthplace of Hinduism, the world’s oldest religion which helped spawn Buddhism and Jainism among others. But, while religion seems to create divisiveness in our modern world, it wasn’t always the case.

Religious Symbolism
Symbols from Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism and Christianity adorn one of the Agra Fort palaces. Can you spot them all?

The reign of Akbar the Great during the late 1500s was a time of religious unity. Disillusioned by Islam, he created Dīn-i Ilāhī, bringing the best elements of all the major religions of the time together. As such, many of the buildings of the era are adorned with the symbols of Hinduism (swastika), Buddhism (lotus flower), Islam (arches), Judaism (Star of David) and Christianity (cross).

Swastika
The Hindu swastika vs. the Third Reich swastika

The swastika is prevalent throughout India, but not for the twisted meaning it holds in Western culture today. Originally, the swastika was the Hindu symbol of unity and peace. In artwork, it joins different symbols components together, creating an infinite flow. Unfortunately, it was given a different meaning in the 1930s when it was rotated 45 degrees and became a symbol of Germany’s Third Reich.

Agra Fort Fun Facts

  • Agra Fort was originally built from bricks. The earliest recorded reference of the fort is from 1080 AD.
  • Agra was the second capital of India (1556-1658) and Agra Fort served as the headquarters of Indian government.
  • The walls of the fort are 70 feet tall or about seven stories.
  • Agra Fort plays a key role in the Sherlock Holmes’ novel “The Sign of the Four.”
  • More than 1.4 million workers participated in the “remodel” during the 1500s.

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal

Photographs are a wonderful medium. They can be a passport to a world you’ve yet to see or a visual supplement to your memory. But they often fail to capture the magnitude of the real thing.

We’ve all seen pictures of the great Taj Mahal, but even the most realistic photo is no replacement for the firsthand experience.

Darwaza-i Rauza
Darwaza-i Rauza, the gateway to Taj Mahal

The road to Taj is lined with pedestrians, rickshaws, horse-drawn carts and electric buses making the pilgrimage to the world’s greatest memorial. Non-electric vehicles are no longer allowed in the area as the pollution was beginning to yellow the white marble. Once inside the complex, a path leads to Darwaza-i Rauza, the main gate. A wall separates you from the garden, but you catch a glimpse of the famous dome and minarets. “Neat,” you think to yourself.

Taj Mahal - First Look
The first glimpse of Taj Mahal through the Darwaza-i Rauza gateway

But then, as you approach the main gate, you see it for the first time. A noise emits from your insides; something like “Wow” but not quite forming any actual word.

Taj Mahal at Sunset
Viktoria watching the sunset

The word “breathtaking” is used frequently to describe beautiful things, but Taj slugs you in the heart, steals the wind from your lungs and replaces it with a new understanding of beauty. It was intentionally built with nothing in the skyline behind it, meant to resemble heaven… Paradise. And it does. The glowing white marble of the perfectly-symmetrical monument to love sits in front of a blue blanket, beckoning us home.

Taj Mahal - View from Guesthouse
Side view of Taj Mahal from the front of the guesthouse

Taj Mahal Corner View
Sunset view from the front-left minaret. The marble took on a yellow-pink hue.

Taj Mahal - Back Corner
Standing at the back corner of Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal Fun Facts

  • Taj Mahal was commissioned by Emperor Shah Jahan in the 1630s in honor of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died while giving birth to the couple’s 14th child. Her tomb is in the exact center of Taj Mahal.
  • While the origins of the name are sketchy, “Taj Mahal” is usually translated as “Crown of the Palace” which is a play on the translation of Mumtaz Mahal’s name (“Exalted One of the Palace”).
  • Construction took 22 years. More than 22,000 workers and 1,000 elephants participated in the building process.
  • The building is perfectly symmetrical with one exception. Upon his death, Shah Jahan’s tomb was constructed to the right of his wife’s tomb. It is the only non-symmetrical permanent structure in Taj Mahal.
  • The minarets appear to be straight, but they actually tilt outward slightly. If they collapse, they’ll fall away from the main building into the open grass on the front side or into the Yamuna River on the back side.
  • Identical red sandstone buildings appear on the east and west side of the main structure. A mosque is located on the west side, facing Mecca. A guesthouse was built later on the east side to provide symmetry to the grounds.
  • Taj Mahal was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1983.

Pure Chaos: Delhi

Tuk Tuk

It was a clear, cold and quiet morning in the Tokyo area. As we rode the train to Narita International Airport, we could see Mt. Fuji in the distance. Our flight to Delhi was 10 hours, but the Boeing 787 Dreamliner was like flying in a hotel… a couple meals, a couple movies (including a charming Bollywood flick) and wide, comfy seats. Easy.

Those would be the last moments of calm for awhile.

Mt. Fuji
Flying over Mt. Fuji on our way to Delhi

We arrived at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport after sunset on a warm February evening, the modern Terminal 3 offered no clues to what was waiting outside. When we stepped through the doors, we were met by chaos. Dozens of taxi drivers hovered outside the terminal approaching aggressively while repeating “Where you going? Where are you staying? You need a hotel? You need a tour?” Fortunately we’d read that there’s one government-run taxi stand where you pre-purchase your fare so as to not be cheated by the driver en route to your destination.

We drove toward our hotel, the lanes painted on the highways serving no purpose other than decoration. Vehicles weaved in and out, announcing their presence with a series of honks. Pedestrians waited for an opportunity to cross the eight-lane highway, edging through traffic like a real-life game of Frogger. A man led his two camels alongside the busy road, likely to the nearest river to graze.

Our hotel was in central Delhi. The hotel porter immediately wanted to set us up with a tuk-tuk (auto-rickshaw) tour of the surrounding area, but we opted for sleep instead.

In the morning, we walked for a bit, trying to find one of Delhi’s many outdoor markets. Shopkeepers do their best to keep the sidewalks and gutters clean, but trash still piles up in the streets. Cows, considered sacred in Hindu culture, wander the streets as freely as people and do their business wherever they see fit.

Marching Band
A school marching band walking down Patel Rd. in Central Delhi.

Soon, Delhi began to wake. A marching band walked by—young musicians on their way to school. The temples began to buzz as people headed to morning worship sessions. One by one, the doors on the shops opened up.

Barfi Vendor
A vendor selling traditional Indian sweets in a street stall

Lacking a good breakfast option, we bought a box of Indian sweets called barfi from a vendor near our hotel—the beginnings of “a banner day for nutrition” says my wonderfully witty wife.

School Kids
These boys asked us to take their photo as they walked to school

While we waited for our barfi, a group of boys headed to school stopped to say hello. “Will you take our picture?” one of them asked. This was the first of many such requests. Not “Will you take a picture with us?” or “Can we take your picture?” but to specifically photograph them and show them the picture.

Experience the tuk-tuk ride for yourself!

We returned to our hotel and, in short order, we were approached by the local tuk-tuk magnate. His fleet of auto rickshaws were waiting around the corner and for just 200 rupees (about $3.20), he’d take us on a tour of the local markets. We jumped in the back and began weaving through the streets of Delhi.

Feeding Monkeys
Feeding day-old Indian bread to the rhesus monkeys

Along the way, he stopped in a park where rhesus monkeys sat along the wall. A nearby vendor sold bananas you could feed to the monkeys, but our driver pulled out some day-old chapati instead. The monkeys were clearly accustomed to being fed by humans as they reached down from the wall and took the pieces of bread from our hands.

Those 200 rupees were really a down payment for a lesson in Indian economics. The “tour” took us to three shops where, if I had to guess, the driver had a deal with the shopkeepers—”I’ll bring you tourists, you give me a cut of the sales.” But, he also gave us a nickel tour of Central Delhi and took our picture “driving” his tuk-tuk (see top photo).

The Shops of Delhi
The Shops of Delhi (from left): Viktoria’s new salwar kameez; magic carpets; local artwork

The shops are elaborate labyrinths with only one way in and one way out. To reach the exit, you must navigate through scarves, clothing, knickknacks and carpets.

Each shop offers a riff on a theme. The scarf salesmen pull threads from the weave and burn them at the edges to prove they’re really cashmere/pashmina/silk (because they’re animal hair, the fabric singes where artificial fabrics burn like plastic). The carpet salesmen explain thread counts and show how the colors change depending on which direction you look at them. Elephants tchotchkes are carved from teak wood or camel bone and the symbolism is described by the shopkeeper in depth.

McDonald's
A vegetarian meal at a Delhi McDonald’s #JunkFoodVegetarian

The driver took us from one shop to another before we finally cried “Uncle.”  We sheepishly asked him to take us to the McDonald’s restaurant we’d see on Google Maps nearish our hotel. He scoffed and rolled his eyes at the Americans traveling all the way to India to eat fast food, so I felt the need to explain. McDonald’s doesn’t typically offer vegetarian options (even the fries contain beef tallow), but since 40 percent of India’s population is vegetarian, the global chain offers up alternatives to meet the demand.

After lunch, we returned to our hotel to rest up before meeting our tour group for the first time. Our tour company’s promise of small groups was a big draw for us. We started as a group of six—joined by two teachers working in China, an American from the NYC area and an Australian from the Melbourne area. Four others would join us later, having toured Delhi as part of another tour.

Our tour guide was fantastic. A native Indian from nearby Jaipur (about 170 miles southwest of Delhi), he knew the history of the areas we visited and was willing to answer all of the questions we threw his way. After taking care of a couple paperwork things, we loaded into tuk-tuks and headed for Old Delhi.

Old Delhi
Walking through the alleys of Old Delhi

Established in the 1600s, the area is considered the heart of Delhi. We wandered through the narrow alleys, past food stalls and more scarf shops, eventually exiting near the steps of Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India.

Note: Generic photos ahead. We tried our best to photograph the religious locations without capturing the people in the middle of their worship. 

Jama Masjid
The main facade of Jama Masjid mosque (Photo by Muhammad Mahdi Karim, Wikipedia)

Although nearly 80 percent of the population identifies as Hindu, Islam is still a prominent religion in India. When India gained independence from Britain in 1947, it also lost a large portion of its land and Islamic population as Muslims moved west, creating Pakistan. The mosque still makes daily calls for prayer and closes to tourists during prayer hours.

Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib
Standing atop Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib, the primary house of worship for the Sikh religion in Delhi

From the mosque, we made the short walk to Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib, Delhi’s primary house of worship for the Sikh religion. When you see the stereotypical depiction of an Indian man, he’s usually wearing a turban, one of the Five Ks of Sikhism.

Sikhism is unique among Indian religions for many reasons, but its treatment of women stood out to me. While women are treated as subordinates in Hindu and Islam, the scriptures of Sikhism demand that women and men are treated as equals.

We were given scarves to put on our heads prior to entering the worship area. The ornate, gold-laden prayer room had a scattering of midday worshippers with traditional music played live in the background. Sikhs don’t have ordained priests, so nearly any Sikh can lead the congregation as long as they meet some minimum qualifications.

Chapati Makers
Women making chapati (Indian bread) at Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib

The charity of the temple is on display in a large dining room alongside the main prayer hall. Anyone can join in the preparation and consumption of the meal. While men typically don’t participate in meal preparations in India, they were working alongside the women to prepare the large quantities of food for the congregation.

After a long afternoon of sightseeing, we had a group dinner back at the hotel and headed to bed. We’d be on an early morning train to Agra the next day to see what we all came to see: Taj Mahal.