Lisa Niver's Blog: We Said Go Travel, page 450

Nepal: Bless You Yoko – Bye Bye Babu

I am up in Katunje in the Himalaya Mountains of Nepal. It is a tiny mountain village that I have written about previously.

Many times.

The noise of little children arriving at the school downstairs awakened me early. There was a lot of giggles and laughing. It was 5.30am and the sun had yet to rise. I rubbed sleep from my eyes and stretched as I stood and I reached around for the light string and pulled it and I found my pile of clothes. We didn’t have any lights here two years ago – or hot water – and now the school and Visitor Centre is fully energized and green.

It is Carbon Negative.

We use the wind and the sun.

My visit to Katunje is a short one and the primary purpose is to service the solar panels and the hot water service and to install a solar fridge. The photovoltaic cells have copped a battering during the monsoon season. Photovoltaic is just a fancy name for solar. The solar fridge wasn’t much of an installation actually – we just took it off the truck, hauled it up the steep and narrow track to the school and I plugged it into the battery unit. Nursing it three hundred kilometers and hauling it to the Visitors Centre was the hardest bit.

It is humming already and my bottles of water are chilling.

So am I – humming and chilling.

It is very nice to be back in the Himalaya.

My friend Babu drove me to Katunje from Kathmandu and he will drive me back again. He is a Driver by profession and he has driven me around before. I trust his knowledge of the winding and sometimes precarious track that is the last and most difficult leg from Dhading up into the village and I enjoy his company. One of Babu’s daughters lives in Katunje so he likes driving up there with me.

Katunje. Say it Kar-tuon-jay.

There are only two types of tracks up high mountain passes – those that zig and zag and are cut into the faces of steep inclines – or the winding type that wrap their way up in long spiraling circles.

They are both slow and dizzying journeys.

Babu has six children and thirteen grandchildren and he has been a Driver for more than fifty years. He is a gentle and kind man of the Ghurka people. Babu is very softly spoken and he has a sun-hardened face with chocolate brown eyes that are shrouded in wrinkles – but they also twinkle and shine in mischief. His whole face is wrinkling and twinkling and he has an excellent name. I like both writing it and saying it.

Babu.

Say it Barboo.

It is one of those names that would resonate very well if you yelled into an echoing valley.

Baaaaaarbbooooooooo.

Babu has lots of stories and on our long drives I cajole them out of him and I tell him a few of my own. We converse easily and with great humour and respect and insight.

I always sit up the front in the car with Babu. He has told me on several occasions that most people prefer to sit in the back and I told him that I am no back seat passenger. I told him that I sometimes get a bit car sick winding up the mountains – which is true – however I sit up the front mainly so I can chat to him more easily and without him having to turn around to look at me and us ending up driving off a cliff and plunging to our deaths.

I wouldn’t want that.

Nor would my mum.

On a previous road trip to Katunje – a journey that can take more than ten hours from Kathmandu if the roads are bad – and they often are – I asked Babu who was the most famous person he had ever driven. With some protracted probing he humbly mentioned that he had driven some foreign dignitaries in his time and he named some Bollywood actors that I had never heard of. He also told me that he used to regularly drive one of the Nepali Princes. Not the one that shot most of his family to death at a birthday lunch twelve years ago – but one who was fatally shot by him.

They were cousins.

Then Babu quietly slipped in the fact that he had once driven a British musician named John Lennon and his Japanese girlfriend around for a week a long time ago.

After recovering a little from the shock I asked Babu whether I had heard him correctly and he replied that he could not tell what I had heard for my ears were my own. I thought that was very wise. Babu often says wise and insightful shit like that.

Then he repeated that he had once driven a British musician named John Lennon and his Japanese girlfriend around for a week a long time ago. I asked him if he was serious and he told me that he was.

We were in standstill traffic in downtown Kathmandu at the time and he leaned into the glove box of the car and he rummaged through it. It was full to the brim. He eventually pulled out a stained and yellowing envelope inside of which was a tattered black and white photograph. It was of him with John Lennon and Yoko Ono. The photo was taken in front of his car and the backdrop was the vista of the Himalaya – seen from the Nagarkot lookout. John and Yoko had their arms around Babu in a genuine and affectionate sort of a way and all three were smiling in the shot.

When the noise of the children awakened me this morning I got straight up. I was swaddled and tangled in yak blankets and I had slept like the dead. I always do in the mountains. I pulled on some jeans and a tee shirt and I slipped my thongs on my feet then I eased my way carefully down the steep external stairs.

I could smell the masala tea before my feet touched the ground and it’s alluring odour pulled me towards the little kitchen. Teacher was there boiling a huge pot of water for noodles and some creamy masala tea was steeping in a big clay pot.

Teacher squealed when she saw me and we hugged. I may have had a little squeal myself. Teacher is tiny and gentle and lovely and it has been many months since I last saw her and the children of Katunje.

Before too long the kitchen was crowded with more than a dozen excited mountain children and there were many Namaste’s and much hugging and laughing. We moved outside before too long and I sat down on the little stone perimeter wall that snakes it’s way around the tiny grounds of the school and Teacher bought me out a steaming cup of masala tea. She barked her way through the crowd of children that surrounded me with stern commands in Nepali.

I chatted with the children and Teacher and Babu as the sun came up over the mountains and for a while it’s rays washed everything in a dazzling orange. The sight momentarily spellbound me – as it always does – while the children chatted on as if it was nothing. For a moment it was like one of those movie dream sequences when all the chatter becomes background noise and I was washed in the visual splendor of the then and now. Background music of the Vienna Boy’s choir singing “Hallelujah” would have been a quite appropriate soundtrack. I looked at the crowd of laughing children and teacher and Babu and I realized that this was everyday for them.

Fancy that.

Babu told me that a Sherpa named Tenzing Dorjee took the photograph of him with John Lennon and Yoko with Yoko Ono’s camera and she sent it to him care of the Kathmandu Guest House. Babu told me that he didn’t receive it until early in 1981 and on the back of the photo was faint black writing that said “To Babu with love and Thanks – Yoko & John – March 1981”. An obsessed and criminally insane man named Mark Chapman shot Lennon outside of the Dakota apartment complex in New York on the 8th December 1980 – so Yoko Ono must have sent it to him after John had been killed.

Despite her own grief and loss she was very considerate to Babu and I thought that was very kind of her.

Bless you Yoko.

I was surfing on a break called Winkipop at a beach named Bells in Australia when news of the assassination of John Lennon broke. I remember being told about it by one of my mates when I came out of the water. I couldn’t believe it.

I was shocked.

It was one of those “Where were you when?” moments in history. I remember where I was and what I was doing. It is a memory captured and imprinted.

It is indelible.

A ‘break’ in the surfing context in which I have used it is a spot where deep water hits shallow water or a reef and a wave is formed. A Melbourne Plumber and surfer called Bill Keenan gave the Winkipop break its name in the 1940’s.

He made the word up.

I have stood in exactly the same place where the photograph of Babu and John and Yoko was taken. Three times I have watched the sunrise from that vantage point – as the massive southern part of the Himalaya range comes into view at the break of dawn. On a clear day you can see for hundred of kilometers down the Himalaya range that stretch from Dhaulagiri in the west all the way to Everest – and then beyond to Kanchenjuna in the East.

It is a view of the highest place on the earth.

It is stunning.

Babu told me that John Lennon and Yoko had spent much of their time in Nepal in a village called Sankhu – which is to the north of Kathmandu. He told me that he drove them to specifically visit a tiny statue in a Hindu temple that is on a hillside just out of the Sankhu. Babu told me that the statue is of the Tantric goddess named Bajra Yogini. When I asked Babu if there was anything significant about the statue or goddess he informed me that Bajra Yogini is a sex goddess who is worshipped by both Hindus and Buddhists – and that she has no eyes.

He said that there was a festival once a year where priests put in a pair of silver eyes in the statue – and he took John and Yoko specifically to see that.

John Lennon wrote and recorded a song he called ‘Nobody Told Me’ that included the line ‘a little yellow idol to the north of Kathmandu’. The song was written and recorded in 1980.

It is believed that Lennon probably got his reference for the ‘little yellow idol’ from poem ‘The Green Eye of the Yellow God’ which was written by the English Poet J Milton Hayes.

Lennon liked poetry and it is widely known that he was widely read. Or is it that he was widely read and it is widely known?

Both stand true.

The ‘J’ in J Milton Hayes stands for John – but he is always referred to as J Milton Hayes.

I am sure that his mum called him John though – and perhaps even Johhny.

John Milton Hayes penned the line ‘There’s a one-eyed yellow idol to the north of Kathmandu’ in his poem ‘The Green Eye of the Yellow God’ – and for reasons only John Lennon knows he replaced Milton’s words ‘one-eyed’ with ‘little’. Actually perhaps Yoko also knows and she should at least be asked the question.

‘The Green Eye of the Yellow God’ is one of Milton’s more famous works that was written one and a half centuries before Lennon penned his lyrics.

It is believed that both John’s are describing the same thing – the sex goddess Bajra Yogini.

I spent the morning pottering around the Visitor Centre and school doing some maintenance on the building and the solar systems. After lunch of a very fiery soup accompanied by coconut water drunk straight from the cracked nut I sat in one of the two classrooms and did some teaching. Actually it would be unflattering to teachers to call it teaching really as all I did was sit around and talk to the dozens of kids who were squeezed into the room. I showed them lots of pictures and we talked about a whole heap of things but mostly it was discussions about oceans. The mountain village children love to talk about oceans.

Me too.

Few Nepali have ever or will ever see the sea. It is a landlocked and mountainous country that is drenched in poverty and drained of opportunity. The Maoist party grabbed political power here more than three decades ago in a violent and bloody conflict that cost tens of thousands of Nepali lives. Ten years ago the mad Prince of Nepal took an automatic gun to a family lunch and he decimated the Monarchy.

The recent history of the country has been bloody but there hasn’t been any violence of any significance for more than a decade.

The Nepalese have decided to give Peace a chance.

All Nepali children dream of the ocean and they have a great interest too in ships and waves and all things nautical. The village girls love mermaids and the boys seem to like pirates.

I quite like pirates and mermaids myself.

I know of this interest in the ocean because I have talked at length to the children about it before. It is their conversation of choice. On this visit I made a particular effort and gathered together and brought with me many pictures of seascapes and photos of me and my family swimming and surfing and snorkeling and out sailing on boats.

Visual images.

I tried to explain surfing and scuba diving and snorkeling to the Nepali children and it was not easy. The children told me that I was young and better looking when I was a boy than I am now and I laughed and I said that I agreed. They asked me lots of questions and some of them were hard – like what was the difference between a sea and an ocean and what was the noise that a wave made when it crashed to shore?

They asked me if I had ever seen whales and dolphins and sharks when I was swimming and surfing and I told them that I had. I told them that swimming with the whales was a particularly magical moment for me and I explained that these huge gentle creatures also sing beautiful and haunting songs. A few of the little village girls told me that they thought that this was beautiful and I told them that I thought it was beautiful too.

I told them that you don’t get to hear whale song very often and it is one hell of a tune.

The children left to walk back to their family’s farms late in the afternoon and here I am now sitting in a sagging and battered armchair on the creaky verandah at the Village Centre.

I am writing this.

The sun will be going down soon.

Babu is downstairs cooking some noodles that we will eat for our dinner with some cauliflower and pickled mango that one of the local farmers bought us.

We are driving back to the city tomorrow and will be making an early start. Then I have only a couple of days left in Kathmandu before I have to say bye bye to Babu and then fly back to Singapore and reality.

I don’t want to leave.

About the Author: Peter Hepenstall: Peter is an Australian currently living in Singapore. He discovered Nepal and the Himalaya – and the beauty of the Nepalese people three years ago and he keeps going back. Peter writes prolifically and is entranced by the places he goes and the people that he meets.

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Indian Rock Garden: A Peerless Creation in Chadigarh

Being a frequent traveler and lover of serene nature, I have visited a number of exotic and beautiful places; enjoyed company of warm hearted people and watched speechlessly their hard work to survive, even today. But I never thought, even in my dreams that a park in a busy city will make me spellbound. The Park, made of debris is an example of will-power and the level of art created from those so called rubbishes shows intelligence of the creator. No word will be enough to show my reverence to the creator and creation.

Mid of August, me and my family, we had visited Chandigarh during our way back from Amritsar – the internationally famous place for golden temple. As we had three to four hours to spend there in Chandigarh, a visit to the Neck Chand’s garden, more famously known as Rock garden, was decided. The creator of this garden Mr. Neck Chand Saini was a road inspector of Chandigarh. Chandigarh, is the capital of two states Punjab and Haryana, and was officially re-planned and rebuild after independence of India.

We reached car parking at around 3pm. It was a typical hot and humid day. Staying outside was uncomfortable. But we had no better alternative, so moved towards the entry.

After collecting tickets, of nominal price, from the ‘wolf den’ like window we entered into the garden through a low roof entry gate made of stones. And wow, an incredible ambiance welcomed us. We suddenly got encompassed by deep green trees, stony walls and a tranquil environment. It was wonderful as well as thrilling. Sculptures made of stones were there on both sides of the trail. In childhood days, we often took part in competitions of making decorative handicrafts using thrown-away articles. But to make a 49000 square meter garden of models and dolls using just waste materials is really unbelievable. Mr. Nek Chand who made it possible did his creative works during off time only. He collected urban and industrial wastes and garbage from demolition sites of the under construction city and put them together to make models and dolls. From dumped glaze tiles to broken ceramic holders nothing was neglected and even damaged glass bangles were also collected and recycled for creativity. Really, nothing is useless if we have the intelligence and will power to use it.

After a few meters of walk from the entrance, we reached a mud hut which was the studio of the creator. The journey was not easy for him. He spent several years in making these surprising collections secretly in that hidden hut. Secret because the canyon in this forest was declared as reserved land, no construction was allowed there. Mr. Saini successfully kept his project hidden for long 18 years. In 1975 it was found out by the Government and was decided to be demolished. But huge public support stopped destruction of this brilliant construction and the place became open for all in 1976.

Listening to the story, while walking through a wonder land took me back to the history. The complete trail has been planned very proficiently. The narrow lanes through high stony walls offered an unknown dreadful excitement. Sitting in middle of such a lonely ravine, I really could not imagine how one kept on creating sculptures all alone without being afraid.

Now the place is well maintained. And moreover tourists are beaming all over the place. Still passing the empty caves, listening to the whispering air and walking through mystical light and shade games, was daunting for me. Mr Saini had proved that hunger of creation can overcome all obstacles and defeat all adversaries.

Large number of sculptures – different types of animals standing in rows, peacocks roaming on stone walls, workers waiting silently maintaining lines, performing folk band group as we see in marriage ceremony in rural areas and so on, were created and placed over the entire area. Statues made of broken bangles were sparkling under the sun. The use of old cold drink bottles’ cap, the decoration of statues ornamented by wasted potteries was marvelous. It was a brilliant collection of sculptures where not a single one was influenced by anything other than creator’s thought. And the way they were placed in groups, was not only unique but was also a symbol of harmony. The inimitable thinking of creator made the park gorgeous and attractive to everybody.

After more than an hour walk we reached near the exit. A beautifully organized team of sculptures waited there to bid us goodbye.

After coming out of the park, my concept on beauty was modified, my definition of creativity and intelligence had changed. I was overwhelmed by that knowledge enriched trip. I felt I had just completed a good book full of originality and inspirations.

About the Author: Soumi Ray – a PhD student of Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. I love to explore unknown and less-known beautiful places, to do hike in Himalaya and to share the stories with all. I write in my blog- http://soumizdiary.blogspot.in/. Blog is written in English as well as in Bengali, my mother tongue.

Basic information:

Location details—

Place: Chandigarh, India.

Latitude: 30044’14N

Longitude: 76047’14E

Altitude: 304-365 meters

Date of Visit: 14th Aug. 2013

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Indiana: The Ancient Splendor and Magic of Turkey Run Hollow

The Ancient Splendor and Magic of Turkey Run Hollow

(Turkey Run State Park, Marshall, Indiana, United States)

By Sana Szewczyk

It’s peaceful in the deep

Cathedral where you cannot breathe

No need to pray, no need to speak

Now I am under all…

-Florence and the Machine, Never Let Me Go

My fingers slowly trace every coarse crevice and sharp edge as I close my eyes to feel the foliage embedded in the stratospheres of cool sandstone. I immediately surrender to my other senses as I breathe in the smell of early summer: fresh damp ferns, budding trees, blooming wild flowers, the moist rock, soft wet earth under my feet, and fresh rain water dripping from the edges of the gorge. The experience is mystical as I stand in awe of the ancient canyon, a place like no other that has not changed its microclimate since its origin in Pleistocene era. An Echo lives in the moss-covered canyon and turns every sound of the forest of magnificent walnut and sycamore trees above into thousands of whispers carried by the wind. The voices of my husband, Justin, and my two children, Maxwell and Makenzie, also echo off the canyon’s walls as we hold the children’s hands tightly to help them jump over puddles, fallen trees, and up onto the rocks along the path.

I slowly open my eyes to marvel at the view spreading in front of me as I gaze into Turkey Run Hollow. I look fifty feet up to the rim of the canyon and see small pieces of thistledown floating down and reflecting the sun beams which are forbidden from entering the cool bottom of the ravine. I admire the mossy walls of the gorge which at times are so close that I am almost able to stretch my arms and touch them on each side. The canyon is iridescent with all shades of green: tea green, teal, emerald, feldgrau, jade, and malachite. I look even higher up and I can see a bridge suspended high above my head. I, a freshly converted “creek stomping” worshipper, surrender to the breathtaking beauty of this natural Cathedral where time stopped millions of years ago. I just spread my arms wide and dance, moving on and on through the canyon repeating a simple prayer, an expression of awe mixed with laughter, over and over to my family: “My God, my God…Do you see it?! Do you see it?! I did not know there was such a place in Indiana.”

The canyon leads us to a small sandy beach along Sugar Creek where the outlets of several glacier shaped gorges meet. We climb up the steps of raw rock disturbing the peace of only one large toad hidden deep in his burrow on our way up. The construction of the steps reminds me of the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu. We arrive at Sunset Point which overlooks the river and groups of college kids in colorful kayaks and canoes calling one another. We continue on to a wooden cabin, Lieber Cabin, which is located behind the Turkey Run Inn. As we walk along the ground surrounding the hotel we notice chairs on the lawn in the shade of pine trees decorated with wild flowers, ready and awaiting a wedding ceremony. Some people find love here, and I found my home. Many times I question my decision to move from Poland to Indiana and very few places have felt like home to me in my new country until now. I look at the faces of my small children, their eyes widened with wonder, and I already know that this is a place that has deeply touched my heart, a place I will come back to when searching for peace and everlasting gratitude.

About the Author: Sana Szewczyk, a native of Poland, earned a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Linguistics from Indiana University and MBA in Human Resources Management from Indiana Institute of Technology. Her stories have appeared in over sixty publications. Her first collection of stories, “Under a Ginkgo Tree & Other Stories,” was released in February 2012. She lives in Indiana with her husband and two children. For more information visit: www.sanaszewczyk.webs.com

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Making Waves on the Waterways of Europe

A tour of Europe with a twist: on it’s rivers and canals.

Pam Brophy, via Wikimedia Commons

 

 

The thought of a European river cruise tour never really crossed my mind before, but it looks like an incredible way to see Europe from a different perspective. The first image that came to mind of a boat tour was of old, narrow boats and cramped quarters but it’s actually far from the truth. Most tours have luxurious boats that are more like floating hotels than boats. With some even offering silver service! That’s a bit out of my league, but there are plenty of options when it comes to touring around on the waterways of Europe.

Exploring the waterways of Europe are a super way to experience countries and catch a spot of relaxation at the same time. The slow pace of cruising is perfect for families, large groups or anyone looking for a more slow paced way of traveling.

The majority of tour companies seem to offer the all in one solution, even sometimes including flights. Usually, food is included and perhaps some drinks. Then there’s also the DIY option where you just rent a boat for around 6 people and you crew it yourself. As with most things, there’s options for everyone and everyone in-between.

 

Here’s a few top destinations in Europe perfect for a boat cruise :

 

Germany

 

A trip down the Danube is a highlight of any trip to Germany. The Danube has it’s source in the Black Forest, west of Munich. It flows through Germany into Austria and further into Hungary, Slovakia, Romania before joining the Black Sea. It takes in no less than 4 capital cities.

The longest river in the EU makes for one of the great European cruises. A 14 day trip from Budapest to Bavaria in Western Germany, taking in Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna and the smaller towns along the way, is an incredible experience.

 

By Hgmichna, via Wikimedia Commons

 

By High Contrast, via Wikimedia Commons

 

The Netherlands

 

Probably the country most famous for it’s waterways, the Netherlands has an abundance of canals and waterways to explore. I’d have to say, exploring the rivers through the Netherlands countryside looks like heaven. You will pass through quaint villages, gorgeous landscapes and into stunning cities.

Not to mention, the city famous for it’s canals, Amsterdam is a fantastic stop. check out the Rjiksmuseum – one of the best art museums in the world. A trip to Anne Franks house is also a recommended afternoon.

By Steve Collis, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Austria

The river Danube also flows through Vienna, a beautiful city full of old architecture and character. The top visits here are the Schonbrunn palace, the Vienna Opera house where if you’re lucky enough to get a ticket, you can experience world class classical music in an incredible setting.

By Hans Peter Schaefer, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Hungary

Budapest is fast becoming one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations. Benefiting from cheap flights courtesy of Ryanair, it’s never been easier to visit Eastern Europe. Take a walk up to Buda Castle for a great view over the city. Better yet, do a walking tour of the castle hill district to learn more about the history of the castle and surrounding area. Definitely try out a thermal bath, one of Budapests treasures. It is one of the only cities in the world with an abundance of thermal springs underneath.

By Lepeltier.ludovic, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Whichever route or country you take, if you’re looking for a relaxing break, a boat cruise around Europe will be right up your street.

Have you been on a cruise on the waterways of Europe? Share your comments below!

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English Corner: Shenzhen’s Undiscovered Gem

A Place That Inspires Awe: English Corner: Shenzhen’s Undiscovered Gem

by Armand Diab

If you’re a foreigner in Shenzhen, China, you’re probably not as unique as you think you are. I mean, sure, Westerners in certain parts of China stick out like a sore thumb, and are often victims of being stared at by the curious locals, but downtown Shenzhen is a booming, busy and modern metropolis, and at times it even resembles New York in the diversity of people it houses. There are parts of the city that are completely swamped with foreigners of all kinds – mostly Europeans and Americans – and in those areas English language is as common as Mandarin or Cantonese.

It’s up to you, the average traveler, to pick and choose your spots, and therefore get as much of an experience out of your trip as you can. You can choose the typical sights that attract many a tourist in this city, such as Window of the World, or you can be a bit more adventurous, and visit a small, safe and educational underground event. If you should aim towards the latter, your choices will be few, but there is one place in particular that’s unknown to many who visit here, and it has a uniqueness all its own: the English Corner.

Shenzhen is home to several English Corners, and the best way to a particularly notable Corner is to take the Luobao train (on the subway map it’s listed as the “green” line) and get off at the Grand Theater stop in downtown. Follow the cement trail in the nearby park as it curves to the left, and soon you’ll find yourself in an area with numerous people, both Chinese and foreign, who are there for one purpose and one purpose only: to meet new friends using English as their common ground.

The first thing you will hear are the voices of Ivy and Eric, the English Corner founders and organizers. They will typically be giving a large English lesson to a group of people consisting of middle school students, college students and even middle aged men and women. Eric is often wearing a microphone headset, and each syllable he delivers echoes across the area through the large stereo speaker he brings there every week. Ivy’s voice is equally dominating, except she is usually microphone free, choosing instead to let her vocal chords carry each sentence or song rhyme to her listeners on their own. The effect is still one and the same: Ivy and Eric (who are both Chinese) love the English language, and they’ve made it their goal to share it with others during these social activities out of pure joy.

The diversity of people who attend the English Corner, which is held every Saturday from 5 to 7pm, is as great and as varied as a meal during a typical Chinese dinner. You may find yourself discussing the uniqueness of American food back in the States with a Chinese college student who has never been outside of his home country, or try to explain to a local woman why she is able to understand your English as you converse with her, but is unable to understand a single word when watching a Hollywood movie, where all the actors talk very fast. Or you may run into a middle-aged Russian writer who, having lived in the States for many years, is now wandering the world in search of new inspiration for his craft, and who has chosen the far East as his personal muse. Either way, no matter who you end up talking to, you’re bound to learn something new about someone’s culture, their perspective on their travel experience or possibly even exchange some life lessons with your new friends, in this unlikeliest of places.

The glorious Shenzhen backdrop of high rises and (often) clear skies illuminates this area until sundown, when in a customary fashion, everyone goes out to dinner together. Led by Ivy and Eric, who started the English corner movement a few years ago, and who possess just the kind of energy and enthusiasm needed for this endeavor, you may end up at a traditional Chinese restaurant (typically with a fantastic menu), or a mix of western and local food combined, depending on the week. The dinner you have that night may be good, it may be even be great, but the company you eat it with will be enough to humble even the most boastful of Westerners. Besides, food comes and goes, but the new, exciting people you can meet while travelling to Shenzhen will leave you with valuable memories for the rest of your life, and there is no better place for it than the English Corner.

About the Author: Armand Diab is a 35 year old former Corporate Video production freelancer who graduated from Columbia College Chicago in 2002 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Film & Video Production. He is currently teaching English in Shenzhen, China. He will be there until the end of June 2014.

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Guatemala: The River Cave Expedition

The River Cave Expedition is the first of series of expeditions we went on together with our friends, the Friendship crew and the Czechs, on the north and west shores of Lago Izabal, Guatemala’s biggest lake where we sailed together for two weeks.

The members of the River Cave Expedition include four adults, one teenager, and four kids. Josef and Katchka 4 (s/v Blizzard); Daeli, Noial 10, and Lovam 5 (s/v Friendship); and Ivo, Mira, Viktor 16, and Maya 10 (s/v Fata Morgana). Total of nine people.

We start at the Agua Caliente waterfall going up river. There is no other path but the riverbed. In the beginning it is wide and shallow surrounded by lush jungle vegetation. But soon it gets narrower and the water becomes deeper and faster, cutting a deep canyon through the mountain’s grey rocks. An awe-inspiring view.

Some places are difficult and dangerous to pass; we help the younger kids climb big boulders and swim across deeper waters. Josef has to carry Katchka most of the time. At least, she is not complaining. Lovam accepts help very rarely and only if he truly needs it trying to keep up with Maya and Noial who are jumping from rock to rock with great ease leading the expedition.

After a while we get to a small pool of green water where the river suddenly stops, turns towards the eastern wall of the canyon and enters a dark cave. We follow. The water inside the cave is still, deep, and freezing cold. This is the place where the river sleeps. We only have two submergible flashlights for nine people, so we keep one in front and one in back of the group. We swim in the dark cold water getting deeper and deeper into the cave until we don’t see light from the entrance any longer. The world becomes black. Colors never existed here; the sun has no memory of this place. We are blind.

It is a completely new and bizarre feeling swimming in a cave, in total darkness. We hear the tiny sounds of bats above our heads. We are trying to hold on to the wet slippery rock-walls covered with guano. Everything is mysterious. Who knows what thing without eyes is lurking in the waters beneath. Who knows what thing without soul is listening from the cave’s ceiling some 30-40 feet above our heads.

Only if you abandon yourself to the cave and its secrets you will be able to feel and enjoy it. Fear should not enter the river-cave.

Everyone is silent. At places there are big rocks we have to go over one by one helping each other. I am expecting some of the kids to start panicking in the darkness, but it seems they all are truly enjoying the ride, even Katchka, she is so brave! Even Viktor told me later this was his favorite of all expeditions so far.

The silence is filled with the muffled sound of water booming in the distance: an underground waterfall. The roar trapped in the cavern gets louder as we go further and soon we cannot hear each other anymore. We now feel the strong current against us. The waterfall is about fifteen feet tall and the only way to continue would be to climb over it. So we turn back. We now have to go to the beginning, the same way we came.

Exiting the cave is a happy moment. I think of Plato’s caveman and his amazement at the outside world. The trees, the river, the clouds, the rocks. We look at each other and we lough. Wow, what an experience!

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Nokia: Sharing Our Lumia 925 Photos

From Nokia:

Our Trial a Nokia programme has been a source of much experience, comparison, inspiration and FUN for a number of years now. Whether you’re reviewing for a tech blog or it’s your first time using a Nokia phone ever, we love to see and share the stories and experiences that come from it.

In the article ABOUT WE SAID GO TRAVEL:

Spending the time to sit down and capture super high quality images isn’t always an option when you’re generally using your phone. So how does the Lumia 925 handle every day point and shoot?

Well, Lisa from We Said Go Travel has been testing just that. She’s been on a mission around Thailand to Malaysia, Philippines, Palau, Guam, Oahu and then back to Los Angeles. During her trip she has been exclusively using the Lumia 925 to capture her memories.

We are very excited to be using the Nokia Lumia 925 for photo and video on our travels. It really is amazing! We will be sharing more video, images and articles soon. Check out this new video from Palau shot on our Nokia Lumia 925!

WATCH: Palau Pacific Resort

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Arkansas: Courageous Little Rock Nine

There’s nothing as awesome as courage

When we think of an awe-inspiring travel site, the mind immediately begins to visualize images of the Grand Canyon; somewhere lofty from which mere mortals can, for a few moments, look on the vista ahead as if we had just finished creating it.

That’s perfectly legitimate but for me, what triggered a sense of awe, gratitude and pure admiration was an elegant but unspectacular brown brick building, a high school, as a matter of fact.

Little Rock Central High School looks like any ordinary American secondary school today; students of every shape, size and skin color are streaming out the doors, trading friendly jibes, laughing and jostling each other. Just the end of a regular school day.

It was a very different picture on Sept. 4, 1957 when nine black students arrived to register for classes. They met an angry mob of protestors, white segregationists determined to keep Central a white-only school.

The U.S. Supreme Court had declared that segregation of schools by colour was unconstitutional and illegal. Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus opposed the ruling and directed Central High to do so as well.

The governor ordered the Arkansas National Guard to join the hundreds of segregationist citizens in blockading the school.

The action of The Little Rock Nine, as they became known, was arguably the first major event in American history watched on television, heard on radio and trumpeted by nearly every newspaper in the U.S. It was this site in an ordinary neighborhood that defined the battle for freedom and equality that spread like an uncontrolled fire across the US in the 1960s.

Photos of the event are heart-wrenching, especially one depicting a young student with a crowd of white citizens screaming at her. When she spotted what she thought was a friendly face, the woman spat at her. I feel tears forming in my eyes each time I see those photos.

The standoff lasted for three weeks. Finally, by invitation from the mayor, President Dwight Eisenhower on Sept. 24, sent the 101st Airborne Division of the U.S. Army to protect the nine students and enforce integration. He also federalized the Arkansas National Guard, taking the 10,000 members out of the governor’s hands.

The nine students enrolled and attended classes, usually enduring physical and verbal abuse for the remainder of the year. Even a year later, the governor closed four high schools, threatening to create private schools.

Today, the school houses a museum of civil rights. Across the street, the community operates an impressive information centre displaying photos and information. Although neither this centre nor Little Rock are mainstream tourist destinations, visit if you get the chance.

I can safely say my visit was one of the most profound experiences of my travel life. I knew standing there that I, like the rest of humanity, owed those courageous youngsters a gigantic debt of gratitude. It doesn’t matter that I’m not black. It matters that someone seemingly small and powerless, in the face of hatred and danger, stood up for human rights.

About the Author: Regis Yaworski, retired from teaching at a Canadian college, publishes a travel website as The Road Prof. He specializes on road trips but that doesn’t keep him out of airliners or cruise ships.

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Love to Travel By Boat? Sailing Through History

The invention of the boat was a technological breakthrough that brought forward a new way to explore the world. The first boats were made by the Egyptians and were used to transport goods along the Nile River. Over the centuries, boats became more and more sophisticated to the point that they could cross oceans. Great explorers such as Christopher Columbus, Vasco Da Gama and Ferdinand Magellan explored the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans and everywhere in between. Today, boats that are used to explore come in all shapes and sizes from a single person kayak to multi story cruise ships that have their own casinos, restaurants and theme parks. Even though times and technology have changed, the lust of travel and the need to explore still captivates people of all ages.

Even though technology has advanced tremendously and the globe has been mapped completely, adventurous travellers continue to retrace the routes taken by famous sailors and explorers that have shaped the world as we know it today. People lucky enough to own their own boats decide to explore by sailboats, canoes or dingies while others prefer speedboats to get where they’re going. For the average person whom does not have the luxury of owning their own boat, a cruise is the most popular mode to do their exploring.

Cruises can come in many shapes and forms. Some cruises are day long excursions, visiting one destination. These are more than likely very basic sightseeing cruises that are economical. A good example of this might be a day spent snorkeling with sea turtles or sea lions on the Galapagos Islands. On the other end of the spectrum are cruises that encompass entire months, cruising from port city to port city, eventually circling the entire world. These are luxury cruises that may cost in excess of £100,000 or more. In the middle are one week to two week cruises that many tourists enjoy on their yearly vacation. Good examples of this include cruising the Greek Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Exploring Alaska during the long summer days or discovering the many islands in the Caribbean or South Pacific.

If you’re debating on whether or not to go on a cruise, the best advice is on this site. Cruise 1st is owned and operated by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd offering you a 100% financial guarantee and the knowledge your booking is safe. They are also fully bonded members of the ABTA, (Association of British Travel Agents) Great Britain’s most prestigious travel association. All this means that you can rest assured knowing that any investment you make in a cruise is money well spent.

Cruise 1st has cruises unique to all parts of the world, departing year round. If you decide to go on a cruise at the last minute, it’s no problem as Cruise 1st has last minute deals at discounted prices so they can fill cabins. Don’t have a lot of money? Cruise 1st has cruises available to everyone on all budgets. From long, multi-port cruises to weekend getaways, Cruise 1st is your one-stop shopping website for cruises.

If you’ve already planned your cruise and you’re looking for activities at your destination, click here. Lonely Planet is the world’s leading travel book producer and has books on every part of the world. Worried about the weather and what the upcoming forecast is going to be? The Weather Channel has up to minute forecasts all around the world.

 

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Ghana: Once upon a moment

It was the Christmas holidays, the perfect excuse to have a good time away from work and the usually bustling everyday life. I didn’t think twice before agreeing to an invitation by my sister to spend it with her family in Ghana, a country over four hundred kilometers away from Lagos, Nigeria. I, alongside my elder brother and cousin, went by road rather than air, and merely passing through several other countries was exhilarating. Porto Novo was bursting with activity by French-speaking folks; we alighted for a while to buy their wares. Togo was serene, with policemen in funny-looking uniforms showing up from time to time. A large water body that was traced from Togo into Ghana was a sight to keep us busy.

My sister’s family resides in Accra, the capital city. After a long, tiring but interesting journey, we finally arrived at their house at night and settled in. The following day, we went on a fun trip to the popular Labadi beach. The beach experience involved horse-back riding, water splashing, dancing, and munching of assorted meats and a lot of fun with friends and family. The following day had been planned: we visited the Accra mall and had a swell time feeding our eyes and filling our bellies, buying stuff and meeting people. From there, we proceeded to the prestigious University of Ghana, Legon, about twelve kilometers northeast of the center of Accra for sightseeing. From visiting the University of Ghana Business School(UBS), to checking out their halls of residence, to sitting with a couple of art students in their lecture theatre and chatting them up, we had not one single dull moment.

Soon we came to my best part: an exciting waterfall with carefully sculptured statues from whose mouths the waters surged. The view was pure bliss! As the blue waters poured beautifully, my emotions froze for a few seconds as I tried to breathe in the feeling those sights gave me. Meters away from this water fall was a gargantuan building known as the Great Tower. The scenery of the waters and the architectural edifice fused together inspired my poem titled ‘Sublime’. Below are excerpts of the poem:

Beauty lights have shone in my eye

Bliss!

Blue waters, blazing skies

Nature’s frigidity sublimed.

I love it when the air whispers

When the sun caresses the earth’s whiskers

When the fingers of mortal sculptors

Birth the greatest of visual pleasures!

This experience was the high point of the trip for me. Moving on, we stopped at a blue park with lovely seats where we sat to have drinks and take some more pictures.

The following day was Christmas, so the entire family went out to church. We afterwards visited the Marina mall and had meals at KFC, also branching to buy lovely Christmas presents for one another at Shoprite. We got home and spent some quality family time together. The rest of the trip involved us going to a popular market in Accra to see how things there are done and get some things for our folks back in Nigeria. I met an interesting man with a very rare gift of weaving customized hand bands for people. He enlightened me about the Asante people and their ingenious weaving skills, and gave me some discount as well, for which I was grateful. We also got the privilege of eating the renowned Banku, a Ghanaian meal we had heard so much about. A Nigerian proverb says that a man cannot live by the river and wash his hands with saliva, thus, we decided to take advantage of the opportunity, and I must say it was absolutely worth the try.

One notable observation I had during the entirety of my visit was the tranquil atmosphere of Accra. Unlike the usual hustle in Lagos, Accra had a calmness to it that easily admonished you to take life more easily. Ghanaian accents made me laugh and blush all at once; they were very pleasing to the ears. Infrastructure in the places I visited was commendable, and power was constantly consistent. I think my country has a few things to take down notes on about Ghana. I returned to Nigeria, excited about the nerve-relieving trip I had gone on. Moments like that don’t just leave your memory so easily. They are carved out on your heart’s tables, like beautiful sculptors slobbering blue water.

About the Author: Ife Olujuyigbe is an undergraduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State in Nigeria. She is twenty-two and sees herself as an adventure-loving writer. She owns a blog and you may also check her Facebook page.

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