More details of the terra cotta warriors of Xi'an Chine. In the photo (upper left corner) the space between the horses and men is where a wooden carriage would have been. The 2 men behind the horses have their arms raised to hold the reins.
Monday, October 24, 2005
Saturday, October 22, 2005
Xi'an China; All the King's Horses and all the King's Men
Just before leaving Mumbai, the devastating quake hit Pakistan and parts of India. I didn't want my Brother Eddie to worry, so I gave him a call. Unfortunately my math was off and I called him at 3am his time. Eddie wasn't worried. Eddie was asleep and oblivious to anything going on in the world. Timing is everything....From Mumbai I flew to Hong Kong and then a quick trip to Xi'an China, a very special place for me. I was in graduate school in March 1974 when I picked up a copy of Time magazine with a picture of the terra cotta warriors from Xi'an on the cover. Six local farmers had been digging a well when they discovered a piece of terra cotta which led to what many feel is the greatest archeological find of the twentieth century. This led to the excavation of the burial grounds of Emporer Qin Shi Hung (259-210 bc), the first emporer to unify the 7 warring states into what is now China. He became King at the age of 13 and spent most of his reign and his country's money on preparing for his afterlife. The project took 720,000 workers and 39 years to complete. In order to protect him in the afterlife, he had over 7,000 life-sized terra cotta horses and armoured warriors created as well as more than 100 wooden charriots and many exquisite ancient weapons. To me the most fascinating aspect of the find is that each warrior is an individual - they are all different and each one was possibly modelled after real soldiers in his army. The details are exquisite. Since seeing the original magazine article, I have seen numerous pictures, but I wasn't sure how they would be displayed. My "terra cotta warriors" guide, who called himself Nebraska, led me to an enormous gymnasium-type structure that covered the area of 3 football fields. Walking inside, I found the warriors lined up in military precision facing me, looking up from the furrow created to free them from the earth. The effect is profound: the silent warriors who have been hidden for so long are standing in formation in a kind of half-light that protects them from fading. It was worth the wait! No amount of imagination can prepare you for that first impact. I spent hours taking pictures of all 3 sites. Even though 100s of archeologists have been working on the site since the 70s, most of the work is ahead. The work is painstaking and the warriors greeting you have all been constructed from the shards found at that location. ......After several hours, I bid Nebraska good by and headed on to the next stop; the actual grave site of Emporer Qin Shi Hung, just down the road from his warrior protectors. A very quick tour there and then on to the final part of the day, a visit to Huaqing Palace. Originally the palace was built by Chinese Emporers to take advantage of a natural hot springs flowing there. What made it famous was the great love affair between Emporer Li Long ji and Lady Yang. The Emporer had 1000s of concubines when he noticed and fell in love with Lady Yang. She was the 18 year old concubine of his son, but the son, seeing that his father was in love, gave Lady Yang to him as a gift. The emporer was so in love with her that they would spend months at the Huaqing Palace, singing, dancing, playing cards, and soaking in the tubs fed by the hot springs. (I think this is where the concept of California was born). The story also has political intrigue and the Emporer was forced to kill Lady Yang by cutting her throat. He lived the rest of his life in misery, missing her terribly, but after his death they were once again reunited in love - or so the story goes.....Romance nothwithstanding, I had to say farewell to Xi'an and board a plane for Tibet. Stay tuned and happy trails......Marion
Return to India and a Visit to Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay)
The 3 days in Bhutan ended much too quickly. My recommendation for anyone planning to visit - take at least a week. In 3 days most of the trip (80% ???) involves driving from place to place, leaving you little time for sightseeing and getting to know the people....Leaving Bhutan, the last wild ride to the airport took over 5 hours and included a mad search for an ATM in the small towns in India on the way to the airport. It was great fun showing Kinsang his first ATM and how it worked. Sign seen on the way to the airport; "It's a highway - Not a runway - Don't take off." Great advice when you are driving on a single lane winding around a mountain at 9,000 ft.... The flight to Mumbai brought me to the nicest hotel I have ever experienced - Le Royal Meridian. Imagine if the Four Seasons took over the Taj Mahal. The hotel experience alone was worth the trip: major pampering at 1/3 the cost of the Four Seasons. They had to force me to leave, kicking and screaming. Delhi may be the capital of India, but Mumbai is the financial and trade center. It is a huge bustling city on a beautiful harbor, filled with spectacular 200 year old British architecture. For the first time on my trip, my guide was female, a wonderful woman named Puja. The majority of people in India are Hindu and so much of Indian culture is intertwined with Hindu beliefs. Puja had a passion for the subject and brought so much of ancient India alive for me, especially the ferry trip to Elephant Island (an ancient Hindu holy site). Elephant Island is also the home of countless monkeys. My last image of the island was a monkey sitting beside me drinking a can of orange Fanta, just like any other tourist....Most of the time in Mumbai, however, I was on my own exploring. A took took (3 wheeled golf cart/taxi) took me to a "shopping center" - translation 3 story store about the size of a CVS. Fun shopping but the trip back brought an extra challenge - no one wanted to take me back to the hotel. I showed the card with the hotel name and address to 4 drivers and each said "no." Finally a kind stranger (like the ones I have always depended upon), had a lengthy animated discussion with one of the drivers and he agreed to take me. Unfortunately he took me to the wrong hotel and had no idea where my hotel was located. At this point we drew a huge crowd of took took drivers. They all said they knew how to get to my hotel and would take me for a price, but no one was willing to help my driver with instructions. I finally called the hotel and the desk clerk gave the driver instructions (in Hindi) and we were off in the right direction. He was going to charge me $2.00 for the 2 hour adventure but my conscience made me pay him much more for the effort.....Next stop - Hong Kong, and visits to Xi'an China and Tibet. Namaste, Marion
Friday, October 21, 2005
Dirving in Bhutan was an adventure in and of itself. This is the part of the road that is under construction. It is also the only road between the two major cities and was created by blasting into the rock on the side of the mountain. Three times a day the traffic is stopped for 2 hours so that work crews can continue blasting. All travel has to be timed around the blasting schedule.
Saturday, October 08, 2005
Bhutan: The Secret and Gaurded Treasure
My first morning in Bhutan was a tad startling when Kinzang showed up in a dress. Actually it was the national outfit for men called a "Go." Having seen no pictures of the people and knowing nothing about the culture, it took me by surprise. After that, I realized how good it looks; somewhere between a short kimona and the outfit worn by samurai warriors. Walking out of the hotel, I saw that all men were wearing gos and the women where wearing floor length skirts topped with blouses, (much simpler than the saris worn by the women of India). It turns out that wearing the traditional go is mandated by law and you can be fined for not wearing it, (fashion police?). Also, the entire country is smokefree, but I could smoke in my room....At first I found all of the restrictions hard to understand, but after experiencing the country, I realize why so much is being done to protect it. It is a place frozen in time within the unparalleled beauty of the green mountains. There is so much dignity and pride in the people. Perhaps because the country is primarily Buddhist, I found myself settling in to the calm zen-like rythm of the country. Everyone smiles and waves and the country is filled with lovely Bhuddist shrines, temples, and prayer flags. Homes are decorated in the unique designs that remind me of the mountainous areas of Nepal and Tibet. Personally, I'm torn over the fight against change in Bhutan. You can't find Visa, Master, or American Express cards, ATMs, convenience stores, chain restaurants, American type stores, etc., but after being there - it is easy to see why they work so hard to protect what they have. There are no easy answers. For now, it is a rare opportunity to see and experience life on much simpler terms, in a gorgeous setting......Next stop - back to India for a week in Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay) before heading to Hong Kong.....Namaste, Marion
The Exclusive Club Known as the Kingdom of Bhutan
If I had been following the rules for entering the Kingdom of Bhutan, I would never have gotten in. Bhutan may be the toughest country to enter. (1) You cannot enter Bhutan without being part of a tour and all tours are run by Bhutanese agencies. (2) You cannot enter Bhutan without flying on the government sponsored Druk Airlines which has 2 planes and lands only in the one airport in Para, Bhutan on its' one landing strip. By the time my money had transferred to the travel agency, I had already bought an airline package for 4 stops in India. Since Bhutan is surrounded on 3 sides by India, I thought I could use this package to get to Bhutan. At the last minute I was informed that I couldn't enter without flying on Druk Air. At this point I threw the international equivalent of a hissy fit and the tour guide agreed to drive to Bagdogra India to pick me up. Kinzang the guide and Nobbin the driver met my plane at the airport and they were, to use a technical term, real hotties. They were both dressed very preppy in golf shirts and kakhis.....Every country I visit seems to ratchet up the driving difficulty level and the ride from Bagdogra India to Phuntsholing Bhutan was no exception. Before reaching the border, we experienced all the fun of driving in India - streets filled with people, every kind of animal, Took Tooks (Indian Taxis), carts, motorcycles, bicycles, potholes, etc. Things got tougher, however when we crossed the border into Bhutan. Almost automatically, it became mountainous (VERY steep mountains), with roads cut out of rock on the sides of the mountains to create a 1 lane road. Driving rain started as soon as we crossed the border. Much of the road wasn't paved or it was filled with potholes. This meant driving through muddy lanes sometimes filled from the rock and mud slides. Everytime we had to drive around an oncoming truck I wondered if the muddy shoulders would hold. Like most of Bhutan, Kinzang and Nobbin are both Buddhists, which means no drinking, smoking, etc. In every country so farI've been good about honoring that countries beliefs, but not here! I was so stressed that I was smoking with one hand and drinking out of a bottle of Chardonnay with the other. Don't be surprised if Bhutan announces a ban on all American women. And yes Dennis, it would be all about me....... Happy Trails, Marion (hic !)
No agra in Agra
After my exciting trip from Delhi to Agra (see last blog), it was a relief to finally check into the Taj View Hotel. True to its' name, the hotel provided me a "room with a view." In the evening haze the Taj Mahal looked like part of a dream. To quote my guidebook, "Its' perfect proportions and exquisite craftmanship have been described as, 'a vision, a dream, a poem, a wonder.'"...A 6am pickup and Bishan the driver and I headed to the Taj Mahal to watch the sun rise on this beautiful white marble creation. It was one of those experiences where it is difficult to think about taking pictures: it seemed more important to just experience the white shimmering beauty of the place. Unintentionally, I arrived in Agra just in time to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the Taj Mahal. It was built by by the leader Shah Jahan as a memorial to his wife who died in childbirth. It is open at night during the full moon (a photographer's dream), but my timing was off on this one.....Agra is so well known for the Taj Mahal, that I was surprised by our trip to the Agra Fort - a massive red sandstone fortress, complete with high walls, turrets, and a moat. It was built (1565-1578) by Shah Akbar and, unfortunately, it served as his prison for the last 8 years of his life, following one of the many invasions of India. I was intrigued by the Shah's solution to where his daughters could store their jewelry. They each have a large room with indentations built solely as a "jewelry box." We should all have this problem!......From Agra, I flew to Bagdogra, India for the tour guide and driver from the Kingdom of Bhutan to "fetch" me. Bhutan is a country like no other.......Happy Trails, Marion
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
In India, it is definitely not the destination, it's the journey!!!
The road from Delhi to Agra (best known for the Taj Mahal), is the major highway connecting the two cities. Thousands of tourists travel this route all year long. That's why I was surprised at my experience on the drive between the 2 cities. It redefined chaos. In India cows are considered sacred and they are allowed to roam anywhere they wish, including the middle of a busy highway. Since no one is eating the cows and since there are no fences that keep them in or out, they are everywhere, and sometimes in great numbers. In addition the roads are filled with 1000s of tock tocks; the Indian taxi. It is a three wheeler, the size of a golf cart. It has a tin roof, but no sides. It's an easy target for cars and buses, but the drivers are fearless and oblivious to anything happening around them. In general, no one obeys any traffic rules. The one with the most bravado usually can get in front, but the concepts of traffic lights, signs, or lanes hasn't taken hold yet. Add to the mix 100s of hand pulled carts, camel pulled carts, scores of people aimlessly walking down the road or sitting on the curbs, pigs, sheep, chickens, goats, ducks, etc., walking in the road and you have the grand slam of obstacle courses. Also, everyone is driving at top speed and they are compelled to pass each other. Even though it's only a 4 hour drive, there are numerous toll roads as well as a stop where Bishan the driver had to get out of the car and walk to a government office to pay a road tax. As he left, he warned me to keep the windows rolled up and not to open the doors until he returned. I could not make up the following! A Man with a giant trained brown bear on a leash came up to the car and had the bear do his full range of tricks. Then a guy came over with 2 monkeys in dresses and they went through their repoirtoire. Also, the two acts combined for their encore, with the monkeys riding around on the bears back. They were joined by a snake charmer who played his flute for the cobra (in basket # 1) and the python (in basket # 2). This was followed by a guy who was selling jewelry and he started screeching his nails on the car windows saying over and over again, "Mam, jewelry Mam, please." The last was a guy with shriveled legs who came over to the car and began screeching on the windows on the other side of the car. At one point all of them were screeching on the windows and begging simultaneously. It was my worst nightmare! Bishon finally returned, got in the car, buckled up, and off we went. He turned to me and asked"Was everything OK?" "Just fine," I said......Next stop, the Taj Mahal and Agra (finally). Happy Trails, Marion
India Called
For as long as I can remember India has fascinated me. In college I thought seriously about transferring to the University of New Delhi and even took courses in Sanskrit, the ancient Indian language. However love struck and I married. India was put on hold, until now. It's amazing being here after all these years. India declared its' independence from the British on Aug 15, 1947, but touring Delhi shows that the British presence is still felt. All the roundabouts, driving on the other side of the road, and all of the major government buildings and monuments in Delhi were built by the British. My guide Johann and driver Bishan spent most of a day showing me the standard tour of British buildings, when I asked to see the real India, not the tourist India. Johann seemed pleased at this request and we were off to Jama Masdid/ Chandi Chowk, the huge wholesale market place in old Delhi. It was a ride! The only way that you can really see it is by bicycle driven rickshaw. As you ride along watching everything on earth being sold, the traffic continues to get increasingly conjested. This is because at every turn, the lanes get narrower until there is barely room for one rickshaw to pass. It was a blur of colors, smells of incense, crushing traffic, spider webs of old electrical lines overhead (which do fall at times). The poor rickshaw driver must have weighed 90 pounds and he was vigorously pulling me and the guide. Since I've been eating my way around the world we tipped him an outrageous amount. (I was trying to pay by the pound!) Before leaving Delhi, I was fortunate to see the tomb that was actually the model for the Taj Mahal; Humeyun's Tomb. Instead of white marble, it is made out of red sandstone, but the basic architecture is the same. The ruler of the time was married to a Persian woman, and when he died, she had the Tomb built to house his remains and pay tribute to him. The tomb was the first Persian architecture in India. From each side of the tomb everything is exactly the same; the formal gardens, the entryways, the building layout, as well as the towers. It was interesting to visit this temple first before seeing the beautiful Taj Mahal....
In signing off for Delhi, I say "Namaste" a greeting that my friend Pam taught me many years ago. It has remained my all time favorite greeting. You can use it to say hello, goodbye, or a variety of other things. Basically it means,"May the God that is within me, greet the God that is within you." Namaste, and on to Agra and the Taj Mahal. Marion
In signing off for Delhi, I say "Namaste" a greeting that my friend Pam taught me many years ago. It has remained my all time favorite greeting. You can use it to say hello, goodbye, or a variety of other things. Basically it means,"May the God that is within me, greet the God that is within you." Namaste, and on to Agra and the Taj Mahal. Marion
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