SHARING ALL: WEALTH OR POVERTY DOESN'T MEAN YOU CANNOT GET ALONG

AN UNBELIEVABLE DAY!!!!

RELIGIONS, ETHNIC GROUPS, REFUGEES & CASTES and more all share spaces in the temple, shops, transportation, taxis, water sources, schools, cafes, etc. There is a lesson to be learned here.

Nepal is considered the poorest country in the world per UN. Water available somewhat, 4-5 total traffic lights & no street lights in Katmandu valley of 4Million people. A big annual festival starts in a week or so: Festival of meat. Lots get misunderstood in translations, but this I did hear correctly & verified with my English speaking guide: This upcoming Festival will serve buffalo, goat, and dog meat as delicacies. Never cow or pork.

Lovely young guide, a gal in early 30s who speaks English and Japanese, met me here @ Hotel Shangri-La. We visited numerous temples: Buddha & Hindu share much of same space for 100s of years or more. I shared with her the Temple Mount in Israel & she asked: Do they get along there? She says Nepalese are proud of having others (Bhuddists) on the same grounds. The Golden Temple of Buddha has Hindu statues on outer pillars. Visited Hindu Cremation center along the river bank. Not even photos of a few pyres give the full impression.

Biggest Bhudda in Nepal

A typical bus transport. We took on from the airport with rack on top.

On Temple Grounds

Near entrance to Home for Elderly.

Hindu Crematorium - see pyres across the river.

Burning the dead, then ashes wrapped in lotus flower leaves to be set in the river.

Waiter at lunch. Many German tourists come to this area.

school girls

Adorable school girls who laughed heartily after I showed them this photo.

At Golden Temple near Tibetan Singing Bowl shop

Then off to Home for Elderly set up by govt for those who have no one. A special ward for the disabled and deformed. Meals, a cot, and TV on veranda showing Nepalese talk shows. I took a bad fall on wet cement but am OK. I watched 3 people plus my guide walk across wet cement in flip flops, I tried it in my boots and went right down. My “good” knee is banged up a bit yet I sit here with ice. I cannot come all this way and become a liability to Habitat. Gawd! I would hate to be assigned paperwork. Yuk! Nothing is broken I am sure. I am really lucky on this one.

We spent time in countryside in historic Bhatktapur hometown of my guide. I did have a small beer @ lunch & she offered---her family home to rest if I got too sleepy from the beer & could not continue sight-seeing.

My nails got all black on top. I looks terrible and thought it was just dirt; but it happened to be wax from touching batik fabric in the shops with wax not fully washed out. We found polish remover today to take it off.

At the Golden Temple in Patan, my guide took me to shop of a Tibetan Singing Bowl Healer. He treated my knee by hitting a 7 metal hand-shaped tonal bowl set on my knee to generate specific vibrations. Both he and my guide expected it would help; which it did somewhat. Actually I had more faith in taking 10 minutes to sit down in his shop to rest my knee from lots of walking. And the $50 US reduced price of the bowl diminished it's powers for me.

Visited lots of crafts production places such as pottery, stone masons, brass works, paper-making, wood carving. We skipped the Tibetan refugee camp that now houses rug-weaving. Apparently the Tibetans who fled to Nepal in the 60's (or was it the 70's? when the Dali Lama was tossed out) have shown to be most resourceful and successful in their new land

Sat morning I get up early for a 9 am flight on Buddha Airlines to Pokhara—I am so excited about beginning our project. Opening ceremonies are Sat afternoon.

Skies were beautiful, cloudy & fast 20 minute rains today, hope it will clear so I can view the mountains tomorrow. I have only seen the lower mountains thus far.

Bye for now. Write back.!!!

FRIENDS AND FAMILY, ARE YOU THERE?

Blogs are hard to write not knowing my audience. Just add yourself as a “follower”, so I know who is reading this. Look in upper right corner of my blog page to do so. I realize being a “follower” is a difficult role for some of you to play, but that's how it all works.

Spending and hour or 2 nearly every night writing is quite an effort. The alternative is visit with other Habitat volunteers, or watch the Bollywood Channel all night. HA!!! I did find Discovery on the TV which is a break from Indian, Chinese or Nepalese news. BBC would be nice too but not found.

5 year-old monks doing what 5 year-olds do---play

5 year-old monks posing

Sign at entry of our hotel parking area

Thanks to all who sent emails as well. I plan to post some photos tonight.

WHAT CAN YOU DO IN KATMANDU?

WHAT CAN YOU DO IN KATMANDU? 

Just about anything!!   Be Hindu, Buddist, Driver, Gambler, shopper or school child & more.

UNBELIEVABLE!!! INCREDIBLE!!! FASCINATING!!!

Arrival at the airport included confusion about which line was the correct one to obtain a Visa for Nepal; waiting for the Immigration folks write down the country, name and number of each passport, then copy the numbers onto a pad with carbon paper, passing to another clerk to hand write each visa. As it was 2 am, from HK time, we were really tired and exasperated. Local folks with Habitat for Humanity T-shirts on were a welcome sight. They helped us tremendously. My bag was not found; I feared it had been taken off the plane in Dhaka, but after 10 minutes or so, a fellow came back to the baggage pile (I mean a pile, no fancy equipment here) as he had left his & taken mine accidentally.

We walked outside where instantly there was a barrage of nearly 100 anxious men who wanted to help carry our luggage. Again, thanks to those with Habitat shirts on. Sharon had exchanged some money to Nepalese rupees so we could at least tip those who helped. Bags were piled on top of a very old beat up van, 9 of us climbed in to be shuttled to various hotels. One rather ugly American let it be known that his bags were too important to be touched by the locals or put on the van top but, as they were too large, he relented. Maximum speed of the van was really only about 25 mph so no chance of things strapped on falling off into the dark night.- streetlights not found. We finally got to our rooms, exhausted.

Wednesday morning after breakfast I met others from who have come to build houses for Habitat. One couple from Seattle offered to share a cab to city central; which we did for about 1 mile until the cabbie hit a guy on his motorcycle who flew into the air. My heart stopped! His helmet saved him. He stood up & the street fighting began. 3-4 policemen arrived shortly & the yelling subsided only slightly, shirts stopped being pulled off both the motorcyclist & cabbie who started up his car again, only to find he was in huge trouble. The young cyclist seemed OK. My friend paid the driver, we left the scene & we walked into town. After about 20 minutes the folks from Seattle had to leave Katmandu for a flight to Pokhara so left me to enjoy sights, sounds and smells of Katmandu alone. One problem------ a tall blonde woman is not alone in this place of lovely, friendly, many poor brown people for more than 5 seconds. Often I felt as if many of the 4 million people in the Katmandu Valley were staring at me. If I were they, I'd stare at me too.

The shopkeepers expect me to buy as “business is slow today”. They must be hoping I will make up for all their troubles, including poor sales, even if true. I soon met a young man named Bim, father of 2 girls, a certified Trek Guide who offered to take me on a city tour. We walked everywhere. He spoke very good English. We had a great day, visited many temples that hold shrines & hold statues for both Buddha & Hindu. Bim helped me shop, introduced me to a private house of special fabrics and I did get a 5 headed marionette puppet for my collection. We stopped on a rooftop restaurant for delicious Dal--- Nepal style lunch. As there was only one table, we were joined by more Habitat folks-this time from New Zealand.

In the afternoon, we walked a mile or two through local streets to the oldest Temple in Katmandu—the Monkey temple. It was hot, sunny, and yes, I did walk up the 365 steps, one for each day. I took lots of pictures today. You will seem them soon —camera download is next project. I love the people here. Kids, adults, little children seemed to enjoy the camera, as long as I show them what the photo looks like. This is when I wished I had a printer in hand to give them a photo. I am certain that would be a rare treat for many Nepalese—to have a nice photo of themselves.

After walking several miles today, I enjoyed a refreshing swim in a pool designed in traditional Nepalese architecture at the hotel, had dinner with more Habitat volunteers from Boston & Washington state, & started up this computer.

Tom, thanks so much for suggesting I bring all the adapters---the one for Nepal is different from HK. Who knows which one will work in Vietnam.

I am very tired tonight. Oh! Why? A group of Indian men were gambling in adjacent rooms, shouting, banging on doors all night, I hardly slept. The desk clerk (who told me he never gambles) says that it is “a cultural thing” that Indians like to come to Katmandu to gamble in the casinos then also set up for a few days of gambling in their hotel rooms. They sure made enough noise & apparently continued it all day as well. Several guests, including me, complained. I was among a few who moved to another room on the “quiet floor”.

Hopefully tonight I won't be affected by a noisy “cultural thing”.

WHERE IS CHINA?

IS HONG KONG REALLY CHINA?

Of course, it is, you would guess by the name, the people and the smells. But so much about the city is English: the names, many of the people and the well, I can't really say if the people smells are different. (Not going to investigate either). I love the smell of the city from the bay water to the cooking oils germinating from homes and restaurants. While riding a tram from one end of the city to the other, sights and smells did change dramatically. Although HK became “China” in 1998, the money, some customs & way of doing business in HK are certainly different from mainland China from what I am told. Lots to chat about on this topic when I am not so tired.

My cousin Kim is quite a fabulous tour guide. She strolled with us through the Stanley Market (named after one of the British governors), where we just had to buy a few things. Then we've gone to Happy Valley for foot massages at a spot called Happy Feet, why not? 

Kim shared surprisingly complicated Fen Shui (spell?) she has studied. And, the importance of it in the construction of many of the buildings in Hong Kong, and how a couple buildings are yet to be occupied by any Chinese as the Fen Shui Master had not approved of certain aspects of the design or construction. You have got to let the dragon get to his water source, and directly so! It just highlights the importance of paying very close attention to traditional,sometimes silly yet still believed and even ancient customs.

This reminds me of the time Tom and I visited Jamaica several years ago for a much-needed rest from our busy lives. Upon arrival, our room was not ready so we were given an often available room in the hotel: # 666. The USA educated Hotel Manager was surprised when we told him that maids did not want to venture in to clean the room, bring extra towels or take our bar bill off the table when they saw #666 written on it. That's just superstition, he said, but for the locals a reality. Going with the flow, as they say, about another's belief or reality is one we foreigners need to heed.

My Cousins are clearly the best folks------Kim & Don took my two friends and moi to HK airport with all our bags of stuff- some for the Everest Build. We're off to Nepal tonight so will heed the airport maze. Time zones change again! Fly over Vietnam, Burma (Myramar), northern India & points west. We stop in Dhaka, Bangladesh for an hour or so but will not get off the plane as I don't have a visa for that country; just sit while the plane is cleaned up a bit then wait to take off & land in Katmandu 2 hours later.

And, another time zone change of 15 minutes from Dhaka to Katmandu. Rather silly, it seems, but you see daylight when you want it, I guess. So, I think we will be 17 hours & 15 minutes ahead of CA. Plus a day?? My red $3 watch from Hong Kong enjoys the changes. Goodnight.

A DAY IN HONG KONG

Sharon & Adele arrived today from CA. We took a local Tram tour of the city, visiting shops with a lunch stop at The Tee Club as Kim's guests. All was wonderful.

SHOPPING GOES TO ITS ULTIMATE DIMENSION

HONG KONG – A BLEND OF THE WORLD

This day started as a great cloudy (polluted) day in Asia. Sunday means that all helpers (maids) mostly Philippians, have the day off so they picnic all over the city. Although they are far from home and family, it is a delightful sight watching hundreds of women enjoying their day.

Finding bargains while watching beautiful faces, Kim and I shopped in the Kowloon pennisula called Monkok & Fa Yuen Markets. After a while the mammoth volume of consumer goods begin to blur into one gigantic pile of bright colors & textures—silks, cottons, pashimas, plastics, & shiny attachments everywhere. You can find anything you want from anywhere in the world in the shops in Hong Kong. Yes, we did buy a few small things but mostly walked and looked. Tomorrow we go to City Central for more sights & smells of the city.

View from Kim & Don's home

My niece, Kristen, who also lives here in Hong Kong, just returned from a Service trip to Vietnam with the Christina Noble Childrens' Foundation. She assisted children in an orphanage and those with Cerebral Palsey. Kristin also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in Mongolia this summer installing insulation. She had great things to say about the Habitat experience.

Tomorrow more sights in Hong Kong then off to Katmandu.

Jet-lag has abandoned. More later.....................

GETTING OVER THE PACIFIC

Tom fixed me a delightful dinner then dropped me off @ LAX, I wandered into the International section to be greeted immediately by two smiling Asian hosts. “What airline?” they asked, skirted me in the right direction, showed me where to stand. When I got to the front of the Cathay Pacific line, the check-in clerk came from around his spot at the counter, introduced himself picked up my bags then ushered me to his spot at the counter. “You only have 18 kilos,” he said, “going all the way to Nepal. I will confirm all your flights right now.” What a pleasure to experience a little politeness in a busy, crowded place. I remember that traveling in Asia was special.

[However, if you come to LAX for an international flight, don't arrive hungry---only small kiosks & one closet style bar/restaurant with the usual prepackaged foods.] I am excited, sleepy, curious about everything to see and do.

Just before I left home, I received a booklet from Habitat for Humanity entitled: Building Bamboo Prefabricated Houses. Days 1 & 2- Roofing & Weaving. Day 3 -more weaving & plastering. Day 4 – Plastering. Day 5 – Coloring & Painting. Day 6 – Final Completion. Day 7 – Finishing touches & move in. AMAZING!! I cannot wait to start the work.

I've seen bamboo scaffolds & frames on large highrise buildings in Hong Kong, so why not a small home in Nepal?

Flying over the Pacific was direct, a bit turbulent the last bit, yet I slept most of the 14 hours. My cousins Kim & Don got up early to meet me & welcome me to Hong Kong. Wonderful. They are fabulous hosts. Monday two friends arrive from the USA and will stay with my cousins as well until we depart for Nepal Tuesday night.

Until later...... Catching up on jet lag.

BAMBOO IS NOT JUST FOR PANDAS!



We will plaster over bamboo lathe. 

I am not sure which job will be assigned to me.  I will know when I get there.

More Later!

TRIVIA QUESTION:   What country(ies) boarder Nepal?



WANT TO HELP OUT?

In addition to paying our own travel expenses, our team was asked to bring  our own tools---apparently battery-operated tools among other things are hard to find in Nepal.  The Habitat team leaders have converters to 220 volts but need tools and batteries.  We're told that bamboo is tough to cut & assemble.  A big Thanks goes to Tom who has underwritten a large bag of tools on the list. (Now, just imagine me going through TSA with a sawzall or large hand drill and  chisels in my bag). I'll let you know how that goes. I  am not really worried though as Habitat for Humanity has done this many times before in other parts of the world, so I'll do whatever they suggest. 

If you want to help out, a tax-deductible contribution of any size to offset expenses will be appreciated by the team.   Send to: 

Habitat for Humanity OC,
2200 So. Ritchey Street
Santa Ana, CA 92705-5308

 

Please reference my name or write “Nepal” in the memo.

Thanks to all who help us out!

WHY GO TO NEPAL?

Not long after I moved to California 4 years ago, I met a gal who represented Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, CA. She asked me if I could help with their employee’s Retirement Plan. Of course, I could and did. Habitat for Humanity OC has been my client ever since.

While nurturing that business relationship I began to enjoy being with the employees & volunteers at Habitat OC more and more. A few months ago the Executive Director asked me if I would like to participate in an International Build for Habitat. Of course, I said “yes”.

During the first 10 days of October, I will participate on the Everest Build with Habitat for Humanity.  I will be traveling with 4 others from the local Orange County CA Habitat for Humanity Affiliate to Nepal.  I am blessed to have this chance to be involved with such a purposeful organization.  See more details @ www.habitatnepal.org. 

Volunteers from all over the world will bring their own tools, old clothes, open hearts and strong arms to hopefully change the lives of families in a small village near Pokhara, Nepal (elevation about 3,000).  It will be quite a change but fun and tiring to do physical work for 8-10 hours a day.I travel from LA to Hong Kong  to Katmandu to Pokhara.  No, I am not hiking Mount Everest; but hope to get a good photo or two.  

Tom will join me at our cousin’s home in Hong Kong for a few days after my Habitat project ends.  Then we both adventure off to visit Vietnam.  The Vietnam war era significantly shaped our thinking as young adults, so we are especially curious about this country.  Plus, we love the food.

More later   .......................................