From slow and old to fast and fun

The greatest part of traveling for me was the incredible variety of wildlife I encountered. Animals that aren't a usual part of the ecosystem where one lives are truly fascinating. Birds, dolphins, tortoises, and monkeys. Does it get any better?

Sad, and it's all over the world

Alas, mistreatment or neglect of animals is a planet-wide phenomenon. In my lifetime, 7 of 12 of my rescue dogs were the result of either roaming the streets (most likely dumped) or because someone was neglecting them to the point of abuse. The following picture is heart wrenching. Mind you, this is India in the 1980s. But this is still real today, yes, even in the good old USA. 

Let's all agree to do better.

More Asian art that stuns

I still can't get over the absolute artistry and imagination that goes into temple art and architecture. Heavenly inspiration? Human genius? A bit of both? You decide.

Statues and buildings that stun

I've mentioned before that buildings and statuary in Asia are astounding for their beauty, design, and imagination. There will be multiple posts to prove just that. Be sure to click on the photos so they fill your screen.

There be dragons

Arts and crafts in Asia are flat out amazing. These serpents, or dragons, take your pick, are outstanding. Just don't ask me where they are from.

 

And we think WE have it hard...

While it is true I rarely take pictures of people, it does happen occasionally. These people were so remarkable in their work and craft, they had to be documented (with their permission). Spinning by hand was still a major craft in the 1980s, just as loom weaving was, and I hope it still is. I'm bragging a bit, but when I came upon the spinner, she was astounded that I knew how to do it and watched in amazement when she let me take a turn. She didn't let me disrupt the work she had started, but allowed me to use a drop spindle she was just finishing up. Here is the expert at work:

Note the dog supervising. This man is not actually spinning wool, but he is prepping already spun wool for use and was not part of the spinning group.

Another amazing craft is making umbrellas. They are so intricate and the art is sublime because of painstaking work and talent.

This is not a craft, but a life necessity, and the tiny woman who is carrying this bundle is one astounding human being. I won't say the obvious -- okay I will. Those who mock the strength of women need to take a hard look at this.

A bit of a turn from the normal

While exploring my neighborhood has been both eye opening and enjoyable, I discovered a treasure trove of adventures when I digitized the slides from my travels way back in the Pleistocene era (the 1980s). So, for those of you too young to know about that era, it was before Instagram and YouTube. The camera was a big bulky piece of equipment with film that didn't translate that well into slides, but was considered great stuff at the time. In the '80s I was fortunate enough to travel to several countries: Tahiti, Fiji, Cook Islands, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Nepal, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, and Malaysia. Then, as luck would have it, I was invited to sail among the Greek Islands shortly after. The wonderful thing about traveling then was the lack of over-tourism and influencers. Yes, there were the occasional unruly people who could make something unpleasant, but for the most part, crowds were not huge, people were respectful, and traveling was easy and pleasant. Pre-9/11 air travel was a breeze.

True to form, it was rare for me to take pictures of people though sometimes that was unavoidable. I tried to stick to natural landscapes, animals, and definitely architecture. Posts will be without too much in the way of explanation, mostly because I don't remember exactly where a lot of the shots were taken. Some like the Taj Mahal, or the Sydney Harbour Bridge will be instantly recognizable, but many of the nature shots could be from anywhere. If I know, you'll know.

So let's get started:

Those of you who are fans of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series will know what this is:

Well actually, this is in Nepal, discovered on a bus trip to view what we know as Mount Everest, and what the Nepalis call Sagarmatha. No, I had no interest in going to base camp or climbing the mountain. Viewing it from afar was good enough. But seeing The Restaurant at the End of the Universe was truly a find.

After river rafting down to an area in Nepal famous for its elephants and rhinos, this was the adventure of a lifetime. Yes, I'm ashamed I rode elephants, but made up for it by happily washing them down in the river. They appreciate a good rub down with a large stone and sand from the river bed. Then they happily spray you with their trunks. I wanted to stay with them all day, but their keepers suggested I go and get lunch. Reluctantly, I did. 

This is the river we rafted down.

Once we got to the hostel, we mounted elephants for a tour of the countryside.

At the end of each ride, the elephants were bathed to cool off and have fun splashing.

The rhinos have single horns, unlike those in Africa, and they are severely endangered. Seeing one was thrilling to say the least.

And thus begins the trips of a lifetime.