Tag: culture

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Devotion Tibet

“Culture doesn’t live in our monuments or artworks, it breathes in our practices and rites from generations past.

With the rapid ascent towards globalization, among these, how many traditions can we expect to last?”

Where once roamed over 5,000 monks in the early half of the 20th century, this square is now spare with only around 300 monks currently residing at the Sera Monastery. The 1959 Tibetan uprising against the Communist government left hundreds dead and the monastery almost beyond repair.

Yet, traditions must continue. The Sera Monastery is notable because the monks here participate in lively debate in the courtyard, as they slap their hands together and stomp their feet to make their point. They pose questions to each other and defend their arguments, each physical gesture signifying a specific point according to their rules of engagement. It was fascinating to observe, with the sheer ferocity in which they debated giving you pause.

In terms of the above figures I just cited, they are debatable, as I’ve looked online and read different numbers (I’m providing the figures my tour guide gave me). Regardless, it’s obvious that the adherents to the traditions here in Tibet are dwindling.

To provide context in terms of how I journeyed here, Tibet is one of the few destinations in which I had to plan for in advance, simply because one cannot travel here otherwise. I had to book a trip through a Chinese-approved travel agency to get a visa.

Hearing this, you might get the impression that your journey will be tightly regulated by the Chinese government. While that is true in some regards (as you can feel the ever-pervading presence of Chinese military and police), overall, I’d say it was less restrictive than I expected. Though your itinerary is regulated, daily life goes on and you are free to interact with whom you choose.

My guide, Dharma, was a Tibetan native in his early 30s and I wouldn’t say he was brainwashed by Chinese authorities to give us a sterilized view of Tibet. He had been jailed for a year as a result of his activism (for wearing a ‘Free Tibet’ shirt) and I enjoyed spending my nights chatting with him, while the rest of our tour group would go to bed.

When you picture a Tibetan, you have a certain image in your mind, right? Stereotypical in nature, wearing those red robes and living in solemn silence? That’s one thing traveling teaches me. Those stereotypes don’t hold true once you visit a country. People are much more similar across cultures than you ever expect. At night, Dharma would share his stories of dalliances with European tourists and about funny incidents such as when an Italian tourist invited him back to his hotel room and the man was naked.

We all have our way of earning a living, and it just happens that being a Tibetan tour guide is his.  

In the daytime, Dharma kept it professional. Traveling with me for my nine-day stay were three European tourists and a Colombian. Small in number, we got to know each other well as the days passed.  

One thing that struck me about being in Tibet is how advanced the infrastructure is. China is pumping billions of dollars into its development. So it’s a unique mixture of ancient temples and customs awash in new roads and buildings.

On my first day walking alone in the city, I came across Potala Palace. I had no idea it was so close to my hotel, being only a 15-minute walk away.

While strolling around its parameter for a couple hours, I saw Tibetans who would kneel in prayer as they made their way around it. This struck me as the most devoted action I have ever witnessed in my life — and what made it noteworthy was that they were dressed in everyday street clothes, not as monks. I spent about 10 minutes keeping my eye on two individuals in particular as they kneeled around the entire palace:

I couldn’t help but imagine, “What is going through their minds? And what was their childhood like? What beliefs and values do they hold that a foreigner like me will never be privy to?” I had just flown in from Nepal so it reminded me of the shamans at the funeral pyres of Pashputinath temple, some of whom make up to a 12-year vow of silence (https://nobleventures.net/nepali-shaman-a-vow-of-silence/)

Human culture is absolutely fascinating.

So what does it look like inside these monasteries?

Drepung Monastery

Here’s where the stereotypes somewhat ring true and you can kind of expect what you see, probably because these are the images of Tibet we’ve seen from travel channels or publications like National Geographic.

To ward off evil spirits

I preferred the pictures I took outside the monasteries because they provide a more human element to how life is here, whereas inside I felt the monks were more conscious of tourists taking pictures of them. Outside, you can see them on their breaks and more casual.

Fellow tourists

After a few days touring the monasteries in Lhasa, off we went on a road trip to see the more fun stuff, like Mount Everest and Karola Glacier. I feel Mt. Everest deserves its own entry so I’ll leave that for another time.

Karola Glacier

What left me fascinated about the interior of China is how vacant and raw its landscapes are.

Yamdrok Lake
Yellow River

In terms of size, China’s landmass is slightly larger than the United States so you can imagine what geographical wonders exist within its borders.

And with such an array of ethnicities and cultures, one can only hope their traditions will last for several more generations to come.

In the meantime, you can buy trinkets from the vendors along the highways you come across. I picked up quite a few to give to my coworkers.

When I look back upon my stay in Tibet, it was more of an educational experience than that of entertainment. I can see why there is so much historical lore from past visitors to the region — and it is somewhat sad that I heard more about Tibet in the news as a child growing up in the 90’s than I do today.

Back then, there was a kernel of hope in a Free Tibet whereas today that dream is quashed. Regardless, cultural rites endure. That’s one thing I learned about humanity. We endure.

And it is in our traditions that keep our culture breathing, living, and as the most enduring element to who we once were — and who we still are.

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Travel

Backpacker Beginnings in Paris

“Home may be where the heart is, but the voyage of self-discovery lies outdoors.”

The best decision I made in college was non-academic. It was choosing to study abroad at the American University of Paris (AUP). Regarding its campus, it was unique in that there wasn’t one. With a little less than 1000 students, there was no need for a centralized ‘campus’ in the American sense. The university rented buildings dotting around the center of Paris, the most unique one being a former church of which they made little renovations.

It felt out-of-place having class in a church; it reminded me of my Sunday sermons in childhood where you sometimes daydream and forget where you are for a moment, only now I awake to find myself in Paris.

My Parisian residence

Founded in 1962, AUP is one of the oldest American institutions of higher education in Europe. Regarding the curriculum, I don’t remember much from attending my classes. What has left an indelible imprint are my nights out roaming the streets of Paris and my backpacking trips to countries like Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, and Switzerland.

Venice’s Canals

Looking back upon my years in college, if I could re-do it — or give advice to teenagers — I would strongly recommend two things: One, go far. College is about adventure and new experiences so don’t choose a university that is nearby. Go far. Two, study abroad. And do it more than once.

Amsterdam’s Downtown

In your early 20s, you’re at the pinnacle of youth — at that age where you’re now old enough to make your own decisions, yet still young enough where you’re free to make mistakes without much derision. There’s a statement that resonates with me, something along the lines of failing yourself forward. But you can only fail if you avail yourself to new experiences. So go far.

Munich’s Oktoberfest

In many ways, though the periods were brief, my summer spent at UC Berkeley when I was 16 and my fall spent in Paris when I was 20 were much more of a collegiate experience than my four years spent at UC Irvine. Since I only lived a 20-minute drive away from Irvine, I was, in essence, exposed to very little new in my undergraduate education, to which I think ultimately stunted my development compared to how much I’ve grown in my travels.

Barcelona’s Gaudi Architecture

As someone who has been an international nomad for six years now, I can confidently say that the person I am today is far different in his perspective and understanding of the world than the teenage version of me born and raised in Orange County.

It’s one thing to know the world is big from glancing at a map or perusing a globe, it’s an entirely different thing to go out and actually experience that vastness yourself. While some are in dismay that there are no ‘new worlds’ to explore, my response is what difference does it make to you if you’ve never been there? To you, it will feel new because it is new.

Snowboarding Swiss Alps

“Home may be where the heart is, but the voyage of self-discovery lies outdoors.”

So go far and stay long. You will never return home the same person. You’ll gain a much more fundamental education, far more important than that of history or culture, you’ll discover who you are.

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Ethiopian Wedding Crasher

“Across the continents we explore, all’s fair in this game of love and war.”

Probably the most memorable entry I’ve had into a nation is Ethiopia. I had just flown in from Tanzania, was tired from a hangover to celebrate my last night out, and I had arrived to Addis Ababa (the capital of Ethiopia) expecting a calm night of rest.

Greeting me upon my arrival was a man by the nickname King Rasta who had other intentions. I was introduced to him by someone I knew from Tanzania. He told me we’re heading to a wedding. So I replied, “Why not.”

But to wake me I told him I would first need a drink, to which his friends happily obliged.

It is instances like these I love about traveling. Just the sheer spectacle of it all and how you can never predict how your trip is going to unfold because you’re open to anything, stuff like heading straight from the airport to a wedding without even having dropped off your backpack.

In terms of location, Ethiopia is north of Kenya and Tanzania and south of the Middle East, of countries like Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

Because of its relative centrality between the Middle East and the interior of Africa, the locals here looked very different from the Africans I saw in Tanzania. There was a much greater Arabic influence in its people, both in appearance and customs.

Ethiopia also felt much more developed than Tanzania, as it was unlikely most Tanzanians could afford such lavish affairs for weddings. I heard from Rasta that a family may celebrate their wedding for a month-straight if they could afford it, with each day another festival.

Sounds like my kind of people.

After the wedding party, a group of 20 of us headed to a lounge. It was here my first time drinking Johnnie Walker with carbonated water like Perrier. The Ethiopians I was with all drank whiskey this way. I didn’t like it at first but I find it ironic that right now I’m drinking the same mix. I usually drink my whiskey straight but I end up drinking too fast, so I grabbed sparkling water a few nights ago to slow my pace.

When we finally got to Rasta’s house that night, he had prepared for me to sleep in his room. I was shocked by the gesture and initially refused, but he persuaded me that it is Ethiopian custom that a guest take the best room available in the house. He slept in his sister’s old room. The next day I got to interact with his parents, who were just as gracious.

The above gesture was one of the kindest that a stranger has ever offered me, and provided me a greater awareness of what hospitality means. I was only 25 at the time, and this was my first go-through Africa. The experience was so different from what I had conceived prior to my arrival — it was good in the sense that it educated me.

I feel too much of our knowledge these days derives from the Internet and clickbait. So we grow up with a distorted mind-frame in which we know a lot about the world but experience very little of it. My hope in writing these entries is that it compels in audiences to devote more time to actually going out into the world and exploring it for yourself.

Instead of passively viewing content, become an active participant in events. Read less, Do more. As you age, the memories and recollections you have become much more vivid that way, with your growth immeasurable.

Of Sub-Saharan African countries, outside of South Africa, Ethiopia is probably the most known for its cuisine internationally. If you’ve ever eaten at an Ethiopian restaurant, you’re likely to remember the experience because of how unique it is. The staple dish that goes with most any meal is injera, a type of sourdough bread that is spongy in texture. Laying over it are various dishes, which you eat with the bread. Ethiopians will use their right hand to grab a piece of injera as they then mix it up with the dishes. It’s unique in that you’re eating your ‘plate’ with the meal. I couldn’t locate my old photos but found this one online as an example:

Courtesy of Mail & Guardian

I also ate raw meat straight from the butcher. Rasta took me here to try authentic Ethiopian cuisine. This dish, tere siga, requires no preparation and you literally eat it raw, as you cut up and dab slices of beef into mitmata and awaze, which consist of a peppers, cardamom, cloves and salt powder mix and chili pepper sauce, respectively.

Pretty gnarly, right? They’ve eaten this way for centuries. As a polite guest, I dug in.

I honestly can’t say it was tasty. It tastes like how it looks, an acquired taste I’m guessing. Tere siga is a dish in which the meat is firm and dry. Ethiopians assert it tastes different from American cuts because American cattle is grain fed, which makes it more watery and soft as a result.

The above information will likely in no way, shape or form impact my future, but it’s little takeaways like this that make a trip memorable.

Aside from these events, I visited a few museums, cathedrals, and mosques. Ethiopia has some of the oldest human skeletal remains in existence, dating back several millions of years. But other than that, I don’t remember much from these excursions.

It is my memories of Rasta I remember most, and I appreciate his graciousness and the hospitality of all the wedding guests I had met on my arrival in Ethiopia. My stay was brief yet succinct, and then I had to catch a plane to Egypt to see who would greet me next.

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Travel

Czech It Out

““Each skull has a story, of which we will never know; of life and death, of pains and dreams forever untold.”

While browsing the web have you ever stumbled on something weird and wanted to check it out? That’s how I winded up here, at the Sedlec Ossaury.

I came here for the skulls and the Czech beer.

When it comes to the Czech Republic, there wasn’t much I knew beforehand about the country. The first three things that came to mind are its beer, soccer team, and porn stars.

Regarding the latter, the Czech Republic produces a remarkable 70 porn stars per million people. Only Hungary tops it in Europe, at 75/million.

If porn was an Olympic sport, they’d be outpacing American basketball in terms of talent produced.

Regarding its beer, the Czech Republic has the highest beer consumption per capita in the world, at over 190 liters per adult.

Here, they have no peer and are straight out-chugging the competition, almost doubling the next country on the list. Remarkable. The Michael Phelps of beer swishing.

Though these types of statistics aren’t the type to be healthy, they would make for an interesting country to visit, right?

That’s how I viewed my entry into the country, as I wanted to learn more about its culture and history.

I flew into Prague from the Sahara so it made for a jarring contrast. Some of its most famous landmarks are Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, and Old Town Square, which houses the famous Prague astronomical clock.

Installed in 1410, today it remains the oldest astronomical clock still operating in the world. The Old Town features a multitude of bars where you can grab a drink as you take in its baroque architecture. The castle’s towers are viewable from near anywhere if you’re eye level to the city.

And you’re likely to cross Charles Bridge to check it out.

With beer galore, you’d figure Czechs must eat hearty meals, right? I sometimes wonder: Does the alcohol of a nation influence the cuisine of its people, or is it the other way around? With French fine dining, for example, wine makes for an exquisite pairing, while Korean soju is inextricably tied to its BBQ dishes.

With beer, you’d expect a country to eat lots of meaty dishes like bratwurst — and you’d be correct. Popular Czech dishes are schnitzels, beef steak tartare, fried cheese, goulash, ham, and roasted duck (pictured below).

A nation that enjoys its beer won’t take itself too seriously, I reckon. The belly has no room for that.

In Prague, I stayed at a hostel for my first few days before I moved into a rustic Airbnb. It was my first time staying at a hostel in over 15 years and I was surprised by how clean and well-kept the place was. Backpackers today have a much more pleasant experience than did those of my era back in the early 2000s. I particularly liked the design of the hostel and its outdoor scenery.

I realized hostels today do a much better job of coordinating activities for guests. It felt like a summer camp orientation of sorts for young adults. The whole backpacker scene has changed so much in twenty years, with many more East Asian and South American tourists in Europe. Wifi and smartphones have been a gamechanger, making it much easier to stay in touch with others and figure out what to do for the night. This underscores how astronomically fast times are changing, and made me ponder what will the backpacking experience be like in 2040? Augmented reality tours and real-time videos of the going-on’s in a city?

Alas, after befriending a Costa Rican tourist, she expressed her interest in checking out Sedlec Ossuary with me so off we went. It makes for a good day trip, about an hour train ride away from Prague.  

The Sedlec Ossuary is a Roman Catholic Church and houses the skeletal remains of some 40-70,000 people. With so many bones, they were artistically arranged to serve as decorations. Gnarly..

Nowhere is this more evident than in its chandelier, which consists of every single bone in the human body, at least once. It’s probably the only chandelier in existence comprised of all bones.

So how did this come about?

In the 1200s, the abbot of the chapel brought back holy soil from a Jerusalem pilgrimage, of which he spread across Sedlec’s cemetery. As a result, Sedlec became the new it spot for bodies to be buried. By the 1400s, over 30,000 remains were housed here. They became so numerous that they were dug up and made into pyramids. Then, in 1870, an artisan hired by a noble family turned them into the ornate decorations we see today.

Pretty interesting, right? A story that took hundreds of years in the making and derived from such randomness: from a patch of Jerusalem dirt into a human chandelier 600 years later.

What a fascinating tale. The Butterfly Effect.    

So what did I take away from the experience? I can’t really say. The backstory is far more enticing than seeing the bones up-close to be honest. The church is small and we spent less than a half-hour wandering its walls. Hanging out in the local taverns and strolling around the town made for a bigger impression, as you can feel the history in its residents.

As I took a sip of my beer, I wondered how many of their ancestors were buried within these walls?

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Dubai: A Modern Dichotomy

“The testament to humanity’s ingenuity is not found in our shores or forests but along our deserts, where we’ve turned what’s ornery into an oasis.”

When it comes to Dubai, I’m not sure how to describe it as it encompasses both of what I so much like and dislike about a contemporary city. On the one hand, it’s a convenient gateway between Europe, Asia, and Africa, with layover flights abounding as you enter to and fro for a few nights before moving on. But would I want to stay here a month?

It’s also very multicultural yet the races are distinctly divided, with the European expats (primarily Brits) working in finance and out at the clubs at night while the South and Southeast Asian migrants who built this city are generally hidden from view and only seen in the day working construction or at various fast-food and retail shops.

To see a city built in just fifteen years from a desert reveals the astonishing speed of human ingenuity, yet when cities emerge so hastily this gives little time for an authentic cultural history to develop.

Regarding its people, the citizens of Dubai are generally warm yet extravagant, revealing a vibe that both embraces western materialism yet shuns it due to their religious tenets, which serves as a dichotomy within itself.

I first traveled here in my twenties to see what all the fuss was about, as back in the 2000s Dubai was accomplishing extraordinary architectural strides. Since then, I have returned every now and then due to its convenient geographic location between continents.

Inside Ski Dubai. A modern wonder of ingenuity and excess.

Regarding rates, a stay at one of the many hotels here isn’t outlandish as you can find five-star locations for just under $200 a night. But the price of alcohol is, since the Emirates as a nation bans the sale of alcohol outside of hotels, lounges, and clubs. Because of this, make sure to pack a few bottles at duty-free before you enter, otherwise it’s $20 a drink wherever you go.

Would I still recommend checking out this city? Yes… If for nothing else, the architecture here is astounding and the Arabic culture is very different from what you experience in other Middle Eastern nations. I also recommend checking out Abu Dhabi, which has opened its own Louvre museum in 2017.

Burj Khalifa, tallest building in the world (828 meters)

Overall, the locals here are very hospitable, well traveled, and the country itself gives you an idea of how capitalism would look like under an Arabic model, with the Emirates being the highest and only Middle Eastern country ranked in the top-20 under the 2020 Index of Economic Freedom.

With all that money in the desert, they have the luxury to turn sand castles into concrete playgrounds.

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Travel

Mahaba Beach: A Tale of Beachboys, Fishermen, and Tribal Elements

“From beachboys to skaters, nomads to surfers, we follow the sentiments of the seasons as our freedoms guide us; our expressions define us.

It’s not that we don’t care, it’s we realize these times are rare. So let’s grab a drink, not think, and do as we dare.”

In Tanzania, a beachboy is the derogatory term for a young man who has no plans for his future and spends his nights drinking away. Due to their nature, they’re often found at the beach. Due to my nature, I often encounter them. Very few are nefarious in nature, they’re akin to the skating culture of the west coast — those individuals who aren’t living life in a hurry, wake up with eyes blurry, and their last thought is no worry. Nomads in their own right, they live how it is and live for the night.

In My 20s
From Left: Benja and Dudubuya, two popular rappers in the Tanzanian circuit. RIP to the Man on the Right

Encapsulating these elements off of eastern Tanzania, you’ll also encounter Maasai tribesman, often hired as security guards for bars, restaurants, and private homes. You can immediately tell they are Maasai by the way they’re dressed. As the only ethnic tribe in Tanzania who still dress in traditional garb, they are easy to spot and a fascination for western tourists.

Unlike the extroverted and rap-lauding beachboys, the Maasai are more placid in nature and stick to their roots. Many cannot speak English as fluently as the beachboys, who frequent Zanzibar Island and the shores off the eastcoast of Tanzania.

I first traveled to Mahaba Beach in my mid-2os, as we’d frequently throw parties here. The owner is a local Tanzanian and his wife is from Europe. In terms of hospitality, I am very partial to the owners here because they understand intuitively why nomads travel to Africa, many of whom embrace the local rasta culture.

Owner on the Left

I am very appreciative to Mama Bea, as we call her, because she radiates warmth and offers my students free rein to chill at her beach on field trips.

I co-founded a nonprofit preschool in Tanzania a few years ago and now we have over forty students. And, as any kid, who wants to stay indoors all day?

In terms of location, Mahaba beach is directly across from Zanzibar Island, and you can hire a private boat to take you to and fro Zanzibar if you’re up for it.

When I traveled back to this area in my 30’s, I came with a different mindset, as I was more interested in learning about the local culture here since there are several villages that dot around the region. They make their money from weaving fish baskets (as pictured below) and from fishing.

Seeing as how so few foreigners traverse these village areas, I set out to make a short documentary about the lives of these fishermen. We awoke at 4AM to head out for shooting, catching the sunrise as we overcame our hangovers.

In terms of the fishermen here, they set out their traps overnight and see what they find in the morning. They have to arrive early since sometimes robbers will steal their traps.

The biggest catches here are Yellowfin Tuna and Kingfish for those using nets, while these teenagers capture smaller game from their traps.

After collecting a day’s catch, they head to the local auction to sell it, but they usually only make about $10-15 a day. Having spent several months living here, I’d frequent the auctions to buy fish. Usually a week’s supply of food would only cost me $15-20, and I was the only foreigner out here at these auctions.

They first viewed me suspiciously when my local cameraman and I were shooting videos, and some of the village elders even told the teenage fishermen I filmed that I was scamming them to make thousands of dollars off their content. They thought I came from a big foreign production company when, in reality, I was just a nomad curious about their lives.

But this is life. In my travels, people are often circumspect of my intentions and I’ve ended up in some heated situations when, at the end of the day, my curiosity is what led me to journey.

So I buy them a beer and give them a salute for, at the end of the day, life is short so let’s enjoy it.

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Travel

Horse Backing Mongolia

“To understand the life of a nomad, you must see it through their eyes, feel it through their movements, and live it through their experiences.”

I first traveled to Mongolia almost a decade ago and it has forever left a lasting imprint, serving as an impetus which gave me reassurance to pursue my nomadic lifestyle today.

In our modern paradigm of planning every step of our future, there’s something to be said for those who arrange their lives according to the capricious sentiments of the winds and the weather. They accept what the present holds, and move accordingly. One morning may bring you sun, while the next brings you snow.

Regardless, you keep moving…

The Mongolians on the steppes are rough, rugged, and raw. And what makes them so hardy is they have no idea they are.

Waking up as the sun rises, you snap out of your hangover to gear yourself up for the day that lies ahead. We got another eight hours to ride so let’s get moving.

What’s interesting as a tourist is that I have no idea where I’m going to sleep that night.

“Who will we meet?” I ask my guide. He says he’s not sure but has a rough idea of where we can go and who we can visit.

So this is how you spend your days: horse backing for several hours as you come across a ger, open its door, drink their tea, catch up on local news, and carry on.

The next day you may find yourself helping a local setup his ger or pack it up, as they get ready to head to their next destination, going where there are fresh pastures for their goats.

Though you don’t ever sleep at the same place, there’s a routine that sets in after the third day or so. You adjust to the free-flowing nature of these nomads and the unplanned nature of the day ahead becomes refreshing, as you meet family after family, get a glimpse into their lives, sleep, wake up, say your goodbyes, and carry on.

On some days you may find yourself goat herding…

On other days, you may find yourself sleeping alone in a cabin. The cabins are much colder inside than the gers because of the gaping holes between some panels. So what do you do? Go outside, collect wood, and build a fire to last the night…

Then there are those random moments where you may meet a local, chat it up, and he offers you to go off-roading for a few nights. So what do you do? Ask him if you can drive in exchange for providing the liquor…

Speaking of liquor, the beverage of choice in Mongolia is Chinggis Vodka (named after Genghis Khan). I had never heard of the brand before but I got to know it well by the end of my stay. It’s surprisingly pleasant and goes down smooth, akin to a decent vodka.

When you’re not drinking alcohol, you’re brewing tea by the river.

Or interacting with students at a local school.

While at night testing your strength:

In our ever more conscientious consuming culture, what I noticed after spending a few weeks with Mongolians is that they waste nothing. You eat everything that’s given to you, and at times prepare meals yourself as you strike a goat’s head with a metal rod to ensure it a quick death. Then you skin and knead its organs for consumption. Even the hooves and head are consumed, to be boiled in a stew.

All of this makes for quite the experience and I highly recommend others to go check out Lake Khovsgol for an authentic Mongolian excursion.

This is one of those places that has yet to be populated by tourism so the local culture is intact and truly feels like you’re getting a genuine experience.

“A true nomad won’t be found in the city, for the presence of too many will perturb his instincts. No, he is found in nature, the only refuge which beckons him to go his own way.”

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Travel

Nepali Shaman: A Vow of Silence

“In silence lies maturity; a sense of the timeless where wisdom meets reverence.”

To the left, is a Nepali shaman. As a man of spirituality, he has left our realm, making a vow of silence as he focuses on his meditations and guides the dead into the afterlife. For some holy men, these vows can last as long as a dozen years.

Located along the Bagmati River of Kathmandu, lies the funeral pyres of Pashputinath temple, where the dead are cremated.

Context of Kathmandu in relation to other historic sites.

The Bagmati river eventually joins the Ganges, which is considered one of the holiest bodies of water on this planet. Like its currents, the pyres here are constantly alit, symbolizing the ebb and flow of human life, as we realize how transient our existence is.

But, for Hindus, death is a process of life, one serving to balance the other.

The temple here honors Shiva, the Hindu Lord, god of destruction and transformation; underlying Hindu beliefs in reincarnation and karma.

Marigold flowers surround the body, which are commonly displayed for all ceremonial occasions in this region and India. To Hindus, marigolds are considered the “flower of the soul,” and are a sign of auspiciousness and trust in the divine.

The crowds here are quiet and respectful, a mixture of the bereaved, locals, and tourists.

The oldest son, if there is one, will walk around the pyre then light the kindling near the deceased’s forehead, which is symbolically important since Hindus believe from the mouth is where our spirit is released.

Once the body is lit, it will be covered with wet straw, which creates smoke and conceals the body from view during the cremation process. When this process is done, the family will collect the remaining ashes and scatter them into the river below, thereby finalizing the purification process for the deceased’s soul.   

Having traveled here years ago, I do not remember how I got here or what I did afterwards. Nor do I remember what I did the day before or after. I do remember witnessing this process however. Even if one is not religious or a Hindu, there is a certain beauty and reverence that underlies the process of death in ancient cultures, as you realize these sacred rites have existed for thousands of years.

These types of moments are unique in the sense that you get a chance to glimpse into the lives of those so different from your contemporary western upbringing. I first tried to learn more about Hindu customs to get an idea of what I was witnessing, then I thought about what my life would be like if I had been raised with such beliefs?

Such thoughts make you question your own religious background and upbringing, not in a negative manner, but more so you begin to ponder if there are other equally valid interpretations to life beyond the scope you were born into.  

Though I may not know much about spiritual devotion, I will respect most near anyone who has given up their worldly life and made a vow of silence for years on end. His insights into humanity will vastly differ from my own.

Not all of the holy men here possess such devotion however. Like certain preachers in the west, some are more in it for the hustle; earning their livelihood from tourist donations. I do not view such holy men as negative either. Instead, I give them a grin and a smile, as they remind me how much we still share in common across cultures.

“Some are in it for the faith, others for the grind; Some want a piece, while others want peace of mind.”

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Travel

Uzi Island

“It’s probably a name you’ve never heard of or a place you imagined existing.”

I’ve traveled to several remote locations in my life, and Uzi Island is memorable because the natural elements still reign supreme, as the locals adjust their lifestyle accordingly. To picture Uzi Island is to get a glimpse of how Zanzibar Island was like centuries ago, without all its recent development.

Regarding its locals, there is about 6000 people living here, mainly as fishermen or farmers.

Yet, there is not a single bar, restaurant or hotel in sight, revealing how seldom tourists travel here. There is a school in the area, but that’s about it in terms of landmarks.

The school

Located in the south of Zanzibar, Uzi Island can only be reached by boat or by vehicle during low tide.

Center-South

Either way, you cross its dense mangrove forests, which is a memorable excursion in of itself.

Mangrove forest during high tide
During low tide

While Zanzibar is a tourist mecca for those traveling to East Africa, less than 1% probably traverse this far south. The northeast and northwest are the hotbeds for tourism here.

Spending my days in locations like Uzi Island is hypnotic in the sense that nothing changes from day-to-day but the weather. There is no urge to turn its scenic locations into hotels, build its economy, or to make the most of its resources. With so much of human desire driven by exploitation of our environment, it feels comforting to know places like Uzi Island exist where that drive remains muted.

Daily market
Spinning fabrics

On a personal level, this creates a sort of tension within myself. As I’m reaching middle age, I know I need material accumulation for myself to have a successful future, yet I feel an aversion to it, as I see how people live in remote locations in such peace with their environment. Though poverty is prevalent, the drive to suicide or depression is nonexistent in these locales.

So what should I do? Spend the next twenty years accumulating as much capital as I can, or return to the city realizing that so much of what occupies our mind is a façade? I don’t know the answer to these questions, and I think it’s up to each individual to make that decision themselves.

The only recommendation I can give is that I hope young individuals get the opportunity to travel to such remote locations on their own so they can re-tune their rhythms to nature rather than the market.

The lives here are as worthy as our own, and I’m thankful for such experiences as they’ve widened my understanding regarding the breadth of human experience.

This world is big. Locations like Uzi Island abound everywhere; it’s on us to decide are such locations meant for development or should we leave them as is?