Himalaya Spring 2009 Update: Teams in Kathmandu, Some Still Heading North

It is now safe to say that the 2009 Spring Himalaya season is in full swing, as many climbers are now arriving in Kathmandu and making the final preparations for their impending expeditions into the Himalaya.

Alan Arnette added some information to his Everest 2009 page today, with updates straight from the teams themselves, who are already in Nepal. As of this writing, the border to Tibet is still closed, although rumors continue to circulate that it'll reopen on or around April 1st. To that end, several teams are still planning to make attempts on Everest from the North Col route, including a team from Summit Climb, who will not only be going up Everest this year, but also plan a Cho Oyu expedition as well. They'll be joined in Tibet by a Canadian team known as the Canadian Mad Frogs, who also have their eyes on the summit from the north. The 7 Summits Club is not so optimistic however, and they made the jump to the South Side earlier this week.

Another note of interest is that the CTMA (China-Tibet Mountaineering Association) has announced that they will personally over see the fixing of the ropes on the North Side this spring. There has been some concern over who would handle those duties, since Russell Brice and his Himex team have moved to the South as well. In the past, Himex has usually taken care of the ropes themselves, charging the other teams a nominal fee to use them. But with few teams on the mountain, it looked like it could possibly be an issue, but that concern now seems to be over.

ExWeb has some good updates from the region as well, starting with the news that the unrest amongst the Maoist rebels in the Kangchenjunga area has now ended. As I noted a few days back, it seems that unrest, and general strikes, flare up on an annual basis about this time, only to die down again as the climbers start appearing.

ExWeb is also reporting that Manaslu seems to be the popular mountain this spring, with more expected traffic than anywhere else, save the Everest South Side. The mountain stands 8163 meters (26,758 feet) in height as is located along the Nepal/Tibet border, to the east of Annapurna. It is the 8th highest mountain in the world, and is often used as a good climb for gaining experience for the other 8000 meter peaks, which may help to explain the traffic there this spring.

Finally, look way ahead to the next Winter Season in the Karakorum, ExWeb says that Russian climbers Victor Kozlov and Nickolay Totmjanin are currently in Pakistan, and on the Baltoro Glacier, scouting K2 for an attempt by the Russian national climbing team to that mountain next winter. That'll be a huge expedition to watch down the line for sure.

Everest 2009: Discovery Channel Goes with IMG!

Fans of the television show Everest: Beyond the Limit from the Discovery Channel are probably happy to hear that the show will return later this year, but it looks like it probably won't feature Russell Brice and his Himex Team. Instead, it seems that Discovery has elected to go with IMG (International Mountain Guides) who will have a whopping 50 clients going up the mountain this year. According to a post on the IMG Blog the Discovery Team will be joining their climbers and trekkers in just a few weeks time.

I suppose it is possible that Discovery will follow both teams, but doubtful. The resources and personal to film on the mountain are quite scarce, and the logistics of trying to handle two different teams would be challenging to say the least. I'm guessing they decided they wanted a change of pace for the third season of Beyond the Limit, and IMG has a lot more experience on the South Side of Everest than Himex does.

For their part, climbers who have signed up with Himex are in for a bit longer days on the Everest. The team has staked out a campsite that is about an hour below the typical base camp location, and on those long days of climbing up to C1 and back down, an extra hour of trekking at the beginning and the end are going to be grueling.

Thanks to Alan Arnette for the news on IMG. Alan's Everest 2009 page has nearly daily updates with all kinds of great stories on the looming season, the climbers, and more. Bookmark it immediately!

Update: Forget what I said about two camera crews. I guess Discovery has deep enough pockets and resources that they can indeed handle two teams covering both IMG and Himex on the mountain. In the comments below, Alan confirms that both teams will be featured on Beyond the Limit. He also says that IMG will have 24 climbers not 50 as initially reported. Still a good size team though, but much more manageable.

Looks like we're going to get a double dose of Everest this year on Discovery.

Trip to Venice, Through the Night.

Gazing the evening sun setting itself across the undulating waves on the lagoon water of Venice, for a moment we felt as if the sun also wanted to stay a bit longer. It seemed the sun wanted some time more, to soak in the mesmerizing beauty of Venice. Or perhaps sail across the moon and stars in the night. Venice at night manifests romanticism. The rising waters across the land, the winter quiet, and the clear sky calm, it’s a rare combination we never everwitnessed again in our many European trips. Venice, the only pedestrian city in the world, is special, frame after frame, moment after moment. Without an exaggeration, Venice’s beauty builds, stays and conquers your senses.

One of the several canals, donned by Gondolas

 If our evening had been eternal, our night was even more magical. The spurt drizzle made the city dew fresh. The bustle was back on the wet cobbled streets and the neatly parked gondolas and the sweet music aboard were flowing back around Venice.

St. Mark's Square

St. Mark's Square

We came back to Ponte De Rialto (Rialto bridge) across The Grand Canal to begin our journey and reached Bell tower of St. Mark. The square outside is fabulous to say the least and offers some exquisite views. Finally we reached Basilica di San Marco.

Basilica di San Marino

 The magnificence of Basilica is unbelievable, and more so the thing that make it special is the serene setting. The lagoon water brace the basilica steps with reverence and the moon light stands guard of its grandeur.

The historical center can hold you forever. The monuments look fabulous beneath the night sky. They are all appropriately lit with a lot of importance to the finer details.

The Venice charm is best explored in getting lost without a map. Identify a part of Venice, put your map deep inside your pocket and get happily lost in the street and views of Venice. Open the map back, and happily discover the places you have just covered. Most, almost all the places can easily be covered on feet, without the use of anyVaporetti or taxi.

Vignette outside a Shop on our journey of getting lost

There are some islands around Venice that happen to be of a great tourist interest. Burano and Murano are worth being on itineary. They are popular for the Glass work, a popular souvenir choice, albeit a lot expensive. However my choice would go for being in Venice for 2 days and see the colored and picturesque Burano for another day.

For all reasons and sometimes none, Venice, in day and night alike, is synonymous with magic.

The magic stayed with me in the dreams that night, and continues to stay with me even today. We left for Milan early morning next day.

---------------------------------------------------------------**-----------------------------------------------------------------------
In the first part of the posts Venice, Through the Day, you'd find the regular features, Shop What, Travel Facts and Bottom Line. 
---------------------------------------------------------------**-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Aconcagua Controversy: Was The Rescue Team Negligent?

There is another controversy that has been brewing in the mountaineering community, this time in regards to a death on Aconcagua back in early January. The reports were that Federico Campanini, an Argentinean climbing guide, and one of his clients, Elena Senin, had died on the mountain. The pair, along with the rest of their team, reached the summit of South America's highest mountain along the usual route, but while they were at the top, a fast moving storm moved into the area. Suddenly blinded by a snowstorm, the team attempted to descend, but accidently went down the more technically challenging Polish Route. According to the story, Federico and Elena fell to their deaths, and the remainder of the team was eventually rescued by a helicopter that plucked them off the mountain.

Early last week a video made its way out onto the Internet that cast a completely different light on the incident. Appearing on YouTube, the video purportedly shows an Aconcagua Search and Rescue Team standing around, doing little to help, while Campanini struggles for his life. There are some indications that he is being cursed by his "rescuers" and at one point, one of them radios back to base to ask permission to leave him behind. Federico also has a rope tied to him and is dragged through the snow, while he crawls on all fours.

Needless to say, I won't link to the video, but you can find out more about it in this post from ExWeb and this story from the National Geographic Adventure Blog.

Of course, the story has once again divided the mountaineering community. There are some who say that the video shows just a small slice of the attempt to rescue Campanini, and that at that point the rescue team was exhausted after hours of trying to assist the Italian climber. In order to get him down, the team was going to have to take him back up the mountain, and down the normal route, and it was proving very difficult to do so. Some would say it was impossible for them to save him at all. These defenders also say that while they do appear to be cursing Campanini, that that is just the manner of their speech and not specifically directed at him.

On the other hand, those critical of what they saw in the video say that the SAR team wasn't doing enough to help Federico, and point to high altitude rescues on Everest, K2, and other major Himalayan peaks to show that it can be done. They also say that more could have been done to help his condition, and no matter what, he didn't need to be cursed or treated poorly.

Over the past few years, following these events, I've learned to not be quick to judge, which is part of the reason why I haven't posted on this story until now. When high on a mountain, with dangerous conditions, things are never black and white, and usually it takes awhile to get the complete story of what happened. I do agree that this video is just a tiny slice of the events, and it doesn't really show us the whole picture, but it doesn't show us a good picture either. At the very least, the SAR team could have tried to make Federico comfortable and showed him so more dignity.

The events that occurred on Aconcagua back on January 8th were indeed tragic, and it's a shame that two people lost their lives on the mountain. Hopefully, at the very least, this incident will shed some light on the need for better rescue training on the mountain, and work to ensure that it doesn't happen again.

My condolences to the families of the two fallen climbers. It is a shame that they have had to suffer this loss, and then to find out this controversy a month later.

POV: A Favorite Staged Photograph

Photo © Tewfic El-Sawy-All Rights Reserved

It's not often that I stage a photograph, and that it also becomes one of my favorites. But it's exactly what happened during my just completed The Sacred Cities: Varanasi & Vrindavan Photo Expedition-Workshop.

Walling back from a free-for-all photo shoot on the banks of the Yamuna river in Vrindavan, I saw brilliant and powerful ultramarine colored house walls, happily clashing with the remaining drab gray concrete walls of the neighborhood; reminiscent of the houses of Jodhpur's Brahmpuri area, the houses in Chefchaouen (Morocco), or even Reckitt's Blue Laundry Bluing (a traditional laundry whitener).

An elderly widow passing by prompted me to ask her to pose for us,  and showing no hesitation whatsoever, she almost hopped on the side step and sat there...patiently waiting for us to finish taking her photograph. I didn't need to prompt as to how to sit...doing so generally results in people looking awkward, and telling aged people how to pose sometimes causes them discomfort...so I refrain from doing that. My initial thought was that the pose did seem awkward but on reflection, I realized that many elderly women in  India adopt that very pose...the hand over a hip, and the rest of the arm forming a sort of triangle...almost at right angle to the body.

Photo © Tewfic El-Sawy-All Rights Reserved

Some time later, an attractive woman (presumably the lady of the house) came over to investigate the commotion outside her home, and while extremely graceful and gracious...she didn't have the photogenic ingredient that the widow had. At least, in my view.

Yes, it does happen...age trumps youth and beauty.

Vietnam travel - is it ethical to visit orphanages?

For an expanding number of voyagers, going on vacation doesn't mean lazing on a shoreline or visiting sights. Rather, it includes investing their excursion time volunteering in neighborhood groups. Whether its working with kids in halfway houses, serving to fabricate houses, or showing English, supposed voluntourism is a quickly developing division of the travel business.

See more: Vietnam travel

Be that as it may the prevalence of shelter tourism crosswise over Southeast Asia specifically is a very questionable advancement. Presently, it has started a worldwide open deliberation about the morals and benefits of volunteering; one including the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), support associations, and travel and visit administrators as far and wide as possible.

At its most fundamental, shelter tourism can mean going to a halfway house for a couple of hours as a component of booked visit that additionally includes more traditional exercises, for example, touring. Some individuals, however, decide to use longer periods volunteering in shelters, paying for the chance to play and read with the youngsters, or showing them English.

Numerous volunteers discover the experience exceptionally emotive and inspiring, life getting updated sometimes, while even the individuals who visit for just a couple of hours can feel that their gifts will have any kind of effect to the lives of the vagrants. In any case for some help associations, shelter tourism is an unwelcome sensation; one that transforms the most helpless parts of society into simple vacation spots.

'Ask yourself whether a comparable circumstance would be permitted in your own particular nation: busloads of travelers putting into a kids' home for brief visits, being permitted to interface with and photo the youngsters?

Ask Lonely Planet: where would it be advisable for me to try for an occasion with volunteering?

In conjunction with UNICEF, Friends International propelled a fight in October 2011 to put a stop to shelter tourism in Cambodia. 'Shelter tourism exposes youngsters to misuse, puts them at danger through unregulated appearance and powers awful practice in connection to private tend to kids,' said Ms Ngo.

Shelter tourism is currently common crosswise over Southeast Asia. In the north of Thailand, particularly around Chiang Mai, various halfway houses are populated by the youngsters from Thailand's ethnic minority slope tribes, long the most hindered individuals in Thai society. Various shelters in the south of Thailand as well, energize to Us$400 a week for volunteers to invest time with kids probably stranded by the crushing 2004 torrent.

Somewhere else, shelter tourism is a developing wander in Laos, with shelters around Luang Prabang pulling in numerous volunteers, while there are likewise chances to work in halfway houses in Vietnam. What's more now that Myanmar (Burma) has risen as the most sizzling goal in Southeast Asia, the marvel has spread there as well. The most respectable shelters in Myanmar, however, don't request outside volunteers, yet for individuals to help abundantly required things like vitamins, pencils and pens and toys.

It is Cambodia, however, which is by a wide margin the most mainstream nation for halfway house tourism. Siem Reap is a specific hotspot on the grounds that it is the entryway town to Angkor Wat, Cambodia's foremost traveler locate, and very nearly every voyager passes through there. Climbing guest numbers to Cambodia have helped drive a sensational increment in shelters. As per UNICEF, there has been a 65% ascent in the quantity of halfway houses in Cambodia since 2005. Presently, there are more than 300 in the nation, yet just 21 of those are controlled by the state.

A large number of those shelters have been set up exclusively to profit from guest gifts and volunteer charges. 'It's presently possibly a lucrative business to run a shelter,' said Ms Ngo. 'Market it the right way and individuals can be moderately effortlessly conned into giving over cash to associations which need even fundamental benchmarks of childcare.'

More awful still, is the way that various individuals, including nonnatives, who have set up halfway houses are sexual stalkers and a couple have been indicted for misusing the kids in their consideration. 'The greater part of these spots have no firm kid insurance approach set up. Some even permit guests to take kids away on day outings,' said Ms Ngo.

Few volunteers are mindful as well, that the majority of the youngsters they will work with are not vagrants. UNICEF appraises that 72% of the 12,000 or somewhere in the vicinity kids in Cambodian shelters have no less than one living parent, or other close relations. Frantic neediness, however, makes it simple to induce uneducated families that their children will be better off in a shelter. A comparative circumstance happens in northern Thailand, where slope tribe families are told their youngsters will get an instruction by living in a halfway house.

At the point when the kids are vagrants, there is the dread of long haul mental harm from the children holding with volunteers, just to see them vanish from their lives after several weeks. It is faulty as well, what genuine effect volunteers can have in the event that they need particular preparing in kid mind or pharmaceutical. While individuals may think halfway house tourism offers the opportunity to do great, the truth is regularly altogether different.

Hue travel

Shade is the old capital of Imperial Vietnam, where the Nguyen Lords based their administration amid their rule over Vietnam between the seventeenth and nineteenth century. It remained the national capital until 1945, when Bao Dai (the teammate ruler) got away into outcast and Ho Chi Minh pronounced independance from France in Hanoi. 

Therefore the city of Hue and its surroundings are secured with noteworthy landmarks, sanctuaries and castles. Regardless of torment from its focal position amid the Vietnamese/American War it truely merits its status as an UNESCO World Heritage site, as all over you go there are noteworthy structures bouncing out of the wide open - to say nothing of the supreme royal residence of Hue itself. 

Hue - Ancient Capital

While the city of Hue is creating, the occupants of Hue are reknowned for their traditionalism - even the adolescent feel it is their obligation to protect Hue's traditions, customs and construction modeling for eras to come. They are known all through Vietnam for the way they talk Vietnamese, their customary style of dress and their sustenance, which beyond question is a percentage of the best Vietnam brings to the table. 

The heads used to request the absolute best delights, and a great many exceptional dishes were produced to fulfill their tastes. The result is a tremendous determination of light, sensitive and perfectly made dishes, intended to permit the ruler to consume at recreation, every one interesting, and delightfully individual yet not all that substantial as to forestall him attempting more dishes. 

The city is part by the Perfume River, with the majestic city and markets to the North and the more up to date structures of the city of Hue to the South. Tint remains a generally residential community, and getting around is simple enough, whether by bike, cyclo or motorbike. (despite the fact that appreciatively mechanized vehicles are banned from inside the Imperial city) 

While the Imperial city is a fabulous spot to investigate, your visit to Hue would not be finished in the event that you didn't investigate the enormous cluster of tombs, sanctuaries and destroys in the wide open. The most ideal approach to investigate is to jump on the once again of a motorbike and let the driver take you to his most loved sights - as you pass through the farmland you will see a lot of people more excellent old building jump out of the paddy fields. 

Related tour: Vietnam travel

You can likewise use an excellent day taking a pontoon trek up the stream, keeping in mind it is conceivable to see a few landmarks and pagodas from the water's side, we exceptionally prescribe joining a motorbike driver for a drive once you have gone up the waterway, to see a greater amount of the view. The farmland around Hue is staggering and made all the more enchanted for the sights you will experience.

Trip to Milan. A Mileu.

Milan was the last of the Italian cities in our trip, as also the city we were flying out from Italy. There was an early morning train from Venice to reach Milan. The timing of our train was awkwardly early being 5 in the morning. Not sure about Vaporetti services, we had to rely on our feet. The morning Venice was as calm, as we had left it in the night. Odd students crossed our way, as also some enthusiast morning walkers. It was quite cold and with our hustle and bustle, we reached our station well...earlier than we thought we would.

There weren't many travelers for that time of the day. An interesting story took place, that day on the station(I'll post that later). We almost lost our train. Thankfully, to  be in Milan, we boarded. Then some snores ahead we reached a rather bitterly cold Milan. Cold winds blazed ferociously across the channel of walls on the 'Milano Centrale' station. The chill took us by surprise without an exaggeration. thankfully, it didn't snow as we were expecting so through news in Venice.

Milano Centrali -  http://blog.kenkaminesky.com

We kept our bags at 'Luggage room' situated on the station. This gave us some time to be at the Historical Center. Milan is as cosmopolitan as fashionable. Italians prefer to associate it of being more European too than Italian. Milan is a major financial center in Europe. The morning office goers bustle was quite different from its Italian siblings(cities). Swanky cars and an array of traffic lights dotted Milan everywhere. High rise skyscrapers and meticulously executed town planning gives Milan a distinct flavor of its own. And yes, how can we forget the traditional historical center of an Italian city. Men and women alike, all are dressed elegantly and perfectly.None is in 'out' of fashion.  Also, evidently, it's very much a global city. English is widely spoken in Milan.

After roaming around for a bit, we caught a bus to the Malpensa airport. The expressway joining the city was excellent, with tempting 'Geneva' posts overhead. It wasn't congested but it may get so sometimes. So it's safer to keep that additional margin of time. Malpensa airport is quite picturesque with beautiful snow capped mountains in the background.

Snow Capped Mountains silhouetting the Blue sky - http://www.i-enry-aviation.it/guidamxp.htm

I just so wish, that had we got an additional day, we would have had sufficient time to explore the city. Alas, (for consolation in this case), there is always a next time. If going only for travel, a day and a half would be ideal for Milan.
We caught our return flight via Cairo to reach back Mumbai.

Phewww, Italy was some trip!!!

Travel Facts

• Stayed : In Milan for 1/2 a day .
• Stayed at : Didn't have to stay in a hotel. 
• Traveled with my better half .
• Traveled in TrenItallia from Venice in January 2013.
• Traveled to : Mumbai via Cairo in Egypt Air

You've been to Milan? Do you want to travel to Milan? Feedback for my post(s) ? Look forward to your comments !

Hội An | Tewfic El-Sawy

I'm on a roll and featuring another photo essay on Exposure; Hội An: Port of the Cham Kingdom;

This time it's of photographs made in the lovely town of Hội An during my two photo expeditions-worskhops to Vietnam in 2012 and 2014.

Departing from my usual "no frills" documentary style of travel photography, I used Color Efex Pro 4 (Nik Collection) to give the photographs a sort of glamour glow, and enhanced the mustard-yellow color of Hội An's famous walls. 

Most of the photographs were made in 2014, and made with the Fuji X-T1 camera. I generally used the Zeiss Touit 12mm (effective 18mm) lens, and the XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 on specific photo shoots such as that with the traditional fisherman. For the photographs made in 2012, I used a Canon 5D Mark II.

I shared my experience using the Fuji X-T1 and the couple of lenses mentioned above on a separate post on this blog, and explain how it impressed me to the point that I didn't miss my Canon cameras during the 2+ weeks of my 2014 Vietnam adventure.

In this Hội An photo essay, I chose photographs that reflect a number of styles; street photography, fashion and model photography and pure travel.

The ancient town Hội An is a well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century. Its buildings, though many have recently been converted to shops and restaurants, still have an ancient ambiance to them...despite the ever increasing influx of tourists who come to enjoy this small corner of Vietnam.

In the 18th century, Hội An was considered by Chinese and Japanese merchants to be the best destination for trading in all of Southeast Asia, but its importance dropped significantly with the development of neighboring Đà Nẵng as a main trade center.

5 day travel north east VietNam adventure

The enterprise through the nation's Northeast gives explorers an unparalleled chance to find a concealed corner of Vietnam. Blending drive through terrific landscapes with visits to business sectors of mountain tribes, towns and notable destinations, you will appreciate and experience the district's remarkable society.

Begin from Hanoi, visit Lang Son then Cao Bang, find a standout amongst the most delightful waterfall in Indochina - Thac Ban Gioc and visit the Pac Bo cavern where Ho Chi Minh shaped Viet Minh in 1940s. Travel Vietnam outline this excursion for the individuals who adores nature, society and disclosure off the beaten track...

On entry to this outskirt city you will visit the nearby market. Proceed with awesome mountain streets to Cao Bang, a drive loaded with stupendous perspectives of lavish valleys, town villages and removed mountains. After arriving at Cao Bang, a residential community on the Chinese fringe, there is time to take a short walk around see the beautiful mountain tribes living here.

Use today investigating the unspoiled nature that encompasses Cao Bang as you drive along the Chinese outskirt to Ban Gioc Waterfall. Set in the midst of staggering landscape, ignoring the outskirt, Ban Gioc is one of the nation's biggest waterfalls and you'll have sufficient energy to unwind or take a swim in its emerald waters. Come back to Cao Bang late evening for an opportunity to investigate a greater amount of this curious town.

Early today withdraw for a drive north around the Chinese outskirt to see the recorded site of the cavern where President Ho Chi Minh live and work when he came back to Vietnam in right on time of 1940s. Along the way we stop and visit the intriguing neighborhood markets to blend with the slope tribes as they bargain their products. You'll come back to Cao Bang midday and after lunch and drive to Ba Be National Park toward the evening. On landing, youwill get together and get to be familiarize with the group of Tay tribe and this evening, stay at their conventional long place of the Tay town.

Related post: Vietnam travel

After breakfast, take a 3 vessel excursion with awesome perspective of Ba Be lake and encompassing mountains and. Take a short trek to the Dau Dang Waterfall before going by a few towns of the Tay and Zao minority individuals, appreciating an outing lunch along the way.

Hanoi | Report Three | The People of Tay Bac

Photo © Tewfic El-Sawy-All Rights Reserved

The current high humidity prompted me to set aside our Hanoi street photography program, and flee with the group to the equally humid (but less crowded) village of Tho Ha village, about 45 kilometers from the capital city. Tha Ho village's claim to relative fame is in it's specialization of producing rice paper, used for spring rolls and other Vietnamese culinary dishes.

Serendipity played its role in us passing by a row of old houses, and meeting Việt. Our minder, Huyen, asked permission to enter his house where he welcomed us with remarkable hospitality, offering us rice wine in small goblets... quite potent at this time of the day.

Seeing a collection of traditional instruments on his living room's walls, I asked if he played them...and he said yes. Being encouraged to play, he grabbed one these stringed instruments and started singing a number of traditional Vietnamese songs, and entertained us for over an hour. Naturally, we whipped out our cameras and audio recorders.

As soon as I realized Việt's talents, I thought I'd suggest him as being the subject of the group's first multimedia assignment. Ten photographs and a snippet of his music playing in a short multimedia project would be the group's initial homework.

Photo © Tewfic El-Sawy-All Rights Reserved

What other news? Well, I was asked by the owner of the Golden Silk Boutique Hotel (a lovely hotel perfectly located in Hang Gai) to make some photographs of her at the hotel...a request that I jumped at. I didn't expect any, but she gifted me a lovely scarf in return. She probably realized my affinity to scarves, and chose one that is really luxurious. It'll certainly not be used during my photographic travels.

Oh, and by the way...the best Pho Bo I've ever had (and this is shared by the rest of my group) is at a modern restaurant on Ly Quoc Su...a short walk from the hotel.

Tomorrow, we travel to Sa Pa and it was with considerable relief that we received confirmation that there's a newly constructed road linking Hanoi to Sa Pa. No trucks are allowed so the travel time has been cut from 10-12 hours to a mere 5.

Tour Mekong Delta VietNam - VietNam Tour

The Mekong Delta is the summit of the extraordinary Mekong waterway's voyage through south east Asia from the mountains of Tibet. The waterway is the world's twelfth biggest regarding length and tenth biggest by volume emptying a territory of 795,000 km². In the middle of Cambodia and the Vietnamese fringe close Chau Doc the Mekong parts into two and the Bassac River runs parallel to the principle waterway as they enter Vietnam.

Related post: Vietnam travel

Once into the Mekong Delta zone of Vietnam the waterway parts further into a complex arrangement of little channels and waterways where residue from the stream has been kept and transformed the area into an amazingly prolific rural zone. This zone is vigorously developed and the rich soil empowers enough rice to be created to nourish the entire nation. The brilliant towns and skimming markets are one of Vietnam's most vital vacation spots.

Generally the locale was piece of the Khmer kingdom and right up 'til the present time is still called 'Lower Cambodia' by neighboring Cambodians. Emulating endeavors by the Khmer Rouge to take control of the district the Vietnamese attacked Cambodia in 1979 and launched out the Khmer Rouge from force.

Topographically, the Mekong Delta is the aftereffect of the development of sediment stored by the Mekong stream which expands the shoreline at the mouth of the waterway by around 80 meters for every year. The result is an exceptionally prolific territory where serious cultivating produces endless amounts of rice, sugarcane and apples and oranges. On account of this richness Vietnam is not just independent in rice generation, the country's staple sustenance, however is likewise the world's second biggest exporter after Thailand.

Most guests to the Mekong Delta land on planned visits from Ho Chi Minh City (see Mekong Delta Tours ). Some such visits are only for one day which scarcely begins to expose what's underneath of this immeasurable region whilst others incorporate overnight stays which permit you to go deeper into the district.

Voyaging autonomously of these planned visits is the best way to truly get profound into the Mekong Delta and truly encounter every day life off the traveler circuit. Alternatives incorporate leasing a motorbike to get around or enlisting a private vehicle with aide from HCMC.

A well known course nowadays is to use a couple of days going around the Mekong Delta then proceed into Cambodia through the waterway outskirt crossing at Vinh Xuong close Chau Do

Everest 2009: ExWeb Posts Expedition List

A month from now the already bustling streets of Kathmandu will become even more hectic, as teams of climbers from around the world descend on the city in preparation for their various climbs throughout the Himalaya. Most will be headed to Everest, where they'll be spending several weeks acclimatizing and eventually, if all goes according to plan, making an attempt on the summit.

As is typical for this time of year, Explorers Web has released their definitive list of Everest Expeditions for the Spring of 2009, as well as other peaks in the region that will be seeing some traffic as well. All told, there are more than 40 expeditions on the South Side of the mountain alone, while on the North, 8 optimistic teams hold out hope for access to the mountain from that side. Those plans all hinge on what happens in Tibet this month.

Some of the more interesting stories include David Liaño's attempt at a South-North-South double traverse, as well as American Bill Burke's attempt at a South to North traverse at the age of 67. Of course we also have the Sherpas attempting to stay on the summit for 24 hours straight, as well as a variety of attempts sans supplemental oxygen, and the news that I reported earlier today that Ed Viesturs will be returning for another go, climbing with Dave Hahn and Peter Whittaker.

Everest is never short on stories or drama. The mountain just attracts attention of course, but it isn't the only game in town when it comes to spring climbing in the Himalaya. The expedition list also has the scoop on the teams headed to Kangchenjunga, Annapurna, Makalu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Lhotse, Shisha Pangma, and Cho Oyu. I also personally have a friend headed to Island Peak for a climb of his own, which I'm looking forward to following as well.

Only a few more weeks before things get really interesting. Looks to be another wild year in the Himalaya.

3 day in HoChiMinh city - Holiday in VietNam

ietnam's biggest city has sprawled from the little Khmer town of Prey Nokor, once encompassed by lurking tigers, during a time of opium-raddled French pioneerism, to today's manic, cutting edge city stalked by shiny high rises – a voracious industrialist machine driving an one-gathering communist republic.

Related post: Vietnam travel packages

When you've accommodated the tropical high temperature with a city for all time garlanded in Christmas pixie lights, and comprehended how to wade through the streams of motorbikes moving through the city's avenues (simply dispatch into the movement and don't stop or waver), grasp the addictive frenzy in one of south-east Asia's most energizing urban areas.

Morning 

The French put their new capital of Cochin China once again on the staging phase. Either side are the Hotel Continental, acclaimed as Graham Greene's bolthole (this is the place he considered The Quiet American), and the towering Hotel Caravelle, where outside reporters would sink drinks at the tenth floor bar amid the Vietnam War. Disregarding the basilica is the Saigon Central Post Office, adorned with Khmer and French stresses, and commanded inside its extraordinary corridor by a tremendous representation of Vietnam's socialist pioneer Ho Chi Minh.

Break for espresso, or a cooling squeeze in La Fenêtre Soleil (44 Ly Tu Trong, corner of Pasteur, +84 8 3824 5994), a shabby-chic French hideout, before investigating the boutiques of Dong Khoi and District 1: adornments, style and collectibles at L'usine, French earthenware and strings at pretty Liti, and the exceptional Saigon Socialite cut shoes of reasonable exchange Fashion4freedom at the House of Saigon. Post-buys, lunch on Vietnamese caramelized pork greens and mango, and energy products of the soil smoothie in L'usine's modern chic encompasses, which are overflowed with light.

Evening 

At Le Duan's eastern end, by the herbal arrangements, is the exquisite Museum of Vietnamese History. Near the Reunification Palace, is the War Remnants Museum, showing all the repulsions of Vietnam's war. Authoritative opinion's promulgation prints and T-shirts are presently on special here.

Fascinating, and minimal known, is the Weapons Store, a mystery fortification in an unassuming house that was stashed with weapons and fighters to get ready for the 1968 Tet Offensive. Veteran Nguyen Quang Vinh guides guests through the floor portal to the dugout in the occupied fix (rear way) at 287/70 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, District 3.

Evening 

Vietnamese – and universal – cooking compliments HCMC's culinary notoriety. For more brilliant encompasses (and shaking porch parties), the jamón ibérico from oak seed sustained, dark footed pigs at Pacharan will submerge you in Hispanic terroir in downtown. Practically around the bend is Blanchy's Tash for Djs and mixed drinks in smooth encompasses. End the night finally Call Saigon with an exploratory mixed drink in this louche, downtown drinking lair – attempt the Mekong mojito or the U M

Travel DongXuan Market in tour VietNam Travel

With the playing point of having long history of Culture, customs and being placed in the group of old quarter of Hanoi, Dong Xuan Market is one of appealing vacationer ends of the line of capital.

This is likewise the greatest exchanging focuses of the North, having focal points of shabby and different items to pull in visitors.according to the detail of the vacationer office of Dong Xuan (Dong Xuan Travel, fitting in with Dong Xuan JSC, by and large for every month, Dong Xuan business gets 7.600 turns of remote guests. Essentially guests originating from Thailand, China, France, England; Japan… … .

To promote the picture of Dong Xuan business, making positive conditions for subjects to offer and purchase items ( purchaser items and crafted works), Dong Xuan JSC is presently arranging to adventure visits at the business sector. As of now, Dong Xuan travel is presently making visits to endeavor possibilities of tourism of the business to create the tourism of society, examination for improvement of visitor products.dong Xuan Travel has elevated to connection up visits with travel executors and is evaluated to put into operation in the soonest time.

Related post: Vietnam travel packages

The third floor of the business sector is currently being repaired to develop lodging and for unwinding for guests. Some retail chains in the business will be made in contract to develop as standard retail establishments to pull in guests. The organization is presently modifying the history by building books, Cds to acquaint with visitors.from 2010 on wards, the organization will develop Dong Xuan business to file the benchmarks of visitor end of the line of the city; research advancement of administrations and facilities of gue

Theyyam: Incarnate Deities | Maptia

I'm very pleased that Theyyam: Incarnate Deities, one of my most colorful photo essays, is now featured on Maptia.

A beautiful way to tell stories about places, Maptia is a new platform designed for thoughtful, inspiring stories that make us want to get out there and explore the world, and each story has its own unique map.

It's different from the crop of photo/storytelling platforms that have recently appeared, inasmuch as it makes easy for people and story tellers to share long-form stories about the places that matter to them, and by creating unique, visual maps of these stories.

In an interview with WIRED some 6 months ago, Maptia's founders indicated that the platform already had a community of 10,000 bloggers, photographers, and writers.

Theyyam is a popular ritual form of worship of North Malabar in the state of Kerala (India), and is essentially a living cult with several thousand-year-old traditions, rituals and customs. 

In his book, Nine Lives, William Dalrymple wrote about the Theyyam. One of the stories, "The Dancer of Kannur", is of one of the Theyyam performers who's quoted as saying:

"...during the theyyam season, from December to February. We give up our jobs and become theyyam artists. For those months, we become gods. Though we are all Dalits (untouchables) even the most bigoted and casteist Namboodiri Brahmins worship us, and queue up to touch our feet."

The Theyyam prepares for his performance by meditating while his make up is applied, which usually takes a few hours. When it's ready and totally dry, he views himself in a hand mirror, and then enters in a sort of a trance, whereupon he walks (aided by assistants) over to the temple's shrine and gradually morphs into the shrine's deity. The Theyyam dances to the accompanying drum beat,  and goes deeper into his trance. At the appropriate time, the Theyyam is seated on a stool and devotees approach him with donations and solicit advice, which he provides in a raspy voice. I was also told that the Theyyams' advice is provided in a mixture of Sanskrit, Old Malayalam and Tamil. Both Theyyams and Kathakali performers use similar eye movements to convey emotions.

Nice Climbing Video

This video made it's way through the Twitterverse this morning. Apparently it's about a year old or so, but it's still beautifully shot and great to watch. It shows climber Natalija Gros working a wall with grace and skill. The music is a perfect accompaniment too. Enjoy!



Natalija Gros from Jure Breceljnik on Vimeo.

Welcome to Hanoi - Vietnam’s bustling colonial capital

11 days endeavor takes you off the beaten track, yet the trek is not troublesome. The neighborhood individuals you meet at their home and their ranch, the landscape, and the mixture of societies make this the get-away of a lifetime...

Welcome to Hanoi: Vietnam's clamoring pilgrim capital. Your aide and driver will reach you outside the stuff case of Noi Bai Airport and take you to your inn in the downtown area. Toward the evening, go out for a stroll around the inside, going to some of Hanoi's fundamental attractions: the Opera House, Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple. At night delight in a customary Water Puppet Performance – an extraordinary Vietnamese Art structure hailing from Southeast Asia's wet-rice society – emulated by a welcome supper at one of Hanoi's finest restaurants.

After breakfast at the inn, your aide and driver will reach you at the lodging and exchange you to Ha Giang through Tuyen Quang territory. Land in Ha Giang in the early evening and weigh in the inn. At that point take a short stroll around the city or take a delicate trek to some Tay towns in Ha Giang city. Eat and overnight lodging in Ha Giang.

Stop at Yen Minh for lunch then keep heading to an old popular house Pao's House. At that point visit the home of the Vuong family (Palace of Hmong King). What's more keep taking a drive to Dong Van town. Visit aged houses, takeoff for Lo minority town, trekking to Flag tower on the highest point of Lung Cu mountain around 1km, perspective antiquated valley from the top.

After breakfast, we visit the Dong Van Old quarter, lined with places of one or two hundred years of age, delight in a greater amount of the old air of Dong Van

Whatever remains of the day is through remote and excellent field of Dong Van where we pass through a few towns along tracks utilized by the nearby individuals.

We are compensated with a splendid setting of pleasant valleys secured in rice paddies. The H'mong and Hoa individuals, who are the nearby ethnic minorities, show their kind disposition through their beautiful garments and warm cordiality.

After breakfast, begin an outing again to Ha Giang town on an alternate way. The van will stop at Ma Pi Leng Pass* for taking photographs – the deepest valley in Vietnam and also in South East Asia. Visit Meo Vac market and return to Ha Giang through Bao Lam, Bao Lac and Bac Me. Stop for lunch on the way and land in Ha Giang in the late evening. Weigh in the lodging and you are free at relaxation to investigate the town or recuperate your wellbeing for the following day.

The unpleasant yet beautiful course crosses a thick wilderness before traverse a pass and dropping down to Sin Man. This day is a genuine test for our driver as we go by slowing down with a lot of people tough and downhill drives. Along the way we may experience the Nung Ing, Tay, Red Dao, Dao Ao Dai, La Chi and Co Lao, only a percentage of the numerous slope tribe bunches who have settled there.

Today you will drive to Bac Ha, the capital of the district of the Flower Hmong, a loose base to investigate the northern high countries and slope tribe towns. Eat on the way. Touch base in Bac Ha, weigh in inn and you are allowed to investigate the town all alone premiums. This is a lengthy drive from Ha Giang to Sapa (around 6 - 7 hours on in excess of 230km rocky street), however there's no time to get exhausted as the view is really amazing.

Delight in breakfast at the inn, before setting out on a full day's trek to investigate Sapa's social differing qualities and frequenting regular excellence. Take a guided climb through yawning valleys embellished with terraced rice fields and pass through remote slope tribe towns. You have three trekking alternatives to browse: Soft trek (~ 3 km), medium trek (~ 6km) and long trek (~ 12km). Trekking is an incredible approach to investigate the day by day life and acquaint yourself with the societies of the H'mong, Dzao and Dzay individuals who populate the locale. Eat at a slope tribe town then investigate the town by our own. Eating with a neighborhood family and getting a charge out of a homestay in their long house.

Related post: Vietnam travel

After breakfast at homestay, your driver will exchange you once more to Sapa Town. At that point you are free at your recreation. Toward the evening, take a drive over to Laocai to get your return night train to Hanoi.

You can procure a motorbike; try for a long ride to visit the Silver Waterfall, O Quy Ho Pass and Xeo towns (excluded – please let us know whether you need to take this administration)

As Close As We Are Far

As close, as we are far

My heart just skips, the beat for you dove,

She grimaced, I faced, our worlds that had raced

Contours that were drawn, our nuptials and beyond,

And the shapes they took, for the wise and the crook

The happiness beyond, the guest and the horn,

The bond that we share, for remorse and the fair

Days may look routine, but life is still full of sheen,

Look at shine of photo frame, still worth its fame.

She looked, as she cooked, with a snook half way,

The clouds I admired, that feeling no more wired

Te'me how far would you go, to empathize my woe,

To get closer to the love, can we fly the sky above ?

Then the tale began, while holding her hand,

The world apart, flew vignette on that land

Of the dream we sew, through our love sinew,

Can still hold your hands, while I run the errands

Through the wheels I move, my heart just grew,

To tell my feelings, will you move these ceilings

Then cut ajar, that rainbow ain't far,

Just see through the dust, for the pelmet you must

There's a world that's dear, as far as it's near,

That tap when it flows, there are mornings that it glows

The box that I take, it's a life full of cake,

The noon in that hall, your delicacies enthrall

The call that I make, for the rail and the rake,

Let's run along the rhyme, to close the time

The guest when he rings, my heart then sings,

The tea that will come will make us hum

In the jousts and hurdles, in the worlds that we lived,

Did we forget to just cuddle, and the fun that we killed ?

If that would be so, for not the desert and the snow,

My heart, let's travel, for the hearts to unravel

Look, there is a world along the ‘Thames’,

Let's pack our bags, on its bank for the games

To discover our life, forget dough and the knife,

Just run along, to listen to the song

Song that chimes, in the background of our times,

Just mute the world, and its pebbles that are hurled

The music is still dear, sounds of the stream still clear,

The twists that it takes, the nature that it makes

Learn from its form, to mix along,

yet remain a stream, for this London theme

Let's fly 'British', for skit and the skittish,

Our love would rejoice, find back its voice

Our travel for the soul, alike  for the diamond and the coal,
As close as we are far, my queen I’m and will be, your Czar

This poem won a prize in the contest - Details here.