Paris Parfait

Home improvements

Sometimes a simple enhancement - such as this garland of flowers - can add individual charm to a home. On Friday, we're meeting with the man who will paint the interiors of our "new" house. Meanwhile, while packing (the seemingly-endless stacks of boxes) I'm still trying to choose the paint colours. Click photos to view details.

Most of these houses in Bungamati, Bhaktapur and Kathmandu, Nepal could stand improvement, but the owners make the most of resources at hand.

An unexpected shot of colour.

A rooftop terrace, with blue sky as incomparable backdrop.

A row of flower pots on an open terrace.

Surely an optimist lives here. 

Martin Luther King's legacy

A rug depicting the (now Chinese-banned) Tibetan flag, hand-woven by Tibetan refugees in Nepal.

 

As a child of the American South, I grew up during the Civil Rights Movement. Underlying racial tensions were inflamed by class and grinding poverty. Television screens and newspapers were filled with images of white-hooded Ku Klux Klan members arrested for burning crosses on lawns or racially-motivated murders. Schools were segregated and doctors' offices had separate entrances and waiting rooms for black patients and white patients.

When schools were integrated, our next door neighbors moved to an all-white town in a different area of the state. Some of my friends' parents sent them off to private schools, while another group of parents started their own charter school. All that upheaval to avoid their children intermingling with black children!

I was lucky that my parents weren't prejudiced and didn't support this ignorant, reactionary behaviour. I never saw my parents treat anyone - no matter their race - with anything but respect. As Martin Luther King said, we should consider a person's actions, not the color of their skin.

Years later, I took a Kuwaiti friend to see the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. Martin Luther King was shot and killed at the Lorraine Motel, now part of the museum. My friend - whose family had suffered through Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait - was struck by the model of the segregated lunch counters once so common throughout the South. The museum also displays the Montgomery, Alabama bus where Rosa Parks famously refused to give her seat to a white man.

We listened to a recording of President Dwight D. Eisenhower's speech ordering Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus to allow integration of Central High School in Little Rock, the state capitol. Eisenhower had to call out the National Guard to force Faubus to allow nine black pupils in the school. (Years later, I saw a tipsy Faubus stumbling down exterior hotel stairs in Little Rock. How the mighty had fallen).

Ironically, the same state that kept Orville Faubus in office for 22 years also voted for liberal Democratic senators John L. McClellan and J. William Fulbright. I had the privilege to meet both McClellan and Fulbright, who became leading lights in the Senate. As a teenager, my interest in politics was sparked particularly by Bill Fulbright, who was the powerful and outspoken chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Fulbright devoted his life to public service and education.

 

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Lately we are seeing eerie echoes of Civil Rights movement tensions. In 2012, The Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery - headed by lawyer and activist (and my long-time hero) Morris Dees - reports hate crimes on the rise. The SPLC is working flat-out defending victims of hate crimes, as well as the rights of immigrant workers adversely affected by Draconian anti-immigrant laws in Alabama and Arizona.

Meanwhile, organisations linked to the Republican party are engaged in voter suppression efforts around the US, seeking to shape 2012 election results. Voter suppression is a tactic from the civil rights era, resulting in passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Apparently it's not enough that the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling allows corporate PAC money to pour practically unchecked into political races...now they want to suppress the vote!  In the 2008 election, the GOP distributed flyers containing false information and issued robocalls designed to mislead citizens and repress voter turnout.

This year, long-dormant "dog-whistle" provocations are dominating entire news cycles. These cynical attempts to manipulate potential voters are funded by right-wing billionaires the Koch brothers and Rupert Murdoch and other wealthy corporate heads. Meanwhile, the real issues go largely unreported by the mainstream media.

We cannot allow wealthy corporations to buy an election. Every single American has the right to vote - despite GOP-sponsored bills in several states trying to make this privilege more difficult. It's up to us to stand up for ourselves and not be deterred by cynical machinations of a few unprincipled men with bad intentions.

Know your voter's rights. For Voter ID Toolkits or up-to-date information about voter's identification required in your state, refer to  the non-partisan Election Protection's excellent website or telephone 1-866-687-8683.

We honor Dr. King's legacy and his dreams of peace and equality by taking action. And we must stand strong against injustice, no matter its form.

Fading beauty

 

Entranceway enhanced with hand-painted symbols meant to ward off evil and encourage prosperity and peace, Bhaktapur, Nepal.

And similarly-decorated portals in Bungamati, Nepal.

"The only lasting beauty is the beauty of the heart." - Rumi

 

Uncertain times

Sign of the times.

Suspicion.

What, no guards? This boy turned his bike around and rode in circles, apparently looking for a gatekeeper.

Echoes of uncertainty:

Fear and loathing in Mexico

Human rights abuses in the Middle East

Malnourishment in North Korea

Occupy protest in Manila

Inequality in America

Every newspaper or news bulletin is rife with similar reports of upheaval and turmoil. So how do we counter the constant flow of negativity and alarm??!!

I think we have to remember who we are and embrace our strengths, no matter what difficult challenges we may face.

On the side of the angels, we have children hungry for knowledge...

Inquiring minds and faith that better days are ahead...

Enduring beliefs, even when exiled from one's homeland...

Songs of peace that can't be silenced...

Comforting rituals of devotion...

Flickering flames of hope.

Prayers sent spinning into the universe.

...community efforts that make a difference.

Let's light a thousand candles...

...and then a thousand more...that the best and the brightest of human endeavours always will prevail.

 

All photos taken in Bhaktapur, Bungamati and Kathmandu, Nepal in November, 2010.

Random reds

Travel agency vitrine, Utrecht, the Netherlands. As always, click photos to view detail.

Canal barge unloading cargo, Utrecht.

If you dig too deep in the Netherlands, you're likely to find water!

Sidewalk lady bug, Utrecht.

Bakery window, Delft.

Tablescape, Paris department store vitrine.

Memorial to soldiers who died in World War I, Montreuil-sur-Mer, France.

Red epaulets, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Hippodrome de Longchamp, Paris.

Bullfight, Plaza de los Toros, Sevilla, Spain.

Red door, Sevilla.

Sculpture, New Orleans.

Feathers, New Orleans.

Mardi gras costumes, New Orleans.

Tabasco and other Louisiana hot sauce, New Orleans.

Red beads, New Orleans.

Monastery door, Himalayas, Nepal.

Lighting candles near the Tibetan Boudhanath Stupa, Kathmandu.

Lighting candles on a Hindu religious holiday, Bungamati, Nepal.

Lady in red, Bhaktapur.

Bird on a pavilion, Kathmandu.

Curious child, Kathmandu.

Woodworker, Bungamati.

Community, Bungamati.

Raking grain, Bungamati.

A woman's work is never done, Bungamati.

More raking grain in a main square.

...while other grain is covered by tarpulins.

Meanwhile, the men play cards, Bungamati.

And a woman waits near a public bath and toilet.

In Bhakatapur, the same scene is repeated, with women turning the grain in a main square.

Street market in a Nepali village.

Bolts of fabric and beaded slippers, Bhaktapur.

Strings of beads, Bhaktapur.

Bangle bracelets, Bungamati.

In Bungamati, a woman proudly holds her baby, whose eyes are kohl-rimmed "to protect the eyes."

Curbside tailor, Kathmandu.

Motorcycles, the most popular mode of transport in Nepal.

Flowers in a private garden, Kathmandu.

Walking uphill, Bungamati.

Mixed messages

Mixed messages, Bungamati, Nepal. No matter where one travels in the world, mixed messages abound.

Himalayan Valley, Nepal.

Bhaktapur, Nepal. A temple money changer?

Kathmandu, Nepal.

Faded flyers, Bungamati, Nepal.

Madaba, Jordan.

Aqaba, Jordan.

Amman, Jordan.

Amman.

Barcelona, Spain.

New Orleans, Louisiana.

Sidewalk declaration, French Quarter, New Orleans.

Farmer's Market, New Orleans.

Gulfport, Mississippi.

I need a chance

Mother and daughter, Bungamati, Nepal.

 

I am pleased to join hundreds of bloggers participating in The 2011 Girl Effect Blogging Campaign. Read more about the campaign and how you can help young girls reach their potential.

Won't you consider writing your own Girl Effect blog post this week? For details, go here. See posts from other Girl Effect Blogging Campaign participants here.

Bedouin girl, Petra, Jordan. Images and poem by Tara Bradford.

 

Give me a chance

I need a chance

to study at school

to seize opportunities

to learn just like you

 

I need a chance

to grow, think and reach

to wander and wonder

defy tradition's long reach

 

I need a chance

to make my own decisions

to carve a career

not marriage as prison

 

I need a chance

to discover my worth

to nurture my talent

before I give birth

 

I need a chance

to choose my own path

to plan my own journey

without family wrath

 

I need a chance

to remain strong, in good health

to be who I am

not some man's chattel as wealth

 

Give me a chance

you'll see what I can do

surpass expectations

be independent like you

Traffic light photography in Nepal

When in a car or taxi in Nepal, we often were stopped at red lights or in slow-moving traffic. These photos were shot through open car windows. In this photo, the man appears lost in thought. Four different types of fencing are shown, including a row of prayer wheels in the background.

As always, click photos to enlarge.

Storefronts were shuttered during a religious festival.

A woman stands in the open window of a hair salon.

Masses of power lines such as this are found throughout Kathmandu. A local man told me whenever electricity work is needed, a new power line is strung. He said electricians no longer know which lines are functioning and which are beyond repair.

Traveling by motorcycle is the preferred mode of transportation, due to a high volume of traffic and high fuel costs. Cars are too expensive for most Nepalis.

The wind blows a sheet outwards in a tea house. The fabric serves to shield customers from pollution from passing motor vehicles. Although surrounded by the beautiful Himalayan mountains, Kathmandu is one of the most polluted cities on earth. Many motorcyclists wear surgical masks to filter exhaust fumes.

A store sans electiricity in a Nepali village.

In Panuti, the locals line up for fresh produce, just in from the fields.

A store proprietor awaits customers near Bungamati.

A Nepali version of a grocery store.

A sign-posted brick wall near Bungamati.

Global inspirations

Tibetan women spinning wool in tandem at the Jawalakhel Handicraft Center, Patan, Nepal.

Working in basic conditions, the women weave rugs using traditional Tibetan designs.

 

To learn more about these remarkable women, read Christine Mason Miller's "Global Inspirations" interview with me today at Create Mixed Media.

Earthquake strikes India and Nepal border region

Temple across the river at Panuti, Nepal.

Thinking of the people in Nepal, India and Tibet affected by a 6.9 earthquake on Sunday. At least 65 people reportedly were killed and more than 100,000 people left homeless in the isolated Himalayan region. Rescue efforts by Indo-Tibetan border police, Indian soldiers and numerous medical teams remain hampered by heavy rains and landslides.

Thought for the day

Flames of faith near Swayambhunath Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Click photo to read the message, with a nod to Tara Sophia Mohr and the Girl Effect Blogging Campaign. Won't you join us on October 4th? Read more about the campaign and how you can participate.

A few more doors to open

 

Ornate door at a monastery, Kathmandu.

 

An unquestionable truth becomes more pronounced with every birthday that passes: time is limited. Focusing on the people we love and work that sustains our spirit becomes more important than ever.

So on this birthday, I'm "hearing blessings dropping their blossoms around me," as the mystic poet Rumi said. I'm thinking about the doors I still can open and the opportunities yet to emerge. I'm also choosing to savour the moments in which I find myself and try to forgive my imperfections, real or imagined.

"There's courage involved if you want to become truth.

There is a broken-open place in a lover. Where are

those qualities of bravery and sharp compassion

in this group? What's the use of old and

frozen thought? I want

a howling hurt. This is not a treasury

where gold is stored; this is for copper.

We alchemists look for talent that

can heat up and change.

Lukewarm won't do. Halfhearted holding back,

well-enough, getting by?

Not here." - Rumi.

 

New York memories

Les fleurs de nuit.

 

Key moments of my life occurred in New York and the missing Twin Towers. I went to New York straight out of journalism school and lived in the city for eight years. While a reporter at the United Nations, I worked part-time for an international organisation with an office on the 46th floor of One World Trade Center.

One of my colleagues introduced me to her cousin, who later became my fiance. I saw San Francisco, Las Vegas and Tucson for the first time with him. Sadly, three years later, he was murdered.

In 1999, I met the man who would become my husband at an ecommerce conference at the World Trade Center. We had a drink at Windows of the World, with its spectacular views of the city, before going to dinner elsewhere. It was the last time I saw the Twin Towers, other than in movies, television news footage or photographs. I didn't take photos of the World Trade Center, believing the buildings were a permanent fixture of lower Manhattan. In December 2009 I was in New York and studiously avoided looking at the altered skyline.

While I have tried not to think too much about September 11th - so painful are its implications - events of that fateful day are impossible to forget. When planes flew into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, I was living in Paris. My husband phoned and told me to turn on the television. For the next two weeks, I was practically glued to the television, watching the horrors unfold on BBC and CNN.

I was stunned not only by the tragic loss of life, but the collapse of the supposedly-indestructible Twin Towers. The buildings were engineered to withstand the elements and natural disasters, such as earthquakes. On the 46th floor, our coats in the closet swayed visibly, as the building oh-so-imperceptibly moved with the wind. The fact that the buildings so quickly imploded was astonishing.

Travelers stranded

After United States airspace was closed and flights grounded, I phoned the American Embassy in Paris to offer our guest room to a stranded family (travelers due to fly had given up their hotel rooms, returning from Charles de Gaulle to find most hotels fully booked). The Embassy's response: "How many people can you take?" In the end, our apartment wasn't needed. But an American friend based in Washington, D.C. came for dinner. While David stayed home to prepare the meal, Mike and I took a long walk around Longchamp in the Bois de Boulogne, commiserating about the shocking events in our country.

I'm not going to talk about how George W. Bush took the worldwide goodwill extended towards us in the aftermath of the tragedy and squandered it. This is not the day to write about Bush, Rumsfeld, Cheney and Blair, who sent us down a disingenuous and ruinous path of war in Iraq, forever altering the way the world perceives us. This is not the time to write about all those lives - both soldiers and civilians - killed in Iraq and Afghanistan or to consider the vast treasure expended in such campaigns, draining our economy.

Today I'm focusing on honouring the men and women who lost their lives in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the downed Flight 93.  I'm thinking of the family members left behind and the valiant firefighters, police, medics, rescue workers and ordinary New Yorkers who risked their own lives to save others. Also, I'm thinking about the ghost buildings forever etched in my mind's eye.

To all who remember and all who have suffered in the 9/11 aftermath: wishing you peace and brighter days.

A seat at the table

A touch of pink in a village restaurant high in the Himalayas, Nepal.

 

The people of Libya, Egypt, Syria and Tunisia have many things in common, chief among them the desire for freedom - something many of us take for granted. They want reforms including free and fair elections and better employment opportunities. They want choices that are not dependent upon tribal ties, social class or inherited wealth.

All they want is a seat at the table - a chance to participate in their own lives; to make decisions without constantly being dictated how they must live and what repressive restrictions they must accept.

We've watched dramatic bids for freedom in Tunisia and in Egypt and now unfolding in Libya. Syria remains a dangerous flashpoint, where Bashar al-Assad loyalists continue to attack, jail or murder peaceful citizens who dare to dissent.

As Syrian political cartoonist and opposition activist Ali Ferzat said in an Associated Press interview (before being beaten and having his hands broken by government thugs): "There are two things in this life that cannot be crushed: the will of God and the will of the people."

Update: Izz al-Arab Matar, a 22-year-old university student, was killed Tuesday at Bab al-Aziziya. His cousin, London-based writer Hisham Matar wrote in today's Guardian about his loss: The short life and cruel death of Libyan freedom fighter Izz al-Arab Matar.

Plastic fantastic and fall fashion

Plastic mannequins with formal hairstyles modeling knit tracksuits at a shop in Madaba, Jordan. Click photos to enlarge.

A row of mannequins model traditional clothing in downtown Amman.

In Bhaktapur, Nepal, the mannequins basically are large plastic hangers.

Curiously, all the mannequins I saw in Nepal resembled Eastern European blondes.

The mannequins in Jordan also had Western features, which suggests no one is manufacturing mannequins specifically for Middle Eastern or Asian markets.

Fall fashion

A world away, check out New York magazine's Fall Fashion issue. Interesting that the "Fall Leanings" section doesn't seem to show anything new. It's true that fashion trends return again and again, usually updated to reflect the times.

What's on your shopping list for fall? For me, it's new boots to withstand cold and wet winters in the Netherlands. But I'll be be wearing warm-weather clothes while spending part of the autumn in Sevilla and other parts of Spain.

For children's sake

Mother and son, Panuti, Nepal.

 

Please take a moment to watch this short video:

 Blog Blast for Peace: Children in Afghanistan.

“The child must know that he is a miracle, that since the beginning of the world there hasn't been and until the end of the world there will not be, another child like him.” - Pablo Casals

Little girl, Panuti, Nepal.

Friends in Panuti.

Girl in green, Panuti.

Bungamati, Nepal. As always, click photos to enlarge.

Mother and son, Bungamati.

Mother and daughter, Bungamati.

Camera shy

Not every adorable child likes to have their picture taken. This little girl in Bungamati, Nepal was dressed for a religious ceremony. Bits of dried rice were in her hair, along with a red powdery paste.

This little boy acted as though he'd never seen a camera. His expression didn't waver, even when I showed him his picture. Maybe he'll be pleased when copies of the photos arrive via post.

Children in Panuti, Nepal volunteered to pose for the camera.

This child in Bungamati was standing on a shrine and not interested in meeting me.

And the girl in pink wasn't too happy either, although her mother was very kind.

Digging deeper

Musicians - including a blind keyboard player - near the Tibetan Boudhanath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal. Click photo to enlarge.

 

Amy of ABCDesigns wrote an interesting post about inspiration, blogging content and comments. Her thoughts struck a chord, as lately I've noticed that too many blogs, online magazines and other social media platforms are all style; little substance. Frankly, I am bored by the lack of original content and thought-provoking articles. We all need to dig a little deeper; to tell our own stories. This doesn't mean we should stop shining a light on beauty wherever we find it; to do otherwise would be unconscionable. Perhaps we could be a little more selective and thoughtful in our writing and presentations, giving rise to our own voice; our individual stories. What do you think?

To comment or not to comment?

Having blogged for five-and-a-half years, I've seen my comment count swing like a pendulum. Apparently, this is a seasonal/holiday thing rather than interest in specific posts. As people are engaged across Twitter, Facebook and now Google + platforms, it seems fewer and fewer readers take the time to comment on blogs. So I'm considering closing the comments section here.

I don't take this decision lightly; over the years, reader comments have been a welcome source of feedback, encouragement, commiseration and solace. But I have noticed a dramatic decline in comments and I'd like to ask for your views about this issue. Please let me know what you think.

A gift to yourself

And why not? You deserve it! Check out this delightful new monthly service from Not Another Bill. I have subscribed for six months, because there's nothing like a lovely surprise in the mail to instantly brighten one's day. (I've signed up my daughter in the US for Not Another Bill parcels. Shhh, it's a surprise)!

Summer reading

I've been rereading an old favourite: Thornton Wilder's The Bridge of San Luis Rey, as well as reading Margaret Drabble's stories from A Day in the Life of a Smiling Woman. For inspiration, it's hard to beat my friend Pia Jane Bijkerk's visual feast My Heart Wanders. And Odo Yakuza Tokyo, a book about the Japanese crime family just arrived. Photographer Anton Kusters has produced intriguing images of a shadowy world of power and criminality. What's on your summer reading list?

Of course, amidst a busy schedule, reading means chapters here and there. On Wednesday I spent nine hours editing photos and adding new ones to my ever-evolving photography site. Meanwhile, deadlines  loom for three articles and two photo essays... Back soon!

While few pay attention...

Tibetan vendors await customers near the Boudhanath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal.

...the United States economy teeters on a precipice. Other countries are worried; why are so few Americans paying attention, as Republicans deliberately refuse to act to save the United States from defaulting on its loans? Even normally cavalier bankers like JP Morgan's Jamie Dimon admit a default would be catastrophic, setting off a chain reaction of further economic disaster. Republicans need to stop playing politics, face facts and help avert a looming crisis.

Read more about this situation:

Just what is the federal debt ceiling?

Getting to Crazy

What hope is there for us if America is driven to the brink of meltdown?

US credit outlook downgraded by Standard & Poor's

Moody's puts US credit rating under review

House Republicans brace for compromise on debt

Fun and games

Monks hide their faces in laughter at a monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Boys play a game in a village high in the Himalayas.

Small boys play in sand at a construction site in Panauti, an historic city southeast of Kathmandu.

As always, click photos to enlarge.

No ping-pong table? Improvise.

In Bungamati, Nepal, a little boy plays with a red plastic string.

This little girl refuses to move so I can photograph detail of the bell at the Rato Machhendranath Temple.

The village itself is Newari, dating from the 16th-century. No cars are allowed in the narrow streets, hence the popularity of motorcycles.

Also in Bungamati, this little boy apparently is imitating his favourite movie super-hero.

Unbidden, he makes a series of poses for the camera.

His beaming mother laughs at his antics and tells him to hold the puppy.

Doesn't his mother have a beautiful smile?

At first, the boy hides his face behind the dog, continuing his tough-guy stance.

Then he softens and kisses the dog.

 

Bungamati residents are very open and friendly. Despite our inability to communicate via language, I was made to feel very welcome. I visited the village twice in November 2010 and hope to return. Meanwhile, I'm bundling the pictures of Bungamati residents and mailing them to a local woodcarver with a postal address. He has promised to hand-deliver copies to each person photographed.

Hope your weekend is filled with fun and games!

A whisper becomes a roar

“The whisper of a girl can be heard further than the roar of a lion.” - ancient proverb

 

This week I'm busy making my voice heard, slaying a deadline or two and trying to create a bit of a stir...back soon!

Photo of mythical creatures at a World Heritage site, Bhaktapur, Nepal.

Label snobbery or taste?

Coca-Cola signs in a rural village in Nepal. This scene caught my eye because of all the reds: signs, clothing and flowers. I took the photo from an open car window.

Vanity Fair currently has an amusing feature about label snobbery. It seems the super-rich prefer Coke over Pepsi. For me, it's a matter of taste: Pepsi is too sweet and I never drink it. Coke tastes better, especially in glass bottles. But I drink Coke rarely, since it's fattening and unhealthy. What's your preference?

No free rides: Travel blogging and ethics

 

A woman sits with offerings for a religious ceremony, Swayambuthu, Kathmandu, Nepal.

 

Lately I've noticed a growing - and disturbing - trend among travel bloggers to accept multiple free trips from government tourist boards or travel companies and write about their experiences. In journalism school, professors taught Ethics 101: do not accept free trips or gifts in exchange for writing about a certain place or subject, lest we risk losing our objectivity.

This accept-no-favors policy was crafted to insure one never had to worry about offending those who funded the trip - or paid for dinner - if describing the experience in less-than-glowing terms. At every newspaper, radio and television station where I have worked as a reporter, this policy was rigidly enforced.

Today, the Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics continues to stress the importance of acting independently:

• Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived.

• Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility.

• Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment and shun secondary employment, political involvement, public office and service in community organizations if they compromise journalistic integrity.

Of course this begs the question: are bloggers journalists? Not always, but these bloggers seem to think they are, billing themselves as professional travel experts. So when did travel bloggers begin thinking it was okay to accept free trips?

Call me old school, but I am disappointed when reading about a blogger's all-expenses-paid trip to a beautiful locale. Some travel bloggers might be curious enough to do some background reading, but more often than not, their posts contain the same information, filtered through a vaguely-different lens. After all, many of these bloggers have stayed in the same (luxury) hotels and been guided to the same tourist hot spots - without ever once veering off the beaten path. They've been led around like sheep, albeit by knowledgeable shepherds. These bloggers know little other than what they've been told and therefore have just scratched the surface of that area. They haven't visited residential neighbourhoods or refugee camps or made much of an effort to see the way the locals live. How could they, when following their sponsor's self-serving itinerary?

Traveling vs. tourism

In my view, traveling on someone else's dime and someone else's agenda isn't traveling; it's tourism.

Simon Calder, senior travel editor for The Independent, London is known as “the man who pays his way."  Calder has said, “The cheaper you travel, the closer you get to the soul of a place… I don’t accept free transport or accommodation from the travel trade. As a result of this somewhat curious and eccentric policy, I tend to meet a lot of very interesting folk. The people with the best stories to tell live life in the cheap seats.”

So if you're back from all-expenses paid junket, I'm not interested in your hotel or tourist site recommendations. After all, you know only about the places you stayed - as a pampered guest - and have no basis to compare prices or amenities of other hotels that might be easier on the typical traveler's budget. And please don't try to pretend you're an authority on the area; visiting once and being escorted to specific tourist sites does not an expert make.

Taking advantage

Besides ethical questions raised when a blogger accepts a free trip, there's also the issue of an oil-free country so desperate for tourist dollars that it provides luxury trips it can ill-afford to fund. A vicious cycle is created, when a country dependent upon tourism is forced to expend limited financial resources promoting travel. In a region where tourism may be affected by the Arab Spring political uprisings, is it right for bloggers to take advantage of the situation?

Professional ethics

Last November in Nepal I met an American photographer who had traveled extensively in the region and  spoke a bit of the language. Nepal is an impoverished country largely dependent upon foreign aid. Its fractured government means that most citizens' services are in flux, leaving many people living hand-to-mouth. So I was appalled to discover after purchasing an expensive handpainted tanka - that took a skilled lama three months to produce - the photographer (who brought me to the school) demanded a commission on the sale. Even worse, he did it in a sly manner, when I had left the room. At the time, I wondered why he insisted on asking the price in dollars, when I told the vendor my credit card was in euros.

The photographer did the same thing when I bought a very pricey Tibetan prayer-book cover from an antiques shop, again in an underhanded manner. I was beginning to wonder if he had health issues, as he excused himself so often to go to the toilet. It seems while I was waiting downstairs, he was collecting commission on my purchases.

Had I known the photographer insisted on a commission from these businesses - which of course meant the fees I paid had been raised to include his commission - I wouldn't have bought either piece. The Nepalis deserved the money; the photographer didn't. Yet he took full advantage of small institutions that needed all the business they could attract. And he took advantage of my good nature and my pocketbook.

Back home, I was busy preparing for the move from France to the Netherlands. A few months later, I emailed the photographer about some outstanding issues, including him claiming commission on my purchases. He refused to directly address the matter. Instead he sent me the names of three charities he'd supposedly donated prints to and told me he'd once sent money to a local guide - as though any of that excused him demanding commission payments on purchases of any foreigner unlucky enough to go shopping with him.

No free lunch

My philosophy is simple: pay your own way or stay home.

What are your thoughts about the ethics of bloggers and/or journalists accepting all-expenses-paid trips to foreign destinations?

Land of the Rising Sun

Statue in a glass lantern at a monastery high in the Himalayan hills, Nepal.

 

Hello from Holland! I'll be back soon with stories and photos about our move to the Netherlands. But today my thoughts and prayers are with the Japanese people, beginning the long and difficult recovery from a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami. The Land of the Rising Sun will rise again...

Meanwhile, we can help.  Respected charities and organisations providing relief work in areas most affected by Friday's double disaster include the International Committee of the Red Cross, Global Giving, Save the Children and others. For more aid organisations spearheading relief and rescue efforts in Japan, go here.

A brighter day

Flowers at a monastery in the Himalayas, Nepal.

 

Hoping for a brighter day for Egypt.

On Wednesday in Tahrir Square, Cairo, days of peaceful anti-government protests were disrupted by weapon-wielding thugs and plainclothes police, riding into the crowd on horseback and camels. As darkness fell, they threw burning furniture and molotov cocktails from rooftops.

These agent provocateurs were paid by Hosni Mubarak's government in a cynical ploy to wreak havoc and undermine anti-government protesters.  By the end of the day, 3 deaths and more than 1,500 injuries were reported, victims of state-sponsored terrorism. Such cold-blooded brutality demonstrates it's well past time for Mubarak and his corrupt regime to go.

The Egyptian people deserve better than a stubborn old egotist who cares more about clinging to power than the safety and well-being of ordinary citizens.

Update: Overnight, several people were shot and killed by Mubarak's police, who were disguised as civilians. At least 17 police ids were confiscated from those arrested.

Live updates here and here and a comprehensive update from Egyptian blogger Sandmonkey, after he was arrested and later released.

Changing times

A man reads a newspaper while waiting for market customers, Bhaktapur, Nepal.

 

Right before our eyes, some very big changes are taking place around the world. In Nepal, they're still struggling to form a government, after years of corruption has weakened the country's infrastructure.  Numerous talks among the three main political parties have repeatedly failed to reach agreement.

But the real sea change is taking place in the Arab World. This week anti-government protests in Yemen, Egypt, Jordan, Algeria and Libya follow on the heels of Tunisia's Jasmine Revolution.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohamed El-Baradei has returned from his home in Vienna to join the protests in Cairo. No doubt the deeply-unpopular Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is wondering whether he can maintain his 30-year grip over an impoverished nation of 80 million people. Mubarak's recent attempts to quell dissent by silencing the press and limiting internet access have inflamed discontented Egyptians, who long for freedom and democracy. 

Egyptian police have used deadly force against some protesters, while secret police wearing civilian clothes have been filmed arresting and beating protesters in Cairo, Alexandria, Suez and Sinai. At least three protesters were shot dead.

Further anti-government demonstrations are planned after Friday morning prayers, with the opposition Moslem Brotherhood expected to participate.

Updates at noon (Paris time) Friday:

The day that Egypt unplugged the internet

El Baradei says Egyptian government on its last legs

Live updates: Protests in Egypt

Cutting internet, mobile phones, landlines and assaulting and/or arresting protesters will not stop Egyptians intent on change. The genie is out of the bottle.

Games

Laughing children playing the universally-popular Tug-of-War in Bungamati, Nepal.

When my daughter was about three years old, we were on a plane from New York to Amsterdam. She and a little Japanese girl spent at least an hour giggling and playing "Rock, Paper, Scissors" together, even though neither spoke the other's language.

These girls reminded me that a smile transcends language.

The boys laughed in the background as this young beauty posed, but were shy about having their own photos taken.

Meanwhile, political games continue as Nepal remains without a government. When I was In Kathmandu in November, government corruption was often the topic of conversation.

Framing the picture

Look beyond what's in front of you. See the bigger picture. But sometimes the best part of the picture is the frame.

Photo taken through patterned concrete wall opening in the Himalayan foothills, Nepal.

Glimmers of hope

Prayer candles, Swayambhunath Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal.

 

Offering prayers for the victims of ignorance and hate.

"One can overcome the forces of negative emotions - like anger and hatred - by cultivating their counterforces: love and compassion." - The Dalai Lama.

The Kumari

The Kumari, Bungamati, Nepal. The Kumari is considered by Hindus and some Buddhists to be the living embodiment of the goddess Taleju. The child is selected by religious leaders after passing a series of tests to determine her innocence and worthiness, according to Shambu, my Nepali guide.

Ceremonial dress on a religious holiday. I told the Kumari she was beautiful and she kept repeating the word in exaggerated syllables "Buw-tee-full."

The Kumari's lovely attendant - possibly her mother - who looks after her.

See more Nepal portraits on my website here.

Time to lighten the load

Ever feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders?

Time to lighten the load.

 

No doubt about it: moving is stressful. I've lived in Paris longer than any place in my adult life, yet it never has felt like home. Amsterdam, where I've never lived (but have visited many times over the years) always has tugged at my heartstrings. Happily, we're moving to the Netherlands in just six weeks. And I'm on a mission to lighten the load!

Am going through possessions and giving many things away or tossing them. Am moving only my favourite and most necessary things (but four pieces of furniture and quite a lot of art must remain in France, as the beautiful criss-cross timber beams and architectural features of the Netherlands maisonette present decorating challenges).

Hard to believe that during my years as a reporter, my daughter and I moved to the Middle East and back with only four suitcases! I've spent the last 11 years in Europe frequenting brocantes, flea markets and antique shops - "nesting" - to make up for all the items lost during our travels.  Now I've collected too much, so am letting go of some treasures.

If you're in Paris, I have two huge stacks of design and decor books to give away. The catch is that you have to come pick them up - soon! Email me ASAP if you're interested.

Hope your year is off to a good start!

Photos (above) taken in Bhaktapur, Nepal.

Une nouvelle année lumineuse

It's a bright new year! Don't be shy...

Time to shine. Adventures await!

Namaste.

 

Top two images taken at Bungamati, Nepal; little girl's photo near Swayambhunath Temple, Kathmandu.

P.S. Head over to Got Saga for an article in which I reveal the identity of The Secret Brocante!

Monkey see, monkey do

This curious monkey was leaping from one monument to another in morning sunshine at Swayambhunath Temple, a sacred site for Buddhists in Kathmandu, Nepal. My camera lens caught the creature in a rare moment of repose. The "Monkey Temple" World Heritage Site is bordered by Hindu shrines. Buddhism and Hinduism peacefully co-exist throughout Nepal, with shrines and temples often built in close proximity.

Scroll down the page for another post today.

Look again

Hindu religious shrine in Budhanilkantha, Nepal. Click photo to view detail.

 

At first glance at the image (above), you may notice the trefoil shapes in the iron grillwork, the prayers pinned to the wooden posts, the red powdered remnants of offerings and marigold petals. If you look more closely, you may see a woman in red peering through the grillwork. When I took the photo, I focused solely on the structure itself. It was only as I turned to walk away that I noticed the woman in the corner, gazing at me.

"Everything we see hides another thing," said Rene Magritte. And sometimes we fail to observe what's right in front of us.

At home

"Welcome home." A Buddhist monk walks across paint-stenciled words at a monastery high in the hills above Kathmandu, Nepal.

 

So nice to have a travel-and-guest-free peaceful weekend at home. It's been snowing in Paris, offering an excuse to cosy up by the fire and read The Apothecary's House; enjoy lovely meals prepared by my resident (husband) chef and address a huge stack of Christmas and New Year's cards. Just for a day or two, everything else can wait.

The Nepali and English words inscribed on the building (pictured) indicate "The True Meaning of Life" by the Dalai Lama:

"We are visitors on this planet. We are here for 90 or 100 years at the very most. During that period, we must try to do something good, something useful with our lives. If you contribute to other people's happiness, you will find the true goal; the true meaning of life."

"Right from the moment of our birth, we are under the care and kindness of our parents and then later on in our life when we are oppressed by sickness and become old, we are again dependent on the kindness of others. Since at the beginning and end of our lives we are so dependent on others' kindness, how can it be that in the middle we neglect kindness toward others?"

Contemplation

A woman rests on burlap bags and reinforced sacks, while surveying patches of harvested grain to be bundled in Bungamati, Nepal.

"Soon silence will have passed into legend. Man has turned his back on silence. Day after day he invents machines and devices that increase noise and distract humanity from the essence of life, contemplation, meditation." - Jean Arp.

More travel

International terminal at Indira Ghandi International Airport, Delhi, India.

Since my return from Nepal a week ago, have been busy with a houseguest. Alas, I've had barely a moment to sort photos and create blog posts. On Sunday, David and I are off to Amsterdam. Check back mid-week for more Nepal stories and photos.

Thankful

Lighting candles, Bungamati, Nepal.

 

Gratitude for an abundance of blessings: Happy Thanksgiving!

The sadu at Pashupatinah

A sadu, or holy man sits on temple steps in Pashupatinah, Nepal. The sadu are devout followers of Shiva, the Hindu god viewed as both destroyer and creator. Some sadu are constantly covered in sackcloth and ashes.

This man had a wonderful smile and gentle nature and seemed genuine. Locals say some sadu are society drop-outs, rather than religious men. The imitators pose for tourist photos, in exchange for money.

These two holy men have dreadlocks down to their feet and beyond. Click photos to view detail.

The 17th-century Pashupatinah Temple - the oldest Hindu temple in Kathmandu -  has UNESCO World Heritage protection. The sacred site sits on the banks of the Bagmati River.

Sackcloth and ashes.

This man's long dreadlocks are wound into a giant bun on the side of his head.

This man covered in ash appeared to be a loner, isolated from the other sadu.

Check back soon for more of my images and stories from Nepal.

Images by Tara Bradford.