Old Goa - October 25

Above: Eli contemplating the ruins at the Old Goa watchtower, and a shot of us inside of one of the city's churches.

We took brief respite from the beaches of Anjuna and yoga with Rolf - a trip with some fellow yogis to Old Goa. Yes, the Portuguese once reigned supreme in this coastal state. And, where there are Portuguese, there are cathedrals. Old Goa, the former capital of the region, is a stark contrast to the rest of India. For starters, there are lots of wide open spaces with no people. Moreover, the familiar symbols of Christianity that we thought we had left behind in Europe have returned. All in all, the churches in Old Goa are a mere echo of the many European counterparts we saw in Italy. One even claimed to be modeled after St. Peter's. However, it was interesting to see the living history of this complicated country.

Goa, October 21 - ?????

Above: a church in the middle of the jungle (the Portugese were in Goa for many years) and one of Goa's many beach cows.

When we arrived in Goa we remarked that we could be in Thailand or Belize - this part of India is different than the India we have seen, and much more watered down. They serve raw vegetables in restaurants geared towards westerners, where the food is washed in purified water. The streets are full of young Israelis and Europeans, here to enjoy the beaches and party scene. But a few traces of India remain, namely the crazy driving, ubiquitous cows, colorfully dressed women, and delicious curries.

Our days have been filled with yoga, meals, and beach. We are practicing with Simona's longtime teacher Rolf and have met a number of ashtanga devotees from all over the world, many of whom are here for two or three months.

One of the most exciting parts of our stay here is the journey to yoga practice in the morning: via motorbike. Those of you who know of our driving skills would be very scared at the prospect of either of us operating a motorbike. We decided that Eli was the best candidate for team driver, despite his distracted tendencies, because Simona felt too unsure to negotiate the Indian traffic. The ride has been scary at times due to the many cows, dogs, bicycles, and reckless drivers on the road, but it's also very fun. Thankfully, not so many people are on the road when we are headed to practice at 7 a.m.

Delhi & Siliguri, October 20 & 21

Above: the streets of Siliguri at night, and the inside of Siliguri's temple.

Our journey from the mountains of northern India to the country's southern shores required two stops: in Siliguri and Delhi. Both cities were teeming with people celebrating the Durga Puja holidays that commemorate the victory of the mother goddess over the nastiest of demons. The crows added to the Indian cities' already chaotic natures.

In Siliguri, we stood in line along with the Hindu pilgrims waiting to enter the temple to worship the goddess. We were swept in along with the crowd, among bright lights and more bugs than we have ever seen in one place. The colors of the temple were vibrant and rich, much less subdued than those of Italy's churches.

We made the mistake of riding the metro in Delhi on one of the festival's biggest nights. Added security meant that the station was equipped with metal detectors, but because in India there is no practice of queuing up, getting through the detectors was an exercise in embracing chaos. We found ourselves in the middle of what can only be described as a mob of men trying to shove their way violently into the metro. There was a separate women's entry because the crowd was so rough, but Simona did not get into it. We tried our best to push, shove, and elbow our way just as everybody else was doing, but we are novices, and we found ourselves nearly trampled. It was quite an experience.

We also got to visit Delhi's bustling backalley markets, which are mazelike and sell absolutely everything. Simona practiced her bargaining skills and secured a dozen silver colored bangles for a dollar, probably twice what a local would pay but at least one tenth of what they would sell for at home.

Pelling, Sikkim, October 17 - 19

Above: A Sikkimese boy and prayer flags, and Eli sampling tomba, the local millet beer.

Pelling has changed since Eli visited back in 1989. There are significantly more hotels and Bengali tourists than he remembers. However, the people are still remarkably friendly and gentle and the gompas, Buddhist monastaries, are still filled with exquisite carvings and mural work.

Pemayangste gompa was the artistic highlight of our visit -- housing seven manifestations of Padmasambhava, the guru who first brought buddhism to Tibet. Unfortunately, no pictures are allowed. We will say that the angry manifestation, Senge Dradog, is enough to give anyone pause.

Our visit coincided with a massive North Indian puja festival, during which many Hindu families go on devotional trips. Every morning, we were awoken (at 5 a.m., no less) by chants of om navah shivayah blaring from the temples, and at night the pilgrims poured in to make offerings to the goddess. It's been amazing to witness, and the chanting was a nice accompaniment to our morning yoga.

Singalila Ridge Trek, India & Nepal - October 12 - 16

Above: Impressive Khangchendzonga mountain as seen from Sandakpu, and a telling sign at the peak of our ascent.

Our four days hiking in Northern India and Nepal were hard work but very fun. We did have some problems at the outset. For starters, we began our ascent with the inauspicious sign of Simona coughing up what can only be described as the largest and ugliest piece of phlegm I have ever seen. Second, we had to replace our hungover guide after about three hours of hiking. However, after that, things went breezily.

As far as treks go, it wasn't the most difficult: the highest point was 3636 meters. However, as the photo of the sign above attests, there were some pretty difficult patches (particularly the five hour descent from the Sandakpu peak). The views, however, were well worth the effort.

We had the pleasure of meeting many local villagers along the way, who fed us their deliciously simple staple dish - rice, dal (lentil curry) and curried vegetables. There were many beautiful flora along the way, but we recommend to anyone interested in this trek to come in April/May - our guide says that at that time the mountains are "on fire with wildflowers."

Darjeeling addendum

On our last night in Darjeeling, we discovered that the little Indian hill town has quite a bourgeois underbelly: the world of gourmet teas. Of course, we could not resist learning more. We visited the tea tasting room in an upscale, guarded (arms and all) shopping center. It was not unlike a Napa winery. We were introduced to the different types of Darjeeling tea, which vary by season and strain. Almost all were delicious. We favored the slightly heavier, stronger teas, and realized that the less coveted strains often are served as a vehicle for milk and sugar because they just don't taste as amazing.

Darjeeling, Oct. 10-12 and 16

Above: Orchids at the Darjeeling botanical garden

We arrived in India very late at night and much to our disappointment the airport's retiring rooms were full, so we had to venture out to a hotel (we had a connecting flight the next morning). Our introduction to Delhi driving was immediate - our taxi driver u-turned and took us down a divided highway on the wrong side of the road, against traffic. Delhi, we'll be back.

The next day, after our connecting flight, we embarked on the journey from Bagdogra to Darjeeling - another experience on the Indian roads, which we shared with cows, chickens, bicycles, rickshaws, trains, children, and even a monkey. We decided to live the high life in Darjeeling, since it was Simona's birthday, and stayed in a room with lots of television channels and morning "bed tea" service.

Darjeeling is full of competing sounds, smells, and sights, some good, some not so much. On the plus side, it has earned its reputation for great tea (usually milky and sweet), and the mountain views are breathtaking. However, the exhaust fumes, ubiquitous honking, and crowds of people can at times be overwhelming. From what we have learned, that is part of the Indian experience.

Europe Photos

We will be trekking in northern India and offline for the next 5 days. In the meantime, those interested can check out all of our Europe photos here.

Vienna, Part 2

First of all, we made it to India. More on that later.

After our night at the Staasoper, we were treated to another musical delight: the Wien Philharmoniker performing Schubert's 5th and Beethoven's 6th symphonies. We bought our tickets the same day and got standing seats again (4.50 Euro), which were fine and provided a good view. During the fourth movement of Schubert, just as Eli was getting a bit weary of standing, he noticed two empty seats in the front orchestra. Simona asked the usher if we could have them, and he said after the intermission, yes. So they were ours. It seems a little wrong to attempt to describe the music we heard without the music itself, so we'll just say that the sound was perfect. As a fellow traveler put it, you heard exactly what they wanted you to hear, exactly as they wanted you to, and each instrument stood out.

We spent Monday, our last day in Vienna, wandering around the botanical gardens and the Baroque Belvedere palaces. The palaces were a bit staid, although we enjoyed their outside statutes.

On Tuesday, we packed our bags and headed for the Indian embassy in Vienna, where no "security clearance" awaited us. However, the bureaucrat administering visas decided, in his discretion, that we probably were not security threats. Simona's plaintive tears may also have persuaded him. So, just two and a half hours before our flight took off, he stamped our passports and we embarked on a mad rush to the airport.

Vienna, Oct. 4-9

ABOVE: Romeo and Juliet reflected in the Staatsoper ceiling, and one of our many home-cooked meals, featuring fresh figs (which are in abundance at Vienna's markets).

Well, sometimes things do not go according to plan. We were supposed to spend only a night in Vienna on the way to India (we had planned to see the city on the way back from India). But we are not in Delhi right now. Apparently, there is this thing called a "visa" that our dumb asses failed to secure. We thought we only needed a permit to see Sikkim, but we were wrong.

So we have been "stuck" in Vienna while waiting for the embassy to clear us. Despite the disruption, it has worked out beautifully. By the good graces of a hostel owner Simona knows from her days in Eastern Europe, we got a sweet apartment right near the center, where we have been cooking up a storm (photo to come).

We must give a shout out to the Nachtmarkt, a huge market in central Vienna full of tantalizing produce, meats, cheeses, and international cuisine. In particular, Pho Saigon bears a congratulatory mention for best Pho this side of the Danube. We were a bit cold and under the weather, and their delicious noodle soup and spicy curry made our sinuses and cold bones happy again.

We spent a romantic evening at the Staatsoper, where we saw an incredible production of Prokofiev´s Romeo and Juliet. We showed up a few hours before curtain and got standing room tickets, which put us directly in front of the stage and close enough to see the dancers´expressions (and, to Simona´s delight, their perfectly shaped derrieres). We are off to the symphony tonight. More soon.

Bohinj lake (Slovenia), Sept. 30- Oct. 3

The Bohinj lake area is simply gorgeous, even if our photography skills fail to capture this fact. Soaring mountains, rushing waterfalls, picturesque villages, and plenty of tasty sausages (if you're into that sort of thing) make this relatively undeveloped stretch of the Julian Alps a refreshing escape. We took the opportunity to get sporty and went hiking, biking, and canoeing through the countryside (we passed on the paragliding, rock-climbing, and ˝adrenaline park˝ ropes course). We spent a great deal of time lounging in our hotel, which offered rooms looking onto the mountains and an excellent heated pool and sauna. Finally, the quaint beer garden next door proved a wonderful way to pass the sunset hours.

Bohinj is a great alternative to the more crowded alp getaways of Western europe, and it's just as beautiful. We would definitely come back.

Ljubljana, Sept. 30 & Oct. 3-4

When I (Simona) visited Ljubljana with my friend Erik six years ago, we remarked that the city was the next Prague - a soon-to-be hip vacation destination for Europeans, and a happening university town in its own right. Last night, Eli and I had the pleasure of sitting outside along the Ljubljanica in perfect weather, sipping wine and watching the Slovenian hipsters at one of the many trendy cafes and bars that now line the riverfront. Ljubljana has arrived.

And, in line with her sister city Prague, she still has a long way to go on the culinary front. Against Simona's strong admonition, I (Eli) decided that I really wanted to try a Slovenian Mexican restaurant recommended by our guidebook. We have never had the pleasure of being served Doritos Nacho-Cheese Chips and packaged ˝guacamole˝ (which resembles real guacamole only in color) as an appetizer. Slovenians also appear to think that Velveta cheese and ˝white salsa˝ (a.k.a. ranch dressing) are Mexican specialities. Lesson learned.

During the days, we walked up to the beutiful castle, ran in Tivoli park, and enjoyed the relative peace and quiet. After Italy, it's very refreshing not to be part of a massive mob of tourists.