“You don’t have to be a fantastic hero to do certain things – to compete. You can be just an ordinary chap, sufficiently motivated.”
Edmund Hillary
Salut! This is my interactive travelogue for '09! As most of you know, I will spend the next few months traveling around the World, visiting my friends & family, visiting countries I've never been to, learning about new cultures; languages, running marathons, hiking mountains, relaxing, re-energizing, and re-connecting with the World!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Tyangboche - Dingboche - Lobuche - Gorakshep - Kala Pattar (18,200 ft) - EVEREST BASE CAMP (17,500 ft)
Day 6: Leaving Namche Bazar... to Tyangboche - Dingboche - Lobuche - Gorakshep - Kala Pattar (18,200 ft) - EVEREST BASE CAMP (17,500 ft)
A few people in our group have been sleeping all day, feeling a little sick, a bit stressed.
Some people were training.
And some of us took a day of rest (washed laundry, showered, and played table-games: scrabble, sudoku and cards).
The moral is high despite the altitude that is trying to knock us down.
We have a funny and skilled guide, Damche, with us who keep reminding us that: It is not about the altitude as we go higher up, IT IS ABOUT ATTITUDE!!! :)))
We leave tomorrow Tyangboche - 6 hours of trekking... thiner air ;)) awaiting us there.
See you in 2 weeks! We are off to Mt. Everest Base!! :))
And here's a bit of inspiration:
"The first question which you will ask and which I must try to answer is this, 'What is the use of climbing Mount Everest ?' and my answer must at once be, 'It is no use'. There is not the slightest prospect of any gain whatsoever. Oh, we may learn a little about the behavior of the human body at high altitudes, and possibly medical men may turn our observation to some account for the purposes of aviation. But otherwise nothing will come of it. We shall not bring back a single bit of gold or silver, not a gem, nor any coal or iron. We shall not find a single foot of earth that can be planted with crops to raise food. It's no use. So, if you cannot understand that there is something in man which responds to the challenge of this mountain and goes out to meet it, that the struggle is the struggle of life itself upward and forever upward, then you won't see why we go. What we get from this adventure is just sheer joy. And joy is, after all, the end of life. We do not live to eat and make money. We eat and make money to be able to enjoy life. That is what life means and what life is for."
George Leigh Mallory, 1922
A few people in our group have been sleeping all day, feeling a little sick, a bit stressed.
Some people were training.
And some of us took a day of rest (washed laundry, showered, and played table-games: scrabble, sudoku and cards).
The moral is high despite the altitude that is trying to knock us down.
We have a funny and skilled guide, Damche, with us who keep reminding us that: It is not about the altitude as we go higher up, IT IS ABOUT ATTITUDE!!! :)))
We leave tomorrow Tyangboche - 6 hours of trekking... thiner air ;)) awaiting us there.
See you in 2 weeks! We are off to Mt. Everest Base!! :))
And here's a bit of inspiration:
"The first question which you will ask and which I must try to answer is this, 'What is the use of climbing Mount Everest ?' and my answer must at once be, 'It is no use'. There is not the slightest prospect of any gain whatsoever. Oh, we may learn a little about the behavior of the human body at high altitudes, and possibly medical men may turn our observation to some account for the purposes of aviation. But otherwise nothing will come of it. We shall not bring back a single bit of gold or silver, not a gem, nor any coal or iron. We shall not find a single foot of earth that can be planted with crops to raise food. It's no use. So, if you cannot understand that there is something in man which responds to the challenge of this mountain and goes out to meet it, that the struggle is the struggle of life itself upward and forever upward, then you won't see why we go. What we get from this adventure is just sheer joy. And joy is, after all, the end of life. We do not live to eat and make money. We eat and make money to be able to enjoy life. That is what life means and what life is for."
George Leigh Mallory, 1922
Namche Bazar (3,440m)
2 days of acclimatization at Namche.
Like Lukla, Namche is one of the villages with shops and stores and lodges (electricity, phones, etc). This is the last point with the internet connection :)
Namche is beautiful. Small town nestled between the tall mountains! All in blue!
It is 6 AM. My camp-site is still half asleep. Sherpas come around at 6:30 AM to give us tea or coffee (inside of our tents:) and then we wash, stretch, and eat breakfast.
After breakfast we either hike to the next village or train, like now in Namche.
Every day is like a dream! The views of the Himalayas are spectacular!! Everything seems surreal.
Life is all about right here and now. Every minute is fully lived and absorbed.
Hindu people say that to come to the Everest (and the Himalayas) is to come to Heaven! So true! :))
I'm off to eat my porridge... and then run around the hills :))
Monday, May 18, 2009
With Damche to Namche (3,500m)
Our guide Damche got us to Namche Bazar today - 3,500m! What a great day!!! 5 hours of constant uphill and crossing the milky river, but we got to our camp-site happy and smiling!!!!!
We saw Mt. Everest on the way - it was a perfectly clear day and we were lucky to be able to see it right before we approached Namche. It was SURREAL!!!!! A dream come true!
I'm camping with a wonderful, absolutely awesome group of people, who are mostly from Germany (some Austrians and a couple of English people). That's group B. Group A is Americans and other... they are behind us somewhere...
Anyway, it feels great to be surrounded with people who share similar interests and are realizing their BIG dreams in life! Oh, it's been a fantastic journey so far!!!
Camping is fun!!! Food is good and our sherpa people are nice!
We will be acclimatizing in Namche for a couple of days - training and running and enjoying life!!!!!
Every day is a true miracle and a PRESENT here in the Himalayas! :))))
I am out of my mind happy! (and a bit high :))) at 3,500m :)))
We saw Mt. Everest on the way - it was a perfectly clear day and we were lucky to be able to see it right before we approached Namche. It was SURREAL!!!!! A dream come true!
I'm camping with a wonderful, absolutely awesome group of people, who are mostly from Germany (some Austrians and a couple of English people). That's group B. Group A is Americans and other... they are behind us somewhere...
Anyway, it feels great to be surrounded with people who share similar interests and are realizing their BIG dreams in life! Oh, it's been a fantastic journey so far!!!
Camping is fun!!! Food is good and our sherpa people are nice!
We will be acclimatizing in Namche for a couple of days - training and running and enjoying life!!!!!
Every day is a true miracle and a PRESENT here in the Himalayas! :))))
I am out of my mind happy! (and a bit high :))) at 3,500m :)))
Saturday, May 16, 2009
First Stop - Lukla 2,800m
The group left KTM at 5am and got into Lukla (2,800m) safe and sound. It is 10:30am. The views of the mountains are surreal!! Absolutely AMAZING!!! It feels great to be here!
We will stay overnight in Lukla to acclimatize and then start hiking in the morning.
There are 2 groups: A and B. Group B is the German group and for some reason, I ended up with them! They thought I also spoke German since I was so international. Nicht za jezik, but oh well - it's a fun group! The German guys are VERY happy to have me in the group ;)) Brigitta is my tent-mate, she is 60 yrs old. (so the guys welcomed me with a big grin on their faces ;))
Brigitta is a stud, though. She's done many adventure sport races around the world - 100 milers and so on.
I call her my 'shadow' or a 'walking nightmare' (in a good way) and I will explain why.
Brigitta was an investment banker in Germany all her life and never got married or had a family. She retired 5 yrs ago. She now travels and also teaches gymnastics at a nearby highschool back at home. Nothing bad about that if you choose not to have family.
Anyway, she asked me what I do and if I had a family (husband + kids).. and I said: i-banking and no, no family.. she immediately replied: well, of course, you are an i-banker, no personal life, that's how it is. hahaha It was kind of funny to me (and, it doesn't necessarily has to be that way, but that is the stereotype we fit in).
So, there I was, looking at her and thinking - that could be me in 30yrs!!
And right then, I started screaming inside of myself, yelling:
But, I want children and I want to have a functional family!!!!!!! :))
SO, there we were... hiking, thinking about life, careers, wishes and wants, and how to make it all work! It is a long hike up to the Everest, which will give us plenty of time to reflect and think about things! :)) So I hope :))
Anyway, back to our group. There's an amazing mix of people from all kinds of backgrounds. Women mostly with medical backgrounds (nurses), one marketing girl, and some part-timers, one teacher and 2 i-bankers. Men - doctors, lawyers, consultants, and one IT guy. All in all, a bunch of fascinating people!!! It is wonderful conversing with them as most everybody has traveled and experienced something out of the ordinary (marching through Siberia, Mongolia, marathons on every continent - just name them and somebody has done it).
What is most impressive is that most all them have families and children and wives/husbands back at home!! There's, of course, a handful of single people (and Brigitta;)
Well, I just wanted to check in and say Happy Friday/Saturday to everybody!! :))
We will stay overnight in Lukla to acclimatize and then start hiking in the morning.
There are 2 groups: A and B. Group B is the German group and for some reason, I ended up with them! They thought I also spoke German since I was so international. Nicht za jezik, but oh well - it's a fun group! The German guys are VERY happy to have me in the group ;)) Brigitta is my tent-mate, she is 60 yrs old. (so the guys welcomed me with a big grin on their faces ;))
Brigitta is a stud, though. She's done many adventure sport races around the world - 100 milers and so on.
I call her my 'shadow' or a 'walking nightmare' (in a good way) and I will explain why.
Brigitta was an investment banker in Germany all her life and never got married or had a family. She retired 5 yrs ago. She now travels and also teaches gymnastics at a nearby highschool back at home. Nothing bad about that if you choose not to have family.
Anyway, she asked me what I do and if I had a family (husband + kids).. and I said: i-banking and no, no family.. she immediately replied: well, of course, you are an i-banker, no personal life, that's how it is. hahaha It was kind of funny to me (and, it doesn't necessarily has to be that way, but that is the stereotype we fit in).
So, there I was, looking at her and thinking - that could be me in 30yrs!!
And right then, I started screaming inside of myself, yelling:
But, I want children and I want to have a functional family!!!!!!! :))
SO, there we were... hiking, thinking about life, careers, wishes and wants, and how to make it all work! It is a long hike up to the Everest, which will give us plenty of time to reflect and think about things! :)) So I hope :))
Anyway, back to our group. There's an amazing mix of people from all kinds of backgrounds. Women mostly with medical backgrounds (nurses), one marketing girl, and some part-timers, one teacher and 2 i-bankers. Men - doctors, lawyers, consultants, and one IT guy. All in all, a bunch of fascinating people!!! It is wonderful conversing with them as most everybody has traveled and experienced something out of the ordinary (marching through Siberia, Mongolia, marathons on every continent - just name them and somebody has done it).
What is most impressive is that most all them have families and children and wives/husbands back at home!! There's, of course, a handful of single people (and Brigitta;)
Well, I just wanted to check in and say Happy Friday/Saturday to everybody!! :))
Put u Katmandu - mamino pismo
Duso moja,
Skinula sam veceras sa tatine police sa knjigama jednu knjigu koja tu stoji godinama i sada je odjednom ozivela:
knjiga se zove KATMANDU, a pisac je Stevan Pesic
Nazad na koricama kratko je zapisano:
"Kad sva srca postanu gluva, i sa njima tvoje sopstveno - postoji put u Katmandu.
Kad se svi putevi zatvore, izgubis prjatelja i svi koje volis napuste te - postoji put u Katmandu.
Kad sve prodje, nestane, vetar jave razveje snove, i kad pomislis da nade nema - postoji put u Katmandu.
Kad sunce hladnije postane i zvezde nad tvojim nebom pocnu da gasnu - postoji put u Katmandu.
I kada te ne bude vise, ostace tvoje srce, prazno i veliko kao nebo, i u njemu zvezda. Ime te zvezde je Katmandu."
Sve ove dane dane do 29. maja posveticu citanju ove knjige.
Ljubim te i neizmerno volim,
tvoja mamica
Predivno!! Hvala ti mamice! Ljubim te i volim, tvoja mala skitnica i velika putnica
Skinula sam veceras sa tatine police sa knjigama jednu knjigu koja tu stoji godinama i sada je odjednom ozivela:
knjiga se zove KATMANDU, a pisac je Stevan Pesic
Nazad na koricama kratko je zapisano:
"Kad sva srca postanu gluva, i sa njima tvoje sopstveno - postoji put u Katmandu.
Kad se svi putevi zatvore, izgubis prjatelja i svi koje volis napuste te - postoji put u Katmandu.
Kad sve prodje, nestane, vetar jave razveje snove, i kad pomislis da nade nema - postoji put u Katmandu.
Kad sunce hladnije postane i zvezde nad tvojim nebom pocnu da gasnu - postoji put u Katmandu.
I kada te ne bude vise, ostace tvoje srce, prazno i veliko kao nebo, i u njemu zvezda. Ime te zvezde je Katmandu."
Sve ove dane dane do 29. maja posveticu citanju ove knjige.
Ljubim te i neizmerno volim,
tvoja mamica
Predivno!! Hvala ti mamice! Ljubim te i volim, tvoja mala skitnica i velika putnica
Nepali newspaper - marathon
Dear Mirjana, sweet remembrance.
This is me Binju, a Nepali reporter who met you at Shanker hotel while
covering Everest Marathon briefing.
Well, I wanted to share the link which will lead you toward the main
page of Xinhua's online version where you can find your quote too.
Please follow the link below.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/15/content_11379006.htm
I wish for your successful marathon campaign and better
performance there in the Base Camp. All the best :)
Regards,
Binju
Thanks, Binju!! You are the best, girl. See you back in KTM in June! Mia
This is me Binju, a Nepali reporter who met you at Shanker hotel while
covering Everest Marathon briefing.
Well, I wanted to share the link which will lead you toward the main
page of Xinhua's online version where you can find your quote too.
Please follow the link below.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/15/content_11379006.htm
I wish for your successful marathon campaign and better
performance there in the Base Camp. All the best :)
Regards,
Binju
Thanks, Binju!! You are the best, girl. See you back in KTM in June! Mia
Friday, May 15, 2009
My dad - my favorite runner!
My dad inspired me to start running when I was 16 yrs old, shortly after I stopped playing basketball (tennis, and volleyball).
He run back in highschool and college, and then picked up running again when his kids were off to college :)) So far, he's got 15 marathons and numerous hiking-marathons under his belt. All acquired in the last few years. He is 58. Way to be, dad!!!
The first half marathon we run together was in Novi Sad 15 yrs ago. We then run the Classic Athens Marathon in Greece (2007) and again the Novi Sad half (2009).
Russia / Siberia may be the next one (my dad loves Russia)... for his 60th bday?!! :))
He just emailed me wishing me good luck on the Everest... Thanks Dad, I love you!
"Draga moja Mika,
sedim u vinogradu , gledam u Frušku i merim brda u vis pokušavajuci da dosegnem šesnaest PUTA više od Čota pa ne mogu to da smestim pod nebo sremačko... Toliko su Himalaji viši od Fruske gore.
Znam samo da si ti visoko iznad ovog našeg neba i životom i radom i stremljenjima! Siguran sam da si odabrala pravi put koji običnim smrtnicima nije dostupan. HRABRO I SRECNO DO CILJA!
Ljubi te tale i misli na tebe sve vreme i prati svaki korak."
He run back in highschool and college, and then picked up running again when his kids were off to college :)) So far, he's got 15 marathons and numerous hiking-marathons under his belt. All acquired in the last few years. He is 58. Way to be, dad!!!
The first half marathon we run together was in Novi Sad 15 yrs ago. We then run the Classic Athens Marathon in Greece (2007) and again the Novi Sad half (2009).
Russia / Siberia may be the next one (my dad loves Russia)... for his 60th bday?!! :))
He just emailed me wishing me good luck on the Everest... Thanks Dad, I love you!
"Draga moja Mika,
sedim u vinogradu , gledam u Frušku i merim brda u vis pokušavajuci da dosegnem šesnaest PUTA više od Čota pa ne mogu to da smestim pod nebo sremačko... Toliko su Himalaji viši od Fruske gore.
Znam samo da si ti visoko iznad ovog našeg neba i životom i radom i stremljenjima! Siguran sam da si odabrala pravi put koji običnim smrtnicima nije dostupan. HRABRO I SRECNO DO CILJA!
Ljubi te tale i misli na tebe sve vreme i prati svaki korak."
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Mt. Everest Base Camp here I come! Back in 3 weeks!
I'm starting my trek to the EVEREST BASE CAMP Saturday morning!!! I cannot tell you how excited I am to go on this incredible adventure!!!!!
Hope the weather serves us well and hope everything turns out according to plan!
So far, I know there will be up to 40 foreigners trekking and running the marathon, and some 160 Indian and Nepalese people (special ops military, and other marathoners).
Mom & Dad, Petar, Vera - wish you were here with me!!! I love you!
Tanji - thanks for the many tips on how to conquer the climb + marathon (garlic soup!).
Georg - your climbing stories were inspirational!! Great meeting you and Bill!!
Marshall - thanks for the little climbing gifts and your encouragement!
Hope the weather serves us well and hope everything turns out according to plan!
So far, I know there will be up to 40 foreigners trekking and running the marathon, and some 160 Indian and Nepalese people (special ops military, and other marathoners).
Mom & Dad, Petar, Vera - wish you were here with me!!! I love you!
Tanji - thanks for the many tips on how to conquer the climb + marathon (garlic soup!).
Georg - your climbing stories were inspirational!! Great meeting you and Bill!!
Marshall - thanks for the little climbing gifts and your encouragement!
Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon 2009 !!!
Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon is an International High Altitude Adventure Sports Event being held at Mt. Everest Base Camp every year on May 29. criss-crossing the Highland Sherpa Trails of Khumbu Valley, to commemorate the historical ascent of Mount Everest by Late Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary on May 29, 1953.
The Marathon Event is to salute these 2 Great Heroes of our Human Civilization, regardless of their Nationality & origin, ventured out into the unknown and carried Human spirit to the TOP of the World or the Summit of Mother Earth, glorifying the success of the entire mankind civilization.
Everest Marathon, the world's highest marathon, the Toughest Marathon and the Ultimate Mountain Race, is open for all High Altitude Running enthusiasts above 18 years of age with sound mind and body.
Everest Marathon is considered by High Altitude Mountain Runners as the world's ultimate race or the ultimate challenge of this form of extreme sport . These runners endure the harsh weather and even digest altitude sickness to experience the romantic participation in this World's only Highest Marathon Event.
Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon is being widely covered by BBC, NHK of Japan and many other National and International Electronic and Paper Media.
http://www.everestmarathon.com/
The Marathon Event is to salute these 2 Great Heroes of our Human Civilization, regardless of their Nationality & origin, ventured out into the unknown and carried Human spirit to the TOP of the World or the Summit of Mother Earth, glorifying the success of the entire mankind civilization.
Everest Marathon, the world's highest marathon, the Toughest Marathon and the Ultimate Mountain Race, is open for all High Altitude Running enthusiasts above 18 years of age with sound mind and body.
Everest Marathon is considered by High Altitude Mountain Runners as the world's ultimate race or the ultimate challenge of this form of extreme sport . These runners endure the harsh weather and even digest altitude sickness to experience the romantic participation in this World's only Highest Marathon Event.
Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon is being widely covered by BBC, NHK of Japan and many other National and International Electronic and Paper Media.
http://www.everestmarathon.com/
Mom's letter before my climb to the Everest Base Camp
Duso moja,
Ne znam gde si, nadam se da si dobro, znam jedino da si u STANJU da se brines sama o sebi, da imas cilj i da ides do njega... To je ono sto mi drzi ravnotezu i mir kada god pomislim na tebe.
Molim se (kako umem i znam) za tebe i da tvoje putovanje, gde god da je, prodje u nekom redu i nekoj normali, a najpre da sacuvas zdravlje. Naravno da sacuvas i sve ono sto je predivno u tebi, ali i da pronadjes deo sebe koji mozda nisi poznavala. Znam da je ovo putovanje IDEALNO za tako velike stvari i tako velika saznanja. Neka ti je nebo u pomoci!
Znam da ovih dana kreces u VISINE i da ces imati jos jedno iskustvo zivotno vise. Mnogo toga se nauci, a najpre strpljenju i poslusnosti. Da bi se bezbedno ispelo na tako velike visine, mora da se STRIKTNO POSTUJE svako naredjenje, nema proizvoljnosti, nema nepormisljenosti i sto je najvaznije nema brzanja. Korak po korak i mic po mic......jedino tako se stize do cilja. Sve je to ujedno i lekcija za zivot. Ti ces je proci i u praksi, mi neki obicni smrtnici, samo teoretski. Jako je velika razlika nesto znati i NESTO ISKUSITI! Kao nebo i zemlja.
Divim ti se svim srcem i jako respektujem tvoju resenosta da napravis tako veliko putovanje i poduhvate (maratoni). Jako se divim tvojoj organizacionoj sposobnosti i prilagodljivosti, prakticnosti......ma, jednostavno - ceo tvoj poduhvat je FANTASTICAN.
Mozda ti ovo zvuci onako, osrednje jer ti to pise i kaze MAMA, ali znaj da su to najvise ocene, iskrene i sveobuhvatne, zato i vrede!
Duso moja, zelim ti svu srecu i uspeh u Himalajima, da bezbedno i sigurno prodjes maraton, da se vratis u lepe i bebednije delove na zasluzen odmor i uzivanje, a dalje, polako... sklopice se kockice i zivot.
Sve moje misli, prve ujutro i poslednje pred spavanje su TI! Neka te moja ljubav cuva i bdi nad tobom.
Budi mi dobro, cuvaj se, ljubim te i uz tebe sam uvek,
tvoja mamica
And.... her next email:
Mila moja,
Obradovalo me je tvoje pisanje na blogu!
Ima puno toga sazetog u jednoj obicnoj recenici koju cesto roditelji (doduse, cesce je to bilo ranije, oni stariji roditelji) govore svojoj deci:
"Kada porastes i razmislis - kazace ti se samo!"
Volim sto SAZNAJES sto nailazis na nesto sto prepoznajes u sebi, nesto sto si ponela odrastanjem u malom detinjstvu, ali i sto dolazis do novih saznanja zivotnih.
Nije to za svakoga, ali za tebe je jako VAZNO.
Ljubim te, evo sitgla mi je porukica od tebe.
Ljubim te i grlilm, mamac
LJUBIM TE I VOLIM, MAMAC!!! tvoja mala skitnica i velika putnica :))
Ne znam gde si, nadam se da si dobro, znam jedino da si u STANJU da se brines sama o sebi, da imas cilj i da ides do njega... To je ono sto mi drzi ravnotezu i mir kada god pomislim na tebe.
Molim se (kako umem i znam) za tebe i da tvoje putovanje, gde god da je, prodje u nekom redu i nekoj normali, a najpre da sacuvas zdravlje. Naravno da sacuvas i sve ono sto je predivno u tebi, ali i da pronadjes deo sebe koji mozda nisi poznavala. Znam da je ovo putovanje IDEALNO za tako velike stvari i tako velika saznanja. Neka ti je nebo u pomoci!
Znam da ovih dana kreces u VISINE i da ces imati jos jedno iskustvo zivotno vise. Mnogo toga se nauci, a najpre strpljenju i poslusnosti. Da bi se bezbedno ispelo na tako velike visine, mora da se STRIKTNO POSTUJE svako naredjenje, nema proizvoljnosti, nema nepormisljenosti i sto je najvaznije nema brzanja. Korak po korak i mic po mic......jedino tako se stize do cilja. Sve je to ujedno i lekcija za zivot. Ti ces je proci i u praksi, mi neki obicni smrtnici, samo teoretski. Jako je velika razlika nesto znati i NESTO ISKUSITI! Kao nebo i zemlja.
Divim ti se svim srcem i jako respektujem tvoju resenosta da napravis tako veliko putovanje i poduhvate (maratoni). Jako se divim tvojoj organizacionoj sposobnosti i prilagodljivosti, prakticnosti......ma, jednostavno - ceo tvoj poduhvat je FANTASTICAN.
Mozda ti ovo zvuci onako, osrednje jer ti to pise i kaze MAMA, ali znaj da su to najvise ocene, iskrene i sveobuhvatne, zato i vrede!
Duso moja, zelim ti svu srecu i uspeh u Himalajima, da bezbedno i sigurno prodjes maraton, da se vratis u lepe i bebednije delove na zasluzen odmor i uzivanje, a dalje, polako... sklopice se kockice i zivot.
Sve moje misli, prve ujutro i poslednje pred spavanje su TI! Neka te moja ljubav cuva i bdi nad tobom.
Budi mi dobro, cuvaj se, ljubim te i uz tebe sam uvek,
tvoja mamica
And.... her next email:
Mila moja,
Obradovalo me je tvoje pisanje na blogu!
Ima puno toga sazetog u jednoj obicnoj recenici koju cesto roditelji (doduse, cesce je to bilo ranije, oni stariji roditelji) govore svojoj deci:
"Kada porastes i razmislis - kazace ti se samo!"
Volim sto SAZNAJES sto nailazis na nesto sto prepoznajes u sebi, nesto sto si ponela odrastanjem u malom detinjstvu, ali i sto dolazis do novih saznanja zivotnih.
Nije to za svakoga, ali za tebe je jako VAZNO.
Ljubim te, evo sitgla mi je porukica od tebe.
Ljubim te i grlilm, mamac
LJUBIM TE I VOLIM, MAMAC!!! tvoja mala skitnica i velika putnica :))
No Taj, but Tanji is here!
No Taj, but Tanji Sherpa is here! exclaimed my hotel staff after they heard I was not going to India that weekend. And I said: Who exactly is Tanji?!!! (all pissed off because I really wanted to go to India but the Indian embassy needed more time to put a stamp on a piece of paper...ghhrrr).
And they said, well, you need to train for your marathon - go trek with Tanji for a few days! He's the sherpa guide in Nepal, one of the best! So, he can prepare you for the climb up to the Everest Base Camp and for the marathon on the way back.
They gave me a few minutes to re-pack and off we were!
We started in a small village near the Langtang range and made our way to Chisapani village. We hiked for about 5 hours that day, mostly uphill, had lunch and I decided to hike some more on a motorcycle! :)) The bikes they have in Nepal are awesome, and cheap to rent. So, I spent a few hours having fun biking around villages while Tanji was taking a nap.
Tanji Sherpa just got back from trekking the Annapurna range, so he was a bit tired. But, he was excited to take me trekking and make me run the hills and train for the marathon. He was really funny. He would think of short-cuts that were super steep and would make me run the stairs and would "accidentaly" take us the wrong way just so we would hike longer and cover more ground. :)) He enjoyed "torturing" me that way :))
He also taught me a few things about the buddhist religion (all sherpas practice buddhism) and pointed out a few things about accilmatization and climbing. He was kind of parental that way, which was great.
He and I had a great time up in the hills where we bumped into a few extraordinary and fun people like Georg and Bill from England, and Marshall from Texas!!
I hang out with Marshall for a couple of days in KTM on the way back. Marshall just finished medical school and was in India for 2 months at some sort of a practical training.
Marshall made sure I carbo-loaded properly before my marathon - we drunk plenty of beers!!!
Dr. Bell - I had a f-great time with you, dude!! Safe trip back home and good luck with moving and starting work!! Responsibilities baby, rock on! ;)))
And they said, well, you need to train for your marathon - go trek with Tanji for a few days! He's the sherpa guide in Nepal, one of the best! So, he can prepare you for the climb up to the Everest Base Camp and for the marathon on the way back.
They gave me a few minutes to re-pack and off we were!
We started in a small village near the Langtang range and made our way to Chisapani village. We hiked for about 5 hours that day, mostly uphill, had lunch and I decided to hike some more on a motorcycle! :)) The bikes they have in Nepal are awesome, and cheap to rent. So, I spent a few hours having fun biking around villages while Tanji was taking a nap.
Tanji Sherpa just got back from trekking the Annapurna range, so he was a bit tired. But, he was excited to take me trekking and make me run the hills and train for the marathon. He was really funny. He would think of short-cuts that were super steep and would make me run the stairs and would "accidentaly" take us the wrong way just so we would hike longer and cover more ground. :)) He enjoyed "torturing" me that way :))
He also taught me a few things about the buddhist religion (all sherpas practice buddhism) and pointed out a few things about accilmatization and climbing. He was kind of parental that way, which was great.
He and I had a great time up in the hills where we bumped into a few extraordinary and fun people like Georg and Bill from England, and Marshall from Texas!!
I hang out with Marshall for a couple of days in KTM on the way back. Marshall just finished medical school and was in India for 2 months at some sort of a practical training.
Marshall made sure I carbo-loaded properly before my marathon - we drunk plenty of beers!!!
Dr. Bell - I had a f-great time with you, dude!! Safe trip back home and good luck with moving and starting work!! Responsibilities baby, rock on! ;)))
India on hold until June 4th
Nope, I didn't get the visa in time to go visit India, so that trip will have to wait for another 3 weeks.
Visiting Gandhi's home and the Taj ... coming up! June 4-9th.
Marshall - email me the name of your tour-guide in India! thanks!
Visiting Gandhi's home and the Taj ... coming up! June 4-9th.
Marshall - email me the name of your tour-guide in India! thanks!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The Taj... The Full Moon... and...
and the world traveler Moi, all meet in India...!! :))
Yes, I'm excited about my visit tomorrow morning!
Before I leave, let me wish a very happy birthday to the very special person in Paris, Sebastien!! Srecan rodjendan, special Coucou!! Put down that guitar for a moment and pick up a bottle of wine - celebrate and have fun!! (non-negotiable!:))
Oh, and I finally connected with Sushili, my tour guide to the Everest base camp! The marathon orientation is on the 14th of May! That's when I'll meet the rest of the hikers and runners... We leave KTM on the 16th. The marathon is on the 29th! Fun!! I am soooo excited!!!
Okay... but first, India! One step at a time... :))
Yes, I'm excited about my visit tomorrow morning!
Before I leave, let me wish a very happy birthday to the very special person in Paris, Sebastien!! Srecan rodjendan, special Coucou!! Put down that guitar for a moment and pick up a bottle of wine - celebrate and have fun!! (non-negotiable!:))
Oh, and I finally connected with Sushili, my tour guide to the Everest base camp! The marathon orientation is on the 14th of May! That's when I'll meet the rest of the hikers and runners... We leave KTM on the 16th. The marathon is on the 29th! Fun!! I am soooo excited!!!
Okay... but first, India! One step at a time... :))
A short story about life... :)) Kathmandu, Nepal
... and the story about how some of us were raised! Enjoy...!
"A village sat nestled in a valley far from the hustle and bustle of the world that existed beyond the hills. It had all that its citizens required: a mercantile, a school, a library, a church, and a hospital. Life was good in a village but it moved at its own pace. And most of the people who lived there were happy.
Every now and then, however, a young person would look toward the hills, curious about what lay beyond them. No one in the village did or said anything to discourage any young person from leaving the village. After all, many of them had felt the same yearnings when they were young. And most that had gone out into the world beyond the hills had come back to the village.
No young person was ever discouraged from leaving, nor encouraged to stay, but only to follow what was truly in their heart. If a young person was about to leave, there was one requirement, one ritual that he or she had to honor.
There was a path leading up from one end of the village to the top of the highest hill. It was a series of steps, and at the end of it was a paved highway that led to a bus stop, and a bus that traveled to the outside world. In order to leave the village, the Young person had to climb those steps to the highway.
Most young people who wanted to leave the village thought twice, because they had heard stories that the steps were very difficult to climb, and that some of their predecessors had not made it to the top. Nevertheless, curiosity about the world that lay beyond the hills was a powerful motivator, and some young people chose to climb the steps.
On the morning of a climb, the young person's family led him/her through the main street of the village, lined with friends and relatives to give him a rousing send-off. The family then took the young person to the bottom of the path and wished him/her all the best.
"When you reach the top of the hill," the young person was told, "you will find a GIFT waiting for you."
So the young person began the journey to the outside world by climbing. The stairway was nearly a few miles long, made of wood slabs and guarded by a sturdy wooden fence on both sides, so the climber couldn't deviate from the path.
At first the climb was easy because the path was wide, but it gradually became narrower and narrower, and the steps likewise gradually higher a fraction of an inch at a time. Halfway up was a bench, a place to rest. Here the climber stopped, but only briefly until his/her heart stopped pounding.
Further up the hill, the climber stopped again. The heart was definitely pounding harder this time. At that point the climber realized that the path was much narrower and the steps higher.
It was in this moment that the climber hoped that the gift waiting at the top was worth the climb!
The rest of the climb was even more difficult!! The young person had to stop often to rest. Not only did the path become extremely narrow and the steps became higher, but the steps were now also deeper and more dangerous to climb. The climber had to grab the fence railing on either side to keep from slipping.
But, the climber did finish the climb, with the heart pounding like a drum. His legs trembling from exertion and his lungs burning.
The climber gained the final level and the gate to the outside world. The highway was only a few yards away.
The climber then looked for the gift but saw nothing but another wooden bench. There he sat and rested. Hss parents had told him there would be a gift, but he saw nothing. Not a thing around him looked like it might be a surprise.
Finally, the bus that would take him to the world beyond the hills arrived, and he boarded with a last glance. It was in that moment that he SAW the GIFT:
Carved into the arch above the gate were the words:
STRENGTH IS THE CHILD OF EFFORT AND PAIN.
Climbing those stairs was life itself... for the boy, and also the rest of us who decided to climb them... And for the people that stayed in the village... Well, they learned "same same but different" lessons by simply living life in the valley."
Also carved into the arch of the gate of my life were the words:
STRENGTH IS THE CHILD OF EFFORT AND PAIN... the most valuable gift I received from my parents growing up! :))
The Traveler sees what he sees... and
the Tourist sees what he had come to see. I read somewhere in the bookstore today! Interesting :))
This quote reminded me of a rather interesting email my mom sent today. She's not on facebook but she reads my blog (miaplaya.blogspot.com... most of you I think read my blog notes on fb because it is all connected, although FB doesn't really updates them, so I suggest reading my blog on the blogger site)... my blog is also then linked to my flickr account where she can view the pictures I upload (unlike again most of you who see them on FB).
Anyway... as you can imagine, uploading photos to FB and to flickr simultaneously can be rather challenging over the modem and in a country where electricity is considered luxury! For every 20min I successfully upload something to the Internet I go through 45min of loss / failure. But, such is life here in Nepal. Among other things, one learns how to practice patience :))
So, I emailed my parents a picture of the room I'm staying in among a couple of other pics, just so they can visualize the place. And my mom writes back: My dearest, thanks for the pics! They look lovely! So glad to see your room is sunny and spacious and colorful. I was afraid you were staying in a small dungeon or something... I'm also glad to see you have a nice garden where you can enjoy reading books and relaxing. Thanks for emailing us and letting us know you are well. We are peaceful now..... love, mom"
Well, yes the picture looked GOOD (as you can see). And, yes, I'm very happy with the room and board, believe me, I'm very practical and simple when it comes to those things. It's awesome if I have a decent bed to sleep in - that's truly all I care about. A huge window is a big plus, and being on a second floor is a luxury (love the views from the top!).
Now, the things that she didn't see were these - and, I'm writing this just to paint the reality of the situation not to rant or complain...
There was no electricity in the Guest House some 16 hours per day every day. During that time the power back-up would be hauling and drumming right below my window loudly as hell! hahaha (I would usually then get up and dance to my iPod to tire myself out to sleep... haha (no electricity to read books).
There was no hot water in the room! yes, I learned quickly how to shower in cold water (all I had to do is try really hard to imagine I was in the Caribbean feeling the HOT Sun;)) one's mind is a powerful thing :)) and also, this is where growing up in Serbia and living through wars comes in handy! ha!
The faucet was so old that I decided to keep the light off in the bathroom whenever I could. And the toilet was a floor-hole-special style ;)) remember those?!! you pray not to fall in the hole... hahaha (oh, i'm laughing as I'm typing!)
The shower was right next to the toilet without a drain on the ground. Instead, there was a bucket on the floor so you were suppose to put the bucket next to you as you were taking a shower to "get rid of the water." I don't think I need to add that the water pressure was "misaona imenica" sto bi mi Srbi rekli... non-existent!
My pillow was so hard that I decided to sleep without one. And my mattress was a tiny bit more padded than the one you have on one of those fold out beds! :))
The chairs in the room were great, and so was the mirror! Hallelujah! ;))
This IS what I call back to the basics!!! Life is not about luxury as you can imagine here in Nepal. Life is purely about SURVIVAL.
... I had a huge rat fall right in front of me from the first floor of one of the buildings while I was walking on the street this morning... I had young men offer me drugs on the street last night... I had men asking me to go to bed with them as I was walking on the street... I had bikers almost run over me on the street... I had tourists asking to take pictures of them in front of famous temples... I experienced a boy giving me a flower while walking on the street... I met a girl asking me to take a picture of her while on the street... I saw some of the most beautiful children while on the street... I saw fashionably dressed nepalese girls, smiling, on the street... I saw little kids laughing on the street... I saw people falling asleep, people begging, hungry, people working, people sweating, people LIVING THE LIFE as they saw it on the street...
That is the REALITY of life experienced by a traveler... that is the REAL picture of Kathmandu by Mia as she sees it...
Curious George is off to India !! ;))
I had another relaxing day in Kathmandu today. In fact, it was what I call a girly day :)) It started off with a cappuchino (that I brought over from Split! Thanks Dragice! you know, one of those in a bag :) and I was a real European in that I ordered only a bucket of hot water and a mug for $0.20, and still managed to enjoy my coffee in the biggest and prettiest garden of Thamel where they charge $2 for a cup of coffee!)
I then checked my email and had a chance to say 'good morning' and chat with my great friend from Boston!:)) exchange a few emails with my mom and dad, read a few lovely emails from Paris, and respond to more notes from my friends. All in all a productive Internet session. There was only me and another Nepalese girl in the cafe. She runs the place - she's really cool (always dressed in their traditional clothes with lots of jewelery but very tom-boyish like).
And then, I was off splurge at the SPA place -- I got a full package today: a massage, steam and sauna, washed my hair and then topped it off with a foot massage! (I traded a continental breakfast for this!! unbelievable!)
And yes,... I feel great!!!
And yes, I feel as if I am melting as I'm typing ...!!! :))))
Snezana, I'm just practicing before you take me to Thailand and spoil me with all-day massages there! ;))) I can't wait!
It's time for some banana and aloe juice :)) and then time to pack and go to India!
Mango ladies - here I come (a dear friend of mine told me one can find the best mango juice in India. And, those who know me, know that I LOVE mangoes!!! I could live on mangoes!!!)
Taj Mahal - the most romantic place on Earth (Dejan says;), and other Parisian people say it would be 'Heaven on Earth' if visited with coucou girls like me;)) - .... Taj Mahal - let's see what you have to offer... ;)))
Here I come!
And... off she goes :))
Have a nice the rest of the week all! Talk to more Sunday!
I then checked my email and had a chance to say 'good morning' and chat with my great friend from Boston!:)) exchange a few emails with my mom and dad, read a few lovely emails from Paris, and respond to more notes from my friends. All in all a productive Internet session. There was only me and another Nepalese girl in the cafe. She runs the place - she's really cool (always dressed in their traditional clothes with lots of jewelery but very tom-boyish like).
And then, I was off splurge at the SPA place -- I got a full package today: a massage, steam and sauna, washed my hair and then topped it off with a foot massage! (I traded a continental breakfast for this!! unbelievable!)
And yes,... I feel great!!!
And yes, I feel as if I am melting as I'm typing ...!!! :))))
Snezana, I'm just practicing before you take me to Thailand and spoil me with all-day massages there! ;))) I can't wait!
It's time for some banana and aloe juice :)) and then time to pack and go to India!
Mango ladies - here I come (a dear friend of mine told me one can find the best mango juice in India. And, those who know me, know that I LOVE mangoes!!! I could live on mangoes!!!)
Taj Mahal - the most romantic place on Earth (Dejan says;), and other Parisian people say it would be 'Heaven on Earth' if visited with coucou girls like me;)) - .... Taj Mahal - let's see what you have to offer... ;)))
Here I come!
And... off she goes :))
Have a nice the rest of the week all! Talk to more Sunday!
Srecna Slava familijo i prijatelji! Djurdjevdan!!
Dragi moji roditelji, brate Petre, i sestrice Vera (sa familijom), SRECNA VAM SLAVA!
Danas je Djurdjevdan! Neka vam je dan suncan, srecan i pun tradicije i veselja! :))
Bar da mi je da malo proslavim sa vama... malo supice, mesa, koljiva, kolaca, i naravno vina!!! Uzivajte i za mene!
LJubim vas i volim!
Naravno, cestitam slavu svim ostailma koji danas slave! ZIVI BILI!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Life is a Journey...
Now, there's a handful of you my dear friends who may appreciate my Nepalese notes :)) (they are not religious or anything, merely simple - life related notes)...
So, this is to all of you who are facing new challenges in life (graduating schools, moving, starting new jobs, working on new projects, finishing up pre-schools and starting schools;), or whatever it may be...).
Congratulations to all of you for facing new beginnings and best of luck with mastering them/yourself along the way! ;)))
Here's a few words of wisdom from this short little book I read yesterday called "Keep Going"
"Life is a journey made one step at a time, sometimes easy and too often difficult.
We must make this journey by taking those steps. After all, it begins with a single one. Nowhere is it written that a step must be a certain lenght to matter or to advance us along our path. Nor is it written that our steps must always be strong. Life simply demands that we take one step at a time.
Sometimes we are strong and we can make long and purposeful strides.
Sometimes the road itself is so rough that all we can magnage is crawl, no matter how strong or weak we are. And as we all know, the journey itself can and does wear us down. Yet we are never diminished or set back, no matter how small, seemingly weak, or inconsequential a step may be.
Every difficulty, every storm, no matter how large or however strong it may be, can never defeat even the weakest step, because it is an expression of hope. Every step is a prayer answered. Every step is a spark that defies the darkness of despair.
Defy the darkness!" And, Keep Going!
So, this is to all of you who are facing new challenges in life (graduating schools, moving, starting new jobs, working on new projects, finishing up pre-schools and starting schools;), or whatever it may be...).
Congratulations to all of you for facing new beginnings and best of luck with mastering them/yourself along the way! ;)))
Here's a few words of wisdom from this short little book I read yesterday called "Keep Going"
"Life is a journey made one step at a time, sometimes easy and too often difficult.
We must make this journey by taking those steps. After all, it begins with a single one. Nowhere is it written that a step must be a certain lenght to matter or to advance us along our path. Nor is it written that our steps must always be strong. Life simply demands that we take one step at a time.
Sometimes we are strong and we can make long and purposeful strides.
Sometimes the road itself is so rough that all we can magnage is crawl, no matter how strong or weak we are. And as we all know, the journey itself can and does wear us down. Yet we are never diminished or set back, no matter how small, seemingly weak, or inconsequential a step may be.
Every difficulty, every storm, no matter how large or however strong it may be, can never defeat even the weakest step, because it is an expression of hope. Every step is a prayer answered. Every step is a spark that defies the darkness of despair.
Defy the darkness!" And, Keep Going!
Silence... peace... Mia's heart is beating tres fort in Nepal!
"The Earth has a heartbeat, and in between each beat a silence. That silence is the time when the Earth's life force gathers strength for the next beat. You must learn to do the same. Use the silence to gather yourself."
Today was such day for me... I woke up early, around 5am. Re-read a few pages of the book "Keep Going" and am re-reading Markesovu "100 yrs of Solitude" (quite appropriate for Nepal you'd think;))
Just around 6am, I went downstairs to the front lobby to check my email. Two of the staff boys that work in the hotel were sleeping on yoga mats right by the computer! I let them sleep and returned to my room to get a scarf as it was still breezy outside so I could go on a morning walk.
Walking around Thamel, a part of Kathmandu where I'm staying is always an adventure. There's only a handful of streets but they all look alike!! It's like one of those jig-saw puzzles where colors and shapes really do like alike! And, it can be frustrating... until... until that moment you start relaxing your eyes, your mind and start noticing different colored signs higher up, way above your head! Okay, there's a pumpernickle bakery (there's only one of those, i know for sure), and there's only one Kathmandu Guest House... there's a hundred and one atms, 101 cafes, 101 bookstores, 101 mountain trekking stores, 101 jewelry stores...
It was early in the morning and you could pretty much only see store owners cleaning in front of their stores and getting things ready for another busy day. Most of the coffee shops were closed but I found Jesse James Coffee place and decided to go in.
The place was spacious with tables outside in the garden. They have lots of little flowers everywhere and of course, prayer flags are hanging from every which direction. Nepal is mighty colorful!
There's this positive madness in the city, btw!!
It surely is hectic... wait - it's MADNESS everywhere you turn. But, there's some kind of a exciting madness in the air!! People are smiling and look enthusiastic despite the ongoing car/bike horns that are tooting, despite the dusty air, despite the simplicity of everything around you and mind I say filthy roads... But, most people are excited -- all they can think of is their trip up to the mountains and the nature! (this may be just me talking :))
I know I can't wait to be in the nature!!! I can't wait to feel the fresh air... to feel cold... to feel sweaty and weary from trekking all day... to feel so tired that the moment you sit down in a mountain hut at night you fall asleep... :))
Anyway, here I was at Jesse James' coffee place, drinking coffee with milk. They refill my cup and 2 flies fly right in. Oh well, they bring another cup and tell me to use one of my postcards to cover the top of the mug. I say - but of course, and smile back ;))
I had a pile of postcards to fill out.... It felt as if I have shared my coffee time with all of you, dear family & friends around the World. That is one of the reasons I enjoy writing postcards! It always feel as if we were together for a few moments... and, I also know that most of you enjoy receiving them, and share those moments in return :))
It is a habit my parents gave me as a little girl!
And, those are some of the moments I also treasure during my travels, like seeing new places, meeting new people, and learning about new cultures! Reconnecting and keeping my family and friends close is also very important.
The manager of the restaurant approached me to introduce himself and ask if I needed anything. He noticed I was writing postcards and asked if I needed stamps. I kindly said yes. He said: No problem, madam, we will bring you as many as you need. And, so they did. I spent another hour reading a book in the sun and enjoyed listening to a group of German guys talk about their descent from the Everest camp. They were all smiles (really!) and among other things said that it was extremely windy. Bring a mask for your face. Will do! ;))
As I was walking back to Acme's Guest House, I decided to get a full-body massage at a spa place I visited yesterday. Ahhh, one hour of pure heaven ;)) Loved it! :)))
I was then off to the garden of the Guest House to continue with reading and reflecting on life, love, and lots of other things....:))
Silence... peace...
And, ... I felt my heart beat tres fort...
Life can give you Strength ("Keep Going" by J. Marshall)
It was awesome to see so many bookstores in Thamel, Kathmandu!! (yes, picture bookstores on those crazy little streets you've seen in pics... in fact, they have all kinds of stores and pretty much everything a tourist would need on a trip far far far away from home). I think if you got here in a pair of shorts, flip-flops and a shirt, it would be possible for you to climb Mt. Everest!! It is unbelievable how much gear and clothes and things they have here! North-face outlet on steroids! ;))
I got a few books, some about Tenzing and Hillary's ascent and some about short stories in Nepal and India (Sidharta style).
While I was getting my hair washed yesterday (there was no water in my room, so I had to get it washed across the street at a "spa" place. Believe it or not, i also got a pedi/meni and a massage, all for $20 total!!;)) c'est la vie! that's what I vall VALUE!!!!
I finished a short book called "Keep Going" by Joseph Marshall III, filled with interesting stories about life.
Here's a short excerpt:
"If we can learn to look back on the difficulties we have known, whether old or new, then we have moved past them, at least in time. That we are looking back at a toufh experience from the perspectve of the present moment means we have survived it. The experience may have taken a toll, as difficulties do, but whatever our losses may have been, we have survived.
Survival is victory because we know, or we are reminded, that it is possible. The experience, the difficulty, has taught us, or reminded us, that we can be strong."
"Facing those storms, those unbelievably hard times, means accepting the REALITY of life. Because denying that bad things can happen never prevents them from happening.
LIFE IS MEANT TO BE LIVED, NOT AVOIDED.
There are no 10 easy lessons, nor even a 100. But to face every day with its set of experiences and circumstances is fuel for the soul and energy for the spirit, because EVERY DAY ADDS TO WHAT AND WHO YOU ARE.
You rise every morning with the opportunity to grow, to add to the depth of your character, to increase your knowledge.
Every experience no matter how meaningless it may seem to be, is a GIFT.
And so is every person who crosses your path, whether friend or foe, because difficult situations and difficult people teach us patience and tolerance."
..... Whatever doesn't kill you - makes you stronger!
I got a few books, some about Tenzing and Hillary's ascent and some about short stories in Nepal and India (Sidharta style).
While I was getting my hair washed yesterday (there was no water in my room, so I had to get it washed across the street at a "spa" place. Believe it or not, i also got a pedi/meni and a massage, all for $20 total!!;)) c'est la vie! that's what I vall VALUE!!!!
I finished a short book called "Keep Going" by Joseph Marshall III, filled with interesting stories about life.
Here's a short excerpt:
"If we can learn to look back on the difficulties we have known, whether old or new, then we have moved past them, at least in time. That we are looking back at a toufh experience from the perspectve of the present moment means we have survived it. The experience may have taken a toll, as difficulties do, but whatever our losses may have been, we have survived.
Survival is victory because we know, or we are reminded, that it is possible. The experience, the difficulty, has taught us, or reminded us, that we can be strong."
"Facing those storms, those unbelievably hard times, means accepting the REALITY of life. Because denying that bad things can happen never prevents them from happening.
LIFE IS MEANT TO BE LIVED, NOT AVOIDED.
There are no 10 easy lessons, nor even a 100. But to face every day with its set of experiences and circumstances is fuel for the soul and energy for the spirit, because EVERY DAY ADDS TO WHAT AND WHO YOU ARE.
You rise every morning with the opportunity to grow, to add to the depth of your character, to increase your knowledge.
Every experience no matter how meaningless it may seem to be, is a GIFT.
And so is every person who crosses your path, whether friend or foe, because difficult situations and difficult people teach us patience and tolerance."
..... Whatever doesn't kill you - makes you stronger!
Kathmandu - bumping into friends from college, San Fran!!
Just when I thought I was headed to the area of the World where I didn't know anybody, I bumped into my college friends, a couple from San Fran!
Tatyana and Todd (braca Rusi) - we went to college some 8-9 yrs ago and studied finance together.
Tatyana ended up as an investment banker and decided to quit her job in Feb, just like me, and Todd was in consulting and decided to join her on a world tour this year.
They started in South East Africa and slowly made their way to Nepal.
Safe and happy travels and talk to you upon our return "back home" - whereever that may be in a few months!
Katmandu (serbian version) - MESTO PUNO CUDA!
Polubog uzvraca udarac
Planinska visoravan Katmandu nalazi se na 1.300 m nadmorske visine To je ostatak planinskog jezera koje je pre 10.000 godina iznenada ispustilo vodu kroz klisuru Chobar na jugu. Geolozi smatraju da je to isticanje bilo izazvano zemljotresom, ali narod Nevar koji ovde zivi vekovima zna bolje: polubog Manjushri napravio je cudo jednim jedinim udarcem svog svetlosnog maca. Pripadnici naroda Nevar su hinduisti i veruju u prirodu, a uz to su dobre drvodelje, te su izradili umetnicka dela kojima mozete da se divite u mnogim hramovima.
Katmandu ("Kuca od drveta") svoje pocetke je verovatno imao u X veku kada se udruzilo nekoliko sela na starom karavanskom i hodocasnickom putu izmedju Tibeta i Indije. Monasi i trgovci doneli su sa sobom svoje vere, najpre budizam, zatim hinduizam te ucenje tibetanskih lama. Stoga su u Katmanduu vredni graditelji u XVI i XVII veku podiglli tako mnogo razlicitih verskih gradjevina za nevarske kraljeve. Desetine svetilista nastalo je u vreme vladavine kralja Pratape Mala (1641-1674), nedogmatskog mistika.
Daleko od bucnih ulica nalaze se stari delovi Katmandua koji izgledaju kao da se uopste nisu promenuli tokom vekova. Ovde svete krave zvacu smece koje lezi naokolo, a mrsavi psi jure se po ulicama. Stare trgovacke kuce zbijene su jedna uz drugu u uskim ulicama s umetnicki izrezbarenim izlozima, i zajedno izgledaju kao spomenici iz doba dinastije Mala, koji cine muzej nepalske i tibetanske arhitekture na otvorenom. Hinduisticka svetilista pravougaone osnove i krovovi na tri vode smenjuju se sa zaobljenim budistickim pagodama, duhuljastim dvoranama za molitve i paviljonima s likovima bogova i maskama demona.
Na srednini trga Durbar nalazi se stara kraljevska palata Doka sa devet spratova, koja se sastoji od hramova i velikih dvorana za prijeme. Gradjevina je posvecena majmunskom bogu Hanumanu, zastitniku od bolesti. U skloput tog kompleksa iskazuje se i postovanje slonovskoj glavi boga Ganesa, boga mudrosti i bogatstva. Zlatna vrata vode do dvorista gde se krunise nepalski vladar. U jos jednom dvoristu koje se zove Mul Chowk, zrtvuju se bizon, jarac i petao da bi se dobila milost boginje Durge.
KATMANDU JE MESTO PUNO CUDA. U svakoj ulicici naici cete na neku malu tajnu, a svaki hram je prava legenda. Ovaj grad mnogih religija na jarkom svetlu u visokim Himalajima savrseno je odrdiste za zapadnjake, kojima omogucava da privremeno zaborave cistu racionalnost koja vlada u njihovom svetu.
Planinska visoravan Katmandu nalazi se na 1.300 m nadmorske visine To je ostatak planinskog jezera koje je pre 10.000 godina iznenada ispustilo vodu kroz klisuru Chobar na jugu. Geolozi smatraju da je to isticanje bilo izazvano zemljotresom, ali narod Nevar koji ovde zivi vekovima zna bolje: polubog Manjushri napravio je cudo jednim jedinim udarcem svog svetlosnog maca. Pripadnici naroda Nevar su hinduisti i veruju u prirodu, a uz to su dobre drvodelje, te su izradili umetnicka dela kojima mozete da se divite u mnogim hramovima.
Katmandu ("Kuca od drveta") svoje pocetke je verovatno imao u X veku kada se udruzilo nekoliko sela na starom karavanskom i hodocasnickom putu izmedju Tibeta i Indije. Monasi i trgovci doneli su sa sobom svoje vere, najpre budizam, zatim hinduizam te ucenje tibetanskih lama. Stoga su u Katmanduu vredni graditelji u XVI i XVII veku podiglli tako mnogo razlicitih verskih gradjevina za nevarske kraljeve. Desetine svetilista nastalo je u vreme vladavine kralja Pratape Mala (1641-1674), nedogmatskog mistika.
Daleko od bucnih ulica nalaze se stari delovi Katmandua koji izgledaju kao da se uopste nisu promenuli tokom vekova. Ovde svete krave zvacu smece koje lezi naokolo, a mrsavi psi jure se po ulicama. Stare trgovacke kuce zbijene su jedna uz drugu u uskim ulicama s umetnicki izrezbarenim izlozima, i zajedno izgledaju kao spomenici iz doba dinastije Mala, koji cine muzej nepalske i tibetanske arhitekture na otvorenom. Hinduisticka svetilista pravougaone osnove i krovovi na tri vode smenjuju se sa zaobljenim budistickim pagodama, duhuljastim dvoranama za molitve i paviljonima s likovima bogova i maskama demona.
Na srednini trga Durbar nalazi se stara kraljevska palata Doka sa devet spratova, koja se sastoji od hramova i velikih dvorana za prijeme. Gradjevina je posvecena majmunskom bogu Hanumanu, zastitniku od bolesti. U skloput tog kompleksa iskazuje se i postovanje slonovskoj glavi boga Ganesa, boga mudrosti i bogatstva. Zlatna vrata vode do dvorista gde se krunise nepalski vladar. U jos jednom dvoristu koje se zove Mul Chowk, zrtvuju se bizon, jarac i petao da bi se dobila milost boginje Durge.
KATMANDU JE MESTO PUNO CUDA. U svakoj ulicici naici cete na neku malu tajnu, a svaki hram je prava legenda. Ovaj grad mnogih religija na jarkom svetlu u visokim Himalajima savrseno je odrdiste za zapadnjake, kojima omogucava da privremeno zaborave cistu racionalnost koja vlada u njihovom svetu.
Monday, May 4, 2009
KATHMANDU, NEPAL 2009
Delhi, India was my layover to Kathmandu. While in Delhi, I met 2 girls from the USA (Salt Lake and New York) and a lady from Washington DC. The girls were on their way to trek the Annapurna circle and the lady went off to check out tea-plantations and other cultural sights.
I arrived to Kathmandu on Sunday morning, May 3rd, 2009. Slept all day Sunday, and 14 hours at night. I woke up on Monday at 11am, went downstairs to the lobby to upgrade my room to the one with a bathroom (no hot water though), and then check my email. While checking my mail, I had an opportunity to meet and chat with a group of people from Paris! They were off to tour the valley, and I was off to tour Kathmandu.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
As I travel through the World...
... I realize that:
"There was a language in the world that everyone understood. It was the language of enthusiasm, of things accomplished with love and purpose, and as a part of a search for something believed in and desired."
P.C.
"There was a language in the world that everyone understood. It was the language of enthusiasm, of things accomplished with love and purpose, and as a part of a search for something believed in and desired."
P.C.
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