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Luang Prabang is a beautiful town, and one of the highlights of our trip through the southeast Asian country of Laos. In fact, it was one of the highlights of all of our Asia travel! It has the best night market I’ve ever visited, full of high-quality products at low prices with an excellent array of food on offer. The town’s French-colonial architecture is also a drawcard, and its location on a river adds to its charm.

One of Luang Prabang’s major attractions is the monks. Every morning, lines of orange-clad Buddhist monks walk the streets of the town with their food bowls, asking for alms for the poor. Tourists crowd the streets to see the spectacle, and it really is worth seeing – a sight you won’t find in Western countries. Sadly though, many tourists seem to view the morning parade as a show for their benefit, and fail to respect local customs.

Anyone can see and even take part in the monks’ morning ritual, but acting in a culturally appropriate manner will ensure that the tradition continues as it has for hundreds of years.

Photo credit

1. Dress appropriately

Laotian people don’t tend to wear shorts or sleeveless tops. To show respect for the monks, wear long trousers or a long skirt and a shirt with sleeves. Please don’t dress as if you’re going to the beach, even if that’s where you’re headed next.

2. Keep your distance

Leave the road free for the monks to pass and don’t block their way. Walk a bit further down the road, away from all the other tourists and you’ll have a clear view. Women shouldn’t touch the monks, as this is very disrespectful.

3. Get down

Many of the people handing out food will be sitting down. This is a sign of respect that you can emulate by making yourself lower than the person you want to show respect to. You can do this in temples too. If you walk past some seated monks, for example, stoop a little to make yourself shorter as a mark of respect.

4. Be clean

If you want to give food to the monks, that’s fine. It’s best to go with a local if possible, or ask at your hotel or hostel for advice about what to give. Some locals have started preparing food to sell to tourists to give to the monks. Whatever you do, make sure you wash your hands and keep them clean, as you will probably be scooping up food from your bowl and placing it in the monks’ bowls. Don’t touch the monks’ hands as you place food in their bowls.

The monks of Luang Prabang have been making their morning journey for hundreds of years. Help keep the tradition alive by treating them with respect.

This guest post was written by Linda Martin from the award-winning indietravelpodcast.com. She’s been travelling around the world since February 2006 and helping others fulfil their dreams of long

Posted in Laos |

Incredible India – that’s the tagline spouted by India’s Ministry of Tourism in magazines, TV ads, from sidebars on websites and in newspapers. It is, however, absolutely true – India is incredible. Home to over a billion people speaking hundreds of different languages and dialects, worshipping Gods of several different religions, eating a huge range of cuisines and living in climate extremes, from the snowy peaks of the Himalayas to the humid tropics of Kerala, India is nothing if not diverse. Leave your expectations on the plane – India will surprise again and again. You can travel around the world and not experience anything like India’s frenetic cities, tranquil backwaters, majestic mountains, spiritual temples and topical beaches. India is incredible indeed.

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Mumbai

Love it or hate it, Mumbai won’t fail to leave an impression. The most populous city in India, and the sixth most populous in the world, Mumbai is crowded, loud and full of life and colour. The prospect of earning far more than in their native rural villages has prompted millions to flock to the city from across India, leading to an incredible melting pot of cultures, cuisines, religions and languages.

Kerala

Being smaller than other Indian states, Kerala can seem less daunting, and it is certainly calmer than cities such as Mumbai and Delhi. Famed for its tranquil backwaters, a languid trip down the rivers, canals and lagoons on a houseboat is utterly relaxing and a fantastic antidote to the craziness of the major cities. Kicking back on a chaise longue, watching the fish and the birds and bankside villages come and go is pure bliss.

Goa

Opinion is divided on Goa – some see it as the very worst example of modern travel excesses, but even they can’t deny that the beaches are stunning. Fine white sand, backed by jungle and sloping down to a turquoise sea, Goa’s beaches are the stuff of picture-postcard tropical paradise. And it is possible to get away from the party-mad tourists. Try Arambol, the region’s northernmost beach, which is so vast it is easy to find yourself the only soul in sight. Of course, if partying is your thing, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

Darjeeling

This quintessential Indian hill station was the first to be established by the British. Its stunning Himalayan setting and incredible views of Khangchendzonga (the third highest peak in India) are reason enough to visit but of course it is also a Mecca for tea drinkers. Fantastic treks and mountain biking along steep ridges abound so be sure to bring sensible footwear! For something really special, hop aboard the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. Built in the 1880s, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in the 90s for its stunning vistas as it climbs 7,000 feet.

Varanasi

India is a deeply spiritual place and nowhere is that more obvious than at the bathing ghats lining the Ganges in Varanasi. One of the country’s holiest cities, Varanasi is where many Hindus come to die or be cremated and pilgrims flock to the holy river in their thousands to wash away their sins. This public display of life and death can sometimes be overwhelming but it is profoundly moving and gives an incredible insight into an ancient religion.

Posted in Asia |

The folks over at HotelClub.com have recently released a fun, new flash game to take your mind off work and test those pillow fighting skills you’ve developed over the years! Not only that, but by playing the game (and possibly finger smashing your keyboard at the same time), you are in the running to win amazing prizes in the form of free accommodation in any hotel of your choice! Awesome!

So what are you waiting for? Play “Pillow Fight Club” NOW!

Posted in Asia |

Though not as well known as the glitzy and glamorous city of Shanghai or the historical sight filled capital city of Beijing, Chengdu which is the capital city of the Sichuan province has its many special attractions which qualify it as a must-do on any visit to China.

Photo Credit:avlxyz

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Posted in China, Things to do |

Indian food is quite popular outside the subcontinent. Several  cities all over the world now have Indian restaurants that serve Indian food which is almost as good if not better than the Indian food that is found in India itself. Given this wide ranging popularity of Indian food, it is rather surprising that  Indian sweets haven’t managed to secure the  kind of widespread appeal that dishes like ‘chicken tikka masala’ and ‘tandoori naan’ (the most ordered dishes in Indian restaurants anywhere) seem to enjoy.

One of the reasons for this according to me, is  that the quality and taste of these sweets  is very different outside the borders of the Indian subcontinent. Perhaps these differences stem from the ingredients which are used in the preparation of these sweets. Most Indian sweets are made with ample amounts of milk, ghee (clarified butter) and sugar. These ingredients though widely available outside India, have subtle differences in taste and texture which perhaps contribute to the differences that arise in the finished product as well.

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Posted in Asia, Food, India |

As the month of March gives way to the month of  April, people who live in countries which have long hard winters usually look forward to the advent of the season of spring with much eagerness. However in India, it is not the change of season that excites the populace during this period, for the Indian subcontinent located as it is in the tropics doesn’t really experience the drastic change in seasons as do other countries. All over India and especially in the country’s financial capital of Mumbai, people eagerly look forward to the end of the month of March as it heralds in the Indian mango season which usually extends until the end of May and early June.

Indians are extremely fond of the this juicy and heavenly fruit which appears only for three months of the year ,when the many mango trees whose long and narrow shiny leaves are otherwise used as accouterments in Indian  religious ceremonies get heavy with their precious bounty. India is the world’s largest producer of mangoes and it produces many varieties of this soft and juicy delight which is absolutely adored by much of its population.
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Posted in Food, India |

The beach front paradise of Goa is located on the Western coast of India. Goa is the smallest state India and the coastal state has a natural border in the form of the Arabian Sea. Goa has long 105 km coastline that is made up of many simmering sand beaches and quaint villages which are surrounded by lush tropical vegetation. The state is often referred to as India’s  Sunshine state as the Goan people who live here are generally  happy laid back folk  who believe in enjoying life while following a philosophy of ‘Sosegad’ . The word ‘Sosegad’ is derived from the Portuguese word ‘Socegado’ meaning tranquility. It is fitting that the Goans should follow this policy as Goa was a Portuguese colony for nearly four centuries.

Goa became a haunt of the hippies and the flower children in the 1960’s as they reveled in the tranquil atmosphere of this congenial state where the sun always shone and the beach sands glistened in the cool sea breeze. These hippies with their liberal care-free lives and their ideals of free love often scandalized the locals but over time they got accustomed to them so much so that some old hippies in fact settled down  in Goa.  They can now sometimes be seen at Goa’s famed Anjuna flea market which is held every Wednesday at the beach town of Anjuna. The flea market   is a major tourist attraction as it attracts traders from all over India who congregate at the flea market to sell their wares which include mirror work embellished apparel, brass ware, glassware, silver jewelry and much more.
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Posted in India, Things to do |

The mighty river Ganga which is also known as the River Ganges is greatly revered in all of India. I recently had a chance to witness this reverence first hand as I visited two holy towns Haridwar and Rishikesh both of which are located in the foothills of the Himalayas through which this mighty river flows on its way towards the plains. Much of India’s rich civilization and culture has in fact developed along the banks of this great river as a result of which the river is worshiped and held in high esteem by the Hindu population of India.

The Ganga which is responsible for the fertility of nearly forty percent of India’s agricultural land begins its journey in the higher Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh at the Gangotri glacier which is a vast expanse of ice situated 14000 feet above sea level. This glacier is the source of the River Bhagirathi which continues to join the River Alaknanda whose waters are formed from the melting ice of several Himalayan peaks like the Nanda Devi, the Kamet and the  Trishul to form the River Ganga at the town of Devprayag. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in India, Things to do |

The tiny town of Pushkar located in the north western Indian state of Rajasthan becomes the cynosure of all eyes in the month of November each year when it hosts its popular camel and cattle fair  called the Pushkar Camel Fair which attracts visitors from all over the globe. The town of Pushkar  is located at the edge of the Thar Desert and is situated just 11 kms away from  the city of Ajmer which is another well established stop on the Rajasthan tour circuit. In fact when tourists choose the visit the Pushkar Fair in Rajasthan, they often try and combine their trip with a visit to many other well known Rajasthani cities like Jaipur , Udaipur and Jodhpur which are famous for their many exquisite palaces and ancient royal grandeur.

The holy town of Pushkar

The picturesque town of Pushkar is set in a valley which is surrounded by hills and sand dunes and has in its midst a beautiful lake which has many legends associated with its creation. One such legend states that Lake Pushkar was created when the Hindu god Lord Brahma dropped a lotus flower during his quest to find a tranquil spot to perform a  religious ceremony. The spot where he dropped this lotus flower became the beautiful lake of Pushkar .Yet another legend tells the story of a battle between Lord Brahma and a demon called Vajra Nabha who had killed Lord Brahma’s children, the lord then used the lotus flower as a weapon to fell the demon and one of the petals fell in the valley to form the Lake Pushkar. The town of Pushkar is actually regarded to be an important pilgrimage spot for Hindus and the sacred Lake of Pushkar was at one time surrounded by nearly 500 temples though many of these temples were destroyed when North India came under the rule of the Muslim Mughals. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Events, India |

Sports and safety have come a long way. Just look at the evolution of gear in American Football. What started out as leather helmets and minimal padding has grown into high grade composite helmets and a veritable suit of armor for the upper torso. That being said, players still get hurt, sometimes badly. Some may claim technology will someday render sports completely safe. But then one may ask, “What’s the point?” Sports are all about pushing performance and physical endurance to the limit. If there’s no physical risk then is it even a sport? As long as sports exist, there will always be some danger. With the Olympics coming up in Beijing, some are more dangerous than others.

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Posted in Events |