Blogs from Mcleod Ganj, Himachal Pradesh, India, Asia - page 10

I haven’t really mentioned it so far, but I think for those who really know us well it goes without saying that we are very much enjoying the local culinary delights - food being, for both of us, one of the most enjoyable aspects of travelling (and also when not travelling!). There are so many cafes and restaurants here, and in many respects it is cheaper to eat out than to organize your own meals, so we have had ample opportunity to sample dishes from a range of eateries and by now have also developed our faves (though there are still so many places untried!). The best snacks are the veg and potato momos (dumplings) you can buy off the street - fried are of course amazing and always win over the steamed option! Dinners at ... read more

Currently in Mcleod Ganj, in India. It's a former British Hill Station and currently the home of both the Dalai Lama and also the Tibetan Government in exile. This, the people, and the surrounding physical environment, makes Mcleod Ganj a truly beautiful place to be. China invaded and occupied Tibet in 1959 - while the rest of the world looked on - marking the beginning of a cultural genocide that continues to this day. Thankfully, the Indian Government offered a refuge for the Tibetan refugees including their spiritual leader and Head of State, the Dalai Lama. This refuge is the town of Dharamsala and also nearby Mcleod Ganj, providing a space in which refugees can attempt to rebuild their lives and, along with the Government in exile, work towards a resolution with China that will end ... read more

Delhi Belly - Sam's version I'm dating this entry for our first day in MCleod Ganj, but come back with me to Delhi first. Perhaps you have had this reaction to a totally foreign situation: you look for the familiar. Delhi is a big stinky overcrowded dirty third world city with insane traffic and is where (to my ears) everyone speaks mumbo jumbo. All tourist hot spots are encircled by vulture-like characters, intent on tricking or scamming or stealing especially from those fresh-off-the-boat. I knew some of the counter-tricks from my experiences in Thailand, and was myself intent on using them! But this meant that my image of Delhi was overlaid with my memory of Bangkok (I only see the past, ya?). The road lanes in Bangkok are just as subjective, and the con(wo)men just as ... read more

Not much to report here: an overnight plane to Delhi, with me coughing all the way, followed by a few hours in dusty Delhi before boarding an overnight bus to Mcleod Ganj, again with me coughing all the way. Not much sleep to be had. A spot of bother dealt with rather unsuccessfully on the journey when the problem of a distinct shortage of toilet stops arose. It was a bumpy 12 hour bus trip with just one stop the whole time, in the first three hours of departure. Nine hours without a toilet break is no doubt doable if you are asleep, but as I was awake the whole night coughing (and needing water to help control the cough), there was bound to be a disaster looming... loom it did, and disaster it was! The ... read more

“Does he arrive in a car or in a tuk-tuk?,” I ask the lady next to me. She is a western-looking lady with a French accent, but her native Tibetan dress and her Tibetan friends (one of whom they refer to as her “new husband”) tells me that she has been in Mcleod Ganj for a while and, therefore, I suppose this qualifies her to be my unofficial guide to the Dalai Lama’s homecoming. “A car,” she answers. I inquire further, “Does the Dalai Lama drive?” This question makes her smile a little and she replies, “Oh, no, he have a driver.” I suppose it was a dumb question. It stands to reason that one of the most famous people in the world--a living holy figure and leader of a nation--would have a driver. I wonder ... read more