Extended Weekend at Morro Bay

Little water-babies that we are, we wanted to have a fair share of beach relaxation before the night of nail-biting (a.k.a. the US election night). And so, we hopped into the car, and off we went to San Simeon in Central California… But to be honest, it was not as impulsive as I made it sound. Ro and I had planned a beach camping getaway at Morro Bay Strands since a while. And the San Simeon pitstop was just an extension for the Morro Bay camping to follow.

Morro Bay

The sea lapping at the sandy beach was more endearing here at Morro Bay with its gentle calmness. The sheer blueness extending on both sides mentally transported me back to the Mediterranean. It is not just I who was transported there, and the antique shops in the Morro Bay downtown fostered the European sea-life charm further. Whitewashed or pastel colored exterior for the low-rise buildings skirting along the Bay marries the American and European charm.

Naturally formed bay and estuary (and the sand bar) at Morro is a part of eroding volcanic formation from millions of years ago. The iconic Morro Rock is the volcanic outcrop from the oceanic floor that stands tall to this day. Morro Bay is home to many aquatic and amphibian species. Finding varieties of kelp, sand dollar and other aquatic life on the beach, are common things when one takes a casual stroll on the sandy beaches.

Sight of the Morro Rock from T-pier

We camped to the north of Morro Bay downtown, at the Morro Bay Strands. The beachside campsite offered lovely views of the beach and the most coveted spot for sunsets. Incidentally, we were at the site on a full moon night, and the night views were spectacular! Overall, we were surrounded by natural beauty all around – while being at a stone’s throw from the city.

Camping at Morro Bay Strands, overlooking the sea

Morro Bay was a highlight for us for the array of dog-friendly activities. Kuro had a blast running on the beach, playing in the sand, peering down from the pier, and chasing the gulls! Another thing Kuro did for the first time was accompanying us in the canoe! a tiny dog that he is, he smelt the gentle Bay breeze, and gradually warmed up to the idea of having fun in a mobile contraption on water (the canoe). I was impressed by the other dogs who accompanied their humans on the paddle board and maintained their calm composure. That may be the next step to aspire for, for little squirmy Kuro!

Kuro enjoying the view as we paddle forth

And sometimes he snuck up to me with the cutest “mleh” expression

Mammals and birds at Morro Bay

And oh, the birds and aquatic animals at the Bay! I was spoilt – with the sightings of herons, cranes, egrets flying, fishing, and doing their thing as we walked on the beach and then to Morro Rock, and then when we sat by the pier. We didn’t catch a glimpse of any whales, presumably because they all swam to the south to breed around this time of the year. The sea otters were plenty at Morro Bay around this time, and we joked how big they are, as compared to our little 7 lbs pooch.

Whale jaw-bones near the Natural History Museum at Morro Bay

Could we take a moment to express the annoyance about seagulls and geese? I absolutely adore all birds, don’t get me wrong. BUT, yappy seagulls and (entitled) geese that sometimes actively attack humans, have been on my list of annoying birds. And at Morro, seagulls were plenty! Surprisingly, like the sweet humans of Morro Bay, the seagulls there were not too annoying… Maybe the place rubs on you 😉

We named this one Mr. Magoo

With some sporadic shopping, playing boardgames under the moonlight and cup of tea by the fire, we felt at home at Morro Bay. The sky was clear, and gradually we emptied our minds off work-stress et al. Camping also afforded us a sort-of analog life, away from internet and fancy gadgets. This time around, we did not take many pictures as much as capturing mental images of us having a good time, relaxing and soaking upthe sun.

We returned home with our hearts full, and plans for heading back to Morro sometime soon, to unwind 🙂

D.

Amazing backdrop of the sea and the Morro Rock

Roma and Vatican – a short note

Look what I found! A half-baked note from one year ago, when I was feasting on granita(s) after two exhausting days in and around Rome… As we sit indoors and peer out of our windows this year, here’s a bit of Italian sunshine from last year… 

Nothing screams “Italy” like Roma…(Or so I thought). I carried my love for Sicily all the way to Rome. And although I should have been a Roman in Rome, I continued to be Palermo-phile in Rome. The lasagne-like layers of culture all around me – in the landscape, buildings, cuisine, and people around me – continued to enthrall me (more so, than what happened to me in Naples).

The Vatican was a crash-course in Christianity for me. I was in a group of pleasant Canadians and Australians as I tried to grasp the expanse of the smallest city-state on the globe. Exquisite marble sculptures, frescos, and murals jumped at me. However, in the August heat, I soon ran out of energy to appreciate the nuances in the artwork. Sistine Chapel was too crowded, and the viewing experience was not as grand as I had expected.

The exhibit of maps. Ancient maps of the known world to the Vatican: Beautiful exhibit! 

Some cute points such as this three-dimensional ceiling painting stole the show for me. It was one thing to look at the embellishments, and entirely another to weave narratives that seem like they were destined to be there!

St. Peter’s Basilica is my favorite part of the Vatican. Fortunately, I reached the Basilica early and was able to beat the crowds. As I walked in, I chanced upon melodious notes from a choir practicing “Ave Maria“. Schubert’s rendering of this touches my heart every time I listen, and I experienced something very similar as I took in the music under the dome at St. Peter’s. The light from the windows and skylight suddenly seemed akin to the divine light…halo!

All those courses in Classics finally came to my rescue as I looked for specific angels, satyrs and the like, in the frescos around me.  More soon… or maybe in a year’s time? 😉 

Roman souvenir sits pretty on my desk 😉

Last stop for 2019: Phnom Penh

It has been a while since we traveled back “across the seven seas”, and I was mentally recuperating from the global updates on things up in fire (literally and metaphorically). Our family trip in Cambodia took us to Phnom Penh after Siem Reap and we bid adieu to the Cambodian land as well as to the year 2019. Some updates from Phnom Penh and a piece of earnest advice…

The Royal Palace, Phnom Penh

Cambodia stands on a very high mark (if not the apex) in terms of hospitality. It is probably the Cambodian capital that is a slight exception to that. This is not to say that people in Phnom Penh are not hospitable, but they have a bit of different expectations from non-Cambodians – especially if you are a dead-giveaway-non-East-Asian-looking person. Our visit to the Royal Palace was a pleasurable promenade in and out of the Royal life. The palace is on teh “must-see” lists in Phnom Penh for a reason. The influence of Indian culture and Hindu narratives is overwhelming in all four corners of the palace. Detailed frescos with the narratives from the epic Ramayana adorn the gallery walls and are an absolute treat for the eyes! Even if one is unfamiliar with the narratives, the ease in pictorial storytelling draws you in and then, you are in for a wonderful storytelling.

One of the scenes from the Ramayana frescos at the Royal Palace

We skipped the killing fields in Cambodia but immersed in the local food scene and a sliver of Cambodian country life. Khmer Rouge has left undeniable scars of the Cambodian population and the palpation from that time is the throbbing vein of much of Cambodia today. We wanted to save ourselves from the skulls staring at us, and the aftermath of cruelty showcased for the tourists.

The next stop in Phnom Penh was my personal favorite: the National Museum. I am slowly beginning to realize the importance of museums and have moved from my stand for de-museumisation. I still have mixed feelings about monetizing every activity at the museum – but that is a topic for a separate discussion. So here we were! I was instantly lost in the trove of statues that lay waiting to be looked at and their stories to be told and retold… Visiting the museum was indeed a great choice so that we could see the underlying gems of historical narratives connect in the temples we had seen and the sculptures and inscriptions that we were peering at now.

I haven’t spent any time in describing the ancient environs at Siem Reap (the Angkor complex), but a famous area by the name of “The palace of the Leper King” had intrigued us when we heard it for teh first time. And we found our answer at the National Museum! A sculpture of probably a Khmer king was found in teh environs of the said palace in Siem Reap and the statue appears as that of a leper (pictured below) owing to wearing and damage at the figure’s right hand. If we were to let the horses of imagination run wild, one can safely believe that the statue appears to be a leper showing his affected hand! Hence, the leper king! This sculpture is also at the base of a plethora of legends; some of which defame the Khmer kings, while some champion the benevolence of the kings to let a leper become a king. It is interesting to see a speel of narratives centered around one sculpture – that too, broken (as we are sure, today).

The leper king (sad photography skills there :()

We were very fortunate to have local people assist and guide us in our little exploration in Cambodia. Most notably, Mr. Poy Pines assisted us and took us around Siem Reap with the interests of each member in mind. Even if I was backpacking, I would indeed go for local guides to help me plan my route. We had one sour experience of being taken for a tour (a ride, huh) by a French ex-pat who had: A. Absolutely NO idea of the local history, B. just the strong will to make money. He charged us almost triple of what the local Cambodian guides would charge, and it felt as if I was more aware of what is where and the history of Siem Reap than the French bloke!

SO here is my piece of advice: DO NOT blindly trust online comments for guides – especially non-Cambodian ones. They know how to have fancy websites, and make money – but the traveler is not their center of attention. Since becoming UNESCO world heritage site, professionally trained LOCAL guides are your best bet to explore the Angkor ruins. Roughly $35 for a guide for the entire day is a great deal. I and my family alike were touched by the earnest efforts by the locals and the government to keep the Khmer tradition alive. I think our part as tourists is to help them further in opting for local guides, local vehicle agencies, etc. Don’t worry, many of them are conversant in English. And our smartphones have a feature called Google Translate in case anyone stumbles! And more importantly, maybe we should step up our game and learn the language before we travel 😉  – I know, this is easier said than done. But, one can dream!

And that’s where I leave you today as my new year resolution (ish): learning at least a few, workable phrases in the language of the country/province you are traveling to in 2020.  

(So, ready for some Zulu, or Swahili?! 😉 )

D.

Cat (caught on camera) in Cambodia 😉 

 

Siem-Reap with family

A long trip into the vastness of the green fields was long overdue after a busy year. And we started scouting for a perfect place to rest awhile before we kick off the new year. East Asia was on the top list, and we were mulling over Bali, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia… until our bucket-list destination: Cambodia came to fore. And that was it! Cambodia sealed the deal!

I was traveling the western ghats of India for over three months now, but I was not even close to feeling tired of the green hues in nature. Ro, his parents, and Kuro had busy three months to themselves in the US (more on that later) while I plodded through the Sahyadri Hills. And so, this was a perfect time for a family holiday!

Why did we choose Cambodia?

1. My dad always wanted to visit the Angor Wat
2. Lara Croft Tomb Raider starring Angelina Jolie was shot there, and I was fascinated by the action scenes and archaeology in the movie. As Indiana Jones is the reference point of an archaeologist for some, Lara Croft was mine 😉 – as erroneous as it might be…
3. Pleasant weather year-round
4. Tourist destination, hence more logistical help if need be
5. Affordable destination (yes, that matters when you want to splurge on the best of amenities for your stay, etc)

And then, after several virtual discussions and planning, Cambodia bookings et al were made. Pro tip: plan early, book early for the BEST deals! (as if you did not know that already). Sorry for lapsing into a travel website-like mode for a minute. Planning a family trip to Cambodia was relatively easy, as we wanted to have ample time to ourselves and focus our attention on just a few destinations within Cambodia rather than covering too much ground. We made Siem Reap our focus, with two days in Phnom Penh to get a slice of Cambodian city life.

Sun-rise at Angor Wat

We got to the cute little airport of Siem Reap, where the famed Angok Archaeological Complex stands in its glory. The name Siem Reap, we were to find later, stands for the defeat of Siam (Thailand) by Jayavarmana VII, the celebrated king of Cambodia. A warm feeling of being welcomed made us feel at ease the minute we stepped into a vehicle to get to the villa we were to stay at. Local tuk-tuk as an option to commute with fewer pieces of luggage is a great option too. Siem Reap is a relatively smaller town as compared to the capital, Phnom Penh. With its dirt roads and lavish greenery, the town makes its own special place in the heart.

For my family, that loves to walk down the path of lore and annals of history, Siem Reap was a treasure trove! I welcome you to the kingdom of Jayavarman VII. The Chams have been defeated, Dam Viet forces ousted and the threat to Ayutthaya momentarily abated. As we time-travel to the Angorian magnanimity we, the travelers, are dwarfed by the scale of edifices and human artistry. We wanted to catch the sunrise at Angor Wat and rushed to the ticket counter in Siem Reap downtown at the crack of dawn. The long walk to the Angkor complex in the dark seemed a bit strenuous with only partial recovery from last night’s flight journey, but the view at the sun-rise melted away all the fatigue. And then, an entire day of temple hopping was a perfect start for our Cambodia exploration.

Hindu cultural lore permeates through the public life in Siem Reap. The churning of the ocean in Hindu religious lore is fashioned on the causeways leading to the ancient city of Angkor Thom, Vishnu on Garuda features prominently as the protector deity within the ancient precincts of the kingdom and even the general nomenclature for places, persons, etc has strong Sanskrit roots. Legend has it, that the first king of Angkor, Suryavarman, came in contact with Shailendra kings in Indonesia, who were the descendants of the kings in India. And the worship of Vishnu and Shiva traveled to Cambodia with Suryavarman, further flourishing as the larger than life temple complexes standing to this day. And then Buddhism took root, which continues to this day. There were brief waves of Shaivite-Buddhist conflicts, and then the Khmer rouge that dealt a heavy blow to the Cambodian social and cultural life. With the undulations in the history of Cambodia, the nation is slowly taking shape again.

Buddhist deity Prajnaparamita worshipped at Preah Khan temple complex

Battle scene on the lentil of one of the entrance gateways in Preah Khan

Entrance to a temple in Angkor Archaeological Park

Back in the villa in Siem Reap, we enjoyed the comforts of a home away from home. I think that worked out to be an ideal option for a family – stay at a villa instead of a hotel or lodge. And a budget villa option was best suited for our requirements 🙂

Coming home to the villa felt very relaxing after the hectic day under the sun. The cool shade and low temperature of the air conditioner felt comforting – simultaneously making me wonder if I can really take on the hard life I think I can… In any case, the welcome luxuries of a modern home presented a dichotomous life from the ancients at Angkor. With the villa as our base, we were to set out for more adventures in the heart of Cambodia!

More updates soon,

D.

Rome

Days in Naples rolled by rapidly, and I arrived in Rome with a feeling of barely having scratched the surface of culture and food scene in Naples. Rome welcomed me with open arms, and my B&B in Rome was the warmest reception I had received in any such establishment.

Walking around Rome on teh first evening in the city, the time just flew past as I clocked in over 20,000 steps! The walk from Santa Maria Maggiore to teh Spanish steps, and back through Trevi fountain and other basilicas made me feel as if I knew the city! I was mistaken to be a local, or at least Italian speaking, more than once on my strolls in Rome. I think the Romans were just being nice to make me feel at home… I would start a conversation with “buongiorno” and then wait as I articulate my next sentence. This pregnant pause would be enough for the opposite person to switch to English and quickly say “prego, how may I help you…” etc. “Alora!” some would exclaim, and comment sweetly on the looks etc. At certain points throughout my day, I imagined myself to be living in some movie – shot in a European city – where all are happy, jovial and ready to help.

Italy was going through its period of government change-over, and it was apparent the most in Rome. Military, polize and carabinieri were all around the city. However, I am told that it is not unusual to have a police presence in Rome round the year.

I warmed up with a half-day visit to the museum and walked over to teh colosseum and Roman ruins to get an in-depth tour of the architecture from the ancient era. The tales of the gladiators and narratives of impressive performances embedded in the layers of the colosseum came alive with the erudite archaeologist guide we had for our tour. Four hours melted away in discussions and exchange of historical narratives and anecdotes. As the sun sunk beyond the horizon, I sat by the ruins of the temple of vesta and wondered how these cults would have played out in the Roman period…

Colosseum: The central arena with movable contraptions, various levels for seating and the remnants of the stucco embellishments

The colosseum is indeed colossal! And the intricacies of its various facets to allow for a splendid performance for the Romans was overwhelming. The wooden arena and the movable elevators underneath lent a different perspective to look at this ancient structure. Grand entrances for teh gladiators to walk in the arena, reserved seats for the kings and ministers and the balcony area for women, slaves and children to look at the performances provided a sneak peek into the various social rungs at play. Limestones quarried in the north of Rome, use of concrete bonding for the structure and brick arches added to the multi-layered planning and engineering that went into this building. Vespasian’s vision to create a grand statement for the Romans stands today with its lasagne-like layers of history (yes, I love this food comparison 😉 ).

Arc of Titus

The Arc of Titus stands amid the plethora of other Roman ruins and does not fail to make a statement. The sculptural frieze in the arc depicts Roman victory at Jerusalem. The horses and foot soldiers carrying menorah depicts the fall of Jews in Jerusalem and the victory of pagan symbols embodied by Flavian dynasty of Romans. The Roman ruins showcase a multitude of gems with nuances of Roman life – along with Julius Ceasar’s tomb! – and religion. I walked back with a sumptuous helping of Roman life and religion and geared up for my visit to teh Vatican the next day!

D.

Naples and Pompei

The “touristy” part of Italy roped me in with the trove of Greek and Roman cities. While in Sicily, Selinunte, Agrigento, and Palermo were my keyhole view to peer into the world of 300 BCE-400CE. Imposing limestone pillars and grand temples to Apollo, Hercules and Demeter made a home in my heart…but I still yearned to know more and follow the trail of sanctuaries to Dioscuri and Avesta.

That brought me to Napoli, after my sojourn in Sicily. Napoli by far had the best pizza and pasta, but nothing came close to arancine I had feasted on in Palermo.

My flight to Naples was short, but the accommodation in the city was quite sketchy. I felt quite uncomfortable walking in the narrow lanes off via Umberto and felt a gaze following me. WIth that irksome feeling, I waled back to the main street and booked a snazzy hotel room for myself. After settling in, I made my way to the National Museum in Naples and my oh my, I did have the best four hours of my life looking at the exhibits at teh museum. Once again, I was thankful for the museums where I could look at each display taking my own time, and not melting away in the sun… That means, once again, my moral compass is moving away from the thought experiment of de-museumization!

Museo Archaeologico Nazionale di Napoli

The next day was going to be a full day at Pompei. The chapters on Indo-Roman trade that I paged through over and over for my degree in Archaeology had piqued my interest in the site of Pompei and Herculaneum. Did you know that Venus was teh patron deity of Pompei?! And the sanctuary to Venus is thus the highlight of Pompei city planning. Buried under the ash from the eruption of Mount Vesuvio, the city was buried under a 50cm (I think) deposit and many died due to suffocation, etc. The description in Classical sources on the eruption of Vesuvio in 79 CE furnish ample details on the eruption and the former glory of the city.

Theatre in Pompei

The quintessential aspect of entertainment in a Roman city is a theatre. The amphitheater in Pompei displays three levels (cavae). A similar setup is seen in the colosseum in Rome – to which I will touch upon later. These buildings were covered with stucco embellishments that would have looked something like the palaces that are now standing in Florence and Rome.

Artifacts excavated from excavations in Pompei

The city was preserved well owing to the ash bed and some preserved specimens are displayed in the precincts of the city. The cast of the bodies in the city highlight the daily life and 79CE seems to be frozen in front of your eyes… The tradition of tossing coins at the exhibit (as in the fountains across Italy) is a recurring aspect even in Pompei.

My exploration in Pompei reached its pinnacle (literally) and I decided to hike to Mt Vesuvius! The climb was strenuous and I had a half a heart to give up with the sun torching me with every step. But the climb and the sea of perspiration was totally worth it for the breath-taking view of Naples and surrounding areas that lay at the foot of Vesuvio.

The view of the landscape transported me back to ancient Greco-Roman cities, and somehow I wanted to linger more in that era rather than to move on with a generous dose of Renaissance architecture that lay waiting for me next…

D.

Songs of Singapore(?)

A photo journey of Singapore from our eyes was probably overdue. Here are some snippets from travels to Singapore… Almost lyrical…as if the songs of Singapore.

A stroll by the waterfall

And the echo of the avian calls

A walk through of the aquarium as if a deep sea dive

We reminisced Mexican experience as the seas came alive

“Floating cucumbers”, I jested

But the calm movement reeled me in

Lethal jellyfishes present a sight to behold

In the inky darkness as they calmly swim

No place as peaceful as the sea

Where white sand hugs your feet

And the blue sky holds a canopy

 

We sing of beasts and men

And perform dance and din.

The celebratory temple dragon

Lay still san spirit, but decorated skin.

Yab-Yum at the gates

Fishtail to avert any harm

The Buddha temple adorns the downtown

With its soothing charm

Leprechauns come alive

And the moss dresses the tresses

One awes at the manmade creation

Akin to the natural Cloud Forest

For the lovers of plants and with an eye for natural beauty

The sprawl of the botanical gardens

Can be a parable for a paradise

with flowers big and small

Inner noctural instinct

And a simulated sense of being in the wild

Frilled the Night Safari that enthralled

All, from grand-dad to a small child.

The vicious-looking anaconda stole the show

With Asiatic lion and Bengal tiger commanding a bow.

Yes, I am obsessed.

With the Peranakan houses and their pleasant colors

The sun and the shadow, mosaic and frescos

Mixed with the appetizing street food odors

Make Katong for worthy outdoors

 

Pink is not my color. And neither is, for the flamingoes.

They wade in the pool, bathe in muddy waters

To wash the hue on their feathers!

The favorite duo of Jurong Bird Park

Named something like Leo or Piccaso.

They dance, jest, paint and fly.

To enchant the tourists and for gusto!

With all the shimmer and shine

Singapore preserves its humane side

Katong streets, busy buses, and street vendors

Add to the city’s unseen grace

As if I dove into the sinkhole

Or lay on my back to see the animated constellations.

The play of light and shimmering scales

Make even sharks seem like closest friends!

The phenomenon of peaceful coexistence

Almost seems real at the aquarium.

But then you are aware of the gaze

And the fishes are reduced to mere objects of observation…

Well when you have it all,

Imaginarium is just another form of entertainment

Tinted with a money-making endeavor.

As a tourist, you go down the rabbit-hole anyway

And walk out with an “experience”…

Maybe of throwing money at painted walls.

 

Singapore is a mosaic.

Of people, their backgrounds, of manufactured experiences and curated lawns and beaches.

Singapore is a conglomerate of the serene seas and skyscrapers

Of shimmering lights on glass windows and scales under the water

Of people on foot and in Mercedez.

Of fishermen, party people and that old woman humming her native tune in Chinese.

We set foot as tourists,

Take back souvenirs of the Merlion

Read on how Singh-pura became Singapore

And hang fancy vacation pictures on the refrigerator.

Years later, nostalgia hits us.

And then we go back to this mosaic of memories

With their light and dark moments – of people on foot and in buses.

It was Christmas in Singapore.

The Merlion was lit in the night.

I gazed at the edifice and then at the sea

And then at the people who were as merry as could be.

With its warps and woofs,

The city grows on you.

As a tourist, or a citizen.

For we give a part of us in exchange for the experience.

O! Osaka!

Osaka, recently stated as one of the most livable cities (neck to neck with Calgary!), definitely lived upto its reputation. BUT, I still longed for the warmth that Kyoto and Nara had embraced us with. For the night stay in Osaka, we opted for the almost-capsule style of hostel. It was fun to squeeze into the tiny cubicle which actually was quite adequate for one person and her belongings!

The night was indeed all for Dotonbori. Signature neon lights, animated billboards and crazy crowds feasting on Takoyaki was the scene straight out of a manga. Kanupriya and I started off suspiciously peeping in the roadside restaurants…unsure which one to pick. We were clearly the “Baka Gaijin” and were initially welcomed with tentative smiles. However, as the evening matured, we were just two faces among the throng of Gaijins in Dotonbori.

The next day in Osaka was relatively relaxed, with just the trip to Osaka Castle and the museum. It was a whirlwind tour of Japanese history and monogatari (story). In addition to its lovely picturescape, the time as Osaka castle was some serious sister-time, and we immersed ourselves in hours of chatting, much needed catching up and gossip! 😉

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Osaka Castle is a myriad of numerous Japanese symbols. The shachihoko or the fish-like ornament on the roof is one of the bold statements of Japanese royal architecture. Shachihoko was put in place on either ends of the super tier in a building as it is associated with mizu or water, and is believed to usher in timely, plentiful rain. A parallel in Indian architecture is that of Makara, or a stylized crocodile which adorns the ancient temple entrances. This reptile in India is associated with one river in particular and bountiful of river in general, symbolizing prosperity.

The Osaka Castle is also adorned with golden lions which stand for the mark of royalty, cranes or stork that are associated with various aspects in Japanese philosophy through time, and the flame and crest motif for various kings through history.

On this high note, we made our way back to Kyoto- for the second time.

D.

 

Nara Nostalgia – II

It was too ambitious to fit all of Nara and the evening at Inari in one blog post! Following up from the last post, we proceeded to explore other areas of Nara.

The deer park is straight out of a fairy-tale. Deer- indeed very dear- large and small, come flocking for the deer-biscuits one can buy in the park. They pose for you and make an excellent addition to the photos, with an endearing animated element in the landscape.

Nara, the old capital, is mushroomed with tall and short buildings, shrines, palaces, corridors and gateways. The most imposing element is that of the lamps along the walkways. These votive stone lamps are lit during the annual festival, and I can only imagine how beautiful it must be! The landscape in Nara is imbued with local legends and history, and its comes alive with a promenade in the lovely hamlet of Nara.

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We had a chance to explore a traditional Japanese house with its traditional horizontal plan. The reserved room for tea ceremony with six tatami mats, inner rooms with four, and the master bedroom with five; came alive for us. Scrolls of calligraphy and brush paintings hung from the walls, and a strong sense of Tao tenets loomed overhead. The sliding doors opened into a courtyard and a garden with bonsai and manicured plants. All the details in Nara were picture perfect!

The day seemed short as we bid adieu to our Nara guide, and made our way back to the hotel. We had already lost our hearts to Nara, and swiftly proceeded towards Osaka – promising to be back soon.

D.

Nara Nostalgia – I

While I wait with my bags packed, I thought I could complete my “Nostalgia of Nihon (Japan)”, almost a throwback to remove my last trip to the East ;). As you may recall, my narration had taken Kanupriya and me to Tokyo and Kyoto, as “Baka Gaijin” (crazy tourist, in some sense). Our next stop, was beautiful Nara, with a pitstop at Fushimi Inari!

Japan’s warmth as cradling it’s heritage amidst the land of robots and pachinko machines is not unknown to the world. Kyoto, Nara and Inari shrine just take it up a notch, in my experience. One feels the time had stood still in books and corners of these places, and it’s easy to get transported to Meiji period, with co-tourists trotting in traditional kimonos. Backpacking in these traditional towns also has the advantage of a close rendervous with people who seem to have jumped straight out of a Japanese painting or a book on Japanese lore.

With the morning sun, we made our way to the train station, and hope onto the train to Inari. Kyoto to Inari is a short train ride, and we were at Fushimi Inari by the time we barely adjusted ourselves in the weekday rush crowd of the train. Fushimi Inari is a tiny train station. Catering to one of the crowded tourist attractions in Japan- a hill adorned with hundreds of red “Tori” Gates.

“Tori” also means a bird, in Japanese. And to my mind, these brightly colored Tori Gates, signifying the presence of Shinto shrines, also encapsulates the centrality of Shinto traditional belief: “that all is fleeting”. As the birds take to the sky, only to return to the trees for their daily rest, and ultimately become one with the earth as final rest; the central element of Shintoism is the return to mature, respecting it in all it’s forms. Inari, to me was this floating dreamland, leading upto the hill top and then back again through a myriad of red and orange Tori Gates.

Walking under the series of Tori Gates

The gates lead to various Shinto shrines and resting places. The moist evening at Inari seemed a picture perfect moment from our travels. With a full heart, we tried shaved ice and red beans at the foothill, and proceeded to Nara for the night.

***

Nara embraced us right at the very moment we reached the train station from Inari. The hotel we had chosen was as Japanese as it could get, with tatami Matt’s on floors, beautiful floral painting scrolls on walls, ride paper sliding doors and the plants and platforms for segregation of spaces to walk barefoot-adhering too the traditional Japanese house plan. With happy heart, we gulped down the warm soup and took to the cosy bed for an exciting next morning…

Old temples at Nara

The old city of Nara is centered around many shrines and a lovely sprawling deer park. Kofuku-ji temple was our first stop for the morning, and the most pleasant one so far. It opens but twice a year for public viewing. An old gentleman walked us through the traditional Shinto worship in a small shrine adjoining the temple. The purification of limbs with water from the traditional fountain with pipes made of bamboo is the first step. Producing sounds on percussion instruments housed within the shrine is the second one, followed by a salutation by bowing down thrice. The gesture to honour the gods is generally holding the left palm to the chest. Paper garland offerings to kami gods (kami in Japanese means both paper and weather!) is maybe the next important step.

The Kofuku-ji environs boast of seven and five tiered towers and the remains of an old palace. Nara was the famed capital before it was moved to Kyoto, and the wooden palace that adorned Nara was famed to be the grand palace building in all the neighboring land. As we were in our touristy mode, we chanced upon a kind Japanese lady who was a volunteer guide, and offered to take us around.

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Next stop was the Todai-ji temple. Tourist’s favorite shrine in Nara, Todai-ji has layers of history and deep interpretative elements to its presently standing form. The temple is enclosed in an attractive wooden courtyard with small shrines in the four quadrants.

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The temple building is adorned with a gold fist tail motif, signifying the association with water. The front yard is dressed with three rows of stone: red from China, grey from Korea and Black schist from India. This arrangement is in line with the history of Buddhism in Japan. We proceeded to take a stroll in other areas of Nara Park, and it was almost lunch time…

(to be continued)

D.