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Myths & Mountains
Summer is coming, and there's no better time of year to visit Himalayan destinations such as Tibet, Ladakh, Kashmir, and the Spiti Valley. Not only is it a beautiful season in the mountains, but it's also a time of many cultural festivals that bring the region's traditions to vibrant life.
Travelers interested in Buddhist traditions often think first of Tibet when choosing a destination. The region is currently open to travelers, although the many summer festivals are somewhat dependent on the ever-changing political situation. But whether or not they occur as scheduled, the region is still a wonderful place for visiting monasteries, exploring the local culture, and trekking through the incomparable alpine landscapes.
Beyond the region most travelers think of as Tibet – Lhasa west to Mount Kailash and south to Nepal – is a much broader area of Tibetan culture. "We refer to the area as Tibetan Lands because there are whole areas to the east of the Tibet Autonomous Region that are now in Yunan and other parts of China but used to be part of Tibet," says Myths and Mountains President Toni Neubauer. "These areas are a very different world and a very different ecosystem."
Yet Tibet is not the only – or perhaps even the top – destination to visit in order to experience traditional Buddhism. "For a lot of people, when they think of Buddhism the center of it all is Lhasa, but Lhasa has changed dramatically in recent decades. You'll actually find a much more intact Buddhist society in Ladakh," Neubauer reflects. "Considered Little Tibet, Ladakh is in many ways a wonderful example of what Tibet used to be years ago." Along with active monasteries and a largely intact Buddhist society, Ladakh boasts spectacular scenery and a wide range of activities such as hiking and rafting. A highlight of summer in Ladakh is the many colorful festivals that take place at monasteries and other locations throughout the region.
Another destination that's largely undiscovered by foreign travelers is the Spiti Valley in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, south of Ladakh. A high-altitude desert, the Spiti is home to several fascinating monasteries as well as villages where you can visit with locals and experience the way of life in this remote region. To the west of Ladakh, the long-troubled area of Kashmir has settled down significantly in recent years and is once again a wonderful place to visit. In the lush green Valley of Kashmir you can stay on one the famous houseboats on Nagin Lake in Srinagar while exploring the local culture and landscapes known far and wide for their scenic beauty.
Although the ecosystems of Kashmir, Spiti, and Ladakh differ greatly from each other and from those on the Tibetan plateau, the Buddhist philosophy remains consistent. "When Buddhism was struggling in the 10th century it was in Kashmir and Ladakh that it was kept alive," Neubauer explains. A thousand years later, these regions still offer some of the best opportunities for travelers to experience these ancient, living traditions.
Photo Credits: Terri Goldblatt (left photo)
Our Myths and Mountains family is made up of intrepid travelers who inspire with the way they embrace new cultures and experiences with open arms. We take great pleasure in crafting unforgettable, personalized adventures and sharing the joy of discovery, every step of the way. Here are 25 of the most amazing experiences our travelers have enjoyed during Myths and Mountains' first 25 years.
1. Circumambulating the sacred peak of Mount Kailash in Tibet
2. Trekking to Everest Base Camp
3. Getting married in special destinations like Bhutan, the Galapagos Islands, and Cambodia
Photo: Randi Reyes
4. Attending the coronation of the King of Bhutan
5. Diving with whale sharks in the Galapagos
6. Cormorant fishing in China
7. Being diagnosed by guinea pig by an Ecuadorian shaman in the Amazon
8. Soaking in the hot springs of Antarctica – wearing a bikini!
9. Participating in the dedication of a READ Global library in Nepal
10. Being healed by a Tibetan bowl-maker in Kathmandu
11. Honeymooning in an all-inclusive five-star luxury yurt camp in Patagonia
Photo: Myths and Mountains
12. American and Vietnamese veterans sharing beers and stories, soldier to soldier, in Hanoi
13. Ice-trekking on the Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina
Photo: Say Hueque
14. Staying with local families in their homes at Lake Titicaca
Photo:Reanne Stack
15. Motorcycling the entire length of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Vietnam
16. Spending a day with an elephant trainer in Thailand
17. Ballooning over Bagan in Myanmar at sunrise
18. Learning how to make Hmong batiks with villagers in Laos
19. Horseback riding across a Tibetan plateau
Photo:Kathy Lamb
20. Learning how to cook spring rolls with a Vietnamese grandmother
21. Spending Christmas in Francis Ford Coppola's private villa in Belize
22. Conquering the fear of heights at the Devil's Swimming Pool in Victoria Falls
Photo:Kim and Bruce Hutzler
23. Working as a bear keeper for a day in Cambodia
24. Crossing Bhutan on a motorcycle
Photo: Ratu
25. Trekking across the Thar Desert in India on a camel safari
When people ask us about a great option for single travelers, we always recommend Easter Island. We can easily match you up with small groups where you can meet other international travelers as you head off on daily explorations of the island's moai (stone figures). For many people, traveling to one of the world's most remote islands is one-in-a-lifetime experience, and one they will never forget.
We always love to hear back from our travelers with trips about our destinations. Here, Myths and Mountains traveler Donovan Wong from Las Vegas shares his thoughts on Easter Island.
How easy is it to walk around the main town, Hanga Roa?
DW: Really simple with the hotel Myths and Mountains booked for us as a base. You could easily do laps around town in less than an hour.
What can you share about money matters?
DW: Check your bank cards for ATM access such as PLUS or Cirrus before you leave home. We had to try a few banks before we found one that would take our particular cards, but it wasn't an issue. Also don't be surprised by the cost overall – it's very isolated, and they need to bring all of their food from the continent. I think we paid upwards of $20 for a plate of spaghetti, as an example, and the rental car was easily over $125 per day.
Are there any foods that are a must-try on the island?
DW: While beef and pasta were okay, seafood was probably the best choice all the way through.
What did you do on your "off" days?
DW: We rented a car to redo some of the sights and take more photos as well as lie on the beach on the opposite side of the island. I recommend spending four days on Easter Island unless you visit during the Tapati Festival, in which case you may want more time. In fact, I would probably opt to time the trip for the festival, which looked pretty amazing from past photos. [Tapati is a summer festival that takes place every summer in late January and early February. It combines a carnival spirit with sports, dancing, and cultural activities.]
Any other tips to share specific to Easter Island?
DW: It's definitely a bucket list destination to see the stone heads and to learn more about their unique culture. The beaches are nothing like Hawaii, and the water was actually quite cold. Swimming is isolated, and there are really no coral reefs to speak of even though you think it's part of Polynesia and there should be some. The people are really, really nice, though, and the sights are truly amazing!
Photo: Donovan Wong
The trip wasn't advertised specifically as textile-focused, but with a bit of special Myths and Mountains tweaking, Joan Clark and Susan O'Dell from Chicago discovered ample opportunities to indulge their love of weaving and other textile traditions during their journey to Peru last July.
With Myths and Mountains' Artisans of Peru itinerary as a foundation, Vice President Allie Almario worked closely with Joan and Susan to customize the program, adding and adapting elements to make the trip a one-of-a-kind experience that was everything the travelers had dreamed of, and more.
Both Susan and Joan have a long-standing interest in textiles. Susan is a weaver and a spinner, while Joan has been sewing since childhood and considers herself a tailor. She still cherishes the Singer sewing machine she bought with Green Stamps she collected in high school.
Together, Joan and Susan have traveled to many parts of the world, collecting a variety of indigenous weavings and other textiles along the way. When they saw the "Artisans of Peru" trip listed, things clicked. "We both had been looking for a textile trip, and there weren't very many out there," Susan recalls. "When we talked about our interests with Allie one of the things that really sold us was that we were able to plan with her what our travel experience would be, for example by seeing different collections that weren't necessarily on the original itinerary. I've traveled with other travel organizations in different ways, but Myths and Mountains is the only one that has been interested in letting us shape the trip."
Once in Peru, the "incredible" guides were also indispensible. "They were very personable and knowledgeable about the culture but also as travel companions they were very genuine and very engaging," says Susan. They went out of their way to enhance the program – for example, upon learning that Susan and Joan have golden retrievers that have been rescued from unhappy situations, their Cusco guide arranged a special visit to a rescue organization for condors, cougars, and vicuñas.
Susan and Joan started their journey with a few days in Lima exploring museums and learning about the Inca culture and religion. "It gave us a context for going to Cusco and the surrounding area where we actually saw many of the ruins and buildings and artifacts," Susan explains. "It gave us a way of both thinking intellectually about the culture and experiencing the day-to-day life of people in that environment."
Joan particularly appreciated the collection at the Larco Herrera Museum in Lima, a renovated hacienda that has been turned into a museum housing one of Peru's finest private collections, including textiles brought from throughout the country during the 18th and 19th centuries. "What I appreciated was that as we traveled we saw how weavings have certain similarities in different parts of the world," Joan says. "But at the same time, after learning about some of the mythic figures of the Inca culture like the cougar and the snake, seeing those figures woven into the textiles made it come alive in terms of this specific culture."
The museums in Lima also offered a glimpse of the ancient Paracas culture, which flourished on the desert coast south of Lima long before the Incas. "They have found mummies in Paracas that were wrapped in textiles that are 2,500 years old and have been preserved by the desertification there," Joan explains enthusiastically. "Textiles are something that usually doesn't last in a culture; they disintegrate. We were able to see some swatches of the Paracas textiles and mummies wrapped in these textiles. It was amazing to see how they had been preserved, how they had not rotted because there was no humidity. That was just fascinating to me, and the textiles themselves were just stunning."
In Cusco, Joan and Susan enjoyed visiting the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco, established by Nilda Callañaupa, a Peruvian master weaver who has been affiliated with various institutions in the United States, including the Textile Museum in Washington, DC. She created the Center to preserve weaving traditions and expand weavers' access to markets for their textiles. Women from the area come to the Center to work on their weaving and sell their finished products.
Another highlight was a visit to a rural Andean community in the Sacred Valley. "Spending most of the day in the countryside with a family was one of aspects of the trip that left a huge impact on me," Susan says. During lunch their hosts talked with the visitors about their weaving and brought out several pieces of their work as examples.
Textiles are "a real link with people all over the world, an identification with what they are doing and the way they are creating beauty," Susan says. "It's amazing how the style of textiles that have developed in Peru are remarkably like the weavings from Guatemala, which are remarkably like the weavings in Vietnam, which are also connected to the weaving in Africa."
For their next adventure, Susan and Joan are considering a return to South America with Myths and Mountains, perhaps to Argentina or Bolivia. After reading about the Andean tradition of rounding up vicuñas for shearing in a festival known as the chaccu, they've become interested in seeing the shearing of a vicuña or a llama. "It's another aspect of textiles," Joan says, "seeing where the fibers come from."
In the meantime, their experiences in Peru continue to linger in the hearts and minds of both Susan and Joan. "We talk about this trip and about Myths and Mountains with all of our friends because of the way that Allie picked up on our interests and tailored it," Joan says. "We encourage people to consider their dream trip and then connect up with Myths and Mountains to see what comes out of it. That's what happened for us."
Photos: Kate Fenner
As Queen Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck relates in her book, A Portrait of Bhutan, legend has it that the people of Tshona in Tibet were struggling to cut down a huge mountain in front of the palace of the tyrant Yarsang, in order to bring more light into his palace. No matter how hard they worked, the people were not able to make any progress at all, were desperate to tend their own fields and feed their own children, and were at a loss as to what to do. "Rather than cut down the mountain," suggested a beautiful young woman, Aum Jomo, "Let us cut off the head of the tyrant Yarsang."
Faced with this brilliant suggestion, the people arranged a great feast to honor Yarsang, saw to it that he got drunk, and then decapitated him. Staring down at the headless body of their former tyrant, the people realized the seriousness of their deed, and knew they had to flee their homes. Aum Jomo and their much-loved Lama Jarepa offered to lead them over the mountains to a new home.
Taking their yaks and sheep with them, the people of Tshona traveled for many months through the inhospitable land of Tibet, finally arriving at a very high pass. The majority, too tired to attempt to cross the high pass, turned back, wandering until they came to a wide valley on the top of a hill, that was covered with bamboo and rhododendrons. They named it Sakteng or "land on the top."
Those who were strongest, however, managed to make it over the pass with their animals, and came down to find a picturesque, uninhabited, shrub-covered plateau, facing a river and surrounded by hills, forests and a wonderful small species of juniper. These hardy refugees set the shrubs on fire to clear the land and called their new home "Merak" or "set on fire".
Today was our day to enjoy "set on fire!"
Kezang arrived early with a pile of Brokpa clothes for each of us to wear. The dress of the people of Merak and Sakteng is unique in Bhutan and he felt if we were to spend time with the people, we should dress as they do.
Each of us women donned a red and white striped raw silk dress called a shingkha, over which we wore a zuktangdhotung or jacket, with lovely flowers and animal designs woven into the material. We tried to hold the dress tightly between our legs in a pleat, while we draped a blanket or maykem over our backsides and tied it on with a kara.
Women also wear a most unique hat or tsipuzam made of woven yak hair, sort of like a French beret, and with five tails hanging off the rim. The Brokpa women claim that these tails keep the rainwater and snow off their faces. We would get that hat later!
For the men, Kezang brought a lovely belted red wool jacket or tshokhan chuba. Often the men add shorts, a tunic of animal hide, high socks and boots –generally rubber these days - but we kept the male dress simple, just using the jacket.
Dressed up as respectable Brokpas, we headed out to explore the area. Our first stop was the local school in time for morning exercises. The kids giggled in amazement at these white chilpas, dressed up in their clothes, and clustered around for pictures or just to stare.
The primary school had about 230 students, many of whom were boarders, as they lived too far from Merak to come and go easily.
When they finished school in Merak, the students then continued their education in Trashigang. After the prayers and national anthem, during the announcement time, the principal asked each of us to say a few words to the students. Then we had the opportunity to visit the classroom, surprisingly clean and well stocked. The school also had an excellent library with a wide selection of books.
The principal explained that the coming of electricity to the village had made a huge difference to the students. Now they could study at night and do far more work. At the same time, with electricity came television and, soon, the internet. Now students were exposed to a world that they had never seen – a world of Bollywood, consumerism and other outside influences. There was much worry among the adults about how to preserve a culture in such a fast-changing world, how parents, who grew up in a world with no machinery, electricity and other modern conveniences, will cope with children, who come to adulthood in a society that is vastly different from their own.
After visiting the school, we crossed back over the ravine separating our campsite from town, and walked to the small village of Gengo we had passed the day before, as we walked into Merak. Gengo boasts a wonderful old lhakhang or temple, dating back to the 15th century, according to some, and later by others. Some say it was built by a famous Merak Lama, Lodey Gyatso, who also built the sister monastery of Tawang, across the border in Arunachal Pradesh.
When we arrived at the lhakhang, it was closed as the result of the death of a four- month-old baby. Kezang had been the temple's caretaker, however, and his family were the present temple overseers. As a result, they let us inside. To me, one of the treasures was the wonderful wooden floor, worn soft by the prostrations of so many worshippers. The two key deities in the temple are the thousand-armed Chenrizi or god of compassion and Guru Rimpoche.
Yet, it is said that the temple houses another treasure. In addition to an excellent collection of relics and some beautifully designed chortens made of copper and wood, there is a statue that is said to be of either Thangtong Gyalpo, the famous "Iron Bridge Builder" of Bhutan, or, of his son, Buchung Gyalwa Zangpo. Moreover, it is said that the holy mummy of Buchang Gyalwa Zangpo is enshrined in the wooden Gomang chorten in Gengo. History suggests that Thangtong Gyalpo did spend time in the Merak area and was responsible for bridges in Tashigang and other nearby areas, so perhaps Merak acted as a center of activity for him.
Walking through the area around Gengo, Kezang pointed out numerous stones that embodied different legends and stories of Aum Jomo and her consort. One of my favorites was a large rock with a narrow hole.
It was said that Aum Jomo's consort stuck his member through the rock to illustrate his strength and worthiness of her. In another place, you stuck your fingers in a hole and scratched as best you could to scrape off some gold. A third rock was shaped like a pig's thigh, as Aum Jomo does not want people to eat pig.
After exploring Gengo, we headed back past our camp to Merak and Kezang's home for a lunch prepared by his mother and sisters. At one time, the house used to have three separate rooms. Now, as the family has grown and brothers and sisters have married, the brother occupies the downstairs, and the sister-in-law has the other room upstairs. We all clambered up to the first floor and the main room for his mother – kitchen, prayer room, sleeping room and storage all in one.
Interestingly, polyandry - one woman married to several husbands – is not uncommon in Merak. In a way, polyandry serves several important purposes. It keeps the property intact. This way, a house does not have to be divided among so many family members. Secondly, polyandry serves as sort of birth control, as one woman can only have a limited number of children. Lastly, in a society where men can be off with the animals, someone is home with the wife.
Kezang's family fed us a delicious lunch of soup, vegetable and meat momos, emadatse, rice with corn and tsampa, or barley flour, as well as a great tomato relish or achar. Kezang's sister makes some of the wonderful hats and Kezang showed how her hats were tightly woven, so as to repel water, where as some of the cheaper hats simply absorbed water. Needless to say, I bought one!!!
After lunch, we went to the home of the woman who had woven the clothes we were wearing. She did all of her weaving on a back strap loom, and it took her about seven days to complete a jacket. She was young and quite beautiful, and was trying to supplement her income from farming and livestock with weaving. Weaving was not something she had learned at home. Rather, she had studied how to set the loom and make the traditional flower and animal designs that were popular in the Merak area. Again, electricity in the homes meant a lot to her and other villagers, allowing them to work in evenings, as well as helping to alleviate the eye-strain from laboring in semi-darkness.
From the weaver, our path led up the hill overlooking the village to the Samteling Lhakang Merak's main temple, built in 1890. The temple is contains a set of handwritten scriptures that Aum Jomo was said to have carried from Tibet and some very well-done paintings.
When we arrived, the head lama and gomchens, or lay lamas, were conducting a service to prepare for a purification ritual to cleanse people of illness or sins. In the middle of the temple was a table with a large figure made from butter and tsampa and surrounded by about 400 small figures shaped sort of like tiny people. Kezang told us to take some money, rub it all over our bodies, and then put in on the trey with the figures. Next, he handed us some corn, and told us to once again, rub it over our bodies and but it on the trey. By rubbing our bodies with the money and corn, all of the illness or impurities we harbored were transferred to these items and then left on the trey to be thrown out. All of the Merakpas would have the opportunity to do the same cleansing, and then the trey of figures would be thrown outside the town limits, purifying the town and its people.
Kezang sat with the head lama and gomchen and began chanting also. We sat and let the sound of the chanting, drums and horns wash over us, until one of the helpers brought us some salt tea. We drank and then it was time to leave. Kezang turned to us saying, "Leave your body on the trey, but make sure to take your soul when you leave!"
Walking out the door into the fading light of the day, I truly hoped my soul was with me, and not on the trey with the impurities!
Walking back to camp, we passed people grinding tsampa and corn, feeding animals and doing their daily chores. All smiled at these chilpas dressed in local clothes and were extremely friendly. What a special day.
At night we talked a bit about Merak. The village has about 140 families, each with about ten, yes, ten children! At an altitude of over 11,000 feet in altitude, Merak gets extremely cold and can experience more than six feet of snow on the ground. During the frigid winter months, school is closed, and most people take their livestock and head down to warmer and lower climates. The Merakpas often have a host family down low with whom they can stay over the winter and to whom they bring butter and cheese. In the summer months, that host family comes up to Merak, bringing things like vegetables and fruit.
Not everyone leaves for winter though. Weavers tend to stay, those who watch the temples and have other local jobs and old people who no longer like the nomadic life wait out the cold months in their homes. Often the yaks are left to roam free during the winter months, as they are fine in the snow and do not do well at low altitudes. They actually can swim and do not mind bathing in the frigid waters.
Kezang also talked about the local habit of night hunting, where a bunch of boys get together and decide to sneak in and pay a visit to a girl they like. Sometimes this was both dangerous and funny! Kezang had us rolling with laughter as he described climbing up the vines to the room of a girl he wanted to visit one night. In his mouth, he held the flashlight, so he could see where he was going. Just as he got to her room and pried open the window, he coughed and the flashlight flew out of his mouth into the room and onto the floor with a crash. Dogs started barking, Kezang could hear people heading outside to see what was going on, so he leapt to the ground, twisting his knee in the process and hobbled off into the bushes before anyone could follow him. Ah the perils and misfortunes of love!
Sometimes an experience far from home can be a time for personal reflection and emotional restoration. That's what Florence Meyers, from Hudson, New York, discovered on her recent Myths and Mountains trip to Myanmar with her husband, Victor.
During their trip, the Meyers' guide, Saan, invited them to witness a special memorial ceremony for his father, who had passed away a month earlier. "We went to his house and met his mother and his sisters. Community members came to their home, and we all sat in the living room in front of the altar with a Buddha and flowers and other offerings," Florence remembers. Then five monks were invited to come in. They sat down in front of the group, and chanted, with the community answering. Following the prayers, tables were set in front of the monks, who were served food on behalf of the community. "I had read in one of the guidebooks that the way the Burmese tend to their guests is that they feed you but don't eat; they just make sure your plates are filled," Florence says. "That's what they did, and then they gave each monk an envelope containing money since the monks live only on offerings."
Once the monks had finished and the remnants of their meal had been cleared away, Florence, Victor, and Saan were invited to sit down, and were treated to a meal in the same way. Along with the wonderful openness of the community, what made the experience even more special for Florence was the fact that her own mother had died two months earlier. "So in the midst of this frenzied two-week vacation I got a chance to sit quietly and think about my mother," Florence reflects. "It enabled me to witness a ritual in a cultural context that had meaning. I have my own rituals in my religion, but this was Buddhist."
Another aspect that made the ceremony special was that Florence and Victor felt like part of the ritual rather than mere observers. "Before we even went to our guide's house he took us to a bakery in Mandalay to buy special sweets to feed the monks. So we were even a part of the preparation for this ceremony. And of course the bakery was a very different thing from what we were used to."
In addition to Myanmar, Florence and Victor have also traveled to the Galapagos and Vietnam with Myths and Mountains. One thing that keeps them coming back, Florence says, is that everything is "hassle free. I just trust where they take us and what they show us. The trips are always geared toward our interests, whether it be local culture or local customs, and they always provide the insider look."
Another aspect of Myths and Mountains trips that Florence loves is the spontaneous experiences that arise along the way – often because of Myths' local connections, but sometimes through pure serendipity. She recalls another occurrence from their Myanmar trip: "We were driving along a very dusty road near Bagan, and we had to stop the car because there was a herd of oxen crossing the road. It was just so colorful and dusty. My husband loves to take pictures, so he jumped out of the car. There was a group of children along the side of the road, and he started photographing them. Then their mothers came by and motioned for us to follow them." The Meyers followed the women and children down another dusty road to a complex where an extended family lived. When they arrived, the family was busy harvesting peanuts. "There were 25 or 30 people sitting with piles of peanuts that they were harvesting from the vines. They let us take pictures, then took us around their houses and showed us how they lived. They gave us something to eat and were just really open and welcoming. It was a really special treat."
Even more typical tourist experiences were often transformed as the result of unexpected encounters. Many travelers to Myanmar visit monasteries, but for Florence and Victor, a visit to a large monastery near Mandalay turned into an inside look at the healthcare services available to the monks. Florence recalls, "Somehow – I'm not sure how it happened – we were introduced to one of the head monks. We had been told that there was a hospital in this monastery, which is unusual, but it's a very big monastery with several hundred monks." The daughter of a doctor and the sister of another, Florence was curious, so the monk took them to see the hospital, which Florence describes as "more like an infirmary." She says, "I got to poke through some of the cabinets and see what medicines were there. They also had a dental area with the kind of equipment we had in this country 40 years ago. Almost everything is donated." It was an insider's view of life in the monastery that few visitors ever get to glimpse.
In addition to being repeat Myths and Mountains travelers, the Meyers have referred relatives and friends, and took their adult children along on their Vietnam and Galapagos trips. For now, what's next on their agenda is a visit to San Francisco to meet their new grandchild. But chances are Florence and Victor will soon be planning another big trip. "Travel is our passion," Florence says, and when new adventures beckon, she knows whom she'll be calling to make them happen.
Photos: Top two: Allie Almario Bottom: Mark Oshiro
Professional photographer Mirjam Evers, co-founder of Photo Quest Adventures (PQA) worldwide photography workshops, has traveled to and photographed more than 75 countries. Yet among all her journeys one of the most memorable was PQA's recent Myths and Mountains trip to Nepal. "Some of the credit has to go to the country itself, the beautiful people and the gorgeous landscapes surrounding the snowy peaks of the Himalaya," Mirjam reflects, "but I doubt I would fully appreciate the wonder of Nepal without the expert guidance of Toni Neubauer and the local guides."
Nepal is a photographer's dream, and Myths and Mountains "went above and beyond our expectations," Mirjam says. "We were introduced to the real Nepal. We communicated with many of the local residents, experienced the impressive READ community centers, and, of course, were taken to some of the most beautiful places in Nepal, in perfect lighting conditions." The October 2012 trip was so successful that PQA is already planning a return to Nepal.
Whatever the destination the beauty of travel photography is that, as Mirjam says, "It can celebrate the landscape and the human condition while also exploring larger issues. The travel photographer can address political and social issues while, at the same time, sharing intimate, profound moments that exemplify humanity."
For travelers wishing to improve their photography, Mirjam offers the following tips:
1. Think outside the box. Shoot from the ground with a wide angle. Climb a tower and shoot from above. Wait for dawn or dusk, mount your camera on a tripod, and slow the shutter speed. Put your subject off to different places in the photograph. Images shot differently from the rest stand out.
2. Shoot in RAW for greater flexibility in post-processing. Since RAW images take more space than JPEGs, you'll need to travel with several high-capacity memory cards. Get into the habit of downloading your images to a laptop or photo storage device every night. Bring twice as much memory-card capacity as you expect to need.
3. Choose which lenses you bring carefully. If you only have the room or budget to select one glass, opt for a fast zoom such as an 18-200 mm or 28-300 mm. If you have extra room or would prefer a wider choice consider the following: a portrait prime lens (e.g., 85 mm), a wide-angle lens (e.g., 24-70 mm), and a telephoto (e.g., 70-200 mm).
4. Travel light. Bring just one camera body (unless you have room for a spare), lots of memory cards, a lightweight tripod, a portable data storage unit, a pocket-sized compact camera, a flash, a selection of lenses, and a durable camera bag. "Less is more," says Mirjam. "Many people tend to over-pack camera equipment thinking they may need that lens or that flash just in case. However, I would recommend trying to bring as little as possible. I usually bring one wide zoom lens (for example, a 24-70 mm f2.8 lens) and one small prime lens (usually a 20mm f1.4 lens). This lets me take wide shots that capture landscapes and buildings but also lets me carry a light portrait lens that doubles as a low-light lifesaver."5. Back up your data. Bring plenty of memory cards because there's nothing worse than trying to delete some pictures you took earlier in the middle of a trip because you ran out of memory. If you have a small netbook or a backup external drive, bring that along so you can download your pictures as you go.
6. Catch the light in people's eyes. If you choose to photograph your subject looking head on, you must capture the spark, the life, and the magic in their eyes.
7. Use a wide aperture. This travel photography tip applies primarily to DSLR camera users. Unless you care about the backdrop, give as much focus as possible to your subject by using a wide aperture. The lower the "f-number," the wider the aperture on your camera, and the less depth of field you get. Letting in as much light as possible with a low f-number will blur the background and cause a subject to "pop" more in the photo.
8. Leave your self-consciousness at home. You will get good pictures when you are experiencing new places and cultures first-hand, not when you are watching from the sidelines. Jump in, try new things, be brave, say hello, and stay open to new experiences.
9. Approach people with warmth and an open mind and show respect for their environment and culture. This can help to establish a certain amount of trust. Familiarize yourself with the local dress code and take the necessary steps to fit in. Buy and wear local clothing if you can. Don't wear clothes that make you stand out, and stay away from bold colors, logos and definitely anything sexy. Leave the jewelry at home as well as clothing that screams "money." As it is, you are traveling with expensive camera equipment. You don't want to be a walking billboard for thieves. Rather than carry a purse, wear a fanny pack or backpack.
10. Engage and try to make a connection with people before taking pictures. Spend some time with your subjects. Learn how to say at least "hello" and "May I make a photograph" in the local language. Obviously, a language barrier can make it difficult to engage in any kind of conversation before you take their picture, but a gesture asking permission, or an exchange of any kind, will help.
In the end, Mirjam says, "Good travel photographs are images that transcend idyllic landscapes or 'exotic' looking people. Instead, truly successful images communicate a shared experience between the place, the photographer and the viewer. Travel photography is an opportunity to learn that despite our differences, we are all just human."
Although Chile and Argentina do not require visas for US travelers, both countries require travelers holding US passports to pay a $160 reciprocity fee in order to enter. This amount is equal to the amount that Argentines and Chileans are required to pay for visas to enter the United States. To streamline the immigration process, new procedures will take effect at the end of the year in Argentina. It's important to be aware of these changes since travelers who fail to follow the new procedures could find themselves stranded at the airport unable to enter country.
Starting December 28, 2012, US visitors to Argentina arriving on flights into either of the two airports in Buenos Aires (Ministro Pistarini International Airport, more commonly known as Ezeiza, and Aeroparque Jorge Newbery) must pay the reciprocity fee online in advance. Beginning January 7, 2013, online prepayment of the reciprocity fee will also be required for travelers crossing into Argentina by land and sea (although cruise ship passengers will be exempted from the fee until June 30, 2013). The receipt for prepayment must be shown upon arrival in Argentina. The website for payment is: http://www.migraciones.gov.ar/accesible/templates/reciprocidad/reciprocidad.htm
For Chile, the reciprocity fee is currently only required of travelers arriving through Santiago International Airport. Payments are made at the airport, with payment either by US cash or by credit card. In other words, if you enter Chile by land, sea, or through another airport, you do not have to pay the fee.
For both Argentina and Chile, the reciprocity fee is good for multiple entries over a period of 10 years. If your passport expires you may be able to avoid paying additional fees on return visits within the 10-year period by showing your old passport with the valid proof of payment. Check with the appropriate embassy for the most recent rules about carrying over reciprocity fees to a new passport.
Travelers from Canada and Australia are also subject to reciprocity fees, although the amounts and validity periods vary.
Photo Credits: www.sayhueque.com
For the third year in a row, Myths and Mountains President Toni Neubauer has been named Condé Nast Traveler's Top Travel Specialist for Nepal. The experts included on this prestigious list represent what Condé Nast's Director of Consumer News and Digital Community, Wendy Perrin, calls "the best blend of destination knowledge, insider connections, user-friendliness, and value for your dollar that I've found in more than two decades of scrutinizing the travel industry for this magazine."
Inclusion on the list is a true honor. As Perrin notes on the Condé Nast website, "Of the more than 10,000 travel agents and tour operators who have tried to break onto this list since its inception 13 years ago, only a tiny fraction have made the grade—this year, 150 specialists. Getting into this group is, statistically speaking, tougher than getting into Harvard. Staying on it is tougher still: It requires not only an absence of valid reader complaints but also ongoing positive assessments from readers."
Toni's inclusion reflects her decades of experience in Nepal, but she says, "The award is not only an honor for me, but also for the many people in Nepal who have been my gurus - teaching me their language and rich culture. It's also an honor for those with whom we've worked in READ Global. READ is truly changing Nepal, and our involvement plays a part in the specialist award. That we have built libraries in so many remote areas has been a way for me to intimately get to know a Nepal seen by few travelers."
This close relationship with the people of Nepal is what makes Myths and Mountains trips so extraordinary. Toni explains, "Myths and Mountains has a special place in the hearts of many, many Nepalis, and they will go out of their way to spend time with our people and make their experience very personal. In addition, it is not just Myths and Mountains, but also our travelers who have helped build READ, and people in Nepal know this. The locals will bring you into their homes and make things happen that wouldn't happen on an ordinary trip."
Toni knows Nepal intimately and is committed to making a difference in the lives of Nepali people and communities. But, she emphasizes, "Although I personally treasure the award, it is also a tribute to everyone in Nepal who has helped us, and to Myths and Mountains for being the kind of company that it is."
Far from the airport in Paro and the seat of government in Thimphu, Eastern Bhutan sees far less tourists than the western part of the country, and yet has rich cultural heritage of its own. For many years, I have wanted to visit the semi-nomadic peoples who inhabited the eastern villages of Merak and Sakteng in the area around Trashigang, and finally set off this fall to do so. We were a group of four – three women and two men – three of us in our 60s and one in her 70s.
The trip began with a flight from Delhi to Guwahati, the capital of Assam. Here we were met by Kinley, our guide, and Sangay, our "Buddha" driver. From Guwahati, we headed out on a chaotic drive to the Bhutanese border town of Samdrup Jonkhar. The road was under repair and a blend of elephants, busses and trucks belching diesel fuel, bikers, cars, and other assorted vehicles that defy definition. It took slightly over four hours to arrive at the border, check out of the insanity of India and into the relative quiet of Bhutan.
Lodging in the east is rather basic, to say the least, and we overnighted at the basic TLC Hotel. Rumor hath it that with new hotel competition coming in, TLC is going to do some renovation, but "nothing is real 'til its real!" For now, rooms are basic, hot water is sporadic and food is heavy in carbohydrates and light in spices.
The town is simple, perched with a market near the border that picks up on weekends. There is a simple temple or gomba, and our visit connected with the chanting of the monks. There is also a cement plant and some small industry, but overall, this is not a place for great sightseeing.
From Samdrup Jongkar, the road winds (every road in Bhutan "winds") up the hill towards Trashigang, capital of the district. Lunch was at the top of a hill by the side of the road, with lovely viewsacross the hills and fields below. Farther on, we stopped in Kanglung at the handicrafts center, to find that the girls were busy rehearsing their song and dance for the upcoming fall Tsechu festival in Trashigang.Shy and giggling, they persevered under the watchful eye of the teacher, while we watched their practice, taking photos along the way. Then we headed down the hill to see some of the beautiful weavings in their store that are typical of this area – both cotton and silk. Prices here in Kanglung were about half what they are in Thimphu at the market, so it was good to pick up some bargains.
Our path lead past Sherubtse College, until recently the only institute of higher learning in the country and producer of many a Bhutanese government official and finally to Trashigang and a new lodge – KC Resort – just above town. Although it was fairly simple, at least it was better than Trashigang's only other hotel – the Deojung. Food was better at the Deojung, but the KC had better rooms.
We had time to do some exploring the next day around Trashigang. One of the most interesting stops was a small temple and monastery called Gomphukora. Here, in the spring, there is a fascinating Tsechu festival, where tribal people from all over Assam as well as northeastern Bhutan assemble, not only to worship Guru Rimpoche, but to sell their wares as well. As luck would have it, we arrived just as the monks were starting a service, and could sit and absorb the calmness of the chanting. Some of the monks were having trouble staying awake and tooting their horns or banging the drums on time . . . even religion is human!
Just below the temple is a huge black rock, said to bear the imprint of Guru Rimpoche, when he meditated here. The rock is both wish-fulfilling and a cleansing rock. To get your wish fulfilled, you need to climb up over the rock. Then, to cleanse yourself of sin, you squeeze through a tiny dark passage beneath the rock. Obviously obesity is a sin in this place, as no one even slightly overweight could fit through the narrow slit in the rock! Thinley, our guide, squeezed through, but the mud at the bottom of the passage convinced me to hang on to my sins for a while!
Early the nextmorning, we drove out of Trashigang to the town of Chaling, to begin our trek. The road soon gave way to a dirt road, where we bounced around as though we were in a mix master for a couple of hours. Finally we bumped to a halt on a knoll overlooking the river and villages below.
Here we met our staff . . . and horses . . . for the trek. We had two guides, Kinley, who had been with us since Guwahati, and Kesang, a local guide from the town of Merak. He had been married, was a lay monk and had an amazing way with animals. Namgay, our chief cook, was a friend of Kinley's and a very experienced cook. As we discovered along the way, he was fabulous, cooking the best food I had eaten in Bhutan since my first visit in 1991!! He brought his team of Tshering and Karma, who looked rather like a refugee from the Manchurian steppes, with him to both help on the trail and in the kitchen.
Bhutanese use horses on treks, as opposed to mules, yaks or people, so we also had a group of horsemen and some excellent horses.
Somewhere around eleven, the horses were packed and we set out on our way, leaving Sangay behind to meet us about six days later when we finished hiking.
For me, this was an interesting adventure in humility. Over the past 25 years, I had trekked all over Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet, visiting Everest Base Camp four times, crossing Thorung La five times, hiking to Mt. Kailas in western Tibet. Yet this was different. I had a bum knee, and knew it would not take a trek. Rather than cancel the trip, however, I decided to ride a horse where riding was possible – not an easy decision. Yet, I knew well that if I wanted to get to this part of Bhutan, it was the only alternative. Fortunately, I love riding, had used horses before on treks, and figured when the downhill was too steep for the horse, I would walk using my stick. My horse was a young buckskin, full of energy and a mind of his own. He was blind in one eye, and would shy if approached suddenly on his blind side. For me, this made the experience even more fun.
The weather began gloriously as we started up the hill. Our destination, according to the itinerary, was either Shatimi or, if we could, Damnonchhu. Hah! Whoever wrote "Damnonchhu" must have been a local Bhutanese villager, as it really was too far for a group of even good hikers leaving at eleven AM. The locals could easily get there by nightfall, but they did not stop for lunch, or talk along the way. To me, a trek has to be fun – you need to stop, chat, have snacks, and enjoy yourself. No trek should be a forced march!
Well, we were lucky to have Shatimi within a reasonable distance, because, after lunch, our gloriously sunny day suddenly clouded over and it began to pour – not drizzle – pour! We slogged on for another two hours or so after lunch, finally arriving at Shatimi around 4PM.
The crew had arrived before us, and set up tents. The campsite also boasted a fire pit with benches and a wooden cover, and even a stone well for garbage, built by the Bhutan Tourism Corporation (BTC). The only thing we did not have was a bathroom tent. Had we hiked to Damnonchhu, there was a toilet built by BTC, but Shatimi had no such extra. Bless the crew – they took their plastic, rigged a toilet tent, and then hung an umbrella over it to shield the inhabitants from the rain. Then they built a roaring fire in the covered fire pit area, where we could dry our wet clothes and warm up as the chill, damp night settled in. The major challenge was not stepping in a large puddle of water or mud while trotting to one's tent or to the bathroom, but everyone seemed to manage.
Dinner was magnificent, particularly the mushroom soup prepared by Namgay. There was something for everyone – vegetarians, carnivores, those who liked non-spicy American food, and those of us who loved to burn our lips on emadatse, the chili and cheese dish beloved by the Bhutanese. Even the rain let up and a few stars peeked out from between the clouds.
Crawling into my sleeping bag, I could not help but feel blessed. We were in good hands, the crew was wonderful. Kezang and Kinlely could not be better as leaders, and I loved my tent, with its warm light, spaciousness and cuddly bag to keep me comfortable.
Sometimes we get so comfortable in our daily life with its thermostats, fancy beds or sheets, up-to-date kitchens and other modern accouterments, that we forget the beauty of simplicity – a world in a tent.
The next day the clouds had lifted for the most part, and we could see the knoll where we had camped. Below us were some yak farms and a rainbow peaked out from above the hills. A yak herder was taking his animals past our camp, and down to their winter grazing quarters, and we ran up to photograph these magnificent animals.
Then we started off for Merak. The trail climbed up along beautiful forests of rhododendrons, spruce and fir, up to a small meadow and then to Mindrula Pass at 10,088 feet. From here we could see down across the meadows and on to the hills, behind which lay our destination. I rode up to the pass, and then walked down the hill reveling in the beauty of the area.
Near the bottom of the hill was Damnonchhu, the campsite built by BTC that had been listed as an alternative to Shatami. Frankly, given when we started trekking yesterday, we did well to stop at Shatimi, as we would never have reached Damnonchhu in the light. It was just too far.
The trail beyond the campsite led through a series of streams, some with bridges, and some without! Riding the horse through the streams was fun and easy for me, but crossings were harder for hikers. Atone point, where the stream had no bridge, Kezang picked up each of the trekkers, including Dick at about 190 pounds, and carried each person across the waters – despite our protestations that we could do it ourselves!
Lunch was in a herder's shack off the trail well below Damnonchhu. In Bhutan, people carry food in small nesting metal containers that fit inside a put to keep the food warm. Namgay had made lunch before leaving camp, and Tshering carried these containers along so that we would have a hot lunch each day. Sometimes we are all too spoiled!
In this part of the world, a trail is a super highway, and a porter is a container truck. Often, when we passed someone, they would
stop to ask where we were going and where we were from, how the trail was, and if anything exciting was happening along the way. As we walked we passed several people carrying large pieces of board for a house, hunters dressed in the furof some local animal, herders and other people walking from one village to another.
Each person merited a conversation, and since there were few westerners who visited this area, we were definite curiosities. We, on the other hand, were fascinated by the people we met!
As we walked along the path, Kezang told us a bit about the chief deity, Ama Jowo, who led the Merakpas (as the people of Merak were called) up into the hills to their village of Merak. The area near Merak is dotted with special stones bearing stories of Ama Jowo, her exploits, and imprints of various parts of her body.
Ama Jowo also is the protector of the different fauna of the area, and one cannot eat meat before making a pilgrimage to her holy mountain. Each year, in the summer, there is a big local festival honoring Ama Jowo, and the people hike up the hills to worship at her temple.
One of the sad moments as we walked was passing a chorten, a small religious monument to the gods often built in memory of someone or as merit points for a next life. When building a chorten, one always places some special relics inside for the gods, as well as food for them to eat, flowers and other things they might enjoy. Often too, there are some beautiful carvings that are part of this monument.
We passed just such a chorten along the way, but the carving that sealed it was gone, and the inside was empty. Kezang explained that the stone and relics had been stolen and then sold to collectors for a large sum of money. Everyone in town knew who had done it, because the people had bought a car and other things, but no one had done anything.
Here in this country of Gross National Happiness, a country that was trying to develop positively in this modern world of internet, television and other "things", it was sad to hear that the trade in stolen art existed, just as it did in Nepal and many other countries. This is one of the reasons that the Bhutanese have tried to control where tourists can go and not go, and limit access to certain places. Yet, as this theft shows, the buyers may be foreigners, but the thieves are local.
The trail began to climb and the forests gave way again to alpine meadows. Eventually, we passed a small town called Gengo, where Kezang had once been the caretaker for the local temple or gompa. Across the ravine from Gengo was our campsite and Merak was just beyond.
It had been a full day, with a lot of ups and downs, and we were thrilled to be in camp. We had time to do some wash, have tea and write in journals. Since Merak is at 11,480 feet, as the sun went down, the air became quite chill. We bundled up in our warmest clothes, enjoyed the soup and warm food Namgay prepared, and went to sleep rather early, looking forward to spending a full day tomorrow in Merak.
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Stinger 1 Acre Outdoor Insect Killer
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Rated(17 reviews) out of 5 Add your own review! | Show all reviews 24 hour wonder Bought it Sunday morning at the Home Depot, hung it out Sunday afternoon. It came on at sunset and was working great when I went to bed at 11. It had turned off at dawn by the time I had gotten up. Monday evening I just happened to be out in the back yard at dusk, it came on with a zap and that was it. The light worked great, but the grid was dead. Watched a moth go in and land on the grid and then fly back out. Emailed the company and was told that this was not an issue with these units, that they had not been having any problems like mine. I guess they must not read the reviews. GREAT WHEN IT WORKED It worked great for a few months and then it stopped zapping bugs. The bulb still works and outlasted the electric zapping mechanism, go figure I would have guessed it would have been reversed. sux I had the same problem worked fine for bout a month or so and the light would come but would not zap bugs Show all reviews Add your own review! |


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DETROIT (AP) — Detroit police say a man arrested in the theft of his father's corpse had hoped the body would return to life.
Lt. Harold Rochon tells The Detroit News that the son is "very religious" and was "hoping his father would be resurrected."
The 48-year-old man is in custody after police found the body of Clarence Bright in the son's home Tuesday.
Rochon tells the newspaper that the son bought a freezer to store the body.
Bright's funeral was Saturday but the burial was delayed. The body was reported stolen Monday. Bright's son and another man were arrested Tuesday while inside a van with an empty casket.
Police say the body is being returned to the family for burial.
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A Bottle of Wine
When the Bombardment passed over Yannoneth there would be nothing and no one left on the surface. The very air of the planet would be stripped away. The land would be so thoroughly devastated that it would be as though his people had never inhabited it. Indeed, it would be as though no life at all had ever existed on it.
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Cutting fresh basil with ease!Wash and dry the basil thoroughly. Remove the stems. Layer the leaves one on top of the other. Using your knuckles as a guide, chop the basil leaves.
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Backyard & Veranda 5657 Spring Garden Road Halifax, Nova Scotia (902) 425-9273
Backyard & Veranda 1595 Bedford Highway Sunnyside Mall Beford, NS, B4A 3Y 902-832-3222
Crawford's 2809 Bovaird Drive West Brampton, ON (905) 451-0347
Freeman's Wine Making 366 North Front Street Belleville, ON (613) 966-9972
Grand Gourmet 53 Mill Street West Elora, ON (519) 846-5771
Kitchen Connaisseur 75 Ontario Street Stratford, ON, N5A 3H1 (519) 271-3311 E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com Hours:
Kitchen Impressions 17A Main Street South Waterdown, ON, L0R 2H0 905-690-7586 E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com Hours:
Lasting Impressions 5552 Main Street Manotick, ON (613) 692-0759 E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Prince Edward Island Preserve Company near Cavendish off Route 13 in New Glasgow at the junction of Routes 224 and 258 Hunter River, PEI (800) 565-5267 E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
The Farm Pantry 45 King Street St. Jacobs, ON (519) 664-3626 E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Visit our recipes or menus section to view the products related to those items. For a complete listing of Kitchen Connaisseur products, visit the products section.


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Thursday, September 11th
"Battle of Arbor Hill" near Summerdean in Augusta County (Southwest of Staunton) followed by Federal Pursuit and Confederate Resistance Cavalry ride to Brownsburg in Rockbridge County where units will make camp.
Friday, September 12th
Cavalry Ride continues to the Virginia Horse Center. School program will be held by Living Historians. Cavalry units arrive in the afternoon to camp at the Cameron Farm at the Horse Center as they did 150 years ago.
Saturday, September 13th
Camps will be open for visitors to see how the soldiers lived in the field, followed by a reenactment of the Cameron Farm, Seminar on the Raid and the ravaging of Lexington and surrounding communities. Civil War evening ball.
Sunday, September 14th
Camps open in the morning for visitors followed by the final reenactment.
This facility meets ADA Accessibility Guidelines for wheelchair accessibility, including an accessible entrance, access to goods and services, usability of rest rooms and accessible parking and drop-off areas. For additional details, please see the ADA website.
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Nugent's STRANGLEHOLD Voted #1 Guitar Lick of Alltime!
Denver, CO - In yet another rock & roll coup, Ted Nugent's Stranglehold has been named the #1 Guitar Lick by listeners of 103.5 THE FOX, Denver.
The legendary broadcast team of Lewis & Floorwax devoted a recent show to rock's most memorable riffs, and created an internet poll for listeners to weigh in. Weigh in they did, and Ted won by a typical landslide. In addition to the top slot, Nugent claimed a second victory with Cat Scratch Fever coming in at #14, further confirming Nuge's status as a hard rock superhero.
"We were a little suspicious that a lot of the votes were coming from tednugent.com," joked the comedy duo. "But everybody knows that nobody beats the Motor City Madman!"
Acclaimed worldwide as rock's leading guitar showman, Nugent has sold more than 35 million records, and will be hitting the road this summer with his Rolling Thunder '08 Tour. Take cover!!!
Get a You Can't Do This In France t-shirt for less.
Get a Ladies Wango Tango t-shirt for less.
Get a Where Have We Seen This Before t-shirt for less.
Going to see Ted live? This classic CD will get you in the mood!
This is the perfect t-shirt for the Queen in you!
This is the perfect t-shirt for the Queen in your life!
This is a hot one, so get it before it's gone!
A must-have for any true Ted fan!


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Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Cool art that shows why the word retard is uncool
14 comments:
I cringed, but was very pleased that he self-corrected immediately. Honestly, my dearest friends still slip and I don't damn them for it, I certainly can't do the same to my boy as he prepares for the Super Bowl. But a lot of that comes from just following his career and character and knowing how gracious and quiet and humble he actually is. And like I said...self-correction is the key there. No promptage.
ReplyDeleteThe "Buy a Dictionary" poster is awesome! Could they make those in business cards that we could pass out whenever we hear someone say the "r" word?
ReplyDelete- KathrynJanuary 30, 2013 at 3:22 PM
Great timing, my biology teacher ounce again said the r-word saying that if you dont have 46 chromosomes you are retarded. This angered my friend(whose little brother has 1 16th chromosome) so much that she went to the principal's office to complain. This is the 2nd time he has used the word fist time was to dis the state saying they must think youre all retards.
ReplyDelete I am loving your blog! And thank you for the shares of art work that helps Spread the Word to End the R Word. Part of my responsibilities as Community Education Coordinator at Wendell Foster's Campus is to conduct this campaign in the schools, promoting the end the use of the R word, and host an essay AND Poster/Art contest. Would love to show you the artwork of one of the winning posters as well as our t-shirt design we have from last year and are doing this year. I'm also using a couple of your blog posts AND the Youtube video as resources for the teachers to share with their kids in the curriculum I'm developing for their use this year with the program. My email is email@example.com - I can email you the art work images if you'd like to see them. Thanks so much for sharing your story! Carolyn Ferber, Community Education Coordinator, Wendell Foster's Campus for Developmental Disabilities, Owensboro, KY http://wfcampus.org/RWord_Contest.php
ReplyDelete- AnonymousFebruary 7, 2013 at 5:46 PM
I am autistic and I hate it when people call my kind "retarded." I am a straight A student and in two advanced classes. I remember when I was in the 6th grade (I'm in 7th grade now) and I could not get my words out and the substitute teacher moved on. Now that teacher is my English teacher that makes me lol.
ReplyDelete We are delighted to let you know that this post has been nominated in the 'Best International' post category of the SWAN UK Blog Post Awards (aka The 'SWANS')
Be sure to pop over to the SWAN UK website to grab some badges for these categories to encourage your other readers to also vote for you – make sure you let them know which specific posts have been nominated!
If you tweet the SWAN UK twitter account using the #SWANS hashtag with the URL of your blog posts and the category you have been nominated for we will retweet it for you and hopefully get you some new readers.
Good luck!


text: Oceanfront Extraordinare - This rare estate property offers amenities and possibilities unique to the area! Outdoor lovers will enjoy a swim in the heated olympic lap pool, the private tennis court or your pristine private beach! Two deep wells for irrigation. The residence offers soaring ceilings and breathtaking vistas of the azure Atlantic! The decor offers a perfect palate to personalize. The soothing waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the white sandy beaches along Indian River County tempt couples and families with a beach lifestyle unlike any other. A getaway for a few weeks or a lifetime, Vero Beach is waiting for you to heed its call. Sheltered from the stress of city living, this lovely island getaway is where one can succumb to total relaxation.


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The Latest News In Your Region
Art restoration nears completion at St. John's Seminary
Wednesday, 19 June 2013 21:52
In addition to its long-standing role as a house of formation for priests of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, St. John's Seminary is also the home for a number of outstanding works of art — works which, unfortunately, can become disturbed by the elements (such as smoke from burning candles, or water from leaking roofs) over time.
'Year of Faith' to be spotlighted at Santa Barbara Congress
Wednesday, 19 June 2013 21:52
"Faith…Sought, Renewed, Lived and Shared!" is the theme for the 2012 Santa Barbara Regional Congress, taking place just two days after the start of what Pope Benedict XVI has called a "Year of Faith."
'This is about giving a voice to the voiceless'
Wednesday, 19 June 2013 21:52
A twenty-first century classroom is sometimes not a classroom at all, especially when the topics being studied are current — even controversial — issues that are alive in one's own home and neighborhood.
'I learned that compassion starts with me'
Wednesday, 19 June 2013 21:52
The six graduates of the Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) intensive summer program came forth one at a time in the back of St. Camillus Center for Spiritual Care, which had been sectioned off from the small church by long hanging curtains.
Order of Malta sponsors parish nurse at St. Brendan's
Wednesday, 19 June 2013 21:52
Joan Conerly, RN, has been the parish nurse at St. Brendan Church in Hancock Park since the innovative program — which combines outreach health care and simple companionship to homebound seniors — began in November 2005.
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By: NY1 News
This year's competition - co-sponsored by NY1's parent company Time Warner Cable - included students from fourth through eighth grade in New York City and New Jersey.
Students had to present an original idea for a new invention or product, or provide an improvement on an existing one.
Many drew from their own life experiences.
"It's a mailbox which alerts the family when their mail arrives. A mailman presses this button and this alarm goes off," said Participant Emma Boeninghaus.
"People's phones are always low battery. My invention is so they would charge in your bag or in your suitcase or your pocket. And it's man-powered so when you walk or swing your bag they would charge," said Participant Sabella Vaserman.
Winners in each age group took home a $300 prize.
For more information on programs that engage young people in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, visit connectamillionminds.com.


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When we turned on the TV to watch the Republican Convention this evening we saw what appeared to be a hyperactive GOP advance man gesticulating from the stage. But he wasn't barking out canvassing instructions to local ward heelers or scouting Holiday Inns to find the one with the best lines of sight to the podium.
So who was this guy? more »
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- March 4, 2013
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tangobird#251409 writes:
Hang in there JC Penny Stores.... this company has had issues in the past, I would love to see JCPenny still around .... Sears on the other hand can walk away...
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NEW YORK–The Palace Gates knitted blanket from Andrew Morgan Collection has received the New York Home Textiles Market Week Best of Market award at the New York Gift Fair.
Made of 100 percent innova polypropelene and stain-resistant, the blanket was judged the best overall new product by a panel of editors of both trade and consumer publications in the market's Best New Products awards. The panel also picked winners from the bed, bath, dining and home-accessories product categories.
In bedding, the winner was Cuddledown's World's Lightest Comforter, designed with a 100 percent combed-cotton shell and filled with 900 fill-power European white goose down. The bath-category winner was Matteo for its Ida Baby Bathrobe, which is made of quilted organic linen with low-impact dyes.
In dining, Settings by Mona took the top prize for its fringe tablecloth and chair cap, made of 100 percent cotton organdy and linen and hand-embroidered. Shades of India was the winner in the home-accessories category for its Moonbeam Cushion Cover, a cotton velvet pillow covered in different-sized mirrors, all of which are made with metallic threads.