There was no other agenda in Burma.

And with that, my friend and I were on a photographic mission. This man, as we understood, was the premiere photographer in the Bagan area of Burma, and we were on a mission to convince him to take us through the hidden gems of Bagan, to travel to places that travellers don’t visit, and to photograph the area as seen through the lens of photographers such as Jean Larivière and Claude Schauli.

Of course we had no way to reach him — only a name.

On arrival to Bagan, we began our quest to locate him. “Blacky?” we would ask, making the gesture of taking a photograph. Before long, the question was answered with “Muang Muang Ananda,” and by multiple people.

Eventually we realized that Blacky’s real name is Muang Muang, and that he would be found at Ananda Temple in Old Bagan — the grandest of the Bagan temples. We dropped off our backpacks, negotiated the rental of some bicycles, and made our way down the dusty roads from Nyaung U towards Old Bagan.

During the 30 minute bike ride down bumpy dirt roads, we passed numerous temples and pagodas large and small, all in varying condition. Elaborately written Burmese signs indicated the name and number of each temple (well over 2200 of them!), but two temples loomed above all others in the horizon.

We reach the entrance of the larger temple, park our bikes under what scant shade we are able to find, remove our shoes and socks and step barefoot onto the temple ground. To say this is a grand temple and a surreal experience is an understatement.

As we walk down the temple corridor, we’re approached by a lady. She has the traditional tanaka markings on her face and large eyes that gaze at us expectantly. “Can I help you?” she asks.

“Blacky Muang Muang?” Florian asks.

“Ah Muang Muang!” says the lady on immediate recognition. “Muang Muang not here.” she says. “Come with me, I call him.” And with that, she begins to leads us through the temple complex, making turns left and right.

Eventually down one corridor she gestures for us to wait, and she steps aside to make a phone call. “Muang Muang will be here in 20 minutes” she tells us. “Muang Muang helped me a lot and I would like to help his friends. Let me give you a tour of Ananda.” We’re appreciative and the tour starts.

At the end of the tour, we return to the first corridor, where, in the distance, I see a man walk down towards us in a measured pace. Wearing a white shirt and a longyi in purple plaid (a traditional pant-substitute), Muang Muang watches our approach and looks at us with a measured gaze as Florian introduces us, explains our mutual acquaintance (a National Geographic photographer), and that we were hoping we could travel and do photography together. Muang Muang takes a few moments to process this information.

“You see, I just had an operation in my eye.” He finally says. “Normally I can take you. Not this time. Maybe next time. I hope you enjoy Bagan.”

I have the sense he is unsure of us, having arrived unannounced.

“I can show you some places on a map,” Muang Muang offers. He pulls up a map and begins pointing. “Sunset. Sunrise. Sunrise. Good views.” He stops and looks back at us. The conversation is over.

I realize as we’re standing there that we’re actually in front of a temple shop. Behind Muang Muang are glorious photos of Bagan. “These are amazing!” I can’t help but exclaim. He looks at them, nods with a slight smile and says “Bagan.”

“Come back tomorrow.” He adds.

That night, Florian and I explore one of the recommended temples, and the next morning, we return.

Muang Muang is back at his stall and he greets us with a slight nod.

“Thanks for your recommendation,” I say enthusiastically. “We were caught in thunderstorm at the Shwezigon Pagoda but it was so much fun.” Spontaneously, I pull out my camera and show him the pictures taken from the night before.

He flips through the pictures, stopping at one of the evening pictures in a vivid blue colour and gestures us to sit down.

“What time did you take these pictures?” He asked.

Looking at the timestamp, I answer “7:22pm”

“This is the time you should go out to take pictures. Sky is very blue. But only a few minutes.”

These tips are golden! Sensing an opportunity, I boldly ask — “we’d love to have a guide. Can you recommend someone? I know you can’t do it this time, but if there’s anyone at all we’d be grateful.”

Muang Muang hands me back the camera and he sits down. For many wordless moments, he gazes out contemplatively, hand on his chin. Still without speaking, he now gestures for Florian’s camera and looks through his collection of photos. Again he sits gazing out without words.

“As I said, I had an operation in my eye,” he finally says. “Normally when people come to Bagan, they ask for me. There’s no one else I can recommend. Maybe I can take you around for just one day. Maybe tomorrow.” He adds.

I am beyond ecstatic. We thank him profusely and begin to make arrangements for a private car hire and to compensate him for his time. Our day is to begin at 5:00am to catch the sunrise and we’re to visit a few more remote villages and monasteries.

Before the sun is up, we’re already on our way. As the day unfolds, I learn more about Muang Muang. Back around 30 years ago, as Bagan was just starting to open up for local tourism, Muang Muang started by taking souvenir photos of local travellers in front of the temple. Back then, travel to Burma was heavily restricted and people could only come for 7 days at a time. Noticed by a Swiss photographer named Claude Schauli, Muang Muang was entrusted with photographic equipment for an expedition team that could not finish their shoot in 7 days. The photographer showed Muang Muang the ropes so that he could continue to gather photos for them until their next visit. The photographer left all their gear and essentially provided Muang Muang with all the tools he needed to take his photography to the next level.

As his photographic skills continued to improve, a series of instrumental mentors continued to hone and guide his technique to the point today where Muang Muang is widely recognized for his iconic photographs of the Bagan region and other parts of Burma. When I later had the opportunity to visit his home, the walls were adorned with numerous awards and prizes from various competitions. His work (uncredited) has been featured in some early Burma guidebooks, he was involved in the photography work for a Louis Vuitton ad, and he played a role with helping UNESCO and the archaeology department in documenting the temples and its artifacts in the region.

This morning we first stop at Salay, a few hours away from Bagan. We arrive at an old monastery, where we were greeted by an old monk and his proteges. We sat through a tea ceremony, and as we learned about the monastery school for orphans and poor children, decided to make a donation towards the education of the young monks. The old monk showed us the library of books that were all over 400 years old, gesturing that he had all of the tomes memorized in his head.

After the brief tour, we were allowed to wander the complex and photograph the monks as they went about their day. It was a splendid opportunity to watch everyone.

Outside, a crowd of curious children were gathering. I smiled and waved at them, and they smiled back. Later one of the children presented me with a garland of flowers and I reciprocated with a bag of chips. As we left the complex, I waved to them as they vigorously waved back.

We continued our journey to another town, and then another monastery, where yet another group of children gathered around in curiosity. Not surprisingly, we were caught in a rainstorm, so I passed time chatting with Muang Muang and letting the children make faces into my laptop photobooth application. Giggles and laughter pierced right through the patter of the rain as we waited for the storm to pass.

We eventually returned back to the Bagan region to visit some of Muang Muang’s favorite temples. “Look at this angle. Try this.” Muang Muang would instruct as he observed me taking photos. Sometimes he would grab my camera, fuss with the settings to show me different angles.

Before I knew it, the day was wrapping up. We thanked Muang Muang profusely for his time.

“Come back next time,” he says. “More notice, and we visit more places in Myanmar (Burma).”

Thinking of the rewarding day, I nod and wave goodnight.

The next day we’re back at the temple again where Muang Muang passes me a DVD. “Photos I took during the day.”

I thank him, and as I walk back down the temple corridor, my mind is already racing, vividly visualizing all the next places in Burma I still have yet to discover.

To book Muang Muang for a trip:

Typically Muang Muang asks for a 1 month lead time. He can take you on photographic trips all throughout Myanmar, but he specializes in Bagan. His day rate is $150 USD per day plus all travel expenses including food. That’s a fixed rate irrespective of the number of photographers in a group.

Since internet is highly unreliable, call Muang Muang to speak with him at 061 65183 / 09 502 2462

The best times to go:

Depends on what you’re looking for. If you want long shadows and more golden hour opportunities, the winter months from October to February are the best. For stormy weather and rainclouds, come in the summer months.

1. Make sure your porters are insured well and covered for medical and rescue evacuation services.

2. Be very sensitive about the weight limit for the porter i.e. 30kg/porter maximum. Average weight limit should be 25kg/porter. Many of the national and international companies force porters to carry more than 50 kg each.

3. Make sure your porters are treated in a very friendly and hospitable manner. Make sure leaders never treat them as merely porters but also as good friends. Make sure your guide pays attention to the good health, food and sleep of every porter on the trip.

4. Make sure your porters are educated on the environmental impact of your trip. They must have the first hand knowledge of waste management and know the role they play in making the trip as environmentally responsible as possible.

5. Make sure they are equipped with warm clothes, good shoes and all the necessary equipment for high altitude trekking. They must be provided adequate shelter, food, drink and wages.

6. Most of the young porters are future guides and also part time students. Leaders must help and inspire the porters to grow as potential guides, all our trekking guides and myself started as a porter.

This is a guest post.

If you’re lucky enough to be planning a trip to the Italian Dolomites then you’re in for an amazing treat.  Breathtaking views, serene pastures and ancient villages will provide you an experience you’ll never forget and the endless activities available in the area will leave you with stories to tell for years to come.  One thing you may not have considered yet, but that you’ll want to add to your “to-do” list is which foods to try while you’re there.

The Dolomites are rich with delectable treats and endless traditional fare for visitors to feast on.  But there are five foods in particular that should be considered the “must try” items.

Tris di Canederli (three tastings of canederli) – this is basically three delicious balls of bread (farm-style dumplings approaching the size of tennis balls!). The canederli usually contain Speck, a type of cured ham similar to proscutto and produced only in the South Tyrol, and are served “en brood” or a soup-like broth.

Game meat – if you truly want to get a taste of the land, you must try a dish or two of one of the local game meats that are prevalent in the Dolomites, such as cervo (deer), daino (fallow deer), capriolo (roe buck), Camoscio (chamois, or a goat-antelope native to Europe), and stambecco (ibex, or mountain goat).

Tris of Pasta of Rifugio Averau – a “specialty” of this cozy restaurant, which also offers affordable accommodations.

Polenta – often referred to as “the bread of the Dolomites”, this versatile dish made from yellow maize (corn) is served a number of different ways, depending mainly on the season. Enjoy it cut into slices and fried or grilled during summer, accompanied by Parmesan cheese or freshly picked mushrooms. Or on a cold winter day a steaming bowl of polenta with sausages or tomatoe sauce or gulasch (a tasty meat stew) cannot be beat!

Apfelstrudel – you’ve probably heard of or even tried this treat – apple strudel in English! – but you’ve never had it prepared as good as the Italians make it!

We should also mention that there are a wide variety of restaurants to choose from in the Dolomites, and some, like Rifugio Averau, have their own specialties that are not to be missed.  In fact, the area boasts the highest concentration of Michelin starred restaurants in all the Alps.  A few noteworthy eateries to check out include the Siriola in San Cassiano, the Stüa de Michil in Corvara, and the St. Hubertus in San Cassiano.

While a visit to the Dolomites will most certainly entail unforgettable adventures and brushes with nature at its most magnificent, to truly get the most out of your trip you must also experience the unique food that the area has to offer.

Bon appétit!

–

This is a guest post by Dolomite Mountains.

About Dolomite Mountains –
Dolomite Mountains is a locally owned and operated adventure travel company in the Dolomites specializing in via ferrata, hiking, biking and skiing. To learn more visit: www.dolomitemountains.com

Via Ferrata on Flickr by Fabio Trucchia (Trocci)

Inner child awoken, the notion of scrambling up ladders, crossing bridges and scaling rock faces was  better than candy.  I was ready to give it a go – right then and there.

Unfortunately for me, though, I wasn’t actually looking at the Real Thing.

Rather, my mind was salivating in high gear from the glossy spread inside the Adventure Travel Magazine that was sitting on my lap.  So scaling the Real Thing just wasn’t going to be in my cards that afternoon.

But the seed was planted, and my appetite for the Via Ferrata was awoken – BIG TIME.

What is a Via Ferrata?

The Via Ferrata (plural – vie ferrate) is basically a mountain route supported by permanent fixtures like heavy gauge wire,  ladders, stemples and bridges.  Vie Ferrate range in difficulty level from an easy scramble to a highly technical hardcore excursion requiring a high degree of physical fitness and experience.    Given the wide range, there’s really something for everyone — provided at a base level you like mountains and that you kind of enjoy climbing things.  Oh, and that you’re really not all that acrophobic.

Via Ferrata on Flickr by crisymay

Easy enough criteria, right?

Don’t worry, even if you ARE afraid of heights, you can muster your way past that.  I did.

History of the Via Ferrata

While the Via Ferrata might look like a playground to us these days, they served a highly pragmatic purpose in their time.  Safety.

Vie Ferrate, meaning “Iron Road” in Italian were built during the First World War as a means of providing protection to the soldiers scaling high mountain routes.  At those altitudes, a mis-step without support would have been fatal, and with the cold temperatures and high elevation, it was difficult to traverse some of those regions.

After the wars, the Club Alpino Italiano took over route maintenance and creation of new routes, giving us the smorgasbord of climbing fun times that we have available recreationally today.   And if you’re in the Cinque Torri region, you can actually visit an open air museum with many of the relics from World War I situated along side many of the Ferrate.

Climbing the Via Ferrata

There are over 130 routes to choose from in the Dolomites, and it’s best to go with a guide.  Weather conditions change so often in the Dolomites region that you want someone with experience to read the conditions and let you know what’s safe and when to turn back.  I witnessed this first hand the second time I climbed in the Dolomites, when my guide Lucas made the call for us to turn around part way through the ascent.  He was absolutely right because we barely made it down before we were in whiteout conditions.  Phew!

If you climb with a group, all safety equipment will be provided.  This typically includes a harness to which two carabiners are attached, as well as a safety helmet.  You clip both your carabiners into safety wire when you climb – having the two allows you to switch safely from one roped section to another.

If it’s your first time there are a few beginner routes most people take:

The Newbie routes

Averau – This short Via Ferrata has only a 100m ascent, so it is considered a good beginner route to get a taste of the Via Ferrata experience.  You can access Averau via a ski lift and short hike, along the way to which  you’re treated with fantastic views of the Cinque Torri (right in front of the ferrata), and wide sweeping views of the surrounding mountain ranges.

Piz da Cir V – Gran Cir – Located close to Colfosco and only a few hours in duration, this is another popular introduction route.  On Gran Cir, most of the route can actually be hiked, with just a few sections supported by cable.  While Gran Cir is not the highest peak in the area at a height of 2,592m, you’re still treated to a great panoramic view.

Got the hang of it?  Here are some can’t-miss classic Via Ferrata Routes in the Dolomites.

Classic Via Ferrata Routes

Brigata Tridentina – Considered one of the most spectacular ferratas in the Alta Badia region, Via Ferrata Brigata Tridentina is not for the faint of heart.  This long medium difficulty route starts out with some ascent slabs and past some nice waterfalls but quickly moves to a large exposed traverse across a steep rock face anchored by a long rope chain.  After that, scramble up a chimney before crossing one of the route’s highlights – a suspension bridge perched over a chasm.  At the end of all of this treat yourself to a rest at Pisciadù hut. Brigata Tridentina was built by the 3^rd Brigade of the Italian Army in 1967 to support the hut because it was otherwise so difficult to access.

Via Ferrata Tridentina on Flickr by Peter Stevens (Nordique)

Marmolada (West Ridge) – Considered one of the ultimate Vie Ferrate Routes akin to the classic route on Mont Blanc, Marmolada is a difficult climb involving a 450 metre ascent on exposed terrain plus a long hike to reach the Ferrata.  But along the way, you get to strap on crampons and traverse a glacier – the only one in the Dolomites!

Via Ferrata Marmolada on Flickr by Alberto De Giuli

Giovanni Lipella (“Lipella”) – Accessed by first going through an old World War I tunnel before scaling a long wall stretch, Ferrata Lipella is another must-do in the region both for its rich historical significance and for the stunning mountain scenery.  The tunnel is fairly long – 500 metres while increasing in elevation by 120m, so you will need a torch to get past this section.  At the end of the tunnel, make your way along the west face of Tofana di Rozes along steep steps and ledges before reaching the summit of the smaller peak at 3,027m.  Budget a full day for this climb, which is considered long and of medium-hard difficulty.

My personal experience

I finally had the chance to get my paws on the rock one fine fall day.  I was climbing with Dolomite Mountains, a company based in the Alta Badia region that specializes in adventure travel.  We were all newbies, so the Ferrata we tackled was Averau.  Early in the morning, we left Cortina and headed for the ski lift that took us to a path that wound its way to the start of the Ferrata.  Harnesses were pulled out of rucksacks and passed to all of us, followed by safety helmets.

After we put on our gear, we were inspected by the guides, and one by one got into start position for the climb.  And standing there waiting to climb I was both giddy with excitement and freaked out of my mind (remember I did mention I was afraid of heights).  While this ferrata was somewhat short, we WERE some hundreds of metres off the ground, the ledge we were standing on wasn’t all that wide, and I have been well documented as a klutz.  But before I knew it, my turn to climb was up, so I hurriedly clipped my carabiners into the metal safety rope, planted both hands on handholds above me, stepped one foot onto the rock and heaved myself up.

The first thing that struck me was how clunky my boots felt on the rock. I suppose because I’d gotten used to rock climbing shoes (which are dainty and precise in comparison), I found myself trying to plant my big boots on footholds that would have been completely solid on a rock climbing wall, but would leave me sliding and kicking bits of gravel off the wall into some very disgruntled faces (sorry!)  The whole thing turned into some sort of arm workout and I mostly hauled myself upwards.  Not only was it rather inefficient, but because it was also somewhat windy and we were all dressed warmly, it wasn’t like I could even be impressing anyone with my mini-guns.  Sigh.

Now mind you, it wasn’t that there weren’t better holds around;  I just had to change my mentality of what was usable.  With some helpful choice words from Marcello, one of the guides, I did quickly get over the logistical roadblock to my movement upwards.  Quickly I got the feel for what footholds would work, and I was soon scrambling up alongside everyone else at a good clip.

Ferrata Averau is broken up so you’re not climbing continuously.  In between are short hiking sections where you’d unclip, walk and reclip.  Focused just on the rock, and moving up, I climbed – until all of a sudden I went over a ledge and saw everyone else standing there.  I’d made it past my first Via Ferrata!

But there was still more to go, and another 20 minutes of switchbacks later on a walkable hiking path, we’d made it up to a beautiful lookout point.

Walking up the switchback trail.  Photo by Kathy Dragon.

Our reward?  A stunning vantage point from where we were greeted with views of the Tofana mountains.

On the way down, we took an alternate route, and I got to climb down stemples for the first time.  Stemples are ladder steps mounted onto the rock.  Something about that is much easier going up than down.  Even though we were clipped in, I was nervous about foot placement.  Mental images of me slipping, getting stuck in a stemple, and having to be rescued out fluttered through my mind.   I also became aware of how cold it was at that altitude.  Gloves would have been a really good idea for climbing!

After watching a few people make it down before me, it was my turn.  Gripping tightly, I made my way down.

But before I knew it, my feet were planted back on a regular trail.  We had finished the whole climb.

Oh wow.

Verdict?
Totally loved it, even with the moments of fear.  If you even have the slightest curiosity, just go!  Give it a shot!  Now that I’ve had a taste, I can’t wait for my next trip back for more climbing.

To do this yourself:

I went on my trip with Dolomite Mountains, and I enjoyed it.  It was clear all the guides were passionate about the sport, and many of them climbed on their own during off season.

Dolomite Mountains
Call: +39 0436 7320 / +1 347 826 6271
Email: info@dolomitemountains.com

Highgate Cemetery , London England

Photo by Joel Formales (jiformales) on Flickr

Home to numerous catacombs, mausoleums, vaults and obelisks, Highgate Cemery is a Victorian Style cemetery first opened in 1839. Vines and exposed roots crawl over the graves, partially obscuring what lies beneath.

Père Lachaise, Paris France

Photo by _chance_ on Flickr

Filled with foreboding grey sculptures and numerous tombstones, Père Lachaise was established in 1804 by Napoleon. It is the final resting place of notables such as Oscar Wilde, Chopin and Jim Morrison.

Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, BC, Canada

Photo by Tony Sprackett on Flickr

First opened in 1873, Ross Bay Cemetery is a Victorian style cemetery filled with old tombstones and mausoleums. Aside from rumoured ghostly sightings, it was the alleged location of some Satanic rituals.

Old Jewish Cemetery, Josefov, Prague, Czech Republic

Photo by Philipp Klinger on Flickr

Thought to have been in use since at least the early 15th century, the Old Jewish Cemetery is layers upon layers deep with both marked and unmarked graves thought to be twelve layers deep. So truly, there’s much more than meets the eye.

Happy Cemetery, Sapânta, Romania

Photo by Tomasz Sulikowski (soolik) on Flickr

Dating back since 1935, the Happy Cemetery’s creepiness comes from how happy it tries to make things. The 800 headstones are decorated with sculptured wood and painted images in bright blues, reds, yellow and more.

Creepy.

Scary Shack – in Austin, Texas from Flickr – by Stuck in Customs

I’ve been on one ghost tour myself – Edinburgh’s City of the Dead tour with Black Hart Entertainment, but we’ll also mention several other ghost tours that you might find suitably frightening or entertaining.

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

Aside from being a wonderful city with a castle and some great festivals, Edinburgh is home to the Mackenzie Poltergeist. George Mackenzie was a 17th century lawyer and Lord Advocate who was known for his brutal persecution of the Scottish Presbyterian Covenanters. He gained the nickname “Bloody Mackenzie” after being responsible for the deaths of around 18,000 covenanters. He was buried in a mausoleum in the Greyfriars Kirkyard, also home to many of the covenanters that he persecuted. Greyfriars was featured on Fox’s Scariest Places on Earth.

In 1999, a homeless man broke into Mackenzie’s tomb to look for shelter on a rainy night. He fell through a hole in the floor and after regaining his breath realized he had fallen on a bed of corpses. He ran terrified and bleeding out of the tomb and ran into the caretaker, who thought a ghost or undead creature had come out of the tomb. They both ran screaming in different directions out of the graveyard. It is said that this disturbance awoke the Mackenzie Poltergeist, and since then there have been over 500 reported supernatural attacks, with over 200 people collapsing and others suffering unexplained bruises and cuts.

The Edinburgh Council thought it was best to close off this part of the graveyard, but the ghost tour company convinced them to allow them to lead groups of people into the tomb during these ghost tours. The above mentioned City of the Dead tour goes into Greyfriars and allows you to get into the Covenanter’s Prison as well as the Black Mausoleum which the Mackenzie Poltergeist is now said to haunt.

Greyfriars Kirkyard – in Edinburgh, Scotland from Flickr – by tigerweet

Beechworth, Australia

The Beechworth (Mayday Hills) Lunatic Asylum was a psychiatric hospital that operated from between 1867 to 1995. It held up to 1200 patients, and over 3000 people died within the asylum. You only needed two signatures to be committed, and eight to be released, so few people made it out alive. Many patients did suffer from mental illnesses (including addictions), but others were committed due to refusing to answer questions from authorities.

In the asylum, there have been reported ghost sightings of former workers as well as various patients that lived and died here. There are many unmarked graves of patients in the Beechworth cemetery, and for some unknown reason, patients were buried in the opposite direction from other people.

While the asylum site is used for one of La Trobe University’s campuses these days, you can also take a night-time ghost tour of the asylum with Beechworth Ghost Tours. You will be taken through the deserted halls of the old asylum and get a chance to experience the mysteries of the hospital and look in the wards. There are many stories and tales that the guides will tell you, and you’ll get a chance to imagine what life was like there over a century ago.

Beechwood Asylum – in Beechwood, Australia from Flickr – by acb

Prague, Czech Republic

While Prague is a beautiful city, the dark alleys of its old town contain many secrets and a long history. Part of Prague’s history involves violence. In fact, the term “defenestration” was created due to some incidents in Prague. Defenestration means the act of throwing someone out of a window, and one such incident in Prague involved throwing seven members of the town council out of the Town Hall to their deaths. The medieval core of Prague combined with its sometimes bloody history has created hauntings and a creepy atmosphere.

McGee’s Ghost Tours offers walks led by costumed guides through the cobbled and twisting streets of the gothic Old Town, and you will learn about some of the haunted theaters and churches, as well as the murders and paranormal activities that occurred as a result. One highlight is going into underground catacombs, with only your lanterns for light.

Prague Castle – in Prague, Czech Republic from Flickr – by Devoided

Sydney, Australia

The Rocks are an old district of Sydney that was founded in the late 18^th century,  making it one of the oldest parts of Sydney.   It has had a rough history, having been often frequented by sailors and prostitutes, dominated by the Rocks Push gang in the late 19^th century and swept by the bubonic plague at the beginning of the 20^th century.   It is into this area that the tours will take you. Many of the original buildings still stands, and some of the lanes are cobble stoned from that period as well.

The Rocks Ghost Tours have broken up the Rocks experience into two parts – The Dark North Side and The Dark South Side.  The two tours visit different locations within The Rocks and tell different stories.  In either case, you will hear stories of the murders, hangings, and treacherous dealings that went on in this area, as well as visit haunted houses and other locales.

Rocks – in Sydney, Australia from Flickr – by kyliekyliekyliepink

New Orleans, United States

New Orleans was founded by the French in 1718 and didn’t become part of the United States until 1803. It has the most unique character of the major American cities, and is contains the famed French Quarter. The French Quarter contains many buildings from the late 18th/early 19th centuries, a period where New Orleans was under Spanish rule. In the French Quarter’s long and storied history, there have also been periods of vice and strife.

Haunted History Tours offers New Orleans Ghost tours that examine the dark history of the French Quarter. You’ll visit a haunted bar as well as hear stories about the slaves that were secretly kept at the infamous LaLaurie House, which became haunted after their deaths. There’s certainly a lot to find out about the French Quarter.

Dixie Brewery – New Orleans, United States from Flickr – by Liquorhead

Not Allowed IN

Leave the stash of Playboy magazines at the back of the wardrobe at home, and if the cover on the men’s magazine has the latest Hollywood “it” girl in a skimpy bikini… leave it on the plane. Newspapers, news magazines, books – they’re all fine.

I’d also leave behind any products with Hebrew writing on them. Iranians and Israelis don’t get along too well. Those pesky Israeli passport stamps are a problem, too.

Bringing in alcohol will get your visit off to a bad start – a very bad start.

But surprisingly getting alcohol in Iran is not that hard. There’s a thriving black market, or some friendly but not religiously strict Iranians may offer you a drink in their home, and then there’re the legendary parties that carry on behind closed doors.

But remember, if you make a fool of yourself while drunk, the alcohol will become an issue.

Behind Closed Doors is a big thing in Iran. The official government rules are strict and censorious, but the Iranian people really couldn’t care less about what you get up to in the privacy of your room…. They might even come and party with you.

Not Allowed OUT:

You… if you’re Iranian, and here’s the trap, you might not know you are!

If your husband is Iranian, even though you’re not – you’re Iranian.

If your father is Iranian, even though you were born in another country – you’re Iranian.

If your mother is Iranian – you’re Iranian.

Iran does not recognize dual nationality, and their definition of nationality is stacked in their favour. A whiff of Iranian-ness and they’ll claim you.

So there you are feeling very British or Canadian or Calathumpian with your British/Canadian/Calathumpian passport that is now worthless. You are Iranian, and suddenly subject to a whole stack of laws and regulations you know nothing about. For example, you will not be allowed to share a hotel room with your Iranian husband.

Terribly distressing, but there’s a way around this and it has advantages. Get an Iranian passport. You’ll be able to enter the country as often as you like without the hassle of getting a visa. You’ll be able to sleep in a hotel room with your husband, because you’re Iranian!

A Dutch woman married to an Iranian explained it online this way:

“With a marriage certificate and a health certificate you will be able to apply for the Iranian birth certificate/identity pass, the shenasnameh, and with this document you will be able to apply for Iranian citizenship (so you will have dual citizenship). You will get an Iranian passport, which allows you to travel as much as you like. Having the Iranian passport, you will be recognized as the wife of your husband and will be able to travel freely with him.”

Other countries recognize your dual nationality, so you can leave your home country on your western passport, use your Iranian passport to enter and leave Iran, whipping out the western passport when you’re back at immigration at home.

Just one complication… if you are an Iranian mother and want to leave Iran with your children, you’ll need an official notice stating that you have custody of the children (under Iranian law, they belong to your husband).

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Aurora borealis – in Tromso, Norway from Flickr – by Antony Spencer

What are the Northern Lights?

The Northern Lights (also known as the Aurora Borealis) are dancing/moving lights that come in various colours (white, green, red, blue, violet) and are created by electrically charged particles from solar activity that are attracted to the northern magnetic pole. There is also a Southern Lights equivalent, but those are often only visible from Antarctica since the inhabited Southern landmasses are not very far south.

Aurora borealis – Norðurljós in Iceland from Flickr – by Omarrun

The different colours depend on where the solar particles collide with oxygen. Collisions at higher altitudes in the atmosphere create red lights, those at lower levels (between 100 to 300 km above Earth) create green lights, and at even lower levels, the lights can be blue and violet. Weak auroras can be seen as white lights. The Northern Lights vary greatly in terms of intensity and duration, according to the strength of the solar activity.

Aurora Borealis also from Iceland -  From Flickr – Oli Hauker

When can I see the Northern Lights?

The Northern Lights happen throughout the year, but are best seen during periods of strong solar activity. March and September are considered to be the best times to see the lights, since the Earth’s orbit is in the area of maximum solar activity during these times. As well, these months generally have mild weather combined with dark skies. Summer months have better weather, but are often too bright for proper viewing. Anytime between September and March is also considered good for viewing the Northern Lights, but it can get very cold in the dead of Winter in the Arctic areas.

Solar activity also happens in roughly 11 year cycles, going from solar minimal to solar maximal. The next solar maximal period is expected in 2012, with auroral activity increasing until reaching its peak at that time.

Where can I see the Northern Lights?

The Northern Lights are best seen from some place in the auroral oval, which is centered around the north geomagnetic pole (currently located in northeast Greenland). The size of the auroral oval varies nightly according to the strength of the solar activity. The auroral oval generally covers parts of Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland, Siberia, Alaska, and Northern Canada, but can expand. As a result, while you can see the northern lights from very far south (from places such as Florida and Greece) during periods of extremely strong solar activity, the best chances of seeing the northern lights on a given day are from places further north in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions.

Dark and clear conditions are also necessary to see the lights. Cloud cover can obscure the lights (since the lights often are created hundreds of kilometres above the Earth). As well, similar to stargazing, it is typically much easier to see the Northern Lights when there is little artificial light. You can still see great examples of the Northern Lights from towns and cities though despite the lower odds.

Aurora Borealis also from Iceland -  From Flickr – ~~~johnny~~~

Some other resources you should check out include:

The Moon Phases Calendar – new moons make for the best viewing conditions. Full moons generate a lot of light that will obscure the Northern Lights.

A map of Auroral activity that shows you where activity is strongest.

Some good staging points to see the Northern Lights from include:

Reykjavik, Iceland – You can find a number of Northern Lights tours leaving from Iceland’s capital.   One such tour is with Reykjavik Excursions – about $41 USD per person at current exchange rates for a three hour coach tour.

Tromso, Norway – Tromso is located in the far north of Norway (over 300km within the Arctic Circle), and thus is a good base to see the Northern Lights from.    Kjetil Skogli is a photographer and guide who runs Northern Lights tours out of Tromso starting at about $250 USD per person for a 6+ hour small group van tour.

Whitehorse,  Canada- Whitehorse is located at 60 degrees North latitude and is in Canada’s Yukon Territory.  Northern Tales Travel Service offers late night 4-5 hour tours for about $122 USD per person that bring you to a heated wall tent or log cabin where you  can view the Northern Lights and/or sit around a campfire.

Since it is a natural phenomenon, there is no guarantee that you’ll actually see the Northern Lights if you go on your own or on a tour.  However, you can try to increase your chances by using some of the information above.  Be prepared to dress warmly (all these places are in or near the Arctic) and bring a good camera!

Not surprisingly then, I decided when I went to Vietnam that it would be a grand idea to take a cooking class.  Based on the recommendations from our friends at Buffalo Tours, I signed up for a class at the Hanoi Cooking Centre. 

The Hanoi Cooking Centre was founded by Tracey Lister and Linh Dinh Phung, and what I really liked about these guys is that they were staffed with graduates from KOTO, a grassroots charity program for street kids and orphans.  The idea was that through vocational training (in culinary arts), it’d give the kids a better chance to free themselves from poverty. Our class was to be taught by Miss Ling (one of the KOTO graduates) and Tracey.

And with that, here’s what it was like -

Arriving to Hanoi Cooking Centre

Outside the school

Inside – a look at our classroom

Market tour

How to choose mangosteens

Market entrance

Different types of rice

Small crabs in a bucket

Silkworms! Yep, we bought some, and some of us tried eating it.

Cooking

My cooking station

Cooking Pork Belly

Tracey demonstrating while I try not to burn my pork

Ling demonstrating

Eating what we made

What we made – Banana Flower salad

What we made – Assorted street food

Hanoi Cooking Centre / KOTO Team

The Hanoi Cooking Centre Team

To book your own class:

Hanoi Cooking Centre
44 Chau Long Street
Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
+84 4 3715 0088
web site

Happy travels!

How crazy is it that these giant creatures the size of buses are swimming around in our oceans? And how trippy is it to see one swim right up close to you, where, if you’re extremely lucky, you might even touch or make eye contact with them?

This summer, after some previous failed attempts at whale watching on the east coast of Quebec, I was suddenly seeing plenty of whales. For those of you like me who have a hankering for seeing whales, here’s a guide on the main places to go whale watching along the Pacific Coast, from Mexico to Alaska!

Mexico – Magdalena Bay

Between January and March, grey whales head to Magdalena Bay to give birth and raise their calves. The higher salinity and warmer temperatures make the bay a great place for grey whale calves to learn to swim and socialize.

Photo by m_uhlig via flickr

According to Monica from Sea Trek (who runs trips in the region), some years ago, a female whale encouraged her calf to go up and interact with the boat passengers. It must have been pretty trippy for the people, and cool enough for the whales that over the years, the whales have developed the habit of swimming up to the pangas (a type of motorized skiff) to check out people on boats. They’ll even come out of the water to get petted. Seriously. How cool is that! What I wouldn’t give to go out on one of those tours. You betcha I’d be chasing whales. And if grey whales aren’t your thing, there is always the nearby Blue Whale Triangle where the blues (the largest mammals on earth) regularly hang out.

Photo by m_uhlig via flickr

To book these trips:

Cheaper option :Sea Trek runs camping and kayaking trips

Fancier option: Book a week long trip aboard a luxury yacht with American Safari Cruises

California – San Francisco / Monterey Bay Area

Probably the best place in this region to see whales is over in Monterey Bay, about 2 hours southwest of San Francisco. It is one of the few places where it’s possible to see whales year round, although the summer months will have more abundant whale populations. You can see everything from Humpback whales to Blue whales and Orcas.

Why is Monterey such a great place?

Whales normally congregate where krill are, and locations with a strong upwelling (a movement of cool, nutrient rich water to the surface) have the most krill. The Monterey Submarine Canyon also produces a steep drop-off in water depth close to shore, meaning the whales can come closer to shore to feed.

I came here whale watching pretty spontaneously. I got a call from my friend Katy about “record numbers of blue whales being sighted off the coast” and within 30 minutes I was on the phone booking the whole household on a weekend to see these whales. I did a google search on whale watching Monterey and found the Monterey Bay Whale Watching company, and just like that, I was going to see some whales.

And what a treat it was! We saw numerous humpback whales and many many blue whales. Everywhere we looked, blowholes were expelling water, and the water was churning with fins and tails. At one point, Propeller, a super inquisitive humpback swam right up to the boat, under, up to eye us, under and around again. You could feel the boat almost swaying as frenzied people ran from one side of the boat to the other to catch glimpses. The trip was made extra fun since Kate, the naturalist narrated the entire journey.

To book this trip:

Contact the Monterey Bay Whale Watching Company

British Columbia – Victoria to Vancouver

Moving further north on the coast around Vancouver Island is another great whale watching location. Here, you’ll find the Northern Resident Community of Orcas, who are thought to have been inhabiting the area since the end of the last Ice Age some 10 to 12,000 years ago!

Photo by malyousif via flickr

While there are specific whale-watching tours you can join, you might end up seeing killer whales just from taking the ferry system in the area.

Here’s Aaron’s account about his encounter with whales.

One cool thing about living along the Pacific Coast is that you can sometime encounter killer whales (orcas) in the course of relatively mundane travels. We took the ferry over from Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Victoria (Swartz Bay) in July to visit family. About halfway through the 95 minute trip, there was an announcement about a sighting of killer whales. A huge rush of people went to the windows, and we could see a handful of whales swimming along, breaching, and spyhopping. Even though the ferry wasn’t about to change course and slow to a crawl to follow the killer whales, we did get a nice look at them and another group of killer whales for a few minutes. Even better, we also saw a group of killer whales on the return trip a few days later.

Photo of spyhopping orca by Johnny Shaw via flickr

Now, it would be fair to say that we got lucky on this trip. You shouldn’t expect to see killer whales all the time. It’s been a number of years since I saw killer whales from this ferry, while making this trip at least a couple times per year. There are apparently around 80-90 killer whales near the southern coast of Vancouver Island though, so if you want to maximize your chances of seeing them, you can go on a whale watching tour from Victoria or Vancouver. It is about $100 per person for a three hour tour from Victoria, while the Vancouver ones tend to be full day trips due to the additional distance to reach the whales. The resident killer whales are most commonly seen from April to November, although you can also see transient killer whales throughout the year, as well as other types of whales at different periods during the year.

To book this trip:

Whale watching tours (such as by Prince of Whales) are offered year round, but are most frequent during the summer.

Alaska – Frederick Sound

This is THE place to go whale watching around Alaska. About half of Southeast Alaska’s feeding population of Humpback whales (about 500 whales) come into Frederick Sound in the summertime to feed on krill. The northern resident community of Orcas from B.C. can also be found in this area.

Like Monterey Bay, Frederick Sound’s shape creates the right currents and conditions for a strong upwelling. Come in the months of July and August for your best chances of seeing whales.

I saw whales at play one mid-September evening aboard a one week trip with InnerSea Discoveries. I was standing out on the deck when we first spotted a whale, and then another. Next thing we are surrounded by dozens of whales all at play. Seeing the sun set and the skies fill with a pink glow was a perfect backdrop to watch these whales.

Photo of a humpback breaching by Christopher DiNottia via flickr

Photo of bubble feeding by Christopher DiNottia via flickr

Some whale-watching tips

• Make sure you bundle up warm (with layers) and bring rain gear! The ocean is colder than land, so even if it seems warm outside, it will be cool/cold (often up to around 20 degrees cooler than inland) while out whale watching.
• Bring sunscreen and sunglasses! Water both reflects and magnifies the sun rays, so even on an overcast day, spending hours out whale watching can result in serious sunburns.
• Prepare for motion sickness! Even if you don’t normally get seasick, it may be good to look into taking motion sicknesses medicines such as dramamine. Ginger food and drinks are also supposed to help prevent/reduce motion sickness
• Bring food and water! The amount you should bring depends on what is provided to you by the whale watching company, but it’s not a bad idea to at least bring some snacks and water. You’ll usually be out on the water for an extended period of time without access to additional food.

• Bring a camera with a good zoom! It’s hard to say how lucky you’ll be in seeing whales close up given that you’re visiting them in their natural habitat. They’ll sometimes stay fairly far away from the boat, so you’ll want a good zoom for your pictures. Don’t get too focused on getting the perfect pic at the expense of enjoying the moment though!