Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for nepal
Nepal’s First National Park
By Linda Tancs
In south central Nepal in the sub tropical lowlands lies the country’s first protected area, Chitwan National Park. The preserve hosts a diverse collection of mammal and fish species, but it’s particularly renowned for its protection of the one-horned rhinoceros, Bengal tiger and the gharial crocodile (one of the largest of all crocodilian species). This time of year the Chitwan district (Sauraha in particular) is gearing up for the annual elephant festival, featuring soccer-playing elephants that double as beauty pageant contestants.
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Sharing the Sky in Nepal
By Linda Tancs
From November to March, you can share the sky with birds of prey in Nepal. Known as parahawking, you’ll paraglide with a trained bird in the Pokhara valley. The 20 to 30 minute adventure will set you back around $185, but approximately $10 from every flight goes towards vulture conservation projects in Nepal. Go ahead, fly like an eagle.
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Dancing in Nepal
By Linda Tancs
It’s a festive time of year in the Khumbu region of Nepal. Following the autumn moon this month, the monks of Tengboche begin a solemn ritual of chant and dance for the sherpa community (and international visitors who don’t mind heights). Known as Mani Rimdu, the festival is one of the most sacred and highly anticipated annual events celebrating Buddhism in the Himalayas. The monks, dressed in flowing orange robes and bright yellow headgear resembling a crescent moon, prepare for the 3-day festival with the drawing of a giant sand mandala symbolizing beauty and its impermanent nature. Intricate dances alternate between highly theatrical (including the famous mask dances) and subdued, telling the story of the defeat by Padmasambhava of the evil spirits of the Bon religion and the conversion of the people to Buddhism. The mountain air gets mighty cold this time of year. Warm up at the fire puja (or offering) on the third day, when the evil spirits of the world are said to melt away and peace returns to the mountain kingdom.
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The Kingdom of Nepal
By Linda Tancs
In this week’s edition of Travelrific Travel Show, the topic is Nepal. This tiny kingdom boasts plenty of attractions in the valley for those who aren’t interested in scaling the world’s tallest mountain. Tune in at www.travelrificradio.com.
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