Tibet: Mountains and Monasteries

Posted on May 15, 2012 by swiftchan

Hello, everyone! It’s been a while; life has been hectic.

But here’s another beautiful place to ruminate over….

A few weeks ago on a trip to Muskoka for some winter camping, my friend and I were sitting in the car writing lists. We ended up writing bucket lists (things we want to do before we die) and, somehow, “go to Tibet” ended up on mine.

Why Tibet? To me, it has always seemed like one of those places– a must-see. This remote, mountainous region has always held a bit of wonder for me, ever since I read about it when I was little in Tintin in Tibet (which was probably slightly inaccurate, considering the whole yeti thing, but still). It seems so wide-open and deserted, but at the same time so very full of life and spirit.

The first thing that probably comes to mind when one thinks of Tibet are the giant mountains and Buddhist monasteries. Religion is extremely important to the people of Tibet, with Tibetan Buddhism being the most common. Tibet is beautiful, all striking scenery and spirituality. However, the monasteries have a tragic past, beginning with the Chinese Invasion in the 50’s and continuing with the ongoing struggle today.

A beautiful, spiritual, natural world!

GOAL: To find myself in Tibet.

>>the fleet-footed fox<<

sources:

I truly appreciate everyone’s feedback! It’s great to see that so many people are as passionate about travel and culture as I am. But while I am a traveler, this blog will generally be for places and things that I want to visit and see. Therefore, I can’t take credit for any of the photos that I’ve posted- those all belong to the sources I’ve listed at the bottom of the post, as I neglected to do beforehand.
Still, thanks to everybody for your comments and messages, and I hope you’ll continue to share in my wondering at the world!

See you soon.
~swiftchan

>>the fleet-footed fox<<

Castle Combe

Posted on January 26, 2012 by swiftchan

“The Prettiest Village in England”

Welcome to Castle Combe, a charming, picturesque town tucked away in Wiltshire, England, known for its tranquil atmosphere and old stone buildings.

With buildings still left from the Medieval Times, a walk through Castle Combe is like stepping back in time.There is a special place in my heart for old stone and countryside towns, and Castle Combe seems like the ideal place to let go of the world and just sink into the past.

The village website tells us:

“The village houses are all of typical Cotswold type, constructed in stone with thick walls and roofs made from split natural stone tiles. The properties are many hundreds of years old and are listed as ancient monuments. Strict rules apply to preserve the beauty and character of Castle Combe for later generations to admire.“

Like a trip to Old Quebec City….
But older!

The village is known for being well-kept and tidy.

The Manor House Hotel in Castle Combe

Just look at that scenery. You can already hear the whispers of past generations and cultures coming from those stone walls.

Couldn’t you just fall away into this place and forget about the rest of the world?

GOAL: To live in a small European village for a month (at least).

>>the fleet-footed fox<<

photo sources:

Cotswolds Guide

lucavassalli.it

Flickriver

Holi : The festival of color

Posted on May 29, 2011 by swiftchan

It’s a religious festival celebrated by Hindus. It’s also one of the wildest and most fun parties I’ve ever seen.

It’s celebrated in the spring, the season of joy and hope. One of the legends behind this festival is a story of love. Krishna was an Indian deity and Radha was his beloved. Krishna had a dark complexion and was jealous of Radha’s fair skin, so he mischievously applied colour to her face. People still follow this tradition and celebrate by smearing each other with vibrant powders and throwing coloured water into the air!