Welcome to Rishikesh

On October 14, 2013October 13, 2013 By Rick McIn travel, travel IndiaLeave a comment

Located in the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India, it is known as The Gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas. …

Rishikesh has a permanent population of around 75,000. …

The sacred river Ganges flows through Rishikesh. It is here that the river leaves the Shivalik mountains in the Himalayas and flows out into the plains of northern India. …

… sometimes nicknamed “the world capital of Yoga” …

Not much has changed since my last visit, 14-years-ago.

Some of the Saddhus have mobile phones. And take photos of their spiritual journey.

Actually, my memory is so poor I don’t recognize much of the Holy City. Aside from the famous bridges.

Monkeys are all over town. They, along with the Holy cows, own Rishikesh.

This Holy cow directed me to an inexpensive room ($4).

It costs an extra $1 / day for WiFi for a day.

I immediately bathed in the Ganges, for it’s reputed healing powers. Hot out of the shower head, I was rejuvenated. 🙂

more photos

32 Parents Who Nailed It On Halloween

On October 12, 2013October 11, 2013 By Rick McIn hiking, travel, travel IndiaLeave a comment

Looking for Halloween costume inspiration?

see more photos on Buzzfeed

It’s Durga Purja (Dasain) where I’m at, celebrated October 11-15th this year.

… Durga Puja festival marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the evil buffalo demon Mahishasura. Thus, Durga Puja festival epitomizes the victory of Good over Evil. …

The Goddess requires blood sacrifice. I notice the goats of Dehradun, India are eating well in the days leading up to the Festival.

I’m here getting organized to head up into the Himalaya.

my Portuguese meal

On October 11, 2013October 9, 2013 By Rick McIn food, product endorsements, travelLeave a comment

I stayed one night at Gallery Hostel in Porto, certainly the prettiest hostel I’ve ever seen.

It’s an active Art Gallery.

Click PLAY or watch a Promo video on YouTube.

Found it via TripAdvisor.com, the site I’ve been using over the past couple of years in preference to Lonely Planet.

The most luxurious dorm accommodation anywhere?

Cost was $30 / night including a wonderful breakfast. (Eggs cooked to order.)

Even better was the optional evening meal, $13.50 including all the local Douro wine you could drink. 🙂

It’s prepared by a couple of guys working at the hostel. They are keen to teach any of the visitors interested how to cook local dishes.

The economy in Portugal is still lousy. Their friends looking for opportunity go to Brazil or other former Portuguese colonies.

These tapas were my favourite. Ground sausage. Cheese. Jam.

see more photos

I had several other excellent meals in Porto. Twice the Francesinha:

literally Frenchy, or more accurately little French (female) – is the most famous popular native snack food in Porto. It is a kind of sandwich with several meats covered with cheese and a special sauce made with beer and other ingredients.

Maybe 9000 cal a plate!

love Porto

On October 10, 2013October 9, 2013 By Rick McIn photos, travelLeave a comment

Porto, Portugal, is one of the oldest European centres, and registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. …

This “city of bridges” was built along the hills overlooking the Douro river estuary …

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I made the most of my one free day in Porto, taking several walking tours. It’s very photogenic.

See all of my Porto pics in flickr High Res.

I’d arrived from Antwerp, another of the 6 charming and affordable European cities you haven’t visited yet.

Heathrow Airport security

On October 9, 2013 By Rick McIn travel, travel IndiaLeave a comment

Airport security theatre is painful.

Astonishing to me is the inefficiency and, often, public humiliation of people like sheep having their bags and bodies examined at the security check.

Heathrow Airport has the best system I’ve ever seen.

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It’s obvious the trays have to be a conveyor belt. Empty trays are shuttled back to the start on the lower level.

Why don’t all airports buy these?

Departing Heathrow for India. Right now.

PeaceLoveCar

On October 9, 2013October 7, 2013 By Rick McIn cycling, philosophy, product endorsements, travelLeave a comment

I’ve not owned a vehicle for most of the last 14 years.

But the PeaceLoveCar is tempting.

Gear Junkie:

Sam Salwei lives in a 28-square-foot pod. It was built in 1988, and formerly the car was known as a Ford Festiva.

Salwei, a founding member of the YogaSlackers group and a GearJunkie contributor, calls his highly-modified vehicle the PeaceLoveCar.

A solar panel on the roof gives power. The seats fold down into a bed. Under the hood is an oven. “We bake burritos in there,” Salwei notes. The back seat has a fridge.

408,841 miles grace the odometer. The Guinness World Record for a Festiva, Salwei says, is 640,000 miles. “I might break it.” …

read more …

Thanks Dave.

Hans Rosling: The best stats you’ve ever seen

On October 6, 2013October 6, 2013 By Rick McIn economics, education, hiking, things getting better, travel, travel IndiaLeave a comment

I’m just finishing a BUSY World Gymnastics Championships, packing for my next destination — northern India. Hiking.

If you’ve got time for a laugh today, click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

You’ve never seen data presented like this. With the drama and urgency of a sportscaster, statistics guru Hans Rosling debunks myths about the so-called “developing world.

Professor Bill Sands recommended to me this unbelievably likable educator from Sweden.