Photo Essay: Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Nepal

Gray clouds swiftly drifted athwart the celestial blue sky. As we strolled our way from Planet Bhaktapur Hotel to Durbar Square, I silently prayed to the universe not to let them hang around. Why we were traveling Nepal during the monsoon season, well, it was the most practical home-bound route stopover (from Caucasus to Southeast Asia) we found at the time.

It was our first of only a few mornings in Nepal. We had to hit the ground running.

The entrance that we used to access the square does not encounter a lot of tourists. Its ticket booth wasn't even manned when we arrived. We waited for about a quarter of an hour until someone came  to collect our payment and issue a ticket (Bhaktapur Durbar Square admission fee $15).

A screenshot of a map, saved in our point-and-shoot, guided us through deserted back alleys. The scenery was a stark contrast from the highly urbanized setting of Yerevan, Armenia where we flew from the day prior. It's a backdrop that an overwhelm. That can overjoy.

We traipsed by ourselves for a while, up till a local offered to show us around for a reasonable rate. Hubby and I let go of skepticism and entrusted the wheel to a stranger. It was to be a day of exploration of the old Bhaktapur Kingdom — or whatever's left of it after the 1934 quake. It was to be a day of chasing our two year-old in and around a living museum.

The Nyatapola Temple, one of the tallest in Kathmandu Valley. Constructed in 1702, during the reign of King Bhupatindra Malla.

Like stepping out of the TARDIS and into the past.

Fasi Dega Temple. Guarded by elephants, lions and bulls. Luna was upset we didn't let her sit on the elephant.

Perched on the top plinth of Fasi Dega Temple.

Fave activity in Bhaktapur Durbar Square: People watching.

55 Window Palace. The guide led us through the Golden Gate and all the way to the royal pool. Some areas are off-limits. No admission fee.

The royal pool/bath inside the palace.

And there are times when you could feel the power of aged walls.

View of Taumadhi Square from Nyatapola Temple.

Near empty Durbar Square at noon. Just what we needed.

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Photo Essay: Galle Fort, Sri Lanka

We were broke and beat up. Six days of constant move. Not exactly the kind of break new parents would hope for, but I knew I'd regret it if we simply lazed in one set of coordinates.

Four UNESCO World Heritage Sites ticked, and we were to visit the fifth and last on our list. Sri Lanka actually has eight sites that have been inscribed. Unfortunately, we had to give the remaining three a pass.

Because there's no admission fee required, plus we had time to kill before our train to Colombo (where we were to stay at a couchsurfer's house on our last night in the country) arrives, we pushed on with the idea of exploring Galle Fort.

It capped off the whole trip pretty well.

Atop the walls of Galle Fort.

One of the fort's entrances near Galle's railway station.
Popular spot for dates.

A view to stay a while for.

Street cricket, even within the fort's walls.

Most structures withstood the Boxing Day Tsunami, which damaged a part of Galle town's coastal area.

Establishments are a mix of world class and quaint. Fancy restos are easy to find, so are cheap snack stalls.

National Maritime Museum.

Dutch Reformed Church. Originally built in 1640.

That group pictorial I crashed. Everyone went crazy.

Not-So Refreshingly Sri Lanka (and it's all my fault) Series:

Unawatuna Beach, Sri Lanka: Where We Should Have Been Since The Beginning
Sigiriya, Sri Lanka: Lion's Rock
Photo Essay: Golden Temple of Dambulla, Sri Lanka
Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka: Ruins Of An Ancient Capital
Temple of The Tooth
The Kandy House
Not-So Refreshingly Sri Lanka
How To Apply For A Sri Lanka Tourist Visa In The Philippines


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The Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey

Luna's head plowed forward like a bull about to gore someone. Or something.

I frantically chased her around.

Ducked here and there to avoid knocking tourists out. Every second I hoped to see hubby's face in the tourist buzz. I was waiting for his return. Minutes ago he quickly walked back to our hotel, about two hundred meters away, to stow our daughter's sorta useless stroller. It didn't function well on Istanbul's cobblestone streets and we weren't planning to lug it throughout our day-long, do-it-yourself walking tour.

In the courtyard of Sultan Ahmet Camii, more popularly known as the Blue Mosque.    Access from a more peaceful side.  

It was late spring under the Turkish skies. We were right outside one of the entrances to the Blue Mosque. In between my sprints after Luna, I watched more and more visitors fall in queue to get in the main prayer room. I then realized that I forgot to bring a headscarf. This I mentioned to the hubby when he finally got back looking slightly disoriented. I never asked, but I assumed he got lost along the way. His reply was so inaudible, it might as well have come with a muzzle. 

I pretended to understand and motioned for him to fish Luna out of an off-limits garden.

  Oh that impish smile.   Tourists lined up to see the mosque's interiors.  

Unbeknownst to us, just the week prior, authorities started providing robes and skirts (they used to lend only scarves) to visitors whose attire wasn't in line with religious rules. Summer was approaching and they were expecting scantily-clad vacationists to swing by.

So... We could have entered after all (not that I was scantily-clad). But then again the sight of the queue made us wince, hence we settled for the mosque's courtyard.

 

Blue Mosque, the stunner.

Arcades that surround the inner courtyard.

The courtyard is almost the same size as the mosque itself. And we found it frenetic when we stepped in. Tourists poured from all entrances. The flow, nonstop. Hubby and I positioned ourselves under an arcade, in an unpopular corner while Luna ran to her heart's desire.

Amidst the chaos we gaped at Blue Mosque's pulchritude.

One of the six minarets.

Architect Sedefkâr Mehmed Ağa knew splendor well.

Sultan Ahmet Camii was built  from 1609 to 1616, under the rule of Ottoman Sultan Ahmet I. It's more popularly known as the Blue Mosque because of the exquisite blue ceramic tiles that adorn its interior walls — which we unfortunately didn't see. Also, unique to this imperial mosque is its six minarets since the common maximum is four, and they are classical examples of Turkish architecture. It has one main dome and eight secondary domes that, to me, appears to be a cascade of some sort.

View of Blue Mosque from Sultanahmet Park.

We stood in awe for quite a long while until Luna tugged my dorky shirt to invite me to a game of run-along-the-red-carpet-'til-we-huff. I glanced at my watch. Surprised by the time, I grabbed my daughter by the hand. She'd have to resume her running some place else...

At Hagia Sophia.
 

Luna started and ended her Blue Mosque tour with a dash.  

Turkey In Two Weeks And A Day 2013: 

Istanbul, Turkey: When The Dust Temporarily Settled 

How To Apply For A Turkey Tourist Visa In The Philippines

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Nazca Lines, Peru (Or Those Lines That The Hubby Thought Were Crop Circles)

"But it's the Nazca Lines! How come you don't wanna see it?!", I was a bit embarrassed, quickly wiping my tears with the back of my hand so no one could notice. I imagined myself being a mistreated protagonist in a Mexicanovela, sans the big hair and off-shoulder peasant girl blouse. It was a chilly December afternoon in Mexico City's Colonia Santa María la Ribera and we were strolling toward the supermercado.

"I'm not freakin' traveling just to see crop circles!", hubby's voice was stern.

Aaand initiating facepalm in 3.. 2... 1.

He clearly didn't spend his younger years watching Space Sheriff Shaider.

The Tree. Can be seen from an observation tower off the The Pan-American Highway.  

Fast forward to January, on day 213 of our 2011-2012 round-the-world trip, this memory made me burst out laughing at the backseat while we were cruising the Pan-American Highway. Hubby probably wondered what it's about but I kept it to myself. We chose to hire a car and hang onto a guided tour's wing because Luna was still recovering from cough and colds — which she caught in Ica a few days prior just before we watched wildlife on Islas Ballestas and trudged on the beautifully bleak Paracas National Reserve.

The Hands. C'mon, they gotta be made by (or with the help of) aliens!  

Besides joining a group tour, the other two options to see the Nazca Lines are: (A) Take the collectivo from Nazca town and (B) Fly aboard a Cessna plane. The problem with option A is, it may take forever and a day to catch another collectivo or bus going back to town. With a sick 1 year 4 month-old Luna, this option evidently didn't sound appealing. Hitchhiking is relatively safe in the region but waiting for someone willing to pick you up may take ages too.

Mirador Observation Tower lets you see only three geoglyphs.  

As for option B, well... Aside from being pricey, a Google search of the keywords "Cessna flight Nazca lines" will lead you to an article about tourists being killed in a plane crash. Sure accidents seem rare, but with a toddler we simply couldn't take the risk. So the tour that we arranged with the help of our guesthouse was our best option.

Guide-slash-driver told the fam to pose like so along the Pan-American Highway even with a bus hurtling towards us from behind and the front!

Unfortunately, the tour has its disadvantages too. Compared to taking public transport, booking a tour meant shelling out more dibs, especially cause we weren't able find someone else to share the car with. Also, the Mirador Observation Platform only lets visitors see three geoglyphs. Just so you know, the UNESCO World Heritage Site encompasses almost 500 square kilometers of the Nazca Desert. So yeah, flying is your only way to see the whole shebang. Unless a complex network of zip-lines are built over 'em. Okay, that's a silly joke. Sorry for even putting the idea into the universe.

Looking like a tribal version of Family Stickers (yah know, those stick figures you see on cars) to me.  

The drive from Nazca town to Mirador Observation Tower took about half an hour. A climb up the tower costs just 1 Peruvian nuevo sol and should be an easy task unless one has a serious case of acrophobia. The three geoglyphs that can be seen from the tower are The Hands, The Tree, and The Lizard (or sometimes called The Reptile). The Pan-American highway, the world's longest "motorable road" according to Guinness World Records (travels through 18 countries in the Americas), cuts through the tail of The Poor Lizard.

Maria Reiche's old home turned into a museum.  

I can imagine how mind-boggling the lines are from a plane. From the observation tower however, the lines did not blow us away perhaps because — save for the uber long straight lines — the shallow trenches (like, 10-15 cm shallow) seemed uncomplicated to make. The lines are formed by removing rust-colored rocks on the surface of the desert to reveal a much lighter shade of earth. And that's... Basically it. How it lasted for more than a thousand years (possibly longer), Mother Nature's responsible for that. These lines have been preserved for such time because it's practically windless in this arid plateau. 

Ol' Kombi at Maria Reiche's Museum.

And so what are the Nazca Lines for? Now that's a mystery. Archaeologists, anthropologists and a lot of other ists tried to interpret the lines. One of which is Maria Reiche, a German mathematician and archaeologist who dedicated almost half of her life studying and fighting to preserve them. After visiting two observation towers (the second one's a bit meh), we were taken to her old home that now serves as a museum. Some of her work tools, maps, didactic (dida-huwat?!) scale models, photos are on display. And a wax figure of her sitting behind — presumably her old desk — which totally gave me goosies. She's buried in the garden, beside her sister Renata.

A look out hill where long lines/trenches that don't form figures can be seen.
If you think I'll be discussing about the different theories behind the Nazca Lines, well, I'm telling you I'd rather decipher this Georgian kids' show Luna's watching (we're currently in Tbilisi, Georgia). Or I'll start talking about aliens. If you're feeling really slothful to look it up, to put it simply, most of the theories are related to astronomy. And I believe none of which weighs heavier than the other.

It's an open case 'til this very day.

"Time Space Warp, ngayon din!"  

The Nazca Lines have certainly made a lot of ists scratch their heads. But yo, how the hubby initially thought that those lines are crop circles... That's a mystery of life.


Round-The-World 2011-2012, Peru Leg:

Paracas National Reserve, Peru: Images Of A Desolate Beauty
Islas Ballestas, Paracas,Peru: Penguins In The Wild
Huaca Pucllana, Lima, Peru: The Ruins And The Red Balloon
El Zaguan B&B, Lima, Peru

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Puebla City, Puebla, Mexico: All Things Beautiful

Puebla had me at hello. Oh how I cursed countless times the first hour of our meeting. And the next... And the next.

Have you felt the same way with some place depressingly beautiful?

Been a long time coming. But it seems today is the day that I speak of a ciudad that I hold dear in my heart. Today because it's Cinco De Mayo (fifth of May). A patriotic holiday that commemorates the implausible victory of the badass Mexican army over French troops at the Batalla de Puebla (Battle Of Puebla) on May 5, 1862. In the United States, it's a shindig wherein Mexicans celebrate their ancestry and culture.

Templo de San Francisco. Puebla's rich with stunning churches.  

It was day 183 of our 2011-2012 round-the-world trip that I fell hard for the city. I remember stepping out of the deserted Hostal Santo Domingo and into boots-clad foot traffic. The Christmas buzz was heady, and its rush resembled that of the Philippines'. It left a slight pang of homesickness.

My longing, however, dissipated faster than you can say Cuetlaxcoapan (area where the city was founded in the 16th century) the more we inched through the tiled streets. Truth is, we didn't want to be anywhere else. The hubby and I soaked in the merry atmosphere. I know our toddler Luna did too.

Cafes and restos surround the Zócalo.  

Everywhere I laid my eyes on, there was some kind of visual treat. A flower-printed poncho. A ruby red poinsettia. A huge bunch of character balloons. A stranger's infectious smile. Multicolored walls. Oh those buildings I ran out of adjectives for!

So I resulted to cursing.

The historic center of Puebla is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And that says a whole darn lot about its colonial mansions, old monasteries and churches. When I think of the city, I remember how all things are beautiful. Let me count some of the ways.


Museo Amparo

As with most sightseeing itineraries I constructed, our start line in Puebla was a museum. Museo Amparo is housed in two linked colonial-era buildings, which were formerly called Hospitalario for the obvious reason that they once served as a hospital.

Banderitas at Museo Amparo's courtyard.   It has an impressive collection of pre-Hispanic and colonial Mexico artifacts. Could be underwhelming though if one has already visited Mexico City's National Museum Of Anthropology. My fave exhibit's a timeline of civilizations from different continents.

Free admission on Mondays.

Now that's an awesome timeline!  

Puebla Cathedral

This Roman Catholic cathedral's black limestone surface is in stark contrast to that of the nearby buildings' brightly painted facades. The cathedral's construction began in 1575, completed in 1690, and is currently looking well-preserved.

Puebla Cathedral dedicated to Immaculate Concepcion.   No words, people. No words.   Lackluster it may appear on the outside, but its interiors can surely cause even the hardest to please jaw drop.

Teatro Principal de Puebla 

One of the oldest theaters in Mexico, and is the oldest still in use as a theater.
Avenida Cinco De Mayo

Boutique shops got way more character than stalls in a colossal department store.  

Holy Mole! 

In a restaurant named Fonda De Sta. Clara, we had a dish of chicken mole poblano that made us weak in the knees. And let me tell you, we gobbled quite a lot of different moles (sauces).

Chili and chocolate, a match made in heaven.  

 Las Ranas.

Also in Puebla, the hubby found his fave restaurant in Mexico. Budget-friendly Las Ranas, whose divine al pastor's to die for, is considered a local institution. I wanna cry just thinking about their tacos and the whole shebang on the resto's menu.

Oh those buildings I ran out of adjectives for!

I know, I already mentioned that.

The city is also famous for its colonial buildings embellished with azulejos (ceramic tiles).

So after all that's been said and shown, I reckon you could easily fathom why Puebla is one of my favorite cities in the world. Because seriously, I got nothing more to utter but profanity.


Round-The-World Trip 2011-2012, Ola Mexico:

Teotihuacan, Mexico: Where Gods Were Born... And Where We Lost Our Pram
Morisco Kiosk And Museo Del Instituto De Geologia De La UNAM
Photo Essay: National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City
Metropolitan Cathedral Of The Assumption of Mary, Ciudad De Mexico
Jade Guesthouse, Mexico City
Prospero Ano Nuevo
Feliz Navidad
Ola Mexico

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Thanjavur, India: Brihadisvara Temple (Brihadeeswara Temple)

Under the fiery Tamil sun, hubby and I trampled on Thanjavur's dusty streets. To which direction, we were quite unsure, yet we rambled on. Minutes ago, we just hopped off a bus that traveled from Tiruchirappalli. As I looked up and down what appeared like a major road, the lack of foreign tourists and absence of the infamous Indian gridlock made me wonder, "Is this worth the trip?".


It was February, two years ago. Summer was off to an early start in the state of Tamil Nadu. The pavement beneath our soles was ablaze, each step we took was such chore. Funny how templed out we were when prior that day we had only seen one since we arrived in the country. That's India's hard-to-handle intensity for you.


From a distance, we caught sight of Brihadisvara Temple's fortified walls. That worn out map could be trusted after all. Unlike Madurai's Meenakshi Amman Temple, this one's far from multihued. Its shades mainly played with a palette of browns. A characteristic that made me fall for it.


This temple dedicated to Shiva is one of the Great Living Chola Temples (a collective of Hindu temples in south India) and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At about a thousand years old, it's looking mighty preserved. From the structures to some of its frescoes.


Brihadisvara Temple or Brihadeeswara Temple is also known as "Big Temple", named so for an obvious reason. Its complex is so massive that it will prolly take you a couple of hours or more to take everything in. Best appreciated when you visit with a knowledgeable guide to point out all the awesomeness of Dravidian architecture.


Since we came by ourselves, we wandered clueless and aimless. Occasionally tailed a few tour groups with the letter L on our foreheads. Because we lacked objective and purpose, I had random realizations like... My bare feet could amazingly tolerate the sizzling floor. And that the grassy area on the temple grounds is a popular hang out for young Indian couples. Also, for the nth time that trip, I longed to touch our then five month-old Luna who we left in the Philippines.


And well, I spent the rest of the arvo stalking (and sometimes cuddling) cute Indian tots who stray away from their parents. An activity cut short when we decided to see nearby Thanjavur Maratha Palace, which by the way failed to entertain us like Brihadisvara Temple did.
 

Thank You, India Series:

St. Mary's Cathedral, Madurai, India: That Eve We Lost An iPhone
Madurai, India: Gandhi Museum And Its Resident Dinosaur (I Kid You Not!)
Madurai, India: Thirumalai Nayak Palace
Madurai, India: Meenakshi Amman Temple
Aboard India's Modes of Transport
Arrival Turned Fans Day
Thank You, India
How To Apply For An India Tourist Visa In The Philippines


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