When discussing what to do in Munich, Germany, many travel writers wax lyrical about Oktoberfest. Ah, the beer! The sing-alongs! The pretzels, bratwurst, and schnitzel! But the festival also has its drawbacks. More than 6 million visitors descend upon the city every year beginning on the third Saturday of September. If, like me,…
Category: Videos
VIDEO: The Famous Debating Monks of Tibet
They lunged, red robes flying and prayer beads swinging. They clapped hands loudly in the faces of their partners. Forefingers shook in front of noses and voices were raised. This sea of red-robed monks were gathered in a courtyard of Sera Monastery in Tibet for a daily ritual known as the monastic debate.
VIDEO: Nepalis Celebrate New Year in Pokhara, Nepal
I celebrated Nepali New Year in Nepal, this past April. My second home of Pokhara sponsored three solid days of performances in the park, including band performances, traditional dancing, and singing. But for me the most interesting part was just roaming the streets and watching the families that had traveled from afar, shopping,…
VIDEO: Learning to Play Tibetan Singing Bowls in Kathmandu, Nepal
Each time I return to Kathmandu, Nepal, I find a new craze. This year it was Tibetan singing bowls. Not only were they for sale in shops all over the city, every Yoga studio or meditation class seemed to offer singing bowl healing sessions. I was fortunate to meet a nice young man…
Bo Sang Umbrella Festival in Northern Thailand
Across Thailand, thousands of small craft villages dot the landscape. Each one specializes in the manufacture of a particular handicraft. Especially in northern Thailand, the choices seem endless. In tiny Ban Ton Pao in northern Thailand, everyone in the villages is involved in the production of handmade paper from Mulberry bark. In nearby…
VIDEO: Wild Borneo
Not only is Borneo one of the few places in the world to see orangutans in the wild, it’s also fantastic for seeing endangered Sun Bears, proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephants, and monitor lizards, among other wild species. I saw them all and more in the Malaysian State of Sabah, on the island of…
