Survival, Earthquake...... The Edge of Grieving

The World has changed since my last post. Nepal and the Kathmandu Valley was hit with a 7.8 earthquake on Saturday, April 25.  This has shaken me to the core. A month earlier, we were enjoying an amazing trip that connected us with kind and peaceful people in this same area.  Now, we fear for them and for their losses.

Tomorrow, we share our spectacular journey and experiences with friends and neighbors at the Gordon-Nash Library in our home town of New Hampton, New Hampshire.

The Good News is we have heard from almost all our new Nepalese friends, and they are safe. Many have lost their homes and work, but they have survived.

One school we visited is no longer standing, yet all 50 children and founder, Pushpa Basnet, and her staff are safe. They are living under a tarp over a greenhouse frame.  They need immediate supplies such as food, water and shelter for the upcoming monsoon season.  They have long-term needs for rebuilding a permanent home on their own land.

You can donate to the ECDC/ Butterfly House through the Utopia Foundation.  100% of your donation goes to Pushpa and the children.  Here's the link:

https://utopiafound.org/iniatitives/rapid-crisis-response/

I will post again soon with a continuation of our adventures and an update on the people we know there.

Value each day ........   Namaste ... Barry

Earth Day... The edge of responsibility.

Happy Earth Day to all. These "special"days have such a Hallmark greeting card feel to them. Once a year we acknowledge "we" are part of the environment and hopefully do something responsible to make the Earth a better place.
           

Last night I was finishing a book by the Dalai Lama, "Ethics for the New Millennium.  He states:  an individual's "lack of contentment is the source of damage to our natural environment and, thereby, of harm to others. Which others? In particular, the poor and the weak. Within their own community, though the rich may be able to move to avoid, for example, high levels of pollution, the poor have no choice"...... "If we choose not to modify our behavior out of respect for others' equal right to happiness and not to suffer, it will not be long before we notice the negative consequences."

Just back from Kathmandu, Nepal his words are so right. The poor are already feeling the ills of our greed. The amazing gift of this trip for me was the attitude of the Nepali people. These wonderful people were so giving and peaceful. Their wealth was inner, and they shared openly.

This is yet another Earth Day with major political powers arguing over the question of Climate Change. The truth is the only thing we can change is how "We" fit into this beautiful planet.  Do we continue to be the ONLY species on Earth ruining its own habitat?  Or, do we change and assume our personal responsibility.   Do we learn and act on living our own lives sustainably.

Namaste ... Barry

Namobuddha Organics on the Edge of the Himalayas.

On arrival at the Namobuddha Eco Resort, we met Ingrid. She and her husband built this super guest house using local builders and materials. Their goal has been to be a model of sustainable farming and responsible tourism. She reminded me of Helen Nearing.
                                             

Night life at the night light: 

the brown guy looks like an Asian Gypsy Moth

What a spectacular sunrise!  It is our first view of the Himalaya Mountains.

                                         

Sunrise ladies Helena, Allie, and Cassandra

Common Mynah bird, they are great mimickers .

On the way to the Namu Buddha Stupa.  This small town has the same name.  It's one of the great Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Nepal.  This smaller shrine is at the base of the steep path and many steps to the main temple and monastery.  No one ever said it would be easy...

Ladies digging up compost from a huge "communal" pile

                                               

Happy campers + monks

                                          

Had a great time with "The Matts" taking photos and spotting birds.

White Cheeked Bulbul

     Blue Fronted Red Start .....what a beauty!

Next up: Monks, Prayer flags, and on to Nagarkort.

Bhaktapur pottery and people, then the amazing drive to Namobuddha

At every turn there was a photo and a smile.

                                                      We did eat very well.

Bhaktapur is known for its Pottery.  There are great clay deposits and super talent with a stick for spinning the potting wheel. Then the pots are fired in a sort of wheat fueled kiln and sun dried.

These special bowls are made with seven metals for the seven Chakras. Gretchen sure looks like there were "Good Vibrations". 

Then it was time for Mike to add to his elephant herd.

We left the city and drove by many brick works, each with its own insignia stamped in the mold.

Any guess for the number of bricks in this one stack?

The sights on the road are even photo worthy with a max speed in the 40 mph range.

Nepalese believe in "beautifying" everything and their trucks are works of art.

In a short time the switchbacks increased and we were really climbing to the "Hills" (over 5,000')

Here's the 143' tall Shiva, Kailashnath, not sure if it beats the Buddha in Taiwan for height.

Almost at the Namobuddha Guest house -- the views are great.

Wait until you see the Himalayas in the morning...

The outer Edge of Earth..... Nepal

We have done it again -- yet another "Life changing trip". This time we traveled to Nepal with an amazing group of students and faculty from the University of Rhode Island. The main purpose of the trip was a 3 Day Seminar on Peace and Nonviolence training based on Martin Luther King's philosophy and being.  The seminar combined students and teachers from Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, members of the Nepali military, NGO representatives and us.

   We met up at JFK New York and boarded the largest passenger plane built (the one on the right).
 

After +/-15 hrs on the flying hotel we landed at the Dubai Airport. This is what it REALLY looked like through my eyes.

We then boarded the plane on the left and flew over the City

those buildings in the foreground are 50 stories tall.

We landed exhausted in Kathmandu and crashed at the Airport Hotel and woke to the SPECTACLE .

First photo with Buddha 

And did I mention 15 super students and 3 other staff.. ready to Rock&Roll to Bhaktapur

On the walk Gret really was taken with another Tractor.

So many GREAT faces

Want to buy an Elephant?

Stay tuned for Mike's second Elephant.

The edge of Natural Wonder ... moved again.

    

We have returned home from another amazing Amazon adventure, our second trip to the Tambopata Research Center in Peru. TRC is one of the few lodges located within the Tambopata National Reserve on the Tambopata River in southeastern Peru.

Our first trip to this area was in early September 2009.  It's a place of unparalleled diversity and challenges.

People ask us why we go back to places we have already seen.  There are lots of reasons.  One of the best reasons was to be with Yuri Torres Rivera, our guide and friend from the 2009 trip.  Yuri met us at the Puerto Maldonado Airport and off we went on another journey full of the spectacular natural beauty, wildlife, ecological wonders and surprises.

We also go back to places to see the changes and challenges over time.  We learn more about the area, its people, and its troubles.   We never have the same experiences, twice.  We bring back our stories and photographs to share.

We both love and respect what we find in Nature --  it's just being there and seeing what happens next.

Yuri and Gretchen

Barry and one of the chicas -- a scarlet macaw raised at TRC.

 This wandering spider was just over my head on a tree trunk.  Yuri told me how dangerous they are after I took the photo.

 A Six-inch Helicopter Damsal Fly

A type of Heliconia mariposa (butterfly)

Can you see the White Line Leaf Frog? Check out his GOLD outlined back.

This white cayman was on the route to the .........

SHAMAN.

I was impressed with his ability to discern minute differences in plant leaves. One variety would be very beneficial to health, but the look-alike could be harmful (or deadly).

We stopped at a new clay-lick on the river where we saw Scarlet macaws, Red and Green macaws, and Blue and Yellow macaws. 

A highlight for me was seeing a Harpy Eagle chick in the nest.

He was almost three feet tall.

Yuri spotted this Swallow-tailed Tanager.  

The Dusky Titi monkeys were very numerous this time.

(Stay tuned for "just monkeys" post)

We had one great travel adventure: 

There we were, Yuri, Gret and Barry, sitting on the riverbank waiting for our ride to the next lodge.  It was cool on the river.  We took lots of photos.  We talked and talked, but no boat.  Yuri figured out the situation (they forgot about us) and "Flagged" us a ride on a supply boat going our way.  

We arrived in time for dinner with the Presidentes (beer), Inka cola, breads, and lots of bananas.

Why we love our guide, Yuri!

In the forest, insects can be invisible...

and incredible.

This moth has been attacked by the Cordycep fungus.  The fungus has developed a creative adaptation in how it spreads its spores over a wide area (and reproduces successfully).  

The fungus attacks its host's brain and takes over the functioning.  It causes the host insect to climb higher and higher on a plant or tree.  When the host dies, the spores are in position to catch a breeze and travel far.  

Mariposas collecting minerals from the muddy back of the cayman, 

as well as enjoying mineral-rich "Crocodile Tears".

Speaking of minerals, this was the only GOLD mining operation we saw on the river.  Since our last trip five years ago, the Peruvian government has banned these mercury polluting operations.

  We hope the government is as strict with the "big" corporate mining interests as it is now with the small scale, local operations. 

On one of our connecting boat journeys, we were counting these Squirrel Monkeys .... 

when Yuri spotted this magnificent creature.

The same Puma species roams New Hampshire's Forests. 

Can you come up with his other FOUR names?

You'll have to check later for the answer!