Il gusto del Piemonte - 22 novembre, 2014

Our education on the food and wine of Italy continues. This past weekend we joined two other couples for a weekend visit to Alba in Piemonte. It was about a two hour drive southwest from Como to this area known as one of the great wine regions of Italy. Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto grapes are primarily grown here in the Langhe above Alba. Our first destination was the Alessandro Rivetto winery which is a small winery in Serralunga producing some quality Barola, Barbaresco and Barbera D'Alba wines. Alessandro, who is the 4th generation winemaker in his family (and a good friend of Roberto, one of our our traveling companions), gave us a tour of his production facilities and then gathered us in an upstairs room overlooking parts of the vineyard for wine tasting and some antipasti. We appreciated having a personal contact to help us enjoy this beautiful place and learn about these wines.

After the harvest.

4 generations of wine makers

Fog rolling through - that's why they call these grapes Nebbiolo

Our host - Alessandro Rovetto

Aging in special wood 

Jules and Guy tasting Rovetti wines

Next stop Alba, a town well known for wine, truffles and chocolate. We covered all three as we went to the winery, to the International Truffle Festival (84th Fiera Internazionale Tartufo Bianco D'Alba) and then to a stop at the Torroneria Chocolate factory outlet. At the truffle festival, we saw how seriously they take this fungal delicacy. Most specimens were behind glass and there were even officials that would inspect your purchase to guarantee its quality and authenticity. When one realizes the price of the prized white truffle is about 2,000 euro per kilogram (or about 75 euro for a little glob), the fuss is a little more understandable. There were all sorts of ways to sample the truffles in candy, ice cream, cheese, etc. but I waited until dinner where my primo piatto was orecchiette with truffles. I guess my palate is not quite sophisticated enough yet to fully appreciate them but it's always fun to try something new.

International Truffle Festival in Alba - "take a whiff"

The famous "Tartufo Bianco D'Alba" (White truffle)

They take truffles very seriously here.

Morning fog over the vineyards (serralungo d'alba)

Grana - a hill town in Asti (population 645)

As we left the area Sunday morning, we drove up to the small village of Sinio where we had some beautiful panoramic views of the vineyards and historic buildings on the hillsides. To the north, as the fog rolled away, we could see the snow covered Alps. Our culinary adventures were not over however as another couple met us in the tiny hill town of Grana, located near Asti. They had made plans for us to join a "Polenta Party" put on by the community in the church hall. Four courses of Polenta - first with funghi (mushrooms), then with merluzzo (cod), then with salsiccia (sausage), and last with gorgonzola (cheese). No one was in a hurry but by the time we were served a dolce (dessert), we were ready to be rolled down the hill to our car. The hills were golden from the late afternoon sun as we drove away.

Polenta Party 

(photo taken by local teenager)

We'll always have Paris - 20 novembre, 2014

I have not yet gotten used to how close Northern Italy is to so many special places. When Dave suggested we spend my actual birthday in Paris, it seemed a little extravagant but of course I said yes. The first weekend in November is obviously not the high season in Paris so we ended up with a good deal on both our flight and hotel room. A one hour flight and airport shuttle bus ride later, we were enjoying great late autumn weather walking down the Champs Elysees on our way to L'Arc du Triomphe.

La Tour Eiffel (1889)

We had no itinerary and only hoped to have an enjoyable weekend and decompress after a rather hectic few weeks. So we bought a carnet of subway tickets and just wandered around the city for two days. We went into a few of our favorite places including Sainte Chapelle (King Louis IX's private gothic chapel with soaring walls of stained class), Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Musée D'Orsay. Even during the low season, there is a long wait to go up in the Eiffel Tower on a beautiful day. At the top, we were rewarded with clear views and the unexpected joy of standing near a young couple as they became engaged. Everyone seems happy at the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Panorama from atop L'arc du Triomphe

Paris Metro

Sainte Chapelle (1248)

Notre Dame - My girl, Jeanne D'Arc (1345)

(Photo by fellow tourist)

Looking out from the Musee D'Orsay.

Love locks overlooking the Seine River

For five minutes every hour, glittering lights add to the display.

The Pyramid at The Louvre

Sunday morning was a good time to visit Jardin du Luxembourg and enjoy the fall colors. It was filled with Parisians jogging, doing Tai Chi, sailing model boats in the circular basin and just relaxing in this historic park. As Dave and I walked to the Metro and headed back to the airport, I felt so grateful for the experiences we are able to have while Dave is working in Europe. This weekend created a memory that I will always treasure.

Jardin du Luxembourg

Looking toward the basin and the Luxumbourg Palace (1612)

Bhutan - Chillies on the Roof - 13 novembre, 2014

You know you are in a new part of the world when the pilot of the airplane mentions that Mount Everest can be seen out the left side windows. Unfortunately, I was on the right side of the plane but happily Dave was seated next to me since he had flown to Delhi to join us for the second week of the tour.  The Kingdom of Bhutan was a place we had heard about but never really thought we would be able to visit. The steep landing approach through a narrow mountain pass into the airport in Paro left no doubt that this still is an isolated and unique place

Bhutan is the last remaining Buddhist kingdom of the Himalayas and is ruled by a young king who appears to be a loved and respected leader. He became the king in 2005 when his father abdicated so the son could lead the country during their first open elections. In March of 2008, Bhutan peacefully transitioned into becoming a constitutional monarchy.  There is a strong commitment to protecting their culture so all visitors must book their trip through licensed Bhutanese tour operators and have a government approved tour guide accompany them everywhere. Our experience on this tour planned by John Allensworth was excellent as our guide Nidup was intelligent, friendly and very open in sharing his country and his Buddhist traditions with us.

Temple door

Paro Dzong

Everywhere you look in Bhutan, you see signs of the Buddhist religion and traditions. Prayer flags are strung across bridges, ravines, and between trees. The colorfully decorated temples on hillsides are visible for miles. Monks, some of whom enter the monastery as very young boys, stand out in their bright red robes as they walk through town. In a country of only 750,000 people, there are estimated to be over 7000 monks. Until the 1960's, monasteries were the only places that provided education in Bhutan but now there is a well developed public school system. 

Prayer Wheel - the prayers are thought to be activated when the wheel is spun.

And what about those chillli peppers? We saw them on roofs everywhere, drying out so they can be stored for the winter. Chillies are a dietary staple and in fact, the national dish is ema datse with green chillies prepared as a vegetable in a cheese sauce. Our meals generally were served buffet style, with an emphasis on vegetables and always included a chilli dish.

Chilis drying on the roof

A tradition of weaving textiles

Primary school students

Our guide Nidup in national dress (gho) with the addition of a scarf to enter the temple

The iron suspension bridge to Tamchhong Lhakhang

(Photo by Sally Kandel)

Our  week-long visit to Bhutan was limited to the western portion of the country. We started in Paro, the location of the only international airport and traveled to Thimpu, the capital and largest city. From there we crossed over the Dochu Lu Pass through one of the many huge areas of protected conservation land that Bhutan is known for, to the town of Punakha. Travel was slow due to narrow, mountainous roads and lots of road construction. While returning from Punakha, we were stopped along the highway for an over an hour while a tow truck retrieved a truck that had gone over an embankment. No one seemed frustrated or impatient, instead many of the occupants emptied out of the cars and trucks and we had a chance to stand in the sunshine and interact with other travelers, most of whom were Bhutanese. 

Punakha Dzong

Farmhouse and rice paddies

Russians sharing their vodka and friendly toasts at the hotel in Punakha.

Trucks at a roadblock between Punakha and Thimphu

Chortons at Dochu Lu Pass  (11,000 ft)

There is a lot of attention currently being paid to Bhutan's focus on Gross National Happiness being more important than the Gross National Product. While some may say it is campaign to attract tourists, it does seem clear that there is a strong commitment to protecting natural resources and supporting traditional values. We did see signs however that not quite everyone is basking in happiness and tranquility. There are still struggles with poverty and young people are leaving rural areas in favor of city life.

There are ethnic groups that aren't recognized as Bhutanese citizens, many of whom have Nepali heritage and have become refugees. Some have been resettled in the U.S. and Canada and interestingly, some of those young people ended up as my students at Lakewood High School. We saw some of those still in Bhutan, working along roadsides doing physical labor moving and breaking up rocks. Parents of babies and young children had them there at the worksites. Our guide acknowledged that these are issues that the government is trying to deal with as they try to protect the country from outside influences. 

Taktsang Monastery (Tiger's Nest)

The main reason that Bhutan had been on my bucket list was my desire to take the hike to Taktsang Goemba. This temple and monastery is known as "Tiger's Nest" because it clings to the side of a mountain and there is a legend that Guru Rinpoche flew to that spot on the back of a tiger to calm a local demon and then stayed to meditate in a cave for three months. Four of us from the tour group, along with our guide made the hike which takes about 2 hours up a steep trail and across a ravine.  As one approaches the site, the sounds of the large waterfall and thousands of prayer flags whipping in the wind create a beautiful soundtrack to accompany the incredible sight of the colorful temple and the lush valley below. As we descended, our guide helped us find a good spot to hang our string of prayer flags to acknowledge our appreciation of this special place.

Prayer flags are everywhere

I left Bhutan with great appreciation of their authentic culture and peaceful way of life. The country has designated over 50% of their land as protected green space and sanctuary for wildlife. It is a beautiful place that still feels fresh and unspoiled; we can only hope that they can find the balance between progress and contentment.  And on the way home, I got to sit on the right side of the plane which this time was the right side for seeing Mount Everest.

A peek at Mt. Everest

India - An Amazing Glimpse - 12 novembre, 2014

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever" - Mahatma Gandhi

Wow, where do I start? I was invited by my sister-in-law Kathie to join a tour of India and Bhutan led by retired geography professor John Allensworth. It didn't quite fit into my pattern of traveling independently and exploring Europe while we are living in Italy but it was an opportunity that I didn't want to pass up. My good friend friend Anne also joined the tour and I met up with them in Delhi.

The India segment of the tour was only a week so that is why I describe this tour as a glimpse. A country that is the 7th largest in the world with the second highest population of over a billion people cannot be adequately visited in a week. So we were fortunate to focus our visit on a small area in the north known as the Golden Triangle. We began our tour in New Delhi which is the capital of India and is its most populous city with 22 million inhabitants. 

The contrasts of the city were immediately obvious when our bus left the calm, wide streets of the area around the government buildings and our hotel and headed toward old Delhi where a rickshaw ride took us to the Chandni Chawk, an area jammed with people and vehicles of every imaginable type. Goats were being sold in the street for a religious festival, food was being cooked along the streets and there was not an inch of unoccupied space anywhere. But somehow, the surrounding chaos untangled as we maneuvered through the streets and were able to tour Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India and see temples and the sprawling Red Fort. There is an intense mixture of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians all living together in a this massive, crowded city.

Delhi street

An island of tranquility was the Gandhi Museum that commemorates the site where Mahatma Ghandi last lived and sadly also where he was assassinated. It is clear that he is seen as the "Father of India" when you see the crowds of school children and reverent crowds visiting his memorial and museum. Seeing the display of his simple belongings was quietly powerful.

Students at the Gandhi Smriti (museum)

After Delhi, we headed southwest toward Jaipur in Rajasthan. This more arid, rugged countryside has a rich history of Rajput kingdoms and the Mughal empire with many ancient structures still standing. I was fascinated staring out the window of the bus at the daily life along the road. Camels, elephants, horse-drawn carts .... buses with people sitting on the top, trucks decorated like women, a motorcycle carrying a family of four, one never knew what would go by next. And of course, cows wandering everywhere, protected by the beliefs of the Hindu religion. But the more I watched, the more respect I had for the people as I saw the ingenious and creative ways they were using to carry on.

Hawa Mahal -  Jaipur

View from the bus

Abhaneri Step Well

"shopping strip"

Amber Palace

We visited the fort palace of Amber which sits high above Maota Lake and we had the option of taking an elephant ride up the hill to the fort. Anne and I laughed as we rocked back and forth in our seat atop our our young elephant as we wondered how we would top this experience in years to come.
In Jaipur, we stayed at the Taj Jaimahal Hotel which is a heritage hotel that once was a Rajasthan palace dating back to 1745. As we sat outside on a warm evening enjoying a barbecue, listening to sitar music and watching traditional Indian dances in the manicured (and secure) gardens, it was possible to imagine the British colonial days. But just outside that polo field and vast lawns, it is a very different world now.

(photo by street photographer)

Fatehpur Sikri

Then we moved on to Agra, 150 miles to the east. The high point of any trip to this area is a visit to the Taj Mahal and it did not disappoint. We had the good fortune to visit at dawn so we had soft light and cool temperatures. One can't help but be overwhelmed when you pass through the archway of the outer buildings and see this magnificent structure rising before you. The reflecting pools and surrounding gardens are an integral part of the design and even though there were thousands of other (mostly Indian) visitors, there was a feeling of space and peacefulness. The brilliant design allows everyone to find a bench on which to sit and pose in front of this monument to love. This garden-tomb was built to memorialize the beloved and favorite (!) wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan who died in childbirth. 20,000 workers spent 22 years building it with final completion in 1653. The white marble is slightly translucent and it was decorated in a technique called pieta dura where precious and semi-precious stones are inserted into the marble to create flower and pattern motifs. The result is a balanced and sublimely beautiful creation that I feel very privileged to have been able to visit.

Taj Mahal

On our way back to Delhi, we stopped at Humayan's Tomb. This tomb which was built in 1565 for the second Mughal emperor was the inspiration for later buildings including the Taj Mahal. The intricately carved stone screens and geometric details are stunning.

One of my favorite experiences in India was the opportunity to meet and talk with young women. Many of the schoolgirls seemed eager to connect with western women, often asking to pose with us for photographs and eagerly obliging for photos in return. At each of these cultural sights, we met Indian families and groups of students who were friendly and engaging. My week in Indian left me fully aware of the many challenges faced by this country but also so impressed by the openness of the people as well as the beauty and complexity of its culture.

Humayun's Tomb