Jaipur ladies brighten the streetscape. Photo: Anna Griswold

Cultures worldwide nurture their folk art traditions, but in the 21^st century there are few places where the traditional arts burst out of the workshop and bustle so confidently down the street as in the Indian region of Rajasthan.

Fabrics dyed in dazzling shades of red, pink, yellow and green, and embroidered, tie-dyed, and block printed are everyday wear, as are gold, silver and gem-encrusted jewelry.  The going is smooth in footwear called “jootis,” fashioned of embroidered camel hide, and entwined turbans in crimson, saffron, and mustard protect from the sun and dust of the desert.

Upon building his new capital, Jaipur, in the early 18^th century, the Rajput maharaja Jai Singh and his architect laid out the city in rectangular sectors with each specializing in a particular handicraft.  Jai Singh was a devoted patron of the arts and science and, in addition to commissioning the construction of magnificent palaces and the world’s largest stone-sculpted observatory, encouraged artisans to settle in Jaipur through tax incentives.

Today the bazaars and workshops of Old Jaipur remain virtually intact within its crenellated walls, providing the strolling visitor a chance to observe skilled craftsmen at work.  Need I say that the shopping is incredible, not only for textiles, apparel and jewelry, but also pottery, tiles, miniature paintings, puppets, sandalwood carving, brassware, enamelwork, and handmade paper!

Our 22-day Epic India trip this fall includes nine days in Rajasthan, including the Pink City of Jaipur, the Blue City of Jodhpur, and festivities of the Pushkar Camel Fair.  Join us, and your color palette will never be the same!

Rajasthani puppets for sale. Photo: Anna Griswold

Yes, that’s right – I wrote “throwing beans”. It’s nearly Setsubun here in Japan, the day (February 3rd to be exact) where the Japanese traditionally chase away the dark spirits and chill of winter away by flinging soybeans either out their front door or at children wearing oni (demon) masks. The head of the household is usually given the fun task of wild soybean distribution, although men who were born under the current zodiac sign can also fill in. The traditional phrase that accompanies the ritual is Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi (demons outside, good luck inside).

Celebrating Setsubun at Zojoji Temple, Tokyo

While families can – and do – enact the setsubun ritual in their own home, it is more popular these days to herald the start of the season with a temple visit, where priests or other notable personages fling packets of beans at the crowds below. In Tokyo and parts of the south, these packets nowadays are mostly peanuts, a more cost-effective choice for large crowds. It’s also not uncommon in the larger cities to spot sumo wrestlers and television personalities up on the platforms participating in the ceremony.

As with all holidays, there’s food to follow - it’s custom to eat a soybean for each year of your life (plus one for luck) and chow down on sushi rolls. Interstingly enough, however, the sushi roll must be a large (think futomaki) uncut roll and must be eaten in silence to harness the full effect of good luck.

However you choose to celebrate spring, may the warm winds of the season soon bring you a respite from winter’s harsh beauty.

Taktsang, the Tiger's Nest. Photo by Anna Griswold

Legend has it that Padmasambhava brought Buddhism to Bhutan in 746 AD via a miraculous journey on the back of a flying tigress.  Upon the site of his landing at the uppermost reaches of a 3,000-foot cliff stands Taktsang, the holiest temple for the Bhutanese and a captivating destination for visitors.

Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche (“Most Precious Teacher”), went on to vanquish spirits of the indigenous Bon religion and heal the ailing King Sindhu, who in gratitude proclaimed Buddhism the new religion of the land.   To this day, its practice permeates every aspect of Bhutanese life and Guru Rinpoche is venerated with statues and painted images throughout the country.   His deeds are celebrated and re-enacted annually in festivals known as tsechus, which last from three to five days and feature masked dances, religious allegorical plays and folk dances.  At the renowned Paro Tsechu, an immense 18^th-century thondrol (a religious picture) of Guru Rinpoche is unfurled at dawn.  The rare, once-a-year display of this 91-foot by 55-foot painting is believed to bestow blessings on its viewers for a few brief hours before it is devotedly rolled up to protect it from the sun.

Since the 1970’s, Bhutan has cautiously but increasingly opened its borders to foreigners.  Nowadays you can take the earthbound approach to Taktsang by walking a steep and breathtaking footpath through a deep pine forest.   You can share the mesmerizing spell cast by masked dancers with Bhutanese villagers who have walked days through the countryside to attend the tsechu.

Mystery and history intertwine in this country that calls itself Druk Yul, the “Land of the Thunder Dragon.”  The appellation reportedly dates from a loud peal of thunder, believed to be the voice of a dragon (“druk”), during the consecration of a new monastery in the 12^th century.   Thundering dragons, flying tigers, and spiritual teachers vested with supernatural powers:  no wonder travel in the Himalaya holds such fascination for us pragmatic Westerners!

Guru Rimpoche painted on a roadcut in Bhutan. Photo: Anna Griswold

In Vietnam, today marks the beginning of Tet, a major celebration to herald the arrival of the new lunar year. With next door neighbor China playing a huge role in Vietnamese history, it’s no surprise that these two nations share a similar holiday. Yet Tet is not merely a fascimile of China’s vaunted festival and the Vietnamese people are proud of their unique and longstanding traditions.

The Tet celebrations in Vietnam last for three boisterous days. Like their counterparts in Chinese communities, Vietnamese cut their hair, clean and occasionally paint their homes, and cook up a feast – not a broom or a pot is touched during the official days of Tet. This might not be the best time to practice your bargaining in the markets – they’re teeming with shoppers purchasing flowers, food and trinkets for the holiday.

An offering for Tet (Source: Wikipedia)

Tet begins at midnight on the last day of the last lunar month. Once welcomed with an abundance of firecrackers, a rash of deaths resulted in a government crackdown on “celebratory incendiery devices” in 1995 and Tet is now ushered in with more of a whisper. But it doesn’t do much to quell the following day’s festivities – incensing burning, gambling on the street corners, and dragon dances as the sun goes down.

Tet is a time to spend at home, as visits to one’s family abode are popular during the three days. The first visitor has the greatest significance – with luck, the honored guest is rich or prestigious … or both! His or her status conveys luck on the family for the coming year. Following this guest comes a parade of relatives and friends, capping off with visits by teachers and business associates on the third day. The living aren’t the only ones paying visits during Tet, however; families set up and decorate elaborate altars in their homes in hopes of pleasing the spirits of deceased relatives who just might pop by.

Tet can be both a frustrating and rewarding time to visit Vietnam. While the transportation infrastructure both pre and post holiday can be a nightmare, the chance to witness the unbridled unenthusiasm of a populace as the welcome their new year is unparalleled.

Missed out on Tet this year – don’t fret! Contact an Asia360 travel specialist and plan your own Custom Indochina adventure.

Photo by Anna Griswold

The Chinese New Year begins with a blank slate, in the heavens and within our hearts and homes.  Determined by the Chinese lunar calendar, it is the date of the new moon that usually falls between mid-January and mid-February of our Western Gregorian calendar.  Next Monday, January 23, ushers in the Year of the Dragon.

Preparations in China and in Chinatowns the world over are already well underway.  A thorough housecleaning sweeps away the old; new clothes and haircuts are believed to prepare for an auspicious beginning.  Traditionally, it was customary to pay off all debts before the New Year.  Red scrolls with couplets written in classical Chinese frame doorways, expressing good wishes to family and friends.  Gifts are purchased for dinner and party hosts, and children are presented with “lucky” money wrapped in red envelopes.   Fireworks blazing through the night sky frighten away evil spirits.

If you were born in 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964, 1952, 1940, 1928, or 1916, this is your year.  The dragon is one of twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac cycle believed to refer not only to year of birth, but also one’s character.  Dragons are considered to be confident and capable leaders, endowed with power from heaven.  In the past, their fierce imagery adorned imperial robes, temples and palaces.

New Year is observed in China with a four-day public holiday, but a festive spirit reigns for two weeks until the Lantern Festival on the first full moon of the year.   The luminosity of the sky is mirrored in the glow of paper and silk lanterns hung from homes and along streets, signifying universal hopes for a year of good luck and prosperity.

Asia360˚ wishes you a brilliant Year of the Dragon!  If your fortune predicts an international journey in the coming months, you will want to steer your destiny toward our EPIC China trip or another one of our adventures through the millennia of Chinese culture and history.

The little-visited Southeast Asian nation, primarily referred to as Myanmar by the military government that has run the country since 1962, looks set to receive a lot more attention in 2012. Thanks to the recent release of numerous political prisoners and overtures – however minimal or false – of democratic intention on the part of the ruling general, Western nations have softened their stance toward the former British colony. The US has promised an exchange of ambassadors for the first time in nearly a quarter century and President Obama will soon begin the dialogue with Congress on the eventual lifting of sanctions.

Photo Source: Asia360 Travel

With increased stability and democratic rumblings, tourists are sure to follow. And why not – Burma is a treasure trove of Buddhist stupas, ancient temples and crumbling monuments to colonialism.Yangon (also known as Rangoon), the former capital and largest city, beckons visitors with local markets, reclining buddhas and a laid-back atmosphere remniscent of Bangkok before its “discovery” by the jetset. There are enough diversions to keep a traveler interested for days … but what traveler would want to miss out on what’s beyond the city limits?

It’s there that Burma really begins to enthrall … from the Golden Rock Pagoda clinging precariously to a cliff’s edge to the misty waters of Inle Lake. Cruise the calm Irawaddy River in hopes of spotting the waterway’s endangered dolphins or sip high tea in the hills at the old colonial capital of Mandalay.

Wherever you choose to go in Burma, you won’t be disappointed. But go soon, before the onslaught of tourism that is sure to come. For a truly memorable journey in the “Golden Land”, join Asia360 on a Treasures of Old Burma trip.

So when I opened the January program guide for our local PBS affiliate in Salt Lake City and noted that a six-week series, Himalaya with Michael Palin, began running on Thursday evenings starting January 5^th, I knew that I had a six-week commitment.  What a winning combination for a Himalaya buff and Monty Python fan!  During the course of the series,  Palin, whom I’m sure many of you will recall as a former member of that legendary British comedy troupe, covers over 3,000 miles through Pakistan, India, Nepal, Tibet and China.

My husband and I were quite enchanted with the opening episode in Pakistan, where, among other adventures, Palin visits a dentist in Peshawar, teaches English to a group of giggling children in a remote highland school, and attends the annual polo match between Gilgit and Chitral on a tundra-like field located at 12,000’ elevation.  We’re looking forward to next week’s installment in Nepal.

This BBC production was created in 2004, so its political context is clearly dated.  But in looking up the series online, there is a wealth of geographical, historical and cultural highlights, not to mention spectacular film footage, that still makes viewing worthwhile.  Among the program locations that align with Asia360˚ destinations are Kathmandu, Everest Base Camp, the Annapurna range, Lhasa, Bhutan, and China’s Yunnan Province – Tiger Leaping Gorge, Kunming and Lijiang.

If the series is not running this winter in your PBS viewing area, check it out on Palin’s website:  www.palinstravels.co.uk.  Here you can see videos and a photo gallery, as well as read the corresponding book online.  The book and DVD set of the series can also be purchased through Amazon.  Palin has evidently made a second career out of travel reportage, as other destinations on his site include the Sahara, the North and South Poles, and Europe.

“And now for something completely different…”

Asia360˚'s own Anna Griswold near Everest Base Camp. You could be standing here too!

Boardwalks line a lazy river, encouraging joggers and those out for a stroll. The smell of steamed buns and simmering ah gei, a local tofu delicacy, waft through the neighborhood streets. And, here and there, one comes across the traces of old Spanish and Dutch constructions, vestiges of a colonial past.

Taipei is not alone in its tale of European encounter. As the Portuguese, Dutch and Spanish sailed the vast waters of the Pacific, they marked their presence in outposts stretching from Manila to Malacca. Yet much of the territory that was under European control back in the age of exploration has been thoroughly overwhelmed by the relentless march of Asian progress. Faster, higher, brighter, louder … so goes the story of most neighborhoods in nearly any Asian city. Perhaps that is why Tamsui is so special. 

Along the waterfront in Tamsui

Running parallel to the waterfront, Tamsui’s Gongming Street (also known as Old Street) is the best place to start. Lined with food stalls and eclectic shops, you could take all day to wander end to end. Don’t be afraid to try the wares – more than one hospitable tea merchant poured me a cup of his signature brew and my suitcase was heavier for the bricks of ginger powder I bought to alleviate future stomach issues.

West of the Old Street, a tiny lane lead s past the statue of Canadian missionary George Mackay to the church he inspired, a brick edifice that still caters to a thriving Presbyterian population. Mackay was credited with bringing not only Christianity to the local population, but also Western education theories and medical techniques. His legacy lives on at Alethia University, the first Western-style college in Taiwan, which happens to be just up the hill from an even older European structure, the Fort San Domingo. Whatever Spanish fortification once stood here in the mid 1600s is unclear – the fort was destroyed when the Spaniards moved out and the Dutch moved in. The real gem here, however, is not the old fort’s foundations over even the attached -and opulent - British consular residence, but the views of northwestern Taiwan from the well-placed grounds. It’s the perfect place to linger a little longer – in fact, the relaxing atmosphere of Tamsui itself might encourage you to give that last train back to central Taipei a miss and spend a bit longer in one of East Asia’s best unhurried neighborhoods.

For nearly ten years I worked full- and part-time in the adventure travel industry, with five of those years devoted specifically to itinerary development, marketing, and copy writing for tours in Asia. I was fortunate to visit Nepal, Korea, and Thailand during this time, and am still enchanted by the memory of people I met and the experiences I had on those trips.

Among these journeys, trekking through the Nepal Himalaya was certainly the highlight for me, an inveterate hiker and lover of all mountain ranges.  Along with the spectacular trails and gracious locals, I was introduced to Buddhism, which has become an important spiritual quest for me.

While I look forward to my next trip to Asia, I walk the mountain and desert trails near my home in Salt Lake City, Utah.  My daily routine

includes T’ai Chi and yoga, and I also attend classes and other events at our local Tibetan Buddhist temple.   I have become a connoisseur of good teas, a reader of Asian history and travel literature, of Eastern philosophy and spirituality, a contemplator of thankas and mandalas.

The Asia Insider blog will now feature posts twice a week, with Mandy Bartok focusing on the Far East and Southeast Asia, and my contributions covering the Himalaya, India and Mongolia.  We hope to inform, entertain, and inspire!

The Great Bell Chant (The End of Suffering) from R Smittenaar on Vimeo.