Author Archives: Frouke

(1) Nepal – The Himalayas

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the Annapurna Cirquit Nepal is the land of the Himalayas – the mountains are the primary reason for our visit to the country.
Our focus is on making a trekking; a backpack with only the most essential items, as light as possible, but with everything we need.

We start our trek, the ‘Annapurna Circuit’, in a relatively low-lying area. We walk through green rice fields, vegetable gardens, and small villages. On the other side of the river, we see the road, where work is being done on hydroelectric power plants in several places. That road also offers the opportunity to drive into the mountains by jeep, which many people with limited time do. We ascend slowly.

Above 2,000 meters, we meet more travelers. The landscape changes; no more rice fields, no more banana trees. Tibetan Buddhism becomes more visible. Prayer flags flutter in the wind; we walk past prayer wheels, mani stones, and small stupas. The villages have gateways.

The path becomes steep, and when we reach Upper Pisang, it starts to snow. It gets cold, but the wood stove is lit in the dining area. The next morning, we walk through a white, misty world. Later on, when the mist disappears, we have a beautiful view of the high mountains.

We walk to Mungji Bhraka at an altitude of 3,700 meters. The views from the dining room are breathtaking. But it’s cold (-10°C), and the small wood stove is only lit in the evening. The rooms are unheated. There is the option to climb another 1,500 meters in the next days and cross the Torung-La pass. We decided to leave that altitude and the snow to others and turn around.

The hike back makes us realize what altitude means; from snow and freezing cold, we descend about 2,000 meters in a few days to a ‘tropical’ landscape once again. We look with a different gaze; the perspective is different. Descending is really faster than climbing. And we get some help. “Taxi sir?” For part of the trek that can only be done by road, we hitch a ride in a jeep. Later, during a tropical rain shower, a tuk-tuk gives us a lift. And then the hotel room from the start awaits us again.


Besisahar, Bahundanda, Jagat, Dharepani, Chame, UpperPisang, Ngawal, Mungjji Bhraka, Dujhur Pokhari, Dharepani, Jagat, Tal, Besisahar

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(2) Nepal – Annapurna Base Camp

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From Pokhara, we head back into the mountains for the ABC trek—the Annapurna Base Camp trek. A taxi takes us to Phedi (on the foot of the mountains). There, a steep climb on stairs begins. The cuckoo seems to be flying along with us.

After a few days of walking we arrived in Landruk. We are heading for Chomrong. We descend steeply to the river. On the other side, a road muddy from the rain awaits. A car offers us a lift to the end of the road. Great. That is where the path with endless stairs to the Chomrong begins.
A nice guesthouse with ‘French fries’ on the menu. Mmm … tasty. Delicious ‘organic’ fries, freshly made with potatoes from the garden.

On the other side of the river, the trek to the Annapurna Base Camp begins. We soon have a view of the iconic mountain the Machhapuchhre or ‘the Fishtale’. Switzerland has the Matterhorn, Nepal has ‘the Fishtale’.

The trek is beautiful. But everyone who walked to the Base Camp walks back down here as well.
It is crowdy.

We are walking in a national park where there is a limit to the number of hotels, but not yet to the number of hikers. Finding a room closer to the Base Camp is becoming difficult. Guides are booking for groups, but for us, it is uncertain if we can find a room.

After a night halfway through the trek, we descend back to Chomrong. We stay there again for one night. After a thunderstorm, late in the afternoon, the air is becoming clear and we have a beautiful view of the Annapurnas and the Fishtale.

Pokhara, Phedi, Dhampus, Deurali, Lanfruk, Chomrong, Bamboo, Dovan, Chomromg

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(3) Nepal – the Mardi Himal

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From Chomrong, we hike to Ghandruk. It is a beautiful walk and there is hardly anyone around. We see some monkeys in the trees.

In Ghandruk, we meet the first Dutch people; a group of young people traveling with Sawadee. It is the last evening of their short trek, and that means a party with the guides and porters. In the evening, they dance to Dutch and Nepalese music. Not our thing.

The next morning, we set off towards the Mardi Himal. That trek is more quiet. We reach the first house just before a heavy thunderstorm and rain shower. There are four other guests. We have some nice conversations. The next day we climb further to Forest Camp and Low Camp. Trapped in the guesthouse; thunderstorms, rain, and snow again. But the next morning it is clear, and we have a beautiful view of The Fishtale. We decide to leave our backpacks in the guesthouse and hike up to High Camp early. The sun, snow, and rhododendrons make it fairytale-like.

While we are having coffee in High Camp, we see the first clouds approaching again. The path down is slippery due to the melting snow as we descend. We pick up our backpacks and continue descending to Forest Camp.

Of the various routes to descend further, we choose the route back to Phedi. It starts raining and it is a big muddy mess.
We look for a hotel, and then a car stops… ‘to Pokhara? Yes please”.
We are in the jeep with a few other people. The road requires great driving skill.

We arrive at the hotel in Pokhara a day early. Will there be a room? The manager has already seen us and comes out of the hotel to welcome us enthusiastically. Yes, he has a room.
And … in the evening we eat pizza by the fire in our favorite restaurant.

And the next day is New Year’s; 2083.


Our trek is over, but we are staying in Nepal for a little while longer.

Chomrong, Ghandruk, Landruk, Kyupchedanda, ForestCamp, LowCamp, HighCamp, Mardi Himal naar de Machhapuchhre

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(4) Nepal – the royal cities of Patan and Bhaktapur

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Patan
After a few days in Pokhara, we take a taxi to Patan, or Lalitpur, the city of beauty. It is one of the royal cities, not far from Kathmandu. The Durbar Square features a number of beautiful temples in Newari architecture. The square also provides access to the museum, the former royal palace. The old city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temples are built in the pagoda style and richly decorated with refined wood carvings. You can find a mixture of Buddhism and Hinduism in Patan.

Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur is the other royal city. Here, the New Year’s festivities are not over yet.
Groups of musicians with drums and cymbals, sometimes with flutes, walk throughout the city. The music is played loudly, and by late afternoon my ears are ringing.

But the music isn’t everything; on the first day of the new year, a large tree trunk has been erected. It has to be pulled down after a week of festivities. A grand spectacle. Another spectacle is the battle between two heavy wooden chariots, pulled along by ropes. The whole city is participating.


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The old country of Galicia

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We walked through lanes lined with ancient sweet chestnut trees.
In a small village square stands an old one. A sign tells us its age is more than 800 years. What a history that tree has been through.

We passed through small villages with old houses and tiny churches. Farmland with cows with magnificent horns.

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Buen Camino !

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The Camino is Known Worldwide

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We met a lot of people from South Korea, Taiwan and Japan. Most of them are young.
I am always amazed how well-known this Camino is worldwide.

We met a South Korean woman and shared a meal at Elly’s World Kitchen. South Korean noodle soup. She wrote “Nice to meet you” in her language in my diary, Likewise for us. Buen Camino.

People suffer from blisters or worse. The Camino isn’t always easy.
Along the way, there’s a huge statue of a pilgrim whose feet are covered with plasters.
I hope he will be better soon.

At the highest point of the route stands the iron cross – Cruz de Ferro. (1504m) It’s an icon.
One of the reasons to walk the Camino is to honor a deceased loved one. It’s customary to bring a small stone from home and leave it at the cross as a farewell. Doing so, you leave a burden behind.

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Back on the Camino Francès

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Back in Burgos, we walked through the imposing gate into the old town. And there was the cathedral. This time we also wanted to see the interior. It’s impressive. The cathedral’s foundation stone was laid in 1221 by the King of Castile. The cathedral is full of chapels, with beautiful details. Here are some impressions of it.

Burgos is a milestone for many pilgrims on the Camino. The statue of Santiago in the church demonstrates the centuries-old history of the Camino.

Feeling nostalgic, we ate again at the pizzeria where we’d said goodbye in 2022, with some people we’d met on our trip.

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Along 7 huts in the Dachstein massif

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We had not been to the Alps for a long time. We were curious how we would experience it after our trekking in Nepal. We chose the Austrian Dachstein massif. A trek along 7 huts.

We travelled by train to Salzburg, and from there by local transport to Gosau, the starting point of our hike. We started with a climb through a damp forest. The second day we walked to the Adamekhütte, situated in a spectacular location, under the large Gosaugletscher 

The walk, from there, along the Linzersteig to the Hofpurgelhütte is tough, but very special. It requires constant concentration. But it is great.

After the Hofpurgelhütte it is easier. We walk over alpine pastures where cows graze. In a farm café we drink thick Buttermilk, and the area around the Austriahutte is also green. 

The next day our goal was the Guttenberghaus. In order to avoid the first difficult climb over moraine fields we decided to take the cable car. It turns out to be very popular with day trippers to experience something of the high mountains and the glacier without any effort. The weather is clear. When we have found the start of our path, the markings of red and white paint strokes are easy to find. It is the weekend and the hut is very crowded. Most guests come from the other side, from the valley. They are there to climb on the rocks around the hut. Helmet on, ropes, hooks …

The next day, after a great breakfast, we walk to the Gjaid Alm Hutte. The ‘Alm’ in the name already indicates that this hut is located a bit lower. When we get close, we see a new Nepalese flag waving. The hut appears to be rented by a Nepalese family. In each hut you can find a kitchen-help out of Nepal; they come from Nepal to Austria after the trekking-season and in September, when they can work in Nepal as a guide again, they travel back. But an entire Nepalese family, who are running a hut …

The last day of walking was a long descent to Hallstatt; a very touristy place. After eight days in the mountains, we entered a completely different world and that took some time getting used to it.

We took the train back to Salzburg. And then back home, thinking about the difference with our trip in Nepal. And there is a difference; a trip in the Dachstein massif is much more difficult. But we could do it.

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(6) Nepal – Bhaktapur

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Bhaktapur is one of the three royal cities in Nepal.
The old city center is a Unesco world heritage site.
Before we flew back to the Netherlands we had time to visit the city.

And we were lucky; it was ‘thankgivings’ for the Hindu-communities, who brought offerings along all the holy Hindu places in the city. The colour RED is very important.
Red symbolizes passion, power, strength and purity and is important in Hinduism.
It is the color of life.

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(5) Nepal – Kathmandu

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Kathmandu is a big city, chaotic, crowded, The Thamel district is the most popular with tourists; there are countless small shops in the high narrow streets. It is colorful. There are many crafts for sale.
The air is bad because of the exhaust fumes of the enormous amount of motorbikes. Between the busy streets there are squares with temples, where traffic is not allowed.

And there are hidden gems where you can eat fantastic food.

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(4) The Tea Houses in Nepal

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A tea house is what a sleeping- and eating-place is called in the Himalayas. The tea houses themselves speak of Hotel, Guesthouse or Lodge, sometimes with names as Golden Holiday Hotel,…We slept in teahouses in Helambu, Gosainkunda and in the Langtang Valley. They are different and that is probably because some are only open in the season, for a few months. Others are inhabited all year round. They are houses with small two-person rooms. Houses where you are also cooked for. Dahl-Bath Tarkari is a well-known Nepalese dish. It consists of rice, a bowl of lentil soup, some mixed vegetables and a chipati. But noodle soup or Chow-Mein are also on the menu. For breakfast they often make porridge or they bake a pancake, omelette or Tibetan bread. Cooking is done on wood, sometimes in beautiful stone ovens.

When the sun has set, the temperature drops quickly. A central wood stove in the ‘dining room’ then provides some warmth. But even at the stove a coat is usually not superfluous. The bedrooms are unheated. And sometimes it is really cold there. Then sleeping with your clothes on and a hat is the way to stay warm. Sanitary facilities are sometimes inside, but sometimes you have to make do with a shared outside toilet.

It is primitive, but always clean and it is surprising how quickly you get used to it.

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