asia

Holy Humanity, Nepal

If Bali is the love, Nepal is the soul. Although Nepal is mostly known for the Himalayas, and as the staging area for climbing Mt. Everest, it is also a place of wonderful cultural and religious traditions, hiking, and many kinds of folk art. I was in Nepal 15 years ago with my extraordinary doctor friend, Karen Sokal Gutierrez, to help with a project that, for practically no money, eliminates pain and malnutrition in children. I wasn’t very helpful to Karen and her project, but I had a wonderful experience and I’m back to re-discover a little of this remarkable country.

Here’s Karen in Nepal.
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Konnichiwa Again, Japan

On Friday, I left magical Japan after three weeks there with my sister, Laura.  I’ve written a lot about Japan during previous visits, and this trip was re-visiting a lot of what I loved. https://kimmie53.com/category/japan/  So I decided to write a single post with a few captioned photos. Like a lazy writer writing for lazy readers. Good for everyone.

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North Korea: What to Know Before You Go

North Korea’s Supreme Leader, Kim Jong Un. Photo by NBC News

I know, I know, you’re not going to North Korea! But maybe you are interested in a little about my experience there in April 2012. It was the week of Kim Jung Un’s investiture as Supreme Leader, with celebrations and military parades. It was an incredible learning experience and, as usual, there is more to the story than we get from politicians and mainstream media.

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The Other Kind of Riches in Bukhara and Khiva

After a few days in Samarkand, we left for Bukhara. Like Samarkand, Bukhara is full of ancient Arabic architecture and was an important stop on the Silk Road. Today, it’s also an important cultural center, which !ding ding ding! means traditional folk art. Thanks to our delightful tour guide, Zafar, we’ve seen a lot of it and some is surprising

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We’re All Millionaires in Uzbekistan

The Shakhi Zinda Mausoleum in Samarkand

We’re in Uzbekistan and it’s true that we are all millionaires here! That’s because a million Uzbekistan som equals about $80 US. For newcomers, doing the numbers can be tough when you are going through a wad of bills to pay for your $9 lunch. It’s a lot of zeros!

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Doha, Qatar

Doha’s diverse skyline

We’re in Doha, the capital of Qatar! In some ways, Doha is like Dubai — a flashy skyline along the waterfront, hot and humid, men in white, women in black (also tank tops and shorts). But Doha feels different, more openly connected to its Bedouin roots than Dubai. There are camels in the center of the city!

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