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Tag Archives: Nepal

My.Daily.Distraction ~ Post Ninety-Four: Tibet’s Greatest Threat

24 Saturday Jan 2015

Posted by duckykoren in Archaeology, Business, Culture, environment, Geography, History, Industry, Mining, Tibet, Trains, Transportation, Travel

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afraid, archaeology, Archaologists, assimilate, assimilation, China, Copper, Culture, Environment, evil, lead, Mining, money, Nepal, pay-dirt, People, Railways, Route, Tibet, Tourism, Trains, Transportation, Travel, Treasure, Xinhua, zinc

I have always loved the sound of the trains as they go by. Indeed, how many times have they lulled me to sleep.

However, I fear that the sound of the Chinese Qingzang Railway will be the death knell of the Tibetan people and it’s culture.

This train will successfully bring approximately fifteen million people to the remote ancient capital of Llasa.

It is becoming more and more obvious that the upcoming tourist onslaught will do the Nepalese and their culture irreparable harm.

Having done some research, I have come up with some information that I’d like to share.

At first glance, this super-train might look like a good idea on several different levels, however there are points that need to be considered.

I fear that in less than one hundred years the Nepalese will have totally succumbed to Chinese rule and that there will be no more living culture and continuing history.

We will indeed have lost a pearl of great price.

The Chinese take this new railway very seriously. Why else would they have invested 4 billion dollars to see it to it’s fruition?

They claim that tourism will double.

This obviously is not a good thing for Tibet. The impact of this enormous surge in the tourist industry will no doubt threaten the fragile Tibetan environment. Up until now, Tibet has remained effectively independent in spite of the invasion by the communist Chinese in 1950.

We are about to once again witness the the truth of the saying, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” The Tibetan culture does not need money to survive. Rather, it needs global respect and above all, independence from China.

China’s official news agency Xinhua announced that a treasure trove of copper, iron, lead and zinc have been found by Chinese government archeologists along the route of the railway. They have hit pay-dirt which includes twenty million tons of copper, the second largest ever found in China and Tibet, alongside of ten million tons of lead and zinc.

So, there you have it.

If you are one who weighs everything by gain, then no doubt, this train and all that it stands for is right up your alley.

For those who are opposed to the cultural genocide of the Tibetan people and it’s culture we know that the global deck has been stacked against them and that the cards have been dealt.

There is no consolation in knowing that I am not alone in fearing the worst. Yes, governments will lament the passing of Tibet as the Chinese government assimilates all that this culture holds dear.

I am afraid for Tibet.

Very afraid.

My.Daily.Distraction ~ Post 10: Everest Envy

11 Tuesday Nov 2014

Posted by duckykoren in Mount Everest, Music, Nature, Nepal, Travel

≈ 2 Comments

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BaseCamp, Breakfast, CD Player, CDs, Chomolangma, Envy, Everest, Green Tea, Mount Everest, Nepal, Quest, Shania Twain, Sherpas, Washcloth

It was about twenty years ago that Mount Everest captured my imagination.

After having watched all that I can watch, and reading all that I could read about the world’s highest summit, I became and remain completely enamoured with her.

Reality long ago dictated to me that I would never climb her, but I have a quest that one day I will at least see Chomolangma for myself.

Imagine then, my pleasant surprise when I learned that my friend and coworker, Brian had just returned from a five week holiday to Nepal.

“Please tell me that you saw Everest.” I said to him after welcoming him back.

“Not only did I see Everest, I stayed at base camp.” he proudly told me.

Being instantly smitten with joy at his achievement I also turned a tad shade greener with envy. My next question was inevitable.

“What was it like?”

He then related the long trek that he and others of his team had made. Describing the beauty, the people, and the cold, he made it sound both fascinating and frightening.

Then, I moved on to my next question…

“Tell me…. what did they eat for breakfast on Mount Everest?”

“At about five in the morning,” he began, “the sherpas came to the tent and offered us a hot towel. That was our shower. Then they gave us a cup of tea. That was our breakfast.”

I could picture it all too easily. In a heartbeat I would pass up the most lavish breakfast imaginable in favour of what he had just described to me.

Then came my final question…

“What music did you take to Everest with you?”

Upon hearing my question, he shot me a very pained and sheepish look. I instantly knew that I would not be impressed by his answer.

“Oh Doris,” he began, suddenly looking and sounding very sorry for himself…

“I really don’t want to tell you.”

“Yes, I want to know…. tell me…”

“Well,” he began, “I forgot all my CD’s at home, and the only one I had was the one that was left inside the player.”

“Brian,” I continued to prod, determined to find out what music he played at base camp. Fixing my eyes onto his, I asked once again…

“What music did you take?”

After a deep breath and a heavy sigh he blurted out his sad reply…

“It was Shania Twain.”

I let out a horrible gasp.

“Shania Twain, …“HOW COULD YOU???”

Now, don’t get me wrong. I like Shania Twain. In fact, I can sing along to just about all of her songs. It’s just that when I think about what music I would choose to take up to the roof top of the world, I think majesty and grandeur. Take Beethoven’s 9th, or Cosi Fan Tutte by Mozart, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong. However, listening to Shania’s “That Don’t Impress Me Much” on Everest seems so wrong on so many different levels.

Upon hearing Brian’s sad confession, I could hear myself go off on a rant which I no longer remember. However, within a few moments Brian was able to talk me down.

“I know, I know” he repeated in soothing low tones.

Then, he went on to say…

“Everyone that I was traveling with really hated it.”

However, having said that, my friend Brian’s face then lit up with such a mischievous gleam, the likes of which I had never seen on him before.

Then leaning in just inches away from my face he proudly and triumphantly said to me…

“But you know, …. the sherpas REALLY loved her!”

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