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Photo Samples, Asia mixed
Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, Japan, Korea (South) and Bangladesh
For decades, India has been such a magnet for
travellers that, with the exception of Nepal, the surrounding countries have been almost
forgotten. For sure, neither Pakistan, Bhutan or Bangladesh contain the enormous flood of
attractions you'll find in India, however, there are plenty of reasons to go there, to
Pakistan and Bhutan for the nature and to Bangladesh to experience "virgin"
Asian people with no souvenir sellers to obscure the experience.
Unfortunately, you'll be subject to a "virgin crowd" as well who'll be
staring at you from a one-foot distance 24/7. Regard it as charming!
As usual, all photos are © Claus Qvist
Jessen, and none of them are to be used without my permission. |
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| One of the
best places watch Hindu cremations is Pahupatinath, a few kilometers east of Kathmandu
center. Unlike Marnakarnika Ghat in Varanasi, noone asks norty questions and photos are
perfectly legal - at least if you keep discreet. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Painting
religious "thankas" is a major industry in Kathmandu, Nepal. Lots are used for
religious purposes, however, an even larger amount is bought by the tourists.
© Claus
Qvist Jessen |
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| One of many
Buddhist stupas in the center of Kathmandu. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| The top
of the largest and oldest Buddhist stupa of Kathmandu: The magnificent
Swoyambunath (Swoyambounath), perched upon top of a forest-clad hill.
Reportedly, the forested staricase to the top inspired Jimmy Page and Robert
Plant to the Led Zeppelin classic "Stairway to Heaven".
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Cooking the evening meal in the old, royal city of Bhaktapyur, Nepal.
Staying there overnight instead of doing it on a day-trip is greatly
recommended. I stayed there a full week. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| 6,700 meter
high Ama Dablam, compared to Everest quite small, but to many mountaineers "the most
beautiful mountain in the world". © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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"Everest
classic". Mid-November sunset at Everest (left), Nuptse (center) and Lhotse (back right)
from the 5,400 meter Gokyo Ri.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Local
shop; Village in the Everest region.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Up along the Thorong La Pass, the 5416 meter high top of the Annapura
Circuit, Central Nepal. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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For centuries, all goods have been transported into the Nepal Himalaya
on the back of a strong porter. Each load typically weighs in between 40
and 60 kgs, and it's carried in a sngle strap around the forehead. Both
photos from the Everest region. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Enjoying
a break and a smoke.
Porter, Everest region, Nepal. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Compared to
the highlands of nepal, the lowland "Terai" receives very few tourists. A pity
as it's actually very photogenic, as shown by this colourful woman at a village market.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Bhutan man dressed in the traditional "gho" dres. In any other country,
such a dress usually means that you have just stepped out of a bath room,
but in Bhutan, the traditional dress is compulsory for public servants. Phuentsholing, Bhutan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Bringing the
fire-wood; Phuentsholing, Bhutan. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| A statue of
Mahakala, the protector of the Avolekiteswara, "the Buddha of infinite compassion";
Phuentsholing, Bhutan. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| The great
Jame mashid, friday Mosque, of Lahore, Pakistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Muslim reading the Quran
in the Wazir Khan Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan. Dating from 1857 and even
UNESCO-listed, this
mosque is famous for its extensive faience tile work. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Local food
stall;
Lahore, Pakistan. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Spice
vendor; Peshawar, Pakistan.
Most of the people in Peshawar are Afghans, and the town certainly has a
much more conservative feeling than elsewhere in the country. Women are
completely absent from the market. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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A
couple of
friendly chai pushers; Peshawar, NWFP, Pakistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| In the narrow
streets of old Peshawar (Pakistan), tea (chai) is served by young boys running from the
shops to the clients with their spicy drinks. Delicious! © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Darra Adam
Khel, 50 kms south of Peshawar, North West Frontier Province( NWFP), Pakistan, has got two
"industries". The one is home-made weapons, while the other is hashis. In dozens
of small shops, any type of gun is copied and sold to the Mujahedeen and Taliban of
Afghanistan. Even tourists may "test" some of the stuff. You just pay for the
ammunition. Just don't try to carry anything out of the town. The Pakistani government do
make control checks, and penalties are harsh. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Danish tourist (me!) in a sharwal kameez camouflage doing a test
shooting of a genuine sharp-loaded, Russian Kalashnikov. The weapon is
not made in Darra but was taken from the Russians during the Afghan war.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| The second
industry of NWFP is hashis, which is sold quite openly. Looking closer, you may even
discover stalls selling opium, although noone really like you to photograph that part of
the business. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Camping at Fairy Meadows with the shady Raikot Glacier right behind and
the 8,126 metre Nanga Parbat towering in the background. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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The fantastic Raikot Glacier, coming from Nanga Parbat and leading all
the way to the Indus River. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Shy kids from a local village, close to Nanga Parbat Base Camp, Northern
Pakistan. Very likely, I was one of the first white men they'd ever seen,
however, bringing along a harmonica sure helps communication. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Curious locals investigating my tent in a small village in the Raikot Region, Northern Pakistan.
The mountain in the back (right) is Nanga Parba, 8,126 metres, the
westernmost mountain of Himalaya. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Nomad herders from the Nanga Parbat region in Northern Pakistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Wobbly
bridge. Passu, Northern Pakistan. Below, the Hunza River flows grey and
silty. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Tajik woman crossing an equally wobbly
bridge. Passu, Northern Pakistan. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Baltistani porter using my Swiss Army Knife to clean his teeth. Baltistan
is in the middle of the disputed area in between Pakistan and India, and
curiously, the locals don't really care if they are on either side of
the border. When asked, the claim that they are Baltistani. Hushe Camp,
North-Eastern Pakistan. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Elderly
shepherd from Ultar Valley, Hunza Region, Northern Pakistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| As
Japanese as it gets: A plate of Sushi
from downtown Tokyo. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Traditional cemetary; Tokyo, Japan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Shinto
monk drumming during his prayers; central Tokyo, Japan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Huge Buddha from the Tongdosa Monastery; South-Western South Korea.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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The Koreans (and the Japanese) love sea-food, here shown at a morning
market in Busan, South Korea. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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South Koreans are almost
panically aware of their glorious past, and frequently, passion plays show
historical episodes. Exactly what this actor from Gongju is showing is
hard to tell. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Filling
the stomach at a communal
eating place, somewhere in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Muslim
Bangladeshi women normaly wear a pair of bracelets made by conch shells. Curiously, they
are all made of Hindus, and very appropriately Hindu Street of Dhaka is the place to go if
you want to buy a pair. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Merchant
ships, though looking very much like pirates ships; Barisal, south-east Bangladesh.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Dressed to
kill. A 10-year-old Bangladeshi girl from Chittagong has just gone through a ceremony
celebrating her growing from a child into an adult. Only the closest family was invited -
650 people!
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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