Innholdsfortegnelse for Passport 2016 i ASIAN Geographic

PART 1 June DUNHUANG, CHINA In June 2017, journey to Dunhuang in China, located to the west of the Hexi Corridor, a major stop on the Silk Road best known for the nearby Mogao Caves, before venturing along this iconic route with our experienced expeditions team. PART 2 September SAMARKAND & BUKHARA,UZBEKISTAN In September 2017, explore Samarkand and Bukhara in untouched Uzbekistan. A crossroad of cultures and a centre for Islamic scholarly study, Samarkand boasts a history going back hundreds of years. Bukhara, a World Heritage Site, has over 140 architectural monuments waiting to be explored. PART 3 December FATEHPUR SIKRI, INDIA In December 2017, discover Fatehpur Sikri in Uttar Pradesh, India. Once the capital of the Mughal Empire, it is home to one of the…

1180– 1377 Due to the constant threat of enemy invasions in the Sukhothai era, all males learned the art of Muay Thai. This included members of the royal family. Monks taught Muay Thai at village temples. 1584 Under King Naresuan in the Ayuddhaya period, there was the first great upsurge of interest in Muay Thai as a sport; new fighting techniques evolved. Muay Thai moved away from the early combatant roots found in the warfare manual known as the Chupasart. 1180– 1377 King Prachao Sua, known as ‘the Tiger King’ was instrumental in popularising Muay Thai as he often fought incognito in village contests, beating local champions. 1774 While a prisoner of war in Burma, Nai Khanom Dtom single-handedly defeated ten of Burma’s best boxers, which in turn granted him…

 It’s 4:30 in the afternoon. The merciless sun above Haryana starts to sink towards the mirage-like blur of the horizon. The unbearable heat begins to give in, and life slowly crawls back out of its lethargy into the chaotic streets of this state in northwest India. Some wrestlers reportedly do around 3,000 push-ups everyday to build muscle This is the time that a group of local wrestlers have been eagerly waiting for. They travel by motorcycle or auto rickshaw – the three-wheeler used as a taxi – to an isolated building in the middle of a road about 70 kilometres from the national capital, Delhi. They enter the simple akhara – the fighting arena where they will wrestle one another in the same way that their ancestors had done before…

Mountains – the earthly points closest to the sky gods – have been holy places since ancient times, and one of the tallest of those peaks still holds us entralled. At 6,638 metres, Mount Kailash, or Gangs Rinpoche (‘precious jewel of snows’), is a sacred site for four different religions: Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Bon. Hindus believe Lord Shiva resides at the mountain’s summit; for Jains, the neighbouring mountain, Ashtapada, is where the first sage attained nirvana. Mount Kailash has both spiritual and historical significance for Buddhists – it is the home of the Buddha, representing supreme bliss, and it was also visited by the tantric Buddhist teacher Guru Rinpoche. Followers of Bon consider the mountain to be the source of all spiritual power. In spite of its understandable allure…

When Inge (Eberhard) Sargent decided to study in America, she never imagined how that decision would change her life. The Austrian woman had won a scholarship to a women’s college in Colorado. It was 1952, soon after WWII, and the thought of seeing a new place was thrilling. At an international student party in Colorado, she met a handsome young man named Sao Kya Seng. She didn’t know it then, but Sao Kya Seng was a prince from the Shan State of Burma. Determined to help bring progress to his region, he had decided to study engineering in Colorado. Only the university president knew who Sao Kya Seng really was, because he wanted to live a normal student life. The couple soon fell in love, taking romantic walks along the…

What better way to fly than in luxury? Snuggle into the plush seats of Air India’s new B787 Dreamliner aircraft and enjoy aviation benchmarks in quality, entertainment and service. Air India’s new flagship carrier carries up to 256 passengers on board, boasting spacious aisles and ample legroom. Passengers are able to conveniently select their meals from a wide assortment of meal sets – up to 22 options, to be exact. Catering to the most specific food requirements, Air India invites you to tuck into a customer-centric dining experience with a difference. With a personal entertainment TV screen allocated to every passenger and an impressive selection of in-flight entertainment options, you can unwind with the latest blockbusters or the timeless classics in film. Rest your eyes with a wide selection of…

ASIAN Geographic Expeditions will partner with XA Travel Group, which offers tailor-made journeys off the beaten track in Asia. Started by Michael Lee, a passionate photographer with a deep-seated appreciation of foreign cultures. XA Travel’s philosophy is to provide authentic experiences for adventurous, like-minded people. Michael, who is also a photography instructor for Leica Akademie, has travelled and documented the Silk Road, and will be one of the consultants for ASIAN Geographic’s Silk Road Expeditions in 2017.…

01 CHINA West of the Yellow River (Hexi ›› ) is the Hexi Corridor, the passage into China from Central Asia. This is a renowned section of the Silk Road that encompasses the Gobi Desert. At the centre of the corridor is Zhangye ( ›› ), which is in an area of rainbow-coloured rock formations. Marco Polo, together with his father and uncle, spent a year here at Campichu in the state of Tangut ( › › ), which has been identified today as Zhangye. Marco Polo would have seen this rainbow-hued passage. 02 MONGOLIA Horse breeding in Eastern Mongolia. The Mongol Empire was established on horseback. The rise and fall of the empire was dramatic. The Mongols are back to where they began and their horse breeding traditions continue.…

Shinto origins Shinto is ‘the way of the gods’ and, just as it is for many mortals, sumo wrestling is a favourite pasttime. For nearly 2,000 years, sumo wrestlers have performed their martial art, first in intimate shrines, and then in stadiums before thousands of spectators. At least as early as the 3rd century AD, the wrestlers would perform complex rituals to purify both their body and their spirit, and then fight for the entertainment of the gods during the matsuri (religious festivals). It was a sacred act of ritual, not a sport. But what begins in the temple often spreads to the court. The rulers of Japan felt that they, too, should be able to enjoy the spectacle: it was surely wasted on the Shinto gods. Legend has it…

5000 years ago Some claim that kushti was born as malla-yuddha before the Indo-Aryan invasion, but there is no evidence to support an exact date. There are very few records on the origins of this sport . 5th century BC Malla-yuddha evolves and is standardised across South Asia. 8th– 16th century AD Kushti is influenced by elements of Mongolian wrestling. In the 16th century, the creation of the Mughal Empire merges practices from Persian wrestling to produce modern kushti, where biting, punching and kicking are not allowed. 17th– 18th centuries Kushti enters its golden era, with wrestlers revered across the subcontinent and tournaments attracting crowds and powerful people. By the late 18th century, the colonisation of India brings about a decline of traditional kushti, which colonial parties see as a…

Togakushi, Japan There is a Japan beyond the hectic city life of Tokyo, the technology, and the stereotypes of geishas and men in suits. We often speak of looking at the bigger picture, and rightly so. In Japan, this means venturing beyond the comforts of the cities, exploring the rural hinterland, and having the luxury of time to do so. I found Takuya in the labyrinth that is Tokyo Station. Once you’ve been swallowed up inside this gargantuan maze, you have no idea whether it is night or day. A guide at Walk Japan, Takuya, too, is far from at home in this epicentre of urban chaos, and so he spends the winter months out in the mountains, sharing the quieter parts of his homeland with guests. From January to…

Myanmar dominated global headlines in 2012 for all the right reasons. The National League for Democracy swept the country’s by-election, the world’s most famous former house arrestee, Aung San Suu Kyi, was elected to Parliament, and international sanctions were lifted. The country was on track to morph from recluse to world player by the year’s end. But old habits die hard. That year, I tried to obtain a tourist visa to Myanmar. The man behind the counter at the Burmese embassy perused my application, saw the words ‘Occupation: Writer’ and promptly tore it in two. He passed me a new application and whispered, “this time, you are a housewife”. Permission granted. The rules were in flux. The old way of doing things was ending, and a new script had yet…

With over 20 years’ experience of sailing the high seas, Silversea Cruises has had countless guests from aboard their luxurious cruise liners. Silversea Cruises invites you to sail back in time to explore the enigmatic wonders of the world’s history and cultures. Experience the East and beyond from the ocean. Curating a unique brand of cruises and expeditions, Silversea Cruises have a fleet of six classic ships and three expedition ships that sail to worldwide destinations all-year round. The different classes of suites on offer cater to every type of guest, so whether you’re kicking back in the Vista Terrace, Silver or Royal Suite, be prepared to experience comfort and elegance in the experience of a lifetime. Spending days at sea would, ordinarily, seem too idle. Trade the idle for…

Journey to Singapore’s Hotel Clover Chinatown swimming pool on the rooftop terrace. Soak up the sunset with a view of the city skyline, and cap this off with a signature cocktail before migrating back to the Singapore River to enjoy the vibrant nightlife. If at a loss on what to do and see during your time in the little red dot, tours can be arranged by the hotel’s attentive, city-savvy staff. If on business, rest assured that all rooms are equipped with complimentary high speed wireless internet, a laptop safe, and free local calls to make your stay in Singapore seamless and hassle-free. A second flagship property, Hotel Clover 7 is also ideally situated in Chinatown with easy access to the city and major attractions – but it has an…

 Muay Thai, otherwise known as ‘The Art of Eight Limbs’, is Thailand’s form of boxing that makes lethal use of eight contact points of the body, including the hands, shins, forearms, knees and feet. It has become one of the primary reasons for martial arts devotees to visit the country – from the serious practitioner training for the next fight, to the casual tourist looking for a little physical conditioning between days on the beach. The popularity of the sport has grown so rapidly that local economies have been founded – and are thriving on – Muay Thai’s new in vogue status, making it a booming, year-round highlight of Thai tourism. This brand has been successfully packaged and exported for worldwide consumption. [Muay Thai] makes lethal use of eight contact…

258–858 Between 250-552, sumo bouts were performed at Shinto shrines to entertain the gods during festivals. 710-794 saw the first recorded accounts of sumo bouts at the imperial court. According to legend, in 858, the Emperor Seiwa secured his throne after winning a sumo bout. 1185–1684 Between 1185-1333, sumo was used to train samurai warriors and to settle disputes. In 1684, the first professional sumo tournament was held at the Tomioka Hachiman Shrine in Tokyo. 1761–1884 1761 saw the introduction of the banzuke, the written rankings for sumo wrestlers. In 1853, sumo wrestlers performed for Commodore Matthew Perry, one of the first foreigners to witness the sport. The Meiji Emperor visited a sumo match in 1884, raising its status to a national sport. 1909– 1949 In 1909, construction of the…

 For centuries, indigenous tattooists working across Asia have marked human skin with powerful designs and symbols in their quest to signal ethnic identity and render the body sacred. Carried through life and onwards into death, these marks of humanity testify to an ancestral legacy that is in danger of gradually fading away. Men who had participated in combat and who had taken a human life were entitled to unique tattoos The Marks of the Warrior It’s early April on the India-Myanmar border and the Konyak Aoling festival is in full swing. Here in the village of Longwa, volleys of musket fire explode – pop, pop, pop – and clouds of heavy smoke interrupt the blue sky. Throngs of plumed, tattooed, and traditionally-garbed Konyak warriors jump, chant, and re-enact their former…

The sun peaked over the horizon, and in a matter of minutes, the darkness which had cloaked me for hours vanished, replaced with a warm, orange glow. Though a good sized crowd was gathered at the summit, you could have heard a pin drop, such was the silent reverence. You can climb Adam’s Peak in daylight hours, and many people do, but pilgrims typically prefer to walk through the last hours of the night to catch the sunrise at the top. The theme of darkness overcome by light is recurrent in many faiths, and here it seems particularly appropriate as Muslims and Christians, Buddhists and Hindus all journey to the mountain to pray. Visitors of no faith come too, but the experience seems particularly poignant for believers. For the followers…

One of the longest footpaths in Europe winds its way some 500 kilometres from Antalya to Lake Egirdir. This is said to be the route which St. Paul the Apostle took when he came to Anatolia as a Christian missionary in the 1st century AD; it shadows Roman roads and ancient trading routes much of the way. The St. Paul Trail has been developed by the Culture Routes Society, and it is designed to be completed in 27 days, although many walkers decide to undertake a shorter section of the route. Starting at sea level, you climb steadily to 2,200 metres through shady forests and open farmlands. In places, it seems as though the landscapes are unchanged since the time of St. Paul, although the villages are undoubtedly now more…

January –February JANUARY 05 The Ice and Snow Festival Harbin, China The Ice and Snow Festival features a collection of ice artwork. Ice lanterns have their origins in the Qing Dynasty, when farmers and fishermen would make ice lanterns to illuminate the dark winter months. The festival began with Harbin's traditional ice lantern show and garden party in 1963. The show was stalled during the Cultural Revolution, but resumed in 1985. JANUARY 07 The Camel Festival Bikaner, India In Rajasthan, the Bikaner Camel Festival is dedicated to showcasing these tough creatures, which work as domestic animals in harsh desert conditions. This two-day affair features events such as camel races, a camel parade, and other cultural performances which culminate in a noisy, lively atmosphere. A visit to this festival would be…

When India is mentioned, what springs to mind? The Ganges River? The Badrinath Temple? More often than not, it is the Taj Mahal. As visually spellbinding as these attractions are, many tourists barely scratch the surface when it comes to exploring the mesmerising marvels of India. India has even more to offer than these iconic mainstays of mainstream tourism guidebooks. Formidable in its vastness, and impressive in its diversity, India invites you to explore the legendary stories that await the curious listener. India caters to the interests of all kinds of visitors, from history buffs to cultural explorers, wowing photography enthusiasts with breathtaking sceneries, sweeping mountainous vistas and remarkable collections of historical relics. The capital, Delhi, is a great convergence of old and new – the historical, and the cosmpolitan.…