BLOG POST FOR THE YEAR

BLOG POST FOR THE YEAR

Tallest Building of the World - Burj Khalifa

I used to make a blog post whenever I took a trip, which was not too often, but this time it’s been a year since my last post, and within that year, my family and I have made a few trips. The last post I made was after our trip to Spain. Since then, we’ve visited Dubai, Kathmandu (by myself, in October, when I saw my extended family), Cancun with my three daughters along with my older daughter’s family, Chicago, and most recently, the Dominican Republic this past April. 

In Dubai, where we went between Christmas and New Year, Radhika’s niece Roshni came to pick us at the airport and took us to our hotel. While I was there, I learned about the huge amount of gold sitting in Dubai, and that gold toilet seats are not uncommon, although our hotel did not have any gold bathroom fixtures. Through Manchhiring Tamang’s recommendation we were greeted by the leaders of the Tamang Samaj U.A.E., Mahesh Moktan, Ram Moktan and Jeetendra Tamang and others who entertained us and treated us all wonderfully. We did lots of sightseeing which included the world’s tallest building, the world’s largest shopping mall, and also did camel riding (I thought we’d go on a little journey riding the camel, but all they did was take us in a big circle). Radhika had difficulty climbing onto the camel, but when she did she saw many wounds in the camel’s neck inflicted by its owners, and she felt very sorry for the animals. We also visited the Miracle Garden, an extravaganza of flowers and design, where a whole retired airplane sits beautifully covered in flowers.

A Golden Car Display at the World's Largest Shopping Mall in Dubai.

One night after dinner we took a boat ride to look at all the glittering lights with some of Radhika’s friends she knew from Nepal. I used to think that New York City had the most beautiful sky scrapers, but after visiting Dubai and looking at the buildings there, New York’s skyline looks like child’s play. Dubai is also extremely clean, with very strict rules about cleanliness. If somebody litters, they get a big fine. Most people seem to obey the rules because so many of them are foreigners, and if they don’t obey the rules they can be fined and deported. So everybody is very conscious of putting trash in the proper trash can. Last year I noticed that Barcelona was trash-less, and I wrote about that. This year I can add Dubai in that list too, at least within the city. We didn’t venture outside the city to see where the workers live, but it is a well-known fact that the huge numbers of laborers are not enjoying the famous luxuries everyone sees in pictures. We saw Nepalese workers everywhere in Dubai, along with lots of others from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Philippines and elsewhere. 

Dinner with Mr. Mahesh Moktan, Mr. Ram Moktan and Mr. Jeetendra Tamang of Tamang Samaj U.A.E. 

Dubai has completely reinvented itself in a relatively short span of time—in which it went from being a little sliver of a country with a small population, goats, and its old national trades of date-growing and pearl diving—to one of the richest countries, thanks to its rich resources of oil. It has the world’s number one seven star hotel Burj Al Arab built on the sea and it has large enough roof to facilitate a tennis court and a Helipad. It is home to the tallest 163 stories skyscraper in the world Burj Khalifa which brings in thousands of visitors and dollars everyday year round and the “largest shopping mall in the world.” Yet, Dubai has no natural drinking water of its own, the water is imported or obtained from desalination. At the same time, while they have no snow, they have year-round ice skating rinks. They also have very strict, and frankly quite absurd rules, such as holding hands or kissing in public can be punishable, and alcohol is forbidden. But of course, anything and everything is allowed for the rich people and people with power, including all the alcohol they want. All in all, Dubai is the city of beautiful buildings which functions as architectural fanfare during the day time and magnificent light show during the night. 

World’s number one seven star hotel Burj Al Arab at night. 

I may praise the tall buildings in Dubai, but here in New York I don’t like the highrises recently popping up all over Long Island City and Roosevelt Island on the South side of the Queens Bridge. When I cross the bridge looking south, I used to see a far distance all the way to the Williamsburg Bridge, but now there are tall buildings sitting in the middle of the river blocking amazing views. I have nothing against the economic growth in general, but these buildings just seem to do nothing but block the view from every direction.

One of the reasons I went to Kathmandu was for the elections of the NRA (Non Resident Nepalese in America) that were taking place on October 2017, I took the opportunity to visit my village to spend time with my extended family while I was there, and I also made a trip to an ancient pilgrimage called Namo Buddha, one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in Nepal. I stayed in Butsugen Hotel right near the Boudha Stupa. One day I went hiking with TSA’s former president Bharat Moktan and famous singers Prem Lopchan and Roj Moktan to Sundarijal, a famous waterfall on a mountain, with a name that translates to Beautiful Holy Water. At the entrance to the trek where we bought the tickets, they had big signs telling people to not litter on the mountain and to bring back any water bottles and snack wrappings with them to throw away in receptacles. I was shocked and disgusted by what I saw on the mountain trail. It was so littered as if people went up to the falls just to throw away trash. I made a video that day which is on Youtube now, to let the government know what I felt about it. I made a few suggestions on how to possibly enforce the rules that are scoffed at. But will anyone listen to me, one person? 

The Dominican Republic was no different. There was litter everywhere. One of the fun things we did on our visit there was take a boat to the little Soana island near Punta Cana where the movie Pirates of Caribbean was shot. It was a booze cruise, where you could have as much rum as you wanted for no extra charge, and at a certain spot the water was so clear we all jumped off the boat and into the water. But I kept noticing lots of trash which took away a lot of the pleasure. The trash problem is no different here in New York. I’ve mentioned the importance of reducing and eliminating street trash to our local politicians, as it seems to me that clean streets should be at least as important as high-rise developments. I think there should be strict rules about trash and it should be strictly enforced, with a fine given to anyone who litters. People who are aware that they will pay fine if they litter are less likely litter, and improvement will start from within each person. 

Soana island, Dominican Republic.

Meanwhile back in the old USA, Donald Trump (whose name I just cannot utter attached with the word that starts with a “P” for the highest office) seems to be keeping himself busy just with hiring and firing people as he wishes. Now he’s giving himself entire credit for the Singapore Summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that is to be held in few hours (June 11th). The meeting had many ups and downs. Trump cancelled the meeting one time but it was resumed. Many critics believe that Trump is not prepared or is not the right person to be negotiating with one of the nuclear powers. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9PM ET and I can imagine them sitting together in a bubble bath playing with matching rubber duckies. Donald Trump and Donald Duck! The absurdity of it all is something hard to get over, but there is still wishful thinking and hope they come up with a fruitful resolution of peace and harmony. 

I am looking forward to the summer and whatever it might bring. I want to wish everyone, all my family, friends and well-wishers, a happy summer, too, and one with good health, and hopefully a bit of joy as well. 

-Indra Tamang

06/11/2018

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