These hand-painted Buddhist wall hangings are never signed. The identity of the painter is not important: it is an act of reverence and meditation. This is the thangka I brought back from Bhutan: Padmasambhava seated on lotus blossoms. Shown here
Travel Tales of Bhutan: the Flying Tiger
Bhutan has tigers in its southern jungle. You might even see one if you visit a wildlife park there, but this tiger is legendary. The great 8th century Guru, Padmasambhava, is said to have brought Tantric Buddhism to Bhutan, travelling
Himalayan Faces
A face to remember: the north-east face of Chomolungma (Mount Everest) – the Tibetan side, a photograph I took from the East Rongbuk Glacier. But the faces I have in mind are those of people. These are my companions on
Montserrat
Pinnacle of spiritual aspirations and battle ground of cultural identity: Montserrat is a story of religion, politics, war, arts and letters – the lifeblood of Catalunya. Long before powerful men felt entitled to own mountains, perhaps 5,000 years ago, hunters
Travel Tales of Mogpog 3: Behind the Mask
What lies behind the masks of Mogpog? It was me behind this one; carved for me to wear as a penance during Moryonan – the Easter week re-enactment of the Longinus legend. If you have been following these tales, you