The Road Less Traveled

By Dr. Diana Prince

The Road Less Traveled is a book about rarely seen, exotic places. Experience the mysterious Old Shanghai side by side with the skyscrapers of the new city. Visit the legendary Skeleton Coast of Namibia, which has been a graveyard of ships for over a thousand years.

Experience the tranquil beauty of the Ganges River in India and the exotic deserts of the Gobi and the Sahara. Encounter the real Shangri-La existing today in a remote part of China. Enjoy the journey!

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 8, 2017
• ISBN: 9781546202905

Dr. Diana Prince

Dr. Diana Prince has a Master’s Degree in English and a Master’s Degree in Philosophy from California State University at San Diego. She has a PhD in Psychology from United States International University.

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© 2017 Dr. Diana Prince. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 08/07/2017

ISBN: 978-1-5462-0291-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-0292-9 (hc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017912085

All photos taken by and property of the author with the exception of:

GETTY PHOTOS on Cover and pgs. 11, 19, 27, 35, 36, 47 and 65

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CONTENTS

1 Bangkok

2 Shanghai

3 Kathmandu

4 The Skeleton Coast

5 The Ganges River

6 The Gobi Desert

7 Crossing to Tangier

8 The Sahara

9 Abu Simbel

10 Casablanca

11 Rajasthan

12 Shangri-La

13 The Temples of Lhasa

14 Angkor Wat

LIST OF PHOTOS

Bangkok (Thailand)

Buddha Statues in Temple

Intricate Architecture in Temple Wall

Holy Shrine at Bangkok

Shanghai (China)

School Children in Shanghai

Bicycling in Old Shanghai

Shanghai Evening Skyline from Huangpu River

Kathmandu (Nepal)

Swayambhunath Hindu Stupa at Kathmandu

Worshippers Pay Homage at Kathmandu Shrine

Holy Man at Kathmandu Shrine

The Skeleton Coast (Namibia)

Aerial View of Skeleton Coast in Namibia, Africa

Harbor near Swakopmund, Namibia

The Rocky Skeleton Coast Shoreline

The Ganges (India)

Early Morning Rituals at Varanasi on the Ganges

Holy Man at Festival at Varanasi on the Ganges

Woman Standing in the Ganges River

Part of Camel Herd in the Gobi Desert

The Gobi Desert (Mongolia)

Mongolian Nomad in Native Dress

Inside hut called a ger in the Mongolian Desert

Crossing to Tangier (Spain and Morocco)

Cave of Hercules at Cap Spartel near Tangier, Morocco

Aerial View of the Rock of Gibraltar

Narrow passageway in Tangier

The Sahara Desert

Nomad Leading Camel in the Sahara Desert

Windswept Dunes of the Sahara Desert

Young Child in Family Tent in the Sahara Desert

Bedouin Woman Drawing Water at Desert Well in the Sahara

Bedouin Man in Tent in the Sahara

Camel Caravan Crossing the Desert

Abu Simbel (Egypt)

Colossal Statue of Ramses II at Abu Simbel

Casablanca (Morocco)

Ancient Walls Tower above Casablanca Coast

View of Atlantic from Casablanca

Restaurant with Sweeping View of Bay

Rajasthan (India)

Royal Elephants in Courtyard of Amber Fort

Palace of the Winds in Jaipur, Rajasthan

Inside Amber Fort at Jaipur, Rajasthan

Village Woman in Rajasthan

Women on Rural Road in Rajasthan

Shangri-La (China)

Region of Yunnan Province east of Tibet, and west of Shangri-La township, near Dali and Lijiang, China

The Temples of Lhasa (Tibet)

Potala Palace at Lhasa

Monks Inside Drepung Monastery

Monk Inside Jokhang Temple

View from the Top of the Jokhang Temple

Angkor Wat (Cambodia)

Ta Prohm Temple

Temple and Center Complex

INTRODUCTION

For as long as I can remember, exotic names of places like Marrakesh, Kathmandu, Shangri-La and Casablanca have launched me on planes and ships to seek them out. More than once, well-meaning friends have given me the look when I tell them I am going someplace because "It sounds exciting." And yet, in all this time, not once have I been disappointed.

Dropping everything and heading to some intriguing and far corner of the world can enrich us in ways we can never imagine. This world is a gift, and these places have never failed to live up to expectations.

An old saying reminds us that:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

I think that says everything.

The Author

CHAPTER ONE

Bangkok

There is an extraordinary beauty in the architecture of Bangkok. There are 35 major temples in Bangkok, some of them gathered into temple complexes. None of these are unobtrusive or commonplace. Each is a masterpiece of design.

In this city of eight million people, the Chao Phraya River provides a dramatic backdrop as it winds through the city.

The most important Bangkok temple is the Wat Pho Temple complex near the Grand Palace. It has 16 major gates. This temple is also known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. The massive statue depicts the Buddha reclining on his side, with his head resting on his hand. This reclining Buddha is 150 feet in length.

In the late 18th century, King Rama I rebuilt this temple over the