Norblingka...and a very exciting bus ride too...

My happy friend, Nick, and I atop a temple in the market of Dharamsala

Norblingka: Mani rocks in a gorgeous setting

Riding a bus in India is unlike riding a bus anywhere else. Of this, I am sure. A saying here in India is "same same but different," and ain't that the truth. Experiencing a bus ride here makes me happy; it's just like riding a bus in Phoenix or Knoxville but not. Locals travel to their jobs and their shops, they are headed to the market or home or where ever people go. Some may be heading to the monastery of His Holiness, the Karmapa, or to Norblingka where Tibetan culture is preserved. The scenes flying by the bus are same same but different because this is crazy India and not the states. Let us take a ride together, shall we?

From the start you really don't know what bus you are gettin on, that's always fun. The bus stations are not conducive to those of us who lack the skill set of Hindi. The shouting about everything, the bus destinations mainly, creates more chaos in the insettled mind. I am getting the hang of this bus catching art tho, it's fun.
On the right bus? And we're off! Let's see where this takes us. The excitement often lies in the driving skills of the skinny man behind the wheel. Our guy is skilled with that big bus wheel and this ride is terrifying because of it. Clearly will need some pepto after this one.

The bus tears down the hill toward Dharamsala the roads are rutted and worn which makes for a fancy and smooth (sarcasm) ride. As we bump and speed along the narrow mountain road, the driver seems to not slow for the massive curves. If another vehicle comes we surely will smash into it...hopefully we won't meet another bus like this on one of these curves. In fact, at a couple of the bigger curves with insane drop offs and no guard rail, there are lights in place to control the mayhem, surprisingly the drivers yield to this uncommon traffic control, maybe the uniformed man, with the gun, controlling this light has something to do with the submissive slowing buses.

We pass beautiful valleys, gorgeous tree covered hillsides and wonderfully constructed buildings and hotels that take in the view with the floor to ceiling windows. The bus narrowly slides by a beautiful brown cow with big eyes but i don't think she evens sees the close shave of the bus as we pass.  Dharamsala approaches so the shops appear.  Shoe repair men sit with their tools and road side barbers shave men as we near the lines and rows of shops.  Colorful scarves and t-shirts hang, shoes neatly displayed, cases full of overly sugary delights, skillets ready to fry those delicious samosas, internet cafes, jewelry shops for the rich, the poor and the tourists, chicken dressers.  They are all there.  Intoxicating sights.

The entrance of Norblingka where Tibetan Culture lives

The bus ride continues through the city where we change buses, navigate the shouting and figure out where your bus will be, grab some chai while waiting, the chai at these little shops is so good and spicy and sweet, i love india!, talk to a few little kids, the one with freckles is so cute, they want chips, nope already gave my allotment of money today, and hop on the bus. Now, more steep mountains roads down to a valley and to Norblingka and the temple of the Karmapa.

When I pop off the bus at the temple, I am so excited because the Karmapa is there today.  I am on my way to see one of the tops of the Buddhist lineage.  The grounds are beautiful, flowers and monks everywhere.   Even some puppies play in the grass below the main gompa.  Only a few minutes pass until the Karmapa comes past; when he does, he gives me a nice smile and a nod.  What a powerful and still soft gaze he has.  I like him straight away.  From here I am privileged to enjoy the monks debating in the main gompa upstairs.  There must be a hundred of monks watching, learning and enjoying the debates. Its a very animated process. Clapping with each point made, the flags and banners of yellow, red, green and blue fly in the breeze the open windows allow, giant Buddha stautes gaze on the fun. 

The temple was an amazing experience and Norblingka...whoa.  Gorgeous places. Some of the pics above give a little glimpse of what Norblingka looks like, amazingly manicured grounds, gorgeous waterways spinning prayer wheels, happy Buddha temples.  Here there is also crafts, Tibetan crafts being crafted.  Metal work, wood carving, thanka (very detailed paintings for the Buddhist tradition) painting, mandala (incredibally detailed sand paintings which are crafted over many hours, days, weeks, and then gathered and scattered to show impermanence in all things, so cool) creation.  I could spend days just sitting around, enjoying this beautiful place.

 

A dog. Gaurding his rightful Norblinka home

Case of the Mondays...

 The weekend proved terrific. I enjoy Buddhist philosophy class monday tru friday so I had some time in the middle of each day to play: obviously I had a great time running around dharamsala, teaching yoga and taking in the scenery. Yesterday my very funny British friend, Nick,and I walked up to a couple of Stupas (memorials) above Dharamkot, about three km up the hill from where I stay in McLeod. The views were stunning; as we got closer, prayer flags flew and decorated and prayed over the mountains. Little purple flowers on vines loved up on the rocky, cragged walls along the road, a sheer vallied drop with gorgeous exceptionally tall trees on the other side. As we approached the Stupas, these memorials here in the woods honor two monks, one Tibetan, one Italian, we come upon a cluster of houses. Monks and nuns live among beautiful trees to practice and delve into the craft of mediation. What an exceptional place to cleanse the mind and explore Buddhism. I feel a sense of calm and respect here.

Love exudes from the stupas  and cannot be avoided; you get a hit of power each time your eyes grace one of these whitewashed tombs of relics. Full of teachings and wordly passings, the Stupas are a holy place.  No wonder the monks choose to live here.  Its so quiet and lovely.  My friend and I continued our walk through the village of Dharamkot, obviously stopped for chai and talked with the shop owner. Walked through the village and down a beautiful path to the village of Bhagsu.  There is famous dessert here in Bhagsu and I got me some!  So good.  Caramelized condensed milk over sweet biscuits and chocolate on the top, frozen into bars.  I clearly need some now.

I actually eat dessert everyday, not much different than home, but the desserts here in Dharamsala are so good. Apple pie with warm custard and Tibetan Special bars with nuts and coconut over graham cracker crust covered in chocolate. That is why i am so happy.  The sugar overload I get myself into everyday.   This dragon and I are frineds because he gave me a cake.  Love him!  Just kidding, a friend and I went up to Dal Lake, a sacred lake where one can take a sacred dip into the murky green water.  Not as yummy as Bhagsu cake, I think I will pass.


I walk everywhere and everywhere there are views like this, maybe a little variation here and there. Sun in the morning and clouds and mist move in for the afternoon with rain showers to cleanse all of the jungled mountainous country.  There are houses and paddocks and little temples and trails all over the mountainsides.  Breathtaking, really.

Hindu temple, tiny and lovely on the hillside

And to think I was gonna stay home...

The Golden Temple in Amritsar.  Really cool place. 

 The mountains here ain't bad.  Its wet, the wettest place in India, in fact, but, the monsoon season is coming to an end and it only rains for a few hours a day.  Even with all the rain, the air remains crisp and thin and cool.  The altitude is similar to that of Tahoe, 1768 m.  This is a view of Dharmasala from McLeaod Ganj that I am lucky to take in on my way to the Tibetan Library in the Tibetan Parliament complex; I attend teachings from a Buddhist monk there.  Makes for a good morning, huh?
I have made several friends here and seen many peeps I met in Leh.  The travelers community is tight and commonly bonded and often we are, apparently, on the same traveling track.  So I am happy.  And class went well today too.  Yay!

There is a view from my guest house room above.  The mountains are gorgeous anywhere, and here...whoa. Pretty flowers are creeping in all over town, they enjoy the sun after months and months of rain.  And this is the puppy, Mogely, we hang out with in the cafe upstairs from my room.  He is trouble, but I love trouble. 

Dharamsala...the home of the Dalai Lama

Arrived here in McLeod Ganj and knew instantly, this is my home.  Don't be alarmed but, this is one of my homes.  The sense of belonging is almost unmatched.  There are hawks and eagles flying around everywhere.  The Dalai Lama is here, in this town, right now.  The feeling in the air is calm and cool and it rains everyday.  Its green and piney and mountainous and Tibetan.

Attended meditation class this morning and then attended Buddhist teachings on verses of Auyrdeeva.  That guy is smart; from the 2nd century.  The translator and the monk who teaches the class have been working together for 28 years.  She is Irish and the monk, Tibetan and they are a dream.  The way they communicate is fanfreakingtastically funny and intimate.  The monk who leads the meditation has been recently ordained and has a soft voice and a willingness to delve us deep into kindness and love.

Also, I was approached by a yogi guru to teach at his school here.  My first class went well and I am now on board and working for Vijay, a very accomplished yoga master, at his school, Universal Yoga.  Yup!  So excited.  And really blessed.

Love all the way. 

Moving on...

So, the kids have finals and are not that in to me.  And Rishikesh has given me plenty to love, so I have decided to take off.  I am on a ladies only night train to Amritsar on the Pakistan border this very night.  I arrive they city, lush with history and religion, in the a.m. and thus will play the day away at the Golden Temple, called so because of its glittering roof, and I will hit up the border of Pak as well for the daily ceremony that is a big to do with a flag, apparently.  Amristar is the home of Sikhism, and the Golden Temple is their home.  

However, Amristar is simply a nice little out of the way stop on the way to Dharamsala, the home of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in Exile and the largest population of Tibetans outside of Tibet. A lot to do there with the whole Buddhist thing, the meditation thing, and seeing stuff thing.

Banyan Tree. Majestic and massive.

 There are all sorts of gems right in Rishikesh and temples everywhere.  Everyday, there was a new little temple to discover on the street corner or tucked in an alley.  One day, I found some new friends and we climbed to a super high and refreshing jungle waterfall, so nice!

Sunset over the Ganga.  Mighty and powerful and beautiful.

The sun set during the nightly pooja.  The ashram we went to has a statue of Shiva in the middle of the Ganges. 

Juice Man

Just OneTemple in the Bottom of the
Layer Cake looking Temple

So, Rishikesh, you have been fabulous.  The banana nutella somosas were my favorite.  Thank you for the rainbows and waterfalls and monkeys and cow adventures.  And,  Kids, I love you! And the juice was great, Juice Man.  

Rishi. This is what India is to me...Crazy

Ole Blue Throat here with his cow. on the banks of the Ganga

This place is crazy.  This place is freaking crazy.  There are fires on the street burning debris.  There is a strike right now because a man across the bridge is selling tuna.  There is shouting at all things. " Maam! my rikshaw is better than his rikshaw!" But I don't want a rikshaw.  Thank you.  There are big monkeys fighting baby monkeys. And don't look at them because they will mob you.  There is street food for 5 cents.  And it is so good.  And fried. Everyone is selling yoga. Yup, you heard right, selling.  Everyone wants something.  People are hungry and others throw food out. There are people who look religious, people who are religious, people who want to be religious, people who could give a sh*t about religious.  Travelers who are better off than everyone in this town and yet still barter to get that incense for 4 cents cheaper.  Its mayhem! And it smells, good and bad!

There are stairs and waterfalls that go to the highest peaks in the Jungle.  Places you can run with wild elephants, but you might not make it out.  There are leopards out there too.  And the cows love the Ganga.  The cows like to stop on the foot bridge and just chill with the monkeys and the Ganga far far below.  And I hear Jesus lives here.  I think I have seen him a couple times.  And why shouldn't I have seen him here.  This place is magical.  And crazy.

So, its crazy here.  And I love it and at times may not love it so much (Delhi).  The monsoon has caught back up to this area and the earth shines with happiness. The heavy rain falls on the jungle's leaves, the cows are disgruntled from the rain but the jungle loves it.  The thunder shakes your soul and the lightening lights up every crevice and valley the jungle normally hides.  The weather seems more powerful here.  Maybe because so many Gods live here.

In and out of Delhi...thank goodness and on to Rishikesh...thank goodness!

,

 Delhi: 9-Sept Upon arrival in Delhi, its raining. It has been raining for many days.  The streets are flooded.  And its hot.  Very hot.  Sweat dripping down your nose at ten o'clock pm hot, I will soon find this out waiting for my train, air conditioned train, bring it on.

Until then, on a bus on flooded roads from one area of the airpot to another terminal of the airport 5km away for the metro, I begin my adventure and navigate the metro like a dream (by this I mean, the metro was easiest experience, a little confusing as new things can be, but the train was quiet and clean and calm..until I got off). I make it to the New Delhi train station, eventually, where I obtain my train ticket for the pm, eventually and drop my stuff at the Old Delhi railway staion and have time to tour the city and maybe relax. Again with the eventuallys.

The tourist office in the ND station was elusive, I do have to say I was distracted by the raining inside the station, also the river of delicious-over-ankle-deep city water I waded through to get in to the station, in which I look over to see a little boy taking a poo in the street and to the left an older gentleman having a nice pee there too, mmmmmm, and the water is still nestled nicely in the crevices of my feet, and of course the scammers, who are tremendously good at their jobs, put a nice spin on things as well.  All things said: the ticket man, in the tourist office, with the henna died hair and the short sleeved white button up shirt, YOU are my favorite today.

After this ticket acquisition and bag settling, I head to the Red Fort.  This place boasts strength and beauty.   In the middle of the city, I walk towards the Fort and pass a Christian Church, the largest Mosque in Delhi and a Hindu temple, ornate and glamorous, all on the same block. The pic above displays the main bazaar, just inside the gates of the Fort.  The greenery here is spectacular.  The formidable fort is actually quite small as far as city forts go, but the thing goes on forever down blocks between New and Old Delhi.There are museums and ponds and birds and quiet.  I find a bench and sit, finally close my eyes for a moment and listen to the comparably quiet environment. The stone bench feels cool and the trees around are big.  There is also an electronic Ode to Joy playing from somewhere, but whatever, this is where I sit.

But, Click.  Click. And, no more quiet here. I have been discovered! Under my long skirt and zebra sunglasses and head scarf, I have found numerous families and friends gaping, acting like they aren't gaping, etc.  Unless I go deep inside my own head the quiet is disrupted; I am a sight to see for Indian tourists, they snap pics without warning, as they are interested in me as I am in them and I smile and get up and on with my walk in the park.  All the while the clicks follow. The Fort's grounds are beautiful and the kids play and women dressed in loud, lovely colors and patterns, so I enjoy the company and the stroll.  In the evening, I find a local food stand and share dinner with a  new friends from Austria and head back by metro to the train station and to my ticket outta freakin Delhi.

I head on to Haridwar on the night train.  As soon as I lay in my top berth, I am out, having had a very long day in the big city.  I am woken only by the Chai guy in the we hours of the morning and some other milling about by fellow Indian travelers and their cell ringers.  They keep these ringers excessively loud which is conducive to sleep.  Oh, and my new friend Sleemy, a crazy eyed hippie, Italian born, now lives in India, actually for the last 40 years, asks me where my stop is and he wakes me twenty minutes before hand.  Thanks, Man!  And I am off the train, on a bus and will be in Rishikesh shortly.
10-Sept On our way to Rishikesh, the bus jolts and jostles from the ruts the monsoon has caused.  I see monkeys and parrots and signs that say Warning: Wild Elephants. I have to see those! We arrive at our bridge, Sleemy owns a chill joint up the hill and we will walk together.  Here I see India.  Hindu statues of Krishna and Ganesh, a beggar with his whole face painted red, looks a bit crazy too.  Now, I find a guest house to my liking: along with monkeys, the roof overlooks the Ganga and the city and the Jungle. Perfect. And cool.  I will chill here for days.

Rishikesh boasts itself as the yoga capital of the world. I have been doing yoga and hanging out with yogis and seeing sights.  Today 13-Sept I dipped in the Ganga.  Its water, cold, soft and powerful enough to rinse your sins of this life away.  Thanks water.  I needed that.

Also, I have found a school to volunteer in for the next couple weeks.  Ramana's Garden, a children's home.  I will hang out with the little ones and maybe do some yoga guiding for the older ones.  But mostly I just want to contribute to my time here as much as possible; maybe i can add to the kids' lives and I know they will add to mine.  So, yoga, water and kids.  Not so bad this place, Laxman Jhula, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India.

 

Breakfast, lunch, dinner...all with sugar on top...

Unleavened bread with whole apricot jam and pain curd from the woman's alliance in Ladakh. So freaking good and healthy to start the day.  Fresh mint from the garden makes my tea and that's breakfast.

Choley baturey.  Chick peas in curry gravy and fried bread.  Really?  Fried bread=sign me up. I saw this bread made on the street at my fave snack shop, they spin it into the hot oil skillet so that it puffs better.   Also, plain curd which aids the digestion and calms the spiciness of this darn good lunch.  Served with spicy aloo (potato) too.  40 rps or $1...and no wonder all I have been doing is eating.

The markets have ladies selling fresh fruits veggies and gents selling dried fruits and nuts.  Good prices, really nice snacks, beautiful people.

Dinner.  Mixed vegetable curry and fresh naan.  The naan is so hot and simple and delicious, it goes perfectly with the multitude of perfectly spiced veggies and tofu (first place I received tofu in India).  I feaking love this food.  Later, I came back to this same restaurant and got Narvatan Korma.  Nine different fruits and veggies in a creamy cashew gravy. Fruits?  Banana and watermelon.  Veg? Carrot, aloo, capsicum, garlic, onion, tomato, spinach.  Mmmhmm. you read right.  So good. 

The friends i meet...

 Everyday, humans and animals walk together and hang out together, so everyday here in Leh I see creatures that take an interest in me or I in them.  I couldn't resist taking a photo of the little cow between a motorbike and the stupas.  The dogs know I miss mine back in Tennessee, so they look at me longingly, seemingly to understand my distance, but clearly just wanting a snack and some company.

There are animals roaming everywhere, some are loved, some are homeless and run around after dark.  Some live in the donkey sanctuary, mst help each other out in some way, like standing on each others' back for food, and most are happy creatures.  That's nice because I get to hang out with them and grab a smile for I love our furry friends.

What do I do all day...its hard to say

 I walk around and witness signs. And, for some reason I find signs around Leh very funny.  Its hard to say what it is about this laundry sign, but I like it.  I like that my laundry, when here, is unique and perhaps even special.

I go to polo matches!  I went to one polo match. As part of the Ladkhi festival, the big Indian guys who play polo brought out some small horses and played some mean polo! It was quite entertaining and fun. Exciting really.  Thanks polo guys!

 I read books.  But not these.  These are special Buddhist texts in the library of a hidden gompa (monastery) I found in the middle of the city of Leh.  Turns out the gompa is in no way hidden, I just stumbled upon it one day when wandering through the north of the city.But glad I did, as I got to spend time in this library with the ancient teachings of the Buddha.

 Below Right: the garden of the gompa of which the library's blue windows look down upon.
Left: Me. So happy because I have found an elusive stupa in the middle of town during my morning walk!  There are little rooms for prayer on each level of the stupa.  Gardens and homes provide a beautiful setting for prayer here.

I attended a two day meditation course as part of teh local festival here and at the end of the days we were blessed with a cultural festival.  These ladies danced dressed in traditional Ladakhi garb, their hats are especially cool.

Another sign I find funny.  Chickens can be found here behind the mosque, just out of downtown.

Glad to be back in the city

 The walk through the remainder of the Markha Valley proved spectacular; rock walls rising high above the valley floor.  Rocking my iPod the whole way from Hankar to Nimaling, because I hadn't listened to American music in a while, made me dance the whole 6 hours around mani walls and over the river and love every minute this beautiful walk offered.

 The tent city of Nimaling at 4700m (15275 ft) is a chilly home for the night before the big pass, 5150m, the next day.  Kang Yaze I and II, 6100m and 6400m, tower in the snowy clouds behind this beautiful and ever changing valley. This valley is also home to numerous sheppards.  They and their flocks of sheep and goats numbering into the thousands arrive at sunset.

 The pass and the weather made trouble for us but; atop, my prayer flags fly anew with hundreds of other prayer made for passers by. The steep down soon finds the clouds part and fields of beautiful flowers below.  The weather ever changes here and is very dramatic, later the thunder shook my feet on the mountain side clinging trails.  So fun and exciting!

 After the snowy night and snowy, hazey hike out of Markha, we catch a ride and stop at Hemis monastery: the biggest monastery in Ladakh, also where the head Lama lives.  The road up here winds and rounds paddocks and animals grazing, people working the small fields and the numerous mani walls and flagged gates and then the monastery appers between the rock walls of the Hemis valley revealing the gorgeous site of Hemis monastery.

And now we are back in Leh, I made a new funny friend and ventured high above the city to the Gompa Tsemo.  After being out there in those mountains for a short stint, I long to be up high in the sky once more.  I found it here on the prayer rock.

And here is the rooster. Inside.  Where he can fight and flirt with himself in the mirrors.  He is funny