The Taj Mahal, from a distance?

Question: How many people can you fit on a rickshaw?
This is the land of Shiva.
A smile is the International language!
Even stopping for gas can be a real adventure! Lynne poses with these guys waiting behind us at the gas station. Look, same head dress!
Fruit is always available when you are on the road.
We stop at a Chai Shop(hehehe) along the side of the road. Our driver spoke absolutely no English. But somehow, we all enjoyed a Chai tea together!

We had a choice; either fly or take a 9 hour cab ride to Agra to see the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world. While gathering details about the car trip in a local internet/travel agency, I meet a lovely woman that I noticed on the street earlier in the day. Her name is Shanta and she is an American living here for the past few years. I noticed her earlier because she was wearing bright orange robes with matching orange Crocs. I thought it was cute and she was beautiful. Whenever I see someone that looks western I always try to start up a conversation and maybe get some inside information about our travels. She was on the computer checking her email when I asked her where she was from. She told me originally Washington but now she lives here. She said that she used to follow a certain guru with her husband but now lives alone somewhere between Hardwar and Rishikesh. She hears that I am considering taking a cab to Agra and asks why I want to be on a bumpy road for such a long trip. Priscilla and I want to see the land and decide to take the car despite her advise. Big mistake! The trip ended up being 12 hours, not nine. And to call the road bumpy was an understatement. At one point we actually almost come to a complete stop because the potholes are so large we might fall right in. We arrive in Agra around 10pm, weary and bruised. We should have listened to Shanta!

We find an incredible hotel after checking out several places and have the porters bring in our luggage. We get our keys and ask for a wakeup call. We tell the four people standing behind the desk our plans to have a quick breakfast then off to see the Taj. They smile and say, "The Taj is closed on tomorrow". We look at each other and back at them. We actually believe they're kidding. "You are joking, right?", we ask. "No, I'm sorry. Friday is a holy day in the Muslim religion so it is always closed on Fridays." OMG! You should have seen our faces. We decide to make the best of it and get as close as possible in morning, take a few pics, and be on our way to Delhi to shop and begin our journey home.

After the best nights sleep I've had in a long time, we decide to try to see the Taj from the rooftop of our hotel. The view is cloudy but we definitely get a glimpe of it at a distance. We have breakfast in the cafe downstairs and have our bags brought back down by the porters. The poor man we've hired to drive us seems to have slept in the car all night, something that upsets Priscilla. She has been feeding him her leftovers from restaurants and giving him fruit she bought on the street since the ride began. We were warned that the street vendors and tour guides here can be quite aggressive, and this morning we see it's true. When we walk out to the car, sharks(as I call them) are swarming. They are selling tour books, asking if we need a guide, there's even a lady holding a small baby pointing to her mouth asking for food. She really wants money. There is a young man there, too, speaking almost perfect English. Hmmmm.... Can he be trusted? We end up hiring him to take us to "the best view of the Taj", he says, "even better than from the inside". When we get in the car he begins educating us. His voice changes and he asks us every once in a while if we understand. Funny. He told us earlier that it is his day off today and that he doesn't expect money. Whatever! He knows a lot about this place; names of the different kings and queens who lived here, dates when the building of this huge marble structure took place. He reminds us that back then there wasn't any machinery to lift these gigantic pieces of stone, it was all done by hand. Hard to believe. He says the king lost one of his many wives to childbirth and he was so distraught that he built the Taj as an everlasting symbol of his love for her. Priscilla brings up a good point; weren't the other wives kind of jealous? hehehe! After it's completion he decided to built another one, only black this time, where he will live out the rest of his life. The two are meant to signify white for female and black for male. His son,a bit more reasonable than the king, insists that he not waste the tax payers money on such a frivolous thing. The king refuses and the son has him arrested and thrown in jail. The Fort of Agra, which we drove past on our way to the Taj, seems to go on and on. It literally looks like a huge castle except really long instead of tall going on for several blocks. The king is said to have been kept here in a cell where he could see the Taj through his window. He died here after close to a decade.

We arrive in a parking lot filled with cars. The temple is open for Muslims to worship but not the Taj itself. There are beautiful gardens with a fountain at one side. We walk down a long brick sidewalk along the sides of the garden then through iron gates into a huge desert-like area. We look up and there it is, towering high into the clear blue sky. It is magnificent. Doesn't look white though. Our guide tells us that the stone has a certain quality that allows it to change color according to the time of day. Morning is supposed to be the best time to view it. As we walk closer there are children selling all sorts of souvenirs; books, key chains, maps. A small Indian man walks up with a camel. Yes, a really big camel. He asks if we want a ride. I'm like, heck yeah! Priscilla's like, hell no! I climb on and the camel lifts his butt, yikes, hold on tight. Then he lifts his front half, Whoa Nelly! I love it. Here I am riding on a camel with the Taj Mahal behind me. (video soon) Life is Good! Later on I talk Priscilla into petting, then sitting on the camel, but definitely not riding it!

We leave for Delhi around 1 pm with plenty of time to shop and make our 1:40am flight. The traffic in Delhi is so horrendous that we decide to skip shopping and go straight to the airport, even if it means a three hour wait till we can even get into the airport. So we lug our things into the waiting room cafe across from the airport and start eating. The food is actually really good, but we are tired. The guys running the restaurant try to kick us out of the comfy seats and move us the the airport seats on the other side of the room if we are done ordering. No way, we'll just keep buying coffee! Our flights were fine, only a three hour layover in Amsterdam. We arrive home around 2pm on Sat. Back to reality. It's Tuesday though, and I'm still not fully here in the good old USA. Give me time and I'll land eventually. I did miss the modern conveniences of this country. But feel drawn back again and again to the constant sound of Ommmmm that moves through the air, the mountains and rivers of India. The feeling of spirit is everywhere there. That I will miss! Till next time. Namaste~
p.s. Please check back as I will be posting video from the trip soon. Thanks for joining me.

Rafting Down the Mata Ganga

Rafters coming down the river
Rafters close up!
Lynne and Priscilla with Red Chili Adventures' owner.
He was so happy to be on the water again after several months of working in the office. These guys are really good at what they do.

Today we took a rafting trip in the Ganges River. This looks like the raft we were in. We didn't bring our camera because the guy where we booked said to only bring sunscreen and water. So we did! These guys were walking down the dirt street by our hotel so I thought I could at least show you the kind of raft we clung to for our three hour journey down the holy Mata Ganga.

We arrived at the shop at 8:45am sharp. The guys behind the counter were no longer in dress shirts but now had on their tight fast drying clothes. Priscilla and I wore what we had. We all piled into the truck and headed up the river to the place where we would launch from. When we arrived Priscilla and I both started looking for a private place as we knew it would be several hours before we would see land again. Our guide, Bheem, like beam of light, fitted out helmets and vests and began our training in rafting safety. We jumped into the big raft with Bheem while the others launched into the water in safety kayaks that would follow us down the river and be there in case of any mishaps. Bheem kept having us repeat the commands he taught us that would help navigate us through the rapids. "RRRRRAPIDS!", shouted Priscilla. No, that's not a typo. She actually stuttered there. She made it clear that she was afraid of water and did not want to tip over. He tells us that some people actually do. I was under the assumption that not tipping over was the whole point. I believe these guys are so skilled at reading the currents of the river that it is actually a choice to tip or not. That doesn't stop Bheem from contantly harassing Priscilla. She thinks it's funny and knows he is just trying to take her mind off being afraid. The rapids seem to increase in difficulty as we go down the river which gives us time to adjust and gather our senses. In the end, it was a blast! We were laughing and screaming through every dip and turn. At one point I looked over at Priscilla to see why she wasn't screaming, and saw that she was concentrating so hard that she looked like she was in the operating room.(she is a surgical nurse, by the way)We got drenched and I got chilled but I wanted to come back the next day and do it all over again. Highly recommended in my book. Namaste~

Yoga in Rishikesh

The sweet little yoga studio where we practices Ashtanga on the ghats(steps) on the Ganges River


Sitting in the Sunset Cafe close to the dge of the river


Our amazing Ashtanga yoga teacher, Kamal, right outside his studio


This was one of the biggest cows we saw. Little Priscilla makes it look really big!


Priscilla and Kamal just before our last class with him:-(

Since we came back to Rishikesh we've been attending classes with "The Prince". That's not really his name, but Natalie started calling him that after her one and only class with him. When you look for yoga in India it's an unusual experience because you would think since yoga came from India to America that it would be everywhere here. It is, but's it's not what we call yoga. In America, as most trained yoga teachers know, we've turned it into something almost purely physical. In India it is still in it's original form. There are eight limbs (Ashtanga) to the ancient system that include breathing, meditation and focus, and of course, the physical postures. There are moral ways of behaving towards others and self too.

When we stumbled across this yoga oasis resting on the edge of the Ganges Rver we were intrigued. We peeked in the window and told ourselves that when the festival was over we would come and take classes here. Natalie was the only one with enough energy on that 8th day to follow through. When she returned from class to the ashram she was thrilled. She had found a true jewel on the Ganga. Priscilla and I decided to leave town pretty quickly after the festival so didn't get a chance to attend. But now that we are back it's at the top of our oriority list.

Kamal wa ytained by Shri Patabhi Jois himself. And it shows. His classes are filled with Westerners from all over. I don't think in all the classes we attended I saw one local person. It may be the 200 rupees ($4) that he charges keeping them away. To locals this is a lot of mula. But to us, it's a true blessing.We are lines up in two rows facing each other. Vrt traditional. We begin with the Ashtaga chant, three oms and a few gentle stretches. Then to standing to begin. Each Ashtanga practice begins with five surya namaskar a's and b's. He leads us through the first one then let's us go on our own, guiding those who are new individually.

As we move into the standing sequence of postures, he somehow manages to adjust every single one of us in every pose. He skips me occassionally. I tell myself it's because I don't need it, but reason that it could be because others need it more. I figured out after my first session that to be in the row facing the Ganga was a much better view. We get to each class early so we can face the holy river. When you are there it feels rather normal to be doing all of this. But when you return home and think back it all feels like a dream. To have the Karma(good fortune from past good actions) to be in such a situation. To practice Ashtanga yoga right on the Holy Mata ganga, is quite remarkable.

Kamal has a way of putting our bodies into places we didn't even know existed. He pulls our arms through our legs to take unknown binds. He lifts our legs up so high we are almost in full splits, standing. It's as if his confidence is contagious. When he is adjusting me I completely trust him. He is so intuitive and I feel so connected to him while I'm in his presence that I have no fear of being hurt. His adjustments are very strong, almost Iyengar like. But his sense of awareness penetrates any doubt that he knows exactly what he is doing. What an amazing teacher.

During our week back in Rishikesh we also attend a class in the Yoga Hall. This studio sits atop of some shops that back up to the river. When we are in one of our favorite restaurants near Laxman Jula bridge, the studio is directly outside the windows facing the river. it looks as if it is floating high in the sky with floor to ceiling windows looking down onto the river. What an amazing location. We have to navigate up several flights of outdoor stairs to reach it. A very large monkey scares the Bajesus out of us at the top.(to capitalize or not capitalize, that is the question?) He hisses and bears his teeth right in Priscilla's face. We both jump back. We notice a few little baby monkeys frolicking about and realize the mother was just being a mother- monkey style!

There are about 10 of us in this class. The teacher is a middle aged Indian man dressed in white. We have a beautiful view of the river from here but have little time to notice. The postures are done in ways foriegn to both of us but we graciously go along. He finishes the class with several versions of headstand then scorpio which he assists everyone in. Shavasana(final relaxation- the most inportant posture) is too short. It is dark out now and I want to sleep, I mean, relax. But we all sit up and chant and bow. I notice the teacher several times throughout the class drinking water and gazing out into the unknown. I wonder if he is bored or simply intuiting our next posture. After being in Kamal's classes I feel a bit neglected. We pay our 100 rupees and thank him for class. He asks me where i teach. i guess it shows. We find out later that what we were rpacticing was Sivananda Yoga. A young fench woman in the class tells us she is doing teacher training with him and loves it. We don't return mostly because we are so in love with our Ashtanga practice with Kamal and time is of an essence.

The morning after our crazy hike down the Himalayan mountain, when our legs felt like 300 pound weights and our walking mantra was, "ow, ow, ow", with each step, we decide to take in some Yin with Lynne on the balcony of our hotel room. It was about 9am and the sun was still behind the mountains. The wind is strong here in the morning but the building protects us and allows us to watch the trees blowing violently without affect. The yin practice opens joints and ligaments and increases flexibilty. Our muscles are so tight from our hike that working the joints feels even more amazing than usual. When we are done the sun is high in the sky and we are hot and lose. Ahhhh, what a feeling.

The last day in Rishikesh we head up the mountain, back to the place where our raft came back to shore. I noticed this little beach area that looked perfect for taping a yoga class on the Ganges River. We take the long walk down the path trying hard to beat the sun. The light is prerfect but we know eventually it will hit the horizon and dissapear. We set up the tripod and camera and my yoga mat and Priscilla calls out, "Action". Hahaha! The river is flowing behind me and the mountains create a sweet background. Rafting boats float by and a dog decide to enter the picture. There are dogs everywhere here so I'm not surprised. No big deal. My body is so tired and this is supposed to be a vinyasa video. So I keep plugging along. The sand is collecting on the mats and each time I bring my foot up over my head sand trickles down my leg into my face. The uneven surface creates lots of editing, that's ok. The sun below the horizon is a sweet surprise of golden glow on our skin so we keep rolling. We want to make sure we are not walking up the desolate dirt road to the main road in the dark. So we pack up and go. The taxi magically appears as we reach the top, panting and tired. Today we leave for Agra to see the Taj Mahal. A 10 hour drive never sounded so good. Namaste

Back To Rishikesh

This is an awesome view of the Ram Jula bridge in Rishikesh.
This is what one of the Internet places looks like from the inside.
We found this amazing little cafe up these long concrete stairs into a whole new world in Rishikesh. The view from the cafe looks down onto the Ganga. Sweeet!
Yes, it's a phone booth. In case you were wondering, this is how you make a long distance phone call from India. Just like the good old days!
One of our favorite places to eat near Laxman Jula bridge. The Little Buddha Cafe. But don't even try to rush them. They are definitley on Indian time!
This dog sitting on the edge of an overhang looks out over the Holy River, as if on duty.
Not only fast moving motor bikes cross this bridge, but slow moving cows too!


On Thursday night before we boarded our train we visited the Tibetan Childrens' Village, a place where young refugees are housed and educated. The children graciuosly stop and smile for pictures. The kids seem so happy. A little girl stops and tell us she is 10 years old and that down the steep set of concrete steps along the side of the mountain is where the girls live. We ask her to show us and she goes ahead leading the way. It seems such a friendly place with play sets and colorful buildings with animals painted on them. I suppose after what these kids have experienced, leaving their country quickly and maybe even their families and friends, even a place as sweet as this one might feel lonely at first. At the bottom of the steps is a building with long hallways and marble floors and steps going up somewhere. The young girl says goodbye and we begin to explore. We go up the stairway and find a huge room empty except for some teenage girls studying at a table opposite where we are. We ask if we can take pics and they agree. They tell us this is the eating hall for girls. The walls are tall with windows all along the edge of the ceiling to let the natural light in. There are book shelves everywhere and pictures and paintings the girls have created. Downstairs again we go around a corner and outside onto a platform where we find three girls washing their hair and a couple others doing laundry. When they see us they laugh and giggle and hide their faces. I ask if we can take pictures of them and they immediately respond, "Noooooo", and laugh some more. They're teenagers. What do I expect! The girls washing clothes are twisting and ringing out the shirts and pants against the cement ground they are perched on. Then they dip the clothes into the clean water bucket to rinse and hang the clothes on a line to dry. A long arduous labor intensive process. We notice that back inside there are three large cans for recycling. Yes!! I make a donation of toys I purchased in the dollar section of Target before I left. I was hoping to see the grateful faces who received these gifts but realized that this could cause quite a rucous. So we decide to give them to a sweet older woman in the office. Obviously this was not an original idea of mine because this is her job. I really didn't know who the gifts would go to when I bought them, but am so happy to have found this place and seen these adorable children so happy and free.

We arrived in Rishikesh rested and ready to roll on Friday morning, March 13th. The overnight train was nice and we both slept well on our upper bunks. I took pictures but a virus ate them. Bummer! Once we arrived we had a nice breakfast with friends we met at the station in a hotel restaraunt overlooking the Ganga. Laxman Jula is sweeeet!!! The bridge is smaller than Ram Jula bridge but just as crowded. This end of Rishikesh is known for the enourmous temples looming hign into the sky over the Mata Ganga. (hope you know what that means by now!)The shpping is incredible and we found, after a whole morning of walking in and out of one hotel after another, a really nice place called Topovan Resort. The rooms each have a small balcony looking over a garden. Every day there ar boys out back planting and watering. The wind whips through quite strongly from sunrise to about 10am. We planned a hike on Sunday and I was worried that the weather would hold us back since we were traveling up into the mountains about an hour by car than coming back down by foot. We hired a guide to show us through the hills. His name was Alok(a-luke), which means light. He told us that jyoti also means light but used ore frequently for a candle flame. He is a 26 year old entreprenuer. He takes people trekking, meaning they move a lot faster than we did, white water rafting, which we will attempt tomorrow, and touring through temples around the city. He says he could not make a living doing just one thing. He tells us that his family lives high up in the mountains, about 70 kilometers from here. Why are we stll not using the metric system like the rest of the world? Anyway, we had no idea what we were about to experience.

When the car dropped us off we began an unexpected climb up 300 steps to an amzing Durga Temple at the top of this mountain range. He tells us that in India Durga is known as the Goddess of power. When we reach the top there is this beautiful entry way with an ornate stone arch with golden lions at each side. Inside we enter a small temple where two older women are conducting prayers. We sit down and they place thick colored water drop between our eyebrows and some kind of small rice like peices on top. We give them the bag of sweet food offerings we bought before we climbed up and they take it, bless it, and pass it around to everyone to take and eat. They return the bag to us so we can take it home for our families to be blessed too. We give it to some children asking for sweets when we return to the bottom. Alok tells us that Rishikesh is 300 kilometers about sea level. And that where we are at the top is 1750 klometers. So our descent is around 1450. Doesn't sound that far, right?

We pass through a small village school where children are on break from their studies. We stop and take pics with them. We see beautiful indigenous trees and plants. Soaring rock formations. Monkeys, of course. The trail is covered in small white rocks that make it even more of a challenge. Each step we take is with fear that the ground will slide away from under us. Our guide tells us to push down hard when we walk but I prefer to step on the few larger rocks to keep my footing. A sudden slide of the foot here and there keeps us present. We stop occassionally to catch our breath. Our young companion says that he has guided women and men who get down the trail in and hour and a half. It takes up around four and a half hours. He says there is a beautiful water fall just fifteen minutes from where we stop and asks us to keep going untl we reach it. After a half hour we ask how much longer? Only five more minutes. I tell him he must be talking about Indian time, and he laughs. Close to an hour later we reach the water and my feet need some cooling off. My shoes definitely were not made for this kind of a hike. Priscilla's tennis shoes are better. Our guide is wearing heavy hiking boots that make it look like a breeze. The next day our bodies are feelin' it. Instead of taking our early morning ashtanga practice, we sleep. Later on we get up and decide to practice Yin Yoga instead. This helps our sore muscles stretch but we are still suing the mantra, OW, with each step today. It was definitley worth seeing the city from up hign. The mountain range is huge. Being in nature for just a brief moments away from the honking horns and screeching motor cycles helped us feel connected.

Namaste~ Lynne

Debrah and John

When my friend John and I traveled to India in December of 2007, we knew we were going on an adventure of a lifetime. India always is. I've been there three times now and it's always a completely different experience. When we arrived in Bombay the parents of one of John's friends from Fargo (yes, just like the movie!) picked us up at the airport. They were so gracious and wanted so badly to show us their city and all it's attractions. We spent the following day in and out of their car, seeing monuments and tourist sites all around Bombay. They were all beautiful, but we wanted to see the country and get away from the noise of the busy city. Before leaving home I began reading a book recommended to me by a dear friend by Osho, an Indian guru, who began teaching in the 50's and 60's. His main ashram was only a three hour bus ride from Bombay. So the next morning we had our tickets and were off. The bus ride was through small villages and mountains.

When we arrived at the front gate of the ashram we were blown away by the modern beauty of the marble walls with water streaming down and the bamboo tree lined marble walkway throughout the entire ashram. The grounds were divided in two with a street running down the middle. You had to show your pass to get in through the gates. The ashram has two restaurants, several buildings for classes and meditation. We wanted to make sure we tried out all of the classes that were being offered. There was Ndabrahma Meditation (humming and slow hand movements), Kundalini meditation( shaking the body and dancing), Dancing Drum Meditation( where you dance until you drop), and many other active meditations, as they are called here. One afternoon we decided to attend the Dancing Heart Meditation. When we entered the enormous marble room there were about 100 people standing around from all over the globe. We are instructed to get into a big circle and hold hands. We begin walking in one direction singing an easy song. We break into two circles and go in opposite directions and are asked to stop in front of each person we pass and gaze into their eyes. So many beautiful sisters and brothers. Some people laugh, some people cry. It's all good!

When the class is over John comes to me and tells me that he met somebody during class. I say to him , "But how could you meet anyone, we didn't even talk?" He told me that they had looked at each other and he had felt something really special. They had lunch that day and spent the next week getting to know one another, visiting another ashram a plane ride away. Two years later John and Deborah are married and living mostly in Fargo. Deborah is from Brazil and has rocked John's world. When we see them in Dharmsala they can't keep their hands off each other. It's as if they have always been together. I think they represent what we mean when we say "soul mates". When one of them is talking the other is completely present with them, looking into their eyes, really listening to every word they say. They have done a lot of work on their own through meditation, ect, and now they do the work together, joyfully! I wish them all the best and know that they will continue to grow as individuals and as an amazing couple. Spiritual partners, forever! Amen~

The Day of Holy Teachings

Since we had the opportunity to at least see the Dali Lama the day we arrived I wasn't sure if my thrill had been used up already. But today, March 11th, Priscilla and I got up early, 6am, to take the walk down the mountain to the Main Temple, as it's called here in Dharmsala. We arrive around 7am and we are one of the first people here. The temple is set up for many more so we make our way into the second row where we are among Tibetan people, young and old. The man in front of Priscilla leaves and she moves into front row. I'm enjoying making friends with a little girl about 7 years old sitting next to me with her mother, I think, and Grandmother. The older woman each have a Tobetan text in thier hands and are reciting prayers. It's very fast and beautiful. The girl is fidgeting and eventually walks to an area along the edge of the temple where you can look down onto the villages below or up to the Himalayans. I join her. I point out to the mountains and say "beautiful!" She looks out and gets shy. I do some stretches on the rail and make my back. By this time we are good friends. I get out my chapstick and notice her watching me with intrigue. I remember that I have an extra in my bag from one of the little bags they give you when flying first class. Not us, Natalie! So I fetch it out of my bag and put it out to her. Her Mom is watching. She looks at her Mom and then takes it. I know she is dying to try it on but isn't sure what to do and whether or not she's supposed to give it back. Later on while the Dali Lama is speaking she takes a long nap on her Grandmothers lap and her feet are pressing gently against my leg. I like it. There are no cameras aloud in the main temple when the Dali Lama is present so I don't have any photos of her. But take my word for it, Tibetan kids are adorable! Whe His Holiness comes in their is a procession of men carrying flags and some playing some kind of horn. They are all wearing uniforms with tall bright yellow pluming helmets. When he reaches the thrown like chair he teaches from another group of men collect before him and begin a long chanting session. Tobetan chanting is very low and throaty. It feels like a strong vibration in my heart chakra. Sometimes it sounds like he is going to break out into a laugh like the Dali Lama does sometimes. He is standing directly in front of him with others around in a half circle chiming in occassionaly. It's very beautiful. All of the Tibetan people in the audience join in for the next several chants. I remember some of them from my times at Red Lotus for the taechings on Tuesday nights.

When the Dali Lama begins to speak we plug in our transistor radios we bought last night. I find what I think is the proper channel but there is a second voice translating in another language at the same time. I assume, for about 30 minutes, that this is just how it is. It takes great concentration to get the English but I am determined. After a while it occurs to me to turn the channel a bit and search for an alternative. I find it, loud and clear. Hallelueja!! The teaching is on the compassionate Buddha. He tells tells the story of his life and how he wanted to find the root of suffering. On how our mental afflictions are the root to our suffering. And how compassion is the way out. That's a big word and one that needs to be studied. Look it up on the internet or in your dictionary. See what it says.

I saw my friend John Marks from Minnesota here as he walks into the crowd to find a seat after it is a bit more crowded. Amazing how that happens. After the talk we join him and his beautiful wife Debrah and several of their Brazilian friends for breakfast at a sweet place close to the temple. There are hundreds of people exiting all at once but the energy of the crowd is mellow and gentle. It's kind of fun being swept down the street but fear of losing eachother keeps us awake and aware. It starts out just four of us at the table but eventually there are seven or eight. We have friends from Canada, Crystal eventually finds us, Brazil and us from the U.S. The food is delicious and the company even better. We stay for over two hours talking about the teachings and how John and I met Debrah in India last trip.( see next posting) We part after making plans to meet the next day to visit the Tibetan Childrens Village where child refugees are educated and housed up in the mountains.

Yesterday when I checked my email I found a response from John from an email I had sent him several days earlier saying that he was still here in Dharmsala. I called the number he left and Debrah answered. I told her we were here and she said John was away but for us to come to where they were staying to visit. Deborah has been coming here for teaching for quite a long time and one of her teachers is actually friends with the Dali Lama's brother. When we arrived it did seem like a little piece of heaven like John had called it in his email. The house of the Dli Lama's mother was a small stone place sourrounded with gardens and a larger house sat up on a hill beside it. This is where his brother lives. We are blown away by how normal of a house it is with bookshelves and a marble floor and a big eating table in a dining room. We join him, deborah and two other Brazilian women for lunch. The food is outstanding, fresh greens, lentils and rice and fried bananas for dessert. We go to their room after to find a large living area, this is where his mother lived and slept and we believe that he and his mother sat and talked. There is a fireplace which they use every night and an amzing bed and bath with hot shower. I real jem here in India. We walk with them up the mountain a bit past locals who John has already befriended to the monestary wherethey are taking a class in mandalas and dreams from a Brazilian teacher. We meet pass some other students on our way out and the 30 something Brazilain man says he remembers me from the airport. Seems like months ago! Which airport? What day? Where were we going or coming from? We finally figure out that we spoke in the Delhi airport. The teacher was standing next to me when we were waiting for our luggage when we first arrived in India. I started talking to him after I called a man a Boddhisatva who was helping everyone with their luggage. He heard me and smiled so I stuch up a conversation with him. Coincidence> I don't think so! Whe I see the teacher again I remind him of our meeting and we laugh. He is a very sweet older man with a heavy accent but perfect English. We go into the room where the etachings take place and they tell us that this is where the Dali Lama comes to meditate. Wow! Wha great Karma we have. What a day.

Namaste~ Lynne

His Holiness Finds Us

Our train arrives at 3am, on schedule. It's cold and dark but we are now with three others. We hang out and wait till 4 for our bus to arrive. We met a nice girl from France, Crystal, who now lives in the Cape. She's cool and tough so I feel comfortable being here. There are others too drinking chai from the all night cafe. The taxi drivers tell us there is no bus coming here, that we must go directly to the bus station. We think they are lying so wait till 4:30. When the bus doesn't arrive we decide to grab a car instead. It's faster and we can be alone. The ride is three hours long up into the mountains. Are driver is good but that doesn't make the road any smoother. Our heads are swinging back and forth and it lulls us into a temporary sleep deprived coma. The other two girls fall asleep. I try but am too uncomfortable. I'm a lght sleeper as it is and being tossed about makes it impossible. We arrive in Dharmsala around 8am. Most everything is closed but there are still many people up and about. We stay by the luggage while Crystal, who has been here before, scopes out the housing situation. Most places are full because of the talk by the Dali Lama. We came a day early to avoid this. We find a decent room for a good price with an amazing view of the Himalayans. We have a nice breakfast at the Green Hotel where everything is organic and good. We have eggs to get some energy and check out the town. We hear from a girl on the street that the Dali Lama is giving a talk today at noon. When we arrive at the main temple we can hear him talking over the loud speakers in the street. (video to come) We make our way in, camera in tow. As we approach the guards he stops me and says there are no camera allowed. We are searched after leaving one person outside with all of our cameras so there is no way we could have made it through even if it was hidden. We make it to the staairway where it is super crowded with people crunched in to catch a glimpse of His Holiness. What good karma we must have to be here. We can here him talking but can't see him yet. People laugh at his jokes and so do we even though we can't understand a word of the tibetan. He begins to lead a beautiful chant and all og the tibetans around us follow. We put our hands in prayer and close our eyes. I can feel the energy all around me, penetrating my heart. A little while later several guards clear the path down the stairs and slowly down the he comes. There are many tibetan monks all around him but you always know it's him by his glasses. He is smiling as always and stops to shake hands with people sitting on the floor in the front row. He walks right in front of us by the stairs about ten feet away. When he looks our way we wave. He smiles and looks away.When we leave the streets are filled with thousands of people. Everyone is so happy and friendly here. I think he has a powerful effect on most, even if they don't realize it at first. This is truly a blessing. Namaste~