Afternoon, well, its a scorcher out here and has been the last 3 days so i've sought refuge in the one half decent internet place in town to bring you up to speed.
The week started with a day and a half of teachings from HH the Dalai Lama. According to the local news there were about 6000 people crammed into his temple and i can believe it! The teachings were great! The DL in fine form, delivering a teaching on the 37 practices of a Bodhisattva on request of a party of monks from Thailand. (His impersonation of how Thai people speak English was hilarious!) He delivered the teaching speaking in English and Tibetan, so we listened to the Tibetan bits on our radios translated by an Indian....confused yet!? Either way, an interesting, intriguing and funny time was had.
And isnt it typical that we find the best Tibetan restaurant in town on the penultimate day! The Gyiyuk Restaurant (as opposed to the Yak Restaurant further down - love that name!) is a tiny little place, a bit like walking into a Tibetan road side cafe, not that i've had the experience yet. There's enough room for about 5 or 6 tables and you hand your order written on a small piece of paper to a small black hand that appears from behind a net curtain, separating the dining area from the 'kitchen'. The kitchen is tiny, only about big enough for one hob, over which Mrs Restaurant Owner cooks - so everything you get is totally fresh and very hot!
I may just go back tonight yet for the last meal before we depart tomorrow morning!
Today is a monlam which is a special sort of get-together of all the monks and nuns of one of the 4 sects. (Gelug - its the sect that the Dalai Lama is head of) So wandering down the streets near the main temple all you can hear is throat singing....load and low. If you've never heard it before imagine the lowest voice you've ever heard and then some chanting words slowly, holding the note, its all a bit....other wordly!
This morning we left presents and donations at the nunnery and we're now on countdown really. I've started packing and Dianes friend Dawa has arranged for a taxi to pik us up at 10am and take us to the airport for the flight to Delhi. Once there its going to be very very hot, possibly mid 30s or more. I know in Mumbai further south its now reached 40 degrees! So we then have hours to kill before our flight to Dubai at about 9pm, still, it beats having to stop overnight in Delhi. Still not one of my favourite places!
And so, if all goes well i'll be touching down in Newcastle on Friday 18th at about 11.30 ish.
Until then, see you later!
The week started with a day and a half of teachings from HH the Dalai Lama. According to the local news there were about 6000 people crammed into his temple and i can believe it! The teachings were great! The DL in fine form, delivering a teaching on the 37 practices of a Bodhisattva on request of a party of monks from Thailand. (His impersonation of how Thai people speak English was hilarious!) He delivered the teaching speaking in English and Tibetan, so we listened to the Tibetan bits on our radios translated by an Indian....confused yet!? Either way, an interesting, intriguing and funny time was had.
And isnt it typical that we find the best Tibetan restaurant in town on the penultimate day! The Gyiyuk Restaurant (as opposed to the Yak Restaurant further down - love that name!) is a tiny little place, a bit like walking into a Tibetan road side cafe, not that i've had the experience yet. There's enough room for about 5 or 6 tables and you hand your order written on a small piece of paper to a small black hand that appears from behind a net curtain, separating the dining area from the 'kitchen'. The kitchen is tiny, only about big enough for one hob, over which Mrs Restaurant Owner cooks - so everything you get is totally fresh and very hot!
I may just go back tonight yet for the last meal before we depart tomorrow morning!
Today is a monlam which is a special sort of get-together of all the monks and nuns of one of the 4 sects. (Gelug - its the sect that the Dalai Lama is head of) So wandering down the streets near the main temple all you can hear is throat singing....load and low. If you've never heard it before imagine the lowest voice you've ever heard and then some chanting words slowly, holding the note, its all a bit....other wordly!
This morning we left presents and donations at the nunnery and we're now on countdown really. I've started packing and Dianes friend Dawa has arranged for a taxi to pik us up at 10am and take us to the airport for the flight to Delhi. Once there its going to be very very hot, possibly mid 30s or more. I know in Mumbai further south its now reached 40 degrees! So we then have hours to kill before our flight to Dubai at about 9pm, still, it beats having to stop overnight in Delhi. Still not one of my favourite places!
And so, if all goes well i'll be touching down in Newcastle on Friday 18th at about 11.30 ish.
Until then, see you later!
