Colour and sights delight in India!

I find it easier to post photos on facebook and then send the site to everyone, but here are a few to fancy up the blog! Some sights from the past couple weeks, since we landed in Kolkata on Dec.6th. They are somewhat out of order, but I think the descriptions handle it.
Tomorrow we head south to Puri to find a beach for New Years! More stories to come...
Enjoy!
From Kolkata we went way north to the state of Sikkim...capital is Gangtok. Walking distance from Gangtok we found a Zoological park where this Snow Leopard was living. Its basically a zoo with large enclosures instead of small cages. I still have qualms about it, but it was quite exciting to be nose to nose with a snow leopard!

In Gangtok we stayed with a Nepalese woman who spoiled us endlessly! Here she served us a traditional Sikkimese drink called 'tongba'. it's made with fermented millet that you pour hot water over and keep refilling until the flavour is gone. It's a drink that keeps on giving! Tastes quite a bit like Sake. Fun to have it served in a large wooden 'mug' with bamboo straws!


From Gangtok we took a day trip to Tsongu Lake. It's 2 hours of wise roads, weaving up and down the Himalayas. Wise roads? Roadside signs in the area spout such wisdom as, "If you drive like hell you will get there" ..."Life is short, don't make it shorter"..."If married, divorce speed"..."BRO can build highways anywhere but the sky (BRO=Border Route Organization)".."Ever wonder who defies death to build your roads. BRO, roads for the nation". TO go with the signs, taxis and 'goods carriers' have mudflaps with such as, "Horn Please"..."Just Wait"..."Good Luck", and on the windshield of one my favorite, "So far so good".


Dylan, conqueror of all he surveys...those are his dreaming words...
This is beside Tsongu Lake...unfortunately I have neglected to post a photo of the lake itself, and now I'm out of time ...so imagine a glacier lake in the rockies with yaks, momos (veggie dumplings), and stalls selling everything with tea all along one side of the lake. Chowk Market in Kolkata





The view from our 'home' in Kolkata

Out of order! Now we're back up north in 'the hills'. We were in Darjeeling before Gangtok (above) where this photo was taken. As of March 2007 there are no more plastic bags used in the city. The state just north, Sikkim, was the first state in India to ban plastic...as of the late 90s. Catch up Canada!

From Tiger Hill in Darjeeling, we watched the sunrise, slowly illuminating the Himalayan valleys, coloured with Tibetan prayer flags....

...and then highlighting the peaks of Kanchendzonga, the third highest peak in the world. from this view point we could see the tiny tip of Mt. Everest out of the picture to the left. In the foreground is Darjeeling, clinging to the hillside.

Prayer Flags
So colourful! Catching the windiest spots, they constantly send off prayers.

There's a little photo journey as an appetizer. The meal is coming sooooon

Happy new year everyone! I hope friends, silence, laughter, and reflection find you in the next few days and start a new year just like it needs to start.

Much much love
lauren

Christmas in the Himalayas!

We have ventured north from Kolkata to a cold but beautiful land. Nestled between Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet (formerly), China and North Bengal (Darjeeling area), the state of Sikkim is culturally diverse and astoundingly beautiful with it's Himalayan scenery.
the original people here were the Lepchas, who refer to themselves as the Rongpas (ravine dwellers). Now they are the minority and have the middle of this state reserved for them and only them.
The next to come were the Bhutia's, from Tibet, and finally the Nepalese, following the British much late on. Now about 80% of the population are Nepali (typically Hindu), while the Bhutias and Rongpas are Buddhist, though the Rongpas incorporate animism into their belief system (their original religion).
On top of these 3, there are many combinations and sub sects that pose a religious mix like nowhere else! and yet it remains a peaceful, agreeable place.
Incredibly peaceful.
We are staying with a woman named Primula and she has taught us much about the ways of Nepali people here...religiously-both Hindu (her birth religion) and Buddhism (she married into it), and delectably-cooking many foods found only in Sikkim, or only for festivals [Sikkimese New Years just ended, called Losoong]).
All of this is perfectly satisfying to moi, who not only loves food, but devoted 4 years to the study of cultural anthropology!
The capital of Sikkim is Gangtok, where we're staying, and from here we have visited the Rumtek Monastery (of the Mahayana branch of Buddhism, seat of the 17th Karmapa, important place), Ganesh Tok (beautiful view), a zoological park (Himalayan snow leopard, common leopard, civet, red panda [in the raccoon family], Himalayan black bear and Himalayan wolves), and the Nagyal Institute of Tibetology (houses some of the most sacred texts and ceremonial objects of Buddhism).
At the Rumtek Monastery we walked up just in time to witness a ceremony...perhaps following the death of someone according to Primula. It was quite something. knowing nothing about what was going on, we could only watch and listen in delighted silence.
We went right into the main building after this and felt quite out of place as monks draped in red proceeded to put everything away. It was fun to see little monks running around the legs of taller ones, chasing each other with the drum 'sticks', giggling and laughing and smiling at us as we timidly walked by.
Even when we're doing 'nothing' over here, I'm still learning tons everyday.
I long for that when I'm at home.
I learned today (for instance) that Bodhi day, the day f Buddha's enlightenment, is celebrated on December 8th, my birthday!
Seems I celebrated my 24th year in the right country.
About the birthday, an all around satisfying day in Kolkata: Went to a planetarium and had a wonderful nap beneath the starry night sky! (it was just so dark and quiet and comfortable with a soothing voice lulling us for half an hour!), walked through the Maidan - one of my favorite places in the city... a huge HUGE open field where everything is happening, from horse rides, to father and son flying kites, to food sales, to reading, to walking, to goats grazing. Wonderful! Then we met our host Biplob at a cafe, waited for Katie, another traveller staying with him, and his friend Aloo. then mosied over to the nicest restaurant I'd yet been to in India. Delicious veggie sizzler was the meal, with a Tom Collins to drink! Our local guys then took us to a fancy bar to see a live rock band (have toured Europe and NA I believe) and by 2am we were ready for bed!
In words it sounds quite regular, but in real life, everything was somewhat surreal, as we 'discovered' what was around each corner.
Oh and Dylan and I got our new glasses that day! Glasses, with lenses for 5 dollars. A reasonable birthday gift to myself I'd say!
On the way to Sikkim we stopped in Darjeeling for tea and warm clothes. as a note.

Now we're preparing for Christmas in Gangtok most likely, or perhaps Pelling where there is apparently a festival of music, crafts, food, art etc. Wherever we are, we'll be bathing in sunlight, wrapped in wool shawls, gazing at the third highest peak in the world, and thoroughly missing family and friends.

here are my latest thoughts... I just started a book called 'Sadhana, the spiritual way" by Swami Krishnananda. Sadhana means 'spiritual practice' the word in sanskrit means 'an effort exercised towards the achievment of a purpose'. Thus basically every effort is sadhana, because it leads to the achievment of some goal. Krishnananda asks this "here in the context of what is known as spiritual sadhana, what is it that we are aiming at? What do you want finally? If the goal is not clear, any means adopted to the goal will fall flat, like a huge structure raised ona weak fonudation. Let each one of you put a question to your own self, "what am I seeking in the end?"
The book continues to guide thought through questions. BUt what a starting point! those words are from the first 2 paragraphs.
What it spurred in me was this (from my journal):
"In life I seek connection. WIth people. WIth the cycle. I want to learn of coenctions between plants and bugs. between humans and fungi. between spirit and physical. between cultures and countries. between friends and strangers."
it's vague, but I suppose it's the blessing on the the ground where the foundation will be built. A starting point.

So that's me lately. Take these words and ponder. Find time to ponder. As Primula told us over breakfast today, the Sikkimese know how to enjoy life. Even in government jobs, when the work day is 10-4, people show up at 11, take a 2 hour lunch break from 1-3 and usually no one is there from 3-4! But everything still gets done. and they've enjoyed connection of conversation with friends throughout the day. They've enjoyed family and practiced devotion. They've soaked in the sun and cultivated a relaxed, peaceful, shining self. That's how it seems, and that's how I've experienced people.

Enjoy the holiday season, full of family, friends, and a break from the rush!
So much love and bushels of hugs!
lauren

So many people, such loud horns! Hello India!

Kolcata, India
We arrived today. WOW! It has been such an adventure just getting off the plane to this internet cafe, i'm overwhelmed by it all...i think!
i'm not sure what i am, i just can't stop giggling and laughing! Seems to be the response to all this. Not a bad response eh?
Right now i'm sitting in this internet cafe, paying under 50cents an hour, full of delicious vegetarian food from a punjab restaurant - garlic naan, dal with vegetable, rice, salty lassi (yogurt drink), black tea, and large bottle water = ~2CAD, face sticky with pollution grime, key in my pocket to a guesthouse that is currently lit by candles, a piercing horn blasting literally every 6 seconds (sometimes it actually seems like a cartoon world of horn competitions, "meep" "Bleep" "oh ya? meep meep" "BLEEEEEP" "meep meep meeeeeep"), and a delightful guy next to me that laughs as much as i do right now...i told him it was -20C at home today and he wide eyed responded, "whoa minus 20, you will all look like..oh how is it?..that (arms held out wide during this)...{hindi hindi hindi}...snowman! you will all look like snowmen walking around! no good for here!" (apply delightful indian accent).

and this giggle in my chest just keeps on buzzing within!

There are so many people here! everything is happening out on the street...cooking, selling, construction, sleeping, living, washing, brushing, feeding, watching, sitting, cleaning, peeing...i'd never seen an outdoor public area urinal before, just a 3 wall cubicle with 2 foot pads and the ground between to pee on. everything is out in the open here.
people don't seem to smile unless necessary either, but it doesn't seem at all rude..it's just how it is. no false fronts. smile when you want. Kind of refreshing really!

Our entry into the country, while adventurous and perhaps overwhelming (in a good way..i was in fact looking forward to the shock!), has been absolutely splendid overall, as several people have gone well out of their way to help us. Much like my trip to Turkey 3 years ago, I feel carried around by people and cared for. As though everyone is looking out for me until I figure out this foreign system.
One man helped us figure out the public bus, fresh from the airport. He got on with us and told us many helpful hints...i started to wonder if he would asked to be paid, but he soon said, "okay good luck and enjoy my beautiful India! this is my stop, goodbye".
Right after he left, our bench sitting neighbour piped up and, speaking excellent english, answered all kinds of questions, taught us 'thank you, yes, and no', told us good food to eat etc. then gave us his phone number and invited us for dinner on sunday, his one day off, and offered to take us to a temple earlier in the day. 'Just call! and call if you have ANY troubles in Kolcata, Any at all.' and then he jumped off at his stop.
A wonderful first impression!

the horns however, could drive anyone crazy.

and there are ALOT of people here!

so those are my first thoughts here, after a mere 5 hours in the country. Many more stories to follow!

so much love.
lauren

You Be You!

Hello from Bangkok, round 3!
I have so many things to catch you up on...oh how to capture it all in words!
Cambodia was amazing.
Since I last wrote I haven't moved around very much, but I revelled in the company of an incredble friend, attended the World Volleyball Championships for Disabled Peoples, found the Cambodian Circus!, basked in the glorious sun atop a boat roof while gliding through floating villages and finally saw some monkeys!
So, to capture it all....
Anna. We have such fun together! and we move mountains of personal perception with our conversations and dreaming. So satisfying! GIggling, sleepovers under our mosquito net tent, beautiful family that graciously adopeted me into their clan, pancake breakfasts with fresh banana and pineapple and many friends and sunshine! Mmmm delicious in so many ways!
Here's an Anna quote to inspire and smile:
"I just can't justify Not learning cool stuff from cool people ALL the time!"
here here!

Volleyball. So moving! I was literally brought to tears by the energy and pride in that room. The game we watched was Cambodia vs. Poland..Cambodia won and took 3rd place in the world! It actually changed my idea of competitive sports a little bit. Here are the thoughts in progress from my journal that day- there's a permission and acceptance of the nature of the game on the court, competition. There's equality out there. Cultural differences and stripped away.
Such pride in their country. So neat in any setting to see people come together in unity for a cause.
Boys with pails flipped over drumming for hours with their Whole Being. sweating and laughing, keeping the crowd clapping and cheering.
So amazing to see people overcome obstacles too (one arm, one leg, no hand..). Same injuries in Poland as in Cambodia.
Equal.
Inclusion. Community Building. making spaces for All People.
i get realy teary with sports sometimes..when everyone jumps from their seats cheering and waving flags. Hearts racing. Matchpoint. Awesome.

Cambodian Circus.
HOOOOAHHH!! These youths are INCREDIBLE! I was Totally enthralled and excited to watch them! This circus is part of a project that aims to give orphaned youth a space and tools to express themselves. There several branches to the project: education, library, skills trainig, art, circus..to name a few.
They had art from the youth on display around the place and they were astounding. Youth offered us rice based liqueurs and crunchy rice styrofoamy tasty things as aperitifs. Many spoke french because this project is associated with a french NGO..so I could speak with them and learn!
The circus aspect of the project was cerated because they recognized that some of the children and youth had 'extra baggage and energy" (as sophie the NGO gal put it). A medium for expression that used that energy.
it's an awesome project from what i can tell. offering tools to help define who they are when there hasn't been an opportunity for that anywhere else in their hard knock lives.

and the show was incredible! so creative, using only materials that they would find on the streets anyway. set designed and created by the youth. back full twists landing on someones shoulders, aerials over a waving flag, music on plastic pipes, drumming on tin food covers..it might not make sense like this, but it's all the things i've seen everyday on the streets brought together in a creative, beautiful way!
awesome.

now we're back in bangkok getting ready to fly to India tomorrow. Tomorrow! wow.
I'll put some photos up on here a little later.
i love it when you post comments, even just to say hi i'm here!it's so nice to hear.
lots of love

so much love!
feel it all the time!
lauren