October 2011 Entry:
I was very lucky the Dalai Lama was in residence while here in Dharamsala; so I got to pay my respects, and sat for some teachings that he was giving on enlightenment.
Gosh, he keeps a busy schedule!
He taught us a morning and afternoon sessions (2 & 3 hours respectively); then in the evening he had a televised dialog with some white folks from...I forget where, about the environment.
On the Sunday of his first teachings, we had such a thunderstorm and there were cold winds blowing.
The shepherds told us that it was snow up on the ridge of the town, but it did not stay, as the weather turned warmer.
The storm cleared the air, briefly, which was great, since you could actually see the beautiful Kangra Valley below and Lake Pong (usually the view is obscured by an ever present layer of smoke).
I managed to do a bit of volunteering (one -on-one English conversation) at a local non-profit.
It was certainly interesting to a young monk one day, then a young Thangka artist the next.
I was sooo tempted to buy some of these beautiful works of art (Tibetan silk paintings), but just looked and admired.
Heard some local traditional musicians, and saw an interesting film about the Tibetan Oracle.I went on some nice hikes in the surrounding hills, and saw lots of monkeys and one mongoose.
There were many large hawk-like birds (kites) and vultures, I think.
I must get a slim volume of Indian flora and fauna.
We were surrounded by a large heard of goats , at one time (the little ones are sooo cute).
Saw the Norbulingka Art Institute and compound with its beautiful temple, gardens, cafe, workshops and guest house.
There were beautiful tapestries and paintings for sale that were too expensive to even consider...but lovely to look at.
Spent Diwali evening at 3,000 metres, in a place called Triund (part of the Dhauladar Range of the Himalayas).
The hike up included going through the lovely Deodar Forest, which look suspiciously like our Larch trees. Near the top came oaks...or so I was told, which the shepherd use for firewood because it burns slow and hot. Able to see the snow-capped peaks leading further back into the mountain range, but OY! getting this far was entirely enough for me. The gams are still not 100% recovered, and I'm winded.
I'm blaming part of it on the constant smoke that seems to cause stress on the throat and lungs.
It was a very cold night, but able to warm up under 3 wool blankets in a very spartan guest house.
I tried to get some singing started around the campfire, but my voice was not the greatest.
Biding adieu to McLeod Ganj with a bumpy ride through the beautiful Kangra Valley to Pathankot, then on to Amritsar by train.
