http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/East-Meets-West/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from East Meets West en-us Sun, 06 Dec 2009 22:59:41 +0000 Sun, 06 Dec 2009 22:59:41 +0000 Hi EveryoneI graduated from my Yoga Teacher's training course and ashram life after a month What a transforming experience. Integrating back into real life will be rather interesting. I feel I should continue longer at the ashram but mom is arriving so must move on to the chaos of Delhi and the next leg of my journey here.Mom arrived safe and sound after a mishap with her flight and a delay. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Rajasthan/Jaipur/blog-342626.html Om Namah Sivaya Blessed Friends and FamilyI am off to the ashram and yoga teacher training course for a month. I will have no internet or contact with outside world. Blessings to everyone...Om ShantiPamela Leilageneral Informationhttpwww.dlshq.orghttpwww.sivananda.orgthis is where I will be and what I will be doinghttpwww.sivananda.orguttarkashiVIDEOhttpwww.youtube.comwatchv http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Uttarakhand/blog-330411.html Rishikeshhellipthe Mother Ganges and Sivananda KutirOm Namah Sivaya Hari Om Ram Ram Jai Ram NamasteWhere do I beginhellipthis eclectic high yet calm energy paradise is a must see and experience pilgrimage. To the ignorant and uninformed this place is a ldquofreakrdquo show of wanderers and aimlessly lost souls to those who have an interest in Hinduism or Eastern philosophy and kno http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Uttarakhand/Rishikesh/blog-330380.html MussooriehellipQueen of the HillsMussoorie is a nice hill station located above the Doon Valley. The air is cooler here and of course damper. Everything is damphellipa situation I most dislike about Indiahellipthe humidity and the musty mold and black filth it creates. It cannot be healthyhellipI know for a fact I have been battling dark circles under my eyes and this is most likely due http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Uttarakhand/Mussoorie/blog-330354.html Happy 54th Birthday BabaIn the morning today I went to Ram Rai Darbar hellipa temple and mausoleum. Ram Rai was the son of the 7th Sikh guru Har Rai but was excommunicated from him. Ram formed his own order and there are still schools and hospitals run by this organization. His four yes four wives tombs are here. It is a set of beautiful buildings and gardens and of course the Rai part wa http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Uttarakhand/Dehradun/blog-329978.html August 15 2008 India Independence DayToday is a National Holiday but I didnrsquot feel it anywhere around here. All the shops were open as usual in Old Manali where I am staying and I didnrsquot venture down to New Manali to see what was going onhellipI heard not much. I am in my 3rd accommodation here in Manali. The first night I stayed in a hotel nearby but it was far too costly 10 a ni http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Himachal-Pradesh/Manali/blog-313223.html Home Sweet Ancestral HomeThis past few days has been an emotional journey. Truthfully speaking I wanted to put the visit to my fatherrsquos villages off until I had overcome the culture shock here in Indiahellipand so this is what I have done. The last thing I wanted was to be shocked at the conditions of the poor in India and transfer this to the plight of my dad in the village. I was extre http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Punjab/Jalandhar/blog-327502.html Well I made it to Dehradun after a 10 hour bus ride from Amritsar on a government bushellipalways an experience. Again I had to endure immense amounts of staring and curiosty which is unnerving. I just ignored it as best I could instead of doing what my alterego wants to do sometimes and that is scream ldquoWhat are you looking at Do you want to know something Do you know itrsquos rude http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Uttarakhand/Dehradun/blog-329973.html The Village of the PeacockhellipMoranwaliToday Saroop and Maina took me to the village I have heard the most of since I was little. Sychronistically today is Sept 14 my dadrsquos and his twin sisterrsquos birthday. On the way to Moranwali we picked up a few boxes of sweets for the occasion and as an offering to our hosts in the village. It was again a very emotional dayhellipmore so th http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Punjab/Jalandhar/blog-329370.html For you Sweetheart....I so wish you were here in body..I feel your spirit with me always. Will write blog later....a little busy at the Sivananda Kutir...so much to do...so little time. Hatha Yoga Kirtan and Puja at the temple are all at the same time...how does one choose http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Uttarakhand/Rishikesh/blog-328174.html Teacher DaySat Sri Akalhellip.God is Truth and ImmortalSikh PunjabiMy journey here continues to get better and more enriching every day. The Dhatt family is being more than gracious. The family has lost their two servants as they left to return for Nepal so the majority of household duties have fallen on Maina and Jasmine. This apparently is quite the adjustment. I am reminded that when pe http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Punjab/Amritsar/blog-325953.html Amritsar DaysThe last week or so I have been going out shopping and looking around town. I have become used to the city somewhat however I need to psyche myself up a lot to go outhellipone to battle the heat and two to battle the language barrier and staring.I even bought a pair of sunglasses just so eye contact was reduced. I have gone to a few shops herehellipone very expensive one whe http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Punjab/Amritsar/blog-326346.html Punjab FeelDuring the days of summer here the heat and humidity has the more wealthy folk retreat to their homes in and air conditioned environment far from the sweltering outer world. The summers are for idleness with not much happening except for basic meals preparation and minor house duties. It has rained for one day and night which cut the heat dramatically but it doesnrsquot last long. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Punjab/Amritsar/blog-326345.html Golden Temple Day Today Maina and Saroop took me to the Hari Mandir Sahib or Darbar Sahib or in English The Golden Temple. Of course we had special front door parking through a gated area. We left our shoes outside the gates at the shoekeeper place covered our heads and proceeded in. We walked through a small creek like pool so it could wash our feet and then in through the main clock tower gat http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Punjab/Amritsar/blog-326344.html Hello From AmritsarWell I made it to the home of the famous Golden Temple known here as Hari Mandir Sahib Godrsquos Temple or Darbar Sahib and of the home of Saroop and Maina who I have come to know as an Aunt and Uncle. I caught the bus from Dharamsala at 5 am. It was a public bus and the cost of the trip was 138 rupees 3.50 for a 6 hr ride. I sat at the front of the bus and enjoyed the r http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Punjab/Amritsar/blog-325948.html August 29 2008 McLeodganjDharamsalaNamaste EveryoneWell it seems the monsoon has subsided and that the new season is upon us here. The locals all know that shortly after Lord Krishnarsquos birthday which was about 5 days ago the monsoon ends. It hasnrsquot rained during the day for two days now this is a good sign. I have been having some interesting and moving experiences which always http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Himachal-Pradesh/Mcleod-Ganj/blog-325267.html August 26 2008Hello from McLeodganjI am staying in a great place herehellipafter staying in a worse place for a night I scoped out the area and found a wonderful guesthouse with marble floors huge room very clean TV and very new. Itrsquos really inexpensive and I often calculate that if I shared expenses with someone this room would cost me 3 a night but since I am a single traveler http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Himachal-Pradesh/Dharamsala/blog-316480.html August 23 2008 McleodganjDharamsala Himachal Pradesh IndiaNamasteArrived in McLeodganj early in the morn after a 10 hr . all night ride from Manali. I happen to get the lucky seat on the bus whereby the windowrsquos seal was completely shot so the monsoon rain through the night decided to find my seat and subsequently my clotheshellipit felt like it was raining in the bus. I couldnrsquo http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Himachal-Pradesh/Mcleod-Ganj/blog-316478.html August 18 2008 Manali Himachal PradeshYesterday I went to Vashishthellipabout 5 km away. It is a quaint place similar to old Manali. There are hot springs in the middle of town where women and men separate baths of course can bath in the public pools for free. There are lots of bathers who come here as a regular ritual. Right below the baths are two temples the Ram Temple and Vashist Tem http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Himachal-Pradesh/Manali/blog-315038.html August 16 2008I am in Manali and am enjoying getting to know the neighbourhood of old Manali. I have been doing a bit of running around as I decided to send a big package home. To send a package I thought I would make it worthwhile so I started to buy some things when I was sparked by the embroiderers and tailors here. Most clothes shops in Manali make custom ordershellipthere is little selec http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Himachal-Pradesh/Manali/blog-313567.html