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Published: December 28th 2006
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McLeod Ganj, home of the exiled Dalai Lama, and one of the places I've most enjoyed during my year of backpacking. One reason could be that India is so tiring to travel around that anywhere resembling a haven of peace and tranquility where you can stop and rest for a while is a godsend. It was also lovely to reach an international scene again after so much time spent in a homestay - some food from back home, some foreigners (also from back home and everywhere else around the world). I was lucky to meet a couple of foreigners - the first in a month! - on the bus on the way to Dharamsala who recommended Om guesthouse - a fantastic place to stay, not least because of my neighbour, Richie, who was the most friendly, bubbly character around and who knew, and introduced me to, more than half the town - instant friends!
But this place has another dimension to the usual popular foreigner hang-out in that it is also home to a huge community of Tibetan refugees, many forced to flee Tibet by foot over the Himmalayas to Nepal where they wait, hopeful, to be accepted into India.
Music is everywhere at Mcleod
Richie and Joel with the Dalai Lama looking on... Richie was also involved in several of the many volunteer opportunities in the town, and I joined him in taking out the newly-arrived Tibetan kids, and also went along to English Conversation classes. This was a fabulous opportunity to chat with Tibetan refugees whose families had been unable to afford an education in their home country, who wished to be educated in Tibetan language rather than Chinese which is now compulsory in Chinese-occupied Tibet, or who were escaped political prisoners. Most of these refugees could not afford to go back to visit their families in their home country for fear of being imprisoned by the Chinese. I watched a free documentary in a local cafe on the genocide which occurred when China took over Tibet and destroyed most of the sacred Buddhist temples in the country which represent the history of Tibet. Refugees returning to Tibet must not even mention that they saw the Dhali Lama for fear of torture and imprisonment. As I watched, I had a Tibetan friend from conversation class by my side - only the second movie he had ever seen in his whole life! - and it was fascinating to see his excitement as he
Just another cafe
Gorgeous views over the valley can be seen from most hotels and restaurants saw his or neighbouring villages from back home.
So the Kana Nirvana Community Cafe organised quite a few evenings, as well as screening free documentaries. The second night after I arrived there was a leaving party for Pii, host of Open Mike Night, where I met another great friend, Nina from Sweden, voice of an Angel (who ended up pretty much as my roommate!). She, Pii, and Joel from Australia kept us singing along to guitar pieces all night, and several of us (including a South African we picked up from the bus stop at 2am!) ended up in my hostel room for a jam session until the early - well, late acually - hours of the morning where 4 of us crashed on my bed. The next day, after meeting for - yuuuuum, proper coffeeeee!! - we continued. Ah, so nice to have music after so long!!
A sad goodbye to Richie and Joel didn't stop the socialising, and a group of us organised to hike up the Triund the next day, a full day's hike up to just below the snow line. Before I left McLeod, I got a fabulous massage, recommended to me by Joel
who had done a course at the same place, and joined my Canadian friend for a good yoga workout (puff puff) - just another facet of the McLeod community. The Dalai Lama was also due to return just before I left, so we all arranged to meet in a coffee shop, hoping to at least get a glimpse of him. An hour or so later, we gave up waiting and parted ways, only to discover that he passed a short while later! Nevermind!
So then, a way-too-short week after I arrived, it was my turn to hop on a bus and say farewell to the many friends I had made. I only managed to get a seat on the sleeper bus - I thought I'd try a bed for the novelty - but, on reflection, I thought it was probably a good thing as I watched one of my fellow passangers throw up out the window and all of those in the beds hanging on for dear life as we wound continuously down the hairpin bends of the mountain road. I slept like a baby to arrive in my 'beloved' Delhi... let's see if my second time round is
YUM!
Grilled veg sandwich and coffee never tasted so good! better than the first!
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Armando
non-member comment
bonito
Estan muy bonitas las fotos me encanto el cuarto con cortinas color naranja. Saludos desde México Proximamente desde Canada!! Bye.