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Published: August 6th 2008
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Basantapur
Our weekend get-away Basantapur in the center of Kathmandu. Two months of hard work but back to bizznizz
Thirteen hours can last forever. Especially when waiting for a next plane at flashy Bangkok airport. Kicking off our shoes to stretch our legs on three chairs, listening to dodgy music, freezing under the air con and practicing patience does not prevent us from being utterly bored. Then again, the airport is high class, modern and full of expensive duty free shops, all selling the same. We decide to pay 8 dollars for two coffees at six in the morning. A celebration because we made it through the night. The coffee tastes bad as usual but the clock is ticking and 10.35 am is arriving within a couple of hours.
We're happy to board our plane. Thai Airlines will bring us smoothly to Kathmandu. We have seats close to the emergency exit which is a real luxury and soon we drift off for a nap. Once arrived at Tribhuvan airport, the festivity of recognition can begin. How pleasant it can be to visit a place you've been before... We bargain a taxi and head straight to Freak street. Arriving at the end of New Road, we notice that the king
Tea Party
A little party in the garden of the IBA, tea with fresh home baked Tibetan cookies might be kicked out but the offices charging us tourists to enter Durbar Square are still in place. "Sorry sir, madam, do you have ticket?" We decide to take a back alley and avoid the harassment for now.
Freak street is dusty as usual. No time to waste, for our friend Chandra knows that we are coming and we long for a milk tea in his jewelry shop. Alas, he has gone for lunch (dahl bat --rice and lentils-- for breakfast, dahl bat for lunch, guess what for dinner). We spend some time with his neighbor Pravin who runs the Pipe House beside. Together we discuss Nepal, tourism, business and how his mother is doing. The stories are not all positive but we're happy to be back.
Chandra, upon returning, explains us the current situation in Nepal. The king is gone and the Maoists (who finally got the power they have been fighting for all these years) play games just like the established "democratic" government. The country seems poorer than ever. We notice that there are no more cows in the center of Kathmandu and learn that Maoists take them away to slaughter them for dinner. In a
Our neighbours
Some kids in the building beside ours fancy the camera. country with predominantly Hindu inhabitants this seems inconceivable. Chandra is terribly worried about Nepal, it deteriorates fast and nobody seems to be able to stop it.
We have a few days before our studies begin so we check into a Lodge and enjoy our freedom. The Lodge is still the same, although the price of the rooms has increased by 20 rupees (about 20 euro cents). In time we will be able to knock those off again...
(2 months later) That is what you get when studying Buddhism, nothing turns out the way you expect it to be. We've had a very interesting period with lots of studies and time to contemplate. The good news is that Lili is now able to read Tibetan (although she has no clue what she's reading)! A true accomplishment for the Tibetan alphabet is pure abracadabra. Mostly because it all sounds terribly the same. We started the alphabet with reading the first four consonants: ka, kha, g'a and nga... From there it only gets worse. But no problem, determination and lots of practice did the job. Now we only have to figure out what the syllables mean.
Time flies, whether
Who said this is boring?
While waiting for the arrival of his Eminence, after playing two hours of basketball in our court, all young monks behave as they are expected to... you are heaving fun or not. We decided we had enough and will be leaving the IBA next week. It has been two and a half month of intensiveness, separate bedrooms, Buddhism, studies, politics, practice, discussion, enlightenment, boredom, monks, basketball, hot showers, cold showers, recitation, contemplation, illumination, resignation, delusion, irritation, hard beds, Saka Dawa, Rinpoches, Eminences, Khenpo's, kites, tang juice, secret cheap cigarettes, Nepali, pollution, hoards of dogs barking at night, sun-rain-sun-rain-sun, rain rain.
We had the chance to see a bit of the Tibetan community in exile here. The Tibetans in Nepal are rich, especially compared to the Nepalis. The gompas (monasteries) are big and full of golden statues. One wonders where all the money comes from. Not so difficult, Tibetan Buddhism is very popular and Rinpoches (incarnated lamas) as well as Khenpos (heads of monasteries) and gompas get sponsored by rich Chinese, Koreans, Taiwanese and Westerners.
We went through Saka Dawa, the day the Buddha got enlightened and (a bit later) the day the Buddha died. We have had a visit from his Eminence Ratna Vajra, the son of His Holiness Sakya Trizin. He is staying in the same compound as us with his wife and
Tuk Tuk Mania
Our local way of transport is the tuk tuk. Here it is passing through the line of waiting monks. One has to stick to the schedule you see, line up or not. little daughter as well as a couple of attendants and some scholars from Sakya College. No joke to be a future Holiness and to have to live your life as an example.
All in all, the IBA was a very interesting experience which has been shedding some new lights on our spiritual perspectives. But enough is enough. We spent as much time studying as we spent time traveling. Time to get back to the travels.
So what's next? Lots on the menu. First we will stay for another month or so in Nepal. The monsoon is still going strong and Kathmandu is a comfortable place to be due to its height (nearly 1500 meters). In a week or two we will move to Pokhara where we will hopefully meet our friends Rob and Sue. They started a clinic and school, teaching the blind people how to give massage in order to make a living. A very nice initiative which is called Seeing Hands Nepal (www.seeinghandsnepal.org). We met Rob and Sue three years ago in Pokhara but haven't seen them since. Time to catch up while enjoying the view of the Himalayan range from our guesthouse!
After that
Puja in the Shrine Room
A welcoming Puja for the Eminence. Our room packed with monks reciting prayers while drinking milk tea and eating sweet rice. we will be on the move again. Where and when is not clear yet, new possibilities are arising every week. We will see! ;-)
But tell us, how are you all? Enjoying the Dutch summer as much as we enjoy the Nepali one? Holidays going on?
M&L
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Daaf
non-member comment
You did what?
Damn thats a lot of words that sounds even more awful then they must be to do so. But I guess Mimi won and now its time to relax again. The summer here is great...even a little to hot from time to time. But there is no chance we see one of you two streaking by the opening seremony tomorrow in Peking? I find it lame, and boring ;-) P.S. missing you....