This is our fifth day on the road and I now feel very comfortable here in Nepal. The people are so friendly and the kids have such big smiles when you return their greetings of heeello or nameste.
Right now we are at an Internet place in Boudha, a twenty minute - downhill - walk from Kopan. (To walk back takes about 45mins if you don't get lost and if you are fit!!!) This internet place looks out over Boudhanath Stupa. It is amazing! You can see how big it is by looking at the picture below. The white blob that looks like a nose (between the eyes of the Buddha) is a person. Many pilgrims come here to circumnavigate the stupa, including us!! All the CD shops play the same music, Cho. It is a very special place.
Tomorrow at 5pm, our month long course begins, so this is the last blog before 'lock down'. I am really looking forward to it. Below is a picture of part of the grounds at Kopan, so as you can see, it is beautiful so spending a month here will not be so hard. The himalaya range in the background and a beautiful stupa to circumnavigate. A stupa represents the Buddha's enlightened mind. This stupa is filled with the relics of many holy beings. Circumnavigating a stupa clockwise is said to purify negative karma as it represents all that is positive.
We spent the last few days shopping for warm clothes in Tamil. It is exhausting walking in in the dirt and puddle filled streets, with cars, bikes, motorbikes, people passing just centremeters from you, breathing in all the fumes, while bartering for items. The people don't hassel you in the street and they always barter in a friendly way so although my body was exhausted, I still felt calm and peaceful within.
The food here is so cheap! Rob, our friend Ray and myself ate three plates of momo's (like steamed dumplings filled with vegetables, paneer and potato), a plate of chips and a big pot of Tibetin tea (salty, butter tea) for $5. We were so full that Rob had to leave one lonely momo behind.
Steph, I took this picture for you. There are tiny marigolds all around the gompa at Kopan. I want to bite them all off... kkkaaargum!
Right now we are at an Internet place in Boudha, a twenty minute - downhill - walk from Kopan. (To walk back takes about 45mins if you don't get lost and if you are fit!!!) This internet place looks out over Boudhanath Stupa. It is amazing! You can see how big it is by looking at the picture below. The white blob that looks like a nose (between the eyes of the Buddha) is a person. Many pilgrims come here to circumnavigate the stupa, including us!! All the CD shops play the same music, Cho. It is a very special place.
Tomorrow at 5pm, our month long course begins, so this is the last blog before 'lock down'. I am really looking forward to it. Below is a picture of part of the grounds at Kopan, so as you can see, it is beautiful so spending a month here will not be so hard. The himalaya range in the background and a beautiful stupa to circumnavigate. A stupa represents the Buddha's enlightened mind. This stupa is filled with the relics of many holy beings. Circumnavigating a stupa clockwise is said to purify negative karma as it represents all that is positive.
We spent the last few days shopping for warm clothes in Tamil. It is exhausting walking in in the dirt and puddle filled streets, with cars, bikes, motorbikes, people passing just centremeters from you, breathing in all the fumes, while bartering for items. The people don't hassel you in the street and they always barter in a friendly way so although my body was exhausted, I still felt calm and peaceful within.
The food here is so cheap! Rob, our friend Ray and myself ate three plates of momo's (like steamed dumplings filled with vegetables, paneer and potato), a plate of chips and a big pot of Tibetin tea (salty, butter tea) for $5. We were so full that Rob had to leave one lonely momo behind.
Steph, I took this picture for you. There are tiny marigolds all around the gompa at Kopan. I want to bite them all off... kkkaaargum!
