It has stopped raining!!! And i am listening to Jo Whiley live - new music i've missed u! The clouds have cleared and we can finally see into the valley and see the new dusting of snow on the peaks - beautiful!!
Have just finished taking part in English conversational class with Buddhist monks - what a buzz these classes give us! My monk is called Super Monk (have to nickname these guys as just can't pronounce their Tibetan names!) and we just sit down on a cold floor with blankets wrapped around us talking about all sorts of things. Mainly Buddhism, Tibet, life stories etc. but so many funny moments. They are such cheeky dudes and I love their attitude to their monk way of life. They keep to the four main rules - no marriage, no alcohol, no killing and no violence but the rest of the 205 rules are open to a little bending!! Super Monk has been punished and sent to the kitchen on occasions for slacking and watching a Chelsea match or playing cards! He also has fabulous stories to tell of meditating monks who have spent thirty years alone up in the mountains or have gone to meditate but ending up marrying and never returning. What seems so special is that whatever the behaviour of people these guys are so accepting and their philosophy is just one of compassion for everyone.
Oh my God and bumped into breakdancing monk from Goa yesterday. He recgonised us and came over and we didn't recgonise him as he had cut his hair and wasn't flashing his pants in a breakdancing move! So good to see him and will maybe hang out with him tomorrow. Can't believe I am hanging out with monks most of the time here and already have a few monks email addresses saved in my address book. Just would never have thought it ?!?!? Spins my head out a bit!!!
Tibetan language course is going really well too - have mastered about 3 sentances and have been testing them out on whoever will listen!! Seems to be going OK as most people have understood us so far. Am able to ask 'what is your name', 'how are you', 'where are you from' and have lots more to revise from todays sesh. Am also becoming a dab hand at writing in Tibetan - their alphabet is so pretty. Still can't pronounce all the sounds - what our teacher can do with his tongue is nobody's business!! Me and Annie try and repeat what he has said but what comes out of our mouths is more like verbal diarrohea. Will get there eventually - must do if I am going to able to converse with my future in-laws when I visit Tibet!
Had a wicked pooja (prayer session) with the Dalia this morning. It was his last public appearance here at the temple and me and Annie finally made it and found a seat within the temple. No teachings today but lots of chanting and praying. I think I prefer this kind of session with him as it does not require the strain of trying to understand the strong accent of the translator. Am just able to people watch and soak up the atmosphere. Dalai wore a fab orange hat which he could have hid a little Tibetan under if he liked and blessed lots of food which was then distributed too the whole crowd (probaly a few hundred). The monks which dish it out are mental - low flying loaves of bread all over the place and all the school kids went wild when a bucket of sweets was thrown into the crowd, bananas, biscuits, rolls, yum-yums too. Those cheeky monks were loving the mayhem this free breakfast was causing! Oh and nearly forgot to say that me and Annie got the biggest, brightest smile from his holiness this morning - I swear he looked straight at us and it just gave me a lovely little fuzzy feeling in my belly!!!
Have had a few crazy nights in Mcleos and think we have definitely out stayed our welcome at Bens (shamen dude who was travelling with his dad) after going back to his place along with his new lady!!! and soooo cramping his style!! Don't think he was impressed with my Jack Black style of guitar playing and our arrivals without any invite!! (Sorry Ben!!)Back in Mcleo tonight for a few bevvies and to see who we can meet as discovered that a night out in Bhagsu bars is the equivalant of trying to start a party in an AA meeting.
Here now for at least 3 or 4 more days although may never leave!! Still so much to see and do - Tibetan libary, Noddy Town, hanging out with Wanghko (breakdancing monk - see the need for nicknames!?!), and of course awaiting the return of Jam!
It is still brass monkeys here and even having a shower is torture but after getting a whiff of myself this morning had to brave it - can't even wash my stinky clothes as they just don't dry in this cold so will have to buy a new wardrobe for each day!
Lots of love to everybody - xxxxxxxxx
