Appreciating American Pharmacies....

A Pokhara Pharmacy closed for the Dassain Holiday....(yes, it is a garage door)



 

And they are about 1/4 the depth of a garage

"The many faces of Nepal......"

 

My Mini Monks I teach English to

Annual Deej Women's Festival  in Sept. where the young girls dance for husbands

Boudhanath-Stupa Boudha in Kathmandu

Bimala applying a Tika to Alex at the Hindu Temple in Kalanki

Swayambhunath ("Monkey") Temple in Kathmandu

 

Durbar Square in Kathmandu

 

And this is why they call it The Monkey Temple...

At Seti River Gorge,Pokahara

Drumming during Chanting at Sadhanna Yoga Retreat

Downtown in the tourist area of Pokhara

Oct. 24, the last day of the Dassain Festival

Downtown Pokhara

 

The closest I've been to a live Cobra when it wasn't behind glass at the

 zoo.  Some Dutch girls came up & asked him if  the "toxins" had been taken

out of the snake. He nodded & said, "Oh yes, the toxins have been removed.

He's harmless. Come sit down."  Guess that's why he's called a "charmer."

 

1) Tourist taunts Oxen.  2)  Tourist gets chased by Oxen.

And, last but not least....he came right up to me...actually

thought he was posing for me.

 



A PIC IS WORTH 1,000 WORDS: PART ii

 (down the street from my Guesthouse)

Fewa Lake in Pokhara, Nepal

 

(one of the cooks at the Yoga Retreat. Not sure if she speaks English)

In case you can't read the T Shirt...it says "Party Naked"

 

A man carrying a baby & a  dead chicken....

Something you don't really see in the Western World

 

At a T Shirt  Store...

May have something to do with why

I haven't seen a McDonald's yet in Nepal? (They do have KFC)

Bamboo tree (I believe) structure for building..

This is the size of a Taxi...

Typical street:  Some tourists, some cars, some oxen with their owners...

Last, but not least.....

 

Morning Ayurvedic Mud Bath at the Yoga Retreat

 

A PIC IS WORTH 1,000 WORDS: PART I

A "City Bus" in Kathmandu. (Significantly smaller than an American SUV).

 

Roadside bathroom on the 8 hr bus ride to Pokhara

 

 

As a woman, the goal of effectively "aiming" was never a feat  I'd aspired  to.  However, it's one I can say I've effectively mastered while in Nepal.  (the bucket if for flushing). I know, TMI.

 

I am not a Foodie who normally takes pics.however this plate of tosadas & chicken parmegian are proof that there is more than Dahl bhat (rice & lentils) in Nepal

 

How do you sell Pashminas/Cashmere here?....

 

Yes, they roam free here too (just like in India, I understand)

 

 

The "Yogi Belly Roll"

Sadhana Yoga Retreat in Sedi Bagar, Day 3:
"The Yogi Belly Roll' which is  to exhale totally & pull your stomach in tightly, then roll from left to right. (Don't quite have this move down as of yet)

Yoga Retreat, Day 1:

The picture is of "fewa lake" in pokhara,  which I overlook.

Today I had my 1^st serious flashback to the movie, “Eat, pray, Love.”     I remembered the scene when Julia Robe3rts wakes up  on her first day in the indian ashram to her alarm clock at 4:30AM for meditation, looks at the clock with disgust, rolls over, & basically pulls the cover over her head

This morning the bell rang at 5:30 for meditation. (see above) J

We did exercises to stretch before beginning the pose we’d keep for an hr,  which I thought was good.  I’ve always considered myself better than the average person when it comes to understanding accents, however, in light of the fact that I am seriously not a morning person, it took every ounce of my be3ing to decipher the direction from the instructor (who made Deepak chopra’s accent seem like nothing)

The 1^st chant was “so-haam” which means something like “I am the supreme consciousness of god”, kind of cool.  Then we broke into “om”ing.  Being a beginning meditator, I fully anticipated my mind wandering & had no intention of beating myself up over internal chatter.  And So it was….. “i really like her yoga pants.  i wonder where she got them.” , “the girl behind me sounds like a sick cat wailing when she om’s.”,  “am i doing this right?”, “ my foot just fell asleep.”  “he’s kind of cute.”

1^ST YOGA CLASS: ASHANGA, THE OWNER & YOGA TEACHER, IS A SHINING EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE PURSUEING THEIR PURPOSE IN LIFE.  YOU CAN FEEL IT IN EVERY WORD HE SPEAKS.  HE EXPLAINED THE DETAILS OF WHY WE WERE DOING EACH POSE & BREATH.  BEING IN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION, I  THOROUGHLY APPRECIATE THE BREAKDOWN OF HOW WHAT I’M DOING AFFECTS THE BODY, AS WELL AS THE MIND/BODY CONNECTION .  HE SAID THE YOGA EXPLANATION IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE MEDICAL INTERPRETATION.  I LOVE BRIDGING THAT GAP.

 THE MUD BATH WAS AWESOME!!  WE GOT IN BATHING SUITS & SMEARED RED MUD ALL OVER OURSELVES, THEN BAKED LIKE A CLAY POT IN THE SUN UNTIL DRY, & RUBBED(SCRUBBE3D) IT OFF.  the whole thing took about 45 min.  In ayurvedic medicine, it is a detoxifying process (& astringent as well I think). 

Every Monday, ashanga’s wife  does a silent meditation for 24 hours & has for years.  She said it is good to go inside & be in touch with our inner life & inner world.  We are normally so externally focused.

 

I can honestly say, today has been one of the best days of my trip (& it’s only 3pm). I feel like my trip has just begun in a specific respect. in light of the fact that a major reason I’m here is introspection, I feel like in this retreat will make good on that promise I’ve made to myself

 

annie.