Pure Morning. I Wish You Too.

HH 14th Dalailama had just arrived from US, smiling as usual and waving to the crowd that waited patiently for him for couple hours right out side Namgyal Temple. I am taking a break at One Two cafe where I am not DJing like I did the other day. And just as I wrote that Tashi asked if I wanted to do that now. Sure. Yusef Lateef is on along with monk chants coming from the outside just as in Beastie Boys song Shambala from their legendary album The In Sound From Way Out. I met a nun, which in tibetan is Ani La, a day before who actually met Adam Yauch here in December. Well, Adam, get well pretty soon like nothing happened. We know the surgery went pretty well! 

You can see more westerners flooding in and you keep bumping into crazy people from even more crazier part of the world (in a good way). Somehow the idea of returning home seems as crazy as the idea of coming to India when you're home. That's the fact. Anyway, I decided to put up some random photos from last couple days. Just to add, the days spent here are very nutritious and not necessarily from food, nah mean?

Stars and the Moon in a black substance soup. Miso Universe.

My neighbor Rei, which is actually pronounced Lay since she is Japanese. Obviously I'm Laymond, I was lame she knew that straight up. Well, the moment I met her reminded me the scene in Lost in Translation, you know, the "lip it" part. 

There's something I missed out on. In the photo above is a cafe that I wrote the song for on Tashi's request. That morning it was presented and hugest crowds that was just outside the door started dancing and going wild. Believe it or not. 

I wouldn't know a thing about Black Stupa and I still don't but Carolin knows a lot and is writing a theses on stupas. She interwied the guy who built it and is taking care of it now by renewing the paint, drawings and keeping it clean. This stupa is part of the larger complex of stupas in this area that basically protects it from different things. This specifically is not letting the earth shake to significant amounts.

Streets are filled with maroon color these days as monks arriving from different parts of India for the teaching that will begin this Sunday. 

McLeod in it's beauty. 

Monk's debating between morning and afternoon sessions. It may get as physical as rugby. Not really, but you never see a debate like this where people are raising voices and pushing each other in order to learn. Amazing ay?

My other neighbor Christina doing laundry while I'm trying to fix her phone that dropped in the toilet. And if you've seen the toilets in India that it's pretty gross to imagine yourself putting your arm in there to get out the phone. Well, she did and I fixed it despite the smell. That was coming from its dead body. 

Aight, this is something you should know. This guy finished university at ten and still had to go to highschool till he was 16 when he left and travelled the world ever since. Did I mention that he was in a rock band too playing what he described as stoner rock even though he was more like a Zenbuddhist monk type a thing and not a smoker at all. He just came in the cafe by the way. You can claim such coincidences on the size of the town, but I tell you what, I don't believe in coincidences. 

Christina brought Chinese tea from China, does this make sense even? The Tea drinking that went on was the most ritual thing I experienced here outside the Temple. Needless to say that I got so high from it that I was literally levitating and needed to walk it out or my brain would explode. Last time I remember having similar sensations was when Atis, a good friend that I borrowed a sleeping bag from, got moroccan tea in the house and after emptying a huge pot of greens, sugar and mints I fell in the well. 

This guy looked like Johnny Deep from a certain angle. Maybe because of the hat and turquoise earring that looked really good on a darker skin. 

Chriss, Mandell and I flapjacking and having shots of green tea.

Gusarevs realm. 

Music Deity Rei was painting 2 months and that day she was finished. 

The Teacher from two years ago and Marta from Spain. 

This is Greyson. Volunteering. This is his friend's Trev office. He used to snowboard and stopped after trying rodeo5 to nosepress on a rainbow. 

Having a little party in my room. They were all concerned about black mold which I knew nothing about except of seeing a similar scene in a movie I love Paris where guy was totally paranoid by that. 

Important part of life. Laundry. I do it occasionally cause I don't stink right?