school's out! where to? to the abode of HH the Dalai Lama, of course.

if you have been following my trip closely thus far, then you may notice that there has not been much mention of the geological features so dear to my heart - mountains - because the closest we've come to actually being on a mountain was gazing up at Kilimanjaro or hiking around the foothills of the Western Ghats near Pune in India. being the clever fellow that i occasionally am, i realized this harsh reality of the program's schedule long ahead of time and planned my India vacation (a pitiful 6 days, but hey, what more can i ask for) accordingly, i.e. destination: Dharamsala!

for those to whom this name rings no large gong of recognition, it is the city in India that hosts the Tibetan government-in-exile. in other words, it's full of monks, monasteries, hostels, hippie-chic (and not-so-chic) backpackers, and all of the lovely tourism accoutrement's that follow the USD and the Euro like greyhounds behind a plastic hare: punjab-run "authentic" Indian restaurants, western-run trinket shops, bars, loads of Tibetan gift shops, eco-tourism ads wherever the eye falls, street hawkers selling pirated dvds, and many very persistent street beggars. it was really difficult for me to walk through the center of McLeod Ganj (where i stayed just above Dharamsala, and much more visitor-oriented) because it meant that not only was i bombarded by evidence of "cultural commodification" in the highest degree, but i also had to confront my oft-ignored but nevertheless ever-present identity as a white American tourist. not the label i self-identify with, but the locals don't know that, and so they treat me accordingly.

if i'm painting too grim a picture of the town, don't take it as a sign that i didn't enjoy my time there. on the contrary, it was one of the most incredible places i've ever been. the clear mountain air; the prayer wheels; the long conversations with monks about life, compassion, practice, culture; the biting cold; the cozy Tibetan restaurants serving momos (steamed dumplings, usually stuffed with cheese or bak choi); the hikes up steep goat trails; and of course, the HIMALAYAS! the town is literally built on a mountain, probably about 7000ft above sea level, and everwhere you go is on a formidable incline. when you look up, the snow-and-granite titan peaks grab your eyes and shake your whole being into humility. running parallel to the grandeur of the place is also an immense joyousness that seems to resonate from the rock, carry itself on the wind through the prayer flags, and find fertile ground in the smiles of everyone living in the vicinity. i felt like i was constantly surrounded by laughing air-spirits. goofy as it does sound, if you ever go there you'll know what i mean.

my time is running out, so i'll just sum up some of things that i did: after a flight, an overnight train ride, and a bus ride up steep, guard-rail-less switchbacks (planes, trains, and automobiles all covered), my traveling buddy and i finally made it to our destination, found a cheap place to stay in no time at all (that's our window in the first picture. not bad for $7/night), and crashed out under layers of covers and sleeping bags. it's even colder inside than out, because the building is concrete with polished stone floors and no heating whatsoever. the next day i spontaneously decided to go for a walk. with my backpack full of school supplies, i started hiking up. and up. and up. it was a marvelous way to procrastinate my studies. 3 hours up the Triund trail until i reached the last ridge before the REAL mountains begin. i think the climb was something like 3000 feet, but i'm not too sure. either way, i was winded and sore and hungry by the time that i reached the top. luckily there was a little hut halfway up that served the best chai i've ever had in my entire life. at the top of the ridge, a mad wind greets you from the deep valley on the other side, and looking across it, the full magnificence of the mountains reveals itself (see second picture). i spent a good hour just sitting under the prayer flags, listening, meditating, basking in a part of earthly existence that i didn't think could be possible. i'm doing really horrible injustice to the situation with my inadequate descriptions, so i'll just stop there.

some of the other highlights of the 5 days were exploring some of the Tibetan buildings, visiting the Norbulinka Institute (see third picture - this place is incredible - i can't go into much detail here, but you should look up their website if you have any interest in Tibetan culture), and making friends with a monk. there was a lot more that i cannot go into now, but suffice to say that it was one of the most spiritually, emotionally, and physically intense experiences of my life. please direct further inquires to me in person upon my return. i'd love to share some more stories, but now i must depart, as there are other more pressing matters to attend to.