A trip to Dambulla

Having some (ok, a lot) of free time while here in Sri Lanka trying to set up a yoga program with a hotel, I decided to take a day to go see the Unesco Dambulla Temple caves. I'd seen pictures of the insides of the cave and it looks beautiful.  Just outside of town you also have Sigiriya. Sigiriya is famous for its 200m high red stone fortress and palace ruins which are surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs and other structures.  I had read and heard that while Sigiriya is very impressive, it's also very tourist overrun and over-expensive at $30 a head.  While just behind it is another temple and high rock, Pidurangala. Pidurangala rock is almost as high as its famous neighbor and provides a pleasant view onto its sibling as well as the surrounding area. It also cost $2 and had virtually no people on it. Though you don't get to see the ruins atop of Sigirya, having traveled extensively, ruins are ruins and after a while your brain doesn't process them much.

After hiking up, doing a little bouldering work at points near the top, and chilling out on the top with a view, I decided to head back to town to catch the caves as I was only in town for one day.

The caves are amazing. I've been to caves, I've been to temples, I've been to temple caves. None held a candle to these ones.  I was completely in awe. The beauty and majesticness of it was truly magnificent (as I hope the pictures can somewhat show).  I had a few problems here, but so did a few others.  Turns out there are a few entrances in, but only one sells tickets. And if you come into that entrance, the ticket area is hidden. You then walk up a steep hill (small mountain) and get to the the caves where they ask for tickets. Why the ticket place isn't here makes no sense to me, but then again living in developing countries long enough I know to ask for sense is nonsensical. As you can guess, I didn't have a ticket. So after trying hard to negotiate up top (to no use) I walked back down, furious., found the ticket place and trudged back up. Funny thing was, the second time up wasn't so bad, maybe it was more of a hill in my mind or maybe I was just too upset at the ridiculousness of it all to realize I was even walking. At one point I, stupidly, thought, "I'm not going to go. F this, if they have no order or logic."  Luckily, I am not that ignorant, only moderately. So I made it back up, showed my ticket, and went in to see what so far may have been the most impressive thing I've seen here in Sri Lanka.

Little note: The picture with a small Ganesh in it also has a white thing next to the tree on it. This is the bone of an elephants skull. It's considered holy to the worshippers of Ganesh. I thought it was pretty neat.

A New Adventure Begins...

Writing from BKK Airport.  In an hour I'll fly to Sri Lanka to start a new gig with yoga and massage.  A new country, a new adventure.

Let's make it a great one.

Love and Light!

Out For A Nature Walk In Singapore.

While in Singapore I decided to out for a walk along the The Southern Ridges.  According to Wikipedia, The Southern Ridges are a 10km group of green spaces in Singapore spanning the hills of Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park and Kent Ridge Park. It is an area rich in history and is home to to a wide variety of flora and fauna. It sounded like something nice to do in the city full of shopping malls and concrete structures.  The walk is beautiful, with numerous elevated canopy tree line paths among rich flora, though not much fauna.  The contrast of the nature, the city skylines, and the water in the distance was a wonderful stark contrast from each other.  There is a small beautiful bridge along the way, the Henderson Waves Bridge which is rather unique and elegantly designed bridge and highlight of the walk for many.  You don't need to walk the full 10km, though I highly recommend it as the canopy trails are all different and the scenery changes as well.

Goodbyes into Hellos

Goodbyes are never easy. I've said it numerous times before and will say it numerous times again.  I've spent the last week in Singapore staying with a wonderful family. Daily yoga classes, playing basketball with a very talented and sharp 11 year old, and running around after a very naughty but incredibly adorable 2 year old. It's been a week of family time, which is something I don't get much on the road and appreciate when I can. My family is very close and was as well when growing up. To stay with good friends from such a big and loving family is truly nice. There will be moments of drama and sadness, but mostly happiness and love. It has been so nice to be included in that all. And now, I must head off, as we can't always stay in one place forever, especially when it isn't "our" home.  And so I have to say a sad and hard goodbye. Or a see you next time.  But what will help to ease that sadness... is...

that I'll be going to Cambodia for a few days to visit one of my dearest friends whom I became close with in Bhutan.  So I will leave one beautiful community and go to another. A goodbye to a HELLO!

Constant travel can wear on the soul (and body). When I can travel from loved ones to loved ones, it does help make living this life a lot easier (and happier)

With sadness I will leave Singapore, and happiness arrive to Phnom Penh.

Love to you all.
namaste

Get out from behind the camera...

.... and get into the scene!

"Get out from behind the camera, and get into the scene!"

This is a statement to all. Stop living behind your camera's, behind your phones, behind your fears.  Drop them, put them aside. Go out there and live this one life (or more for the Buddhists reading this) that we've been given.  I keep seeing too many of my "friends" online constantly barraging the web with self photos and photos of their every move.  When you take a photo of something you are not part of that something. Once you step into instagram (or whatever) mode you now are outside the scene. Disconnected from whatever was happening.  And when you share every little detail, does it maybe seem like maybe a scream for help. "I'm so insecure about my constant every move that I am BEGGING for your approval. Like this photo, give me more followers, feed my Ego."

Now this isn't to say that a photo or social share of whatever sort from time to time, even multiple times a day are bad.  (Heck, what is bad anyways.. but that's a post for another day.)  No, rather just a wake up call to start to see why we do what we do as well as what we are actually doing.  This can also lead into a deeper and deeper rabbit hole of self inquiry.

But please, don't "like" this post.   You can share it with people if you feel, but I'd rather not feed my own ego here and request you honor that. First off, I am guilty of much of what I write about. Secondly, I write this all for your enjoyment. I get the enjoyment from sharing my adventures with you all, that is my "like" of it.

Now get off from in front of this screen, close the blog, and go out and explore. Go do something new, exciting, familiar, comforting, nurturing.  But sign off and go do it. Do it now!! Because the next moment may be too late.  (and if you must, feel free to take a photo of yourself doing it.)

High on Life / I'm clean

I arrived to my yoga class a little bit early this morning. I wasn't sure where it was exactly and I feel that it's always better to be early than late, especially when you are the teacher.  While waiting for the morning shift person to come and open up, I was hanging outside the space minding my own.  Two people came up and sat on the steps next door to the yoga space. They started talking to me, and so I responded back. Nothing big, small talk. The guy got up and came closer to me. Oh, maybe I should tell you all this. The yoga space is in the Tenderloin of SF. The seediest, dirtiest, drug filled portion of SF. So the guy got up and asked to bump my fist. I told him I'd rather a handshake than fist bump. I don't love the fist bump and feel a handshake is more meaningful. He let me know he was offering the bump for hygienics, you see he was homeless and not so cleanly. It didn't bother me, he was still a person and if he was dirty then I'd wash my hands later. I'm clearly no germ freak(read some of my posts in China and you'll see). When he sat back down, he lit something up. I wasn't sure if he was smoking an old cigarette, a joint, or something else.  So I asked, "What is that? pot or rock?"  It was rock, they were smoking crack right in the open, and next to the yoga space. OH NO!!!  We'll shit, these things happen. Especially in the Tenderloin. They talked to me some more and I saw this as a great place to practice non-judgement. For those who know me, I can be a little judgmental. It's something I've been working on for a while, on how to soften and not judge. But I'm an East Coast Jew, it's in my blood.  Anyways, back to the story. I decided to have compassion for them and not judge. When he offered me some, I told him that "I'm clean. But thanks." I don't think what he does or how he lives is the right way. Selling drugs is what he seems to have to do right now, his dharma. Instead of ignoring him or acting rude, I gave him my time and I spoke from a place of heart. OK, there was a part of me that thought I may get mugged, but I tried to suppress these feelings with those of knowing that all will be ok. Because, it really always is all OK. Isn't it?  He is high in crack, I'm high on life. High from yoga. What's the difference? OK, maybe there is a huge difference, but we all have our roles to play, our samskaras to break. After a few hits from his pipe, he started to get paranoid from not seeing any police and thought they may be coming so they got up to leave. He offered to sell me some powder, again, and again I politefully declined stating, "I'm clean, but thanks."  He told me his name was Carl, but around here they call him Slim.  Then they took off to somewhere else. Shortly after, the lady who was to open the studio arrived and I went inside to prepare for class.  Two types of highs, one natural one synthetic. But people none the same. 

A California Road Trip

I had a friend from China who was visiting the US and wanted someone to show them around a little bit.  Having been in foreign countries where everything is different, even when the same, I totally could remember being in their exec position. When I travel I love when locals show you some of their special little "secrets."  Things that guide books can't tell you, thoughts and feelings that the internet isn't able to reproduce (yet).  So for one week I got to play tour guide. Only thing was, I was playing tour guide in areas that were mostly new to me.  But I had some benefits on my side. I know food and I know how to travel.  A week later, I look back and can say I did a great job, though not at every moment.  My friend got to taste America in both the culinary sense as well as a little of the persona of this great country. 

You know when you go to Chinese restaurants and someone has to say, "In China the food is completely different than our Chinese."  Well, it's the same for any food. Local is always best. I never liked Mexican food growing up because I grew up in New England, about as far continentally speaking, that one can get from Mexico and still be in the US.  When I moved to California, Mexican food finally made sense to me.  California use to be Mexico, after all. So when I said, "Let's eat Mexican tonight." my friend looked at me and said point out "I don't like Mexican food, it isn't good." Of course it isn't, if you eat it in China. But I persisted and convinced her of my ways and what happened after the meal? "That was delicious." Of course it was, it was Mexican food in Santa Barbara.  

The BBQ i was a little less sure of. I've never met anyone who doesn't like authentic Mexican food, but BBQ is a different story.  There are various styles and a lot of people just don't love a thick and tasty BBQ sauce.  But I felt, when in America… eat as the Americans eat.  So we went out and got a variation of BBQ taste. Ribs, tri tips, brisket, hot wings, beans, and we washed it down with some NOLA style bread pudding.  It was decadent, delicious and a big hit.  SUCCESS!!  

Our breakfasts were mostly standard diner fare. Pancakes, eggs, bacon and sausage, coffee, coffee, coffee (David Lynch would be proud). We did have an incredibly healthy morning in Santa Barbara as it is Santa Barbara and healthiness is key there.  But most of the breakfasts were heavy and American. (I should add, lunch was usually not eaten as breakfast was so overpowering.)

In LA the food was all about Korean. Beijing is known for it's jajangmyeon, a black bean sauce noodle. However, IMO, the Korean's took this dish and enhanced it. My friend had never had the korean version so if there was some place to eat this (outside of Korea) this was the place. I researched where one of the best spots in K-town was and off we went. She liked it, and I loved it!!! I would eat this dish with my host family on rainy days and when I eat the dish now, and it's good, I am transported back there.  In good culinary tour fashion, after the jajangmyeon we headed across K-town to hit a noodle house known for it's mandoo (dumplings). All Chinese people love dumplings. It's a proven fact! OK, maybe not a fact, but a relatively true generalization.  So this seemed like a good place to go. And though the dumplings were great, the real highlight here was the kimchi. Sour, spicy and a little sweet. Fermented wonderfulness.  

Of course the whole trip wasn't just "eat our way across California", we did stop and do some site-seeing. Spending a few days around Yosemite was wonderful. A friend of ours from China had previously said, "Why go to Yosemite, it looks just like China." But we didn't let this effect our motives. Sure it has similarities with other national forest parks in China, but it isn't the same. There aren't coyotes in China, or the cute little bears we encountered crossing the road. There also isn't giant sequoia's anywhere in China.  For those who've never been, seeing the giant sequoia's in person is truly beautiful. Breathtaking. Marvelous. Awe inspiring. They are mammoth treats and they bring into one's self a sense of how minuscule we really are.  And we are oh so tiny in this grand macrocosm of life.

We also spent an extra day in Santa Barbara relaxing around. I have a friend from yoga training living there and he graciously gifted us a complimentary class of his therapeutic yoga. After all the long driving, it was very much appreciated. Santa Barbara is also a very cute town to walk around and it's easy to just lose the day meandering around the adorable and friendly downtown area. 

As the week is up, I will now fly back to SF for a month stay before I head off to Asia again. My friend just left on a flight back to BJ. Very happy and content with all we did and saw and both left with the same feeling… "I don't like LA."