Nepal
I arrived to Nepal a few weeks ago, and stayed in Katmandu, in the Tahmel area, which is the area gear for tourist, so after I visited some of the old parts of town, such as Durbar square, Paten both show the ancient’s city architecture, mostly wood construction with magnificent carvings, showing the grandeur of this city in centuries past and their influence in Chinese architecture.
I also went to the monkey temple, one of the most revered Buddhist Stupas in Nepal (a Stupas is usually a Buddhist building round most of the times , of different sizes, that contains Buddhist relics, such as Buddha’s teachings, remains, old lamas remains or objects, etc), it is located on top of a hill which is steep enough to make you puff going up, the place was full of pilgrims from all over the world and many Tibetans (locals as well as from Tibet), magnificent views of Katmandu city and valley, and very ancient temples and chapels surrounding the Stupa.
I have said it again I feel so lucky of having this opportunity, of being here learning, seeing and witnessing sooo much, I feel so blessed and thank full.
After a week in Katmandu I move to Boudha, a small Buddhist area for centuries and full of Tibetans that sleeked refuge after the Chinese invasion of their country, it used to be a small town in the outskirts of Katmandu, but now the city has almost devour it.
In this beautiful place the noise, traffic of Katmandu is none existent as it is replaced by the sound of Monks praying, mantras being said and bells and other Tibetan musical instruments, it brought me back to my Dharamsala days as the atmosphere is almost identical full of Buddhist doing pilgrimage or just visiting the area.
Boudha is the site of the Largest Stupa in the world, it has to be seen to be appreciated, is huge and constantly full of people doing Khoras (is walking around clockwise in the base of the Stupa), what a sight, at times there most be a couple of thousand people walking around it while saying their mantras, so the energy is incredible and the Buddhists spirituality and faith just unbelievable.
Since my arrival here I attached myself to the Gelug Monastery (my Tibetan Buddhist lineage), I met the Abbot a very old and wise Lama which to my surprise had been in Mexico city teaching Buddhism in one of the centers there, also I met Dawa-la a very nice monk that has as one of his jobs to do the administration of the monastery for a while, we became very good friends and I listen to his teachings and talks very attentively as we hit it on great from day one, I also attend the Morning pujas very early in the morning for a couple of hours, so I am done with this practice by 7.30am, then breakfast YESSSSSSSSS coffee, and then Khoras around the Stupa for a while.
One day I go the crazy idea and commitment to do 8 hours non stop Khoras, so to the delight of my feet I started and I was able to finished the 8 hours non stop and I got 1 black toe nail and 3 blisters LOL, but I did not bad when I finished I did 105 Khoras (walk around the Stupa), and 14,400 mantras so I went home limping but happy of this achievement, eventually I lost 2 toe nails and was a bit sore for a few days.
Also while in Boudha I was witness of a very rare opportunity, as one of the higher lamas of the Sakya tradition passed away, and his body was brought to Boudha to be visited in the Sakya temple for several days till his cremation on March the 3rd, by the way it is very much appropriate to mentioned here that the bodies of enlightened beings like this one, have a very special qualities, one of them is that they don’t decay so they remain for many days as if they were a sleep after dying, so while the body was on the temple , it was visited by thousands of people, I was there several times as you get many blessings while viewing such an enlightened being.
When his body was brought, there were thousands of people, and monks from all four lineages (Sakya, Kagyu, Gelug, Nyigma ), there was a great feeling being present, it was very emotional, but not emotional sad, it was more like an honor to be present witnessing such a ritual.
Once again, I am so lucky that I have witness so, so many wonderful things in this trip, that I have been sometimes overwhelmed, such an honor and a learning experience, for an incipient Buddhist like me, so many blessings.
While in Katmandu , I visited the valley which contains many small towns and villages with distinctive Nepali architecture and Buddhist monasteries amongst the Nepali fields of growing crops and their terraces, creating a very appealing countryside to visit and explore, there are also some special places for Buddhist such as caves that were used by the great Lamas of the past such as Nagarjunas Cave and Guru Rinpoche cave, Namo Buddha.
As most things have to come to and end, after two months here my stay in Nepal is finished, very happy and satisfied with my achievements I must go now to Thailand and continued my trip and its goals.
At the moment I have taken around 6000 pictures in this trip and most of you have told me that you like the pictures I am this time posting more pics than text, so once again here is an example of the Nepal pics, enjoy.
I arrived to Nepal a few weeks ago, and stayed in Katmandu, in the Tahmel area, which is the area gear for tourist, so after I visited some of the old parts of town, such as Durbar square, Paten both show the ancient’s city architecture, mostly wood construction with magnificent carvings, showing the grandeur of this city in centuries past and their influence in Chinese architecture.
I also went to the monkey temple, one of the most revered Buddhist Stupas in Nepal (a Stupas is usually a Buddhist building round most of the times , of different sizes, that contains Buddhist relics, such as Buddha’s teachings, remains, old lamas remains or objects, etc), it is located on top of a hill which is steep enough to make you puff going up, the place was full of pilgrims from all over the world and many Tibetans (locals as well as from Tibet), magnificent views of Katmandu city and valley, and very ancient temples and chapels surrounding the Stupa.
I have said it again I feel so lucky of having this opportunity, of being here learning, seeing and witnessing sooo much, I feel so blessed and thank full.
After a week in Katmandu I move to Boudha, a small Buddhist area for centuries and full of Tibetans that sleeked refuge after the Chinese invasion of their country, it used to be a small town in the outskirts of Katmandu, but now the city has almost devour it.
In this beautiful place the noise, traffic of Katmandu is none existent as it is replaced by the sound of Monks praying, mantras being said and bells and other Tibetan musical instruments, it brought me back to my Dharamsala days as the atmosphere is almost identical full of Buddhist doing pilgrimage or just visiting the area.
Boudha is the site of the Largest Stupa in the world, it has to be seen to be appreciated, is huge and constantly full of people doing Khoras (is walking around clockwise in the base of the Stupa), what a sight, at times there most be a couple of thousand people walking around it while saying their mantras, so the energy is incredible and the Buddhists spirituality and faith just unbelievable.
Since my arrival here I attached myself to the Gelug Monastery (my Tibetan Buddhist lineage), I met the Abbot a very old and wise Lama which to my surprise had been in Mexico city teaching Buddhism in one of the centers there, also I met Dawa-la a very nice monk that has as one of his jobs to do the administration of the monastery for a while, we became very good friends and I listen to his teachings and talks very attentively as we hit it on great from day one, I also attend the Morning pujas very early in the morning for a couple of hours, so I am done with this practice by 7.30am, then breakfast YESSSSSSSSS coffee, and then Khoras around the Stupa for a while.
One day I go the crazy idea and commitment to do 8 hours non stop Khoras, so to the delight of my feet I started and I was able to finished the 8 hours non stop and I got 1 black toe nail and 3 blisters LOL, but I did not bad when I finished I did 105 Khoras (walk around the Stupa), and 14,400 mantras so I went home limping but happy of this achievement, eventually I lost 2 toe nails and was a bit sore for a few days.
Also while in Boudha I was witness of a very rare opportunity, as one of the higher lamas of the Sakya tradition passed away, and his body was brought to Boudha to be visited in the Sakya temple for several days till his cremation on March the 3rd, by the way it is very much appropriate to mentioned here that the bodies of enlightened beings like this one, have a very special qualities, one of them is that they don’t decay so they remain for many days as if they were a sleep after dying, so while the body was on the temple , it was visited by thousands of people, I was there several times as you get many blessings while viewing such an enlightened being.
When his body was brought, there were thousands of people, and monks from all four lineages (Sakya, Kagyu, Gelug, Nyigma ), there was a great feeling being present, it was very emotional, but not emotional sad, it was more like an honor to be present witnessing such a ritual.
Once again, I am so lucky that I have witness so, so many wonderful things in this trip, that I have been sometimes overwhelmed, such an honor and a learning experience, for an incipient Buddhist like me, so many blessings.
While in Katmandu , I visited the valley which contains many small towns and villages with distinctive Nepali architecture and Buddhist monasteries amongst the Nepali fields of growing crops and their terraces, creating a very appealing countryside to visit and explore, there are also some special places for Buddhist such as caves that were used by the great Lamas of the past such as Nagarjunas Cave and Guru Rinpoche cave, Namo Buddha.
As most things have to come to and end, after two months here my stay in Nepal is finished, very happy and satisfied with my achievements I must go now to Thailand and continued my trip and its goals.
At the moment I have taken around 6000 pictures in this trip and most of you have told me that you like the pictures I am this time posting more pics than text, so once again here is an example of the Nepal pics, enjoy.
Jaime
View of an old square, Kathmandu Valley
Patan square building near Katmandu
Anotheer example of the old architecture
A tipical street of old Katmandu
One of the local industries black pottery
A tipical view of a terraced house, Katmandu valley
Mount Everest almost in the middle of the picture
Mount Everest range
You can see the amount of people during the arrival of the body
Before the body arrived
Arrival of the body of a Sakya lama saint
A closer view of the body sitting inside of the urn
The way thebody was received with music and a multitude
Another aspect of the people attendance to the arrival
My dear friend Gelugpa Lama Dawa-la, cooking pasta for us
A Gelugpa homage to HH the Dalai Lama, during Losar (Tibetan new year)
Waiting for the Sakya Lama body to arrive
The procession of the body to the temple
6am at the Gelugpa Monastery doing our daily practice, see how young some of the monks are??
My favourite store, where I used to buy Yak cheese
A Local sadhu
Flying horse in Nepal
The Gelugpa monastery temple in a quiet morning
The largest stupa in the world in Bodha
Old Tibetans doing circumambulations (Khoras)around the stupa
An old Anila (nun)always praying by the stupa
Nagarjuna's caveposted by Yogin's quest | 4:53 AM
Taj Mahal 6 am 
