Lazy, Hazy Daze in Dharamsala

Hello,
Here we are inside, the weather today is a indecisive debate between almost rain and almost sun and none seems to be winning, so it discouraged us from any lengthy walks as yesterday we got soaked to the skin on the way back from a morning hike. We however had a wonderful morning at Norbalinka, an institute set in beautiful peaceful gardens where young Tibetans learn the traditional arts such as painting and sculpture.

Otherwise we enjoy roaming the very very small, hilly and crowded lanes and taking long hikes out of the small town center. We are sort of lazy trekkers in that we get driven to a very very high location and then with the aid of maps, found a great walking path that took us down to our favorite river gorge. Kathryn however on the way up had a moment of panic, maybe as a result of so much pretty scary rides all along and made the car stop, she HAD to get out then and there, but it was good to walk the rest of the way uphill through tall pines and lush green glades, a little real exercise won't hurt us, but plumetting in a tin can like car with no seatbelts down a impossibly steep mountain might.

We found a terrific river gorge to walk above as well as swim in, it requires a hike out of McCleod Gang (everyone calls it Dharamsala but Dharamsala itself, is a gritty busy hot city 15 klm below the lush pine forests of McLeod, named after the British official who settled the hill town)
Anyway, we hike out of McLeod along a road above the river gorge where one can see monks in their brightly colored robes bathing and drying their outergarments (no nude monks in other words) on the rocks.

Yesterday's hike down from the mountains was one we were warned about trying to attempt by a travel adviser as the path was not that safe. We saw on the map that we could reach the the top of the waterfall that feeds the gorge, but were undeterred by the agent's warning (read - lost) and found the path, a bit dicey to say the least (lets say there are a distinctive lack of guardrails on any Indian road or path and they are not that well or at all maintained and tend to slide off the face of the mountain now and then) but it was well worth it as it was an amazing view. John of course, had to climb down the rocks a bit to have a look over the top edge of the waterfall while I clung safely to the rocks above, hoping that I would not have to be writing any unfortunate letter to Karen. I gave up screaming "don't you dare do that" many miles and cliff ridges ago, I do admire his hutzpa(read-craziness)and it makes me feel pretty boring a lot of the time. Maybe its just a "guy" thing.

Our first hike to the waterfall was early in the morning the day before and we took a dip (for me very very quick as it was colder than Lake Michigan in Chicago) but typically John was more daring and was befreinded by a nice group of young Indian boys, who all swam in their underwear. Women tend to swim fully clothed, and its not that fun after taking a dip to wear heavy water-logged shorts and t-shirt and even wearing so little is not usual in India, where Indian women tend to swim in a long tunic and pants, a Salwar Kameez or even Sari, talk about water-logged! We walked down to find a small pool fed by the more tamed waterfall and warmed ourselves on the rocks while John built some nice rock sculptures and cleaned up the empty bags of chipps floating by. The next day our pool was already claimed by monks but we found another just as nice nearby which we only shared with a lone billy goat. Other events in the pictures are walking around a path that surrounds the Dalai Lama's main monastery and Gompa, turning prayer wheels as we walked, its a difficult hilly walk, impressive to see so many people much older than us having no problems at all. We also went into the complex (taking shelter again from rain) where John has photographed monks having a lively debate there the winner dramatically slaps their hands together. There is never any anger, all seem to fully enjoy it and there are several groups doing it at once, and normally a sizable audience of foreigners.

This is a peacefully place where one is not to kill anything, John was told upon asking for a fly swatter for our rooms, to catch and not kill. The limit however with this non violent behavior was when a leech attached itself to his foot after stepping in a puddle. For me the limit was the huge spider in the bathroom that I asked John to kindly deal with (I don't know but I doubt he caught it and let it go) so we are probably guilty of killing our share of insect souls, hopefully not attaching too much bad karma to ourselves.

We have one more day here and are heading south to a beautiful lake near a major temple town, where Kathryn will find the last of her wooden temples. On then to Chandigargh and then hot hot hot Delhi and HOME at last to all of you!

Love
Kathryn and John