Saturday, 22 January 2011
Planning
Decided on the full route - Singapore trans Siberian to the UK. Russian visa takes about 10 working days and requires exact entry and departure dates and details of accommodation, Lao visa we can pick up on entry (at certain border crossings from Thailand), Mongolian visa only takes a day or two but it takes six working days to apply for a transit visa for Belarus. Looks like our departure from Singapore will be mid February. Planning continues...
Friday, 21 January 2011
Round Two...
Having secured a new passport for San San more quickly than anticipated we are now preparing for our second trip and trying to decide whether to travel overland all the way from Singapore to London on the trans Siberian train (spending most of our time in China) or just to travel overland to China then fly to the UK. It’s Dave’s mums birthday in May so we need to be there for that. A lot will be depend on the ease of getting visa for Mongolia and Russia and the cost comparison between the train and the plane… watch this space for. Either way, we plan to be out of Singapore early Feb and not back here until the summer…
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Back in Singapore
From Lijiang to Singapore, we stayed in Dali for Christmas and Kunming for flight departure. All along, we stayed in hostels. That made me feel like I was a student again. Ha...
Before we knew it, time has passed and we are in Singapore doing Tara puja for the New Year.
Singapore is cool in this period, with predictable monsoon rain every afternoon. I think we have all missed its weather and rejoice in only wearing T-shirt. Here, we shall stay for another month because we have to wait for San-San new passport.
At the moment we are still not sure where we are going but I think we are certain we shall be on the road again. At least to make our way to UK for spring festival.
Dave has developed a keen interest in learning mandarin. I am happy coz I think it is a process of learning to be humble, to accept other culture and language.
Singaporean take pride in knowing many tongues, but we are losing touch with the cultures and respect for it. I hear people complaining about there being too many mainland Chinese, My new found love.
I grow up in an environment where I was told Mainland chinese are greedy and dirty. I cannot dispute that there was a dislike in me for them, to that extent that I think being oversea Chinese i am far more superior than them. Of course, I change every moment. As I get close to Buddhism I find my view to broaden, these negtive veiws fall away and my dearest spiritual teacher teaches us to see from a different angle. For that, I am grateful.
Today, Dave reminded me about my quest to learn about the Chinese in the beginning of my trip. I smile coz the Chinese holds a dear place in my heart. For who they are, they reminded me of my father who passed away when I was fourteen. How can I have disrespect for my fathers.
Then I remember what Geshe-la keeps telling us- all sentient being were our mothers! I believe I can feel a little of that now.
- Posted by using BlogPress from my iPhone
Before we knew it, time has passed and we are in Singapore doing Tara puja for the New Year.
Singapore is cool in this period, with predictable monsoon rain every afternoon. I think we have all missed its weather and rejoice in only wearing T-shirt. Here, we shall stay for another month because we have to wait for San-San new passport.
At the moment we are still not sure where we are going but I think we are certain we shall be on the road again. At least to make our way to UK for spring festival.
Dave has developed a keen interest in learning mandarin. I am happy coz I think it is a process of learning to be humble, to accept other culture and language.
Singaporean take pride in knowing many tongues, but we are losing touch with the cultures and respect for it. I hear people complaining about there being too many mainland Chinese, My new found love.
I grow up in an environment where I was told Mainland chinese are greedy and dirty. I cannot dispute that there was a dislike in me for them, to that extent that I think being oversea Chinese i am far more superior than them. Of course, I change every moment. As I get close to Buddhism I find my view to broaden, these negtive veiws fall away and my dearest spiritual teacher teaches us to see from a different angle. For that, I am grateful.
Today, Dave reminded me about my quest to learn about the Chinese in the beginning of my trip. I smile coz the Chinese holds a dear place in my heart. For who they are, they reminded me of my father who passed away when I was fourteen. How can I have disrespect for my fathers.
Then I remember what Geshe-la keeps telling us- all sentient being were our mothers! I believe I can feel a little of that now.
- Posted by using BlogPress from my iPhone
Location:Singapore
Sunday, 26 December 2010
China's ancient disneyland
In 1993 there was an earthquake in Lijiang. Fortunately, the ancient town of Lijiang was not largely damaged, and it was placed UNESCO world heritage.
The old town is full of small canals, cobbled paths, stone bridges, ancient chinese houses etc. Part of the ancient tea horse route. The architecture are beautiful but that is all.
The houses now house souvenir shops, restaurants and hotels etc. So if you like souvenir shopping, then it is your place.
Unfortunately, we were bothered to go far and hence could not say more about places surrounding this ancient disneyland!
- Posted by Mich using BlogPress from my iPhone
The old town is full of small canals, cobbled paths, stone bridges, ancient chinese houses etc. Part of the ancient tea horse route. The architecture are beautiful but that is all.
The houses now house souvenir shops, restaurants and hotels etc. So if you like souvenir shopping, then it is your place.
Unfortunately, we were bothered to go far and hence could not say more about places surrounding this ancient disneyland!
- Posted by Mich using BlogPress from my iPhone
Location:Lijiang,china
Leaving shangri-la
We travelled for 5 hours from Shangri-la to Lijiang. Still in Yunnan. I had the seat next to the driver, who started the journey with chanting. However, when we diverted the journey to stop by the Tiger Leaping Gorge. He started grumbling about the road. I understood his concern as the road was under repair and we were definitely in a bit of danger. Jon was so concerned that he begged us to turn back.
Tiger Leaping Gorge was beautiful. You have thousands of meters of shear mountain cliff amid a few small villages.
Anyway, we did not stayed there, only for lunch! We made a mental note to cone back again.
After lunch, we continued and crossed over to Lijiang. As we leave Diqing prefecture, a little pinch in my heart to leave my new found friends in shangri-la.
The countryside of Lijiang was beautiful, and the ground get greener as we decent. The driver who was happily fed after lunch, took us to the first bay of Yangtze river, the longest river in china. You really have to see it to be wooed by its beauty. What really attract me is the simplicity of country life.
Another hour and we reached our hostel Lijiang old town.
- Posted by Mich using BlogPress from my iPhone
Tiger Leaping Gorge was beautiful. You have thousands of meters of shear mountain cliff amid a few small villages.
Anyway, we did not stayed there, only for lunch! We made a mental note to cone back again.
After lunch, we continued and crossed over to Lijiang. As we leave Diqing prefecture, a little pinch in my heart to leave my new found friends in shangri-la.
The countryside of Lijiang was beautiful, and the ground get greener as we decent. The driver who was happily fed after lunch, took us to the first bay of Yangtze river, the longest river in china. You really have to see it to be wooed by its beauty. What really attract me is the simplicity of country life.
Another hour and we reached our hostel Lijiang old town.
- Posted by Mich using BlogPress from my iPhone
Location:China
Thangka
Thangka painting is an art form which was exported from Nepal to Tibet which had a bit of influence from Tang China.
It has become popular with the Tibetan because of its transportable form as early Tibetan were mostly nomadic.
Thangka painting skills are passed through generation within the artist family.
Some are painted by talented monks. In the old days, these may be visualization that appeared in their meditation.
We have the honor to meet a master like this - Lama Lobsong Kedrup at the Thangka Academy.
His paintings are full of meanings and we spent many hours talking about these. Being a Buddhist, it fascinates me to hear all the stories behind a thangka - the meanings of each symbol, the reason behind a colour.
The Master's painting is quite different to most thangka. When I get back, I will add one on here. So watch this space.
- Posted by Mich using BlogPress from my iPhone
It has become popular with the Tibetan because of its transportable form as early Tibetan were mostly nomadic.
Thangka painting skills are passed through generation within the artist family.
Some are painted by talented monks. In the old days, these may be visualization that appeared in their meditation.
We have the honor to meet a master like this - Lama Lobsong Kedrup at the Thangka Academy.
His paintings are full of meanings and we spent many hours talking about these. Being a Buddhist, it fascinates me to hear all the stories behind a thangka - the meanings of each symbol, the reason behind a colour.
The Master's painting is quite different to most thangka. When I get back, I will add one on here. So watch this space.
- Posted by Mich using BlogPress from my iPhone
Location:Shangri-la, China
Wednesday, 22 December 2010
Gen Tharpa Gongcheng
On the last day in Shangri-la, master took us to visit his good friend and master who spent 27 years in meditation retreat in the mountain.
When we arrived at a little room in Song Zhan Lin monestary, we were greeted by a smiling old monk. We offered him a white silk scarf each, and he blessed it and offered it back to us.
Upon inspection, his room contains a stove, his cot where he sleeps and meditates, a few utensils and stools for visitors. And nothing more. Yet this monk beamed inner content and happiness, not worried about having any world comfort. What a freedom he possesses.
We spoke through the master for quite a while. He remembered Geshe-la from the days in India.
Before we said goodbyes, he gave us another white silk scarf to bless our journey and bid us a safe return to Shangri-la.
This kind of draw our six weeks stay to an end. But beginning of our journey to get back to Singapore.
- Posted by Mich using BlogPress from my iPhone
When we arrived at a little room in Song Zhan Lin monestary, we were greeted by a smiling old monk. We offered him a white silk scarf each, and he blessed it and offered it back to us.
Upon inspection, his room contains a stove, his cot where he sleeps and meditates, a few utensils and stools for visitors. And nothing more. Yet this monk beamed inner content and happiness, not worried about having any world comfort. What a freedom he possesses.
We spoke through the master for quite a while. He remembered Geshe-la from the days in India.
Before we said goodbyes, he gave us another white silk scarf to bless our journey and bid us a safe return to Shangri-la.
This kind of draw our six weeks stay to an end. But beginning of our journey to get back to Singapore.
- Posted by Mich using BlogPress from my iPhone
Location:Shangri-la, china
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