Sam and Laura

May 15th

2007-05-15T09:46:00.001-07:00

We have joined the Tollygunge Club, and tonight was our first night as members. It was so pleasant. The pool was clean and blue, not too crowded, with long lanes for swimming laps. The food was yummy and the drinks were very reasonably priced. We sat in the garden restaurant out and watched small white screech owls fly down from their nests to catch critters in the golf course. It was all so pleasant. The next time I go, I'll be sure to get some tennis lessons, have a gin and tonic, and make a luncheon date with the ladies from the International Women's club, let me just check my engagement book. ....lovely and strange that these things can really happen to me here in Kolkata.

I have a couple of pictures from the horse stalls in the club- one really cute horse shrine area, but those that I'm posting are mainly from our touring around the area with our friends. We visited the botanical gardens, which is only a 15 min drive from our house, and it houses the largest Banyon tree ever recorded, too big to take a picture of, so I shot one of Sam and Matthew walking around the giant shoot off trees the main had sprung. There's a picture of me with some women who were visiting Calcutta from Andra Pradesh, they wanted a shot with me, I wanted one with them... we were all happy. There are some other's that are thrown in there for your enjoyment.

xoxo
laura

May 15th

2007-05-15T09:46:00.000-07:00

Shankurpur

2007-05-01T08:28:00.000-07:00

After running back into the house at least twice for such necessities as a computer charger, a cell phone, and chocolates, we finally made it out of Kolkata. Weve been wanting to spend a long weekend outside of the city but haven't had the chance. So, when our dear friends called us up with an invite to the beach, we were more than ready to confirm their offer. The drive out of the city was fast and crazy! We used a major highway half of the way and well paved roads for the other 1.5 hours. We successfully avoided wandering mangy dogs, bicycles trailing large bundles, massive speeding buses piled 3x high with passengers belongings, and the occasional oxen. Oh, and a ride on a major 6 lane highway at around 75 mph, can't be complete without a speeding vehicle going the wrong way- coming head on at us blaring their horn demanding we get out of their way. Honestly the journey was nice, even when we got lost and did 10 kilometers of off road driving on what we later realized were only footpaths. Our detour did enable us to see a very seaside rural West Bengal.

When we finally made it to our destination our hosts greeted us in the canteen with a lunch of rice, dal, pomfret, jack fruit curry, and potatoe crunchies. We were happy to see them and happy to have such great food. We at like this for the remainder of our trip -had tons and tons of fresh fish and hot breads. Bengali culture is known for its thorough attention to intelligence and education, this really goes with fish being brain food, they eat it at least once a day.

Next came our journey to the beach. Because it is very hot now in W. Bengal, ranging from 81- 105+ degrees we're careful not to be outside during the peak hours of sunlight- eary morning and late afternoon evening. Peak hours were spent in the air conditioned comfort of our room.... ahhh frosty (check out the shot of Sam and Nilanjana- the camera lense was very fogged up from the transition - cold room hot canteen). Anyway, to get to the beach we walked for 5 or 10 minutes through a very magical forest filled with all kinds of living creatures. Village women combed the ground for firewood while carefully making sure they don't step on sharp fallen pods from the high trees above. Cows were grazing on the short grass covering the gradually rising ground. Fishermen stretched their nylon nets out in the dry shady forest to expose the small knots that had formed from a day on the rocky sea. The eucalyptus tree tops were home to lizards, kingfishers, quick squirrels, and butterflies. ...the walk to the beach was almost better than the beach itself, where the water was warm, turbulent- great for body surfing, and full of silt. Many of India's rivers find their delta at the Bay of Bengal.

Our 2.5 days of swimming, and adventuring at the seashore were great. We now have an official spot for our weekend getaways.

Plus, on the way home we found a spot a great spot to find jilabees- really sweet friend dough!

Hope you like the pictures!

2007-04-26T06:17:00.000-07:00

2007-04-26T05:47:00.000-07:00

I know the book City of Jinns was not written about Kolkata but it should have been. Mystical magical things appear down every narrow lane, behind brightly painted doors, near thin blowing curtains, and atop the worn plastic seat of an archaic rickshaw. Kolkata is filled with mystery. I am speechless on the place. It is the city of a 300,000 million stories, told before the backdrop of exotic and complicated beauty.

My friend Emma and I traveled the town yesterday to document the amazing things we live beside each day. We watched, talked, wrote and took photographs.

Here are some of the things we see each day.

2007-04-03T16:29:00.000-07:00

been a while

2007-04-03T15:44:00.000-07:00

Once we returned to Kathmandu from our 3.5month long adventure in India I somehow thought the adventures would be over. Not that I wanted them to be, but in my mind, content in going back to a quiet reality, I pictured life to be mellow. But, as you all know, it's not and I wouldn't want it any other way.
We're learning and working, making friends and traveling all the time, and our loved ones are as supportive as ever. Our reality is as huge as our dreams. Now, if I could only get the flying machine to work like it does when I'm in the midst of some REM, I'd be all set. Oh, and as for the dream where all my teeth fall out, and I'm standing naked holding a tennis racket in a bus station, I'm perfectly happy not living that one out. Thank you.
Anyway, this is my little bridge to land of blogging again, as there are so many people I want keep connected with, and the first time around blogging was kind of fun :)...plus we have lots more news and pictures to share!

xoxo
laura

Back from India

2006-03-19T04:27:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! We’re back in Kathmandu, and it will certainly do. While India was certainly mind blowing, it’s good to be back to somewhere that is mellow. We can regroup, put our minds back together and get ready for life’s next voyage.

I’ve managed to choose 10 pictures from out 2 month trip. It was hard, but with all the power cuts, making for limited use of the inter-go-go-net, I only had a few to choose from and I had to choose quickly. So I hope everyone enjoys. I can’t thank you enough for the continued emails, and good vibrations from ya’ll. Knowing that Sam and I have such wonderful friends and family is like getting a big hug even in a ka-ka –poo situation. Although hugging in poo is just not hot. I’m not feeling it. So I suppose knowing you’re all there more like a finding a $20 bill in your pocket when you thought you were broke. But you’re all worth way more that 20 dollars but if I didn’t write 20 it wouldn’t be realistic. I mean how many of you really carry $100 bills around, even just by accident. Hmmm. Okay you’re all like desserts, after not eating sugar for 2 weeks, and yes you can pick your own type and flavor. No arguing, there can be more than one chocolate brownie sundae. Of course you can be low cal too, but that’s not how I’ll think of you.

I’m not sure what order these pics will come up in so you’ll have to infer a bit.
Here they are…..
1. Cave Painting- from north of Bohpal. This drawing came from a site that houses the worlds largest collection of cave paintings. This one is at least 4000 years old.
2. Here’s a cow at sunset. Yes one from the series from cows of India. This one could be seen from the view from our room in Gokarna, Karnataka.
3. Juice man. Yes everyone loves fresh juice, except for this guy. He seems to have accidentally put his pet gerbil in the street juicer. There is fresh juice all over Delhi, it’s cheep, and there are many kinds. I believe we were on a pomegranite bender when I took this shot.
4. Sam and Laura in Delhi and the Olive Bar….lunch with Alan, Suzi, and the Kempkas.
5. Dried fruit and nuts….

SORRY BUT WE COULD NOT GET THE PHOTOS TO POST. WE WILL TRY AGAIN IN APRIL WHEN WE GET BACK FROM TREK.

Merry Christmas

2005-12-23T22:46:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends and Family,

Sorry it’s been so long since we’ve posted anything here on the B-Log. We’ve been busy…..
Sam has been working hard on the Buddha Boy movie. He’s been translating the interviews, writing the subtitles, figuring out various programming entities, and more…
The film is now ready to post on the internet. Watch out Steven Speilberg, Sam Chapin’s Buddha Boy will give you a run for your money.
Since my last cold shower I’ve had a couple more. However, now that I’ve been going to the Ex- pat gym with our friend Tina I’ve had couple of very very long hot showers to make up for frosty ones. Ahhhh yes!
So besides yoga, writing, shopping, recording studio work, Passage work, much eating, drinking and merriment, we’ve had a few adventures. There was going to Sam’s house in the hills. Here you can hike for hours, live like Little House on the Prairie on you’re not on the Prairie and there’s a CD player, and peer out onto the endless mountain filled sky. We’ve gone to Pashipatit (please excuse my spelling mistakes, I’ve reverted back to childhood quite a bit here and now I’m using inventive spelling on many words). Here of course were the funeral pyres and monkey craziness. We walked to the Monkey Temple… struggling on the many stone stairs to get to the top. There was the butter lamp lighting at Bodha the Tibetian stupha. How can you miss a delicately lit monument under a harvest moon? Hmmm? Plus we made another pilgrimage to a cave. I believe Guru Rinpoche live in this one for 25 years. However, I’ve been know to get my meditation caves messed up so feel free to fact check with the big guy. You can see the picture of Sam and friends on the top of a big hill covered with prayer flags munching on a picnic after our cavernous experience.
I don’t know when we’ll post our next message. Hopefully once before we go to India on the 30th. No computer, just proper traveling for a couple of months ☺ But, please check every now and then anyway just in case.
We hope ya’ll are having a fabulous holiday season. Ours is great! Off to the Bodha stupha for a little holiday peace walk, the to dinner at a fancy spot, and tomorrow a Christmas brunch at our house ☺ We love you!!

Much love,
Laura & Sam

Some nice photos around Kathmandu

2005-12-23T21:52:00.000-08:00

Our trip up to Sam's house above Kathmandu

2005-12-23T21:46:00.000-08:00

guilt

2005-12-10T10:12:00.000-08:00

Just when you thought it was safe to let your guard down and relax, you entered the shower. You think the geizer (sp) had been left on long enough. But 35 minutes just isn’t enough for a girl that needs conditioner, or shampoo for that matter. The warmth lasts just long enough to get some initial comfort but quickly you’re tricked. Teased. Like a bad relationship, everything is great in the beginning but bam it slaps you in the face and you think, “What am I doing? I’m not happy! Where am I?” You’re left brutally uncomfortable dripping with anger and swearing at everything.
But, then you remember the boy that sitting under a tree in the middle of the jungle wearing only a few yards of fabric. He’s at the base of Himalayas. At night here the temperature is only about 40 degrees right now. The forest floor is cold, hard, and damp, and there are a myriad of animals that can come out to paw you at any moment. Maoists surround him. You think if he can sit there for 6 months and 20 some days, I can endure a cold shower.
Plus you think shit, there are people in this very same town that shower only every couple of days or weeks. They join others around a community tap when the sun is at its peak and they wash away the diesel fuel that’s blackened their exposed skin. These people don’t complain, they don’t lash out at the people around they just live and smile and they accept. They move on and give their pain away to a higher source.
So for the sake of not feeling so damn selfish, I give my bitterly cold shower to a thirsty pilgrim somewhere in the Sahara. Enjoy.

Buddha Boy from Nepal intro with photo

2005-12-08T12:11:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of Ram Bahadur Bomjan who for lack of a better name is being called the Buddha boy.
Below mixed in with pictures of us and the area are pictures of his mother Maya Devi as well as his brother.
This story continues here.

Buddha boy from Nepal part 1

2005-12-08T01:54:00.000-08:00

We first started to hear about the Buddha boy sometime in late November just before we left the United States. It is amazing how fast the news of this type can travel in the Internet age. It took decades and centuries for news of the Buddha to travel around the world. This instant type of news also leads one to be overly skeptical of everything.
We first saw a photo of Ram Bahadur Bomjan the Buddha boy on the front page of the Himalayan Times (In my opinion Kathmandu’s best newspaper) while on our flight from Bangkok to Kathmandu (which was delayed by 2 days and then several hours as the King of Nepal had taken one of the fleet of two planes with him to Africa but that is another story). We thought that it would be very interesting to go and see him and see what all the fuss was about. I was especially curious to see the scene when I saw the photos of Coca-Cola balloons in the impromptu market that had grown up around him. I figured that this would turn out to be some kind of stunt somewhere between the Indians levitating for the tourists below the Red Fort in Delhi and the ill conceived Nepali scams of fake currency that get busted up when they catch someone selling 1000 rupee notes for 600 rupees in the bazaar. But when we heard about a group of friends of ours who were organizing a trip down to see the boy via the oldest road in Nepal we jumped at the chance to join up. With the crew involved we knew it would be a great trip even if this boy turned out to be a total and obvious hoax.
The plan was laid to travel by a rented bus from Kathmandu to Hetauda via the old Tribhuvan Rajpath highway. This was the first road ever built in Nepal. It was built in the late 1950’s by the Indian army and is really an incredible feat. As the crow flies we only had to travel about 45 km (28 miles) but this involved an ascent of about 4000 feet followed by a descent of almost 8000 feet via what is surely the most switchbacks ever laid up together so that the total travel time about 7 and a half hours (including a quick stop to eat rice as one does in Nepal). In Hetauda we stayed at the Avocado Motel, which is a decent place with a nice garden although I guess many of the avocado trees have been cut down to make way for expansion. From Hetauda it is about one and half hours drive to where the Buddha boy is sitting.
After we arrived at the motel and got suitably relaxed we decided to watch a movie about the Buddha boy that someone else had purchased. This was a very amateur style film with shaky camera work and bad sound but the opening 10 minutes was shots of the huge traffic jam that occurred supposedly every day on the road to the Buddha boy. This scared the hell out of us so we decided to get up at 5:30 am and leave as soon as possible. We managed to make it out just after 6 am.
Since we were traveling as a group of “tourists” (I put this in quote since many of us on the bus had been in Nepal longer than the young Nepali soldiers who came on to check us) we were not subject to the crazy checkpoints that Nepalis have to endure. This consists of lining up bus by bus and waiting your turn to get off your bus with your belongings and then walk about half a mile while your bus gets searched. You are also subject to search at several points along your walk. The line of buses looked like it would have added about two hours to our travel time had we not had the magical tourist only banner hung on the front of our bus.
Forty five minutes later we saw the red cloth gate on the side of the road that signaled the beginning of the road through the jungle to the Buddha boy. We were not stopped at the gate and there were only a few people hanging around with no police in site. The track through the jungle was a bumpy narrow dirt road that would be hard pressed to accommodate two buses passing in either direction. Luckily there was no other traffic, our early start was paying off already.

This story continues here.

Buddha boy from Nepal part 2

2005-12-08T01:00:00.000-08:00

After fifteen minutes of driving through the jungle we came to a small makeshift bazzar and parking area overlooking what in the monsoon would be a huge river but what was now a small stream. We were advised to park there and walk about two kilometers through the jungle to see the boy. There were a few dozen makeshift stalls just being setup. They were mostly for tea and snacks but a few were selling rosaries and other trinkets. We walked on into the jungle on the same sort of dirt road we had driven in on. There were a few other people about and the odd bicycle passed us occasionally but mostly we were alone in a beautiful stretch of jungle. There were a few more stalls spaced out at random but the general feeling was of a peaceful stretch of jungle.
We then arrived at another red cloth gate with a likeness of the Buddha boy hand painted on it. People were removing their shoes and leaving them in a large shoe corral. No one told us what to do; we just did what others were doing, there was really no one in charge. After taking off our shoes we proceeded down a dirt foot path flattened by the soles of the many that had come before us. The path lead us through the middle of a large tree with a hole in the trunk large enough to walk through. This was the tree where Ram Bahadur Bomjan the Buddha boy had started his meditation. What we heard was, that in the beginning of his meditation, curious villagers came and some poked him with sticks to see what he was doing and if he was dead. He subsequently moved to a nearby tree that provided better protection, which is where he is now. After passing through the tree we moved another 100 yard or so down the path until we came to the site. Ram Bahadur is sitting in the folds of a large Pipal tree, around him are two large concentric circular makeshift fences. The outer one is about 75 feet away from where he sits. Just inside the outer fence was Ram Bahadur’s brother with a few other boys from the village. They were there keeping people quiet and making sure no one disturbed the Buddha boy.
We managed to convince his brother to let us inside the first fence so that we were able to get to about 30 feet from where Ram Bahadur is sitting. To me he looked almost like a statue. He is sitting very still and wearing a grey cloth that looks like it has been outside with him for six months. The whole atmosphere around him is very peaceful and the site itself is very beautiful. Flowers are strewn along the ground and everywhere are Tibetan prayer flags. There are a few spots to light butter lamp offerings and one small wooded box to make donations.
Seeing Ram Bahadur sitting there was enough to convince me that something real and big was happening here. That combined with the fact that not once were we asked for money. Not for parking our large bus, not for the watching of our fancy imported shoes, not for taking pictures or video. Never was it even suggested that we make a donation. We spoke to the Buddha boy’s brother for a while. At one point we asked if they needed anything for their work here. He said they needed nothing just for their brother to succeed in his meditation.
We also spoke to the Buddha boy’s mother whose name is apparently the same as the historical Buddha, Maya Devi. She told us that she usually comes about once a week to see her son. We asked her why she does not come more often to which she replied that someone had to do the work around the house. She was quite shy and clearly preferred to blend in with the crowd and not be noticed. It was clear to me that neither the Buddha boy or his family were profiting from this whole thing at this point. Maya Devi (the Buddha boy’s mother) was in some simple clothes and looked rather tired and worried we did manage to take this one picture of her smiling. She did say she had been worried about her son but she was no longer and said that everything was good.

What we do in Kathmandu 1

2005-12-07T02:24:00.000-08:00

What we do in Kathmandu

2005-12-07T02:08:00.000-08:00

Since out last posting we’ve had many escapades. We’re really excited about our journey to see the boy meditating, ‘buddha’. But first we’ll recap the events that lead up to our pilgrimage.
We’ll start with the language lessons that are going well. My teacher Sushila’ji’ is a great language teacher. She’s expressive and fun and patient with my bistaarai brain. I really need to be less timid when speaking to people so that I can actually use what I have learned. Sam’s been good at helping me out with my self imposed homework, even when he’s ensconced in learning his new music software, ekdaam raamro!

After lessons there’s a thulo amount of things to check out and in my case they often involve shopping. We went to Thamel which is the tourist hot spot to look at hand-made jewelry, pashmina, beads, knock off North Face gear, and much more. Plus we went to a Christmas bizzar and felt that holiday feeling at the sunny Hyatt Regency.

Of course things wouldn’t be complete unless we hung out with friends and drank hot millet beer out of a bamboo straw! Tomba, ekdaam mitho!

Last Saturday the crown prince came into town. We didn’t see him but we saw his jag and Sam’s friend the travel agent J

Most importantly we’ve seen lot’s of great people, both kind friends and miscellaneous kindred spirits.

Trip to Patan

2005-12-01T19:17:00.000-08:00

Laura and I went up to Patan which was formerly a totally seperate city but is now a part of Kathmandu. We visted the durbar square which was where the king of Patan used to live. The mountains were out in the distance and it was a beautiful day. Laura got a good shot of a cow with a flower necklace taking a piss. The also spoke Nepali to this man holding his baby. He was happy to have his photo taken and it turned out pretty nice. The new camera is working great.

Kathmandu Boudha the great Stupa

2005-11-30T18:47:00.000-08:00

We finally made it to Kathmandu. Laura has started taking Nepali classes. You can see her here with her Nepali book.
We went out to visit Boudhanath the great white stupa on the edge of Kathmandu. It was a beautiful clear day and the mountains were out in full. This stupa is about 2000 years old but it was lost for many centuries until a Tibetan came in the late 19th century with the purpose of finding it and restoring it. Today it is the heart of the Tibetan community in exile in Kathmandu. There are many many monastaries here as well as Tibetan shops. -S
The stupa is a hot spot for spiritual vapors. I cried for about 45 minutes for exactly what I'm not sure. A little bit of ginger warmer always helps that, so we popped in a picturesqe garden cafe eatery and warmed in the sun. Language classes are going well although the things I want to say, like 'where's the nearest heater' I don't yet know. I've got class in about 15 minutes so I have to pick my teacher's brain for that one. I really like learning another language, back to school and I'm the student.
I must run, drink the fresh ginger orange carrot juice that Kanchi just made, and study my homework.
XOXOXO- laura

Ko Samed

2005-11-30T00:49:00.000-08:00

After 3.5 hours in a bus playing excruciatingly bad Thai pop music we found our way onto a boat that took us to the island of Ko Samed. For a while I didn't think I'd make it but after imagining myself on the beach, banging my head on the seat in front of me, and practicing out of body meditation (I went to my happy place) I came through, and with only an hour or two of replaying the boyband music in my head.

The island was beautiful but had a totally weird scene. Lot's of gringos and their "rented Thai girlfriends". To aviod this stuff Sam and I walked around the entire island, sometimes in the sun in which my whitey skin would get scalded. Even though I kind of like that, I thought it better not to get Cancer so we bought at saraong which you can see in the amazing polka dotted crazy lady picture.

ta ta for now

Thailand

2005-11-30T00:36:00.000-08:00

Here is laura on the plane over to taipei from new york with her new book. 3 long flights in a row but we made it to Thailand and went to meet the reclining Buddha.
These are just a few of the pictures from Bankok. :)

Test photo

2005-11-27T20:52:00.000-08:00

Trying to see if I can make this thing post photos. Here is a control photo of Laura and I just before we left the US.

In Kathmandu

2005-11-27T20:44:00.000-08:00

We made it to Kathmandu and we are now setting up our blog. Stay tuned for more fun and excitement.

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2005-10-01T03:31:00.000-07:00

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