It is hard to believe we have been in India for six days. After an 18 hour flight, those first few days are kind of a blur. But, I can say this - despite the 'craziness' that is Delhi, I feel surprisingly comfortable here. Not sure if Mom could say the same.
Our first few days in town, we stayed in the Tibetan section of Delhi called Majnu Ka Tilla. It was here we had our first cup of butter tea, consulted with a Tibetan Doctor and tasted food SO hot - I seriously thought my lips might develop blisters.
We are visiting in somewhat of an "off" tourist season, there aren't too many Westerners here. It is hard not to feel "different" when people are staring at you. And I mean really staring at you. A few times, I had to ask Tsultrim if I had something on my face, or perhaps something hanging out of my nose. "No', he replied. "People just aren't used to seeing too many people like you."
As different as our looks may be - our requests appear even more bizarre. Like the idea of towels. I had seen a laundry basket outside of our guest room - so when we were done getting ready that first morning I told Mom I thought we were suppose to put our dirty towels in the basket. I'm sure that is what we were suppose to do - but not until we checked out. Despite Mom trying her best to ask for another towel, we never got one. We finally just bought some at the market.
Our second day we woke up very early and headed to Rewalsar. And by early, I mean four am...in the car....ready to go. Rewalsar is an important pilgrimage sight for Buddhist. It is the birthplace of Guru Rinpoche, recognized as a second Buddha who spread Buddhism to Tibet. The beauty there is breathtaking, the spiritual energy is near indescribable. After a ten hour drive that could only be considered miraculous that we arrived alive, ( we seriously had one of the BEST drivers in all of India - it was the other drivers that scared the poop out of us) , we were happy to get out of the car.
Our first stop was Guru Rinpoche's cave. Mom stretched her legs, but didn't want to walk up to the cave. So Tsultrim and I headed up the hill with prayer flags and incense as offerings.
Everyone has been very open to have their picture taken. Out of respect, I ask if it is OK to take a picture before I do - but one Lama at Zigar Monastery didn't give me the chance. With Tsultrim as our translator Lama Phuntsok asked if I would take his picture. Now - I think I can take a pretty good picture. Here's the first one I took of Lama.
I thought it was a nice shot - with the old prayer wheel in the back and that beautiful smile on his face. Apparently not.
"Aggggggghhhhhhhh!! No, no no. Take another one. Show more of me."
So I backed up....and took another shot.
"Agggggghhhhhhh! This one is worse. Where are my SHOES. Tell her she is a bad photographer."
Tsultrim look over at me and laughed, "Lama says you are a bad photographer. He wants to be able to see his shoes...and he want you to make him look taller."
FINALLY, a shot was taken that made Lama happy.
So, my first lesson in EGO reduction. No matter how good you may think you are at something - someone will ALWAYS want some different.
The second blow to my ego came on the streets of Delhi. I LOVE and I do mean LOVE to put q-tips in my ears. I have a very special relationship with a Korean Ear-Pick, it's one of the things I just had to bring on this trip. So when I saw someone cleaning ears - I was all in.
Our first few days in town, we stayed in the Tibetan section of Delhi called Majnu Ka Tilla. It was here we had our first cup of butter tea, consulted with a Tibetan Doctor and tasted food SO hot - I seriously thought my lips might develop blisters.
We are visiting in somewhat of an "off" tourist season, there aren't too many Westerners here. It is hard not to feel "different" when people are staring at you. And I mean really staring at you. A few times, I had to ask Tsultrim if I had something on my face, or perhaps something hanging out of my nose. "No', he replied. "People just aren't used to seeing too many people like you."
As different as our looks may be - our requests appear even more bizarre. Like the idea of towels. I had seen a laundry basket outside of our guest room - so when we were done getting ready that first morning I told Mom I thought we were suppose to put our dirty towels in the basket. I'm sure that is what we were suppose to do - but not until we checked out. Despite Mom trying her best to ask for another towel, we never got one. We finally just bought some at the market.
Our second day we woke up very early and headed to Rewalsar. And by early, I mean four am...in the car....ready to go. Rewalsar is an important pilgrimage sight for Buddhist. It is the birthplace of Guru Rinpoche, recognized as a second Buddha who spread Buddhism to Tibet. The beauty there is breathtaking, the spiritual energy is near indescribable. After a ten hour drive that could only be considered miraculous that we arrived alive, ( we seriously had one of the BEST drivers in all of India - it was the other drivers that scared the poop out of us) , we were happy to get out of the car.
Our first stop was Guru Rinpoche's cave. Mom stretched her legs, but didn't want to walk up to the cave. So Tsultrim and I headed up the hill with prayer flags and incense as offerings.
As Tsultrim climbed up the pole to hang our flags, I sat on the ground and started to pray. Within seconds, tears were streaming down my face. I am so grateful to be here, so moved by the experience I found myself crying uncontrollably. I open my eyes and saw a white dog had sat down next to me. That dog stayed by my side for the remainder of our visit.
"Aggggggghhhhhhhh!! No, no no. Take another one. Show more of me."
So I backed up....and took another shot.
Tsultrim look over at me and laughed, "Lama says you are a bad photographer. He wants to be able to see his shoes...and he want you to make him look taller."
FINALLY, a shot was taken that made Lama happy.
The second blow to my ego came on the streets of Delhi. I LOVE and I do mean LOVE to put q-tips in my ears. I have a very special relationship with a Korean Ear-Pick, it's one of the things I just had to bring on this trip. So when I saw someone cleaning ears - I was all in.
He looks around in my ears and says something in Hindi that I obviously can't understand. Tsultrim looks at me...."He says your ears are quite dirty." Ahhhhh, OK. Here is a man who cleans ears in DELHI...on the STREETS.....and he says my ears look dirty, hehehehehe. So now, I am the bad American photographer with dirty ears. But the best was yet to come. And believe me - there would be NO photographs from this experience.
Tsultrim asked if I wanted to get a Chupa made. A chupa is a traditional Tibetan dress. Again, I was ALL in. So we head over to the fabric store to pick out material. A man comes in and takes my measurements - just my height and my arm length. After the fabric was cut - we ran to another store where the person is actually going to make the chupa. And he starts taking my measurements....ALL my measurements right there on the street. He gets to my hips. I am not a small person - nor do I have the figure of a stick. I like to think of myself as a CURVY YETI. :-) He says something in Hindi. And Tsultrim just laughs.
"What? What did he say?"
"He said you have a BIG BUM."
OMB!!!! I am the BAD American photographer with DIRTY EARS and a BIG BUM. Hehehehehe. Let me tell you - in our short time here, India has given me several wonderful opportunities to reduce my ego!!!
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