On my own again.... culture of McLeod Ganj

On my own again after some crazy weeks together with Cynthia. Today she left me... Three weeks and a half where we did so, so, so much it felt like 2 months. But on the other hand, time went so fast!

These last days we have been in McLeod Ganj. In my previous post I was hoping for colder weather and seeing the Dalai Lama. Well becareful what you wish for!! Within a day we were complaining it was too cold. We showed our true colours, our roots, complaining about the weather.... as only true dutch girls can do! Today was the worst!
And we saw the Dalai Lama... or his car at least since the gate opened and he was already in his car didn't stop for a second while many people were hoping to see a glimpse of the Dalai Lama. So we waved at his car... awesome.

We discovered that it's a small world, or India eventhough it's almost a continent it's also a small country. After a 5 hour bus ride we met the girlfriend of a guy we were staying with 2 weeks ago!! She happend to be in the same bus, she took a picture in the bus and send it to her boyfriend, Cynthia happend to be in that picture!
When we got the bags out of the bus she approached us
She "Do you know Raju?"
We "Yes...... are you Russian?"
She "Yes"
We "Are you Raju's girlfriend?"
She "Yes"
Wow, just crazy!!
She is a tourguide for Russian tourists going to India so we could join and got a lot of reccomendations where to go and where to eat. We are sooooo lucky!

We learned about Tibet and Bhudism. It's just crazy to know how many Tibetian refugees there are in India and especially in McLeod Ganj. I've seen 2 documentries and got to learn how these refugees cross the snowpeak mountains without any equipment, how China has been treating Tibetians and how they imprisoned and kidnapped the youngest political prisenor (he was only 6 years old!!) A young boy robbed from his childhood only because he is an importand person for the Dalai Lama. It has been 22 years and people are still trying to find him.
On wednesday I woke up early to walk 2 rounds around the temple and see how the moncks walk around the temple and Dalai Lama recidence (they walk 108 times around, I was lazy and did only 2 rounds) how they turn all round thingies for their mantra's. And in conversation class I spoke with 3 young monks (25-30 years old) and learned that they love to go back to Tibet one day. How they have been living in India for 7, 9 and 10 years and not speaking Hindi but only Tibetian, some Chinees and started to learn some English now.

Besides all this culture we've also been to the waterfall, did some shopping and we've met so many people!
People from all over the world take selfies... but in India it's to another extend. It's another level of taking selfies. And they just looooove white people in their selfies. So we feel like models.
People are different in every province, other religion other languages, other customs, other outfits and even other looks (shape of face, skin colour, facial hair, etc). India is closer to a continent then to a country.
The selfies amount isn't that bad at this place, about 3 selfies a day. But tomorrow I'm catching a train to Varanasi.... and from what I understood... It's the world capital of selfies. And I'm going there alone.... All by myself.....don't want to be all by myself
... anymore...... ;-)

Tomorrow I'm going for a hike, then a 3 hour bus and top it of with a 20 hour train ride. Going back to the heat. Last stop before Nepal.

Namaste!