M and M's World Tour

It's Been a Year...

2008-05-10T05:40:00.001-07:00

Wow..A year has passed in what seems like a few minutes..

It's been a year since we've had real NY pizza...
The closest we came was at a Swedish bakery in the now communist, formerly French controlled, Vientiane, Laos.

Our last slice of Brooklyn
A pizza place in Laos??
Good pizza?? Are you sure???
I wonder if they deliver??

It's been a year since we've seen much of our family and friends..
Except those who attended our wedding in February on the beautiful beaches of Koh Samui, Thailand and Matt's Dad and 2nd Mom who spent a month exploring the Thai medical scene with trips to 3 hospitals for 2 surgeries and a lifetime of stories...

I hope that's brown rice they're throwing
Sharing our day with family and friends
Our family vacation
Dad is home and recovering well. He's already planning his next visit, but mentioned something about no more elephant rides!?

It's been a year and we've spent most of it in northern Thailand. (Not much of a world tour, but it's been a great adventure. We feel like we've experienced more staying in one place and immersing ourselves in the culture than we would have jumping from country to country, only staying long enough to take a few pictures)..

Things you miss when you're just passing through..
Protesting with our peeps
Down home cooking not found in the guidebooks

It's been a year and Maddie's still deep in the struggle, just another sucker trying to make a difference, dedicating herself wholeheartedly to changing the world one woman at a time. Idealistic and passionate as ever(watch out world!), she's still committed to improving the lives of displaced women and children so that they can live peacefully in a humane world. Maddie's found her dream job, finally being able to apply what she's "Mastered" in. Micro-credit, economic development, women's empowerment.. are all part of her daily diet. While Maddie's work is with the women and children of Burma, Matt spends his days conspiring with Cambodian monks about Buddhism, meditation and how to rebuild their impoverished communities in the wake of their nation's dark decades of oppression and genocide that have yet to cease. As a teacher, mentor and friend he hopes to help and inspire them to create the drastically needed change they wish to see in their homeland, one of the poorest nations in the world.

Maddie in the camps...
Matt at work..
Another day at the office
It's a hard job, but..

It's been a year and our rent for a newer, fully furnished apartment (including cable and wireless internet) with mountain views and a pool downstairs is 80% cheaper than it was a block away from the BQE in Brooklyn...

It's been a year since anyone has called Matt to yell about why a stock is going down and we bought it much higher...

It's been a year since he read the business section..(well maybe a bit longer than a year)..

It's been a year since his dreads fell out...

Well, kind of..

It's been a year and we now ride bicycles to get around, in an attempt to help save the environment..

It's been a year and somehow Matt, with his Brooklyn accent, is teaching English at a University..

It's been a year and we can now have a decent conversation in Thai with the guys at the local video store and the woman who sells Matt his Kao Soi.

It's been a year since Maddie has had to share an office with Brent, the Sagittarian she was stuck in a box with. She now has nearly an entire floor to herself with only Nai Nai, a quiet, Burmese, Aries woman to enjoy it with.

It's been a year since we've had our gluttonous, can somebody roll us home, Sunday dinners at Zaytoons, our favorite Fort Greene restaurant, so we've had to compensate with the Chiang Mai Sunday market that has 100's of delicious food stalls to fill our bellies.

Our Sunday feasting ground
Yummmmm

It's been a year and Maddie has found another way to keep on traveling (without paying for it)...Her work has taken her to China, Burma, all over Thailand (including refugee camps) and will be paying for her future adventures to Bali, South Africa and maybe even Ecuador later this year..

It's been a year and while Maddie has continued her outward journey, crossing borders and politicking, Matthew has spent nearly 2 months traveling within at meditation centers around Thailand and Nepal (of course Maddie was there to support him and her own practice for a month of them)...

It's been a year and we've met so many great people from around the world... Dimitri from St. Petersburg; Noelle From Zurich; Takashi from Osaka; Tashi in Kathmandu; Gopal in Pokhara; Noui in Vientiane; Bacilio the headbobbing yogi; Jame from Whales; Jen, Mitos and Rollie from the Philippines; The Monks of Wat Suan Dok from Cambodia, Bangladesh, Laos, Thailand and Burma; Steve, Jay, Joanne, Esther, Sean, Kate and the many other Americans who choose to create a better life abroad; and of course the many Thais who have welcomed us into their culture and lives so openly and warmly...

Our friend and favorite local artist, Tuw
Noelle and Takashi (Noelle cooked us a delicious Thai meal)
Bacilio and the little Lama
Bacilio giving a yoga class to some Nepalese kids
A Tibetan man I just met, but have known for lifetimes
Our dear friend Tashi Lama
Rowing with Dim
Noui at her cafe in Vientiane
The Monks of Wat Suan Dok

It's been a year since we've had to overpay for organic fruits and veggies.. Most of our meals now cost 2-3 dollars for two of us to eat fresh, beautiful, organic Thai food...

It's been a year since we've paid $20 bucks for yoga.. Classes here cost just $5 with some of the greatest teachers that have ever stretched our bodies and minds!!!

It's been a year since we've seen snow, but we do yearn for a little break in the 100 degree hot season sometimes...

It's been a year and Matt's Dreads have become a mohawk while Maddie's hair looks exactly the same (but different)...

It's been a year and our Passports have become so littered with stamps we needed to have extra pages added...

It's been a year....
And we miss everyone very much....

It's been a year...
And will be another before we return to visit...

It's been a year...
Of living life on our terms...

It's been a year...
of sharing our dreams with all of you...

It's been a year...
of learning about ourselves and others...

It's been a year...
that we hope will inspire others to follow their dreams...

It's been an absof@#$inglutely amazing year...
Thank you for sharing it with us...

It's been awhile...

2007-09-13T23:46:00.000-07:00

A few updates from this side of the sun...We've been driving on the left, running for the Burmese border, is that an opium museum? We decided to skip the taxis, buses, and trains and rent a car to independently explore "The Northern Most of Thailand". Yep, another road trip. Hanging out at the Golden Triangle where Laos, Thailand and Burma meet and where anything is possible... Then meditating for 3 weeks at one of the holiest sites in Thailand, then back to Burma dodging the military junta, then another trip to the islands to vacation from vacation... And now, where do we go from here? Mellow Laos, a land-locked country, influenced by its neighboring Southeast Asian sisters and once a French colony, with great baguettes and croissants. Why not? It's only a 14-hour bus ride... we could use a little Communism in our diet...

After Laos, we're setting up shop for a couple of months. We found an apartment in beautiful Chiang Mai overlooking the mountain side so that we can relish in the culture and, of course, give back a bit. Maddie is working with a human rights organization helping to empower and teach Burmese refugee women while, Matt teaches English to Buddhist monks.

We can't forget to mention all the amazing people we've met along the way... Ajahn Puttasack, the very funny, full of stories meditation teacher we enjoyed 21 days with. Phra Oil, the young statuesque monk we spent many nights looking out over Chiang Mai with. Noelle, the Swiss pilot who flies a Russian billionaire's dog to Italy for haircuts. Takashi, the Japanese linguist, who's too smart for this world, and who tried to eat a gecko (really, we have a picture), and all the wonderful people who have welcomed us into their culture with warm smiles, great food and big hearts. So yeah, we've been busy, but in ways that we prefer to be. Read on for a recap of our crazy adventures...

All white, yet very dark...

One of the most intense temples...

The mighty Mekong River...

You know you're jealous...

Yeah, we're tourists...

Unplugging from the Matrix: Meditation Overload

2007-09-13T08:25:00.001-07:00

"You think that we should only sign up for 10 days? But the brochure suggests 21 for the foundation course, I'm going for the full course... " Three days later I was begging to be free. "Please let me go, I just want mangoes and dinner and a hot shower in a mosquito free room. Please... I'm begging you!!! I can't do it, maybe it's not for me. It sounds good on paper, but maybe my body can't handle it. Look! It's breaking down. My allergies are preventing me from breathing, my bowels have stopped defecating and the fleas are eating me alive. I want to meditate, really I do. But, it's just too much."
"I told you so." Maddie loves saying that. She did suggest staying for only 10 days... But choosing her words carefully, she offered compassionately, "We'll get past the culture shock. It'll take a few days, but in the end it'll be a rewarding experience. Shit, I worked in Africa with no running water and electricity we can definitely do this... " Blah blah blah... She then spent the next hour running in circles, her arms flailing wildly to avoid a bee, and the next 18 days slapping mosquitoes, fleas, ants and anything else that decided to land or crawl on her.
Day 4. Whew, that was a rough one. I almost didn't make it. The mind really doesn't like this stuff.
As if having our last meal at 11am each day, sleeping on the floor with nothing more than a mat, and meditating for hours at a time wasn't challenging enough, the last four days of our retreat was spent doing a thing called "Determination." We had no idea that a meditation foundation course gave final exams! For the last four days of our course we were not allowed to leave our rooms, speak, shower, and get this... sleep! No sleeping for four days!!! We asked our teacher why we needed to go through such an arduous process and his response was, as always, "It's good for you!" He elaborated, that by separating ourselves from the body it gave us an opportunity to further explore the mind. This method was used to strip away all the external comforts and distractions that we cling to so that what we're left with is our fears, doubts, restlessness and delusions. It's similar to the film "The Matrix" in which Morpheus has offered Neo two options, "To see the world as it truly is or to remain asleep continuing to serve his desires and false idols." Needless to say, this process is a trying one, every step is challenged by the mind. Doubt arises, nearly convincing you to give up but you persevere. Sleepiness begs you to lie down, but you walk on. Restlessness and boredom make your skin crawl and your mind scream out internally, begging you to concede. But, 18 days of preparation and a lifetime of stubbornness served us well. We came out of 4 days of seclusion a little dirtier, very exhausted and maybe even a little wiser. We've just completed one of the most intense 21 days of our lives and now we're ready to EAT!!! Mexican, Italian, Thai food they're all on the menu, but we won't forget to savor this memorable experience and all the sadistic torture we've put our bodies through to accomplish it.

Doi Suthep, our home for 21 days...

Hungry novice monks on their alms round at 6am...

Our favorite nun filling their bowls...

A long line for food!

Lounging in the shade...

Dog day afternoon...

Takashi vs. The Gecko

We swear it's only 10:59!

The cutest locals...

EnLIGHTening...

This post is dedicated to Ajahn Puttasack.

Post Traumatic IBA Syndrome... (Koh Pha-ngan, Thailand)

2007-07-09T02:40:00.000-07:00

Our pilgrimage was suppose to take us into Tibet and then to North India for more spiritual realization, but we decided to take a detour to get back to our roots in Thailand where Theravadan Buddhism is practiced. Also, Maddie wanted to get back to her own islander roots of drinking coconuts, being a beach bum and getting a tan darker than Corey's. Ahhhh.... who needs to meditate when you have a hammock and the sea that feels like a warm and soothing bath at your disposal? Actually, there's a lot for both of us in Southeast Asia... a place where we can truly delve into our practice and simultaneously do human rights work with Burmese refugees and the hill tribes. Another passion that's taking some time to be fully realized. So while we're working on getting the details underway Bottle Beach seemed the best resting place... The pictures say it all. :)

"M" an ex-monk...

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL!

Homage to the Little Lama

2007-07-09T01:20:00.001-07:00

Lost In Translation... (Nepal)

2007-07-08T23:24:00.000-07:00

Like eager, yet nervous school children ready to begin kindergarten we packed our Buddha books, tried to be on our best behaviour and retreated to the International Buddhist Academy (IBA) for some hardcore dharma (teachings) and sangha (community). Excitement filled our souls as we were about to embark on a journey inward in order to deepen our wisdom about Buddhist practice. This sounds great, right??? Wide-eyed and ready to soak up all the dharma knowledge that Venerable Kenpo Appey Rinpoche was about to offer on "Parting From The Four Attachments" we took refuge in the hopes of becoming more enlightened... or for a better rebirth in our next life (that is if you believe in that kind of stuff).

Religion or philosophy? It didn't take long for the skepticism and questions to arise... What does it mean to spin those prayers wheels? How could such actions possibly cleanse my karma? Why must I prostrate three times? Why am I touching my head to the floor repeatedly with my hand in a prayer position? All these actions only feel like submission and oppression to a doctrine that I don't fully understand or agree with. Why am I chanting prayers that don't resonate with my spirit? Why does philosophy become co-opted by religion? I don't ever recall signing up for these meaningless rituals. It was 10 straight days of catechism (Sunday school for Catholics) telling us to follow this path or else you'll end up in one of the ten hell realms. Not just one hell, but ten!!! All this dogma that's fear-based was the very reason why I became anti-religious in the first place. It took me years to dismantle my Catholic conditioning (sorry Mom and Dad). The idea of darwinism and evolution was beginning to sound more enticing as I was on the verge of a spiritual crisis. I panicked from fear of having fallen into one of those religious ideologies full of delusion and corruption, so by the second day I rebelled and skipped the teachings, locked myself in my room and practiced yoga hoping that if I stretched enough it would help me to rejuvenate my spiritual path.

As I emerged from my cave, I began to express my frustration to others about feeling like I was a part of a cult and what a horrible person I must be for refusing to adhere to these commandments and questioning constantly about what happened to the simplicity of what I know Buddhism to be? I realized that I wasn't the only one not connecting to the teachings, as a matter of fact, most of us didn't fully agree with the message that was lost in translation. I felt relieved knowing that I had a community who I could relate to and discuss the differences between the Eastern traditions. My sangha became my teacher for those 10 days and they helped me to survive those poorly translated dharma talks and those awkward prostrations I resisted doing, but only to get dirty, judgmental sneers when I didn't because everyone thought I looked Tibetan (yeah, apparently I look Nepalese too!) and if I didn't I was shaming their faith and culture. So I succumbed to doing them anyway. Awkwardly.

Let it be clear that we are not Buddha bashing it's just that for us the Mahayana view seemed very far removed from the Buddhism we've been influenced by in the West. We learned how interwoven Tibetan Buddhism is with its culture and that there's no separation between religion or culture. So of course it's a bit more difficult for us to connect with these ideas. The geographical isolation of Tibet has allowed them to develop and retain their own version of Buddhism which is beautiful and mystical on so many levels. We are extremely grateful for their generosity for sharing and making accessible such an important facet of Buddhism despite the displacement of their culture and people. But we realized that their teachings, which is based on scripture and theory, is very different than the experiential approach that we're accustomed to. Our time at IBA expanded our understanding about our own spiritual path. It helped us to know which views to leave behind and which perspectives actually connect with our own inner exploration and investigation. We're beginning to discover that whether one follows Mahayana or Theravada Buddhism or Hinduism or even Christianity it all eventually leads to the same place. But who really knows anyway? What matters is not so much the theory, philosophy or rituals of any doctrine, but rather ones direct experience and how one applies those experiences in order to better themselves and all of humanity. This is what our dharma is and has always been.

After those ten days we discovered another sangha in this world, another home, more lifelong friends... because through all the skepticism, fear, and the search for meaning, in the end what matters and what teaches you most are the relationships you develop. We'll definitely be back in Nepal to visit our family. But by the end of the retreat we were on "Tibetan-Buddhism" overload and wanted to recharge and process the experience on an isolated, white sand beach with emerald green water and where the closest thing to religion was a 16 year old kid named "M" who was an ex-monk, with ink gracing his back and stoned on a daily basis...

The IBA Cult...

"Monking" around...

The view from IBA...

Pure devotion...

Monks on the go...

We are family!!!

Pretending to be good students....

After 10 days of sitting with 300 monks...

Row row row your boat... (Pokhara, Nepal)

2007-06-20T08:07:00.000-07:00

Matt finally got convinced (after much resistance and under the condition that Maddie paddles) to take a boat ride around Phewa Lake even after reading in the local newspaper that a British man was found dead while fishing a few days earlier. The cause of his death remains a mystery... After a hard trek, a nice and peaceful excursion to one of Nepal's most beautiful lakes sounded divine (to Maddie at least). So along with Dimitri Petrov a cigarette rolling, avante garde, Russian literary professor from St. Petersburg, the threesome set sail on a three hour tour.

Mr. Dimitri Petrov, the only Russian aristocrat "rucksacker" in this side of the world...

As Maddie promised...

Three strenuous strokes later...

Foiled again... Sucker!

Pokhara lies amidst the Annapurna range and on a clear day one can see the reflection of the Himalayas. Pokhara was discovered by a bunch of hippies in the 70's and from the looks of it, some never left. It's quite beautiful once you get past the rubbish and the plethora of tourists. It's not our favorite place in Nepal, but it's a good place to rest for a few days after a trek. We were just eager to get back to our Dharma practice and attend a 10 day retreat in Boudha.

Phewa Lake

Another lost hippie...

'Aint No Mountain High Enough (Nepal)

2007-06-09T01:13:00.000-07:00

Matt overlooking Mustang Valley

What you do mean that's a hill?! According to our porter (a 90 lb., black belt, formerly Hindu, now Buddhist real cool cat who lugged our sack) in a matter-of-fact tone,"Mountains don't have trees." A bit perturbed by the Nepali definition of mountains versus BIG!!! hills??? (GULP) that we were about to hike up, we just scratched our heads and continued to climb, up and down, day after day, dodging donkey feces and the occasional European tourist. Man, if these were hills.... what did we get ourselves into this time?! We signed up for 20 days of this? We hiked 6 to 9 hours a day, sometimes beginning as early as 4 in the morning, from alpine forests and windy riverbeds to barren, moon-like landscapes, eventually to summit at the 5,416m (17,872 ft.) the Thorang-La pass crossing over the main Himalayan range. No words can begin to describe how spectacular the highest mountain range in the world truly is. We were certain that we were on top of the world, way beyond clouds and mist, or perhaps at the gates of heaven. As we marveled at this sublime landscape, we made sure to stop for a moment, short of breath, our lungs straining for air, just to say hello to our loved ones now resting above and offering gratitude for our safe journey.

We made it to the top!

Sunset over the Annapurna Range...

The trail to the top of the pass...

We knew that this was more than a walk in Central Park and would require a lot of physical and mental endurance, but at first we thought, 20 days!?? PSSSH, not for a couple of New Yorkers. We trek everyday through the concrete jungle. Dodging yaks and yetis, experiencing altitude sickness, crossing hanging bridges over class 5 rapids, walking against 55 mile hour winds, frostbite, giardiasis... that's kids' stuff! Try the "A Train" at rush hour. Well... 13 days later, covered in dust and blisters with aching muscles that even Tiger Balm can't soothe, we're back from the mighty Himalayas with a hot shower, western toilet and some good ole' Nepali thin crust pizza (tastes like hot ketchup on Matzoh bread). But when all you've eaten is DAL BHAAT (literally, rice and lentils), nothing else grows at 17,000 ft., even a melted to the wrapper Snickers bar is like a delicacy. So the highest mountains in the world proved to be a tough one for a couple of "cocky" city slickers, but Wow! Wow! Wow! do we feel extremely fortunate to have been able to marvel at the majestic Himalayas.

One of the many hanging bridges to cross over the highest gorges in the world... Yikes!

This is the "Gates to Heaven" according to the Nepalese...

Nepal has 8 of the 10 highest peaks in the world and traversing endless hills and walking through remote villages just to be at the foot of these peaks is a testament that Shangri-la must exist here. Nepal is like Disneyland for backpackers so we expected to be surrounded by Gortex clad, North Face wearing, mountaineers. But fortunately we caught the tail end of the trekking season so most of the time the only living things we saw were a trail of donkeys carrying tons of gear from expeditions attempting to climb the Annapurnas. It was refreshing to have the trails to ourselves, but unfortunately seeing the lack of tourists is also evidence of Nepals' political unrest in the last decade. Tourism has been greatly affected after the Maoist uprising and the massacre of the Royal Family. Locals assured us that tourists don't get any grief from the political situation and, "To not worry, my friend! Namaste! Namaste!" and as a matter of fact, they made it very clear that before blowing up a bus the Maoists make sure to let tourists off first for a small fee. That made us feel better... Anyhow, our trek required us to walk through Maoist territory with Communist flags hanging at almost every village. And they were right, we didn't get any grief. It was a peaceful walk in the mountains, oops, we mean hills. The only uprising we witnessed was from a village woman...

Beautiful life in the Himalayas...

More beautiful people...

As we took our "seats" on the luggage racks on top of the bus (Moms, Dads we're okay) hoping that our driver had more than a month experience since the inception of the new road. We traveled across dry and rocky river beds, stone paths carved along cliffs and ducking from electrical lines and trees, our ride came to a premature end as a Nepali woman with a strong Brooklyn-like attitude, demanded that we get off and eat or spend the night at her village. The road has recently expanded 10 minutes past her village and as a result her livelihood lies in great duress. She kept screaming that this will ruin the landscape and trekkers will less likely stop for food and shelter. The jeep was first introduced in these parts of Nepal only less than a month ago and a new road is currently being built along one of Nepal's most popular trekking routes. Clearly, this new road would take the pressure off of those hard working donkeys and porters who carry 50-100 lb. sacks of goods into and out of these remote villages. Seeing a person in flip-flops with a full chicken coup and cases and cases of coke and beer bottles strapped to their foreheads is quite humbling as we struggle in our expensive boots and anti-shock hiking sticks. But it appears that the cons outweigh the pros, as villagers and porters that depend on the trekking industry will be surpassed by trekkers and their livelihoods will suffer, at least those hard working donkeys will finally get a much deserved vacation. :(

Porter with a chicken coup...

A donkey ready to retire...

Wow! We're lucky...

Vinny Said It Best...

2007-05-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

"Yo, these cats are holding it down for the rest of us." Welcome to the most devoted show on earth! It's 4:30 AM, barely the break of dawn, and the band next door, which we've come to call "When In Robes," is already practicing. Monks chanting, horns blowing, bells ringing, conch shells howling, drums beating... Did we mention it's 4:30 in the morning?! Our guesthouse rests among three Tibetan monasteries in Boudha, Kathmandu home to the world's largest stupa (a Buddhist structure designed to hold Buddha's relics) and where Tibetan culture thrives, untouched and accessible. Hundreds of pilgrims circumambulate the stupa holding prayer wheels with their right hand and beads in their left every single day. With each footstep, another mantra uttered, another prayer wheel spun the Boudha stupa is like church on steroids! The spiritual devotion we've seen so far is unparalleled. It's easy to be swept away by the energy of everyone offering prayers of peace and compassion to all beings. According to Buddhists, every loop made around the stupa cleanses your karma ten thousand fold. So for all you sinners out there this should be your next destination.

The essence of this place is enchanting to say the least. Being here for only a week we already feel a sense of community and have met people who we know will be lifelong friends. No sooner than we sat down in the courtyard at a nearby monastery a monk sat down next to us to strike up a conversation. Meeting Tashi has enriched our experience in so many ways. Everyday with a cup of Tibetan butter tea he helps us to understand and unravel the mystery of both Nepalese and monastic life. Tashi being the middle child, devoted his life to the robe as is customary in the Nepalese Buddhist culture. At lunch one day we mentioned wanting to go to Pharping to explore the Guru Rinpoche's cave where he became enlightened and of course to meet the infamous, Jutral Rinponche. Hearing stories all week about THEEE seemingly quirky Rinpoche and his plight to save the fish had us hooked. Coincidentily, Tashi had to take a trip there as well to make an offering on behalf of his monastary. So about the fish... The sign in front of his monastery said it all, "We do not kill animals to simply fatten our flesh." Thousands of monks and laypeople visit him every year in order to give offerings, but he refuses to accept them. Instead this 94 year old monk travels to Calcutta every year buying fish at the markets and setting them free into the ocean. Apparently, Steven Seagal, the American action hero... paid him a visit and offered a donation, but Rinpoche told him to go back to the U.S. and use the money to free fish there. And, he did! Unfortunately, the Rinponche was on retreat in India, so we left a donation in honor of our beloved gold fish, Sashimi, who's back home. While in Pharping, we visited many of the other magnificent gompas (Tibetan monasteries) tucked away in the picturesque hills outside of the Kathmandu Valley. While there, Tashi described how monks come to these hills to retreat for 2 to 3 years in complete silence with no human interaction at all. Wow.

While our romantic notions of Nepal have come true, the reality is that it's still one of the poorest countries in the world. The most difficult aspect of our journey is having to see children and women with no adequate shelter, clothing or food. As a Hindu Kingdom, Nepal still holds true to the caste system which in many ways breeds oppression especially toward women. Sadly, women are only recognized as part of society when they bear their husband's a son. Bearing witness to all this suffering has humbled us, and most of all strengthened our resolve to help. Needless to say, in just 7 days Nepal has given us a lifetime of memories and this is just the beginning of our journey...

We leave tomorrow for Pokhara and the beginning of our 3 week trek along the Annapurna Circuit. We'll be eating clouds as we traverse the mighty Himalayas at heights of up to 17,000 feet. When we return to Kathmandu in June it's off to a 10 day meditation retreat at the International Buddhist Academy with Khenpo Appey Rinpoche and all of his venerable Tibetan Buddhist teachings. With all this and a bag of Masala chips we probably won't post again till mid-June. We'll miss you. Tashi delek!

Snappin' like a Tourist

2007-04-29T00:07:00.000-07:00

See more of our photos by clicking on the links on the right!

Eating on the Dock of the Bay

2007-04-25T23:33:00.000-07:00

We drove out of the deep woods and continued south on the beautiful Pacific Coast Highway. Our next destination: The City by the Bay. As we slowly traversed our way along the windy 1 we gasped at the daunting cliffs that fell into the depths of the magnificent ocean. At each turn we were met by the deep blue gaze of the Pacific. It's easy to see why this stretch of pavement welcomes over 6 million visitors a year. It's one of the most scenic highways in the world and should be on your top 10 things to do before you die.

City By the Bay

Indian, Mediterranean, Thai, Asian Tapas, Chez Panisse.... a foodies mecca realized (next to NYC, of course!). We stayed with a cool cat that nearly killed Matt (allergies). We ate our way through Bezerkeley, Oaktown and SF only stopping to sit with some old friends. On the menu Friday, between Haight and Lombard, we grubbed on some Urban Dharma. We got lost in City Lights thumbing through Jack and Ginsberg feeling their beat. So with a full stomach and a full tank we set off again, but our love for The Bay lingers on... Thanks Oliver and Lupe for your amazing hospitality!

Home of the Beats...

Four hours to Big Sur?! Lupe, brutha puhleazeeeeee!! Two hours later... we were unpacking our bags at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse, another $20 a night hostel right on the 1. After finding out that Big Sur was actually another 2 hours south... we relaxed in their hot tub tucked away on a cliff with panoramic views of the ocean. Ahhhh...

The next day we set off to tackle Big Sur. 80 foot waterfalls feeding into the ocean, waves crashing on edgy rocks protruding from the Pacific floor, supersized Bonzai trees and purple sand storms blinding us with beauty, only begin to describe the splendor that is Big Sur. We were so mesmerized that we decided we had to stay another night by the sea. With a tin foil emergency blanket, courtesy of Uncle Steve, and half a Cliff Bar we decided we were aptly equipped to camp out. 10 hours and 38 degrees later we realized we've been punk'd. Due to the bitter cold night under the stars, we departed early with the heat on full blast... As we began to thaw we encountered others as happy to see the sun as we were. Hundreds of sea lions were canoodling around the beach looking like the cutest giant slugs we've ever seen. Barking like boisterous New Yorkers they crowded the beach like the G train at rush hour. We felt like kids at Sea World, but were grateful that it was the real thing.

A colony of Sea Lions

Having taken the time to experience the beauty of a place that we call home was worth every mile. We made our way to the bosom of our family, looking forward to home cooked meals and quality time before we depart the States.

Enjoying the sunset... See you in Nepal!

TO VIEW MORE OF OUR PHOTOS CLICK ON THE LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE!

Frisbee Golf: The First Step to Enlightment?

2007-04-12T17:09:00.000-07:00

So our journey has begun. Our first stop was Central Oregon, a West Coast mecca of snowboarding, mountain biking and all sorts of extreme, concussion-causing sports. After 4 days in the high plains desert we emerged with less hair, more ink and frisbee golf experience to add to our resumes. Frisbee golf? Some may be wondering how one would combine such intense, fast paced sports. Well, we'll tell you this, it's crazy! Arms become clubs, discs soar through forested fairways and the holes, oh the holes...

Next, we set out to conquer the coast. Renting a smiley-faced Jeep Liberty we gased up( yikes! $3.39 a gallon) and met every weather condition mother nature could think of on our way over the mountains and through the woods to Cali's cliffs and the BIGGEST trees known to woman. The Redwood National Forest was breathtaking. Standing next to 2000 year old, 300+ foot hunks of wood made our 5 foot frames even more dwarfish. The energy of these ancient beings made us want to hug 'em like a hippie and one day grow as tall and strong from all the water we drink. Did we mention the hostel? Sitting on the porch overlooking the Pacific Ocean for $20 bucks a night was definitely the best deal in town. Stay tuned for the next episode...