today

First off HAPPY BIRTHDAY Ah-Ma-La! I'm sorry that I am not there to celebrate with you but it was great talking to you.

Have I talked about the food? Anyone who thinks Tibetans live all tsampa and mo-mos needs to be educated. Jampa one of our cooks laughed today at the fact that western people use books to cook from. He said if it needs salt he adds. He basicly puts in what he knows is good and rest assured he knows whats good. I can't believe I brought some backpacking food just in case I needed something more.

I took a ride with Geshe Tulga and Sonam as well as a friend from Vermont and her son. We went in search of the place the makes rugs, incense and Tibetan crafts not realizing that it is Sunday and they were closed. We shopped around in the area called First Camp because it was the the first camp for the Tibetans when the settled here. Geshe Tulga is a teacher at the primary school so I spent about 500 rupees on supplies for his class. It sounds like a lot but at 50rups to the dollar, well you do the math. For that I was able to purchase a notebook for each of his 70 students.

Oh and great news from Dharamsala. Geshe Tsulga had an audience with HH the Dalai Lama. His Holiness told him that his health was not going to be a problem. His appointment with His Holiness's doctor confirmed this. He was told that there was a small problem but a week in Dharamsala taking Tibetan medicine would take care of it. Everyone here is overjoyed with the news. I guess there is a chance I may get to seem him before I leave.

I have captured some really nice footage for the docs I plan to put together when I get home. Its hard not to in this place. But I have to tell you it really is a place of two extremes, pastoral beauty and trash in the streets. The Tibetans who are thriving, you never see a Tibetan beggar and the Indians who seem to barely be getting by.

I met this little Swiss woman who has been sponsoring and coming here since 1996. She was at the school and wearing a churba (sp) which is traditional Tibetan dress. She loves this place and comes every year to spend time with her many friends here and check on the progress of the programs she sponsors. I was able to get a great picture of all 4'8" of her standing next to Geshe Tulga (the teacher) who is a few inches taller than me and has at least 30 pounds on me.

Bilbo