Monday, March 20, 2017

Yoga & Culture 2017

A friend at Yoga for Today asked me to run a trip for her studio to Nepal, and 9 wonderful yogis joined me to Kathmandu in mid February. It is always nice to briefly walk about in shirtsleeves and practice yoga in some amazing places in +20C warmth while winter is still happening back home in Canada.
Yoga in the garden at Begnas Resort
A short day in Hong Kong allowed us to visit the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery on Lantau Island not far from the airport, then the evening flight to Kathmandu, where our Nepal adventure began!
Big Buddha on Lantau Island



The 'silent" boat ride to Begnas resort
Organic Coffee family
A quiet boat ride on Begnas lake took us to the Begnas Lake resort, in comfortable cabins, western washrooms, yoga in the garden and delicious meals including fish from the lake! An ayurvedic doctor and spa for massage and warm oil treatments was very welcome for all. We walked local villages, visited a school and enjoyed organic coffee at the Begnas Coffee place.



Breakfast at Pokhara Damside

We spent 3 nights in Kathmandu and then off to Pokhara (the second largest city in Nepal) where it is a bit warmer (+23C) days and more of a resort town. We visited the Tibetan refugee camp, the International Mountaineering museum, several schools and shopped the Lakeside streets of Pokhara.

Sunrise on the Annapurna's
An early rise (5am) and short drive up a ridge to Sarangkot to see the sunrise on the Annapurna's, allowed us to experience the start of another amazing day. It was a bit hazy, but we could see Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre (Fishtail).

A short 30 minute flight back to Kathmandu, and visits to Thamel shopping, a Nepali Culture show and visit to Patan, another royal square in the valley, and then final preparations to return home.

Boudhanath Stupa, Kathmandu - now rebuilt after EQ