Category Archives: Nepal Pilgrimage 2023

Our return to Boudha was a special ending to a special experience. Although Cory has hosted many pilgrimages to Nepal, this pilgrimage was special, designed as it was to explore the similarities between Buddhism and Patanjali’s 8 limbs of Ashtanga yoga, 2 of Cory’s 3 great passions, along with travel. To do so, he recruitedContinueContinue reading “Episode 12-Return to Boudha-Final Blog Post”

Alongside Swayambhunath and Boudhanath, Namobudha is one of Katmandu’s 3 most important stupas. Also sacred to Hindus, it is of even greater importance to Buddhists as the location where hundreds of years before his birth an early incarnation of Lord Buddha demonstrated an unselfish act of great kindness by feeding his body to a starvingContinueContinue reading “Episode 11-Namobudha”

Bouda or Boudanath is a uniquely sacred place of great magic and mysticism. The stupa is on the ancient trading route from Tibet where Tibetan merchants have rested and offered prayers for many centuries. The structure itself is huge, impressive. It’s in the shape of a massive mandala making it one of the largest sphericalContinueContinue reading “Episode 10-Boudanath”

Our next 4 nights are in Boudhanath so this morning we had our last meditation and Mysore session in the shala at Hotel Vajra. It’s so nice to practice in such a beautiful shala, so nice that Sami couldn’t help but joining in! After practice, breakfast and packing we headed out to Boudanath stopping inContinueContinue reading “Episode 9-Patan Dunbar Square”

What an amazing first day on our Nepal pilgrimage! After 6:00 AM meditation and yoga (the shala at Hotel Vajra is a beautiful place to practice) we set off on foot to Swayambu, one of the oldest religious sites in Nepal, an ancient complex on a hill just west of the city. Revered also byContinueContinue reading “Episode 8-Swayambu Stupa and Asura Cave”

Kathmandu like the birds-nests of electrical and cable service wires that line its alleys and streets is chaotic and indecipherable but somehow it functions. Monica, Sami and I were among the early arrivers so we had the opportunity to do some exploring and some shopping and we had a great time. With Kathmandu, you don’tContinueContinue reading “Episode 7-Katmandu”

On my last day in Istanbul I walked Istanbul’s city walls, one of the most elaborate fortifications of ancient times. Today the walls are in various stages of repair, some are almost fully intact, some are crumbling and some are in the process of restoration. Only the Golden Gate is left of the original ConstantineContinueContinue reading “Episode 6-Last Day in Istanbul”

My flight back from Dinzili to Istanbul last night was lots of fun. It landed in Asia at Istanbul’s second airport but it only took about 30 minutes by car to be back in Europe. The Bosphorous is a dividing line, on one bank you’re in Asia and across the water you’re in Europe. ThisContinueContinue reading “Episode 5-Back in Istanbul”

My younger brother who traveled to Turkey dozens of time for his work over a decade in the early 2000’s told me that I shouldn’t leave Turkey without having lamb testi which is a type of lamb stew prepared in a terra cota jar and he was so right. And if you visit Turkey, youContinueContinue reading “Episode 4-Lamb Testi”

I’m now at the regional Airport in Dinizli getting ready to board my evening flight back to Istanbul.I enjoyed a fabulous two days in the picturesque Agean seaside town of Kusadasi, the first port where cruise ships docked in Turkey. Jammed with tourists in season, the delightful town was even more so in the quietContinueContinue reading “Episode 3-2 nights in Kusadasi”