smaller town vs a bigger town

Kelowna kids_2, originally uploaded by veggy.

I have spent most of my life in the 'big' city of Vancouver. 2.7 million people isn't considered that big in the grand world of HUGE cities, but it's still bigger then the one i am in now. I am spending some time in Kelowna whose population explodes in the summer due to it's hot, dry heat and beautiful surrounding. Even there is a massive increase of people from all over BC and Alberta, there is something humbling about this space. People smile and say hi on the bike paths, stranger immediately introduce themselves at yoga studios, neighbors join in on conversations in the back ally's, mutual enjoyment of the small beach starts conversations, and then there's the farmer's market with its abundance of amazing local vegetables, fruits and treats. Don't get me wrong, you do get these things in the big city, but not as much. In the city people avoid eye contact, rarely smile or start conversations or do things with your neighbors. I have met more neighbors here in a month then i met in years living in condos. So as you can see i am enjoying this community living, and i challenge you to get more involved with your neighbors and say hi to people on the bike paths. A smile goes a long way.. oh and make sure to take a dip in the ocean or lake :)

lynn log

lynn log, originally uploaded by veggy.

Lynn Canyon in hidden gem in North Vancouver. With a handful of trails that interconnect and loop, or just take you along the river or across the suspension bridge. I am living in North Vancouver for a few weeks and i spend 3 nights a week in this valley.

The sun is sets through the evening sky and it casts this magical light that makes you think it can't be real. The first few hikes i didn't take my camera out of laziness but now i take it every time now. There are an abundance of decapitated trees and looking at them makes you wonder how different the forest was when they stood tall. It is a truly a beautiful place.

Nepal

Prayer Flags in the Annapurnas, originally uploaded by More Altitude.

In one month i leave for Kathmandu, Nepal. A place i have been before only for a few days when the booking agent in Varnasi, India said 3 days was enough for a visit. Three days is not enough for a visit to Nepal, it's enough to walk around, rent a bike, eat, and see how different it is from India. It was a breath of fresh air in terms of attention. But that was 12 years ago when i was 20 years old and now i am embracing Nepal for a minimum of 2 month and doing a 6 week Yoga teacher training and Thai massage in the outskirts of Kathmandu with Yogi Nomad. It's like a dream come true and made possible by many wonderful people who i don't know, and some who i know well.
To be able to study in the birth place of Hatha Yoga seems only natural to me. It feels like the right spot for me in my life right now. I am now researching some treks since i will 16 days to explore Nepal on my own and take as many photographs as i can.

I read this quote the other day that is ringing true to me right now: When you truly feel equal love for all beings, when your heart has expanded so much that it embraces the whole of creation, you will certainly not feel like giving up this or that. You will simply drop off from secular life as a ripe fruit drops from the branch of a tree. You will feel that whole world is your home.

over pass

over pass, originally uploaded by veggy.

Who benefits and who is harmed by my purchases? Who benefits and who is harmed by my investments? In my daily work, have i become an agent of destruction? We should be making responsible decisions as consumers, we should refuse to invest in companies that profit from death or damage of the earth. We should not choose careers in destructive industries. It's starts with you, and me.

vancouver riot

vancouver riot 1, originally uploaded by veggy.

I intuitively didn't want to go downtown last night. I was tired of hockey, i was tired of uber aggressive people professing to be 'fans' of hockey yelling at me "Go Canucks Go" and honking horns like making obnoxious noise as if this was a way of communicating happiness. Most of the people downtown were not even watching the game, so they were definitely not fans even though they spent hundreds of dollars to dress up like fans (rampant consumerism links to lack of morals?).

There is something wrong with our young men and women from the suburbs. Products of unwanted procreation, lack of knowledge, education, respect, consciousness and morals. I am not a psychologist but i knew this was going to happen ever since i was downtown for a game 5 win. Never in my life had i been scared in my city until i was surrounded by a large pack of buffoons yelling there spontaneous angry canucks slogans. You can look at the faces and eyes of supposed humans and see that there is something missing. There is something missing in our society if this is what it creates. Apes running wild, mashing, grabbing, jumping, acting so much like our wild relatives of far off jungles. I am trying hard to be compassionate, trying hard to swallow the fact that we surely do live among animals who cannot be trusted when grouped together. The taming, medicating, and dumbing down of our society via media, by so many conveniences that we even can't make our own food anymore make it to easy to walk into someones beautiful back yard and trash it to pieces.

I got called a cunt, told i had nice titties, and given the finger among other things, all for being alone on the street last night trying to get to the Canada Line so i could get home. Listening to people brag and saying "Fuck Boston", like Boston did something wrong. These men do not even know what they are saying because if they did they wouldn't be saying it. I also saw a Mexican man saying "Riot!" over and over again. How dare he (and the thousands of others i heard chanting in a group from my friends apartment balcony).

Funnily i could pick any of these pick any of these upright walking monkeys out of crowd. I don't want these people in my city ever again. I want them to do a full year of community service. I want them to know this is not right.

Many thanks and gratitude to the VPD, fire, medics, and wonderful volunteers that had time to go clean up today. This is what our city is actually made up of, people that selflessly and willingly take time to clean up other people's horrifying destruction. Vancouverites i love you.

Far away friends.

Crater Walkers Gunung Bromo, originally uploaded by Hueystar.

Nothing warms my heart more then knowing i have some of the best friends in the world. I am lucky to know and have more then just one, and don't ask me to pick just one as my favourite either. Each individual is unique and beautiful in their own way. They do all have some important traits in commen though. Honesty, yes brutal honesty, even when you don't want to hear it or are not ready to hear. They may talk behind your back about things but they will also tell you to your face. The truth sometimes stings but our friends can see things that we sometimes don't see or don't want to see. I may curse them for a couple of days, but nothing is richer then someone who can tell you like it is.
Being there is another one, it doesn't help if your friend isn't there emotionally for you when things are rough, or if you want to have a good laugh. It doesn't necessarily mean that they are there 24/7, but the ability to check in with you via skype, email, tea breaks, or parties. Spending quality time and reaffirming your care for each other in good conversation makes me feel like i will already live longer then most people (that's what science says!).
And lastly, balance. A balance in the relationship where you can listen and not judge, if you don't listen and only judge.. then it get's really one sided. We are all not perfect in our relationships but a real friend will have these traits, and if they don't then we can forgive them when they realize they may not be living to their true potential.

What do you think of when you hear the word "Escapism"?

Untitled, originally uploaded by Oliver Bryce Yates.