In the lap of Shiva

We stayed 2 nights in below-freezing temperatures at Tapovan, at Simla Baba's ashram.
Temperatures have been extreme - the sun is intense and while trekking, or basking in the sun, we are hot. In the shade it immediately gets cold, and the smallest of breezes gets us shivering.
The sun was lost to us behind the mountains early. Both evenings, like clockwork, a posse of clouds drifted quickly up the glacial valley to our left. As the sun set, somewhere beyond mighty Shivling Shivling2.jpg , the clouds turn gold, and so do the very tops of the snowy peaks. Then orange and pink and purple. And then the clouds circle around the meadow - we are locked in for the night. Come morning and they gaan...
There are of course some more Babas and Matas here. There's one guy who only smokes up and talks complete gibberish. We admired him for not giving us any holier than thou. Or maybe he did - i did'nt really understand him. Then there was a young Israeli couple with a Sardarji Baba. All were dressed in the tell-tale robes of the Baba-world. I tried to talk with them but the girl only gave me beatific smiles of enlightenment. They were sooo completely stoned.
The second day, some of us hiked up the debris of a mountain to a beautiful little lake fed by meltwater. Bro_Bansi.jpg ; lake.jpg That night we set up a tent inside the hut and the girls and Bro
had a slightly better night for it. The moon, constantly waxing during our hike, was full. We stepped out later at night and stood there in awe, as the moon washed over the peaks and the meadow. There's nothing like moonlight and moonshadow on snowy mountains.

October 8th dawned bright and clear. Again, we were greeted by the sight of a couple of western women meditating, Taichi-ing on some lonely rocks. What a spot for it! In fact, apart from Bro and Himja in our group, I'd say the Western hikers were the only ones doing anything like that. And more women than men seem to be into it. More power to them.

Before we set off for the long climb down, Debbie and I had a little ceremony - we exchanged rings again, it being our 2nd wedding anniversary. A special place for it. rings.jpg ; group.jpg