Hello Kitty in London

If I didn’t have to work, my BLOG would be REALLY good!

The West Highlands of Scotland were spectacular. Check out the pics on www.hellokittyinlondon.shutterfly.com I had no idea the countryside outside of Glasgow would be so dramatic. It is a bit like Colorado, Maine, and North Carolina rolled into one. I had a very pleasant and quiet train ride up through the mountains to the lovely seaside town of Oban. Some of you will recognize it as a relatively well known single malt Scotch. The distillery is right in the center of town where it has been since 1794. Isn’t that amazing? The history is so deep in this part of the world.

I had the best fish and chips I’ve had in Oban. YUM! Big chunks of cod lightly battered and big thick chips with piles of vinegar on both. I had a lovely room in a guesthouse which was walking distance to all parts of the town. I bought a book called Anam Cara (it means soul friend in Gaelic) and have been enjoyed reading about ancient Celtic spirituality. It is quite fascinating. There are many Celtic phrases and words that have no English translation.

I went to Mass in the St. Columba’s Cathedral in Oban on Sunday. I was just relaxing by the harbour and heard the church bells ringing and decided to go make a visit. No, the doors did not slam when I came up the steps. It was a lovely and short service. I lit candles for all of my friends and family, living and passed. It was a very pleasant way to spend my last hour in Oban.

The train ride back was even more spectacular than on the way up as I sat on the other side. Unfortunately, my pictures don’t really do it justice. It is very difficult to capture the splendor of mountains through a fast moving train window. Anyway, the Lochs (lakes) you see along the way are amazing. Some of them are really big and the last one (Loch Lamond) meets up with the North Sea and I saw a couple large military ships hanging out.

I am headed back to Scotland in two weeks. This time I am going to Edinburgh and the Loch Ness. I do hope I see Nessie.

Last weekend I had the extreme pleasure of visiting my new associate Uma in her home in Hemel Hampstead. Uma and Ramesh (her husband) served me a delicious vegetarian lunch with lots of interesting spices. Uma also made me her famous Cardamom and Ginger tea. She says my stomach problems will go away if I have Cardamom and Ginger tea everyday. I’m willing to give it a try and it is delicious and soothing.

We also made a visit to the Buddhist Monastery quite close to their home. The temple is so quiet, it almost makes you want to stop breathing for risk of disturbing those in meditation. The three of us had a brief sit and walked around the grounds observing the simple beauty of the surroundings. It is the largest Buddhist monastery in Europe.

Today I will be in yoga video with my teacher at the Yoga Co Op. She is submitting her video for certification as an Anusara teacher and asked that I participate. She is a wonderful teacher from Barcelona, Spain and I was thrilled to be asked to help out.

Tonight I’m off to Michael Franti and Spearhead in Brixton. This will be my first venture to the Brixton area. The show is at the Brixton Academy, a very famous venue in Southeast London.

Peace!