I've finally downloaded some photos to my flash drive. Here are a few random pics.
This is the "Bean" in Millenium Park in Chicago on the lake front.
Again, the Bean and the skyline.
My buddy Shakya and Sue the Dino at the Field Museum in Chicago. I have a great shot of Shakya in the Bean, but for some reason it won't load.
Shakya the Cowboy. We went horseback riding at Moraine View State Park near my hometown in IL after a couple of nights in Chicago. The wind kept blowing Shakya's hat off, so he pushed it down hard on his head. By the end of the ride, I realized he had it on backwards.
My backside hurt by the end of the ride. And yes, that's me wearing jeans. Black jeans on a hot day, however, is not recommended.
This is Jesse, his wife Khoa, me and Shakya at an Indian restaurant in Peoria. Jesse and Khoa are friends from CA who happen to be from central IL like me. They're home for the summer, so we got to see them.
This is Jesse, myself and Shakya at the Lincoln Museum in Springfield, IL. Best museum I've ever been to. I told Jesse later, "You know, it's good to have friends you can do nerd things with." ..Like going to presidential museums.
Me at Dharma Bums, a small center in San Diego, CA. This is actually from May before I left CA for IL.
And here's Ven. Guhwa at the same place. I have to admit, we were only pretending to meditate for photos.
Ven. Kiet freezing at the beach in San Diego. This was only my second time at the beach in CA in two years. I should have gone out more....
Ven. Guhwa was so excited to be at the beach that he took off his socks and shoes and actually went at least knee deep in the water. I was all wrapped up but I was too cold.
I actually haven't taken too many photos yet since I arrived in Korea, but this is a halfway decent picture of the front of Yeorae-sa (Tathagatha Temple) where I'm currently staying. It's in Ilsan, a suburb of Seoul. My room is on the third floor overlooking part of Jeongbal Mountain, a park area behind the temple.
This is a view out a third floor window looking south. The temple is in a fairly quiet neighborhood, though there's a middle school next door so I'm sometimes treated to pop music over the loud speakers during their lunch hour.
These are two Tibetan Geshe's that live at the temple, Namkha on the left and Yeonten on the right. They're both from Kham originally (East Tibet). There are a fair number of Tibetan monks in Korea. These two were brought here to learn Korean and teach the academic side of the tradition, but neither of them are teaching yet I believe.
That's all for now. I'll be sure to take my camera out more later.
Summer days are clear and spectacular and the temperatures are truly remarkable. Spring and autumn are mild transitions into the other seasons. There is a brief monsoon season that is truly extraordinary.
Posted by: peoriarob | July 16, 2008 at 04:13 AM
I am back and I realise that we live 30 minutes apart, on foot! I live on the other side of Jeongbalsan... Let me know if you wish to visit us or if I can visit you.
Posted by: Christian | July 25, 2008 at 04:56 AM
Email me directly and we can meet up. Do you know the English Buddhist Library near Anguk station on line 3? Saturdays we get together for some Dharma discussion and socializing at 2:00pm for an hour or two.
Posted by: Rinchen Gyatso | July 25, 2008 at 04:37 PM
I didn't find your email on the site, but you have mine. I am on vacation nowadays. I don't know the library but I guess you mean
http://www.bels.kr/
Sounds interesting!
Posted by: Christian | July 27, 2008 at 07:35 AM