2016: Our Year in Photos

New Year's Day sunrise over Bai Tu Long Bay, Vietnam

New Year’s Day sunrise over Bai Tu Long Bay, Vietnam

JANUARY:

-Travel: returned from our December 2015 visit to Vietnam

-Began RYT300 (Int / Adv) yoga teacher training at Amrutha Bindu Yoga

Taken at Kesava Temple in  Somanathapura

Taken at Kesava Temple in Somanathapura with the RYT300 class

 

FEBRUARY:

– RYT300 course continued

Teaching yoga at Socare

Teaching yoga at Socare

Learning to cook Indian food at Manju's

Learning to cook Indian food at Manju’s Cooking School

 

MARCH:

-Completed the RYT300 course to obtain my RYT500 certification

The RYT300 Class at Fireflies Ashram to learn Shatkarma

The RYT300 Class at Fireflies Ashram to learn Shatkarma

 

APRIL:

-Traveled to Varkala and Amritsar

-Taught a two-week Kids Camp at a1000 Yoga, Kormangala

Varkala, Kerala in early April

Lilla in Varkala, Kerala in early April

 

Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib), Amritsar

Lilla at the Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib), Amritsar

 

MAY: 

-Travel: Thailand, Zambia, and Dubai

-Completed the Muay Thai 2 (Int.) at The Muay Thai Institute in Rangsit, Thailand

With MTI teachers and students after a successful fight by a German student

With MTI teachers and students after a successful fight by a German student (shirtless)

 

Zebra at the Chaminuka Game Reserve near Lusaka

Zebra at the Chaminuka Game Reserve near Lusaka

 

Lilla and I amid the dunes in the UAE near Dubai

Lilla and I amid the dunes in the UAE near Dubai

 

JUNE:

-Between travels and trainings, a quiet month in Bangalore

Back again with the kids at Socare

Back again with the kids at Socare

 

JULY:

-Travel: Kolkata and into Jammu & Kashmir for our August travels

Quintessential Kolkata (Calcutta)

I’m afraid you can’t jam more Kolkata (Calcutta) into a photo than this

 

AUGUST:

-Travel: Jammu & Kashmir (Srinagar, Sonamarg, Great Lakes Trek, Leh, Nubra Valley, and Pangong Tso) and into Chennai for the beginning of my Vipassana Meditation course

Lilla on our first night camp site on the Kashmiri Great Lakes trek

Lilla (green hoodie) on our first night camp site on the Kashmiri Great Lakes trek

 

Lilla and Eeyore in Leh

Lilla and Eeyore in Leh

 

Lilla and I at the (reputed) highest motorable pass in the world

Lilla and I at the (reputed) highest motorable pass in the world

 

SEPTEMBER:

-Travel: 2 trips to Chennai; the first for my 10-day Vipassana Mediation Course, and the second for a wedding

Chennai (Madras)

Chennai (Madras)

Lilla henna'd and bangled for the wedding

Lilla henna’d and bangled for the wedding

 

OCTOBER:

-Travel: rainy season in Goa

-Anniversary month (22 yrs.)

-Took the 5th level test at Kalari Academy but promptly threw my back out–an injury from which I’m still recovering (although it’s down to a mild leg tingle) [I wouldn’t mention it but I think I’m obligated to by the rules of year-end / Christmas letters to mention any health issues.]

Lilla in front of the Se Cathedral in Old Goa (Velha Goa)

Lilla in front of the Se Cathedral in Old Goa (Velha Goa)

 

NOVEMBER:

-Travel: Singapore

Lilla in front of the Marina Bay Sands

Lilla in front of the Marina Bay Sands

 

DECEMBER:

-Travel: We’ll be in Hungary (fingers crossed) in the latter half of the month

-Finished a draft of the novel. I don’t know what version this counts as, but it’s the only one so far even close to having an ending that I can tolerate.

-I’ll probably have read about 100 books by the end of the year.

Here’s a pic from another winter trip to Budapest:

Budapest a few years back

Budapest a few years back

A more recent Budapest Winter pic; this was our most recent winter visit 2014

A more recent Budapest winter pic; this was our most recent winter visit-i.e. 2014

DAILY PHOTO: Colorful Shutters of Singapore

Taken October 29, 2016 in Singapore

Taken October 29, 2016 in Singapore

 

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DAILY PHOTO: Oddities of Haw Par Villa

Taken on November 1, 2016 at Haw Par Villa in Singapore

Taken on November 1, 2016 at Haw Par Villa in Singapore

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DAILY PHOTO: The Esplanade Durians

Taken on October 31, 2016 in Singapore

Taken on October 31, 2016 in Singapore

 

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DAILY PHOTO: Chinese Bridge at Dusk

Taken on October 30, 2016 in Singapore's Chinese Garden

Taken on October 30, 2016 in Singapore’s Chinese Garden

 

This bridge, in the Chinese style, connects Singapore’s Chinese Garden to its Japanese Garden. Dusk offered a nice reflection.

DAILY PHOTO: Nagore Dargh, Singapore

Taken on October 29, 2016 in Singapore

Taken on October 29, 2016 in Singapore

 

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DAILY PHOTO: Planet

Taken on November 1, 2016 at the Marina Bay Sands Gardens in Singapore

Taken on November 1, 2016 at the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore

 

Believe it or not, this is a seven ton bronze sculpture. It’s only painted white and only appears to be a material as light as plastic. That seven tons is cantilevered off that one arm (i.e. the back of the hand is all that touches the ground.)

It’s called “Planet” and it was sculpted by Marc Quinn in 2008.

Here is a pic from farther away that may offer more sense of scale.

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DAILY PHOTO: Singapore Flyer

Taken on October 31, 2016 in Singapore

Taken on October 31, 2016 in Singapore

DAILY PHOTO: Sights at the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

Front Entrance; Taken on October 30, 2016 in Singapore

Front Entrance; Taken on October 30, 2016 in Singapore

 

Giant Prayer Wheel

Giant Prayer Wheel

 

Guardian at front entrance. Note: Even if you have 6 pack abs, you're an 18 pack shy of being on par with this guy.

Guardian: Even if you’ve got a 6 pack, you’re an 18 pack shy of this guy.

 

There is a wax gallery of modern Buddhists of note from across Asia

A Madame Tussaud’s of noteworthy modern-day Buddhists (Bodhisattvas)

 

The lantern keeper

The lantern keeper

 

Rooftop Garden and the Giant Prayer Wheel

Rooftop Garden and the Giant Prayer Wheel

DAILY PHOTO: Thian Hock Keng

Confucius; Taken on October 29, 2016 in Singapore

Confucius; Taken on October 29, 2016 in Singapore

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This Chinese temple sits in the heart of Singapore’s Chinatown. It’s said to be the oldest Hokkien or Hoklo temple (i.e. Han Chinese) in Singapore. It’s a temple related to Han Chinese culture generally, rather than to a particular sect or religion. While the main deity is Mazu (a.k.a. Ma Cho Po,) a maritime goddess from Chinese folklore that is sometimes associated with Taoism, there is also a Confucian shrine as well as homages to several Buddhist Bodhisattvas (a Bodhisattva is one who has achieved enlightenment but sticks around to help others out of compassion.)