Read All Travelogues »
Waiting for the Wave; Meditation; Flamingoes and Birds of Paradise
Posted by L RaoMar 20, 2008 | 537 views
|
Read 11 Comments
| Forward to a Friend
In February, my friends and I decided that a getaway to a warm, sunny place was just the magic portion we needed to lift our spirits. Winter was getting us down, and flying off to a nice place for a short break was too tempting to resist. So, off we went to sunny San Diego in southern california. All of us had several mutual and very good friends there, so it seemed like a perfect place: warmth and sunshine, but warmth of friends too. Priceless. Four days of relaxation and camaraderie and of course, did I mention sunshine?
Here are some pictures we took while there. I will keep the descriptions to the minimum. Enjoy the colors!
We went to sea world one day. It is definitely an all day event. Other than the usual Shamu the whale, thoroughly enjoyed the dolphins and the flamingoes! So colorful and such a riot to watch:
The flamingoes were definitely a 'society': they chattered a LOT and on cue, all would go marching to one end of their enclosure. After a couple of minutes of chattering, they would ALL march back again, in step. It was hilarious to watch! Finally, some of them got bored of the conversation, and took a nap in the sun:
ha haha... by now could you tell that the flamingoes were my favorite ;).
the famous whale "Shamu":
At the beach. The sunsets were glorious....
Our friends in silhouette....
I saved the best to be the last: the highlight of the trip was a trip to the Self Realization Fellowship meditation gardens. These gardens are in Encinitas -- this is where shri Paramahamsa Yogananda wrote his "Autobiography of a Yogi". This was the site of his first ashram in the US - later when it was damaged due to sea erosion, the ashrams shifted to the LA area. This site was converted into a meditation garden. Words and even pictures cannot describe how beautiful, serene and out of this world blissful it was to sit there. For what it is worth, here are some pictures:
As you look out to the sea, you can see surfers far below, waiting for the wave. They just sit on their surfboards patiently.....
until they catch a wave...
Hope you enjoyed the beautiful colors, sights of San Diego! I sure did... :).
Here are some pictures we took while there. I will keep the descriptions to the minimum. Enjoy the colors!
We went to sea world one day. It is definitely an all day event. Other than the usual Shamu the whale, thoroughly enjoyed the dolphins and the flamingoes! So colorful and such a riot to watch:
Peaceful coexistence with the other birds in the enclosure... could stand there for hours and just watch them:
ha haha... by now could you tell that the flamingoes were my favorite ;).
At the beach. The sunsets were glorious....
Our friends in silhouette....
I saved the best to be the last: the highlight of the trip was a trip to the Self Realization Fellowship meditation gardens. These gardens are in Encinitas -- this is where shri Paramahamsa Yogananda wrote his "Autobiography of a Yogi". This was the site of his first ashram in the US - later when it was damaged due to sea erosion, the ashrams shifted to the LA area. This site was converted into a meditation garden. Words and even pictures cannot describe how beautiful, serene and out of this world blissful it was to sit there. For what it is worth, here are some pictures:
The meditation gardens are on a cliff (as you can see below). Standing in the gardens, or sitting on the numerous meditation benches, you can see FAR out to the sea and gaze at the horizon. It is unreal in how beautiful it is...
As you look out to the sea, you can see surfers far below, waiting for the wave. They just sit on their surfboards patiently.....
until they catch a wave...
The gardens were beautifully tended - all volunteer labor I think. So much color, beauty, serenity, calmness. You can sit there all day and watch the ocean, and breathe in the clean air, and enjoy the flowers.
One of my favorite flowers: the bird of paradise....
One of my favorite flowers: the bird of paradise....
Seemed like it was turning to the ocean... enjoying the sea breeze...
and more color.... lifts your spirits....
Other Travelogues by L Rao
Other Travelogues about San deigo
© 1998-2008 Copyright Sulekha.com Connecting Indians Worldwide, All Rights
Reserved.