The A-team!
So the 24 Seasons drumming workshop is finally over. Huge improvements over last week and we now have ONE performing routine to dish out. Yes, two full on weekends for one routine.
Me with Yad 3! Funny enough a lot of the YAD from the city is mainly Indonesian.
Turns out that Indo's speak a variety of languages and the coaches being malay it made it quite easy for them! Me on the other hand didn't speak Malaysian, struggled with the mandarin, and their english was minimal. Despite that learning the beats wasn't too bad it was just knowing what the coaches wanted was hard.
Lenny from Dance Generation Studious popped up for the weekend. Haven't seen that guy for a long time and it turns out he has been studying a masters of Buddhism in the temple in Taiwan. It's amazing what he is learning there about buddhism.
I got there super early that even the gates weren't opened yet.
As always the smells of incense fill the air at the temple. But now I hardly notice it.
I find it quite fascinating at how the reverends can maintain their levels of concentration. While walking they meditate, walking in perfect straight lines following the courtyard paving.
30 drums all up, wrapped up and quite difficult to un-bag. I could only imagine how difficult it would of been to slip those drums in that Hessian bag.
At first I was told that there would be a 'sifu' coming down from Malaysia to teach us the drumming so I automatically assumed it was a reverend. Nope it was just the two top coaches from that Malaysian drumming school. These guys were seriously pro's, super patient and they knew how to structure their lessons properly.
So pro, they showed us just one of their routines and it was amazing. So much power and energy in it that one of the instructors hit it so hard it split the skin on the drum.
Seriously, the food is amazing. I'm pretty sure I had some kickass imitation roast duck, that or it was meant to be chicken. I'm not too sure, but it was amazingly good.
The same bird as last time. Waiting on the same rock as always too. It's so cute, it can swim underwater too!!
All packed up! (kinda)
I was invited by the temple to attend a 24 season drumming camp and I am very glad I went. So much fun and such a big learning experience for me. I realised I suck at counting to 8 and I'm quite annoyingly short for the drums.
First day felt like it went by so long. Everyone struggled even me but by Sunday we were all moving quite quickly! We have learnt only 2 sets of drumming routines with 1 more to go, so hopefully with the next weekend coming up we will have it all down pat!
The amazing culinary experience that only a reverend can partake. Even down to the amazing china plates and cups. The detail in which the temple volunteers put into this was astounding.
This bird fascinated me so much. It was there when I first re-visited the car near the lotus pond, just patiently waiting on that rock for something to spark its interest. It was only until I was close enough did I spook it and it flew away to the other side of the pond.
Then on Sunday when I was leaving I spotted the same bird on the same rock in the same position waiting patiently. Quite symbolic of the temple/Buddhism itself.
Unfortunately it rained on the morning of the Sanga offering but we were lucky enough for the rain to stop when the ceremony commenced and held out for the rest of the day.
Around the side of the main courtyard lies various statues and ornaments and close enough to bonsai trees. Everything down to perfection, notice the alignment of the pebbles.
The food, all vegetarian, no meat, even down to the snacks (no chicken, beef, bbq flavouring products at all). As boring as it may sound having a whole weekend eating nothing but vegetarian temple food, I love it! It's one thing I actually look forward to when I head down there, it's seriously amazing with what they can do with imitation meat.
The imitation meats are seriously magic, if nobody says anything or if you don't think it's temple food your mind will be fooled.
Even after the weekend I had no craving for meat at all. I did however eat meat purely for the convenience.
On the morning of the Sanga offering, just like any other morning there's chanting. This shot was taken just outside the main shrine at 6am.
After chanting, 7am.
The little Buddha statues they have around the temple are very amusing and realistic at night time.
I found out that the temple now actually has a Lion Dancing crew! With only about 7 weeks of training under them, they're pretty good! Raymond Giang is teaching them and when he saw me there he quite happily greeted me with a smile, one of the first things he asked me was "Can you give these guys a few tips?"
Long story short I think they want me to teach the lion dancing for the temple! I'm so flattered! Also I'm very honoured to be asked that just as the reverend was when she asked too! Gosh I'm blushing.
In the main shrine the walls, left, right and centre are Buddha statues everywhere.
It's never ending.
The roof also has an amazing piece. I have been told it was hand painted!
Steps up to the main shrine.
Temple at night time is just a totally different experience. I'm so fortunate to be given the opportunity to experience this.
Last weekend I was asked if I was available to volunteer to help out for the Sanga offering down at Nan Tien. To be honest most of the time I'm quite hesitant to help out, with many reasons, one being I'm quite afraid of helping out, by doing things incorrectly or offending the reverend because I'm just oblivious to a lot of things. Well this time I had no alaby to get out of it, also I know the temple is always in need of volunteers.
The Sanga offering is a day where the temple volunteers get together and give something back to the reverends who teach them Buddhism. It was a whole day ceremony starting early in the morning, so I got down the day before for rehearsals and slept overnight. The temple at night and at dawn is just something quite surreal.
I attended chanting in the morning, earlier than usual because of the offering. I always find chanting a strange experience for me personally. I don't understand a word, I do not know the lyrics, nor do I understand the concept behind chanting and I honestly don't know what to do when I'm there. But I attend anyway because it's something really special to me. It's melodic and soothing, it almost brings me to tears sometimes (which I always desperately try to hide), it warms you up despite how cold it may be and it wakes you up to the morning feeling strangely energised on an empty stomach.
The photos are actually in reverse order ( some aren't). I also decided to film for the first time using the G11, which may also be the last. The quality is quite disappointing, I believe the Iphone4 trumps it just a bit which makes me consider the Iphone 5 for my next purchase.
Today me and a few friends went down to Jamberoo!Terrible weather but we endured it for as long as we could. First thing we visited was the not so new but newest attraction "Taipan". The first ride down it was quite surprising really, I didn't expect the water tube to be pitch black and when that happened we all just got tossed around in that tube screaming like silly girls. We did that twice! Actually that was our second ride, our first ride was the water slide, it was cool nothing memorable.
It was actually quite painful to walk from one ride to another because it was just so damn cold. Quickly after one ride we all waddled our way down to the wave pool and just chilled there for a bit till we got cold again.Panoramic shot of the wave pool. Click to enlarge!
This is the wave pool and oh my what a brilliant location to have a pool party with a DJ on the decks. It would just be a blast. We came up with that idea because while sitting on the veranda just next to the wave pool they started to play some pretty "in" music and then people in the wave pool started fist pumping and then it was on! lol
After we realised that it was much too cold to jump into the water again and the terrible weather wasn't holding up too well. The toboggan and go carts were closed and so we bounced.
But it was ok, our day wasn't over just yet. While we were down in the south I actually really wanted to visit the Nan Tien Temple because its been a while since i have been there or even the one near my area. I was glad I suggested it and i was even more pleasantly happy when the crew was quite keen in visiting the temple. I played tour guide, I wish i new more about the statues and darma so i could of been a better tour guide but it's ok. I showed them everything and it was quite a pleasant walk around Nan Tien its just so beautiful.
On the morning of the Sanga offering, just like any other morning there's chanting. This shot was taken just outside the main shrine at 6am.
This picture turned out quite average, but when I bumped up the contrast and saturated it just a bit it turned out wonderful!
This last picture is my favorite of the day.