One Hump or Two?

Very nice. Vesna Wallace writes in to alert me and, by extension, you to a short video clip on YouTube called Los Ojos de Shambhala (helpful translation: "The Ojos of Shambhala"). Shot by Argentine travelers, it mostly depicts Danzan Ravjaa's Khamariin Khiid and sacred Shambhala site in the Eastern Gobi. But the bits showing the pure sand dunes at the beginning, if I'm not mistaken, are actually at Burdene Bulag, about 120km south. I visited (and wrote about) this place after I visited with Doc Taliaferro in 2005. It's a power spot of Dorje Phagmo. Khamar's abbot, Dush Lam, remarked to me at the time, "Prayers made there are 100 times more powerful than those made elsewhere."

Apparently, batteries are coming any moment for my new video camera, so it won't be long before we move to the next media level here at DODR.

So, I promised you camels, and camels you shall have. I thought to post these pix with smartypants captions, but then I thought, "Hey Konchog, why don't you let your readers be the smartypantses for once?" So, herewith some of the photos I took from the camel herd we encountered at a South Gobi watering hole. They're offered without comment, but numbered. In the comments you are encouraged to share your ideas for captions (Bactrian Camels being, in my opinion, particularly caption-worthy) using the numbers for reference:

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

Comments

[Alana]

#1: (Tightly, through teeth)don't look now but its that smartypants white monk
#2: (whisper)smartypants monk approaching, don't move
#3: M R Ducks?
#4: I'm 'fraid of the smartypants monk, mama
#5: Well, I'm not, I just dare him to come over here
#6: and meet my big brothers
#7: In fact, I won't even give him a glance
#8: nyah nyah nyah you smartypants I'm brave now too...behind..all...these...

[Carol of Seattle]

Sorry, but #2 was the only one that moved me...

'Psst, how much do you think Oyun paid for that Brazillian butt wax?'

[Samaya]

Speaking of humps...(well, sort of) you might remember Dawa and Nyima, my black and white kitties from your Kalachakra experience in NYS...well, I took Dawa to a vet to have HER fixed. Turns out SHE is a HE!

Oh, well, if Chenrezig can be gender ambiguous, why can't Dawa...{giggle}

Keep those camel pix coming...

[Zendette]

Those are the cutest photos of ugly-adorable camels I've ever seen. The 2 humped type are cuter than our local variety, maybe because they're furrier. But do they have the same feet? Can we get some camel feet photos?

[KT]

No captions here but all I can think of is the Bugs Bunny cartoon..One lump or two and the other critter (George? Daffy?) says two and Bugs whacks him with the huge mallet. Clearly I am an eight year old.

[minnie]

ok, here i go!
1. Gimme a tissue! ACHOO!
2. Eww! Man, did ya HAVE to cut the cheee?
3. What was that?
4. I'm so glad i can cry on your hump.
5. I'm ready for my closeup, mr d'ville.
6. Walk like an Egyptian.
7. Don't you just love my new 'do?
8. (reggae beat) Lean on me, when you're not strong, i'll be your friend, i'll help you carry on. . .

[minnie]

#2 was supposed to say cheese. and in my defense? i live with 2 teenage boys. nuff said

[Konchog]

KT: Not only do I know that Bugs administered the lumps to Elmer Fudd, but I also know that afterward Fudd somehow ended up in a barber's chair, with Bugs examining the lumps like a phrenologist while singing, a la The Barber of Seville, "I'm the Rabbit of Seviiiiille!"

Where's that put me on the relativity scale? Age five? Ma, please don't answer that.

[Palzang]

Wow, great video! Love the bell...

[Tom Robertson]

1.Pearls with Plaid? ugh!

2.fish me you kool!

3.A brick wall... a brick wall... I must think of a brick wall... a brick wall... I must think of a brick wall... a brick wall... brick wall... I must think of a brick wall... It's almost half past eight... brick wall... only a few seconds more... brick wall... brick wall... brick wall... nearly over... a brick wall...

(village of the damned, for those of you who haven't seen it.)

4.Dude, this green tattoo I'm giving you will be AWSOME!

5.The desert is just RUINING my new perm, I swear I'm moving as soon as I get my nails done!

6.Ok girls, kick, kick, step, kick and arabic step then shimmy for one and two and three... Yasmin, work those isolations!

7.I'm so pretty

8.I told you that tat would be awsome