An audience with the Dalai Lama

Sunday, along with thousands of others in nottingham, we had the opportunity to listen to the Dalai Lama speak about the environment. It was part of a week long lecture series that he had at the nottingham arena and sunday afternoon was set aside for children to ask him questions and do presentations of poems and songs they had written about the environment and their concerns. Sam had entered a poem in the competition but he didn't win, perhaps it was just as well, he would have been nervous reading it out in front of so many people.

The event was one of those once in a lifetime things, it isn't very often that you sit only 6 rows away from a world leader. He seemed so friendly and approachable and genuinely interested in what the children had to say. M and I both really enjoyed the event and while I think that sam appreciated the uniqueness of the occasion I am not sure that he got a lot out of it, mainly because he could not really understand what the Dalai Lama was saying. His english was very good but he is very softly spoken and even the grown ups had to strain to catch everything. He seemed a very wise and thoughtful man and Sam and I are going to now read up on his teachings and tibet and tibetan buddism.

I am glad that we went and I am glad that sam had the experience, it has broadened his horizons and helped him to understand what a varied and interesting world we live in. After the talk we went to the tibetan marketplace that had been set up, it was full of lots of interesting sights and smells-the food smelled delicious, if only we had had time to stay and sample some!