Buddha in the Attic Tour!

Buddha in the Attic is a story about spiritual exploration. It's about a girl who knows she needs spiritual gratification and explores different religions, experiences different cultures, meets interesting people to learn as much as she can about that spiritual side of herself.  


Religion Tour - Greater Vancouver
Trip Planned For Buddha in the Attic Story Research


Places to visit: 

The Nanaksar Gurdwara Gurusikh Temple18691 Westminster Highway, Richmond B.C.

Open daily (phone for timings). All visitors welcome. Please dress modestly. Shoes are to be taken off and heads covered (scarves or caps) before entering the prayer hall. No admission charge. A free vegetarian meal is served in the cafeteria. Sundays are busy, but weekdays are less crowded. If you are looking for more information on the Sikh religion and its traditions, please set up an appointment with Mr. Ranu Tirlochan Singh at the above phone number.

Ling Yen Mountain Temple10060 No. 5 Road,
Richmond B.C.
Phone: (604) 271-0009

"This is a nunnery and meditation centre. If you would like to tour the Temple, please phone ahead and talk to one of the volunteers (ask for Susan or Mai) in order to set up an appointment."

International Buddhist Society

"The temple is open to the public and does not require an admission fee. Our main goal is to inform the public about Buddhist philosophy and our organization, and so we encourage visitors to come and explore our grounds. Guides and explanations in both English and Chinese accompany most of the features at the temple, for the convenience of visitors."

9160 Steveston Highway (between No. 3 and No. 4 Roads)
Richmond, B.C., Canada
V7A 1M5

Peace Mennonite Church 

"We invite you to join us in worship every Sunday morning at 9:30am, and for all our other gathering times and activities.

Our purpose as a church is to meet God in worship, to learn together about God and life, and to meet one another's needs in caring and personal ways. You are always welcome to join us." Note: Meet Tim Kuepfer. Saw his interview once. He is awesome. 

Richmond Jamea Mosque 

The first and the biggest mosque in British Columbia (Sunni). I have never been there before. Attend Jumma prayers.

12300 Blundell Rd 

British Columbia V6W 1B3 

Richmond Canada 

...

The Ram Krishna Mandir in the Vedic Cultural Centre8200 – No. 5 Road, Richmond. B.C.
Phone: (604) 275-9182.

Open to all. Their Sunday devotionals from 10.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. encompasses Kirtan and Arati(religious chants and prayers) followed by Pritibhojan (lunch) at no charge. Please dress modestly. Donations always welcome.

Other weekly programs include Yoga/meditation classes.

For more information or if you’d like to know more about Hinduism, please phone Bimla Veer Singh at (604) 275-9182 or (604) 270-7672

Notes: 
Phone each center ahead of time. 

Go to each place via bus or sky train. On my own is the best way. 

What to take: Notebook, 

pens, camera, water bottle, a snack, a map, notes on the faith, questions to ask and other things of interest to look for.

Read as much about the faith before visiting its center. 

Take special notice of the people and the culture.
Talk to the people. Don't be shy! 
Add another church to the tour? Perhaps a Catholic Church. 

Try attend an event, rather than a tour to get as much as possible out of the experience. 


mucho thanks to this website: http://www.margaretdeefholts.com/heaven-via-richmond-bc.html


The zebra is very excited to start trotting on this tour. xD 

.....

Andzzz a poem! 

Visiting Modernity

Your return was on a dark night,
when the fireflies of modernity
dotted the night,
and it wasn't silent
because it was the night of today.

Your children were up
and blue and white flickers
scurried across their windows.

You passed by quietly,
with your steps soft.
the streets were narrower you noticed
and the buildings straightened and shadowed.
and the air was dirty and cheap.

The hair line of the earth had receded
and the underneath lay withering,
its ugliness fully exposed to the semi moon,
which too seemed half hearted in its attempt.
or perhaps faded by the gray haze.

There were no stars,
but fireflies, measured in their height and distance,
refusing to move.
such precise fireflies you had never seen.

You noticed the silver bellied monsters that
purred smoke, gleaming sun rays out their eyes
as they sped by you, ruffling your hair.

You weren't sure whether to be awed or sickened,
for things has certainly changed;
you could tell by the blue and white flashes,
and the lack of idle eyes.

The trees too were different,
bare of branches and leaves,
naked and exposed,
straight and measured in their distance
like nature had never intended before.

The horizon held not mountains
but buildings tall like arms
reaching toward the sky,
snatching away the stars.

Gray, you realized was your children’s colour.
they celebrated it, adorned their city and their lives
with this shimmering gray
pasted to their hands,
their roads,
spewing out of their homes.
chugging out of the monsters
they had befriended.

You decided not to speak
for white wax clung to their ears,
metal ran their blood,
and the blue and white flashes
stole their eyes till they
could see you no more.