Monday, Jan 17, 3;02 am
I’m in a travel time warp... My days and nights are still askew from the 50-some hour Cleveland-to-Kathmandu trip (complete with a 3 1/2 hr layover in Chicago and 16-hour layover/delayed flight in Abu Dhabi)
I’m in Kathmandu right now taking advantage of what may well be the last access to wireless internet for awhile. I leave at 7 am this morning for Bhairahawa (near the Indian border; where I volunteered with the deaf/abused artists last year) which tends to be lacking in electricity (not to mention internet)
I’m staying at the Esther Benjamin’s Trust office in Kathmandu with Megan (a staffer) and Naomi (a volunteer). Arrived Saturday evening and spent Sunday hoofing for miles around the city with Megan, climbing an historic tower, visiting a retro palace and eating delicious Israeli food.
Bhimsen Tower is a modern-day stairmaster that was built in 1825 AD by the then-queen to make important announcements to the citizenry. I’m not really clear how these messages were broadcast as the tower’s circular platform is nearly 200 feet (or 213 steps!) above ground zero (not to mention that the original tower was even higher than the current 1936 edition, which is a replacement built after an earthquake tumbled its predecessor).
I figured the 300 rs entry fee (about $4.50) was well worth the free workout. By the time I made it up the 213 steps, I had stripped my coat, sweater and scarf, was dripping sweat, and huffing and puffing... nice workout! From the circular platform, the city of Kathmandu’s cacophony of roofs and traffic-clogged roads crawled away until disappearing into the low-lying smog. The view was terrific and the trip DOWN the steps was heaven.
Next stop (following a miles-long trek through people packed streets... dodging careening cars and homicidal motorcycles at every crossing) was Nepal’s Palace Museum -- a retro wonder where the royal family was massacred in 2001.
The Crown Prince at the time got in a tiff with his family over their refusal to allow him to marry the princess of his dreams and ran amok, staging a Shakespearian palace massacre. In the palace with an automatic assault rifle, the enraged and drunken Prince gunned down his King and Queen parents, his brother and six other relatives and wounded five before committing suicide.
Of course, you’d never have known these facts from your visit to the Palace Museum. (google Nepal Palace Massacre for full gory accounts of the murderous rampage that many still think is a conspiracy) You’d most likely conclude that the Prince was simply a victim of bad decor.
The Palace is a retro kitsch wonderland. The ‘50s furnishings SHOULD be in a museum, but I don’t really think they’re getting the appreciation they are due in the
Palace display. The massacre happened in 2001, but much of the palace is frozen in Fifties. Knick-knack shelves straight out of every grandmother’s living room are jam packed with Precious Moment figurines and glitzy gifts from countries around the world. (A “crystal” paperweight from then-New York Mayor Koch is featured on one crowded shelf.) The bookshelves are stocked with Agatha Christy mysteries, the Encyclopedia Brittanica, and Book-of-the-Month Club specials. The low-slung chairs, formica-clad tables and tasseled lamps are retro gold. Truly a must-see for kitsch-loving tourists.
And then, mixed in with the kitsch, were mounted rhino heads, crocodile skins with red velvet trim, fantasmic plaster columns adorned with Hindi Gods and Goddesses, and gigantic paintings of Nepal’s dead kings (they’ve gone through A LOT of kings!) One of my favorite details were the numerous photos and paintings that adorned the wall -- hung at 8 feet or higher so it was impossible to see them in any detail!) I’d include some photos of my favorite Palace details, but you’re not allowed to take pictures in the Palace and they missed the boat by not having a gift shop featuring the goods -- and massacre -- in books and postcards.) Even so, the visit was well worth the 500 rs (about $7).
We worked up an appetite in the Palace, so hiked a couple miles to Thamel (the shopping/touristy/restaurant district) and the OR 2K Cafe, an Israeli vegetarian restaurant that Megan recommended. The zucchini pie was absolutely delicious! Zucchini, onion, mushrooms, cheese, spices and sauce that I can’t quite pinpoint...baked to perfection! A vegetable salad and ginger-lemon-honey tea rounded out my perfect meal. (I’m pigging out now in preparation for the twice-daily dal bhat that awaits me in Bhairahawa!)
An hour-long walk home capped off our aerobic day and I was in bed by 8 pm (and thus up now at 3 am). Going to go enjoy my maybe-last hot shower for awhile and get ready for the harrowing 8-hour microbus ride south.
Over and out of town ... for now.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Flying High on day one!!
January 15, 2010
My 2010 adventure to Nepal and India got off to an auspicious start (as they say in India) when the Etihad Airlines agent upgraded me to business class for the overnight flight from Chicago to Abu Dhabi for “being so nice and patient” during the check-in process. I was ECSTATIC but the experience went FAR beyond my expectations.
The business class section was set up like a lounge which created private little areas for singles and couples. The seats -- which were actually MASSAGE chairs that could be converted from upright to lounge chairs to beds -- were tucked into cozy spaces complete with a fairly big personal television set.
The stewardess led “Miss Carol” to my seat and offered me a drink. When I told her I’d like a glass of red wine, she said the wine would come a bit later and that they were serving champagne and cocktails at the time. Champagne sounded good to me!
Ahhhhh... Miss Carol had a lovely 13-hour flight. We each got a leather travel kit with “everything you’ll need for your journey” (toothbrush and paste, eye mask and earplugs, socks, and various sprays and soaps and creams). Fluffy pillows and a warm blanket kept me comfy while I watched two movies -- 500 Days of Summer and The Time Travelers Wife -- and slept a full 8 hours.
But the food was the highlight. Our “snack” was pan-seared marinated salmon accompanied with the promised red wine (Chateau Laroze St Emilion Grand cru Classe 2004 Cabernet from Bordeaux). A loaf of hot bread came with the ratatouille tarte tatin and my main course was baked Lake Michigan brown trout with baby corn, bok choy, jasmine rice and oyster jus. Of course it was all served with an organic five-leaf salad and was capped off with a quattro of dessrts -- lemon meringue pie, passion fruit coconut creme brulee, marinated red berry jelly and seasonal fruit lollipop. The wine was kept flowing throughout the meal; I was a VERY happy traveler!
After a comfortable night’s sleep, I enjoyed a breakfast of poached eggs, turkey bacon, spinach, toasted muffin and hollandaise sauce and a couple cups of cappuccino. I could REALLY get used to business class... best flight of my life!
I’m now in Abu Dhabi (capital of the Arab Emeritus). I have a 14-hour layover. The airport hotel is full but they have a comfortable lounge complete with buffet, bar, internet, showers, and TV for $50 for 8 hours. It’s night here, but day for me and since I’m well rested after my flight, I don’t think it’ll be a bad wait at all.
The airport is GORGEOUS -- sparkling glass and marble.... have never seen a US airport that even comes close to this airport’s glam!
Signing out for now!
My 2010 adventure to Nepal and India got off to an auspicious start (as they say in India) when the Etihad Airlines agent upgraded me to business class for the overnight flight from Chicago to Abu Dhabi for “being so nice and patient” during the check-in process. I was ECSTATIC but the experience went FAR beyond my expectations.
The business class section was set up like a lounge which created private little areas for singles and couples. The seats -- which were actually MASSAGE chairs that could be converted from upright to lounge chairs to beds -- were tucked into cozy spaces complete with a fairly big personal television set.
The stewardess led “Miss Carol” to my seat and offered me a drink. When I told her I’d like a glass of red wine, she said the wine would come a bit later and that they were serving champagne and cocktails at the time. Champagne sounded good to me!
Ahhhhh... Miss Carol had a lovely 13-hour flight. We each got a leather travel kit with “everything you’ll need for your journey” (toothbrush and paste, eye mask and earplugs, socks, and various sprays and soaps and creams). Fluffy pillows and a warm blanket kept me comfy while I watched two movies -- 500 Days of Summer and The Time Travelers Wife -- and slept a full 8 hours.
But the food was the highlight. Our “snack” was pan-seared marinated salmon accompanied with the promised red wine (Chateau Laroze St Emilion Grand cru Classe 2004 Cabernet from Bordeaux). A loaf of hot bread came with the ratatouille tarte tatin and my main course was baked Lake Michigan brown trout with baby corn, bok choy, jasmine rice and oyster jus. Of course it was all served with an organic five-leaf salad and was capped off with a quattro of dessrts -- lemon meringue pie, passion fruit coconut creme brulee, marinated red berry jelly and seasonal fruit lollipop. The wine was kept flowing throughout the meal; I was a VERY happy traveler!
After a comfortable night’s sleep, I enjoyed a breakfast of poached eggs, turkey bacon, spinach, toasted muffin and hollandaise sauce and a couple cups of cappuccino. I could REALLY get used to business class... best flight of my life!
I’m now in Abu Dhabi (capital of the Arab Emeritus). I have a 14-hour layover. The airport hotel is full but they have a comfortable lounge complete with buffet, bar, internet, showers, and TV for $50 for 8 hours. It’s night here, but day for me and since I’m well rested after my flight, I don’t think it’ll be a bad wait at all.
The airport is GORGEOUS -- sparkling glass and marble.... have never seen a US airport that even comes close to this airport’s glam!
Signing out for now!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Wedding Crashers, Part II
November 28, 2008
My friend Sue from England told about the culture phenomenon in her country dubbed by some author as social dis-ease. This condition is simply the characteristic of being perpetually ill-at-east in most – if not all – uncommon social situations or when confronted with atypical (to England) behavior. She gave the example of kissing cheeks repeatedly in France. Most English would be very embarrassed, she said, if the number of kisses they thought was appropriate in any situation differed from the French person they were bestowing them upon. Therefore, crashing weddings does not come naturally to Sue and Bill.
However, she is of an age and place similar to mine when you realize that: no one cares much about anything YOU do because they are much to concerned about what THEY are doing, you’ll never see these people again (unless you so choose), and if you want to do something (after considering any legal or life threatening consequences), do it. In the case of wedding crashing in Nepal, in my opinion, the only consequence is that you might get to enjoy a FEAST while participating in a real-life cultural event. (As opposed to going home and eating a huge plateful of sticky white rice with some watery dahl dumped on top of it accompanied by a spoonful of potatoes and cauliflower cooked into a – rather tasy – clump.)
So, although it had been less than a week since our first wedding crash, we could not resist the musical call from the garishly colorful tent a short distance down the road. (Wedding season in Nepal seems to be in full swing now and there are tents sprouting everywhere…. Over night, houses sprout gaudy architectural appendages, rooftops are adorned with dazzling red and yellow tophats, or – as in the case of this wedding – an enormous tent-house had sprung up in previously barren field dwarfing the house to which it was attached.)
I’ll blame in on Sue, she’ll probably blame it on me, and no one will blame it on Bill. But the fact of the matter was we had finished our daily beer, it was only 7:30 pm and we were all FAMISHED and dinner wasn’t due to be served for another hour. So we decided to take a stroll past the wedding tent just in case some nice Nepalese person would like to invite us in for a feast.
Good plan. However, the problem we discovered was that, unlike the previous wedding where the tent actually took up half the road, this tent was set out in the middle of a field. To get to the entrance, you had to walk up a small path for about 100 feet. No chance of “just happening by” and wanting “to peek in” out of curiosity! Also no chance of the host starting a conversation with us out on the road and inviting us in.
This is where the socially dis-eased Sue (obviously now completely cured) started to razz me for “losing my courage” or “backing out” etc, etc. Of course, fighting words in MY world. So she and I sauntered slowly down the path to the tent with Bill lagging well behind and another volunteer, Jade, opting out and heading into town. We picked up a pre-teen along the way who we chatted with until he FINALLY invited us into the tent. Once inside the tent, we had it made.
And what a tent it was!! Billowy red and yellow fabric breathed in the night air lit by “crystal” chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The “food room” was absolutely opulent (in an over-the-top Bollywood sort of way)! The buffet (half veg/half non-veg divided by a carved vegetable display that can only be appreciated in person or photographs but that featured a two-foot-tall statue of the Hindi elephant god Ganesh with a segmented cucumber trunk) stretched from end to end. By now the groom’s father (or uncle??) had taken us under his wing and was escorting us around the festivities. We were within a fork’s reach of the food when Sue asked if the bride was in residence and we were whisked out of the food tent, down a tent hall overflowing with women adorned in sparkling (mostly red) saris, and into another large tent room featuring two plush red velvet throne-like chairs. The bride was GORGEOUS – young, slim, beautiful, dressed in red gown sparkling with glitter and jewels. She did not look ONE BIT happy. (“An arranged marriage,” a drunk relative told me later. “Much more difficult than a ‘love marriage’.” – primarily because, he explained, you had to go through all the costly traditions when dealing with an arranged marriage, whereas couples involved in the slightly-taboo love marriages simply go down to the courthouse (of wherever) and seal the deal.)
The marital tent was packed with relatives in red and we were the honored foreign guests. The videographer – again with small video camera in one hand and blinding lights in the other – followed our every movement. Sue and Bill were caught in the dazzling lights for nearly the whole time we were in the tent (while I managed to slip away and take photos of the kids and the ceremony).
At some point, a large procession led by a young girl dressed in what we would consider a wedding gown – white with veil – entered the tent bearing gifts – fish encrusted with glitter (edible??), shocking pink noodles, breads, sweets, all kinds of fruits and vegetables as well as nail polish?? (including all the latest colors!) and hair and personal care products apparently essential to all newlywed couples.
By the time the food parade and celebrity interviews ended, I was really hungry! But when you crash a wedding, you have to wait to be escorted to the food, which eventually happened. As expected, it was a delicious feast! Mutton, chicken, all sorts of unidentifiable vegetable and rice dishes. I was surprised, however, that the only beverage was water from a jug (although it was clear that the men had been sneaking quite a few sips of alcohol somewhere). Desert was yogurt with a syrup-soaked doughnut ball in it (tasty!)
We were told that the groom would arrive in minutes (or maybe an hour) and that we really needed to stay. The groom’s procession starts in town. He rides in a nice new car festooned with marigold ropes. A band leads the procession and a dozen or so fellows with tall decorative lights precariously balanced on their heads follow. Bringing up the rear, of course, is a noisy generator on wheels being pushed by a bunch of guys (gotta get the power for the lights somewhere!)
We chatted with our escort and his brother (??), both or whom are bankers and quite proud of that fact. We have been invited to our escort’s home for dinner (which we intend to do and try to convince him to buy a nice mosaic for his bank’s lobby). Bill launched into a lengthy conversation about religion with one of the bankers (which I thought was quite ambitious) while Sue and I smiled at the sari-clad dinner guests and multitudes of children – for more than an hour!
By the time the groom arrived, we were ready to head home (although the wedding festivities last all night long and culminate in the couple walking to the temple to finalize the marriage). The promised musical car-and-light parade arrived amidst grand fanfare. Family members circled around and around the car throwing rice and then the groom – I now know why the bride was so unhappy! – emerged and headed inside to claim his prize!
We slipped away into the night, full of food and stories… another good wedding!
My friend Sue from England told about the culture phenomenon in her country dubbed by some author as social dis-ease. This condition is simply the characteristic of being perpetually ill-at-east in most – if not all – uncommon social situations or when confronted with atypical (to England) behavior. She gave the example of kissing cheeks repeatedly in France. Most English would be very embarrassed, she said, if the number of kisses they thought was appropriate in any situation differed from the French person they were bestowing them upon. Therefore, crashing weddings does not come naturally to Sue and Bill.
However, she is of an age and place similar to mine when you realize that: no one cares much about anything YOU do because they are much to concerned about what THEY are doing, you’ll never see these people again (unless you so choose), and if you want to do something (after considering any legal or life threatening consequences), do it. In the case of wedding crashing in Nepal, in my opinion, the only consequence is that you might get to enjoy a FEAST while participating in a real-life cultural event. (As opposed to going home and eating a huge plateful of sticky white rice with some watery dahl dumped on top of it accompanied by a spoonful of potatoes and cauliflower cooked into a – rather tasy – clump.)
So, although it had been less than a week since our first wedding crash, we could not resist the musical call from the garishly colorful tent a short distance down the road. (Wedding season in Nepal seems to be in full swing now and there are tents sprouting everywhere…. Over night, houses sprout gaudy architectural appendages, rooftops are adorned with dazzling red and yellow tophats, or – as in the case of this wedding – an enormous tent-house had sprung up in previously barren field dwarfing the house to which it was attached.)
I’ll blame in on Sue, she’ll probably blame it on me, and no one will blame it on Bill. But the fact of the matter was we had finished our daily beer, it was only 7:30 pm and we were all FAMISHED and dinner wasn’t due to be served for another hour. So we decided to take a stroll past the wedding tent just in case some nice Nepalese person would like to invite us in for a feast.
Good plan. However, the problem we discovered was that, unlike the previous wedding where the tent actually took up half the road, this tent was set out in the middle of a field. To get to the entrance, you had to walk up a small path for about 100 feet. No chance of “just happening by” and wanting “to peek in” out of curiosity! Also no chance of the host starting a conversation with us out on the road and inviting us in.
This is where the socially dis-eased Sue (obviously now completely cured) started to razz me for “losing my courage” or “backing out” etc, etc. Of course, fighting words in MY world. So she and I sauntered slowly down the path to the tent with Bill lagging well behind and another volunteer, Jade, opting out and heading into town. We picked up a pre-teen along the way who we chatted with until he FINALLY invited us into the tent. Once inside the tent, we had it made.
And what a tent it was!! Billowy red and yellow fabric breathed in the night air lit by “crystal” chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The “food room” was absolutely opulent (in an over-the-top Bollywood sort of way)! The buffet (half veg/half non-veg divided by a carved vegetable display that can only be appreciated in person or photographs but that featured a two-foot-tall statue of the Hindi elephant god Ganesh with a segmented cucumber trunk) stretched from end to end. By now the groom’s father (or uncle??) had taken us under his wing and was escorting us around the festivities. We were within a fork’s reach of the food when Sue asked if the bride was in residence and we were whisked out of the food tent, down a tent hall overflowing with women adorned in sparkling (mostly red) saris, and into another large tent room featuring two plush red velvet throne-like chairs. The bride was GORGEOUS – young, slim, beautiful, dressed in red gown sparkling with glitter and jewels. She did not look ONE BIT happy. (“An arranged marriage,” a drunk relative told me later. “Much more difficult than a ‘love marriage’.” – primarily because, he explained, you had to go through all the costly traditions when dealing with an arranged marriage, whereas couples involved in the slightly-taboo love marriages simply go down to the courthouse (of wherever) and seal the deal.)
The marital tent was packed with relatives in red and we were the honored foreign guests. The videographer – again with small video camera in one hand and blinding lights in the other – followed our every movement. Sue and Bill were caught in the dazzling lights for nearly the whole time we were in the tent (while I managed to slip away and take photos of the kids and the ceremony).
At some point, a large procession led by a young girl dressed in what we would consider a wedding gown – white with veil – entered the tent bearing gifts – fish encrusted with glitter (edible??), shocking pink noodles, breads, sweets, all kinds of fruits and vegetables as well as nail polish?? (including all the latest colors!) and hair and personal care products apparently essential to all newlywed couples.
By the time the food parade and celebrity interviews ended, I was really hungry! But when you crash a wedding, you have to wait to be escorted to the food, which eventually happened. As expected, it was a delicious feast! Mutton, chicken, all sorts of unidentifiable vegetable and rice dishes. I was surprised, however, that the only beverage was water from a jug (although it was clear that the men had been sneaking quite a few sips of alcohol somewhere). Desert was yogurt with a syrup-soaked doughnut ball in it (tasty!)
We were told that the groom would arrive in minutes (or maybe an hour) and that we really needed to stay. The groom’s procession starts in town. He rides in a nice new car festooned with marigold ropes. A band leads the procession and a dozen or so fellows with tall decorative lights precariously balanced on their heads follow. Bringing up the rear, of course, is a noisy generator on wheels being pushed by a bunch of guys (gotta get the power for the lights somewhere!)
We chatted with our escort and his brother (??), both or whom are bankers and quite proud of that fact. We have been invited to our escort’s home for dinner (which we intend to do and try to convince him to buy a nice mosaic for his bank’s lobby). Bill launched into a lengthy conversation about religion with one of the bankers (which I thought was quite ambitious) while Sue and I smiled at the sari-clad dinner guests and multitudes of children – for more than an hour!
By the time the groom arrived, we were ready to head home (although the wedding festivities last all night long and culminate in the couple walking to the temple to finalize the marriage). The promised musical car-and-light parade arrived amidst grand fanfare. Family members circled around and around the car throwing rice and then the groom – I now know why the bride was so unhappy! – emerged and headed inside to claim his prize!
We slipped away into the night, full of food and stories… another good wedding!
Teenage Ninja Warrior Queen
On Monday, November 17th, my silent world was invaded by eight teenaged “circus girls” from
So eight of these “poor waifs” were sent to be incorporated into my oasis of silence and, let me tell you, these girls are some tough cookies! Susma, Priya, Mamta, Sita, Indu, Bunnu, Sunita and Pinkey, are all around the age of 16 and are dark brooding, muttering, eye flashing masses of female rage (or so I first thought). Daggers flew from their eyes aimed directly at mine when I cheerily called out “Namaste!” No smiles.
So I left the lively teens to their own to get settled into the house next door and enjoyed a reunion with two volunteers from
And then Jill came up with a brilliant idea to integrate the teens – a dance! (Although I wondered if the deaf kids would be able to hear and, thus, dance in rhythm, I realized that MANY people who CAN hear the beat don’t appear to incorporate it into their dancing.) Jill said that Bunnu and Pinkey, the two toughest looking of the bunch, were the best dancers and that we should ask them to teach all of us. Before dinner, Jill made the proposal to the
We usually sit on our chair “thrones” at a small table to eat while the girls eat on mats on the floor. Tonight, however, we were on the floor and – most appropriately -- Pinkey took her throne. “Teenage Ninja Warrior Queen,” I muttered, eyes wide in fascination. Pinkey had tied a wide white and black scarf around her head. Her thick black hair spilled over the top in the front and flowed down her arms and back as she assumed her fighting posture – sitting in chair, elbows on knees, shoulders up to ears. She immediately began shoveling rice into her mouth with her right hand. With each scoop, she shot a glare around the room. Her eyes actually “flashed” with defiance (just like in the movies!) “Whoa!” I whispered, “isn’t looking good for dance lessons.”
But, what the heck, might as well give it a go!
Tried compliment: “I hear you are a very good dancer.” FLASH, angry glance.
Nice request: “We’d really like you to teach everyone to dance.” FLASH, BOOM. “NO!”
Whining flattery: “Oh, come on, puleeeeeze. You and Bunnu are the best dancers here!” CRASH, FLASH. “I said NO!”
Groveling charm: “Come on, come on, come on….. please, please, please…. It’ll be fun.” FIXED STARE screaming “Can’t you hear me, white woman! I’m NOT doing it!”
Lunacy: I jumped up from the floor and began dancing Nepalese fashion around the kitchen. Everyone broke into laughter. Ninja Queen jumped up from her chair almost spilling her plate and ran toward the hallway. Silence. As she exited the kitchen, Pinkey paused, turned, took a Warrior stance and said. “OK, I teach you.” And SMILED!!
Shouts of joy and applause followed the Teenage Ninja Warrior Queen down the hall and into her lair.
THE DANCE
The dance was a huge success. Bunnu and Pinkey began the party by doing complete choreographed dance numbers straight out of Bollywood. They are GOOD! A couple of us tried to mimic their undulations but the music was much too fast. One of the deaf boys jumped in and danced perfectly in synch with Bunnu (must be on a music video).
After the performance they tried to teach some steps but most of the kids were too shy. It felt like a junior high school dance; girls on one side, boys on the other all clinging to the walls. Finally, the four volunteers got on the dance floor and we made such fools of ourselves, that some of the kids joined in until critical mass was reached and the rooftop erupted in non-stop dancing, clowning, and video-taping.
It was SO MUCH FUN! By the end, the kids were dancing and joking around and requesting photos with no regard to who could hear or speak, who was from
Random notes from Nepal
Random Notes:
I was riding my bike into town today and passed a bicycle rickshaw with a well-dressed man talking on his cell phone… however, he was also holding two goats in his lap! He nodded cordially as I peddled past.
The Internet in Bhairawa is definitely the worst ever…. And I didn’t think you could ever beat some of the Internet Cafes in India. It has taken me FOUR DAYS (maybe a total of SIX HOURS!) to upload 8 photos. (Of course, in the first week I was here, I must admit that sitting in the small booths at the Internet Cafes was my sanctuary… didn’t have to speak either sign language or Nepalese for hours while I tried to get a message out to my English-reading buds) For the past 10 days, however, there has been a constant stream of UK people arriving and departing. I have been able to TALK, which all that know me is a blessing for Carol!
Last night, I spent TWO HOURS at the Internet Café… succeeded in uploading TWO photos before the power went out. I then had to bicycle home IN THE DARK through streets teaming with vehicles of all sorts, people,l children, oxen-driven carts. I really thought I’d surely collide with something or someone (probably a small child)… but I didn’t …. I made it home with only one small skid into a fetid ditch.
Bought some White Mischief on my way home…. The India travelers will surely remember that high proof life saver!
I’m becoming a “regular” on the streets…. A continuous song of “Hello! Hi! How are you? I am fine! Namaste!” follows me wherever I go.
The other day, two of giggling mosaic worker girls called me over and showed me a piece of paper on which they had laboriously written in ENGLISH : I LOVE EASY YOU. Ahhhhh, I love easy you, too!
I was riding my bike into town today and passed a bicycle rickshaw with a well-dressed man talking on his cell phone… however, he was also holding two goats in his lap! He nodded cordially as I peddled past.
The Internet in Bhairawa is definitely the worst ever…. And I didn’t think you could ever beat some of the Internet Cafes in India. It has taken me FOUR DAYS (maybe a total of SIX HOURS!) to upload 8 photos. (Of course, in the first week I was here, I must admit that sitting in the small booths at the Internet Cafes was my sanctuary… didn’t have to speak either sign language or Nepalese for hours while I tried to get a message out to my English-reading buds) For the past 10 days, however, there has been a constant stream of UK people arriving and departing. I have been able to TALK, which all that know me is a blessing for Carol!
Last night, I spent TWO HOURS at the Internet Café… succeeded in uploading TWO photos before the power went out. I then had to bicycle home IN THE DARK through streets teaming with vehicles of all sorts, people,l children, oxen-driven carts. I really thought I’d surely collide with something or someone (probably a small child)… but I didn’t …. I made it home with only one small skid into a fetid ditch.
Bought some White Mischief on my way home…. The India travelers will surely remember that high proof life saver!
I’m becoming a “regular” on the streets…. A continuous song of “Hello! Hi! How are you? I am fine! Namaste!” follows me wherever I go.
The other day, two of giggling mosaic worker girls called me over and showed me a piece of paper on which they had laboriously written in ENGLISH : I LOVE EASY YOU. Ahhhhh, I love easy you, too!
Wedding Crashers
As a prelude to buying a beer at the small shop two doors down, we decided to wandered down the road to see what was going on in the “wedding” tent that had been being constructed throughout the week. When we got there, two of the volunteers from the
We drank the coffee (I had TWO) and then were invited, once again, to join them for the wedding feast. (We were superstars by then… the video man had filmed all of us throughout our coffee drinking and mingling with random strangers at the tent’s entranceway). I immediately accepted (I had been eating little more than rice and dahl every night for three weeks and I knew that was what we were most probably having for dinner this night). And so we ate…. No, we feasted.
Oh, the food was delicious! The groom’s cousin escorted me through the buffet telling me the details of each of the culinary delights. (I wanted to pass up anything that had rice as an ingredient and load up on the nan – garlicky flatbread – and paneer – cheese – dishes but it didn’t seem polite so I took some of EVERYTHING but A LOT of the nan and cheesy dishes… no meat… this was a “veg” wedding).
Of course, we had only intended to go out and buy a bottle of beer so I didn’t have my camera (darn!) and I was dressed in rather scruffy (from a long day in the mosaic workshop) jeans. The wedding guests (females), of course, were adorned in colorful saris that seemed to have been spun from an out-of-control Kitchenaid loaded with rainbows and peacocks. The men, not so much…. we were in good company with those that seemed to have stopped by on their way home from work for a tasty (and substantial) bite to eat
The cousin of the groom served as our host and stood “guard” over the 5 of us as we sat in our plastic chairs scarfing down our overloaded plates of absolutely delicious food. It really was culinary heaven. I smiled and “namasted” everyone that sat near me. The wedding videographer (a guy with a small video camera in one hand and a rack of blazing lights in the other) appeared regularly to document our progress from gate crashing to major consumption to as-graceful-as-possible exit.
We met the family (the father of the groom was gorgeous hot! But, of course, married, with enough children that they had populated their hometown in
Postscripts:
1. Jill and Sarah ran into the entire wedding crew in Lumbini (birthplace of Buddha) the next day…. Coincidence??
2. Bill happened upon the wedding family two days later as the bride (we think, although she appeared to be old enough to be the groom’s mother and very well could have been) and groom (festooned with an over-sized ruffled color of flowers and feathers) were heading to the Hindu temple to be blessed.
3. Boy, I wish I knew the whole story....We were told day two was dedicated to defoliating the bride (and if she looked like Bill described, probably a good idea). We thought they said the arty moved to India on Friday, but they were still here...obviously, we misinterpreted a lot... Maybe I can get a peek at the wedding photos when they are developed and at least determine who the wedding couple are!
Lumbini or Bust!
November 11, 2008
The saving grace of my first week was the arrival of Nadia. Nadia is the chief fundraiser for the organization from London. She only recently started so they’ve sent her on a tour of the schools and refuges they run in Nepal. She’s a total delight! She arrived with Nick(UK), Jason(from US) and Samir(Nepal) --(three other delightful staffers or advisors-- and I was in HEAVEN!! English speakers! I jabbered non-stop (in competition with Nick, who can actually out-talk me! REALLY!!)
After the “officials” held their meetings, we visited the School for the Deaf – quite a large facility run by the competent Mrs. BK. My mosaic artists and I may design and install a mosaic to adorn the walls here. (Ricky, we really need your painting skills at the School!! Ray, a little plumbing would come in handy, too!) They board students and have day students…. Must have a couple hundred. We visited quite a few classrooms, the kitchen (fueled by wood as well as bio-fuel from the toilets…. really high tech but not quite working yet), and the dorms. Of course, we took the requisite gazillion photos of the kids and then headed off to our next stop.
Next, we visited the Refuge for circus/jail/street kids that’s a short walk from my house. The kids range in age from maybe 4 to 17…. Some have been there for years, others have recently been rescued from their abusive situations. Some can’t even speak Nepalese yet; still speak local dialects and are, therefore, kind of “outcasts” from the others (although NO ONE is mean! I cannot believe how KIND these people are!! In the US, the newcomers would be like bloody meat to the sharks!!) We spent a couple hours with the kids taking a gazillion photos and chatting with them as best we could.
Then, Nick, who lived here in Bhairawa for a couple years when the Trust was headquartered here, showed us the local “haven” – Pizza King – with its back-of-shop oasis, a cozy and welcoming garden. But best of all, you can get a cold beer and not look like white-woman-drinking-alcohol. Love it! We chattered away for a couple hours and then headed home for our 8 pm dinners.
Nick and Jason flew out the next day, but Nadia and Samir and I went on an adventure to Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha.
Nepal donated a huge piece of land to any countries that want to build temples honoring Buddha and his birthplace and there are now acres of land dotted with absolutely gorgeous temples interspersed with others that are under construction (for many years it appears).
We sardined into the local bus where we spent 45 minutes bumping through the endless rice paddies that make up this area. Harvest is now underway and workers are harvesting the rice with small hand scythes, loading it on backs (or women, usually) and taking it to the “processing area” where they either separate the rice from the rice hay with baskets (throwing it up in the air repeatedly) or a small machine (I think peddle operated). MOUNDS of rice hay are everywhere! Samir jumped out and got me a sample of the rice to see how it grows… looks like hay, but has rice in the buds instead of wheat….duh!
Anyhow, Lumbini was great. We hired bicycle rickshaws to take us around (bartered hard to one for Nadia and I for 300 rupies each, about $3.50…. and Samir’s for 350 rupies…maybe $4) The tour took several hours and some pretty intense pedaling! We visited about 6 beautiful temples as well as “the actual spot where Buddha was born,” an excavation under roof with a stone that marked it… I have fuzzy photos to prove it!
After a tasty lunch we headed home and decided we should ride on the roof of the bus! Loads of Nepalese do it, but I had never tried it. It was GREAT! Nice cool breeze…. Lots of room (the bus that had a capacity of maybe 40 was crammed with about 80)… plenty of people to wave at and take video/photos of. Really great except for the steel bars that bammed against our bums for the entire trip!
Nadia and Samir left on Sunday morning (11/9)…. I was really sad, but that’s life on the road! I spent the day at the Internet Café in town uploading images for the article Ego-Generist magazine in Russia is running on my work in December!! Check it out!! It’s in Russian, but I’m sure you’ll all want to spend the time to interpret it and learn all about me!! It took THREE HOURS to upload 22 images…. I’m sooooo glad I remembered to take my book!!
As noted earlier, this week has been good…. Learning, working, creating… living in the dark, living in silence…. Got to Instant Message with Emily and Molly this morning for the first time… Ahhhhhh! Wonderful to chat with some wacky friends…. Anyone else on IM? Lets talk! I can get on at 8:30 am here which is 9:30 pm at home… if anyone wants to join in, PLEASE DO!! Or if not, WRITE TO ME!!!!!! I need my buddies!! (I can hear you all now…whine, whine, whine… then why did you leave??!?!?!?)
The last big news of the day before I end this lengthy writing…. NADIA IS RETURNING ON THURSDAY!!! I guess she couldn’t stand to be away from the fantastic energy here in my silent/fun house so she’s going to come back and play with us for awhile. YAY!!!! (Although the last time she was here she didn’t wash her hair for 3 days because the water was too cold…. Can’t wait to hear what kind of “accommodations” she found at the next place to make her want to return here!! Hahahahha! A cold spigot sometimes looks mighty good when you’re surrounded by friends! Even ones that only speak with their hands…. And hearts….
The saving grace of my first week was the arrival of Nadia. Nadia is the chief fundraiser for the organization from London. She only recently started so they’ve sent her on a tour of the schools and refuges they run in Nepal. She’s a total delight! She arrived with Nick(UK), Jason(from US) and Samir(Nepal) --(three other delightful staffers or advisors-- and I was in HEAVEN!! English speakers! I jabbered non-stop (in competition with Nick, who can actually out-talk me! REALLY!!)
After the “officials” held their meetings, we visited the School for the Deaf – quite a large facility run by the competent Mrs. BK. My mosaic artists and I may design and install a mosaic to adorn the walls here. (Ricky, we really need your painting skills at the School!! Ray, a little plumbing would come in handy, too!) They board students and have day students…. Must have a couple hundred. We visited quite a few classrooms, the kitchen (fueled by wood as well as bio-fuel from the toilets…. really high tech but not quite working yet), and the dorms. Of course, we took the requisite gazillion photos of the kids and then headed off to our next stop.
Next, we visited the Refuge for circus/jail/street kids that’s a short walk from my house. The kids range in age from maybe 4 to 17…. Some have been there for years, others have recently been rescued from their abusive situations. Some can’t even speak Nepalese yet; still speak local dialects and are, therefore, kind of “outcasts” from the others (although NO ONE is mean! I cannot believe how KIND these people are!! In the US, the newcomers would be like bloody meat to the sharks!!) We spent a couple hours with the kids taking a gazillion photos and chatting with them as best we could.
Then, Nick, who lived here in Bhairawa for a couple years when the Trust was headquartered here, showed us the local “haven” – Pizza King – with its back-of-shop oasis, a cozy and welcoming garden. But best of all, you can get a cold beer and not look like white-woman-drinking-alcohol. Love it! We chattered away for a couple hours and then headed home for our 8 pm dinners.
Nick and Jason flew out the next day, but Nadia and Samir and I went on an adventure to Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha.
Nepal donated a huge piece of land to any countries that want to build temples honoring Buddha and his birthplace and there are now acres of land dotted with absolutely gorgeous temples interspersed with others that are under construction (for many years it appears).
We sardined into the local bus where we spent 45 minutes bumping through the endless rice paddies that make up this area. Harvest is now underway and workers are harvesting the rice with small hand scythes, loading it on backs (or women, usually) and taking it to the “processing area” where they either separate the rice from the rice hay with baskets (throwing it up in the air repeatedly) or a small machine (I think peddle operated). MOUNDS of rice hay are everywhere! Samir jumped out and got me a sample of the rice to see how it grows… looks like hay, but has rice in the buds instead of wheat….duh!
Anyhow, Lumbini was great. We hired bicycle rickshaws to take us around (bartered hard to one for Nadia and I for 300 rupies each, about $3.50…. and Samir’s for 350 rupies…maybe $4) The tour took several hours and some pretty intense pedaling! We visited about 6 beautiful temples as well as “the actual spot where Buddha was born,” an excavation under roof with a stone that marked it… I have fuzzy photos to prove it!
After a tasty lunch we headed home and decided we should ride on the roof of the bus! Loads of Nepalese do it, but I had never tried it. It was GREAT! Nice cool breeze…. Lots of room (the bus that had a capacity of maybe 40 was crammed with about 80)… plenty of people to wave at and take video/photos of. Really great except for the steel bars that bammed against our bums for the entire trip!
Nadia and Samir left on Sunday morning (11/9)…. I was really sad, but that’s life on the road! I spent the day at the Internet Café in town uploading images for the article Ego-Generist magazine in Russia is running on my work in December!! Check it out!! It’s in Russian, but I’m sure you’ll all want to spend the time to interpret it and learn all about me!! It took THREE HOURS to upload 22 images…. I’m sooooo glad I remembered to take my book!!
As noted earlier, this week has been good…. Learning, working, creating… living in the dark, living in silence…. Got to Instant Message with Emily and Molly this morning for the first time… Ahhhhhh! Wonderful to chat with some wacky friends…. Anyone else on IM? Lets talk! I can get on at 8:30 am here which is 9:30 pm at home… if anyone wants to join in, PLEASE DO!! Or if not, WRITE TO ME!!!!!! I need my buddies!! (I can hear you all now…whine, whine, whine… then why did you leave??!?!?!?)
The last big news of the day before I end this lengthy writing…. NADIA IS RETURNING ON THURSDAY!!! I guess she couldn’t stand to be away from the fantastic energy here in my silent/fun house so she’s going to come back and play with us for awhile. YAY!!!! (Although the last time she was here she didn’t wash her hair for 3 days because the water was too cold…. Can’t wait to hear what kind of “accommodations” she found at the next place to make her want to return here!! Hahahahha! A cold spigot sometimes looks mighty good when you’re surrounded by friends! Even ones that only speak with their hands…. And hearts….
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