The Day We (finally) Saw the Himalayas

A bug with beautiful green legs that compliments this geranium very nicely.

Last week we had supper with our Ethiopian friend Immu, who made injera and wut (Ethiopian bread and stew) for us. Needless to say, it was fantastic.

Dan making bunna (Ethiopian coffee)

Immu with her cup of bunna

And just as we were finishing up the meal, our friends Jesse Shoemaker and Andrew Gause arrived, fresh from their travels in Europe. They'll be hanging out in Mussoorie and then doing a little traveling with me around the northern India for the month of July.

The most colorful set of buildings in all of Landour.

Jesse, Hollian (British friend) and Dan on our way down to the bazaar.

Gause stopping to pet the cows.

Magically and incredibly, it stopped raining a couple days ago and cleared up long enough that we got our first good look at the Himalayas. I have been waiting for this day for almost 2 months!

Jesse and Gause have spotted them.


Ta-Da! So lovely.


A peak through the telescope.


My/our favorite dog in the world, Rushka. He lives at Wolf's Burn guesthouse, but likes to go on adventures with us.
These may be just the foothills, but they are also a gorgeous sight.


Jesse in front of the Himalayas.

the international social scene

Here are some of our lovely friends from Dan's language school and elsewhere. Our main interactions tend to revolve around food and more often than not during dinner parties whenever someone is leaving. Below is Andrea's Italian Farewell Dinner Party and, on a separate night, Eva's Mediterranian-themed Farewell Dinner Party. They were both very tasty.

Robert from Washington, Andrea from Italy, Yo from Washington, Eva from Germany and Kate from D.C.

Dan, Ian from England, and David from England enjoying dessert.

Laura from Paraguay, Nina from California, Robert, Andrea, Yo.

And Mediterranian night....

Kate and the ghost of Eva.

Ian and Eva making Moussaka

Hollian from England with bruschetta.

The Day We Almost Saw the Dalai Lama

It was, in fact, another lama who came for the inauguration of a new Buddhist temple in Mussoorie, though there were rumors that the Dalai Lama himself was supposed to be there. We're pretty sure some people just got their Lamas confused. In any case, it was a neat view into Tibetan culture.

The view of the temple from above.

Tibetans waiting for the arrival of the Lama.

The path leading up to the temple.

Lots of Tibetans and a few curious Indians as well.

His holiness, Sakya Trizin (with the glasses), who is the 41st incarnation and the head of the Sakya sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Sakya is one of the four main Buddhist traditions (schools). (You can look this up on wikipedia.)

More temple

More Lama, with incense

The ceremony involved lots of chanting and occasional percussive instrument playing. Also sweet coconut rice and a salty beverage (I am told it was tea) were served to the entire crowd, perhaps 200-300 people. We sat next to a friendly Tibetan who told us a bit about Buddhism. Quite a nice experience all and all, even if there was no Dalai Lama.

Weekend trip to Surkhanda Devi Temple

Some views of from my backyard in Landour, do you believe it?



To keep life interesting, Dan, Eva, a new friend from Germany, and I decided to take a trip to the Surkhanda Devi Temple, an hour or so drive from Mussoorie. The temple is located on top of a 10,000 ft. mountain and the climb up was at least half of the fun- 2 km as steep as you can go up to the top amidst a whole mass of pilgrims also climbing up or climbing down the narrow path.

Our adorable friend Eva, who's, like Dan, is taking classes at Landour Language School.

For the less agile pilgrims, horses and guides are available to make the steep climb.

Being at a height of 10,000 ft., one might imagine that there would be spectacular views. This is apparently true if you don't choose a day when the mountain is entirely enclosed in fog. We could barely see 20 ft. in front of us! But, it had a kind of spiritually mystical feel, I think.

Offerings of coconuts for the gods.

Ringing the bell to alert the gods to your worshipping presence.




A shrine to Shiva.


I don't know if this is a northern phenomenon (I never had this happen in the South), but Indians up here love to have their pictures taken with foreigners.

Upon arriving back in Mussoorie, we were pleased and surprised by a random parade of different schools' clubs:

The world is definitely mud-luscious at this point and time, and this balloon man, who is always about on weekends, sure makes me think of e.e. cummings.

Landour at sunset (taken from just above the bazaar)

Prelude to the Monsoon

This weekend, our friend Esther came to Mussoorie to visit us because she has been unable to get a visa so that she can help out with the relief work in Bhurma. She and Dan met each other doing tsunami relief work together in the Andaman Islands. Now her plan is to spend 3 months in Bhurma, if the Bhurmese government ever lets her in.

Monkey watching.

The beautiful but naughty langur. They are shy monkeys, generally, but they do love to steal fruit from our landlord's garden.

Mussoorie is gearing up for the monsoon; it at least threatens rain just about every day. And sometimes a lot of fog rolls in as can be seen below. I have apparently come during the only period of good weather in Mussorie. The other ten months are either cool and damp or freezing, at least according to Indian comfort levels. But I still find the impending monsoon exciting, probably just because I've never experienced one before.

Our house in the fog. (I stole this picture from Dan.)

A cute old man in the traditional dress of the region on a sunnier day in Mussoorie.