Friday, June 1, 2012

Good bye, Nepal

Things I will miss....

early evenings on our rooftop watching the flock of green parrots squawking and darting through the trees
the ringing of bells at dusk as our neighbor performs her evening puja
the colors of saris and shalwars.....red, orange, hot pink, purple and green 

the gentle Nepali people who are quick to smile and slow to anger
greeting everyone with Namaste 

Hari's chicken curry
eating fresh mango and papaya and pomegranate
Sita's fresh flower arrangements of hydrangeas, snapdragons, lilys and marigolds

temples, monasteries, offerings
spirituality is in the air

surprises around every corner
children playing hopscotch in front of our gate
 a cow sitting in the middle of the road and cars slowly drive around it
the mango seller pushing his bicycle with a basket loaded with fruit
a costumed Newari dancer 

 the sweet Takshashila children giggling with Hokey Pokey
 serious girls studying to be doctors, accountants, dancers and singers
Usha, Eurica and my new friends at school
learning about Nepal from them


Making an offering

Newari street dancer

Little boy playing with the elephant at Golden Temple, Patan


Monastery at Namo Buddha

Harvesting the wheat

Parrot in our garden.

Sita is picking plums from the backyard tree.


Worshiping at Changu Narayan


Sixth grade girls

Kindergarten girls of Takshashila

Hard working eighth grade girls