I got be a tourist!  Since I had Saturday off, I was going to take it easy getting up the mountain Sunday morning and I’m glad I screwed around.  Two people appeared at my door between 7 and 7:30 to tell me that Lobsang Chodon was on her way to Gharoh to spend the day with me.  A promise kept.  Wow, that was fast.  She had her annual exam on Friday, which coincidentally is the same day as my cousin Linda’s birthday!  I was sending good vibes in two different directions all day.  So I had time to get laundry done AND clean up a bit as well as clean both bathrooms, tidy up my room and read some of a book she loaned me!  She showed up at my door at 9:15 begging apologies for being late, I, of course, am not a big fan of being the watch Nazi anymore.  I must say, she and I both agree that even though it is tradition in this part of the world that “I’ll be there by 9:00” really means closer to 10:00, that it is kind of rude because it shows lack of respect for the other person’s time and daily activities. 

 
So we started out at Dormaling Nunnery near Gaggal.  The nunnery was founded, funded and designed by Western women.  It is beautiful!  And yes, I forgot my camera.  After the tour there (and a quick realization of how much my girls are doing without) we headed down the street to Norbulingka Institute which is the summer home of His Holiness, a learning institute and it also is home to the famous Tibetan Doll collection that was all hand made by monks. The dolls represent different eras and areas of the true Tibet and they are amazing and of course, the power went out while we were there.  Next it was off to The Kangra Museum in Lower Dharamsala because everyone knows I LOVE archeology and anthropology and museums in general.  We actually saw a mastodon tooth that is 1.5 million years old.  The statues of Krishna and just learning about the history of this place were fascinating!  We figured it would be a tiny setup but the entire museum was quite large and on multiple floors.  There were things that weren’t labeled and it was fun guessing.  The clothing, carvings, art work….it was all beautiful. 

 
She then dragged me off to this little whole in the wall place for a great lunch of Palak Paneer and Potatoes w/ Cauliflower with FRESH chapattis at a great little restaurant (50 rupees for the entire bill and we were STUFFED!) and finally a quick email check and some tea at her favorite cyber café.  She picked me up at 9:15 and we didn’t get home till 4:00.  Lots of walking and talking, she has a GREAT mind, good English and is quite clever and funny.  After she graduates and becomes Geshe (in about 2.5 years) she is set on going back to her home village in Spiti and teaching Philosophy in a nunnery there.  The 90% of the nunneries in the world don’t teach the Philosophy program, only pooja and meditation.  She sees this as her chance to go back to her first nunnery to make a difference in those girls’ lives by giving them a TRUE Buddhist education.  I applaud her.  She is such a great person with amazing goals and aspirations.  I love having her as a friend and can’t wait to visit her in Spiti some day in the near future.  Who knows, if the nunnery needs an English Teacher, I just might offer to stay there for a while and help out.  Some day, some day.  

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