Mukteschwar & Lall's

Today was a perfect way to start the weekend. Yesterday, we had class, and then a guest lecture by Dr. Pathak and a slide show presentation of the Himalaya from Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Tibet. Beautiful pictures and it reminded me of trekking despite the wide cultural variations across the region. Very beautiful though! Nevertheless, today Jill and I walked to Mukteschwar (about an hour and a half walk uphill) where we bought random chocolate treats (I want to make cookies!) and a bandanna type thing and soap. We intended to get lunch but weren't hungry. We figured we could pick up a samosa at a shop on the walk home. On our way back, on the trail we saw a troop of black faced monkeys! Lugars I think they are called. Anyway, there were about 20 of them, adults and babies! We stood for about a half an hour just watching them. On our way back, we were picked up by Rebecca in a car who was heading back to Sonapani (although we were only about a half an hour walk away) and jumped in. On the trail to Sonapani, we saw the students who were going to the Lall's (the founders and creators of CHIRAG) and were invited to come because not enough people signed up. So we turned around and hoped back in the same car we had just gotten out of. I joined the group and we spent the afternoon chatting with Lakshmi and Kanai over tea, cake and treats. Wonderful! They are such interesting people! Anyway, I just got back, am going to do some reading and then enjoy dinner and hopefully a movie tonight. Good life :)