Getting Into the Groove

Thanks for every single one of those messages from home--we feel the love all the way up here in these holy mountains. oxo

So today, we slept in because we could and because it was so glorious to be asleep for some many hours. I think we are now righted in that department--thank goodness for that! And so far our tummies, and the rest, are working just as we'd like them to be too and that is another thing to be really grateful for! We even had some fresh salad last night that was delicious and so needed.

Once we woke up and showered, we headed to our new favorite breakfast spot and had some masala chai and an amazing veggie (locally grown chilis, onion, tomatoes and green capsicum) omelet. We also had, you guessed it right, toastbutterjam. The jam that we've been getting here is homemade, from locally grown apricots and it is really delicious. The women of the Leh Women's Alliance make it, along with quite a number of others yummies, and sell it all to local restaurants and out of their own shop. The LWA also offers clean drinking water for 7 rupees/liter, so we fill our bottles here throughout the day. In doing this, we have been able to avoid buying any new plastic bottles since arriving here. We also get to support these amazing women who put the money they earn back into their familes and gardens. There is strong effort from the local folks to maintain the many sustainable practices that have served the Ladalhi people for centuries. Even at this elevation, the amount of agriculture that they are raising is quite impressive to this Michigan farm girl. It is still India though, and walking home tonight, we noticed a shop owner on our street dumping her trash into the open drain that runs throughout the city and then out into the valley. Sadly, this is the way it is, at least for now.

After breakfast we went up to the Spituk Monastary to watch the cham (mask) dance demonstration that is part of the festival. The monastery is this beautiful place, set high on hill that we had to approach on foot. As soon as we got to our seats, it started to sprinkle. Then it started to rain and people started to scramble a bit, either leaving or packing themselves under cover. We were among those under cover still hoping to see a show. With the beautiful costumes and elaborate masks that they monks had on, they sped through the performance and eventually cut it short. They are offering another dance on Thursday that we will attend in the hopes to see it in its entirety. Even with cut short and raining, we got some beautiful photos of the masked dancers and some video too. Luke is going to put those up after he gets a few more things done for clients.

Simple joy of the day: We bought a thermos and I got to make myself tea tonight in our room. I am so happy about this and have been enjoying my tea while typing out this post to you. I also finished A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini over the last two days---I loved it so much that I could barely put it down. I traded that book for another entitled, The Inheritance of Loss, by Kiran Desai. I am going to start it tonight. Per the request of several friends, we are going to start posting some pictures of our meals. Peter, for one, has been demanding a shot of Luke and I eating toastbutterjam, so we will oblige tomorrow. For now, here is one of Luke on the morning we arrived in Leh.

Tomorrow we are planning our overnight into the Numbra Vally that will be on the 11th and 12th, since we have to leave our hotel room b/c the place is booked out.

besos*