DARCY
March 27, 1958- May 13, 2017
Friends from 1990- 2017
Stroudsburg, PA
March 27, 1958- May 13, 2017
Friends from 1990- 2017
Stroudsburg, PA
RIP Darcy Chamberlain. Thank you for 30 years of friendship and lots of laughter.
Sunday, May 13, 2018
Saturday, May 12, 2018
Hot-wiring His House
Hot-wiring His House
Imadol, Nepal
December, 2017
WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY?
This scared the shit out of me. I didn't even want to stand near him for fear that he would be electrocuted and he would fall on me. I wonder what is the system to this madness and how does anyone have so much stupidity that he would just climb up there and connect a wIre to this hot mess.
Friday, May 11, 2018
Hindu Temples
Hindu Temples
Kathmandu, Nepal
December, 2017
These eyes are everywhere in Nepal. Every stupa bares these "eyes half opened." They stare at me and watch my every move. They pop up out of nowhere as I roam the streets of Kathmandu. And I wonder if they are just looking at me or are they looking at all of us.
Thursday, May 10, 2018
Election Day- Nepal
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| Checking in voters |
Election Day
Imadol, Nepal
Imadol, Nepal
December 9, 2017
On Election Day in Nepal, all cars, trucks, and motor scooters are prohibited on the road. This restriction serves to eliminate any excuse for people who do not vote. You can't get to work or go anywhere to visit. You are stuck in your neighborhood so you might as well just get out and vote. And they did. The streets, usually packed with traffic, were filled with people coming and going to the polls. And once they were there, they tended to spend the rest of the day there, engaging in conversation with all of their neighbors. It reminded me of a block party. People showed up with their voter card. They stood in line and received a torn piece of paper which was numbered and then they stood in line to vote. the women were in one line and the men in another. when they finished voting, they joined their neighbors who were in no hurry to leave. The local restaurants were busy and people were in good spirits which is so different from my voting experiences.
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| Waiting In Line to Vote |
Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Nepal- Week Eight
Nepal- Week Eight
Kathmandu, Nepal
November 13, 2017 to January
9, 2018
I am in Nepal for 8 weeks, teaching for the World Academy for the Future of Women. I will be teaching college women how to be global leaders with the focus on the UN Sustainable Goals. I am going to travel a little bit during this time. This should be an enjoyable 8 weeks.
Monday, Jan 1-
Thamel- New Year's Day
I had every intention of going in to the streets at the stroke of midnight to welcome in the New Year. But then I reconsidered. I saw the volume of police on the streets and I heard all of the drunken behaviors. So I decided against it. I didn't want to be out on the streets and it was wild and there was no one looking out for me. This morning, I regretted that decision; it was an opportunity missed.
So I treated myself to a Shirodhara treatment. First I had a massage and then a women drizzled warm oils on my Third Eye (forehead) for one hour. And while doing that, she massed my head. OMG, it felt great. I think she poured two gallons of oil over my head.
I had every intention of going in to the streets at the stroke of midnight to welcome in the New Year. But then I reconsidered. I saw the volume of police on the streets and I heard all of the drunken behaviors. So I decided against it. I didn't want to be out on the streets and it was wild and there was no one looking out for me. This morning, I regretted that decision; it was an opportunity missed.
So I treated myself to a Shirodhara treatment. First I had a massage and then a women drizzled warm oils on my Third Eye (forehead) for one hour. And while doing that, she massed my head. OMG, it felt great. I think she poured two gallons of oil over my head.
Tuesday, Jan 2-
Thamel
My head is a greasy mess. I showered for 1/2 hour last night, trying to get the excess oil out of my hair. And I showered again this morning. And I think I will have to take two showers a day until further notice as there in an oil field on my head.
I had a pedicure this afternoon. I don't think I like this treatment. I don't like having someone touch my feet like that.
I wandered around the shops and looked at all the things I have looked at a hundred times now. But I still find it interesting to watch the salespeople. Everyone sells the same things to the tourists. And the merchants are anxious to make a sale. Sometimes I like to engage them in conversations. Other times, their desperation saddens me.
My head is a greasy mess. I showered for 1/2 hour last night, trying to get the excess oil out of my hair. And I showered again this morning. And I think I will have to take two showers a day until further notice as there in an oil field on my head.
I had a pedicure this afternoon. I don't think I like this treatment. I don't like having someone touch my feet like that.
I wandered around the shops and looked at all the things I have looked at a hundred times now. But I still find it interesting to watch the salespeople. Everyone sells the same things to the tourists. And the merchants are anxious to make a sale. Sometimes I like to engage them in conversations. Other times, their desperation saddens me.
Wednesday, Jan 3-
Thamel
Today was a lazy ass kind of day. I shopped a lot and I bought too much stuff and some of it I want to return but I don't think they do returns in Nepal so I am stuck with too many scarves and pants that fit fine two hours ago but now are a little too tight for comfort. How am I going to get all of this shit home?
Today was a lazy ass kind of day. I shopped a lot and I bought too much stuff and some of it I want to return but I don't think they do returns in Nepal so I am stuck with too many scarves and pants that fit fine two hours ago but now are a little too tight for comfort. How am I going to get all of this shit home?
Thursday, Jan 4- Thamel/Imadol
I have mixed feelings about leaving Thamel today. It has been such an escape from the unpleasant environment in Imadol. I am finished with Nepal and worried about all of the weather reports back home. Temperatures are in the negative numbers and I am obsessively worried about my water pipes freezing. I wish I could just go to the airport right now and go home.
Pam arrives from China today. She will be replacing me in my teaching assignment. And she will be here for a month. I can tell by her immediate conversation that she is as bewildered as I was when I first arrived. The housing conditions are sparse and the town is dirty, bleak and isolated. It’s hard to be here as a visitor. Hence, my need to escape to Thamel every weekend.
I have mixed feelings about leaving Thamel today. It has been such an escape from the unpleasant environment in Imadol. I am finished with Nepal and worried about all of the weather reports back home. Temperatures are in the negative numbers and I am obsessively worried about my water pipes freezing. I wish I could just go to the airport right now and go home.
Pam arrives from China today. She will be replacing me in my teaching assignment. And she will be here for a month. I can tell by her immediate conversation that she is as bewildered as I was when I first arrived. The housing conditions are sparse and the town is dirty, bleak and isolated. It’s hard to be here as a visitor. Hence, my need to escape to Thamel every weekend.
Friday, Jan 5-Imadol-
We were invited to dinner at Julie’s house I met her a month ago and visited her factory and shop. She and her brother are on a mission to try to employ all types of workers, regardless of talent or ability. She they hire jewelry makers and cardboard box makers and bone button makers. Their business is impressive.
So, tonight, we are at her home for dinner. She and her husband are middle class. They live in a gated community. I haven't seen evidence for this class until this moment. They have a house that is dust -free. The house is well lit. There is upholstered
Saturday, Jan 6- Imadol- Farewell Ceremony for me and a Welcome ceremony for Pam.
It was a bittersweet moment. I’ve grown fond of these young women and I will be sorry to say goodbye to them. They sang me a song, gave me a memory book and a certificate. But mostly, they lingered after the ceremony and hugged me and cling to me and just didn’t want to let go. And I didn’t want to let go of them either.
It was a bittersweet moment. I’ve grown fond of these young women and I will be sorry to say goodbye to them. They sang me a song, gave me a memory book and a certificate. But mostly, they lingered after the ceremony and hugged me and cling to me and just didn’t want to let go. And I didn’t want to let go of them either.
Sunday, Jan 7-Imadol
Monday, Jan 8- Imadol/ Qatar- Returning home.
I had lunch with Laxima, Nirmala’s mother and she fought in vain to overfed me. I am sorry to leave her. She is sweet and kind and simple and I enjoyed her company even though we did not understand a world we said to each other.
I leave Kathmandu at 4:40PM and have a 6-hour layover in Qatar. I am looking forward to this layover as this airport has lots of things to do to keep me occupied. From there, I have a 12-hour flight to Philadelphia. I will cross the international date line at some point and I will be in a fog as to what day it actually is.
I will pass over the Himalayan Mountain Range one last time. I am hoping I can resist the temptation not to take any more photos as I have enough and they all look the same to me at this point. And I have no idea which one is Everest. They are all too tall to climb.
I had lunch with Laxima, Nirmala’s mother and she fought in vain to overfed me. I am sorry to leave her. She is sweet and kind and simple and I enjoyed her company even though we did not understand a world we said to each other.
I leave Kathmandu at 4:40PM and have a 6-hour layover in Qatar. I am looking forward to this layover as this airport has lots of things to do to keep me occupied. From there, I have a 12-hour flight to Philadelphia. I will cross the international date line at some point and I will be in a fog as to what day it actually is.
I will pass over the Himalayan Mountain Range one last time. I am hoping I can resist the temptation not to take any more photos as I have enough and they all look the same to me at this point. And I have no idea which one is Everest. They are all too tall to climb.
Tuesday, Jan 9- West Chester, PA- I finally, finally arrived home. It's always great to come home and be surrounded by my world. It's been a long two months.
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Nepal- Week Seven
Nepal- Week Seven
Kathmandu, Nepal
November 13, 2017 to January
9, 2018
I am in Nepal for 8 weeks, teaching for the World Academy for the Future of Women. I will be teaching college women how to be global leaders with the focus on the UN Sustainable Goals. I am going to travel a little bit during this time. This should be an enjoyable 8 weeks.
Monday, Dec 25- I leave for Bhutan today. I will be here for 5
days. I had to pay $200/day in advance
before a visa would be issued to me.
This fee pays for my hotel, meals, a guide, a driver, a car and entrance
fees in to any place I visit.
Yesterday, the woman from my tour company contacted me and
told me to ask for a window seat on the left-hand side of the plane. That seat would assure me of a spectacular
view of the entire Himalayan Mountain range.
I got the seat and the view was magnificent. The flight was a little bit
more than an hour and the mountains were in my view the whole time.
I was met at the airport by Tenzin and we headed to Thimpu
to see a Buddhist stupa, the largest Buddha statute in the world and an old
fort that now serves as parliament. We
watched the grand ceremony of taking down the national flag for the day. It was
a great day in this tiny, beautiful country.
Tuesday, Dec 26-
Bhutan
Our first stop was to see 108 stupas. From there, we climbed for an hour, up a
steep mountain to see a monastery to honor the 3rd king. The trip was strenuous but I am glad I didn’t
quit even though this thought plagued me the whole way up. We had to cross a suspension bridge and
wander around rice paddy fields and up steep terrain. But at the top, we were greeted by chanting monks. So, it was almost worth it.
Wednesday Dec 27-
Bhutan
We wandered through acres of rice paddies to get to another
monastery. This temple honored the Divine Madman, the teacher who believed his
penis gave him power to subdue his enemies.
A monk poured water and saffron in my hand which I was
supposed to lick and then rub my head for good luck. He then tapped a stick, wrapped in cloth, on
my head. This was to solidify my good
luck.
For lunch, I had red
rice and butter tea.
We visited another monastery, filled with young monks on
their cell phones. In the afternoon, I roamed around town on my own.
Thursday, Dec 28-
Bhutan – Mostly we drove around today.
We went to the National Museum, another fort and of course, another
monetary. My goal for today: no photos
of rice fields. I think I took 100
yesterday and I deleted about 75 of them.
But 25 photos of rice fields are still too much.
As Tenzin, my guide, dropped me off at my hotel, I asked him
where he was going to stay tonight. He told me not to worry as he would find a
place and if not, there is always the “Japanese Guest House”, another name for
the Toyota SUV we were driving.
Friday, Dec 29- Bhutan/Imadol-
l leave Bhutan today and head back to Katmandu. It was tough to return to Nepal
after a few great days in Bhutan. As the
plane landed, I wished I was home in Philadelphia. I’m ready to go home.
Saturday, Dec 30-
I headed to Thamel today for 5 days. I
am going to spend this time, relaxing, drinking beer, shopping, getting
massages and over eating. Today, I bought 6 damn scarves, two pouches, a small
bell, a water proof bag, and prayer flags.
And it is only day one of my holiday here. I also had a great facial massage.
Sunday, Dec 31- New
Year’s Eve- Thamel
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