Friday

Friday began with a lecture at the Shanker Hotel. This hotel used to be a palace. It was beautiful inside. The lecture was on sustainable architecture. Most of the architects work had been in Afghanistan but many of his concepts could easily be used in Nepal. There is a fascinating group of people who attend these lectures. Many of them are expats of the US or Britain. They are very involved in the cultural preservation of Nepali society.
After the lecture we went to Betty's for lunch. She has a lovely apartment and she is really remarkable. Everywhere we go she runs into someone she knows. Of course she has lived here many years.
After lunch we went on a three hour walk through a marketplace. There were may temples that we stopped at (too many for me to remember the names).
One area of the marketplace is called the bead market. There are many shops all filled with strings of beads of many colors. You can choose the colors you want to be made into a necklace. The beads are from Czechoslovakia and Japan. At one temple there was a large group of Newars having a meal together. They had pounded rice (eaten dry) with tea. The Newars native dress is the bright red.
One of the temples had prayer wheels around it. These wheels have prayers written inside and when you spin the wheel, your prayers are sent to the god.
You could find anything at the market. The white bags are filled with many different kinds of beans. There was also a huge selection of mushrooms.
As it was getting dark, it was time to grab a taxi and return to our apartment. The sun, dust, and pollution were washed away with a hot shower. Supper was a simple fried egg and bread.
Sister LaDonna Olson, M.A.
Deaconess Community of the ELCA

A Home Massage and a Beer!

So Wednesday we went to the doctor (the same one that Evie had three years ago). She was given an antibiotic but her BP was fine and no fever. In the afternoon Pastor Dutt came to visit. We talked about the theology program here - students about 50 % female and 50% male. It is a Bachelor's degree and they are thinking about adding a DMin. Pastor Dutt has a PHD in Education and is actually from India.
After our tea together he gave me a lift on his motorcycle to the market so that I could get chicken soup for dinner. It seems that the traffic is about 1/3 petro cars and the rest motorcycles or battery powered busses.
Thursday I treated myself to an in home massage. The masseuse goes to people's home and gives an hour massage for $10. It was a wonderful treat.
After that Evie and I took a cab to the market that Evie had gone to before. It had changed somewhat so we weren't sure at first that it was the right place, but as we walked to the restaurant Nina recognized Evie immediately and ushered us into the restaurant. We had a very American meal of burger, french-fries and beer. The beer was mine - not Evie's!
Haven't heard from the trekkers but hopefully no news is good news.


Sister LaDonna Olson, M.A.
Deaconess Community of the ELCA

Hurricane Forecast

As of Wednesday morning, EDT, Tropical Cyclone Nilofar is located approximately about 540 miles southwest of Karachi, Pakistan. Nilofar is moving at 8 mph. Maximum sustained winds are 120 mph with gusts to 150 mph.
Nilofar is forecast to turn more to the northeast over the next 24 hours and begin to weaken due to an increase vertical wind shear along with an intrusion of dry air.
Nilofar is expected to make landfall later on Friday night near the border of far-western India and Pakistan. Although Nilofar is forecast to weaken significantly, heavy rain and gusty winds are still expected to impact the region where the center makes landfall.
This is well west of Nepal and should only be a rain event once Cyclone Nilofar comes ashore.
In the image below to the left is Oman on the Arabian Peninsula and at the top is Pakistan. To the upper right is India. Nepal is 1,000 miles east of the storm.

The soccer stadium behind our apartment is busy all day!

Embassy Visit, Photography Exhibit and More

Tuesday afternoon and evening were wonderful! There is the picture everyone wants to see from Nepal - the cow walking undisturbed down a busy road. We actually haven't see that many cows in Kathmandu. We were welcomed to the Embassador's residence by Tonya Bodde, the Embassador's wife. All of the staff that Evie knew from her time there were given time off to visit with her. They were delighted to see her. Evie and I and Tonya are pictured together.
I thought Noel would enjoy the photo of the electrical system near the Embassador's house. I don't know how they can figure out which wire goes to which location!ed note: yes electrical systems in other countries are amazing! Thanks
The Embassador driver took us to Baber Mahal Revisited a restaurant and shopping complex. We sat and rested while waiting for the art show to begin. I did pick up 2 singing bowls to bring back. I would like to say that I hobnobbed with the US and Italian Embassadors but I'm afraid they didn't notice me. The new President of the EU was there also. It was a show of a world famous photographer, Luigi Fieni, with photos of the Mustang area of Nepal. The photos were incredible but out of my price range. However much of the money from their sales will go to the preservation of the Tibetan and Nepali cultural heritage.
Unfortunately, many young men from Nepal are having to take jobs elsewhere in order to support their families. I think I read that 8% of citizens here have gone. This huge number of men leaving will have a great impact on Nepali culture when they return. I feel sad that the world seems to be becoming more and more the same and distinct cultures are being watered down.
Today, Wednesday we took Evie to the doctor. Her cold has really worn her down. The doctor was the same one that she saw when she was her in 2010-11 and they still had her medical record. She got some antibiotics and hopefully will feel better soon!!! Please continue to pray for her good health! I haven't heard from the trekkers except for one sms from Matt saying that he felt great and the trekking was challenging. There is a typhoon coming to Pakistan (I think) that will have some consequences for Matt and Sr. Becky. Hopefully just some rain and not any sleet. It all depends on their location at the time.

Sister LaDonna Olson, M.A.
Deaconess Community of the ELCA

What time is it here?

So I have discovered that the odd time difference for Nepal (and India too I guess) is simply a desire to be unique. From a guide book: "Nepalese time is 5 hours 40 minutes ahead of GMT, noon in London is 5:40 pm in Kathmandu. The odd 10 minutes is intended to differentiate Nepal from India which is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of GMT."
The photo with the Cross on the building is the headquarters of Lutheran World Federation in Nepal. The other is a photo from our balcony looking down at the neighbors planting their garden. Any space available is usually used for planting vegetables although there are a lot of flowers planted as part of the landscaping around houses.



Esther is our landlord's daughter

Sister LaDonna Olson, M.A. Deaconess Community of the ELCA

Encounters

Saturday evening we saw this man dancing for the family next door. When he saw us watching him from our window he came to our front door and dance and blessed our foreheads. I had hurriedly brought down a cup of rice to put into his container (that is how he gets his food). After I poured the rice into the container he looked at Becky and said "money". So we gave him a few dollars. That is how he makes a living - by going door to door and blessing people. It sounds like an interesting calling but I have no idea where he sleeps at night or how he cooks his rice.
Last night Evie and I had dinner with the trekking group at a wonderful ethnic restaurant Nepali Chulio. We had rice with different kinds of stew - chicken, vegetable and boar. Also had rice wine, and lentil soup. About every 15 minutes a couple of dancers in traditional costumes would come to our table and perform a traditional dance. I was happy to see that there were several trekkers who are around Matt's age. It think there are 14 trekkers in all from the countries of Australia, Germany, USA, and Switzerland. Matt and Becky stayed at the hotel with the trekkers as they were all on a bus this morning at 5:45 headed to Pokhara and the first leg of their trekking.
Today Evie and I are on our own. We took a cab to Bhat Bhatani - a shopping center and picked up a few groceries and supplies. We had lunch at a bakery/café where the employees were all hearing impaired. It reminded me of the restaurant at Neema Crafts in Tanzania.
It is amazing how many "American" products are on the shelves of the grocery store - Pringles, Oreos, Corn Flakes, etc.
Tomorrow it will be tea at the US Embassador's house so Evie can see many of her friends from when she lived there. Then to an art show opening at a prestigious art gallery for:Restoring the Murals of Mustang: A Journey through Body, Soul and Heart ‏

Until then: Nameste