Just another day in Kathmandu

So, our quest for a hot shower continues. We might change hotels once again tomorrow. 10 hours of power outage a day, which will go up to 16 hours a day in January. The cause: they use hydroelectric power (all those Himalayas near by), but now the water is frozen for the winter. Usually, they buy extra from the Indians, but a recent flood there destroyed the 2 power transmitters. So no electricity. We at least have indoor bed, compared to the something like 7000 homeless children on the streets in Kathmandu. They are apparently usually addicted to glue sniffing, and use the money they get from begging for that. The poor parents drop them off or send them out of the rural areas... As for a bit happier news, the sun is shining and warm, the Nepali on the street look happy and are thinking of buying more ice cream (the latest craze). We are resting like slugs today. In contrast, compare the day off of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the head of the huge international organisation of Tibetan buddhist centers (which Kopan, Nalanda and Vajra Yogini in france belong to) : gets up and leaves at 4 am, goes down to the enormous stupa and circumambulates, making offerings, reciting prayers for all living beings, for something like 7 or 8 hours straight. Then back to the monastery to receive visitors, have meetings with them, more prayers late into the night, and god knows what else. And it was his DAY OFF. And he's 63 years old! gotta run, more later, cyn

Comments

[JYves]

yeah, we got your mail, fantastic !
it is cold where you are, but do you jave central heating and hot shower ? because for us it is cold everywhere :) not very cold but we drink lots of hot chai (tea) :)
enjoy your 5 minutes of stardom
Big Love
JY

[Jim]

Sain bainuu Cyn & JY,
Good to hear you're enjoying yourselves. Just to help you appreciate your surroundings better - we had our coldest day yet, minus 65F windchill. Can you say "Brrr!" Oh, and did I tell you I'm playing Santa Claus on Education TV tomorrow night. [smile]
Here's hoping you two have a wonderful holiday ahead.
Your cousin....Jim