Pokhara - Week 2 begins

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Sunday - april 10
Up early and head to Tashi Ling Tibetan Village to attend a morning service at the village temple. We tiptoe into the small temple and settle on the floor as the chanting continues. There are about 10 young monks in two rows on either side of the room. One adult monk sits on a raised platform beside the entrance. After some time he just got up ad left. Four older monks closest to the altar appear to lead the chanting and at certain points ring bells, move kernels of rice and make meaningful hand gestures. As each verse appears to be coming to an end one of the older monks revs up the next stanza. The littlest monk leaves and returns with salt tea for everyone. The chanting is hypnotic and familiar but more monotone than Japanese chanting. After about an hour and 15 minutes, we quietly leave. Our next stop is at the Tibetan Refugee Carpet Center. We visit the building where some rug weavers are already at work weaving and winding yarn. The store is locked as it is about half hour before opening time. A phone call brings someone on a motorbike who opens up. The carpets are beautiful. They come in a variety of sizes, patterns, and thread counts. The prices start at $14 for a small rug which could serve as a chair pad. Our team makes the early opening well worth their while and everyone leaves happy. Back to the hotel for breakfast, then our 2nd attempt at cruising Lake Phewa. Motorized boats are not allowed on the lake and we pile into 3 large paddleboats, powered by the driver. Of course, we take turns helping pedal the paddles. The middle of the lake is the perfect spot to watch the paragliders float down from Sarangkot. At one point there were more than 20 in the air. On the way back we stop at a small island to see the Varahi Mandir temple to Vishnu. While standing around, a young Nepali man asks if he can take a photo with some of us. He singles out Patty for a special photo because he is impressed that she is taller than he is. Next a few of us are taking a trip to the World Peace Pagoda. We drive up a treacherous, unpaved, narrow road with numerous hairpin turns. From a parking lot it is about twenty minutes walk up the hill to the pagoda, identical to the one in Lumbini but half the size. The small adjoining temple has only one monk inside drumming for world peace. We get an Israeli couple to take our photo and upon learning what we're doing in Nepal, the young man asks if he could volunteer on a build. We tell him to contact Nikita at the hotel. He comments, "I don't mean to offend you, but are there teams with younger people?" Needless to say, he never contacts Nikita.

Monday, Tuesday - April 11 & 12
Back at work again. I am assigned to House #2 where the outside walls are being plastered. As before, I end up at house #3 because plastering only takes so many people and #3 is still needing materials moved from the original building site. We are working on the floor and front porch. Bucket brigades are formed to pass mortar and concrete. Various children are coaxed into helping with the wheelbarrow and toting rocks. Boots is preparing soup at the lunc restaurant again, but when we get to the restaurant the cook and his assistant have already chopped most of the vegetables. She is a little upset that we were not able to do the prep to make sure that the cutting board and bowls and plates were adequately washed. After lunch, half the team goes on the bus back to the Tibetan Village for a brief visit to complete a transaction begun on Sunday, and the other half walks back to the building site. Soon everyone is back and we are all working hard at hard work. Boots orders a Chinese menu for dinner at the hotel. We are all grateful that we don't have to go out. On Tuesday we continue with plastering and building the porches. House #2 also gets some yard work which involves moving a very large and heavy rock. Suddenly around 2:30 the skies begin to look threatening. We begin to clean up and put coverings on our sand and cement piles. Suddenly the skies open up and it is pouring with strong winds. Eventually, everyone makes it to the bus, albeit soaked and windblown. Our planned stop at the International Mountain Museum is cancelled as Nikita has decided we are no longer presentable. By the time we get back to the hotel the storm has passed on and we can see the Annapurnas. More unexpected leisure time to dry our clothes and relax. Dinner is in the hotel again - this time spaghetti. Hopefully, we will be able to work a full day tomorrow.

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