Yummy momo's

I spend the last couple of days just enjoying everything about Macleod Ganj ... the people, the views, the food!

The Dalai Lama had been in town while we were at the Vipassana center and on our trek. Whenever he is in town he gives teachings in the morning and afternoon at the temple. We had heard both that he was going to give one more day of teachings, and also that he had left already ... remembering that when in India, everything is possible and nothing is ever for sure. So early in the morning, Gabby (from Germany, living in Nepal) and I wander down to the temple. It was pretty clear when we got there the Dalai Lama had left because there was little security around.

So we walk (shoes off) through the temples looking at so many wonderful things. Unfortunately these temples are a no-camera zone, so I have no pictures to share with you ... time to visualize! The rooms have huge statues of various figures (I don't really understand all the different dieties). There are offerings of packaged sweets and cookies everywhere. White shawls draped hither and yon, bowls of ghee and burning bowls (it think it's burning ghee and not a candle), incense, and many worshippers (not so many tourists). The colors take your breath away.

Right outside the temple is a path that walks around the temple and also the Dalai Lama residence (which is completely hidden from view). What a mesmerizing walk ... the views, the worshippers, the prayer flags, the prayer wheels ... gorgeous! Since we were there in the morning the views over the mountains ... wow! I bought myself some prayer flags ... not sure where I'll hang them, but somewhere.

And a bit more shopping ... this time for a pair of pants. It's all about the laundry theme! Mostly I've been doing my own laundry and only ocassionally sending it out (especially in the cold, it never drys). While at Vipassana we had water rationing, so I needed to send out my laundry - and they seemed to do a good job. With one teensy little exception! The last day I was there, they lost one of my three pairs of pants. That's really not good! So I went shopping and bought a light cotton really loose-fitting pair that should serve me well in the hot weather.

By the way, about my gorgeous salwar kameeze. It's wonderful, but it's just really hard to wear when touring around. Oh well ... something for dressing up!

One of the things I wanted to do during my India travels was a cooking class. And it just so happened that Lhamo's Kitchen (of course, Lonely Planet recommended) was right next to my guest house.

So Rachel (a fellow meditator from Wales) and I arrive, excited about cooking momo's (Tibetan dumplings). Not exactly the cooking class environment of the states. A tiny room (obviously his living quarters), a table pulled in front of his bed on one side, with some plastic chairs on the other. Squeezed in this tiny room was a small fridge, TV, cupboard, table with two gas burners and another prep table. Behind a curtain was his bathroom - no aromas (whew), but a bit wet with all the dripping pipes, and ducking around his laundry strung up on a clothes line.

We settle in with our fellow students ... Heidi from Switzerland and Anna from UK. First, the fillings ... spinach and cheese, cabbage and onion, and sweet with sugar and sesame seeds. He has everything prepared, we just have to mix together. The dough is simply water, flour and baking powder. After mixing, we let sit for a bit, and chatter away.

Now the hard part ... to make the momo's. He breaks off a piece of dough for each of us to practice on. Don't scoff, it's hard! Yet, he made it look so easy ... all three kinds of shapes ... mountains, same thinking (I'm not sure of this exact translation), and good luck. Ours looked like my first grade craft project! But he made us keep trying and trying ... finally they sort of resemble something!

Practice dough accomplished, we wash our hands and proceed to cobble together our own momo's, ready for steaming.

Slight digression ... India has the wildest electricity system. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. And if you ever saw the wiring, you'd cringe. Halfway through our class, the lights go out. Since it happens so frequently, Indians just take it in stride and he whips out the candles, we light our torches, and everything proceeds like nothing happened. Half hour later, lights are back on.

Our momo's steam for about 15 minutes and soon they're ready! He shows us how to serve and eat. They're served with a mix of soy sauce, chile powder, Indian tomato sauce (like catsup), sliced cabbage and tomatoes. Speaking of soy sauce, it's not like our US soy sauce. It's sort of the consistency of plum sauce and tastes a bit like it too. Really delicious.

We eat our momo's savoring every mouthful. I like the sweet ones the best, served with a schmear of honey. So yummy!

After our culinary experiment, Anna, Rachel and I meet up with a fellow traveller, Ivan from Holland. He's been living in Macleod Ganj writing a book ... seems like this is a writer haven. We grab a glass of chai and head over to the cinema.

No, it's not what you think! It's a small, dark room in the back of a tea stall with a wide screen TV and VCR, seats that look (and feel) a bit like church pews, seating maybe 30 folks. We get some chips and candy bars outside to share and settle in for our evening flick (at least after another lights out interval).

CIA in Tibet! I have to confess I know very little about the Tibetan struggles, and learned some that night. I never realized just how much the US was involved in their conflict with China in the 50's. When I return to the US, I want to learn more.

But it's been a busy day and it's time for bed ... tomorrow it's off to Manali!