Adios India

Hello friends! Sadly, it's our last day in India...though we can't complain too much as we will soon be on our way to Guatemala.

We are in Delhi now, but had a wonderful two weeks in the mountains of McLeod Ganj. We were also fortunate to meet some great people, and got to experience the town before the big tourist season starts. This truly is a special place, and often felt like a different country from the rest of India. MUCH cleaner (people even used the trash cans!), quieter, and very peaceful. Here are a few more mountain pictures to add to those from the last blog:

 It was cold, rainy, and sometimes snowy out, but there were a few days of blue sky. The mountains were incredibly beautiful.

Can't beat this view from our window... 

Unfortunately we missed the Dalai Lama by a few days. He will be making a political statement at the temple in McLeod Ganj on the 10th.  Still, we were able to enjoy the beauty of the Tibetan Buddhist culture.

 Prayer wheels and "Mani walls" abound in McLeod. Each has a mantra ("om mani pad me hum") written on them.

We also did a day-long course of meditation at a beautiful Tibetan center called Tushita. This Buddha watched over us as we continued on our path to enlightenment!

Our local friends....

 Food. Yum.  The food in McLeod was so good! These are momos, little Tibetan dumplings steamed (or fried) and filled with veggies. Amazing and cheap street food. We were very loyal customers.

We had lots of soup to keep us warm. This Tibetan soup is called Thenthuk.

We don't remember the name of this delicious treat, but it had so many amazing flavors and textures! Party in our mouth, thank you very much.

Fun fact about beer in India: The alcohol content can vary (between 3.25%-5.25%/!!). Hmm. Not so surprised...Sometimes looking for logic in this country is a futile effort.

 OK, we had to include this fun sign.

 Loser was meant to say "Losar," the name of the Tibetan New Year which was March 5th. Classic! But what else can you expect from a "club" named Black Magic?

We were randomly upgraded to first class for our last train ride in India. Look! No trash or insects or people sleeping on the floor! The doors to the cabin even locked. It was very comfortable and definitely a treat.

Needless to say, India has been an incredible experience. It's not always an easy place to travel, but every day was an adventure in itself. Thank you "Incredible India", we will be back!