We Have Wynn's Visa

As promised, Wynn's visa was ready at 4:00 today. We also received a large sealed envelope filled with a lot of other papers that we're to give to U.S. Customs when we enter the U.S. So now we're waiting for Wynn's airline ticket to arrive from the States. Last we checked Fed Ex tracking, it was in Dubai.

We had a leisurely morning and then went out to lunch and did some shopping in our neighborhood. We much prefer shopping in Lazimpat rather than Thamel where you're constantly hounded by people trying to sell you things. It's just a much nicer, cleaner,and calmer shopping experience. We also like the idea of shopping in Fair Trade stores where hopefully some of our money is going to help the people of Nepal.

Other than that, we again had the perfectly timed blackout at dinner time. We usually eat dinner out but tonight we decided to stay in, having been out much of the day. Just as the kids were "hungry," which is Wynn's newest word, lights out. Another night of figuring out what can be cooked on a gas stove top. We won't miss the blackouts.

A few more observations. . .

I can count on one hand the number of people we've seen here smoking. Unlike China, where it seemed like everyone smoked, you just don't see it here.

The produce sold in the streets by vendors and at the street markets is plentiful and beautiful. Being cautious to avoid anything washed in the local water, we've stuck to things that can be peeled such as apples, bananas, orange, watermelon and papaya. Otherwise produce must be soaked in iodized water and we decided that we could wait until we got home to eat fruits and vegetables that we like.

If you order a hamburger in a restaurant, which I have on two occasions, you're eating either yak or water buffalo. This is a Hindu country and the cow is considered a god. A local woman who we flew with yesterday morning over Mt. Everest told us that until very recently, a person would be jailed 25 years for killing a cow but only 6 to 8 years for murdering another person. Go figure.

Photo captions - Wynn shopping this afternoon; Leah in our hotel room in Nargarkot; Hindu women changing a flat tire this afternoon in our neighborhood; Nepali school girls (who I just can't stop photographing. . .they are gorgeous); Nepali baby photographed in Nargarkot.