We have returned from another excursion, this time to the jungle state of Orissa and Kolkata in West Bengal. It was a lovely trip. I turned 21 on Monday, after seeing a 64 Yogini temple and a Buddhist stupa build by the Japanese to honor Emperor Asoka. It was pretty great.
The first stop on opur trip was Bubaneshwar, where we saw the temples and stupa. We also saw the most beautiful Indian countryside - just jungle and rice paddys as far as the eye could see. It was spectacluar. We visited a village where they have been panting in the same Orissan style for centuries - and where all the villagers are painters. We also went to a beach and saw the ocean!!! This was my favorite part of the trip, I'll be honest. I missed the ocean a lot.
We then traveled to Kolkata, where I'll be living for 1 1/2 weeks of my Independent Study period. Luckily, I loved the city. Sure, it was a bit smelly and wild, but it was just so incredibly cool. There are all of these beautiful old Raj-era structures that are now overloaded with Indian squatters, and standing right in the middle of fish markets. We also ended up staying at the most gorgeous hotel, and we ate like kings and queens. It was very fun - like we were on vacation, but we were "learning." I'm excited to stay there. We visited the Tagore house, where I'll be doing the majority of my research before taking off to Santiniketan, and it was beautiful and informative and really peaceful. All good things.
I'm posting photos to an online album and you can all look at them soon enough. I'll let you know when. Much love.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Hey sis! sounds great - I just went to a concert for the bridge school yesterday that you would have loved. the whole thing is put on by neil young (for 23 years, who knew?) and all of the artists have to play acoustic sets. this made it great, especially since bands like wolf mother, monsters of folk, fleet foxes, no doubt, chris martin, jimmy buffett, and of course neil himself were in the line up. anyway, this is a ridiculously long comment but i thought you'd think that was cool since you introduced me to fleet foxes and m. ward when you were here. love you
ReplyDeleteso cool to be able to read about BOTH of you here!
ReplyDeletePete and I took our last boat ride for 09 to Crotch Is, and walked around the enormous blocks of granite in 65 degree temps, then to Rock to see the shell beach one more time.
Boats are all in bed now and Sam's splitting wood.
Miss you! love, Mom