beauty is truth, truth beauty

I'm steeped in the words and philosophies of Tagore, trying to crank out this 15-20 page paper as fast as I can so that I can just concentrate on Darjeeling and my collages. The wonderful thing about this paper is that it's an really just an examination of what art is, according to Tagore, and how I am somehow "living the tradition" of his philosophies. He's a big ol' Keats lover, all about aesthetics and beauty and truth and universalism. Some of it's a big "God-ey" but when one is in the presence of the Himalayas, the idea of "the sacred" seems somehow tangible.

So, here I sit, at the computer typing away on one of the clearest days in Darjeeling. I could see ALL of the peaks this morning!! Truly amazing. I've decided to purchase a film camera for $20 (1000 rupees) for the remainder of my trip. It's worth the $20, I think. I want pictures of Darjeeling and I will want photos of my friends when I get back to Delhi, that's for sure.

I wandered around Darjeeling yesterday, popping into tea shops and Nepalese/Tibetan export shops. I love wandering around in these stores that are jam-packed with all things turquoise and coral and silver. I was on one store where I couldn't even walk without hitting chimes and bells and prayer wheels. The tea is amazing! It really is. I think I'm drinking about 15 cups of black tea a day, between the pot in the morning, the pot in the afternoon, and the sampling throughout the day. Don't worry, I will not neglect my dear family at Christmas, Darjeeling tea might be sitting underneath that tree.

I really love this town. I was sitting on the roof last night, looking at the moon over the bright white peaks of the mountains, and I thought that maybe I could stay here for an extended period of time. It's so peaceful this time of year (I think during tourist season it's not... but right now it truly is) and the people are so unbelievably kind and friendly. It doesn't really feel like the India that I've been in for 2 1/2 months. The men are less creepy, the shop keepers don't pester so much. It's just quiet and very, very holy. I haven't felt this much connection to a place yet in India, and it's a really wonderful feeling.

That's all for now. My hands of freezing but I bought some beautiful knitted gloves, and I must centure upstairs to my room, put them on, then visit this Buddhist monastary that is supposed to be beautiful.
Namaste.