First days in Mussoorie

We arrived in Mussoorie Friday night after a harrowing 10 hour bus ride. The guest house we are staying in is very cute- sparse and kind of musty, but nice. We're the only ones staying there. There's a nice grassy sort of patio area that the rooms open up on with tables and chairs and an amazing view of the North Indian Plane (I think that's what it's called). We're staying at about 7000 feet. Saturday we had orientation at the Landour Language School where we have Hindi classes every morning. It's at 7500 ft at the top of the mountain, about a mile uphill from the guest house. There is only one steep narrow road that connects everything and at some points its no joke a 45 degree incline. My calves are burning. A student who was on the program two years ago and now lives in Mussoorie showed us around town Saturday afternoon. The main town is downhill from where we're staying about twenty minutes. I bought fabric and took it to a tailor- I'm getting a full salwar suit and a kameez made, it will be ready tomorrow. They don't have ready-made clothes here.

Sunday morning some friends and I explored the top of the mountain. It is indescribably beautiful here. Around the other side of the mountain you can see the rest of the Himalayas and when it is very clear apparently you can see Mt Everest. The weather changes quickly from sunny and clear to so foggy you can't see 15 feet in front of you in like ten minutes. I love watching the fog roll in. I'll post pictures when I figure out how to do that. We met a local Hindu woman who told us it was Krishna's birthday and that there would be big celebrations in the temples that night. Almost everyone in the group ended up going- so much fun. We went to two temples. I did puja at the first one and got the mark on my forehead and sugar water to drink. At the second temple I received a handful of butter and sugar to eat which was incredibly disgusting. There was live music in both temples and little kids running around. One of the favored forms of Krishna is him as a baby so all the babies were dressed up like him. I cannot get enough of Hindu festivals.

This morning we started Hindi classes. Incredibly difficult. I actually feel like I'm in school now.

Namaste!

-Sarah