I have not taken many pictures so far as the weather is still 'monsoony.' The first morning we were here there was thunder and a hard rain. Every day there has been fog and clouds. A few times the fog has lifted enough to see an outline of Witches' Hill and the schools across the valley. Everything in our flat is damp, and clothes came back from the dhobi (clothes washer) still wet. The tourist population in the Library Bazaar area is much lower than other years because of the weather. The forecast is for sunshine on Sunday and Monday, so we are very hopeful!
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Humayun's Tomb
In Delhi we played tourist and went to Humayun's Tomb. I had last been there in the 1960s and it was quite desolate in the center of a big weedy field. Now, however, the site has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and money has been poured into restoring the buildings and the gardens. Humayun's Tomb is now a beautiful showcase for 16th century Islamic architecture and landscapes. We are so glad we went!
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
At Work in the Archives
I am back in Landaur and working in the archives at Woodstock School, this time with two other volunteers, and two more that will come later this month.
In 1997 T. and I started work in the new archives room.
Within 10 years much more 'stuff' had been put in the archives room.
Now we are trying to clear out what doesn't belong there so we can make room for what does!
In 1997 T. and I started work in the new archives room.
Within 10 years much more 'stuff' had been put in the archives room.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Uttarkhand Flooding response
Woodstock School is working on helping those affected by the flooding in June. See a posting by the staff member who is directing the School's efforts. I'm hoping that when I am back there in October I will learn more.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Climate Change
While public figures in the U.S. debate the reality of climate change and environmental damage, people living (and dying) in the Himalayas bear witness to it.
On June 16 and 17 there were early and heavy monsoon rains in the Indian province of Uttarkhand, where Woodstock School is located.
The region immediately around the Mussoorie/Landaur hills was less affected than river valleys to the east. However, there appears to have been damage to roads and bridges along the route that our class traveled on October 19 (see post of 10/21/12) according to an extensive article in the Chandigarh Tribune.
There is more general coverage in the New York Times (June 22, 2013 article), BBC (June 23, 2013 article), and The Hindu (June 25, 2013 article).
Woodstock School itself was not affected and the school is on summer holiday until mid-July. However, this surely affects many of the families of support staff at the School and Pahari residents of the Mussoorie/Landaur area, as well as farmers getting their produce and milk to the Mussoorie markets.
When I learn of reliable organizations to which to donate for relief efforts, I will post those.
On June 16 and 17 there were early and heavy monsoon rains in the Indian province of Uttarkhand, where Woodstock School is located.
The region immediately around the Mussoorie/Landaur hills was less affected than river valleys to the east. However, there appears to have been damage to roads and bridges along the route that our class traveled on October 19 (see post of 10/21/12) according to an extensive article in the Chandigarh Tribune.
There is more general coverage in the New York Times (June 22, 2013 article), BBC (June 23, 2013 article), and The Hindu (June 25, 2013 article).
Woodstock School itself was not affected and the school is on summer holiday until mid-July. However, this surely affects many of the families of support staff at the School and Pahari residents of the Mussoorie/Landaur area, as well as farmers getting their produce and milk to the Mussoorie markets.
When I learn of reliable organizations to which to donate for relief efforts, I will post those.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Other blogs
If you are, like me, surfing the web to look with nostalgia at photos of the Himalayas .. here are some blogs for you:
Enjoy! They are still there while I am back here ....
Enjoy! They are still there while I am back here ....
Friday, November 2, 2012
Silence
One thing that always strikes me when I return to my home in the U.S. in a small mid-western town is how quiet it is.
Returning from Amsterdam I miss the muffled sounds of the trams going by and the bicycle traffic on the road across the canal. I miss the view from the window of cyclists on regular bicycles or bakfiets going to school, work, or the market; of the occasional boat and the grebes, coots, herons and swans that travel the canal.
Returning from Landaur I miss the morning song of the whistling thrush and the call to prayer from the mosque; the sound of donkey bells and children chattering on their way to school; and the general hustle and bustle of the town. Of course I miss the views!
What I don't miss is the incessant honking of horns (on blind curves of the road along the mountain side, honking is the way to warn oncoming traffic that your vehicle is also there) and the political rants from loud speakers (there was a local election mid-October so much politicking).
Here in the U.S., I live on a cul-de-sac a long block away from a main north-south street. I get occasional noise from the street or from the nearby college campus, especially on football weekends, but most of the time it is quiet. In the summer there are kids playing outside or a few folks working in their yards and gardens. This time of year, when temperatures are in the 30s and 40s, my neighbors are outside only to hop in and out of their cars and otherwise stay inside. It seems too quiet and isolated!
Returning from Amsterdam I miss the muffled sounds of the trams going by and the bicycle traffic on the road across the canal. I miss the view from the window of cyclists on regular bicycles or bakfiets going to school, work, or the market; of the occasional boat and the grebes, coots, herons and swans that travel the canal.
Returning from Landaur I miss the morning song of the whistling thrush and the call to prayer from the mosque; the sound of donkey bells and children chattering on their way to school; and the general hustle and bustle of the town. Of course I miss the views!
What I don't miss is the incessant honking of horns (on blind curves of the road along the mountain side, honking is the way to warn oncoming traffic that your vehicle is also there) and the political rants from loud speakers (there was a local election mid-October so much politicking).
Here in the U.S., I live on a cul-de-sac a long block away from a main north-south street. I get occasional noise from the street or from the nearby college campus, especially on football weekends, but most of the time it is quiet. In the summer there are kids playing outside or a few folks working in their yards and gardens. This time of year, when temperatures are in the 30s and 40s, my neighbors are outside only to hop in and out of their cars and otherwise stay inside. It seems too quiet and isolated!
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