2-5-09

Yesterday I was sick so I stayed in bed for most of the day but I did get to finish reading the Diary of Anne Frank. Her ability to stay sane, coherent, and insightful during the years of terror and hiding was incredible. I have joined the scores of people who admire her and find strength in the story of her life.
I am still sick today, but I managed to get out of the hotel for a few hours. After lunch ( a mild soup and salad at the Tibet Om Café) and a little shopping, Mom and I visited the other Japanese Temple and the Chinese Temple, which had been closed by the time we got there the other day. We also saw a huge stone statue of the Buddha. From a distance, it was exquisite, rising up behind the Japanese temple with gardens surrounding it. Unfortunately, a slightly modern style of sculpture could be seen when viewed from nearby. The individual stones which made up the statue had not been smoothed together, so you could see where each stone had been joined. This confused the otherwise beautiful features of the Buddha. The statues of the Buddha’s disciples which surrounded this huge statue were even more modern in style, although I find it difficult to pinpoint exactly what I disliked aside from the fact that the faces did not seem saintly or compassionate.
We also revisited the Thai temple, because it was my favorite. Mom had seen all the temples again yesterday, so she left the choice up to me. While visiting the Thai temple, however, I started to feel sick again so I returned to my bed while Mom went to sit in the shade on the hilltop overlooking the Mahabodhi Temple. I am rather put out by the fact that I am sick, here of all places. I realize I would probably say “here of all places” wherever I was, because I’m in India, but this is my first Buddhist experience and even in the world of Buddhism, this city is both wonderful and unique. I wish I had the energy to simply walk around, visit and revisit all the temples, watch the monks and nuns going about their business in their maroon robes.
I have not talked about the shopping here. It is fabulous! Because we are here for the few days when those relics are on display (which we did not see because of the enormously long line) this relatively small city has turned into a shopping center for beads, jewelry, ornaments, and other traditional Tibetan items. Lining the streets and walkways is stall after stall, selling beautiful, tempting, and almost ridiculously cheap things. Mom and I are stocking up on presents, both for ourselves and for our friends. We walk along, telling ourselves not to buy anything more, not to be impulsive, that we’ve spent enough already, that there will be other places, less touristy, where we can buy the same items. Then we glance down and see strings of, beautifully worked pendants, turquoise coral, lapis lazuli, silver, and gold beads, prayer wheels silk prayer scarves, and much much more. It is practically irresistible. “This one would look beautiful on Aunt Kathryn!” we say, or “Would Hebbah like this necklace?” And before you know it, we are asking the price. I am very happy with my purchases, however, and am very glad we are here for this festival-like atmosphere, for the excitement, and for the beauty.