A Room With A View

The Bus Station, below my bedroom window

The dump, just beyond the bus station

And from the sitting room, construction, where many people also dwell.

 As promised, photos of my view.

Diwali, known as the festival of lights, is a lot like Christmas, with colorful lights streaming down the outside of many buildings and houses and the tradition of charity and gift giving.  It's also a little like Fourth of July...for five nights, with fireworks, firecrackers, sparklers and all the other goodies, exactly like we have in the States.  Except everything is done to extremes.  It's also a Hindu festival, so there is that element too, with beautiful tika mandalas done on the inside and outside of businesses, and little menehune footprints leading into and around establishments.  I have no idea what that's all about, but I absolutely love the mandalas and the bright colors.  There are also garlands of marigolds that are hung, just about everywhere, adding to the happy colors.  All of this makes me smile.  Well all except the firecrackers and insane amount of noise that carries on late in to the night.  Though nothing like Diwali in India, it is still a little crazy, and come on... five days!

Today we had a really nice day.  Peaceful, with nice people and nice food.  We had a nap, we played, we laughed, sang and danced, and learned new words.  We hugged and kissed, and gumna janayed.  It was sunny, warm to downright hot, and good and polluted.  I like my new house, and so does Pukar.  Hooray.