More Images from Boudhanath…

Some more things seen here in Boudha…

• We go to the store, a fancy new 3-story supermarket where you can buy packaged food from around the world, luggage, shaving cream, produce, fresh breads, housewears… the works. Our bill comes to 159 rupees, which is just more than $2. We pay with Rs200. The cashier makes change, Rs40… and then reaches behind her to the candy counter, pulls out a pack of gum and opens it. She hands us the Rs40 and one stick of gum. The rest of the gum she empties into the one Rs portion of the cash drawer. Later, we buy some CDs. In that little shop the shopping bags we are given to hold the disks are small sewn fabric bags with little drawstrings. Go figure.
• On the way back to the monastery, we pass an small vacant lot where two guys and 5 large snakes are putting on a show. One guy herding the snakes into the center of the space, away from a big circle of onlookers, mostly locals. The other guy (you got it!) is playing little tunes on the pipey thing you see in cartoons and he’s doing his best to herd Rs into a bag of donations.
• I’m still amazed to walk down to the stupa in the morning and find doughnuts frying, whole huge sides of beef being cut up with cleavers that have been sharped to half their original size, women sweeping dirt streets out in from of their shops with small handbrooms made from dried rice plants (i think), and then walk into this shop and sit down at a brand new computer. Rs30 per hour.

Less than one week left here. Plenty of practice and shopping and eating still to go.