Down the street from Taste of India we found this dessert/coffee shop that boasts a quiet location (one afternoon we could hear the monks across the street debating), fabulous chocolate desserts, a selection of wine and a small raised patio shaded by some beautiful trees. Bring a book because you won't want to leave!

The last night we stayed in Mcleod we decided to upgrade to the Chonor House Hotel and that night it decided to rain pretty heavily (darn that monsoon)! So, we decided to eat at the hotel's restaurant. We did so again the next morning for breakfast. Both times the food was good and we'd eat there again if we were staying at the hotel. However, it was definitely a bit pricey and not somewhere we'd go out of our way to eat at. If, however, you are worried about cleanliness in India this place is great because it is very well taken care of. You can read our blog to read how this place can be a little difficult to find :)

We only ate here once and it was pretty good. I think I had the chow mein (again!) and Larry had a pizza...though I'm not sure. We were happy with the service and quality of the food. The small deck has nice views of the Dalai Lama's complex and since this hotel/restaurant is located at the end of the street it is a quiet place to sit and relax. It wasn't phenomenal but we were satisfied.

Nick's is a popular place to eat in Mcleod and that is apparent from the first step inside! There are always people eating there...... By this time in our trip we were craving some of our favorite dishes from home, so we proceeded to order (over the course of a couple days, not all at once!) the following: alfredo pasta, pizza, french fries, chocolate brownies, chocolate chip cookies and others that I can't remember. Man, we really ate terrible here.....I didn't realize until this moment!! Oh well, we enjoyed it and I'm sure you will too! Oh-if it is a nice day, eat out on the huge patio. It has some of the best views around!

Well, it was H.H. Dalai Lama's birthday when we visited this restaurant. Translation? Everything else was closed so we went here. Needless to say, we weren't impressed. I ordered the chow mein and Larry had some momos. He almost couldn't even eat his and I tried to finish mine but it just wasn't doing it for me. This place was packed, which stumped us. Did we order the wrong food? Or, are people just flocking here because there is nowhere else to eat? What are we doing wrong? Well...we never found out the answers because we never went back. In fact, we paid for our food and left...heading down to Taste of India (why did we ever stray?) So, we wouldn't recommend it from our experience, but like I said, it was packed, hmmm........

Just to clarify about the cost....it is average for an Indian place but compared to prices in the US, this place is definitely cheap! Okay, so we read about this place in Lonely Planet and had to give it a try. We were hooked from the first meal! It is a small restaurant, with only about 5-6 tables and an even smaller kitchen that is located at the front end of the building (which makes it fun to look into through the big window or swinging door). The portions are great, the quality & taste is fabulous and although we didn't get the chance to do so, they even offer cooking classes to learn signature dishes. The food we had to have was: garlic chicken tikka, various types of naan, chicken biryani, butter chicken and masalas. We aren't much for adventurous eating so we kept going back for the same dishes, but we couldn't help ourselves! They even have a huge shelf of VHS movies that are fun to look at...they had every movie we could think of!

We checked out of the Annex Hotel and with our packs on we made our way down the muddy, unpaved path to the Chonor House, one of the most impressive hotels in Mcleod--a real gem! (NOTE TO TRAVELERS: If you want to stay at the Chonor House make sure you arriving during the day and not at night! The muddy path to the hotel is way down past Hotel Him Queen Annex and there is actually another way there, which is paved.)
We had decided to splurge since it would be our last night in a hotel for the trip....the rest of the sleeping was to be done on the train and airplane! The rooms are all designed with Tibetan themes and decorated with murals painted by local artists. We had the Wild Animals of Tibet room.

The rest of our day consisted of typical vacationing behaviors of sleeping, eating, reading and relaxing!

After a breakfast on the rooftop of our hotel (Him Queen Annex) we decided to grab a taxi and head over to the Norbulingka Institute-an area that contains a school that preserves traditional Tibetan handicrafts, a beautiful Japanese-inspired temple and an outdoor cafe. We spent several hours walking the grounds, taking picutres, eating and bird watching. It seems like every so often Larry & I've found spots that we could just stay at forever: the river with the elephants, the Taj, and now the Norbulingka....it was a beautiful oasis.

Then it was time to return to our hotel and while we were relaxing Larry heard a faint chanting that began to get louder and louder. So we stepped out onto our balcony and there was a huge procession of monks and other folks all carrying signs and candles. We had no idea what is was about but it didn't matter-we had to join in! The  vigil wandered around the town and ended up inside His Holiness's complex in front of his temple. For the next hour or so, several people spoke passionately at a podium in front of cameras and about 100 eager tourists and dedicated monks. It was a very special and spontaneous moment that we were lucky to be a part of. Unfortunately, however, we had no idea what was being said as none of it was in English. But, the feeling was enough to warm our hearts----and we left happily to Taste of India for dinner.

Another early morning, woke up at 5:30 am and Larry spotted a dark, looming figure out on our hotel balcony. "What the heck is that!" Larry screamed, and then realized....we had a monkey outside our window. As I scrambled to get my glasses on to take pictures, Larry seated himself on the other side of the window. We made sure all the windows were locked--which seemed especially important after the monkey spotted us and then tried to tinker with one of the latches, scary! At one point I was in such a hurry to close everything up, I accidentally closed Larry in the bathroom with an open window (easy access for an agile monkey!). It was the perfect ending to our trip, though, and a perfect fit to the theme of our hotel room! We said our sad final goodbye to the mountains and began our 60-hour journey back to California, yikes!

Unfortunately I woke up with a really bad headache this morning, so I laid in bed for a few hours while Larry brought me breakfast (I know, I know....I'm spoiled!). But, by 1:00 it was time to venture off to Bhagsu because the weather was clear and we had to take this opportunity to do the long hike. My headache soon subsided as we made the 2 mile hike to the bottom of the waterfall....the only thing to do was head to the top! Accompanied by a dog and a trio of wild goats, we hiked our way up the steep, rocky hillside to some of the most beautiful views we'd seen in a while. At this time in our vacation we'd been thinking  a lot about home, what foods we missed, etc. but its days like these and views like these that make us want to stay forever. And it seemed possible because when we reached the impossibly high peak there was a small cafe and vacant rental spot! Hmmmm...definitely had our minds wandering :) We took loads of pictures. This was a day that we definitely earned our dinner, so off to Taste of India yet again!

We awoke to very heavy rainfall this morning as well as spotty electricity. It was kind of a bummer because we wanted to hike to a waterfall, but the weather was not cooperating with us. Instead we meandered to brunch and His Holiness's complex to see if there was anything going on for His birthday-and there was! However, we arrived a little late and missed all the festiivities. Instead, we were again asked to be in several photos with Indian tourists, something that Larry is relishing in but I dread. Especially because one time while I was waiting for Larry ( while he was using the bathroom) and kind of daydreaming, I came to realize that people were taking my picture! And, on top of that, a young kid was sneakily getting closer and closer to me, his parents standing a few feet away taking pictures of us "together" without me knowing.....it took me a few minutes to realize what was going on! It seems like an odd thing to want a picture of-- a random white girl who hasn't taken a real shower or done laundry in weeks--but I guess I'm a big deal here :)  After my impromptu photo shoot, we found another favorite spot in Mcleod, The Chocolate Log. It's a small dessert cafe at the end of the road, a nice spot to just hang out and read.

Today started by waking up on the train around 6 am. It wasn't the best sleep ever, but certainly not the worst (and definitely better than our little stint in the bathroom). I was just happy that I didn't feel any creepy crawlers on me (although I came to find later that Larry had seen several cockroaches but kept his mouth shut- smart guy!!) We arrived at the Pathankot train station, saw our driver and headed happily up into the mountains of upper Dharamsala (aka Mcleod Ganj where His Holiness lives). This took another 2 1/2 hours (we're getting used to long rides by now) so we caught up on the rest of our sleep....

Being up in the mountains again felt so comfortable and although the monsoon is much more severe up here, it is well worth it.  Walking around this town was so much different than I thought it was going to be. I had thought about this place for years, read about in books and online and talked and talked about it with  so many people....being here was completely different than I ever could have imagined. When you think about "Shangri-La" you don't usually include the endless souvenir shops and touts, but I have been in India long enough to not be suprised so once we got to see the real parts of town, we were hooked! After just a few hours we had found some spots that we'd come to love over the next 5 days and that started with our number one restaurant of the trip: Taste of India. This tiny eatery is located on a steep hillside, has just enough room for 5 tables inside and the kitchen area was a small alcove with a swinging door in which you could peek in whenever the waiter placed an order or talked to the one chef. It was the kind of place you'd never go in on your own but it was recommended in Lonely Planet so we felt assured. Little did we know that we had found a place we'd eat at almost every day in Mcleod. We took it pretty easy the rest of the day and were finally excited to be one place for a longer period of time, so we could actually relax on our vacation! Who knew!

From Amritsar I took the bus to Dharamsala, in the Himalayas.  It was only a six-hour ride, which by Indian standards is a cakewalk.  Time and distance have taken on a whole new meaning while I've been in India.  The bus and train are so inexpensive they're by far the more common ways to travel than by air.  When I ask Indians how far it is from point A to point B, the response is often something like "one night's journey" -- meaning an overnight bus or train, often taking a total of 24 hours.  So by that standard I was quite happy with the six-hour ride to Dharamsala.

McLeod Ganj, about 10 kilometers north of Dharamsala and the seat of the Tibetan government in exile, is where the action is, so I headed up the hill to the guest house where I'd made a reservation.  Many aspects of India are tests for my personality, and making a reservation in McLeod Ganj falls into this category.  I called a bunch of places a week earlier, and most said to call the day before my arrival to see if they had any vacancies, or even stop by upon arrival.  When you check in you don't have to say for how long you're going to stay, so the guest houses don't know usually until a given morning whether they'll have any rooms available that night.  That's soooo not my style; arriving in a new place alone, I need the reassurance of a guaranteed place to rest my head.  Thankfully I found one who took a reservation, but the rooms range from 300-800 rupees a night.  When I asked if I could reserve a room on the lower end of the range, the guy said something like, "Yeah, don't worry, we'll find you something."  Not the most reassuring thing I've ever heard.

But much to my relief, upon arriving there was a room waiting for me, for 500 rupees/night, which is about $12.  It had hot water and a balcony with amazing views, so I was quite happy.  My friend Sandy told me that on a recent trip to China he coined the phrase "China cheap" -- where he found himself bargaining (hard) over the equivalent of a quarter, or not getting what he really wanted because it was an extra dollar.  I've definitely developed an Indian version of the same phenomenon, and found myself trying to make a better deal on the room.  Promising to stay for a week, I got the price down to 450 rupees a night -- woo hoo!

McLeod Ganj is unlike anywhere else I've been in India.  Actually, it hardly feels like I'm in India.  The Dalai Lama lives here, and it's the seat of the Tibetan government in exile.  The population is heavily Tibetan, and while I do see some Indian tourists every day, the overwhelming majority of visitors are white -- mostly from Israel, and also Australia, Europe, and Canada.  I've met very few Americans.  Unfortunately the day I arrived I started to feel a cold coming on, and by the next day it had morphed into the flu.  It's so rare for me to get sick, and I suspect it came on because my body was finally relaxed after leaving Bhubaneswar and arriving at my first destination while traveling alone.  My first week here was sooo chill.  I read, wrote in my journal, ate Tibetan and Western food in many yummy and cheap restaurants, and spent time with Sajeer and Lisa, a couple (Indian and German) I met on the bus ride from Amritsar.  I didn't come to India to hang out with Westerners, but I confess it's been nice to speak English freely, not be stared at because I'm white, and feel more comfortable wearing t-shirts (vs. the long kurtas I always wore in Bhubaneswar). 

I walked down to the main Tibetan temple and the museum attached to it.  I confess that before this trip I knew very little about the plight of Tibetans at the hands of the Chinese.  The museum had a very moving and well-done exhibit/explanation of events over the last 40 years.  McLeod Ganj is a strange mix of Tibetan culture and a hippie vibe.  There are tons of courses in things like yoga, meditation, tarot reading, massage, cooking, etc.  Many Westerners stay here for a month or two at a time, since it's so inexpensive and there's lots to do.  I guess I can count myself among that group, since it looks like I'll be here for 3-4 weeks.

I signed up for a five-day silent meditation retreat at the Tushita Meditation Center in Dharamkot, a few kilometers north of McLeod Ganj.  Sajeer and Lisa, the couple I've been hanging out with a lot, met and introduced me to Anita, a woman from Texas also going up to Tushita.  We met literally a few hours before we stopped talking, but we felt an instant kinship and I knew I'd have a friend to spend time with after the retreat. 

The retreat was phenomenal.  I'm still trying to articulate what the experience meant for me.  If and when I can, I'll write about it.  And in case you're wondering, nope, I didn't talk the whole time!

After the retreat I went back down to McLeod Ganj and checked into the same guest house.  That afternoon I got stuck at a restaurant for five hours during a terrible rainstorm with Anita, Sajeer, Lisa, Ellen, and Bala.  The thunder and lightning was so close and loud that it was a bit scary, but we actually had a lot of fun.  We drank lots of hot honey/ginger/lemon (it's in every restaurant here for about 50 cents and is sooo good!), talked, and had lunch and dinner. 

Anita and I are planning to travel together for a week starting this weekend, which means I have a week left in McLeod Ganj.  It's so easy to just sit in cafes all day and fritter away time, but I've decided to take advantage of all the courses and things there are to do here.  So I'm taking a five-day reiki course and a three-day Indian cooking course.  I'm loving it!  I could see hanging out here for longer, taking a Tibetan massage course, painting and music lessons, etc.  But there's so much more of India I want to see.  So as of now the plan is to travel with Anita for a week, do a 10-day silent meditation course starting on July 1st, and then... and then, well, I'm not quite sure yet.  

After the retreatCame back down to McLeod Ganj, back to same guest house.  First day I arrived back down here, terrible rainstorn.  Got stuck with Anita, Sajeer, and Lisa at a restaurant for five hours, with some scary thunder and lightning keeping us company.  It was actually a lot of fun.  We drank lots of hot honey/ginger/lemon (it's in every restaurant here for about 50 cents and is sooo good!), talked, and had lunch and dinner.  When I finally got back to the guest house, the staff all jumped up out of their seats and said they'd been waiting for me for several hours -- there was a big flood in my room.  Luckily I hadn't left anything on the floor, so I was fine.  The only room left in the guest house was not a good one (Indian style toilet, no sink in the bathroom) -- at first I was totally relaxed about it, grateful that my stuff hadn't been damaged -- but soon thereafter I got quite upset.  I'd left the meditation retreat just that morning, and it didn't dawn on me to meditate for a few minutes or just slow down and figure out why I was reacting so strongly.  I guess it takes a while for it to become a habit.  This overreaction is unfortunately common for me.  (fix this.)  Upon reflection, I think I just don't do well when something's out of my control.  Ah, I guess I'm human.

Talk about how I could see staying in McLeod Ganj for a long time, but I know have more to contribute than that.  Would be treading water a little.  Feeling like it's time to start my "real" life again soon.  But add something about what Sandy said?  About why do I think this isn't my "real" life.

There comes a time when you just need to be done with India.  At least, this is something that I needed.

So I went to McLeod Ganj, home to the Tibetan government in exile along with scores of Tibetans, Nepalis, and foreigner yogis looking to practice yoga galore.  I fit into none of these catagories.  I fit into the need-to-escape-the-perails-of-India-if-I'm-ever-going-to-remember-this-country-foundly catagory.  Or more simply, I fit into the need-to-escape-the-unbearable-heat-of-summer-in-India catagory.  Right, that sounds less cynical.

In any case, I wasn't the only one running away to the north to catch a breath of cool air.  I managed to run into several friends I've met along my journey through India and Nepal, all of us hiding from the heat in the foothills of McLeod Ganj.  It was in appropriate way to finish off my trip.  Sort of like coming around full circle.

With the many things to do and see here I managed to do very little so far.  As I wrote before, I'm done.  I just needed to find a nice place with good food and gorgeous mountain views to escape with a good book.  This is just the place.