Himalayas part II

We were reluctant to leave Shimla, such a clean and enjoyable city with cool cool temperatures, but after a delicious breakfast in our lodge terrace overlooking the valley we were off for Dharamsala. We had reservred seats on a semi-deluxe bus to make the 10 hour trip a little more comfortable, only to find out that our bus had been canceled; the transport corporation was willing to transfer our seats to the ordinary bus and all the adventure that implies. The trip took us through beautiful mountain scapes and green river valleys with beautifully terraced slopes on a one lane road (one lane total, not one in each direction) and stopped in every single village on the route (much to the frustration of Janet). We almost left her behind at one of the stops since she decided she needed to visit the ladies room only after eating an icecream and debating whether she had enough time or not for several minutes (luckily the busdriver was understanding and agreed not to leave me wifeless). Like always, the bus was crowded; my dad held a baby on his lap for a portion of the ride. Luckily we had seats the entire way, and the high altitude temperatures were still relatively cool, even in the valleys! I had to eat all of the various products we have bought that nobody likes, like the mint flavored patato chips and various other masala concotions. Finally we arrived in the small mountain village of McLeod Ganj (the part of Dharamsala where the Dhalai Lama/Tibet in exile community lives) only to find every other foreign tourist already there, and every hotle booked. Luckily, after a nasty encounter with a very rude tout, a dreadlock freespirit rave promoter guided us to some nearby, but hidden, Tibetan guesthouses - just perfect for us weary travelers. Dharamsala's temperate clime is equally as pleasant as Shimla's (we even had some rain this morning!) and the views of the Himalayas are even more amazing. The Tsuglagkhang temple complex, home to Avalokitesvara, the many armed living incarnation of compassion, is full of vivid murals depicting the Tibetan Buddhist cosmovision. There was also a mandala doing the same thing in sand. People bring offerings to the gods, both money and cookies (it seemed like Avalokitesvara's favorite is Oreos). There is no shortage of Free Tibet merchandise in this town, and we have eaten plenty of delicious Tibetan food (Janet has a new favorite, fried momo's - dumplings) and the streets are packed with monks in red robes (and some westerners temporarily adopting the garb) most using tennis shoes and cell phones. We attempted to use internet phone to call our moms for Mothers' Day, some got actual conversations, others got messages. Tonight we dined at a rooftop Tibetan eatery with beautiful views of the sun setting on the Himalayas! Tomorrow we have one more day in the mountains and then we're off to Delhi (and the sweltering summer heat) for our last couple of days of India.