Face sketch

When Leya and I went to Boudhanath today, to continue the festivities, we past a sketch artist who sat there all alone.
On his handmade sign he had crossed over 300 rs (3 USD/20 kr) and written 200 rs (2 USD/15 kr) instead.
His business was clearly not in demand, so I sat down Leya in the chair and asked him to sketch her.
A few minutes later people were gathering around Leya and when we left he had customers lining up to get their face painted.
Curious about the sketch? Well, check in tomorrow and I'll show you.

Happy Lhosar!

Today the Lhosar festival began.
It's a three day Buddhist New Year celebration. Read more about it here.
It's a little bit confusing since some Buddhists celebrate now and Tibetan Buddhists celebrate losar in about a month.
I had the pleasure to buy a cup of coffee to an Ani, Ani means Tibetan nun, but she has no teath so she didn't want anything to eat.
Ani and Ani, two ladies meeting over a cup of coffee.

Chocolate mousse

We have found the best chocolate mousse in the world at Roadhouse Café at Boudhanath.
Leya had her first today and I ate it for the third time.
A milk coffee and this tasty chocolate mousse is truly a match in heaven.

Blessings

Today we sent wooden malas, a necklace with 108 beads, to a customer in USA.
As usual, when I have the chance, I blessed them at a holy gate at Boudhanath.

Baby

Today we got the fantastic news that my little brother Suresh and Muna, who got married last November, are pregnant.
He's in complete shock since it wasn't planned, but I'm super happy to have a baby in the family.
Suresh wants a boy, like most Nepalese parents, since the oldest son will take care of the parents when they get old.
I hope it will be a girl, so I can buy these cute dresses we took photos of today, to update our Alibaba site with news for Spring/Summer 2014.

Weather change

The weather change towards spring is here.
That also means fever and cold, so we are taking it slow for a few days.
Both Nicholas and I are under the weather, but we'll be fine.

Bhutanese political prisoners

We are buying handmade, natural incenses from a Bhutanese man and last time I went to his shop I saw these bags.
The adorable handbags are double sided, hand (I really mean HAND) embroidered by Bhutanese political prisoners. By both women and men.
This kind man had bought the bags unseen just to support these people who has been imprisoned for speaking their mind about democracy.
Coming from Sweden, a land ruled by the people, it's difficult to fully understand how it's like to live in a country where you will be thrown to jail for at least 15 years for speaking up.
Let me know if you want to buy one the bags and support these brave people.

Nani to hospital

Today we finally got around to take Nani to hospital for sterilization.
Everything worked like a charm. A small hole on the side of the belly and that's it.
No medicine, no bandages or annoying, old fashion plastic funnel.
Now she is sound asleep next to her person in life, Nicholas.
She was more anxious than usual going in the taxi.

Finally she settled down in Leya's lap.

Nicholas was heartbroken when we left Nani at the surgery table.

Rain

I'm the kind of person who loves rain. As long as you can stay indoors, that is.
We rarely have rain here during winter time, so it was a strange, but cozy, feeling when it started raining today.
It's been three months since the last rain so it was about time.
A rainy view of the neighbour's garden from our bedroom.

Crochet by Anna

My friend Anna has made beautiful creations from vintage saris.
A bowl...

A mat...

Visit her Pinterest here and her blog here. (Sorry, but it's in Swedish).

Update from the movie shoot

I never went to the shoot. Since Leya went home with Eva, Nicholas and I ate an amazing dinner just the two of us.
Marianne had a lot to tell when she came home after a long day. She was so tired.
She was singled out for a scene and the 150 Nepalese extras thought she was a movie star.
She was dressed by a stylist in clothes from 1996.

You could never tell this is Jake Gyllenhaal. A beard and a baseball cap is a perfect disguise for him.

This is how he looks like without the beard.

And this is Josh Brolin.

According to Marianne they looked much shorter in real life, like celebrities always seem to do.
Today I found these news. Hilarious!

Movie shoot

Tomorrow Marianne will be an extra at the Kathmandu airport for the movie shoot based on the book "Into thin air".
Please read more about the fim here.
Keep an eye open for the coming movie "Everest". Maybe you will see Marianne.
I will probably go there tomorrow afternoon to see if I can get star strucked by Jake Gyllenhaal and Josh Brolin.
My mom took this photo of Mount Everst when she and my mother-in-law flew to us from Delhi.

Birthday party

Today it was our landlord Santi's birthday so we were invited to the roof top "restaurant" serving delicious Newari food.
Here you can read more about Newari food.
Marianne and the birthday kid Santi.

Shopping

Today we've been to town working and shopping.
Happy Marianne found these beautiful bead bracelets that are made by women who, for some reason, can't leave their home to get a job.
This company goes to their house with the material and that way they can earn their own money.

If someone is interested in buying these bracelets, just let me know.

School

Leya loves to play "mam mam" or school as we say and this time Angel was a very good student.

Marianne

Yesterday our dear friend Marianne came to us for the fourth time. Two times in Delhi and now the second time in Nepal.
She came straight from Thailand where she spent Christmas and New Year.
She is planning a trip to Bhaktapur and Nagarkot and of course, the favourite, Pokhara.
AND she is going to try for Annapurna base camp. Very brave and so typical our adventurous Marianne!

Cute dog in a box

This is one of our street dog friends. She managed to fit in an old box outside one of many small shops in our street.

Lice

There are few things in the world I hate. I try not to hate, since it's a very destructive way of living, but I can't help myself when it comes to lice (löss).
I truly, from the bottom of my heart, hate lice!
Today Leya and I spent 4 hours in the cold bathroom. I looked through her hair almost hair by hair to catch all, very fast hiding lice and their disgusting gluey eggs.
Tomorrow Leya will take a shower with lice shampoo, that for some reason is completely natural. If it was up to me I'd shower her in some kind of poison. Just kidding! (Or not).
Then I have to keep checking her hair for several days. We have tried to find someone who could do this for us, but that person, or should I say woman, has to be skilled at the picking technique and I'm surely not.

My new best friend

I can't complain about the chilly weather, since we have warm clothes and roof over our head.
But investing (20 USD/125 kr) in this little halogen heater was the best spent money in a long time.
It's like having a sun in the bedroom.

Happy New Year!

We had a fabulous time yesterday, on New Years Eve, with our landlords and their friends on the roof top terrace.
The grills were warm fires.

One of the guests was really good at magic and Leya made big eyes when he made a coin disappear and come back.

Then we played bingo and the atmosphere was so happy and friendly I just sat there smiling, glad to be a part of the moment.