Art day at the Orphange

I spent most of yesterday at a beautiful local orphanage and school house, playing musical bodies with the kids, getting my face painted and hair done like a an Indian dancer by the girls, and eating delicious organic food grown in their garden. This sanctuary was created 15 years ago by an American woman who had no children of her own or any idea of how to raise them. She put it simply when she said that she just leads by example, and allows the rest to happen naturally. There are about 70 children in "the family" who come from all over India and Nepal. They are thriving, giggly, and really really eager to do the best they can. A young fellow took the photo of me sitting in the chair after I got my face painted. Here rather than wanting to take them all home with me, I wanted to move in! There are ample opportunities to live and volunteer here for months at a time.
Hard to beat growing your own organic food and hanging with super precious kids day in and day out. The food in Rishikesh has been sacredly spectacular. Within this whole area both meat and alcohol are prohibited, and their is no shortage of any cuisine you could imagine. One of the most popular menu items is pizza believe it or not. I've been sticking to my south Indian favorite of Masala Dosa, a long delicious crispy rice crepe filled with spicy potatoes served with yummy dipping sauces. I can't deny that I'm dreaming of bowls of kale and quinoa though.
Tomorrow I'm heading even more north to Dharmasala for most of my remaining time here in India. I'll be breaking the journey up by spending a night in Amritsar where I plan to see the Golden Temple at dawn. Catch up soon!