19 January Darjeeling but writing about Kalimpong (15-16 Jan)
Breakfast at Windamere. Sitting here enjoying music that is very similar to listening to Spencer Brewer. In the moment as much as I can be. Sunshine, a stunning view over the northeast side of the mountains, a warm dining room, and the best coffee I have had since visiting Kona area on Hawaii.
I realized that I have not written down anything about Kalimpong, where we thoroughly enjoyed our day out.
Most importantly, we visited the Gandhi Ashram School. It was established and is run by the Jesuits and uses MUSIC-- specifically violin and the teaching of western music-- to reach the students. Why? Because "it is the way in". The students are about half orphans and half from the poorest families in the area. At the school they get meals, sports and recreation, and education. FREE. The principal visits each and every home to make sure they qualify (apparently lots of parents want their children to attend but perhaps aren't poor enough). Imagine that. Music is the "way in".
School is not on session at the moment, but we had a nice tour and talk from one if the volunteers (a young woman from Germany who is there for a year), and then we were able to hear a former student (who is also volunteering for the next few months before he leaves for University) play a cello duet with the young woman. There was a piano, so I got to play with him, too (The Swan). The universal language :)
This school gives hope and opportunity to children and young people who are born without either. There are many former students who have gone on to University -- and others who are teaching music elsewhere, even in Europe.
Here's the Wikipedia page (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gandhi_Ashram_School). If you google them, you will also find a Facebook page and videos as well as a trailer for a documentary that was made about them. I wish they had been in session so I could have heard them play.
Another cool place we visited was a small, family owned handmade Himalayan paper factory. Much of the handmade paper items found across the country in the markets a bazaars are constructed with the paper made from a plant in the Daphne family grows as a wild shrub in this area. (We are guessing that there are many such small "factories" around here.) This one produced 300-400 large (36" x 48" ?) sheets per day when it's sunny. The operation was about the size of the average home basement and backyard. Small. I know they also did cutting and dyeing there -- not sure about putting together of items like envelopes and pads. Maybe they do that upstairs or maybe the next door neighbor does that. Anna got good video of the women putting the pulp on the screens and stacking them to dry, and when I googled "handmade paper Kalimpong" a YouTube video popped up as well. We bought paper and envelopes :)
Other things we did in Kalimpong: walked through the local markets (it's not really touristy); went up to the highest local point for the view; enjoyed visiting the Mangal Dham Hindu temple which is dedicated to the worship of Lord Krishna (they also do lots of good work for the community); walked through St. Theresa Catholic Church built in the late 1800s; spent a little time at the Pineview cactus nursery (!) -- a large exotic imported cactus collection in hot houses.
Our hotel, the Himalaya, is quite famous in the area. Wonderfully old and shabby (there are some newer sections), beastly cold room, amazing food and service, view of the Kanchenjunga peaks from the porch and our window. We enjoyed our stay but are quite happy to be staying in a place that has heaters in every room plus working fireplaces.
