Sunday: Day two of my "American Weekend"

 While all of my Nepali colleagues are working today, I am loafing. Well, not exactly, but I am certainly not over-exerting myself.

After a restful night, I dressed and walked back to the Bamboo cafe for breakfast. I had seen pancakes on their menu and decided to try them. I really have only seen pancakes once sine leaving the US, and those were small biscuit-like disks in a hotel breakfast buffet somewhere -- with no maple syrup. Here I am enjoying the great morning weather while awaiting my food. 

The eggs were a bit runny. I ate maybe 2/3 of them. The coffee was great.

The pancakes visually resemble American pancakes and have a similar breadiness. I applied butter and the small aliquot of maple syrup, but something was just a bit "off." I think the reason is that US pancakes are made with vegetable oil (or maybe corn or canola oil). I suspect my chef this morning used some other oil that imparts the weird flavor. I ate maybe 1/3 of these cakes. With my diminished appetite and finicky palate, I am certain that everyone here considers my half-eaten plates as "wasteful." In fact, Manisha teases that I only eat "Three Bites" of anything. I my defense, I have only been seriously stomach sick a few times over the past 96 days here in Nepal (and Sri Lanka and India). I am willing to try foods, but unwilling to consume those that don't satisfy me.

On my walk home to the hospital I saw this roadside marker identifying the center of Dhulikhel. I must have walked past this 100 times already and never really read/ noticed it.

I stopped at a grocery shop for a few provisions and saw these "Spicy Instant Fish." No, I did not but them -- even though they were less than 65 cents.

I saw these Nepalis carrying loads on/from their heads. This is a relatively common practice here. Commonly bags or baskets are carried only by a strap hung from the top of the head. I am awed by the heavy loads these men and women carry.

I saw these newly arrived baskets awaiting use.

Back at my room, I spent most of the afternoon trying to get my seats assigned for my travel to India next Sunday. Fulbright purchased those tickets for me. They have me on 2 one-way tickets through Delhi to Kochi. And then 2 one-way tickets for my return. All-in-all, I am on 3 different airlines. Hence, it took me while to get that all worked out. I hope I don't have any travel irregularities because that could be a mess.

I am currently reading "Better: A Surgeons Notes on Performance" by Atul Gawande. I have read two other books by him and enjoyed them both. This one is also interesting.