Hello, dear readers, if there are any still out there! I have been very remiss in updating, although I haven't done much "traveling the world" in the past two months. Last year at this time, I was preparing to head to Louisville to visit my friend Ruth. Here we are enjoying some mead. (That is wine made with honey.)
This year, I am going to southern California to see my friend Sabrina. She has been one of my best friends since we met in the eighth grade. I still have the first note she ever wrote to me.
I have been on several "mini-trips" since I last spoke, mostly to and from Portland to visit Raja. The most significant of these mini-trips was the one Raja and I made to Seattle a couple of weeks ago.
On Friday night, Raja picked me up at home, and we drove North to Seattle. We checked in to the Silvercloud Hotel right across from Safeco Field where the Seattle Mariners play baseball.
We met with my friend Nikki, hung out, and went out for dinner.On our way, Nikki got pulled over for having a headlight out. It was kind of funny, especially since Nikki is funny, and was able to make light of it (not to the officer's face, of course.) Dinner was awesome. Afterwards we went back to the hotel and spent some time together before we went to sleep.
The next day, we got up and went to the Wallingford neighborhood to visit my favorite novelty store, Archie McPhee. We met my former boss and his family there. Adam has always been one of my favorite people, and so it was great to see him. I remember when his daughter was born, and now she looks like this:
We did some shopping, and we were going to get our palms read, but the palmist must have known we were coming, so she took the day off. We went to a restaurant that sells crepes, which are like thin pancakes (very much like dosas) filled with good things. We had one filled with strawberries and Nutella, which is a chocolate hazelnut spread, and topped with whipped cream. It was so delicious, I told Raja I wanted to marry it! Too bad I couldn't because we had already eaten it.
On our way out of the market, I saw these beautiful strings of garlic and peppers. I had to take pictures.
Beautiful.
That night we drove North East, across the I-90 bridge, to Bellevue. We stayed at the Red Lion Hotel.
It was nicer on the inside than it looked on the outside. We went out for dinner and had some Pho, which is a Vietnamese noodle soup. It's sort of like Ramen noodles, but a million times better, with chicken in it. After we came back to the hotel, we read letters we had written to one another, and gave each other some presents. It was Durga Pooja, a special holiday honoring the goddess Durga, who is very special to me.
The next day, we got up kind of early, as we were going to go to temple in Redmond ( a few minutes away.) I made Raja go downstairs, as I wanted to get ready for the temple alone. I had a special outfit that Anni had bought me when she was in India. I hadn't worn it yet, so I wanted it to be a surprise. As I was trying to put it on, Anni texted me. She knew I was going to wear it today. She said, "Are you ready yet?" I called her..."Help! I said, I forgot how to tie a sari!" She walked me through it, but luckily I remembered as I went along. I took some pictures.
I texted Raja that I was ready, quickly drank some juice and ate a roll, then we left for the temple.
The temple was very simple, and it was inside a business park in a community center set up in wht might otherwise have been an office space. Raja was a little disappointed, but I thought it was lovely, with all of the statues and flowers, etc. They had had a large community gathering for Durga Pooja the night before, so everyone was tired, and the priest was running a little late. Raja talked to him, though, and he agreed to do a special rite for us, after the regular Darshana (going before the statue of the god or goddess, and seeing them.) First we went before the statue of Vishnu and asked his blessings, and Ganesha, as well. Raja placed some kumkum on my forehead and in my hair. Then we went before the statue of Durga. The priest did the Aarti (passed the lit lamp around the goddess) and then we passed the flame (or smoke from the flame) over our heads three times. He spooned some Holy Basil tea into our hands. We drank some and put the rest on our heads. We prayed before the goddess.
Then the priest had us sit. It was time for our special rite. He did some prayers before Durga, asking her for special blessings for us. He put some boxes that Raja had brought on the altar before Durga, asking her to bless them. He held them up in front of her hands so she could bless them. He blessed us by putting a silver hat-thing over our heads. I think its called a satagopam, but I can't find any information on it so far. (I'll keep looking.)
After the ritual. Raja and I went to the back of the temple space, where he took one of the boxes and opened it. he took out a ring and said, "Will you marry me and do me the honor of being my wife?" In return I said, "Naan unnai kalyanam pannikeren" Which means "I will marry you" in Tamil. He seemed pleased, and put the ring on my hand. It looks like this:
Then I took the other box, in which there was a gold ring. Hindus exchange rings at engagement, so he wears a ring, as well. I asked him, "Raja, will you marry me" an he said "For this and many other lifetimes." I put the ring on his hand. Thus, we became officially engaged to be married.
Afterwards, we left the temple. We asked a guy in the parking lot to take our picture, and I took a few, and Raja took one of me in my sari. You can see the marks on my head from the kumkum. I think Rajas is ash. There are several powders put on the body during poojas: ash (grey), sandalwood (light brown), kum kum (red), turmeric (bright orange/yellow)...depending on the situation.
This year, I am going to southern California to see my friend Sabrina. She has been one of my best friends since we met in the eighth grade. I still have the first note she ever wrote to me.
I have been on several "mini-trips" since I last spoke, mostly to and from Portland to visit Raja. The most significant of these mini-trips was the one Raja and I made to Seattle a couple of weeks ago.
On Friday night, Raja picked me up at home, and we drove North to Seattle. We checked in to the Silvercloud Hotel right across from Safeco Field where the Seattle Mariners play baseball.
We met with my friend Nikki, hung out, and went out for dinner.On our way, Nikki got pulled over for having a headlight out. It was kind of funny, especially since Nikki is funny, and was able to make light of it (not to the officer's face, of course.) Dinner was awesome. Afterwards we went back to the hotel and spent some time together before we went to sleep.
The next day, we got up and went to the Wallingford neighborhood to visit my favorite novelty store, Archie McPhee. We met my former boss and his family there. Adam has always been one of my favorite people, and so it was great to see him. I remember when his daughter was born, and now she looks like this:
Oh, wait. That's not her *real* head.
After the McPhee experience (and about $40 later for each of us, ) Raja and I toodled off to West Seattle to have lunch with our friends Bryan and Jennifer. Once again, we had a lovely meal, and afterwards we went to their house for a little while to talk. I could have stayed longer, because they were so delightful. but Raja and I wanted to go to Pike Place Market.
Parking was terrible (it is always horrible in Seattle, which is why I hate driving there, and wouldn't want to live there) but the market was nice. Raja bought a t-shirt, and I couldn't help but ogle all the flowers all in these gorgeous colors. I just wanted to take them all home.
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| I know this one's blurry, but I love that green cabbagey thing! |
On our way out of the market, I saw these beautiful strings of garlic and peppers. I had to take pictures.
Beautiful.
That night we drove North East, across the I-90 bridge, to Bellevue. We stayed at the Red Lion Hotel.
The next day, we got up kind of early, as we were going to go to temple in Redmond ( a few minutes away.) I made Raja go downstairs, as I wanted to get ready for the temple alone. I had a special outfit that Anni had bought me when she was in India. I hadn't worn it yet, so I wanted it to be a surprise. As I was trying to put it on, Anni texted me. She knew I was going to wear it today. She said, "Are you ready yet?" I called her..."Help! I said, I forgot how to tie a sari!" She walked me through it, but luckily I remembered as I went along. I took some pictures.
The temple was very simple, and it was inside a business park in a community center set up in wht might otherwise have been an office space. Raja was a little disappointed, but I thought it was lovely, with all of the statues and flowers, etc. They had had a large community gathering for Durga Pooja the night before, so everyone was tired, and the priest was running a little late. Raja talked to him, though, and he agreed to do a special rite for us, after the regular Darshana (going before the statue of the god or goddess, and seeing them.) First we went before the statue of Vishnu and asked his blessings, and Ganesha, as well. Raja placed some kumkum on my forehead and in my hair. Then we went before the statue of Durga. The priest did the Aarti (passed the lit lamp around the goddess) and then we passed the flame (or smoke from the flame) over our heads three times. He spooned some Holy Basil tea into our hands. We drank some and put the rest on our heads. We prayed before the goddess.
Then the priest had us sit. It was time for our special rite. He did some prayers before Durga, asking her for special blessings for us. He put some boxes that Raja had brought on the altar before Durga, asking her to bless them. He held them up in front of her hands so she could bless them. He blessed us by putting a silver hat-thing over our heads. I think its called a satagopam, but I can't find any information on it so far. (I'll keep looking.)
After the ritual. Raja and I went to the back of the temple space, where he took one of the boxes and opened it. he took out a ring and said, "Will you marry me and do me the honor of being my wife?" In return I said, "Naan unnai kalyanam pannikeren" Which means "I will marry you" in Tamil. He seemed pleased, and put the ring on my hand. It looks like this:
Afterwards, we left the temple. We asked a guy in the parking lot to take our picture, and I took a few, and Raja took one of me in my sari. You can see the marks on my head from the kumkum. I think Rajas is ash. There are several powders put on the body during poojas: ash (grey), sandalwood (light brown), kum kum (red), turmeric (bright orange/yellow)...depending on the situation.
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| Okay, take the picture |
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| The happy couple |
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| Smile |
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| In my sari. It's all shiny to go with my ring! |
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| Our hands. Engaged! |
We will get married in February. Until then there is tons of work to do! I get to work, but also look for new jobs in Oregon. I get to sort, clean, pack, and move. On top of that, I get to plan a wedding! Not only that, but in August we will be going back to India, to get married in a Hindu ceremony there. Now that will be one for the blog! Between now and then there will be trips to California and New York...and who knows where else! Stay tuned...and you can always sign up for blog notifications if you wish, that way, you'll never have to miss an entry!
Until next time....Be Good
Until next time....Be Good
