Sunday 31st May

A pinch and a punch for the end of the month!!

So this morning Jen and I headed out for brekkies - this time at a place called  the Roof Top Garden - white bread toast with honey and black tea for me, while Jen tucked into hash browns and an omelette- extraordinary how one (well this one!) starts fixating on food when one has to restrict one's intake!!! I then went off to visit the Montessori school. The teachers were so friendly and the little ones so cute in their school uniforms - shirts and pinafores for the girls, shirts and shorts for the boys! . I loved it. But here's the thing  - these little three to four year olds were sitting in rows facing a whit board and copying A - drawing of an apple; B - drawing of a bat. There were no fine motor activities that I could see! I heard my teacher Miss Lena's voice saying" do not put pencils into these fingers before they are ready!

The teacher of the babies to 18 month olds had done a 3 month Montessori course and had pictures at home of the pink tower and knew what I meant by the practical life area, but looked blank when I mentioned the sensitive periods and the long rods! The teacher of the older children who was also the principal of the nursery sat in with us while we chatted. I then told them about the sensitive periods. I then did a three period lesson with them.  The principal  took notesThey were incredibly responsive and very keen to attend any workshops I could give. I was elated I have to say, as in as high as a kite!! We exchanged numbers with me explaining I had to chat to VIN. 

Jen and I then set off for the Garden of Dreams which the ladies at the Tibetan Tea House in Simons Town had said we had to experience. The guide book warns that one should not be surprised by the amorous Nepali couples - well it was not exaggerating! The Garden is truly an oasis of beauty and charm - small but delightfully appealing with different flowers and trees, manicured lawns and walk ways. I met the head gardener who told me he had been head for 13 years - obviously justifiably proud of his gardens. Do check Jen's blog as I am sure she will have posted pics. 

It suddenly started bucketing down as we were about to leave. We managed to grab a three wheeled ricksha back to the hotel. Hilarious - poor driver having to contend with potholes and puddles besides the crazy traffic and water cascading down from the sky and the roof tops!! We managed to stay reasonably dry under his makeshift piece of plastic joining the top of the ricksha where we sat and a sort of frame contraption above the handle bars- yet another adventure!!

So it was with rather long teeth that we returned to the monastery. On top of which I was beginning to feel really rough with more acute tummy troubles!