April 21
While I'm up high in the mountains, far away from technology and on retreat, enjoy a little bit of what I love about Mcleod Ganj.
1. Whachu Wearing?
Mcleod is the perfect place to go if you want to be free from the confines of your normal wardrobe. With such a variety of clothing choices, from monk robes to Aladdin-style-pants, how could you not fit in?
Sweater Vests- A favorite of the local Indians, these remind me of better times, times when Will Smith was just some smart talking high school kid or when Uncle Jessie's innocent version of masculinity made him a perfect role model for three young, blond girls. Yes, I'm talking about '90s sitcoms. These funny little garments are all the rage here; even more so down in Chandigarh. On a trip to Patiala, I once attempted to count the vests, but gave up after several hundred in a period of about an hour.
Face masks- I'll admit, these made me a bit suspicious at first, reminding me of news clips from the SARS outbreaks. Are they sick? Should I step away? Unfortunately, the people who wear these face masks the most are those who most desperately need to interact with you: the poor shopkeepers. The air in India has made the adjustment to life here more difficult for some Tibetans; face masks help with issues of dust and pollution. So, more often than not, the people you will see with these masks are the ones who sit by the roadside.
Foreigners- Anything goes: Tibetan dresses, tie-dye, mismatched and bizarre versions of Indian garments, Patiala suits, leg warmers (very, very popular), ear-flap hats, dot, dot, dot. Most foreigners seem to have chosen outfits simply became they seem Indian (but were made specifically for foreigner's taste). Many of those who travel to Mcleod are very conscientious of their Individuality, and it seems that they have to knock things up a notch in order to remain individualized here. So the result is dozens of shops in Mcleod looking more like shops you'd find in Portland, Oregon, street hawkers selling items for guaged piercings, and shopkeeps fighting to outdo each other with the uniqueness of their items. Can you find a better shirt than an embroidered "Tin Tin in Tibet?" I think not.
My favorite are the hand knitted leg warmers.
Tibetans, on the other hand, are usually extremely well dressed. Those in their teens and twenties rival Japanese youth for their fashion sense and daring tastes. A local performer (and a friend of mine) can often be seen walking around town with his afro-puff and heart shaped sunglasses.
And occasionally you get the costumes. In my high school, there was a special needs boy who had taken up the act of making crow sounds in the hallways. Well, it seems as though he graduated: every so often, you see a man (or two) in a crow costume, complete with black face paint, scaring tourists as he makes his sounds.
While I'm up high in the mountains, far away from technology and on retreat, enjoy a little bit of what I love about Mcleod Ganj.
1. Whachu Wearing?
Mcleod is the perfect place to go if you want to be free from the confines of your normal wardrobe. With such a variety of clothing choices, from monk robes to Aladdin-style-pants, how could you not fit in?
Sweater Vests- A favorite of the local Indians, these remind me of better times, times when Will Smith was just some smart talking high school kid or when Uncle Jessie's innocent version of masculinity made him a perfect role model for three young, blond girls. Yes, I'm talking about '90s sitcoms. These funny little garments are all the rage here; even more so down in Chandigarh. On a trip to Patiala, I once attempted to count the vests, but gave up after several hundred in a period of about an hour.
Face masks- I'll admit, these made me a bit suspicious at first, reminding me of news clips from the SARS outbreaks. Are they sick? Should I step away? Unfortunately, the people who wear these face masks the most are those who most desperately need to interact with you: the poor shopkeepers. The air in India has made the adjustment to life here more difficult for some Tibetans; face masks help with issues of dust and pollution. So, more often than not, the people you will see with these masks are the ones who sit by the roadside.
My favorite are the hand knitted leg warmers.
Tibetans, on the other hand, are usually extremely well dressed. Those in their teens and twenties rival Japanese youth for their fashion sense and daring tastes. A local performer (and a friend of mine) can often be seen walking around town with his afro-puff and heart shaped sunglasses.
And occasionally you get the costumes. In my high school, there was a special needs boy who had taken up the act of making crow sounds in the hallways. Well, it seems as though he graduated: every so often, you see a man (or two) in a crow costume, complete with black face paint, scaring tourists as he makes his sounds.
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