Spectacular Summer Solstice!

Happy summer solstice, everyone!

Think I just had my best one...ever.

It all started with my morning walk under sublime skies...beautifully blue, with the usual semi-monsoon assortment of lovely, puffball clouds and perfect temps. (Humid, true...but this is very much to my liking!)

I crossed the city's river (sadly, very trashed) over to the nearby, posh neighborhood known as Kalyani Nagar, home to IT conglomerates, wealthy individuals and very nice boutiques.

At the end of a street near one such conglomerate with a very "heady" name (ha ha--see photo below!), I was delighted to be accosted by an exuberant litter of adorable pups! Of course I wanted to take ALL of them home with me! Suffice it to say, we played together and I spend a delightful moment in time soaking up this joyous and most precious puppy love!

Was he posing for me? you bet!

I wanted to take all four home with me, of course!

OMG! SUCH an adorable face!!!

This little guy was happy to chew on my fingers....

The name of the company (or building??) is hard to read: "Cerebrum"! Apparently home to a mega IT conglomerate... close to where I found the four pups in Kalyani Nagar

There ain't nothin' in the world to compare with puppy love....

 So that was my morning. I was happy enough to have begun my day playing with pups and saturated with love and happiness. But, amazingly, the day just kept getting better and better...

After lunch, I was picked up by a young couple whom I had met on the Facebook "Expats in Pune" page. They are Indian, not foreigners...but are in the Facebook group for the express purpose of getting to know--and helping out--foreigners here. Seem suspicious? Too good to be true? I agree... in the U.S., it would be. But understand, such a phenomenon is NOT unusual to find in India, among Indian people. It has been a fairly consistent experience of mine that they have the heart-warming qualities of openness, hospitality, welcoming and giving...for no reason at all other than the pure satisfaction of being good people. Not ALL Indians, of course... but the ones that I have met and befriended in the course of my travels, definitely. Yet another reason why I SO love this land!!!

And so it was that Sean (his self-adopted name) and his wife, Divya, picked me up at the entrance to my Airbnb's Valentina Society and whisked me off for a hike out in the countryside, east of Pune city, an hour's drive via car.

After a wonderful ride (what a joy just to be in the comfort of a CAR for a change, and not in the back of a noisy rickshaw, my usual mode of transport!), we arrived at an unmarked trail head out in lush, mountainous countryside, home to small farms and villages (and sheep herds!)

Sean had picked a phenomenally steep hike up a hillside to a temple (honoring the local deity, who's name I have since forgot). It was FABULOUS!!

I happily enjoyed the great company and conversation, magnificent views and the lovely, charming temple at the summit. Eerily, it was closed because of COVID-- this is a first, among all of the temple grounds I have visited in India! It was tranquil and peaceful... I wandered at my leisure, soaking in the peace and quiet, the views, the chirping birds... and best of all, the most beautiful Brahman bull baby I have ever seen!

Villager shoeing along his herd of sheared sheep

Divya, trekking up the steep trail

Incredibly clear skies enabled us to see for miles...and WHAT magnificent views, indeed!

Sean and Divya, such a lovely couple!

The closed gate, blocking the path's entrance to the temple.  But you know me: of course I had to bypass this obstacle! I was fortunately able to squeeze myself around the outside gate post and complete the final length of the trek up to the temple at the top!  It was SO worth the arduous 40 minute climb and gate squeeze... THIS is the "real" India I have really been missing! What joy to have such an experience once again, especially during this ongoing lock-down.

So VERY strange to be the ONLY person there!

And the capper: the gorgeous white Brahman bull baby, who proceeded to lick the salt off of my sweaty skin and bow his head for me to scritch behind his ears! Oh, what joy!!!

Back on the road, we stopped at a fruit stand to purchase two very yummy, divinely delicious kinds of fruit: custard apples and figs. And finally, just before arriving home, a stop to buy King Fisher beer, the famous, India-produced local brand. (Not being a beer drinker as a rule, I still had to try it, knowing that it is such an important product of modern Indian culture and cuisine. It WAS tasty beer indeed!)

Cheers to my new friends; also, paying homage to all the gods that enabled me to have the most fabulous solstice day in India amongst wonderful friends and favorite animals!