Bibliocycle

It was exceptionally nice to have no morning plans today.  I did not request coffee service, and so had no reason to rise at any particular time.  Out of habit I waked early anyway, but I enjoyed being in the room.  I did my laundry in the sink and worked to organize the Collaboratory blog.  I met Chris in the breakfast room at 10:30 and we talked logistics.  He will be leaving tomorrow, and I needed to make sure that I understood all important details of my trip to

India

At 2:30 Nooruddin arrived with one of the principals and her daughter, to take me on an excursion.  They insisted that we go to two malls so that I could shop.  They helped me to select presents for my children.  I told them that I’d like to see some local sights.  We went to the exquisite Mohktada Castle.  Because the power was off, the castle, which is a museum, was closed to visitors.  However, the guard let us come in and look around the grounds, and he showed us some photography exhibits in outdoor sheds.  I had failed to charge my camera battery, and I was very disappointed that I was unable to take any pictures.  After the castle, we went to the beach.  Being Sunday, it was crowded with Pakistani families enjoying outings.  We bought roasted corn from a man who was roasting it in a fire pit on the beach, and saw a snake charmer with a cobra and  two men with trained monkeys.