writewithin ann arbor *3

We spent the whole day in Ann Arbor. To our surprise the famous Ann arbor street fair was taking place. We found free parking, strapped our mridanga and harmonium to our bikes and rode into campus. After a quick ekadasi junk food lunch of kettle chips, organic carrots, seven star farms organic yogurt and fruit juice spritzers(purchased at the peoples co-op) we found a nice spot to settle down and started to chant away. Within minutes we met many nice friends and engaged them in off beat kartal playing and telling us about their lives and trying to sell way too expensive art. It was alot of fun. After two hours of chanting we purchased some gear at Biouvac(half price) and headed to our next location. At first we just went there to say hello but as it goes....

We went to a very wonderful home-a very large home. It is much like a Persian palace-very posh. Posh home but simple devotees. It is the home of Rajeev and Parisa. There we relaxed on silk beds, drank ice cold water, ate fresh fruit, took showers and chated with the family. Parisa cooked an amazing Turkish ekadasi dinner of baked eggplant, bellpeppers, potatoes, steamed turnips, spinach and cheese, cucumber salad, strawberry lassi, pistachio nuts and hot tea. We ate way too much layed down and talked and realized that it was already ten oclock and the sun had just barely gone down. (We are at the edge of the eastern time zone so with daylight savings the day is very very long. It is a great excuse for chanting your gayatri mantras at 10pm. ) We Stayed the night in a most comfortable guest room woke up had a little fruit and headed off to Big rapids.

Oh yeah we met up with Bhakta Bill(BBGUN)! He is up in Michigan working, chanting sixteen rounds, reading SP's books and trying to settle down after a lot of work and travel. He is awesome! What an example for Vaisnava appreciation. Anyone at Detroit Ratha yatra can meet him there.