There are many ways that I have become a hippie. Not so much in my sister's former way of not shaving and hiking in the mountains. I just fancy myself a free spirit. A bit bohemian, if you will. That would be how I ended up at a Hindu Holi Festival in Spanish Fork Utah this last weekend with my friend, Megan.The Hindu Holi Festival (I didn't know it was called a Holi Festival until after I googled the experience later) otherwise known as the Color Festival involves buying bags of colored chalk, a bonfire with the effigy of a woman on it, and at the appropriate time throwing the colored chalk into the air in a cloud of color. Then the Hari Krishna chants start and everyone (in my case 50,000 people in a very condensed area) begins a massive color war.
I ended up at this because Megan (definitely a hippie) came down to Salt Lake and invited me to, "some kind of festival with my friend Sofi down in Spanish Fork". I said "Yes!" Then we got a Jamba Juice and headed down. We saw Sofi for about five minutes at the beginning and end of the experience. Mostly, I walked through the temple, where they sold arabic and hindi jewelery. Yeah, you better believe I was all over that action. Then we bought large bags of powdered chalk. Then we went in search of Sofi. I ended up nowhere near her, but in a very tight crowd
around a bonfire with my face pressed firmly into the arm pit of a rather hairy man. That being said, I was in the thick of it (literally) when the festivities began. Megan dumped an entire bag of pink chalk on my head and rubbed it in. Then I tried to open a bag of chalk with my mouth. Purple chalk is not tasty. Then I also had the pleasure of someone throwing a handful of green chalk in my face. It was so. much. FUN! Then we almost starved on our way home, so we stopped in Provo for some Subway while small children stared at our multi-colored hair and skin. Megan made the comment about being embarassed to be with a colored woman. Overall, it was a Saturday well spent.
around a bonfire with my face pressed firmly into the arm pit of a rather hairy man. That being said, I was in the thick of it (literally) when the festivities began. Megan dumped an entire bag of pink chalk on my head and rubbed it in. Then I tried to open a bag of chalk with my mouth. Purple chalk is not tasty. Then I also had the pleasure of someone throwing a handful of green chalk in my face. It was so. much. FUN! Then we almost starved on our way home, so we stopped in Provo for some Subway while small children stared at our multi-colored hair and skin. Megan made the comment about being embarassed to be with a colored woman. Overall, it was a Saturday well spent.
And yes, I am still a free spirit.
Book I've read recently and liked: The Watchmen -- it's a little wierd, but an interesting look at heroes.
Music I recently discovered: Portugal, the Man -- kinda 70s rock-ish.
