Yakity Yak the Parkers Talk Back

We are very excited because the Tibetan New Year is coming up (Feb. 28-Mar. 2)....it is called Losar and they celebrate in Katmandu at the large Buddhist temple and in each others homes for 3 days straight. We are looking forward to it very much and are excited about all of the new traditions we are going to learn about. We are also looking forward to all of the time we get to spend with the people. We have already been invited into many homes and parties. Losar is a very big celebration (the largest of the year) and everyone gets dressed up in traditional dress and makes all kinds of food. We hear that there is also a lot of dancing. One of the Losar traditions is for each family to make 'Capse' or Tibetan Biscuits. They are similar to the Won-Ton chips you get at Chinese restaurants in America but a little sweeter. Each family spends a whole day making capse and then they give bags away to their friends at parties during Losar. It really takes a whole day to make...mainly because they make so much. To make capse you start with homemade dough of flour, butter, sugar and water and then you let the dough cool. After it has cooled you roll it out very flat and cut it. Then you make it into fun shapes and fry it. The pictures below are of us making capse at our langauge teachers home...we were there from 10 am -7 pm. Tomorrow we are also going to be making more capse with our neighbors. It is really fun and we have decided that making capse is a new family tradition that Ryan and I want to start each year no matter where we live!!!