So it's been observed that I haven't talked about food much. This blog post will change that. :)
I find it pretty funny that I anticipated coming to India and getting rid of my sweet tooth...ummm...well...that hasn't really happened. First off, there are the masala chai teas (we like the ones with cardamom)...which you may have read are everywhere. We've been getting them regularly in the morning and when we were at the village and city schools, we got them at 10:30am and at 2 or 3pm also. These are chock full of sugar. And we notice when they're not sweetened because we add sugar! But they're amazingly good...and will be one thing for sure I will continue to enjoy once I get back. mmmm...chai (and it doesnt taste anything like starbucks or a teabag...it's just pure goodness). Sometimes they're made mostly with milk, sometimes just the black tea with milk added at the end but either way...soooo good.
On occasion, we've also been enjoying mint tea (mint leaves and hot water, possibly add honey), and also honey, lemon ginger tea (one we tried had real lemon in it and was tart but really tasty - took away our sore throats we were getting from the train). Other drinks we've ordered are the lassi's, mostly the mango one which is a yogurt base. These are really smooth and tasty. We also found a street vendor who had a juice maker and we drank a glass of pomegranate juice on the side of the street. That was really refreshing. So refreshing in fact, that it's all Deb could think of for the next 24 hours...Here we are on a boat tour, walking through these amazing castles in the middle of a lake in Udaipur and her primary thought? :) "Oh my gosh..I can't wait until we get our pomegranate juice. Should we go get it right away when we're back or get the shopping done first then go straight there? Or get the gulab jamen first?" But my favourite...is the lemon nana. It's a mint and lemon drink..some are blended, some are more yogurty but the one I had today was utterly amazing. It was like lemonade (but less tart) combined with a mojito (with no rum). I could have downed two at once.
For breakfast, I've been thrilled to notice that museli and curd (yogurt) is served a lot of places over here. It's a nice change that I welcome...so I don't have to eat Indian meals 3x a day every day. :) And I do miss my homemade granola with my allspice and yogurt so this makes a very reasonable compromise while travelling. A few places cut up fresh fruit it in also which was a nice treat. Deb likes her Indian breakfast of curry and chapati or naan. :) For me, the sight of blended spinach curry (palak paneer) first thing in the morning..well, it doesn't make me ill but doesn't look appealing either. :)
The difficult part I've found travelling is lunch in these types of cultures. We both brought granola bars to eat which have helped but it's difficult in such a communal culture to find pack lunches. Street food of the fried dumplings and stuff are available but while Deb has been eating them, I've avoided just as a precaution to not get sick. So I usually eat minimally at lunch if at all as the culture is all about sitting down to eat this meal and sharing..ie going to a restaurant which isn't so feasible when you're on the go. So this is my challenge mostly..finding food to eat on the go during the day.
Dinners...I've found a few good ones and Deb is very proud of the expansion of my knowledge of Indian food. :) Chicken biryani..really yummy...any biryani is good actually. (Rice and veggies mix - like fried rice). Also, raita is really tasty. It's a vegetable salad served with meals which is pretty refreshing...usually in a yogurt sauce. We've tried pineapple raita and cucumber raita so far. Jeera rice is a good accompanyment to any curry...(rice with cumin, ginger, garlic)...and a really good curry I've been enjoying is called Nav ratan korma. It's a combination of cooked veggies and fruit. Some have included banana and cashews and raisins..the one I liked best had papaya. The sweet combination was really good with the veggie. Dahl is a really tasty dish as well (lentils), and we've had a few really good chicken curries in the past few weeks. (Or rather, I have since Deb is a vegetarian). :) Also a really good one, when we were in Mumbai - I had a pumpkin curry that was amazing...reminded me of Thai away home and the pumpkin curry there. And finally, we've been ordering Thali..which is an assortment of curries for one person so we can try a few in one meal but of smaller portions. As we've moved west, the portion sizes have dropped a bit so while we were both ordering individual portions at first (deb would finish hers, and I could never finish mine), now we're ordering and sharing so we can try different ones. I have also learned the difference between chapati and naan and their texture...both are good though. :) When we were at Lauren & Jonathan's, Deb ate one cold with sugar for breakfast. lol So when we're in Singapore, this is a mission of ours, to find warm chapatis (or naan) cooked in butter with sugar. (You see what I mean about the sweet tooth? :)
Dessert...I never liked the gulab jamen in Vancouver but here it's so good. (It's the dough balls that are soaked in honey). They're really really good. We got some street side when we were in Udaipur and enjoyed them in while waiting for the pomegranate juice guy. And then went back for more to supplement our dinner. :) The other thing is Kheer..(rice pudding). We've had some good ones..and some interesting ones too. Our last order wasn't the best we've had but some have been really tasty. Again - Deb ceases to speak when she's enjoying one of these..and can think of nothing else when it's potential is in reach. :) And today I found a chocolate brownie sundae...it had these chocolate wafers and actual brownie chunks in there and just hit the spot.
So yes - I'm enjoying food here also and it's been fun to notice the small differences in taste as we move through the different areas.
We're in Varansi now, moving onto Darjeeling tomorrow. We have the last of our epic train journeys starting tomorrow at 4pm..which will be a 14 hour train trip to Kolkata then we fly to Darjeeling for a few days. Our last train journey was really good..prayers were answered..we both managed to sleep well (as well as expected on a train) and got about 7 hours or more of sleep. We were in a 2AC, meaning 2 high, each side and it had more room and a curtain for privacy. Not that that means anything here as people open every curtain they pass just to have a look at who's inside..
we also had a sketch situation (it was fine..) at the train station which put us a bit on our guard. we arrived in at 2 or 3pm and stepped off the train and a second later there was a guy who picked us up right away. He followed us up the platform..not being subtle about following us at all..(at first I thought he was looking for opportunity to get our bags) but then he turned out to be a really persistent rickshaw driver. we stopped in a official office to ask directions to a pre-pay booth and thought it might discourage him..nope. he found us again (apparently we're not very good at imitating Jason Bourne) and it didnt matter how many times we said "nay nay" or "no thanks", he kept pace with us, right on our heels. Right up until we were at the prepay taxi, he got in a slight argument with a taxi driver but accepted we were not going with him. but still hung around. then surprise, we saw him later at our hotel...I guess he drove someone else but it was a little sketch to see him again. Just one of those things while travelling that keeps you alert and on your guard. But no harm and no danger. The train stations are a place to be wary of but they're not so dangerous as I had anticipated...lots of people there so not much can happen. Just lots of opportunity for men to stare at you. :)
ttyl
mel
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Agra, Uttar Pradesh
Greetings from the home of the Taj Mahal!
what a day it has been! i'll keep this post short as the pics will explain it all. we got on a train from Jaipur to Agra this morning, and have spent the day in Agra. our agenda had one thing on it...sit and bask in awe of the Taj Mahal. we accomplished just that. nothing else, aside from eating (!!), was on our agenda.
[classic shot of the Taj...]
[just to give you an idea of how huge this thing is...here's Mel sitting]
[pretty!]
[Deb and Mel, doing very well!]
[goodnight, Agra!]
we're off on an overnight train to Varanasi in a couple of hours.
see you there!
dL
what a day it has been! i'll keep this post short as the pics will explain it all. we got on a train from Jaipur to Agra this morning, and have spent the day in Agra. our agenda had one thing on it...sit and bask in awe of the Taj Mahal. we accomplished just that. nothing else, aside from eating (!!), was on our agenda.
[classic shot of the Taj...]
[just to give you an idea of how huge this thing is...here's Mel sitting]
[pretty!]
[Deb and Mel, doing very well!]
[goodnight, Agra!]
we're off on an overnight train to Varanasi in a couple of hours.
see you there!
dL
Jaipur
Deb and I are here..waiting to get on our 11:30pm night train to Varanasi. we've had more adventures and have some photos we can post. :)
Few funny things from the past few days..
-we saw a billboard advertising cheepsh (chips) this morning..so our joke today has been to ask if we want cheepsh for a snack
-we had a snorer our first night train that was so bad you had to laugh...he would start with a long loud inhale snore...then do some sort of wheezing on his exhale. I almost got out my camera to video it because it was so unbelievable. deb is describing in more detail...
- we decided the next guys to ask for a photo with us were going to be told it would cost them 500 rupees( ($10 bucks - pretty cheap!). we tried it out today in the Taj Mahal and the guys who asked had a good laugh...it was a good way to say no thanks with a smile. :)
Things that let me know I'm getting used to being here:
- I no longer flinch when I'm walking down the road or in a rickshaw and another rickshaw or car passes me with inches to spare. I also don't jump or turn around when they honk but just slowly move further to the side of the road.
-I am accustomed to seeing cows wandering in the middle of the road...and watching cars or rickshaws just drive around them.
-I don't expect to find toilet paper in any washroom, public or otherwise
- I use hand sani on average of once an hour.
-I will order sweet cardamom chai whenever I can get it
- I've started saying yes yes or yeah yeah in response to questions...I've also been using the common phrase "no problem" with a little head shake
-It doesn't surprise me to hear the call to prayer anymore (although hearing it this morning at 5:30am leaving Jaipur when it was dark and hearing the call when the streets were empty and no-one was around - it was really eerie sounding).
-we're now able to figure out who's married, who's single and who's a newly wed based on their dress and jewelry
So Jaipur...we got in...tired after our restless night on the train with the snoring guy..managed to offend rickshaw drivers who were pretty persistent in the train station as we arrived....tired and looking for a pre-pay option..we were followed by about 10-12 drivers all trying to get our business and we ended up being pretty direct telling them to buzz off. :) We got to our hotel and settled in to come up with a game plan. We ended up heading out to a block print factory museum, just outside town to watch how they've been doing these amazing prints we've seen on Sari's all over the place. Really facinating. http://www.anokhi.com/anokhi/anokhi-museum.html. Both Deb and I got to try....
From there...we headed back to get on a half day guided tour trip of the city. We loaded into a 4WD with a family, ourselves, a guy from Delhi and a guy from China. We were aided greatly by the guy from Delhi as he spoke english really well and was able to translate from our driver. (He should have gotten a commission). We drove through the old city, painted pink as pink is the colour of joy,
and ended up at this observatory where there were all these old tools used for math and astrology etc. A really old sundial, compass...that sort of thing. There was a guide provided to us, who wore a cowboy hat (Deb called him the mexicano), he was older and he singled deb and I out as the english speakers in the group. he would call us over "madam, madam! come here...move to the front, come here...". this is in a group of 15-20 people...and Deb and I were the ones who got his attention. I was offered hindi lessons from him...hmmm...so Deb and I started slacking in the group as his english was really bad,his accent was really strong and he yelled. constantly. :) so having him yell some explanation you possibly get 30% of understanding from, while the rest of the group is all watching you, we became slackers. When we got in the city palace, he directed us to get headsets to listen to...thank goodness. see photo below in observatory..and my facial expression as I'm trying not to laugh while he's shouting explanations at me in front of the group. (It reminded me of being at church when I was younger and sitting right in front of a preacher...the area we used to call the spit pit) :)
From here we went to a textile shop where I entertained the shop keepers (and the family on the tour with us - they took photos), by trying on a sari. It was gorgeous. 
From here we went to the Amber fort...did some exploring. Really beautiful...
Few funny things from the past few days..
-we saw a billboard advertising cheepsh (chips) this morning..so our joke today has been to ask if we want cheepsh for a snack
-we had a snorer our first night train that was so bad you had to laugh...he would start with a long loud inhale snore...then do some sort of wheezing on his exhale. I almost got out my camera to video it because it was so unbelievable. deb is describing in more detail...
- we decided the next guys to ask for a photo with us were going to be told it would cost them 500 rupees( ($10 bucks - pretty cheap!). we tried it out today in the Taj Mahal and the guys who asked had a good laugh...it was a good way to say no thanks with a smile. :)
Things that let me know I'm getting used to being here:
- I no longer flinch when I'm walking down the road or in a rickshaw and another rickshaw or car passes me with inches to spare. I also don't jump or turn around when they honk but just slowly move further to the side of the road.
-I am accustomed to seeing cows wandering in the middle of the road...and watching cars or rickshaws just drive around them.
-I don't expect to find toilet paper in any washroom, public or otherwise
- I use hand sani on average of once an hour.
-I will order sweet cardamom chai whenever I can get it
- I've started saying yes yes or yeah yeah in response to questions...I've also been using the common phrase "no problem" with a little head shake
-It doesn't surprise me to hear the call to prayer anymore (although hearing it this morning at 5:30am leaving Jaipur when it was dark and hearing the call when the streets were empty and no-one was around - it was really eerie sounding).
-we're now able to figure out who's married, who's single and who's a newly wed based on their dress and jewelry
So Jaipur...we got in...tired after our restless night on the train with the snoring guy..managed to offend rickshaw drivers who were pretty persistent in the train station as we arrived....tired and looking for a pre-pay option..we were followed by about 10-12 drivers all trying to get our business and we ended up being pretty direct telling them to buzz off. :) We got to our hotel and settled in to come up with a game plan. We ended up heading out to a block print factory museum, just outside town to watch how they've been doing these amazing prints we've seen on Sari's all over the place. Really facinating. http://www.anokhi.com/anokhi/anokhi-museum.html. Both Deb and I got to try....
From there...we headed back to get on a half day guided tour trip of the city. We loaded into a 4WD with a family, ourselves, a guy from Delhi and a guy from China. We were aided greatly by the guy from Delhi as he spoke english really well and was able to translate from our driver. (He should have gotten a commission). We drove through the old city, painted pink as pink is the colour of joy,
and ended up at this observatory where there were all these old tools used for math and astrology etc. A really old sundial, compass...that sort of thing. There was a guide provided to us, who wore a cowboy hat (Deb called him the mexicano), he was older and he singled deb and I out as the english speakers in the group. he would call us over "madam, madam! come here...move to the front, come here...". this is in a group of 15-20 people...and Deb and I were the ones who got his attention. I was offered hindi lessons from him...hmmm...so Deb and I started slacking in the group as his english was really bad,his accent was really strong and he yelled. constantly. :) so having him yell some explanation you possibly get 30% of understanding from, while the rest of the group is all watching you, we became slackers. When we got in the city palace, he directed us to get headsets to listen to...thank goodness. see photo below in observatory..and my facial expression as I'm trying not to laugh while he's shouting explanations at me in front of the group. (It reminded me of being at church when I was younger and sitting right in front of a preacher...the area we used to call the spit pit) :)
From here we went to a textile shop where I entertained the shop keepers (and the family on the tour with us - they took photos), by trying on a sari. It was gorgeous. 
From here we went to the Amber fort...did some exploring. Really beautiful...
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Jaipur, Rajasthan
hello all, (this is another back-to-the-future post)
we embarked on an adventure of a train ride bound for Jaipur late yesterday evening. after checking out of our hotel, we grabbed an auto rickshaw at about 9 o'clock at night. speaking honestly, we were both a little nervous about this train ride. but, we held on to the fact that everyone we had spoken to up until that point always made it out ok. sure, the ride might have been a little bumpy, you may not get that much sleep, but we never heard one story of theft, danger, or "i'll never ride a train in india again!"....and so with that, we took off...cautious and ready for this next leg of our trip.
we found ourselves at a less-than crowded train station, and strategically situated ourselves on a bench positioned next to a family for 4. the little boy got quite comfy with me and started leaning into me as mel and i attempted to play poker with miniature cards. there, we stayed for the next hour and a half in anticipation of what our train would look like, which entrance to go in, and how many foreigners were around us. around 1030pm, foreigners and locals alike merged towards the edge of the grimy platform to board the approaching train. "3AC" was the class of train we were booked for. in layman's term...this code simply means that we were in a berth which had 3 tiers of bunk beds on 2 sides (yes a total of 6 people in a space no wider than....9 feet x 5?). the AC also meant that we had air-conditioning, which we were looking forward to...
we boarded the train, and found our bunks no problem. the beds were vinyl and we were provided each with a pillow, a bedsheet and a blanket which we promptly exchanged for our own sleeping gear. we chucked our packs at the head of our beds, set up our pillows and got ready to call it a night. Mel was on the top bunk and i was in the middle bunk...slightly squishy, but totally manageable. there were 5 people total in our berth. we were happy. we got ready to call it a night, and were pleased with our berth mates and the sanitary state of our beds. lights went out around midnight after a train conductor took attendance and ensured that we were who we said we were. our berth peacefully enjoyed the air conditioning, and the steadiness of the train. we sensed that it was going to be a restful journey...
and then at around 130am...
the lights were flicked on. the 6th bunk (middle bunk, across from me!) was opened up, and out came a beast of a man. before he laid his head on the pillow, he proceeded to turn off the fan that circulated the cool breeze of the AC. for the next 5 hours, my 4 berth mates and i tried desperately to get some sleep. no less than 10 minutes of his lights out did we hear what resembled a horse "neigh"ing in tandem with a squealing pig, alongside the putt-putt-putt of a motorcycle. it was an awful sound. truly awful. and being at the same height as me at a distance of a mere 3 feet, if that...he might as well have been snoring into a cup placed up against my ear. i swiftly grabbed my iPod and blasted the music to no avail. the steady strum of guitar or a melodic hum of a harmonica was rudely interrupted by the beast of the horse-pig. it didn't stop for the entire duration of the trip. even after we all woke up and started packing our bags around 6am...the horse-pig continued on in his sleep. did i mention the frequent occurrences of flatulence that took place as well? we were all saluted with a final toot as we exited the berth, dreary-eyed and ready for a real bed, with some fresh air.
We will never forget that ridiculous train ride from Udaipur to Jaipur. as Mel said, "no one can call us pansies now that we've taken a train in India...no one!"
i believe Mel will be sharing with you the rest of our day in Jaipur, so i'll stop here and end with a poorly lit photo of me in the train...
sleep well :)
dL
we embarked on an adventure of a train ride bound for Jaipur late yesterday evening. after checking out of our hotel, we grabbed an auto rickshaw at about 9 o'clock at night. speaking honestly, we were both a little nervous about this train ride. but, we held on to the fact that everyone we had spoken to up until that point always made it out ok. sure, the ride might have been a little bumpy, you may not get that much sleep, but we never heard one story of theft, danger, or "i'll never ride a train in india again!"....and so with that, we took off...cautious and ready for this next leg of our trip.
we found ourselves at a less-than crowded train station, and strategically situated ourselves on a bench positioned next to a family for 4. the little boy got quite comfy with me and started leaning into me as mel and i attempted to play poker with miniature cards. there, we stayed for the next hour and a half in anticipation of what our train would look like, which entrance to go in, and how many foreigners were around us. around 1030pm, foreigners and locals alike merged towards the edge of the grimy platform to board the approaching train. "3AC" was the class of train we were booked for. in layman's term...this code simply means that we were in a berth which had 3 tiers of bunk beds on 2 sides (yes a total of 6 people in a space no wider than....9 feet x 5?). the AC also meant that we had air-conditioning, which we were looking forward to...
we boarded the train, and found our bunks no problem. the beds were vinyl and we were provided each with a pillow, a bedsheet and a blanket which we promptly exchanged for our own sleeping gear. we chucked our packs at the head of our beds, set up our pillows and got ready to call it a night. Mel was on the top bunk and i was in the middle bunk...slightly squishy, but totally manageable. there were 5 people total in our berth. we were happy. we got ready to call it a night, and were pleased with our berth mates and the sanitary state of our beds. lights went out around midnight after a train conductor took attendance and ensured that we were who we said we were. our berth peacefully enjoyed the air conditioning, and the steadiness of the train. we sensed that it was going to be a restful journey...
and then at around 130am...
the lights were flicked on. the 6th bunk (middle bunk, across from me!) was opened up, and out came a beast of a man. before he laid his head on the pillow, he proceeded to turn off the fan that circulated the cool breeze of the AC. for the next 5 hours, my 4 berth mates and i tried desperately to get some sleep. no less than 10 minutes of his lights out did we hear what resembled a horse "neigh"ing in tandem with a squealing pig, alongside the putt-putt-putt of a motorcycle. it was an awful sound. truly awful. and being at the same height as me at a distance of a mere 3 feet, if that...he might as well have been snoring into a cup placed up against my ear. i swiftly grabbed my iPod and blasted the music to no avail. the steady strum of guitar or a melodic hum of a harmonica was rudely interrupted by the beast of the horse-pig. it didn't stop for the entire duration of the trip. even after we all woke up and started packing our bags around 6am...the horse-pig continued on in his sleep. did i mention the frequent occurrences of flatulence that took place as well? we were all saluted with a final toot as we exited the berth, dreary-eyed and ready for a real bed, with some fresh air.
We will never forget that ridiculous train ride from Udaipur to Jaipur. as Mel said, "no one can call us pansies now that we've taken a train in India...no one!"
i believe Mel will be sharing with you the rest of our day in Jaipur, so i'll stop here and end with a poorly lit photo of me in the train...
sleep well :)
dL
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Udaipur
Hey Everyone,
We're here in Udaipur, leaving tonight on our first of 4 train journeys through to Darjeeling. After this, I may never train again. :) We'll see. We've managed to get most overnight trains with airconditioning (which is important considering it's about 36 degrees in Udaipur now) but have heard mixed reviews from those who have done this route in different stages so I'll reserve my judgement for later. :)
Udaipur is a gorgeous city. I enjoyed being in Mumbai for many different reasons and found it to be a facinating city but then we arrived in Udaipur and it took us by surprise. It's sort of magical...there's palaces all over the place and it's so beautiful here! Deb keeps singing Alladin songs...(I have songs from our visit to the village school outside Pune stuck in my head..."my momma gave me some rupees to buy some bananas...I went to the store to buy but they didn't have any so what did I get? Tubera! Na na na na tubera...etc" This song then substitutes samosa and papaya in place of banana also. :) very cute.) We found a hostel to stay which is amazing. It has balconies on every floor, looks very mediterranean and is the best place to chill with a view (in my opinion). Although we haven't seen other places and there are amazing views all over this city still...it's a find. The owner is a sweet older man who told us to beware of those "cheater boys" who would try to sell us package tours that are overinflated price. :) Once we got there, it was hot so we decided to laze around on these big loungers upstairs on the roof, just admiring the view of the city. We went out shopping last night and got oriented (ie got lost) but on our way back..having asked for directions..oh...more than 7 or 8 times in all (they all gave us different instructions!), we ran into this man selling these tapestries on the street, right near our hostel. We started to chat with him and ended up in his house, while he pulled out probably 50+ for us to see. Amazing artwork...he said each one can take up to 15 days to make by the women because there's so much handstitching involved. Needless to say, Deb and I both loved more than one so...we've now got baggage to cart with us in our journey through Rajasthan. :) Then...comes the funny story. So after dinner, we were in our room and Deb was washing some clothes in the bathroom. All of a sudden - I heard this low "mel...you need to come here". I go to the door and she tells me in a slightly stressed our voice "there is a lizard in here the size of a small mouse and i can't open the door or I'll squish it!" There may have been some shrieking in this also. My response wasn't very compassionate "just open the door...he'll move!". to which she replied..."I can't!! auugghhh!". So after this goes back and forth a bit and she can see I don't have any bright ideas, I zipped up our bags in the room so he coudln't get into anything and then climbed on the bed to wait for her to open the door! ha ha. she kept trying to get me to open the door but I was waiting for her to do it from inside the bathroom because I didn't want him to jump on me! (Oh - also important to the story...she's describing this ugly creature as being translucent with a rodent face and big...uugh). So she finally creaks the door open, painfully slowly....and all of a sudden this wet dress comes flying out of the bathroom, almost hits me, and lands on the floor right in front of where I was! it then was followed by another dress, then her bandana. each one just being chucked out the door with no clue to where she was throwing them. It was unbelievably comical. There was still shrieking with this too..every time the lizard moved slightly. She then comes flying out the door and slams it shut. How nice...we can never use this bathroom again apparently. lol. After she calmed down slightly...we cracked the door open a bit and then she pulls out her mirror to try to see where the lizard has gone to. I'm not scared of gecko's but this one sounded particularly ugly so i wasn't really looking forward to sharing a bathroom with him. Eventually, I gave up, went inside to check out this ugly lizard (who was truly ugly) and we managed to get along ok. We did shut the door overnight to let him find his way out. :) Then today, we're chilling on the roof top, taking in the view of Udaipur and Deb leans over and looks at something on my pantleg. I leaned forward to see what she was looking at and there was this gross cream coloured spider with a huge body. I freaked out (I'm making the story even..she freaks out over a gecko, I did over a spider) :) and tried to frantically brush it off. The pesky little thing managed to get somewhere else on my huge baloon pants so I had to do this flailing dance several times before he was off me. My heart was racing once I was done and at that point we decided we were done chilling on the roof. And Deb? She sat back, calmly watching the whole thing. :) Ahh friends...they're so great. :)
Few more things....the head nod thing..and the staring. arg the staring.
I had a big "RRAAAGGGHHH" to Deb the other day getting back from Elephantus island because of the staring. It's different I find than other countries and is so unbelievably rude. I've been finding it a difficult balance to handle as it detracts from the beauty and enjoyment of India slightly. To discourage it, the best thing to do is to avoid eye contact. But then that means you are on guard about soaking in the atmosphere and always aware of where you're looking and for how long etc. The women do it as well as the men too. You look around and inevitably you make eye contact all around you. And they don't look away. So then I resort to my 'stink eye' look which usually gets the point across (generally) but that's no fun...So I'm still finding a balance. You can try to ignore it and pretend it doesn't exist but that's really difficult to do. The men here seriously need to learn manners. lol. On another note - getting henna done has been a connecting thing for me with a few people here which wasn't expected. It's been really neat. The kids at the school loved it (the nursery kids would come and lean up against me and pet my hands) and I think it helped to bridge that I looked very different from them. I've gotten comments from shop keepers, yes trying to get my attention, but commenting in a positive way as we pass as well... Also, on the boat ride the other day, as we were getting off, this woman grabbed my hand and was showing her daughter my arms. She also had mendi on her arms and it was just a great thing to share some smiles with some locals. :)
The head wag. I love it..and I am trying to get the art of it down. :) It means so many things but is so universal here that you begin to understand what they're saying even when you don't understand the words. My favourite was again at the village school..when asked a question..there's 40 little kids all wagging their heads side to side in acknowledgement and agreement. So unbelievably cute. So yes - I'm working on this as something to bring back with me just cause. :)
Oh - and our wearing Kurtas and more traditional clothing has been good. We noticed a few reactions today and yesterday, here in Udaipur, which have affirmed our decision to dress in these. One palace guard noticed our clothes and smiled and his greeting was a little more friendly so in these small ways I'm glad that we're showing our respect for their culture. :)
Still loving India...so unique. :) I can't describe the city like Deb can but have some amazing photos from here...looking forward to sharing them with you when we're back. :)
Hope you're all well.
Mel
We're here in Udaipur, leaving tonight on our first of 4 train journeys through to Darjeeling. After this, I may never train again. :) We'll see. We've managed to get most overnight trains with airconditioning (which is important considering it's about 36 degrees in Udaipur now) but have heard mixed reviews from those who have done this route in different stages so I'll reserve my judgement for later. :)
Udaipur is a gorgeous city. I enjoyed being in Mumbai for many different reasons and found it to be a facinating city but then we arrived in Udaipur and it took us by surprise. It's sort of magical...there's palaces all over the place and it's so beautiful here! Deb keeps singing Alladin songs...(I have songs from our visit to the village school outside Pune stuck in my head..."my momma gave me some rupees to buy some bananas...I went to the store to buy but they didn't have any so what did I get? Tubera! Na na na na tubera...etc" This song then substitutes samosa and papaya in place of banana also. :) very cute.) We found a hostel to stay which is amazing. It has balconies on every floor, looks very mediterranean and is the best place to chill with a view (in my opinion). Although we haven't seen other places and there are amazing views all over this city still...it's a find. The owner is a sweet older man who told us to beware of those "cheater boys" who would try to sell us package tours that are overinflated price. :) Once we got there, it was hot so we decided to laze around on these big loungers upstairs on the roof, just admiring the view of the city. We went out shopping last night and got oriented (ie got lost) but on our way back..having asked for directions..oh...more than 7 or 8 times in all (they all gave us different instructions!), we ran into this man selling these tapestries on the street, right near our hostel. We started to chat with him and ended up in his house, while he pulled out probably 50+ for us to see. Amazing artwork...he said each one can take up to 15 days to make by the women because there's so much handstitching involved. Needless to say, Deb and I both loved more than one so...we've now got baggage to cart with us in our journey through Rajasthan. :) Then...comes the funny story. So after dinner, we were in our room and Deb was washing some clothes in the bathroom. All of a sudden - I heard this low "mel...you need to come here". I go to the door and she tells me in a slightly stressed our voice "there is a lizard in here the size of a small mouse and i can't open the door or I'll squish it!" There may have been some shrieking in this also. My response wasn't very compassionate "just open the door...he'll move!". to which she replied..."I can't!! auugghhh!". So after this goes back and forth a bit and she can see I don't have any bright ideas, I zipped up our bags in the room so he coudln't get into anything and then climbed on the bed to wait for her to open the door! ha ha. she kept trying to get me to open the door but I was waiting for her to do it from inside the bathroom because I didn't want him to jump on me! (Oh - also important to the story...she's describing this ugly creature as being translucent with a rodent face and big...uugh). So she finally creaks the door open, painfully slowly....and all of a sudden this wet dress comes flying out of the bathroom, almost hits me, and lands on the floor right in front of where I was! it then was followed by another dress, then her bandana. each one just being chucked out the door with no clue to where she was throwing them. It was unbelievably comical. There was still shrieking with this too..every time the lizard moved slightly. She then comes flying out the door and slams it shut. How nice...we can never use this bathroom again apparently. lol. After she calmed down slightly...we cracked the door open a bit and then she pulls out her mirror to try to see where the lizard has gone to. I'm not scared of gecko's but this one sounded particularly ugly so i wasn't really looking forward to sharing a bathroom with him. Eventually, I gave up, went inside to check out this ugly lizard (who was truly ugly) and we managed to get along ok. We did shut the door overnight to let him find his way out. :) Then today, we're chilling on the roof top, taking in the view of Udaipur and Deb leans over and looks at something on my pantleg. I leaned forward to see what she was looking at and there was this gross cream coloured spider with a huge body. I freaked out (I'm making the story even..she freaks out over a gecko, I did over a spider) :) and tried to frantically brush it off. The pesky little thing managed to get somewhere else on my huge baloon pants so I had to do this flailing dance several times before he was off me. My heart was racing once I was done and at that point we decided we were done chilling on the roof. And Deb? She sat back, calmly watching the whole thing. :) Ahh friends...they're so great. :)
Few more things....the head nod thing..and the staring. arg the staring.
I had a big "RRAAAGGGHHH" to Deb the other day getting back from Elephantus island because of the staring. It's different I find than other countries and is so unbelievably rude. I've been finding it a difficult balance to handle as it detracts from the beauty and enjoyment of India slightly. To discourage it, the best thing to do is to avoid eye contact. But then that means you are on guard about soaking in the atmosphere and always aware of where you're looking and for how long etc. The women do it as well as the men too. You look around and inevitably you make eye contact all around you. And they don't look away. So then I resort to my 'stink eye' look which usually gets the point across (generally) but that's no fun...So I'm still finding a balance. You can try to ignore it and pretend it doesn't exist but that's really difficult to do. The men here seriously need to learn manners. lol. On another note - getting henna done has been a connecting thing for me with a few people here which wasn't expected. It's been really neat. The kids at the school loved it (the nursery kids would come and lean up against me and pet my hands) and I think it helped to bridge that I looked very different from them. I've gotten comments from shop keepers, yes trying to get my attention, but commenting in a positive way as we pass as well... Also, on the boat ride the other day, as we were getting off, this woman grabbed my hand and was showing her daughter my arms. She also had mendi on her arms and it was just a great thing to share some smiles with some locals. :)
The head wag. I love it..and I am trying to get the art of it down. :) It means so many things but is so universal here that you begin to understand what they're saying even when you don't understand the words. My favourite was again at the village school..when asked a question..there's 40 little kids all wagging their heads side to side in acknowledgement and agreement. So unbelievably cute. So yes - I'm working on this as something to bring back with me just cause. :)
Oh - and our wearing Kurtas and more traditional clothing has been good. We noticed a few reactions today and yesterday, here in Udaipur, which have affirmed our decision to dress in these. One palace guard noticed our clothes and smiled and his greeting was a little more friendly so in these small ways I'm glad that we're showing our respect for their culture. :)
Still loving India...so unique. :) I can't describe the city like Deb can but have some amazing photos from here...looking forward to sharing them with you when we're back. :)
Hope you're all well.
Mel
Udaipur, Rajasthan
Greetings friends,
i have greatly enjoyed my stay here in Udaipur. the last 48 hours have been a step back in time where palaces, cobblestone streets, forts and detailed artwork have ruled.
upon arrival, Mel and i found ourselves a lovely guesthouse that faces the famous Lake Pichola. known as possibly one of the most romantic cities in India, Udaipur is home to two distinct palace islands (no joke...there is no other land than the palace itself...and you can only get there by boat) known as Jagmandir and Jagniwas palace. the water is rather murky, but along this body of water are a series of ghats, where you'll find people washing laundry, children swimming, and ducks lazing.
as we peeked our way thru the back alleys of our neighbourhood, Lal Ghat, it seemed like there was some sort of activity going on in every doorway. once, i saw a man eating his lunch. another time, i saw a man was holding incense and praying to Ganesh. just outside another doorway, i saw what appeared to be some sort of psychadelic medicine man with a painted face...i walked quickly after seeing him. ..!
one of the most prominent features here in Udaipur is the City Palace, where Kings ruled for hundreds of years. Walking thru the palace halls reminded me of Aladdin. i really felt like i have a better sense of the Disney cartoon after seeing the palace...all i needed was a Genie. i even recalled singing Aladdin songs to my nephew with my sister-in-law...what fun we have! the palaces and buildings here are very ornate. there is much detail in the design of the building and the people take pride in the details of their work. Rajasthani art consists of hand-made embroidery, patch work and mini paintings of minute detail. Mel and i were chatting over dinner that the vibe of Udaipur is one of a healthy pride. the people seem to take pride in their work, and this attitude is also reflected in its care for the land, the use of green space, the cleanliness of the streets, and the consistent restoration of the palaces. preservation instead of deterioration. i believe the word Mel used was "magical". i would agree and further add that it is a charming city, and i would certainly return.
sightseeing aside, Mel and i have gotten into a routine of having our siesta. for those who may not be familiar with that term, it is a spanish word that we've both experiened in our travels...it is a break period, usually during the hottest time of the day where everyone naps, breaks, and businesses shut down. so...during the hottest time of the day, we've gotten into the habit of lounging. in Arambol it was on the beach. in Mumbai, we strategically took the boat ride ensuring us shade and an ocean breeze, and in Udaipur, we prop ourselves atop a rooftop couch, overlooking the two palace islands, under some shade. siestas have been nice for us...Mel usually reads...and i usually nap, haha.
friends, my tastebuds have been LOVING the treats here. curries and rotis aside, we have finally found sugar cane juice! i treated myself to a cup of freshly squeezed juice in Mumbai on the side of a busy street (yes, i am eating/drinking street food against all others advice...but as Mel says...i seem to have a stomach of iron!), then was pleasantly surprised to find another vendor here... did i mention that we found pomegranate juice as well? oh my goodness...im so happy. it only takes a couple of hours for me to begin feeling thirsty again with the heat and all...but knowing that my steady gait will carry me to a cup full of delicious natural goodness makes all that waiting, walking and heat-annoyance worth it :)
we are grabbing out train this evening to Jaipur...our first train of four for this next leg of the trip. we'll see what adventure awaits us!
much love,
dL
i have greatly enjoyed my stay here in Udaipur. the last 48 hours have been a step back in time where palaces, cobblestone streets, forts and detailed artwork have ruled.
upon arrival, Mel and i found ourselves a lovely guesthouse that faces the famous Lake Pichola. known as possibly one of the most romantic cities in India, Udaipur is home to two distinct palace islands (no joke...there is no other land than the palace itself...and you can only get there by boat) known as Jagmandir and Jagniwas palace. the water is rather murky, but along this body of water are a series of ghats, where you'll find people washing laundry, children swimming, and ducks lazing.
as we peeked our way thru the back alleys of our neighbourhood, Lal Ghat, it seemed like there was some sort of activity going on in every doorway. once, i saw a man eating his lunch. another time, i saw a man was holding incense and praying to Ganesh. just outside another doorway, i saw what appeared to be some sort of psychadelic medicine man with a painted face...i walked quickly after seeing him. ..!
one of the most prominent features here in Udaipur is the City Palace, where Kings ruled for hundreds of years. Walking thru the palace halls reminded me of Aladdin. i really felt like i have a better sense of the Disney cartoon after seeing the palace...all i needed was a Genie. i even recalled singing Aladdin songs to my nephew with my sister-in-law...what fun we have! the palaces and buildings here are very ornate. there is much detail in the design of the building and the people take pride in the details of their work. Rajasthani art consists of hand-made embroidery, patch work and mini paintings of minute detail. Mel and i were chatting over dinner that the vibe of Udaipur is one of a healthy pride. the people seem to take pride in their work, and this attitude is also reflected in its care for the land, the use of green space, the cleanliness of the streets, and the consistent restoration of the palaces. preservation instead of deterioration. i believe the word Mel used was "magical". i would agree and further add that it is a charming city, and i would certainly return.
sightseeing aside, Mel and i have gotten into a routine of having our siesta. for those who may not be familiar with that term, it is a spanish word that we've both experiened in our travels...it is a break period, usually during the hottest time of the day where everyone naps, breaks, and businesses shut down. so...during the hottest time of the day, we've gotten into the habit of lounging. in Arambol it was on the beach. in Mumbai, we strategically took the boat ride ensuring us shade and an ocean breeze, and in Udaipur, we prop ourselves atop a rooftop couch, overlooking the two palace islands, under some shade. siestas have been nice for us...Mel usually reads...and i usually nap, haha.
friends, my tastebuds have been LOVING the treats here. curries and rotis aside, we have finally found sugar cane juice! i treated myself to a cup of freshly squeezed juice in Mumbai on the side of a busy street (yes, i am eating/drinking street food against all others advice...but as Mel says...i seem to have a stomach of iron!), then was pleasantly surprised to find another vendor here... did i mention that we found pomegranate juice as well? oh my goodness...im so happy. it only takes a couple of hours for me to begin feeling thirsty again with the heat and all...but knowing that my steady gait will carry me to a cup full of delicious natural goodness makes all that waiting, walking and heat-annoyance worth it :)
we are grabbing out train this evening to Jaipur...our first train of four for this next leg of the trip. we'll see what adventure awaits us!
much love,
dL
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Mumbai, Maharashtra
hello all,
we've spent the last 2 days in Mumbai, graciously hosted by some friendly faces who are here on various internships with International Justice MIssion.
our time in Mumbai has been short, but we've managed to see a fair amount and most importantly, take the time to dangle our feet....i'll explain this bit in a second.
in the 48 hours we've been here, we've
-watched the film, Amelia, in a theatre, and were surprised to learn that each movie always begins with the Indian national anthem, and also includes an intermission...aka bathroom break
-checked out the posher areas of Malabar Hill and mosied into a Jain Temple, as well as Baganga Ghat, a local watering hole- sorta-hangout
-visited a famous archway known as the Gateway of India, across the street from one of the most expensive hotels in India (you may recall a terrorist attack at the hotel in 2008)
-checked out some Hindu cave temples on a nearby island called Elephanta Island
-chilled along the seawall of Chow Patty Beach
-rode in numerous autorickshaws and taxis
-connected with some great girls from the IJM community
-attended a church service in a house of no more than...30 people or so?
like any other major city in the world, Mumbai has its posh, and its poor. its fine dining, and local pizza joint. it's India's business hub, and home one of Asia's poorest slums, Dharavi. its a mix of people, languages, food, and culture...and we've managed to capture only a glimpse of what this electric city has to offer. i mentioned earlier that amidst all the things we did (and didn't have time to do), we managed to find time to dangle our feet...
let me ask you something...
when was the last time you dangled your feet? i came to a realization today when we were sitting along the seawall that as we, and many others, were enjoying the view of the sun bowing its head into the ocean as it was making its way over to your end of the world, that people were dangling their feet. it seems to me that people don't generally dangle their feet when they are angry, anxious or perhaps even frustrated. no, i tend to pace if im angry, tap my feet if im anxious, or combine both if im frustrated...but to dangle ones feet...this seems to be a more enjoyable motion. dangling suggests to me that one is perhaps content, contemplative or even joyful. i think of a child dangling their feet on a swing, or perhaps while seated on a dock overlooking a lake. i looked to me left and there was a couple in conversation...dangling their feet. i looked to my right and there was a man reading a book with his head slumped in his right hand reflecting on the text held by his left hand...while dangling his feet. i looked at Mel and i...and we were dangling our feet, smiling, and reflecting on our day, and time so far in India.
as overwhelming as life can be sometimes...whether you're backpacking, working a 9-5, or chipping away at what seems to be a never-ending project/thesis/paper/life...i'd encourage you to make the time to dangle your feet....whatever that looks like to you.. return to a place where the world is once again your playground, and you can embrace for a moment or two, a child-like view of the world...
we're off to Udaipur tomorrow morning, but not before a short visit to the IJM headquarters.
peace,
dL
[Temple Cave, Elephanta Island]
[3 heads of Shiva, Elephanta Island]
[temple caves on Elephanta Island, 9km east of Mumbai, 1 hour ferry ride]
[view of the Taj Mahal Hotel and Tower, and the Gateway of India]
[Mel and I en route to Elephanta Island]
[a boy jumping into the water off from our ferry ride to Elephanta Island...not the cleanest water, but him and his friends sure looked like they were having a great time cooling off!]
[Baganga Ghat, on Malabar Hill]
since a picture is worth a thousand words...
[view from Malabar Hill]
we've spent the last 2 days in Mumbai, graciously hosted by some friendly faces who are here on various internships with International Justice MIssion.
our time in Mumbai has been short, but we've managed to see a fair amount and most importantly, take the time to dangle our feet....i'll explain this bit in a second.
in the 48 hours we've been here, we've
-watched the film, Amelia, in a theatre, and were surprised to learn that each movie always begins with the Indian national anthem, and also includes an intermission...aka bathroom break
-checked out the posher areas of Malabar Hill and mosied into a Jain Temple, as well as Baganga Ghat, a local watering hole- sorta-hangout
-visited a famous archway known as the Gateway of India, across the street from one of the most expensive hotels in India (you may recall a terrorist attack at the hotel in 2008)
-checked out some Hindu cave temples on a nearby island called Elephanta Island
-chilled along the seawall of Chow Patty Beach
-rode in numerous autorickshaws and taxis
-connected with some great girls from the IJM community
-attended a church service in a house of no more than...30 people or so?
like any other major city in the world, Mumbai has its posh, and its poor. its fine dining, and local pizza joint. it's India's business hub, and home one of Asia's poorest slums, Dharavi. its a mix of people, languages, food, and culture...and we've managed to capture only a glimpse of what this electric city has to offer. i mentioned earlier that amidst all the things we did (and didn't have time to do), we managed to find time to dangle our feet...
let me ask you something...
when was the last time you dangled your feet? i came to a realization today when we were sitting along the seawall that as we, and many others, were enjoying the view of the sun bowing its head into the ocean as it was making its way over to your end of the world, that people were dangling their feet. it seems to me that people don't generally dangle their feet when they are angry, anxious or perhaps even frustrated. no, i tend to pace if im angry, tap my feet if im anxious, or combine both if im frustrated...but to dangle ones feet...this seems to be a more enjoyable motion. dangling suggests to me that one is perhaps content, contemplative or even joyful. i think of a child dangling their feet on a swing, or perhaps while seated on a dock overlooking a lake. i looked to me left and there was a couple in conversation...dangling their feet. i looked to my right and there was a man reading a book with his head slumped in his right hand reflecting on the text held by his left hand...while dangling his feet. i looked at Mel and i...and we were dangling our feet, smiling, and reflecting on our day, and time so far in India.
as overwhelming as life can be sometimes...whether you're backpacking, working a 9-5, or chipping away at what seems to be a never-ending project/thesis/paper/life...i'd encourage you to make the time to dangle your feet....whatever that looks like to you.. return to a place where the world is once again your playground, and you can embrace for a moment or two, a child-like view of the world...
we're off to Udaipur tomorrow morning, but not before a short visit to the IJM headquarters.
peace,
dL
[Temple Cave, Elephanta Island]
[3 heads of Shiva, Elephanta Island]
[temple caves on Elephanta Island, 9km east of Mumbai, 1 hour ferry ride]
[view of the Taj Mahal Hotel and Tower, and the Gateway of India]
[Mel and I en route to Elephanta Island]
[a boy jumping into the water off from our ferry ride to Elephanta Island...not the cleanest water, but him and his friends sure looked like they were having a great time cooling off!]
[Baganga Ghat, on Malabar Hill]
since a picture is worth a thousand words...
[view from Malabar Hill]
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