I head to Tamil Nadu tomorrow with Katie and the girls for 8 days, with Steve likely joining us for the last 3. We may shoot down to Kerala from Tamil Nadu and do a week there, but that is yet to be determined. It will be a lovely break from the hustle and bustle of the city life. I am sure I will have a lot to blog about upon our return.
In the meantime, Delhi life is, well, Delhi life. The temperatures have dropped to bearable, but it's still hot, hot, hot. Sun shines daily, aside from three days of downpours, which ruined many roads, and flooded some neighborhoods entirely. Needless to say, the drought is over, and our seasonal rainfall expected was reached. However, the flooding wreaked havoc on the whole city and I found myself stranded in Gurgaon. If anyone has read The White Tiger (which I highly recommend), the picture in your mind of Gurgaon is likely not so flattering. A concrete jungle, really, underwater. Apparently the flooding affected US companies across the board, as I received an email from Sara regarding delays on Ernst and Young projects due to the Delhi/Gurgaon rain. Imagine a New England snowstorm, or better yet, a freak snowstorm in the South where they have no plows or means to deal with the snow, and so their whole world shuts down temporarily. It was quite something!
Last week, I went to a dinner party at a family's home in Gurgaon. The hostess is from Kerala, and she made the most delicious Keralan food. It was heavenly...rice with cashews and coconut milk, a chicken curry, veg curry, spiced mutton (lamb) and more. It was so delish!! I love the South Indian food, light and full of coconut and mostly rice based. Katie and I have taken to the local Bhavans, government approved, or run (I'm not really sure) roadside eateries. So we've had street food, officially. And we're alive!! The Bhavans are frequented mainly by locals, and feature typical cuisines from around India. The one we went to most recently was South Indian, but I can't recall the specific area. I have fallen in love with Masala Dosa, a rice and lentil pancake (crepe-like) spiced with masala and wrapped around a potato mixture. And I love, love, love idlis, which small, round, steamed rice and lentil bread. The taste is reminscent of the Ethiopian teff flour bread, except they are not flat and thin. They are generally dipped in sambar, a spicy vegetable soup or in coconut chutney, both delicious. I also spread jam on them for breakfast, or dip them in a mixture of yogurt and coconut milk. They are excellent, and easy to make using a mix and an idli steamer! If you get a chance to try South Indian food, do it. The most common Indian cuisine in the States is North Indian, heavy on the dairy and flour, and they use the Tandoori oven to make things like naan or yummy chicken.
There are a couple of big holidays coming up soon. Dussehra is at the end of the month, and is a celebration of good conquering evil, based around the Ramayana. Google if you are interested. Sophie was in the Ramayana play at school, a very interesting to-do. The kids were on stage for a little while, while an adult narrated the story, and then the audience shifted to a pyrotechnics display in the sandbox (did I mention that Sophie is in preschool...) where three large figures, the three bad guys from the story, were burned. There are performances like this all over the city around this time. Maybe I'll catch a more professional version at some point.
Devali or Dewali is the next big holiday (late October) and it is the Hindu equivalent to Christmas. Apparently there are fireworks EVERYWHERE (I have been warned to stay inside, crouched low to the ground), and a lot of gambling. And people buy new stuff, much like our Christmas, except they go big - new cars, appliances, furniture, homes. Okay, maybe that is like Christmas for some people in the states. And of course there are sweets. Indians love their sweets. And they really mean sweet. Too sweet for me, most of the time.
Really exciting news: Julia Roberts is in town to film Eat, Pray, Love! For those of you who know me well, the book by Elizabeth Gilbert on which this movie is based, is among my favorites. If I weren't going out of town, I might just have to scope out the scene and find the Ashram in Gurgaon where filming is taking place.
I think there is more that I intended to report, but I am drawing a blank. Stay tuned for highlights of the Tamil Nadu trip...
Namaste.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Laugh it up.
Katie and I laugh a lot, at everything. If we didn't, we'd likely go crazy. While we sometimes find ourselves griping about some inane regulation or process, generally we just cope with boughts of giggles, throwing our heads back, unable to find words. It's the key to our survival here. Okay, maybe that's extreme. It's the key to the happiness that we are able to maintain 99% of the time. And we have met several expats who haven't had the same experience here, their faces practically turning white with shock when we enthusiastically proclaim, "We love Delhi!"
The other day we were getting quite slap happy (contributing factors: heat and fatigue) while embarking on an adventure to find furniture and hit up a big sale at one of our fave Indian home stores. The driving was insane, which doesn't phase us anymore, and there were the usual stares from EVERYONE at the two white people in the minivan (that would be us...) One of the green and yellow buses passed, and of course, all the men stared down into the car. We were on display like animals at the zoo. And so we simply laughed, and avoided making eye contact with the oglers. And meanwhile, cows were meandering throughout the three "lane" (nobody abides by the lines on the road, so there is generally just a mishmash of traffic - bicycles, cars, trucks, buses, wagons, rickshaws) road. Cows are like royalty here, and they know it! They sit and rest in the middle of the road, and cars honk, swerve to avoid them, and all is normal. Dogs, too, and remarkably they never seem to get hit! The wild boars and goat herds seem to have boundaries, and while the goats especially will approach markets and gnaw and chew on anything resembling food, they do a good job avoiding oncoming traffic. They deserve a medal.
In other news, I found a wonderful yoga studio in Haus Kauz, thanks to my dear friend from down the street, Beth! Classes are about 90 minutes, followed by coffee, tea and chatting - a real community feel. That's important to me in a studio, as well as good teachers and a supportive and loving group of students. The Yoga Studio, also known as Seema's Studio ( I think), is just plain lovely. I am so happy there. And it's only a 15 minute auto rickshaw ride away. The ride can get hot, and the fumes are pretty nasty, but otherwise it's quite easy. Though never without excitement, Katie and I were waiting at a traffic light yesterday, and a beggar passed by our auto carrying a huge snake. Luckily, there was already a man begging from us, so the snake man went to the next auto. I was almost in tears (I don't do snakes), and Katie looked back and reported that the man was holding the snake up to the face of the woman in the rickshaw behind us. I nearly had a heart attack, fearing that he would come to us next.
I have been able to run a little bit here, as long as I beat the heat in the morning, or head out in the evening. There isn't much land to cover, and the ambiance doesn't match that of the Charles River or Carmel Beach, but nonetheless it's nice to move. While once confined to the small park immediately oustide of our home, I have ventured into the neighborhood just a little. I go between the other E Block park, and often take the streets surrounding the parks. I wear apparel that is quite conservative for America - running shorts on the longer end, reaching all the way halfway down my thigh (!) and a looser t-shirt, as opposed to my preferred shoulder-baring tanks or a plain sport bra. I still draw loads of attention from the sole fact that I am actually running. Exercise, particularly in the great outdoors, is not the usual around here. My pace, outfit, activity is a far cry from the older women in their Saris or full Salwar Kameez, complete with dupata who stroll around the park path. I suppose I more closely resemble the Indian gentlemen who wear khaki shorts mid-way down their thighs, Reebok polo shirts, and tube socks pulled halfway up the calf who speed walk while chatting.
The guards and drivers and construction workers gawk and I think they might actually wonder what I am doing and why the hell I would possibly subject myself to uneccesary movement in humid heat and on dusty, bumpy, shit-covered streets! At first it made me a bit uncomfortable, but I bring my iPod, and stare straight ahead, or look down so to avoid the excrement from the various animals that roam the area.
I have been enjoying Delhi nightlife, finding myself out a couple of nights a week. Between house parties, restaurants, and clubs, I have met some really interesting people, danced, laughed, and even had a red bull and vodka to the tune of $30...that's right, folks: THIRTY AMERICAN DOLLARS! And you thought New York was bad! I also discovered that I must avoid Indian produced Smirnoff vodka when my face, neck and thighs errupted in hives after a drink or two. The friends I was out with told me very non-chalantly that I was having said reaction, and said they have other friends with the same sensitivity to the vodka. I tell ya, it's always something! I promptly switched to good ol' Jack Daniels, imported.
As I said in my last post, the music in many of the clubs often leaves something to be desired, however it is generally quite danceable. I find the Bollywood dance hits incredibly entertaining, and while I haven't totally let loose trying out my moves at the club, I did engage Sophie and Charlotte in an impromptu Bollywood dance party at the house last week. We often have dance parties, but the discovery of Jai Ho (Slumdog Millionaire theme song) on Steve's iPod took it to a whole new level. We bobbed our heads, twirled our wrists and did a little hippy hippy shake. Some more practice, maybe even lessons (Shweta??), and I will be able to showcase my talents at F Bar. HA!
While Delhi is just plain awesome, the girls, Katie and I are planning to head down to Tamil Nadu for the a week at the end of September. Tamil Nadu is a state in Southern India - Chennai, Pondicherry, Auroville may ring a bell. We will fly into Chennai, but per the advice of Lisa who lived there for a year, we will avoid it and head further south to check out temples, beaches, and of course relax a little. We'll check out Mahabalipuram and stay for a few days, and then head to Pondicherry, a french settlement with croissants as good as in Paris! We may even make it out to Madurai. It will be ab-fab, I am sure.
Namaste,
Emily
"When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky."
The Buddha
The other day we were getting quite slap happy (contributing factors: heat and fatigue) while embarking on an adventure to find furniture and hit up a big sale at one of our fave Indian home stores. The driving was insane, which doesn't phase us anymore, and there were the usual stares from EVERYONE at the two white people in the minivan (that would be us...) One of the green and yellow buses passed, and of course, all the men stared down into the car. We were on display like animals at the zoo. And so we simply laughed, and avoided making eye contact with the oglers. And meanwhile, cows were meandering throughout the three "lane" (nobody abides by the lines on the road, so there is generally just a mishmash of traffic - bicycles, cars, trucks, buses, wagons, rickshaws) road. Cows are like royalty here, and they know it! They sit and rest in the middle of the road, and cars honk, swerve to avoid them, and all is normal. Dogs, too, and remarkably they never seem to get hit! The wild boars and goat herds seem to have boundaries, and while the goats especially will approach markets and gnaw and chew on anything resembling food, they do a good job avoiding oncoming traffic. They deserve a medal.
In other news, I found a wonderful yoga studio in Haus Kauz, thanks to my dear friend from down the street, Beth! Classes are about 90 minutes, followed by coffee, tea and chatting - a real community feel. That's important to me in a studio, as well as good teachers and a supportive and loving group of students. The Yoga Studio, also known as Seema's Studio ( I think), is just plain lovely. I am so happy there. And it's only a 15 minute auto rickshaw ride away. The ride can get hot, and the fumes are pretty nasty, but otherwise it's quite easy. Though never without excitement, Katie and I were waiting at a traffic light yesterday, and a beggar passed by our auto carrying a huge snake. Luckily, there was already a man begging from us, so the snake man went to the next auto. I was almost in tears (I don't do snakes), and Katie looked back and reported that the man was holding the snake up to the face of the woman in the rickshaw behind us. I nearly had a heart attack, fearing that he would come to us next.
I have been able to run a little bit here, as long as I beat the heat in the morning, or head out in the evening. There isn't much land to cover, and the ambiance doesn't match that of the Charles River or Carmel Beach, but nonetheless it's nice to move. While once confined to the small park immediately oustide of our home, I have ventured into the neighborhood just a little. I go between the other E Block park, and often take the streets surrounding the parks. I wear apparel that is quite conservative for America - running shorts on the longer end, reaching all the way halfway down my thigh (!) and a looser t-shirt, as opposed to my preferred shoulder-baring tanks or a plain sport bra. I still draw loads of attention from the sole fact that I am actually running. Exercise, particularly in the great outdoors, is not the usual around here. My pace, outfit, activity is a far cry from the older women in their Saris or full Salwar Kameez, complete with dupata who stroll around the park path. I suppose I more closely resemble the Indian gentlemen who wear khaki shorts mid-way down their thighs, Reebok polo shirts, and tube socks pulled halfway up the calf who speed walk while chatting.
The guards and drivers and construction workers gawk and I think they might actually wonder what I am doing and why the hell I would possibly subject myself to uneccesary movement in humid heat and on dusty, bumpy, shit-covered streets! At first it made me a bit uncomfortable, but I bring my iPod, and stare straight ahead, or look down so to avoid the excrement from the various animals that roam the area.
I have been enjoying Delhi nightlife, finding myself out a couple of nights a week. Between house parties, restaurants, and clubs, I have met some really interesting people, danced, laughed, and even had a red bull and vodka to the tune of $30...that's right, folks: THIRTY AMERICAN DOLLARS! And you thought New York was bad! I also discovered that I must avoid Indian produced Smirnoff vodka when my face, neck and thighs errupted in hives after a drink or two. The friends I was out with told me very non-chalantly that I was having said reaction, and said they have other friends with the same sensitivity to the vodka. I tell ya, it's always something! I promptly switched to good ol' Jack Daniels, imported.
As I said in my last post, the music in many of the clubs often leaves something to be desired, however it is generally quite danceable. I find the Bollywood dance hits incredibly entertaining, and while I haven't totally let loose trying out my moves at the club, I did engage Sophie and Charlotte in an impromptu Bollywood dance party at the house last week. We often have dance parties, but the discovery of Jai Ho (Slumdog Millionaire theme song) on Steve's iPod took it to a whole new level. We bobbed our heads, twirled our wrists and did a little hippy hippy shake. Some more practice, maybe even lessons (Shweta??), and I will be able to showcase my talents at F Bar. HA!
While Delhi is just plain awesome, the girls, Katie and I are planning to head down to Tamil Nadu for the a week at the end of September. Tamil Nadu is a state in Southern India - Chennai, Pondicherry, Auroville may ring a bell. We will fly into Chennai, but per the advice of Lisa who lived there for a year, we will avoid it and head further south to check out temples, beaches, and of course relax a little. We'll check out Mahabalipuram and stay for a few days, and then head to Pondicherry, a french settlement with croissants as good as in Paris! We may even make it out to Madurai. It will be ab-fab, I am sure.
Namaste,
Emily
"When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky."
The Buddha
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
