Reemergence

I was quite sad to be leaving my friends and set-up in Hyderabad. It’s easy to get used to such luxuries. My Indian friends joked that I was the American Desi. A concept about someone of a regional heritage being raised in another country.

When we were at the Delhi airport, I cut a queue for the baggage scanner. The worker asked me what I was doing and I said truthfully, “I guess I spent too much time in India.” He shrugged and let me through. I’m a little bit worried that I will continue to eat with my hands.

It was fun getting back to work and seeing everyone, but I was a bit disappointed to be “back in my old seat” and not working on such exciting things. It will also be a challenge to keep myself stimulated when I am not necessarily traveling every weekend, though it shouldn’t be hard in SF.

Admittedly, the first thing that I did when I returned was hire a housekeeper.

I did notice how quiet, calm, and clean things seemed in SF. I returned to a pretty serene and welcoming atmosphere among good friends and clean air.

While I might have things to share everyday, sometimes it takes an adventure to get them out. Thanks for listening…

Agra, Shimla, and Udaipur

I heard a story of blind men who were told to inspect an animal (it was an elephant) and describe it. The men circled around it and touched different areas: the tusks, snout, tail, side, and legs. They all described something vastly different – and that is what it is like to describe India as a whole by only visiting a handful of places.

I wanted to create a trip for us to give Lulu a good taste of India. We traveled to a big city (Delhi), the Taj Mahal (Agra), the Himalayas (Shimla), and then traditional India (Udaipur).

Agra – There is a reason that all tourists go to the Taj Mahal, it is spectacular, and I was pleased to go again. It is truly a romantic experience that is not to be missed. The entire city revolves around the Taj’s existence. You can see it from a variety of perspectives: from the backside across the river, at sunrise or sunset, and from terrace bars and restaurants. The mausoleum’s creator was overthrown by his son after its creation and got a good view of his own from a marble prison growing off the side of the far away Agra Fort, in clear view of his wife’s mausoleum.

I made sure to also expose Lulu to a Bollywood performance as well… by having dinner at the soon-to-be famous Pizza Hut!

Shimla – From Delhi, we headed north to the foot of the Himalayas where the British set up to govern during the oppressive summers.

The Toy Train – Getting There - The first half of the train journey from Delhi was long and unexciting. The second leg was still long but wound through 107 tunnels, up the mountains, on a cute toy train: colorful compartments pulled by a steam engine. The scenery got greener and cleaner the farther we traveled though trash disposal was the same as always – out the window. During a stop, I was searching for a trash bin to chuck my foiled lunch packaging. Going against the chiding of basically everyone on the train, I could not make myself do the same and brought the trash back on board until I could find a suitable bin.

Houses of all shapes and sizes cascaded down the hills. Indian and international tourists, alike, paraded down The Mall, a pedestrian town center. Our hotel was an amazing British construction that overlooked the mountains. We had to pry ourselves from the hotel to enjoy the gorgeous weather and nature walks.

We took a day trip to Chail, another hill station town. We broke for tea and hikes and play some pick up at the highest cricket ground in the world. On the way back, we stopped in Kufri and trotted horses up a stony hill for amusement and culture parks. This marks the last time that I ride a horse. Twice in my life was enough. At the top, we tested the world’s highest go-kart track.

Udaipur – The train home wasn’t as long because the boring half was overnight. We shopped around Delhi on our way to the airport. Udaipur is located in the state of Rajastan which is what most people think of when thinking of India – dry and hot and inhabited by turbaned men with mustaches with intermingled palaces. The city is set on picturesque Lake Pichola, part of an interesting 500 year old irrigation structure that allows a string of lakes to overflow into each other, stay full, and sustain life.

Delhi

Lulu’s arrival and week long holiday together was my home stretch before re-immersion. I arrived a day earlier than her and had a whirlwind tour of Delhi with a hired car. To clear up any confusion, Old Delhi and New Delhi are in the same city but are different train stations. As with many old cities, it was built in stages under different rulers and has a layered feel to it.

I started in the old city and checked out the Red Fort and Jama Masjid Mosque, the largest in India. Soldiers were convinced that this fort was still some type of strong hold and were stationed in random areas with big guns, seemed like a joke and big waste. Hanuman’s Tomb would be amazing if it was not in the same state as the Taj Mahal.

Moving on, the India Gate, president’s house, and parliament had the look and feel of Capitol Hill in DC and all stood in line. The green around the Gate was swamped with locals picnicking and there was a great vibe going. In contrast to the States, there were tons of mostly naked kids playing in the equivalent of the reflecting pool. As always, Indians seem to make the most of any urban green areas they can find.

Coincidentally, it was Easter Sunday, and I stumbled upon Lodi Gardens to find a reveling celebration. These spontaneous gatherings seem less common in the States. Big crowds generally make me uneasy but there was no drinking and everyone was in line.

Judah Hyan Hall Synagogue – While I had the address, it was tough to find hidden behind a cement gate. There is a larger congregation in Delhi because of the cosmopolitan composition of the capital and is bolstered by many embassies. I surprised the temple secretary who lives on the grounds when I arrived unannounced. More interesting was how the Indian groundskeeper and his large family lived inside the adjacent Jewish cemetery.

Lotus Temple – I found this Bahai structure and concept particularly inviting. While they do conduct services and have their own doctrines, the institution promotes interfaith gathering and prayer. Entrants looked like a bee line queuing for the hive. Once barefoot and inside, silent observation (and a cool respite) calmed the once-buzzing mass. It was quite relaxing, and I felt part of the eclectic group. I relish my Jewish identity and heritage, but I despise religious institutions when they put up walls and instill divisive behavior.

Paan

We have a now-written tradition that all the expats have to try paan during their first meal out with the group. Being my going away dinner, I made sure that the newest group partook in this conical shaped dessert of filling wrapped in betel nut leaves.

It is actually an acquired taste that has grown on me and is quite refreshing to the mouth and stomach after a meal. There are basically 2 kinds - sweet or bitter - and all the fruits and spices they use vacillate to either of those tastes. Most kids grow up craving the sweet stuff and the adults buzz around on the bitter which is made from more betels and has a tobacco-like effect; both of which can be picked up at stands on the side of the street.

A brave soul dared to break the chain and abstain while the rest of his peers choked down the digestifs and the vets looked on. The whole table played good cop, bad cop to coax him to no avail.

The next day, being my last day in the office, I became easily sidetracked and picked up dozens of paan and decorated his desk while he was at lunch (and treated my co-workers to a paan party). He returned and was floored. Knowing he was licked, he gave in. Here is my first attempt at photo journalism:

Passover in Hyderabad

Yesterday was the first 'day' of Passover, so I cobbled together a Seder lunch for my co-workers. There was a great turnout in number and interest. We told the story and then broke for an engaging lunch where we talked about the differences between our religions and the Jews of India.

I was shocked to be able to construct a convincing Seder plate and pseudo-matzo on short notice using only cafeteria food. I used papad in place of matzo and cabbage fry in place of charoset because their consistencies were similar to the real thing. While the roasted egg was hard-boiled, the 'pickle' was quite bitter, and the lettuce, shankbone, and potato were spot on!

Admittedly, I was a bit disappointed to have not found a Jewish community in Hyderabad for the past months or share a meal or holiday with an Indian Jewish family.

Around Town

My Run:

...through time and tax brackets

- In a 2 mile out-and-back, I start out at a global, cutting-edge corporation capitalizing on the expanding phenomenon of e-commerce.
- The first turn takes me onto the street where water buffaloes and un-metered compact taxi cabs jockey for position and fares.
- The recently created 4-way stop light manages the tech boom traffic and allows poor (and sometimes handicapped) people to appeal to drivers and vendors to hawk their penny goods.
- My next turn takes me down a connector street that it lined with street food and chai stands.
- As the road progresses, it becomes less developed. Makeshift huts are created with recycled parts to house the needy.
- In the distance, you can now see our complex and other buildings under construction, a cruel foreshadowing that these impermanent shanties are truly impermanent.
- The straightaway ends at a Novotel Hotel that is known for its decadent brunch for $40/head, probably more than the weekly salary of all the people I just ran by. Breath. Now touch the gate and run back home.

Barber Shop menu:

1 haircut with shears and meticulous attention
straight razor shave
chai and optional cigarette
Direct TV on the little box
cracked knuckles
head, face, shoulder, and arms massage

> 100 rupees ($2.50) ...and I'm paying the foreigner price of triple the normal

My Gym: Cyber Pearl. Not the nicest place, but we get a corporate rate there. It is louder than any club I have been to. The weights are adequate, but there wouldn't be enough for my brother Jesse to get a proper lift in. High-kicks while looking in the mirror are so in right now.

The Garage: Where all our drivers hang out and the meeting place for any trip out. They play Carrom Board to pass the time (picture taken from the web). Like pool, you have to knock 'poker chips' into the pockets using a cue-chip. These guys are angels and put up with a lot of traffic and waiting time for us.

The ATM: The closest one to the apartment only provides 100 rupee notes ($2.5o) while most machines dispense 500 and 1,000 notes. It reminds me of post WW1 German hyper-inflation. Some withdrawals won't let you close your wallet.

Street Food: Mr. Tibb's Frankies. We went there thinking we were ordering a hot dog and got a little slice of heaven instead. Basically an Indian taquito, this greasy snack adjoins our tailor. This place is the only reason that we are never upset that the tailor can't ever gets things right the first time. or the second time.

Random

As I was contemplating this post on my way from work, walking up the stairs to my apartment, I saw a baby lying by itself on the platform between flights of stairs. Poignant timing. The housekeeping mother was outside gardening. This is just a random occasion, so it is a good start to the randomness post.

Traffic - people, cows, buffalo, bicycle rickshaws, auto rickshaws, cars, buses, in all directions. People take countless photos/videos of the traffic. There are few sidewalks, and you usually have to join the fray. To add to the confusion, every participant beeps, rings their bike bell, squeezes their horn, or just hollers. Proper times to sound off are if you are changing or not changing lanes, about to get hit or about to hit someone, planning on going faster or slower, see someone you know... you get the point.



Marriage - Couples who meet on their own are said to have a love marriage as opposed to the still present arranged marriages. Personal ads in the paper and on the net are matrimonial driven and very specific in their descriptions of themselves and their preferred mate. At times, the arrangement process can be quite formal with a sit down interview process and shrewd dowry negotiations.

I would not want an arranged marriage, but I understand the idea. It seems to take the stress and heartache from the dating process by formalizing it. In fact, it removes the dating process and turns it into an interview process conducted by family and friends before you even meet. They get right to the big issues which can be underlying and can destroy a marriage down the road. The detractions are obvious: you don't have the thrill of finding that special someone and many people enjoy dating. An Indian friend of mine said that she did not have the temperament to fall in love before getting married. Arranged marriage aims to secure a steady mate and build a loving relationship based on shared values. This seems to open a possibility for a love-less marriage, but this could be said for any marriage.

Divorce is far less common here, but one could attribute that to societal norms rather than blindly crediting the arrangement process. It would be interesting to see a divorce rate comparison of love versus arranged marriages.

Family Life - After marriage, it is quite common for the woman to move into the man's house who is still living with his parents and could possibly continue to do so for some time. Sometimes, your extended family will all live together: grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins, all in a house. I think this is pretty cool, probably because I love my family, but you could be sacrificing many things depending on the house size.

Activity - The sport of choice is cricket and there are no seconds. People play anytime, anywhere. However, the public on the whole does not seem to be overly excited about activity and its health benefits. I think people aren't outside running or stuff like that is because it's too damn hot most of the time and there aren't enough public forums (like sidewalks or parks) to help. A lot of the popular games seem to be low impact, like badminton, or rely on smarts, like quizzing. Gym culture is around but has not caught on yet.

Directness - Strangers can ask you very direct questions like what your salary is and about your romantic history. It catches you off guard at first but eventually affords you the opportunity to reciprocate and find out about people quickly and candidly. Additionally, your friends will tell you things that Americans don't generally hear: "You look like you have been gaining weight." "You are looking very tired." "You are not as attractive as your sister." You will find out if you have something in your teeth pretty quickly. Business is also conducted with this directness, small talk and sugar-coated statements are minimal.

Jaipur

This post was originally supposed to be named 'Pushkar' but we managed to miss our flight. For any readers that are just starting in the past month, you would think I am the most irresponsible traveler! However, this is my first career missed flight! We arrived at the airport 25 minutes before flight time; the counter closed 30 minutes prior. Completely inflexible. Policies are created for a reason, but the reason should be able to override the policy! We would have made that flight. Our best option was to take the same 6 AM flight the next day, but we would not be able to make the 3 hour drive from Jaipur to Pushkar and spent the day in Jaipur instead and made the best of a not good situation.

We headed straight to the Amer Fort. It was the last day of a Rajastani festival and many people were making pilgrimage to the hilltop temple 'that connects to the sky.' The area was abnormally crowded and there was a troubling bottleneck at the entrance to get in which swelled with people on both sides. The ascent was cathartic: one man fully pronated his way to the top - he lay completely on this front with outstretched limbs, while another man marked his finger tips with a line of chalk. He would then get up and put his toe tips behind the line and repeat. There was an overwhelming amount of beggars that lined the sides of the ascending stairs. There are always constant reminders that maybe your life's stresses, like a missed flight, are not as bad as they may seem.

The inside of the fort was colorful and joyous: music blared from speakers while pilgrims queued up for the temple accent. Vendors were selling sweet offerings to leave to the gods and food to throw the moat dwelling fish.

From the fort, we broke for lunch and head to the old city, nicknamed the "The Pink City" because of the ubiquitous red sandstone architecture. I can see why many don't like traveling in Jaipur: a common problem, the roads are very congested and there are no sidewalks. Interesting because urbanists consider Jaipur to be one of the best planned cities in accordance with Hindu architecture, a 9-part spiraling geometric principal called Pithapada. 9 is based on the numbers of perceived planets at the time (thanks a lot UB313;). The city was founded by an astronomy buff - we checked out his observatory, Jantar Mantar. It was full of enormous walkable sun dials.

We did make it to the city palace, appropriately next door to his observatory. There were great zeitgeist exhibits with textiles, weapons, and palatial adornments, and they were administered by traditionally dressed Rajastani men:

We hit up most of the other sites in the old city before relaxing for a drink but apparently, as I type this, realized that we missed the Hawa Mahal, so check it out if you go.

Sticky Wicket

After getting upset by Bangladesh, India was in a must win situation against Sri Lanka to advance from World Cup pool play into the Super 8. A hungry pack of fans landed at Escape's projector screen to cheer on the first inning of play. The second inning would start after the 11:30 pm closing time, so get your kicks in early. India chose to field first and tried to hold them to as few runs, before taking their 2nd inning At Bats. We threw down after every wicket and in between.

Cricket is the national obsession. There is not even a second place sport, though I catch pro men's field hockey on TV from time to time. Other sports of interest are badminton There is cricket news, game replays, and commentary, on at all hours. It is the tie that binds and spans all the language barriers: we have picked up games with randoms, alleys kids, and co-workers. And every one has the same favorite player: Sachin, who holds most international records and carried them to the last WC finals.

This WC was especially scandalous - after Pakistan was extraordinarily upset by Ireland (on St. Patties day!) their coach turned up murdered. There is wild speculation about mafia ties and match fixing.

After a hard and early night, I woke to find that India had lost! and that we were running late...

Maldives

After hearing about the Maldives, I had to get there. Like India, most of us Americans have trouble because it is about as far away from us as possible. It is Muslim country compromised of a set of islands southwest of India. Global warming is the talk of the town, as they will be among the first to go under if Al Gore is right… or just an excuse for policy makers to come on holiday.

Selecting and securing accommodation proved to be the toughest part of the trip. Each inhabited island has 1 resort on it with various value-adds: coral house reefs, water sports, restaurants/bars, exclusivity, distance from the airport and mode of transport (speedboat or sea plane). Stalling our decisions during peak season forced us to book at a budget hotel in Male, the capital, and relegate our fun to hopeful day-trips or maybe a safari to the islands. We ended up being reward by our indecision (a bad lesson) when we stumbled into a travel agent and locked up 3 nights at one of our top choices due to a cancellation (thanks Abbu!). It was pouring that day, so the first expensive, truncated day would’ve been a wash-out anyhow.

Male actually is pretty cool although marooned in the middle of the Indian Ocean. There is a café scene, futbol savvy, and an artificial beach that is lit up all night, just no bars (it’s a dry country but they make exceptions for the resorts). It’s got global insight from the booming tourism industry and the Internet with an obvious small town feel: our buddies said they knew of all the kids their age like you would know of all the kids in your town. They import everything from other countries except fish.

In regards to the resort aspect of the trip, any description would resemble the amenity selling points of paradise and be visualized by post cards or a Corona commercial. I spent basically the whole trip snorkeling around the house reef of the island of Lohifushi (Hudhuran Fushi) and taking advantage of our all inclusive status.

I got to complete my first night scuba dive as well! After reaching depth, you turn off your underwater torch so your eyes get used to the darkness (but mainly you can see from what is illuminated by your light). If you moved around quickly in the darkness, the polyps (the little guys that join together to make coral / fish food) would light up like fireflies. The activity at night is quite different. Some fish are sleeping, like the parrot fish that forms a protective film sphere around it while it tucks away in a coral pocket, and some are prowling, like the majestic lobster that showed me his wingspan.

Mark arrives - more Cochin and Kerala

My friend Mark arrived from the US during his spring break to join up our travel efforts. We have traveled before, driving cross country to land in SF and taking weekend trips, but never internationally. Remember the bit about humility from my last post? I got his date of arrival wrong and went to the airport a day early! I was worried that he missed his flight or missed the fact that Delhi International and National airports are miles apart.

I was able to salvage the day, even though the airport was an hour away from our hotel, and made it to the beach. Being Sunday, everyone has the day off, and there were heaps of reveling locals in the refreshing Bay of Bengal. After the 'dry run,' I was able to plan my day better the next day and made it to another beach in the morning, this one, empty, except for canoe fisherman heading out. What came first, the uninhabited beach or the sand toilet for locals?

Mark and I toured the city and headed back to Jewtown (seriously, that's the name) to see the inside of Pardesi synagogue. We met 2 octogenarian members of the community. Sarah Cohen, who creates beautiful hand sewn textiles, talked to us about her work and the inevitable dwindling of the community. Sammy Harangua gave us a history lesson from the inside of the synagogue and about the state of the minion. Both extraordinary encounters.

The following day, we departed for a tour of the Kerala backwaters on a houseboat tour. This was one of the coolest things I've done. The boat was a month old and equipped with 2 double bedrooms and a sitting area up front. We lazily meandered the palm-strewn river ways and canals while dining on home cooked meals from the back of the boat and drinking Kingfishers. We even stopped to go grocery shopping and for coconuts for supper.

(You should always check out my web album for more shots.)

Villages and occasional resorts line the river beds. I got a definite uneasy feeling from the locals as we motored in our souped-up craft, past canoes piled with supplies and propelled by long bamboo shafts. While we were certainly not the first river tourists, there were many boats on the rivers, I felt like we were pushing the disparity of wealth in their faces. It would be like driving a Bentley through some slums. While most people assume this disparity exists when they meet you, the boat seemed to confirm it. I always wonder how these people feel; we inquired our crew about it. They said the common response, "It is what it is." We are able to break down these barriers and misconceptions of our demeanor when we interact, but the water chasm did not afford us this.

When speeding through a canal, our captain scraped the side of the boat. While cosmetic in nature, we docked at his village to repair the damage that night. We went to shore and met up with a large group of boisterous kids who were surprised and excited by our arrival. We head to this tiny but marvelous black sand beach to play in the water and watch the sunset. We then played a rousing game of cricket. We knew it was time to stop when one of the older brothers popped out and cracked the whip, literally a reed, on one of the kids to go home and study for tomorrow's exam.

Brijith's village, and much of the surrounding area, was struck by tsunami floods. The village was rebuilt and looked fresh and uniform. The kids pulled us around by our hands and introduced us to every villager that we walked past. It was quite a trip and redeeming from my earlier thoughts/paragraph.

We slept on deck that night and woke early for the sunrise and morning yoga.

Fort Cochin

The timing of Mark’s arrival allowed me to do my first solo traveling of my trip so far! I traveled by myself some times before, including my 6 month trip to Australia / New Zealand following college. I love traveling solo because it forces me to make it happen and teaches me accountability and a degree of humility (like when you have to ask very obvious questions or laugh with yourself). Of course, you end up talking to yourself at some point and over thinking a lot of the time.

I arrived early on Saturday morning in Kochi, hopped a cab and fought the traffic to get to the ferry. Fort Cochin is like Manhattan – a city on an island. The ferry ride provided a nice breezy respite from the humidity, which contrasted the aridness of Hyderabad, and consistently rising national climate as we head into pre-monsoon season summer.

In most years, you would be able to see dolphins in this water, however, most have moved away. The tsunami disrupted the ecosystem by shifting the small food bits that the fish snack on; the fish follow the food; the dolphins follow the fish; the tourist are selfishly disappointed. The city was otherwise not greatly affected in flooding or death tolls. There is still a thriving fishing culture that has also been affected by this shift. Below, you will see one of Chinese fishing nets that they operate. They stand on the shore or in the middle of the waterways.

The area was also a landing point for a section of the Jewish diaspora (when the Romans conquered Jerusalem in 70 A.D.) If I am like most people, this portion of Jewish history is never mentioned in Hebrew school growing up. The community was bolstered by waves of immigration and thinned by Moghul attacks, integration, and emigration. Overall, the community was accepted by the locals; the site of the synagogue was adjoining the king's palace.

Being the Sabbath, I stopped by the synagogue hoping to catch Saturday afternoon services. While it was expectedly closed, I was informed that there generally were no afternoon services. In fact, they struggled to achieve a minion (the required 10 people to hold a service) on most weeks and holidays! There are 13 Jewish people in Fort Cochin and most are over 70! They achieve a minion sometimes by the tourists passing through.

I found this to be exceedingly depressing, at first, as another section of Jewish heritage was soon to be extinct. However, I deduced (or rationalized?) that the religion was evolving: people migrate to achieve a better quality of life, and perhaps, Jews could achieve a better quality elsewhere.

Pardesi synagogue, est. 1568

All-Star, Break.

I just eclipsed the half-way point of the trip after a torrid fortnight, as detailed during my long week away from home in Corbett, Delhi, Gurgaon, and Nepal and extended quickly into a business trip to Mumbai for 3 days. It was time for a restful weekend in Hyderabad to recharge my batteries.

Good timing as well, as I got to participate in my first real cricket match! An intra-office battle under the lingering mid-day heat. Naturally, I wore a Red Sox jersey (Dice-Kaye), however, I went by the alias Greg Ganguly (surname taken from an Indian cricketer). My 2 goals were to not make a duck at-bat (0 runs) and to not let any balls by me. I exceeded expectations in the field when I made a nice play on a sharply hit, moving fly ball for a wicket (out) and kept all other balls in front of me nicely. Batting was tougher than I thought, and I made a 6 (hitting 1 boundary!) and then got bowled out by Scott. It was the side event of the match.

Additionally, the Hindu Holi festival started this weekend. As I mentioned in the Nepal entry, people celebrate by throwing water at each other and intensely colored powder. The only way to not participate is to not leave your house! (so wear scrubby clothes) Sometimes, you don't play Holi, but Holi plays you... we were chased on multiple occasions by packs of kids, women, hooligans, and even grown men. Almost every person or car that we encountered got touched.

Since it's the half way point, I thought that I would add some reflections. I hear that my blog content is getting too black and white. In the spirit of Holi, let's add some color to it!

• Things I still miss from the States - my girl and our apartment (and maybe our cat, sometimes), the salad bar/accessible healthy options in Cali, the city, me mates, the winter in Tahoe
  

• Things I love about India - the work and the team here, the food!, my set-up (I am getting spoiled by these conveniences), close travel options that are normally exotic, meeting new people and getting their take on things, talking cricket (World Cup is coming up!)

• Things I will never get used to - when queues/road-lanes don't get honored, flight delays, the disparity of wealth

• Funny Indian sayings - "tuk-tuk" (taxi); "dickie" (trunk); "the same" [as in: I will continue this list from the same (thing we were just discussing)]; their directness - "you look tired"
  

• Most interesting aspects of the trip - learning new religious, historic and political climate, in context. learning about things that I never had even heard of or considered learning about. seeking out Jewish cultural activities.

Nepal

Travel Woes – Departure from Delhi was hectic and in question for a time. All in all, we left on the same flights for around the same price. So just big headaches and no dramas. We booked our tickets online, were issued record locators, billed over a month ago… and then denied boarding passes?! Apparently, international flights on Jet Airways have to be booked manually. Even though by all accounts, we were booked! They even had our meal preferences! To make matters worse, their credit card machine was broken, so I made a mad dash to another terminal to grab cash for 1 way tickets. Upon arrival, the onsite ticketing office would not let us buy the return flights in anything but US dollars, not even in Nepalese rupees because he didn’t have time to do the paperwork!!

Pokhara – A serene lakeside town was the perfect respite. We even sprung for some nicer accommodations on the water: it was a Nepalese style hut, but a duplex – first floor was a sitting area with fireplace and a bathroom and upstairs was the bedroom. A starting/stopping point for trekkers, this charming town was well equipped to the point of touristy. I could spend a lot of time here.

Before dawn, we taxied and hiked up to Sarangkot lookout to watch the sunrise over the Himalayas, but our efforts were thwarted by the fog. Even so, we hung around for a while, until it was well into day and time to leave. The trail twisted down the backside of the hill, but we could pick out a peak over the top. We scampered back up, and seemingly growing from the fog layer above the foothills, got to see the Annapurna Range! (The best time to go is September/October when the weather is clear all day.)

Zapped from the previous day, we relaxed around the lake, took a walk, and ended up in a soccer game with a bunch of locals.

Kathmandu – Upon arrival, we went to the airline’s main office to pay for the return tickets which were mercifully still reserved on business class. (Don’t get excited, they were the last tickets available, and we paid full price.) We laid our bags in the Thamel area and headed out.

Bhaktapur – Before Nepal was unified to create the current country, the Malla kingdom was divided among his 3 sons, to produce 3 kingdoms: Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, and Patan. Still a functioning city, we roamed the narrow alleys that connect the 4 main squares, inspecting traditional art and architecture. Did you know that the pagoda design originated in Nepal?

The Holi festival was starting the next week: everyone celebrates by throwing water balloons at each other! The children were starting early, and we managed to dodge all but 1 balloon attack. A magic balloon hit Scott in the shoulder and then splashed me. Well played.

Pashupatinath – A Hindu pilgrimage area, this is Nepal’s most important Hindu temple. The holy Bagmati River trickles through it and hosts ritual cremations and daily activities. The Shiva-devoted village seemed like a smaller version of Varanasi. Areas seemed overrun with monkeys and were creepy.

Again, we witnessed funeral processions. These ceremonies were a lot more emotional and human compared to Varanasi, where it seemed like a well-oiled business. It was depressing, and I left quickly.

Bodhnath Stupa – A Buddhist pilgrimage destination, draped in prayer flags, that has a square built around it. Walking clockwise around the circular stupa and spinning each of the 108 prayer wheels is a form of meditation, saying mantra at each wheel. There are additional prayer wheels, shrines, and meditation rooms inside. One such room had 2 giant prayer wheels larger than people.

I liked seeing all the Buddhist pilgrims in their maroon robes and sandals. One guy even had on New Balance sneaks that were color coordinated... very cool.

Agra (Taj Mahal)

We arrived back in the Old Delhi train station at 5 in the morning… and the place was jumping! Luckily, and despite that, we had Kishore and Sowmya graciously and aggressively helping purchase tickets for the next train out: the query and ticket purchase windows were spread apart, sometimes on opposite ends of the station, sparsely staffed attendants were not helpful, and queues were not respected. The Agra station and city were more manageable, and the tourist hawks are getting palpable as we learn market rates.

We set out for Agra Fort, built by the ruler Akbar when Agra was the capital of the Mughal empire. I lined up my shots for when Lulu arrives:

We then visited Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb, affectionately called the 'Baby Taj.' Another mausoleum, it was built first and was a transitional piece – the first to use white marble. The grounds were a nice sanctuary from the hustle of the street.

We then caught more Taj views and relaxation from the botanical gardens across the Yamuna River. Another holy river, it joins the Ganges downstream. The intersection at Allahabad hosts the annual Magh Mela and the Kumbha Mela (4 times/12 years) pilgrimages.

In the mood for some comfort food, we dined at Pizza Hut. This would not otherwise be noteworthy if it were not for the energetic and entertaining staff who were performing Bollywood dances.

We woke early to beat the lines. While some monuments can be underwhelming, the Taj exceeded all of my expectations: it was grandiose, pictorial, and imbued the pride of a nation. The mausoleum shows off the love of a departed wife and skill of over 20,000 artisans.

I was most impressed with the inlay work; some of the stones lit up when you held a light to them.

The Taj is booked ended and emphasized by 2 red sandstone mausoleums built for other wives. Overshadowed by the Taj, they are impressive on their own.

Jim Corbett National Park

Relying on the punctuality of an Indian airline is not usually a good idea, but, just in time, we were rewarded and made our overnight train from Delhi to Ramnagar in a mad dash (but the train was delayed anyhow;) Jim Corbett has an interesting story as well - a hunter turned conservationist who had to bag some man-eating lions after he hung it up.

We arrived for a heavy breakfast of paratas (fried bread) and chai and set out on safari shortly after. We were thrilled to find scores of deer and monkeys. By the end of the trip, we were secretly hoping that a tiger would jump out and eat one. We did not see any tigers but saw a leopard family walking through the bush. We also got to play with a domesticated elephant which was fun. I fed her some crackers - the snout was slimy and firm - eww!

The best part of the trip was getting to know our new friends. We bonded over savory meals, campfires, drinks, hikes, and activities (a small rappelling and zip-line course near the camp). We exchanged unfiltered views on politics and religion and just hung out while enjoying the long weekend.

Varanasi

Friday night we went out to a "hot" lounge in Hyderabad, owned by a Tollywood star. (Tollywood is a name for the Hyderabad movie industry that speaks Telugu, state language of Andhra Pradesh. On that note, each state and region has a separate language, and Hindu is the national language, sort of.) There were 20 people there, and we were 7 of them. Night life is just not part of the culture. The highlight of the night was when they wouldn't let Travis in the bar with his flip-flops, and he swapped shoes with our driver.

Scott and I left early Saturday morning to the usual delay (that's foreshadowing). We arranged a cab from the airport to the Hotel Haifa. The 12 km ride took about 90 minutes. The weather was pleasant and everyone was out; the streets were narrow and traffic was tight.

The Ganges River flows down the eastern side of the city. In Hindu cultures, this city is holy, as it was believed to be founded by the god Shiva, and is source of water and life, years before irrigation. People make pilgrimage to Varanasi. Some also come here to die and be cremated, in anticipation of skipping reincarnation and heading directly to Nirvana (heaven).

Thoughts - Foreigners perception of India as a scary place is encouraged here by the unfamiliar mystics, sometimes naked and covered in ash, antiquated religious beliefs, dense population, in-your-face poverty, and general uncleanliness.

However, Varanasi also embodies all the amazing aspects of the country. Spirituality permeates aspects of everyday life and coexists with the secular bustle of commerce. Fascinating mythology influences the traditions and architecture. Urbanity and rurality are intertwined, as are the rich and the poor. And while overcrowded, everything seems to work and people get along.

The city is India in a crucible. The old and new gently tug it in opposite directions.

Touring - We walked along the shore of the Ganges down the various ghats (stairs). The different ghats lead down to the river and are used for swimming, bathing, washing, boating, and cremating.

At dusk, from a rooftop vantage point, we learned about the funeral processions (more on that later). We then meandered over to watch the puja (offering) ceremony, a joyous event.

Sunday - We woke early to take a boat and watch the sunrise on the river. The wind was blowing, and the water was choppy. It then began to rain. Hard. Since we were 0 for 5 on flights leaving on time, we made the tough decision to head to the airport and book an early connection. We were able to cancel our connection flight 10 minutes before take-off for 90% of the fare. Hmm. Sahara airlines served Subway subs as the plane snack, on top of the traditional airplane set-up.


PLEASE STOP READING IF FUNERALS MAKE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE.

There are no photos, and I left out details.


Thoughts - At first, I was surprisingly calm and fascinated by this process, perhaps because of my detachment from the ceremony, the matter-of-fact manner that the process was described to us, the expectation for the moment, and the commonality and acceptance of the whole thing. Cremations are carried out all day. By the time that we stopped learning and realized what I was watching, I had to leave promptly.

Description - Most people first ask about the smell, and there was none because of the types of wood they use (mango, banyan, sandalwood). Operators had this process down to a science and an industry, down to the exact amount of wood to use, as measured by a giant scale, and how long it would take. The fire is drawn from the eternal fire of Shiva.

There is no crying at the event, as it may hinder your passage to Nirvana. There are no women present, however, women are also cremated... unless you were a preganant woman... under 10 years old, an animal, a leper, or snake bit (the cobra is an attribute of Shiva). These were deemed impure and reincarnation was necessary: the bodies are tied to a stone and sunk into the Ganges. The lepers/sick are disposed of differently.

Families must obtain government certification to guarantee that the deceased does not fall into these groups. If cleared, the bodies are covered in an organic paste (in addition to honey, I forget what's in it), dipped in the Ganges, and then wrapped in a cloth: white for men, orange for older women, and gold for younger women.

The area is broken into graded levels and each hosts a different caste. The rich are cremated with their jewelry on, and the poor collect the jewelry in the morning.

There are hospices close by the site, and people beg to be able to house these people and give them a proper funeral. Quite a depressing thought.

I found this process interesting and thought some of you might as well! Sorry to gross you out!

Mumbai (Bombay)

Friday night - after a rousing game of badminton after work, our flight was delayed 4 hours - I'm noticing a pattern with these intra country flights... Instead of hitting the big city for the night, we went out in Hyderabad to an Irish pub with 70's music and Indian food. Eclecticism creeps in, and works, at random times around here.

gk IN bombay - We ran into a co-worker upon arrival in Mumbai, and she and her driver facilitated our passage to the Google guest house by arranging for the taxi to follow (to not take a roundabout way) and then overtaking the effort after the cabbies tried to scam us with fixed rates instead of the meter. Beware of cabs with 2 drivers!

Saturday - awoke to the sounds of waves lapping up against the coast just below the guest house. The first view of the city was gorgeous. Approaching the ledge and looking down, the second view illustrated the proximate dichotomy of the have's and have not's - shanty towns shaped from recovered materials were built up from the coast line. About 60% of Mumbai's 16 million people still live in poverty while the property prices keep soaring.

We took a cab to down our same coast to Chowpatty Beach and then got cruisy for a while in the Colaba area of town. We ended up at the Gates of India and the opulent Taj Hotel. We then made our way to through the University of Mumbai and the adjoining cricket green and over to the Indian stock exchange.

Before heading home to rest for our night out, we stopped by the Kenneth Eliyahoo synagogue to share Sabbath tea with the hazzan (canter) and caretaker. They explained how the Indian Jewish community is about 6,000 strong, mostly located in Mumbai and Kochi, and arrived from the diaspora. We looked at pictures of Jewish infrastructure in India. They were very hospitable, but we had to leave before evening services. They even looked the other way while I snapped a pic from outside the sanctuary to share with you. My amateur photography don't do the stained glass windows justice!

Since Mumbai was as close as we would get to American nightlife, we dined at Indigo which was apparently good enough for Brangelina on their visit here, probably to adopt;) We then made it to a local hangout called Leopold's, an open-air packed cafe house that served cheap food and drink and was the jumping off point for clubbing. Many of the bars/clubs are in hotels, and our primary option was closed for good, according to the concierge. Our second option was sultry and dark, in a bad way, so we settled at a loungy spot called Karma.

Sunday - We were pretty zapped from the previous 2 late nights and vowed to take it easy. We walked around our neighborhood, past the Nehru Science Center and Dhobi Ghats, on our way to the Horse Races. It was a scene, and the shaded seating was comfortable. The Hindi word for "quinnela" was not in our translation book.

We went back to the Guest house to chill and catch the sunset. Prasad, the house mgr, prepared a terrific home cooked meal which would have made us barely catch our flight... if it wasn't delayed 2 hours. I made it back to watch the Super Bowl. Bear, down.