Wealth Disparity-
Best captured while driving on the highway at night when we passed a bustling shantytown with illuminated store signs for Louis Vuitton and Dior visible in the background at the nearby extravagant mall. The Ambience mall in Delhi is different from the average American mall in that you can find ALL types of stores (clothing, full grocery stores, full electronics, luxury car stores etc.) under one roof. In the equivalent of Best Buy, I saw televisions for sale that were more advanced than anything I have ever seen in the USA. The parking lot of the mall was full of Bentleys, Rolls Royce’s and other high-end luxury cars that are infrequently seen in the average American city. On the flip side, the prevalence of poverty is salient in many ways. The impoverished are similar in appearance to that of Nepal, but the sheer magnitude of the population is disheartening. One striking difference between Delhi and KTM is the state of the average stray dog. In KTM, they sometimes look mangy but otherwise healthy and content; in Delhi, the average stray is mangy, emaciated and appears to be miserable.
Hand Eating-
One aspect of Nepali/Indian culture that I had resisted until recently was the eating of whole meals with one’s hand. My previous attempts were only semi-successful and I would only do it at special meals in the absence of silverware where I had no choice. I initially tried it to amuse Supreet’s helper (from Nepal), but have embraced the practice and now look forward to the ‘hand meals’ where one simply washes up and digs in. I learned that ‘rules’ and norms exist, such as eating from the edges and making your way to the center and not spinning the rice into a utilitarian ball shape, as rice balls are associated with funerals/death. It took a few meals to get the mechanics down but I am now fairly confident in my ability to eat without cutlery and not appear barbaric. The only drawbacks to the practice are that I tend to eat a lot more and I lack feeling in the fingertips of my right hand from scooping up piping hot rice.
Global Appeal of WWE-
If you had asked me one week ago to provide examples of things that are exclusive to white trash culture, professional wrestling would have been high on my list, but no more! I was shocked, humored and delighted to find a channel that airs nothing but old and current WCW/WWF matches. Scott Steiner is headlining an event in Delhi in the near future that I have seen advertised all over town and I learned that there is a sabremetric-esque campaign to get Edge inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame based on overall number of victories and accomplishments (there’s pundits, too! I don’t even remember wrestling pundits!). I wished I had known that Shehrish’s aunt’s mother is a current huge supporter as I can hold my own in any wrestling conversation, being obsessed from ages 12-16.
No Whitey-
I assumed there would be more Caucasians in Delhi based on the population but actually think KTM houses more white folk on average than does Delhi. I initially just thought I was staying in a non-tourist area but barely saw anyone of similar skin tone even at the tombs/monuments, just varying shades of brown. Perhaps they congregate at the Taj Mahaj in Agra, in which case I’ll be following suit and joining them shortly.
Women’s Tennis-
I stayed in yesterday, debilitated from aforementioned poison cheese and watched hours of the Australian Open. I don’t mind tennis but probably only see an average of five whole matches a year and only knowing winners from watching Sportscenter and other talking head shows. The women played in the morning and the men played in the afternoon and I quickly determined that women’s tennis is as unwatchable as women’s basketball. I have seen both genders play before but never in succession. It may be an open secret that nobody talks about but I don’t see how even the biggest feminists can watch the ladies play; comparatively the play seems in slow motion and is much louder from the incessant screaming. I will accept no arguments, women’s tennis is garbage and I’ll never watch it again.
Infallible Tourist Law #1
Don’t eat cheese that looks or tastes weird. I first ignored this rule in Nepal, where I ate ‘T-momos’ with a cheese sauce that seemed off to me and I got really ill. I ordered paneer chili (one of my favorites) in Delhi and it looked strange upon arrival. It normally is served spicy with vegetables but this version came in a sauce that I can only describe as ‘American-Chinese food sauce’. I spent that evening projectile vomiting Exorcist style and was completely incapacitated for 24 hours, only recovering after guzzling electrolytes. When in doubt, pass on cheese.
Mortality Flash-
I was recently on my former running route when I noticed a group of stray dogs had seemingly innocuously gathered in the middle of the street to sunbathe. I often run by 1-2 dogs several times on this route and they even look at me, but something about the scene triggered a ‘danger’ sixth sense within me. I contemplated turning around or hopping the barrier but kept forward as these dogs had never hassled me in the past. As I approached, the dogs all stood up in unison and surrounded me, snarling and growling. I instantly froze and looked for a gap but was thoroughly corralled. I dashed toward one of the larger gaps and the presumed alpha dog lunged after me, leading the chase. I sprinted for my life for an estimated 300 yards before they finally relented. Since then I have been running at a lovely nearby park where I have seen monkeys but have not yet been hassled, aside from being teased and flipped off by school children.
We will be in Jaipur and Agra from January 29-February 2, notably visiting the Taj Majal in the latter. Hope everybody is well.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Touring in Delhi
Shehrish and I left Kathmandu on the 14th for Delhi. The flight was simple and short and the only notable occurrence was an immigration officer smacking his head with my passport, I believe to express his displeasure that it wouldn’t swipe automatically into the system due to being bent in the middle. My Nepali debit card was declined at the duty free shop but I was able to withdraw Indian currency (IC) at an ATM outside of the airport. Supreet (Shehrish’s uncle) picked us up shortly after our arrival and we made our way to his home in Vasant Kunj, Delhi. The first thing that struck me about Delhi was the traffic. It is congested and crazy like Kathmandu with the only difference being the cars are travelling at high speeds on interstates. Almost every car on the road has scrapes and dents, which apparently everyone just accepts as a peril of driving. We eat the traditional Nepali meal of dal bhat while at their home but went out for dinner on the second night of our stay where I enjoyed the best dosa and papadum that I have had to date. We celebrated Sangita's (Shehrish's aunt) birthday the night of our arrival. We stayed in for the first couple of days and I rediscovered the joy of running when the air is relatively clean. I created a nice route utilizing a nearby field and a strip of road and found myself able to run much further than when I run in Nepal, as the air in Delhi is devoid of petrol/diesel fumes and dust. I was delighted to learn that Supreet is an avid sports fan and have spent my evenings watching soccer instead of the excruciating nightly dosage of Minute to Win It that we have been watching in Nepal. Vania, their daughter, enjoys the Indian music video channel and coupled with the buses playing nothing but top 40 Indian music I am now well acquainted with the music scene.
We set out early on the morning of the 17th for our first day of touring in Delhi. The weather was frigid and we later found out that it was the coldest day of the winter. A family friend recommended a bus service, HoHo (Hop on, hop off) that runs throughout the day to the tourist sites with a bus coming every thirty minutes. Tickets for two days of transportation all over Delhi were only IRS. 300 (about USD $6) each. Our first stop was Hauz Khas (linked for your pleasure!) and then made our way to Dilli Haat where we drank some much needed warming coffee as the weather was freezing cold outside. After lunch we made our way to Safdarjung Tomb, the first of many tombs we would see, built around 1753-1754 for the Mughal emperor. I have never been more stunned by the magnitude and intricacy of a structure; the amount of detail that went into its construction is simply incredible. We subsequently caught a bus for the Indira Gandhi museum, which was a welcome, warm reprieve from the cold weather outside aside from smelling like heated body odor. It was the first time of the trip that I felt like an ignorant American as I had only heard of her by name and realized that I know next to nothing about Indian history, modern or ancient. Seeing the marked site of her assassination was moving and somewhat morbid, much like how I felt when visiting Ford’s theatre in Washington DC where Lincoln was shot. We were going to go to India Gatenext (the only thing in Delhi I knew about before leaving America for Nepal) but found out that the grounds were closed until after Republic Day on the 26th. We had to ride the bus trail for about an hour and a half to get back to our drop off site, Qutab Minar where we got picked up and went home. The day was great and the only annoyance was discovering that I had to pay money every time I needed to use the bathroom, which I found rather inhumane. There is no specification as how to pay and the tenant told me to give ‘as I wished’. I handed him an IRS 2 coin and he scowled at me and mumbled something vulgar under his breath. Somebody contact me if you know the proper amount to give for a visit to the loo; I’ve been giving IRS 10 ever since per visit.
We got up early on the 18th to catch a ride to the starting point of the tour buses from a friendly neighbor whom we had met the previous evening. Albeit the early wake up call, I was excited as we were hitting the all of the big boys of Delhi tourism on this day. Our first drop off was at 8:30 and we were able to explore Feroz Shah Kotla all by ourselves. The sandstone structures are in ruins but were really neat to explore through the fog of the early morning. As we entered the structure a massive flock of pigeons was scattered over our heads by a ‘kite’ (India’s version of vicious aerial raptors) looking for breakfast. For those who don’t know me well, I have an irrational fear of birds of prey and the kites were plentiful at many of the sites throughout the day. Our next stop was the Red Fort, home of the Mughal Royal Family until the British ousted them in 1857. The grounds were dizzyingly vast in size and a large portion of the complex had been previously gilded and bejeweled before being stripped and pillaged by Persians and later the British. This was the first place where I wished I had a guide or a pamphlet, as I walked around the grounds in awe but utterly clueless, knowing next to nothing about Mughal history. Some book (TBD) on Indian history is now at the top of my reading list. Our next stop was Rajghat where I felt less stupid as I do know who Mahatma Gandhi was. This site was beautiful and had the prestigious, hallowed ground feel like JFK memorial, Lincoln memorial etc. Despite being filled with tourists, everything was quiet and peaceful. We had a late lunch and then caught a bus to Humayun’s Tomb, the first of the Mughal tombs, which were inspired by Persian architecture that completely dwarfed the Safdajung tomb that we visited the day before. I keep using the same adjectives to describe things, but the sheer magnitude and intricacy of the tomb was stunning and absolutely picturesque. A simple knowledge of Islam and architectural structure was sufficient to keep me mesmerized for over an hour and I have never been more visually impressed by an object in my entire life. Our final stop of the day was the Bahá'í Temple, colloquially known as Lotus Temple as the shape represents a budding lotus flower, a crucial symbol of Bahá'í faith. The structure was commissioned in the late 70’s and was finished in 1984. It was a unique stop in the sense that it was the only structure that wasn’t hundreds to thousands of years old. The temple was impressive and had a new age feel. The tenets of Bahá'í faith are quite modern and progressive which reflects in the architecture. We couldn’t photograph the interior; it was probably about what you would expect it to look like inside if you knew it was relatively empty. Aside from marble benches and an empty podium, the interior was desolate and we were requested to be silent by volunteers. The philosophy, architecture and tenets all feel nice but come off as a bit cultish. Everyone abided by the request except for a group of rude, French tourists. It was around 6:30 as we left and we took the bus back home and called it a day.
We set out early on the morning of the 17th for our first day of touring in Delhi. The weather was frigid and we later found out that it was the coldest day of the winter. A family friend recommended a bus service, HoHo (Hop on, hop off) that runs throughout the day to the tourist sites with a bus coming every thirty minutes. Tickets for two days of transportation all over Delhi were only IRS. 300 (about USD $6) each. Our first stop was Hauz Khas (linked for your pleasure!) and then made our way to Dilli Haat where we drank some much needed warming coffee as the weather was freezing cold outside. After lunch we made our way to Safdarjung Tomb, the first of many tombs we would see, built around 1753-1754 for the Mughal emperor. I have never been more stunned by the magnitude and intricacy of a structure; the amount of detail that went into its construction is simply incredible. We subsequently caught a bus for the Indira Gandhi museum, which was a welcome, warm reprieve from the cold weather outside aside from smelling like heated body odor. It was the first time of the trip that I felt like an ignorant American as I had only heard of her by name and realized that I know next to nothing about Indian history, modern or ancient. Seeing the marked site of her assassination was moving and somewhat morbid, much like how I felt when visiting Ford’s theatre in Washington DC where Lincoln was shot. We were going to go to India Gatenext (the only thing in Delhi I knew about before leaving America for Nepal) but found out that the grounds were closed until after Republic Day on the 26th. We had to ride the bus trail for about an hour and a half to get back to our drop off site, Qutab Minar where we got picked up and went home. The day was great and the only annoyance was discovering that I had to pay money every time I needed to use the bathroom, which I found rather inhumane. There is no specification as how to pay and the tenant told me to give ‘as I wished’. I handed him an IRS 2 coin and he scowled at me and mumbled something vulgar under his breath. Somebody contact me if you know the proper amount to give for a visit to the loo; I’ve been giving IRS 10 ever since per visit.
We got up early on the 18th to catch a ride to the starting point of the tour buses from a friendly neighbor whom we had met the previous evening. Albeit the early wake up call, I was excited as we were hitting the all of the big boys of Delhi tourism on this day. Our first drop off was at 8:30 and we were able to explore Feroz Shah Kotla all by ourselves. The sandstone structures are in ruins but were really neat to explore through the fog of the early morning. As we entered the structure a massive flock of pigeons was scattered over our heads by a ‘kite’ (India’s version of vicious aerial raptors) looking for breakfast. For those who don’t know me well, I have an irrational fear of birds of prey and the kites were plentiful at many of the sites throughout the day. Our next stop was the Red Fort, home of the Mughal Royal Family until the British ousted them in 1857. The grounds were dizzyingly vast in size and a large portion of the complex had been previously gilded and bejeweled before being stripped and pillaged by Persians and later the British. This was the first place where I wished I had a guide or a pamphlet, as I walked around the grounds in awe but utterly clueless, knowing next to nothing about Mughal history. Some book (TBD) on Indian history is now at the top of my reading list. Our next stop was Rajghat where I felt less stupid as I do know who Mahatma Gandhi was. This site was beautiful and had the prestigious, hallowed ground feel like JFK memorial, Lincoln memorial etc. Despite being filled with tourists, everything was quiet and peaceful. We had a late lunch and then caught a bus to Humayun’s Tomb, the first of the Mughal tombs, which were inspired by Persian architecture that completely dwarfed the Safdajung tomb that we visited the day before. I keep using the same adjectives to describe things, but the sheer magnitude and intricacy of the tomb was stunning and absolutely picturesque. A simple knowledge of Islam and architectural structure was sufficient to keep me mesmerized for over an hour and I have never been more visually impressed by an object in my entire life. Our final stop of the day was the Bahá'í Temple, colloquially known as Lotus Temple as the shape represents a budding lotus flower, a crucial symbol of Bahá'í faith. The structure was commissioned in the late 70’s and was finished in 1984. It was a unique stop in the sense that it was the only structure that wasn’t hundreds to thousands of years old. The temple was impressive and had a new age feel. The tenets of Bahá'í faith are quite modern and progressive which reflects in the architecture. We couldn’t photograph the interior; it was probably about what you would expect it to look like inside if you knew it was relatively empty. Aside from marble benches and an empty podium, the interior was desolate and we were requested to be silent by volunteers. The philosophy, architecture and tenets all feel nice but come off as a bit cultish. Everyone abided by the request except for a group of rude, French tourists. It was around 6:30 as we left and we took the bus back home and called it a day.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Sick, Camp
The frigid temperatures and polluted air of the Kathmandu valley have finally beaten my immune system into submission as I have been battling a wicked combination of high fever/bad cold for the past few days. The aspirin available at the pharmacies (paracetamol) only seems to work for a couple of hours before fading away. I spent the majority of yesterday wrapped in every blanket I could find with a hot water bag strapped to my chest and was still shivering with chills for hours with a fever in the high 102's. I have been on a regimen of homeopathic medicine since yesterday and have shown marginal signs of improvement. Shehrish's grandfather recommended a drink made from 'neem' leaves, easily the most bitter thing I have ever tasted in my life. I would pay $100 USD right now for a box of Theraflu and some orange Gatorade.
The first week of winter camp concluded yesterday and has been as fun for me as it has been for the children. I went on my first horse ride and the kids badgered the trainer to take me around at a much faster pace than the normal horse trot. It was terrifying and I don't plan on riding one ever again. I taught the kids some basic yoga on the second day of camp which may have been too intense as one camper was absent the next day due to sore legs. Making s'mores had been included in the curriculum, which would have been great if one could buy Hershey's chocolate, graham crackers or proper marshmallows in Nepal. We settled on sugar crackers (stiff, sweet biscuits), DairyMilk chocolate (too thick) and Thai marshmallows (small, pink in the middle and disgusting). Despite my opinion, the kids loved them and were lined up for seconds. One more week of camp and then Shehrish and I are off to Delhi for three weeks. Hope all is well with everybody, take your vitamins.
The first week of winter camp concluded yesterday and has been as fun for me as it has been for the children. I went on my first horse ride and the kids badgered the trainer to take me around at a much faster pace than the normal horse trot. It was terrifying and I don't plan on riding one ever again. I taught the kids some basic yoga on the second day of camp which may have been too intense as one camper was absent the next day due to sore legs. Making s'mores had been included in the curriculum, which would have been great if one could buy Hershey's chocolate, graham crackers or proper marshmallows in Nepal. We settled on sugar crackers (stiff, sweet biscuits), DairyMilk chocolate (too thick) and Thai marshmallows (small, pink in the middle and disgusting). Despite my opinion, the kids loved them and were lined up for seconds. One more week of camp and then Shehrish and I are off to Delhi for three weeks. Hope all is well with everybody, take your vitamins.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)