Sorry I haven't blogged in a while, but it's been hard getting Internet access in places we've been. So, a summary of the last week...
After Ahemdabad, we traveled north to Mehsana (also in Gujarat) and visited the ancient Sun Temple there. The carvings are extraordinary, and I took a bunch of pictures. Then, we traveled north to Mount Abu where we visited an old Jain temple with even more elaborate carvings. Some of you will be receiving postcards with pictures of this temple on them. We haven't seen many postcards in India, so when I found these I bought as many as I could. I was only able to send them today (Tuesday, May 29) - so I'll probably get to the US before the postcards do. After Mount Abu, we traveled north to Jodhpur and stayed there two nights. We visited an old fort and did other sightseeing. Then, on to Jaisalmer, which is about as far west as foreigners are allowed to travel in India. Any further west gets too close to Pakistan, and India won't let foreigners get that close. We spent part of Sunday night in the Thar desert. We had a camel ride and then watched the sun set, which was a very cool experience. The sand doesn't stick to you like Gulf Shores sand; it brushes right off. It has the consistency of powdered sugar. It doesn't taste sweet, however.
Today, we're in Bikaner which is about 5 hours north of Jaisalmer, still in the extreme western part of Rajasthan. Tomorrow, we're headed to the temple of the rats - where there are thousands of black rats that are worshipped as gods. From what I've heard, they run all over your feet as you tour. So, this should be an interesting experience. I've always appreciated vermin.
Then, we're on to Ajmer, Jaipur, Gwalior, and then Agra to visit the Taj Mahal, and then finally back to Jaipur for three days. We leave from Mumbai on June 10 and arrive back in Montgomery on June 11 in the afternoon. So, we're in the downhill slide of the trip. I don't know if I'll blog again before leaving, but please check back every once in awhile. See you soon, PW
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Achtung from Ahemdabad
How are y'all liking the alliterative titles?
It's about 8:45 AM in Ahemdabad and I'm getting ready to go to the Rotary District Assembly. It's been extremely hot here the last few days - over 100 degrees F. Yesterday we visited Gandhi's ashram in Ahemdabad and saw where he stayed during his time here. We also viewed some original documents written by Gandhi himself. Then, we toured a local handicraft market and haggled with the dealers to get our stuff at the best possible price.
My host has been teaching me about Hinduism and has been explaining some of his practices. He begins every morning with a prayer to the sun, Shurya, which he says brings light and energy into the life of believers when they respect and honor the sun. He showed me his daily ritual which involves offering water to the sun by pouring it onto the ground while saying prayers. Then, he goes into his prayer room and offers more prayers to other gods - primarily Krishna.
Ahemdabad is a large city, about 5 million I think and very crowded. Traffic works the same way as in Udaipur - the law of positioning and horn symphonies everywhere you turn. But there are more cars, bikes, and pedestrians to contend with here.
Yesterday, our tour van caught fire in downtown Ahemdabad. We were trying to turn on some fans to get a breeze going, and I think we overloaded the wiring. White puffs of smoke started oozing out from under the dashboard, and we had to make a quick exit at a busy intersection. That drew alot of attention, as you might expect. But, our driver got it fixed and we were on our way in no time. So, I won't have to utilize that traveler's insurance as quickly as I thought I might.
Well, guess I should get going. Hopefully, we'll visit some Hindu temples in and around Ahemdabad today. More later, PW
It's about 8:45 AM in Ahemdabad and I'm getting ready to go to the Rotary District Assembly. It's been extremely hot here the last few days - over 100 degrees F. Yesterday we visited Gandhi's ashram in Ahemdabad and saw where he stayed during his time here. We also viewed some original documents written by Gandhi himself. Then, we toured a local handicraft market and haggled with the dealers to get our stuff at the best possible price.
My host has been teaching me about Hinduism and has been explaining some of his practices. He begins every morning with a prayer to the sun, Shurya, which he says brings light and energy into the life of believers when they respect and honor the sun. He showed me his daily ritual which involves offering water to the sun by pouring it onto the ground while saying prayers. Then, he goes into his prayer room and offers more prayers to other gods - primarily Krishna.
Ahemdabad is a large city, about 5 million I think and very crowded. Traffic works the same way as in Udaipur - the law of positioning and horn symphonies everywhere you turn. But there are more cars, bikes, and pedestrians to contend with here.
Yesterday, our tour van caught fire in downtown Ahemdabad. We were trying to turn on some fans to get a breeze going, and I think we overloaded the wiring. White puffs of smoke started oozing out from under the dashboard, and we had to make a quick exit at a busy intersection. That drew alot of attention, as you might expect. But, our driver got it fixed and we were on our way in no time. So, I won't have to utilize that traveler's insurance as quickly as I thought I might.
Well, guess I should get going. Hopefully, we'll visit some Hindu temples in and around Ahemdabad today. More later, PW
Friday, May 18, 2007
Hello from Hematnagar
Jai shree krishna, That's another greeting I've learned since coming to Gujarat state from Rajasthan on Wednesday. Well, I told you we were going to Ahmedabad but I didn't know we'd be stopping in Hematnagar first. Had a nice visit with a family there - the host father was very interested in answering my questions. The host mother was very nice and an excellent cook, but did not speak English.
Gujarati is the language spoken in Gujarat state. Like Hindi, it comes from Sanskrit, but is printed differently and spoken differently. Evidently Hindi and Gujarati speakers can understand each other. I guess it's sort of like a Bostonian trying to understand a Mobilian??? - (that one's for you Tom and Britton)
In Hematnagar we visited a ceramic tile factory, which was very interesting. Though industry isn't high on my list of things to study, it was fascinating to watch ceramic tiles being made from beginning to end. The factory was extremely hot, and I hope OSHA doesn't plan on making an inspection any time soon...
Then we toured a dairy which is set up as an agricultural cooperative. The dairy manager told us that they employ about 300,000 dairy farmers throughout the Gujarat state which helps lift these families out of poverty. After overhead costs are paid, the rest of the company's profits go to these farmers. It's very philanthropic and the ice cream tasts great, too! They've just developed a new probiotic ice cream that is available now in the states - Chicago, he said.
That evening, our hosts took us to a rural trade fair which featured all kinds of products (plastics, cars, water purifiers), as well as rides like a ferris wheel and something called the Death Well. Actually, the Death Well isn't a ride, it's a daredevil stunt. The Death Well is a huge cone made of wood that stands 25-30 feet high, and is surrounded by metal scaffolding on which spectators stand. Inside the cone and at the bottom are motorcycles and cars. A motorcyclist gets on his bike, then rides up the cone and circles the cone continuously at a high rate of speed. And he goes around and around the cone, 30 feet above the ground, and about 2 inches from your head. Then, the car driver does the same. They speed around the cone, at an angle, for several minutes. Did I mention that they do this with no hands??!! There were many young people at the fair, school-age children and teens, and we Americans felt like rock stars. They followed us everywhere we went - it was like a scene from National Geographic or the Nightly News. They kept snapping pictures of us with their cell phones. I felt like Brad Pitt (we are cousins after all, right dad??) One kid said to another in Gujarati (which our host translated), "See, this is why you should learn English, so you can talk to the Americans."
Well, I'm off to the Rotary district meeting and am prepared to give my part of the presentation. I'm told that our audience today will be between 700-1,000 Rotarians. This is the largest group that I've ever spoken too, so I'm a little nervous. Thank-you for checking and posting comments. Great to hear from people back home.
More later, PW
Gujarati is the language spoken in Gujarat state. Like Hindi, it comes from Sanskrit, but is printed differently and spoken differently. Evidently Hindi and Gujarati speakers can understand each other. I guess it's sort of like a Bostonian trying to understand a Mobilian??? - (that one's for you Tom and Britton)
In Hematnagar we visited a ceramic tile factory, which was very interesting. Though industry isn't high on my list of things to study, it was fascinating to watch ceramic tiles being made from beginning to end. The factory was extremely hot, and I hope OSHA doesn't plan on making an inspection any time soon...
Then we toured a dairy which is set up as an agricultural cooperative. The dairy manager told us that they employ about 300,000 dairy farmers throughout the Gujarat state which helps lift these families out of poverty. After overhead costs are paid, the rest of the company's profits go to these farmers. It's very philanthropic and the ice cream tasts great, too! They've just developed a new probiotic ice cream that is available now in the states - Chicago, he said.
That evening, our hosts took us to a rural trade fair which featured all kinds of products (plastics, cars, water purifiers), as well as rides like a ferris wheel and something called the Death Well. Actually, the Death Well isn't a ride, it's a daredevil stunt. The Death Well is a huge cone made of wood that stands 25-30 feet high, and is surrounded by metal scaffolding on which spectators stand. Inside the cone and at the bottom are motorcycles and cars. A motorcyclist gets on his bike, then rides up the cone and circles the cone continuously at a high rate of speed. And he goes around and around the cone, 30 feet above the ground, and about 2 inches from your head. Then, the car driver does the same. They speed around the cone, at an angle, for several minutes. Did I mention that they do this with no hands??!! There were many young people at the fair, school-age children and teens, and we Americans felt like rock stars. They followed us everywhere we went - it was like a scene from National Geographic or the Nightly News. They kept snapping pictures of us with their cell phones. I felt like Brad Pitt (we are cousins after all, right dad??) One kid said to another in Gujarati (which our host translated), "See, this is why you should learn English, so you can talk to the Americans."
Well, I'm off to the Rotary district meeting and am prepared to give my part of the presentation. I'm told that our audience today will be between 700-1,000 Rotarians. This is the largest group that I've ever spoken too, so I'm a little nervous. Thank-you for checking and posting comments. Great to hear from people back home.
More later, PW
Attacked by a Cobra!!
Just kidding... Tried to blog at last house in Hematnagar and it didn't post.
Nothing like spending 30 minutes typing a perfectly worded entry and then having it deleted.
More later.
Nothing like spending 30 minutes typing a perfectly worded entry and then having it deleted.
More later.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Good Morning from Udaipur
Namaste,
Today is the day we leave Udaipur for Ahemdabad in Gujarat. Hermant, a servant in our host family's home, just brought chai to the room. Chai is tea that is flavored with masala, or spices (mostly black pepper), and is prepared with cream and sugar. Hermant (spelling?) is probably 16 or 17 years old and is a great help in the household. He likes making chai and practicing his English. I showed him my small photo album the other day and he liked looking at pictures of Mobile, St. Paul's, All Saints, and especially Sugar, my English bull dog. According to our host mother, Hermant wants to visit the US someday and I hope he'll be able to do that.
Another servant in the household is Ishwer. He seems to be in his early twenties and is very helpful in the kitchen. His main job for Team India has been to serve as our driver and escort around and about Udaipur. He's mastered the skill (art?) of the traffic pick and roll (see previous post for explanation), and also melodious honking. He does not speak much English other than phrases such as "Hello" and "you're welcome." But, as I noticed in Japan and am noticing again in India, clear communication can occur without words. Last night is a good example. The Rotary meeting ran longer than expected. We were due back at the house at 10:30 PM and did not get in until close to midnight. Ishwer had driven us to the meeting and had waited the entire time for it to finish, per his instructions. As we're heading home, his cell phone rings. Both Will and I knew it was our host family calling to find out where we were. So after the first ring we both mumbled something like "um hm" meaning "we know who's calling." Clearly, Ishwer knew what we meant because he started laughing and, it was indeed the host father because Ishwer uttered another English phrase "yah, yah! We're on our way."
Another feature of Indian culture that is noteworthy for the folks back home is the hospitality. I could go on and on about how Team India has been treated like kings, how kind and generous our host family has been, how attentive the Rotarians in this district have been. But a short vignette again involving Ishwer makes the point. The other day, he was charged with driving Will and me to a morning Team India meeting. As we sat in the comfortably air conditioned car, the sounds of Bob Dylan piped through the speakers. We think Ishwer purposely chose English language music for our enjoyment and benefit. That's hospitality. Enough for now, time for breakfast. So long, PW
Today is the day we leave Udaipur for Ahemdabad in Gujarat. Hermant, a servant in our host family's home, just brought chai to the room. Chai is tea that is flavored with masala, or spices (mostly black pepper), and is prepared with cream and sugar. Hermant (spelling?) is probably 16 or 17 years old and is a great help in the household. He likes making chai and practicing his English. I showed him my small photo album the other day and he liked looking at pictures of Mobile, St. Paul's, All Saints, and especially Sugar, my English bull dog. According to our host mother, Hermant wants to visit the US someday and I hope he'll be able to do that.
Another servant in the household is Ishwer. He seems to be in his early twenties and is very helpful in the kitchen. His main job for Team India has been to serve as our driver and escort around and about Udaipur. He's mastered the skill (art?) of the traffic pick and roll (see previous post for explanation), and also melodious honking. He does not speak much English other than phrases such as "Hello" and "you're welcome." But, as I noticed in Japan and am noticing again in India, clear communication can occur without words. Last night is a good example. The Rotary meeting ran longer than expected. We were due back at the house at 10:30 PM and did not get in until close to midnight. Ishwer had driven us to the meeting and had waited the entire time for it to finish, per his instructions. As we're heading home, his cell phone rings. Both Will and I knew it was our host family calling to find out where we were. So after the first ring we both mumbled something like "um hm" meaning "we know who's calling." Clearly, Ishwer knew what we meant because he started laughing and, it was indeed the host father because Ishwer uttered another English phrase "yah, yah! We're on our way."
Another feature of Indian culture that is noteworthy for the folks back home is the hospitality. I could go on and on about how Team India has been treated like kings, how kind and generous our host family has been, how attentive the Rotarians in this district have been. But a short vignette again involving Ishwer makes the point. The other day, he was charged with driving Will and me to a morning Team India meeting. As we sat in the comfortably air conditioned car, the sounds of Bob Dylan piped through the speakers. We think Ishwer purposely chose English language music for our enjoyment and benefit. That's hospitality. Enough for now, time for breakfast. So long, PW
Adventures in Udaipur
Hi everybody,
Greetings from Udaipur in Rajasthan, India! Yesterday and today, Team India spent time touring historic Udaipur including the City Palace, Crystal Gallery, and several other museums and historic sites. Udaipur was the capital of the Mewar state, which successfully resisted the 16th century Mughal invasions. In many places, I've seen it said that the ruling house of the Mewar state is the longest reigining in the world. The people of Udaipur are very proud of the history of their state, which remained independent until 1948 when it voluntarily joined the newly formed Republic of India. So, that's the historical background of where I am today. Tomorrow, Team India leaves for Ahmedabad which is a city larger than Udaipur and to the south, in the state of Gujarat. Our hosts told us that the food in Gujarat is less spicy than the food in Rajasthan. Evidently, each region and state in India has its own cuisine for which it is famous.
This morning, our host mother taught me how to cook puri, which is a flat bread that is deep-fried in ghee, or butter. She also showed me her spice collection. I've been learning the names of several Indian dishes. There are many kinds of flat bread. Puri, and roti which is roasted, nan which is baked and served with butter spread on top, and paranta which is stuffed with vegetables, especially potato. Sweets served include ladoo, which is kind of hard to explain. It's a round ball made of little round balls of puffed something (rice?). There's jalebe which is the funnel cake dipped in sugar syrup that I had at the wedding reception. There's kheer, which is sweet milk with rice and is served in a brown cup called a mudpod. I don't know if the spelling's right on that last one. Then there's ras malai which is a small, round cake soaked in sweet milk. This dish was served the other night at the country club along with some very spice entrees like chicken tikka and all kinds of paneer - vegetables. The sweet and cool cut the bite of the spicy dishes. It was a great combination. There's also mango pickles. It's hard to explain the taste, but it's like mango soaked in spices and served as a kind of chutney. Finally, dal, or lentils, are served at most meals and are best eaten over rice. Much of the cuisine here is oily. My host mother explained that she uses sunflower oil mostly when she cooks, though groundnut oil also seems to be common.
I'm still trying to figure out the traffic situation. At first glance, it seems like total chaos with cars, motorcycles, three wheel taxis, and pedestrians moving from all different directions at one time. There are many roundabouts and few traffic signals. I haven't seen any police cruisers at all. But there seems to be some set of unwritten rules that govern traffic in Udaipur. The first rule seems to be the rule of positioning. To get from Point A to Point B, you have to position yourself aggressively and block on-coming traffic, which is expected to yield to your secure position by moving around you on one side or the other. Like basketball, you do a kind of pick and roll technique where you use other motorists (or pedestrians) as blockers as you move to your next spot. The second rule seems to be a vehicular pecking order. Cars are at the top of the hierarchy, followed by motorcycles and then bikes. Three-wheel taxis count as cars, and buses and trucks are considered big cars. Pedestrians usually yield to traffic, and traffic usually yields to animals. So, I guess animals really are at the top of the hierarchy. If you drive in Udaipur, you must have thick skin because everybody honks at you. But you can't take it personally because it's not a sign of exasperation or anger. And though there have been many opportunities where road rage would have been legitimate, I've seen no instances of it. Honking seems to be a way of announcing your presence to on-coming motorists, or to motorists in front of you who are blocking your way. It's a way of saying "Here I am."
I'm not sure if I'll be able to post any pictures, but I'm working on it. The scenary here is quite beautiful. Udaipur is surrounded by mountains, and the view from on top of the City Palace or my host family's third floor terrace is quite spectacular.
It's now about 12:40 AM local time, and it's been a long and busy day of sight-seeing and meetings. I did get a chance to talk this evening with an older gentleman who marched with Gandhi in the 1940s during India's independence movement. He spent over a year in jail without charges as a result of his activities. He's most recently been involved in several local projects using microloans, which are small loans given to locals - many of them women - to establish small businesses (usually crafts) at very low interest as a way of boosting local economies. Many families have been lifted out of poverty through these programs. The founder of the microloan program (from Bangladesh, I forgot his name) was awarded the recent Nobel Peace Prize for his work. Anyway, that's enough for tonight. Thank-you for checking in and for taking the time to keep track. I don't know when I'll be able to post next since I don't know what technological capabilities exist in other cities and we leave Udaipur tomorrow. So, it may be several days before I'm able to post again. Feel free to leave comments and ask questions if you like, and I'll try to find out the answers for you.
So long for now, PW
Greetings from Udaipur in Rajasthan, India! Yesterday and today, Team India spent time touring historic Udaipur including the City Palace, Crystal Gallery, and several other museums and historic sites. Udaipur was the capital of the Mewar state, which successfully resisted the 16th century Mughal invasions. In many places, I've seen it said that the ruling house of the Mewar state is the longest reigining in the world. The people of Udaipur are very proud of the history of their state, which remained independent until 1948 when it voluntarily joined the newly formed Republic of India. So, that's the historical background of where I am today. Tomorrow, Team India leaves for Ahmedabad which is a city larger than Udaipur and to the south, in the state of Gujarat. Our hosts told us that the food in Gujarat is less spicy than the food in Rajasthan. Evidently, each region and state in India has its own cuisine for which it is famous.
This morning, our host mother taught me how to cook puri, which is a flat bread that is deep-fried in ghee, or butter. She also showed me her spice collection. I've been learning the names of several Indian dishes. There are many kinds of flat bread. Puri, and roti which is roasted, nan which is baked and served with butter spread on top, and paranta which is stuffed with vegetables, especially potato. Sweets served include ladoo, which is kind of hard to explain. It's a round ball made of little round balls of puffed something (rice?). There's jalebe which is the funnel cake dipped in sugar syrup that I had at the wedding reception. There's kheer, which is sweet milk with rice and is served in a brown cup called a mudpod. I don't know if the spelling's right on that last one. Then there's ras malai which is a small, round cake soaked in sweet milk. This dish was served the other night at the country club along with some very spice entrees like chicken tikka and all kinds of paneer - vegetables. The sweet and cool cut the bite of the spicy dishes. It was a great combination. There's also mango pickles. It's hard to explain the taste, but it's like mango soaked in spices and served as a kind of chutney. Finally, dal, or lentils, are served at most meals and are best eaten over rice. Much of the cuisine here is oily. My host mother explained that she uses sunflower oil mostly when she cooks, though groundnut oil also seems to be common.
I'm still trying to figure out the traffic situation. At first glance, it seems like total chaos with cars, motorcycles, three wheel taxis, and pedestrians moving from all different directions at one time. There are many roundabouts and few traffic signals. I haven't seen any police cruisers at all. But there seems to be some set of unwritten rules that govern traffic in Udaipur. The first rule seems to be the rule of positioning. To get from Point A to Point B, you have to position yourself aggressively and block on-coming traffic, which is expected to yield to your secure position by moving around you on one side or the other. Like basketball, you do a kind of pick and roll technique where you use other motorists (or pedestrians) as blockers as you move to your next spot. The second rule seems to be a vehicular pecking order. Cars are at the top of the hierarchy, followed by motorcycles and then bikes. Three-wheel taxis count as cars, and buses and trucks are considered big cars. Pedestrians usually yield to traffic, and traffic usually yields to animals. So, I guess animals really are at the top of the hierarchy. If you drive in Udaipur, you must have thick skin because everybody honks at you. But you can't take it personally because it's not a sign of exasperation or anger. And though there have been many opportunities where road rage would have been legitimate, I've seen no instances of it. Honking seems to be a way of announcing your presence to on-coming motorists, or to motorists in front of you who are blocking your way. It's a way of saying "Here I am."
I'm not sure if I'll be able to post any pictures, but I'm working on it. The scenary here is quite beautiful. Udaipur is surrounded by mountains, and the view from on top of the City Palace or my host family's third floor terrace is quite spectacular.
It's now about 12:40 AM local time, and it's been a long and busy day of sight-seeing and meetings. I did get a chance to talk this evening with an older gentleman who marched with Gandhi in the 1940s during India's independence movement. He spent over a year in jail without charges as a result of his activities. He's most recently been involved in several local projects using microloans, which are small loans given to locals - many of them women - to establish small businesses (usually crafts) at very low interest as a way of boosting local economies. Many families have been lifted out of poverty through these programs. The founder of the microloan program (from Bangladesh, I forgot his name) was awarded the recent Nobel Peace Prize for his work. Anyway, that's enough for tonight. Thank-you for checking in and for taking the time to keep track. I don't know when I'll be able to post next since I don't know what technological capabilities exist in other cities and we leave Udaipur tomorrow. So, it may be several days before I'm able to post again. Feel free to leave comments and ask questions if you like, and I'll try to find out the answers for you.
So long for now, PW
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Greetings from India - Day 1
Hi everybody,
It's 6:30 AM Monday morning (May 14) in Udaipur, Rajasthan. We (the Rotary team) have been in the country since late Saturday night. We flew into Mumbai (Bombay) around 10:30-11:00 PM, and then stayed in the airport for our 6AM flight to Udaipur.
The flight from New York City to Mumbai was very long - about 14 hours. We flew over Europe, eastern Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, and finally to Mumbai. The Mumbai airport was very busy, even at midnight.
Udaipur is a city of about 500,000 people. Our hosts met us at the airport and drove us to our first host family, a doctor and his wife. They are very nice. They served a delicious breakfast on Sunday morning which included a varity of sweets, like ladoo, as well as fruit (mango, apple, watermelon), and an omlett flavored with onion, corriander, and black pepper. They also served us chai (tea) for breakfast, and then again at 6:00 PM with cookies and other desserts. Our hosts have an outdoor swimming pool on top of their house, so we had a swim last night before heading out for the evening. It was very interesting to be swimming and unwinding from the plane trip and then to hear the muezzin calling the Muslim faithful to prayer from somewhere in the city's distance.
We have driven many places throughout Udaipur. In India, people drive in the left-hand lane and the steering wheel is on the right-hand side of the car. Traffic consists of cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, cows, dogs, and goats. Drivers signal what they want to do by tapping their horn several times. So, you hear alot of honking in India. It's 6:45 in the morning, and already I hear some honking on the streets outside.
The food is really wonderful and flavorful. Our hosts have been teaching us the names of various dishes and things, some of which I can't remember, but I'm trying to learn. We went to a wedding reception last night that featured a huge buffet with all kinds of dishes and desserts to pick. My favorite was a deep-fried piece of dough that was twisted into kind of a pretzel shape and then soaked in sugar syrup. It tasted like a really sweet funnel cake, but it was smaller in size. I can't remember the name of it, but I really hope I get to eat it again. The bride and groom were decorated in elaborate and colorful clothing. They were seated on a huge, well-lit platform, and guests would come and greet them and congratulate them. I, also, was invited to greet and congratulate them, which I did. They were very appreciative, yet I have to wonder what was going through their minds when, after greeting friends and relatives, they looked up and saw this complete stranger from another country wishing them a long, happy marriage. There were probably 1,000 people in attendance at the reception which featured a band, fountain, and fireworks. It was also neat to see ice cream being made. There were these huge rollers and attendants were pouring what looked to be fruit over the rollers, which would then mix the fruit with the cream, which they would then serve. It was delicious. Thinking about it, I had three bowls of ice cream yesterday at three different gatherings.
It is very hot in Udaipur, but not unbearable. And, unlike Mobile which is very humid, Udaipur is a dry heat. The temperatures, I think, are about the same - maybe Udaipur is a little hotter. But again, without the humidity it makes the experience of being hot different. Our hosts give us bottled water and allow us to spend time indoors. It cools down a bit at night, which made the evening swim last night very pleasant.
Well, that's about all for now. In about 30 minutes our hosts will serve us tea before breakfast. In India, tea, not coffee, seems to be the morning drink. As most of you know, I'm a big coffee drinker. But the tea is very good and I haven't missed the coffee at all.
I don't know how often I'll be able to post, nor if I'll be able to post any pictures. I'll do what I can. If you like, check back in the evenings and maybe I'll have something new posted. We're about 10 hours or so ahead of Mobile, so hopefully if I'm able to update in the mornings that you should be able to read something new in the evenings. Anyway, thank-you for checking in and I hope everybody's having a good week. More later -- PW
It's 6:30 AM Monday morning (May 14) in Udaipur, Rajasthan. We (the Rotary team) have been in the country since late Saturday night. We flew into Mumbai (Bombay) around 10:30-11:00 PM, and then stayed in the airport for our 6AM flight to Udaipur.
The flight from New York City to Mumbai was very long - about 14 hours. We flew over Europe, eastern Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, and finally to Mumbai. The Mumbai airport was very busy, even at midnight.
Udaipur is a city of about 500,000 people. Our hosts met us at the airport and drove us to our first host family, a doctor and his wife. They are very nice. They served a delicious breakfast on Sunday morning which included a varity of sweets, like ladoo, as well as fruit (mango, apple, watermelon), and an omlett flavored with onion, corriander, and black pepper. They also served us chai (tea) for breakfast, and then again at 6:00 PM with cookies and other desserts. Our hosts have an outdoor swimming pool on top of their house, so we had a swim last night before heading out for the evening. It was very interesting to be swimming and unwinding from the plane trip and then to hear the muezzin calling the Muslim faithful to prayer from somewhere in the city's distance.
We have driven many places throughout Udaipur. In India, people drive in the left-hand lane and the steering wheel is on the right-hand side of the car. Traffic consists of cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, cows, dogs, and goats. Drivers signal what they want to do by tapping their horn several times. So, you hear alot of honking in India. It's 6:45 in the morning, and already I hear some honking on the streets outside.
The food is really wonderful and flavorful. Our hosts have been teaching us the names of various dishes and things, some of which I can't remember, but I'm trying to learn. We went to a wedding reception last night that featured a huge buffet with all kinds of dishes and desserts to pick. My favorite was a deep-fried piece of dough that was twisted into kind of a pretzel shape and then soaked in sugar syrup. It tasted like a really sweet funnel cake, but it was smaller in size. I can't remember the name of it, but I really hope I get to eat it again. The bride and groom were decorated in elaborate and colorful clothing. They were seated on a huge, well-lit platform, and guests would come and greet them and congratulate them. I, also, was invited to greet and congratulate them, which I did. They were very appreciative, yet I have to wonder what was going through their minds when, after greeting friends and relatives, they looked up and saw this complete stranger from another country wishing them a long, happy marriage. There were probably 1,000 people in attendance at the reception which featured a band, fountain, and fireworks. It was also neat to see ice cream being made. There were these huge rollers and attendants were pouring what looked to be fruit over the rollers, which would then mix the fruit with the cream, which they would then serve. It was delicious. Thinking about it, I had three bowls of ice cream yesterday at three different gatherings.
It is very hot in Udaipur, but not unbearable. And, unlike Mobile which is very humid, Udaipur is a dry heat. The temperatures, I think, are about the same - maybe Udaipur is a little hotter. But again, without the humidity it makes the experience of being hot different. Our hosts give us bottled water and allow us to spend time indoors. It cools down a bit at night, which made the evening swim last night very pleasant.
Well, that's about all for now. In about 30 minutes our hosts will serve us tea before breakfast. In India, tea, not coffee, seems to be the morning drink. As most of you know, I'm a big coffee drinker. But the tea is very good and I haven't missed the coffee at all.
I don't know how often I'll be able to post, nor if I'll be able to post any pictures. I'll do what I can. If you like, check back in the evenings and maybe I'll have something new posted. We're about 10 hours or so ahead of Mobile, so hopefully if I'm able to update in the mornings that you should be able to read something new in the evenings. Anyway, thank-you for checking in and I hope everybody's having a good week. More later -- PW
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