Hi all!
Since the last entry there's been fair bit of activity and I now find myself in southern India, Pondicherry...the French enclave that happened to be the only place spared from the tsunami devastation in this part of the world. It's hot, hot, hot. I don't usually sweat but it's just pouring out of me the moment I step outside. It's just so humid!!! But let me know get too far ahead. Since the last entry we "survived":
- Tim's bday bash/ Josie's re-entry party (she was heading back home after 1.5 years out of country) in Bombay that included a yummy dinner at the very trendy Indigo followed by a night of dancing and just plain revelry at Tim's room at the lovely Taj Hotel,
- the tearful goodbyes to both he and Josie,
- Trying to accomplish way too many things in the course of one day in India including a visit to the US Consulate because I needed to get a document notarized (talk about security!!!) and my adventure later that afternoon of sending a parcel from the main post office in Bombay (I had to pay someone to box it and stitch a covering for it, pay that same person to show me where the office was because the office was about to close!!!, bribe the foreign parcel office to stay open a wee bit longer to process my parcel (weigh, rip it open to pass it through "customs", pay another man to tape it up and sew it all over again, wait for another man to come and apply sealing wax to every possible seam...and finally give the man in charge a "little gift" to make sure they didn't take my parcel out back and burn it after all that effort)
- Leaving Bombay for Mysore (via Bangalore) on a 24 hour train ride - followed by a 4 hour bus journey on what a road that had more speed bumps that is physically tolerable. As for the train - we were fortunate enough to have an A/C car with sleeping berths. I never knew that I could remain reclined for a full 24 hours but I found out that it is achievable. Probably the longest I've stayed in one place in a long time....perhaps since Vang Vieng, Laos! ;)
- Quick stopover in Mysore to visit the lovely Palace and Chamburi Hill....a visit that involved not just us but hundreds upon hundreds of Indian tourists who don't know the first thing about standing in a nice orderly line. Sheer bedlam!!! And both visits proved once again that everyone wants something...whether it's the "nice security guard" who happens to point out that the style of painting lends itself to a 3D perspective and then requests "a gift" or the other nice man in the temple who took us aside to give us information about the rites and practices of the Hindu religion and the temple (which also meant we avoided the long line of Indian citizens who were really there for "business"). Now who possibly want to rip you off in a house of worship? Well we found him - it was this man....but seriously, perhaps I'm exaggerating, I don't think it was a total scam but the priest he brought over was rather insistent upon a hefty donation which is fine, it goes to feed the orphaned kids who show up every day at 3pm for food. I had more of a problem with the "nice man" who was not just in to having us donate money to the temple but also to him. Picture us standing on the roof of the temple, out of earshot, while MC is telling him that he can take what we are offering or nothing at all. It was brilliant and I captured it the digital. ****Please note that since reading "The Monk Who Sold his Ferrari" I'm learning to channel what would be negative thoughts resulting from these encounters into positive thoughts. I should be ready for sainthood upon my return.
- Back to Bangalore to take an overnight bus to Pondicherry, the former french colony/ now heavily influenced French seaside town in Southern India- the Tamil Nadu region. This happens to be the one area in the immediate vicinity along the coast that wasn't directly hit by the tsunami but so many people were impacted in other ways. For instance we met a man who was serving us at a restaurant. We got to talking and he said that he woke up to meditate every morning at 5am...to make a long story short it was the only way he was learning to cope with the lose of his father, mother and 3 sisters the morning of the tsunami…just 5 months ago. Everything washed away. It was so very sad and remarkable that he was able to be so strong. I don't know what I would do. And to top it all off his existing relatives have not received him with open arms (who knows the history) and it sounds like he has very little support. He’s not married and without a family to “make the arrangements” the prospects aren’t good. Argh…it was such a sad conversation. In addition to that he's involved in some bureaucratic nightmare and is unable to teach English (his profession these last 15 years in Chennai) until he receives original copies of his certification that I believe had been washed away. He apparently has photocopies but that won’t do. (Given my limited experience with both French and Indian bureaucracies I honestly don’t find that too hard to believe\) But what is truly amazing is that he’s persevering through it all, working in the restaurant to earn enough money to move on.
- Pondicherry is veritable oasis. Such a lovely place…despite the high humidity and mind blowing temperatures. It’s hot hot hot. But we decided to splash out (it was MC’s bday on the 9th) and stay in a nice colonial home converted in to guesthouse in the “French quarter” of town – The Patricia Guest House (it doesn’t even have a sign, you just have to know the address 54 Romain Rollard). Very boutique-y…with great splashes of color throughout the room, decorations (ie. Statues, vases, bowls, etc) that aren’t glued to the surfaces…and of course hot water and an amazing A/C unit!!! It was a great retreat from the oppressive heat of the day. But one cannot resist walking outsid, through the tree lined streets of the city…walking through the streets is actually do-able here (you’re not dodging cow poop, rickshaws, etc.) and it’s all very civilized. There’s some great architecture to be seen throughout and just the daily activity of the residents and vacation go-ers is a feast for the senses. Sunday night everyone descended on the Strand…the road along the water. It was a great collection of families and friends enjoying a nice evening out together. It was good fun to see that. There really aren’t many western tourists in these parts…that’s been weird getting use to. I have to mention that I finally got to eat baguette and camembert!!!! It was yesterday…for MC’s bday…we prepared a little feast in our room (pate, mini sausages, cashews, crackers…and of course, the camembert) and we ate it all!!! I’m surprised I’m not sick today and even if I was…boy was it worth it!!!
- Pondy looks and feels very French and even the local residents speak the language. Additionally has its own local “eccentrics” by the name of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother who have since passed on but before so left a wealth of their thoughts and ideas on life and even an entire “alternative” community just 10 km north of Pondy. But their presence if felt throughout Pondy as it seems “The Mother” was very industrious and in addition to writing 17 books – she also managed to instill a very commercial side that has helped sustain Auroville and related ashrams in the area. It seems this group own a host of guest houses/ hotels, boutiques, etc. You get a look at “The Mother” at just about every turn. It’s a little creepy but I honestly don’t know enough about her and the philosophy to say any more. We’re off to Auroville in a couple minutes….I hope they can enlighten me.
- I’ve been “accepted” at the Sivananda Ashram near Trivandrum. I’ll be there for 7 days (May 15th – 22nd) to take part in their yoga vacation. My friend Fabienne strongly recommended this ashram and I’m very much looking forward to the week of yoga, meditation, lectures, working and of course meeting some new people. I’ll be staying in a dorm…and I just honestly hope it isn’t too hot. The facility also offers ayurvedic treatments which I’m looking forward to trying. Until then there will be a stop in Madurai to visit a temple and then off to Cape Comorin, the southern most tip of India, where 3 seas converge and it’s said to be a very holy place that pilgrims flock to.
- Feeling good and can hardly believe it's been 7 months!!! I want to thank a couple of you for your patience with me while I'm off doing this...and the 6 months has turned in to 7...and I likely won't be back until fall...as long as the money holds out. There's just so much to see and do and I don't know when I'll get the opportunity again. I'm starting to understand that the end is in sight...but I want to make sure I maximize each and every day I'm not stuck behind a desk, chained a computer...and a very hectic, albeit monotonous, schedule. How I plan "re-entry" is top of mind and very critical. It's going to be difficult...getting back to the mundane...but oh, to have my stuff in one spot and friends and family relatively near by. What a dream!!! But until then I'm sure I'll continue to have dreams of being back at home only to realize that I forgot to visit Dubai, Egypt and Europe...and panicking that I have to get on a plane to finish my objective. Horrible dream really - like that late for exam dream, or the packing and late for the plane dream....hmmm...does everyone have those or just me?
- I'm sorry to have missed being present for some recent bdays including most recently my mother's on May 3rd, my father's tomorrow May 11th and of course the Mother's Day celebrations. My thoughts are with you all. Love D