Morning Walks in Bangalore

Hi everybody - thanks for all the nice notes~ We are having a good time, in a lot of ways it is incredibly western here, so we don't have too many problems with missing things, so thanks for all the offers of care packages - but if we can't find it here, we probably don't need it (I will load up on a couple of things when I come home in June, but that's for my vanity, not necessity!)

Here are a couple of observations about life here from my morning walks

Walking on the sidewalks is for wimps. You are meant to walk in the street, next to the side walk. It's only moderately more dangerous, since the sidewalks are often missing blocks and the sidewalks are just stone blocks covering ditches for drainage. (and I won't mention the other uses for sidewalks, like sleeping and ablutions)

The dogs are the most peaceful things in all of Bangalore. They are flopped on the sidewalks, street. Or they are walking around, like lords of the street. I actually feel calmer when I see one (or a couple). There have been some issues with dog bites and I hear a bunch barking occasionally in the evening, but they are the best stray dogs.

Saris and Salwar Kameeze are the outfits that the women wear and they are as varied as the world itself. I cannot get over how different each on is, with the different fabrics and styles. The style difference on the Salwar Kameeze is in the neckline and length, but mostly the fabric. And I have never seen an Indian woman's bare leg. Seriously. The legs are completely covered at all times. Even my below the knee shorts seem odd. And I won't dare wear real shorts - I think I would start a riot! But the men can where the dhotis or lungis (like this picture, but they tuck the fabric up, so that the garment is short) and show a lot of leg - but not the women!

Nothing opens before 10:30 - not for food or newspapers or anything! I take the boys to their bus stop by autorick at 7am, then walk back to the flat. A direct walk would take about 10 minutes, but I use this time to explore Bangalore. It's nice not to have the traffic and it's cooler, but I can't find a coffeeshop or a newspaper stand or anything. There is a corner with 2 guys who have a bag of buns and thermos of coffee that they bring on their bicycle. Not for me, but someone can use it. ** Tuesday May 1 was a holiday here (Labor Day for all the non-communists reading this) I did my same walk, but with the shops open. It was a blast! I had my first paan, which is a bunch of stuff, just stuff, wrapped in a betel leaf and chewed . I ate with a couple upper class indians who had stopped at this one which is apparently very well know, by Koshy's (old Indian diner, behind St. Mark's Cathedral). The got me one and then you chew and chew and chew. And this helps your digestion. Not bad, but I think it tastes a little like soap. I'd do it again. But Thomas and I walked the route and saw how different it was when the businesses were open. Nice.

Got to go. Today is Friday, which usually is a long day. So much happens in the US and UK, as everyone there is trying to meet their end of week commitments, so I wind up working kind of late. I will compensate this weekend, because we are going to a coffee plantation, about 5 hours drive, and won't come back until Monday morning. I'll let you know how that goes.

love love love to you all and please use the comments section, it's fun to let everyone read what everyone else has to say!