2013 – 04: Jaipur Polo Match

Last Saturday, we hopped a train for Jaipur to attend a polo match hosted by our local dealership.

 

On the train, Greg plugged in, connected to the net via data card and got to work on his homework (yeah, right).

 

In Jaipur, the logo on this bus greatly upset Greg.  He wanted a direct line to our legal department.

 

The polo event was well staged with many cars on display…

 

… including several vintage models.

 

We had front row seats for the match between the Bank of India and the Baria Royal Family.

 

There was live entertainment during the breaks featuring bagpipes.

We enjoyed our first-ever polo experience.

 

The honorable governor of Rajasthan handed out the trophies.

 

Here’s Mr. Sanghi, our local dealer, with Governor Margaret Alva.

 

The next day, we visited Amber Fort in search of an elephant ride.

 

These elephants had just completed their shift and were heading home.

 

They blended in easily with the traffic…

 

…and stopped to use the ATM.

 

Where does an elephant cross the road?  Wherever she wants.

 

We took our time.

 

The passing lane in on the right in India.

 

Kayla was nervous at first.

 

Greg was completely at ease.

 

We were told that elephants are very social.  We’d agree.

We then toured the elephant village where 110 elephants live (all female)…

 

…and had a chance to provide some lunch.

 

You know what Kayla is thinking… can we take her home?

It was a wonderful trip to Jaipur.  Special thanks to the Sanghis who were wonderful hosts.  We look forward to future visits.  Enjoy your week.  ts

2013 – 03: Brrrr

 

It is cold.  This fruit stand vendor does what he can to keep warm…

 

…as do dogs.

Fires for heat are everywhere filling the air with smoke.

 

The view from our office was even more obscured by the smog.

 

We have air filters, but it’s difficult to judge their effectiveness.

 

Hailing from New Jersey, we know about cold winters, so 4° C (39° F) is a pretty mild nighttime temperature for us in January.  But without central heat, the indoor and outdoor temperatures are identical.  4° C inside is just plain cold (insulation and double paned windows do not exist here).

 

Using a space heater (with the wattage of a hair dryer), we huddle in the smallest room with the door closed playing Parcheesi.  We call this our “warm room”  which is about one or two degrees warmer than the rest of the house.  It takes the “edge” off the chilly air. 

 

We spend a lot of time in this room and play A LOT of Parcheesi (which was adapted from the Indian “Cross and Circle” game developed 1700 years ago when royalty played a life-sized version using members of the harem).  Kayla is the undisputed Parcheesi queen.

  

Greg warms his wool mittens on the heater…

 

… and then applies to the face for a heavenly touch.  

 

Our refrigerator adds little value as the temperature inside the fridge is on par with our kitchen. 

 

Each bathroom is equipped with an electric geyser, or hot water heater.

 

With only 3 minutes of hot water, Kayla showers in two stages. It takes a lot of cream rinse to manage that thick wavy hair, and one tank of geyser water just isn’t enough.

 

Colleagues tell me the worst is nearly over and that temperatures will soon start to rise.  We know it’s just a matter of time until it’s blasted hot, and we’ll be longing for cooler air. 

 

The sun came out last Saturday, so we headed to Old Delhi…

 

… and took Nana on a rickshaw ride.  The sights are fascinating.

 

Who has the easier job?

 

One seat?  No problem.  We can fit four.

 

The alley ways are very narrow.

 

Who would think a median strip serves as a good place to sleep?

 

Where’s Nana?  Can you spot her?

 

Can you spot Nana now?

 

The experience is a sensory overload which can never be completely explained or described.   

 

Nana heads back to the US today where she can set her thermostat at the temperature of her choice.  She had an excellent visit filled with many sights and experiences of India and Nepal. We will miss her. Have a great week.

2013 – 02: National Introspection

The air is thick and cold during this time of year.  The dense smog causes widespread transportation disruptions with numerous plane and train cancellations. Here’s the view from the 14^th floor of our office. Colleagues tell me it was worse last year.

 

The cold air brings out the fires.

Anything that burns is a source of heat.

 

These rickshaw drivers look for warmth while waiting for their next fare.

 

Commuting to work one day was a challenge.  Visibility was 15 meters (less than 50 feet). 

 

How fast would you drive under these conditions?

 

Delhi has been making international news recently, and not in a good way. I would be remiss if I glossed over this disturbing story.  Protesters want justice for the young woman who was gang raped, brutally beaten and later died. They also want a seismic shift in attitude as rape is a prevalent crime, often unreported and rarely prosecuted when it is (Internet photo).

 

Every society has a dark side, typically a few individuals who stain the ‘goodness of the masses.’  In this case, the actions of 6 men created a tipping point which galvanized the nation (Internet photo).

 

The victim died on a Saturday.  These billboards were posted throughout our area on Monday. 

Some old school politicians are blaming western ways for destroying centuries-old values as more women become educated and enter the work force,  Meanwhile the Delhi police department, which is more than 96% male, is now adding 2,500 policewomen to its ranks (this Internet photo shows water cannons being used against protesters).

 

We live a good life, but are surrounded by poverty.  We recently visited a construction worker’s village and handed out blankets and food. 

 

We did not see any children with winter clothing.  Some were barefoot.

 

Our efforts were a drop in the ocean with two-thirds of India’s 1.2 billion population surviving on less than $2 USD per day.  That’s more than double the population of the US and Germany combined. Greg said it best: “I’m so thankful for everything I have.”  ts

2013 – 01: Happy New Year!

 

Happy New Year und einen guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr” (a German expression meaning a good slide into the new year).  Later in this post you will see the winning “Photo of the Year,” but first, here’s a look how we celebrated the holidays in Delhi.

 

We’ve absorbed so much Indian culture this year, we “gave back” via a Christmas party to share American traditions.  Kayla was in charge of entertainment. Teams decorated volunteers as Christmas trees. 

 

Greg was the judge.

 

Satish and his team were the winners.

 

Charades and Pictionary with Christmas clues were also a huge hit.  Everyone had a blast and we look forward to hosting this party again next year.

 

On New Year’s Eve, Greg went rollerblading in his Kurta pajama.

 

Kayla tried out her new tennis outfit.

 

You put the two ideas together, and here’s the result.  Kayla practiced her serve while Greg zipped around the court collecting balls.

 

Court time was maximized with this process.

 

This fleeting exhibition of brotherly / sisterly cooperation was refreshing (it’s a very rare occurrence). 

 

India has three seasons without a winter (as we know it from the US northeast).  As a result, central heat is not found in homes. We use electric space heaters (with oil inside).

 

The effective radius is minimal.  Nana can’t seem to wear enough layers.

 

Temperatures are averaging 15° C (59° F) during the day and 6° C (43° F) at night. The air is crisp – inside and out. It’s like camping in October.  Greg stays warm by hopping around in a sleeping bag.

 

For new year’s eve, we attended a neighbor’s party and found more heat outside vs. in.

 

We all donned masks for the countdown.

 

Happy New Year!

 

It was a very nice party (notice how people are wearing coats and scarves). 

 

10 ½ hours later, we watched a live stream from Times Square.  It just doesn’t feel like the new year until the ball drops (note: this was the first year in four decades without Dick Clark). 

 

Now it’s time to reveal the Top 5 photos of the year, but first, a few notes of interest.  Blog traffic typically spikes to about 100 views on the day new content is posted with the record at 128 views in one day.  However, last Saturday when the nominees for Photo of the Year were posted, that benchmark was shattered.  The new record now stands at 240 views on December 29, which was quickly followed by 132 views on Sunday with a record-breaking 753 views for the week.. 

 

All 34 photos received votes except one — the first photo, Chicken Delivery.  Being here only five days at the time, this sight was very surprising to me.  Little did I know what was in store ahead.

Here now are the Top 5 photos of the year…

 

In 5th place:  Holi Ambush. One voter commented, “I love the look in the boy’s eyes.”

 

Coming in 4^th is Reincarnation.  “Spooky” said one.

 

3^rd  place goes to Taj Jumper.  “Your children are well adjusted and embracing the experience.”

 

Receiving 2^nd place honors is Old Delhi.  “Oh those wires!”

 

And the NUMBER ONE photo of the year is…

 

 

Toe Trimmer.  When this photo was taken on February 18, I’d been in town 2 ½ weeks.  I was shocked, yet marveled at the efficiency.  A non-veg eater from Ohio said, “It freaked me out the first time, and still does.”   

Fast forward to today and here we are at David & Company, home of the Toe Trimmer.

 

The process starts with a whole chicken which is chopped into smaller pieces on the wooden block.

 

The final trims are quick and efficient. 

This close up shot illustrates the tightness of his grip.

If there were a contest for fastest butchers, these guys would win hands and toes down.

Lynda takes the story from here:  I was still in New Jersey when I first saw the photo and thought, ‘Really?  This is where we’ll buy our meat?”  I was shocked when I saw it first-hand in July, and the smell was unpleasant.  I thought, there has to be another place to find meat.

 

But I’ve shopped around, and David and Company is my preference.  I see the Toe Trimmer on a regular basis now and find it completely acceptable.  However, I was concerned one day when I saw a bandage on his toe.  Let’s just say I boiled the chicken extra long that night.

There you have it.  The Top 5 photos of the year. One reader commented: “The photos truly convey a 1000 words each and opened my eyes about life in India.”   Thank you to everyone who voted.  All our best wishes for an exciting and fruitful 2013. ts