Hello all we have arrived in Thailand, and are we ever happy. Don't get us wrong, we loved India and most of the experiences that we had there. India is a really interesting country, and has a lot going on. It is however more work than a happy vacation. You really need to watch out as most people will try to take advantage of you and over charge you. Getting from one place to the next is always nerve wracking, as you have no idea where you are going. So needless to say when we got off the plane in Bangkok and into the taxi to our hotel we were doing a happy dance in our seats. Again we loved India but this felt like the first time we were truly able to relax in a long time. Our last 12 days were spent in Darjeeling. We relaxed for days and only set out to explore the town when we felt like it. Seeing tea plantations, a zoo, mountaineering institute, and sampling the food that had more of an Asian taste than Indian, all contributed to a laid back feel. Life in Darjeeling is slower. We even saw a movie and took a visit to the Hospital.
We'll start with that last word first. As we're sure you'll all just skip down to that paragraph anyways. Liza had been experiencing severe back pain for quite some time. After several weeks of her dealing with it, we decided that this may not just be some kind of muscle spasm or pinched nerve and went to the hospital. The doctor saw us almost immediately and after a quick exam concluded that it was probably a muscular type of pain. He ordered an X-ray and ultrasound just to be safe. The X-ray was performed immediately. When we walked into the room there was an old machine with an analog display that looked like it had not been used since WW2. Liza changed into a stained gown and the X-ray was taken. We returned the next day, for the ultrasound. Liza had about a litre of water in her bladder and was ready to blow. Since we had to wait it became very uncomfortable and she just wanted to leave. It was probably just muscle pain any ways. After some reassurance she finally got into the Ultrasound room and was told that she was having gallbladder attacks and would have to have her gall bladder removed. Apparently this is not that much of an emergency and is able to wait until we get home. Our doctor has been informed and asked to schedule the surgery for our return. We were not having the surgery there was for sure. Especially since the bathrooms were the worst we had seen in all of India. That is pretty bad, considering. So that takes care of that story, now on to Darjeeling. The beautiful hill station, that is a vacation from India.
The Happy Valley tea plantation is were Harrods (exclusively) gets their tea. For those of you that don't know Harrods is a very expensive British store. They may still have a store in the Toronto Pearson Airport. We sat in a tea room waiting for a tour guide and were treated to a lovely cup of Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe #1 Tea (try and say that ten times fast). It is apparently the finest in the world especially since it was first flush (first pluck of the season). The pickers are given tea for home use, and we were sold some (under the table). The money we spent on it went directly to the workers and saved us a bundle on the stuff from the store. The tour took us through the factory and we saw the process from fresh leaves to separated fermented leaves ready for packaging. The bits are separated into 5 parts. From the whole tip (best), to the dust (lowest quality for tea bags). A quick tour but very educational.
The big thing to do in Darjeeling is walk. There are incredible views from every road. The views apparently get better at other times of the season. So good that you can see Kanchendzonga the worlds third highest mountain. The zoo is a great walk from our hotel. There are views of the valleys below at every turn. The zoo itself is probably one of the best in the world. The pens that the animals live in are very well maintained and are basically large walled in parts of forest. The zoo is responsible for some of the best captive breeding programs in the world, for rare Himalayan species such as the red panda and snow leopard. The tourists going through were quite irritating though. I saw an adult woman yelling at sleeping wolves to try and make them move. She was standing beside a sign written in English and Hindi saying: "Don't harass the animals" and "SHhhhhhhh". I guess some people never grow up. Attached to the zoo is the Himalayan mountaineering institute. There you can see a statue of Tenzing Norgay that was erected by Sir Edmund Hillary. Opposite this is the place where he was cremated. Tenzing Norgay was Hillary's Sherpa and the two were the first to ever summit Everest. I know not exactly the most exciting stuff, but it's probably the closest to Everest I'll ever get.
On another day we went to a place called Hayden Hall. It is a volunteer organization that helps to educate and gain employment for women from the villages. Aunt Joan volunteered here in 1979 as a nurse. We were able to meet with Noreen who was still there and remembered Joan fondly. She showed us photos of Joan (she looks the same) and we were taken on a tour. On the tour we bumped into a large group of children who were so interested in us. They all greeted us with Namastes and touched our hands, and our hearts too.
Two days after leaving Darjeeling we finally got to Kolkota. We meant to stay in a hotel but our taxi driver couldn't find it (Typical). So we spent the night in the airport. We are so looking forward to our three weeks here in Thailand. We already decided that we want to return. We are also really looking forward to returning home (except for that work thing)and seeing you all. This is probably our second last entry...
Until then take care.
Mark and Liza
Friday, May 22, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The Cool Off
Well here we are in Darjeeling. After spending two weeks in the heat (45+) of Varanasi, we feel kind of cold. That's right-cold, and it's about 20 degrees here. Darjeeling seems like it's going to be amazing. Our room is the nicest we've had in a long time, and the temperature is right (once we get used to it). It seems there is a lot to do here as well: from tea plantation tours, hikes to himalayan view points and possibly white water rafting, to just strolling around enjoying the gardens, the zoo and the so far great food (of course). We may even check out a movie at the movie theatre. We are both very excited to explore this town.
Varanasi was an incredible experience. Leading up to it we were both getting a little tired of travelling, and so a rest seemed to be required. Varanasi was the right place to do it. At first Liza thought that she would get bored and stir crazy, but she came to appreciate the break and all that Varanasi had to offer. We went shopping several times and ended up having to buy yet another suitcase (we seem to have a problem).
We took boat rides. One in the evening and one in the morning (5:30am yikes). The boat makes it's way up the river so that you can see the Ghats. Along the ghats you get to see life unfold. People bathing, doing laundry, playing cricket, yoga sessions, bands playing, getting married and cremating their relatives. Seeing this was a real eye opener. There was even a body floating in the river. The boatman explained that this was a holy man and so was not cremated and left for the river to take away. It was explained later that holy people, children, and pregnant women are not cremated. It was difficult, and yet fascinating to see. All aspects of life and death are played out by the river side. I saw one woman doing laughing yoga. It was the eeriest thing I have ever seen. She sat in lotus on a pedestal and as she put her arms in the air she would laugh maniacally. It sent shivers up my spine. Also seen was a team of rollerskaters (not rollerbladers) going around a ring of neon coloured pylons, doing all sorts of funky tricks. This brought a smile to my face.
At Liza's urging I took some Tabla lessons. It was a great idea, and truly one of my highlights. My teacher (Mishra) was a talented young musician from a long line of famous musicians. He taught me the Tabla alphabet, and some words. He then told me that if I practiced these well that eventually I would be able to make my own sentences. Apperently the Tabla set I bought was of 'beginner' quality and he took me to his friends shop where the finest tablas in Varanasi are made. I didn't buy anything because mine are good enough to learn on and eventually I can save up and buy a really good set on line. Albeit at twice the cost.
Apparently most tourists only go to Varanasi for a few days, but we stayed. Since we stayed several shop keepers, and soldiers (they are everywhere) came to know us and smiled every time we walked by. We were probably the only tourists (or locals) that greeted them. It was fun walking through the alleys and hearing Namaste instead of come have a look at my shop. Don't get me wrong we got a lot of that too. Another highlight was seeing goats all over the place. One day we bought a loaf of bread and fed a bunch of the goats. We are now fantasising about getting a pet goat. We could make our own cheese and have a cool pet too.
Liza and I also met a lovely couple from Toronto and have been spending some time with them. It's nice to have friends and people to go meet for dinner dates and such. They came up to Darjeeling as well and we may go up to Sikim with them. We haven't decided. The only thing to do in Sikim is see incredible views of the Himalayas (if the weather is right). But it could be a chance to see some of the worlds highest peaks. Especially now that we aren't going to Nepal anymore. We will see.
Until next time.
Varanasi was an incredible experience. Leading up to it we were both getting a little tired of travelling, and so a rest seemed to be required. Varanasi was the right place to do it. At first Liza thought that she would get bored and stir crazy, but she came to appreciate the break and all that Varanasi had to offer. We went shopping several times and ended up having to buy yet another suitcase (we seem to have a problem).
We took boat rides. One in the evening and one in the morning (5:30am yikes). The boat makes it's way up the river so that you can see the Ghats. Along the ghats you get to see life unfold. People bathing, doing laundry, playing cricket, yoga sessions, bands playing, getting married and cremating their relatives. Seeing this was a real eye opener. There was even a body floating in the river. The boatman explained that this was a holy man and so was not cremated and left for the river to take away. It was explained later that holy people, children, and pregnant women are not cremated. It was difficult, and yet fascinating to see. All aspects of life and death are played out by the river side. I saw one woman doing laughing yoga. It was the eeriest thing I have ever seen. She sat in lotus on a pedestal and as she put her arms in the air she would laugh maniacally. It sent shivers up my spine. Also seen was a team of rollerskaters (not rollerbladers) going around a ring of neon coloured pylons, doing all sorts of funky tricks. This brought a smile to my face.
At Liza's urging I took some Tabla lessons. It was a great idea, and truly one of my highlights. My teacher (Mishra) was a talented young musician from a long line of famous musicians. He taught me the Tabla alphabet, and some words. He then told me that if I practiced these well that eventually I would be able to make my own sentences. Apperently the Tabla set I bought was of 'beginner' quality and he took me to his friends shop where the finest tablas in Varanasi are made. I didn't buy anything because mine are good enough to learn on and eventually I can save up and buy a really good set on line. Albeit at twice the cost.
Apparently most tourists only go to Varanasi for a few days, but we stayed. Since we stayed several shop keepers, and soldiers (they are everywhere) came to know us and smiled every time we walked by. We were probably the only tourists (or locals) that greeted them. It was fun walking through the alleys and hearing Namaste instead of come have a look at my shop. Don't get me wrong we got a lot of that too. Another highlight was seeing goats all over the place. One day we bought a loaf of bread and fed a bunch of the goats. We are now fantasising about getting a pet goat. We could make our own cheese and have a cool pet too.
Liza and I also met a lovely couple from Toronto and have been spending some time with them. It's nice to have friends and people to go meet for dinner dates and such. They came up to Darjeeling as well and we may go up to Sikim with them. We haven't decided. The only thing to do in Sikim is see incredible views of the Himalayas (if the weather is right). But it could be a chance to see some of the worlds highest peaks. Especially now that we aren't going to Nepal anymore. We will see.
Until next time.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Ghatvision
Hello. Since our last post we have gone to Agra and seen the Taj Mahal, shopped in Delhi and are now chilling in Varanasi.
Agra was one of those places that you just can't wait to get out of. The pressure from the touts is heavy. The menu is the same for every restaurant, although most have stunning views of the Taj. The Taj Mahal is worth it. The day we went happened to be a free day (National Heritage Day, thank you very much). That was great because it would have cost us 1500 rupees ($38 dollars total) to see it. That's enough to eat or sleep for three days. The building is stunning and it is really difficult to tell that it is over 400 years old. It's timeless. I won't bore you with the details. On the day we went there was also a Tamil movie being filmed there and we got to watch some of the acting take place. It seemed more like a soap opera than Bollywood. Other than the magnificence of the Taj the town didn't offer much. Liza did however get threading (the best way to get your eyebrows done, in her opinion) and now wants to learn how to do it.
When we arrived in Delhi it was 10:30 am. Our train to Varanasi wasn't until 8:30pm. We took advantage of the day by eating at a great cafe that had excellent pasta, real coffee (not Nescafe), and homemade ice cream. We also went shopping at FabIndia. It's India's answer to IKEA. The stuff was nice, but didn't strike us as particularly Indian. We spent the rest of the day shopping in the market and then headed back to the train station.
We arrived in Varanasi the following morning. We got a prepaid rickshaw to the hotel. The area where we are staying has a bunch of thin laneways closed to traffic. We were lead by our rickshaw driver to the hotel but it took a long time to get there. Walking with our sixty pound suit case (all souviners .... with another waiting for us in Bangkok) down these narrow cobblestone alleys was trying, to say the least. When we got to our hotel (Hotel Alka) we were pleasantly surprised by the incredible restaurant views of the Ganges, and the very helpful Leslie. We have two weeks to spend here but I don't think we'll get bored. All you have to do is walk out to the riverside and find a shady spot to sit. Let the magic of Varanasi do the rest. I call this Ghatvision. People are bathing and washing their clothes in the ganges. They are cooling there buffalo in the water, and of course cremating their relatives. I have sat and watched some children doing a swimming class in the river, while watching others play Cricket on the walkway. The river is incredibly polluted, but the faith of the people does not let that bother them. Varanasi is an incredible place to be. There is always something to see. As long as you are willing to sit and let life happen you are guaranteed to see things that will awe you, or perhaps just entertain you.
Liza and I have also been feeding the local goats. We really do love goats and if we can find the right country residential place to live, we might just buy one. Probably a pipe dream but it's nice to have dreams all the same. Until next time keep dreaming.
Agra was one of those places that you just can't wait to get out of. The pressure from the touts is heavy. The menu is the same for every restaurant, although most have stunning views of the Taj. The Taj Mahal is worth it. The day we went happened to be a free day (National Heritage Day, thank you very much). That was great because it would have cost us 1500 rupees ($38 dollars total) to see it. That's enough to eat or sleep for three days. The building is stunning and it is really difficult to tell that it is over 400 years old. It's timeless. I won't bore you with the details. On the day we went there was also a Tamil movie being filmed there and we got to watch some of the acting take place. It seemed more like a soap opera than Bollywood. Other than the magnificence of the Taj the town didn't offer much. Liza did however get threading (the best way to get your eyebrows done, in her opinion) and now wants to learn how to do it.
When we arrived in Delhi it was 10:30 am. Our train to Varanasi wasn't until 8:30pm. We took advantage of the day by eating at a great cafe that had excellent pasta, real coffee (not Nescafe), and homemade ice cream. We also went shopping at FabIndia. It's India's answer to IKEA. The stuff was nice, but didn't strike us as particularly Indian. We spent the rest of the day shopping in the market and then headed back to the train station.
We arrived in Varanasi the following morning. We got a prepaid rickshaw to the hotel. The area where we are staying has a bunch of thin laneways closed to traffic. We were lead by our rickshaw driver to the hotel but it took a long time to get there. Walking with our sixty pound suit case (all souviners .... with another waiting for us in Bangkok) down these narrow cobblestone alleys was trying, to say the least. When we got to our hotel (Hotel Alka) we were pleasantly surprised by the incredible restaurant views of the Ganges, and the very helpful Leslie. We have two weeks to spend here but I don't think we'll get bored. All you have to do is walk out to the riverside and find a shady spot to sit. Let the magic of Varanasi do the rest. I call this Ghatvision. People are bathing and washing their clothes in the ganges. They are cooling there buffalo in the water, and of course cremating their relatives. I have sat and watched some children doing a swimming class in the river, while watching others play Cricket on the walkway. The river is incredibly polluted, but the faith of the people does not let that bother them. Varanasi is an incredible place to be. There is always something to see. As long as you are willing to sit and let life happen you are guaranteed to see things that will awe you, or perhaps just entertain you.
Liza and I have also been feeding the local goats. We really do love goats and if we can find the right country residential place to live, we might just buy one. Probably a pipe dream but it's nice to have dreams all the same. Until next time keep dreaming.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Desert Shopping: A How To Guide.
Hello. Well here we are back in Delhi. Sitting in a hotel lobby passing time before our train to Agra (home of the Taj Mahal). We arrived at 5:30 am, and we are very tired and grumpy. At least our impatience has been united against the touts. Man are they getting on my nerves. Just because we stop on the side of the street to look around does not mean we need ten people running up to us to offer their rickshaw services or hotel, and we shouldn't have to say 'no' more than once. Oh it's going to be one of those days.
Well Jaisalmer was great, hot(40+), but great. We definitely didn't need six days there though. We spent most days relaxing, but ventured out a few times to shop see the sights and ride a camel to the Samm sand dunes. One day while we were walking towards a restaurant, we were summonded to a man's textile store. This happens about 50 times a day(wherever we are at least). We politely declined but the man was friendly and insisted that he had 'fixed prices' (meaning they were fair, no haggling and the prices were listed). We said we would look. Well needless to say, after 2 HOURS there, and his lessons on good quality and bad quality and his verbalizations on his hatred towards people who cheated tourists, we decided to buy some good quality items. We loaded up on loads of stuff and had to return the next day for some stuff that needed to be repaired or altered. The next day we went back and the stuff was not ready. We returned an hour later and the stuff was not repaired properly - it was sewn together half assed, and the quality was simply crappy. The guy we bought it off of was not there, and we had to get back for our camel safari. We told the boy running the shop that we would return later. When we returned to our hotel Liza approached the Hotel manager and asked him what he would pay for the items we had bought. He was shocked at what we paid (six times the normal rate)and laughed at the quality. He told us that the man was selling crap and that the stuff we bought would be thrown out by the women who made it. He told us that that man was a liar, and that he always cheated tourists. Liza was angry and the man told her to return the stuff and he would take us to a government run shop. He said that she needed to make noise to get her money back. For continuity I will talk about the camel safari after. After the camel trip we returned at 8:30 that night and I began asking the man for our money back as we where not happy with the work he had done or the fact that we now knew he had ripped us off terribly. Liza did not want to speak as she was shaking with anger. The man made the terrible mistake of insisting that she rather than me explain why we were returning the items. I was cheering for Liza and yet at the same time couldn't help feel a little sorry for the greedy salesman. Liza let him have it. She vented anger that had been building against scammers from seven countries. I think he was shocked that this sweet, witty funny woman from the night before was capable of standing up for herself, so strongly. We got our money back. He had no other option. I hope that teaches the greedy bugger. The following day the hotel manager took us to a government funded shop (apparently) and we paid way more but for much better quality. They took us through all the varying qualities of work and showed us how to tell the difference. It was obvious the stuff the other guy was selling was not even 1/2 the quality of the the stuff there.
The camel Safari was incredible. Most places including our hotel were charging about 1000 Rupees each for a sunset tour. This means you take a jeep out to the desert and then ride a camel for 30 minutes to the Sam sand dunes. You then watch the sunset and return. We went through the Tourism department and did it for 500 Rupees in total. Yay. Our driver seemed to be the biggest nerd in India. He stopped at several places to show us various plants and rocks in the desert. He even had fossilized shells in his pocket to show us that the region had once been an ocean. Lucky for us there was a Hindi tourist with us, because understanding geology and paleontology in Hindi is quite difficult. We were taken to a tent were we had chai and hopped on our camel. We were supposed to get one each but ended up having to share one. It was better this way as riding a camel is less comfortable than it looks. We rode it out to the sand dunes and watched one of the most amazing sunsets ever. The only downside was watching a middle aged man on a camel chug back a beer and then throw the empty bottle on the ground, adding it to the rest of the garbage every where.
We spent a couple more days touring the city and the fort. The fort is really quite amazing. It's about 850 years old, and as there are still cows everywhere it still feels like the middle ages, as you walk through the narrow lanes. We were going to check out the Maharajahs Palace but it seemed quite over priced. I think the most interesting aspect of it is the hand prints around the doorway. After the Maharajah's Death his wives placed there hand prints on the door way and jumped into his funeral Pyre. Rather morbid, and creepy to look at.
The next day we went to Johpur. On the train we shared a berth with an Indian man named Samjay. He was a military man and told us of his family. We had a lovely conversation that encompassed a lot about the differences in our cultures and the pros and cons of each. The next day we tried to get spices, but everyone was charging what the Indians call the white skin tax (we get charged this everywhere). That's no joke. It's expected that we pay more than locals. Fine. We don't mind paying more but not 7-10 times more. We got loads of spices (paid more but know it's the real thing) and a big suitcase (that broke) and then returned to our guesthouse. We then asked the guest house staff what we could expect to pay for stainless steel dinnerware. They told us and then went further by sending their mother with us to ensure that we were not ripped off. This was her first time as a tour guide and although she couldn't speak a word of English we could tell that she was beaming with pride to be able to do us this favour. We bought loads of stuff and then offered to get her a gift to thank her. She declined but we insisted. Her eyes went wide and she immediately grabbed a spice box (which turned out to be the most expensive thing on our list [$5]). We put our stuff aside and Liza was given some really nice glass bangles from the mother and we were invited for lunch. Liza had a glass of chai with them while I did an online job interview. They were really welcoming people and had two pet calves that stayed in their foyer.
We then hopped on a train to Delhi, and here we are. Off to Agra and then Varanessi. Only 2 minutes left at this internet cafe, so bye for now!!
Well Jaisalmer was great, hot(40+), but great. We definitely didn't need six days there though. We spent most days relaxing, but ventured out a few times to shop see the sights and ride a camel to the Samm sand dunes. One day while we were walking towards a restaurant, we were summonded to a man's textile store. This happens about 50 times a day(wherever we are at least). We politely declined but the man was friendly and insisted that he had 'fixed prices' (meaning they were fair, no haggling and the prices were listed). We said we would look. Well needless to say, after 2 HOURS there, and his lessons on good quality and bad quality and his verbalizations on his hatred towards people who cheated tourists, we decided to buy some good quality items. We loaded up on loads of stuff and had to return the next day for some stuff that needed to be repaired or altered. The next day we went back and the stuff was not ready. We returned an hour later and the stuff was not repaired properly - it was sewn together half assed, and the quality was simply crappy. The guy we bought it off of was not there, and we had to get back for our camel safari. We told the boy running the shop that we would return later. When we returned to our hotel Liza approached the Hotel manager and asked him what he would pay for the items we had bought. He was shocked at what we paid (six times the normal rate)and laughed at the quality. He told us that the man was selling crap and that the stuff we bought would be thrown out by the women who made it. He told us that that man was a liar, and that he always cheated tourists. Liza was angry and the man told her to return the stuff and he would take us to a government run shop. He said that she needed to make noise to get her money back. For continuity I will talk about the camel safari after. After the camel trip we returned at 8:30 that night and I began asking the man for our money back as we where not happy with the work he had done or the fact that we now knew he had ripped us off terribly. Liza did not want to speak as she was shaking with anger. The man made the terrible mistake of insisting that she rather than me explain why we were returning the items. I was cheering for Liza and yet at the same time couldn't help feel a little sorry for the greedy salesman. Liza let him have it. She vented anger that had been building against scammers from seven countries. I think he was shocked that this sweet, witty funny woman from the night before was capable of standing up for herself, so strongly. We got our money back. He had no other option. I hope that teaches the greedy bugger. The following day the hotel manager took us to a government funded shop (apparently) and we paid way more but for much better quality. They took us through all the varying qualities of work and showed us how to tell the difference. It was obvious the stuff the other guy was selling was not even 1/2 the quality of the the stuff there.
The camel Safari was incredible. Most places including our hotel were charging about 1000 Rupees each for a sunset tour. This means you take a jeep out to the desert and then ride a camel for 30 minutes to the Sam sand dunes. You then watch the sunset and return. We went through the Tourism department and did it for 500 Rupees in total. Yay. Our driver seemed to be the biggest nerd in India. He stopped at several places to show us various plants and rocks in the desert. He even had fossilized shells in his pocket to show us that the region had once been an ocean. Lucky for us there was a Hindi tourist with us, because understanding geology and paleontology in Hindi is quite difficult. We were taken to a tent were we had chai and hopped on our camel. We were supposed to get one each but ended up having to share one. It was better this way as riding a camel is less comfortable than it looks. We rode it out to the sand dunes and watched one of the most amazing sunsets ever. The only downside was watching a middle aged man on a camel chug back a beer and then throw the empty bottle on the ground, adding it to the rest of the garbage every where.
We spent a couple more days touring the city and the fort. The fort is really quite amazing. It's about 850 years old, and as there are still cows everywhere it still feels like the middle ages, as you walk through the narrow lanes. We were going to check out the Maharajahs Palace but it seemed quite over priced. I think the most interesting aspect of it is the hand prints around the doorway. After the Maharajah's Death his wives placed there hand prints on the door way and jumped into his funeral Pyre. Rather morbid, and creepy to look at.
The next day we went to Johpur. On the train we shared a berth with an Indian man named Samjay. He was a military man and told us of his family. We had a lovely conversation that encompassed a lot about the differences in our cultures and the pros and cons of each. The next day we tried to get spices, but everyone was charging what the Indians call the white skin tax (we get charged this everywhere). That's no joke. It's expected that we pay more than locals. Fine. We don't mind paying more but not 7-10 times more. We got loads of spices (paid more but know it's the real thing) and a big suitcase (that broke) and then returned to our guesthouse. We then asked the guest house staff what we could expect to pay for stainless steel dinnerware. They told us and then went further by sending their mother with us to ensure that we were not ripped off. This was her first time as a tour guide and although she couldn't speak a word of English we could tell that she was beaming with pride to be able to do us this favour. We bought loads of stuff and then offered to get her a gift to thank her. She declined but we insisted. Her eyes went wide and she immediately grabbed a spice box (which turned out to be the most expensive thing on our list [$5]). We put our stuff aside and Liza was given some really nice glass bangles from the mother and we were invited for lunch. Liza had a glass of chai with them while I did an online job interview. They were really welcoming people and had two pet calves that stayed in their foyer.
We then hopped on a train to Delhi, and here we are. Off to Agra and then Varanessi. Only 2 minutes left at this internet cafe, so bye for now!!
Friday, April 10, 2009
All You Need Is Love
Hello and welcome to another post. Since last time, we've been to see the wonder of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, gotten our Chakras straight in Rishikesh, visited the father of the Nation in Dehli and have arrived in the ancient town of Jaisalmer.
Amritser is a fairly unattractive town, but the Golden Temple is amazing. You walk in to this complex (after washing your feet, of course) and are immediately greeted with a view of this gleaming golden structure in the middle of a large man made pond. It is amazing to watch all the throngs of people with their multi coloured sari's and turbans. They are there on a pilgrimage, but they all look like they are on a picnic. It's religion without taking it's self too seriously. Really wonderful and relaxed place to be. After visiting the temple, we stopped by a music store where I bought a set of tablas (Indian drums). They have been a bitch to carry around but I am so excited to get home and play them. The day before we had gone to a Hindu temple (Matta Temple) where women go to pray for a baby (yes we said our own prayers:). The temple is like walking through an old fun house with mirrors, and streams, and tunnels. The colours were vibrant as usual, and we were welcomed to sit in the main prayer room where people chanted and prayed to the woman who founded the temple. We politely declined, and enjoyed the experience as observers. After this we treated ourselves to a box (!!!) of Indian sweets - a different way for BOTH of us to look pregnant.
On our last day we went to the Pakistan/India border town of Attari, and watched the border closing ceremony. It was extremely hot, and security was intense. The bleachers are surrounded by sand bags. Liza got fully frisked and patted down in a screened area twice. The second time she had to explain what her SheWee was (www.shewee.com). The security lady was confused but let it slide. Each side has bleachers where the spectators sit and watch as the border guards march around and face each other off. Our side easily had 5 times more spectators than the Pakistani, but we seemed to be quieter. Hearing hundreds of Muslims chanting "Allah who Akbar" (God is Great) in unison is very eerie and not something you want to hear when travelling by air. It sent shivers up my spine.
So then we took a train to Hardiwar, and a bus to Rishikesh. This is the town made famous by The Beatles. They came in the sixties for an ashram stay and apparently wrote most of the White Album there. Needless to say this is a HIPPIE town and there are yoga and meditation classes everywhere. I went to the Maharishi Yogi Ashram, where The Beatles had stayed. It is now abandoned and overgrown by forest. It is fenced off by the Indian Forestry Department. I had to pay a security guard 50 Rps. to see it. He told me that I had to be quiet about it as he could lose his job. I think he is quite an entrepreneurial man. Inside I came upon an older hippie couple laying on a bench. The guy looked like Jerry Garcia. They were smoking a joint and appeared to be enjoying the calm and tranquility of the place. The huts that the ashramites stayed in looked like the Ewok village on ground. It was a pretty neat place. Wandering around looking at old toilets I couldn't help but wonder if one of the Fab Four had used it. I took pictures just in case. As interesting as an abandoned bunch of buildings is I never got the sense of The White album. In other words I never saw a Strawberry field. Maybe I should have asked Jerry for a toke.
On the next night I went to a rooftop classical Indian music concert. It was amazing to see the music being played live and for the first time ever I saw a man play a nose sitar. Basically he hummed out his nose and it sounded like a sitar if you closed your eyes. For the finale we were treated to Indian dance. The lady moved beautifullly through the stories while a man sang them over tablas and a harmonium. The walk home was a little nerve racking as it was pitch black and cows monkeys and stray dogs were every where. I made it home safe enough. The worst thing that happened was I stepped in a cow pattie. Shitty.
On the next day we headed across this huge suspension bridge. On the bridge Liza was attacked by a bull. Actually it just moved it's head, but it bruised her abdomen with it's horn. It could have been much worse. I never trusted those things anyways, but now we give them an extra wide berth. We went for coffee and breakfast and then spent the day shopping. We also booked a yoga class for the next day our last. The class was really quite enjoyable. I have been to several, but they all seem to be about the poses. Yoga is much more and Mootrie (our teacher) was able to share some of the philosophy involved, as well as the stretches and breathing exercises. With our body and souls aligned we headed to the bus station. Our Rickshaw had 12 people and a baby in it. People were sitting on one another and Liza and I practically had to stick our heads out the window to make room. From there we took an equally crowded bus were a lady sat on the floor and slept against Liza's leg. When we got to the train station we waited five hours for our train to Delhi. During the wait I was attacked by a monkey. Actually it was a baby monkey who grabbed on to my leg. I was concerned at first (rabies) but there was no wound it had just startled me. Maybe it thought I was it's daddy.
With only eight hours to spend in Delhi we stored our bags and took a rickshaw to the Gandhi Memorial. It is in the place where he was assassinated. The path to his memorial is supposed to retrace his final steps, at the end of which there is a flame burning and what looks like a tomb. We then went to the Gandhi Museum where you can see his blood stained clothes that he was shot in and all his worldly possessions. There were also many pictures, showing his life. It was quite morbid, but it also showed how simple a life he lived. He was a true leader who sacrificed everything he could for his people. Made me think a lot of our leaders who travel in super premium class and eat thousand dollar a plate dinners, all on our dime and in our name.
We then took a train to Jaisalmer. This is a desert town. Camels are everywhere and we plan to ride them tomorrow to the sand dunes. All the buildings are sand coloured and it feels more like we are in the Mid East than in India. As we were arriving on the train there was a gentleman who used our berth to charge his phone. He appeared to be a government engineer, or something. There was an earthquake about 30 kms. from Jaisalmer and he was calling people for damage reports. When he got off the train he was saluted by a soldier and his bags carried for him. I was just shown a newspaper report from the man beside me showing that a little damage was reported and a person was injured from rocks falling from a crumbling building. Nothing too severe but apparently there may be an aftershock in the next twenty four hours. We'll keep our fingers crossed.
Well that's it for now look forward to hearing from you all and talk to ya soon.
MArk and Liza
Amritser is a fairly unattractive town, but the Golden Temple is amazing. You walk in to this complex (after washing your feet, of course) and are immediately greeted with a view of this gleaming golden structure in the middle of a large man made pond. It is amazing to watch all the throngs of people with their multi coloured sari's and turbans. They are there on a pilgrimage, but they all look like they are on a picnic. It's religion without taking it's self too seriously. Really wonderful and relaxed place to be. After visiting the temple, we stopped by a music store where I bought a set of tablas (Indian drums). They have been a bitch to carry around but I am so excited to get home and play them. The day before we had gone to a Hindu temple (Matta Temple) where women go to pray for a baby (yes we said our own prayers:). The temple is like walking through an old fun house with mirrors, and streams, and tunnels. The colours were vibrant as usual, and we were welcomed to sit in the main prayer room where people chanted and prayed to the woman who founded the temple. We politely declined, and enjoyed the experience as observers. After this we treated ourselves to a box (!!!) of Indian sweets - a different way for BOTH of us to look pregnant.
On our last day we went to the Pakistan/India border town of Attari, and watched the border closing ceremony. It was extremely hot, and security was intense. The bleachers are surrounded by sand bags. Liza got fully frisked and patted down in a screened area twice. The second time she had to explain what her SheWee was (www.shewee.com). The security lady was confused but let it slide. Each side has bleachers where the spectators sit and watch as the border guards march around and face each other off. Our side easily had 5 times more spectators than the Pakistani, but we seemed to be quieter. Hearing hundreds of Muslims chanting "Allah who Akbar" (God is Great) in unison is very eerie and not something you want to hear when travelling by air. It sent shivers up my spine.
So then we took a train to Hardiwar, and a bus to Rishikesh. This is the town made famous by The Beatles. They came in the sixties for an ashram stay and apparently wrote most of the White Album there. Needless to say this is a HIPPIE town and there are yoga and meditation classes everywhere. I went to the Maharishi Yogi Ashram, where The Beatles had stayed. It is now abandoned and overgrown by forest. It is fenced off by the Indian Forestry Department. I had to pay a security guard 50 Rps. to see it. He told me that I had to be quiet about it as he could lose his job. I think he is quite an entrepreneurial man. Inside I came upon an older hippie couple laying on a bench. The guy looked like Jerry Garcia. They were smoking a joint and appeared to be enjoying the calm and tranquility of the place. The huts that the ashramites stayed in looked like the Ewok village on ground. It was a pretty neat place. Wandering around looking at old toilets I couldn't help but wonder if one of the Fab Four had used it. I took pictures just in case. As interesting as an abandoned bunch of buildings is I never got the sense of The White album. In other words I never saw a Strawberry field. Maybe I should have asked Jerry for a toke.
On the next night I went to a rooftop classical Indian music concert. It was amazing to see the music being played live and for the first time ever I saw a man play a nose sitar. Basically he hummed out his nose and it sounded like a sitar if you closed your eyes. For the finale we were treated to Indian dance. The lady moved beautifullly through the stories while a man sang them over tablas and a harmonium. The walk home was a little nerve racking as it was pitch black and cows monkeys and stray dogs were every where. I made it home safe enough. The worst thing that happened was I stepped in a cow pattie. Shitty.
On the next day we headed across this huge suspension bridge. On the bridge Liza was attacked by a bull. Actually it just moved it's head, but it bruised her abdomen with it's horn. It could have been much worse. I never trusted those things anyways, but now we give them an extra wide berth. We went for coffee and breakfast and then spent the day shopping. We also booked a yoga class for the next day our last. The class was really quite enjoyable. I have been to several, but they all seem to be about the poses. Yoga is much more and Mootrie (our teacher) was able to share some of the philosophy involved, as well as the stretches and breathing exercises. With our body and souls aligned we headed to the bus station. Our Rickshaw had 12 people and a baby in it. People were sitting on one another and Liza and I practically had to stick our heads out the window to make room. From there we took an equally crowded bus were a lady sat on the floor and slept against Liza's leg. When we got to the train station we waited five hours for our train to Delhi. During the wait I was attacked by a monkey. Actually it was a baby monkey who grabbed on to my leg. I was concerned at first (rabies) but there was no wound it had just startled me. Maybe it thought I was it's daddy.
With only eight hours to spend in Delhi we stored our bags and took a rickshaw to the Gandhi Memorial. It is in the place where he was assassinated. The path to his memorial is supposed to retrace his final steps, at the end of which there is a flame burning and what looks like a tomb. We then went to the Gandhi Museum where you can see his blood stained clothes that he was shot in and all his worldly possessions. There were also many pictures, showing his life. It was quite morbid, but it also showed how simple a life he lived. He was a true leader who sacrificed everything he could for his people. Made me think a lot of our leaders who travel in super premium class and eat thousand dollar a plate dinners, all on our dime and in our name.
We then took a train to Jaisalmer. This is a desert town. Camels are everywhere and we plan to ride them tomorrow to the sand dunes. All the buildings are sand coloured and it feels more like we are in the Mid East than in India. As we were arriving on the train there was a gentleman who used our berth to charge his phone. He appeared to be a government engineer, or something. There was an earthquake about 30 kms. from Jaisalmer and he was calling people for damage reports. When he got off the train he was saluted by a soldier and his bags carried for him. I was just shown a newspaper report from the man beside me showing that a little damage was reported and a person was injured from rocks falling from a crumbling building. Nothing too severe but apparently there may be an aftershock in the next twenty four hours. We'll keep our fingers crossed.
Well that's it for now look forward to hearing from you all and talk to ya soon.
MArk and Liza
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Kolkota to Amritsar
We have just arrived in Amritsar. This is the Sikh capital. Home of the Sikh's holiest Temple the Golden Temple. We have just gotten off the train, after having spent 5 days in Kolkota.
Kolkota is a huge city. Over 15 million people. Walking around the streets, there are people every where. Poverty is very in your face, and the second you walk out the door of your guest house you are tailed by beggars. It's very hard to see.
Our first day we went to the Indian Museum and a Bengali movie, called Challenge.
The museum was what you would imagine the museums looked like in your grandparents day. Many of the display cases are relics themselves. There was a mummy and lots of animals in formaldehyde. Also a huge collection of sculptures. Which were quite fascinating. The Movie was awesome. We (read I) expected to want out half way through, but found it entertaining. Even though there were no subtitles we fully understood what was happening. The movie had it all. Fighting, comedy and yes, dancing. The fight sequences were so bad that even I was praying for more dancing. We can't wait to see our next Bollywood movie.
The following day we went shopping. I never thought I would say this but Sari shopping was kind of cool. Liza and I sat on these stools as the staff sat on raised mattresses before us and showed us all the multicoloured beautiful wares. When we eventually returned to buy a couple they even offered us chai (the best yet), and helped Liza try them on. In the mall we stumbled upon the Sindhi (regional group of Indians) New Year celebration. There was music and one of the band members put his hat on me and started playing music. I had no choice but to dance. They went from shop to shop, offering blessings and playing music, while the shop owners danced with open joy. One of the first things we have noticed about the Indian people, is how inclusive they are. They take great pride in sharing their culture with everyone.
The following day we hopped on the subway and went to the Kali Ghat. This is the most holy temple in Kolkota (for the Hindi). We were taken on a tour by a Brahman (so he said). He gave us blessings, and then tricked us into making a donation. Kinda like putting a piece of shit on a chocolate sundae, instead of the cherry.
Next day we went to the Mother Theresa house. We were never asked to make a donation, we were just welcome to come and see and sit. We also had the opportunity to participate in a mass, with the sisters. Seeing Mother Theresa's small room and reading of all her selfless acts, was very inspiring. It was a very powerful place to be and Liza and I both had to fight back tears. After that we took a Taxi to Science City. For those of you from Toronto, it's kind of like the Science Centre and the CNE from about twenty years ago all rolled into one, and then divided by 50. It was awesome. We even went on a roller coaster. I think I was the only person screaming...
The next day was our departure day. We stayed in our hotel room until they kicked us out, and then headed to Howrah Train Station. This is India's biggest train station. We waited there for the 4 hours before our train arrived and then we were off. The train was just what we were hoping for. We had our own berth all to ourselves and food and chai were brought to us regularly. The staff seemed to come more than was necessary to clean our berth, but it was probably to do with wanting a tip, and a bit of curiosity.
The one thing we really seem to notice is people (men) are blatantly staring at us. This happens all the time. I don't think that it's me as much as Liza that they are staring at. I am constantly glaring at people. They eventually look up at me and then look away, but come on guys, get a life. At least if you're going to stare, keep your eyes at eye level. We are in a much smaller place now and so we will see if that changes. I doubt it.
Well that's where we are now. Hope every one is doing well and can't wait to hear from you all.
Mark
Kolkota is a huge city. Over 15 million people. Walking around the streets, there are people every where. Poverty is very in your face, and the second you walk out the door of your guest house you are tailed by beggars. It's very hard to see.
Our first day we went to the Indian Museum and a Bengali movie, called Challenge.
The museum was what you would imagine the museums looked like in your grandparents day. Many of the display cases are relics themselves. There was a mummy and lots of animals in formaldehyde. Also a huge collection of sculptures. Which were quite fascinating. The Movie was awesome. We (read I) expected to want out half way through, but found it entertaining. Even though there were no subtitles we fully understood what was happening. The movie had it all. Fighting, comedy and yes, dancing. The fight sequences were so bad that even I was praying for more dancing. We can't wait to see our next Bollywood movie.
The following day we went shopping. I never thought I would say this but Sari shopping was kind of cool. Liza and I sat on these stools as the staff sat on raised mattresses before us and showed us all the multicoloured beautiful wares. When we eventually returned to buy a couple they even offered us chai (the best yet), and helped Liza try them on. In the mall we stumbled upon the Sindhi (regional group of Indians) New Year celebration. There was music and one of the band members put his hat on me and started playing music. I had no choice but to dance. They went from shop to shop, offering blessings and playing music, while the shop owners danced with open joy. One of the first things we have noticed about the Indian people, is how inclusive they are. They take great pride in sharing their culture with everyone.
The following day we hopped on the subway and went to the Kali Ghat. This is the most holy temple in Kolkota (for the Hindi). We were taken on a tour by a Brahman (so he said). He gave us blessings, and then tricked us into making a donation. Kinda like putting a piece of shit on a chocolate sundae, instead of the cherry.
Next day we went to the Mother Theresa house. We were never asked to make a donation, we were just welcome to come and see and sit. We also had the opportunity to participate in a mass, with the sisters. Seeing Mother Theresa's small room and reading of all her selfless acts, was very inspiring. It was a very powerful place to be and Liza and I both had to fight back tears. After that we took a Taxi to Science City. For those of you from Toronto, it's kind of like the Science Centre and the CNE from about twenty years ago all rolled into one, and then divided by 50. It was awesome. We even went on a roller coaster. I think I was the only person screaming...
The next day was our departure day. We stayed in our hotel room until they kicked us out, and then headed to Howrah Train Station. This is India's biggest train station. We waited there for the 4 hours before our train arrived and then we were off. The train was just what we were hoping for. We had our own berth all to ourselves and food and chai were brought to us regularly. The staff seemed to come more than was necessary to clean our berth, but it was probably to do with wanting a tip, and a bit of curiosity.
The one thing we really seem to notice is people (men) are blatantly staring at us. This happens all the time. I don't think that it's me as much as Liza that they are staring at. I am constantly glaring at people. They eventually look up at me and then look away, but come on guys, get a life. At least if you're going to stare, keep your eyes at eye level. We are in a much smaller place now and so we will see if that changes. I doubt it.
Well that's where we are now. Hope every one is doing well and can't wait to hear from you all.
Mark
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
The New World
Namaste everyone. Liza and I have arrived safely in India. We spent a week in Chiang Mai and a couple of days in Bangkok.
Our 12 hour bus ride to Chiang Mai was relatively uneventful. I felt sick a lot of it and had to sleep for a couple of hours. Someone threw up all over the aisle about eight rows back, which of course made it worse. Got to our guest house in Chiang Mai, where Liza went to bed. I went downstairs for a beer to salute St. Patrick in the beautiful court yard. Two days later we moved to the guest house across the way. It was the same price but with a TV.
I went for a walk on one day and saw four of the 300 temples. Even I am starting to get tired of temple pictures. The highlight was a Monk in a glass box meditating. I could not believe my eyes. This man was in a full trance inside a glass box. My shutter finger was getting very itchy but I could not bring myself to take a picture of this. It took a lot to just get up close for a close up, which is when I realized he was made of wax. I still couldn't take a picture, it was very powerful. This was to honour a monk who has since passed away, but there were photographs of him giving his own wax statue a blessing.
The next day we did yet another cooking course. This one (Baan Thai) was the best one yet. They gave us fruit plates so we could taste some of the fruits we hadn't been brave enough to try yet, and a recipe book. A real recipe book, not a photocopy of Internet printouts. It was a full day and we took breaks between meals. Still at the end we could not finish our dishes, and ended up having to waddle our bloated selves to our taxi. The food was delicious (although mostly deep fried), and we met a few really nice people in the class.
Walking down the street one day we came upon a dental shop that offered laser tooth whitening. I was only 9000 Baht, which is about 300 dollars. A good deal... very good deal. We were informed that we might have sensitive teeth for the next day. That didn't sound too bad so we gave it a try. The whitening included a cleaning and a foot massage. After about 4 passes (15 minutes) it started to feel like someone was hooking live wires to my teeth. They had to stop and made a mold of my teeth so I could do the milder home version. For the next 5 hours I kept getting these zings of pain through my teeth. Liza made it through ten passes. Our teeth do appear a lot whiter now, though I don't think I'm going to be doing tooth paste commercials any time soon.
The other thing we did was go to the hospital to get rabies vaccinations. Apparently rabies is epidemic in India, and they don't exactly have ideal medical facilities here. The rabies treatment is non existent. We were amazed to see how well the hospitals in Thailand operated. They were very top of the line. The service we got was also incredible, and included a checkup. We got our first shot but after finding out that there was no way to keep the subsequent two shots refrigerated we had to abandon the plan. New plan... Don't touch animals.
We took a train to Bangkok, and stayed there two days while waiting for our flight to India. Bangkok was alright. Khao san was not at all as crazy as I had anticipated. I think the only thing to say about Bangkok is it's very seedy.
Well here we are in Kolkota. We were prepared for the worst, and are at our most vigilant. We have been very pleasantly surprised. The people of India have been wonderful. When we got to the airport we had to hire a taxi through the prepaid booth. This is literally a hole in the wall just big enough to stick your hand through. Kinda like making a crack deal?
We arrived at our guest house, and while we were settling in to our room there was a knock on the door. The manager wanted me to come with him. I was concerned at first that he was upset that I gave him wrong passport numbers. He took me to a window and pointed to an elderly man that I had passed on the way into the hotel. He asked if it was this man that had taken me to the hotel. I said no, I already knew that I wanted to stay at his hotel before I even left Bangkok, and that this was were I had asked the taxi to take me. He yelled at the now three men now waiting at the entrance, and they looked up hurt. I asked the manager if he wanted a commission to which he replied yes. I rolled my eyes and shook my head, and started to return to the room. I then turned to the manager and explained that as I walked in the man outside had said Tourist Inn, to which I replied yes that's where I'm going. He just shook his head. At first I was a little nervous about three guys hanging outside the hotel that thought I owed them money and then something in me changed. I will not be intimidated into giving out my money to scammers. And as if to make I point I made a point of meeting eyes with the man on our way to dinner.
As we finished our dinner the power on the street went out. We headed back to our guest house and found the lights out there too. We were invited by a couple of the staff to sit and wait for the lights to return. They were upgrading the power on the street and they were expecting power within an hour and a half. The two gentlemen told us of all the good and bad things in India. They told us some of their life stories and were genuinely welcoming, and helpful. This was another one of those real experiences, we both craved, and has set the tone for India.... Hopefully. Kolkota is apparently the cheapest place, but also the worst place for scams and thefts, and so if we can handle this then we are in for a wonderful surprise.
Our 12 hour bus ride to Chiang Mai was relatively uneventful. I felt sick a lot of it and had to sleep for a couple of hours. Someone threw up all over the aisle about eight rows back, which of course made it worse. Got to our guest house in Chiang Mai, where Liza went to bed. I went downstairs for a beer to salute St. Patrick in the beautiful court yard. Two days later we moved to the guest house across the way. It was the same price but with a TV.
I went for a walk on one day and saw four of the 300 temples. Even I am starting to get tired of temple pictures. The highlight was a Monk in a glass box meditating. I could not believe my eyes. This man was in a full trance inside a glass box. My shutter finger was getting very itchy but I could not bring myself to take a picture of this. It took a lot to just get up close for a close up, which is when I realized he was made of wax. I still couldn't take a picture, it was very powerful. This was to honour a monk who has since passed away, but there were photographs of him giving his own wax statue a blessing.
The next day we did yet another cooking course. This one (Baan Thai) was the best one yet. They gave us fruit plates so we could taste some of the fruits we hadn't been brave enough to try yet, and a recipe book. A real recipe book, not a photocopy of Internet printouts. It was a full day and we took breaks between meals. Still at the end we could not finish our dishes, and ended up having to waddle our bloated selves to our taxi. The food was delicious (although mostly deep fried), and we met a few really nice people in the class.
Walking down the street one day we came upon a dental shop that offered laser tooth whitening. I was only 9000 Baht, which is about 300 dollars. A good deal... very good deal. We were informed that we might have sensitive teeth for the next day. That didn't sound too bad so we gave it a try. The whitening included a cleaning and a foot massage. After about 4 passes (15 minutes) it started to feel like someone was hooking live wires to my teeth. They had to stop and made a mold of my teeth so I could do the milder home version. For the next 5 hours I kept getting these zings of pain through my teeth. Liza made it through ten passes. Our teeth do appear a lot whiter now, though I don't think I'm going to be doing tooth paste commercials any time soon.
The other thing we did was go to the hospital to get rabies vaccinations. Apparently rabies is epidemic in India, and they don't exactly have ideal medical facilities here. The rabies treatment is non existent. We were amazed to see how well the hospitals in Thailand operated. They were very top of the line. The service we got was also incredible, and included a checkup. We got our first shot but after finding out that there was no way to keep the subsequent two shots refrigerated we had to abandon the plan. New plan... Don't touch animals.
We took a train to Bangkok, and stayed there two days while waiting for our flight to India. Bangkok was alright. Khao san was not at all as crazy as I had anticipated. I think the only thing to say about Bangkok is it's very seedy.
Well here we are in Kolkota. We were prepared for the worst, and are at our most vigilant. We have been very pleasantly surprised. The people of India have been wonderful. When we got to the airport we had to hire a taxi through the prepaid booth. This is literally a hole in the wall just big enough to stick your hand through. Kinda like making a crack deal?
We arrived at our guest house, and while we were settling in to our room there was a knock on the door. The manager wanted me to come with him. I was concerned at first that he was upset that I gave him wrong passport numbers. He took me to a window and pointed to an elderly man that I had passed on the way into the hotel. He asked if it was this man that had taken me to the hotel. I said no, I already knew that I wanted to stay at his hotel before I even left Bangkok, and that this was were I had asked the taxi to take me. He yelled at the now three men now waiting at the entrance, and they looked up hurt. I asked the manager if he wanted a commission to which he replied yes. I rolled my eyes and shook my head, and started to return to the room. I then turned to the manager and explained that as I walked in the man outside had said Tourist Inn, to which I replied yes that's where I'm going. He just shook his head. At first I was a little nervous about three guys hanging outside the hotel that thought I owed them money and then something in me changed. I will not be intimidated into giving out my money to scammers. And as if to make I point I made a point of meeting eyes with the man on our way to dinner.
As we finished our dinner the power on the street went out. We headed back to our guest house and found the lights out there too. We were invited by a couple of the staff to sit and wait for the lights to return. They were upgrading the power on the street and they were expecting power within an hour and a half. The two gentlemen told us of all the good and bad things in India. They told us some of their life stories and were genuinely welcoming, and helpful. This was another one of those real experiences, we both craved, and has set the tone for India.... Hopefully. Kolkota is apparently the cheapest place, but also the worst place for scams and thefts, and so if we can handle this then we are in for a wonderful surprise.
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