20-Dec-04, Monday 3:50 AM
My cold turned a corner and I now have coughing fits. I am a consumer of Halls these days. Maybe I should go for something stronger. I hear you can buy all kinds of goodies at the chemist. Codeine cough syrup might be in order.
Had lunch on Wednesday with Jair, the mother-in-law of a friend living in Paris, (formerly a neighbor in Brooklyn). She had just arrived in Bombay for a few days before heading off on a tour in northern India. We walked around my neighborhood and tried to get close to the Towers of Silence but were turned back before we even saw the walls. The towers are where the Parsis leave their dead (and it's just up the hill from my hotel). They believe earth and fire to be sacred so do not bury or cremate their dead. Instead the bodies are left in these tall open towers for vultures to pick. Though we were not able to gawk, we did enjoy the quiet gardens on the way. Um, have I mentioned before how noisy and crowded it is here?
I returned to my hotel Friday night to find it decorated for Christmas. Just one week out instead of months. It was surreal to hear Christmas carols in a department store yesterday. I stepped in from the heat, noise, crowds, and I'm looking at Levis next to a decorated tree listening to a medley of Christmas tunes. weird.
Saturday I caught a bit of the Daily Show with John Stewart (international edition). Seems that CNN Asia is carrying the Comedy Central hit. Ah, a bit of home.
Later that night I met up again with Andy and Laurel, the couple from San Francisco who are designing a vineyard tasting room in Nasik, a town outside of Mumbai. They invited me to a friend's Christmas party. Also encouraged me to check out the modern art museum here, which I promise to do eventually. Met a TV producer. There's a big media frenzy this week in Mumbai caused by a photo of two Indian movie stars caught kissing in public. It's a big deal, even though movies show very suggestive stuff, they stop just short of showing lips actually touching.
After too many Indian whiskeys I went back to the hotel, and instead of doing the obvious thing of sleeping, I tried out running again. 4K, not bad, so I may do the marathons' fun run after all. Registration was closing last week and my boss's assistant tried to sign me up, but the run was full. She said I could sign up for the half marathon instead. I said oh no I couldn't. I think they might have some connections somewhere and may be able to get me in to the 7K. If not, then I guess I'll be sleeping late on 16 Jan.
Even later that night I watched some MTV. Strange to be 1/2 way around the world finally being exposed to American pop culture I've been avoiding the last 15 years. Adam Ant is lookin kinda old these days, even with the makeup.
Tonight I had dinner at my co-worker, Dharmendra's home. We often have lunch together and he gives me tastes of the food he brings from home. His wife was happy that I liked her cooking, so wanted to make me a proper meal. It was delicious, and she seemed genuinely thrilled to have her food appreciated by an "international". It was odd though having her and her sister serve us food, clear our dishes, etc, but not join us until afterward. She said they'd already eaten (not being on the night shift eating schedule), but I wonder if it would be much different earlier in the evening.
OK, here's the transport report for the week. Dharmendra met me at my hotel and we road the train together to the "suburbs" an hour away. The suburbs are only marginally less crowded. He kept offering the taxi, but I wanted a train experience. I know better than to ride the commuter trains during peak hours, but this was Sunday. It was fairly calm. I even got a seat. I've seen trains go by with people packed in and hanging out the doors during the week. From the station to his apartment, I had my first auto rickshaw ride. They are not allowed in central Mumbai. It's a covered three-wheel motorized cart. Much bumpier ride, but more head room than in the regular taxis. (The regular taxis are short, with a sloped roof, so if I lean back in the seat and the car hits a bump, I hit my head--and I'm not even very tall.) Dharmendra and I went out for a beer before dinner. We took his motorbike. I'm glad I've had some time to adjust to traffic here before getting on the back of a motorcycle. Nothing to report on that ride, however my taxi ride home was interesting. Driving down the "highway" which just means we're able to go faster than 20 kilometers/hour, a car sideswipes us, knocking the taxi toward the middle divider. We didn't hit it, the taxi driver seemed just somewhat miffed, and we just continued driving, no problem.
I think that taxi must have been parked near a mosquito breeding ground because I now have so many bites on my ankles and calves. First mossies I've seen here. I'm itching like crazy as I write, and hoping they weren't carrying malaria.
I won't be taking the week between Christmas and New Year off from work. Since my leave days are limited, I decided to wait until I have visitors. In early January, my dad will spend a week here. I think we'll take a weekend trip to Jodhpur in Rajastan, maybe ride a camel even. Then late January C will come to stay with me until the end of my trip in March. My sister will also come for a visit end of Jan for two weeks. The three of us will head off to Delhi, Agra (Taj Mahal) and Jaiper. In March, C and I will probably do some low altitude trekking in Sikim in the Indian Himalayas before headin' on home.
So for now, I might settle for a short weekend trip to Goa at Christmas.
PS. It's the next afternoon, Monday, and I awoke to a band playing across the street--a couple flutes, small brass section and great Indian drumming. They are dressed in western marching band attire. It must be for a wedding. People are now coming out from the apartment building all dressed up. They're dancing, and I'm guessing will have a procession through the neighborhood shortly. Lot's of marigold and jasmine strands hanging on the building and covering their cars.
