Riding the rails

For my dad (and bro steven)

Kwality - Quality.

Anjuna, Goa = Yoga Shala

Adam, these are for you!

Goa, aka the State of California

I was in Southern India when the terrorists attacked Mumbai. It was hard to get a handle as to what was going on. I had limited access to the Internet. The English language news on television was showing 'live coverage' and didn't say anything except feed one's anxieties. Then it went into finger pointing mode as to which agencies fault it was that this happened.



Here I am waking up at 6AM to go birding at the Periyar Nature Preserve.

I'm looking for Kingfishers and Mumbai is under siege. It just seemed completely absurd to be birding while this is going on. I'm having fantasies of getting off the boat and finding an Internet to see the Op-Ed page of the Times.



Due to the language barrier it was difficult to get a pulse on how people were feeling and thinking. There was this eerie feeling of inherent doom and unease. Similar to after 9/11 and 1993 Kuwait bombings.



I left Periyar and travel on to Allepey in the backwaters of Kerala. I'm staying at a home stay and I'm finally able to ask these questions. Once again I'm feeling absurd. It's a moonlit night, we're sitting in the backwaters of Kerala and drinking toddy (fermented palm sap wine). I feel so removed from Mumbai.



A little perspective:

Kerala has the highest literacy rate in India at 91% as well as the highest rate of life expectancy. The state is Syrian-Christian, has a communist government and is wealthy.
It's like you've left India for the country of Kerala.



The people I was with felt that the country is in shock but terrorism is a daily occurrence. Especially in Mumbai which had a rash of terrorist activity in the 1990's with Hindus and Muslims. The home stay already had a slew of cancellations due to the October Delhi bombings and were fearful of the same happening in December at the height of their tourist season.



Curious as to how the world is viewing this. I have no gauge on this.



I have been extremely careful about being in high tourist destinations. This was clearly aimed at tourists.

As I learned from 9/11, life goes on.

Or as Vonnegut wrote, so it goes.





Now that that's been acknowledged, onward...



I'm in Goa and I'm doing yoga.

It's glorious to be back on my mat.

My body is aching the good ache. I'm slowly getting my strength back and my hamstrings and hips are slowly loosening up.



Goa.

I've left India and it's California.

I'm eating muesli and curd, organic vegetables, smoothies, and soy milk.

People walk around in bathing suits and are covered in tattoos.



I miss India.

Bookstore Observation

In all the bookstores I've visited thus far there seem to be a few authors that are always there.

1. Jhumpa Lahiri
2. Orhan Pamuk
3. Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat
4. Paolo Coelho (whom I haven't read nor do I plan to)

Just read The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga .
The author just won the Man Booker Prize.

Great book, although not all Indians would agree.

Seems he has struck an Orhan Pamuk chord: saying things that apparently some think shouldn't be said.

(Ironic that Pamuk is present in all bookstores.)

Will post photos soon.
Southern India is absolutely beautiful. The temples are truly astounding.

I'm even starting to bobble my head a bit.
It's like a reflex, you just start responding back!

14 Kolkata Film Festival

Back on the subcontinent in Kolkata.
Very happy to be back. The heat is gone and it's delightful.
Any city with green space, a user friendly subway and a film festival are Eden.

I'm continuing onward in my dysfunctional love-hate relationship that I'm having with India.

But I've come to a realization that I just have to come to terms with.
I've discovered that it all comes down to a constant battle of wills.
I hire a cab to take me to a temple.
It's early morning and I want to just get there while all the worshippers are gathering. The conversation goes something like this:

"I want to go to this ghat and take a boat to the Kali Temple."
"No, you go here."
"No, I want to go here."
We go back and forth, we compromise.
After that, I had to haggle with the price.

This is one example of the constant battle.
It's usually over what I want versus what they want me to do. I have control issues so this doesn't help the situation either. But this is the constant battle.

And it's not just tourists, it's with the locals too.

I land in Kolkata, 12:30 AM local time. (2 AM Vietnam time.)
The person I meet on the airplane (story of my life) haggled with the cab driver he was helping me to get, only to walk away in utter exasperation.
His father (and brother & sister) ended up driving me to my hotel.

This is also an example of the kindness of Kolkatans.

I happily and gleefully landed in Kolkata during the International Film Festival. (The one thing I truly miss is going to the movies!) I'm at a loss as to how to purchase a ticket for the next showing. I walk out and turned to the only person standing on the steps for help. He happens to have a press pass and just walks me in.

The following day at a different theater I'm able to purchase a ticket. About $1.50 for an expensive seat. Really.

I find disheartening the amount of people who I've met who can't read. I guess I shouldn't be so shocked but I am.

(Shout out to Rebecca and Steven, Baby Boy #3 !!! name is to be determined!)

Perfume Pagoda, Vietnam

Hanoi sidewalk

if there's a flat faced creature in asia, i'll find it

sidewalks not made for walking

I'm in Hanoi and the sidewalks are not made for walking.
They are made for parking your motorbike, welding, making keys, eating food in a squat position, selling food, making food, drinking beer, reading the paper...but certainly not for walking.
The street isn't made for walking either.
The street is made for motor bikes, cars, the occasional bicycle and more motorbikes.

I hired a motorbike driver to take me to a museum out of the city proper. When we returned to the city I had him drop me at a cafe. He didn't understand that I wanted to walk back. That's when it hit me.
One does not walk in Hanoi. One drives in Hanoi.

Thankfully, they drive slow. That combined with the years of experience at jay walking in NYC, it's not so bad crossing the street. Like India one holds their breath and you just go!

The one thing that continues to amaze me about life in Asia is how much of it is lived in the open.
There is no 'privacy'.
Bathing, washing one's hair, washing dishes, eating, cooking and in India using the toilet...are all done out in the open.
It makes me question the concept of privacy and what it all means.

Back to Kolkata in a few days. I think I'm excited :)

Obama in Laos

First my blackberry gives me problems, my travel external hard-drive dies, and now my camera won't sync with the computer.
There go the visuals.
try and picture this. (hopefully pictures will follow...)
We're in Vang Vieng, Laos.
jon, misha and i rented bikes.
who needs gears or breaks? (a far cry from my cannondale carbon!)
we're riding along roads lined with rice fields, goats, and the mountains are covered in clouds. It's a perfect morning.
Until Jon gets a flat tire.
In true laotian style he got on the back of my bike. I guess that's what that rear seat is for! Off we go with his bike trailing behind us in hand. We were laughing so hard I couldn't steer.
Made it back to town in time for showers, and lunch and CNN. Watched McCain's speech followed by our new President. Completely blown away by his eloquence. So proud to be an American.
We celebrated in true style by eating hamburgers and coke light.

missed connections...

It's so hard to keep up with this when the internet connections are super slow and crash.
I'm in Laos and will be quick before the fall of this connection.

Have done a cooking course in every country and a massage.
Tomorrow is Laotian cooking.
We go over the menu, tour the market, cook and eat.
Thus far the markets in Laos and Thailand are aside from amazing are incredibly clean.
(After India and Morocco my expectations are slightly jaded.)
I do make a conscious effort to focus on the veggies, fruits and herbs and stay away from the meat.

Thailand and Laos don't have the funny absurdities as India does.
Spent two days on a boat on the Mekong...I feel like I'm in a movie set.

thailand

Made it to Thailand and all I can say is that this country is just gentle and kind.
The food is just so good. And the plants are making me very happy.
How can the smell of jasmine not make anyone happy?
Very ready to get out of Bangkok. It's easy and beautiful but craving the countryside and peace.

I wonder if Northern India didn't do permanent scarring? Everything in life is just so much easier and kinder. I know the south will be easier and so much different. Will be ready and I am looking forward to getting back to that crazy country.
Fiending to get back on my mat desperately.

in full effect

Difficult to access internet in Nepal.
Been sequestered in Dhaka for the past few days. Much needed pampering; massage and comfy bed with TV. I don't have a TV in NY so it was pure luxury for me. Oddly enought, watched Oprah for the first time.
Leaving for Bangkok this afternoon to meet Jon and Misha.

The head bob was in full effect here in Bangladesh.
Every question is answered with it. It's difficult to ignore the body language. Especially when it contradicts the language being spoken.
Will try to post more soon.

And thank you everyone for birthday wishes. It was very nice to open those emails.
Had a wonderful traditional Tibetan birthday dinner, a hot pot soup. yummy.

Nepal photos in random order...

Eva, I put my picture in just for you!

And, I'm not wearing black!!!

xo, gealba