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.