This morning I bailed out of Paharganj and I am now in Majnu Ka Tila- the Tibetan colony. Paharganj was just too crazy and too touristy. The locals there making their living off of the visitors were too adept- one guy looked at me and was able to tell I am American. The Tibetans are on strike today, so I am not supposed to tell anyone where I am staying. I have only seen three other white guys in a place that is usually fairly well-stoked with the melanin deficient. One side of New Aruna Nagar is almost completely shuttered, but [View Full Entry]

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The cows here are half and again or perhaps twice as big as the cows in Kolkata. The dogs are about the same size, but much uglier and tough looking. One can feel the sun more directly. There seems to be less pollution. The streets seem dustier, perhaps due to less rain. Everything seems more bleached, both physically and culturally. The people are a bit more aggressive regarding selling and bargaining. One young man told me angrily to chollo after I tried to talk him down to two rupees for a piece of fruit that I do not know the name [View Full Entry]

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Mission successful! I've got a nice room in a clean hotel (with own bathroom and TV),some food in my belly, and access to the outside world. The train trip was fairly non eventful. Spent a bit more than half of the 25 hour journey sleeping, and the rest looking out on the beautiful countryside. Only one guy (who works in the tourist district for Paharganj in New Delhi) recognized me as a ferangi and talked to me in English. Four people asked me questions in Hindi, and only one of them realized I was non-Indian after I tried a few words [View Full Entry]

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This entry was going to be really nice and long, but a couple of hours ago the power cut out at an internet cafe. The good news is they didn't charge me for my forty five minutes of successful internet usage. Tomorrow morning I am off to Delhi by train. Looks like Mike and I will be heading north. I can't wait to see mountains and to be uncomfortably cold rather than uncomfortably hot. I almost cried when leaving Prem Dam today. No matter what else I do with my life, I want a part of it to include singing to [View Full Entry]

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A conversational theme I have been developing with both Westerners and locals is how GWB, after "taking to God" started a war in Iraq that has created incredible suffering (even by Iraqi standards) for Iraqi Christians, how most people who die in "jihadi" suicide bombings worldwide are Muslims, and how Gandhi was killed by a Hindu fundamentalist. Yesterday, with my Muslim beard, Hindu shirt, and Christian Rosary, a kid came up to me while I was walking to Nehru and asked me "which country?". I told him to guess, and he said "Israel?" and when I shook my head, he tried [View Full Entry]

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Today while taking a shower I saw an eight-legged friend in the corner of the communal bathroom. Its thorax was a good inch long, and from one far end to the other her legs would have been about eight inches. It has a rather striking pattern of grey and black stripes. I talked to a fellow resident of my hotel, and she said that she noticed our new friend earlier in the day, and that it is scary, but quite beautiful. I agree. I took a picture with Katie's digital camera, hopefully it will be up in a couple of days. [View Full Entry]

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Seeing as I am making up my own rules with regards to a day of "non-talking", blogging is not an infringement of the spirit or the letter of my agreement with myself. So far only one violation today, when the homespun pants ScottishBen gave me ripped a bit after I took a shower. By instinct, I said a one syllable synonym for excrement to express my surprise and disappointment. I ate at the same two places I always do, so that has been no problem. I went on about a one hour walk in a tee shirt and the homespun. On [View Full Entry]

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A Bandh was called by an umbrella group of trade unions in West Bengal, effective today. I'm not too sure on their demmands (I believe they are related to wage increases to cope with inflation), but the effects are incredible. Bandh literally means "dam", and that what has happened to Kolkata's daily economy. Not everything is stopped- many small tea stands, tourist restaurants, and about half of the street food vendors are still in operation.These may be likened to small holes in a dam, or perhaps the divergent course of water. Ninety percent of the small conveience stores, [View Full Entry]

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It looks like President Musharaf is stepping down next door. I realized recently that I have been updating my blog less frequently than when I first arrived in India. I believe this is partly because I am less shocked by the things I now see on a daily basis, and partly because I attach greater value to the precious rupees that I can spend on internet access. Last Wednesday evening I was having a conversation with some Westerners at my hotel when the much greater value of listening as opposed to talking was suddenly impressed upon me. I then decided to [View Full Entry]

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Many of the Western tourists who I have gotten to know are heading northwards to Siliguri, Darjeling and Nepal. Although they will be greatly missed, their departure has translated into material benefits for myself. I have been given a few books, some spiffy homespun trousers, and a pair of Punjabi "clown pants." Of course, maybe I will be unloading these gifts on others in two weeks when I go to Delhi to introduce ChinaMike to the magic that is India. I've heard that Delhi and Mumbai are generally less friendly than Kolkata. Maybe this is because most Westerners here come to [View Full Entry]

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