Farewell to India

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This was supposed to be a joint blog with me summarizing our techno evening and Kate summarizing Mumbai, but Kate just puked six or seven times in an alley, so she's resting instead. Don't fret... I'm sure she's fine. We take turns with this stuff. I'll be due for a round in a few weeks since my body needs to adjust to Southeast Asia.

The Dance Party
After eating a big dinner in celebration of Chessa's (another Vancouver babe volunteering in India) arrival, we felt brave enough to cross the street and enter Nine Bar, the club that has been blaring trance music since we arrived (a.k.a. the hippest club in Vagator). We didn't have high expectations for the club. After all, we'd seen no signs of nightlife anywhere else in India (it's the off season for tourism) and few backpackers in Vagator. We'd spent the day on the beach with far more cows than people, and the tourists present on the beach were a French family and a man with an extra large tummy. Therefore, we were pleasantly surprised to see a dance corral of 100-ish people.

Our first sight was a girl in a tube top-ish belly shirt with a mini-backpack, breaking it down immediately in front of the gigantic speaker amplifying the music at an ungodly volume. She was busting a move, a move heavily influenced by capoeira, almost angrily. It was very odd but also very impressive. Oh, and her abs were rock solid, and the rest of her bod was lean as a string bean. As we looked around, we realized all the "regulars" were built this way.

Kate and i left our bags with the bashful Canadians and waddled our way to the dance floor, determined to blend. I suspect Kate has attended raves before or had lessons because she quickly applied the genius technique of repeating one core move over and over again with minor variations, as if she was stuck in it. I, however, could not figure out what to do with myself. I kept trying to move to the music, but that's kind of impossible because it's so fast. I always wound up shaking my head really fast, as if I was having a seizure. I couldn't get into the groove, and i suspect it's because everyone else was on drugs and creating their own grooves. But again, they looked good. The final reason I'll never blend on a trance dance floor is because I view dance as a communal activity. I laugh a lot when I do it. I dance with friends, imitating them and trying to one-up them. trance is completely straightfaced and solitary. I kept ruining the vibe by giggling.

After 2 or 3 songs (Kate and i couldn't tell where one ended and another began), it was over. Apparently, Vagator has the pre-party from 6-10, and Anjuna has the late night one. We scored an invite to the Anjuna one, so maybe we weren't completely terrible. Kate overheard a departing dancer remark that that was the best DJ set she'd ever heard, so we felt blessed. Then we walked home in the dark, dodging the drugged-up dancers speeding to Anjuna on their motorbikes.

The next day was more beach and cheesy movies at night. The next day was more beach and the train station, where we bid farewell to Lucy and Chessa.

Fast forward to Mumbai.
I was pleasantly surprised by Mumbai. I expected to HATE it. Instead, it was my favorite of the three huge cities we visited in India (Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai). I suspect this is because it wasn't very crowded (we were there on a Saturday during the Diwali festival), but i think it also had to do with the architecture, which was a bit Gothic.

Anyway, we had a lot of time to kill in Mumbai, but I'd say there were two major highlights.

1) The market. I forget the name of it. Kate would know, but she's puking. Basically, we showed up mega-early, walked by the fish market, walked by the chickens, praying we wouldn't get Avian Flu, bought a custard apple (creamy goodness), and were told by a tour guide that we needed to hire him in order to see any more. We caved. It was worth it. The fruit was GORGEOUS. Export quality. Huge, shiny apples, grapes, pineapple, etc. Next, we went inside the fish market. It was anarchy. Millions of people and strange fish packed inside. Men walking around with large crates of fish on their head, dripping fish guts onto your feet. Women poking you, probably trying to determine how easy it would be to steal your wallet. You attempting to trod carefully, so you won't fall.

Next, we walked by the spot where the chickens are slaughtered in a barrel (the whole chicken thing is just as PETA describes- chickens plucking out each other's feathers, dead chickens at the bottom of the cages, being eaten by other chickens, chickens who have bashed off their beaks, etc.) and hopped over the blood puddles. Then we entered the goat and cow market where we saw brains, lungs, tongue, hooves... you name it, it was there. Yes, this was my vegetarian dreamland. The guy pointed to a shop and said you could buy monkeys, but i was too afraid to ask if you bought them as pets or meals.

After the slaughterhouse was the veggies, which were beautiful, and i saw a Buddha-like man sitting on top of a huge stack of potatoes. I'm sad Kate missed it because it would have been an awesome photo.

Our last stop was the spice stand where Kate and i got suckered into buying stuff, so our tour guide could get a cut. Whatever. The food in India was awesome, so hopefully the spices will help us recreate it at home.

The second noteworthy activity was our Bollywood movie. We went to two theaters, searching for one that played a Bollywood movie with English subtitles. Neither of them had them. We caved at the second one and bought tickets, figuring we could follow the basic plotline. The movie was a comedy about a guy who pretends to be a professor whose expertise is Gandhi to win over a radio DJ. In the midst of studying about Gandhi, the G-man starts appearing to him. Hilarity ensues. There was a lot Kate and I didn't understand, but we followed the basic plot, as expected. Every 20 minutes or so they'd utter a line in English, which was a thrill. As with all Bollywood movies, the dance numbers were the best part. One involved a circus scene and a white guy in a Speedo. That was my favorite. Kate bought spicy popcorn, and we sat in the balcony. It was satisfying. Not as satisfying as starring in a Bollywood movie as we'd dreamed, but we were short on time.

Uh, so yeah, a lot of other stuff happened, but I am running out of space. The only thing I didn't like about Mumbai was the firecrackers and fake guns. Not good for a paranoid tourist. The slums were sad too, but i was impressed by the arrangements inside the shanties.

Our final encounter with an Indian was perfect. Kate and I were lost in a little village, trying to find a rickshaw that wouldn't overcharge us for a ride to the airport, when a magical old women appeared, asked us what we needed, and led us, barefoot, to the highway where she flagged down a rickshaw for us and negotiated the price in our favor. So sweet.

To summarize India:
It would take 6 months to see everything i'd want to see- Varinasi, Jaisalmer, Calcutta, the entire center, the Himalayas. Therefore, it's a good thing I accidentally got a 10-year visa, so I can return again.

India is full of warm, kind people, scrumptious food (once you wander from the tourist spots), and breathtaking sights. Some of my favorite times on this trip were the hellish buses and trains because of the every day scenes we passed.

My only India disappointments were the chai and our failure to do any yoga. Sigh.

I was going to post the poems we wrote about each city, but I'm running out of space, so I'll just copy a few and follow them with each of our favorite cities.

Delhi, you were our first stop, the big start...
Too bad I gave you my wallet instead of my heart.

Delhi, the light show at your fort was mind-blowing,
Too bad your only special effect was 1 light glowing.

Agra, you possess the amazing Taj Mahal,
But your awful touts will be your downfall.

Jaipur, you were our first taste of Rajasthan.
Too bad we almost killed your bicycle rickshaw man.

Jaipur, we rode a tourist bus around you for a day,
It's a pity we didn't realize how much we'd have to pay.

Pushkar, you are a backpacker's paradise
So why didn't we meet anyone nice?

Pushkar, you were pretty and without cars.
I only wish you'd get a few chefs who were stars.

Pushkar, your hippie tourists made me feel like a corporate hack.
I'll spend the next 6 months trying to earn my soul back.

Udaipur, Udaipur, you are the Venice of the East.
Thank you so much for having us, we had a great feast.

Udaipur, your people are amazing and your views first-rate,
Too bad we lost a day spent within you because we forgot the date.

Spice Jet, your cookies and candy were yum,
Too bad we were too afraid to ask for some (more).

Pondicherry, we had a lovely time on your beach, taking a dip.
The social scene alone was worth the whole trip.

Mama, I swam in your water and became ill.
However, the statues and Arun's visit made you a thrill.

Varkala, your cliffs took our breath.
I also thought you'd be the site of my death.

Outside Kochi was the splendid houseboat tour,
Inside Kochi was the pineapple man who I adored.

Vagator, site of cows on the beach
And Baskin Robbins ice cream constantly out of reach.

Mumbai doesn't get a poem. Sorry.


TOP FIVE CITIES/TOWNS IN INDIA
Moria's list
5. Tie between Vagator and Varkala. If I could combine the beach (specifically, the water and cliffside setting) of Varkala with the town (specifically, the street food man, fruit lady and beach chairs) of Vagator, I'd be a happy girl.
4. Pondy. Our first beach experience in India. The debut of the muumuus. The party.
3. Houseboat tour/Kerala. Beautiful.
2. The Taj Mahal/Agra. Finally seeing the Taj up close after a day and a half of peeking. The tiny village hidden within Agra.
1. Udaipur. The lakes. Deepika and family. The festival.

Kate's list
5. The Taj/Agra
4. Backwaters of Kerala
3. Udaipur/Durga
2. Samosa stand in Mama
1. Varkala/Her first dip in the Arabian Sea

Lucy's list
5. Pondy for the laughs
4. Houseboat tour
3. Teapot Restaurant in Kochi, site of her best Indian meal
2. Varkala (chill, beach, backpackers)
1. Udaipur

And finally,

ITEM YOU WISH YOU HAD PACKED
Kate: Board shorts
Moria: More Clif Bars and crackers (I'm a pig.)
Lucy: A second set of pajamas, light books, a larger towel.

ITEM YOU REGRET PACKING
Kate: My Vans, but i think I'll be happy I packed them once we reach South America.
Moria: My sneakers, though I know they'll come in handy eventually. Lotion (mother knows best).
Lucy: 21 pairs of undies


Okay, this was the longest ever. Forgive me. Kate will be back with a much more entertaining blog about Bangkok once she's well.

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Photos

Fish Market in Mumbai
This doesn't capture the chaos or the smell, but we had to share it.

Fruit and Veg Market
Again chaotic but the fresh produce was the best quality we had seen in India.

Avian Flu
We did our best to be the first human cases in India. We still have a few more months before we can know for sure.

Women Washing in Kerala
This was a great thing to see on our houseboat tour of the backwaters of Kerala.

A Pineapple Artist
For less than a dollar we got the most delicious pineapple in Kochi

Our favorite photo of Lucy
This is when Lucy was given a diaperless child while receiving henna unwillingly. Needless to say, we stood by and laughed. The picture is priceless.

Moria and a cow
India was great for offering numerous opportunities for interactions with rabid animals.

Women in their saris
No two saris are alike.

Comments

[Emma]

Lucy's Pic
Love the pic of Luce!! It's a classic!! Definitely one for the family album....if possible I'll have it framed and waiting on the mantle piece at 1 Wes when she arrives back!