shoes

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It's the day / night of the full moon, and here in Delhi that means it's an auspicious time for shoe shopping .... haha, just kidding. But that's what I did today. I went to a new market area (new for me, I mean) called South Extension market, which has great shoe and jewellery stores. I bought three pairs of shoes and a pair of gold earrings. (Still shopping to complete my Indian wardrobe ... and not well enough for anything more strenuous yet .. but feeling better every day ...)

I felt very good about negotiating a shopping trip, including lunch, by myself, and even directing the taxi driver back to Panscheel Park.

I will get my test next week, as I am planning a short trip out of the city, perhaps to the holy city of Hardiwar (near Rishikesh, but less touristy) by myself. It 's on the Ganges, one of the seven Hindu holy cities in India and up in the mountains, so the air will be much better, and I can give my poor lungs a rest.

Other than that, I have been busy making plans to go to south India ... my Lonely Planet guide to India (aka the bible) is getting a workout! It is worth it's weight in gold. Even this Delhi family is impressed, and we are all consulting it for all kinds of things. But the research is the easy part. Actually making plans is much more difficult. Everyone here was laughing at me today as I was getting harried and exasperated after talking to Indian Airlines and several hotels, to make reservations. I finally gave up and handed the phone to Ajay to complete my call, with the family laughing in the background. Oddly, Ajay also spoke to the man in English, but was somehow able to understand and be understood. There's English and then there's Indians speaking English. I am beginning to realize they are different.

I am definitely getting acclimatized, sleeping well, etc. Each morning my alarm clock is the school across the way. Dozens of very young children start each day by exuberantly singing familiar English songs, at the top of their lungs, such as Santa Claus is Coming to Town and my personal favourite, the Midnight Cowboy song, Rhinestone Cowboy. It reminds me of being in Japan, and going to a business conference where a choir of male employees in matching suits sang Blue Spanish Eyes. Bizarre.

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Photos

the full moon
Varada took this picture of me on the terrace, with the full moon in the background.

Varada and the moon
And here is a picture I took of Varada under the full moon. I told her the moon was a special symbol for girls and women.

new shoes
These cost the equivalent of about $25.

Comments

[Marianne]

Great shoes!
Sorry you're not feeling well, cousin. But the shopping is surely compensation. The blog is great; I read it faithfully.