The Importance of Time (or Sometimes Not!)

One thing I have noticed about buying products in India is that there is less of a concept of a “line". (I have witnessed this in stores and planes mainly, yet never where I live, or at my office.) This is always so interesting to me, and simply illustrates the fact that so many people here have grown up in such huge crowds, jockeying for positions. This is simply a product of extreme population, a survival mechanism, that is often learned at an early age. No harm. I can certainly UNDERSTAND this phenomenon. If you don't "jockey" and "claim your space", you can easily get left in the dust here!

My computer mouse died in the last day, (and I CANNOT survive without the mouse). So, I went to a store last night to purchase another one. While I was buying it, at least 2 other customers came up and just popped in front of me, placing their items on the counter. As my credit card transaction was in process, and the guy had to turn his attention away from it, the buttons were not pushed in time, and the credit card machine (I suppose) stalled due to lack of attention. He ran my card again, and just as he was about to chat with someone else, the "Type A" (impatient) part of me kicked in. I suddenly became loud and clear, and I think I surprised the group of people around me! I said, “OK, let’s complete this transaction! Don’t leave! It will not take long!”. (If he would have walked away, I am pretty sure I would have grabbed his arm at this point.) This particular credit card has not failed me MY ENTIRE DURATION in India and I do not want to create an issue now. The funny thing here...is that everyone who knows me, is aware that I have a super-sweet sounding voice, so it takes quite the effort to take command of these situations, verbally. Most people who know me have not seen me in this "take charge mode", and it even surprises strangers as I move from the initial "sweet hello" to the take charge louder voice when things go off track. ha

Sometimes I feel like saying to those (who are clearly behind me "in line", yet in a hurry).....“OK, Patience, People!"....(to those who just cut in front), but I do try to remember my nature, and how Politeness and Kindness both count.

I do try as well to consider the "big picture" while I am in such a crowded country: Who cares if someone else goes first for a negligible purchase? It is not as if I am trading stocks on Wall Street, and Time is Money. (Now....THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT!)

Love Logo

As I ran an errand tonight, I saw a work truck that had logos hand painted on the back AND side that said “No Time For Love”.  This truck was like 100 other “work trucks” that I have seen in Bangalore in the last year, and yet, this is the first logo that really drew my attention. I do wonder what it means. 

Does it mean that other gravel carriers/truckers do not sometimes make deadlines because they are “stopping for love”?  Or…..Is this a personal man’s work vehicle, and he is chased by so many women that he is placing a clear heeding up front: “Don’t even think about it!”. Or is it simply, reverse psychology, that in making women think he is “not interested” will make them chase him even more?

Whatever it means, it definitely draws interest.

Sticky Wicket, Cricket and Football

photo: http://www.malagacf.com/en

photo: http://www.fcbarcelona.com/

According to Wiki, "Sticky Wicket" is a metaphor that is used to describe a difficult circumstance." Of course it is derived from Cricket.

Being in India for the last 8 months, hearing the word "wicket", I tend to automatically think of shows such as "Keeping Up Appearances" or "League of Gentleman" (TV Series, Royston Vasey)....British Comedy.

So…as we are in the middle of the Cricket World Cup, I hear, and see broadcasted often, use of the word “wicket”. I was not even aware we were entering the World Cup of Cricket, as I don’t talk to many locals about sports, with my lack of knowledge of cricket.

Well, last Sunday was the first indication that something big was happening. When I went to breakfast, for the first time ever, I did not hear light jazz tunes in the background. Instead, a TV had been rolled in, and it was blaring cricket at a volume that had to be quite a delight to all cricket fans in the vicinity and beyond.

So, India had a great win last Sunday. It was quite the big deal! I researched this “World Cup of Cricket”, and it apparently lasts from 14 FEBRUARY (Valentines’ Day! If you’re a female, hope you prefer cricket over flowers!) to the 29^th of MARCH. Folks, that is a month and a half of high adrenaline cricket excitement.

At work, there are TVs in the kitchens, and where I live, there are TVs in the hallways and restaurants. These are my 2 main places where I am located during the week, as I go “out” in the evening once a week, on average. The only sport that I have seen displayed on any of these “public TVs” is cricket. (Of course, in my room, I could see other sports including football/soccer).

I thought……until LAST NIGHT….. that every Indian male on this sub-continent literally tuned into cricket (or BBC) as they turned on their TVs daily. Well, I discovered something new last night…..I went to a “sports bar type restaurant”, and as I walked in (as I had googled, and the restaurant said it served American food, and was located close to my home, both an advantage for me as I had left late), I noticed 2 things immediately:

* I was the only female in this place.

* There was no cricket playing on any of the TVs (and yet there were many TVs and projection screens on the wall.)

As it had taken the driver about an hour to find this place (and we were stopped in the road for quite a while, with him talking to the Indian version of Siri, and me saying, “I am not married to the idea of this place, let’s just drive, and I will find something else. No worries!”). He, being committed to the cause, eventually FOUND this place; it was indeed hidden, as many places in Bangalore are. (You have to be here one day to experience the true phenomenon of “finding” a new place in Bangalore). So, after the work that went into locating this place, and the joy he felt in getting me there, I decided to stay for at least an hour. I talked to some locals while I ate. First, I asked them, “Who is playing football? Is this an Indian team?” (as everyone was cheering) and they said “No, it is Barcelona against Malaga.” (which are both SPANISH teams, no Indians involved). Yet everyone was so excited, and this was a crowd of Indians in this place. Then…I asked them……”Why is there no cricket on here???” The locals told me that “this crowd” prefers football. 

(Maybe it was partly because India does not play another cricket game tonight. I am only speculating.)

I found out tonight a few things:
1) There are the die-hard cricket fans, and others that prefer football, who say they do not even tune into cricket. (How is this possible?)
2) Native Indians on cell phones often don’t understand each other, just as much as I don’t understand them or they, me. (So…..It is not just ME. Haha)
3) In NC, I go out all the time and RARELY see anyone I know. In India, on 4 or 5 occasions (again, remembering I only go out about once per week), I never fail to see someone I know, or someone recognizes me and comes up to speak. (Once was in an airport, once was a doctor’s office, and once was tonight, as I ran into 2 colleagues. All very random.) As Bangalore is so much more populated than Raleigh/Cary, this has been quite interesting and unexpected!

Indian Service and Hospitality

After eating so many meals in restaurants in India over the last 9 months, I want to share some quick comparisons. If you have ever eaten at a restaurant in the US, you will often be halfway through your meal and the wait staff will leave the bill and politely say “I am just leaving this for your convenience. Please let me know if you need anything else!”  This is fine, of course. They are busy, and want to stay on top of things.

Dining out in India is quite a bit different phenomenon. The first difference is that the food that arrives is ALWAYS “served” by the wait staff; you simply do not add the food from the communal service to your plate. I still attempt do this myself at times, and someone is always rushing over to “help me”, and probably wondering what the heck I am doing, and why I am not following the service protocol. I am just an independent person, and can spoon food onto a plate on my own. Of course, it is quite fancy to be “served” and I am not complaining! It is a nice treat of course.

The other main difference, which has applied to every single restaurant where I have eaten, is the laid back nature of the wait staff. No one is in a hurry, and you should not be either. Eating a meal out in India should be an experience, and not rushed. The more fancy the restaurant, of course, the more attention given. You can have a personal wait-staff kind of “hanging back”, with their eyes on you, watching your table’s moves, to see who has run out of paneer, daal, or whatever you are eating! They pop over fast, and are ready to serve you as your plate empties. If you want to feel like royalty, come to India and eat in a restaurant.

Finally, the wait staff are in no rush whatsoever to provide your bill. The restaurant can be full, and of course, being a waitress during college, I am thinking of table turnover, and “how much money I can make, if I move these people out, and a new party in”. The Indian staff do not have this mindset. They are thinking of your experience. It is quite nice. You actually have to make hand gestures and mouth “check please” when you are ready to go. (Not all restaurants, but most I have visited.)

Above, I am describing “medium level to fancy restaurants”, but you will also find differences in Fast Food places, too. KFC is THE main fast food restaurant in India. They are everywhere. I have eaten at quite a few, and the one near where I live in Marahathalli is just amazing. They are concerned that they provide you with HOT food, freshly cooked. Often you will pay, sit down, and they bring it to your table. The workers at places like this are so amenable to your needs and also attentive. (It is like you are back at the 5 star, yet...you are at KFC! haha). One memorable experience was when I sat down and waited for the guy to bring my tray, which he gave me and I began eating. Within a few minutes, another employee popped over, and I THOUGHT he said “You got (your) order?”,when in fact he was asking me “You want water?”. I said “Yes” of course (as I had my order!), and so he brought me some water!

It took me a while to figure this out, but now I have these language nuances down. They never fail to be interesting!

Prestige Business Tech Park: The Dow and the Cow

It is rare that on my way to work, I get to sit in the front seat, and today was one of those days, as there was a full car of passengers (1st Quarter in Bangalore equals lots of business guests). I love this, as I can see more of my surroundings from the front seat, and so today, just grabbed my phone and took some quick snapshots. The pictures show my “every day drive” into Prestige Park, largely a tech Park, yet with so many different organizations with a presence in Bangalore…..Oracle, Sandisk, CSR, LinkedIn, Vodafone, Quintiles, Amadeus and of course J P MORGAN (if there are J P Morgan guys in the car, they always get dropped off first. “Prestige” indeed, haha!). The list of companies goes on and on….

The first shot is the road that leads into the Park. The rest (above) are inside the park, and shots below include the cows, mentioned later.

In the middle of this tech park, there is a neat hotel (24 hour Tech Business Hotel) for business people who arrive and want to be able to be immediately connected and ultra-close to their jobs. There is an AMAZING gym inside of this hotel called Zela, which is state of the art (check it out on-line if you ever visit Bangalore, need a short stay and wish for a great gym).

As you drive into this business park, there are a lot of security guards (of whom I was hesitant to take pictures). Every day as I drive in, I need to show them my badge from the car, just to get into the park (prior to, of course the building). It is an ultra-protected business zone. I would say there are 30-50 security guards outside this park at any given time. They have signs (Stop, Go for traffic control) and they are serious about their jobs! (Think: Running up to your car if you seem to be out of compliance.)

Today, as I walked into my building, which is on the perimeter of the park, I noticed immediately 2 cows that were closer to the bldg than normal, so I walked out the back door to take some shots of them. As native Indians walked in and waited for the elevators, I walked out the back door to take pictures of the black and white spotted cow. I am always in awe. I don’t think I will ever get tired of seeing such a phenomenon, and it is certainly one of the things I will miss the most about Bangalore.

"Health versus Hair" in Bangalore

The cost of many products between the US and India are comparable, yet many services are less costly, while some are surprisingly exorbitant. Cab rides (if you can get one) are of course inexpensive: My guy will only charge 700 INRs (11-12 USDs) to pick me up, take me to my destination, then WAIT for me (while sitting in his car, for 4, 5 or 6 hours) and then take me home. I voluntarily give him twice the amount (22 USDs for approximately 5 hours of his time, car and gas), as his time, and dedication to waiting for me means so much. With the exchange rate, it seems the fair thing for me to do.

A lot of local food, again, as described prior, is an extreme bargain. Doctor’s visits, also surprisingly inexpensive. I do wonder how doctors here make money.

Hair coloring, on the other hand, can be extremely surprisingly expensive, and while I am not tight with my money, the cost does “blow my mind”. (My advice: If you are an expat coming to Bangalore, do not require blonde highlights ha).  I began going to a global chain at a Bangalore mall, as they can accommodate evening and weekend hours. As I went to pay my first bill, I was so shocked, I thought it must be incorrect. Of course, they did such a phenomenal job, despite the cost, and so I have made 2 subsequent appointments. Yet, I find that I spend over 200 USDs for cut and color, whereas in NC I spend 120 tops, sometimes less, depending on the service. I checked, and this particular chain is only located in NYC and Florida, in the US. So I thought to myself, maybe the prices there are exorbitant in the US as well, as they are in high cost areas? (NYC, etc) Yet, while searching online, I find I can get a color and cut in NYC for quite a bit less than here. (Half cost than here?) It is just a Bangalore phenomenon I suppose! More than likely, at this particular chain (which is again, awesome, and I am blessed to be able to afford the service) it is just a fancier service provider. I am sure there are quite a bit of salons in India that are not expensive at all. As I love my outcome (best color I have ever had, when I was so initially worried about hair color in India!) and am spending so much less on food and cabs, applying the rest to services such as hair is absolutely fine.

I do wonder how much of the total amount that the service professional gets, versus the salon “cut” of the profit.

A quick interesting comparison to me: When I have visited a medical doctor in Bangalore, it costs an average of 8 USDs, out of pocket. (Simply unbelievable.) Comparably, my hair, every 10 weeks, costs 240 USDs, here in Bangalore. Hmmmm....quite a difference!

A final note on this particular salon, is that they do offer coupons, which you need to buy at your current appt for your next appt. As I did return to the US twice, and also was never sure of my exact stay in Bangalore, or hair needs, I did not purchase these. I am sure they offer differential pricing, in times of lower demand (or maybe consistently), in the form of coupons as well. And of course, most Indians have luxurious dark hair and do not require blonde highlights! As Bangalore is filled with expats from locations such as the UK, AUS, US, etc who need color, a certain level of "advantage" can be taken by the salon, large-scale, with the knowledge that for women, good hair is priceless. I have been so thankful to find a good stylist in Bangalore!

Give a Missed Call

I had never heard the phrase “Give a Missed Call” until arriving in India. Now, I hear it several times a week. Giving a missed call is prevalent throughout India. For my personal situation….. I have “given a lot of missed calls”, simply to be sure I have entered the correct number of a new contact into my phone. With all of the dialing nuances, I want to make sure I've got their correct number before I walk away, so after I enter their unfamiliar number, I dial it while I am standing there to make sure it rings. This is especially critical for drivers. They are my lifeline back home, and I want to be able to contact them when I am ready to go. If I lose their number, and don’t have a wifi connection, it will be, well….basically leaving a destination without a confirmed ride. Of course the Indian population is so friendly this would not be a bad problem (in Bangalore at least) and most people would loan you their phone and help you get back...but STILL, you want to have your own “plan” if possible when you are trying to go home, and not waste a lot of time.

I have a designated driver now, Manjunath, and we are set…but prior to finding him (THE most amazing, consistent, dependable, polite and friendly driver in Bangalore), I have racked up a lot of NAMES in my phone. As I was examining my contacts the other day, I know it is over 100 people, and yet I have had meaningful conversations with probably 5 of those people! The rest are one-timers who I “gave a missed call” to be sure we could remain connected for a pre-determined time period.

The above scenario describes only me, an expat, and my personal reasons related to “Giving a missed call”. However, I have discovered that this phrase is a popular phenomenon throughout India, and is used for so many other reasons. More than are listed in this blog for sure, as I only have a few months experience here in India. Not having a monthly phone plan, I can’t compare the expense of someone actually picking up a call and saying “Hello”, and having a 2 minute conversation, versus an SMS/text, versus calling and hanging up (aka "The Missed Call"). However, apparently, dialing and hanging up here is described to date as 1) cost-effective and 2) convenient, for many. It is kind of genius when you think about it, for "people on the go", even if cost is not a factor. People with a lack of patience who know that voice mails take time to listen to, and so by dialing and just hanging up, it means "call me back". (It is so much easier than listening to a voice mail, truly!)

There are even customized signals and agreements that friends and families have in place, such as 1) 1 ring means "I am waiting downstairs", or 2) 2 rings means "I have reached home safely" or 3) 3 rings means “Call me when you wake up” or 4) 4 or more rings means “Pick up, I need to talk now!”

I would overhear people at work, or out and about, using the term “Give me a missed call”……and then one Sunday I saw an infomercial, selling products, which stated at the bottom of the TV screen “Give a missed call”. I have heard, regarding these infomercials, that there is a level that ranges from “above board” (contacting you to buy the product after your call) to "complete scam" (just trying to get your number for sales or future selling of the number).

Another big phenomenon is to “Give a missed call” to get an update on the sports (CRICKET) score or, another example, your bank balance! Apparently, whether now or in the recent past, the “Missed call” is somewhat similar to a US SMS/text, and yet possibly just a cheaper way of communicating here in India for certain phone plans. Pictured below is a typical Infomercial on TVs across Bangalore.

Dr. Namita Shanbhag's Cook and Dine

On Sunday afternoon, one of my organization's legal attorney colleagues, who is visiting India for 6 weeks, invited me to attend a cooking class here in Bangalore with her. We travelled to the home of Dr. Namita Shanbhag, dentist, college professor, and amazing chef extraordinaire, who taught us the basics of Indian cooking. She had all of the recipes typed in detail to take with us for reference later, and had been marinating food overnight in preparation. She cooked, while we helped and watched, one of the most famous Indian specialties recognized and loved by many all over the world: Butter chicken. The menu included many items, such as onion fritters, which had many spices (think: onion rings dropped in hot oil in the form of balls versus rings, with tasty spices included), fresh papadums, chapati, a style of Indian potatoes, a lentil curry, rice, and a dessert that started with vermicelli, included raisins, almonds, sugar and heat. All very tasty!

She used a pressure cooker, and 3 different types of pots or pans. As you will see in the pictures, silver pots/dishes are very popular in India, and can be used "from burner to server". It provides quite a fancy presentation. I have personally cooked a lot of recipes in my life, but never used a pressure cooker. It was neat to experience the fact that you leave it on the burner even when it lets off that first big wave of steam. (Even after the 6^th or 7^th wave of steam.) I watched intently to see when it would be removed, and it apparently depended on the shorter frequencies of bursts. That is when it is removed from the heat. A lot learned in this class about pressure cooking and tricks surrounding that method.

The part that was most amazing to me was that I never saw her once refer to a recipe. She coordinated 4 items at one time and they all came out perfectly. I consider myself a “pretty good cook”, and yet find myself consistently referring to the recipe at least 5 times while I am making something that requires measurements, especially spices (I can literally read "1 tsp of salt" 5 times and still check it before I drop it in!) Dr. Namita just knew “a pinch of this” or a tsp of that, the exact timings of when to add, all while still carrying on a conversation, asking us questions, listening to our answers, and entertaining her entire family all at the same time. It was quite the experience! If you ever wish to attend an event at her house, I highly advise it, and to be certain, you will take away good tips, even if you are a seasoned Indian cook. Also, at the end you will be served a delicious meal of what has been prepared!

She offers different themes during different sessions, sometimes seafood, etc. Her email, if you ever wish to get in touch, is: drnamita@gmail.com

Pictured above are the finished products of the dishes we (Dr. Namita!) made, which includes a picture of us, from left: Kristen, the legal attorney here for 6 weeks, me (peeking out), Dr. Namita’s sister, and of course Dr. Namita on the opposite side of the counter cooking. (Pictures above by Dr. Namita and family).

Below are some other pictures that Kristen and I took during various stages of the food preparation. The first is a picture of Dr. Namita. Definitely a remarkable experience!

Anjuna "Wild Wednesday" Flea Market: The Bouncing Cow

There is a Wednesday market each week in Anjuna, Goa. It is a massive flea market with tons of booths, with trinkets, spices, clothes, accessories and many other “neat finds”. Every booth has an owner, some whom are laid back, and some....“the best Salespeople in the world”. Savvy and on fire to sell their merchandise. I feel as if haggling over a future car will now be a walk in the park. ha

I really loved the tops and some of the different Indian clothes, and so I bought some really neat tunics (one is my current favorite shirt that I own out of my whole current wardrobe), lightweight scarves, and bracelets. My friend Mary bought a gorgeous blanket with elephants on it that was pink, and required half of her suitcase to get home. Very worth it. She also bought journals and other souvenirs as well.

You have not been to a flea market in the world over, until you go to the Anjuna Flea Market. "Friends" are quickly made! If you smile, you are suddenly the pied piper, with a trail of eager booth owners asking you to visit their wares, and to please "not break your promise" if you say you are coming back! Once you get "in a booth”, sometimes it is challenging to get out, and that is where you quickly determine strategy, and this includes teamwork. Mary and I tag-teamed to ensure we stayed on track and did not succumb to too much pressure. Once you run out of money, it's KEY to avoid eye contact, and just move briskly through the crowd. If you engage, you appear interested and comments can suddenly range from "I love your hair!" to "I hate your blood!", from the same person within a minute. You have to laugh and not take it personally. I focused on the “I love your hair” part.

As I entered some booths, owners offered good prices (still a great revenue for them) and I appreciated the lack of pressure so much that I would always give an extra 100 rupees, just for the kindness.

The most interesting part of the market, besides the cool shirts I bought, and eating some excellent roasted corn from a vendor, was seeing "the bouncing cow". The man in the pictures I took and posted above, played his instrument, and the cow always responded. They were quite the team! My friend Mary took the most awesome video, attached here below, which shows their interactions. The man at one point lies down, and the cow places a hoof onto his mid-section, and bounces up and down. This cow is obviously “enlightened” with regards to how much pressure it can place. (Or else, there is a new cow owner ever week?....ha) The outcome of our show was good, with the cow lazily looking our way at the end of the show.

A colorful must-see flea market!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1kVZSmJdj8&sns=em
Video of Bouncing Cow taken by Mary D'Rozario

Relaxing Goa Vacation Part 2: The Dogs, the Descent, the Berries and the Beaches

Photo by Mary D'Rozario

Photo by Mary D'Rozario

Photo by Mary D'Rozario

Photo by Mary D'Rozario

During our trip, my friend Mary and I visited 3 beautiful beaches in the South of Goa. Each of the 3 represented a different “beach” experience, as well as the chance to swim 1) in the Arabian Sea, 2) during the month of January, surreal experiences for folks from the US. The first day we were due to go to the beach, we hired a car to take us to Palolem Beach. We were on our way. Plan set in motion. Almost there, the driver says “There is another beach. It is only 3 kms to the right. It is very nice. Ocean and freshwater.” We said “Sure, let’s see it”. There was no sign, and so we just “turned off the road” onto that unpaved path to paradise. According to a writer on one website, ”Cola Beach is not the easiest place to find and we would advise that you organize a taxi. Be aware, the road to Cola Beach is across 4km of rocky terrain, and access down to the beach can be a challenge for people with mobility issues….but once there…you’re in paradise.”

We did reach paradise, and let me describe the way. We turned off the road, and it began to become very…..ahhh….bumpy. The SUV seemed to drop into cavernous holes. I told Mary, “we are off-roading”. Mary laughed, and said this is tame compared to the true off-roading she experienced growing up on a ranch in California. We approach a man who is guarding the path about 1km into the ride, and there was a discussion between the driver and this man. For some reason, men speaking to each other in foreign languages always seems tense to me, yet this could have been a laid-back friendly conversation for all I know. About a minute later, we determine this must be private property, but we keep moving. We seem to drive forever. It is between 3 and 4 kms of rough terrain. Once we get there, we park, in a wooded area on the red clay pathway, and grab our stuff and begin to walk. I see through the trees that we seem to be quite high up, as in a hundred feet or more above the ocean. That is when I know…we are on a “journey to the beach”. There is a path, and before I can ask if we are going to need a rope and harness to get down, I see stairs. Not concrete “easy stairs”, but “footpath stairs” which are built/dug into the mountain. Rocky stairs. Overall, it is not a bad hike and it was a gorgeous location once reached. There is a beach hut restaurant with nice chairs to sit, and it was quiet, and the breeze was so relaxing, the views gorgeous. Mary ordered some great calamari, always referred to as “fried squid” on every menu here. (We had the squid several times during the trip and it was so good.) Cola beach has both a beach and a freshwater “lagoon” and nice “hut coverage” where we could sit back and relax and read a bit. Upon leaving, the driver stopped suddenly and got out and picked some red and black berries for us, and Mary took a neat picture of these "berries", posted above. The driver did not seem to be urging us to eat them, so we did not. He just, kind of….handed them to us. Later, we did some basic google searches and could not classify what these were. I am still unsure, but they made a nice photo.

The 2nd beach we visited was Palolem, probably one of the most popular beaches in South Goa. This beach had chairs and umbrellas on the beach and you could swim with barely if any currents or waves. Very relaxing swimming. We ate lunch at the restaurant directly above the beach, ordering Indian food--Paneer Dal, garlic Naan, and butter Naan, and it was just excellent! I was not expecting such a delicious lunch from that beach hut restaurant! There are a lot of recreational activities offered on this beach, such as paragliding, kayaking, etc. It was funny to me that there are 2 men sitting in chairs on the beach under an umbrella, who are near a yellow beach “rescue” sign, which you can see if you look closely at one of the photos posted here. These men look very intense, all eyes on the water. However they are not lifeguards. Their wives (one pictured above) are walking up and down the beach offering massages. You can literally get a massage for 10-15 US dollars if you walk a short way up the beach. With the exchange from USD to INRs, this is a good living for the people providing the massages if they attract the clientele.

We visited another beach, which was called Champions Club, and also has a restaurant on the beach, as well as chairs and umbrellas. That is the biggest difference to me, from the US beaches that I am used to visiting. There are nice wooden chairs, cushions, and huge umbrellas already there on the beaches of Goa (for free), and you are not carrying your own chairs, towels and coolers for hundreds of yards to the beach. Also, food is served to wherever you are on the beach. Just an awesome experience. There are dogs roaming the beach, and they become very alert when a “dog on a leash” is approaching. There is howling and much interest from the beach dogs as any fancy, tame dog walks past. It is quite an experience to see!

Goa: Architecture, Bikes, Gates, and the Cornflake

There is so much to report on the Goa vacation…the beaches, the “special cow”, the market, the food! In this blog I will post some basic random snapshots that I took, and share some general things that I noticed. We visited places in a few cities (towns) in the South of the state of Goa. Very beachy feel, low-key and laid back. Lots of people from nearby countries, Europeans/UK, Russians, etc, or locals within India, retire here or visit for months at a time. Everyone asked Mary and me if we were sisters from the UK. When it came time to exchange money of course we were ready for that UK exchange rate, but alas, they discovered, we were simply, Americans, after all, haha.

The roads here compare to small beach areas in the US that I have visited. 2 lane roads with less traffic than Bangalore, yet the same rates of speed and deep-seated driver desire to pass any car in front of you was there. Lots of gorgeous palm trees, a few cows, lots of dogs, and quite a few pigs! There were few if any autorickshaws in the part of Goa we visited, as there is just not the volume of people to keep them in business. You can rent motorbikes if you want, and drive through the curvy streets, probably without a license. No worries here! There are taxis in front of all hotels and restaurants, and this is where it became interesting. Before coming to Bangalore, so many people warned me that finding an honest cab driver was going to be quite difficult. In Bangalore that has actually never been the case for me. I have ridden with many different services, and it is always a good deal, with an honest exchange. However, in a state like Goa that caters to tourists over a peak season, the cab drivers were all over the place with their rates. In the same sentence, from the same driver, the rate would initially be “600 rupees there and back” and then if we took half a breath, the rate suddenly turned into “300 rupees there and back”; yet, upon arrival it suddenly turned into 400. Not bad, of course, just different from Bangalore as far as many more “fast-talkers” in Goa, simply representative of tourism and the need to make money. Once we found SAGAR, it was like a dream come true. There are dishonest people all over the world, yet….there are a lot more honest people to be found all over the world. SAGAR was one of a kind, and it was hard at first to tell if he could understand us. For the first 2 days he did not say much. By midweek, he was ready to practice his English, and he suddenly began talking non-stop. He still did not understand us, but we could understand him! It is like when you are practicing a foreign language that you barely know and can finally speak it basically, but still can't quite understand what other people are saying back to you?

Back to travelling through Goa...the houses were painted in the same colors as those that I saw in Trivandrum, all pretty pastels, some with amazing architecture. Every house than you see in India has the family name on the front, as well as a gate that is closed and locked at night. I was unable to take a picture of an example of a family home with a gate. I discovered that the towns in Goa, much like Bangalore, are undergoing lots of active construction. Everyone has confirmed that Bangalore is completely different than it was 10 years ago. You will see a pile of dirt and bricks one month, and a sidewalk completed the next month. It is in constant “upgrade mode”, and I will be interested to see the city of Bangalore (as well as others) in 10 more years. The towns we saw in Goa were under this same kind of construction. Lots of men working along the streets, pulling insulated lines, or using heavy equipment to dig, as well as all of the personal housing upgrades and construction projects underway. Most parts of India I have visited are in constant upgrade-mode, which has got to be exciting for the locals.

I have posted here a lot of shots of houses that I saw, the motorcycles in front of establishments (the more motorcycles outside, the more fun inside?), and some of the construction and road work being done.

Finally, on a funny note, below, the chalkboard menu that is displayed in front of one of the restaurants, (which serve among the many awesome food items to be found in Goa), lists “Cornflake”.  Funny.