live from the india subcontinant (sp?)
The trip to india yesterday-ish could be writen about for years, but I will try to sum it up as briefly as possible.
The snow in Boston subsided and we manged to make it out ok. Tho it was a nail biter the whole time until our plane left the tarmac.
Milan was uneventful, and booreing.
Arival in Bombay was just not even possible to discribe. As our plane landed so did a plane full of pilgrams from Mecca, and the place was a sea of white robed beared folk, who all had huge packages to get through customs ahead of us. As a result customs was.... well nothing. We could have come into the country with a body and 10 pounds of coke. They just waved us through.
Outside the airport the street was FULL. Thousands upon thousands of people waiting from family to return from their pilgramage. Brown and black skin as far as the eye could sea. Suits, robes, women with everything but their eyes covered, and girls who looked like princesses in gold brokcade outfits with tiaras and various scarves etc. V was late to get us and we swam in this human sea for an hour.
Then onto the roads, with Harsh (the lawyer) driving as fast as one can in streets full of cows, and stray dogs, and throngs of humanity, which I guess is about 10000mph because it seemd like death was at every turn. V informed us that you can kill a few folks and get away with it in india, if the money is right.
The hotel is, well... just something out of a bond movie. 7ft torches spewing fire, huge tables of princes and princesss talking, varous turben sporting suited men to help you pick up your bags. Think Octopussy but with more folks going in and out. And it was midnight here.
our room is beyond belief, with a plasma tv and a view of the ocean. Dave and I shared a king sized bed the first night, but plan to move to a two bedded room this morning. The food was great too, as long as there is a steady supply of bottled water. We had some smoked salmon that is better then anything the states has to offer.
Smoked a few cigarettes and then hit the bed, tho sleep was hard, as it was only mid afternoon ourtime. Still I was in love with this country, and its people. The contingant of indian men (makeing up about 10 religious amung them) that V brought alone to greet us were awsome. there was much talk of buisness in the future that might bring me back here to work with these guys.
Cartoon Network here is in Hindi. and its the only american channel that is.
This morning I was brave enough to get out of bed and come down from the breakfast V had included in the room. It was beyond belief yet again. I drank lime juice and coffee, with bottled water, smoked kingfish, salmon and chicken. A great omlet, breakfast curries wraped in crispy rice pancakes, and seasoned palm hearts. It was a smokeing table, and a man ran from across the room to light my cigarette as soon as I fumbled for one. to my left was a huge outdoor water garden, with statues and koi fish, includeing a black and white one I have decided to name "Dagon". It was amazing.
Now I am about to head upstairs, take a shower(the shower and the toilet and everything else is made of gold in this hotel, thank the gods we don't pay for it) then meet V to get fitted for traditional garb for the wedding. After that its a short tour by car of the city, then getting fitted again for suits (which cost about 100$US here) and spending the night drinking with V and his wife to celebrate the holiday (yep, india celebrates valnetines day).
I owe dave, V, rich desoto, and everyone else who made this possible my life. this is something I can't even discribe. Life changing.
Of course I don't have the shits from the food yet... but still I am cautiously optomistic.
Those who want to make international calls can find me at the JW Marriot, room 307. As for MR. Sean... which I guess is the prefered norminculture here.
Miss and love you all.
SXC
The snow in Boston subsided and we manged to make it out ok. Tho it was a nail biter the whole time until our plane left the tarmac.
Milan was uneventful, and booreing.
Arival in Bombay was just not even possible to discribe. As our plane landed so did a plane full of pilgrams from Mecca, and the place was a sea of white robed beared folk, who all had huge packages to get through customs ahead of us. As a result customs was.... well nothing. We could have come into the country with a body and 10 pounds of coke. They just waved us through.
Outside the airport the street was FULL. Thousands upon thousands of people waiting from family to return from their pilgramage. Brown and black skin as far as the eye could sea. Suits, robes, women with everything but their eyes covered, and girls who looked like princesses in gold brokcade outfits with tiaras and various scarves etc. V was late to get us and we swam in this human sea for an hour.
Then onto the roads, with Harsh (the lawyer) driving as fast as one can in streets full of cows, and stray dogs, and throngs of humanity, which I guess is about 10000mph because it seemd like death was at every turn. V informed us that you can kill a few folks and get away with it in india, if the money is right.
The hotel is, well... just something out of a bond movie. 7ft torches spewing fire, huge tables of princes and princesss talking, varous turben sporting suited men to help you pick up your bags. Think Octopussy but with more folks going in and out. And it was midnight here.
our room is beyond belief, with a plasma tv and a view of the ocean. Dave and I shared a king sized bed the first night, but plan to move to a two bedded room this morning. The food was great too, as long as there is a steady supply of bottled water. We had some smoked salmon that is better then anything the states has to offer.
Smoked a few cigarettes and then hit the bed, tho sleep was hard, as it was only mid afternoon ourtime. Still I was in love with this country, and its people. The contingant of indian men (makeing up about 10 religious amung them) that V brought alone to greet us were awsome. there was much talk of buisness in the future that might bring me back here to work with these guys.
Cartoon Network here is in Hindi. and its the only american channel that is.
This morning I was brave enough to get out of bed and come down from the breakfast V had included in the room. It was beyond belief yet again. I drank lime juice and coffee, with bottled water, smoked kingfish, salmon and chicken. A great omlet, breakfast curries wraped in crispy rice pancakes, and seasoned palm hearts. It was a smokeing table, and a man ran from across the room to light my cigarette as soon as I fumbled for one. to my left was a huge outdoor water garden, with statues and koi fish, includeing a black and white one I have decided to name "Dagon". It was amazing.
Now I am about to head upstairs, take a shower(the shower and the toilet and everything else is made of gold in this hotel, thank the gods we don't pay for it) then meet V to get fitted for traditional garb for the wedding. After that its a short tour by car of the city, then getting fitted again for suits (which cost about 100$US here) and spending the night drinking with V and his wife to celebrate the holiday (yep, india celebrates valnetines day).
I owe dave, V, rich desoto, and everyone else who made this possible my life. this is something I can't even discribe. Life changing.
Of course I don't have the shits from the food yet... but still I am cautiously optomistic.
Those who want to make international calls can find me at the JW Marriot, room 307. As for MR. Sean... which I guess is the prefered norminculture here.
Miss and love you all.
SXC