Adorable Alleppey

The bus from Amritapuri to Alleppey- the one that started moving while I was still trying to get on- was just about 3 hours. We stayed at the Gowri Heritage Home in Alleppey, a beautiful bundle of about 15 rooms and huts in a lush garden. The management was a group of friendly and laid-back men in their 30’s. They seemed to have the best job, hanging out with their friends while making friends with happy travelers. I ended up chatting late with them one night after coming home from dinner and they ordered late night bites (parathas included- win!). It felt somewhat like a wholesome fraternity.

Our room is to the right, with the tree growing through the bathroom.

By the way, we had a tree in our bathroom

The city of Alleppey is known for the backwaters- most people come and stay in houseboats. We decided against that since it was crazy expensive and we hadn’t heard great reviews about the experience. Instead, we hired a boat to cruise through the backwaters one afternoon. We saw villages with homes only accessible by water and ooh’ed and aww’ed at the lush landscape filled with rice patties. There was also a cute side cafe where we enjoyed a coconut snack. 

Mona, me and Bri on our boat tour

Trying to enjoy the coconut snack, but struggling very much to get the meat out- well captured, Bri. 

If I were to do it again, I would either take the local “bus” or a canoe through the backwaters. We had fun on our little boat, but the noise of the motor should’ve been avoided. In either case, the narrow canals were the best.

North canal lined with boats and trees- red jacaranda tree peeking out in the back

Typical scene in the backwaters

The cutest friends going for a cruise

Beautiful Bangalore

Bangalore is the capital of Karnataka state (fast fact: India has 27 states), which is located in the south west of India. Bangalore is known for being an IT hub, as well as for its cosmopolitan lifestyle and horrific traffic. I experienced all three.

I was in Bangalore for a maternal sister (Indian culture treats cousins as siblings) reunion (2nd Feb-9th Feb). My mom has an older sister and a younger sister. I have been living with my mom’s younger sister and her family since October. So then, one of my sisters from New Jersey (and her adorable 11 month old son), the sister I live with, and I, traveled to Bangalore to spend time with our other sister who lives there with her husband and son. Her husband works in IT- it was familiar to be in a household with early morning and late night calls with offshore colleagues. There was a lot of family bonding while we stayed there, as well as some exploration of Mysore (insert link here) and Bangalore.

Bangalore Palace was built in 1887 by Chamaraja Wodeyar and used by the Wodeyars while they were Maharajas (kings) of the state. Most notable was the Tudor (medieval) architecture and photographs from the time of British rule. I had never seen photographs from that time and seeing a woman in a flapper-like dress casually sitting with an Indian man dressed in a suit was a new sight for me. The palace is now used for social events and concerts (examples: Metallica, No Doubt, Ludacris, Elton John, Backstreet Boys).

We also visited Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath (an art gallery), Tipu Sultan’s Palace, the remains of Kempegowda’s fort, and Lalbagh Gardens. My favorite of all these was the art gallery. Not for the art normally on display, but for the exhibitions showing when we went.

Outside the gallery was a huge crafts market and inside there were three rooms hosted by local artists. My favorite was from a man named A. K. Govindan. He had this amazing piece of a tree trunk flowing out into beautiful green leaves and in the peaceful feel of the painting was centered a figure meditating. There was so much harmony between the elements of the painting. I loved it. Honestly lost myself for a few minutes just admiring the work. He is a friendly fellow who is not very well known, but is truly blessed with creative talent.

Other noteworthy items:

• If you’re looking for typical south indian food (idli, dosa), remember it is a breakfast entrée. You won’t find it at lunch so dine accordingly.
• Be weary of silk and sandalwood shopping; best bet is to go to Cauvery Arts & Crafts Emporium as it’s government certified and prices are good (less expensive than Mysore)
• Use OLA cabs if you are staying further away from the city and need reliable transportation. Amazing concept Bangalore has mastered: cabs on call. Call for a cab and get text updates as to where they are, prices are reasonable and cars are respectable.
• Traffic is bad. Don’t doubt the reputation Bangalore has.

Daily Commute Surprise

After taking a rickshaw a few times to the "work" site in the morning, I realized it was a huge ripoff. I was paying between 50-60 rupees each way while the bus was only 9 rupees each way. So for the last few days, I utilized the public transit system- chaotic or not. And while Ahmedabad is esteemed for the BRTS (bus rapid transport system), my route doesn't align to the BRTS routes. I would have loved the on-time, unpacked, AC buses though... In either case, I digress.

I needed to be a bit early on Wednesday so I arrived at the station at 8:10AM and then, like a ray of sunshine, I saw my bus arrive fairly empty, with seats available. After I boarded, I realized there were only women on the bus. I confirmed it would follow the same route with the driver. I sat down with a smile and enjoyed my 20 minute ride in peace without the worry of being shoved or the stress of not being sure whose hand is grabbing my side  (it was an elderly women...but for a second I thought I was falling victim to the stereotypical Indian public bus stories I had heard).

While I feel a little bad that this less crowed, more peaceful bus is only allowed for women, I'm also really happy it exists. 

Observations of India (so far...)

For those of you who are from India or who have visited India, this may trigger some memories... But for those of you who have not visited this country yet, here are some observations that may entertain you.

Mobile GPS
I don't mean an app on your smart phone, or an in-car system- I mean every rickshaw (three-wheeled doorless taxi) driver you can flag down. After being here about a week, I've grown accustomed to being in a car and having the driver (in each scenario, a resident of the state) pull over and ask a random rickshaw driver for directions. There is no shame in this and no one minds- it is entirely acceptable and assumed. The drivers welcome the question and many times, his passengers (if any) will try and help. An overall theme of community help has become more than obvious.

Traffic As Usual
Imagine any major intersection in the US around rush-hour, then add a few more types of vehicles (rickshaws, trucks, carts, motorcycles, bicycles) and a few stray animals (dogs, cows, donkeys). Now take away the traffic lights, and any sense of discretion associated with them. Congratulations, you just imagined an intersection in Ahmedabad. It is madness- plain and simple. A honk is not cautionary as much as it is just to ensure everyone knows you're present. Given all this madness, I still haven't seen any accidents. Somehow, there is comfort in the madness and everyone is attuned to it's presence.

Sari Shops
I went to buy a few simple kurta tops for the program (see example here) and was reminded of the joy and humor of sari shopping in India. Generally sari's are sold by men and the whole scenario turns into a show. The shop is floored with mattresses covered in white bedsheets and walled ceiling to floor with shelves of sari fabric folded and sealed in a clear plastic slip. Shoppers (and their family or friends who have come to help them) sit on the floor, cross-legged, and the owner or workers (either way- a man) show different fabrics. The humor comes through the salesmen's tactic to sell the fabric- he drapes it upon himself as it would look on you. To add the humor, as soon as you say you don't like it or want something just a little different, he throws the fabric at a coworker who folds the fabric immediately to be restocked. This process repeats itself more than 5 times within the first 5 minutes you're there. It's all done in good fun and an entirely normal process. In either case, I highly recommended sari-shopping as a to-do for anyone coming to visit India for the first time- quite a fun, lively experience.

Bollywood Music Videos

Mom and I went to dinner with family in Anand (the town my father's family is from- also in Gujarat and about 65 km southeast from Ahmedabad) and just as you may have seen in Indian restaurants in the states, the TV's showed music videos from popular Bollywood films. This may be a little naive but, I'm still shocked whenever I see the costumes worn on the music videos. It's crazy to see the women dancing around in skimpy outfits, similar to hip-hop videos, and the focus of the video being on the movement of their bodies. Obviously, sex sells, but it's just such a stark difference to the conservative apparel and interactions seen everywhere else in the country.

A longer than usual entry, but some fun/interesting observations I've seen thus far.

Train from Bombay to Ahmedabad

Last night we traveled from Bombay to Ahmedabad. The journey was around 6 hours in duration and could have been traveled via plane. The train ride began at 11:25PM and we reached Ahmedabad at 5:30AM. Mom and I were in a sleeper compartment and both slept on top bunks- baggage was stored beneath the beds of the guests beneath us.

Since we had four bags between the two of us, we hired a man to help us bring them onto the train. Just for reference, we paid a man 100 rupees (Rs) [~$2] in Bombay to use a dolly and transport our baggage to the train compartment, as well as load it near our beds. Then, upon arrival in Ahmedabad, we paid two men a total of 120 Rs [~$2.40] to carry them from the train to the car. This time, however, they had no dolly...so, one man carried two 50 lb bags atop his head and the the other man rolled one and carried another. It was somewhat crazy to see, seeing as though I was barely able to carry one bag by myself. Things like this are normal to see at a train station though. I guess I've seen this in Africa too- however, it is always crazy to fathom.

In Ahmedabad for the day with my mom's younger sister (mom's sister is called "masi" in Gujarati), her family and staying with them are my other masi (mom's older sister) and my maternal grandmother (maternal grandmother is called "nani" in Gujarati). Spending the day relaxing and figuring out internet and cell-phone options.

Here are some pictures from the train:

 In front of our compartment- a very colorful train

Getting my bed ready for the ride. The cost of a bed in the AC sleeper train was about 600-700 Rs ($12-$14). Within this compartment they provide two flat sheets, a blanket and a pillow complimentary with the ride.