Madame, sir, only

Now the end of January, I've been in Bangalore for almost a month. Murti, our driver, takes us all over. We are still doing a lot of shopping for things we need around the apartment and what not. It takes a long time to get settled. I've been to this huge market, KR Market or City Market, twice now and it really gives me a flavor of what the rest if India will be like. Its jaw dropping. The first time I didn't have my camera, so when we were in the area a few days later, I walked over to capture the feel. All the Indian guys wanted me to take their pictures. They assume hilarious poses (this other guy was great) and then request to see the picture, followed by a 'thank you.' Most of the time they also want you to get a picture of their friend. They don't get in the picture, just the idea that you took a picture of their friend is good enough. They also know they'll never see the picture again, but they love it nonetheless. The little boys follow you around and the teen moms all beg and beg and beg. They sell lots of produce and fruit, spices, grains, peppers, and even the paint for their tilakas (forehead dots).

The whole fam made a trip about an hour north to Bannerghatta National Park. On the way there, a truck stacked a whole heap of bags into the bed. Trucks are commonly way too full of stuff and people, but this one took it to a whole new level. At the park, there was a zoo and safari and a little carnival-type-dealy. It wasn't the most amazing thing I've seen. The funniest animal was a fat monkey that ate the whole time we watched it. When it ran out of food, it reached its arm through the fence, asking for more. I'm not sure, but I can imagine that the indian government doesn't invest heavily in national parks and such. But it was a fun outing. 

Not surprisingly, sewage in India does not go through treatment plants. It goes to the rivers. And those 'love canals,' as we call them, drain down to who cares where. The smell of these open sewer rivers doesn't seem to bother anyone. Some even hang clothes on the railings of bridges to dry. Another funky aspect of the city is that since cows are sacred animals in Indian culture- they roam around all day, walking on the sidewalks, and eat the slightly edible pieces of garbage on the sides of the streets until they are herded back home at night. The sidewalks are composed of tons of blocks they lay next to each other. Some break, causing cracks, lips, mounds- just about anything worth tripping on. Texting and walking on a sidewalk is almost as dangerous as texting and driving here. 

Our apartment complex is real nice. Once you enter the gate, its a whole new world. But walk back out, and you're in the middle of the loud, lively, bustling Hosur Road. Its nice being in the middle of the city, but still in a way so out of it. We can easily run errands and what not (a few steps from the complex you can get a coconut cut open to drink for 10 rupees anytime), but can still easily lay by the pool, play badminton, or go to the gym. The place even has a card room where we played poker and smoked stogies the other night.

Cut my hair last week- the guy hacked and chopped. I met with my guitar teacher, Mohan, for the second time today. Working on bar chords and scales and what not. Steve found a Kung Fu school wheres he's gonna take 6 classes a week. As soon as I start my online classes (hahah) I can get going on another trip, which we are working on. We'll probably be going to Rajasthan for a couple weeks, leaving in a few days. I'm rather excited to get going again. The food just started to upset my stomach this morning after Lakshmi, our maid/cook, made us some bomb chicken curry last night. Hopefully that doesn't hold anything back. 

What do you call the guy in the back of an ambulance in Bangalore?   .........Dead
May Ganesh watch over you all.

Yarr!