India Continued...

So after my morning chai I was ready to shower and get dressed.  Of course, there wasn't really a "shower"... more like a tiled small square room with a faucet, a plastic bucket, and a plastic stool.  I'd be lying if I said that room didn't freak me out a little: it was small and dirty and dark.  I didn't budge off of my plastic flipflops and I certainly didn't sit my naked butt down on that stool!  Still, I had promised myself I was going to be a trooper all week, no matter what the conditions.  And Anuj keeps saying that his grandparents' current place is a vast improvement over the home they had in the village of B-- (I am pulling a Jane Austen here and not writing the whole village name, mostly because I don't know how to spell it).  I believe Anuj, but I still thought the bathroom situation was pretty rough.  I managed to balance my clothes and wash things precariously and didn't move around too much and in the end I came out feeling pretty clean.  And there was even hot water! 

We had breakfast while various relatives roamed about the apartment.  Breakfast in India doesn't differ too much from the other meals, but that doesn't bother me:  subji (vegetables), dahl (legumes), and roti (flat bread) are the staples of every meal.  Dhai (Yoghurt), Achar (Pickles), and rice often make appearances too.  The yoghurt really helps cool down your tongue when it's burning from the spices.  I cannot tell you how much I loved every single meal in India.  Each meal was better than the next.  And I hadn't given this any thought before the trip, but it was such an amazing luxury to be in a vegetarian country!   Whenever I travel it is always a huge pain in the butt to find the vegetarian things to eat, not to mention that I always am embarrassed to explain that I am sorry, but that special (beef stew/grilled chicken/roast goat...) you made for me is something I cannot eat.  Even salads are difficult to manage in developing countries since you can't trust the water it has been washed in.   To be in a country where there were often 3-6 different delicious cooked dishes on my plate, none of which I had to question the ingredients of, was awesome.  (I once was in Brazil and asked whether the black beans were vegetarian.  Sure, was the response.  So I was a bit surprised to find an entire pig's leg sticking out of the spoonful on my plate!)

So, I loved the food in India.  And boy, did everyone love to feed it to me.  There is a culture of feeding more, more, more in India, and I ate until my tummy exploded.    I was incredibly bloated the whole week and I think we all experienced digestive issues. 

After the business of washing up and eating breakfast was done, we were ready to hit the road in the city and do what we came for: shopping!

Anuj is all "how come none of the stuff we are buying is for me?"

Shopping is an experience in India, let me tell you - they sit you down in a chair, bring you chai and water, and five men proceed to fawn over you and spread out yards and yards of the most gorgeous silk embroidered colored fabrics you can imagine.  Then you just sit there and shake your head imperiously, indicating your (dis)pleasure with the wares.   Below are my partners in crime:

Ramesh Cha Cha, Anuj's Dad, Anuj's Mom, Muktha Mosi (or Goodie Mosi)

Can you not totally tell these people are related?  Anuj's parents look like they have twins in their younger siblings.

Anyways, Muktha Mosi is practically a professional shopper.  She does the arrangements for all the weddings in the family, so she is very familiar with all the gift giving (most lehengas and saris) that happens during weddings.  I'd have half an eye on the fabrics and the other eye on her, because with a flick of her wrist saris would be quickly put away.  I am not really up-to-date on the latest fashions and trends, so I took very much a back seat role.  I was content to just watch the spectacle happen!

And we didn't not buy anything for Anuj.  Check him out in one of the outfits he tried on.  He was really obsessing over that turban!

                                                                                                                                                                                

I am totally framing this picture.

After a full day in Delhi, we pile into the car and head to Muktha Mosi's house in Jaipur, which ends up being one of my favorite stops on the trip. 

Comments

[Arlene]

Hi Joke,

I just started reading your blog a month ago, and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your entries. And what about your trip to India! What an amazing experience. Coming from an Asian country myself I absolutely miss the hustle and bustle of Asian streets filled with hawkers, vendors and tricyclists taking people to and from their destinations. Your photos are reminiscent of my experiences when I was younger and of family vacations.

-Arlene

[Jennifer]

When we went to Hawaii in December, I was very skeeved out the bathroom at Uncle Billy's motel in Kona. "You've been out of college for too long," was my brother's response. I think he's right. I cringe thinking about the fact that I used to change my sheets once a semester, at the most.

God I want to go to India now. Spain killed my vegetarianism. That whole pig's leg in EVERYTHING thing made it hard to be vegetarian and stay alive there. "You don't like pig's leg?? what's wrong with you, american girl? Everyone likes pig leg!"

[Katie K.]

The picture of Anuj is great - what about pictures of you in your new outfits? Don't be shy!

[Ali G]

that sparkly turban on anuj's head is about the funniest thing i've seen all day.

[Riana]

Oh man, that photo of Anuj is classic! I love it! You must frame it...I can't wait to see what you got. You are one lucky gal, sounds like a life changing trip.

xxoo RIana

[Lisa B]

I love the beautiful, bright colors. And the food sounds great too. I think I would love to go there. Thanks for posting about it.

[cee]

I love reading about your adventure! Looking forward to the continuing tales! Thanks!

[rachel]

I can't wait to see you and hear all the stories!! These are great pictures!

[maroona]

um where is the rest of the turban tale? i want more! i want more! yeah and where are shots of you belly dancing?

[Forest]

Joke!!! I JUST got back from about six weeks in India and Nepal last weekend and have been catching up on Dooce. Imagine my surprise to find your smiling face in her bits about her trip to Amsterdam! So cool!!!

Monika has been in town this past week, so it's been fun catching up. I hope the wedding plans are going well and I'm looking forward to reading about your experience in India. Incidentally, I too spent an entire post writing about the joys of showering in India. haha!
cheers,
forest

[NiHao]

India is such a fantastic, colourful, vibrant city and it looks like you took advantage of it! The vegetarian food is delicious, though I always have trouble recreating dishes when I must use Western ingredients.

[Cree A.]

Joke, I think Anuj looks fabulous in the turban! I want to see you in a new sari now.