ahmedebad....ah, i am not sure what to say. this is a bustling city...with not so much going on for me.
after a delightful train ride last night with some very interesting fellow travelers, i arrived here this morning. i especially liked my fellow traveler mahesh, a businessman who sold oil products...cooking oil products that is. i learned that in india they use different kinds of cooking oil depending on where you live. coconut, peanut, cotton, castor, etc...he was very nice and smiley and friendly, he invited me back to his house to meet his family and had me talk to his 11 yr old daughter on the cell phone! she exclaimed "i CANNOT understand a word you are saying!!!" funny, because other than that, i had no idea what SHE was saying!
i also met these odd ladies who were traveling to mt. abu for meditation retreat. they wore all white. one of them tried to convert me. i argued with her. she said plants have no soul, and i disagreed. she did say that animals have a soul though. finally i got her off my back after she asked me how i thought the world was created and i told her i was okay with not knowing.
after a delightful train ride last night with some very interesting fellow travelers, i arrived here this morning. i especially liked my fellow traveler mahesh, a businessman who sold oil products...cooking oil products that is. i learned that in india they use different kinds of cooking oil depending on where you live. coconut, peanut, cotton, castor, etc...he was very nice and smiley and friendly, he invited me back to his house to meet his family and had me talk to his 11 yr old daughter on the cell phone! she exclaimed "i CANNOT understand a word you are saying!!!" funny, because other than that, i had no idea what SHE was saying!
i also met these odd ladies who were traveling to mt. abu for meditation retreat. they wore all white. one of them tried to convert me. i argued with her. she said plants have no soul, and i disagreed. she did say that animals have a soul though. finally i got her off my back after she asked me how i thought the world was created and i told her i was okay with not knowing.
on the train we passed cotton fields, rice paddies, mustard fields, castor bean fields....i saw a VERY FUNNY monkey running alongside the train with his very long tail curled u p in the air...it was hilarious and cartoonish!
so...my lecture yesterday went GREAT! everyone listened and took notes and asked questions! they were so sweet and attractive and friendly. mostly young women in their early 20's but there were a few men who were interested in the technical things i discussed. then after we had lunch which was fun and then me and hema and some other ladies went shopping! very funny. but i got to ride in hema's car which was fascinating and we went to the fancy stores in delhi where the rich people shop. it was the same $$$ as in the US, no WAY! but an exciting thing about the lecture is that they paid me rs3500, almost $100 US!! a very nice and welcome treat!!!!
then, i took the new metro home to paharganj. it was VERY fancy, way fancier than NYC, i imagine it is like europe! it has this computerized reader that you just SHOW your token to, amazing. and it was very clean and everyone was very quiet and well-behaved, quite different than being in traffic in delhi!
so now i am in ahmedabad, thinking i could just get a train to bhuj. but no. i have to wait until tomorrow at midnight and still i am #1 on the waiting list. the man said for me to come back tomorrow and try for the emergency ticket. i am not sure what happens if i do not get on the train, do i lose my money??? i will have to ask.
so, while here i will go to the sunday flea market, i will have dinner at this place on the roof where they have lighting with candles only, i MIGHT go visit ghandi's ashram, though i have already done that. i remember it being very peaceful (shanti) so i might go back, i haven't decided. i am also thinking since i have to be here tomorrow as well that i will go back to SEWA (self employed women's assoc) and check it out again. i'll let you know. ahmedebad is just not quite my cup of tea i must say.
as i sit here i feel like i am moving moving swaying....and i think it is that i do not have my land legs back after being on the train. very odd feeling, but ok.
well, off to ravivari, the flea market!
love you,
jo
so...my lecture yesterday went GREAT! everyone listened and took notes and asked questions! they were so sweet and attractive and friendly. mostly young women in their early 20's but there were a few men who were interested in the technical things i discussed. then after we had lunch which was fun and then me and hema and some other ladies went shopping! very funny. but i got to ride in hema's car which was fascinating and we went to the fancy stores in delhi where the rich people shop. it was the same $$$ as in the US, no WAY! but an exciting thing about the lecture is that they paid me rs3500, almost $100 US!! a very nice and welcome treat!!!!
then, i took the new metro home to paharganj. it was VERY fancy, way fancier than NYC, i imagine it is like europe! it has this computerized reader that you just SHOW your token to, amazing. and it was very clean and everyone was very quiet and well-behaved, quite different than being in traffic in delhi!
so now i am in ahmedabad, thinking i could just get a train to bhuj. but no. i have to wait until tomorrow at midnight and still i am #1 on the waiting list. the man said for me to come back tomorrow and try for the emergency ticket. i am not sure what happens if i do not get on the train, do i lose my money??? i will have to ask.
so, while here i will go to the sunday flea market, i will have dinner at this place on the roof where they have lighting with candles only, i MIGHT go visit ghandi's ashram, though i have already done that. i remember it being very peaceful (shanti) so i might go back, i haven't decided. i am also thinking since i have to be here tomorrow as well that i will go back to SEWA (self employed women's assoc) and check it out again. i'll let you know. ahmedebad is just not quite my cup of tea i must say.
as i sit here i feel like i am moving moving swaying....and i think it is that i do not have my land legs back after being on the train. very odd feeling, but ok.
well, off to ravivari, the flea market!
love you,
jo
2 comments:
Jo: glad the lecture went well, think of me my 1st LECTURE at unca will be 1/16/07. Rain here today, ultra pleasant weather, love HRG
It's good to hear everything went well with the lecture. We all miss you here. Julio and I camped last night at Hot Springs, it was so warm! As always, can't wait to read more. Loving the monkey stories. Ha! Besitos, Clarita
Post a Comment