Sights, Sounds, and Smells

Betcha ya wish you could buy your chicken from this store...

I've decided that India really requires a video camera- one in 4D- to capture all the sights and smells. Pictures just don't seem to do it justice. Every time we go out driving, I just gawk at all the people, animals, cars, bikes, etc. Of course, all the people are gawking back at us too! Today Colette and I were talking in the car and she said "Look over there" and I turned and this rickshaw driver was just staring at us. And there is no such thing as averting ones eyes once they have been "found out". It's a bit unsettling. Colette says it is pretty unusual to see a white person driving (they usually have drivers) let alone a white woman driving. One guy shook his head at us in a way that I interpreted as "what is the world coming to?" . That made me giggle :).

Brian stopped after church and bought one of these purple coconut things. The man machetes them and pulls out this oval clear blobs of what looks like gelatin and then you eat them. They don't taste like much, but the texture was interesting...kinda like eating a jellyfish- without the stings of course!

Corban, Vino, the top of Kai's head, and Haddon

The women's saris and sarwars are so colorful and driving along the streets, your nose is assualted with gasoline fumes, the stench of burning trash, sewage, and yummy friend lentil donuts...your stomach can't decided whether to growl in hunger, or empty its contents. Store signs are in both English and what I assume to be Hindi and there are shacks made from tarps and cardboard boxes right next to nice apartments and shops.

Driving down Hoysur Road

I've seen a family of three on on a motorcycle and a man riding a bicycle so loaded with palm fronds that I have no idea how he was able to see where he was going!

I found this sign funny...it really isn't the speed that kills because the traffic is so bad you can't go very fast, but not looking when you pull into someone else's lane!

Cows wander the street

I'm really enjoying my stay here, despite the bout of sickness. It is so very different from any culture I've ever been in and is turning out to be a great experience. I have lots more words to write down, but Druvika is coming to babysit and Colette and I are going shopping for a couple of hours.