Next Stop Delhi

Hello again and sorry for the delay! It's odd how days run into nights and nights run into the next day and I just can't seem to get my thoughts written down. So much has happened. After a busy Saturday, we took all day Sunday to rest and recuperate. I had a difficult time sleeping on Sunday night because I had napped off and on all day. Monday we worked more on MicroType. Each day we review a different section of the program; we talk about every piece of functionality and we analyze every move that the programming team has made. It's fun to be in the "thick" of the development, but the intricate details are overwhelming at times. I can't seem to multi-task at all during these meetings because I am so focused on what we're seeing that my mind cannot go in any other direction. Today, we were trying to share photos back and forth and I couldn't even do that. I had to wait until we took a break to copy the files. It's just pretty intense.

Last night we went to downtown Bangalore (I think??). We went to a mall to shop after work. I found just a couple of items. There were lots of touristy gifts, but I just couldn't decide. Sandlewood, sugar cane, bamboo and lots of cultural items. I did buy a pretty Indian shirt that I wore into the office today. I was starting to feel a little out of place. Jane had bought one earlier and had worn it to the office and Liz dresses the part almost every day. I've pretty much stuck to my standard "black and white" wardrobe.

Tonight we went to another mall to shop (Garuda Mall). I found some clever throw pillow covers that were very inexpensive and they looked like fun so I bought several. More than the shopping, I enjoy people-watching. The clerks in the stores are very courteous and accomodating. One interesting thing....Before I could even enter the mall tonight, I had to go through security. Once I walked through the checkpoint, I thought I was good to go. But, that wasn't true. Before I could REALLY enter the mall, I had to show my Passport and Visa. The security here is very tight. Entering the shopping mall is like going through the airport. And when you enter a new store, you must check your previous purchases at the door. They give you a number and you retrieve your packages on the way out. Like everyplace else in Bangalore, there are just SO many people there. There are taxis lined up outside the mall - at least 50 of them waiting to take people to their next destination.

Enough about shopping....


My niece Katie, who travels quite a bit, has this "thing" about taking photographs of foreign bathrooms. She asked me to take some pictures of different restrooms in India. Initially I thought this was a rather odd request. Although odd, it has proven to be quite comical. I wanted to share this photo with you of a restroom we encountered on our tourist trip to MySore on Saturday. We stopped at a nice little place for breakfast and this is a picture of the bathroom. The problem is, when you gotta go, you gotta go! It's just a good thing we were prepared for this with our own toilet paper, sanitary sprays, etc. Western-style bathrooms are available, but only in select locations. At the office at Ascendum, we use what is called the Executive Washroom. It's nothing fancy, but it is equipped, if you know what I mean. And, I don't want to go too "over the top," but each day on the way to the office, we see at least 3-4 other types of restrooms. The men walk over to the side of the road and there you have it! Regardless of where they are, they find a spot. No, I won't post any photographs of that.

I know I'm rambling, but I have one other interesting story......There's a window right near the desk in my room. Right outside, there's a new building being constructed. Each morning as I am preparing for work, I get enjoyment out of watching my neighbors. Right now, it's mainly just the foundation of the building. Underneath the structure lives a family. I can't quite figure out how many live there, but there are quite a few. They grab the hose (used for construction) and shower with it every morning. I watch as laundry gets washed and hung out to dry on the steel beams. A young boy walks out to the dirt mound and brushes his teeth; another young child carries a bucket of water up the hill and back down. I'm not sure why. A few minutes later the construction crew arrives and they pull the hose back up to the second-story framework. These workers dress in shorts and flip-flops. No protective gear is worn. They climb up on one small beam and begin piecing together the next set of beams. One guy climbs out onto a beam (a thin beam) and just starts hammering away. Someone below hands him another metal rod and he positions it across. They've made good progress since I've been here, so somehow it's effective. The first time I watched as they climbed up so high, I was a little nervous. But, like the Bangalore traffic, you get used to this way of life and learn to move on. All in all, it's a humbling experience. The materialistic, fast-paced way of life can make you forget about the simple pleasures. I think I'll miss my neighbors when I leave Bangalore.

Until next time, as Nancy Grace says "Goodnight, my friends and thank you for listening."