India Adventure

"IT's INDIA"

2012-11-14T19:06:00.000+05:30

“IT’s INDIA”…………

These two words are used very often to describe the “indescribable” things that make India the unique place it is to live. It is the catch phrase to explain the “unexplainable” things you see, what people do, and how things are done. I have heard it used in business, government, at conferences, in my office and in my home…….and I have used it several times myself on various occasions…….the words roll easily, perhaps too easily, off the tongues of everyone in the country. More often than not it is used situations and circumstances where there is a “fine line”…….good vs. evil, right vs. wrong, ethical vs. unethical, professional vs. unprofessional……….you get the point!

On October 28, 2012, after traveling a short distance from my home, I came to stop at the intersection and surveyed the traffic situation in both directions……since I was turning left I naturally glanced to my right first to check the oncoming traffic and when I glanced to the left I noticed a “mahout” and his elephant making their way down the opposite side of the road.

Elephants are a normal sight throughout India, and it was not uncommon for me to see them, but as it crossed in front of me, I noticed something that I had never seen before, and I seriously could not believe my eyes…..

As usual, I had my camera and I shot a quick photograph while I was driving, but I wasn’t convinced that the shot was clear enough, so I quickly deviated off my original plan and drove past the elephant and parked my car.

With camera in hand I waited patiently on the side of the road for the lumbering elephant and the mahout to make their way towards me……..

When they reached I confirmed that this elephant was being used as a walking advertisement for a company that I had never heard of…….a “global” company at that…… I had never seen such a thing……clever, perhaps……but it raised many questions in my mind…..

I have to admit, I did not think about “abuse” at that point…….my pondering thoughts were more logistical in nature……

“Who thought of this?”……….”Was it for a special event/promotion?”………..”How much did the mahout get paid for allowing his elephant to be painted?”………..”What kind of company is this…..what do they do or sell?”………….”How much exposure will they get from a promotion like this?”……..”Is this the right image for their product or services?”

While I snapped, the mahout, who obviously did not speak English, smiled and with sign language asked me if I wanted to ride……..I waved him off and shook my head and snapped a few more shots and returned to my car…….and recall saying out loud to myself…….”Only in India!”

As I was buckling the seat belt I watched the elephant reaching up into nearby tree for something to eat and then made my way back on the road.

It wasn’t until this afternoon that these photographs along with many others got downloaded from my camera. While organizing and editing them, I recalled this incident and decided to share my encounter with you and to perhaps get your views on “animal advertising”.

I also did some research on Opus India and RK Global…….turns out that OPUS India is a subsidiary of Opus Media Group UK who with an alliance with RK Global is expanding their presence in India.

RK Global is an Indian financial brokerage firm with services ranging from Equities, Derivatives, Commodities, Currency, Depository, IPO Distribution, Mutual Fund Distribution and Consultancy.

A “Google” search brought me to the headlines boasting an event that was attended by Anil Kapoor, a famous Bollywood actor during the launch of the F1 Opus, a luxury publication documenting the sport of Formula 1 Racing.

It seems that the event took place on October 26, 2012 at the Oberoi Hotel in New Delhi………and two days later the lumbering giant with a logo painted on his side found his way into my south Delhi neighborhood……for a breakfast of fresh leaves!

TImes of India - F1 Opus Coverage

When you click on the link above, the writer at the Times of India described Opus Media UK in the following way…..

“The Opus Media Group, from the UK, is known for producing luxury publications that present never-before-seen matter using beautiful photographs and text.”

Well I would say that Opus Media lived up to her words by creating a “never-before-seen-matter” situation for me to discover!

Right or wrong? Exploitative or not? Animal abuse or creative advertising?

“IT’s INDIA”……….I guess!

Please post your comments…….I would love to get your thoughts on this subject.

"How Sweet It Is"

2012-10-31T01:05:00.000+05:30

The four words, "How Sweet It Is", was a trademark phrase used by the legendary American actor and comedian, Jackie Gleason.

Promotional photo of a young Jackie Gleason

Through my childhood, I remember Gleason most as Ralph Kramden, the main character in television show called "The Honeymooners". Many of you may remember him also........however, if you are just hearing about him for the first time, please do some research. He had a very illustrious career.

He popularized this phrase so well during his lifetime, that it is still used today as a "Welcome to Brooklyn, New York", the city that Gleason was born in.

Street Signage welcoming drivers into Brooklyn New York

"How Sweet It Is", is also the title to a popular song by James Taylor (1979), that he had done as a cover song to the original version performed by Marvin Gaye, whose version sold 900,000 copies in 1964.

"How Sweet It Is" - James Taylor

Sorry to disappoint you, but this blog entry is about neither of the above.........this blog is about my recent experience with freshly squeezed sugar cane juice on a roadside near Shirdi, India, the town most noted for the Sai Baba Temple..........oh yes......how sweet it is!

Here's the story..........................

My colleagues and I got an early start Sunday a week ago, and began our day by visiting the Sai Baba Temple......followed by a brief return to the hotel for me to grab my camera (as they are not allowed within the Sai Baba grounds), before heading out to visit the other famous temple in the Shirdi area, the Shani Temple at Shignapur.

The journey from Shirdi to Shignapur is approximately 50 kilometers or so, and as we made the turn off of the busy main highway, it was hard not to notice all of the sugar cane juice "dhabba's" lining both sides of the road.

Sugar cane juice is a very popular beverage throughout India.......vendors can be found year round in just about all parts of the country selling this simple drink....... occasionally in our neighborhood, one can find vendors squeezing this sweet liquid from the cane using a "hand cranking device" mounted to their mobile cart.

At more established roadside spots in the city, the sugar juice is squeezed into glasses using a motorized version of the hand cranking machine.........an over sized mechanical device made of of pulley's, gears, belts and a noisy motor, huffing, puffing and chugging along to produce the sweet liquid drop by drop......glass by glass.

But the juice makers (all farmers I am told) along this stretch of road in rural India had a unique method for producing the sweet beverage.....and one after the other, side by side.....they were competing against each other to sell their product to the thousands of visitors making their way to and from the temple.

Most were located under the shade of massive trees........with scattered plastic chairs for their patrons to relax in and enjoy and swings made of rope and tires for children to entertain themselves.
For those without natural shade, tarps were strung in various ways from tree tops and bamboo stakes........while others had created more formal establishments made of brick, mortar and concrete. But all had one thing in common.......the unusual method used to squeeze the juice from the cane.

Anxious to reach the temple, I did not suggest we stop, but I knew that on the way back, there was not only the promise of a refreshing beverage waiting for me, but also a great opportunity to take some photographs of this unique way of creating the juice and share the experience with all of you!

So what is this unique method I have been not been revealing until now?

Meet Sony..........the bullock who was the key participant in creating sugar cane juice in this part of India. Throughout the day, Sony remains strapped to a hand carved wooden crank that turns two hand carved logs with gears, that squeeze the juice from the cane fed by the "juice man"!

Sony.......up close and personal.......don't pay attention to the drooling.......it didn't make it into the container!

If there is one common thread that connects all of India, it is "ingenuity". I see it everywhere throughout the country, and this is a perfect example that highlights what I see during my travels. This juice cart is a prime example of my newly coined phrase, "Indiagenuity"!

Sony and his juice making machine

On Sunday......when the farmers are not working their fields along with their bullocks, they have a leisurely day at the roadside, sitting and waiting for passersby to stop, have conversation and perhaps renew an old acquaintance or make new friends...one sweet glass of juice at a time.

Raw Cane waiting to be crushed and made into a delicious beverage

As we drove down the road, I was looking for one of the establishments to make the bold claim that they were the "original", but I couldn't find one! Undoubtedly, if this discovery was made in the U.S., someone would have surely made such a claim!

Second pass

While I did not count, I would not be exaggerating if there were at least 50 such places to stop and get juice......I will be making an upcoming trip and I will take a detour to not only count, but to have another glass of this wonderful drink.

The cane gets fed through the machine about 4 times!

With such stiff competition, vendors used creative methods to catch the eyes of passers by......there were the boring traditional methods such as signage and flags that would flutter with the wind, but those more creative decorated their main attraction, the bullock, in some unique way.

The fresh juice being collected in a not so clean container! Who cares about hygienic conditions?

While Sony is surely a handsome specimen, some of the bullocks were decorated with garlands, some had hats,and like Sony, their horns were painted in bright colors; red, blue yellow orange, etc.

Even after a very tiring week in the fields, most bullocks were standing at attention waiting to make their rounds and squeeze some cane, yet others used their time at the juice dhabba to take rest......obviously, who would want to stop at a juice dhabba that had a resting bullock????????

Lazy bullock across the street! No business!

Are you curious about what a glass/cup of this freshly squeezed, marvelous beverage costs? Take a guess....go ahead......now close your eyes!......oops, that doesn't work because you have to read.

Did you guess 15 rupees? Perhaps not if you were from a big city like Delhi or Mumbai............yes, I know......it was a bargain........and so very yummy!.......and for my readers in the US, it is the equivalent of about $0.30........thirty cents! Actually less at today's conversion rate. So fly on over for a glass!

The "Juice Man"

I wish I had more time to research.......who started this trend, who designed these juice machines, how long has this tradition been in practice........
I grew up in Louisiana........one state which produces 20% of the sugarcane grown in the United States. Louisiana has more that 420,000 acres of land under cultivation that produces 13 million tons of cane with an economic impact to the state of 2.2 billion US dollars. I have driven past miles of sugarcane fields, but back home, freshly squeezed sugarcane juice is not popular.......I'm not sure why because it sure is good!

Doesn't that look yummy? All fresh, no preservatives or artificial coloring!

However impressive, Louisiana's sugarcane production pales in comparison to India, the worlds second largest producer of sugarcane and recovered sugar!

Notice how the cart is partially buried and weighted with rocks to keep the bullock from overturning it!

I would not mind introducing my fellow Louisiana brethren to this delicious beverage if I could find a way to have one of these juice carts dismantled and shipped back to the US. It sure would be fun and I am sure I could get more than $0.30 cents per glass!

Cheers!

"How Sweet It Is".............

Feeling Like a Celebrity!

2012-10-26T20:25:00.000+05:30

Every now and then, something happens in your life that makes you feel special! Don't you agree?

I am sure that all of you reading this blog post have had similar experiences, when someone or some circumstance has made you feel super important!

Well my family and I are far from celebrities........and as a matter of fact, we are very humble people.......just regular people living their lives as normally as we can............just like everyone else.

The other day, I registered my blog on a site called "expatsblog.com".......and a few days later i received a nice request from the editor of the site asking if I would be willing to conduct a written interview about our experiences as an "expat" in India.

I agreed and within a few hours were sent a series of questions........sent in my answers along with a few photographs that were requested "voila"......an article gets published for all to see........it makes you feel kind of special!

Here is the link in case any of you are interested........and for those of you who click on this link, I would greatly appreciate it if you would navigate to my blog on the site and leave a few kind words.

http://www.expatsblog.com/articles/1276/expat-interview-lloyd-american-expat-in-india

There is an Expat Blogging Contest taking place, and if you have enjoyed what I write and find my blog worthy, I would appreciate a vote for me......and of course any other blog that you may find worthy as well.

Happy reading.......and please leave a comment....or two......or three!

I hope you enjoy.......and please....leave a comment!

LL

Patience? Yes......but I Snapped!

2012-10-22T14:49:00.000+05:30

I travel.......alot!.......I travel approximately 25 days per month.......but I'm not complaining.

To say that I thoroughly enjoy my job................is an understatement.......I truly love what I do.

As a result of so much traveling, I have become a bit of an expert......living out of a suitcase and navigating security at airports.

Obviously.........I travel internationally as well.........not often, mainly to go home twice yearly to visit family.....and the occasional business trip, but mainly my extensive traveling is done domestically in India.

If there is one thing I have noticed about India and airport security is that they are "consistent"......yes......that was sarcastic!

However, I am not going to divulge any top secret security measures in this blog........I just want to share with you one experience that tested my patience the other day.........a rather long day at that!

Let me preface this again by stating that in the past 4.5 years I have traveled hundreds of thousands of miles/kilometers both internationally and domestically. These travels have taken me through some of the toughest airport security systems throughout the world.

I have removed my shoes, my belt, my watch........I have removed all electronic items from my briefcase, I have removed my laptop from its case, and on and on.

I have been "wanded" God knows how many times and I have even been through the "controversial" body scanning units that reveal secrets that may shock "Victoria".

But in all my travels I have never been asked if my camera was "real".......

So after a long day.......and having been asked the question......I SNAPPED....literally!

I just thought I would show you what it looks like when I have reached the end of my patience!

I remain a very patient man......and I was of course very polite during my interaction with him......and I greatly appreciate them screening so thoroughly and keeping me safe in the air.........but yes, I did show him that my camera was real!

Enjoy!

"Indy" turns 4 years old.......How many years is that in Human Years?

2012-10-17T23:25:00.000+05:30

I grew up in the US............not on the metric system like all other parts of the world.

When I moved to India, the ounces I was familiar with were replaced with "ml's", pounds were replaced by "kg's", and dollars were replaced with "Rs.".......

Converting everything from one to the other is something that I had to adjust too........but honestly, I still rely on the familiarity of the weights and measures and currency system I grew up with.

I have gotten quick at calculating in both currencies...............certainly not an expert, but I can navigate back and forth more easily now that when I first moved here............but it all doesn't seem "real".

It's hard to explain............100 Rs. doesn't seem like $2.00 USD...........and 95 kg doesn't seem like 210 lbs.......

So what does all of this have to do with "Indy" our Toyota Innova turning 4 years old?

Going Strong at 100,000 kilometers

Just the other day, on my way to work, Ramesh, our faithful driver, proudly pointed out that the odometer on the car just turned 100,000 km.

Wow.....a milestone. So I asked him to slow down so that I had time to pull out my camera and take two quick photographs of the display panel.

That quickly led to a discussion.............."how many miles" is 100,000 kilometers?

It made me reminisce about a time when I was growing up and as children we would go around converting dogs ages into Human years.

It has always been commonly believed that each year of a dogs life is equivalent to 7 in human years......but this isn't quite accurate......many factors go into determining a dogs age and it varies by breed.

So Ramesh and I started to try and calculate how many "miles"..........and the banter started back and forth about how many kilometers in a mile.......I was doing division in my head...............back and forth......but I knew one day I would have a little time and I would find out the accurate answer.

For you math whiz kids........you have probably already calculated it.......for me, it took several weeks.......to find a converter on the Internet and let it to the calculations for me.

100000km = 62137 miles, 1640 yards, 1 foot, 8 inches

Yes......can you believe it............I was close in my calculations.......I proudly told Ramesh the answer and I was only off by 10 yards.................NOT!

"Indy" has been a great car............for his birthday he got his check up, fresh fluids.......oil and such and he got a new set of brake pads.....his original ones were becoming a little squeaky.

He got an early birthday present around 90,000km.....a new set of tires......

He is getting "old" though.......a warning light has popped up intermittently for the "safety restraint" system......sometimes it is on....sometimes it goes out......we took indi to the shop and the technician stated that there was nothing wrong except they would replace a wire for 15,000 Rs.......thats almost $300 USD.....I told Ramesh........thanks but no thanks!

Check out the "Safety Restraint" light illuminated and almost out of fuel!

But what I can't believe is that we only put an average of 25,000 kilometers (15534 miles, 460 yards, 1 foot ,11 inches) per year on Indy....... our cars in the US have very high mileage. This is extremely low in comparison.

When we first got Indy, Ramesh and I took him to the pundit who performed a "puja"......it hardly seems like that was 4 years ago.........if you want to read the blog entry......see the archives for 2008 and the posting was done on November 9th. It was one of my early blog postings and received many page views.

So....for those readers back in the US.....how old is your car in Human years.......or how many kilometers does your car have vs. miles...............

Practice those conversions........you never know, tomorrow you may find yourself on your own adventure someplace in this world!

Enjoy

Lungta Flag Shop - and John Keats

2012-10-04T22:50:00.000+05:30

Over two years ago during a small break to the city of Mussoorie in the northern part of India, I discovered a Buddhist village on a morning walk.

It was my first time to see prayer flags gently blowing in the wind and the site was one of amazement and beauty. I had written a blog post about the experience in which I described the meaning behind the flags, but often wondered about who and how they were made.

Check out my Blog archive written on October 19, 2009.

Several months ago, on a trip to Gangtok, in far northwest India, the answer to my question was answered.

So I thought I would give you an insiders look to the people behind the scenes.......

Gangtok is a delightful little city that is blessed with clear skies, a rarity in Delhi and in most major cities in India. While walking to my destination, I noticed a sign for the Lungta Flag Shop......with an arrow directing customers to use the stairs to the second floor.
Now keep in mind that Gangtok is in the mountainous region of the lower Himalaya's and most buildings are built on the slope of the mountains, so it was an oddity that while at street level I was actually descending a stairwell to reach the second floor of the building.

The pathway was dark and the surroundings were pitch black......no electricity...and a stark contrast to the brightness of the day. Even after allowing my eyes time to adjust to the darkness..........there was no light in site......and I was forced to use the dim light of my mobile phone to navigate the dark corridor.

Needless to say.......it was a bit scary.....like descending into the underworld......but I was up for the adventure.

I finally found the shop and made my way inside, armed only with English and not able to speak the local language...........but in such situations, a smile breaks such barriers of communication.

The shop was small........no lights, except from the window at the far end......using the outside light, two ladies sat behind sewing machines that required no electricity and the continued to work throughout my visit.

I have seen such sewing machines in antique shops in the US............long past their prime and cast aside decades earlier after being replaced with more modern machines that required electricity............yet hear in India, machines like these are common and many make their livelihoods pedaling away for hours upon hours.

The shop walls were filled from floor to ceiling with material printed with prayers............in all colors, and were a stark contrast to the dingy walls behind.

After I took my photographs, I thanked the shopkeeper and her staff and made my way back into the dark hallway and back up to sunshine.

I have to admit, two years ago my imagination ran wild with thoughts of Buddhist monks sitting in a quiet monastery in some remote location hand sewing the flags before they were bestowed upon villagers for hanging in outside locations to put their prayers forward to be carried by the wind.

I found the following quote and I believe that it is quite fitting considering what I have written:

“My imagination is a monastery, and I am its monk”
― John Keats

The Economist - Why do I love living in India?

2012-09-25T21:56:00.001+05:30

I came across an interesting article today that I thought I would share with all of you.....and yet another interesting fact about India, my adopted homeland .......and I have found yet another reason why I enjoy living in India and am so fond of the country.

I am not sure what many of you will gather from this, but I can assure you that it made me realize that there are several places in the world that I wouldn't want to live in.....

I never thought that I would be influenced because of the price of a 500ml bottle of beer!

Here are the stats!

Daily chart

Thirsty work

Sep 24th 2012, 16:04 by The Economist online

How long does it take to afford a beer?
ON SEPTEMBER 22nd, the beer started flowing at Oktoberfest in Munich, an annual Bavarian beer festival which confusingly begins at the end of September. Last year, over the course of the 16-day event, visitors glugged 7.5m litres of beer, sold at an average princely price of €9 ($12.50) a litre, which is what a typical large stein holds. Germans love beer and down around 100 litres per person a year. Away from the Oktoberfest beer is readily affordable. Analysts at UBS, a Swiss bank, have calculated that it takes a German earning the national median wage just under seven minutes of work to purchase half a litre of beer at a retail outlet. At the bottom of the pint glass, low wages and high taxes mean that boozers in India must toil for nearly an hour before they have earned enough to quench their thirst.

Now here are some additional things to ponder......China and Nigeria have the lowest prices for a 500ml beer........I have been to China, but the beers I consumed were not cheap! I was obviously in the wrong place..............and Nigeria........not tops on my places in the world that i would want to live in.

Japan......$4.15 USD for the average price of a beer..........No Thank You......I'm not sure if i even want to visit the country!

Australia.......I have a friend from Australia........he drinks beer like a fish..........it is a good thing for his wallet that he lived in the USA, because at $3.70 USD per beer down under he would have never been able to afford his beer tab! He would have had to take a second mortgage out on his home.....it certainly is an eye opener for me I have a completely different perspective regarding "Beer and Barbie"!!...It is not a casual thing but almost the price of a gourmet meal with champagne!

Britain, Spain, Canada - All over $3.00 USD............nice places....but unless I got a substantial increase in salary, or stopped drinking beer altogether............I wouldn't want to live there.

ARGENTINA - out of all the places on the list...........the price is reasonable..........less than the USA's average price........and they have great wines also..............has potential

So next time you are asked......"If you could live anyplace you wanted to in the world, where would you choose?"..........what would your answer be?

CHEERS!

Khyber Mountain Resort & Spa - Gulmarg, Kashmir, India

2012-09-23T11:52:00.000+05:30

We are getting close..........very close.......to the opening of what I consider to be the finest hotel in the Himalayan region - Khyber Mountain Resort & Spa.

Khyber Mountain Resort Exterior in Winter

For the past three years I have been making trips to Kashmir to see the resort rise from its foundation to what it is today.......and in just 3 short months we will be launching this magnificent project for the world to enjoy.

My first trip to Gulmarg is unforgettable simply for the reason that when I stepped onto the property for the first time, I immediately understood how special "this place"........the hotel and Gulmarg truly is......it was more than I ever imagined, and as a hotelier, the opportunity to be part of such a special project had my mind racing as to its potential.

Towering Trees and Fresh Crisp Air Winter

The setting was idyllic.........perched in the foothills of the Himalayas, with commanding views of the white capped peaks........surrounded by towering trees and the lobby overlooking a beautiful lush green valley, and perfectly located next to the area’s most world notable attractions.....the tallest Gondola in the world and a Golf Course at the highest elevation in the world……the location is a dream!

Lovely Scent of Pine in the Summer Air

I have literally watched Khyber Mountain Resort & Spa come to life.........and on this most recent visit, I am finally able to see past the construction and witnessed for the first time the hotels "personality" coming through.

Kashmir is an area of India notable for many things; saffron production, pashmina's, cashmere wool, some of the finest handmade carpets, kawah tea (more later), and papier-mâché and hand carved items from some of the most beautiful walnut wood.

Hand Carved Wooden Ceiling in Lobby Tea Lounge

Not surprisingly, the architect and interior designer along with the vision of the owner have done a remarkable job to incorporate all things that make Kashmir special into the look and feel of the hotel. The attention to detail and Kashmiri influence can be seen throughout the resort and in its guestrooms.

Wall Sconce in Guestroom Corridor - Hand Painted Papier-Mâché over Copper

So I thought I would provide you with some pre opening peeks into what is taking place right now as we begin to breathe life into this magnificent hotel.

Khyber Mountain Resort & Spa Exterior work under way

There is no doubt that at the end of the short drive from Srinagar, we will be greeting each guest with a nice warm offering of Kawah Tea........while I am not much of a "chai man", this tea is one of the most delicious warm drinks I have ever tasted. It is made with the following ingredients; saffron, cinnamon, cardamom, sugar and noon chai leaves. Slivers of fresh almond are placed in the tea just before serving. The result of this infusion of flavors is simply one of the most amazing creations from this region of the world......yum!

Warm Cup of Kawah Tea Upon Arrival

As our guests walk into the cathedral like lobby, they will be standing under the hand painted papier-mâché ceiling that was most recently installed in the reception area of the lobby.......yes, hand painted.......and while my photographs simply cannot do justice to this beautiful work of art, once the lighting is complete and the construction dust is removed, the ceiling will truly provide the perfect setting for our guests to be welcomed.

Hand Painted Papier-Mâché over Carved Wood Ceiling in Lobby

At the opposite end of the lobby is the Tea Lounge with its magnificent views of the mountain peaks and the valley.......whether the valley is covered in a blanket of fresh white snow or during spring and summer when the lush green carpet is laced with the various colors of the natural flowers that grow during these times of the year, I envision guests just enjoying the view for hours at a time.......enjoying a cup of Kawah made and served in an authentic Samovar.

Authentic Kashmiri Samovar for serving Kawah

A samovar is a traditional Kashmiri kettle used to brew, boil and serve tea. Kashmiri samovars are made of copperware with engraved or embossed calligraphic motifs. Inside a samovar there is a fire-container in which charcoal and live coals are placed. Around the fire-container there is a space for water to boil. Tea leaves, sugar, cardamom, and cinnamon are put into the water and the result is simply indescribable.

View from Lobby Tea Lounge - Summer

On the left side of the lobby is the main restaurant.......and on the right is the Hookah and Cigar Bar............upstairs just over the tea lounge is a covered open air gallery, a one of a kind for Kashmir, and a place to be enjoyed all year long by our guests. In winters, our guests can enjoy watching the falling snow and the skiers and snowboarders make their way down the slopes.........a billiards room is also on the same level.

View from Lobby Tea Lounge - Winter

The resort is complete.......an indoor swimming pool with floor to ceiling windows offering some of the most breathtaking views one could imagine......picture yourself in winter, swimming in a nice heated pool while just outside snow is falling and the temperature are minus 10 Celsius or lower.
Then take a moment to relax in the areas world class spa.....with treatments designed to help you relax or rejuvenate after skiing, trekking, sledging, yoga, fishing, ice skating, white water rafting, horseback riding, a work out in the fully equipped fitness center or simply after taking a ride on the world’s tallest gondola to take in the views of the Himalaya's.

Sledging in Gulmarg - Winter Activity

Khyber Mountain Resort & Spa has left nothing to chance. Multiple places for Food and Beverages, outdoor activities year round and a fully equipped and staffed children’s activity center to keep young guests and teens alike entertained while parents enjoy other areas of the resort. There is even a movie theater that will show past and current favorites throughout the day and evenings. An amphitheatre, tiered gardens, relaxing terraces, outdoor dining areas, indoor and outdoor banqueting spaces, and on and on!

Guestrooms? Yes............the finest...........the only.....ONLY resort in the area at which customers can control the temperature of their rooms with central heat and air. Trust me, while this may seem like a "standard" for hotels throughout the world...............it is not so for this area of the world......relax in an oversized tub......maybe a bubble bath with scented bath salts while enjoying the breathtaking views just outside the window.

View from Relaxing Soaking Tub - Winter

Deluxe Rooms with balconies that can be enjoyed all year round....the perfect place to enjoy a private breakfast while taking in the gorgeous view or just enjoying the fresh, crisp scented air of the pine trees. Private cottages with multiple bedrooms.......kitchens for those who travel with their own chef or perhaps you would like to have us provide a chef for you to cook customized dishes for you and your family and friends........anything can be arranged.

Khyber Mountain Resort & Spa - Deluxe Balcony Room - Summer

More?.........yes I will be writing more about Khyber Mountain Resort & Spa over the next few months.......and I will share more photographs with you as I take you through the "unveiling" of this truly world class resort in one of the most remarkable and beautiful places on earth!

View From Balcony of Delue Room - Winter

For inquiries and reservations, please do not hesitate to leave a comment........I will be quick to respond.
Enjoy!

Car Games - INDIA GPS

2012-09-10T02:19:00.000+05:30

I grew up playing games on long car drives.......the tradition carried on by playing them with my sons as they were growing up during long trips by road to visit family or when we travelled on vacation......car games are meant to keep trips from becoming boring and to keep young minds from asking "ARE WE THERE YET?" or "HOW MUCH LONGER?"

I was recently on a trip in south India where I found myself playing a new car game specifically to be played only in India......during a journey to four cities by road............Bangalore - Yercaud - Mahabalipuram - Chennai.......I have named the game.......INDIA GPS

I almost missed him....this is when I got the idea

Throughout the world, GPS is the abbreviation for Global Positioning System, but in India......GPS stands for Gurpreet, Pranav, and Sanjay.......or any other Indian names starting with the letters G,P and/or S.......you see, in India, the way of finding your way, is by stopping and asking someone along the way.......nothing electronic....not even a map.......your driver simply stops and asks his way.

Day 1 -

My day began at 3:30am when my alarm awakened me in Chennai, India.........the driver had been instructed to meet me at the hotel at 4:30am to transport me to the Chennai airport for a 6:00am flight to Bangalore.

The Bus Man

After arriving in Bangalore, I retrieved my luggage and proceeded outside.......drivers dressed in white lined the railing, holding signs with names of other arriving passengers........I scanned the signs, but could not find one with my name....the driver that had been arranged for me was nowhere in sight.......I dialed the number that had been sent to me, and the dialog started with a driver with less than the required command of English that we had requested.......After several phone calls, we finally identified each other and my journey began.

A "Double"

My driver, Srinivas, was to accompany me during my entire journey........and after a rather "rough" start, together we battled our way through the morning traffic of Bangalore......it was then that I realized that what was to be a "3 hour journey" would not be possible......I confirmed with him that he was familiar with getting to Yercaud...my first destination......and as usual, I received a very confident "Yes sir. Yes sir"

The Rickshaw Man

Needless to say, after 4.5 years living in India.........I am used to things not going as planned and I am also familiar with the practice of drivers stopping to ask for directions, but, even though we stopped several times along the way, nothing was out of the ordinary about the journey, and I did not pay much attention.......and 5 hours after leaving the airport I arrived in Yercaud.

The Hotel Man

My meeting was at a lovely hotel named Lake Forest .......a beautiful hill station hotel surrounded by a working coffee and pepper plantation....simply beautiful. More on this location later.....but my meeting went very well.

By 5:00pm, the meeting had concluded and after the customary "goodbye's", I settled into the front seat of the car for what was to be a 6 hour journey by road to a city called Swamimalai.

The Bus Stop

Srinivas dutifully took directions from the Lake Forest Hotel Staff, however, within 15 minutes of leaving, Srinivas stopped and asked directions.....after several subsequent stops I noticed a pattern emerging.......every 15 minutes, like clock work he would stop and ask directions......It was then that I began timing his stops and began keeping count...........by the time we reached Swamimalai, Srinivas had stopped to ask directions 43 times.

Yes, FORTY THREE!!!!!!!!!

It was actually comical........what would have been very irritating to some of you became very entertaining for me....what would have caused some of you to lose your patience, had become a game of predicting what would happen next.....the hand gestures and the passion in the language was fascinating to me but may have been aggravating to many........I have been blessed with a sense of humor and with patience.......two qualities that have served me well while living in India.

The Motorcycle Man - I

Throughout this leg of my journey, I was communicating the experience to my wife in the United States via email......."It happened again.......# 24"......etc........and she would reply........with an occasional message offering her sympathies.......but I was smiling and laughing inside.

I was also keeping in touch with my staff.........who were concerned about me being on the road at such a late hour........but I was reassuring them that all was "good"......

Motorcycle Man - II

We reached Swamimalai at 11:30pm........6.5 hours after leaving Yercaud.
After a welcoming foot massage, and a great meal, I headed to my room for a good nights sleep.......remember my journey had started that morning at 3:30 am and it didn't end until 1:00am.......22 hours.....11 of which were spent with Srinivas in the car.......I was very tired.

It was a very long day.......and my journey had just reached the halfway mark.......Srinivas and I had one more day and two more cities together.......and after the fun I had on day one, I couldn't wait for the second leg of the trip to begin the next day!

Day 2

After sleeping like a rock, I awakened the next morning at 6:00am at my hotel in Swamimalai, had some amazing food and that wonderful South Indian filtered coffee......toured the hotel and by 8:30am......Srinivas and I were off again on our road journey to Mahabilipuram.......after my previous days experience, I knew I was going to keep count on this journey as well.........

The Scooter Dude and his Wife

The staff at the hotel gave him directions........"out of the hotels drive, take a right, etc.......needless to say, 10 minutes into the journey, he instinctively felt that something was wrong..........so he stopped and asked directions and realized that he made a wrong turn......we were in the middle of a small village and he had to turn around and make his way back to the main road......

Rickshaw Man II

Three more stops for directions and we were on our way.......the fun had began again and in addition to counting I decided that I would begin taking pictures of those people he stopped to ask along the way..............unfortunately, this idea did not pop into my head until he had already asked 5 people........The pictures scattered throughout the blog are the photographs of the Indian G.P.S in action.......

The Coconut Water Man

By the time we had reached Mahabalipuram, he had stopped and asked directions 18 times from 17 different people. The motorcycle driver in the pictures below helped us twice!

The Toll Taker Man

I wish I would have asked them their names........they were all very helpful........good sports as I snapped their photographs.......I wonder how many names actually started with G, P or S?

The Tailor

Another observation is that Srinivas never asked a woman for directions....only men.......I am not sure why!

I hope that you found this to be an interesting, insightful,educational and informative story.......and what some of you have experienced, and for those of you planning a trip to India what you might expect if your visit will involve a journey by car.......India is certainly never boring! And you can play your own version of INDIA GPS.

Since I have originated the game, the current record stands at 4 cities, 770 km and 61 stops

On future trips I will be more diligent in my photo documentary and I will get photographs and names from all who help......from the very beginning.

Enjoy playing!

From "Blue Dogs" to "Yellow Cows"

2012-08-21T01:07:00.000+05:30

There is a somewhat famous poem written by a man named Frank Gellett Burgess entitled "The Purple Cow"......for your enjoyment I have included it below:

I've never seen a purple cow
I never hope to see one
But I can tell you anyhow
I'd rather see than be one

I discovered the above poem while researching the origin of a phrase I grew up hearing in the US......"How now, brown cow?"

There are several opinions of the origin and meaning behind the phrase, so I have chosen the one's I liked the best to share with you :

The meaning and purpose of the phrase is to ensure proper diction and annunciation of the vowel sound "ow" since all of the words in the phrase end the same
.......this seems to make sense.

The term "Brown Cow" was a Scottish term given to a wooden barrell of beer around the year 1742......and of course when the keg was empty, the term "How now brown cow" was used to refer to ......"what are we going to do now that the beer is gone? Today it is used the same way to make fun and casual inquires as to "whats next on the agenda, etc"
...............interesting!

So why the fixation, fascination and research into cows with colors?

Simply....... because India never ceases to amaze me and each time I discover something unique and interesting, I am compelled to delve into such activities to learn more about whatever I see.

So while I have never seen a purple cow, I can now say I have seen a yellow one............and not just one, I saw several, while I made my car journey from Aurangabad to the city of Shirdi.

It seems that I found myself traveling during the festival of "Pola".

Pola is a bull worshiping festival celebrated mainly in the rural areas throughout the state of Maharashtra.

On the day of Pola, farmers decorate and worship their bulls, and the entire community typically participates in the festival with music and dancing. Usually, the oldest bull in the community leads a procession of all of the bulls by breaking through a rope of mango leaves stretched between two posts, and the bulls that follow are typically in order of the villagers with the highest social standing in the community. These celebrations typically take place in the evenings.

Pola takes place on the day of Pithori Amavasya (the new moon) in the month of Shravana (usually in August).

On this day, the bulls are first given a bath, and then they are rubbed with peanut oil and turmeric powder to give them that beautiful yellow color. Garlands of flowers are placed around their necks and their horns are also painted. Some have special hats that adorn their heads. Indian do not lack in creativity when it comes to decorations of any type.

The day following the festival, the bullocks return to the field to begin preparing the soil for the upcoming planting of the fall crops.

What a site!
We were driving approximately 80km per hour down this rural road when out of the corner of my eye, I first spotted these yellow wonders. I quickly asked for the driver to make a U turn and take me back so I could take some photographs.

Upon exiting the car, I met Sandeep..............who obviously did not speak any English. I began asking questions and was obviously getting nowhere....so I called for translation backup. Sandeep and his family had done an excellent job of coloring his bulls and stood out among the rest. While most of the decorations had been removed, they were still the most vividly colored. Upon closer look, I noticed a bracelet/anklet made of shells around the leg of only once cow........I asked if that was for some special reason and they stated that the others were decorated in a similar fashion, but that the bracelet had simple fallen off.

While I cannot be certain, it appeared to me that Sandeep and his mother were equally curious about me, as I was with seeing (and wanting to photograph) yellow cows.

After leaving Sandeep, I saw several more colorful animals working in the fields with their owners or beside the road as if on display for passersby to admire.

Animals in India are worshiped for various reasons, so it is certainly understandable that the festival of POLA takes place here for such an important animal.

India is an agriculture based society, whereby almost 80% of the population in India make their living by farming.

Farming today in India is still largely non mechanized which means that farmers rely on animals to help them in their fields. Bullocks play a huge part in rural life here in India, not only in the fields but also as a means of transportation.

So why "Blue Dogs"?

I wanted readers of my blog, specifically readers from India to know that I come from an area of the United States that also has an animal of color........the "Blue Dog".

However, our animal is not real and only exists on canvas...................the creation of an artist name George Rodrigue.

His paintings of the Blue Dog have become very famous and he has created paintings of the Blue Dog depicted in various scenes and situations......they are whimsical and fun, and I urge you to find out more about him. The Art of George Rodrigue

So I only found it appropriate to name the title of this blog accordingly........to celebrate two cultures and my journey moving from the land of the Blue Dog to the land of the Yellow Cow........Happy Pola 2012.

May God bless all animals in all shapes, species and color..............mythical, on canvas, or alive.

Oop's there goes another rubber tree plant!

2012-08-15T05:32:00.000+05:30

Traveling by road from Cochin to Thekkady is simply beautiful.

The state of Kerala is truly blessed by its varied topography. During my journeys throughout the state, I have seen some of the most gorgeous beaches in the world and some of the most scenic hills and cloud covered mountain ranges as well. It is no wonder that it has appropriately been named "God's Own Country"!

The entire state, no matter where your travels bring you is lush and green. As you leave the coastal areas and make your way up the curving roads into the hill stations above, you are surrounded by dense forest areas and cooling temperatures.

The tea and coffee plantations, with their perfectly symmetrical rows of plantings and the mosaic of colors cannot be adequately described by my words........but describing it as breathtaking is not an exaggeration in the least.

By now you have come to know me as someone who is easily fascinated by the simplest of things that I see, so it will come as no surprise that this journey provided me with yet another experience that I had never had in my 50 years of life.

By now, the title of this blog post should have provided you with some insight, but as embarrassing as it is for someone my age to admit, had I not moved to India I may have never seen first hand where one of the most commonly used materials in everyday life comes from and how it is harvested..........RUBBER!

Of course, this blog post would not be mine if I didn't share with you all of the interesting things I have learned in the course of doing research on this topic.......and some of the information may be eye opening to even my readers from India.

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that India is the third largest producer of natural rubber?

Did you know that "Rubber Tapping" is the process by which raw rubber latex is extracted from the rubber trees? To tap a rubber tree, a skilled rubber "tapper" uses a gouge to make an initial spiral cut 180 degrees around the trunk of the tree at least two feet in length. The cut is a mere 3-5 mm deep, which opens the latex containing vessels in the bark and not harming the cambium layer of the tree. A metal tap is inserted in the cut which allows the latex to flow into a collection vessel (half of a coconut shell) in the morning when the internal pressure in the tree is at its highest, and workers collect the filled cups in the afternoon. This process is repeated every second day to each tree.

Did you know that commercial cultivation of rubber in India began in 1902 and was introduced by the British and Dutch in Kerala?

Did you know that a rubber tree has a life span of approximately 32 years - seven years to grow to maturity and it will produce rubber latex for approximately 25 years thereafter?

Did you know that there are approximately 1.72 million acres of rubber trees planted in India and there are about 180 trees per acre.

Did you know that there are approximately 580,000 rubber "tappers" in India and that 64% of them are over the age of 40 and and only 4% are women?

Did you know that the average worker "taps" approximately 270 trees per day which could be as many as 3 acres depending on the density of the planting? A skilled worker can tap one tree every 20 seconds.

Did you know that the skilled worker wage is approximately 75-150 paise per tree tapped or (1.63 - 3.55 cents US) at 2010 conversion rate?

Did you know that a skilled worker will produce about 1900 kg of latex per year?

Did you know that as of the date of writing this blog 100 kg of raw latex was selling at 16,900 Rs. or $303.72. so the average worker produces approximately $5771 USD per year at current prices?

Did you know that the rubber production in India is a 4.5 billion USD industry?

I will stop boring you with all of these fun and interesting facts, but it just goes to show you that there is more than meets the eye while you are gazing at the passing scenery on whatever road you may be traveling on.

Had I not been inquisitive enough to ask the question as to what kind of trees I was seeing, dressed in partial sheets of plastic, and then asked the driver to stop so I could take a few photographs, I would not have learned so much about such what appears to be a very simple and ordinary topic.

But it also made me ponder a few more thoughts.........just how many of the children and adults living in two of India's most populous cities, Mumbai or Delhi, have ever seen a rubber tree up close and personal?

Growing up and living in the United States most of my life never provided me with the opportunity to experience how rubber latex was harvested............and there are many more just like me.....even in my family.

So next time you think about the tires on your car or bicycle or rubber boots or even latex gloves.....think about making a trip to Kerala and getting up close and personal at the source.

In closing, until a few months back, the closest association that I had to a "Rubber Tree" was from a song entitled "High Hopes" and popularized by Frank Sinatra........well I hate to tell you Frank.......I didn't see one ant around any of the rubber trees that I saw......but I'll keep an eye out on my next journey!

Still in India.........playing "Catch Up"......Stay Tuned

2012-01-28T09:01:00.000+05:30

It has been some time since I have written a blog post…………… almost seven months to be exact………..the reason for the lapse is not because I have left India……….I am very much still here in this amazing country…………it is not because I do not have adventures to share………….there are many……..in fact, I have them well documented in photographs. I have been “snapping” away, cataloging and organizing and they are simply awaiting me to find time to put my words in action to describe the experiences…………..it is not because I have lacked the inspiration to write…………this blog has always been an enjoyable “escape” from the pressures of work……………..sharing this incredible country through my lens and words has been extremely rewarding………so why……..distractions………work….more work……perhaps not an excuse, but it has been difficult to justify to myself taking time to “pen” my thoughts while knowing that there are several things on my “To Do List” that are pending………I am not trying to portray myself as a “martyr” to my job………………it was simply that I got out of the habit of writing, during a very busy time………….and during the “down times” I have spent my time gathering material to write about at some time in the future.

That time has now come………..a New Year has began, and my resolution, in addition to beginning YOGA, is to begin writing again…………..there is much to share………….six months or more worth of catching up…………my next dilemma is where to begin?

It is very easy for me to pick back up from June…………….my camera and photo program has organized my photographs in chronological order……………..but that would be too simple…….and predictable.

So I have decided to begin with a post on my first visit to Gulmarg, India……….from June of 2010………..over a year and a half ago…………..certainly much farther into the past that the last six months…….so why have I waited so long to share this experience with all of you?

Just last week, after almost two years of negotiations, we have signed the management agreement to operate what will undoubtedly be the finest hotel in Jammu & Kashmir, and perhaps all of northern India. I realize that my claim may seem to be biased and perhaps a bit pompous…………….but Khyber Mountain Resort and Spa is a truly special destination.

Now that we are “official” I can write…………..and tell you all about this truly amazing place on Earth……

But before I share more about the Resort……I thought it would be best to begin by sharing all of the many reasons to visit…………

I have visited Gulmarg twice……..and will be returning again next month for my third visit…………my second visit in the peak of winter………and what I have described to many of our friends and family as “one of the most beautiful places on Earth”……..stay tuned.

Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest 2011 -- Home

2011-06-26T20:16:00.001+05:30

Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest 2011 -- Home

I just spent several hours sifting through thousands of my photographs for six (6) to submit in the Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest 2011. Energizer and National Geographic have partnered once again to give amateur photographers the opportunity to submit their work in several different categories.

This year, the categories are: Animals/Wildlife, Nature/Weather, Travel/Cultures, Family/Community, Arts/Music and Action/Energy.

While winning one of the prizes (trip to Alaska, Morocco or Bhutan) would be fantastic, I would be honored if one of my submissions was recognized from the thousands of entries.

On or about August 2, 2011, the judges will have narrowed their selections to 12 photographs, two finalists for each category/theme. At that time a "Voting Phase" will begin and the public, that means YOU, will be able to cast your votes for the photograph that you believe best captures the category/theme.

If you see another blog entry from me around that time, you can be assured that I will let you know if one of my entries made the short list!

Nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say..............but I urge all of you to visit the website to view and enjoy some of the work of the other very talented people who have submitted their work from their backyard or from distances far, far away.

Enjoy!

Air India.............What's your FATE?

2011-06-10T01:13:00.000+05:30

Attached to a recent email I received from a colleague was an article on Air India explaining how criticism was growing about the airline. (Keep reading, there are pictures!)

The article began by stating that Bob Haygooni, a former United Airlines pilot who had been hired by Air India paid a mid flight visit to the cockpit of a flying aircraft to discover that the cockpit was enshrouded with a yellowish glow. The odd color was the result of the pilots having taped newspapers over the windows to keep the bright sunlight out. Mr. Haygooni stated that in 30 years of flying he had never seen anything like this before. If you have not read the article, here is the link: NY TIMES ARTICLE ON AIR INDIA

Since arriving and doing business in India, I have logged over 29,000 miles with Air India…….and while I have found the planes to be old, dirty and the interiors to be in disrepair, the in flight service from the flight attendants mediocre, and the food to be predictable, uncreative and almost inedible, I continued to fly them until I read this article.

What about how safe I felt? I consider myself to be quite perceptive, aware of my surroundings and humbly intelligent. In addition to all of the issues listed above, and what I had heard on the news about the recent crash that involved pilot error, or read in the paper of the strikes by staff shortly afterwards citing safety concerns, one might conclude that my self evaluation is wrong, or that I am on some type of mission of playing “Russian Roulette” with my life………believe it or not, I have never felt “Unsafe” flying on Air India………..inconvenienced, frustrated, disgusted, bitten by countless mosquitoes, sick to my stomach, and baffled YES……but never unsafe!

How could someone continue to fly an airline that had all of the tell tale signs of being a huge safety hazard? Is it stupidity, ignorance or something else?

Here is what it is:

1) I have been programmed to not believe everything I read or hear from the media.

2) I believe in GOD and I believe in FATE…….I believe that GOD is watching over me and that HE has pre-determined things that I am not in control of. While I have this belief, this does not mean that I would throw myself in front of a speeding car or lay on railroad tracks and believe that GOD would perform some miraculous feat………..

3) Remember, I am the same guy that had a brush with death on 26/11…………..see above…….I just simply put my life in GODS hands…………..and I have never boarded an aircraft thinking that I have placed my hands in the person who performs or does not perform maintenance on the aircraft, or the pilot or any of the countless people that even are literally responsible for keeping an aircraft airworthy and safe. Just like I don’t think about when I get on a bus, subway or in a taxi or rollercoaster………..I think a person would go mad and become a hermit and live his life in a padded room afraid to come out.

4) I believe in LIVING LIFE, not preventing my death………..

I am not sure how those of you feel when you read about my “philosophy” or my belief system. I would just hope that you would respect my philosophy and beliefs just as I respect your right to believe what you want to believe and practice.

The email and attached article I received on May 27th did cause me to put out an immediate edict and ban business travel on Air India for my team.

I believe that it was my FATE to receive the email in the manner I did, as I did not read the article in the newspaper myself on the day it was released for print………fate made me read it.

Just yesterday, while disembarking from a flight to Pune for business, I was walking past an Air India plane on the tarmac and FATE once again knocked at my door and caused me to look at the plane and notice that the cockpit had newspaper taped in the windows and it immediately brought back the reality of what I had read and reinforced that the decision I made just a few days earlier was the right one………and not a moment too soon.

This photo was taken on June 8, 2011 at the airport in Pune, India 13 days after a New York Times article story revealed that Air India Pilots tape newspaper in the windows of the cockpit while flying to block the sun

I was one of hundreds of passengers that walked past that airplane yesterday……..many may not have read the New York times article…………..some may have glimpsed at me taking a picture of the plane, but may not have noticed the newspapers………and still some further behind would not have noticed at all.

NEWSPAPER TAPED IN THE WINDOW TO BLOCK THE SUNLIGHT

For those of you who subscribe to the “SEEING IS BELIEVEING” philosophy, maybe this blog entry and my pictures will cause you to rethink your choice of travel…….for those of you who read my blog, it could be your fate that brought you here. Some of you may feel that you should pass my blog onto friends, family or a colleague. You may also be in a position to change or recommend a change to your company’s travel policy.

Happy flying!

Golden Eggs!...with no after Holiday Sales......Easter 2011

2011-04-24T12:36:00.000+05:30

It's Easter morning here in India and it was wonderful to know that the Easter Bunny found his way to our home in Delhi.............even with that very confusing " B one oblique number address" we have here in India.

It was nice to wake up and find that he had left something behind...........a small round woven basket with a 100 gram (3.527oz) bag of Cadbury Mini Eggs (my favorite by the way) and three Cadbury Creme Eggs...........no grass........!

So small were the basket's, when Preston finally found his hidden in the house, he belted out........"is this it"?

Not only was it the smallest Easter Basket I have ever had in my lifetime..................it has to be the most expensive as well!

At the current exchange rate, the bag of Cadbury Mini Eggs cost $5.97 US..........and each of the Creme Eggs was $1.08 US........... the grand total cost of my basket $9.21 US.

Linda counted the Mini Eggs.............only 30 in the bag.........$0.20 per egg........ I did the conversion from grams to ounces.........$1.70 US per ounce.

For my Indian readers........Rs.9.16 per egg...........Rs. 2.75 per gram

Truly Golden Eggs!........The Easter Bunny explained that she wanted to buy more and make larger baskets, but she knew I would not be happy!...........she certainly is a smart bunny!

She also explained............that when she was purchasing the goodies, she noticed another interesting phenomenon about living the expat life.......no after sales!

Right next to our "Golden Eggs" was the Valentine Candy Hearts that were imported and didn't sell......and I bet when Diwali comes they will still be there, along with the left over bags of Mini Eggs!

In the US, "Holiday" candy/sweets are usually over produced.............meaning that one of the benefits that we have is the after holiday candy sales..........you name the Holiday and there is a marketing genius in the US that has specially packaged and marketed the same candy to appeal to that time in the calendar year, hoping to sell a little more of the same thing at a different price point.....just because of the Holiday........

The same M&M's are produced in "Easter Pastel Colors"....Skittles does the same thing.......there are Red and Green ones at Christmas.............and on and on.........

But after the Holiday..........the grocers/stores want to clear their shelves and the candy immediately goes on sale for a 50% discount......then the following week, 75%.......until it is all gone. In the US, the mindset is simple......past a week or two, it has to go.................in India.....it's different!

No after sales..............no discounts............it stays, and stays, and stays, and stays........dusted everyday, placed in a different part of the store, but stays, until it is sold.............it is the land of "No Expiration Dates".

To continue our Easter Celebration, we are going to brunch today at the Hyatt.........

Happy Easter everyone..................and if there is anyone over the next few weeks that wants to purchase some discounted Cadbury Mini Eggs and send them over to India in a suitcase, please feel free to do so.

We could do one of two things with them.............sell them to the grocer for Rs.125 Rs.........where he could still make a great profit all the way until Christmas..........or next Easter..............or we could enjoy them together!

Rebirth........doing our part to preserve a piece of India history.

2011-04-04T21:23:00.000+05:30

The origin of the carpet is probably one of the most well kept secrets in the history of mankind……it is actually where the legend begins.

What is known is that it came from ancient Persia……..the family of carpet weavers, while not well known, crafted some of the most perfect carpets………the perfection was the result of the time they took to produce a carpet by hand……..one every five years……….sometimes more……….their shop was their home…..small….just barely enough room for the work on the carpets to be done and for the family to live. They literally lived among their work…….giving even more understanding to how much passion this family put into producing carpets with such meticulous detail.

This carpet was acquired by a prince who had discovered this small village after being lost for several days in the nearby desert. Of course, with all visits by someone of royalty, the villagers bestowed many gifts on the young prince for days……..while in the village for several days replenishing his stores so that he and his party could continue their journey, one of the princes servants learned of this family of carpet makers. He was told of the beauty and workmanship, something that had not been witnessed before and he demanded an audience with the carpet maker.

However, the family refused to see the prince and ignored the summons…….of course this did not meet the prince’s ears with favor and he demanded that the carpet maker and his family be forcibly brought to him and for the rugs that were in his possession be brought to him, including the unfinished carpet that was being produced on the very crude loom that was in his shop.

Word spread quickly through the village about the prince’s anger and the fact that the prince had ordered his soldiers to confiscate all of their possessions, yet the carpet maker and his family did not fear the young prince’s wrath and very calmly and patiently waited for the impending visit.

Neighbors urged the family to pack their possessions and flee the village while there was still time……..others offered to hide the rug on the loom………which was believed to be the most beautiful of all the rugs the family had produced thus far……………but the family refused to move.

The soldiers arrived as planned……….and carried out the orders of the prince………finding only the carpet on the loom…….which was truly a masterpiece in the making. The carpet maker and his son, who was his apprentice, were imprisoned by the prince and were taken along with the carpet to his palace some several hundred miles away from the village.

His wife and daughter were left behind, thankfully unharmed, and remained living in the small home in the village.

The prince had promised to release the carpet maker and his son once this carpet had been completed, which was estimated to take an additional three years……………surely the thought occurred to the carpet maker that he could speed the process up by not being as quality oriented, but as a matter of pride, the man and his son were determined to complete the carpet and to ensure it did not have any flaws……three years in captivity was a small price to pay when the alternative was producing a carpet that he could not be proud of…………the prince would have his rug……..and he would win freedom for he and his son.

However, upon the untimely death of the king, the prince found himself ruler of a much larger kingdom and his thirst for power made him become even more evil.

The day had come………almost three years to the date that he was removed from his village and his family………and the carpet was complete. He and his son had worked tirelessly many nights by the light of an oil lamp……..their hands and fingers cramping from the endless days of working on the rug. The muscles in their legs grew weak from being deprived access beyond the four walls of the cell they were imprisoned in…………they had accomplished their task and were ready to receive the kings blessings and be set free.

The carpet maker and his son had been ordered by the king to present the rug to him in front of his most favored of guests that had gathered for a banquet. It was to be a truly special evening for the king…………. The king sat high upon his throne in the grand room……next to him was his new queen….……the carpet maker and his son were given the opportunity to get well groomed and were given some newly made clothing for the occasion. The carpet was rolled and wrapped in a beautiful cloth and was now ready to be presented and unveiled to the king for his admiration.

The time had come………the carpet was proudly carried by the two carpet makers into the center of the room. It was placed on its side…….meticulously unwrapped and then unrolled before the king and his queen………………the room was filled with sounds of admiration from all in the room…………..and then the king raised his scepter and the room became quiet. The king stood and proudly told the story of how he had had become the recipient of such a fine carpet…………..he told of the carpet makers imprisonment and the fact that he could rule powerful over any such subject in his kingdom.

While no one is sure of the exact words spoken by the carpet maker, what has been passed down is the following; there he and his son stood in the center of the room facing the king and queen and surrounded by the kings guests. Silence filled the room once again when the carpet maker began to speak. He stated that he was very comforted to know that the king was pleased with his work and thanked the king for giving him the opportunity to produce what he believed to be the finest rug that he had ever made. This made the kings chest swell and his ego just as much, but the carpet maker did not stop. Much to the kings dismay, the carpet maker reminded the king of his promise of freedom upon completing the carpet ………..a promise that was once made by a prince turned king……….the king was not amused at the carpet maker embarrassing him in front of his guests…………..the room was suddenly being filled with whispers from the crowd, which made the king even more furious as he felt as if he was slowly becoming the laughing stock of his own guests.

His anger reached the boiling point as everyone in the room was awaiting to hear what this king was going to say in response to the words of the carpet maker………….and then he spoke……..”Freedom is just another word for nothing else to lose………now, return to your cell and lose yourself for another 5 years and make a matching rug for my new queen”.

Meanwhile, in the village, the carpet makers wife had fallen on bad times………the little money she had from the sales of previous carpets had been slowly depleted….and while she had had enough to survive while her husband had been away…………slowly over the years, when he hadn’t returned she was forced to sell what belongings she had to survive.

One of the last things to be sold, after lying for nearly 40 years on the floor of their humble home, was a carpet that her husband had made for her many years before. The carpet had managed to escape the looting by the soldiers as they did not believe it to be of much worth………..worn thin from the many footsteps that passed in and out of their small home……….the edges were gone…threads were bare and holes had developed in several of the traffic areas. But to her it was a prized possession she was now being forced to let go for whatever price she could get. She simply needed the money to survive and the carpet was sold to a merchant who dealt in used items for almost nothing.

The carpet remained in this family of merchants for generations………….laying unwanted by many people due to the poor condition it was in………..after a journey of almost two centuries, the rug founds it way into the hands of a carpet dealer here in Delhi who specializes in restoring old rugs to their original condition.

He has assembled craftsman from Kashmir who have honed this skill over many generations from their forefathers……….they use the highest quality of material hand dyed in Pondicherry using the methods that were used when the rug was originally made……….and the threads are matched to include the same consistency of wool and other natural fibers. Like all stories of kings, queens and palaces, the story must have a happy ending..........while the rug merchant does not know the fate of the carpet maker and his family, one thing to be happy about is that the carpet will be restored to its original grandeur and will be cherished for many more generations to come…………..it will be nice to have our own piece of history to bring back to the United States one day.

I hope you enjoy!

Mardi Gras in New Delhi - 2011

2011-03-27T23:37:00.000+05:30

The first care package sent to us from the United States was from my sister: a box full of doubloons, beads, masks and plastic cups along with a CD filled with the tunes of Mardi Gras……….the box took over 2 months to reach us, probably due to baffling the agents in customs……….and by that time Mardi Gras was long past………..bit the spirit remained.

The Mardi Gras "Care Package"

It has been said that people from New Orleans can move away, but you can never take New Orleans out of them…………….I am here to tell you that the spirit of New Orleans is alive and well even in New Delhi India.

The "Love Guru" and his gals!

A few Saturday nights ago, Linda and I were invited to the annual Mardi Gras party thrown by some friends, Janet and Jack……………..Janet, is a New Orleanian through and through………….even after living in all parts of the world, and in New Delhi for the past 15+ years, she is testament that you simply cannot remove New Orleans from a native. She hasn’t even lost her accent!

Happy Mardi Gras!

Janet and Jack’s Mardi Gras parties are famous here in Delhi………..they have been hosting it every year at their farm home………..This year, Janet and Jack moved their family right down to the end of our street……..which was extremely convenient considering I was traveling and getting into town literally minutes before the party began and not knowing what costume I was going to wear!

Linda and I before leaving for the party!

I decided that I would put on my New Orleans Saints pajama bottoms and the Saints shirt my mom gave me at Christmas…………..with that big gold Fleur-de-lis on the chest………and the mask my sister sent us three years ago………….after a few quick pictures at the house, we were off to party!

Jack as a Talosian and "Wille Nelson"

We were greeted by Jack……….who had crafted a Star Trek Talosian ……………..who explained that Janet was still getting ready…………..he explained that earlier in the day their cook had decided to quit on the day of the party…………….and Janet was running a bit behind with getting her costume on.

Janet handing out Mardi Gras Beads

In typical New Orleans style, we were told where the food was and then escorted to the bar which was on the roof of their new home.

Tent Walla magic in New Delhi

Linda and I were both amazed at what the “Tent Walla” was able to do……………the terrace had been transformed into Mardi Gras Central……….Purple, Green and Gold fabric above our heads…….the music was spilling out Mardi Gras tunes and the weather was perfect………..

Party goers and Janet and Jack in the background!

It made Linda and I both homesick for the real thing…………..brought back many memories of good times with old friends………….for a minute it was surreal………the costumes, the people from all different countries……I never would have dreamed in my life that I would ever celebrate Mardi Gras in India…….but it happened………..the night was magical in many ways.

Our friends Don and Mari

Now picture this………….I am standing near the entrance to the party………..and in walks a man in costume…….and he taps me on the shoulder and says in a strong French accent …..”you are wearing the shirt of the football team from New Orleans”……to which I replied………..”Why yes………….have you been to New Orleans?”……………

Marc and his wife arriving at the party!

He proudly stated “I was born in New Orleans”……………..to make a long story short, my new French friend wearing formal Chinese dress with a heart painted on his face and I have much in common.

Me and Marc

While we were born one year apart, we share the same city of birth and the same birthday……….another “incredible” India story………….this year my new friend, Marc Antoine, will celebrate our birthdays in New Delhi together this August…………..maybe in costume once again…..who knows?

Our friend Christy dressed as a "baby sitter"

I hope you enjoy the pictures………and Happy Mardi Gras to everyone!

Our friends Shelly (dressed as "blackmail") and Margaret (dressed as a "spice rack")

Husband and wife! Believe it or not!

Two Diva's!

India and Butterscotch.........a poll!

2011-03-25T08:58:00.000+05:30

As a child, typically around Christmas, my mother inevitably had candy bowl after candy bowl filled with golden wrapped hard butterscotch candy...........I would eat them by the handful........while I haven't had them in years, I can still remember the distinctive sound made by the golden wrapping as I peeled away the neatly twisted ends......................or how I graduated to the "quick strip" by holding just one twisted end between my thumb and finger, placing my teeth around the candy and then pulling until the force of creamy golden butterscotch candy forced the other twisted end to unwrap and the candy fell perfectly on my tongue.

YUMMMMMMMM!

I am sure that I am not the only one in this world to use this technique..........surely there is some reader out there that has done the same thing.

Since arriving here I have been a student of all things "India"......an observer of life, environment, people, food, art, architecture, the incredible, the rarities and the oddities...........and just when you think you have seen something out of the ordinary, just around the corner there is something else to amaze you.

One thing that struck me as rather odd was what appeared to me was that Indian's are lovers of Butterscotch Ice Cream............a flavor not so popular in the United States..........but why here?............how did this happen? It has been in the back of my mind for almost two years now, after being first served the flavor on a train from Ludhiana.

While I had been meaning to explore this with some of my colleagues, the topic never seemed to come to my mind when I was with any of them.......until......one night at dinner at the Four Points by Sheraton Visakhapatnam (Vizag)......and the opportunity presented itself.

Picture this.............the last plates were cleared.........and the waiter asked the table if it would like some desert...........and since I am an ice cream lover...........I asked what flavors.............Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry and yep...........Butterscotch. I ordered vanilla..........the waiter disappeared.

Immediately, I sprung into action by commenting to the people at the table that I have been observing something for some time, and asked......"Why do Indian's have an affinity for Butterscotch Ice Cream".....the reply I received was counter to my observation and both of the people at the table stated that they did not have a preference for "butterscotch" .....and whole-heartedly felt that my observation was incorrect..........and I quickly repliedthat they were the exception to the rule............that Indian's were truly "in love" with Butterscotch Ice Cream...........and this led to an unofficial poll to be conducted by one of the "naysayers" at the table.

When the waiter returned, my colleague casually asked him........"What flavor of ice cream is your favorite?".....his reply was quick and without hesitation the word "Butterscotch" rolled off his tongue........

One after another, my colleague continued polling............calling over one employee after another.......by the time we had reached the 10th person...........we had 70% that had answered in my favor.............and that was including the two naysayers at the table.......

Needless to say, while certainly not scientific, everyone walked away from the table that night with a better idea of the percentage of Indian's that favor Butterscotch Ice Cream..........but the question remained in my mind as to how and why!

My premise is that it had to be a legacy of the British...........like "tea time" and the Indian Railway system.....could this be one of the simple things that has become so en grained in the Indian lifestyle that no one has paid attention as to how it started...............?

I embarked on my mission to research "Butterscotch in India"............googling these words I found many recipes for butterscotch cakes, etc and even a question posted by an Indian on "Yahoo Answers India" asking "Can I give my dog butterscotch ice cream?"..................

While the recipes were abounding and I even discovered some sites about butterscotch ice cream in India..........I could find nothing about how it became so popular a flavor here.

What did I learn.........here it goes......Butterscotch is British.......and the word was recorded to first be used in Doncaster by a candy maker named Samuel Parkinson..........the year was 1817 and the Parkinson confectionary became extremely popular..........so much that butterscotch became one of Doncasters most famous exports and the "Royal" highlight of the St Leger race week...........where apparently special "tins" were made to be filled with the butterscotch candy to commemorate the occasion. The confectioner's company even carried the "Royal Seal of Approval"...............

So there it was.....the British connection was established...........but how did the candy make it's way from Britain to the shores of India............no doubt, because of it's popularity it made it's way over with several of the hundreds of thousands of British citizens and soldiers during the 200+ years that Britain ruled India..........

I can see it now..............somewhere here in India someone was making ice cream one day..........had a tin of St. Leger race week butterscotch candy............crushed them and mixed them into the creamy vanilla ice cream and the flavor became popular.............

I would like to continue the informal poll...........I would like all of you who read this blog article to please take the time to leave a comment about ice cream......"What is your flavour???..........simple...............but feel free to also write additional comments about the history of butterscotch in India.............I would really like to try and trace the roots!

True Colors - Holi 2011 New Delhi

2011-03-21T09:17:00.000+05:30

Preston shortly after arriving at the Holi Party

"My skin is kind of sort of brownish pinkish yellowish white. My eyes are greyish blueish green, but I'm told they look orange in the night. My hair is reddish blondish brown, but it's silver when its wet, and all the colors I am inside have not been invented yet." ~Shel Silverstein

I find the quote by Shel Silverstein to be quite fitting while reflecting back on this years Holi celebration......and it made me think...........Shel Silverstein - Biography

Water, gulal..........looks like fun!

For the past two years, Holi was either celebrated from the safe confines of our car or from the balcony of our apartment that provided a lofty advantage while "playing" with the neighborhood children down below...........however, last year was fun...having invented "Holi Gras"!

Preston and his friends - Holi 2011

This year was totally different...........having been invited to participate with the students of Linda's latest volunteer project.........the students of "Make a Difference", more affectionately known as "MAD".

Children waiting for the teachers to arrive

More on MAD later..............right now, let me tell you about the day, and how exciting and fun it was...........the chance to really "play Holi" in a very controlled environment...........no huge and unpredictable crowds........no "Bhang"........the marijuana induced sweet lassi drink that gets you stoned.............and "organic gulal" .......the bright Holi powder that gets thrown on you.

Linda greeting Krishna, one of her students

I first dropped Preston off at his friends house, and the fun began immediately......he was multi-colored in no time at all.......his friends rushed him with powder and water, doused him well and he was barely recognizable within a matter of minutes.

Sally and Linda gathering all the children for the walk to the Embassy

After a few quick photographs and a group shot, I returned to the house to pick up Linda........and to head to the Roosevelt House, where Sally and Tim Roemer, U.S. Ambassador to India live............

Linda with some of the students

A few short weeks ago, Sally reached out to Linda and some of her other close friends to begin teaching English as a second language to the children of the "juggi"(slum) that exists just across the street from the Embassy and the school where Preston attends High School.

Dressed in some of their nicest clothing - before the fun begins!

Today, Sally invited the 32 children who were tested and hand selected for the program to celebrate Holi with their teachers at the Ambassador's home on the grounds of the U.S. Embassy..........a very special treat indeed.

Let the fun begin - gulal neatly arranged on tables for the kids

It was a very special treat for me as well..............as I was fortunate to be in town instead of traveling for work.........and it was also great to interact with the students that Linda has been teaching..........putting a face to those I had only knew by name until today.

It did not take long! - Ambassador Tim Roemer in a cloud of Holi Colors

Each year, we send Preston out into the streets of Delhi wearing some of the oldest clothing he has knowing that they will not come back in wearable condition...........but not the children of the MAD class.........they were wearing what appeared to be some of their best clothing to attend today's function.............they looked almost too dressed up for what was about to take place.

Linda celebrating Holi 2011

Nevertheless, they were ready to celebrate...........and after the long walk from the juggi to the grounds of the Roosevelt house, it did not take them long to get into action.............waiting for them, neatly arranged on plates were mounds of "gulal"................and without having to let them know when to begin.........the air was filled with color.........and every ones skin and hair was changing color by the second.

Linda and Pinky

While the fun was taking place before my eyes, I was remaining relatively "unscathed" thanks to the fact that the children were well behaved and respected the fact that I had a camera in my hand...............one of the biggest worries that I had..............unfortunately, there was just no escaping the powder that filled the air and settled on the surface of everything..................my camera was soon various shades of green, yellow and red....but it was still functioning fine.

Linda and Ashish Kumar - The "Little Man"

I didn't remain "colorless" for long...........I believe that it was the Ambassador himself that gave me my first dose of color and it was downhill from there...........so when in India............do like the Indian's..........this was my first year to truly celebrate Holi as it was intended......OK, not authentically like they do in Vrindavan or in Mathura......cities known for this celebration......it was much more "controlled"..........but I think it may be as authentic as it will get for me.

Linda and Sally in living color

Preston is very good friends with the son's of Sally and Tim, and they showed up a bit after the fun began, but participated in the event as well..............he also volunteers as a teacher after school and helps Linda teach her students.

Preston, Ambassador Roemer and Matt

The children had a great time......Holi Colors, traditional Holi snacks............juice and soft drinks and for all of them a chance to celebrate Holi in a very special place.

Preston and Sonu

About MAD............When the First Lady of the U.S., Michelle Obama, recently visited India, one of the places that she spent some time was at an NGO named "Make a Difference"............an organization started by some students from a similar background that realized how learning to speak English transformed their life.......their education and their ability to make a sustainable income and to work their way out of poverty for them and their family. Sally Roemer was so touched by what she saw in Mumbai, the home of the original MAD program, that she decided that she would start a chapter in Delhi with the help of her friends...........and with the assistance of the campus of the American Embassy School and the students.

Linda and Preston surrounded by the drummers

The children attending the classes are not the only ones benefiting from MAD..........speaking only for our family, Linda and Preston have also been touched by having the ability to know that they are Making a Difference in the lives of ........the children..........Pinky, Vedprakash, Krishna, Neeraj, Ashish Kumar, Sonya, Anju, Kavita, Chanda, Abhishek, Vishnu, Sonu and the others.........

Colorful girl!

While all of them were united in the traditional colors of Holi on the outside............I wonder what the "color" of helping someone looks like.............what does the color of volunteerism look like?, what does the color of "feeling good inside" look like?

Preston playing the drums.........and he wasn't that bad!

I am so grateful that I have been able to play a "supporting role" in the volunteering that Linda and Preston have been doing since coming to India.............I am also envious of them............and wish that my job allowed me the time to contribute to the betterment of someones life while I am in India...........in the meantime, I will have to be content with the small behind the scenes help that I am doing............I think I need to work on my "inside colors".

MAD Class of 2011 - New Delhi Chapter

What about you? Are you Making a Difference and working on your colors inside? What are your True Colors?..........Happy Holi everyone!

For more about MAD.........here is the link Make A Difference

"Balti Suci" - Adding Life to Their Days - CanSupport and the Walk for Life 2011

2011-02-06T23:25:00.001+05:30

U.S. Ambassador to India, Timothy Roemer and Jeannie Mulford, wife of Former U.S. Ambassador to India, David Mulford

For the past three years, our family has donated our time to help in the operation of the Walk for Life; one of CanSupport's major fundraising activities of the year.

Preston installing "No Parking" signs along the walk route before the start

Things keep getting better year after year.......the Walk for Life, now in it's 4th year of existence, is growing in numbers of participants and volunteers alike. While the final numbers have not been tallied for this years registrations, it is well over the 5000+ participants from 2009's event.

Members of the Jammu & Kashmir Rifles Band - 15th Battalion

The small role we play in supporting this organization stems from the fact that our family has been touched by the tragedy, struggle, survival and loss of loved ones that have been cancer patients.

Crowds growing before the start of the Walk for Life

Cancer touches the lives of an entire family, not only the loved one that has been diagnosed........words cannot adequately describe the emotional journey that a family goes through when they are faced with the knowledge that a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer........and then the tougher journey of dealing with the physical aspects of the illness.

Participants gathering for the speech's and the "Walk of Honor"

While we can rejoice that we currently have a survivor in our family, we have also been on the other side as well.........and in both instances, we have witnessed the compassion, friendship, care and love by those who provided hospice services to our family members.

Harmala Gupta at the podium, Founder of CanSupport

CanSupport was founded by Harmala Gupta, a survivor of cancer herself, who started India's first Cancer Patient Support Group in 1991.........after years of visiting cancer patients at Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) she learned that there was scope for more help, beyond the counseling and support that she was providing to those still undergoing treatment and hanging onto the hope of becoming a survivor like herself.

Cancer survivors take the "Walk of Honor"

The grim reality was that nearly two-thirds of those that had visited AIIMS and other institutes were not responding positively to treatments and once the hospital had determined that a patient was not curable, they faced a void and were left to cope with their illness alone.......in 1996, through her dedication to the lives of those not as fortunate as her, Harmala filled the void and CanSupport was born with one palliative care (hospice) team consisting of: a doctor, a nurse and a counsellor.

Corporate and School groups organizing before they begin the walk

Today, CanSupport has grown to 10 such teams working in six field locations throughout the greater Delhi metropolitan area caring for over 500 current patients.

Controlling the flow of traffic!

A visit to the CanSupport website provided me with more information than I ever dreamed of.........including a story of a young boy named Vineet, who at 13 was battling with a curable form of cancer, but due to several reasons, his cancer remained only partially treated. CanSupport got involved late in this young man's battle with cancer...........and while he ultimately succumbed to the disease, the story of his courage and his love for his family touched me in special way.

The walk begins!

Medical treatment for cancer patients in India pales in comparison to the treatment available to those in the United States.

Vintage Cars carried survivors unable to walk allowing them to participate in the Walk for Life

While the people of India have a huge passion for movies, I am not sure how many of India's 1 billion people saw the Hollywood movie entitled "The Bucket List"; the story of two cancer patients that became friends, bonded by the tragedy of being diagnosed with cancer......and living the last days of their lives embarked on a journey all over the world on a private jet checking items off their list of things to do before they die.

Young boy cleaning up after the walk collecting recyclable items

While reading the story of Vineet's last days on earth, as told through his caregivers at CanSupport, I learned that Vineet's "Balti Suci" (Bucket List) was much more humble than the lists made by the character's in the Hollywood blockbuster.................and in the end, Vineet's one wish was not able to be granted.

GE.......they bring "good things to life"

Wherever you may be in this world of ours you can find a place to make a small difference in someones life...........or as it appropriately states on the CanSupport website........"While we cannot add days to their lives, we can life to their days"............

Preston and Pat participating in the Walk for Life!

I urge all of you who read this blog post to volunteer, participate as a runner, walker, skater, or bike rider in an event that will help make a huge difference in the lives of someone that is dealing with cancer.

Sally, Linda and me with the gang!

Each year, at the end of volunteering at the Walk for Life, I know that our family is touched in a special way by supporting CanSupport's mission.

Jeannie and David Mulford, Former U.S. Ambassador to India and some volunteers

Learn more about Vineet, CanSupport and about Harmala Gupta at: CanSupport Website

Preston and Matt after the Walk for Life

I hope you enjoy the pictures from the Walk for Life 2011!

Visit the CanSupport and Walk for Life Websites

All goes to Hell when one member of the "Holy Trinity" is missing!

2011-01-30T23:30:00.001+05:30

This isn't a blog entry about religion..........believe it or not, it is about food; more specifically it is about one member of the "holy trinity" of ingredients used in the preparation of Indian dishes....the onion.
Onions have grown scarce in the country....the price of a kilogram of onions has risen almost 70% to 65 rupees per KG.....on par with a liter of petrol and a bottle of beer. This is the first time in India's vast history that all three items used by everyday citizens have reached the same price level.

An onion vendor in the vegetable market in Pune, India

I came to know of this issue a week ago while sightseeing in Pune and I witnessed a peaceful protest by a group of concerned citizens........

Protesting in the streets of Pune, India

The outrage over the price of onions in India is have repercussions almost beyond belief; it is causing political problems for the government......people are finger pointing internally at who is to blame for the increase in prices and it is even causing additional problems with Pakistan......yes, could it be possible that further instability between these two countries over onions.......you bet...as if there weren't enough problems between them already!

The price of onions, petrol and a bottle of beer reach 65 Rs.....first time in India's history

So I started doing research on the lowly onion.......and it's ripe (no pun intended) history!

My history with onions goes back to my childhood while watching my mother and grandmother prepare food for our family in New Orleans, Louisiana;

the onion is a staple in the preparation of many creole and Cajun dishes.....along with two other ingredients.....the bell pepper and celery. The combination of these three ingredients form the "holy trinity" of the food I grew up eating.

An onion and garlic vendor Pune Vegetable Market

Ginger, onion and garlic form the "trinity" of ingredients found in almost every Indian dish that is prepared across this country of 1 billion people.........it is also common for the onion to be eaten raw in the form of a salad here in India........the onion is everywhere.

Onions being prepared for dishes served at Kesar Da Dhaba - Amritsar India

INFLAT-onION.......the huge concern in the country currently is how the price of onions is driving inflation in the country......the government of India regulates inflation very carefully and it was already considered to be high at around 8%.........the rise in the onion prices has caused ripple effects on other vegetables as well.....which some speculate is driving the inflation rate to almost 20%......

The onion crisis in India is causing all vegetable prices to increase - Pune, India

It's no wonder that these price hikes are causing citizens to protest in the streets......and is leaving a bad taste in the mouths of everyone (I just couldn't resist writing that).

The Indian government.....more specifically the Minister in charge of Agriculture is in a bit of an "pickle"......in an effort to reduce the prices and bring them down, he reached out to Pakistan for some immediate help.......importing onions from the north seemed like a good option, until the onions didn't make it.

Pakistan is claiming that the shipment was stopped at the border and was not allowed in.....while on the Indian side of the border, those in power are claiming that the act was deliberate by Pakistan......meanwhile, the dilemma of the onions remained unsolved...........government officials on both sides started shooting their mouths off causing tensions in Islamabad and Delhi and additional pressures needed to be utilized.

Vegetable market - Pune, India

I read somewhere that the shipment of onions from Pakistan was finally released when Pakistan was threatened by India to withhold the export of the precious Indian tomato! Sounds kind of juvenile to me.........like a playground fight where one kid threatens to take home his ball if he doesn't get his way and it spoils playtime for the other kids! "No tomato for you"

The prized India tomato currently being used as a bargaining chip with Pakistan - Pune, India

Prices still haven't come down to their pre-inflationary price as of yet.......despite the shipment......what to do?

So what caused this...............some fungus that hit India's onion growing state of Maharashtra.............the part of India where I am currently visiting. While it was evident that the extended monsoon season was having a negative impact on the onion crop......some one was asleep at the wheel.........farmers didn't yield the crops they thought they would have..........the scarcity of onions became evident........and farmers started raising prices and the government could do nothing to stop it...............except raid the wholesale onion traders ....yes....you heard me right.........there is a war being waged on the wholesale onion traders by the government of India.........raids are being conducted as the government suspects that onion traders are doing this deliberately............so they are sending out troops and Income Tax officials to determine if this is true.

Troops on a raid ny the Indian Government against Onion Wholesalers - courtesy of google web images

I can't make this stuff up...............can you imagine if the US Government was to conduct raids on farmers and onion traders just because the price of any of the food items we grow in the US went skyrocketing ..........things like this would never happen in the US..............India is simply incredible!

FUN FACTS

My research also helped me discover some other fun facts about onions that I will share with you that I simply could not weave into the above story......

Both Alexander the Great and General Ulysses S. Grant (U.S.Civil War) refused to move their troops until supplies of onions made it their soldiers. Grant's request was so strong he received them the next day!

The average American consumes about 21lbs of onions in a year..........Libya has the highest per capita consumption with 66.8 lbs of onions per person per year!

Cultivating the onion for consumption dates back to 3500 B.C.........they were also found in the pyramids in Egypt where they were worshiped!

Onions represent the third largest fresh vegetable industry in the United States. This translates to approximately 370 semi-truck loads of onions used in the United States each day.

National Onion Association

Multiply that times 3 and that is over 1100 semi-truck loads of onions per day for Libya
World onion production is estimated at approximately 105 billion pounds each year. The average annual onion consumption calculates to approximately 13.67 pounds of onions per person across the world.

The National Onion Association estimates fewer than 1,000 growers produce onion from approximately 142,000 acres, producing approximately 6 billion pounds of onions which accounts for 7% of world onion production.

BACK TO INDIA
Let's do hope that the onion crisis in India ends........the country has enough problems on their hands. Half of India's population lives on the equivalent of just over $1.00 US dollar per day..........and with prices quadrupling on such an important staple in the common mans diet, it is a recipe for disaster.

It is amazing that a vegetable like the onion could cause so many problems for a country and it's people......but it has........and the people are crying for help!

Milestone Reached

2011-01-28T00:49:00.000+05:30

To all of you who have ever read my blog, tonight (India time)I hit the 10,000 reader mark....since April of 2009...........

Here are some statistics for you to gaze at.......

India Adventure
Site Summary

VISITS

Total 10,000
Average Per Day 32
Average Visit Length 2:47
Last Hour 1
Today 38
This Week 226

PAGE VIEWS

Total 22,600
Average Per Day 59
Average Per Visit 1.8
Last Hour 1
Today 72
This Week 413

I have been waiting for this moment since I hit my 7,000th reader..........wondering when it would happen...and today/tonight I hit that 10,000 milestone!

Thank you to all of you, from around the world, that have read my blog...............

Pune's Underworld: Pataleshwar Cave and Temple

2011-01-27T17:32:00.001+05:30

Located in the heart of the city of Pune, India is a little known gem of ancient history; Pataleshwar Cave and Temple.

Small Sign at the Entrance to the Park that houses the Caves

The cave dates back to the 8th century, but surprisingly not much is known about the cave, and as a result, very little has been written about it.

Inside the Pataleshwar Caves

What I did learn is that it's name is derived from two words: Patal meaning "underworld" and Eshwar meaning "god". I believe this to be a name given to it during more modern times..........One can only wonder what the original name of the cave was to be known as.

It was impossible to conduct any meaningful research on the cave, unlike many of the heritage sites I have visited in India...........

An example of an unfinished carving inside the cave

Perhaps it remains a mystery to scholars and archaeologists due to the fact that the cave and it's carvings remain incomplete..........sculpting on the rock walls was started but never finished..........leaving behind the mystery of what was meant to be there.......

Example of an unfinished carving on the wall of the cave

What I have learned about Buddhist cave construction is that work began at the ceiling and flowed downward. Work was carried out to remove large sections of stone to create the cave like structures and pillars of roughly chiseled stone were left for the artisans to carve and smooth to perfection.......

The carved Columns inside the cave and an unfinished carving in the distance

I have been on several construction sites as part of my work here in India.......since much of the work is done in concrete I am no stranger to the sound of a worker with a chisel busy at work.

Carved Columns and unfinished work on the wall of the cave in the distance

I have seen the hands of many workers carefully curving their fingers around a cold steel chisel........watching them raise their weighted hammers above their heads and, with expert aim, strike it solidly to remove unwanted material .......the sound is very distinct.........

Carving on the floor near the Nandi statue inside the cave. Note the two elephants..this is my favorite!

Pataleshwar today stands in almost complete silence........much like it must have been when the last chisel struck stone sometime in the late 8th century A.D. A visitor to the caves today, captivated and calmed by the serenity of the silence, may not give thought to what the site sounded like at the time it was being constructed.

Up close view of one of the unfinished wall carvings

The sound would have been deafening.......hundreds of workers with hammer and chisel, all striking at the raw black stone; some in sync and some at differing times.........hard work.....chips of rocks flying everywhere, rock dust in the air and in their lungs. I would imagine that the work carried on in shifts...perhaps 24 hours per day...hurrying to make it ready in raw form for the more skilled stone artisan's to do the final work......shaping the square columns and beginning to create the stone carvings on the walls if the cave.

The beautiful interiors of the cave with sunlight filtering in

Then nothing..........silence.....the work stopped........the Buddhist's left their mark in the area, but did not complete the work.

I have read that work ceased due to a geological issue that exists making the cave unstable.....a fault line that exists at the back of the spot they chose to construct this monument. However, it has stood the test of time....and surely the deities they began carving on the walls of the cave would not likely cause any considerable structural damage if they would have continued....so why did the leave this place of worship unfinished?

An unfinished wall carving

I have read about other unfinished caves in the Maharashtra area of India.......could it have been a political upheaval, religious conflict,war, famine, drought, that drove all of the monks from the area around the same time? Was the practice of Buddhism stopped due to a change of power and no longer tolerated in the area?

The ceremonial bell worshipers touch before entering the shrine of Lord Shiva

The Buddhist workers left behind the massive columns and three small rooms that are approximately 3-4 meters squared......an inner sanctum of sorts...........while the two outer rooms were perhaps originally intended for priests, the center room houses a shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva.....a cobra stands guard over the gold lingam that gets anointed daily by devotees.

Inside the middle room of the inner sanctum that houses the shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva

Just outside the center room, resting on the floor of the cave is a small Nandi, Lord Shiva's bull........hanging from the ceiling above above this Nandi is a ceremonial bell that all who visit the shivalingum touch before beginning their worship.

Nandi - Outside of the shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva

The two rooms on either side of the cave now house other deities that I did not recognize.

Inside the room to the left of the Lord Shiva shrine

The god that is housed in the room to the right of Lord Shivas shrine

Just to the left of the inner sanctum, placed in the center between some columns and only lighted by the sunlight that filters in from the open from of the cave, is another temple that pays honor to the deities of Sita, Rama, and Laxmana........small beautifully carved white marble statues that sit upon a black marble stand.....when the sunlight hits the white marble in this darkened area of the cave the deities take on a glowing effect.

Sita, Rama, Laxmana

In front of the cave area, centered in a courtyard of sorts, is a round structure, which some have described as unusual or peculiar...........I am not sure of the reason for these adjectives........however, I will present a theory that I have not read while doing my research..........this too appears to be an area that may have started by the Buddhists as a STUPA.......... the round shape lends to this theory.......but like the cave was either later finished or added by the Hindu's who began worshiping Lord Shiva at the temple area.

The "peculiar building" ! Nandi Mandapa.

Today, under the umbrella like stone covering, supported by perfectly spaced stone columns sits another statue of Nandi, Lord Shiva's bull........clearly added at a later date, which lends to my theory that this was an area not originally designed as a Nandi Mandapa. This Nandi is annoited daily as well and worshiped throughout the day by the hundreds of devotees that come to the temple daily.

Up close view of the annointed Nandi in the Nandi Mandapa

There is one more Nandi.......oddly placed in a far corner all alone.......it is about the same size as the Nandi inside the temple......but its placement in the courtyard seems to be random.....almost as if it was transported to the area and was never used or installed, yet, since it was delivered to the temple area for a purpose, it has never left the area.....it has just been placed in an "out of the way" area and serves no distinct purpose.

The 3rd Nandi on the site........all alone in the corner of the courtyard

Today the area is silent........the distinct "pinging" noise of the chisel has been replaced only by the sound of the bell ringing from the hand a faithful devotee of Lord Shiva.......

Whether a devotee of Lord Shiva or not, I highly recommend a visit to Pataleshwar Cave and Temple during a visit to Pune, but please, remember to remove your shoes before entering......enjoy!

Sign at the entrance to the cave reminding visitors to remove their shoes

India's Republic Day Parade - a Practice Session

2011-01-23T21:23:00.003+05:30

Army Regiment on Horseback

January 26^th, 2011 will mark the 62^nd anniversary of the signing of the Indian Constitution.......it is known as REPUBLIC DAY.

Bugle Regiment practicing on Raisina Hill, New Delhi

Republic Day in India sparks a patriotic fervor in the hearts of all Indians, reminding them of their glorious history, their rich culture and proud heritage. It is a day they choose to remember and honor those they consider heroes of their past; freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi and military heroes as well.

Army Regiment on Horseback with Raisina Hill in background

To mark the importance of this occasion, every year a grand parade is held in the capital city of New Delhi. Attending the event in Delhi is almost impossible, as you need to be invited by someone who is politically well connected.

Army Regiment on Camel back on Raisina Hill, New Delhi

Last Sunday, Preston and I took a drive and just happened to stumble upon some of the military units beginning to practice for the parade.

View from Raisina Hill down Rajpath with India Gate in the distance

It is a grand parade that begins at Raisina Hill near the Rashtrapati Bhavan (President's Palace), then along the Rajpath, past India Gate and on to the historic Red Fort.

Camel Regiment Passing the Gates of Rashtrapati (President's Palace)

Prior to its commencement, the Prime Minister will lay a floral wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti, a memorial to unknown soldiers at the India Gate at one end of Rajpath, which is followed by two minutes silence in the memory of unknown soldiers.

Camel Regiment Silhouette - Raisina Hill, New Delhi

The different regiments of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force march past in all their finery and official decorations. The President of India, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces, takes the salute.

Camel Regiment Passing in Front of the Secretariat Building - Raisina Hill, New Delhi

We felt very lucky to have witnessed the practice session and were able to take some photographs, as cameras are not allowed during the actual parade unless you are a member of the press and have been given special permission.

Up close View of Indian Soldiers on Camel back

Happy Republic Day India........just a little bit early......

Indian Army Tank near India Gate

Rajasthali Resort and Spa - The Gatekeeper's!

2011-01-16T13:27:00.000+05:30

Rajasthali Resort and Spa - Main Building

Last week I was on the site of a hotel we will be opening very soon just outside of the city of Jaipur........a beautiful resort at the foothills of the Aravali Mountain Range........the perfect backdrop for a peaceful place to visit, relax and unwind from the chaos.

The finishing touches are being put on the Resort as we speak..........

While walking around checking on the progress of the construction, I stumbled upon a group of workers.....well.........more than just workers..............these guys were artists in their own right.

The skills have been passed down from generation to generation..........the skill of making something beautiful being made of of mortar and stone...........and the details of the stone work that makes the architectural style of Rajasthan so distinctive.

Main Arrival Gate

Take a look at what I witnessed taking place at the main gate of the hotel...........

A Blank Canvas of Mortar

Above, the artist begins by creating his "Blank Canvas" of a layer of mortar approximately 1 inch thick.......after literally throwing the mixture onto the concrete wall, he smooths the surface with a wooden floating tool.

Stenciling Work

The simple stencil above is used to trace the design onto the mortar, following the first chalk line.....he continues to work along the top and he is followed by another member of the team that begins the process of carving out the waste material

Carving with the broken Hacksaw Blade and Paring Knife

Below, another artist and his assistant begin laying out a flower design just by sight.........chalk lines and no protractor or architectural scale.......the angles precisely laid out by hand and eye...the work of a skilled artisan for sure.

Laying out the Flower Design

On the far side of the wall, another member of this four person team has begun the process of creating the design of the framework.........

Chalk Lines and Laying out the Framework

Meanwhile, the artist who is creating the flower, begins with another crude stencil made from a scrap of cardboard.........he begins by outlining the design with his knife

Stenciling the Flower Design

He begins carving the outer leaf petals.........carefully angling the knife to create the three dimensional design.......

Carving the Flower with a Paring Knife

The flower design is truly coming into form....you can see that the border carving above where he has been working in a crouched position still needs to be completed.

Border Stenciling and Flower Carving

Below, work begins on the carving of the framework............the curved portions have been detailed and the straight edges of the framework will follow

Carving the Framework

The next picture shows the finishing details being carved on the border design.........the efficiency of the team has been carefully orchestrated......the artist who was working on the flower design has not moved..he simply pauses his work on the flower and finishes the border for a slight change of pace.

The Four Artists at Work

After finishing the border, he returns to start doing the detailed work on the flower design.......he has introduces a new tool.......a small paintbrush that he uses to lightly brush the surface of the flower to remove any leftover debris from his carving activity.

Finishing the Bottom Edge of the Framework

Above note that the other members of the team beginning working on carving the straight edge of the framework.........one hand holding a piece of scrap lumber while he slices his knife through the mortar..........he will repeat the same process on the other chalk line and then remove the center waste material.

Carving Detail of the Flower Design

The flower artist is now detailing each petal of the flower.......carefully shaping each with gentle curves and only following his vision.....no stencil.....just years of knowing how to create with his hands and eyes.

The Final Product!

Finally, the finished product............anyone want to take a guest at how long the process took.........from the first photograph that I took to this final photo I snapped above?

Using simple and crude tools and methods.........paring knifes you could find in any kitchen that would normally be used to cut fruit...a broken hacksaw blade, simple stencils and a small brush.........four people working together in an orchestrated manner......crouched, in some cases, in the same position and space for the entire time.........each member methodically executing their individual tasks......?

One Hour.........yes just one hour.....and such beautiful work.......the team repeated this task and design on 6 such surfaces that day.....each looked the same.....no deviation from design that the eye could see.....one hour of precision artistry at work......

Eventually their design will be covered with that same light yellow color that had been used to paint the top section of the gate.....and at some time in the very near future, many guests will walk past their work......not knowing the about the skilled hands that created the work they are hurrying past........some may stop to admire......but most will make their way through the passage just knowing that they are arriving someplace special......