The ICRISAT campus is a fenced in several acres separated from India. Not only are the grounds clean, but they also smell good (or so I thought)! Most of the campus is research fields (30,000ha), covered by the watchful eye of a 5 or 6 story water/guard tower. In addition to crop fields, a small international neighborhood (20 houses), a larger Indian neighborhood (45 houses) and 5 apartment buildings populate the campus. A covered walkway connects a further eight research labs, 2 auditoriums, and a 4 story cavernous exhibition hall, where local Indians are taught agricultural techniques (eg. growing millet underneath the trees of an orchard).
ICRISAT stands for International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
IWMI is part of an international U.N. consulting group, which has offices in Sri Lanka, Ghana, Thailand, Nigeria, and India. Except for the India and Sri Lanka offices, there has been vast shifts in location of offices in the past few years. India, however, remains cheap enough that this location has grown. Here at ICRISAT, IWMI is a standoffish partner. While IWMI does coordinate with ICRISAT, and rents a building, IWMI is over 50% foreign nationals, as where ICRISAT is about 10%.
IWMI stands for International Water Management Institute
Also on campus there is a clubhouse with a minimal exercise room consisting of a pulley weight system, a treadmill, and an exercise bike. They also have table tennis. I joined $5 for the summer. For Indians it is $3 for the year. This also gives access to the pool, which is rather crucial. The temperature gets up to 100ºF most days. Three of the ten or so foreigners, who I have met, have had to go to the hospital for heat stroke/dehydration.
The pool is also the only place on campus that serves Kingfisher.
Most of the younger people living on campus, PhD researchers and post-docs, regularly eat in the canteen. Some of the professionals hire cooks to come in and they avoid the cafeteria. The canteen has limited hours, but also acts as a grocery store, for those who don't want to take bus (Rs7) or auto (Rs7 if you catch one with someone it it-Rs25 on your own) to town.
I enjoy the food at the canteen, but then I would. I was recognized by a South Indian as regularly choosing the spiciest food there. The food has some interesting characteristics, lots of rice or flatbreads (Chapathi, Roti, Paratha) and at lunch always some kind of biryani. In addition a soup, chicken or lamb curry, vegetarian curry, and fruit juice (mango, orange, pineapple) are each available at lunch and dinner. Dinner usually has a western dish (e.g. fish and chips, vegetarian cordon bleu).
Breakfast has papaya, hardboiled eggs, croissants, spicy chickpea sauces w/flatbreads, omelettes by request, and corn flakes. Milk is served warm here. Although refrigerated it is reheated and released through a spigot. The cream has a tendency to jam the spigot, causing hot sprays of milk to lash out at the unweary breakfaster. To remedy this, I have purchased a liter bag of milk and keep it cool in the dorms in a shared (8 person) fridge.
There are no green vegetables. A salad plate (Rs. 8) contains 2-3 slices of onion, 2 slices of tomato, and 2 slices of cucumber (green removed). At some point I will have to go to a western restaurant with a clean salad.
Coffee and Tea (Rs.4) are available and drunk with every meal. I am strange in that I have neither. Sodas are available, and a German here has a propensity for mixing fanta and cola to make spritzi or 7up and kingfisher to make radler.
Friday, May 26, 2006
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Hyderabad for a bit - India 4
I parted ways with Ashish at 6:30am to wander Hyderabad in the early morning. While I should have had all the contact info for work written down, I foolishly expected things to go according to plan. I wandered past Ek Minar Mosque (Greg's translation: One Minaret) and found that rather than frequent taxi's soliciting, I had several people including an old man on foot encouraging me to go to whatever Hotel I was near (for their commission of course). I briefly considered spending $6 to get a hotel and drop off my baggage, but I resolutely decided that I could wait until 9 or 10 when I estimated that the internet cafe's would open.
Consequently, I wandered down neighborhood passages bedecked in backpack and bag, unexpected around every corner I turned. As I wandered past a row of milk cattle, two guys on a bike warned me I was walking to a dead end. I decided to walk it anyway, and was rewarded to see a clean part of town, not trashed because there were not enough people to trash it. Similarly, I stumbled into a open play area next to the local police station. One girl was rollerskating in lazy circles on the blacktop; she only had one rollerskate.
Keeping the streets clean are mostly women and some men, sweeping dirt and refuse into piles, preferably not in front of their shop/house/place on street. The area only remains clean until a couple of vehicles drive by, carrying a pile of dust with them. I can see why female empowerment can drastically affect impoverished areas by preventing futile work.
By the time 9 and 10 am rolled around, none of the I-net cafes had opened up. I decided to take matters into my own hands, but was quickly approached by young hipster who told me I should pay no more than Rs.20 to get to the British Library. Subsequently, no autorickshaw(auto) driver knew of this place, could understand my map, or knew anywhere near there. It took a group of five boys to tell the auto-wallah where I wanted to go.
I was dropped off at the local tourism bureau near the library, so I stepped into the bureau and inquired about internet. They sent me across the street to the state government headquarters. The guards there attempted 3x to persuade me to go back across the street to the tourism bureau. Once through, I walked to the state tourism office, where I was told to wait so I could use an Asst Director's computer to check email. Once he returned, a flunky was made to give me his computer, where I found my boss at ICRISAT's number. The govy then dialed my boss, and ordered me an auto for 40km at a price I could never get: Rs. 200.
I was told to wait 1 hour and was given every English tourism pamphlet in the state. Armed with my literature I was ushered to the auto and set on my way with a driver who did not know where our destination was. We stopped twice and picked up a hitchiker in order to find our way. Once on the UN campus, the driver then tried to scam me for another Rs. 50, which was enough (>$1) that I was alerted to his scam and paid only the agreed upon $4.50.
ICRISAT fed me lunch ($.85), settled me into an airconditioned furnished room with netted
veranda ($68/month), and enrolled me in the campus fitness club ($5 for the summer). While my alternative plan to write a book and see the islands by working as a dance partner/evening entertainment on a cruise ship remains, there would be far less distraction moving to ICRISAT campus in India. Although, I suspect either way I would have to do some work in order to have the cheap berth. Fortunately, today is Saturday, so I have time to relax.
Consequently, I wandered down neighborhood passages bedecked in backpack and bag, unexpected around every corner I turned. As I wandered past a row of milk cattle, two guys on a bike warned me I was walking to a dead end. I decided to walk it anyway, and was rewarded to see a clean part of town, not trashed because there were not enough people to trash it. Similarly, I stumbled into a open play area next to the local police station. One girl was rollerskating in lazy circles on the blacktop; she only had one rollerskate.
Keeping the streets clean are mostly women and some men, sweeping dirt and refuse into piles, preferably not in front of their shop/house/place on street. The area only remains clean until a couple of vehicles drive by, carrying a pile of dust with them. I can see why female empowerment can drastically affect impoverished areas by preventing futile work.
By the time 9 and 10 am rolled around, none of the I-net cafes had opened up. I decided to take matters into my own hands, but was quickly approached by young hipster who told me I should pay no more than Rs.20 to get to the British Library. Subsequently, no autorickshaw(auto) driver knew of this place, could understand my map, or knew anywhere near there. It took a group of five boys to tell the auto-wallah where I wanted to go.
I was dropped off at the local tourism bureau near the library, so I stepped into the bureau and inquired about internet. They sent me across the street to the state government headquarters. The guards there attempted 3x to persuade me to go back across the street to the tourism bureau. Once through, I walked to the state tourism office, where I was told to wait so I could use an Asst Director's computer to check email. Once he returned, a flunky was made to give me his computer, where I found my boss at ICRISAT's number. The govy then dialed my boss, and ordered me an auto for 40km at a price I could never get: Rs. 200.
I was told to wait 1 hour and was given every English tourism pamphlet in the state. Armed with my literature I was ushered to the auto and set on my way with a driver who did not know where our destination was. We stopped twice and picked up a hitchiker in order to find our way. Once on the UN campus, the driver then tried to scam me for another Rs. 50, which was enough (>$1) that I was alerted to his scam and paid only the agreed upon $4.50.
ICRISAT fed me lunch ($.85), settled me into an airconditioned furnished room with netted
veranda ($68/month), and enrolled me in the campus fitness club ($5 for the summer). While my alternative plan to write a book and see the islands by working as a dance partner/evening entertainment on a cruise ship remains, there would be far less distraction moving to ICRISAT campus in India. Although, I suspect either way I would have to do some work in order to have the cheap berth. Fortunately, today is Saturday, so I have time to relax.
Last Train to Hyderabad - India 3
The next day I took the last, and only, train to Hyderabad from Victoria Station. For $27 I had an overnight 2nd class AC bunk, in a compartment shared with a navy officer and his wife (posted to the command post in Hyderabad) and a tech worker Ashish. For the most part the accommodations were acceptable, similar to overnight trains in Europe, only having salespeople hawking their wares at regularly intervals.
In addition to the standard lunch and dinner offers, there was a tea purveyor (mostly sugar and milk), a soup salesman (Dixie cup full of spiced tomato soup), a water salesman, a softdrink guy and a candy vendor (mostly varieties of nut brittles). Furthermore, a magazine salesmen, a book salesmen, and two kids with children's books also came through. After the first two hours of 10 minute solicitations, we closed the curtains to our cabin. This, surprisingly, stopped all solicitation. I had come to believe that Indians were more persistent.
Ashish, 23, was happy to talk with me in English. Among other things, he indicated that most people working in Mumbai would prefer to work in another city. This is due to the overcrowding of the Mumbai area. The geography is very similar to San Francisco, only it lacks bay bridges. Ashish was leaving Mumbai for a couple of months to work on the far side of Hyderabad in a coastal beach/port town.
Because much of India's growth is through knowledge service, there isn't much need to concentrate people in Mumbai. Aside from Mumbai's high concentration of intellectuals, there is little to recommend working there. Mumbai has no more technology than most other cities, so hopefully the lower cost will fuel growth in other cities. Although, even slower growth won't help Mumbai's overcrowding.
Ashish indicated a few other things to me. Much of his generation enjoyed American news: NYTimes and Washington Post. Due to high competition the typical India works 6 days a week (Ashish worked 7, although not by choice). Due to India's overpopulation students commonly work 12 hour days. Ouch.
In addition to the standard lunch and dinner offers, there was a tea purveyor (mostly sugar and milk), a soup salesman (Dixie cup full of spiced tomato soup), a water salesman, a softdrink guy and a candy vendor (mostly varieties of nut brittles). Furthermore, a magazine salesmen, a book salesmen, and two kids with children's books also came through. After the first two hours of 10 minute solicitations, we closed the curtains to our cabin. This, surprisingly, stopped all solicitation. I had come to believe that Indians were more persistent.
Ashish, 23, was happy to talk with me in English. Among other things, he indicated that most people working in Mumbai would prefer to work in another city. This is due to the overcrowding of the Mumbai area. The geography is very similar to San Francisco, only it lacks bay bridges. Ashish was leaving Mumbai for a couple of months to work on the far side of Hyderabad in a coastal beach/port town.
Because much of India's growth is through knowledge service, there isn't much need to concentrate people in Mumbai. Aside from Mumbai's high concentration of intellectuals, there is little to recommend working there. Mumbai has no more technology than most other cities, so hopefully the lower cost will fuel growth in other cities. Although, even slower growth won't help Mumbai's overcrowding.
Ashish indicated a few other things to me. Much of his generation enjoyed American news: NYTimes and Washington Post. Due to high competition the typical India works 6 days a week (Ashish worked 7, although not by choice). Due to India's overpopulation students commonly work 12 hour days. Ouch.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Mumbai Wandering - India 2
As I continued through Mumbai, I came directly to a cricket stadium. There was a team practicing there. And then I came to another field with a cricket team practicing. A short walk later, I saw another cricket team practicing. Around the corner from that was a 4th cricket team practicing. I get the feeling that Indians enjoy cricket.
The last cricket team was practicing at the edge of a construction site. Like most of Asia, the construction site was braced through many wooden poles. What was unusual about this urban construction site was the lack of both netting and pigeons. The poles were completely bare of birds.
All the pigeons covered one small fenced in area nearby. There was barely enough space between the birds to see what the birds were walking on. This little space was completely filled with birdseed, perhaps a couple inches thick. While this feeder might not be for construction, it prevented the birds from resting there.
In addition to Cricket teams, Mumbai has a beach. It is a city beach in a bay, so one would expect that only the poor would go in the dirty water. Yet again Bombay had a surprise: there were Kite Surfers renting boards for $120/hour. In addition, a few wave runners were zipping around. On the other end of the beach, a couple families, who apparently lived on the beach, were cooking dinner and fixing wooden boats. At the end of the beach the edge of the roadway was reinforced with concrete polyhedrons reminiscent of water mines.
For my evening entertainment, I decided to make a pilgrimage. Haji Ali's tomb is across a causeway which is covered in water at high tide. Yet during low tide, when I crossed, it was covered in both merchants and beggers. While I later saw a beggar drag himself, it appeared as though many were too malformed in arms and legs to move. Most had at least one appendage withered useless. I am told that many religious structures have such beggers outside.
The polished marble entrance to the tomb was slimy, although not from kissing, but still slippery under the feet. While, some people were there simply to watch the beautiful sunset from the western edge of the city, the two Rajasthani salesmen and I were there to look at the tomb. The unremarkable marble dome outside was covered in discoball mirror pieces on the inside. The tomb was brightly lit and draped in prayer cloths. Not bad for an Islamic sage.
On my way back from the tomb I had my first, "I lived in America, so give me some money interaction." John was more than happy to tell me about his time as a cab driver before asking me for 2x what I had paid for dinner. I rebuffed him, but it has encouraged me to tell people I am British (if they look harmless) or German (if I don't want to talk/can't understand them). So far no similar person has asked for money.
Later that evening I purchased some light reading: the Mahabharata (1700pg Indian epic)
The last cricket team was practicing at the edge of a construction site. Like most of Asia, the construction site was braced through many wooden poles. What was unusual about this urban construction site was the lack of both netting and pigeons. The poles were completely bare of birds.
All the pigeons covered one small fenced in area nearby. There was barely enough space between the birds to see what the birds were walking on. This little space was completely filled with birdseed, perhaps a couple inches thick. While this feeder might not be for construction, it prevented the birds from resting there.
In addition to Cricket teams, Mumbai has a beach. It is a city beach in a bay, so one would expect that only the poor would go in the dirty water. Yet again Bombay had a surprise: there were Kite Surfers renting boards for $120/hour. In addition, a few wave runners were zipping around. On the other end of the beach, a couple families, who apparently lived on the beach, were cooking dinner and fixing wooden boats. At the end of the beach the edge of the roadway was reinforced with concrete polyhedrons reminiscent of water mines.
For my evening entertainment, I decided to make a pilgrimage. Haji Ali's tomb is across a causeway which is covered in water at high tide. Yet during low tide, when I crossed, it was covered in both merchants and beggers. While I later saw a beggar drag himself, it appeared as though many were too malformed in arms and legs to move. Most had at least one appendage withered useless. I am told that many religious structures have such beggers outside.
The polished marble entrance to the tomb was slimy, although not from kissing, but still slippery under the feet. While, some people were there simply to watch the beautiful sunset from the western edge of the city, the two Rajasthani salesmen and I were there to look at the tomb. The unremarkable marble dome outside was covered in discoball mirror pieces on the inside. The tomb was brightly lit and draped in prayer cloths. Not bad for an Islamic sage.
On my way back from the tomb I had my first, "I lived in America, so give me some money interaction." John was more than happy to tell me about his time as a cab driver before asking me for 2x what I had paid for dinner. I rebuffed him, but it has encouraged me to tell people I am British (if they look harmless) or German (if I don't want to talk/can't understand them). So far no similar person has asked for money.
Later that evening I purchased some light reading: the Mahabharata (1700pg Indian epic)
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Bombay - India 1
Clearing the airport and customs was a snap. Finding an ATM, no problem. Trying to get Rupees from an empty ATM: Problem. There is a bank across the street from the airport (no money exchange person working) and a travelex back on the other side of security (who had given directions to the ATM). So there I was in India, without a Rupee to my name.
Thankfully, the Westerner with whom I had chatted, had a car waiting to take her to the Hotel, and the person whose name was on the card the driver was holding hadn't shown up. So I spent the first night shacked at the Leela, which casually accepted my American credit card, fed me a buffet breakfast, portered my luggage, gave me all manner of toiletries (which I hadn't packed) and even started me off with business contacts. I love 5 star hotels.
John Greyman, South African, Jewish, Steel Purveyor and I had breakfast together. While I didn't receive a firm offer of employment on the spot, I was encouraged to meet him for dinner. This put me in a dilemma, particularly because the breakfast buffet included South Indian, North Indian, Bacon, Roast Beef, and all manner of conceivable breakfast. I had a feeling that Muslim/Hindu India might be a bit short on the Bacon and Beef. However, I had to throw caution to the wind, and decided to spend the day running around Bombay.
So I passed through 30 minutes of slums and 10 minutes of middle class on my way into the city. The slums, however, did have several places selling phone services and/or faxes and copying. I had to wonder what people would fax or copy anything in the dirt poor (dirt rich) slums.
After purchasing a train ticket to Hyderabad using hard currency on the tourist quota (1 person line rather than taking a number for one of 40 tellers), I set off through the city.
Many people say the crowds or the poverty are what first strikes them in India. For me it was the Dollar Store variety in the stands lining every walkway. Not only were the stores selling everything, but people with a cart setup next to a pillar sold everything as well. Fortunately for me, my hotel covered everything I needed, so I simply swept past and decided to wander West.
Thats when the poverty hit me. Its no problem to avoid kids begging or older people asking for money, but when they grab your arm and walk with you continually asking, well, I had to give the poor kid my scary face, the kind when you were little and your parents were mad at you. Instantly, the kid released my arm, looked back once, and went away.
Thankfully, the Westerner with whom I had chatted, had a car waiting to take her to the Hotel, and the person whose name was on the card the driver was holding hadn't shown up. So I spent the first night shacked at the Leela, which casually accepted my American credit card, fed me a buffet breakfast, portered my luggage, gave me all manner of toiletries (which I hadn't packed) and even started me off with business contacts. I love 5 star hotels.
John Greyman, South African, Jewish, Steel Purveyor and I had breakfast together. While I didn't receive a firm offer of employment on the spot, I was encouraged to meet him for dinner. This put me in a dilemma, particularly because the breakfast buffet included South Indian, North Indian, Bacon, Roast Beef, and all manner of conceivable breakfast. I had a feeling that Muslim/Hindu India might be a bit short on the Bacon and Beef. However, I had to throw caution to the wind, and decided to spend the day running around Bombay.
So I passed through 30 minutes of slums and 10 minutes of middle class on my way into the city. The slums, however, did have several places selling phone services and/or faxes and copying. I had to wonder what people would fax or copy anything in the dirt poor (dirt rich) slums.
After purchasing a train ticket to Hyderabad using hard currency on the tourist quota (1 person line rather than taking a number for one of 40 tellers), I set off through the city.
Many people say the crowds or the poverty are what first strikes them in India. For me it was the Dollar Store variety in the stands lining every walkway. Not only were the stores selling everything, but people with a cart setup next to a pillar sold everything as well. Fortunately for me, my hotel covered everything I needed, so I simply swept past and decided to wander West.
Thats when the poverty hit me. Its no problem to avoid kids begging or older people asking for money, but when they grab your arm and walk with you continually asking, well, I had to give the poor kid my scary face, the kind when you were little and your parents were mad at you. Instantly, the kid released my arm, looked back once, and went away.
Flights, Hong Kong, Singapore - Pre India 2
Flying Singapore Air Rocks. While all international flights I have been on give good treatment, with slippers/blanket/pillow, Singapore Air does a nice job with the food selection. I had seafood including shrimp and scallops for 2/3 meals.
The Hong Kong layover was only noteworthy because I enjoyed the Singapore Air food so much that I did not stop to buy a meal.
Upon being turned loose on the city of Singapore I attempted to share a taxi into the city with a greybeard wearing a t-shirt with cyrillic slogans. To my suprise, not only did he agree to share a cab, he told me he would drop me off wherever I wanted in the city, because his office/apartment was on the other side of Singapore. After a bit of talk I found 1) he was German 2) he traveled 300 days a year 3) for a civil engineering firm 4) had flats in 4 different cities and 5) was a hasher.
Consequently, he dropped me off in front of an expat bar (The Sportsmen), home to hashers, including the bartender, "Handjob", who put me in touch with "Virginia Slim(e)". After finding there was a hash that evening and drinking two pints of Kilkenny with a Scottish Kayaker retired to China (its cheap), I set off to see Singapore before the hash.
I made it as far as Chinatown, where I found a mosque and a temple nearly on top of each other. These were not my goal. Nor was I going to the beach, as a muslim IT worker recommended ("Singapore is a boring city"). No, I was headed to the Imperial Herbal Restaurant, Metropole Hotel - 3rd Floor, 41 Seah St.
Why, you may ask was I headed to IHR? Was I hungary? Did I want to taste Chinese food before sampling the rumored "best chinese food ever" in India? All this and more! IHR is known for diagnosing your ailments and cooking a scrumptious herbal meal to heal you.
Armed with an address and a building I set off through Chinatown for IHR. After about 20 minutes of walking, I found it. I went up to the entrance, and attempted to open the door, only to find it locked ... in the middle of the day. Looking around, I found they were closed from ~2-5. Sighing an ailment-full sigh, I realized that I had to make a choice between the restaurant and the hash.
An hour later I had stowed my travel bag in someone's trunk and was running on a hash run through the jungle in my sandals. The jungle hash was short (3km), but there was plenty of beer (Tiger - Singapore Beer) at the end. The hashers were constrained due to the lack of available land and general avoidance of shenanigans in Singapore. However, the run was good, and the beer flowing, and at the end showed up a Virginia Tech alumnus, Virginia Slim.
Slim brought the only thing he had left from his Bleaksburg days, a pair of Hokie Shotglasses. 2 Shots of Johnny Walker Black later, the hash's $8 seven course Chinese dinner was wonderful. Slim realized that just a couple of shots and dinner was not enough for the Singapore Hokie reunion of the decade (how many can there be?).
So we went to a bar, where Slim, his last 25 years in Asia, spoke local languages with other patrons. The patrons encouraged him to show me the more interesting side of Singapore. A couple of shots of Slime's reserve at the bar and we left for the Orchard Towers.
Orchard Towers is the nightlife of Singapore. The first bar we went into had a band that was Singapore's answer to Led Zeppelin and around since the 70's. They were playing Steve Miller Band and Styx covers while we were there. Across the street, we went to a basement place with a screaming Asian band, where Slime was greeted like an old friend. The madam was more than friendly and recommended some lovely Indonesian girls. However, the S$200 price tag was a bit rich for my blood, so we continued on to the other meat markets in the building.
Never before had I seen a meat market quite like this. Then again, I hadn't been around so many working women in a club, rather than a red-light district. 3 clubs, 3 deafening bands, and way too many approachable Asian girls later, I took a cab to the airport, with a souvenir Virginia Tech shotglass.
The Hong Kong layover was only noteworthy because I enjoyed the Singapore Air food so much that I did not stop to buy a meal.
Upon being turned loose on the city of Singapore I attempted to share a taxi into the city with a greybeard wearing a t-shirt with cyrillic slogans. To my suprise, not only did he agree to share a cab, he told me he would drop me off wherever I wanted in the city, because his office/apartment was on the other side of Singapore. After a bit of talk I found 1) he was German 2) he traveled 300 days a year 3) for a civil engineering firm 4) had flats in 4 different cities and 5) was a hasher.
Consequently, he dropped me off in front of an expat bar (The Sportsmen), home to hashers, including the bartender, "Handjob", who put me in touch with "Virginia Slim(e)". After finding there was a hash that evening and drinking two pints of Kilkenny with a Scottish Kayaker retired to China (its cheap), I set off to see Singapore before the hash.
I made it as far as Chinatown, where I found a mosque and a temple nearly on top of each other. These were not my goal. Nor was I going to the beach, as a muslim IT worker recommended ("Singapore is a boring city"). No, I was headed to the Imperial Herbal Restaurant, Metropole Hotel - 3rd Floor, 41 Seah St.
Why, you may ask was I headed to IHR? Was I hungary? Did I want to taste Chinese food before sampling the rumored "best chinese food ever" in India? All this and more! IHR is known for diagnosing your ailments and cooking a scrumptious herbal meal to heal you.
Armed with an address and a building I set off through Chinatown for IHR. After about 20 minutes of walking, I found it. I went up to the entrance, and attempted to open the door, only to find it locked ... in the middle of the day. Looking around, I found they were closed from ~2-5. Sighing an ailment-full sigh, I realized that I had to make a choice between the restaurant and the hash.
An hour later I had stowed my travel bag in someone's trunk and was running on a hash run through the jungle in my sandals. The jungle hash was short (3km), but there was plenty of beer (Tiger - Singapore Beer) at the end. The hashers were constrained due to the lack of available land and general avoidance of shenanigans in Singapore. However, the run was good, and the beer flowing, and at the end showed up a Virginia Tech alumnus, Virginia Slim.
Slim brought the only thing he had left from his Bleaksburg days, a pair of Hokie Shotglasses. 2 Shots of Johnny Walker Black later, the hash's $8 seven course Chinese dinner was wonderful. Slim realized that just a couple of shots and dinner was not enough for the Singapore Hokie reunion of the decade (how many can there be?).
So we went to a bar, where Slim, his last 25 years in Asia, spoke local languages with other patrons. The patrons encouraged him to show me the more interesting side of Singapore. A couple of shots of Slime's reserve at the bar and we left for the Orchard Towers.
Orchard Towers is the nightlife of Singapore. The first bar we went into had a band that was Singapore's answer to Led Zeppelin and around since the 70's. They were playing Steve Miller Band and Styx covers while we were there. Across the street, we went to a basement place with a screaming Asian band, where Slime was greeted like an old friend. The madam was more than friendly and recommended some lovely Indonesian girls. However, the S$200 price tag was a bit rich for my blood, so we continued on to the other meat markets in the building.
Never before had I seen a meat market quite like this. Then again, I hadn't been around so many working women in a club, rather than a red-light district. 3 clubs, 3 deafening bands, and way too many approachable Asian girls later, I took a cab to the airport, with a souvenir Virginia Tech shotglass.
SFO - Pre India 1
While waiting at PDX, despite the free Internet in the airport, I picked up a recommended book of short stories for my trip. I found it somewhat fitting that the introduction said that all the life stories one needs, one can get at home, here, in America.
My fortune cookie from lunch: A sudden change in plans will have fortuitous results.
I still decide to go to India, and board my flight to transit stop 1: California.
In San Francisco I meet an old friend from 4th grade, Andrew Winerman, and head to Golden Gate Park. As fits SF in the summer, the fog rolls in and the Ultimate Frisbee teams are out in force: about 20 teams man the fields. After working up a Healthy Appetite™, Andrew and I head to another bastian of SF: New Age cuisine.
The gimmicks are twofold, not only is everything vegetarian (maybe vegan) but all the grains are sprouted. The second gimmick is the way one orders: meals are named things like "I am Divine" or "I am Satisfied". When the food comes, the repeats back "You are Divine" or "You are Satisfied". Missing from the menu was "I am Hungry" so I attempted to be Satisfied instead. [Insert Rolling Stones joke here]. In addition to gimmickee food, the restaurant had prepay cards, which gave around a 1/6 discount. My buddy had over $1k prepaid. Nice.
My fortune cookie from lunch: A sudden change in plans will have fortuitous results.
I still decide to go to India, and board my flight to transit stop 1: California.
In San Francisco I meet an old friend from 4th grade, Andrew Winerman, and head to Golden Gate Park. As fits SF in the summer, the fog rolls in and the Ultimate Frisbee teams are out in force: about 20 teams man the fields. After working up a Healthy Appetite™, Andrew and I head to another bastian of SF: New Age cuisine.
The gimmicks are twofold, not only is everything vegetarian (maybe vegan) but all the grains are sprouted. The second gimmick is the way one orders: meals are named things like "I am Divine" or "I am Satisfied". When the food comes, the repeats back "You are Divine" or "You are Satisfied". Missing from the menu was "I am Hungry" so I attempted to be Satisfied instead. [Insert Rolling Stones joke here]. In addition to gimmickee food, the restaurant had prepay cards, which gave around a 1/6 discount. My buddy had over $1k prepaid. Nice.
India Trip
Greetings to Everyone reading this,
I haven't played with this blog much at all, but I will be giving it a shot for the duration of this India trip. I expect to have posts every couple of days until early August, when I will leave my office to travel around India exclusively.
Currently, I am going to try to catch up from the last week when I left Portland, OR. As I have time over the next week or two I expect to embellish my posts a bit with photographs (when developed & scanned) and with links to information online. I plan on putting links within my posts so that one can skip to preferred topics, but this may take me a few days, as I have plenty of work cut-out for my time here at IWMI, ICRISAT.
Cheers,
Greg
I haven't played with this blog much at all, but I will be giving it a shot for the duration of this India trip. I expect to have posts every couple of days until early August, when I will leave my office to travel around India exclusively.
Currently, I am going to try to catch up from the last week when I left Portland, OR. As I have time over the next week or two I expect to embellish my posts a bit with photographs (when developed & scanned) and with links to information online. I plan on putting links within my posts so that one can skip to preferred topics, but this may take me a few days, as I have plenty of work cut-out for my time here at IWMI, ICRISAT.
Cheers,
Greg
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