A busy night, a quiet day...

I think you can tell which is Mary and which is Andy. They just finished a 10month travel spree in India and I was lucky enough for Owen to hook us up before they left for their new home in New Zealand. New Delhi, New Zealand - I think New Harmony is the logical next step. :)
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Last night was an adventure in the Main Bazaar area of North Delhi. Owen's friends from Kathmandu, Mary and Andy, were passing through Delhi at the end of a 10 month travel spree through India. We met up for dinner at their hotel. This area of Delhi is the epitome of what people think of as an insane street bazaar. Horse and donkey carts, loose cows, street stalls selling food, tiny restaurants, shops, and hotels in every nook and cranny. Needless to say, it was not easy to find the hotel.

This is a random picture from campus. You can't see it very well but the baby is in a make shift swing. Both of her parents work landscaping,etc at the university so they can't really watch her. They put her in this swing and push her every once in awhile and she sleeps through much of the day.
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Tongaui (my friend from Zimbabwe) and I took an auto-rickshaw from campus that took about 45min in bad traffic to reach the northern part of the city. Once there everyone will give you directions to get there, but only the last guy actually knew the way. So, it took about an hour and a half by the end to find the place. Mary and Andy are an incredibly jovial and easy going couple. They invited us up for chai in their room (yes, papa, I know you're jealous) then we went for dinner at a near by South Indian restaurant. The food in South India is supposed to be the best, then it gets progressively more plain as you go North. There is a wide variety in Delhi though. Dinner was great; I had another Thali (variety plate) this time with a dosa. Dosas are a thin crepes stuffed with a variety of potato fillings. After dinner they brought the traditional Indian breath mints of anise seed coated with sugar.

Horse and donkey carts, loose cows, street stalls selling food, tiny restaurants, shops....

This is another of the worker's kids from campus. His parents work on the brick laying. It's not uncommom to see him playing with a brick as a toy. I'm hoping to work with children like this in school programs.
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Of course the converstaion was great. We got to talk all about India and the experiences of their travels. Mary is going to be a yoga teacher in New Zealand so I found some good advice on yoga retreats, and even a recommendation for some good cooking classes in Dharamasala (the home of the Dalai Lama in India.)

We finished the night on the roof of their hotel with a few drinks. Mary and Andy are leaving tonight, so we're hoping to meet for dinner on their way to the airport - the benefit of the University being near the airport.

Then Tongaui found out about a club in the downstairs of a very nice hotel. Clubbing isn't a priority in any way for this trip, but it was nice to finally see that side of the city. Inside that hotel you could have been anywhere in the world. The music was American hip-hop, they had a wide variety of drinks and food, and everyone was dressed like an MTV music video.

So, today is Saturday. I slept in and am going to Pria to meet Mary and Andy and do a little shopping before an early dinner. I'm also hoping to meet Abby today. She's the only other American girl I've met, and unbelievably is from Indiana and also the daughter of a family practice doctor.  She's lived here in India for several years and I'm sure has a wealth of information for me. I'll check back in soon, but tomorrow will be busy as I'm moving into my dorm.

'Til next time,

Namaste