Rains and Valetines
This past week has been especially wonderful because a good friend from London arrived last Thursday, to stay for almost three weeks! The only problem is that she seems to have brought British weather here. Last Friday it began raining, and it didn't stop raining until today. We've been jumping around puddles and getting splashed at mercilessly by cars, cows, bicycles, buses, and auto rickshaws (such is the variety of moving items on Indian streets). Oh well, at least this kind of weather makes her feel more at home.
We are going to Rishikesh tomorrow and just booked some other trips for next week- Agra and Amritsar. We've been using the travel agent that planned my parent's trip to India, and I think this guy is used to planning trips for people who are older and somewhat better off... as he sounds flabbergasted and even insulted whenever we request train tickets in a class lower than that which he has suggested. Furthermore, I think he assumed that our trip to Rishikesh this weekend was meant to be some kind of romantic Valentine's Day getaway.
Speaking of Valentine's Day, I should mention that it is an interesting holiday in India. On the one hand, the traditional, pro-arranged marriage people hate it, and newspapers run stories about gangs threatening to assault couples holding hands on Valentine's Day. Most people, however, are uber-into this holiday --probably in reaction to the conservative strain-- and there are all kinds of special dinners and events and pink and red things.
I told my landlady that I was getting together with a few girl friends for a Valentine's Day dinner with food and chocolate and what not, and asked if she could cook me some food to bring. So she got excited all excited and cooked this amazing meal and fit it in a little tiffin for me. For those of you not in the know, a tiffin is a super awesome set of stainless steel bowls that fit together in a little tower- the PERFECT picnic item. The dinner was nice- how can you go wrong with Indian food, chocolate, and tiffins- and when we left, it was non-rainy and not-cold outside. All I can think is that Valentine's Day warmed the heart of the weather gods.
We are going to Rishikesh tomorrow and just booked some other trips for next week- Agra and Amritsar. We've been using the travel agent that planned my parent's trip to India, and I think this guy is used to planning trips for people who are older and somewhat better off... as he sounds flabbergasted and even insulted whenever we request train tickets in a class lower than that which he has suggested. Furthermore, I think he assumed that our trip to Rishikesh this weekend was meant to be some kind of romantic Valentine's Day getaway.
Speaking of Valentine's Day, I should mention that it is an interesting holiday in India. On the one hand, the traditional, pro-arranged marriage people hate it, and newspapers run stories about gangs threatening to assault couples holding hands on Valentine's Day. Most people, however, are uber-into this holiday --probably in reaction to the conservative strain-- and there are all kinds of special dinners and events and pink and red things.
I told my landlady that I was getting together with a few girl friends for a Valentine's Day dinner with food and chocolate and what not, and asked if she could cook me some food to bring. So she got excited all excited and cooked this amazing meal and fit it in a little tiffin for me. For those of you not in the know, a tiffin is a super awesome set of stainless steel bowls that fit together in a little tower- the PERFECT picnic item. The dinner was nice- how can you go wrong with Indian food, chocolate, and tiffins- and when we left, it was non-rainy and not-cold outside. All I can think is that Valentine's Day warmed the heart of the weather gods.
posted by Molly at 6:48 AM
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