Camel Riding in the Rajasthan desert

Ch-Ch-Changes

I actually hate that song by David Bowie- one of the few Bowie songs I could ever dislike. But I digress.

As I prepare to leave India (cue the “omg when did I decide this? Why am I leaving? How will I live without rickshaw s? When did I pick up this Indian accent” freak out) I’ve been reflecting on all that I’ve seen and done in the almost three years I’ve spent in this country. My friend Roisin and I, veterans among our expat friends, were recounting at lunch the other day just how much this city and this country have changed since we arrived (newly minted college graduates and oh-so naive) in the summer of 2010.

The pan-India 2G scandal began and ended, and India got 3G service as the western world moved to 4G. Blackberries, so ubiquitous when we arrived, have been quickly disappearing despite the fact that the developing world is one of RIMs last markets.

Rickshaw meters have become fully digital in Mumbai and replaced the suspension meters which required fare translation cards. We’ve seen two fare hikes and I suspect the digital meters are easier to tamper with. If fare hikes aren’t a sign of inflation, how about the fact that milk prices have risen 82% since 2010?!

Foreigners faced an imposition of a minimum-salary on their contracts with Indian firms in order to renew their work Visas. This caused some foreigners to rejoice (like me) and others to be booted back to their home countries. Tourist visas, which used to require ninety days between visits even when on a multiple-entry visa, no longer require this waiting period. This “anti-terrorism” rule was finally discarded and found pointless.

Police chief Visant Dhoble came to Bombay and shut down bars at one AM, then got shipped to Thane. Bars in Mumbai still shut too early.

We went from a riot at the canceled Metallica concert to a completely incident-free Guns N Roses show (unless you consider the incident of Axl’s horrific performance)

The government discontinued 25 paise (25 rupee cent) coins and the 50 paise coins have all but disappeared. The death of the 25 paise was so complete that on the day of discontinuation, even beggars would not accept them.

Of course I could go on a long and un-eloquent tangent about how much I have changed in that time. But mostly, I just think I’m tougher (and speak terrible English these days)

I know I am forgetting other big things that have changed in the city… Bombay friends, I’m really interested in your inputs. And I hope I’ll see y’all at my farewell, where I promise not to make you listen to too much Willie Nelson.

Inspired, or Crazy?

 

Two friends will be in town within the next two months. I am taking suggestions on where to go in South India and what are absolute must-sees. One of my visitors (and we know how much I truly  love visitors) has been very proactive in planning and sent me potential routes and attractions that are on his list for a North-India jaunt.

Now the question is: can we do this? It’s an ambitious route for seeing the North. 

 

You see, I’m leaving India in two short months.  And I don’t know if I am happy, sad, scared, ready, dreading it, or all of the above. I know I’ve overstayed Mumbai, it’s time to leave before it loses its luster.

What better way than to sandwich a trip south and a trip north? At the end of it, I’ll either be so in love with India I will cancel my tickets home, or I’ll be dancing all the way to the international airport.

Wish me luck.

Dubai: Revisited

Happy Holidays! Oh wait, they’re over. Sorry team, I missed the boat on the holiday blog posts. My Catholic mother would argue that January 6th IS the Feast of the Epiphany so today is just as much Christmas as was the 25th of December. If this means I can still eat cookies and be merry, I’ll take it. Just as long as it doesn’t require a trip to church.

You know where you can’t really go to Church? Dubai. I was once there over Easter and thought maybe I’d celebrate…only to find out there are almost no churches.  The government allows for freedom of religion so long as it does not interfere with the national religion of Islam. For the Middle East, this seems pretty progressive and I’m down with it. But there are very few religious buildings that are not Mosques. So Christians and Jews (and Scientologists…and Hindus….) worship in privately owned buildings and keep it relatively subdued. This all seemed a little difficult to figure, so I threw out a Hail Mary to the sky and continued about my business.

I’ve been pretty critical of Dubai on the ole’ blog, and thought it might be time to admit that I may have been a bit quick to judge. Or I may have been looking at it from the wrong angle. I’ve been to Dubai only for work, and every trip has the possibility of being 3 weeks long. That’s three weeks in a hotel. Three weeks away from my friends. Three weeks out of India. Three weeks without a kitchen (or with a hotel suite kitchen). No wonder I hated it.

I recently spent two weeks in Dubai, again for work, but with the promise from my company that it would be the last trip for some time. A dear friend from college and Himalayan-Travel-buddy was there too, and that reunion made the trip all the better (Hi Leo! ).

In those two weeks I got a little sentimental about all the good times I have eked out of my work trips. I maintain many of my criticisms about it being a fake, plastic place. I turned down an offer to work there full time. I will never move there and do not intend to return for pleasure. However, I have had some good times there.  A friend is visiting soon, and while compiling a list of places for her to go, I thought I might try my hand at a (non exhaustive) list of Dubai sites and experiences that I consider worthwhile.

1) Drinks at Atmosphere, Burj Khalifa Yes, every drink tastes better when you are a kilometer in the air. At the world’s tallest bar, you can see the entire cityscape at night, and have a damn good cocktail. Atmosphere is busy and you need a reservation, so get on that as soon as you arrive in town. Minimum order for men is 200 AED and no minimum for women. (Bonanza! ) Get a Strawberry Balsamic Martini and thank me later.

2) Bars: Alcohol is only allowed in restaurants operating under a hotel license, so the bar scene is different then most people in big cities are used to. You’re not likely to go bar hopping in Dubai…more likely you’ll have to choose a place or two to spend the evening and then stay there (or leave with a clear idea of your next destination).  Some that I have visited and enjoyed are:

360 : This place is way out down a boardwalk and has a 360 degree view of the ocean (hence the name)

Belgian Bar  (I’m partial to the one at Festival Village, though there are a few)

Atmosphere (mentioned above)

Karma Café (More a restaurant than a bar, but the sister establishment to Buddha Bar)

Bars to skip include Barasti, where all the expats seem to go and I just cant see the draw. 

3) Sites: There isn’t much historical about Dubai, so you have to get on board with what is new and notable.

Everyone gets pretty amped about Dubai Mall, and it is something to see. This cathedral of capitalism is pretty intense, and houses an aquarium and a gold souk. Outside in a center plaza is the Dubai Fountain, with a water show every 30 minutes.  Go for lunch, go to see big-spending locals in action. But be prepared that it is really just a damn mall.  Mall of the Emirates has indoor skiing as well, but I can’t comment on that because I find it very unsettling and have never gone.

If you have more than just a day, make the 1.5 hour drive to the Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi. Just don’t go on a day when it is closed to tourists, like during Ramadan. Even when you can’t get in (like me) it is impressive from the outside

As long as you’re in Abu Dhabi, stop by Emirates Palace, actually a hotel, and check out the gold vending machine. Literally.  A vending machine of gold.

A great place to go walking and people watching is down by Dubai Marina. There are plenty of restaurants and big yachts to lust after. Great views of the ever-changing skyline too.

Sites to consider skipping: Dubai Heritage  Village

I went here with high hopes that I might get to see part of Dubai that is not brand-spanking new. There were some interesting signboards to read and a few little huts to peak into, but overall it is really just an out-of-the-way tourist attraction that houses very little that seems authentic. Most of it has been rebuilt, and now there are air conditioners inside.  If you want to know about Emirati culture and history, better to read about it in a book. I can sum it up for you here in three pictures.

1) The Sheikhs and rulers now hold important meetings at embassies and consulates. They used to hold these meetings over tea:

2) Families and tribes used to live together in compounds. Basically, they still do if you consider that the government has reserved large swaths of land for “Nationals housing”

3) The doorways of these buildings are really small.

Go if you want. It was interesting-ish. But I had unlimited time in Dubai so consider that as part of your decision.

4) Food

To quote the wisdom of Parks & Recreation’s Tom Haverford, TREAT YOSELF. There are a zillion amazing restaurants in Dubai and Arab food is delicious. The presence of so many nationalities also means that anything you are craving, you will find. No wonder I had to run a zillion hotel-treadmill miles to keep my suits fitting…..I spent like, all my money on food guys.

Here are a few favorites

Aryaa’s : This is an Indian restaurant. It is not fancy. It is so delicious. It is stupidly cheap. It is clean and it is convenient. It served its purpose when I was missing India. Have I sold you on it yet? If not, picture yourself devouring  a dosa topped in ALL. THESE. CHUTNEYS.‘

There are two locations and I like the one in Bur Dubai, if you happen to be there. But let’s face it, there’s no reason to be in boring Bur Dubai.

Zooma: Housed in DIFC, this Asian-fusion restaurant and bar made me rethink my ban on “fusion.” It’s pricey and there is a serious need for reservations. But the Miso Black Cod will actually change your life.

Iftar: If you are in Dubai during Ramadan, go to one of the sumptuous Iftar feasts around the city. They aren’t just for the devout. I recommend the one at The One and Only Royal Mirage Hotel. It lives up to its fancy name.

Zaroob: Located on Sheikh Zayed Rd, this all-night joint is a personal favorite. They call their fare “Levant Street food” and it will tempt you to move to the middle east forever. A popular place for late-night eats, this restaurant is one of the few places I’ve ever seen actual locals actually hanging out. Order the Hummus with meat (to die for), Garlic Chicken Wrapped Manoush, Arabic Shwarma, and Koshari. Order all those things. Take some home for tomorrow if you have to. Order all those things. http://www.zaroob.com/ (so good it deserved a link.)

Al Maaya: If you’re in Abu Dhabi, there is an amazing Armenian-Arabic restaurant in the Sheraton Corniche called Al Maaya. The Cherry-topped Kabobs are killer, and the ambiance is delightful.

Hakkasan: Amazing dim sums and even better cocktails, this is a reliable (if expensive) standby. And there is ample seating, so you can always get a reservation.

All in all, I do think that one can have a reasonably good time in Dubai if they have a few days, deep pockets, and a hunger for hummus. Like I said, I wouldn’t go back at this point, but I’m burned out. Emirates airlines uses Dubai as it’s hub and it makes for a great weekend stopover on your way to the other side of the world. Just try to at least be mindful of the huge disparities in wealth and status as you eat your $100 meal.

Sneak Peek: The Great Indian Wedding

More pictures and a full recap will follow on the adventure I had in DehraDun at the wedding of one of my dearest friends in India.

I’m currently riding my #IncredibleIndia high and never want to leave. The visa office may feel differently, as they usually tell me to just go home.

But my biggest (personal) news of the wedding weekend was I finally draped my own sari for an important event! Almost all by myself (save for some pleat consultation by a colleague).  Pretty big difference to last time.  I am on an Indian-clothing-purchasing rampage, and someone should take my debit card away from me before my saris and I become homeless.

A few horrible phone pictures (sorry):

The groom and his to-be brother in law

The gorgeous bride !

Groom’s friend and Groom’s sister dancing Bharat

My friend Dujesh and my self-draped Sari

Manhattan’s Secret Garden

The blog’s been on a break for a bit while I flew from Dubai to Mumbai to Hyderabad to Mumbai to Dubai to Mumbai to London to New York. (Yes, in 3 weeks).

While I collect my thoughts and my pictures, one of the gorgeous hidden tiny parks in Manhattan. This one on the upper east side, by Gracie Mansion.

 

Did this girl realize her pose perfectly mimicked the statue behind her?

 

Hyderabad Wedding

Can I get an Amen?

The best of Hong Kong so far.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chance encounters

There are some moments and some people you meet who resonate with you. In Agra, at the Taj Mahal, Jon and I met four women on their own pilgrimage to the Taj.  Throughout our trip to Agra, it seemed like every family wanted to take a picture with us. On our way out of the Taj, I spotted four women whose picture I wanted to take.

Why? Four ladies in Saris are nothing new in India. But these women had something special about them. They were sitting on the floor of the exit, in everyone’s way and barely noticing. Their brightly colored sari’s were tied in an old fashioned way, and they sat chattering and resting their feet in the cool shade of the exit hall.

As throngs of people asked to take a picture with Jon and barged up into my face to snap a phone pic of the gori, we approached these three. In broken Hindi, I attempted to ask if could we capture this vision of them, sitting so calmly in  the mob. They misunderstood, in the sweetest way. These elderly women leapt to their feet and grabbed my hands, pulling me closer to them and bowing their heads over and over. Their excitement that I had asked them hastened their chatter as they told me a flurry of questions  in a language I couldn’t begin to understand. . Their traditional greeting and saris pulled up over their heads made me think they must be from some small town or village, less cosmopolitan than Bombay or Delhi.

We took a hurried picture as visitors trickled out of the Taj. The sun was so bright coming through the lattice work and the women stood still for such a short time, that none came out. 

But to our surprise, we ran into them later that day at the Agra Fort train station sitting, again, in the middle of everything with their chappals kicked off and hugging their knees. After deliberating about how to get back to Jaipur and which station to go to, Jon and I had chosen Agra Fort.  And so had our friends.

The Inevitable, The Incredible, The Taj Mahal

After nearly two years in India I finally got myself to the Taj Mahal. It took my good friend Jon visiting to get me to make the leap, and some rejigging of travel plans mixed with good old Jugaad to get us there, but we made it.

 

I can’t say I have ever been so mesmerized looking at a structure. It’s as beautiful as they say, as huge as you can imagine, and impossible to believe this was built before cranes and computer imagery. The capability of humans, and what we can achieve with inspiration, is unreal. I should really let it speak for itself.

The gates to the imperial gardens, entering the Taj Mahal grounds.