incredible india
hello from incredible india! it's been a roller coaster of emotions, and certainly an adventure, but i'm pleased to be reporting to you from the internet cafe in bombay/mumbai. Brooke and I are tagging along on Shanta's family vacation (along with her mom, dad, and brother from nashville to visit her two aunties who live here) and we couldn't be more blessed!
Ken and Shanta flew over a couple of days earlier, and brooke and left for our standby flights on christmas day. We left Dallas with no problems, flew to Frankfort, and caught the very first flight to Bombay. I think we got the last two seats on the plane, but we made it safe and sound, and were even able to sit together thanks to a nice man who traded seats! We slept most of the time, and arrived in Bombay at 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning. Shanta, Ken, and Auntie Pumu greeted us at the airport and we were off to "indu buhvan" (the name of the apartment house where the aunties live).
Once we were all there, Aunties Shanta and Pumu blessed us at the house by lighting candles, sprinkling us with rice, and giving us a red dot on our foreheads. We unpacked our american treasures, and finally went to bed around 4 a.m. We slept 'til 8 the next morning, when the honking horns and sounds of the bustling city woke us up. The apartment is great--we're on the 4th floor, and brooke and I have our own little area downstairs. The showers are different, to say the least, but the western toilets are pretty much the same (except our toilet has a special gate on the outside to keep the pigeons out (and that is one place i certainly don't want to have any pigeons!) The aunties are the cutest things ever! They're about 5 ft tall and they love to tease each other and laugh like sisters. They have been so hospitable towards us and we are really lucky to be able to stay in their home and experience india this way.
Wednesday morning we had coffee, scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast. Then we explored the neighborhood--visiting one jewelry shop, lunch, and then walking to the chowpatty beach.
Today has been exciting! the water got turned off to our neighborhood yesterday because of construction, and though it was supposed to come back on last night, no such luck. The aunties had a good amount in storage in their tanks at the apartment, but it's beginning to run out. plenty of bottled water to drink though, so we're doing quite alright. however, I will confess to you that i haven't washed my hair since dallas. is this a problem??? probably so, but it's not really an option right now, so i'll tough it out.
Today we took a cab down into downtown mumbai. It took about an hour and we arrived at the giant gateway of india arch that was built in 1911 when king george and queen mary came to visit. it was a lot like the arch de triomphe, just on the water instead of the middle of the city. then we explored the taj mahal hotel--wow, was this place fancy!!! marble floors, impeccable staff, and exquisite shopping--a lot like looking in the stores at the wynn in las vegas. they had embroidered saris, fancy jewlery stores and designer stores like louis vuitton and burberry. after a little pastry snack, we left the taj hotel to do some shopping.
we found a great little shop and spent at least an hour buying embroidered bedspreads, knicknaks, and games--we even went upstairs to look a few carpets, but none of them were flying carpets, so we declined. then on to lunch at khabar--a super fancy restaurant where we had great curries, tandoori chicken, and even this appetizer that was like vegetable quesadillas with salsa! yum! we cabbed it back to the apartment. I'm truly amazed at the driving here--its unbelievable! horns, cars and pedestrians everywhere!
So far, things have been good. We're having a great time getting to know shanta's aunties & I think that we'll get to meet more family soon.
My heart is heavy though, because my precious Nana, Bessie Patterson, went to heaven to be with Jesus and her beloved Elmer on Christmas morning. She spent an amazing 96 years on this earth; and even though her mind and body had deteriorated in these last few years, she still kept her tender spirit and sparkling smile alive. Mom and Sarah and I went to see her last Friday and Saturday and even if she didn't fully comprehend who we were, she was able to smile and tell us that she loved us. Because of the holidays, mom and my aunts decided to have her funeral and burial in Hereford, TX in mid-January. The family agrees that Nana would have wanted me to go to India, so here I am. Family back home is on my heart though. Most of all, I know Nana has received the best gift of all this Christmas.
Ken and Shanta flew over a couple of days earlier, and brooke and left for our standby flights on christmas day. We left Dallas with no problems, flew to Frankfort, and caught the very first flight to Bombay. I think we got the last two seats on the plane, but we made it safe and sound, and were even able to sit together thanks to a nice man who traded seats! We slept most of the time, and arrived in Bombay at 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning. Shanta, Ken, and Auntie Pumu greeted us at the airport and we were off to "indu buhvan" (the name of the apartment house where the aunties live).
Once we were all there, Aunties Shanta and Pumu blessed us at the house by lighting candles, sprinkling us with rice, and giving us a red dot on our foreheads. We unpacked our american treasures, and finally went to bed around 4 a.m. We slept 'til 8 the next morning, when the honking horns and sounds of the bustling city woke us up. The apartment is great--we're on the 4th floor, and brooke and I have our own little area downstairs. The showers are different, to say the least, but the western toilets are pretty much the same (except our toilet has a special gate on the outside to keep the pigeons out (and that is one place i certainly don't want to have any pigeons!) The aunties are the cutest things ever! They're about 5 ft tall and they love to tease each other and laugh like sisters. They have been so hospitable towards us and we are really lucky to be able to stay in their home and experience india this way.
Wednesday morning we had coffee, scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast. Then we explored the neighborhood--visiting one jewelry shop, lunch, and then walking to the chowpatty beach.
Today has been exciting! the water got turned off to our neighborhood yesterday because of construction, and though it was supposed to come back on last night, no such luck. The aunties had a good amount in storage in their tanks at the apartment, but it's beginning to run out. plenty of bottled water to drink though, so we're doing quite alright. however, I will confess to you that i haven't washed my hair since dallas. is this a problem??? probably so, but it's not really an option right now, so i'll tough it out.
Today we took a cab down into downtown mumbai. It took about an hour and we arrived at the giant gateway of india arch that was built in 1911 when king george and queen mary came to visit. it was a lot like the arch de triomphe, just on the water instead of the middle of the city. then we explored the taj mahal hotel--wow, was this place fancy!!! marble floors, impeccable staff, and exquisite shopping--a lot like looking in the stores at the wynn in las vegas. they had embroidered saris, fancy jewlery stores and designer stores like louis vuitton and burberry. after a little pastry snack, we left the taj hotel to do some shopping.
we found a great little shop and spent at least an hour buying embroidered bedspreads, knicknaks, and games--we even went upstairs to look a few carpets, but none of them were flying carpets, so we declined. then on to lunch at khabar--a super fancy restaurant where we had great curries, tandoori chicken, and even this appetizer that was like vegetable quesadillas with salsa! yum! we cabbed it back to the apartment. I'm truly amazed at the driving here--its unbelievable! horns, cars and pedestrians everywhere!
So far, things have been good. We're having a great time getting to know shanta's aunties & I think that we'll get to meet more family soon.
My heart is heavy though, because my precious Nana, Bessie Patterson, went to heaven to be with Jesus and her beloved Elmer on Christmas morning. She spent an amazing 96 years on this earth; and even though her mind and body had deteriorated in these last few years, she still kept her tender spirit and sparkling smile alive. Mom and Sarah and I went to see her last Friday and Saturday and even if she didn't fully comprehend who we were, she was able to smile and tell us that she loved us. Because of the holidays, mom and my aunts decided to have her funeral and burial in Hereford, TX in mid-January. The family agrees that Nana would have wanted me to go to India, so here I am. Family back home is on my heart though. Most of all, I know Nana has received the best gift of all this Christmas.
Labels: Travel
posted by Katie at 5:44 AM
1 Comments:
Katie,
It's so good to hear that you all made it safe and sound to India. What a blessing. I am so sorry to hear about Nana. I know how special she was to you and all of your family. I am sure Jesus and Elmer were there to greet her, though. Be safe and you may be an aunt to little Beckham by the time you get home. Love ya!!
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