indian machismo

i've been dying to talk "to" this subject for a while. i admit, however, i couldn't come up with a catchy enough title for it. either way. i take taxis to school most everyday. every morning i wake up, get ready, and call C Block Market Taxi stand. the conversation usually goes something like this
them: "hello"
me: "uh, yes, taxi stand? i'd like a taxi please, B1-24"
them: "d for delhi?"
me:"NO! b for bombay, 1 by t-w-e-n-t-y f-o-u-r"
them: (any take on the following): "(silence, then hang up), yes madam, coming, right away"
me(screaming at the phone which is now disconnected): seriously? i call every freaken day....ahhh!

a little sidetracked....back to the taxis. i usually take a taxi or an auto home as well. some days i read, listen to the ipod or talk on the phone. lately, however, i've been doing a lot of noticing.
the setting is usually the same. taxi/auto going too fast, dude in front slams on brakes with or without brake lights, we almost crash into it, my heart leaps into my mouth and we stop 3 cm before their bumper. it's what happen next that varies according to the machismo. (would machindian have been a better title?)

in the fall a taxi behind mine crashed into us. the driver sped ahead (i relaxed) but then proceeded to cut the other driver off, force him to stop. then he got out and whacked him. one might call it a bitch slap. it was awkward and uncomfortable. had it not been for the 2 cases of beer in the trunk i would've ran into an auto.

just last week before my 630am workout (eat your heart out!) we had one of the above mentioned scenarios....the slamming on the brakes. this time we sped ahead of the driver and slowed down. i knew this situation all too well and started firmly telling the driver to just keep going....but he slows down just enough to creep past and make this creepy eye contact, which basically means, what the *#$*#( you #*($@(#*.

and today, which was the inspiration to post, was the macho tuk tuk driver. he flew over speed bumps, careened around traffic circles....and then yelled at the police officer who was (very poorly) controlling the street lights. after yelling he continued the stare down far into the middle of the intersection...nice, dude.

it's these little things that keep it real here in india.

do you want to play holi with me?

school's out, for wednesday at least. today we celebrated holi with millions of indians. the streets clearly out, the morning is spent throwing colors, and then a visit to the temple! holi celebrates the welcoming of spring. this year there was a genuine effort to throw "organic" colors at each other. either way you look at it, it's a mess. a very fun, colorful, rowdy, messy mess.
fabulous day off!

india mike

found this cool website from my friend jon. has tons of forums and articles about, you named it, india. i just read an article about a man's travels through india and found this quote quite approp.
enjoy!

"Every westerner could benefit from spending at least one full year in India, during which time you will be broken down, disassembled, reassembled and honed into a full-fledged human being, for better and for worse.... Namaste!"

a saturday in delhi

laura, julie, kate and i on our way to q'ba

yesterday was an exceptionally fun delhi day. one of those days that you can't plan. it started with a little trip up to connaught place. laura and i were going to check some of our favorite shops, because, afterall, in delhi shopping has become my hobby. we did our buying and moved on to a place in my new "LOVE, DELHI" book. it highlights some of the funkier places that are not to be missed. so, we headed to triveni tea terrace, after about 4 rickshaw drivers that didn't know how to get there i realized i should have brought the map. kate and julie met us there and what was suppsed to be this funky little place where all the "artsy folk." it wasnt actually all that great, but it was a sweet location. the restaurant was apparently closing, which really just answered everyone's desire to go somewhere else. so we headed to q'ba. famous (to us) for it's 1+1=4 Happy Hour equation and shwarma. So, one drink each turns to two, then three, and you guessed it, 4. not wanting the fun to end with came back to my house and sat on the porch for another few rounds. and just like that, saturday was over.
great day in delhi with great gals:)