India - October 2009
First Day in India
First Day in India
| Oct. 7 My First Day in India |
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| This was my first day in India. Rohinee and I took a walk around the neighborhood. It felt good to be standing up and walking; I think I had plane butt from sitting in a plane for 19 hours. Later in the day, we went to visit Nalinee and Vishwas, Rohinee's sister and brother-in-law. This would be my first of many rickshaw rides. These rickshaws are 3-wheeled motorized vehicles. During the ride, I noticed the driver leaning over the steering wheel every few minutes. I thought he was praying; hey, what do I know. Later, I asked Rohinee what he was doing, she said he was spitting from chewing Paan. Paan is made from Betal leaves. Sometimes, the spit is red because of added ingredients. You can see red stain on sidewalks, walls, etc. It reminded me of my Grandpa Schmidt who chewed snoose (chewing tobacco). YUK!  Paan is chewed as a palate cleanser and a breath freshener. The betel leaves are folded or rolled up with slices of the dry areca nut (shown upperl left of image) or other ingredients.One of Rohinee's cousins served Paan at a brunch we went to during the Diwali festival. Rohinee, of course, loved the stuff like it was dessert. I tried it (yea for me!) but I think cheese and crackers work better as a palate cleanser. When lime is added to Paan it can have a narcotic affect. No wonder people eat the stuff! However, these ingredients can also cause nausea, giddiness, perspiration and initial symptoms of poisoning in those who are not used to paan. Symptoms of poisoning? I'm glad I only had one bite; besides, getting used to having curry in everything I eat was difficult enough of an experience. I'm a picky eater so you can imagine what a good time I had with meals. I'm so glad I brought 4 boxes of granola bars with. And Rohinee's mother was very accomodating and made sure not too much curry was used in meals. THANK YOU, me and my body are forever grateful! And, can you say "culture shock?" The condition is real and I had it after only one day in India. Wow! Along with this "wholly cow, I can't believe I'm really here" feeling, I also got my first experience with jet lag. Losing 10.5 hours makes you feel like you're having an "out of body" experience. By about 3:00 p.m. I must have had a blank stare on my face because Nalinee and Rohinee sent me to bed for a nap. They said they've seen the look before on other people that have come to visit. I did feel a bit overwhelmed and the journey was just beginning. Also, cows are considered sacred in Hindu religion so there really are holy cows. About Pune Pune is the eighth largest city in India, and the second largest in the state of Maharashtra, after Mumbai. It has a population of approximately 5 milliion people. Pune is known to have existed as a town since 937 AD. Today, Pune is known for its educational facilities, having more than a hundred educational institutes and nine universities. |
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