Wowee! Boy, do I have a lot to tell you! Saturday was a wild and crazy day in India. No work done whatsoever besides a little brainstorming. Today was all about the cultural experiences!! So, the day began surprisingly early considering I went to bed very late. I just am not a sleeper-in-er, too many exciting things to do I suppose! So breakfast was first on the agenda - you saw pics. of this and I also took some pics around ICRISAT. Then I knew that Claire was interested in heading to the really close market. So, I tried to plan the possibility for a nap into my day and we went before lunch to the market.
(This actually didn't end up happening! After the market I was just too pumped up! Sleep later, right!?!?)
Let me tell you the most exciting thing ever. So what you do is flag down an autorickshaw and cram in - hold on - arrive at destination - and pay. You settle on the price before you get in and typically people try to make us pay a lot. 8 Rs. for the ride - 40 Rs. for your white skin they say! Just kidding! But anyway, some were saying 50 Rs. and we say, "Too much, too much." Then we found an auto for 8 Rs. a piece. That is what the locals pay!! So proud. Then on the way back, we got another rickshaw for 8 Rs. a piece - - - and that was after the 50 Rs. offer!!
So we went to this market which is just like a grocery store actually. We were gonna see a few other places but spent so much time there we had to head back to ICRISAT for lunch before our next excursion. So, back to ICRISAT we went. Then we had lunch - full of philosophical conversation and invigorating thought. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of our conversation. Afterward, I was like, "Claire, why haven't we been having these convos. every lunch!?!" It was fun to share and challenge one another as we debated and contemplated our purposes and the method by which we obtain fufillment, and so on.
Then Claire and I had some great bonding time as we chatted and reminisced and then thought ahead to how excited we are for the youth institute in the fall while she did her last laundry ever in India! Before we knew it, it was 3:30 and time to head out. We had 3 taxis full and our taxi pulled out 1st so we were the lead taxi I guess! Uh-oh! All was ok, things got a little (a lot) hot and long on the way - but it usually takes about 1 hr. to hyderabad and w/ traffic it was like 1.45 hrs. Then we arrived at this museum of the arts so I think we had a miscommunication w/ some of the drivers. We wanted to go to the Chowmahalla palace where we would find the S. African Indian arts celebration. So we left there and headed to the palace, which, I guess closes at 5 o'clock.
It was after 5 o'clock. Miscommunication again! We thought the exhibition show began at 5 pm! Ha - ha! Well I did some talking and then was able to get some great pics. anyway! Next we went to Charminar - one of the 7 wonders of hyderabad where we met some awesome people. Some indians wanted to sell things to us of course, but after I didn't want to buy - they still wanted to talk and be our friends. It was so much fun!!! They spoke to me in Spanish, which was a lot of fun! Their knowledge of languages is fabulous! The state languages are a big sense of pride here so in A.P. (Andra Pradesh) or (AAAAndHraa PrAAAdesh) Telagu is the popular local tongue.
Then from there we went to City Centre, which is a shopping center and entertainment place for the "new Hyderabad". It is so westernized and modern - it is fascinating to see the differences b/w the old and new cities. There I roamed around a bit and then we went over to this extreme sports bar and restaurant. We hung out there for a couple of hrs., chatted, watched some US gymnasts on tv, sang to some popular US songs, and then headed back to ICRISAT. We got home about midnight and I was absolutely ex - ha - uste - dddd! We actually left early too at the sports place so we could return. It was really nice our friends Sarah and Charlie came back w/ us b/c we needed a full taxi to leave. That is why we were there waiting. . . So, much appreciation to them. Check out this night of photos on my album: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=233684&id=632933553&1=9137aOf128 !
Also, I was a photographer around ICRISAT and took some photos in the morn before the market and full day excursion! So, here is that album too! http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=233689&id=632933553&I=c4ad29338a !
Happy picture-browsing!
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