The title of this post is a pretentious-sounding vocabulary word I came across in my readings for work today. Evidently a peripatetic is a person who travels from place to place, living and working in each for a relatively short period of time. I want to be a peripatetic. Even though the word itself sounds arthritic and totally lacking in energy.
I saw all sorts of strange signs on the road today...the first said Donate your eyes so a blind man can see colours also! and mentioned nothing about how the donation of ones eyes does in fact cause blindness in the donor's case...and the specification of colours was totally over my head.
Then there was AIR AVAILABLE! with a nice big arrow pointing to the left, where there was a large empty lot. There did indeed seem to be a lot of air available for the taking.
The auto driver who brought me to work this morning stopped some 12 times to ask passersby directions, never once asking me. It was actually one of those things that made me fall in love with the country all over again. He just pulled up his little three-wheeler in front of a man on a motorbike, who halted obligingly and gave him detailed directions twice, once in Kannada and once in English for my benefit. People at bus stops, other auto drivers, a woman crossing the street, all stopped in their days to make sure we knew where we were going (which in fact, I did, if he would just have listened to me!).
Instead of juice at the end of the workday, I went with two colleagues to a little snack stand where they ordered me masala toast, literally the best sandwich I've ever had and I don't even like sandwiches. It was spicy and tangy and sweet, overstuffed and perfect.
When I got home, Joanna was still at the clinic so Nani and I headed out to Ram Mandhir. When I was only thirty days old I was taken there for my first blessings. It is beautiful and calm, and Nani and I had archana done (specific blessings for the family done by the priest).
Outside the temple was a shiny new car surrounded by a large family and a chanting priest...
A new car must always be blessed by God, according to Hindus (as is technically the case with all new possessions). The entire family stands around, boredom visible on the faces of younger members, well masked on the older relatives. Flowers and fruit are arranged on the car's hood and at least half an hour of chanting is performed. Seems a little strange, but then you ride in the traffic here and are totally thankful people are getting their new cars protected by a higher authority.
We're currently trying to arrange our trip to Mysore. And now it is dinnertime! Hope everyone is having a great day...
I saw all sorts of strange signs on the road today...the first said Donate your eyes so a blind man can see colours also! and mentioned nothing about how the donation of ones eyes does in fact cause blindness in the donor's case...and the specification of colours was totally over my head.
Then there was AIR AVAILABLE! with a nice big arrow pointing to the left, where there was a large empty lot. There did indeed seem to be a lot of air available for the taking.
The auto driver who brought me to work this morning stopped some 12 times to ask passersby directions, never once asking me. It was actually one of those things that made me fall in love with the country all over again. He just pulled up his little three-wheeler in front of a man on a motorbike, who halted obligingly and gave him detailed directions twice, once in Kannada and once in English for my benefit. People at bus stops, other auto drivers, a woman crossing the street, all stopped in their days to make sure we knew where we were going (which in fact, I did, if he would just have listened to me!).
Instead of juice at the end of the workday, I went with two colleagues to a little snack stand where they ordered me masala toast, literally the best sandwich I've ever had and I don't even like sandwiches. It was spicy and tangy and sweet, overstuffed and perfect.
When I got home, Joanna was still at the clinic so Nani and I headed out to Ram Mandhir. When I was only thirty days old I was taken there for my first blessings. It is beautiful and calm, and Nani and I had archana done (specific blessings for the family done by the priest).
Outside the temple was a shiny new car surrounded by a large family and a chanting priest...
A new car must always be blessed by God, according to Hindus (as is technically the case with all new possessions). The entire family stands around, boredom visible on the faces of younger members, well masked on the older relatives. Flowers and fruit are arranged on the car's hood and at least half an hour of chanting is performed. Seems a little strange, but then you ride in the traffic here and are totally thankful people are getting their new cars protected by a higher authority.
We're currently trying to arrange our trip to Mysore. And now it is dinnertime! Hope everyone is having a great day...
You posts are so "Wodehousean".I love them..He would write things like -"he looked more like a parrot than most parots do". Have a great trip to Mysore.
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