I took a picture of this couple without their knowledge. Indian men do not allow (allow!!!) their women to be photographed. When they stopped the clinch and came up for air I asked the man if I could take their picture and he said no. Uh.......okay.
These boys asked me to take their picture. So I did. They spoke a little English and were the embodiment of teenagers in the U.S., minus the drugs and alcohol, bad attitude and sense of entitlement.
Two other Americans in for surgery. The one lying in bed was a real bitch. 
Looking out of one of the hospital rooms. Mumbai is in serious development mode.
A double-decker bus in downtown Mumbai. The British used to have a stronghold here so the bus was really no surprise.
This cab driver drove me all over downtown Mumbai so I could see the city and S H O P. I was in the sapphire capital of the world and I was determined to find a fabulous ring and I did, only not that day. I had to wait and bring in the big shopping guns who took me to the boutique where President Clinton and other heads of state shopped. That place was dangerous. I now own a 10 inch high 22 carat gold elephant. Seriously, how did I ever live without that? And if push comes to shove, can I use it to pay my rent?
My driver didn't speak English but I was dying to ask him why he kept Ganesh and a roll of toilet paper on his dashboard. Ganesh is the God that will help you with obstacles in your life. I bought a few of them and gave one to a friend who was battling a life-threatening situation (he made it, hi Eric!) and I always keep one in my car, just like all the Indian drivers. I kept him by my bed in the hospital and the nurses used to pick him up and kiss him. I had a more beautiful hand-carved and hand-painted statue of Shiva, also by the bed, but Shiva was always ignored in favor of Ganesh.
End of Indian chat.
what does a ganesh look like 'cause I only see the toilet paper. :)
ReplyDeleteGanesh is the God with the giant elephant nose. It's hard to see it in this photo but all cab drivers have a Ganesh in their cars. This one is sitting on the dashboard and is yellow.
ReplyDeletestill trying to figure out why you were in the hospital.
ReplyDeleteHey anonymous, email me and I'll tell you. Only use your name, k?
ReplyDeleteI so would have gone on that trip with you. Even though I have an unhealthy fear of Indian males, and the bathroom issues scare me. Still, I would've gone....
ReplyDeleteThe bathrooms were pristine. No one pees on a seat over there, like they do here. Women can really be disgusting, you know?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the offer D, really sweet to post that. If you had come, I would have had to buy you a sapphire ring too!
I am at work and I am able to comment! Fools! They thought they could block me, but I found a way in!
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures and stories. They make me long for the ocean.
gm, you are invincible.
ReplyDeleteWatch out for Ganesh. He can use his elephant nose to get sweets. While Ganesh was in your car, did you ever have a craving for something sweet and stop and buy it?
ReplyDeleteAloha,
Martha Jane
MJ, being the Queen of Sweets, I don't need a statue of a Hindu God to lead me to a 7-11.
ReplyDeleteAhhhhhh, a 7-11. Now see what you've done?
Hi! Glad all is well. I loved the photo tours of your stay in India. I lived overseas for five years (Saudi Arabia!) and it was always fascinating to be submerged in an entirely different culture.
ReplyDeleteThanks from your newest fan. :)
Eva, Saudi Arabia!! It's one place I've never been. Do you have pics of your time there? Put them on your blog girl!!
ReplyDeleteSuzy,
ReplyDeleteNot many pictures have been scanned into the digital realm, since I have no scanner. However, my husband and I met there when I was ten. Serious pre-teen crushes on both ends. A couple years ago, I scanned pic of us back then at the Red Sea, spending a day at the beach with my parents:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/75567558@N00/740550342/
I'll see about borrowing a scanner. Great idea, Suzy!
omaga, you guys are SO cute. And that's the guy you married? I love stories like that.
ReplyDeleteDude, get a scanner. STAT.