Panic, PANIC, P.A.N.I.C.!
Tuesday, 3. November 2009, 05:23:24
Apparently, I am cursed.
Parting Shots
Monday, 2. November 2009, 13:53:15
The child who took the silk factory tour barefoot - because she lost one shoe out of the autorickshaw - which upset only her mother. After all, all the workers were barefoot.
This one's for you, Kate - I thought Shawn should have asked for permission, but he didn't. Tit for tat....
Bet they didn't wake up and think "Gee, think I'll go bathe at the river and hope that my picture will be plastered on the internet today." Another one for you, Kate!
Still waiting to try this one. Either it has to be a very small bridge, or a very big foot.
We took the Shotabhi Express back to Chennai - it was fabulous. They kept feeding and feeding us, and no one got sick from the food. Whew.
Traveller's tip: the Mysore train station has a first-class waiting room (one for gents, one for ladies, in fact) with CLEAN restrooms.
Now the Chennai train station....well.....if I told you, you wouldn't believe it.
Driving home we saw the funniest thing. A man, on a horse (even in Chennai horses are rarely seen), holding a bag of grain in front of him on the pommel, in the middle of a hugely busy intersection. I will forever have this etched in my memory - the horse twitching nervously, surrounded by every kind of motorized traffic imaginable; the rider, urging him on while clutching his sack of grain.
Saturated with Silk!
Monday, 2. November 2009, 13:36:09
My FAVORITE part of our visit to Mysore was visiting the silk factory. My oh my! Sans camera (had to be left at security 
), we wandered around the factory, completely on our own - through the silk spinning room; the twisting room (twisting two strands into one); the warp room (giant machines threaded with hundreds of spools of silk created the background, or warp, ready for weaving); the weaving room, where the weft is added to create the fabrice; and then on to the washing, dyeing, and ironing rooms. It was fascinating. I loved it. Can I say that again? I loved it. Even if it was ear-shatteringly noisy.
Mysore is famous for a soft, thin silk that holds its color for decades. We were lucky and there was a large display tent outside the factory where a pretty girl who spoke English explained the process of making silk, complete with photos and silkworm cocoons. Sadly it was a temporary display.
S enjoyed it also because he found an inlaid coffee table at the handicraft exhibit. It must be 5'X3" - but he got it on the train.
Not in the luggage compartment either - they took the legs off, wrapped everything up good, and it rode in the first class compartment in the overhead luggage bin. I couldn't believe it.
), we wandered around the factory, completely on our own - through the silk spinning room; the twisting room (twisting two strands into one); the warp room (giant machines threaded with hundreds of spools of silk created the background, or warp, ready for weaving); the weaving room, where the weft is added to create the fabrice; and then on to the washing, dyeing, and ironing rooms. It was fascinating. I loved it. Can I say that again? I loved it. Even if it was ear-shatteringly noisy. Mysore is famous for a soft, thin silk that holds its color for decades. We were lucky and there was a large display tent outside the factory where a pretty girl who spoke English explained the process of making silk, complete with photos and silkworm cocoons. Sadly it was a temporary display.
S enjoyed it also because he found an inlaid coffee table at the handicraft exhibit. It must be 5'X3" - but he got it on the train.
Not in the luggage compartment either - they took the legs off, wrapped everything up good, and it rode in the first class compartment in the overhead luggage bin. I couldn't believe it. Palace #2
Monday, 2. November 2009, 13:08:05
The Lalitha Mahal was originally built to house visiting dignitaries. It nestles in the foothills on the outskirts of town, and, from afar, looks remarkably like the White House. Today it is still in the hosting business - as a five-star hotel. We took an autorickshaw there to sample the lunch menu, and got an informal tour of the most famous rooms. According to our guide (one of the custodial staff, I believe), we saw the "King's room" which housed Steven Seagall and Princess Diana, as well as a couple of Nehrus; and also the "Princess's room". Like everything else in India they are in need of some minor repairs, but splendiforous even in their run-down state. All antiques and ginormous rooms, with canopy beds and flat-screen TVs.
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Palace #1
Monday, 2. November 2009, 12:43:34
The Green Hotel bills itself as an ecologically friendly, environmentally conscious hotel. That is not why I chose it. I chose it because it was relatively inexpensive and it is a renovated palace - the former residence of the Maharaja's daughters, when they wanted a break from the main palace. Overall it was charming - lovely ambience, nice staff, interesting library, and great food. (The bakery staff were trained by the frenchman who runs "La Boulangerie" here in Chennai.)
It is a mark of our years in India that the fact that it did not have electricity 80% of the time didn't even phase us. I had packed flashlights (along with my mace and plenty of toilet tissue), and the hotel provided candles for free.
What they lacked in electric (generators are baaaad for the environment), they made up for with all the lovely solar hot water you could use. And a bathtub. Candlelit baths all around.
It is a mark of our years in India that the fact that it did not have electricity 80% of the time didn't even phase us. I had packed flashlights (along with my mace and plenty of toilet tissue), and the hotel provided candles for free.
What they lacked in electric (generators are baaaad for the environment), they made up for with all the lovely solar hot water you could use. And a bathtub. Candlelit baths all around.
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Meanduring In Mysore
Monday, 2. November 2009, 12:34:35
Last weekend S had a business trip to Mysore, a city of about one million people in the neighboring state of Karnataka. He and L have been there before, on their motorcycle trip, but J and I had not seen the "city of palaces". By dint of much persuasion (no, wait, it was really because I wasn't paying close enough attention to what he was saying), he got me to agree to go with him on the overnight train.
Here I am, sick with fear. Of what? I'm not sure. It was a combination of "what ifs?"...."what if the train wrecks?" (there was a train accident in Delhi that very day that claimed over 25 lives); "what if someone steals all of our belongings?" (has happened to friends); "what if our bunkmates snore?" (shared compartments); "what if the train is infested with bedbugs/roaches/ants/lice"....anyway, nothing happened. We had very nice fellow passengers and I amused everyone by pretending to be Mr. Monk and using Chlorox wipes to clean the vinyl bed and surroundings.
And I did not use the toilet. Because they go straight.down.to.the.tracks. Yep, just a hole.
After a bumpy but pleasant night's sleep we arrived at Mysore and checked into the Green Hotel.
To Be Continued
Here I am, sick with fear. Of what? I'm not sure. It was a combination of "what ifs?"...."what if the train wrecks?" (there was a train accident in Delhi that very day that claimed over 25 lives); "what if someone steals all of our belongings?" (has happened to friends); "what if our bunkmates snore?" (shared compartments); "what if the train is infested with bedbugs/roaches/ants/lice"....anyway, nothing happened. We had very nice fellow passengers and I amused everyone by pretending to be Mr. Monk and using Chlorox wipes to clean the vinyl bed and surroundings.
And I did not use the toilet. Because they go straight.down.to.the.tracks. Yep, just a hole.
After a bumpy but pleasant night's sleep we arrived at Mysore and checked into the Green Hotel.
To Be Continued
Cast into the Caste System
Saturday, 10. October 2009, 06:23:27
Disclaimer: these are entirely my own biased perceptions and my intent is not to educate you about the entire Indian culture. My intent is solely to express my anger at this social injustice.
Creativity
Wednesday, 7. October 2009, 10:27:07
I love this video. His talk was excellent.
I feel personally that creativity is one of the keys to happiness in life. Any way to make the world a more beautiful place is soul-satisfying.
One of the best qualities about India is the creativity of its people. I have never seen such ingenuity. Within their own framework, albeit different and limited by some western standards, they do marvellous works. I especially love what they do with textiles - the amazing colors, embroidery, and design astonish me. I still feel that the sari is the most feminine, elegant garment I have ever seen worn by women (although I can't properly wear it myself.
)Every time I go shopping for clothing here I look at the saris and think of the beautiful quilts, draperies, and other things that could be made out of that much fabric. I finally succumbed and made some pillows - my own attempt at creating - using the sari pallau (elaborate fold that falls down the back) and trim:
Part of the pallau (diamond patterned fabric), and some of the sari trim, paired with some brown silk.
More detail from a different part of the pallau.
Very American - patchwork with ruffles (made from the sari border). The grey is the original sari color; the brown, a separate fabric that goes with our couch. As always, the ruffles took forever!
Floor pillows for the kids to sit on!
I can't lie....I used a lot of stitch witchery!
Showing posts 1 - 10 of 340.
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Chennai blogs I read regularly:
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India - Walking in the Sand
A couple running an orphanage in Tamil Nadu
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Mad Dogs and Englishmen
Really enjoying the British flavor of this one!
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DesiPundit
A really excellent compilation of various Indian blogs
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India Aussie Style
The Aussies take on Chennai.
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The Perlman Update
I love the intro! :)
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Sher the Love
An expatriate couple here longer than many of us - AND they've independently adopted an Indian child - priceless!
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Days of Our Lives in India
Some good friends of ours moved here recently - share their adventures too!
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Journey to India
Blogging is very popular here.
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Where in the World is the Armijo Family
The Armijos take some awesome trips!
Friend's blogs:
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A Whole New World blog
A very, very insightful look into special needs parenting.
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On Krista's Mind
A very special woman who has brain cancer takes the time to uplift us all.
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Chinese Starfish
This outstanding woman gave up a good career to start her own orphanage in Xian, China, for special needs orphans. My heroine!!
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Pam in Henan, China
You have to read the story of how she saved her Chinese daughter's life....and has spent 4 years living in China trying to adopt her.
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Cherilyn's blog
Neat family who adopted from Kazakhstan, and unbelievably, lived around the corner from us in IL.
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Barbara & Wayne's blog
Read all about their travels! Barbara is one of my oldest and dearest friends.
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Danie's blog
Lots of moving around here!
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Lynn and family
Moving back to the US - we will miss you!
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Marsha
Sadly, tragedy struck and they too have moved back to the US.
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Jennifer's blog
Yes, they too are moving back! So sad.
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Donna's site
Moving, moving, everyone is moving....sniff.
Favorite Furniture Stores
- Collections Unique, 110 ECR (below "Mermaid Swimming Pools")
antique and repro furniture, pricey but nice
- The Treasure, #170/2 ALM Complex, opp. Prarthana Theatre, Injambakkam, ECR
same quality as Collections but better prices
- Timber, Old No. 6 Rutland Gate, 4th St, Nungambakkam; also a showroom in Kilpauk
beautiful imported teak furniture from Indonesia
- Centuar Furniture, 18, 3rd Cross Road, Raja Annamalai Puram
- Grand Teak, 19 (Old no. 10) II Main Rd, R.A. Puram
solid wood imports from Indonesia
- Tulsi Arterior, Nungambakkam
made-to-order furniture and lots of nice ready-made peices. Custom upholstering.
- Teak Heirlooms, New 19, 1st Cross St, Sterling Rd, Nungambakkam
outdoor teak furniture as well as coconut wood furniture
- Rani Arts and Teak, No. 8, Harrington Rd, Chetpet
widest variety of all-Indian furniture and artifacts - but very pricey!
- Mani's - New #31, Old #17 Royapettah High Road, 044 28133078
GREAT PRICES on used furniture. He will polish it up and it will look like new.
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Aurorachana Export Antiques and Furniture, Hope, Auroville, Tamil Nadu 9443220174
I've saved the very best for last. This place is run by two Germans who've lived here 30 years. They do an outstanding job restoring and refinishing old furniture, as well as custom-make just about anything you'd want to buy.
Weather in Chennai
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