Things I love about Mysore , India India-
- the beautiful, sometimes crazy, wild, & wondrous colors of saris that are eye catching and everywhere.
- Women wearing said saris with horrible looking masculine shoes. *think teva*
- Women wearing Salwar suits with sneakers.
- Small boys with their ears pierced.
- Men in cuts and colors Americans would deem feminine (v-neck, tight bum straight leg jeans, pink, purple, flowers)
- Uniforms—all white, tan, etc.
- Women driving scooters in heels, with socks.
- Fruit and veg stands on every block corner.
- Seeing people here that are Indian but somehow look just like people at home, ie Indian Ginny! (an old, crazy, but good crazy New York Italian neighbor of mine)
- Stores for everything! Bolsters? There’s a store on the main drag for that. Bags? Yup there’s one for those too. Helmets, pluming supplies, sweets, shoes, stationary & pens, bracelets, buckets, you name it there is a store devoted to it.
- Little school kids (in uniform!) that ask me for Rupees and when I say “rupees, you have some for me!” they laugh and shake their heads no. (I learned this trick from Hunnie and I love it. Unless the children are beggars I generally hold out my hand and smile at them asking for whatever it is they want from me. Money, chocolate, soda we all laugh and go on our way.)
- Small happy children working in their parents shop—1 in particular that stands on the counter and says things like, “What” meaning, “What may I help you with madam?” Or, his reply when I say thank you, “maybe”. Hysterical.
- Animals—everywhere. Goats, cows, oxen, dogs (okay I’m not into the street dogs necessarily but some of them are sweet), cats, bats, birds, lizards, even the cockroaches because they remind me to stop taking myself so seriously.
- Tuk-tuk drivers that ask if I want a ride in the most obvious of instances where I don’t want a ride… like, when I’ve literally just stepped out of a tuk-tuk. This used to annoy me but now I find it comical.
- The fact that smiling at someone can change everything—ie a sour looking woman in the grocery store who gave me daggers, I smiled at her and suddenly the world is totally different. She smiled right back and bobbed her head hello. Amazing.
- Big size Madam…The size of people here ranges so dramatically but in general they are very small. I mean so small that I often feel like a very big woman all 5 4’ 52 kg’s of me. This fact is reiterated when I go to a shop for shoes, bracelets, or clothes. Inevitably the sales person whoever he/she is will offer me, “Big size Madam”. Again this used to bother me but now, I wait for it, a little excited even.
- The two boys (brothers) that work at the chai stand. The youngest one is all smiles, the older one is a tad more grumpy and they both have cowlicks that won’t quit. Today the younger one made owl eyes at me while I got my chai and the older one told me they are, “big chai & little chai” and then broke out in uproarious laughter. Adorable.
- Rangoli—beautiful and intricate designs. Look it up…and see pictures below.
- Fresh, homemade cookies from the chocolate man for 60 Rupees per bag of five. About 1.35usd. (chocolate peanut butter, chocolate hazelnut, oatmeal, coconut, almond and all delicious)
- Coconuts—drinking, eating and the internationally known coconut stand.
- Practicing yoga with Saraswati. A wonderfully difficult and quiet experience yet her maternal strength & force—of pure love is there, always there.
- Power cuts. Again, something that one might find annoying I enjoy. In part because it gives me time to consider all the ways I take things for granted at home. On a more mundane level it also causes me to s l o w down and take a rest.
- Train travel. This is hands down the best way to travel in
- Small indulgences that I can’t afford at home; regular massage, hair oil treatments, visits to the dentist, etc. Even if these experiences are odd or not up to my previous expectations they are experiences I often cant afford or don’t have at home.
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