indian charm

these photos tickle me.
i know that's a very weird phrase to use, but it's the only way i can describe how happy these next 4 pictures make me. they're a random bunch, especially put together, but i think i love them because they represent very peculiar parts of india that i'll miss when i go home. and really, really memorable moments...

the is raju, my friend sonia's little brother, on the bed laughing, and his friend/neighbor with the two doves. i was sitting at their place one day, and this boy just walks in with two doves on him. like it happens every day (oh wait, it does!). they're not even pets, but they might as well be--the boys have spent so much time with them, they're practically trained to do tricks. they were having a blast playing with them--but it made me cringe at moments (raju especially needs to be reminded that they're living creatures...not just paper airplanes). david, if you were in india as a 6 year old, i could definitely see you doing this...

ahhh--after thursday's weekly market in ramdarbar...i stocked up because having an indian woman with you cuts your prices down dramatically. ok, so check it: papaya, cucumbers, apples, green beans, mangoes (2 kinds), onions and pears. guess how much? 77 RUPEES!! (ahem, that is around $2 for everything you see on the table right here)

Mr. Narinder Singh, Guardian Angel of Tourists! Every morning I wait for the bus at a stop 5 minutes away from our house. And this particular morning, Mr. Singh rides up to the stop on his bicycle, hops off, and greets me warmly. Before I even know it, he whips out a photocopied article from The Times of India titled "The Guardian Angel of Tourists," with a photo of himself smack dab in the center. "To hundreds of tourists who come to this city from abroad on a shoe- string budget, meeting Narinder Singh ‘international’ is a blessing...he carries a small writing pad where grateful tourists have showered praise on this good samaritan... and it’s a small paper window to the languages of the world, in hebrew, korean, french, german, japanese, english and in hindi. some have recommended even knighthood for him." i really felt like i was in the presence of a great celebrity--one who was showering me with attention, teaching me hindi words, making sure i knew where i was going. i will never forget how kind he was, with his smile and joking manner, saying, "I am your Indian grandpa, OK?" What an inspirational person, and so representative of India's hospitality. (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/40739486.cms)

the other morning nithin walks into our room at 5:30 am or something mad like that, and tells me that I have to go outside and see the sunrise. i am incredibly confused because to me it already looks like it's light out--and i mumble something and make my way to the top of the house. we are lucky enough to have easy access to our roof. :) beautiful sunrise, the clouds were remarkable.