Poinsettias

Our neighbors has some lovely poinsettias in their garden. We noticed a number of poinsettia plants in the neighborhood but they aren't connected to Christmas as Christians are a decided minority in India

Thanksgiving

Molly is a fellow IBMer and Cheesehead. She and Sarah, posing in front of our door, are celebrating Thanksgiving in Bangalore.

Chipwhirls

I call these guys Chipwhirls...ok, they are three-striped palm squirrels but that is so boring! They make very LOUD squeak-screams. Can't miss 'em! I photographed these guys at the Taj Mahal.

Want some fish

Ignore the fact that there is no refrigeration. You probably don't want to know where these were caught given the number of people who lack plumbing and use the waterways for latrines.

Motorcycle travel

The rider right behind the driver is called a pillion. Often, you see the women riding behind the man (who is supposed to be wearing a helmet). This woman is carrying her child. I am amazied that they can ride side-saddle, carry a child, and keep their balance as the motorcycle weaves through traffic.

Diwali Drawing

Thi is an example of the eight-sided lotus found in front of many entrances both commercial and residential during Diwali. Swastiks are also found on door frames, vehicles and store fronts.

Diwali Door

Hindus leave lights by their doors during Diwali to welcome the goddess Laxmi. Windows are left open on the eastern, western, and northern sides of the house all night to allow her to enter. If you listen, you can hear some of the firecrackers going off in the distance. People are supposed to always face east when lighting them and viewers are supposed to face east or north.

More Palm Meadows

I have noticed people accessing my blog looking for information on Palm Meadows.

Try the URL www.palmmeadowsclub.com

I've added a picture of the street cleaner. They keep this place very clean. I also included a couple shots from the clubhouse. There is a monthly fee associated with using the clubhouse and an additional fee to use the pool and gym, but there is a family plan available. The tavern and two restaurants are in the clubhouse.

Malls

The first shot is the entrance on a Sunday at the Forum Mall. There are metal detectors at the entrance an a security person to check inside bags upon entering. By looking at the entrance you would think we were in the midst of an evacuation but that is a typical crowd on a Sunday. What I don't show on the outside is the line waiting to gain entrance, The last shot is a reminder that even with all the new stores and millions of newly affluent Indians, poverty is just around the corner. This was shot while I travelled down the escalator at a new Mall.

Dinner at Inder & Mary Louise's

We were invited to dinner at Inder & Mary Louise's beautiful home the other night. Inder and Sarah work at IBM in Bangalore. When we arrived, someone started setting off fireworks in the distance. We watched from their balcony. I did the best to get some shots with my camera. This was just a sample of what it was like during Diwali!!

No videos for a while

Blogspot is having severe technical difficulties allowing uploading videos. They perhaps should have worked out the kinks before offering us all this option!!

Beggar

Usually you will be asked for money when walking along a street in India, though I was suddenly surrounded by several school girls with palms extended when I entered a museum. Begging isn't limited to the poor. When your car is stopped in traffic, you are likely to be approached by vendors selling fruit, magazines, or facial tissue. Here I was struck by the age of the man looking for money. NOTE: I have added the head shot since I saw the same man a couple weeks later at the same intersection.

Navratri at the Rajgargh Restaurant

Sarah and I went to the Indian restaurant at Palm Meadows where they had decorated the entrance for Navratri. We all received bindis on our foreheads upon arrival.

Outside Bounce

This is what I saw outside of Bounce, the hair salon we frequented in Bangalore. I liked the oxen. The cages with yellow tops are used to divide traffic lanes. They are needed because people push into each other's lanes all the time. It is the only way to guarantee keeping traffic divided. All these AC units were just down the street from Bounce.

Flower Pots at Diwali

These fireworks are called "flower pots" and are very popular at Diwali.

Firecrackers

Now you have to imagine, strings of firecrackers this loud. Then imagine thousands of people lighting these at the same time, along with bottle rockets, "flower pots" and actual fireworks going on at the same time. When Sarah and I walked home from the clubhouse Saturday night, it sounded like a war zone! Now imagine this happening all over India for days!! Diwali is India's favorite holiday!!

Celebrating Diwali

Here our neighbor sets off a cherry bomb. Notice how excited his son is getting in the background. To the left is Anju and her little daughter, Nandu. Later Anju was lighting firecrackers, too. I have to admit, seeing mothers getting into lighting the fireworks was new to me. I can't imagine my mother lighting firecrackers!!

Children celebrate Diwali

The children really get excited celebrating Diwali. The neighbor boy gives us a good example of this. He is joined by some of the children of the neighborhood. Note the little girl rushing out with her hair still in a towel. The boy is showing his friends the large firecracker he plans to light...hence the screams!

Sarah

I'm posting some pictures of Sarah taken recently at the Oberoi and at the Taj Mahal. We're having some technical difficulties at blogspot so my videos haven't been loading properly. Hopefully in a few days, this will be fixed.

Diwali Food Sculptures

The mermaid is carveed out of an Indian pumpkin.

Diwali

Some of the people attending the Diwali dinner. David Tai and his family: David is Sarah's boss while she is in India. I had to take a few pictures of this cute little boy. he was the hit of the evening. The last picture is of Sarah's friend Chef Bala who was able to make sure her dietary requirements were met.

Diwali Fusion Music

I thought you might like to hear the vocals and music. The high female voice is the preferred style here. You hear this type of voice in the Bollywood movies.

Diwali at Palm Meadows

Palm Meadows put on a Diwali celebration around their pool. The lobby was decorated with flower displays. The poolside cafe had a banquet.

Bug in our Garden

I have no idea what kind of bug this is. I at first thought it was a piece of plastic. It is about the size of a fingernail. I hope you can pick up the pretty detail. You may have to click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Dining at the Maurya

I noticed that the walls between diners at the restaurant had large holes in them. These holes made this interesting picture possible. The Maurya in Delhi is a sister hotel to the Windsor, our home for the first 5 weeks we were in Bangalore.