Last weekend I took the neighbours' children to a Kids Day Celebration at their school. I guess the audience must have numbered around three hundred parents and children - a very good turn out. Well, I managed to sit through the three speeches (Indians like their speeches) and was looking forward to the kids' performances. Only I missed them because all of a sudden I had my head between my knees and fingers in my ears! My God, the volume! Phenomenal! After the first little act was over I almost ran from the seating area, right to the very back, and it was still loud even there. I was later told that there were fifteen loudspeaker stacks covering the area. FIFTEEN! It was louder than a damned rock concert! I don't know but perhaps Indian have specially reinforced eardrums. There were many kids between me and the speakers and not one seemed to be having difficulties with the volume, not that I hung around long to check!
On the thirty minute bus journey from Kovalam into Trivandrum, a couple of km before you arrive, there's this traffic sign which always catches my attention. It says "Obay Traffic Rules". The spelling makes me smile but I wonder how many people actually see it or comply with it, being as it is in the centre of traffic and signage chaos. Nice pimped out Mitsubishi, by the way!
I like this little shop, advertising "Darning and Saree Polishing". I know what darning is - it's a way of mending holes in clothes by weaving with needle and thread - something my mother would have done to mend our socks as kids fifty years ago. But "saree polishing"?? A check on the Internet reveals it's a way of cleaning sarees using petrol, and then leaving the material in the sun to crispen up (and to remove the fumes, presumably!). You might also notice from the photograph that Che Guevara is alive and kicking in India!
This monument to Gandhi must be the cleanest spot in the whole of the city, not least because no member of the public is allowed near! It's in the middle of an area known as Gandhi Park, between Chalai Market and East Fort in Trivandrum. The park is small and, if you're lucky, you might get a seat under the shade of the two covered sitting areas but generally they're packed. A rare, green location, but not at all peaceful.
Finally, here is the little tea stall where I always have a glass of chaia to settle the dust from my journey into Trivandrum. It's just to the side of Gandhi Park. Nice friendly guys, always happy to see me.
On the thirty minute bus journey from Kovalam into Trivandrum, a couple of km before you arrive, there's this traffic sign which always catches my attention. It says "Obay Traffic Rules". The spelling makes me smile but I wonder how many people actually see it or comply with it, being as it is in the centre of traffic and signage chaos. Nice pimped out Mitsubishi, by the way!
I like this little shop, advertising "Darning and Saree Polishing". I know what darning is - it's a way of mending holes in clothes by weaving with needle and thread - something my mother would have done to mend our socks as kids fifty years ago. But "saree polishing"?? A check on the Internet reveals it's a way of cleaning sarees using petrol, and then leaving the material in the sun to crispen up (and to remove the fumes, presumably!). You might also notice from the photograph that Che Guevara is alive and kicking in India!
This monument to Gandhi must be the cleanest spot in the whole of the city, not least because no member of the public is allowed near! It's in the middle of an area known as Gandhi Park, between Chalai Market and East Fort in Trivandrum. The park is small and, if you're lucky, you might get a seat under the shade of the two covered sitting areas but generally they're packed. A rare, green location, but not at all peaceful.
Finally, here is the little tea stall where I always have a glass of chaia to settle the dust from my journey into Trivandrum. It's just to the side of Gandhi Park. Nice friendly guys, always happy to see me.
Hi Clive, I haven't forgotten about you! It's great fun to read your blog and I'm happy to discover that you are apparently doing well!
ReplyDeleteGreetings from the UK