Two Beers and a Pretzel

Well, I had to say goodbye to Bottle Beach.

I spent a day travelling to Bangkok, then spend 1/2 a day there before another 1/2 a day of air travel thru the “airport inside a mall” in Bangkok and on to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia before arriving in Bangalore, India just before midnight.

My friend Sreekanth picked me up at the airport and took me to his apartment – my new crash pad.

Today we rode around in Bangalore’s legendary traffic during Sreekanth’s lunch break.

I had some excellent tandoori chicken and garlic naan (bread) for lunch at my favorite type of place – a dive that most westerners would never go into… (the orange building in this photo).

Around 5PM, I took my first sitar lesson from an excellent player/teacher named Gopi.

Shortly after the lesson, we crashed an Indian wedding!!!

Actually, it was my friend Gopi from the GAP who happened to be holding his wedding just as I got into town.  It was nice seeing a few of my old co-workers from Columbus.

For all the American girls reading, imagine having a thousand or so people invited to your reception, and you are expected to stand in one spot on a stage while they all line up for their 2 minutes with the new couple…  Gopi and Rangitha were on stage being videotaped for hours!!!

On the other hand, we got to move into the next room and enjoy the food.  I can’t tell you exactly what I had (Sreekanth can), but it was delicious!!!  For all my Indian friends who have ever offered me “sweets” – they actually tasted sweet!!!

Yes – Thai food is better in Thailand, Argentine Steak is better in Buenos Aires, Fergburgers are best in Queenstown, Mexican food is better in L.A., and Indian food is brilliant in India (not so good in Ohio Indian restaurants)!!!!

At the end, a guy was making some chewable snack with leaves and spices.

You basically put it in your mouth like chewing tobacco (sometimes including tobacco) and chew.  It starts tasting like mint, and ends up kind of bitter.

Tomorrow I’m on my own, as Sreekanth actually has to go into the office.  I’ll try to get a pre-paid box to the hostel in Wellington so they can ship my SPOT back to my parents.  I also need to see if the battery latch on the new Olympus u8000 can be repaired (for how much I loved the 1030SW, the u8000 has not impressed me at all).  Then I’ll see some sights before dragging Sreekanth to be the interpreter at my second sItar lesson.