Midweek Update

We don't have a lot of internet time scheduled for today, mostly due to our afternoon viewing of Inside Man. Good movie. What's not to like Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, and other various heavy hitters like Christopher Plummer and Wilem Dafoe.

Since last I wrote we headed down FC road. We tried the other side of the street and it was perhaps even more precarious. On our way across, we did see the cattle herd of Model Colony (that is the general part of Pune we are in) clustered around the median. (Median is perhaps a generous term for a curb with a three foot fence, but median we will call it). Jaya had told us about some cool stores with sales and also told us that Barista coffee has moved across the street (now just across from reliance as opposed to just down from it). We didn't find much in the Levi store and so we ventured deeper into the "mall." (Mall is perhaps a generous term for a cluster of stores, they were all indoors it is true, but the overall feel was something like late 70s after a very small bomb attack, lots of broken walls, and dust, no ac, certainly no food court). Then we went further down Barista coffee has outdoor seating which is in general a nice idea, though perhaps not on FC road, then we found the store W.

W was a delightful retail therapy experience. The entire family was involved in our trying on and purchasing process. There is definitely no need to hire a personal shopper here, you get way more feedback about style and color choice than is always helpful. Christina had to argue (nicely) with one of the helpers about the size she wore. (Christina and I are generally much smaller than the average Indian person, not so much the Indians who are literally starving on the streets but the affluent women we have seen at the Institute), but these shop owners, were wiry and tiny and so they thought we were rather large... On a serious note, it is very eye opening to look at thinness in the terms of this culture rather than the eyes of the western aesthetic, but that deserves more commentary than I now have time for...

We each bought several nice outfits and now look quite fashionable, though after what I've been wearing the last two weeks, this is not difficult to accomplish.. Afterwards, we hit Coffee Day again. Had the same waiter and I'm happy to report that it took less than 30 minutes to get our drinks. Christina had her first caffeine in three months and I ended up, having way more espresso than I should have to help turn the ice cream drink I got accidentally into a sort of affagato (yes Tom, my high maintenance coffee drinking continues even on the Indian subcontinent).

Then were were off to Prashant's class. Christina wrote a bit about that and I'll write more on it later
We had sunita (Geeta's sister) today in the women's class and in its own way it reminded me of a George Purvis, circus train with animals class.... Then on the way home we saw a goat herd crossing the road and I've had that silly song from sound of music in my head ever since.

That's it for now. We've got a short time to practice this afternoon and we are off to Vashali tonight!!!