Death

Before this trip, I hadn't thought much about death. I knew that there is a tendency to regard death as the ultimate failure, that people are supposed to be fighters to keep living, and doctors are supposed to find heroic methods to keep people alive (at least when the quality of life can be preserved). I also know that it is not a topic that people talk about. It is something to be denied, at least as long as possible.

Ultimately if we define death to be a failure, then we just set ourselves up for failure. But it isn't failure. How can it be? Everyone dies. That's just reality. That is not failure. We have not failed a loved one if we didn't find the magic cure. Nor have we have not failed our loved ones if we slip off into death and leave them behind. Those are simple facts. Everyone dies, everyone always has, and everyone always will.

While on this trip, several of our family and friends have died and others have had some scares. Depending on the circumstances, we have offered to fly home, we have made quiet prayers, we have added the name of the deceased loved one to elaborate religious ceremonies, or we have just sat stunned and unsure what to do. And we have thought a lot about death.

At Hindu Ghats, we watched cremations, seeing so visibly the temporary nature of our bodies as fire tenders stir the fire to shuffle body parts like logs. From dust we come and to dust we shall return. Vivid images. In Buddhist monasteries, we were directed to meditate on death. To understand it, acknowledge it, accept it. To think about death, and to think about our death, and the death of everyone around us. How near it really is in the larger scale of time. Death is inevitable, only the time is unknown.

In Western cultures we think about forces as things we master. We conquer nature and tame it. We have complete responsibility for our life, with beliefs in external spirits and such considered superstitions. In Eastern cultures there is less belief in the ability to control and more in preserving a positive state of mind through acceptance. If a river floods, then that is just the way it is, and building a dam seems to offend nature and possibly just make things worse in the future. It is better to just accept the flood.

The intense drive to change and master has led to great material gains in the West, but the acceptance and focus on a peaceful mind in the East has led to less feelings of emptiness. Which is right? Both, neither. Clearly the belief that we can change the world around us, that we can control it and master it has led to incredible progress that I would hate to give up. On the other hand, there is great wisdom in the Eastern acceptance.

Ultimately, we all die. Obviously if we can defer that date and preserve good quality of life than we should. Few would argue with that.

But the state of mind is the key point. We should attempt to preserve life but remain at peace. If we fight death as an enemy we die a unhappy death and our loved ones suffer as well. If we accept it as inevitable, then everyone's hearts can remain at peace. We can rejoice if life is preserved a little longer, but not fall into despair if it isn't. Feelings of loneliness do not grow into feelings of rejection or being forsaken by one's God. It is just death, no more no less.

We read about the experience of death in ancient texts like the Tibetan Book of the Dead. We hear about the near-death experience of a dear friend. The similarity is spooky. The Tibetans prepare for death. They believe that what happens to the spirit/soul depends on the state of mind at the time of death. Angry or fearful minds are likely to end up in hell realms, while peaceful and generous states of mind can lead to the heaven realms. Life is a process of conditioning the mind to remain calm and peaceful, to accept that final moment and move to a better place. Those who live generous life can die feeling fulfilled and pass to heaven realms. Those who live a life just for material pursuit in this world, perhaps at the expense of morals or the well being of others, will feel panicky and afraid at the moment of death, and pass to the hell realms. According to Tibetans, as the body shuts down, the process of death sends the mind through several very scary stages and how it reacts determines the next destination. Christians might state this as maintaining serenity and faith in their Savior, and the allowance for "death-bed conversions" seems consistent with the idea that the final state of the mind is most important. Tibetans study and prepare to guide their mind calmly through the process.

Whether you accept the Tibetan beliefs is not relevant. The point is that they simply acknowledge death as an experience that everyone will go through. They neither fear nor desire it, they just know that it will inevitable occur someday and they prepare themselves for it.

Perhaps in the West we could benefit from a more open discussion of death, and acceptance of the reality. In the west, when we talk about death, loved ones will quickly rush in and say not to talk like that. If we are ill then we are admonished not to give up and talk about death. That is not healthy. We do not get to talk with our loved ones. We need to acknowledge reality. We will die. Everyone we know will die.

Once we accept that death will occur, and could even occur today, then we ensure that every day that we live counts. That is ultimately the way to prepare for death -- to live life today so that we have no regrets if we die tomorrow. Material pursuits or getting emotionally attached to transient things seem less important. Instead we think about what is really important, and are quietly led to act on those deeper beliefs we consider important.

Accept death as a fact of life. And live life today so that you have no regrets is you die tonight. Ironically, this seemingly pessimistic advice liberates you from so much worry, and leads to a very optimistic life.

Chinese Tibet

We first traveled in Tibetan regions of China and later visited Tibetan refuges in India. Consequently we have two very different vantage points regarding the Chinese rule in Tibet.

Tibet, according to the Chinese

While in China, we saw considerable economic freedom, and a degree of freedom of speech that startled us. We have already described the developing areas as being the most capitalistic country we have ever visited. Hand-in-hand comes a certain amount of education and freedom of expression. In the prospering areas we heard open discussion of many concerns.

But significantly, we heard little disillusionment with the current Communist leadership. We heard about the old days, when the party controlled every aspect of someone's life, including where you could work, if you could travel, what you could buy. Even who you associated with and what you said were always closely watched. We talked openly with people about the colossal failures of the Great Leap Forward (farming reform that cost 10 million lives) and the Cultural Revolution (extra-governmental gangs loyal to Mao that killed or tortured another 10 million, especially the educated or intellectuals). We heard about the horror stories of the past.

But people viewed these as problems of the past (the Gang of Four). We met many people with ideas of how China should grow and change, but no one seemed to sincerely wish for a multi-party democracy. Some even gave very credible explanations why one-party rule is best for China (the history of foreign invasion, the low level of education, the just emerging free press, the civil war during that last time of two-parties,...). Generally the Chinese people were much more interested in economic reform and development than political issues.

After the Chinese invaded the Kingdom of Tibet in the 1950's, Tibet was partitioned into several pieces. We were in the parts of Tibet that were merged into adjacent provinces. When we spent time deep in Yunan and Sichuan provinces we saw little of this recent economic development, at least at an individual level. There were large scale government projects, such as road building or hydroelectric plants. There were people working hard on road construction crews. But there was little development for individual families. There were exceptions (like Karen), but most people lived very simple farm lives.

The majority Han Chinese outside of this region have been told and believe that the previous TibetanKingdom was oppressive and that China liberated the region. Also, they believe that the Tibetan people were very backward and the Chinese government is spending huge sums to provide education, medical care and development, subsidizing the people of this backward area.

Tibet, according to the Tibetan exiles

The Tibetans tell a different story. The invasion of the Chinese army left a million Tibetans dead, most of whom had no weapons other than a dagger or spear. The Chinese subsequently have opened mines to rich mineral areas, deforested the mountains, and dammed the river for hydro power. Roadways were built to support the exploitation of the resources. Claiming the roads were to benefit the Tibetans, the Chinese forced the locals to work voluntarily (meaning unpaid) on the road construction under brutal conditions under which many perished. The minerals and timber were transported on these roads to greater China for use by the Han Chinese.

For administration and exploitation of the resources, the Chinese settled many Han Chinese in the region. Job qualifications were manipulated to ensure that the Chinese received the better jobs, and the Tibetans fell deeper into poverty. To stamp out the Tibetan culture, schools taught only Chinese and Chinese language skills were required for jobs. Tibetan religious practices were banned and monks and nuns tortured and killed. Many stories are particularly gruesome and revolting.

Such practices continue today in Tibet. The Han are now a majority, and many younger Tibetans have accepted the Chinese culture and language as the only way to survive. Those who attempt to preserve Tibetan culture continue to disappear, and Tibetans have no more freedoms than the Chinese did during the Cultural Revolution. The atrocities that the Chinese believe are part of a distant past still occur daily in Tibet, where government controls are just as oppressive as they ever were in China.

Westerners who visit Lhasa in Tibet are treated to religious shows at the old Palace, but the monks are monks in name only and no serious practice is allowed. Tibetans who associate with the Westerners are punished. We read of an incident with a group from the monastery that we stayed at in Nepal. The Western group was not stopped from conducting a religious ceremony at the Buddhist stupa. Afterwards, one of the western women stepped into a nearby shop to purchase a beverage. As the Westerners departed, the police closed the shop and punished the shopkeeper for subversive activity.

Ironically, the Tibetans have flourished outside of Tibet. The world has come to know the gentle and peaceful nature of their culture and religion, even awarding their spiritual leader the Dali Lama a Nobel Peace Prize.

In some other areas of the world, international pressure has helped to stop overt oppression of a peaceful people --for example in South Africa. The world community is quick to criticize people who take to arms to resolve their disagreements, and has implored people to remain non-violent or lose international support. This puzzles the Tibetans, who see themselves as the perfect example of non-violent protestors. With nearly 10 million Tibetans now killed, tortured or missing at the hands of the Chinese, the Tibetans still wait for the world to take interest in their plight. Instead, China is rapidly gaining acceptance in the world, including admission to the WTO (World Trade Organization) and hosting the 1998 Olympics.

Personally, I think that it is easier to influence friends rather than enemies, and that allowing China to join the nations of the world is a positive step. However, it does appear that the plight of Tibetans is one that the international community would prefer to ignore. The reality of foreign policy is that it is always an extension of domestic policy, power and economics, and Tibet is not strategically important to the rest of the world. That sad reality leaves millions of exiles with no real idea of what to do to stop the oppression.

Jaipur

Jaipur, the largest city in Rajasthan at two million people, is described as "the place to shop until you drop". Fran offered to buy sarees for a few people back home and got requests for thirteen! So, after asking several Indians where they would buy sarees, we headed to Jaipur and started off on the saree hunt at Johari Bazaar.

The Great Saree hunt!

It turns out that buying sarees is quite complicated! There are silk sarees (of first grade, second and third, which is a measure of softness; and of several different weights, such as 40g/m, 60 g/m), as well as cotton and chiffon. In Rajasthan, Georgette is also a popular material. We couldn't tell any difference from chiffon, but we were told that Georgette is "real" and chiffon is "synthetic". Some are dyed, some are tie-dyed. Some are printed, some are printed by hand with wooden blocks. Some are mill-woven; some are hand-woven. Some are woven with two different colors of thread, so that they change color as they move in the light. Some have embroidery, sometimes using silver or gold thread. Sometimes the embroidery patterns are one-sided, sometimes two. Sometimes the embroidery is very elegant, other times it resembles costume jewelry, with sequins and little mirrors. The patterns reflect the local area, with striking differences between south Indian, Varanasi, and Rajasthan styles. And of course, the prices vary from 300 Rupees ($7) to 300,000 Rupees (somewhat more than $7).

We budgeted one day to get educated and not buy anything, and then a second day to buy the sarees. That took pressure off the first day so we would really just soak up everything as we went from shop to shop. While we couldn't understand all of the local terms and had to hear some of the descriptions several times, we slowly began to understand all of the varieties, and our preferences. Surprise, we especially liked the most expensive ones!

Some things are fairly constant. Sarees are 6 meters long (nearly 20 feet), including about 1.5 meters (4 feet) at one end to cut off for making a blouse. Hmm, that is about the only thing that is constant. Except that some sarees were 5 meters and some 6.5 meters, with some having extra blouse material and some not. Well, maybe the only constant was that they were all peddled by enthusiastic salespeople!

We discovered that we particularly liked the southern Indian style, which is a bit more elegant and traditional. It would have been handy to have done our shopping while in Bangalore, especially since our Indian friends could have helped educate us and negotiate. We even considered a short (40 hour, one way) train ride down to Bangalore for a shopping day, but thought wiser.

By the end of the second day we had made three purchases, all southern style, and all quite beautiful. We were very happy with the choices. Then, with just ten more to go, we added another day to the saree hunt.

On the third day, we started to really appreciate more of the other styles as well. We could especially see some of the people back home in the different styles and started matching people to styles and colors. It was quite fun trying to imagine people in each one, thinking what highlights hair and eye color, for example, and also thinking about their personality. Those of you who asked for a saree, we hope you like your surprise! Fran and Rod formed a good team. Fran picked out most of the sarees, and Rod negotiated the prices. Of course, all of the stores are fixed price, and a few would not negotiate, but some turned out to be very flexible and we got some great deals.

We finished day three and now had a mountain of sarees. We also bought a couple of slips/petticoats and blouses for a few people that we knew would actually wear the sarees. We picked up one more on the fourth morning, and began the process of packing, writing notes, and getting ready for the post. They had to be packaged and then sewn into white bags for shipment. We hope there are no customs duties --we checked the rules at DHL, with friends who had shipped things from India before, and at the US Customs web site. We think we shipped everything correctly (no duties apply to a single gift package of under $50), with compliant individual packages consolidated into two big boxes, one for Canada and one for the USA. They're on the boat now, headed to Lucy (Fran's sister) and to Laurie (Kim's mom, Arlo's mother-in-law), who offered to accept the USA shipment and reship to everyone.

At the end of day four (remember this was going to be a two day thing?) we started out to look for the original saree --one for Fran. But we were too exhausted and headed back to the guesthouse for some tea and rest. We decide to go back again for day five!

We enjoyed shopping for sarees for everyone, but it was especially fun to shop for Fran. The salespeople always just keep pulling more and more sarees off the shelves, flinging them into the air to drift down into your lap, and the pile gets higher and higher. They quickly whisk away the ones that don't elicit a response, and present a zillion more like any that produce an "ahh!". Given that we had the whole day, we let the salespeople do the full deal, and wrapped Fran in all of her favorites in front of the mirror.

Actually, it turned out we didn't shop for long. We arrived just as the stores open (they were still sweeping and laying out the rugs), and the salesperson was very relaxed. Unlike most salespeople, he was very methodical and presented sarees at our pace, not in a rush. He also started by showing all of the major styles, then within our favorites, he showed every similar style, and then for each style we liked he showed all of the colors. There must have been thousands of sarees in neat boxes on shelves behind him, but he was able to systematically pull out just the right ones as he learned our tastes.

Except that once we had worked down to the perfect traditional South Indian Saree, Fran announced that she might instead like a Rajasthan style saree! Reset! We started again and worked our way through the assortment. She soon found a beautiful Rajasthan saree, with a delicate woven pattern, embroidery, and even some subtle jewels. While generally the elegant southern style, with exquisite silk and embroidery, is more expensive, in this case Fran fell in love with an even more expensive Rajasthan saree! But it really was spectacular. Now came the hard part --these two were very different sarees, so it was hard to choose between them.

Rod's negotiation strategy was simple. This was a fixed price shop, and the salesperson was very helpful, so beating him into submission was not an option. Instead, Rod explained that Fran really preferred the more expensive one but was about to settle for the lesser of the two based on price, and I knew that she would regret it later. I asked how close he could reduce the expensive price to the lesser, to save her the grief. He dropped a bit, but not enough. Some more friendly talking, and he headed off to call his boss on the phone for an exception. When he hit his bottom number, then I leaned forward and whispered to him: "Don't let Fran hear, but what price would you give me for both!". He dropped a bit more, I winced again, we talked some more, he dropped a bit again, I countered, and finally we settled on a price. Fran smiled!

We needed to head off to the bus directly, so Fran will get the blouses made for her sarees in a few days when we reach Dharamsala. Then we will take pictures and post them for all to see!

Jaipur

Beats me! We spent the time looking for sarees! Actually, Jaipur is an interesting blend of Rajasthan people and big-city India. The people are quite friendly, with easy smiles. Frequently, we see locals whiling the time away with each other, engaged in laughter and conversation, or with their arms around each other. They are also very helpful. When I stopped in a shop with a phone booth to call the Delhi office of Air India (yep, to change the flight), the owner pointed me to a hidden Air India office right down the street that took care of me for free.

On the other hand, Jaipur has some of the more intent touts and rickshaw drivers we have seen. We cannot walk ten feet (three meters) without getting approached. We cannot finish one sentence talking with each other on the sidewalk. Touts do not even wait until we finish talking --they just shout over the top of us "Rickshaw! Where you going! Shopping!" In Jaipur, the shopkeepers pay a commission to rickshaw drivers who bring in customers, so the drivers harangue the tourists mercilessly to drag them to the shops with the highest commissions. If you walk towards one store you will be told they are dishonest, or have poor quality or high prices, and the rickshaw driver will take you to a better shop because he is your friend and wants to help you. Yeah, right. Well actually, there are many friendly and helpful people here, so that makes it difficult to sort out the helpful ones from the touts, and also makes it important that we not just harden too much and blow everyone off.

Jaipur also has more than its share of children beggars. There really aren't that many beggars in total, it is just that most of the beggars are children and that is so disturbing. Adults are just behind the scenes or around the corners, or often nowhere to be seen. We have been in India for six months and we still are not used to the beggars.

The Weld

Our camp stove broke. At a critical point near the gas nozzle, a weld failed. Probably it got bumped one time too many in hauling the packs around. I disassembled the stove to see what repair I might affect, but it was clear that a weld was required. Also, it needed to be a high temperature weld to some special high-temperature metal that housed the nozzle, and yet it needed to be delicate enough to not ruin the nozzle just 1-cm (0.4-inch) away. I knew where a district with auto repairmen was, and figured there would be welders there. I hoped I could find a skilled one, who knew about high-temperature metals and welds.

I posed the problem to a very friendly old cycle-rickshaw driver that we had met the day before. He immediately understood and walked me through a maze of auto parts, repair shops, bicycle tire repairmen and tea stalls to a welding shop. No one there spoke much English, so I explained the operation of the stove with pantomime.

It turns out that the stove is a bit tricky to understand. It folds up for small storage when packed, and the weld was along one of the axis of rotation. It needed to be done just right to open and close properly. I showed the way the stove opens and closes and five guys huddled around the stove poking and prodding until they thought they had figured it out. Soon they were fashioning a custom little sleeve to slide one rod through, so that the burner would rotate along the sleeve. I explained again, and this time they understood that just one little weld in the right place would make the magical contraption work properly. They set out to figure out how to hold the two pieces at just the right angle, and started welding. After about fifteen minutes of starting and stopping (that's a very long time for a weld, and I was getting worried about the amount of heat going into the nozzle), they were done. But in testing it with a gentle tug, the weld immediately broke apart. That special metal was something unique, and the normal flux and solder would not fuse to it.

They huddled together again to talk it through. Then one guy announced that I should take it to the Asfhlklsdj shop at Asmurti gate. I couldn't make out the name of the shop, so asked them to write it down. After they handed me a paper and pen to write it down, I understood that they didn't know how to write in English, and I couldn't understand the Hindu name well enough to even attempt a spelling. So instead, one fellow pulled his motor scooter in from the alley, I hoped on and we were off.

We raced up and down the back alleys for a few minutes and then arrived in an area full of even more repair shops. This however was SERIOUS repair-land. The guys were clearly mechanics through-and-through. We stopped in front of the Guru of Welding (that's my name for him, I couldn't read the Hindu sign).

You have to picture this guy. You know how Asian people can sit? With their feet flat on the ground, they just squat their rear down until it sits on their heals, with their knees tucked against their chest or to the side. Their legs go to sleep and they can just sit that way for long periods of time. In the absence of chairs it actually isn't a bad way to sit, and we have learned to sit this way at least for a little while. Well, a few seconds anyway.

The Guru of Welding sat Asian-style at the edge of the cobblestone and dirt alley, with an anvil and a few tools in front of him. He was an enormous guy with a huge belly that protruded through the opening between his shirt and pants. He had stringy hair and a straggly beard (beards are unusual in India, except for the Sadus). His shirt hadn't been washed in forever, and I couldn't tell if it was a plaid or solid.

The scooter driver took the stove part over to the Guru and explained the problem. The Guru hardly said a word. Without moving a muscle, he directed his assistants to set up the piece and hold it in the right position. They floundered for a while and he sat silent. When they finally had it just right, he lifted his torch to the side for an assistant to light, dipped a special bronze colored rod into flux and started the weld. In under a minute, he was done. He held the torch to the side again and an assistant shut off the gas. The Guru remained still, motionless, still squatting with the enormous belly. He clearly was the master, and did absolutely nothing except the welding. All of the underlings in the city brought him the tough jobs. He knew exactly what he was doing, used the right materials, and had a perfect weld. I was thrilled!

Back at the guesthouse, I tested the stove and it works great! The excess heat of the first welding attempt didn't seem to cause any problems. And I got to meet the Guru of Welding!

Udaipur

Udaipur is billed as the most romantic city in Rajasthan. We originally had an itinerary that would have put us here on our wedding anniversary (last Dec 4), but when we had the opportunity to attend the 30-day retreat in Kathmandu we took it and spent our anniversary in separation and silence! How's that for a good way to spend a wedding anniversary! So this was our long-deferred treat to ourselves.

Udaipur was developed by the Rajput people, a fiercely proud warrior-caste people (Kshatriya). They are very proud of the fact that they fought wars with either occupying forces (e.g. Moghuls) or with their neighbors virtually non-stop for 1500 years, until the British arrived. They then emphasize that the British did not conquer them, but instead recognized the Maharana as the legitimate government of the area. They still emphasize that their Maharaja was the supreme ruler over all of the other Maharajas of India (a fact than no one else seems to agree with), and call the Indian Independence "so-called independence".

The Arts

The ruling class of Mahranas lived their fairy tale lives in their fairy tale castles. Their castles were supreme showcases for the arts. Colored glass mosaics, ornately mirrored rooms, frescos, stone carvings and miniature paintings adorn almost every surface. They were patrons of a large artist community. That community and the Rajput dynasty has persisted to the present day.

The miniature paintings are still produced by descendants of the original craftsmen. Almost every other shop on the street sells miniature paintings and claims an artistic heritage. The paintings portray life in the palaces and Havelis (homes of rich merchants) in minute detail. They are done on paper, wood, silk and marble. Many are done on the back of old manuscripts, with original Persian script still on the other side. The brushwork is delicate and the colors are bright.

We met a family of artisans when we stayed in their guesthouse, the Art Loft. The Art loft is owned by the Raj family who has been creating miniature paintings and gold jewelry for 300 years. They also create blank books with handmade papers with covers of saree fabric. The work done by the four brothers is exquisite. We had the opportunity to watch them work each day as we passed through their workshop on our way out to see the city sights. Business was going well when we were there. They were preparing a large shipment of paintings and books for a gallery in Germany.

Lake Palace Hotel

Udaipur is built around a lake, created in the 1700's when the royal palace was moved from a prior location to here. The lake is quite charming, with the far side a bright green marsh area and several islands in the foreground. The famous Lake Palace Hotel completely covers one of the islands. Originally built as a summer royal palace, it is now one of the world's finest hotels, in the prestigious Taj Group. This was the location for the filming of the James Bond film, Octopussy. It was fun to tour the hotel first, and then see the film and notice all of the familiar places.

The hotel is quite exclusive. No one is allowed on the island unless they are a guest, and the rooms start at $250 --triple that for a suite with a view. However, the hotel restaurant has a buffet dinner that you can get into if the hotel guests have not filled the dining room. We waited three days on the list, and finally our number came up so we headed to the island and joined the wealthy folks! The food was fine, though not really spectacular --the catering at the wedding in Jodhpur was better! But the ice cream was the best we have had in Asia, and as good as Italian gelato. It was really good! Even after stuffing ourselves with the buffet, I went back for ice cream twice! Can you tell I liked the ice cream!

The real point of dinner on the island is not the dinner, but the island experience. We toured the Palace, attended a Rajastani music and Kathak dance performance, and watched the sun set over the lake, luxuriated with the sumptuous meal, and enjoyed a star-lit boat ride. The hotel itself is very comfortable, not ostentatious. Rather than a big imposing lobby, there is a collection of seating areas separated by interesting architectural details such as archways or wall screens carved in stone. The indoors just slowly blends into a garden courtyard. We sat on the sofas thumbing coffee-table photo books on Rajasthan, and imagined that we could quite easily live here. Often, we are put off by the formality and coldness of top-notch hotels, but this one would be perfect for a couple to relax for a weekend. Now, how do we work out the arithmetic of $250 per night for a year or two of traveling? Hmm, we caught the late boat back to our guesthouse....

Bagore Ki Haveli

The wealthy royalty and merchant classes built elaborate homes throughout Rajasthan during the prosperous years when this was a key trade route. Called Havelis, these homes were preserved in good condition well into the early 1900's and in some cases right up to the current time. But generally, at some point the family was unable to continue the expenses needed for maintenance, and the haveli began to decline. Recently the families have realized that the Havelis can be popular with tourists, and many have been converted to hotels. In Udaipur, the Bagore Ki Haveli has been recently converted to a museum.

This dilapidated haveli underwent an extensive restoration to bring the rubble walls back to their white plastered splendor. The before and after pictures of the building were quite striking. Strolling through the terraces, secluded courtyards and balconies gives one a glimpse of the lifestyles of the royal families. Objects like jewelry, boxes, musical instruments, games, clothing and household articles are displayed in the recreated rooms. Frescos and colorful glass mosaic peacocks (the symbol of Rajasthan) adorn the walls. One can almost hear the laughter of the ladies congregating in the Chamber of the Royal Ladies.

Fran was delighted when she entered the kitchen area. The kitchen is the heart and soul of any home. It is a utilitarian room, unglamorous but necessary. In the castles of Europe, it was the room often neglected during restoration. The kitchen in the haveli was little more than a few tools and storage items, but she was happy that they had included this mundane aspect of daily life along with the lofty object d'art.

In the evening we were treated to a cultural performance in one of the courtyards. Bejeweled dancers, brightly colored layers of silk dress and headscarves cast their spell on the audience. In one dance two women carried brass bowls with fiery coals on their heads. They spun in dizzying circles, hands quickly moving from one mudra (hand position) to another. The fire lit the bewitching glance of their eyes. Puppeteers danced their puppets across the stage, accompanied by drum and mouth harp.

The finale of the show was the vase dance. It originated in the villages when the women would travel with their water jugs to fill the household water supply. The dancer first came on stage with one large water jug on her head, spinning rapidly. She continued to add jugs, one on top of the other until she was balancing nine jugs of declining size on her head, in a tower as tall as herself! All the while she was dancing on tops of objects like bowls, water glasses, broken glass and sword edges. It was quite the show! She is over 60 years old, and has been doing this performance for over 40 years.

Shilpgram

Shilpgram means Craftsman Village. It is a living village recreating the art, craft and culture of the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa. It consists of 26 huts that represent the homes of those areas. Around the huts are artist’s stalls displaying weaving, paintings, textiles. Musicians and puppeteers perform in the stalls during the day, dancers perform on the large stage in the evenings.

We hired a guide to show us around the village and explain the lifestyles in the traditional homes. The first area that we came to was Rajasthan. It was just like the villages that we saw in the desert around Jaisalmer. Made of mud and cow dung with thatched grass roofs, they were designed to stay cool in the 140 Fahrenheit degree days of summer. We were intrigued by the refrigerator...How do you keep butter and yogurt cool without electricity in that heat? You build a thick walled mud and plaster box, raised 1 foot off the ground with air ducts underneath and with a large "attic" area. Natural airflow keep the foods cool!

All along our journey we have enjoyed seeing how people use local materials and building methods which combine natural conditions and cultural differences. Shilpgram was an exciting example of this. The grass mat and palm tree beamed huts of Maharashtra; the plaster and teak carved Havelis of the Portuguese inspired merchants of Goa; the red plastered walls decorated with intricate white drawings of Gujarat are all expressed in the different climate and culture conditions of the people who created and live in them. And we learned a new practical tip --since the plaster is made from cow dung, then cockroaches will not enter the house!

One particular treat was the performance by a Rajasthan musical ensemble. The men were dressed in white with red turbans, many with long handle bar mustaches. And their music was both exotic and exquisite. One played a melody on the nagaswaram...a double flute. Each flute is fingered separately; one playing the drone and one the melody. He used circular breathing, and puffed the drone flute like a percussion instrument. Quite amazing! He was accompanied by a 2 headed drum, much like two tabla drums combined in one. There was one playing an accordion box; another a mouth harp. Another interesting interchange was between the drummer and a man clapping sticks like castanets. The intricate call and answer patterns was quite exciting...the speed and pattern hard to duplicate.

Fateh Sagar

Reputed to be a hangout for young lovers, we visited this lake park. It has a popular garden island, which you can get to by boat. We journeyed to its edge by walking several hours in the hot and dusty sunshine; looking forward to the coolness of the lake and reflections of buildings in the waters. Well, forget the boat the island and the lake. It is gone! The lakebed is bone dry with nary a hint of the former water’s edge. Remember the drought that we mentioned in our Jaisalmer pages? The fact that it has not rained seriously in four years might have had something to do with the great disappearing act.

In Summation

Udaipur lived up to our expectations of romance and mystery. We explored beautiful palaces, dined with the rich and famous, watched sunrises and sunsets from the rooftop balcony outside our hotel door and were enchanted by the warmth and hospitality of the Rajasthan people. It definitely deserves our recommendation for a city to visit.

Jaisalmar

Desert. Sand. Hot sun. Blowing wind. Dry creek beds. Cracked, flaking ground. Wind blown brush. Parched skeletons. Star-studded nights.

Cactus flowers, acacia trees, desert rodents, foxes, owls, eagles, vultures, dung beetles, antelopes, donkeys, camels, goats, and desert dogs.

Jaisalmer is in the Thar Desert of India and Pakistan. Not as dry as the Sahara, sand dunes cover only a portion of the desert; most is parched ground with seasonal grass, cactus and a few hardy bushes.

Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer is the oasis in the desert. Situated atop a rocky outcropping, it gains life from a nearby lake. Nicknamed the golden-city because of the yellow-cast sand stone from which the city is built, Jaisalmer is both (compared to other cities in India) a quiet haven for tourists, and (compared to the villages of the Thar Desert) a bustling metropolis. Some of the locals clearly enjoy the bustle and hearing stories of faraway places from tourists. Other locals endure the noise and tension of the city only to earn money and then return as quickly as possible to the serenity of their desert village.

The ancient stone fort arises out of the sand, towering over the plains, surrounded by the bustling city of 50,000 people. The air is filled with sounds of Hindi music, rickshaw drivers blowing their horns, merchants hawking their wares, friends in conversation and laughter, dogs yelping in pain from the cast rock. People generally have relaxed, pleasant expressions, similar to the wonderful people of southern India and not as stressed and cold as the northerners. Narrow streets curve every few buildings, the view obscured by guest houses, shops, signs, stalls, and bustle. Occasional glimpses of the fort sneak between the obstructions. The hot dry air squelches most smells.

Camel Safari in the Thar Desert

Outside of Jaisalmer, tiny villages are scattered in the desert. Homes are made of stone blocks, plastered with cow dung and mud. Villagers travel by foot or camel across the desert trails. Men dress in sandals, loose cloths around their waists, a plain shirt and a brightly colored turban on their head. Women don brightly colored full length clothing and scarves. The bright colors are the brightest in all of India, a commanding contrast to the desolate sand.

In the desert village are no cows, no chickens, and few sheep. They have been sold or perished after several years of failed monsoons. Only goats and camels remain, and there are fewer of them than two years ago before tourism slowed.

The chief attraction of Jaisalmer is the desert, and most people take a camel safari. We joined up with Pabu and Gamera, of Full Moon Safaris. (email: fullmoonsafaris@hotmail.com) Many hotels offer fancier safaris, but we liked the friendly, informal approach of Pabu and Gamera. Instead of paying a commission to the hotel, and hundreds of Rupees to Jeep drivers, we took the local bus, so that virtually all of our fees ended up with Pabu's family.

Pabu, 24, has been offering camel safaris for about five years. He is particularly popular with Japanese tourists, and highlighted in Japanese guide books. The current edition of Lonely Planet Guidebook for Rajasthan purportedly includes a color photo of Pabu's uncle on the camel that I rode! This is no ordinary camel --while we ate lunch all of the other camels foraged the desert, but this one joined us for chapattis (Indian bread)!

Pabu tries to get enough business to support about thirty people, the extended families of his father and his uncle. His farm is fallow, since the monsoons have failed. Tourism is not as strong as two years ago, so he has had to sell some of his camels and his cart. He also currently has ceremonial earrings, important family symbols, at a pawn shop in exchange for food. (A week after we have left Jaisalmer, Pabu's son took ill and required hospitalization. With little money anyway, the new debt makes it unlikely Pabu will ever be able to reclaim his earrings.)

Pabu is a jolly guy. He approaches his customers not as a business person but as a host, telling local stories, singing songs, and evoking the character of the land and people. He must spend most of his time away from his wife and three children.

In India, youth respect elders. It isn't so much that they respect the wisdom or help that they get from their elders, it is simply that they unquestioningly give their respect. This, I think, helps youth to develop a better sense of themselves in relation to others.

Perhaps an analogy is possible from Chinese Confucianism. In Confucianism, as in all religions, proper human conduct is delineated. However, in Confucianism everything is defined in relation to others. There is no behavior of an individual, just behavior of a father or son, husband or wife, older or younger brother, uncle or nephew, employer or employee, civil administrator or citizen. Everything is understood in relationship to others. In India, children respect their parents simply because that is their role in the relationship, much as the parent provides for the child.

Pabu and Gamery, to show respect, began calling us Dada and Dadi (grandmother and grandfather) and treating us with utmost care. It was almost too much to bear! We are not used to such treatment! But it was quite touching to see what respect to their elders means to these desert villagers.

Many people sign up for a 1-2 day camel safari, and end up adding another day or two, or even more. We also extended our stay another day. Unlike elephant rides (slow, lumbering, and boring), camels cover a fair amount of territory quickly and comfortably, and the desert terrain is full of life and interest. Okay, Fran did complain the second day that she couldn't walk without pain, but .... The star filled nights are hard to describe. We'd lay awake and watch, and even saw one malachite-green shooting star.

The weather is beginning to change on the desert. We arrived during hot days and warm nights. Then a bit of moisture showed up as a hazy sky and the wind began to blow. A day later the wind was a minor sand storm, dust and sand penetrating every pore of our bodies and every bag that we packed. Then the wind subsided for a cool day and night. After the weather rattles around a bit like this it will settle into hot winds, and tourism stops. By summer, hopefully the monsoons will come, starting the cycle of agriculture followed by a bump in tourism in August and then resumption of the tourist season in October.

Jaisalmer

The Jaisalmer Fort is unlike any museum --it is still alive! Built in 1156, the fort still teams with people, homes, hotels, and shops. Restoration work commences on one building while another lies in ruins and a third is a thriving restaurant. The palace is now a museum, but is in surprisingly good shape and restoration has begun. While many people tour the palace just for the incredible views from the rooftop, we find it to be quite fascinating.

Inside the fort as seven beautiful stone-carved Jain temples. We tour them and are struck by the detail and enormity. Fran ponders what it is in the human spirit that drives such efforts. We have seen in every country from Japan to India to Europe the great structures that people build for their faiths. Many defy believe in the sacrifice required to construct them, and the passion that the creators must have had. Another unifying characteristic of all cultures seems to be the passion to create great monuments to their local faith.

Outside of the fort in the main part of the city is Patwon-ki-Haveli, an elaborate palace-home created in the early 1800s by wealthy merchants. Again we marvel at the intricate detailed stone work. Also we are again intrigued by the design, common in much of Asia, with the house forming a square looking into an interior courtyard and with no exterior grounds. A cool space since the haveli is four stories high, the courtyard is quiet refuge. Now devoid of plants and tapestries, and with plaster paintings crumbling, it is easy to imagine fully decorated and alive.

Tourism is light this year, and it is near the end of the season. We meet the same people on the street, and joke with one American couple after we bump into them at three restaurants in a row --all they ever do is eat (of course they get the same impression about us!). Jaisalmer is a nice place to relax into as a tourist, kind of like a beach town without the beach. As always we meet a few new friends. We have been traveling long enough we now even meet two different people that we have seen earlier, one in Thailand last year and one in Nepal last November.

We were able to settle into an internet cafe to catch up on our journals and photos. With Windows XP, it was a snap to get the camera connected and to burn another CDROM.

Travel Tips

We haven't updated anything on logistics for a while, so here's our "travel wisdom" these days.

We have definitely opted for the slowly-slowly form of travel. We tend to land in a place for at least a week, preferably a couple of weeks. That way we get to know people better, and garner a real feeling for a place. We visit some of the tourist spots, but not all of them, preferring to balance that with mingling with locals. We also pick just a few destinations out of the zillion available, preferring to see a few in depth rather than many more albeit superficially.

Slowly-slowly travel helps logistically. We have more time to figure out transportation, or even lodging. Sometimes we come into a place and take any guesthouse the first night, moving the second day once we establish our bearings and know where we want to locate. Also some travel, especially train reservations, must be arranged in advance. We are very flexible, frequently adding or subtracting days from our itinerary so we do not buy tickets ahead of time. By being in a place a week or more, we can usually still get onward tickets as we begin to sense what day we will be ready to leave. Once in a while that fails us (like the train ride out of Varkala, where there is no local reservation office and the train was full), but it generally works out pretty well. Other people may prefer to map out all of the travel at one time (and get discounted rates on the train, since it can then be booked as one longer journey), but we prefer the flexibility even if it also adds some uncertainty and hassle.

Transportation in India is like anywhere --the trains work very well, the buses are never as promised but do get you there, and the taxi drivers are dishonest. That seems to be true in all of Asia and Africa, and for that matter are taxi drivers in New York City any better? Traveling by trains is always preferred. Otherwise, when booking a bus it is best to check it out the day before and see the actual bus to know what you get. We are always promised a big new bus with just two seats to a side, heading directly to our destination without stops. Frequently that turns into an older bus with a much tighter three seat configuration, seats that are broken and do not recline, and stops every few minutes as people climb on and off. Also the reserved seats often degenerate into people piled in the aisles and on each others laps as the operators simply continue to sell tickets no matter how full the bus becomes. We haven't really figured out how to guarantee good bus rides. Sometimes, you just have to accept whatever you get. The good news is that invariably the buses get you where they say they will.

It is actually easier to get proper service from a rickshaw driver than from the bus company, mostly because there is just one person you talk with and he doesn't get paid until you are satisfied. You learn to be very firm and clear. Never get in a rickshaw until you have agreed on a price. Never listen to their advice about a "better" guesthouse, or that yours burned down, or the riot in that part of town, or their offers for a shopping tour. I often follow along with a map and compass while they drive and if we seem to be headed the wrong way we protest loudly so they know to behave. If the rate changes while traveling, we don't pay the extra. We have even bailed out part way if the driver becomes too difficult. But the good news is that you can remain in control of the situation by simply refusing to pay. Arguing or hostility does no good, but a firm repetition of the same sentence over and over while keeping money in your pocket seems to do the trick.

You can travel in India on any budget, from under $10 a day per person, to several hundred dollars. We are definitely near the bottom end of the scale, preferring to trade off comfort and convenience for the ability to extend the trip longer. That means most of our guesthouses are rather dingy, often with shared toilets and leaky plumbing. The promised hot shower is there only about half of the time, otherwise it is cold. We carry our own bed sheets, since sheets are usually missing or dirty. That works for us. We are not traveling to see the hotel rooms, and in fact many of these places have more of a family atmosphere where we get to know the proprietors. But most people will want to upgrade a bit. Instead of paying our $3-5 per night for a double room, you can get a quite comfortable room for $15-25. That will get you a nice clean room, clean linens, private bath, TV with BBC, and air conditioning. The hotel will have a restaurant with proper hygiene. There are also western business hotels and resorts which charge $100-300 a night, but there is little additional value there.

Food can be a concern for western travelers. If you are on a short stay, you do not want to spend a few days ill. That means you will pick only the restaurants frequented by western budget tourists. Since most of the places you want to travel are on the tourist circuit, there are always restaurants catering to westerners. They will have a largely western menu, and they will take precautions such as rinsing all vegetables in iodine water, or treating with UV. They are easy to find in any tourist guide book. Figure $10-20 per person per day to eat this way. Again, there are also the western business and resort places. Here you will pay as much for a meal as in the west, or maybe more since some of it is in fact imported. But what's the fun in having a French chef prepare a beef steak in India?

There are also numerous street venders, often with delicious local favorites. You will get a real sampling of the local fare on the street. Unfortunately, sanitation is sometimes just one bucket of water that is never rinsed all day long. Dishes are just dipped into the dirty water, swish and wipe, and presto --they are ready for the next diner. Sometimes food is cooked ahead and sits until it is sold. So you need to be careful. Usually you can see the food preparation and cleanup methods and know whether to give the place a pass bye. Often the street vendors are so busy that they seem to stay ahead of sanitation problems --they never clean the pan, but it is back on the heat constantly and doesn't need it, or while the food is just sitting at room temperature it is being served so fast that it is only minutes old anyway. Often it is a real treat to eat on the street, getting the local food. You certainly can save money --you could eat for $1-3 a day. We mix some restaurants and some street food, figuring the occasional "digestive day" (less than one a month) is offset by the opportunity to sample more foods. We also find that our tolerance has grown, and we worry less and less.

Another concern is adaptability to the local diet. We enjoy the local food, and don't much crave our "normal" diet. That is not usually the case. Most travelers enjoy sampling local fare, but will want their normal food, whatever that is, once in a while. That is available at the big-end business hotels and resorts, so if you expect to need the comfort of occasional familiar food, then budget accordingly. In fact, our planned budget included staying a few days at five-star western resorts. We planned that contingency just as assurance that if we really just get tired of traveling we can check in and be pampered for a few days, refreshed and ready to resume our travel. So far, we haven't needed it.

Regarding what to bring, start with the advice of bringing nothing. Don't bring anything "just to be sure". Error the other way, only bring things that you are positive are required and cannot be purchased locally. Every toiletry item and medicine is available locally, don't bring an enormous kit to lug around. Laundry service is ubiquitous, so don't bring much more that you can put on your body at one time plus a set at the laundry. Local clothes are inexpensive, comfortable, and conform to local standards and customs. Forget the big rain coat. If it is really wet, stay indoors. We carry tiny traveler's umbrellas, which work for both rain and sun.

We have a bunch of camping gear. Tent, stove, water filter, etc. This is useful in Europe, North America and Australia, and in fact is the only way to travel for an extended period of time on a tiny budget. It is of no use in Asia or Africa, and ought to be left home or shipped ahead. The exception might be the water filter --too many travelers buy the mineral water in the plastic bottles and the litter mess is a huge problem here. We pump all of our own water. It might save us a little money, but the real point is to eliminate all of those bottles.

The digital camera has worked well for us, though just barely. Finding internet cafes with USB, Windows XP, and writable CDROMs has been difficult. Finding places to make digital prints for friends has been even more difficult. Digital cameras are not as rugged as mature film cameras and we have both repaired and replaced the camera, at considerable expense. On the other hand, the camera and digital film for over seven hundred pictures fits in my pants pocket! We now have many thousands of pictures at a fraction of the cost of film, since our cost is just that of computer time to burn CDROMs. Newer cameras include better video and audio --we have recorded dance performances that would be flat with still photography, and we wish we had the audio to record bird calls, music and other sounds. With time, digital cameras will only make more and more sense for travelers. For now, they make sense for long-term computer-savvy travelers.

What you do bring you want secure. Do have locks on your luggage. Do wear a money belt and keep everything of value in it, including airline tickets and valuable papers.

Probably the best advice is to pack plenty of patience. We see travelers upset when the power stops and they lose their email, or when the hot shower is cold. What's the point? Frustration simply comes from a mismatch between expectation and reality. It is far easier to change expectations. You could travel with a tour group, on private buses, with private catering, in resort hotels. You would see the sights, but learn nothing of the local culture (except the pseudo-culture shows at the resorts). We prefer to be immersed in the local culture, learning more about it as well as our own. It demands patience, tolerance and acceptance, and helps you develop these traits. You learn to be observant, not judgmental, and in doing so you learn so much more about yourself and others. That is the path that we have chosen for our journey.

Jodhpur

We traveled to Jodhpur a bit ahead of schedule, to join a wedding!

While traveling on a train out of Bombay (Mumbai), we met Push Chaturani, a nearly retired professor at IAT, the leading technical university in India and one of the premier technical schools in the world, and after talking a while he invited us to join him at a large Hindu wedding for his cousin in Jodhpur. We rearranged our travel plans, and headed north!

The Wedding

The wedding was a huge affair. We have traveled and seen the poor of India. Here we see the affluent, upper-upper-middle class. About a thousand guests attended this wedding, held at a large hotel/resort in Jodhpur. Bands played and a huge feast was held for a thousand people.

The wedding was an arranged marriage. The families have strong faith in astrology, and the couple was matched by an astrologer. About fifty different requirements were matched, ranging from physical characteristics to temperament, all deduced astrologically. For example, certain characteristics in a wife will combine well with a husband to ensure prosperity, or fertility. Push's wife commented that they only had one surprise --the astrologer had predicted that the bride would have poor eyesight, but her's appeared perfect. This riddle was solved when she revealed that she wears contact lens!

The wedding was a traditional Hindu wedding. First, the groom arrived in a small parade, with a band and all of his friends and relatives dancing wildly in the street. He sat subdued in a car, while others raised cain. Upon arrival at the hotel, he joins the bride for a few rituals. The closer relatives all tried to cram into one little room to get a glimpse. Eventually out they came for the actual wedding. A small but beautiful temple, erected just for weddings, was the site for a holy man to lead them through the Hindu rituals. The various deities were called into presence, blessings requested, and vows made in the God's presence. Gifts were exchanged, the families made vows to each other and exchanged gifts. The couple then circled a fire seven times, repeating their vows in the presence of Agni, the God of fire. With vows witnessed by such powers, they will surely be honored by the couple.

Not all was solemn. When the groom removed his shoes to pray, the bride's brothers whisked away his shoes in a traditional jest. The groom can reclaim them only by offering gifts to the bride's sisters.

After the ceremony, the party began. A band performed on the stage, with several singers imitating favorite actors from Indian musical films. The crowd milled past the couple, who stood on the reception stage for a couple of hours. Everyone, except perhaps the bride and groom, was enjoying the evening. As the sun faded, decorative lighting was turned on, and fireworks rang out.

The feast was unbelievable. Row upon row of tables held appetizers, and then came the fruits, and then the desserts. The main meal was served by chefs in two separate areas from two huge buffet lines. We ate many foods that we had seen before, and many that we had not. But even if we had previously sampled it, it hadn't tasted this delicious! We ate until we were stuffed and then ate some more! Fortunately, the night was long so we could just keep eating! A little before midnight, the majority of revelers headed out, and the band shifted to lively music for the couple and their friends. The real partying then was about to begin, but we headed out with the other guests...

The merriment goes for three days, and we were invited back to resume the next morning. But we decided to see the rest of Jodhpur instead.

Meherangarh, the Jodhpur fort

The main tourist attraction in Jodhpur is Meherngarh fort. Built in 1459 high on a hill towering over the city, the fort is now being restored and developed for tourism. We enjoyed it immensely, and you can see photos in the album. The place had real character. You don’t just see exquisite stone carving, but also feel the character of the place and the previous occupants.

Viewed from the fort, you can see why Jodhpur is called the blue city. The rooftops are painted blue and appear bright in the harsh sun.

Umaid Gardens

We seem to always like gardens, especially in the heat of the day, so we walked to Umaid Gardens for the afternoon. The gardens were pretty uninspired, but the government buildings nearby offered a few interesting photographs of Muslim architecture.

Umaid Bhawan Palace

The Maharajas of Jodhpur built the fort centuries ago, but it had fallen into disrepair. From 1929-1944, the Maharaja erected a new palace just to the east. But it too has fallen into disrepair, since the Maharaja's no longer benefit from government funding, after independence. Now it is a museum and hotel, with the current Maharaja living in one section. The outside is very impressive (designed by the president of the British Royal Institute of Architects), but we were disappointed with the interior of the museum. Unlike the fort, it lacks character. It just feels like a collection of rooms with no soul. Instead of being built by artisans and craftsmen, this was partially a job-creation project during the depression, and quality was not very high. Many of the walls in the museum are already crumbling, and magnificent wall murals are ruined by water leaking from the ceiling. Presumably the hotel is in better shape, but it is off-limits to non-guests.

Clock Tower and Old Town

Part of the charm of Jodhpur is supposed to be the Old Town. We didn't see it that way. It is described as a charming place of narrow stone alleys and vibrant bazaars. I guess that is true, but it was also non-stop beggars and touts, and streets strewn with cow dung. We didn't find it particularly charming. We stayed away from the center at a quiet guest house, and headed on toward Jaisalmer the next morning.

Mumbai/Bombay

Most large Indian cities are not very pleasant. With the right attitude (expect everything foul and offensive, and be accepting of whatever comes) you can survive quite nicely, but I'd not call it enjoyable.

Bangalore was certainly an exception to the rule, and we enjoyed it very much. But we were surprised to find that we also liked Bombay (Mumbai).

Bombay is the commercial hub of India, its New York City. Bombay also has Bollywood, which churns out even more movies that Hollywood, and is the home of many Indian celebrities. Founded on a set of islands by the British a few hundred years ago, it is quite different from most other Indian cities. The streets are wide and tree lined, there are many parks, the waterfront has a nice walk along it (although the beach is still so covered with litter that you cannot walk on the sand). The city has long outgrown the original islands, so the sea in between them has been filled in creating one larger landscape. We spent a day just walking around looking at all of the magnificent buildings dating from British rule, including the Court House, Victoria Station, Bombay University, and many others. It looks much like a European city. The level of wealth within the city is clearly higher than average. Even the auto rickshaws (those three wheel taxis) and cows are banned within the city, so the streets are lined and filled with cars. But then we turn a corner and find a street full of food vendor carts and sidewalk merchants. One entire block is people with used books lain out on the sidewalk. We see an interesting blend of European and India, a blend that seems to work.

The newspapers tell of another Bombay, the slums which house literally millions of destitute people in squalor, with no clean water, sanitation, or housing. People displaced from villages come to the city to make money and end up in the slums. This is a very common story in the developing world from Asia to South America (and is China's single biggest fear, as an estimated 500 million people will be displaced from farms and seek out the cities in the next two decades --that is just a staggering number). As anywhere, the plight of these people is made further by the corruption and insensitivity of the ruling class.

While we are not avoiding such desperate areas, and in fact seem to have generally spent more time in the poorer areas within India, we don't feel compelled to experience them here in Bombay. India has so many different faces, and it is good to see a balanced view. Bihar is absolutely destitute, with people starving and freezing on the streets, their bodies deformed by leprosy and polio; the environment a disaster of deforestation, polluted water and air; and the government officials stealing the money and police abusing the people. Kerala is a green, beautiful place where people are poor but spiritually rich (Muslim and Hindu), very happy with their lives. Each house, however modest, has distinctive charm and is well maintained; the environment is well treated; and literacy rates are as high as in the US. Bangalore is a high-tech Mecca and retirement center, making it a melting pot of the rest of India --most of the residents migrated from other areas of India and still speak their native tongue from their "true" homeland. Bombay is strongly British and commercial. Half of all millionaires in India live in Bombay, and nearly half of the entire upper-middle-class lives here. A large Muslim population and an exiled Tibetan community are a part of the diversity of this city. We are happy to just experience the prosperous face of Bombay, getting another glimpse into this enormity of experiences that this one country can offer.

So we treat ourselves. We have local Indian street food for breakfast (Bhelpuri, a plate with spicy beans, bread, spicy onions, yogurt curd, and potato curry) but then stop for an Espresso coffee in the afternoon! Ah, REAL coffee! We skipped past McDonalds (which offers a vegetarian menu), but ate at a Mexican dinner at a restaurant named New York!

The Prince of Wales museum is rumored to be quite good. But the entry for Indians is 15 rupees and 450 rupees for foreigners. That is more than the entrance fee to the best museums in London and Paris. We don't mind paying a bit more than locals. After all, foreigners are wealthier and the locals pay taxes. But that differential was offensive, and we refuse. So much for us just accepting things as they are!

We walk around town in the evening and hear music and see lights down a side street. We check it out, and find a little celebration with animated characters representing the Hindu gods. A local explains that this is a birthday celebration (for the god, or for a local?). We mostly just enjoy the unexpected fun of stumbling across the celebration, and then amble on.

War with Iraq

With Bush strongly pushing for war, and the American press presenting primarily a supportive view, here's a broader perspective from around the world.

Will war make the world safer? Here's examples of commentary taken from the English-language world press, which while generally pro-American is not supportive of this particular war.

Rogue states are being rewarded for power. North Korea has nuclear weapons and the means to destroy the capital and population centers of South Korea. The US is not pushing for a military solution. Iraq does not yet have nuclear weapons and will be invaded by the US. The message resonating in the developing world press is that it is best to develop a strong threat quickly.

The US policies are causing shifts in government to extremists. In countries that might perceive themselves to be targets of the US, governments have shifted to nationalistic positions, and the power of extremists has increased. There is less room for compromise. This is analogous to the overbearing US policy in Iran which unwittingly caused the birth of the Islamic fanaticism.

Bush is viewed as an extremist. Caricatures and adjectives, even in pro-USA countries such as UK and India, describe him as a "cowboy". There is great concern that he is not very bright, is acting emotionally, and is reckless. There is fear that his ignorance and arrogance will cause great harm. The US rejection of the Geneva protocols for treatment of prisoners and incarceration in Cuba was chilling to the world.

Containment is working in Iraq. This view is quite different from that of the US press, but states that Saddam is far from reckless, and that containment is working. He invaded Iran only after his own leaders were assassinated, and invaded Kuwait only when he interpreted Bush Sr's signals that that the US would not object. There have been no new discoveries of weapons of mass destruction (even acknowledging Iraq is not fully cooperating, it is still remarkable that absolutely no new evidence of developing weapons has been found). No countries support Saddam, but many believe that containment is working fine and do not find Bush's assertions without evidence to be compelling. All of Iraq's neighbors are much less fearful of Iraq, weakened by the devastating first Gulf War and a decade of sanctions. For example, Turkey is opposed to a war in Iraq despite a promised $30B. That says something for Turkey's own concern.

There is no material interference with UN inspections. While the US press portrayed the last Blix UN inspector's report as confirming violations, the international press reported the opposite conclusion. Looking at the text of the report (it is online), you will see that the latest report has dropped most of the language about obstruction, cites increased cooperation, and while saying there is still some interference it says the progress is encouraging. Blix's report is not consistent with Bush's statements. The world is hearing a very different story than Americans are, and does not understand why Bush is still pushing so hard for war when it appears that inspections are working.

Al Queda has no ties to Iraq. Unnoticed in the US press, the world community still waits for the ties between Al Queda and Iraq. Despite a year of searching, there aren't any. The only references were initially some supposed meetings, but the US even dropped reference to those. Instead, Osama calls Saddam an infidel and cites Iraq as an example of a secular government that must be overthrown and replaced with an Islamic government. In the latest Osama tape, he called for all Iraqis to stand up and fight against the Americans, and Bush proclaimed that as proof that Osama and Saddam are tied together. In the same tape he reiterated that Saddam is an infidel --and needs to be replaced by an Islamic government. (Which may indeed be the outcome if the US ousts Saddam and allows a free election.) Bush has convinced the American people that invading Iraq is somehow related to Al Queda and Sep 11, when the rest of the world sees no connection.

Our allies trust us less now. During a crisis it is critical that everyone not question each other's motives and pulls together for a common cause. Unfortunately, Bush has caused Europe to be much more suspicious of his motives. He lacks the usual delicacy of a politician, and is very willing to appear to act unilaterally. He unilaterally withdrew from the ABM treaty and the Kyoto protocol without negotiating agreeable solutions. He threatens to ignore the UN Security Council and NATO. He rejects the International Criminal Court. Because Bush acts so strongly unilaterally, even our allies now question his motives, decreasing the effectiveness of our alliances.

Bush makes it difficult for allies to support us. His public dressing-down of Germany's leader makes it politically difficult for the two to talk privately and find common ground. His statements that he will ignore input from other countries gives their leaders little ground to compromise between their own domestic needs and providing support.

Bush is creating a fertile ground for new terrorists. The impact of Bush's strong words (such as "crusade") inflames much of the Islamic world. The world press reports that even moderate countries like Indonesia are now facing suddenly strong extremists. Bush makes it very easy for zealots to target him, and foster hatred in youth. The US seems ready to follow the failed Israeli example of creating new terrorists. (Remember, most of the world is not as strongly pro-Israeli as the US, so world press generally regards Israeli policies as failed.)

Calling for a regime change in an enemy is now okay. Many countries like the idea of changing the government of their enemy! I see commentaries in Arab, Israeli and even Indian newspapers claiming that now the world will see that their specific country also has a terrorist enemy and they too can now actively foster its overthrow. There is a belief that by supporting the US in overthrowing Saddam, there will be support for their own regional wars to overthrow neighbors. If the US invades Iraq, expect India to push for regime change in Pakistan, and on and on.... The concept that one country, if strong enough militarily, can overthrow the government of another sets an incredibly destabilizing precedent for the world.

The US will go it alone. (This commentary came from US professors, but was published abroad and not picked up in the US press.) The first gulf war cost $50-100 billion. The second war will cost the same or more. However, the first war did not cost the US a penny. It was completely funded by the Saudis, Kuwaitis and Japanese. In fact, the influx of money to the defense establishment paid for the development of the next round of armaments, such as patriot missiles and cruise missiles. This war has no such support. The entire cost will be born by the US taxpayer, and in fact we have to promise massive aid to allies in order to secure their support. At a time of looming budget deficits and a sluggish economy this is weakening the US, reducing its ability to respond to future threats.

These views are taken from the world press. Do they reflect a world made safer by Bush? You can see why the world seems to have a different view than America.

Sadly, I also see increasing irrational bashing of Europe (especially France) in US papers and corresponding bashing of US and UK in European papers. This is whipping up animosity on both sides, which is very dangerous. Hatred is the easiest and most powerful emotion to generate, and on our travels we have seen the devastating effects it has when politicians or newspapers fan the flames for their own purposes. Remember how quickly the crowd became agitated in the Irish pub? We all must remain especially vigilant and cautious at this time to ensure that we are not caught up in war fever. If history proves anything, it is that humans are too easily led to war.

Views on America

We have been abroad from just a few months after September 11 until now, when it seems only like days until America attacks Iraq. While the American press is available to us (e.g. www.cnn.com or www.foxnews.com), we also have been able to watch in the world press, and especially to talk with locals throughout the world. There is a gap between the views presented to Americans through the US press, and the rest of the world. Here is an attempt to bridge that gap.

The world was horrified after September 11, with great outpourings of deep sympathy. The act was revolting and unconscionable. Deep and sincere anguish was felt worldwide.

But the world does not see everything through one event. Europe has fought terrorism on its soil for two decades. Tanzanian had hundreds killed when the embassy was blown up. Israel and Palestine trade violence nearly daily. India suffers from Islamic attacks in Kashmir, and even attacks on temples and the parliament building in Delhi. Terrorism has victims globally. To much of the world, September 11 was part of a larger mosaic of terrorist acts, while the US press has instead portrayed 9/11 as a singular event since it is the one that affected the US directly.

There are many different opinions about the US throughout the world. Some people are obsessively in love everything American, and others abhor anything American. In most countries, there is a mix of opinion. But the overall trends are instructive.

Overall world opinion of the USA has been quite positive. A survey for the Economist reports that 35 of 42 countries have a majority of people with positive feelings for the USA. After September 11 this number increased, but the troubling news is that the events of 2002 have erased all of that sentiment and world opinion has dropped substantially. In most countries, 50-60% of the population retain positive feelings about the USA, but these numbers declined down 4-13% from just a couple of years ago, and continue to fall.

Europeans generally feel just as positive about the USA as with other European countries (62-65% positive for USA, UK, France and Germany). Interestingly, Americans are a bit more discriminating with high marks for UK (76%) and low for France (55%). More illuminating, Europeans strongly support the European Union (70%), but not Israel (37%), while Americans are much less positive about the EU and more positive about Israel (55%). (Again, these statistics are from mid-late 2002, so do not reflect the results of recent French-bashing in the US press. They also do not reflect the more recent effect on world opinion of the increasingly defiant attitude of the US, such as countermanding the UN resolutions on Iraq.)

Are these differences just the result of local politics, or underlying cultural differences? A recent study by the University of Wisconsin shed some light on the growing differences between the US and Europe. For decades, the University has tracked countries on two scales. One is the so-called Quality-of-Life, which measures the relative concern for basic survival versus issues such as free expression (and generally separates the developing world from the developed world). The other scale regards rationalism versus traditionalism, typified by strong nationalism or religious feelings.

Stated simply:

• Europe has a high Quality of Life, and is driven by rationality
• The USA has a high Quality of Life, and is driven by traditionalism (nationalism)
• The states of the former USSR and China have low Quality of Life, and are driven by rationality
• Africa, the mid-east and South America have low Quality of Life, and are driven by traditionalism (religion)

Increasingly, a gulf is widening between the USA and Europe regarding rationalism versus traditionalism (nationalism and religion). Europe is increasingly turning to international organizations to solve global problems (economic, political, environmental, and criminal), while the USA is withdrawing from these. Some examples of the differences:

To coordinate international political and humanitarian affairs, Europe strongly supports the UN; the USA refused to pay dues for a decade and now says the UN is becoming irrelevant.

To resolve international criminal cases, Europe strongly supports the new International Criminal Court, in which criminal political leaders such as Milosevic are tried; the USA has refused to support the ICC.

To resolve global environmental problems, Europe strongly backed the Kyoto protocols to stop global warming; the USA withdrew.

Europe more strongly supports the World Court for resolving economic disputes.

Another illuminating difference regards the threats perceived by Europeans versus Americans. The number one danger in the world, to Europeans, is religious and ethnic hatred. To Americans, it is nuclear proliferation. Europe reacts negatively when the passions of religion or nationalism mixed into politics, while the USA incorporates these with new zeal. Europe has suffered greatly from the irrationality of these forces in the last century and seeks to contain them. The USA sees them as the basis of a principled country and foreign policy, and argues that its policies are based on premises of human rights and freedom.

Europeans perceive that the USA is operating with a worldview more typical of the British Empire one or two centuries ago. During that period the Empire redrew national lines, installed or toppled governments, and exploited servile states economically. Many of the later problems in Africa, the mid-East and southern Asia can be traced directly to this period of British rule (and other European powers). By the middle of the 20th century, legitimate nation building replaced this imperial strategy and nation-states were born in Africa, South America, and Asia. Their development was thwarted by the cold war, where both superpowers supported despotic governments in the third world. With the fall of USSR has come a period of increasing good governance in much of the world (regrettably not much in Africa), and more international attention focused on issues of human rights and economic development.

However, the overwhelming European view is that the USA has turned away from that direction under Bush. Europe sees the new world order as fundamentally international and interconnected. They see war as avoidable through commitment to strong international organizations. The USA sees the new world order through its own nationalistic interests. This reflects the general knowledge of the population as well --Europeans generally have much more knowledge of the world and travel more extensively, while Americans tend to just follow American events. To an American, it is right and proper to focus on America first, while to a European it seems irresponsible that Americans take such little personal interest in how their government affects the lives of people throughout the globe, since they have such a huge impact.

Further surprises come by examining the surveys a bit more closely. The vast majority of people worldwide in 2002 felt that the planet is more secure with one superpower than with two, acknowledging the importance of America's military power. However, Americans will be surprised that a majority of the people of the world do not support the American ideas of democracy. Even in Europe, 42-45% disagree with American ideas on democracy, and this number plummets strongly in the developing world. Americans view themselves as the planet's savior, helping to install and preserve democracy. But the people of the world do not see it that way, and instead have their own ideas about the best forms of government. Their experience is that American ideas of democracy are very different outside the USA borders, where perceived US foreign policy supports dictators and kingdoms, undermines unfriendly democracies, and economically represses weaker competitors. They definitely look to America for help, but are looking for economic development, medical care and education, not for foreign intervention in their governments. A key point --they agree that bad local government is a huge obstacle to development, but they are much more willing to accept political intervention from international organizations such as the UN or ICC than from a superpower.

So what does this mean? As Americans we should learn from the European's warnings about the passions of nationalism and religious fervor. We need to become more aware of the needs and interests of the people of the rest of the world. Without heeding that caution and increasing our knowledge, we are too likely to see ourselves as the protector of the world but find the people we purport to benefit to be very hostile to our advances, and we will not understand why. We do have the ability, and even the responsibility, to define a new world order due to our sole superpower status. However, with such overwhelming power it does no good to continually remind others of it --instead we should be working graciously with others, realizing that a distinct disadvantage of such power is the inability to hear and understand others needs and points of view. And we cannot establish a new world order without taking into account those needs and viewpoints, at least not one that will be lasting without repeated conflict and suppression.