Citylife!

Medicine is not as exciting as sightseeing, and I already blogged about Indian OB; I spent some more time in Peds (Paediatrics) at MIMS and learned all about the high incidence of Indian children needing phototherapy, common childhood diseases, immunization schedules (only BCG and POLIO at birth; others at 6 weeks and beyond), and NICU care in India. I doubt you want to know more.

For the fun: we were able to escape from our medical island for the weekend and visit some city sites!

Hyderabad (or Cyberabad; located in central India in Andhra Pradesh, 35 km south of Ghanpur Village) is known for both its pearls and high-tech-ness. I have never in my life seen so many jewellry stores-- they really were one after the other, after the other... We were able to explore the Chowmahalla (nizam's) palace, which was rather grandiose, as well as the Ramoji Film City (which, even without the rain, would have been way overrated [Lonely Planet led us astray!-- no chance Universal Studios will go out of business!]. However, perhaps the highlight of the city escape was our food selection, as well as purchasing more toilet paper (for sure, a rarity in India, and apparently unobtainable in Ghanpur Village -- good thing we had come prepared!).

Now, don't get me wrong. I love curry, and I LOVE Indian food; however, I cannot eat the below for three meals a day for four weeks:

Call us obsessed with food (who writes a blog mainly about escaping from lentil curry?!); however, when most of our daily conversations started to sound like, "Gosh, a bacon cheeseburger would be really good right now," or, "what I would do for a PBJ sandwich," we knew we had had enough dal (lentil, or "veg") curry (Due to the large Hindu population, most of Indian food, or advertised food, is veg, or vegetarian). In Hyderabad, the highlight of our Saturday was a meal at a sit-down, "multicuisine" restaurant where we had glorious "nonveg" food including naan, noodles, spring rolls, soda, tandoori chicken and authentic chicken tikka masala, which was amazing. Although I sometimes think I can subsist without meat, I have changed my mind.

Here is Kimie eyeing Kay's food, which arrived first... we were all starving!

We also got to see the sights of Mumbai (formerly Bombay), which is the "New York City" of India. While it's still hard to get away from the constant begging (I kind of hate being a foreigner in India), dust, and heat, it's been fun to be in the metropolis with more to entertain us. We have:

- wandered the Fort area and seen the historic buildings, including the Victoria Station (busiest train station in Asia!)

- explored the Oval Maidens (downtown parks) and photographed the picturesque University of Mumbai

- wandered the Colaba markets and seen the gorgeous and colorful Diwali decorations (the Festival of Lights starts this weekend)

- taken the ferry to and visited Elephanta Island, a site of cave temples dedicated to Shiva (luckily done prior to Obama arriving, as apparently they plan to shut down this traffic)

- seen the Mahalaxmi dhobi ghat, the largest human washing machine, where tons of Mumbai laundry (I was squinting for my shirts!) gets done daily


- SHOPPED (Kimie and Kelvin drive a HARD bargain) at the many streetside bazaars- I have come away with steals for wedding bangles and sparkly wedding shoes!

- popped in to see the "Taj" Hotel, the grandest in town, with a famous staircase


(we all seemed a bit underdressed)

- visited the house Gandhi stayed from 1917-1930 while coordinating the Independence efforts

- had perhaps the best seafood I have ever tasted at LP-recommended Trishna restaurant (masala squid, garlic prawns, tikka butterfish... is your mouth watering yet?!) and eaten various street snacks..

Here, Kelvin smiling as his favorite sugar-cane juice is in sight!

Kulfi (ice-cream...), which is wonderful in this heat!

For some more glimpses of India:

Street wildlife: it is common to see goats, sheep, cows, dogs, and other animals roaming the streets (and chilling on benches!)

"Dumpster-diving cows" abound

I love Indian communication and signs

(this was a bus about 5 feet in front of our cab)!


I saw a shop sign of a place specializing in (I kid you not): "Mutton, chicken, and marriage licenses, all at wholesale rates"!

... I rest for now. The Indian adventure continues...