Tuesday, October 14, 2003

I'm having such an amazing time, and currently, I am trying to arrange to go to Leh, in the Himalayas. It will be getting very cold there soon; however, I could take the rest from sweating my F-ing balls off each day, every day.

I would be traveling with this guy Case, he's Dutch, and good friends with Prashast. He lives in Paris now working for Le Monde as an entertainment photographer. So, he and his hasselblad are going to head to Leh with me probably taking an active interest in the methodology. He teaches color processing at Parsons if it is testament to his work... Very interesting guy.

Sarah, dad's friend from New York, owns a spinning club here in Dehli. So, I'm going to try and run myself out of breath tonight... I've never done spinning before. It ought to be a good exercise. Also tonight, our buddy Kilian is leaving town. He has been here traveling for four months. He'll head back to Paris to settle some affairs, one week; then he'll head back to Brazil for one year of sabbatical. Artists, right? Always searching for inspiration, the flavor. It's been really nice getting to know a bit about him in the 10+ days I've been here.

Prashast is also a really cool cat. He's doing his artist thing. In full motion, thou he is, he's not sure for which direction. Although, his legs keep moving, and there's always ground beneath his feet.

Case's other friend Keith is in town for the International Indian Film Festival. He was co-director of cinematography for a film called 'Beyond the Soul'. It's an interesting film shot on location in India and the US. We saw the screening yesterday and were impressed. Also at the festival is a Lars Van Trier retrospective. Last night everyone went to see Dancer in the Dark. I was not present as I had had quite my fill of spinning wheels for the day. The other day, however, I watched DogVille with Nicole Kidman. It was an interesting film if not tedious at points.

Speaking of last night, I had left the house to wait outside for a friend to pick me up, and I received another lesson in IST (not Indian Standard Time, so much as Indian Stretching Time). The only way to return to the house and make a call would be to ring the bell and wake someone to let me in. This is the way I have been returning in the evenings; admittedly, I feel for disrupting anybody's rest to let me in. Alas, there was no spare key to be found. Thus, I found myself walking in the Golf Links Colony, all neighborhoods here are described as colonies, and often times there will be a gate that one must pass to enter; typical subdivision behavior. During my stroll I passed a home with a gentleman smoking on his porch. I approached his guard at the gate. Nearly everyone in these subdivision has several people to overlook the house from the inside and out, constantly. We had a difficult time understanding each other, and eventually he agreed to let me ask the gentleman my question, "May I make a simple phone call." He was quite happy to oblige; when my friend was not available more than an hour after he said he would be ready I was invited to take a seat and have a Pepsi, tea, etc.. We talked a bit, he offered me his cell phone such that we could continue to discuss outside with needing to head in, and we exchanged a bit about who we were. An American Jew and a Pakistani Muslim, it was beautiful, free flowing exchange of ideas and opinions.

Turns out the Aslam is a recent PHD graduate in Developmental Irrigation studies. Needless to say I began gnashing a bit on his ear. It's so wonderful to have someone with such specific interests to role on and on with my questions. He was pleasantly involved in the conversation as the night wore on. Eventually, my friend showed up at the gate because I learned how to SMS message on this gentleman's phone. And, off we went.

Last night's fortuitous meeting was yet another shinning example of the dynamic people, but I would also emphasis the hospitality. Everyone is warm and will offer themselves to assisting you. From directions to travel suggestions to food.

Life in this moment, is treating me exceedingly well, and I'm grateful.

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