Was That A Yes

Hola Compadres! (Ok, I will figure out an Indian greeting soon.) I have made it out of the country through Terminal 5 at Heathrow into Bangalore India with no delays and no lost luggage. Quite an accomplishment if I do say so myself. Terminal 5 is quite lovely with high-end shopping although it takes as bit to get there from the other Terminals so beware that you don't mistakenly end up there--it's a long way back (45 min). I had the luxury of taking a two hour nap on the plush seating with other weary travellers. It's quite an extraordinary experience snoring and drooling among the masses.

Speaking of accomplishments a few sentences back and before I get into my first impressions of my current surroundings, I must inform you of the completion of the second running race of my entire life--the Zooma Women's Half-Marathon in Annapolis, Maryland, June 1, 2008. Again, I feel the need to provide you with proof and of course to brag a little:

Place--591 Number--1039 Split (5k mark)--39:24 Gun Time--3:07:04 Net-Time--3:04:45 Pace--14:06

After losing a day, the soles of my feet plopped down for the first time on Indian concrete. My first trip to India, layover in a new terminal, and arriving in a new airport of only 15 days at the breaking of a new day (4:15 a.m.)--sweet!

One of the first cultural differences one will notice besides the obvious garment and language differences is the way the affirmative is provided. We nod up and down to indicate agreement while they nod side to side but with a swerve--think of a fast Stevie Wonder, or a bobble head. This makes you wonder how we have come to express "yes" in the various cultures of the world. I will have to do some investigation and get back with you.

Lunch (yes there has been no sleep since I have arrived) was a journey into the tastes of south India. In the states, what we usually experience as Indian food is mostly from Northern India. One of the distinct foods of the south is a "dosa" which is a huge triangular rice patty filled with various treats such as cheese and masala. There is a lot of yogurt and chutney around as well. Etiquette-wise, one should eat with only one hand and the right hand at that. The food is quite spicy although they have not allowed me to taste the real hot stuff. In general, they spice their food about 4-fold higher than what we would think as spicy. I say bring it on. Next post-"American explodes from hot Indian experience."