October 9, 2014 -- Street Vendors

I know I have mentioned the vendors who come by on our street – starting at 6 a.m. with the dude on the milk-can laden motorcycle, the newspaper deliverer on his motorcycle at 6:30 a.m with a stack of newspapers on his lap up to his chin – which he folds up and heaves up to the balcony (in our case -  and Rob catches it, which makes the vendor laugh) or over the downstairs gate for our landlord.  I think I mentioned that we get the English-language Tribune 7 days a week, at a cost of 128 rs. per month – about $2.50

I should not forget the fellows – two or three  - whom we see every morning around 5:30 a.m. while we are walking in the park.  These guys arrive on a bike with a bucket, rags, etc. and enter a gate, bring out the hose, wash a car, chamois it off, then move down the block to their next customer.  It isn’t actually light yet.

There are an astounding number of other sellers – hawking their wares throughout the day (as I discovered by staying home from work this week).  The vegetable cart comes by twice a day (perhaps the same guy twice, or two different guys) and so does the fruit cart.  These are both pedal-driven wooden carts.

There is a guy who goes past on a bicycle – a tall stack of nylon webbing rolls (like you might use to fix your lawn chair)  on his carrier.  Many colours and widths to choose from – and used to repair chairs, or cot or mattress underpinnings.

There is a broom and squeegee seller.  The bathrooms here are mostly wall-to-wall shower stall, so each house needs a long-handled squeegee to dry up the floor.  Milo wanted a new broom yesterday which cost 60 rs. or about 1 dollar.  She refused my offer of the long-handled broom (so she would not have to stoop to sweep) and opted for what she knows and likes.  Picture included.

Just now, I heard a TWEE…TWEE…TWEEing sound coming from up the street and got outside in time to see the toy and novelty wala going past, blowing a party horn.  I AM IN HEAVEN!!!!!  

The trash collector comes every day to collect from each household, and a couple of House Crows (with the grey heads) ride along on the cart – jumping into the cart whenever something “good” gets added.  This man goes into each person’s gate, brings out the trash bag, dumps it into his cart and moves on.

We have a newspaper recycler, who pedals past on his bike – calling  P A  P  E  R,  P A P E R ..and the Punjabi equivalent, I guess.  There is also a guy who collects bottles.

I will attach some pictures.  I tried to send video of the jaggeri-making, but it seemed to be taking so long that I cancelled the operation.  I hope!

Sugar Cane Drink Wala

I will get Rob to shrink them down for me and resend.

Hansi, from India

October 9, 2014 -- Jaggeri Making

Jaggeri are hunks of brown sugar that you may have seen for sale in Indian Stores or been served a piece on your Thali Plate.

It turns out that there is one special road where jaggeri is made -- at least in our area, and Everybody knows it -- in a township called Jhanjhedi which we drive through every day on our way to work and back.

This operation happens every year when the sugar cane is ripe.  All of a sudden one day these little huts sprung up along a short stretch of road -  men hacking down cane, huge kettles steaming, tables of jaggeri for sale.  So we stopped.  I am attaching pictures of the operation and another email with two short videos which will give you the whole picture. [Never did receive the videos and may not have  been able to post them here anyway--seems as though I can only post Youtube. SSW]

A hole – tunnel really – is dug out to provide draft for the fire in a pit under the caldron.  The sugar cane husks, which would be waste, become the fuel to keep the fires burning and is continuously poked down the hole under the brew to feed the flames.   What goes into the kettle is sugar cane juice, which is squeezed out of the cane, and then boiled down in the same way that we reduce maple sap to make maple syrup.  It finally crystalizes to make patties (I could wish they didn’t ressemble cow flops so much – but whatever…) some of which are plain, and some with fennel seed. Of course, Rob bought a big hunk and now we have to think what to do with it.   A Very nifty operation.

October 7, 2014 -- Making Hummus

I have been hankering for hummus for some time now.  I love Middle Eastern food. And, as much as we LOVE Indian food, it does get a bit monotonous, as Indians in general eat Indian food three times a day. 

So, I have been trying to find hummus to buy (Empire Store not in stock they said, but who knows if they really carry it).  Failing that, I have also been hunting for tahini, for as many of you have pointed out, I COULD make hummus myself .  No tahini either.

So  today I took the bull by the horns – checked Allrecipes.com and set off to the store for sesame seeds, olive oil and lemons.  Well, I got the first two but the Departmental Stores don’t have produce.  As luck would have it, a vegetable cart cum wala (they use the CUM a lot here) was on our street as I approached home, so I bought ½ kg. of nemu (lemons) from him.  Done!

Indian lemons are yellow, small and round.  There are also sweet limes, which are green, but the size of an orange, and I would say not as flavourful as the lemons. These are used to make sweet lime soda, using mineral water or soda water and served either salty or sweet.  Salty lassies, salty sweet lime, salty sugar cane juice (put through a ringer at the side of the road) are common and you actually have to move fast if you want them to “hold the salt”.  I guess this has to do with the amount of salts people lose by sweating here.

My sister asked if it is still hot here. Yes. I went out onto the porch a moment ago because I heard a mystifying bird across the street. Couldn’t see the pesky bird and the heat was too intense to stay out there. My iPhone says 33C degrees but feels like 38C. 

Back to hummus. I toasted   the sesame seeds a little bit first on a roti griddle, and put the chickpeas (channa, here) on the stove to come to a boil then set them aside until Milo got up here to pressure cook them. (I am afraid of pressure cookers – call me a sissy!).

Milo had to sort through the warm chickpeas to pluck out the ones with a weevil inside (picky, picky, picky) and then likewise the toasted sesame seeds to remove what I had taken to be black seeds but which were teensy insects.  I said the weevils were poached and the little black thingies were roasted but still she sorted through until satisfied.

The Mixi is a staple in the Indian kitchen as it can grind up the dry stuff but also whirr up the tomatoes, onions, garlic etc. to make the gravies.  The Mixi in this house has three container sizes.  Yowsah!

Anyway, I got Milo to make the chickpeas quite soft, but still it took a long time, and all the chickpea water, a 1/4 cup of lemon juice and a good bit of my tiny olive oil – to get this stuff smooth.  Hmmm… more salt!  And finally packed away in two jars.  Very tasty – IF labour intensive.

I food processor – with its wide opening – is a much better appliance for this job, BTW.

October 6,2014 -- Off to Delhi

So, I started an email from the hotel room and somehow deleted the draft this morning.  I cannot find it in SENT, or in TRASH, and it certainly isn't in the INBOX.  Where the hell is the damned thing.  Sheesh. I blame the new version of iOS for iPhones.  And no, it isn't in ARCHIVED.

I shook my iPhone vigorously, and the only thing that came back was my ganglion.  So...from the start...

We left here by cab on Thursday morning around 5 am and got onto the train platform.  We noticed that there was a series of lit-up signs above the platform denoting where to stand for Car 1, Car 2 etc. up to Car 12 and with some help discovered that our ticket, in fine print, said we were on Car 5 so we waited there.  We also had a seat number.

Once on, we were almost immediately brought a bottle of water and the newspaper, then a box of mango juice, then a tea service with cookies, and when that was cleared away, they brought breakfast - with more tea.  We had ordered non-veg so had an omelet and toast (?).  Under the omelet were three peas and two moist French fries. I kid you not! 

This was NOT first class but just normal Chair Car status with A/C.  On this train, the Shitabdi,  this seat used to be called 2nd Class A/C but now there is only CC and Executive Class.

Our tray had a small placemat on which each meal's menu was listed, and the catering company - "Meals o n Wheels". I can't help being delighted by it all, and it helps to pass the time, too!

Hansi

October 9, 2014 -- Delhi Monuments

Hi all

Been a while since I last wrote because Hansi has (very ably) taken over the duties. She has already sent off a couple of notes about our weekend in Delhi what with the touts and riding the Metro and all. We re-visited a couple of places (both of which I had visited while staying at the Imperial Hotel in 2002 and one we both had visited in 2004).

JANTAR MANTAR

The first, Jantar Mantar is the name of several observatories built in the early 1700s by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II - others built in Jaipur (which we visited), Ujjain and Varanasi. Basically these observatories permitted the observation and recording of the position in the sky of the sun, moon, planets and stars as well as accurately measuring time - needed to calculate the positions of the sun (say) at different times of the year. A rather stilted way of saying that the observatory was used mainly for astrological predictions.

Unfortunately, it has fallen on somewhat hard times (as has much else in India - history doesn't seem to matter here as many, many historical sites have fallen to ruin). The basic building materials were brick and mortar with curved scales (mostly angles in degrees, minutes and seconds etched into marble). The scales and observatories (Yantras) were arranged so that the angle of the sun or whatever you were measuring could be done by sighting along a line which intersected with the scale. Different Yantras used for different measurements. Whew! It's hard to tell what is what so I won't try - the carved scales of the Yantras are hard to make out so I've zoomed in on a few.

Confusing, I know but quite fascinating - in a museum in Jaipur there are many of the original recorded observations and calculations. Quite a record. We were able to walk to it from the Hotel (20-25 minutes in +36C so we were dedicated). Haven't really done it justice so it's worth looking up on the web.

QUTUB or QUTB MINAR (Google for details)

This monument was a 20-25 minute Metro ride followed by a 5 minute auto-rickshaw ride. Last time we came by car and it took an hour and a half so this is way better!

This monument and complex was started, and re-built, and added to, beginning in 1200. The main attraction is the tower itself which has been well maintained. The outlying buildings and arches and tombs didn't fare as well, however. The intricate carving in the sandstone and marble of the remaining ruins is impressive but the carving on the tower is just amazing. I'll let the photos do the talking and maybe I'll post a video on Facebook. By the way, this is the location of the famous (von Daniken) iron pillar that doesn't rust - confounds the scientists don't you know, everyone else just says "hunh".

October 6, 2014 --Dehli

When we got to Delhi, we nipped over the train overpass to the new (since we were here in 2004) Metro station with the idea that we would buy a Metro pass and get ourselves around Delhi.  We had been told 200 rs on each of our cards would be enough, and it turned out that to buy the card - 50 rs. - and then 100 rs. on the card was all we could do on the first purchase.  100 rs. is abut $2.00. 

With the Metro Passes safely in our pockets, we opted in the end to ride an auto rickshaw to the Hotel, because we didn't know where it was, and it turned out that the driver didn't know either, though of course he claimed to know.  What a sketch.  So we putted along, from one hotel to the next (No this isn't the Royal Plaza, No THIS isn't the royal Plaza, No this isn't it EITHER) until he finally stumbled on the correct Hotel.  And we got ensconsed.

We did set off on foot to find a Metro station and try riding the rails.  Our first ride was down the line several stops and then back, without ever leaving the Metro and that cost 17 rs.  We got a Metro Map so we could locate points of interest which turned out to be simple to get to.  The Metro is new, clean and seems very safe.  We were warned by my friends at work about Pick Pockets, so were careful to guard our bags closely in crowded situations.  However, in the Metro, some trains going certain directions were sparsely patronized and some were CRAMMED with riders.

There were advantages to being underground, too.  Namely, staying clear of the Touts who materialized every time we set foot outside the Hotel. Within half a block, we would notice that there was a fellow with a cell phone following behind us. He might go past, then stop and take a call, then he'd be behind us again, and finally would approach us to make "friendly" conversation, or to "help" us find what we were looking for, or many similar approaches.  Could not be persuaded we needed no help, and dogging us relentlessly for blocks, assuring us that "he isn't trying  to sell us anything" but the shops WE are heading towards are ALL CLOSED so we ought to go to some shops he knows about and he will take us there. "Come on, I will show you."   No thanks.  "Come on, I will show you."  No thank you. "Come on, I will take you there."   "I SAID NO!"  Unfortunately, the only way to get rid of them is to be RUDE, which is really not in our nature.  It does get wearying.  These guys plagued us here in Delhi in 2004, as well.

We had a good one yesterday on the way to the train.  We took an auto rickshaw to the station, and when we got out, we were met by a guy who wanted to know which train we were on.  He wanted to see our ticket so he could "show" us where we needed to be, and when we balked, he produced an "official" ID card from the Railway, assuring us he was an employee.  When he saw we were on the Shitabdi to Chandigarh, he told us our train was delayed 6 hours, in an effort, I guess, to convince us to let him drive us back to Chandigarh. We managed to push past him into the station where the electronic signboard said our train was on time and leaving at 5:15, as scheduled. And it did. Arghhhhhh!!!  So, one has to be ever vigilant.  Not the best thing about Delhi.  But, at least nobody tried to sell us a fake beard, Nick.

Hansi

__________________________________________________________

Hi all -

A couple of videos from last weekend in Delhi.

India Gate

http://youtu.be/7k5P5la7BGg

Qutub Minar

http://youtu.be/oTzBJV-kSCI

Rob

October 1, 2014 -- Down with Dongles

 So…On Friday morning, I received an email from Jan at 4:30 a.m. and then that, Ladies and Gentlemen, was the last communication we have had with the outside world since then.

We have what is known as a Dongle, which plugs into an outlet in the house, or into the side of your computer – either way – it is portable WIFI.  We have it in Canada too, but I don’t know what they call it.

Rob and Monica, you may remember, had quite a lot of trouble wth it in July, - as it had a  very limited amount of data, and once it was getting close to the end of the month (getting close to end of the data) the thing would run as slow as molasses.  THEN, it stopped working altogether for four whole days and it turned out that WIICS had not paid the bill.  (This WIFI is supposed to be supplied with the Apartment.).

He we are again at the end of the month, and guess what?!!  NO INTERNET.  Despite protestations to the contrary, we believe that the bill again did not get paid.  Hitender texted last night to say “Plug your Dongle in, as I have been assured everything is fine with the company and it will be working in one-half hour.  That was 18 hours ago.  Nada.  Zilch, Zero. 

But the thing is this.  Internet is the ONLY way we communicate with our families here.  We need it for Skype phoning, or for emails or even for iMessaging or What’s App.  And though we hate to admit it, we are now very reliant on our Internet. 

We want to check out some hotels in Delhi (going there on Thursday).  Can’t.

Want to check the weather forecast.  Can’t

Want to scan an important document to Silvia.  Can’t   (grrrr!)

Want to play Scrabble online with my Buddies.  Can’t

Want to find out what Milo just cooked us for dinner.  (She said Tinda)  Can’t – but if We had the internet, I would use my handy translate app. to find that out.  ed. note once Internet was back - Baby pumpkin - a veg. sold immature - small, round, green.  Good.

So, sad as it is, we are now dependent on the internet.  We have taken matters into our own hands – ordered our own Dongle through our friend, Harpreet (but it will not be active until Tuesday, or so they say).  Update- not til Oct. 8th at least.  Sigh.