Delhi ... (India II)

 

 

My first stop in India was New Delhi, for meetings.  There is an "old" Delhi, and a "New Delhi".  The British built a new city, and made it the center of government, where the main government offices and buildings are located.  Finishing our meetings, we had an hour or so before we needed to head for the airport, so we took a drive around.



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

The sun makes a pretty powerful first impression.  It was 41c (106 F), quite warm, but definitely not a record for Delhi.  Really, it wasn't any worse than "West-Texas-hot"...which of course, ain't all that great.

 

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

We drove around the New Delhi government buildings, and over to the Old City, to see "The Red Fort".  It was built by invading Mogul Emperors during the mid 1600's.  It has an octagonal shape, with two main entrances.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

It's huge.  The heat made it seem like a long way round to the Main Gate.  These moats were once channeled into the nearby river, so they were always full of water, and no doubt a few crocodiles.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 A corner turret...the whole structure is built using a local red sand stone.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

All along the top of the walls are arrow slits, and regular canon ports, in a Mogul Helmet motif, where this little guy has taken up residence.



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

The Brits apparently gutted the main internal buildings some time ago, and erected several "new" buildings they could use as a main headquarters.



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Now, even the "new" buildings are quite old.



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

One thing that impresses me about India, is a seemingly universal entrepreneurial spirit.  All over the place, sometimes shoulder to shoulder along the street, are vendors, stands, small businesses, all with people trying...trying to move forward.  This guy, for example, can get you Visa Forms, "urgent photo copies", or a Coke.  Just step up and tell him what you need.



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

This guy is another example.  His buddy is driving the motorcycle, and he is holding on to a large roll of something.  I saw him while riding with my friend Pankil in Vadodara.  I told Pankil that an image like this says to me, "Don't tell me it can't be done...find a way ! "  If people want to move forward, they can't let little things stand in their way.  They have to push forward, like this guy, and like the vendors above, to get the job done.  I saw that spirit everywhere I went in India.



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

The hotel in New Delhi was quite nice.  The lobby was a cool, quiet, calm oasis, in sharp contrast to the heat and bustle outside.

 

More to come...

 

Y'all take care,

 

- Mark W. Laughlin

 

 

 

 

The Real Ash-Ka ! ... (India I)

 

A couple of years ago, while I was writing The Trail of the Fox, Pankil, a customer of mine visited Houston to inspect some equipment.  We spent some time together, taking several meals together, and also touring around Houston, so he could get a good look.  His travel arrangements are complicated a bit, because he’s from India, and as a strict Vegetarian, it isn’t always easy to find good food to eat.  Fortunately my buddy Don, my partner at the office, is an Indian food lover, and had coached me on where and how to find the right kind.  Hanging out with Pankil during the week allowed us several occasions to talk, and to become good friends.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

During those discussions, he mentioned of course, his daughter, Aashka.  It just so happened, I was still sorting out the potential characters for “Trail”.  I thought “Aashka” sounded as if it could have been a name in the language of my characters, and so I said, if it was ok, I would borrow Aashka’s name.  He agreed, and in the book, I spelled it slightly differently, as “Ash-Ka”, to try and help my English speaking readers better get the pronunciation.

Well, this week, I made my first trip to India.  As it happens, our agent in India also lives in Pankil’s hometown.  As well,  there is a location there with some of our equipment that has been operating for a few years, so I was able to combine several elements, and make a visit to Vadodara as an important part of my trip.  Of course, to me, getting a chance to meet the “real” Aashka, was the most important element of all !

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Schedule wise, we were able to work out that most of my Sunday would be free, and so Pankil and I arranged to meet.  We looked around Pankil’s old neighborhood, near the center of Vadodara, then swung past his offices on the way to his current house.  Aashka has been having Pankil read her the “Ash-Ka” chapters of “Trail” regularly since they came out.  I don’t know who was more excited about the visit, her or I, but we were both definitely glad to have a chance to meet.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

I met the whole family, Aashka’s uncle, aunt and cousin, her mom, her grandmother and her grandfather.  I felt most welcome in their home and was most warmly received.  We looked at photos I had been taking, and visited a bit, then Aashka, her dad and I went off to see the Palace in Vadodara, still home to the family of the former maharaja.  I had told Pankil that “making a personal connection” to a place made for a much more enjoyable visit.  Indeed, the places he showed me, his old neighborhood, the Central Library, the Central Market, are places I never would have had the opportunity to find and visit without a close friend from the city.  But to me, the opportunity to meet Aashka, and make that personal connection, was the best part of all !

-           Mark W. Laughlin

24-June-2014

 

Aashka: 

Please tell your family again that I most enjoyed meeting them,
(and you, of course !) and I look forward to seeing you all again. 
- Mark

 

PS:

There is another story on the blog, called “The Arrangement”,

which describes the way some arranged marriages in India are handled. 

Take a look at:

http://writtenpost.blogspot.com/2011/05/arrangement.html

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 

Seoul - May 2014

We had time for a morning walk while in Seoul.

Our hotel was quite near the U.S. and Japanese Embassies, and also near the Korean President's Residence.  There was a limo out front, waiting to be escorted somewhere, with the Police Motorcycles lined up and ready.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

We headed off to a nearby hilltop palace.  It is surrounded by a "Great Wall of China style" wall, built ironically, to keep out the Chinese.  But, during an invasion several centuries ago, the Chinese were victorious, and took the castle and the then King.  (Google General George S. Patton, and read what he says about "fixed fortifications") 

(pretty cool place however, and popular with Korean hikers)



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Some of the trees were showing foliage in what looked like fall colors,

even though it is still spring time.  Pretty.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Now guys, I try to be as open minded as I can...but this was a tough one.  Sautéed Silk Worms.  It's not that they looked gross, actually, they didn't look all that bad.  The problem was...the "aroma"...actually a "smell", like poop set on fire, and pungent !  It hung with us as we walked on, drifting through the trees.  Our friend and partner did not even bother trying us on that one.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

We had another chance to visit Namdaemun Market.  Third time for me, and each time, I manage to penetrate a bit deeper, see a little more.  It is a very busy visual environment, with photo ops everywhere.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Just about everything there you can think of that a Korean household would want to buy.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

A bedding guy...

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

A doll and souvenir guy...

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Glass ware...

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Quite a chaotic looking arrangement of buildings and alley ways,
easy to get turned around and find yourself walking the same street twice.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

I had earlier seen several people carrying large bunches of flowers,
but hadn't found the "center" of flower activity, until this time.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Tons of them...all varieties...

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 

It's hard to differentiate one's shop in such a crowded environment,
so this lady does it with yellow signs.  Color is everywhere.


Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Along with some cool bikes... 
The area is so congested that motorcycles,
tiny "trucks" and hand carts are the usual form of transport
for folks restocking inventories.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

It was early, and the sellers were still arranging and getting set up. 
These alley ways would be quite crowded in a couple more hours.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

We headed down a stairway that looked like it would allow us to cross under the street,
and may provide access to the subway...

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

We found "retail space, wherever it will fit...

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

But instead of a subway, there was additional retail space below.  Vast.  It ran a great distance to the left and right of where I was standing.  You never know what you will find...unless you go look.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Finally, we stopped in a small palace just a block or two from the hotel. 
I like to take photos of people doing silly things so their friends can take a photo. 



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

These stones are "Ranking Stones".  Saw the same type in Beijing, in a place where the emperor holds court.  Here, as there, only the King walks along the central walkway, with guards on either side.  Then, visiting dignitaries would line up to the left and right, each finding a stone according to his social rank, and lining up beside it.  Note there is enough room between the stones for the visitors to like completely prostrate on the ground.  This little guy "photo bombed" me...and made the shot.

You wanna' see cool things ? 
Well, they don't come to you. 
You gotta' go look !

Y'all take care,
- Mark W. Laughlin