Old Friends and New

I sure do miss home! Especially my family and my hound dog Hurley Van Lou! Being in India has been amazing though, and I am making lots of friends! My host family is so kind. Though their home is simple it is very beautiful. My bed is low and hard which is taking some getting used to and I have to share my bedroom with a ghecko but he is tidy so I don't mind!
Life here is very busy and yet also very relaxed. There are so many people in India sometimes it feels like you are jammed in like a sardine. Here in Goa there are lots of places to escape though. I love being by the ocean and things are a little slower here than in Delhi or Jaipur! There are markets right across the street which is nice!
All of the houses are so colorful and have lots of windows to let in the fresh air - it gets VERY hot here! I used an SPF 60 sunblock and still got a sunburn! It's because we are so close to the equator (and also the antibiotics I have to take to be here make me very sensitive to the sun!)
I help with the family restaurant which is right on the beach! I get to serve delicious foods and drinks to all the hungry and thirsty people that are playing and relaxing on the beach.
Here is an Animoto of my life in India.
Here is an Animoto of my life in New England.



This is the View from our restaurant on the beach in Goa.



Holy Cow!



Cows right in the middle of the street!

In India the cow is sacred. That means it has a very important religious meaning. It is frowned upon to eat or even harm a cow! You will see them everywhere in India roaming free! Sometimes they even cause a traffic jam because nobody will move them out of the way! Elephants are also a very important animal with religious background. The deity Ganesh (A Hindu God) is shown in the form of an elephant. Elephants are often decorated and used in ceremonies.

An Elephant decorated for a parade.

Indians do not generally keep pets, though many families own animals to raise as food or to help in the farm such as chickens or ox. Though the people of India do not keep pets it is common to see MANY stray dogs running around. Here in America we have dog catchers and shelters that help give stray animals homes, but they do not have those things in India so they are left to roam the streets. In fact many animals roam the streets from peacocks to pigs to water buffalo! So far we have rode an elephant and a camel!

Riding a Camel In Jaipur

Because India is so large it has many different climates which make it home to THOUSANDS of different plants, trees and flowers. You can see everything from pine trees to palm trees. The flowers of India are bright and beautiful, Spring and summer are the best times to see them. Often we have seen Marigolds and Lotus flowers. We are now in a place in southern India by the ocean called Goa. Here we have lots of coconut and palm trees! And because the weather is so warm it is the ideal place for growing spices! Did you know that cinnamon is the bark of a bay leaf tree?



A Saffron plant



A list of animals we have seen so far...

Elephant, Baboon

Ox, Camel

A Real Tiger in the wild! NOT IN A ZOO!

Water Buffalo, Ghecko

Peacock, Pig
Goat,Deer
Dog, Horse
Cat, TIGER!!
Monkey, Cow
Lots of bugs and birds!





 

Coconut trees and Beautiful Flowers By The Ganges River



Monkeys at A temple in Jaipur

It's all About the Spices!

Gorgeous Spices in The Market

You wouldn't believe the food here in India! The smells and colors are unbelievable! It's a good thing I like spicy foods because Indians LOVE to use spices! A very popular one is called Garam Masala. It is a mixture of spices including cloves, cumin and cardamom. Curry is a traditional India food that can be made with meats or vegetables. You see it everywhere from breakfast to street food. There are such beautiful flavors in Indian food from sweet coconut and nutmeg to spicy peppers and anise tasting fennel seeds (It tastes like black licorice!)
One of the most fun things about Indian food is that you can eat allot of it with your hands. There are so many different types of breads,crackers and pancakes and most foods are scooped up or dipped! I love dipping so this is the place for me! Also many meals are served with a delicious rice called basmati.
We have to be careful about what we eat here in India, because some of it could make us sick! There is different bacteria in the water here so we can only drink bottled water and we have to avoid the ice! Also if we have any vegetables they need to be so hot they are steaming and our fruits must be washed with bottled water. We have been sticking with thick skinned fruits like bananas just to be safe!
The people of India believe in their traditions and as such there are some for eating. You must always eat with your right hand as the left hand is thought to be "unclean." Because of the Hindu religion pork is not served and they do not serve beef because cows are sacred - no cheeseburgers on this trip! Dinner is generally the largest meal of the day and tends to be eaten on the later side.
Here is what a typical menu looks like...

Scrambled eggs & toast! We found Mickey on our juice!

Breakfast

Scrambled Eggs and lots of white toast with butter (Just like at home!)

or Baked beans, sausages and toast (India has a lot of British influence)
or
Aloo (potatoes, cauliflower and spices all mashed up) with Poori (a puffed up deep fried pancake)
Lunch
Mulligatawny soup
Or
Dal (Lentils) with Rice
Dinner
Tandoori Chicken (Chicken marinated in yogurt cooked in a special oven) with Cucumber salad

Tandoori Chicken - it's wrapped in a sugar web!

OR
Chicken Tiki Masala (Red Curry Sauce) with Naan (Flat bread) and Biryani (A Rice Dish)
Snacks
Pakoras (Vegetable Fritters)
Samosas (Fried pastry filled with meats and vegetables)
Mango Lassi (A sweet yogurt drink)
We drink Chai Tea with every meal! It's yummy and sweet!

Every day I try to taste something new. Even though many of the flavors are the same, each dish is different! The food here is very different than the food in America. The only thing that reminds me of home is when we have eggs and toast at breakfast!
Here is an amazing recipe for Aloo Gobi. Try it with your next meal!

Delicious Pakoras! I could eat 100 of them!