Having written a long blog about my wonderful weekend with my friend Anu in Hydrebad, with pictures galore, it disappeared. Somewhere, out there in cyberspace there is a huge assortment of nearly finished typed works of art and some very unpleasant nerdy dwarfs giggling hilariously as they extract yet, another almost completed masterpiece from some innocent writers computer! So while I steal myself to revisit the wedding in Hybrebad again, a short blog on a couple of bizarre occurrences.
Adam is in the middle, or he'd tell you, over half way through, his finals and today was science. As part of the biology section of the syllabus they studied adaption - how over time animals "adapt" to better survive in their habitats. Reading the newspaper this morning I came upon an article concerning an "adaptation" in the evolution of the Indian lady. One of the first things you notice while driving along the streets of Bangalore, once you have got over the surprise of the "cow sleeping in the middle of the road" and the "how many people can you possibly fit on a motorbike" is the number of men facing away from the side of the road, peacefully peeing. This activity can be done solo or in linear formation, in the undergrowth, the gutter or essentially wherever there is room to plant both feet about 18 inches apart. If you see a parked bike/cart/auto rick etc. the odds are that not too far away there will be a guy, his back facing you, not a care in the world sprinkling away. It appears that this maybe one activity where men can actually multi-task - as it can be performed one handed or even no handed - enabling the operator to smoke or even drink (this perpetuation of the cycle - makes me think this is from a male perspective, an enjoyable break in their day). A quick leap off one's bike to mark one's territory, enjoy the view, have a fag, shoot the breeze etc. The history is apparently, that, when India was predominantly fields men and women could go about their natural business in the fields, amongst the crops.
As described, the urbanization of vast parts of the country has not surpresed the male urge to go, but what is a girl to do? The construction of toilets has not kept pace with urbanization (but then most builders are male!!) so this is where "adaptation" comes in. This is not April Fools day I promise! A scientist has explored the effect of the lack of toilets on the Indian lady and apparently has observed some changes in the biological make up of indian females - enabling that which would, in the male world be deposited road side, to be reabsorbed and otherwise (I didn't really understand the scientific bits) broken down by the body. Thus enabling the Indian lady to go freely about her business in Bangalore, unfettered by the lack of fascilities We live and learn!!
Cell phones are a life line here - how to call your driver when you are out and are ready to drive home! But maybe I use mine too much. A funny thing happened to me on my way home from the gym....... Walking back from my work out, I called Shubha on my cell about something totally unrelated. I had thought she was at home as I'd just got an email from her. I wondered why, when apparently sitting in her house, she seemed a little breathless but maybe she'd run up the stairs to grab the phone. Didn't think any more of it and continued walking and talking until I was nearly at the corner to turn towards our houses, still chatting away and who do I nearly bump into? - you got it Shubha talking to me via cell phone!! Made me chuckle but also consider my overuse (?) of my cell phone!
And of course, from the Bangalore Times - one is always aware of who is IN and who is out in Bangalore!! Of course its only the socially elite who make it onto the broadsheets! We were actually (by an invite of Shubha's) attending the opening of an art exhibition.
Adam is in the middle, or he'd tell you, over half way through, his finals and today was science. As part of the biology section of the syllabus they studied adaption - how over time animals "adapt" to better survive in their habitats. Reading the newspaper this morning I came upon an article concerning an "adaptation" in the evolution of the Indian lady. One of the first things you notice while driving along the streets of Bangalore, once you have got over the surprise of the "cow sleeping in the middle of the road" and the "how many people can you possibly fit on a motorbike" is the number of men facing away from the side of the road, peacefully peeing. This activity can be done solo or in linear formation, in the undergrowth, the gutter or essentially wherever there is room to plant both feet about 18 inches apart. If you see a parked bike/cart/auto rick etc. the odds are that not too far away there will be a guy, his back facing you, not a care in the world sprinkling away. It appears that this maybe one activity where men can actually multi-task - as it can be performed one handed or even no handed - enabling the operator to smoke or even drink (this perpetuation of the cycle - makes me think this is from a male perspective, an enjoyable break in their day). A quick leap off one's bike to mark one's territory, enjoy the view, have a fag, shoot the breeze etc. The history is apparently, that, when India was predominantly fields men and women could go about their natural business in the fields, amongst the crops.
As described, the urbanization of vast parts of the country has not surpresed the male urge to go, but what is a girl to do? The construction of toilets has not kept pace with urbanization (but then most builders are male!!) so this is where "adaptation" comes in. This is not April Fools day I promise! A scientist has explored the effect of the lack of toilets on the Indian lady and apparently has observed some changes in the biological make up of indian females - enabling that which would, in the male world be deposited road side, to be reabsorbed and otherwise (I didn't really understand the scientific bits) broken down by the body. Thus enabling the Indian lady to go freely about her business in Bangalore, unfettered by the lack of fascilities We live and learn!!
Cell phones are a life line here - how to call your driver when you are out and are ready to drive home! But maybe I use mine too much. A funny thing happened to me on my way home from the gym....... Walking back from my work out, I called Shubha on my cell about something totally unrelated. I had thought she was at home as I'd just got an email from her. I wondered why, when apparently sitting in her house, she seemed a little breathless but maybe she'd run up the stairs to grab the phone. Didn't think any more of it and continued walking and talking until I was nearly at the corner to turn towards our houses, still chatting away and who do I nearly bump into? - you got it Shubha talking to me via cell phone!! Made me chuckle but also consider my overuse (?) of my cell phone!
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