The picture of the boat I was on while in India is old by now, but I must admit I haven't been taking pictures lately. So I think this is an interesting picture. There are many of these boats out on the water. They've become a real tourist industry. For a fee, you are taken around the waterway and given a very good lunch. There are some great views of life along the waterway. People (women) washing laundry on the rocks, kids coming home from school, dogs, whatever is happening at the time.

Boat in Cochi, S. India.

Poverty in India

Here's a funny, (0dd) story. On one of my last days in Mumbai, before I flew home, I found I had extra Rupees and didn't want to take them home, as I knew I would get a terrible exchange rate back here. Like many tourists, I felt guilty about having so much while seeing some people living in dire poverty on the streets. While I was thinking these thoughts, a woman holding a baby approached me, tapped me on the arm saying "Mum, (the Indian version of M'am) can you help me... my baby, no milk, etc, etc. To her amazement, I said yes I would help her. The grocery store on the corner wouldn't let her in, so I had to go in with her while she picked out her groceries. She bought a gallon can of oil, two kinds of rice in big bags, and several other items. We checked out and were leaving; how she carried the baby and these heavy items is a mystery to me!

As we were leaving another woman, also carrying a baby and accompanied by a teenager got wind of the scene and began the routine. "Mum, please, my baby is hungry, etc." I turned to the woman I had just bought groceries for and said, You will share your food with her, won't you? A very firm "No!" was the response, and woman #1 disappeared into the crowd. But the second little gaggle (woman, baby and teenager) weren't about to be deterred. "No," I said firmly, I can't buy you food. I have no more money." Please Mum, please was the response. Gently she and the teenager tapped me on the arm. "Please Mum." I offered two hundred rupees (about four dollars), but the duo knew a sucker when they saw one. They were not about to be deterred. Tap, tap, "Please Mum Please. The baby, he's hungry." I felt panic rising in my chest and seeing the bus stop a block away, I began to run. Naturally, my assailants were faster than me. Tap, tap tap, Please Mum!

When I arrived at the bus stop, and sat on the bench, many Indians also waiting for the bus looked at me with condescending smiles. Why don't you ask him! I said, pointing to someone in the audience. These two were not to be diverted. "Please, Mum." After a long period, the women got the message and did leave. The man on the bench next to me said, "Never give to beggars! I had heard this many times before.

"But what are they to do?" I asked." There are no jobs. What are they supposed to do?"

"Beg," he replied. Thus I began to see the blind, circular Indian reasoning.

A job in Mumbai is laundry. Only here, only men are hired as the work is very strenuous. Men come from all over India to do this hard and, no doubt, low paying work. Clothes are washed in stone tubs and pounded on rocks. You can see laundry hanging out on bushes on main streets. This is the laundry from the big hotels.

The art show was out doors. Many local co-ops brought things that their workers made. This artist did a great job on the car.

I don't think that foot needs any explanation. In India or the USA, a foot is a foot.

laundry in Mumbai,the auto as art,and foot of the sleeper

Sleeper on the train to Mumbai

The good sisters (they really are good!) a cute kid, and the audience.

Little dancers at Mercy House

The girls dancing can't walk for a variety of reasons. Their dancing is done with arm movements as they sit on the floor. They scoot around and form a chorus line and have a lot of fun in the process. They sew their own costumes.

One of the sisters helping a young girl at Mercy House.The picture of the kids dancing is terrible! I'll try and find a better one. , India

Let me explain these pictures a little; The group which includes me is of an Indian family that is part of Save a Family Plan. SAFP is an organization I've sent a little money to since sometimes in the 1960's or 70's. In India a little money goes a long way and these families have used the money for education or to start a business or to fix their homes. I actually visited 4 of the families and was so impressed with what they have done. One man told me his parents (that must have been in 1970 or so) sent him to school to become a plumber. Now he has 3 children- one in nurses training, one studying I.T, and one has become a lawyer! It was so amazing and delightful to hear these stories.

There is a picture of a houseboat. In Southern India there are backwater areas and many houseboats. It's become something of a tourist thing and a money maker for the locals. I went out on one of these. They served a large Indian lunch and we relaxed. I'll have to see if I can find more pictures from this. Sailing along, you see women washing clothes on stones in the water, kids coming home from school, an occasional cow, etc.

The last picture is of a Guru who sat in the same compartment with me on the train. I couldn't see how I could show pictures of India without a Guru. He's very handsome, don't you think? But least you think a long train ride (36 hours from Kochi to Mumbai) is fun,let me tell you that there are many roaches and many smelly bathrooms on one. I recommend a shorter train trip.

I just looked at Mike's blog, which I haven't seen in months and thought about how I'd like to get back with my blog again. Something went wrong where I couldn't upload any pictures, so I stopped working on it. I'll try and start again. As some of you may know, I've had a wild and wooly winter (I love alliteration). I sold my house in Cincy and moved to Portland at the beginning of December, 2010. If I didn't have the help of some wonderful friends,I'd still be packing. However Mollie and Adrienne and Cara (daughter-friend) all came to my aid. Hope I didn't leave anyone out. Anyway my belongings went into a pod and then into storage in Portland, and I went to Fred and Sharon's. But all the time I was at Fred's I was nervously planning for my trip to India, which I had started to plan before I even knew the house would sell. The house had been on the market for a solid year and I had almost given up hope. But wonder of wonder, there they were, a sweet little couple who loved my sweet little house and it was gone!

Well India was wonderful and amazing. I can't tell you all about it now. I was there from January 7th to February 8th. When I came back I moved into a wonderful apartment in a 100 year old building. Now I'm trying very hard to get settled. I'm sleeping on a mattress on a frame with no box spring. The mattress keeps sinking into the floor, so I have to sleep carefully. Got to get that box spring soon! Also a headboard, so I can read in bed( my favorite occupation.) Also, I think all these electronic things are out to strangle me! The printer won't work, the Macbook is mixed up, the cell phone is broken- Verizon is sending me a new one. The home phone finally works. I think I'll go now. Hope to write more another day. Love, love, love, Judy

Well, this is it. Tomorrow morning, at 6:00Am, I leave for India. It's a two day trip. Tomorrow I fly to Newark, have a layover for a few hours, and then board a flight (Continental) for Delhi. I arrive there in the evening, their time, and will get a prepaid cab to the home of the Servas people who will host me for a couple of days. After that, I plan to tour Agra where the Taj Mahal is located, and then Udaipur and Jaipur. No concrete plans here- we'll see how it goes. I do have a flight scheduled to Kochi, in Kerala (South India) on the 15th. I think it will be more relaxed down there. At least that's what everyone says. I will be group emailing, if I don't get time to blog. Think I'll take my nervous body to bed.