1. Baptism By Fire
I went to Bangladesh- country #42. It was new and exciting and strange. Intense, to say the least. Men would leer, if they dare met my eye (or not), women were hard to find in one of the most densely populated nations, and children warmed easily(when they didn't cry). There were no dogs in the capital Dhaka; the country is over 80 percent Muslim. A taxi passenger attempted to steal my small bag from my lap while I was on a cycle rickshaw when I first arrived late at night. I went to tiny villages where old women marveled at my white skin and people crowded around me to stare while I ate, sat quietly, wrote, and even slept.
2. The Lake of the Holy Nectar
Returning to the Golden Temple and Amritsar was by far a highlight of last year. It was impossible to recognize self-imposed emotional "wounds" in a place of such grace and beauty. Of all the holy places I have been, it is by far the most peaceful.
3. Serenades
At a Cafe in Calcutta one of the staff, possibly high on genuine coffee beans (in a country of Nescafe powder), got down on one knee to sing one of the latest hits to come out of Bolloywood- a song from the Shahrukh Khan hit film
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.
In Jessore, Bangladesh, my host's two young daughters serenaded me with a strange rendition of Britney Spear's
You Drive Me Crazy.
4. Orphanange
In Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, Ben and I came across a Muslim orphanange late one night and went back the next day to visit. Besides a tour, delicious tea and sweet children, we saw a woman talking to the director. He told us that the woman was looking to arrange a marriage for her son. After she left, I was very curious about how this was possible in a country a bride's family generally provides a sizable dowry; how could an orphan come into the possession of such a fortune? We learned local donors come together to provide saris, gold, housewares and other items for the weddings of orphan. We were shown photos of the most recent wedding- including the impressive dowry. Knowing that abandoned girls could marry and have a life was a revelation I hadn't expected...
5. Sweatshirts
In Calcutta, there is a man who sells bananas on a street corner not too far from my hotel. He wears the same sweatshirt everyday- one undoubtedly discarded by a woman in Kansas and given to Goodwill in the last decade of the 20th century. It is evergreen in color; glittery gold puff-paint holly leaves surround ornate red letters that sloppily spell "SEASON'S GREETINGS".
One day, on a street geographically close but somehow very different, I saw an old man struggling to stay warm- pulling a torn plastic bag taught across his careworn shoulders.I bought him a sweatshirt, wondering if he would sell it. The next day I saw him wearing it and it was a good day.
6. Rahul
In December, on a train from Hyderabad to Kolkata, I met a wonderful man named Rahul. I sat across from him for hours before we spoke more than civilities and one-word leg-brushing apologies. I was coming from a meditation course in the South of India and after I meditated (strange on a moving, loud train...) we spoke for what seemed like most of the night. He is an officer in the Indian Air Force and teaches Yoga to interested crew most mornings. After my course I was particularly fragile and it meant the world to meet such a quick and dear friend.
7. Train Travel
India is miraculous- this is nothing new- not to me nor the hippies, gap-years or A/C-private-car travelers. No matter the traveler or the destination on the subcontinent, this is by far a highlight.
8. Iskon
On February 8, 2009, I spent a surprising day with a man I met at the Bangladesh High Commission in Calcutta (and with whom I later traveled to Bangladesh with). That night we found our way, with another traveler, Ozzie, to the surreal Hare Krishna temple in the middle of the city. Dancing, music, people in ecstacy...
9. Nagarkot
In the Kathmandu Valley, this village is perched on a small mountain. I saw my first bathtub in 11.5 months, but there wasn't enough hot water to take a bath. Breathtaking views and at least one cute dog.
10. Busy West Bengal Nights
In February I saw two wonderful live music programs and a lecture within a few packed days and nights. First, I saw Ravi Shankar perform with his daughter and other artists. A few nights later I saw a show with a variety of skilled musicians and singer, including the tabla "wonder boy". Unfortunately, the lecture was mostly in Bengla and Hindi!
11. Blanket
In Bihar, one of the poorest Indian states, I was wandering the streets one afternoon after a nice time playing and joking around with school kids. I saw a frail old man plodding along the lane. He looked sad; he looked hungry. I grabbed a 10 rupee note from my bag (about 20 cents) and walked over to him. I pressed the money into his hand "For food, Uncle" I said in Hindi. Tears formed and words came, miseries unknowable. He picked at his meager clothing and I wished I could understand everything he wanted to share. After a spell I went to a small shop nearby and purchased a large shawl/blanket for him for about $2. He cried some more and I started to cry. People gathered, he held my arm, I went on my way.
12. India
India, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, India. I don't want to leave and not know when I will return.
13. Cross Country
When Ben left the subcontinent I traveled overnight cross-country to spend his last days with him. It was great fun being so spontaneous, but also nice to see some places I'd been before but maybe wouldn't have returned to on my own. I thank him.
14. Obama
Everyone loves Obama. I ran into this little white house and popular cut-out at the Kolkata
Boi Mela (Book Fair) in January, 2009.
