Taste the Thunder!

Coke isn't omnipresent here, but "Thums(sic) Up!" is. Its a cola drink and i know its spelled wrong. its advertising slogan is "taste the thunder!" and we say that all the time.

BAR ADVENTURES: (rated PG)

Friday night:

we went to a bar called "liquid". it was super weird. its in the ritzy neighborhood. its on the top floor of a tall building and the walls are all glass so it has a cool view. its a dance club, well its sort of an imitation of a dance club. they play really loud hip hop. there were a bunch of old white dudes there on business and its like look, if we wouldnt dance with you in pittsburgh we aren't going to dance with you just because we're in india. expensive drinks.

Saturday Morning:

we went to Charminar, which is the "Arc de Triumph of the East". Well its beautiful. It's four big turrets in the Muslim part of town, in old city. its surrounded by Mosques and by the Lad Bazaar which sells everything, but mostly bangels. i bought what is clearly a plastic necklack from a persistant little boy for 50 rps. its pretty. the languages change depending on where you are in the city. out by campus in the more rural areas its telegu. it town its hindi and english. in old city its arabic.

later we went to the state museum. it was alright... they had some very pretty stuff but frankly so do the streets. nothing was labeled. the most intresting part was that it was dedicated to the Mughal Kings, who subjugated the Nizham Kings of Golgonda Ft, who subjugated the Telegu people. All before they were subjugated by the British, of course.

next was Golconda Ft. Its a huge place, several miles surrounded by big stone walls. its been a for since before 900, but was home to the Kings of various varieties from about 1100 to 1600. Its a huge place, with palaces and mosques and guard stations. the stories about the place include great romances, coups, battles, and reigns of glory. it was home to poets and dancers and courts and hyderabad only came into being after the fort got too crowded. its an incredible place with layers upon layers of history.

we were there at sunset when the call to prayer came out from the mosques. it was amazing.

today, we went to a book store and then to a tea and hooka place. it was fun, but feels a little imperial..

now we've emerged from the begining when we jumped in without knowing what we were doing and found outselves on the dangerous, chaotic, poverty filled streets that were terrifying and and found the the air conditioned behind gate places that are easy. now it has to be our goal to find a medium, a vein where we can experience india as indians experience it, but also in a way that we can process it and feel at least mostly safe.

another week of school to follow! then we're leaving town! write me!