T.I.I. (This Is India)

halfway done with the Hyderabad portion of the trip.


this weekend we hung around Andra Pradesh (the state Hyderabad is in). Friday we took a trip south for the day.


We saw two forts that were both situtated on huge rocks. I've decided that perhaps I was a native Indian soilder in a past life because I LOVE the forts. All of them are really high up and so they are peaceful and natural. At the one this weekend there were goats everywhere. They are huge and magestic and wonderful. I can't wait to go back to Golconda.


The temples we went to were intresting. We went to a Jain temple that was mind blowingly beautiful. it was filled with designs all in cut colored marble. i wish we'd been able to take pictures inside.


other than that we spent our time in the city of Hyderabad.


we saw "Jhoom Baraba Jhoom" which is the current Indian blockbuster. It's mostly in Hindi, but that doesn't matter because its easy to see whats going on. It's not focused on the dialouge to say the least.


the best thing i can say about Indian movies is that they are robot chicken without knowing that they are robot chicken. one moment two lovers are talking in a train station... then suddenly all the people around (suspiciously white people) begin dancing. the train conductor is for some reason wearing a huge afro wig. then in the next shot the man is riding in a side car of a motor cycle dressed as a prussian soilder. he is going to her parents house. then, suddnely, cut to an old man selling cars in India. he says a few words and everyone laughs hysterically and screams. (im told later its because of a poster in the background)

the theaters are bigger here then any ive ever seen. its pretty epic when whole city blocks start dancing.

this weekend we are are going north, to one of the girls houses. this girl goes to pitt, but was orn and raised in India. her parents are back at the house she grew up in for the summer. I'm looking forward to the trip and to staying with her family. I'm not looking forward to the 6 hour train ride we need to take after we fly to Mumbai. O well I'm sure it will be fine. could be longer.

I got an Indian battery charger so we're back in business with my camera. I'll be taking my own pictures again!