India IV

On our last day in Pune, Yvonne took E & I shopping.  We met over at her house, then visited Shopa at her flat where she fed me a strange sweet carrot dish and a flat dried rice snack.  Very strange, but very good.  Yvonne wanted to get a sari for her maid, so we headed to Laxmi Road.

Now let me just say, that this day, was TOTALLY awesome for two reasons.  One, I finally figured out how to go out with E & not get harassed by baby lovers/paparazzi--put her in her wrap, tuck all extremities in, and secure a hat to her head.  It completely hid her and by the time people realized there was a pretty lil' baby in my contraption, we were already past.

 Two, Laxmi Road was CRAZY!  I suppose it was the Rodeo Drive of Pune, but man, the traffic, the people, the noise.  It was awesome.  Definitely overwhelming, but awesome.

 We went to all sorts of little shops, but the sari shop was a-MAY-zing!  Yvonne said it was an old way of presenting the saris, but the sales people stood on mattresses level with the rest of the floor.

 Then instead of you browsing, they would pull out the saris, let you look at them, and then throw them on the mattresses.  It was so beautiful; a big, bright heap of gorgeous fabric that just kept growing.  I loved it.  I wish I could have purchased one, but apparently it takes quite a bit of time get one made and tailored.  It's not as ready to wear as one might think.

After the sari shop we just walked along Laxmi Road, tried not to get run over, and browse.

There were huge buckets of different rice preparations, beautiful fabrics, honest to God cobblers on the street, and coconut vendors!



At the end of our shopping trip Yvonne treated me to a coconut.  They just hacked off the top, stuck a straw in it, and gave it to me.  It was awesome.

E & Professor Abhyankhr

 Tonight, we went over to the professor's house to say goodbye.  It was quite sad actually.  When we first got here our hotel and the professor's house was bursting at the seams with mathematicians.  Now, almost everyone has left us, and it is quite lonely.  I've truly enjoyed the people we have met here and will be very sorry to not see them shortly.

Our time here was amazing, the country was so interesting, and the people were so warm and lovely.  I'm going to miss it.