Paradise Palms

Our room overlooks the Gulf of Thailand! We are by Pearl Beach, which is made entirely from stones. I have spent the whole day reading and relaxing with swims in between, while Brad is off climbing the second highest mountain on the island- rainforest covered and humid! He is a crazy man, and my hero. Go climb that mountain Brad Grills....

My favorite things about today.,,

1. I had a dream and it featured my grandma, Auntie Anne's pretzels, and Justin Timberlake. Except it turned out Justin was a hologram and I was not happy. Then I woke up. God I want a soft pretzel with cheese!
2. We snuck into swank pool #2, which overlooked the Gulf of Thailand. Thanks again rich people for the use of your ritzy surroundings when I needed an escape from the sand.
3. Pad see lew (flat wide noodle dish) for lunch and Duck Breast with homemade orange/pepper sauce for dinner. Treat yo self! Brad managed to eat four different animals today (bacon, noodle soup with chicken, a few bites of duck breast, and a cheeseburger- hope you are proud Kimmy)
4. Swimming in the turquoise water of the gulf of Thailand.
4. Booking a room with air conditioning for tomorrow! (no wifi though I will be off the grid for the next few days).
5. Meeting English/Australian people who say things like "I reckon..." and "ah, cheers mate" and "rush about" and "I'll just sort it out" and other delightful phrases
6. Listening to the rain in the jungle as I type this blog. However, I will not miss that tiny bungalow. Turns out I don't like mosquito nets and ants in my space. I am proud of myself for going out of my comfort zone and trying something new though.
7. Beating brad relentlessly at Cabaza de Mierda (card game)
8. Geckos crawling on the walls and seeing moneys from afar- I will never look one in the eye again though
9. Reading the book Shantaram, which is super entertaining and I love it!
10. Looking at the Thai spirit houses in front of each residence and guest houses. The Thai are very spiritual and superstitious and they give offerings to these houses on order to appease the spirits of their ancestors and various other spirits so they never enter their homes and instead live in the spirit houses. They are like little tiny temples (see previous blog for photos)
11. Going to sleep, which is where I am headed now! Good evening and sweet dreams to everyone. Hopefully those pretzels come back again- I will even take hologram Justin Timberlake

Things that make you go hmmm...

This time you can sing the normal song while reading or you can sing "One Night in Bangkok"- whichever you prefer.

We met an old veteran Brit (who now lives in Thailand) at the weekend market. He sat next to us, wearing a shirt that read "if you ever feel like life is getting you down and nothing's going right smoke a spliff and you'll feel better it's f'ing magic."

He was pretty cool and while he told us about a time in Heathrow airport when he was arrested for saying that George Bush and Tony Blair should be shot like Ghadaffi was, he mentioned that, "you Americans talk about freedom and being free, but here in Thailand is true freedom. You can do whatever you want and no one bothers you."

I thought, you know you're right I can buy a tiger, slap a baby, steal some ones chain off their neck and have sex with a prostitute all in one day.

But then I thought about what is the true nature of freedom? Is it being able to make a majestic species extinct, cause psychological trauma to a child, take some ones hard earned possessions and contribute to the perpetuation of human suffering?

Where then is the freedom of mother Earth from being wasted and future generations to enjoy the wonders of evolution? Where is the freedom for that child to be happy and psychologically healthy? Where is the freedom for women from poverty stricken tribes to escape a life of slavery? From a smaller perspective where is my freedom from inconsiderate assholes who make judgements about me as an American?

Is true freedom the ability to stomp on other people's? Or is true freedom accepting that there is a general right and wrong and being able to have the knowledge that our actions can promote or destroy other peoples freedoms directly or indirectly? Can raw freedom as it were ever be trusted in the hands of the common man?

I had my legs crossed on the bus yesterday and was told to put my leg down because the sole of my shoe was pointed at the bus driver, essentially flipping him off (in Thai culture the bottom of the feet are considered unclean). Then at the rest stop was told I couldn't use the bathroom. All societies have their intolerances and cultural rules. Is there quote "true freedom" anywhere? Should there be? My choice to not punch the bus driver took away my freedom to be a jerk. So do I want to take part in true freedom? I guess not. Following hedonistic primal urges of sex violence and drug use is the freedom of one and the decimation of freedom for many. Is freedom control? I can do this all day. I hope I didn't bore anyone, but it's just one of those things that makes you go hmmm.

Hope you all are loving free as can be.

Bradley

Jungle bungalow!

We are staying in little bungalows right next to the jungle on Koh Chang! Super rustic but a five minute walk to the beach!

Oh no- I just got two mosquito bites- must run under the safety of my mosquito net! More later....

Happy birthday to my wonderful grandma, Betty! Love you so much.

When life gives you a dinner cruise....

So tonight Brad and I went to our first big splurge of the trip- the Dinner Cruise in Bangkok! After raining much of the afternoon it cleared up into a nice evening. A sweet little Thai man wearing a version of a skinny jean suit came to pick us up from our hotel and we quickly stopped at another hotel for more guests. A middle eastern couple stepped into the van and asked where we were from- when we said America he laughed (in a manic way ) and relied he was from Iran. Alright then. We picked up another couple from Russia and then proceeded to wait 25 minutes for the third couple at their hotel.

As the click ticked I grew more anxious- would the boat leave? Would get a table? When they finally got in the car I wanted to freak but instead i stayed calm. We struggled through traffic and finally arrived at the marina- chaos. The boat didn't leave for another 20 minutes so we were told to just wait- I started to second guess this expensive choice we had already paid for. One of my favorite movie quotes from role models "when life gives you lemons, say fuck it and bail." however we decided to stick it out and try.

When we finally got on the ship we had a great little private table on the top deck. Mojito- check. Then dinner (buffet) was ready. The crowd swarmed towards the table like hungry wildabeasts in Africa. People were pushing and cutting in line and it was worse than the elementary cafeteria. I retreated back to the table and told brad I was worried about the future of mankind. Fuck the lemons and bail? Then the cruise started and the night completely turned around. The food was amazing, plentiful, and filling. The breeze blew as we sailed down the river with people from all countries dotting the deck. Bangkok by night glittered and the Wats (temples) were incredible.

Within an hour the same people fighting to get food had formed a dance circle and were laughing and singing along with the live band on deck. I claimed if they played Gaga I would dance and as we went down below to the first level I heard the Thai singer belting out "Bad Romance". True to my word I hopped out on the dance floor (which was empty) and within a few minutes we were joined by several people. I looked around and realized we had crashed a reserved party for Japanese tourists and were the only Caucasian people on that floor yet we were embraced and the men were copying brads moves. Hilariously fun.

The cruise came to an end and as we rode home I chatted with the same couple I had wanted to yell at several hours earlier. They were from Indonesia and super nice. As we got out of the car I shook the mans hand from Iran as he called out "Iran and America!" I could not have enjoyed that dinner cruise more. When life gives you lemons, just try to roll along with them.

5 nights in Bangkok

The last time I was in Bangkok I did not give it enough of a chance. Of course I was doing the typical touristy things and staying on the infamous Khao San road. This time we decided to stay completely away and I have loved it so much we added an extra two nights! Massages, street food, markets, shopping... There is so much to do. Monday we ventured out to Chinatown to celebrate the Chinese New Year with thousands of others. Year of the dragon brings great promise for us! There was a parade with Nien the dragon and the Queen of Thailand even made an appearance. Such a crazy and cool area. However, I was completely freaked out by shark fin soup and also birds nest soup, which is made using the spit of swallows. Uuugh. Why people, why?! We also ate at an amazing Thai food court where it took me 30 minutes to choose my food. Weirdest things there included pork knuckle (looks like jiggly cartilage) and tendon and intestine soup (looks exactly how you think it would). Also, more birds nest soup. I avoided those dishes but enjoyed trying new things including noodle wraps with crab and quail eggs. Brad drank the worst soda ever that tasted like bubble gum fluoride at the dentist. I also had to go to the American embassy also to get more pages in my passport- it was ridiculously large and immaculately landscaped. Glad my taxes are going to good use (insert sarcasm here).

Today we wanted to swim so we snuck into a luxury hotel with a pool on the 7th floor- so swank! I told brad to just act like we owned the place and they didn't even question us. Pool with a glass wall overlooking Siam square- yes please! We also splurged on a river cruise dinner tonight and I am currently praying that it stops raining by evening. Sudden rainstorms are common here and it's the first we encountered. Please just stop by about 6:00 pm!

Tomorrow we head south to Trat, and then onward to the island of Koh Chang to stay in little jungle bungalows. No air conditioning, mosquito nets, and a little rest and relaxation after the chaos of the city...

Thanks to everyone checking in and keeping up with us and our adventures- it makes me feel loved even from far away. I will try to post more pics soon and I am also trying to get brad to eat some street food bugs (so far we have seen worms and grasshoppers). It's like living our own little fear factor game! Xo.

Hot nights, hot ladyboys!

We arrived at the Delhi airport three hours ahead of our flight which, at the time, I considered unnecessary. Turns out it involved standing in multiple ridiculous lines and hours later we finally made it onto the plane to Bangkok! We ended up sitting next to a a hilarious British guy on holiday who taught us all sorts of inappropriate English slang terms which i will not repeat. He openly told us his travel companion was headed to Thailand for the prostitutes, and I politely replied we were skipping out on the pinging shows. It makes me sad that a country with so much culture to offer is associated with cheap "lovin", but i guess there is something for everyone. After 3 1/2 hours we arrived safely in Bangkok!

I could not have been more thrilled. Everyone was driving in their lanes, the streets were clean, and the taxi had a meter. Hooray! We arrived at our guesthouse and popped out for some authentic Thai food. We found a great open air place with amazing pad Thai and one of my other favorite treats- ladyboys! I adore the ladyboys, those gender bending creatures who mixed among the Thai hipsters at the Coco Walk. Some are easy to spot, as they still have adam's apples and other telltale signs. Some,however, are so gorgeous they put models to shame. My heart bursts with warmth to see a culture that accepts people for who they are and allows them to be happy rather than repressed. Of course, I have been in mostly cities and maybe acceptance is different in the village but I have run into ladyboys all over Thailand. We all really want the same thing- to feel comfortable in our own skin and be happy. I admire anyone with the courage to stand up and be who you are, because as my beloved Gaga put it "you were born this way!" (the inside, not the outside). But if you are like those crazy Brits and your plan is to come for a little paid love, you never know what you might get in the end.

Today we went to the weekend market, shopped, drank like 5 different types of amazing fruit juices, and enjoyed the 88 degree heat. I also got to do one of my most favorite things in the world- $7 hourlong Thai massages. Brad and I went to a little place and we got pampered (no happy endings you pervs) and then strolled the streets of Bangkok. We are nowhere near ko San road and the backpackers ghetto, which we love. I'm getting to see a whole new side of Bangkok and loving every minute. Another massage in my near future? Hell yes. I love you Thailand, it's great to be back.

More pics of India!

While I have access to a computer I thought I would add a few pics for you to enjoy!

Also, I have to make an addition to my earlier "Bro Love" blog.  While in Delhi I have now met multiple people who have had what we would call "love marriages".  Some of them working out, some not (sound familiar?)  However I did also read a newspaper article claiming that live in relationships prior to marriage are "western social constructs"  and still largely frowned upon!  But, the times they are changing.

If the above video works, you will see me and Sunja dancing at the Lorhi festival in the street.  We took part in several fires around the neighborhood.

 Prime waterfront real estate in Delhi.  If only the camera could capture the smell.  Be appreciative of your bed tonight and think of this place. It was packed with people and yet many of them were still smiling.  Their courage and tenacity humbles me....

 Misty Taj Mahal at sunrise in Agra.  A sight to behold. You would love it Nancy Paterson.

 Elephants, camels, tuk tuks, rickshaws, cars, horses, and trucks all share the streets of Jaipur!  P.S. no pictures are free he wanted some rupees for that shot!

 The colors of India inspire me.  This was a shot from the wedding we witnessed.  So full of family and culture.  The family unit in India is so important and beautiful to see how much they care for one another.

 I love the ruins, temples, forts, and tombs! A culture rich with history.

 A symbol of luck and peace across India.  How dare you Hitler?! Reclaim the peace everyone!

 I have been confused why strangers keep wanting to take pictures with us, yet I keep wanting to take pictures of strangers.  It's all about what is exotic to you. The women and children of India are absolutely gorgeous.  

 "Oh, whats that monkey?  You just sit there looking all cute and innocent with your little face but we all know you really just want my granola bar.  Well guess what, I'm on to your monkey business!".  Photo taken literally one minute before the infamous monkey incident.  Don't be fooled by those good looks.

I feel so lucky to have been able to experience such a different culture and appreciative to be here.  Thank you India, for I am forever changed.  We head to Thailand in just a few days...

P.S. Tenille if you are reading this right now I am drinking a pulpy orange just for you!!

Things That Make You Go Hmmmmm.... With Brad Paterson

Ok so I feel that I, Brad Paterson, should weigh in with some of my observations on this adventure. You should know that these thoughts are not meant to disrespect India in any way. This is just a list of things that strike a note of strangeness and make me go Hmmmmmm....(feel free to sing the song as you contemplate these oddities of India's history and present customs).

The first prime minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru called India, "a bundle of contradictions held together by strong but invisible threads". I have come to notice that this is true in many respects. Here are some I've noticed:

1. Light switches are off when they are on and the lights are on when they are turned off.
2. Left is right and right is left (at least on the street).
3. Zero and Infinity were concepts developed by ancient Indian math dudes which is funny because those are the only two speeds here.
4. In 850 AD a group known as the Cholas rose to power in the south of India. Are we repeating such a history on the other side of the world in the United States? (Ashley is unsure of about the sensitivity of this comment...)
5. Majarajas of old used to take part in a way of conquering land called Asvamedha. This is where they would let a wild horse run free and any land that said horse galloped across would be theirs. After such a majestic and natural job well done they would then sacrifice the horse.
6. The history of India is riddled with intense bloody feuds between Muslim and Hindi armies and coalitions. From the dawn of religion to the present day many atrosities have occurred yet in the cities we traveled to, Muslims and Hindi live together in peace as actual neighbors.  Where you at America?
7. The Swastika and the Star of David appear side by side on buildings here in India. The Swastika is originally a symbol of good luck in Hinduism belonging to Ganesh (the elephant god of good fortune) and Star of David was originally a sign used by Aristotle to represent the basic elements then later adopted by Islam as a sign of kings. .
8. You wash your hands here first and then pee.
9. People stare at my fiance basically undressing her with their eyes and men stop just short of making out with each other in displays of affection, but I cant even link a pinky with her in public without receiving disgusted glares.
10. Water sanitation and Keep India Green signs are everywhere and yet people are peeing in rivers, pooping in aqueducts, and finishing a snack and throwing the waste in the middle of the street.
11. Horns replace stop signs and whoever wants their car damaged least replaces stop lights.
12. Here in India Ashley loves crappy American movies like Hollow Man and Piranhas and Sharktopus for example, but in America I have to hide when I watch them.

It's the things that make you go Hmmmmm....

Bro love in india

As promised, it's time for the much anticipated bro love blog! I was reminded this morning of how tickled it makes me to watch two grown men express their platonic love. Brad and I took the 6am train from Jaipur to Delhi this morning- it was literally a reminder that you get what you pay for. When buying the tickets he asked which class and I simply responded "reserved seat". I didn't see why I would need air conditioning and so for the bargain price of 198 rupees ($4) we got two train tickets. The train from Delhi to Agra was phenomenal so I guessed it was the same deal. So, so wrong. I basically bought a seat on a park bench crammed in between two people with three more facing me. The window was busted out, the wind biting, and the ride was five hours long. But I tried not to complain (I'm still cold even now) and instead I watched those around me. The two men sitting opposite me sat on each others laps, held hands, and laughed through most of the trip. Abnormal behavior? Not in India. India is the land of bro love. If i offend you and you don't like what I have to say then please feel free to stop reading. I am not trying to make any sweeping generalizations and I am certainly not any sort of expert after two weeks. I simply have a hypothesis, and this is my take on love in India...

I came here knowing that PDA between couples is not really accepted here. I was told you don't really even hold hands and that embracing your love is for the bedroom only. I knew India was a deeply religious country with hinduism and Islam being the major religions. What I came to realize after being here awhile is that arranged marriages are still the norm here. I have developed this fascination with the topic and ask all sorts of people about it now. "was your marriage arranged by your family?" "will you pick your daughters husband?" the answer is almost always yes. I have yet to meet someone who chose by "love", although i know there must be some out there too. Arranged marriages are not only accepted, but preferred by many! Two girls, age 16, told me "it's much better when our parents choose because they have much more life experience." Just imagine hearing that from an American teen. I have been asked several times if I "chose" brad, and I have even had to say that we are already married a few times due to social situations. You just do not live with someone before marriage here. There are also exchanges of goods from the brides family to the man and she goes to live with the groom (and his joint family if they live that way). One of our taxi drivers told me that India is starting to change and sometimes the bride or groom have a say but this is the minority. Hindus marry Hindus, Muslims marry Muslims, and some live happily ever after. There are entire services devoted to helping families choose the right spouse. We even got to witness an Indian wedding (yes, I sort of snuck in) and it was an event to behold- so beautiful. But after finding out about the dating culture I began to understand why this is not a county of public displays of affection- you don't even know if you like the person sometimes. You have to court them first and they are often chosen for you. That's when bro love comes into play.

Humans have needs and affection is one of them. In my humble opinion due to a lack of public affection between couples there has grown a cultural norm of men expressing love for their friends through all sorts of ways. There is PDA, only it's between guys. They walk down the streets holding hands, linking pinkies, hugging, and it's totally normal. In America men don't even like to sit too close to one another- here men sit on one another's lap and read the paper. True story. I am getting quite used to it at this point although it still gives me a smile to see men embrace openly. I am not sure how homosexuals are received in India and I would love to do more research, but the language gap prevails so far. Bro love isn't about that though- it's about holding your friends hand and brotherhood. It's about companions. It's strange to me sometimes though because india seems a bit sexually repressed yet I have never been oogled, catcalled, clicked at, and stared at more in my life. Mostly harmless but it makes me really uncomfortable sometimes. However, sometimes you just have to laugh at the sight of two men holding hands turning around to stare at you in the street.

Divorce doesn't seem to be commonplace here and from what i understand women get to marry once so you have to hope your family made the right choice. What is the future of love in India? As things become more "western" one can only guess. Maybe the times are changing and arranged marriages someday will become a thing of the past. But there will always be love between friends and I, for one, support the bro love.

The monkey vs me...

So far, Jaipur has been my favorite of all the places we have traveled in India.  The "Pink City" has been a wonderful reprieve from the trash and poverty of Agra. Do not get me wrong- the trip began with the typical scene of kids banging on the car window for money which always sends me into a panic but I shortly saw all this magical city had to offer.  I cannot remember if I touched on this in my last blog but I loved seeing all the country villages on the way from Agra to Jaipur- I had no idea the poverty could get much worse than it was in the city but it can.  Yet, while these people seemingly have nothing, you can still see them smiling and sharing a joke as they carry buckets of water on their heads to their homes miles away.  In Jaipur, however, it seems fairly modern and most conveniences can be had.  I delighted in my hot water shower each morning at our hotel (Karni Niwas is great!) and I am still able to find the occasional bag of sour cream and onion chips.  Brad and i jokingly call them sour cream and gold because they are so wonderful for a taste of home!  I am sorry to admit we have also eaten Dominos several times- but I just cannot eat Indian food twice a day no matter how much I like it.  Today we ate an incredible Indian feast and I hope the spicy food doesn't come back to haunt me later!
Yesterday we went on the tourist track and hired an awesome tuk-tuk driver by the name of Abdul to show us the city.  For the bargain price of $10 he was with us for the day and took us to the City Palace, the tombs of the kings, the Amber Fort, all around the walled Pink City, and more.  The Pink City was painted so because it is the color of welcome and was done for the Prince of Wales back in the day.  We also climbed hundreds of steps to the temple of Ganesh and had a killer view of the city.  Hitler stole the sign of the swastika and here in India it is the sign of Ganesh and is actually a symbol of peace, which can be seen all over.  However, the most exciting moment of the day happened right at the end when we visited the fort and I was reminded that I should always listen to Brad because most of the time he knows what he is talking about.  There were these crazy looking monkeys that were about two feet tall just hanging out around.  They had super cute black faces and amazingly long tails.  I had a granola bar in my purse and I asked Brad if he thought the monkey would like some.  He told me no, not to feed the monkey, that it was not hungry and not a good idea.  Like a giant idiot I decided I wanted to eat the granola bar right then and watch the monkey for a bit.  The moment I pulled that thing out of my purse the monkey's beady little eyes locked with mine and he leaped forward towards me.  Startled, I shoved the bar back in my purse and started to run.  I ran in a full circle and realized that crazy eyed monkey was still chasing me, around the bricks like idiots we ran.  I shrieked for help, saw my life flash before my eyes and imagined how an Indian hospital would look when I had to go in for a monkey bite.  Brad shook his water bottle at the monkey but to no avail- he wanted that purse and he wanted that snack.  After another shrieking lap or two the monkey eventually lost interest and went back to his perch but I saw that little monkey smirk on his face.  He lost, but he had won.  I left with my purse but not my dignity.  I was quite the spectacle for the thirty or so people watching and several people commented to me on the walk, "Monkey!  Ha ha!" later in the day.  At least I left a legacy....and I learned to stay far from those freaking monkeys.
Tomorrow we head back to Delhi on the train.  Although India has been an eye opener and I would not take back this experience for the world I think I am ready to move on to the next place.  There is beauty, hell, love, chauvinism, poverty, garbage, and kindness all wrapped up in this place.  I truly feel like i will be back someday, and please look forward to my next blog, which I will be titling "Man Love". Just wait for that one...
Love you all and thank you for your well wished and thoughts.  I miss everyone but am cherishing my time here.  XO

Festival fun!

I have been lucky enough to take part in two different festivals since arriving here in India! The first is a festival I cannot spell (it sounds like Lorry) that is a Punjabi festival celebrating the harvest. People lit fires in the street and threw popcorn and peanuts for good luck and prosperity. Little marching bands with drums and horns played and we danced with strangers in the street. It was one of the most beautiful moments I have encountered, as people allowed me into their live and I could see their true happiness and the way they live. Such a great experience.

We took a car and arrived in Jaipur just in time for the annual kite festival! Thousands of kites are flown from the rooftops and everyone is given a public holiday. The point is to tangle kites and pull down other peoples kites from the air- what a sport! Today we are off to buy some kites and try it for ourselves. You cannot get the full effect but here are a few photos from the roof! After there were wonderful fireworks which was a beautiful way to end the evening. We also ate our most expensive meal so far at a fancy restaurant- $16 with tip.

More later- I'm off to explore!

Sunsets on the terrace

As I sit and watch the sun set over the rooftops of agra I finally feel content and happy to be here. The monkeys jump from roof to roof, leaping down to occasionally sift through the garbage on the streets. Children playing with kites herd the streets, calling out "hello!" and "money" to us as those are the only English words they know (see below for picture). After our interesting experience yesterday i was not feeling so positive about being here but today brad and I took our own adventure and refused to go to anything touristy. Instead we wandered the local streets, walked the market, and tried to figure out our next stop. No one pressured me today, no random stops by taxis at their "friends" shops, and almost no begging (the kids don't count). There are scams to watch for here- they tell you the wrong price, lie about markets and get paid to take tourists to certain shops and hotels, and try to take advantage. But i keep reminding myself that when you have nothing, you have nothing to lose. Today I got to see a piece of real India and thankfully not everyone is trying to scam us. Agra is a tourist town and we certainly stand out, even though I got a traditional shirt and scarf. Guess its my skin that keeps giving me away. Tomorrow we are going to head to Jaipur by bus which should just be delightful- make sure to use the bathroom before that 6 hour ride. Supposedly there is a kite festival and I am really looking forward to seeing a celebration.

Today I learned that there is a sport in India where people essentially collect pigeons as they fight with one another in the air. There will just suddenly be a huge group of pigeons in the air and I cannot figure out who wins and loses. Kites are also somehow involved. Men stand on the roof flapping sheets and there is a whole bunch of yelling. I guess gambling can take many forms...

On another side note our little friend at the guest house has joined us on the terrace and brad is currently teaching the little boys how to do American dance moves- if only this thing took videos too. While here we also met a great German couple and it reminded me how much I enjoy meeting people and making new friends while traveling. I have really enjoyed my time at Sai Home and would recommend to all staying in Agra. On to Jaipur!

Taj ma-holla!

We did it! I officially saw my first wonder of the world today when we arrived at the Taj Mahal at sunrise. It truly is as beautiful as everyone says it is- the sun glints off the marble and makes the building looks like it radiates warmth. It was truly a pleasure to view. After spending a few hours there we were taken to the "market", aka shops that pressure you to buy things you don't even really want. Do I look like I can afford a $400 marble coffee table top? Hell no. Instead we bought a tiny Ganesh statue and bailed. After scooting out of there we went and checked out the baby Taj Mahal, which is another gorgeous tomb. We witnessed a sweet monkey fight in the courtyard and got out of there after we were surrounded by untrustworthy monkeys that came a little too close. Always someone wanting something! Then we drove through some slums to a gorgeous view of the river and the Taj from behind. Although it was a wonderful day the constant begging and poverty is beginning to wear on our souls. It just doesn't stop and everyone assumes because we are American we have money- I guess they haven't heard of warren village. But compared with many of their lives I am rich and rather than taking in the sadness I am trying to become more humble and appreciate all the things in my life. Brad and I are so fortunate to share this experience together and I must admit all the people who told me I could not go places alone were indeed correct. I could not do it without him. Everyday in India is an adventure and we are making a conscious effort to find the beauty amongst the seemingly never ending eyesores. I wish I could post more pictures but I have no access to computers, only my trusty iPod touch. Oh, how I love you iPod touch. For now here is a picture of the sweetest two boys living and working at our guest house. They come from extremely poor tribal villages and they are so happy to be living here with this family- they know they will have love and a chance to eat every night. Lastly, for those of you wondering, cows really do have the run of the streets and everyone moves for them. Love it. As I finish this blog I am listening to the call to prayer coming from the mosque nearby, which happens throughout the day. Thanks for waking me up at 5:45 this morning I really appreciated that.

Pics from Delhi

 My first Henna tattoo

 Built before America was even discovered!  Colombus was still a twinkle in  his grandmother's eye...

 People want to take their pictures with us sometimes... a lovely group of gentleman from Pakistan

 I was losing my mind as these snakes were hissing at each other on Brad's lap!!!

Gorgeous people, beautiful culture.

 Updated senior photo

That's just the place I would choose to eat a snack too.  Everyone around me thought I was nuts they could not figure out why I would squat down to take this photo.

Tomorrow we head to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal! XO

Delhi- the city that never stops honking!

After spending a few days in India I can understand why people are drawn to this mystical country. Delhi is a city that never stops moving in every sense of the word. At any given time there are people pedaling rickshaws, selling vegetables, chomping on street food, starting fires on the street, and honking their horns. I have never heard so much honking and crossing the street is an adventure every single time. There are lanes in the road, but no one actually stays in them- the only rules are keep moving, make your own lane, leave two centimeters between you and the vehicles all around you, and leave your car in neutral when you park so others can push it out of the way because you are probably blocking someone in. Today we had a driver which I would recommend to anyone visiting Delhi- we were able to see all over the city without having to take the metro (unless you enjoy being a sardine, which is what we did yesterday). The tombs and archeological sights were breathtaking- Humayuns tomb, Qutub Minar, India Gate, and the Red Fort are all absolutely worth the admission. Brad even got to hold a snake while the snake charmer held a basket with a cobra over his head. There are market stalls, upscale stores and hotels, green parrots, the occasional monkey, various temples, and more sights than your eyes can take in.

There are also sad parts- the poverty is heartbreaking and the trash is just everywhere. People literally are living in the median of the road and tapping on the windows of the car begging for money. You can see some kids are just filthy and sick and yet there is nothing you can do about it. Stray dogs run rampant and it's like living an ASPCA commercial with Sarah McLaughlin playing in the background. There is so much smoke pollution it seems to hang over the city like a sheath. However, the kindness of the people is prevalent and so far I have felt very welcomed into India. For me, the good has far outnumbered the bad. It is so diverse and you see women in colorful sequined saris walking next to people wearing brand new diesel jeans. Such a funny place. This has been such a long entry- I guess in a way this is me trying to process the things I have seen in the past few days. Thanks for bearing with me. Tomorrow I am going to try to upload some pictures from the camera as my words cannot do this magical place justice. It already feels like it has been a long time since that fabulous limo ride to the airport (Aunt Sue is the best thanks for that surprise!)

On a separate side note- I heard about the fabulous win today. Go Broncos! !

We made it to india!

This blog will be short but just wanted to let everyone know that brad and I have safely arrived in India! After experiencing an extreme culture shock we are feeling much better after a rest and some food. Our guest house is delightful and they are super friendly.
Before I go I will share a few quick differences I have noticed...
1. Get out of the way! A car, bike, truck or bus just does not care about you.
2. Dogs sleep on top of parked cars. So weird.
3. Brad and I really stand out and apparently its cool to stare at us
4. People will just sit at your dinner table. Please, make yourself at home!
5. Delhi really needs all that incense they are burning.
6. You can pee in the street and start random little campfires wherever you please.

It's crazy, confusing, chaotic, and I can't wait to explore the old part of Delhi tomorrow! Love from brad and ash

They call this a Caucus meal...

Here is Brad celebrating the Iowa Caucus by eating middle America (aka Chicken Fried Steak and eggs).

Also- happy birthday Alex!

We leave Iowa tomorrow for Chicago- 2 days till India!

We miss you Clara

I could not resist posting this picture of Clara and Brad making this snowman together before we left Denver.  We will miss our gorgeous nieces but we cannot wait to see them upon our return.  Best wishes to Ryan, Amy, and the girls in London over the next few months.  We love you!

Chicago Bound!

Brad left Denver and arrived safely in the Windy City!  After ten days apart I was so thrilled to see him again and show him the sights of one of my most favorite cities.  We hit up Michigan Avenue, checked out some architecture, strolled through the Field Museum and Art Institute, and ate several fabulous meals including amazing bistro sandwiches and authentic Chicago style pizza.  I highly recommend Giordano's if you have never tried it before.  If it has two pounds of cheese and the sauce is on the top of the pizza it's going to be delicious!

Although Chicago is filled with amazing food I have noticed that the Midwest does not appreciate the great combination of chili and lime.  I am already missing some of my favorite regional snacks and I'm making a list of my favorite foods to enjoy upon my return to Denver.  Spicy lime Cheetos and green chili are high on the list, along with Jelly doughnuts and Sushi Den!  However, I can't wait to find out the amazing flavor combinations that await us in Asia.

 

We arrived back in Bettendorf just in time to celebrate the New Year- happy holidays to you and yours! I love drinking in Iowa- $7.00 for two top shelf drinks!

3 days until we depart for India...