A bit of a strange day ...
Today was the day of a general strike in Karnataka to protest the decision of a tribunal regarding water sharing between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The streets were virtually deserted, everything was closed. Fortunately the restaurant in my Hotel (an extremely funky old place built around a large courtyard) was open - mainly I think because the large military and police presence were using it as a bit of a base and as a place to eat. When I went to breakfast, the place was filled with military people - halfway during breakfast a senior officer came in and everyone jumped to attention - as the only tourist in the place it felt kinda weird.
I went out a couple of times for a walk .. it was very quiet, except for one street where young marchers were walking .. all very peaceful and good humoured. At one point I saw a cop pull over an auto rickshaw to check that he wasn't carrying a paid passenger - the police apparently were supporting and enforcing the strike. By dusk it was all over, and the streets filled up again.
The other excitement today was my meeting with the hotels "astropalmist" I went and saw him yesterday, and he took a print of my hands on which he had squeegeed ink, took my 500 Rs ($12.00) for the "extended" prediction, with instructions to come back today at 12:00.
Our session lasted about half an hour - he was quite remarkably accurate in his assessment of my past ... ie marriage, divorce, two children, career, finances etc ... as for the future ... well I'll keep that to myself ... all I will say there are some surprises ahead. As I was leaving I was invited to give hime more information .. names of children, parents etc ... and more money .. for a puja, prayers and intercession on my behalf for the future ... I passed.
I've just come back from supper ... I decided to treat myself at the roof top cafe of a rather plush looking hotel that advertised "continental cuisine" I ordered a tossed salad and vegetable cannelloni. The salad consisted of big chunks of onions, carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers "tossed" with very hot chili powder .... too hot for me!!Thee cannelloni ... well ... it looked good, but consisted of strips of pasta filled with potato and some other green vegetable (fennel?) smothered in a tomato looking sauce - which was a bit sweet and spicy with a spice I didn't recognize. The garlic Nan was great ... Next time stick to Indian food.
I had hoped to head off tomorrow to Sere Jhe - a Tibetan exile community a couple of hours from here, but discovered I need permits to go, that may not be able to be arranged immediately ... further investigations required.
Today was the day of a general strike in Karnataka to protest the decision of a tribunal regarding water sharing between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The streets were virtually deserted, everything was closed. Fortunately the restaurant in my Hotel (an extremely funky old place built around a large courtyard) was open - mainly I think because the large military and police presence were using it as a bit of a base and as a place to eat. When I went to breakfast, the place was filled with military people - halfway during breakfast a senior officer came in and everyone jumped to attention - as the only tourist in the place it felt kinda weird.
I went out a couple of times for a walk .. it was very quiet, except for one street where young marchers were walking .. all very peaceful and good humoured. At one point I saw a cop pull over an auto rickshaw to check that he wasn't carrying a paid passenger - the police apparently were supporting and enforcing the strike. By dusk it was all over, and the streets filled up again.
The other excitement today was my meeting with the hotels "astropalmist" I went and saw him yesterday, and he took a print of my hands on which he had squeegeed ink, took my 500 Rs ($12.00) for the "extended" prediction, with instructions to come back today at 12:00.
Our session lasted about half an hour - he was quite remarkably accurate in his assessment of my past ... ie marriage, divorce, two children, career, finances etc ... as for the future ... well I'll keep that to myself ... all I will say there are some surprises ahead. As I was leaving I was invited to give hime more information .. names of children, parents etc ... and more money .. for a puja, prayers and intercession on my behalf for the future ... I passed.
I've just come back from supper ... I decided to treat myself at the roof top cafe of a rather plush looking hotel that advertised "continental cuisine" I ordered a tossed salad and vegetable cannelloni. The salad consisted of big chunks of onions, carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers "tossed" with very hot chili powder .... too hot for me!!Thee cannelloni ... well ... it looked good, but consisted of strips of pasta filled with potato and some other green vegetable (fennel?) smothered in a tomato looking sauce - which was a bit sweet and spicy with a spice I didn't recognize. The garlic Nan was great ... Next time stick to Indian food.
I had hoped to head off tomorrow to Sere Jhe - a Tibetan exile community a couple of hours from here, but discovered I need permits to go, that may not be able to be arranged immediately ... further investigations required.
posted by Andrew Smith at 7:38 AM
1 Comments:
Happy Valentines Day dad!
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