Cricket

Well cricket is the big sport in India ... and today is probably the match of the year. It's the World Cup semi-final with India playing Pakistan. And it's being played right here in Chandigarh. Tickets were apparently about NZ$30 - but 50 times that on the black market. So far India has batted - and I chose to come to the internet place knowing there would be hardly anyone here and the speeds would be faster - good call.

We were visited on site by a journo from The India Times today - and he has invited us to the Press Club for dinner tonight - I think they are having a special 'do' for the cricket with big TV screens etc. It should be fun - I just hope India wins.

Our 'workers' even had a quiet day today due to the cricket.

Progress on our wall is coming along slowly but surely. Sorry no photos yet. Basically we make a shape and then the 'workers' follow on and fill in all the blank spaces. If we leave enough blank spaces it will probably get finished as they are much better at it than us.

I tried to figure why they used us at all - but I think we do add different designs, give it an international flavour, broaden the publicity and widen the support network for the garden. In the past it has often been threatened with the bulldozer and we may be an added layer of protection. Hence our invite to The India Times today.

OK - time to go and try and look respectable for dinner - could be difficult as I didn't bring anything suitable. But yesterday I did buy a 'local' outfit - kurta top and big baggy trousers - in various shades of orange - makes me look like I've just come out on an ashram in Poona or a try-hard, wannabe. I tried to tone it down with a brown 'dupatta' - a scarf/shawl that is draped back-to-front. Of course the Press Club guys will probably be in western attire - maybe I should just wear my jeans....decisions, decisions

Then there's my hair - so far the cement that gets splattered on it seems to be adding some oomph (volume) to it - that will have to do - no one has a hair dryer here

Welllllllll

Oh dear - I have landed in a place where I have to go to an internet cafe and can't use my laptop - so no photos for a few weeks. I will do a photo essay or essays when I leave ...

So now I'm going to have to actually write something.

Well - left Delhi on the 'fancy' express train - it came with cups of tea and breakfast served. Very pleasant. That was 2nd class - I'm thinking I should go back on 1st class to see how much better it gets.

I was supposed to meet 2 others from the group when we got off the train - but didn't find anyone so just found an auto-rickshaw (those vespa things) and headed for the Rock Garden. One of the others was already there and the other was MIA. We kept expecting her to show up on a later train but when we finally checked the internet later it turned out that she had somehow managed to miss her flight and was having problems getting a new booking.

Anyway - the other 2 (Cory and Nicole) are from Colorado, know each other from art school and have already done one volunteer stint at the Rock Garden. This has proved very handy as they knew how to get around the Rock Garden (it is a weird maze-like structure - took me almost a week to find my own way) as well as where to go in town to find stuff.

We met Nek Chand - he is now 85 - but still comes in and sits in his office everyday and seems to have his finger on the pulse still.

Our start on work was slow - who knows why? But we spent time exploring the Rock Garden, talking about ideas, viewing our wall, and collecting tiles from the huge piles out the back.

It turns out that the wall we are working on is right outside our guest house so it's very handy. We sorted the tiles into colour piles and finally started on the mosaic work on Tuesday. And then suddenly Dominique (our 4th member) showed up. So my room alone is now shared. We have our own bathroom. There is also a kitchen, the other 2 have their own room and bathroom.

We get lunch and dinner provided and for that we journey to the 'old guesthouse' which has a nice living area and big table. Meals are usually a mix of rice, dahl (lentils), chapattis and a vege curry.

Weather: it's getting hotter by the day and cools off a bit at night. Soon I may have to use the fan or AC at night. The mosquitos were a pain, the others had bought mozzie nets but I went and found some mosquito coils that seem to work well.

We've also scored bicycles - which is very handy for our trips after work to the shops or internet cafe. It is a bit like Russian Roulette - especially when I have biked home in the dark! No lights or helmets of course.

We work 6 days a week - I'd complain but the Indian workers seem to be doing 7 days! Although last weekend they may have got a special day off for Holi Day - where everyone goes around throwing coloured powder - photos to come...

OK - time for my siesta I think - ciao for now

Big Day out in Delhi

The Metro has these signs on the platform - which equate to a separate carriage for women. It's great because it is less crowded.

I went to the National Museum - this was a Central Asian ceramic.

And outside were these fancy Ambassador cars - amazing. I guess they must still be making them - not sure

Then I wandered to the National Gallery of Modern Art. There were some Nek Chand figures outside - so a preview for you.

Wren In India

It's tricky when you've named your blog 'wreninkorea' and then leave Korea. But it will have to suffice as I think changing blogs is more of a hassle for all.

Anyway - I am now in Delhi.

I arrived on Sunday night and am here 3 days before heading to Chandigarh for a month. The museums are closed on Mondays so I headed for the Red Fort in Old Delhi.

From the Metro it is an amble down Chandni Chowk street - if you can manage to ignore the rickshaw guys. It's a busy area full of all things India.

Click on these photos to enlarge

It turned out the Red Fort is also closed on a Monday so I headed for the nearby spice market.

I'm assuming this is Mahatma Gandhi Park...

...with the clock stopped at the time he was shot. It definitely wasn't the correct time.

I liked the order of this display

And still lots of people work directly on the street.

I also saw a guy using a treadle sewing machine in the area I am staying