Posts Tagged ‘market’

Second Floor Dungeon – Jewelry Department

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So this time we made it up to the dark and spooky third floor of the giant City Center Market in Bangalore. Unbelievable! Any kind of machine tool you ever wanted – springs, files, drillbits, bearings, anything. Nice people up here, too :)

Now Is The Time When We Dance

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Indians love to dance; especially, it seems, the boys and men. Today at the City Center Market here in Bangalore marks the second time I’ve been pulled into a crowd of ecstatic temple revelers and coaxed into dancing. The spectacle of Cara and I, and even Phil, dancing with these young men, and a tranny in an orange saree, drew quite a smiling crowd.

Don’t look at this photo for too long, or that guy will yank you in as well…

It Does Get A Bit Whiffy…

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My daughter Cara and her fiance Cleveland arrived this weekend, and through their eyes we are seeing India again for the first time. Also, through their barely stifled gags as we cross the “River Stynx” heading into town, we smell India again for the first time :)

We took them to the City Market in Bangalore on Saturday with a full entourage in tow; Bhaskar, Bhaskar’s daughter Cynthia, Rathnama, Cara, Cleveland, Phil and myself. The market is miles and miles of crowded, trafficky, flowery madness. Being surrounded by chaos makes both Phil and I feel alive, but I fear it may have made Cara and Cleveland want to kill us.

Noida Street Vendors

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I have no idea what these guys are selling; could be soap, candy, wax ? This was in Noida, at the amazing daily outdoor market there. Noida is a tech suburb, home to Adobe and other newcomers to what was, until 10 years ago or so, a rural village. Consequently these guys, and all the other bike-riding, cart-pulling locals, speak no English whatsoever. Not even “Yes,” or “No.” Anyway, I like the picture and especially the lone, gas-powered light bulb thingie; these lanterns are ubiquitous at the market after sundown.

Pam’s New Hair

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Pam dyed her hair dark this week to see if not being blonde would cut down on the incessant staring. It seems to have backfired, though, as she was rather aggressively groped in the market this evening. It’s hard out there for a pretty girl :)

Beautility™

Our new driver took me to the City Market today in the old chaotic filthy part of Bangalore, where ponies pull wooden carts filled with construction materials and vegetable sellers proudly display their wares, and hundreds of people spend their days stringing tuberose, magnolia, chrysanthemum and rose blossoms into hefty garlands.

These fragrant ropes will find their way to temples, and be draped around the necks of statues, strung across the front of smoky tuk-tuks (also known as “auto rickshaws”), and settle onto every available surface in our temporary apartment. They will last for only a couple of days; so the flower people are ensured work, since flower garlands are everywhere :
Garlands
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Our driver, Bhaskar, explained that the jasmine flowers women wear in their hair is a Bangalore tradition. I bought a string and he pinned them into to my braid. Immediately I was enveloped in a magical force field of jasmine that moved with me as I walked. It became clear that this was a tradition that had sprung from simple necessity: in a country that can sideswipe you at any moment with a powerful waft of, “What the hell is that…” it makes perfect sense to enlist sweet jasmine to go to battle against the elements, and remind you of the beauty of life :
Jasmine Hair
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It also occurred to me that the scarf women wear draped across their neck isn’t just an elegant statement of modesty, it provides a handy rag to hold over your mouth and nose on a moments notice. Accident? I don’t think so :
Scarf Fashion
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Street fashion always sprouts from some functional need, like the rolled up right pant leg, hoodie, and messenger bag sported by half the population of San Francisco.  Function inevitably becomes fashion – even in San Francisco, the anti-fashion capitol of the world.

~ Pam