The World Effect | Travel and Design

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays to our friends and family around the world.  We wish everyone PEACE and JOY in 2011!

Nothing Is As It Appears in India

I asked this man sitting in front of a little temple tucked in a narrow alleyway  if I could take his picture.  He responded by saying nothing is as it appears in India.  He laughed when I gave him a bit of a confused look.  He said that although he may appear 200 years old, it is actually the temple that is 200 years old.  I laughed and said I was guessing he was 30, in which he enthusiastically responded, "by all means take a photo of this 30 year old man!"  Of course, like most men here, he quickly changed to a serious face for the photo.

The man in purple is on to something.  For us so far, nothing is happening as we imagined it would here in India.  Some things have been good, some have been not-so-good.  Working here has been a learning experience to say the least.  Even with the challenges, never knowing quite what to expect is pretty much the definition of adventure, right?  It's official, Meggan and I are in the adventure business.  

 

Jodhpur in Black and White

Top photo:  The older girl wanted her picture taken, so I had her stand under the hand print on the wall.  Some of her friends were on the balcony above me, I think they embarrassed her... she was originally smiling.

Middle photo:  This is a merchant and his elephant.  It was quite a sight watching him negotiate the cows, autorickshaws, trucks, carts and other people before he entered the clock tower square.  It'd be like driving a mac truck through Fez.

Last photo:  One of the enterences to the market at the clock tower.