INTERNET - GRR!

Mass apologies - the internet is being very tempermental here. It has decided that it does not like me or my blog. For the last few times I have tried to post, it won't allow me to post pictures, so I was waiting. Now, it has decided that it doesn't like to post text either! Oh India!
The server doesn't work here when the electricity is out, and that is actually quite often. On Friday and Saturday night it generally goes off from 11 pm - 6 am. Really annoying since it is WAY too hot to sleep. I won't say that I am getting used to it, but I'm learning to go to bed before the power goes off so I can at least get a bit of sleep with the fan on.
Anyway, sorry for not keeping my blog as regularily as before. I still miss you all and love you! Have a great day.

ElEcTrIcItY!!

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

It didn't rain for a really long time. But, as you can clearly see from this photo, monsoon season is still here. So much for the beach last weekend. This photo was taken in Panjim (the capital city in Goa) we decided to do some shopping instead of the beach - MONSOONS aren't fun to shop in either! While walking through streets that were flooded this some guy asked me (3 different times) if he could polish my shoes. You have got to be kidding! Hahaha. I can't even see my shoes under all of this water! Good thing I was wearing sandals.

I'm in Heaven!

As I said before . . . I am in heaven. Just to let you know Dad, India does have ice cream. Tons of it everywhere. It makes my heart smile when I see a sign like this one! For all of you that are wondering, YES that is Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream underneith all of that chocolate sauce, whip cream and cashew nuts. And mmmm, it was so good. Can't be great for the waistline though! But lets not think about that, the ice cream is just countering all of the eveil calories that I get from eating bitter gourds, and fish cutlets for dinner, so it all works out.

Lions and Tigers and Bears, OH MY!

Ok, well to be honest I have not seen any lions or tigers. Although, Father Peter has two of the largest Rotweiller dogs I have ever seen in my life. (Just to let you know, in India, pets are neither spade nor nudord and that is quite gross all on it's own) and their names are Lion and Tiger. And today, I did not see a bear. BUT I did see a real live gigantic elephant. Yup that's right, I saw an elephant and I'm excited about it. We were coming back from Panjim across the bridge and had to pass the elephant with oncoming traffic over a narrow bridge. But it was fun. The driver and the guy behind us had a good laugh to see the two white girls staring at the Elephant. hahaha.
But, I must confess, this is not the first elephant that I have seen. The past 10 days have been the feast of Genesh. In the Hindu faith this is the God of wisdom. He is an elephant with many arms - many of you may know him from such litarary works as the Simpsons. In Mumbai the statue was maid of pure gold and had body guards watching over it AND it was insured. There's one for ya, a God that needs to be insured. Anyway, this picture was taken in Margoa (which is pronounced Margon) which is the closest city to where I am staying. He's not pure gold, but it was a pretty impressive display. Tons of incence in the air, it smelled really good for a change. At the end of the festival (which was yesterday) they have fireworks and wash the elephant out to sea (most of the time they are only made of plaster of paris). So, he is gone, until another year. (sorry the picture is so bad - it was really dark).

MONKEYS!!

Finally! I have a picture of the devils. On Saturday there was about 25 monkeys congregating outide my house. They can be a little intimidating. But as soon as you open the door, or make any noise at all they run away. Silly monkeys. I have heard them screaming in the mornings, and they are eating a bunch of the jungle behind my house. The creepiest part of all is that they live in the grave yard. Yuck. But, Meredith asked me yesterday, which do you think was there first, the monkeys or the graveyard? So, I have to hand it to the monkeys not giving up their home despite a bunch of dead people being burried there. Way to go monkeys you rock! Now stop screaming in the morning, and maybe we can become friends.

AH! relief!

And I mean that in more than one way! It has been so hot here, that all the computers have been malfunctioning and the server melted?!? Is that even possible? Anyway, that is why I have not been on the computer in a while and it is a relief to have my hands typing away some stories again! Also, a relief from work was to visit this beach. Apparently it is the most beautiful beach in the etire country. It is called Palolem Beach. Unfortunately, because it is the most beautiful and the most secluded, it is very very popular. Because we were out of tourist season there was only about 20 white people but apparently during October and November thousands of Europeans flock there. This is why we will have to enjoy it while we can and move on to a new beach (new not nude!!) when tourist season hits. I'll be thinking of you next time I am lying on this beach, sipping my fresh watermelon juice and having the locals ask me if I would like a massage!

What is this?!?!

Hahaha. I saw the funniest thing yesterday. The children all dressed up in there little tae kwan doe uniforms assembled at the bootom of the stais (all 180). Then they began to hop up them counting in Konkanee (Ek, Don, Tin, Char, Punch). I wished I had taken a picture and was a little dissappointed that I could not report this humerous sighting to you. BUT then they came and did it again, and again, and again! Those poor kids!!

Old Macdonald had a farm

EIEIO! With a cow cow here and a cow cow there, here a cow, there a cow, everywhere a cow cow! Man, these cows are everywhere. I don't think you can see clearly in this picture, but the cows in India are very funny looking. They have a hump on their backs just like camels, and big long horns like a ram. The locals think I am nuts for taking the pictures that I take. They just don't understand why I would take a picture of something so ordinary and boring as a cow! The cows sortof run the roads around here. In the Hindu faith cows are a sacred animal. That is not the only reason they run the roads. The rice is coming up now, and the cows are not allowed to eat it (so, rather than build fences like in Canada) we just let them run around the town and sit in traffic circles! Which is where this picture was taken. Wouldn't that be an easier solution for you Aunt Pat? Soon the rice season will be over and the cows will be returned home (I hope). Maybe I will get a chance to put a better picture up before that.