Glycerine Beer

Alcohol is still frowned upon in general in Tamil Nadu, and apart from five star hotels and places that serve beer illegally under the table (literally) there are very few places to get alcohol here. The only place to buy the stuff are state-controlled 'wine shops', often in backalleys with bars over the window where they will hand you your beer through the bars. These places are very sketchy though, often full of shady characters and very smelly. In addition, they only sell Indian liquors and there is no place in the state to buy imported beer or liquor. Because of this, there is quite a black market for imports in the state. I remember during my time in Chennai a common question expats would ask each other was "So, who's your bootlegger"? If you're curious for more on liquor policy in the state, this article does a good job.
Kingfisher is clearly the beer of choice over here and it is delicious. However, even after having one at night, I'd wake up the next day with a headache and feeling awful. I asked around and found out that all beers made in India put in a preservative (ie poison) in them called glycerol. This is what give you the splitting headache the next day. However, the glycerol is heavier than the beer, so if you turn your beer upside down into a glass of water, the oily-looking glycerine will come out, leaving you with pure beer. You might loose about 2oz in the process but it'll be worth it the next day!

The People.

There are so many things to love India but after doing some thinking I have a clear favorite- the people. I have met so many cool folks- many of them strangers- during my time here and I don't think I've ever traveled somewhere with as much hospitality as I've found in India. Granted, my experiences have mainly been limited to the southern part of the country but it's hard to beat the kindness of the folks I've met here. I can't wait for my next visit to see my old friends again and make new ones too. There is so much to learn and see in India and the best way to do it is to make friends with the people who live there. Seeing a country through a 'localite's' (a term folks use over here) eyes is the most authentic and insightful way to see a place- I highly recommend that any travelers to India get outside the tourist bubble as often as possible so they can see how real people live and flourish here. Oh, and I also recommend getting at least one village dosa :)

Indian Fruit, Part III

Eating is clearly one of the pleasures of India. There are so many different tastes and textures here, and certainly something for every palate, from spicy to sweet, from super-healthy to super saturated fatty. As I've already tried to explain in Part 1 and Part 2 of my posts about Indian fruit, I've been blown away by the amount of fruit here that I've never tried before. Here are some more that I've been enjoying.

Mosambi/Sweet Lime

I want to personally apologize to mosambi- this is probably my favorite fruit I've tried here and it took me to my 3rd post on fruit to give it propers. It's basically exactly like an orange in size, texture and sweetness but it tastes like lime! I didn't know such a thing was possible- all the deliciousness of a lime without all that unnecessary puckering! They're delicious on their own, eaten like an orange, or I really love mosambi juice- I could permanently replace OJ with the stuff! I want to make mosambi mimosas sometime, BTW. Needless to say, I wish I could take a whole basket full back home with me!

Indian Bananas

So, naners are naners, you're saying. Well, kind of, except like many things over here, they do it a little different here in India. First thing you'll notice is that naners over here aren't as 'pretty'... they are shorter, stubby, fatter and often have more black spots on them, unlike the pristine, long and skinny ones I'm used to seeing in the States. Maybe like heirloom bananas or something. That being said, I think they're more delicious over here- maybe a little firmer and a little tastier. You see them hanging in shops on the actual stalk- maybe 50 of them or so per stalk, they look really fresh and tempting displayed in this natural way. There are banana plantations everywhere around where I'm staying so I'd imagine they were literally picked hours before I'm eating them, unlike in the States where we have to ship them from Central America. It's also neat that most meals in South India are served on a banana leaf, which serves as an excellent plate that can then be folded up and tossed afterward- perfect compost for growing more naners!

Starfruit

Okay, this has to be one of the coolest looking fruits ever and one of the most descriptive names- it is what it says it is! The whole thing is edible, with a waxy outside and a juicy inside. It's hard to describe but the best I can do is sweet like an orange but tart like a grapefruit. Yum!

Now I just gotta figure out how to get a place in the tropics and start growing all these fruits!!!

Music / Musica / संगीत / இசை !!!

As anyone who knows me is aware, music is a big part of my life. I've had a lot of fun swapping music with my friends over here, exchanging songs in English and Spanish for songs in Tamil and Hindi. Last time I was here I got my guys hooked on Spanish music and this time I've turned them on to reggae. In exchange, I've heard some great Hindi and Tamil jams and I thought I'd share some of my faves! While rocking in our car it can get quite multilingual by the way, yesterday we had music playing in Spanish while I was talking to a friend in English while my friend was speaking in Kannada on the phone and two other coworkers were chattin in Tamil- I thought my head was about to explode!

Rajnikanth- 'The Boss' of Tamil Cinema... he deserves his own post, which I hope to give soon

இசை= Isai in Tamil, which means music. This jam is from an early 90's Rajnikanth movie, and despite the hip gyrations and general cheesyness, it's a really good song and the video is kinda fun!

संगीत = Sangetha in Hindi, which means music. This jam is about a dude who works for NASA at Goddard in Maryland (my native!) who goes back to India- it makes me want to rent an RV over here and tour India in style!

Musica= well, music in Spanish. I have an affinity for big band salsa, Afro-Cuban, etc and my homies over here seem to really dig it too. Here's a jam we've ben rockin in the car often!

Music from Jamaica- it took my 2nd time over here to get my guys hooked on reggae, despite the similarties I see between India and Jamacia. Hey- both cultures are tropical, spiritual, got messed with by the British, and a crossover of tablas and reggae is promising! I've finally converted folks though and now they're all about it- this one has to be the communal favorite at the moment, with the whole car talkin bout too much zuh-zuh-zuh-zuh-zuh-zuh too much watchie-watchie-wah...

Indian Fruit, Part II

One of India's many pleasures has to be all the fruit that grows here, as I attested to in my blog last year. South India is particularity tropical and fertile which lends itself to fruitasticness. I arrived slightly too late for mango season this year, which really bummed me out cause they are better here than anywhere I've ever had them. I was easily consoled by having lots of delicious guavas and pomegranates though, so I can't be too upset. I decided to share some of the other fruits I've tried for the first time since I've been back!

Custard Apples

These guys are kinda shaped like apples but the similarities end there. They are kinda scaly on the outside and inside there is soft white fruit and seeds. The consistency is soft- kinda a combination of a grape and a pear and the taste is (at least to me) a cross between a pear and a pineapple- delicious if you throw it in a blender and drink it, seeds and all!

Chickoo

Also called sappodilla, these guys look like baby potatoes but are in fact sweet like candy- they almost taste like pears dipped in caramel. The consistency is like a pear too, but you have to pick out the seeds, which can have little hooks on one end that will cut you- dangerous and delicious!

Butterfruit

Wow I thought when I saw this on the menu at a juice place (no ice please... gotta watch where that water comes from)- I like butter, I like fruit- this sounds awesome! And it was. It came out super-thick, green, mildly sweet, mildly familiar and extremely delicious. After I was finished I asked to see what it looked like, and to my surprise, the macha (dude in Tamil) pulled out an avacado. So now you know, avacado is called butterfruit in Tamil Nadu. AND, it makes a delicious (if thick) juice if thrown in a blender.

Bangalore By Bus

Movement of Jah People

I had the pleasure of going to Bangalore last weekend with two of my good friends who are from there and had a great time! I'd never been and was excited to see firsthand why their 'native place' is so much better than everyone else's native (at least they tell me, at least four times a day). I took an overnight bus from Coimbatore, which was a new experience for me, I usually travel at night by train over here. It was actually rather unsettling doing an overnight bus for two reasons: First, I'm here to research traffic crashes so I know all the awful things that could potentially happen and second, because it's overnight and folks are trying to sleep, there are curtians on all the side windows as well as one IN THE FRONT, between the driver and the main bus cabin. Because of this, you can't see anything- anticipate a curve, a bump in the road, anything! I like to think I have a pretty strong stomach but not being able to see what was ahead and just getting jerked this way or that without knowing was enough to make me a little queasy...

Bangalore- The Garden City

I got off the bus and went straight to my friend's house for some homemade breakfast. I'm all about south Indian breakfast foods but I've never had it homecooked- it was hands-down better than any I've had. It was great to meet my friend's family, talk about life in India and the US and see what life in Bangalore is all about. After a HUGE breakfast, I went straight to my other friend's house for an equally HUGE lunch where equally great food and conversation ensued. One thing about Indian culture- food is very central (probably cause it's so delicious here) but that means eating obscene amounts if you want to be a good guest. Needless to say I needed to loosen my belt by mid-afternoon.

The fancypants MG Road area

I then went to my hotel to relax for the night- I hadn't slept great on the bus and was beat. I realized I made a mistake by staying where I did- the nicest (by western standards) part of town. I had spent the morning and afternoon seeing the local's Bangalore and now here I was surrounded by McDonalds, Nike, Levi's, KFC and an Au Bon Pain... I guess I'll admit my original intentions were to get away from the monotony of TN and see some comforts of home (imported beer, western food to name two) but after the day I had with my friends I realized I didn't really need that... Oh well, I did make it out for drinks and dinner and both were delicious.

The capitol building of Karnataka State, Vidhana Soudha

The next day my friend and coworker, who I lived with for six months last year, met me up with one of his friends to show me round town some more. We went to several parks, several good spots for snacks and shopping and had a great time. They call Bangalore the Garden City but many locals say it's now the Garbage City.... I didn't see that though. There were so many parks and trees and green spaces there- anywhere I've been here, from Delhi to Pune to Chennai to Coimbatore can't hold a candle to how much green space is preserved in Bangalore. Props!

Guava Bike!

We took a break walking to try two types of Guavas- unripe and ripe. The unripe ones have the consistency of apples while the ripe ones have the consistency of pears but both have lots of little seeds inside. If you see in the pic above, there's a little bag of spice the guy dips the knife in before he cuts your Guava, so you get spice with your sweet- kinda like India in general- spicy and sweet!

Bangalore by Bike!

Another highlight of the trip was being carted around on the back of my friend's bike- it is a great way to see a town- totally exposed to everything going on around you and not having the responsibility of driving the damn thing! The awesomeness factor is only increased when you're rolling with an old friend who's showing you all the cools spots in his hometown. Bangalore, unlike many other cities in India, is actually doing a pretty great job at enforcing helmet use, BTW, I was really impressed (and probably nerding out a little about this issue given the current state of things where I'm doing road safety research)! Props again!

Chipattis, a Mangalorian Prawn Curry and a Coconut Chicken Curry- YUM!

I ended my time in Bangalore with more food- some traditional dishes from the west coast of Karnataka state, where my friend's parents are from (Mangalore). I've never had shrimp/prawns done up so good- I'm gonna try to bring this recipe home with me!

All and all, this was by far the best two days I've had since I've been back in India and one of the best times I've had here, period. I just wish I didn't wait so long to go. It also goes to show that you can go places as a tourist and see some cool things but the best experiences (at least for me) come when you're with people you really know and love and they share their home and culture with you. Thanks BR & SN!

Silly Signs

I posted last year about silly signs and have found a few more during my time back, I thought I'd share!

I haven't been to Dood's (*chicken) Burger yet but I gots to go, doods!

Likewise, I am very interested in checkin the Muffin Dude. BTW, 'macha' is dude in Tamil- now you know!

A new dhaba (roadside restaurant) has opened since I've been away called Avatar- complete with the blue people and everything- they wasted no time to get on this bandwagon!

I don't think most people know how obscene this ad for a sportswear store is...

If frozen yogurt wasn't edgy/gangsta enough as is, in Bangalore they got FroYo!

Since many folks in India are vegetarian, they have labels they put on almost all food saying if the product is veg (green) or non-veg (brown).

I was happy to know my Bud is veg but I'm grossed out thinking of a non-veg beer!

Topslip

Right outside of my study area is a place in the Western Ghats (mountains) called Topslip. First, what an awesome name for a place in the hills, I really dig it. If I founded town in the Sierra Nevadas or the Appalachians, I’m pretty sure I’d rip off the name. Topslip, CA, I like the sound of that… Anyways, I got to visit for a bit recently and was blown away. It’s inside a National Park in Tamil Nadu called the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctaury and it was AMAZING. The mountains there are spectacular but the wildlife is even more so! Tigers live here along with elephants, boars, panthers, tons of monkeys, bears, tropical birds, bison, leeches, etc! I was a little bugged out about running into a tiger but I was assured that tigers only get a couple folks a year, it's the 'lonely bull' elephants that you have to worry about- they can be really aggressive and quite stampy...

Bamboo Forests... the bamboo grows in clumps, I'm not sure why though- that's an elephant path we're walking on BTW, thus the large clearance and the 'presents' in the foreground...

It was surreal walking on elephant, not man-made trails
The park rangers patrol the park for poachers on elephants- I wondered how they get on those guys- the elephant lifts his leg to help the rangers on- ADORABLE!
The SPECTACULAR Western Ghats
Baby boars are adorable, apparently.
This guy was ready to jack my shiny camera.
Greg's foot vs. elephant footprint.
Elephants 'N Temples- Stereotypical India!
The ranger that took us on the trek was really awesome and was from these there hills. Actually, the 'hill people' have their own distinct language and culture from the folks in the lowlands of Tamil Nadu. BTW, the socks in my pants look might be a new style in 2011 but I rocked it just to keep out the leaches- there's a lot of them up there!

Tamte/Deathbeat

So a major TN politician rolled thru Coimbatore the other day to great fanfare, as is the norm over here. I came out to watch the giant spectacle/motorcade and was treated to something awesome- a group of locals playing a traditional South Indian style of music, called several different things depending who you ask, including Tamte or Deathbeat. It was a group of 10-15 men playing various types of drums in unison, accompanied by people whistling and dancing. I found lots of videos of it on the ‘ol youtube but none really capture how awesome it is. I think part of the reason it is so difficult to capture is that part of the experience is that you literally FEEL it through the powerful reverberations of the drums (especially the bass drums), so by watching and listening these videos you only getting part of the senses involved, unless, of course you’re listening on a stereo that goes to ‘11’.

My friend here said it’s impossible to listen to this type of music without being moved to dance. I personally found this to be the case, as did this guy above.

The whole experience left me wanting more. I asked- when can I see more of this? Unfortunately, it seems this music is only busted out for special occasions, like when a politician comes to town or for a major religious festival, like Ganesh Chaturthi, where the above video was taken while parading a Ganesh idol around town.

I had heard this type of music a couple times during my travels this year and last to India but never knew what to call it til now. I had posted the above video on my blog a while ago but now understand it’s Tamte music with someone singing over it!

Now I just gotta figure out how join one of their bands!!!

Dosa Adventures!

So, part of my work here takes me to police stations, some in remote areas, to solicit their cooperation for our research. On a recent visit to one of the most remote of these, the police insisted that I try a ‘village dosa’, saying that what I get in Coimbatore doesn’t compare with dosas that are made in their village. When I heard village dosa all I could think of was the potential havoc that could be wreaked on my bowels from such a meal. I tried to explain that I had already eaten (even though I hadn’t) but they were insistent- it was hard to say no since A) I wanted to be a good guest and not offend B) I need their cooperation for the project and C) well, they are the police after all. To my surprise and delight, it was one of the best dosas and most delicious chutneys I’d ever had. The dosa was extra soft and really tasty and the chutney was spicier and thicker than any I’d ever had. I gave myself 24 hours to make sure everything was OK afterward but I can now say that I’m officially a fan of village dosas!

It was so good in fact that after we left the police station we went to the little restaurant where they got them from and had another! I’d never seen dosas cooked this way but they have a wood burning fire and cook them on a flat metal grill on top. If anyone is ever going to or from Coimbatore to Polachi and doesn’t mind taking a 20 minute detour, stop by the village of Vadakkipalayam and check them out! Send me an email and I can give you details, as far as I know the ‘restaurant’ doesn’t have a name. I’ll certainly be arriving hungry whenever I need to go back there!