I'm being watched - Food

I can't believe I've already been in India almost a week. But already I have somewhat of a routine - and people have taken note.

Since I am working second shift (2 p.m. or 14:00 to about 11 p.m. or 23:00), when I get up in the morning I have a leisurely breakfast in the hotel dining room, and watch the television and read the paper. The television this past week has been set to the Test Match, India's Cricket championship. The paper is the complimentary Times of India which is the serious paper, with a gossip-y tabloid-y type insert. Both are fun to read, and I will sit there for over an hour.

The hotel has a breakfast bar, divided about in half with American food on one side and Indian on the other. I've been there long enough so that they know I have a usual from the American side - "Eggs scrambled, Mr. Smith?" - and then I bee-line for the Indian side where there is usually something different every day to try.

"What will you try today, Mr. Smith?" the waiters say, and I will point to what I've gotten from the buffet. "Oh yes, that is very good," and then they will tell me more about it. I've really liked something called Parantha, which I'm told is from the North of India, and is very heavy and is "why Indians from the North are fat". It is close to what I would have called Nan from the Indian buffets, and I've had different varieties every day. You dip it in chutney or pickle. The favorite thing I've had so far in India is the pickle, which is so unlike anything I would ever eat in America. It's very tart, but mixes well with the Parantha.

Another regular breakfast item is "Idli", steamed rice patties, that you dip in this Lentil / vegetable soup thing. On my first day here, I caused a giggle-fest with the Waiters because I ate something called a "drumstick" whole. A drumstick is a reedy vegetable and you're supposed to cut it open and scrape out the "meat" - which tastes like peas - but instead I crunched down on the reeds and had to surreptitiously pull them out of my mouth. "Oh no Mr. Smith, I show you how." giggle giggle

Today another waiter asked, "Are you going on walk today, Mr. Smith sir?" which tells me there has been some discussion among the staff about my habits because how else would they know?

"Yes," I said, "I thought I would go see that building on top of the hill over there - is that a temple?"

"Oh I don't know," he said. But it was. I will write about some of my walks in another entry. And try to post some pictures.

Since this entry has been food-themed, I'll close by saying I've not had any food problems at all, and am finding most everything I'm eating tasty. The only thing I haven't liked is the fruit papaya.