Gold Elephants on Parade

This skirt goes with the top I wore yesterday.  I like the top better than the skirt.  They're not pink elephants on parade because that's a metaphor for hallucinations resulting from heavy drinking, and I haven't been doing any of that.

 

Dress, Walmart; skirt, thrifted; tights, Target; shoes, Younkers; earrings, handmade by me; necklace, purchased in India.

Weird pose.

These brass elephant heads spent a few years in my bead collection before I made them into earrings. They were absolutely meant to be paired with this skirt or the matching top.  The necklace is from my trip to India.  It is a mangalsutra necklace which groom ties around the bride's neck on their wedding day, to show that she is his wife and life mate.  From the descriptions I heard in India, it seemed similar to the concept of a wedding ring.  

 

I think I might make it a policy to wear wrap skirts over a dress from now on.  I loved the extra wardrobe-malfunction security afforded by the dress.  Wrap skirts tend to be a strong breeze away from embarrassment.  Usually I wear a slip under wrap skirts, but a dress underneath seems even more secure.

Half a Herd of Elephants

This top came with a coordinating skirt, but the herd of elephants when the two pieces are combined can be a little overwhelming.  I like the tiered look of the top when paired with a long dress.

 

Elephant shirt, thrifted; dress, thrifted; shoes, Payless Shoes; earrings, etsy; bracelet, purchased in India; middle-finger ring, handmade by me; ring-finger ring, gifted (Thanks Mom!).

 

Since the top was made in India (though purchased at Goodwill) I added a bracelet from my trip to Pune.

 

I interpreted it as a sign that this semi-permanent hair color was on clearance for $3.  I think the darker hair makes the blue of my eyes stand out.  Red shoes provide a splash of color to an otherwise fairly staid color palette.

Losing Space and Time

The trips to and from India were surreal.  It took three planes and over twenty-seven hours each way.  I could also measure it as eight in-flight meals, at least 15 beverages, 10.5 movies, and three continents.  By the time I got where I was going, I had no idea what the local time or even date was.  You know you are traveling way, way too long when you are in flight long enough to watch ten and a half movies.

The food was already devoured by the time I took out the camera.  I was hungry.
Please note the lovely Corona.  Thank you, Delta.

Because we flew Delta and Delta affiliates, we had complimentary beer and wine in the economy section.  Yay Delta!  It made the fact that my not-especially-long legs touched the seat in front of me slightly more bearable.

Because I watched so very many movies, I am sharing my reactions to each of the films.  Learn from my mistakes.



Young Adult: Charlize Theron stars as a newly divorced YA fiction writer who returns to her hometown to (unsuccessfully) seduce her happily married ex-boyfriend.  I got a kick out of this movie.  I enjoyed that the characters were deeply flawed yet utterly realistic.

Horrible Bosses:  Horrible movie.  Not sure why I picked it.  Really not sure why I finished it.


This Means War: I watched this one on the Amsterdam to Mumbai flight because it was the only movie showing.  While I think Reese Witherspoon is adorable, this movie is pretty much the worst romantic comedy has to offer.


The Avengers: I like superhero movies, but this one wasn't one of the best.  I love Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, so he made the rest of the movie worth it to me.

Image Credit: IMBD

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: This movie follows a group of British retirees who move to India to live in the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.  This was the perfect movie to watch on the way back from India because many of the scenes stuck me as right on point.  Also, I love old people and I love Judi Dench.  This one is worth watching.

Dark Shadows: Oh Johnny Depp, where did you go wrong?

Men in Black III: This movie met my not-very-high expectations.  The only thing it was missing was the pug, and that was most of the reason I chose this movie.

Image Credit: IMBD

Brave: Brave is an animated movie about a princess in Scotland who craves independence and adventure.  It was fun.  I liked that it was a princess movie in which the princess wasn't married at the end.  Being married is great, but it isn't the only way to be great.

Wanderlust: A couple from Manhattan moves south and stumbles upon a free-love commune.  Don't bother.

Snow White and the Huntsman: This retelling of Snow White wasn't all bad.  I love that for most of the movie Charlize Theron's hideous old face looked like she might have pulled an all-nighter involving tequila and salty food.  She looked tired and a little bloated, but who wouldn't still love to look like her?  I also find it beyond ridiculous to suggest that Kristen Stewart would ever be found fairer than Ms. Theron.

The Hunger Games: I resisted watching this until the very last bit of my last flight.  I really enjoyed the books, and I didn't want my unreasonable expectations about what the movie should be to ruin it for me.  (Just ask Stephen, I'm impossible when we try to watch the Game of Thrones series together.)  I only got to watch the first half, but I enjoyed what I saw, and I will definitely rent it sometime soon.

If I hadn't had so much time on my hands, I probably wouldn't have finished (or started) many of these movies.  My "worth it" selections are Young Adult, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and The Hunger Games (unless it goes downhill after the part I watched).  My "maybe" choices are The Avengers, Men in Black III, Brave, and Snow White and the Hunstman.  I wouldn't bother with the rest of them.  

India: Animals and Glass Houses

Some thoughts didn't fit into any of my other posts, so here they are in no particular order.

Dogs:  I'm a dog lover, and India is full of stray dogs.  It was shocking to see so many suffering animals, and the danger cannot be understated because many of the dogs are rabid.

Cows: You've likely heard about cows in India, and it was actually kind of a treat for me to see them.  There were many pretty brahman cattle like this one by the expressway on our way to Agra.

On the other hand, it was surreal to have traffic stop because a family of cows had stopped to rest in the middle of Pune.

Elephants:  We saw two elephants in Pune.  It was everything I hoped it would be.  One of them punched me in the arm when I didn't give him money.  I probably should have given him money.

Hotel Bathrooms: Of course I had to take a photo of the last of the three glass-walled bathrooms.  See, it's a trend.  I know what they say about people who live in glass houses... how does that apply to this scenario.








Visiting India was amazing, and I would go back in a heartbeat.  I have a few more thoughts that fit into the general category of "travel," so I'll put those together tomorrow.

Wonder-ful

We visited the Taj Mahal on our last day in India.  It was completely worth the flight from Pune to Delhi and the drive from Delhi to Agra.  It is indescribably, unbelievably beautiful.  I understand now why it is one of the wonders of the world.  Words cannot explain how amazing it was to see the Taj Mahal for the first time as we passed through the gateway structure and the tomb structure came into view.

This is the gateway structure though which you must pass to get to the gardens and tomb.  As you pass through it, the white marble of the tomb suddenly comes into view.












It is breathtaking to see the tomb for the first time, and both words and photos fail me.

I'll let this photo speak for itself.

Our group with me and Angie both wearing our freshly tailored suits.

Just us.

I wish my words and my photos hadn't failed me in this post, but if you ever have the opportunity to visit, go.

I'll wrap up my last thoughts from India in my next post, and please send any questions my way too.

Tailor Made

I was so excited when our next day's shopping expedition yielded a reasonably-priced sari fabric.  We dropped off the sari fabric and the previous day's blue floral fabric at RJ's tailor and got I got measured for my sari and a kurta (long tunic), dupatta (scarf), and pants set.  Much of the fabric I purchased in India was intended for these sets.  The fabric came with one print for the tunic, one for the pants, and a coordinating fabric for the shawl that ties the first two fabrics together.

Angie and I in our fancy new saris.

The fabric I chose for the sari is a deep turquoise chiffon with rose gold colored beading.  The tailor commented that the sari would be heavy because of the beading, but I think the end result is worth it.  Now I just need to find somewhere fancy to go.

I loved the tailored clothing expereince so much that I'm feeling inspired to make more of my own clothes.  Clothes that fit perfectly are amazing.

The museum had a number of large carved animals.  

We also went to the Pune Tribal Museum.  The museum showcases the cultures of tribal communities in the Sahyadri and Gondhavana regions of India.  Displays included both functional and decorative items including hunting and fishing implements, jewelry, art, masks, and religious icons.

Learning from a Master

A number of aspects of India were somewhat overwhelming: the crowds, the traffic, and the noise come to mind.  One thing that might have been overwhelming if not for help was the shopping.  I love textiles, clothing, and jewelry (even if this is your first time to the blog, you've probably already noticed), and the quantity we found in Pune was unreal.

I haven't heard back about using her name or photo on the interweb, but
rest assured we didn't go shopping with a faceless woman.

Luckily RJ, an American ex-pat who has been in India for two years, was willing to show us her favorite spots and teach us the ins and outs of shopping in India.

For my first shopping excursion in India I chose some of the Indian-wear I brought along from Georgia.  I was so comfortable in this long tunic and leggings.

RJ showed us some of her favorite markets and helped negotiate some great deals.

I love this fabric.  I should have bought it in every color.

That day we went to MG (Mahatma Ghandi) Road and Clover Center.  RJ says pretty much every city in India has an MG Road.  RJ helped Angie find fabric for a sari before I arrived, and we shopped for fabric for me that day.  We didn't find my sari fabric, but we did find lots of other fabric including this intricately embroidered set.

RJ also recommended her tailor, and I was so excited to have some clothes custom made for me.  Tailoring in India is a great deal, and I paid less for custom-tailored garments there than I have paid for many off the rack things in the States.

Reunited and It's Bittersweet

I've said it before, I'll say it again.  I am so incredibly blessed to have the friends I have in my life.  Some of my friends are so close they feel like sisters.  Angie is definitely a spirit sister.  We used to live near each other, and I saw her weekly if not more often.  Now we live a thousand miles apart and seeing her is always joyous tinged with the sadness of our visits' infrequency.

Angie is an amazing friend, a brilliant woman, and one of my role models.  I'll be lucky if I can be as wonderful as she is when I grow up.

This wavy couch was too cool not to get a photo.

She is one of the friends with whom I can always pick up where we left off, and seeing her in India was no different.  Angie's husband (also a wonderful friend) made a trip to India at the same time Stephen did, so this time Angie and I reunited 8,000+ miles from either of our homes.  We spent the rest of the week eating, drinking, laughing, learning, and shopping.

I can't wait to see Angie again when we both visit the Dominican Republic in a couple months.
.

Why?  This is a level of intimacy I don't necessarily want
to add to my marriage.

Once again our hotel in Pune had a glass wall between the glass room and bedroom.  Once again I took an awkward photo to document this weirdness.

After the three-hour drive from Mumbai to Pune, we relaxed, got settled in our room, and prepared for the whirlwind of the rest of our trip.

The dress and wrap I wore this day are both self made.  This dress was my most-worn item in India because it was so incredibly comfortable.  I am already planning to make another copy or two.

But Where are the Elephants?

We had one day and two nights in Mumbai, which allowed us time to do the top three things most travel sites recommended.  We visited Elephanta Island, saw the Gateway of India, and got out of Mumbai.  Actually, the number one thing a number of sites recommended tourists do in Mumbai is leave.

Elephanta Island was more or less our first stop, even though we had to go past the Gateway of India to get to our boat to the island.  The island is in Mumbai Harbor and has a series of cave temples.  The carvings in the caves date from the 5th to 8th century AD and depict Hindu deities.  It is called Elephanta Island because there was a giant statue of an elephant there when the Portuguese first landed there.  Unfortunately they took the statue and there were no other elephants to be found.  The Portuguese also used the carved deities as target practice, so many are missing parts.  We took a frighteningly rickety boat to get to the island.  

Not our boat, but just as rickety.

I hope the random strangers enjoy their
photos of me.

Unfortunately most of my photos in the caves didn't turn out very well.  I didn't take the time to adjust for the lighting and the photo quality reflects that.

This photo of me with a stone lion turned out well.  What you can't see in the photo is that there were a couple people behind Stephen who were also taking photos of me.  Every time we stopped to take a photo in Mumbai, strangers took photos of us.  Some asked if they could, but even more did it without asking.  I gained a better understanding of why celebrities complain about paparazzi.  

Elephanta Island caves

After we explored the caves for a couple hours we took another hour boat ride back to the city and the Gateway of India.  

The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and Tower and the Gateway of India.

Next to the Gateway of India is the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, which was one of the sites that was attacked by terrorists in 2008.  

When those attacks happened the seemed (and were) half a wolrd away.  One of the things I like about traveling is that it connects me to people, places, and history.  I don't think you can travel with your eyes open and not be changed by it.

The Gateway of India.

The Gateway of India was another opportunity for random strangers to take photos of me.  It was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Mumbai (then Bombay) in 1911.

Mumbai was the only city we traveled to where I felt fairly unsafe.  People photographed me a lot, followed us down the street (not begging, just following), and were generally more aggressive than other cities we visited.  




The most shocking thing about India was the level of poverty in which many people live.  Of course I knew what to expect on an intellectual level, but I could not have been prepared on a visceral level.  

This collection of tarp-roofed houses was shocking to me on the first day.
It was luxury compared to some residences we saw.

Shanty towns and tent cities are cheek to jowl with fancy new high rise apartment buildings.  Tents and shacks cling to every overpass and wall.  

We only spent one day in Mumbai before we moved on to Pune.  I was glad for the things we saw in Mumbai, but very ready to leave the city after one day.

First Night, First Impressions

Our first day in India started at one in the morning.  We landed in Mumbai and took the shuttle a few blocks to the hotel.  From the moment we stepped out of the airport, India was a study in contrasts.

The hotel shuttle was a giant BMW sedan, while motorized rickshaws buzzed around us.  Even in the middle of the night, the city was busy and the streets were crowded, but the hotel was spacious and calm.  The hotel was clean and luxurious with sprawling, manicured gardens, while the surrounding streets were littered with makeshift shacks and piles of debris.

Every hotel we visited in India had a glass wall between the living/sleeping area and the bathroom.  I found it disconcerting, so I took photos.

As a bonus, you can see what I wore for travel.  I forgot to take outfit pics before we got on the first plane, so this is 30 hours in.  I wore a white button-down shirt, red camisole, and jeans.

Kingfisher and chocolates.  Good night.

I didn't manage to drink my last Kingfisher beer on the flight, so Stephen and I split it before we went to sleep.  After the long flights, we fell asleep with little trouble and woke up ready to explore.  On our agenda: the Gateway of India and Elephanta Island.

Pack Rat

I'm a terrible packer.  The longer I have to prepare for a trip the more I pack.  I continue adding one more and one more item until my bags are bursting at the seams.

I'm trying hard not to do that on this trip.  I have streamlined my color palette to red, blue and black (mostly).  I have lots of layers to add and subtract to create different looks day by day.

Here's what I have so far:

Three maxi dresses (two of which I cloned from the first)

 

Three large scarves/wraps

 

Two black t-shirts (not pictured)

One skirt                  One button down shirt

One Indian salwar kameez (?) I just found at Goodwill.

One Indian kameez (?) I found at Goodwill.  Either my area has a large number of Indian ladies who donate a little to Goodwill or a small number of Indian ladies who donate a lot to Goodwill.  I'll wear this over my maxi dress.

 

A small(ish) selection of jewelry

 

Two pairs of sandals

Casual/Walking

Dress

Running shoes and clothes (not pictured)

This should get me through 10 days of travel.  I am making sure to leave plenty of space in my luggage to bring back any treasures I may find.