A Day at the Market

  Mumbai, India
Monday, February 19, 2007

   The jetlag has gotten me.  Yesterday, I was
determined to stay awake until the proper sleep time, but after a day
spent lounging poolside at the Sun n Sand Hotel, I was ready for a
nap.  I think I would have been fine, except that after returning
from the pool, I was left to my own devices, and after several minutes
spent uploading pictures on my computer, it was all I could do to keep
my eyes open.  I was supposed to go join the gym with Fassan and
Sara, the two Iranians, but sleep seemed ever more enjoyable.

   I closed my eyes only for a few moments, but when I was
awakened again, this time by Heida, it was quite late.  She kindly
took me along to a restaurant downtown, where we met Edda, and ate
pizza and drank India Kingfisher beer.  Afterwards, we were all
treated to burning glasses of Sambuca, with flames that continued to
lick and curl even after it had been poured into our open mouths by the
eager waiters.

  We finished dinner and joined Farzan and Sara for a screening of
Blood Diamond at the local cinema.  I had seen the film before, in
New York, but actually enjoyed it more the second time.  I don't
think it is a great film, but I think it has a good social
message.  (Not to get too preachy, but I read a good book a few
months ago called "The Heartless Stone," about the diamond industry and
the evils that go on there, propagated largely by de Beers.  The
book made a believer out of me, and to the relief of future boyfriends,
I don't think I shall be wearing diamonds any time soon).

   Today I slept in quite late-- after staying up quite late
into the night, but after all, India is fourteen and a half hours ahead
of New York, so this would be a shock to anyone's system.

   Edda and Heida dragged me along to Coloba, the market
place about an hour away.

Colaba Market 1

We took an auto rickshaw to B... and
then switched to a taxi.  Overall, getting around from place to
place turns out to be quite cheap.  The market held a wonderful
menagerie of items: shoes, dresses, blankets, books, ivory elephants,
and other odds and ends. 

Shoes!

I tried my best not to shop (I know, I
know-- so many curious and marvelous things! but I must really save my
money so that I can travel elsewhere after India), but did buy a cute
pair of sandals ($5) and a quilted bed cover (2000 rupees).

Glass window in Colaba market

  


Left aligned photo tag:

Relaxing Dinner

We wrapped up the day with dinner with Enakshi at an
Italian restaurant.  Enakshi is the head of the Indian agency, and
so far, seems to be very nice.  I sincerely hope that I shall
start working immediately and make her proud of me.  I do feel
very good about everything, and with my first casting tomorrow, a hair
commercial, I feel confident that I could very well book this
job.  I am, after all, the hair queen:), with hair jobs being
primarily what keeps me afloat in New York.  They say that it is
confidence here that makes the difference, and I intend to walk into
the casting tomorrow as if I owned the world.  You can wish me
luck;)