The bus from the airport- Vigi is the best.
The music shop down the street- this man is crazy talented, and he was definitely meditating while he played. Also played the tablas- I love the raindrop sound. I got a short lesson, and it is really quite difficult.
I looked up and there were monkeys right above us in the low branches, one putting his hand to his mouth signing hungry, begging, a baby monkey on the mother's back... its crazy how they are just like squirrels to us, but they actually communicate with you in a way that is human. Someone saw a monkey with a cigarette in his mouth.
The Indian boys who showed us around all day- super friendly. They were younger but were extremely independent. One has a politician father and is a well off student, another is from the slums. They say they can't make friends with Indian girls because Indian girls are too shy.
The Hindu temple that we went to- all the temples here are enormous and ornate. It was both indoor and outdoor, and tons of statue-like things of different gods that people prayed to. There are specific prayer times when there is live music and everyone stands in front of the god, and afterward someone comes around with candles and we push the light over ourselves- exactly like shabbat candles. Everyone is barefoot.
Right outside the temple the snake charmer threw a snake over Martin's neck suddenly, and then demanded payment. He followed us down the street yelling and getting real close with the bag that had the cobra in it, and Deetah finally gave him a 10.
The Sikh temple, also huge, we went on a festival day where a lot of people were praying and sitting and meditating around a place of offering in the middle. There were three musicians playing, one singing, one playing the Indian version of an accordion, and tablas. The acoustics were incredible. I really enjoyed the music. Outside there is a huge rectangular pond to dip your feet in, wash your face, or bathe completely immersed. There were lots of fish inside, and algae (and bacteria!)
