India

India has so many people.  They are so clearly divided into a high and low class, you wonder if they even see eachother.  The friction is in the streets, where cars, people, rickshas, cows, elephants, camels all come together in a chaos of movement.  Yet life seems to be lived at a slower pace than more modern cities.  Maybe it is the unbearable heat, or the lack of efficient systems of infrastructure (as we know it in the west) which causes a sedate, more contemplative lifestyle.

I arrived to Mumbai, where you emerge from the airport under billowing white pavilion structures and are immediately on display to a crowd of anticipation.  Once I located my driver, we embarked on what would be a 2 hour car ride to travel the 25k or so to the Churchgate area, not including the half hour stop on the side of the road after the air conditioning broke and thus required entire vehicle replacement.  I reunited with a college friend, and architecture colleague, Danika, who took me to dinner at a restaurant designed by another former Wash U architecture grad.  The next day, I explored Churchgate on my own, visiting the Gate to India, the Prince of Whales museum, and the Taj hotel, site of the terrorist attacks last year.

My domestic flight to Ahmedabad arrived at nearly 1 in the morning, where my cousins and their spouses (or spouse-to-be) greeted me at the airport.  In the back of Sachin's car, Missy announced their engagement and informed me of a family gathering the next day to celebrate the event.  Sachin's mother was generous to lend to me a vintage sari to wear for the occasion, and assisted Missy, Jackie, and me in dressing the next morning.  It was a beautiful day, which ended with a catered party with friends at a house Sachin designed.  Though Gujarat is a dry state, tourist alcohol licenses for Kevin, Jackie, and me provided added festivities for the celebration.

The next day we took a road trip to Udaipur, city of lakes, except for during drought season (which was while we were there), when the water is dried up and the lakebottom is instead a farming ground or athletic field.  Low season allowed us to stay in a fabulous hotel for 800 rupees (about 12 dollars).  We visited City palace as well as perused the many silver jewelry and leather stores.

Back in Ahmedabad, we settled into a routine of morning tea at Sachin's family's beautiful apartment, situated with an outdoor terrace overlooking a grass field owned by a local temple (a rarity in such dense population).  In addition to several delicious meals from different regions of India, while in the city I saw many of Ahmedabad's architectural claims to fame, such as the Sarabai house, City museum, and Millowner's building by Le Corbusier and the Indian Institute for Management by Louis Kahn.  Sachin also gave a tour of the architecture school where he studied, which has an incredible campus of which I am jealous.

My stay in India was colorful, delectable, dusty, and gold-flecked.  There are so many more places to experience in India, especially Delhi and Hyderabad, which are currently sites of extensive airport developments, but next time I will come back in the wintertime. :)