Coconuts, autos, and a Craft Bazaar

This morning after our lessons we left to go a Craft Bazaar which sells goods that are made here in India. Before we left our street area we went to a stand that had a ton of coconuts on it.  There was a rather small woman who took out this very impressive knife and began chopping off the tops in little bits.  Finally, she got through to the liquid center and stuck a straw in it!  They were ready to drink!  They were tasty but not my thing.  I am not so sure I will go there to buy coconuts again.  However, the woman did make these beautiful baskets/bags out of recycled plastic.  Now, let me explain how excited this actually made me.  Everywhere you go there seems to be trash on the ground in large piles.  There appears to be no method for waste removal and the same goes for sewage.  I have become really obsessed with this because it seems like it will be a huge challenge for India as they try and build more infrastructure.  I also think action right now would be much more cost effective and help to reduce the potential for illness.  Now back to my point:  Here is this beautiful woman making use of all this plastic and making money off of it!  How could I not buy one?  She has created her own little micro-business for herself!  I kind of thought it was a frivolous thing to buy but after a few moments of thinking and talking with Jonathan, I came to the conclusion that my money was going to great use and I should support her.  My bag is very cool.  I am going to use it as a basket in my bedroom.  I think in the future I will return to her and buy many more and use them as gifts! (Let me know if you'd like one!)

Right after that, with the high of having a beautiful basket in my possession and supporting a lovely woman, we got in an auto (auto-rickshaw).  I must tell you riding in an auto is scary and very exciting.  Our auto ride was pretty uneventful but I love riding in them.  I wish I could just describe the scenery that you drive by but I can't.  I just can't paint an accurate picture of it all.  There are cows just sitting everywhere, there are school children biking by, there are people with big carts filled with things they are selling, there was a man on a scooter with crates of eggs on the back and between his legs, there are people asleep on the side of the road, there are street food carts, and the list goes on.  My eyes and brain become so overwhelmed by all the images of beauty, chaos, and poverty.

The craft bazaar was interesting.  We were told that all the items were made in India.  I was slightly skeptical about all the items being made in India but some clearly were.  There were bronze sculptures, jewelry, wooden statues, stone statues, hand bags, scarves, wall hangings, and tons of Indian clothes.  I bought two skirts which are beautiful.  I also bought a wall hanging which is made by women in a nearby village.  It was all hand embroidered.  It looks like a small child did it, but I think that is why I like it.  Jonathan and I then walked to a bookstore that was close by.  There wasn't anything too exciting.  Jonathan did buy me a book which included all of the following on the back:  youth, prison, analyzing the caste system, and poverty.  What more could I ask for in a book? 


After that we rode in a very funny auto to get home.  It was obviously having some mechanical problems because it had trouble making it up hills and was travelling super slow, which is very abnormal for any vehicle on the road in India!  I also got to talk to my Mom today which was truly exciting.  Now I am waiting for our Tamil lessons to start and drinking chai tea.  My life here is beautiful-but oh how I do miss my shower in Wisconsin!