When I first went to India in 1977, there wasn’t a lot to buy anywhere in the country. The basics - food, clothing, shelter, transport - were all available, but the consumer goods industry was severely undeveloped, thanks to a government attitude of “Be Indian, Buy Indian”, enforced by high import tariffs and strict foreign exchange controls. [more
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When we moved to Lecco, we consolidated the contents of our household from Milan with Enrico’s parents’ stuff from their apartment in Rome… [more
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I have written before about shopping in Delhi; here I’ll add some more details and tips, organized by location. [more
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…Outside the window is a small, presumably ancient tomb, I have no idea whose, another of Delhi’s many semi-abandoned Mughal relics…. [more]
When I attended Woodstock School, I never saw Hindi movies. [more]
While I was in New Mexico last weekend, Sharon and I drove to Santa Fe. The town has many museums, but we visited only one: the Museum of International Folk Art. It’s not big, but offers plenty to keep the attention. One room has drawers full of decorative panels from Bangladeshi rickshaws, and molé cloth work. [more]
A week or so ago I ran across this on the blog of one of my new colleagues at Sun:
To A Daughter Leaving Home
When I taught you
at eight to ride
a bicycle, loping along
beside you
as you wobbled away
on two round wheels,
my own mouth rounding
in surprise when you pulled
ahead down the curved
path of the park,
I kept waiting
for the thud
of your crash as I
sprinted to catch up,
while you grew
smaller, more breakable
with distance,
pumping, pumping
for your life, screaming
with laughter,
the hair flapping
behind you like a
handkerchief waving
goodbye.
…in other words: Ross will be attending Woodstock School in India next year.
I’m so happy I’m in shock. And, at the same time… I will miss her to the marrow of my bones. Wish us all luck.
best regards,
Deirdré Straughan
beginningwithi.com
image: detail of installation by Bronwyn Lace