Streets turn to Rubber

A few errands in Bangalore can take up one or two days and the crowds can eventually get to one's personal space. Just before Sahana, her 4 friends (Gopal, Kranthik, Yadev, and Hinglas) and I took off to the peaceful Christian belt of Kerala state, I experienced effects from the Diwali festival. Throughout India, three of the five days are spent lighting firecrackers, fireworks, and candles in celebration of Lakshmi and is considered the New Year (even countries like Gkyena, Thailand, Trinidad, Siam and Malaya celebrate this welcoming). What it means to me is no sleep. As often as the car horn, so is the firecracker...every 2 seconds until three or four or five in the morning. The scene from on top of the house, however, proves to be magical. Here we are, in the middle of this big city watch fireworks in distances ranging from 15 feet away to a kilometre. Kids playing with flares and rockets going off in any direction...yeah, I did not stay on the roof for long.

So after the loud experience, we traveled by rented car (and driver, Prem) to a rubber tree plantation in Kerala. For the next four days, there was no phone, Internet, or tv - just the way I like it. Our group had only surreal experiences after another in just getting there, let alone the magic of Kerala hospitality, waterfalls, true jeep rides to mountain villages, wild honey, coconut liquor, the local kids, and of course Paul - the Evangelist extremist giving hosting us with food and a hidden agenda. Basically our meals turned into fundraisers or preachy talk about all his good and he would follow us everywhere and keep telling me that he like Mel Gibson.

In one rubber tree plantation block there are about 300 trees. Every two days, 30-40 sheets of rubber is produced offering an income of ~3,000Rs per day. In one year, the one block can bring in
I had such an amazing and relaxing time in Kerala. This is the state that I could revisit over and over again - this is my Mexico, papa. I met a young man who really moved me - his values, his beliefs, his intelligence and his passion for his village and eco-tourism. This was also the state that moved me away from Ministry back in 2003. Not from a negative push, but I learned here and my visit this time reaffirms, the magic in living harmoniously with Hindu, Muslim, and Christian. All are human to one another and live in a community that supports one another. This is a spirituality that I can relate to - that it's not about the structure of worship, the book that says all, or the symbol of religion. Happiness and community striving for peace. Kerala is said to have 100% literacy and some of the most hard working rich people. I simply love it.

So now I prepare for New Delhi and start by looking for a Chiropractor (some morning stretches took my neck muscles by surprise)! As it goes. Life here is just like home - except everything is an extreme of back home...traffic, sounds, people, problems, landscape, and of course, food. I will save my food stories for when I come; I don't feel like drawing any scares...hehe.

Thank you for your warm thoughts - I can feel it in the St.Christopher that guards my heart.