Indian streets are full of life. Jim and I had gone into town with Ruben and Jonathan in order to buy some tools for the work ahead. We sat in traffic for about a half an hour behind a Muslim parade and then waited by the car while they went looking for what we needed (they go without us so they can get Indian prices. If we go with them at first the price triples. So after they find what we are looking for we go and make the purchase). Hindus, Muslims and political parties here seem to have parades every couple of days.  They march with flags, banners, idols, bands, blaring music from horn speakers… For all their disruption, fervor and excitement, most people ignore them. While waiting at the car, bicycle rickshaws and Mahindra 3-wheel cabs were everywhere. It looks like chaos at first, but as you watch an order finally comes into focus.

Jim watched cooks at a popular food stand as they served the waiting line.  When a person was done with their plate, the cook would take it back, use the water in the gutter to get it spit-polish clean and then serve the next guest. My attention was on a bicycle delivery guy who had piled boxes to about 5 feet above the bike seat. It was a wonder it was even upright as it swayed to and fro. He tried to pedal but finally gave up and began to walk the heavy bike to its destination. As he turned the corner the bike tipped precariously to about 40 degrees before he managed to recover it and then disappeared out of sight. The sidewalks themselves, if you can call them that, are makeshift covers over open sewers. They are seriously hazardous to walk on, opening up occasionally to the darkness below. Fall into one of those and you may have all sorts of wildlife encounters before emerging at the plate cleaning station of a popular food stand.