Fancy foot work at the butcher shop
For preparations for Diwali which is a religious festival which celebrates the coming of a goddess who brings, prosperity, health and good luck we went to get some provisions.

On the list:

Candles-for lighting the path for the goddess to find the home -the house had candles and marigold and rose petals lined from the drive way all the way up to the little altar set up in the home

Firecrackers -for celebration afterwards-these are the illegal kind you can't get in Canada or the UK anymore -they are massive -think Symphony of Fire at Ontario place -this is what we did on the terrace a few feet away from all the guests.

Sweets -traditionally eaten after dinner or exchanged as gifts (this festival is very similar to Xmas)

Mutton - for the main meal -this was where the talented butcher came on the scene.

The two butchers were on a little platform stage like place in a shop selling fish, meat and more... There was a round tree stump which he is sitting behind on a smaller stool where he chopped the various meats. But then to my surprise his hands went down behind visible terrain and there he was with a large meat cleaver held between his toes (keeping both hands free) for trimming fat off some other cuts of meat. Very clever use of space and body parts I thought, although a bit odd at first. Got to have strong feet for this type of job!

Didn't take a pic of the footwork but should've..next time. And most Indian men love getting their picture taken so this man adjusted his handlebar moustache for the camera and gave a few poses...enjoy.

Spicy in India

We didn't get to Kasa Gelato today in the market to scope out the ice cream but am sure it was spicy! Actually everything here is spicy, even our Chinese food dinner tonight was mouth burning, nostril cleansing hot! (except for the locals Mr & Mrs. Gill who ate it all without flinching)

Have seen some great sights like the Taj Mahal and the colorful city of Jaipur in Rajastan along with several others. All were stunning and filled with fascinating histories. India has such a wide variety of sights, smells and tastes -it can be overwhelming at times but it needs to be taken in quite quickly as there is so much happening all at once. The country is filled with many religions, the roads filled with many travelers (horses, donkeys, camels, cars, trucks, bikes, rickshaws, mopeds, scooters, old men walking across motorways at a slow pace, elephants, people, monkeys, dogs and more!) and the restaurants are filled with several types of food -Indian food from all areas; north, south and more and other foods that all seem to have an Indian twist.

I have tasted some great and v.interesting food but all very spicy enough to make a man's moustache curl!
Namaste...and Happy Divali for tomorrow.