Three Good Things

These are the three favourite things I have discovered in India so far.

The Lassi

The lassi is a thick creamy frothy yoghurt drink. From street stalls, it's served in these funky clay cups. They can be either salty or sweet. I have been drinking endless sweet lassis. I haven't had the courage to try the salty variety yet.

The best place for lassi in Jaipur is The Lassiwala on MI Road. It's a little hole in the wall place which has been around forever. They are just so good.



Indian Sweets

I thought I had a sweet tooth. But I have nothing on the Indian population. Indian sweets are pure sugar with a few nuts, fruits and silver foil thrown in.

Every week I have gone to the LMB shop in Johari Bazaar and bought a big box. There's a huge glass counter full of sweets and the nice serving gentlemen will always let you to try before you buy. For Diwali, LMB was a sweets wonderland. There were tables and tables ladened with the most amazing array.

My absolute favourite is the big red ball in the picture. It's basically shredded cocunut steeped in sugar. It's so, so good. I couldn't wait for the photo, I had to start eating.



Bollywood

In just a few short weeks I have become a bollywood junkie. I have seen all the latest releases. I am up on all the latest gossip. So sad that Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor have broken up. They looked so good together.

I loved Om Shanti Om and Jab We Met. It doesn't matter at all that I can't understand a word of Hindi. The stories are simple and there are some helpful bits (such as 'I am pregnant') in English. They are incredibly corny and funny and the song and dance numbers are spectacles in themselves.

Then there's the whole crowd interaction. Indian audiences do not sit and watch politely. They cheer and jeer and hoot and whistle. Great fun. I really think they are hard to beat for just sheer entertainment value.

The Raj Mandir is the most amazing cinema. It's more of a traditional theatre with a huge seating capacity, a balcony, white stucco, a curtain and a fantasyland lobby with lots of twinkling lights. Going there feels like a real event.

Saawariya, the movie playing in this photo was not. It's been the only downer so far. I have no idea what it was about. I think it was trying to be Moulin Rouge.


No doubt that there are many more wonderful things here waiting to be discovered. I can't wait.