Paharganj

So change hotels yesterday. I get on the subway and one subway stop away it's a completely different world.  Hundreds  of people in the street. Cars, buses, bicycles, rickshaws... everything in the street but no one touching. No one bumping. No one even yelling. Everyone knows what to do and they just keep doing it, 

I go down the street and I take the right turn onto the the main bazaar road and it's just like I thought it would be. The road, or what used to be a road now is broken down asphalt and the noises get louder.  The path gets tighter and we are packed in but no one still no one touches anyone. 

I did get the student where a younger person will come up to you,  tries to be helpful. Saying he is trying to help you get to where you want to go you to go and you get funneled into a travel agency. This douche wants to sell you a trip for a bus ride or whatever. 

This hasn't happened for a while but I got out of there unscathed and got on the subway. 

I never get that still there people lying in the street there are dogs everywhere every few feet him but it works everyone is there and everyone is just doing it just getting by finally get to my hotel.

I never get that still there people lying in the street there are dogs everywhere every few feet him but it works everyone is there and everyone is just doing it just getting by finally get to my hotel. 

The room is okay.  Ive stayed in a lot worse but it is definitely much different than the last place is loud I am locked in at night and locked up during the day their constant warnings about pickpockets. Even outside the door of the hotel a man insists we are friends is trying to help me find a restaurant or go for a drink. 

My guard is up for every jackass trying to put me in a popcorn machine but I'm also hypersensitive to what is going on. The children going to school, every beggar and every dog laying in the street. The smell of cooked rice, or piss, or flowers and always over it the noise. 

I slept last night, twenty feet from car horns and people buzzing underneath my window. 

It was great. 

Walk

Fuck.

I started the day with breakfast at the hotel. I spent all day yesterday asleep, so I was ready for today.  Prepared to be out all day. Just two blocks from the hotel. whatever I saw monkeys in the street. 

The smell of shit and piss  everywhere.

Car horns always around. Street traffic surging in the street. 

This is really what I was looking for.

It smells like piss and shit. You could see people had shit on the walls and in the corners of where were they could find a spot. 

I just made my way through the city. I didn't get hassled. I've been mixing in pretty well. I've been asked for directions twice. 

I got all the way out to the India gate and one of the archaeological sites. I walked until my feet hurt and then when they hurt too much then I started walking back to the hotel.  

it's been good it's been good so far. it's hot. I'm sweating. I can't believe everyman that I see on the street has an undershirt on and most of they have sweaters on. it's 80 fucking degrees out here. One guy had on a down jacket. Wtf.

I'm going out tonight to pick up some more stuff and see more the city see what it's like.

More later.

3am

I was wildly optimistic.

Come back to the hotel. Had high tea (utterly pointless) and laid down for a nap,

Nine hours later, here I am.

The sun is deceptive. I could feel it on me but didn't feel how much it takes until I hit the shade and when I hit the bed, game over. 

Now I know my adversary I will plan Better. 

Changing hotels. See a new part of the city. 

Later. 

Getting a ride to the hotel. 2 am

http://youtu.be/wagdJIXsL9Q

Cabs and cab rides

In general, I hate people. Mostly short sighted, small minded inconsiderate people and that is a big number of people. 

But when I travel it flips.i like the struggle. Figuring where the bullshit is and working around it. And meeting genuine people and appreciating that they exist.

Off the plane, through immigration. Customs, I'm at the curb. 2am. Metro doesn't open until 5am.

I prefer the bus but the cabs lined up are 1940-1950 something's. They could only be cabs I think like the New York checker cabs. 

I think cab rides can be dicey. I've heard it and I believe it. I've only had one slightly inflated ride in china but I've never be robbed or hijacked so I think my instincts work pretty good. 

I line up for a prepaid ride. The locals are on me, " where are you going?" " my car is here sir..." But I go to the line and there is and old beat up yellow and black cab. 

The driver had trouble getting released from the lot. I'm assuming he doesn't match the picture on the license. Bug we make it though.

The ride was good . The driver had his buddy with him and he talked with him the whole way . 

Both guys were good , 

Don't know what they were saying, I'm pretty sure I did not exist to them but that's cool. They were real. 

I didn't see much  on the way over. 2am the city was pretty dead and do was I. 

I'm at the hotel waiting in the lounge waiting for my room to get free. 

I've had just a small taste of India so far. I like it . 

This was a good idea.

Zurich

I'm fucking exhausted.

You know what time it is.

I'm in the lounge.

Hungry all there is is muffins, coffee and  bananas.

 I can't sleep on the plane. It doesn't work for me.

Each stop has been pretty clean so far I don't know what the  last one will be like. 

It's starting to sink in. 

I'll be 49 in six days. 

So many things I thought were absolute are now just concepts. Age, wisdom, time. Everything is variable .

Only one hour of free internet here so I'm going to load up on news for the next leg. 

One more 8 hour flight and I'm there ...

bucket list

In 1999, I made a list of people I would like to meet. 26 on the list. Right now, 2 of the entrys have died. I met three and forgot they were on the list until I looked at it today.

Yesterday, I met number one on the list.

I had the chance to take my best friends to a dinner at Dodger Stadium.
I grew up a Dodger fan. The Yankees broke my heart twice and the Dodgers beat them once in 1981.

As I grew up Tommy Lasorda was a constant. Winning. Losing. Coming Back. Year after year. Tommy was always the same. Listening to his interviews on youtube. You knew, Tommy was a bad ass.

My buddies and I met up yesterday at the stadium. The dodger contact was late, so I was gripping. Was this going to happen. As we waited in the club level of the stadium, an grey haired man shuffled past. I knew immediately it was Tommy.

Like seeing a deer in the woods, I didn't want to make a noise to startle him. Seeing him in his natural surroundings he moved to the door, talked with some small kids and was surrounded by grown men softly cheering, "Tommy, it's TOMMY!", "It's an honor to meet you".

Off in a golf cart, he was gone.

Eventually, the Dodger contact met us and we made our way to the stadium club. Ten in all.

As we waited, the line of people at the door parted and Tommy came in.

He was just like I thought. Not a sweet grandfather, bouncing kids on his knee. More of a "Did you take out the trash?" Grumbling grandfather.

We sat at our table. I was in a position at the end of the table. Good maybe, bad maybe. Sitting next to your idol. What do you say? What do you do? So I held back, the other people in the group kept the conversation going and Tommy let it flow.

Tommy was careful at first.
But eventually, the goddamns and f-word came out once or twice.
This, this moment I will remember forever.

When we were getting food. Tommy when to the Tri-tip table. As we were waiting, I asked Tommy what ring he had on. It was a big championship ring. 81?88? 

Tommy looked at me and said...."Hall of Fame."

Tommy took some tri-tip and asked the lady behind the glass. What kind of peppers those were? "Habaneros". 

"Are they hot?" Tommy asked. 

"Oh, yes", the cook said. 

"Give me some...." Tommy held out his plate. (It may sound rude but the way it was said it was not at all)

She picked up a grilled habanero and put it on Tommy's plate. "Give me one more" and the lady picked up another and put it on the plate. Tommy then walked to the table.

What am I going to do?

Tri-tip with habanero. I know about the habanero so I knew the risks. I cut a small slice of chili and put it on the tri tip....not bad....for about 20 seconds.....and then the burn....

but...fuck it....

I ate it all. 

Tommy told us stories about the dodgers in the 70's and the players today. We had about 90 minutes with him. 

It was fantastic. 

Tommy was number one on that list from 1999. 

Right where he should be. 

TMI

I'm at the airport. Three hours early. I have a united club pass so I can relax before the flight.

But...

United doesn't have a lounge in this terminal so I was in the Naugahyde and metal seats, shifting and turning to get the right spot . Three hours to go. I will need the right spot.

Free wifi, do I'm good.

Until...

The dinner I had after the game. I met the owner of the cafe. Talked a bit about travel. And I told him I really like spicy good so he comped me a cup of vegetarian chili, made for me.

It was great but I knew it was one of those meals you pay for twice.

And I'm making the second payment waiting for my plane.

I bought a pair of earphones because I killed the last pair I had and I'm surrounded by stainless steel and listening to an assortment of stones, x, chuck berry and miles Davis.

The day could be worse.

At least I have some privacy .

Home soon ....