25th & 26 January

One early start to the day seems to demand a late, lazy one. Hung around waiting for my friend from the UK with her family: not able to meet up so did emails, FaceTime ( for those of you like me thought it was a film with Arnie S, it,s like Skype)! There is a sizzle of excitement in the air, with vendors fluttering the orange white and green Indian flag from every availAble face. The eating places are stringing fairy lights, and the roundabout near the Medan ( open ground) already has bright colourful orange white and green lights vying with the sun, as it climbs higher and higher in the blue sky to dispel the chill morning air. The two young men in the Cyber Cafe barely look up from their war games now, as we go in and download The Times, read our emails eagerly, and put on another blog, which some of you have commented on reading and enjoying! enjoying! On the 26th Jan. it was India National Independence Day, and on the evening we went along to the local parade ground and watched a concert of sorts, which involved a traditional Indian music group with tabla and other drums supported by electronic organ/pianos. This group supported various solo and group singers, and then a magician/juggler/sword swallower performed, and then a very interesting woman did a dance that involved balancing a pot on cloth support on her head which held the ingredients to make a cup of "chai". The interesting bit was that the cloth was doused in fuel, and for about 10 mins she danced with huge flames on her head and around the pot. At the end of the performance she emptied the contents into cups and presented them to dignitaries in the audience, who in place confirmed the fact that she had made "garum chai". I only have a video of this amazing woman so until I get it working you will just have to imagine the scene. A great night !!

Location:Navsari: Independence Day