Missing Waitrose?

Hi.

Ken is writing and Heather is butting in in brackets ( ).

We thought we would just tell you a little about our local shops, i.e. the ones we can walk to for the basics. For other things we go by auto rickshaw to Modern Bazaar in Vasant Vihar or Big Bazaar in Vasant Square Mall.

Below is a photo of the shops immediately opposite our flat: believe it or not this small area has two little general stores, a chemist, a hairdresser, a stationers, an electrical shop, a veg stall, a bank and a tailor! (Opening times are a little bizarre so have to just go and hope they are open).

  
 There's a little, old man across the road who sells veg from his stall, (I am getting to know him well - he loves to persuade me to buy all kinds of veg and fruit whether I want it or not - I am a bit too soft and always succumb!!) but for a larger variety of fruit and veg (and for water) we walk a few yards up the road to this stall, run by a dad and his two sons. The younger of the two boys is called Indra. (Indra's face lights up when we come as he loves to carry whatever we buy back to our flat - its usually a box of 12 water bottles, on his head, and two carrier bags of veg- he wont let us carry anything, neither will his dad who sends Indra off with our shopping. We always give him a tip so he makes sure his brother doesn't come too!  Indra and his brother are there from very early morning till late evening having been to market at 3am - he is 9 and his brother, 16 - no schooling for them! They are learning the family business!) 

The dad is very friendly and always feeds us with bananas and guava while we're shopping, which is very welcome at the end of the afternoon of teaching - ( he is so generous and also very knowledgeable about what needs peeling, deseeding before cooking, and enjoys giving me some cooking tips -very helpful as there are some extraordinary veg here - all spiky and and almost plastic looking - I bought some having been told what to do with them - going to have a go tomorrow.)

Further up the road is the Liquor Shop, which is a very popular shop when it's just had a delivery. (Traffic jams are intense and usually cars triple park along the road whilst they queue for their whiskey etc.) Ken has been a few times to buy some Kingfisher beer, which is also welcome after a long day.
The Liquor Shop is part of another group of shops,where you can buy some of the basics, including Coca Cola, stationery, light bulbs and (we discovered today) Christmas decorations (they were really Diwali decorations which had been put deep, deep into a cupboard obviously not expecting anyone to ask whether they had any 'bling' for decorating at Christmas time.  Anyway, I think he was delighted to flog us the rest of his stock - he said we were getting a 'good price' but actually I suspect we were just doing him big a favour. Now I'm looking forward to decorating our balconies, (we have 3) and also our front door - its good to let everyone know we celebrate Christmas),

These are a couple of the little shops.  (Its actually really nice to have a 'simple'  approach to shopping.  Shopping for the day, not the week as I used to do at home.  Also eating according to the season is such a pleasure - its pees and beans, cauliflowers, cabbages  and really delicious new potatoes that have just come on to the stall this month. Sadly my favourite, Singhara ( water chestnuts) have just finished so I will have to wait till the weather warms up - its now too cold for them so I am told!)

(We have just met an Asha volunteer, Carly, from England, who arrived in Delhi last Saturday and will be with Asha until the 18th Dec.  She has come to take drama workshops in one of the Asha slums.  It is so nice to have her here and get to know her.  She came for supper last night and we talked and talked about all her plans to travel as well as the work we are doing and how we could support her as she settles in.  I think that talking with Carly helped us realise that we are 'at home' here now and able to help someone else settle in. We are making progress!!

We are looking  forward to the weekend. Ken's off on Sunday with two of his students to see the Indian National Museum and Planetarium, but having had a very heavy cold and almost flu symptoms during the last two weeks, I shall cosy up with a book and rest.(Perhaps I should pick up a bottle of the Whiskey from down the road tomorrow as we pass it could be just what I need- !!)  Next week I know is going to be very busy with Nativity plays and parties so need to be on top form!! )

Happy shopping!!

Ken and Heather