Retire In Style Blog Too

India: Life on the street.  I am not sure that I qualify as a tourist here but I am learning a lot about how this country works for local expats.  My life of travel has included Spain, Thailand, UAE, Mexico, Germany, China and even a short period of time in The Philippines (spelled with 1 L and 2 Ps.) Sigh. I have been privy to the expat's life in China, the UAE and now India. The interior of their houses always reflect where they call "home". What I have always missed with the inside of the citizens of that country. Even here in India the homes of those that clean and garden and walk the dog are not open to me. What would that look like? I don't know. But here we are able to walk out at night to local restaurants and bistros. It is fun to sit about with locals and see them in their world, to hear them talk and laugh together. The waiters speak just enough english to keep us both happy. There are a few things I always do when I visit a foreign country that may surpris...

My daughter has a cat...not just the ordinary cat but then I am quite sure none of them are. He decided to come and live with her when my grandchildren were still children. The oldest is 27 years old now and was less than ten when the cat arrived. He lived in the front yard laying in wait for the garage door to open where food for other animals was available. After all, a cat needs to eat! But his need for food did not include being owned by anyone so he was very illusive. We all chased him...at night Teghan the dog and two grandchildren. During the day...I was chosen. I was the Nanny of sorts and the need for order did not include a stray cat in the front yard. It was a very long time before anyone was able to catch him. So off to the animal shelter he went. My daughter was chosen to take him to the "animal shelter/gas chamber". My daughter did not know that place was like that. She was sure the cat would get to go live on the farm and have a barn all to himself. She arrived...

Cattle in the street...sacred animals in Indian culture.   Of all the places on the face of our earth I think that India has been talked about more than any other. So what can I say that you have not already heard? Let me think about that. I have been here at the American Embassy School in New Delhi for about 10 days now. We eat, we sleep we walk across the street to the American Embassy for lunch or dinner. I am with my son and his family so I get to spend time with them. It is very normal in so many ways. Yet not at all! Dinner at a restaurant courtyard  under the Banyan Tree! First of all you need to understand that the American Embassy is part of the Embassy Enclave for nations around the world. It sounds very exotic and yet it is located next to a famous  slum or camp where people live a life that I cannot imagine. (I have included a link to a tour for the slum. The pictures from inside are wonderful.) Water comes in by trucks and there is little electricity or even...