Ah, Ahmedabad - 9/19/06

I was a bit harsh on Ahmedabad last entry. I actually have nothing against the city itself, I just had some bad dealings with some people here in the past. The city itself is actually quite vibrant and bustling with commerce. The surname “Patel” that most Americans associate with India in general is actually endemic to the state of Gujarat, of which Ahmedabad is the old capitol. The majority of Indian immigrants to the US come from this one state. As I have mentioned before, it is a dry state – maybe that helps contribute to the industriousness of its citizens. I can’t complain, I have abstained so far this trip anyway.

Upon arriving at our hotel I was once again wiped out in the early evening. I fell asleep in my clothes at about 8:30, then woke up at 2:00 am. Rather than stay up until morning, or just get a little more sleep, I made myself go back to bed and didn’t wake until 7. Maybe now I will finally be on track. At least there is only one time zone in India.

Here are some street shots from my car ride to and from a university visit.



This is a great shot of what a mall looks like in India…



Small business ownership is rampant, as you can see from the ubiquitous “cubicle shops” lining every thoroughfare. They are stacked like Lego blocks, with residences above…

And on to our second fair later on that day. This shot is from early in the fair…



And this one is a couple of hours in…