ABCs cont...

H is for Hostages on Houseboats

We have been sucked into the wet winterland that is Kashmir. It seems the entire universe, including every Kashmiri male and the climate, conspires to keep us here forever. Not that this is a bad thing. After days of toying with the idea of catching a train to Agra we have managed to instead get into the heart of Kashmir villages, become a catalyst of the houseboat mafia war, and contribute hugely to the economy.

In actuality, our escape from this insansely kind place has been barred by poor road conditions combined with poor weather. We have instead had to spend the days drinking tea with every third person on the street who extends us an invitation and discovering the practical world of Kashmiri fashion. At the moment Genna and I huddle in men's clothing draped in men's panchos stuffed with our kangri (winter wife).

B is for Boulder Bakers in Developing Nations

We're in a car with a man we met 5 minutes ago. He's a baker though, so how could we say no? He has promised to show us his factory at which he says there are two Americans working. This seems an odd place to find two American bakers, but it makes more sense when we pull up to the "industrial complex" (FoodPark) and two ex-Boulder hippies step out from the cement walls.

Leave it to Boulder to begin the wheat flour/brown sugar rage in a country that doesn't have sewage systems yet. Bob and Annie arrived in Kashmir with a dream this August and somehow managed to find a Kashmiri to share that dream. In the "bakery" is the most ancient industrial mixer we've ever seen sitting beside the brand spankin' top notch bread mixer. The wood oven bakes 150 loaves at a time and aside from that there is a stove top with a setting of high...only.

And so, we converse with these characters for some time sharing the joy of Kashmir and the hopes of health food abroad. There is little more we can say without writing a book on this event. Tomorrow, we head to Jammu if the roads are clear and then to Agra to be ripped off by countless Taj touts. Can't wait to dive into the madness once again. Missing you all.

P.S. A quick note on the blog...if you click on Our Profile you will find the individual blogs of Genna and Leigh. Leigh's is thinkgloballeigh.blogspot.com and Genna's is wordgenna.blogspot.com...there you can get riled up for exciting diatribes.