Would you like ice with that?

I have been here four days and have really enjoyed getting to know people in the neighborhood of our hotel. Each day and couple nights I've walked two or three miles up and down the main road and side streets, exploring and talking to people.

This enterprising guy buys a huge chunk of ice from somewhere and then hauls it to "his" little piece of "sidewalk" to sell piece-meal. Yup, it's sitting right there on the ground in the dirt and whatever. And "whatever" covers a lot of stuff, believe me.

Susan and I are staying in an industrial, not a tourist area. In my days here I have walked past thousands and thousands of people and not seen a single Caucasian face. Not one. That is pretty amazing when you think about it! I didn't think about it until about the third day and I said to myself, hmmm, Dave, you haven't seen anyone of Finnish heritage yet.

Susan arrived early, early this morning. Today we went into downtown Bombay (much more diverse) and plan to go to the Gateway to India monument in just a bit. It is a stretch of ocean front where people stroll in the evening and visit the various vendors along the boardwalk. I read in an article that it is the place to get your ears professionally cleaned. Of COURSE I'll have to try out this unique service!

We are doing well. Loving the people-side of India very, very much.