U. S. Soldiers Home Mac: during a century of travel (well 78 years!)
both in and out of service I have travelled to over 150 countries (I count
both North and South Dakota as countries) and for some reason have jotted
signs and happenings that I thought funny at the time (and now wonder
why). So here is the perfect opportunity to share some of my anecdotes.
I stayed in Hotel Blue in Delhi (avoid it.) Actually OK but basic and
the police were constantly checking the place as so many of the clients
were young people travelling the world for years and didn’t have
any work (except temporary jobs). There was a young German travelling
around the world on a motorcycle. He was born after Hitler was dead.
He told me he was in Egypt and when an elderly Egyptian heard he was from
Germany said to him. “Hitler is a good man. How old is he now? This
broke up the young German. Some people never get the word. Indian police
came up to the hotel looking for illegal immigrants and the young German
disappeared.
While waiting for a room in New Delhi at the Hotel Ashok Yatri News $10
US a day (it seemed to be a budget hotel ran by the government and I liked
it) I went into the public toilet in the lobby and took all my luggage
into the stall with me. When I went to leave stall I had trouble getting
the door open as my luggage was in the way. As I struggled out, I saw
an Indian at the washbasin watching my antics. I told him. “I spent
the night in there – couldn’t get a room. Without batting an eye
he said “You did not have to do that”
Puri, India. Stayed at Z Hotel. That is the entire name of hotel or
as the British say zed for Z I think. Z hotel is on Chakraateertha Road.
A short name for hotel. Long name for road. It is on the beach next
to the ocean. The hotel was a palace of a very minor Maharaja of a very
minor state in West Bengal. I was offered a complimentary drink as I
signed in. All this for 480 rupees ($4.80 U.S. a night.) You can walk
to fishing villages with palm huts a short way from hotel. When I went
to see the fishermen bring in the fish at 4PM, a little boy ran ahead
of me to point out the faeces on the beach (the fishermen use the beach
as a toilet). He would point and say Toilet. He was constantly saying
Toilet, toilet, toilet so I would not step into the faeces.
At the Konark Temple in India where they have erotic carvings of men
and women doing things in almost impossible gymnastic positions a little
boy appointed himself as my guide. This ten year old guide solemnly informed
me. “There are sixty four approaches.”
Madras, India. Diana had read that the bicycle rickshaw drivers in front
of train station would often take you to a hotel where they got a commission
instead of the hotel you requested. She told me to give the address of
a landmark near the hotel you wished. Tell him you want to go to Star
Theater (which was near Broadlawn Hotel I wanted) I said Star Theater
please and he replied. “Oh the Broadlawn Hotel!” I moved from
there to Himalayan Hotel that Dianna kept calling the Everest.
The Fairlawn Hotel in Calcutta is a hoot. It is run by an Albanian lady
(I think) who had been married to a British Major, since died. She was
more British than the British and she ran the hotel like they did in the
days of the Raj. She had all the men servants wear colourful turbans
although they were not Sikhs (I at first thought when they said someone
was Sikh I thought they were saying they were sick.) When she was out
of sight they would pull them off. She would walk around with a little
poodle in her arms saying “And how are you my dear?’ Americans loved
this but some Indians from America revisiting India told me that their
daughter hated this.
I stayed in several hotels in New Delhi including YMCA and YWCA International
Hotel (took both men and women) food very good there. In an Indian brochure
I read “When our hearts are empty we collect things” (give me
your things and sin no more.) It is true that we sometimes become slaves
to our possessions. Give them away and travel!
Next month, Mac discusses animals. If you would like to contact Mac,
he can be e-mailed on: macsan400@yahoo.com
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