She Who Shops A Lot

On Saturday, Heba, Heather and I had a lazy morning. Heba slept in and Heather and I bummed around in PJs, getting the apartment set up, etc. For breakfast, Abdul made us Masala omelets, which are like an egg crepe with onion, tomato and peppers baked into the egg. We also had toast, fruit and cardamom chai. The chai here so far seems to come in three varieties - Masala, cardamom, and ginger. All are good, though I might have a slight preference for the cardamom.

Well rested and fed, we headed for Delhi with our driver Dhananjay and a list of good shopping spots from the folks in the office. Our first stop was Dilli Haat, which is a handicraft market in Delhi with tons of stalls that were chock-a-block with shawls, stoles, kurtas, shoes, bedspreads and more. Bargaining here is expected and so, with Heba's help, I refreshed the skill set that I initially acquired in Mexico's mercados, with fairly good results. I am now the proud owner of a pashmina scarf, a wool stole, a silk and wool stole, and a huge wool shawl. The textiles here are so beautiful that it's hard not to get greedy. All of the above cost me less than $40, so I think we did alright on the bargaining. Heba and Heather also bought lovely shawls and Heather found a very nice, modern-looking kurta. There were a few moments of panic as we got ready to leave Dilli Haat because we couldn't find our driver. Three cell phones were working full time, all to no effect. Luckily, he had parked nearby and we were able to walk to and find the cab, complete with somnolent cabbie, and accompanied by much giggling from the parking attendant.

After Dilli Haat, we headed to Khan Market, which is sort of like a double-decker, double-wide strip mall in Delhi. We had a late lunch at Chonas, which was quite good. Despite the opportunity to have 'continental' food, we ended up going with Indian. Heather and I ordered the rather generically-labeled 'chicken masala roll,' but it ended up being really yummy - spicy chicken and vegetables, rolled in a large, thin naan bread, with a creamy chutney (possibly sour cream and cilantro) sauce for dipping. We topped it off with a strawberry milkshake (Heather), salty lemonade (Heba), and a mango smoothie (me). Refreshed after our snack, we were off to tackle the warren of Khan market. Probably my favorite spot was Fabindia, which is sort of like a large, Indian-influenced Crate and Barrel, that also sells traditional Indian clothes. I bought a medium-length kurta, which is usually worn over traditional pants, but in Google Gurgaon chic is most often seen with jeans and flats. I also bought some very nice Indian wrapping paper at the stationery store, to replace the newsprint that was used to line my closets at the apartment.

Once we'd made a few passes through Khan Market, we were tuckered out and ready for a cocktail. We headed for a restaurant that we thought was called 'Olive,' and ended up at 'Olive Beach,' which is attached to the Hotel Diplomat. Since the bar looked lovely, we decided to stay where we landed. We were ushered into a very tastefully decorated bar with whitewashed walls, turquoise accent pillows, crackled antique silver mirrors and silvery buckets of white gladiolas. I had a cocktail called a Passionata that was a mixture with basil and some sort of passionfruit with black seeds - similar to what in Mexico is called a maracuya। It was very tasty. We also had a foie gras appetizer and a mushroom and prosciutto pizza, which were fabulous. We headed home and watched a very little bit of one of my DVDs before all three of us were sacked out. Definitely a decadent day, even by US standards, but so much fun to hang out with the girls and enjoy a bit of the culture.

Hello, My Name is मेगन

Thursday night we went into Delhi to run errands and have dinner. Our little posse includes me, Heather, and Heba from Mountain View, and James and Tim from Dublin. It has been great fun to spend some time with folks from other parts of the organization, and to have other people to hang out with. The traffic into Delhi is horrible during rush hour, so we had plenty of time to chat. Our cab driver deserves a medal for getting us there and back in one piece. But, it definitely makes for an interesting spectator sport!

We went to Connaught Place to get a camera for one of the housemates and then headed over to the Hotel InterContinental for dinner at Baluchi. The doormen at the Intercontinental were the most impressive I've seen - tall gentlemen with deep red, traditional suits, complete with turban, plume and topped off with very proud handlebar mustaches. Their "Welcome, Madame," resonates in booming tones over the lobby, with no indication that they're put off by our very casual, Western attire. It's probably gauche to go to the InterContinental in jeans and flats, but that's how we ex-pats roll ;).

Dinner was great। Baluchi is an Indian restaurant with nightly traditional music, consisting of a chanteuse accompanied by gentlemen with tom-toms and a sitar। While we have been eating very well at Google and at home, the food here was a step above. Indian food is often heavily spiced and sauced, but here you could still taste the vegetables and the flavors were very delicate. The Palak Paneer, which is spinach with Indian cheese curds, was bright green vs. the usual dark, combat green, and it tasted fantastic. We also had lovely chicken in tomato sauce and "baby lamb" (according to the menu). One does feel a bit brutish, eating baby lamb, but it was very good. James also introduced us to Kashmiri Naan, which is a buttery flat bread with pieces of dried apricots and other fruit on top - so good. We rolled home around midnight and headed straight for bed. Our cab driver stuck with us the whole time - makes for a very long day for him, but he seemed glad to do it. I suppose it's a good way to make some extra money.

Things at home are normalizing a bit. The housing coordinator very graciously provided an Indian hair dryer, so I was able to dry my hair this morning - woohoo! Heather has requested house plants (for both of us) and soft Kleenex (for me). I already asked for and got yogurt (best defense is a good offense, in sports and in fending off Delhi Belly). I fear I am becoming a horrible princess, but some of these small things make all the difference, especially when you're living in a very nice marble-floored echo chamber (I'll post pictures soon). I think my jet lag is pretty much over - I'm sleeping through the night on the new hours now, so hopefully we're moving on.

Today, I learned how to spell my name in Hindi (मेगान). We have a long way to go with the rest of the language, but it's a start for sure. We're hoping to get a Hindi instructor set up shortly, and possibly someone to teach yoga at our apartment as well.

This weekend, Heather, Heba and I are planning to explore Delhi and shop a bit. I managed to bring a ton of stuff and leave out some key things, so I'll try to fill in the gaps with local goods. The main thing is that it's still quite cool here in the evenings and I didn't bring a lot of sweaters, so I'm hoping to find a nice wool shawl - they have lovely ones here, so I'm sure that we'll find something.

The Indian Adventure Begins. . .

My colleague, Heather, and I left San Francisco on Sunday evening around 9:50pm. We had an early dose of European flair from the lovely flight attendants of Lufthansa. A great sushi dinner at Ebisu in the airport + some generic Ambian (?) meant that my flight to Munich was quite pleasant. I slept 7 out of 10 hours of the flight!

We were in Munich just long enough to catch some Apfel Streudel (for me) and a beer (for Heather), before jumping on our flight to Delhi, also with Lufthansa. This time, the sleeping pills did not quite trick my body into sleeping the full flight, but still I caught a few winks (and a Bollywood flick) before we touched down. From the air, Delhi is already quite different from home. The horizon is as blue as an ocean, though I suppose it's from smog, and the earth is a rust red, quilted over with a patchwork of green fields, mirrored rivers, and the sharp points of smoke stacks.

Fortunate girls, we were met at the airport by a fellow ex-pat, and so were eased rather gently into the Gurgaon experience. Our guest house is Essel 201, and just across the hall in 202, we have four other colleagues in residence. For the six of us, there are six, live-in house staff, all men. We're already learning the intricacies of cross-cultural communication, but so far so good. After quick showers, a breakfast of cut fruit and chai, plus partial unpacking, we headed into Google's Gurgaon office, which is quite nice. We had lunch with a few of the managers that we will be working with and headed to 'NHO' (that's New Hire Orientation) to meet the other folks who are new to the office this week. Over the next few weeks, I'll get re-trained on ad approvals and emails, Gurgaon-style, all of which will be a good refresher.

The traffic in India is as eclectic as it has been billed to be. Our sightings for today alone include brahmas, a heard of donkeys, hogs, mopeds, buses, cars, rickshaws, auto rickshaws, and highway pedestrians. If you try to watch it all, you get serious sensory overload. This YouTube post gives you a taste of what Gurgaon is like:

We just had a great Indian dinner, made by our cook, Abdul. My vow to diet is going to be sorely challenged here, as fried bread, curries and all sorts of lovely gravies over rice seem to be the order of the day. And, the chai is wonderful. I am trying to get an initial post out, because there is so much that is new and different here, but I'm fading fast since I've essentially been up all night by West Coast standards.

As a parting shot, here are a few key learnings from my first day in Gurgaon:
1. When the menu says 'mutton', that might mean goat - even in the Google canteen.
2. Goat is yummy!
3. There are delicious fruit that I have never tasted. I had my first chickoo today.
4. Pointing out that there's no hot water is a sure-fire way to get a blow-by-blow explanation on how to operate a faucet.
5. Much like the Europeans, Indians don't seem to believe in large cups. Ergo, all coffee cups in the office are the size of an espresso shot.
6. Hairdryers use a whole lotta voltage.
7. My new haircut CAN air dry - who woulda thunk it?

Dreaming of Maui

Maui is perhaps the best blend of beaches, nightlife and outdoor fun that you can find in the Hawaiian islands. Guaranteed to be relaxing and sun-soaked, a vacation in Maui is the perfect cure for the woes of the working world. If you have a choice, go in the shoulder seasons of Fall and Spring. Winter can be great as well, as there are fantastic opportunities to see Humpback Whales in the channel between Maui, Lanai and Molokai.

Maui Must-Sees/Do's/Eats:

• Snorkeling: The snorkeling company that I like the best is Trilogy (www.sailtrilogy.com). They do a variety of trips. I've been on the one to Molokini and Turtle Town two or three times and the Lanai trip once. They leave from the harbor near the isthmus of the island or from Kaanapali beach. I think the options are better leaving from the harbor, but it depends on where you're staying and how much the convenience of leaving from Kaanapali matters, since most trips leave at 6 or 7 am. I've also been on trips with other operators (Pride of Maui). All were good, but I feel like Trilogy is more of a botique experience. They run slightly smaller trips. They really do greet you with homemade cinnamon rolls (supposedly Mom's receipe). Their boats are generally large catamarans, so you usually get to sail in at least one direction, which is fantastic. And, they make pretty darn good BBQ off of the back of a boat. If you like to snorkel, the Molokini/Turtle Town trip is probably the most time in the water. If you wouldn't go to Lanai otherwise and you don't care as much about time in the water, the Lanai trip includes snorkeling and a van tour of Lanai. The snorkeling we did on that trip was on a pinnacle reef, so you had to swim across some deep water from the boat to the reef. That gives me the willies a little bit, but you're totally safe the whole time. They keep a lifeguard in the water at all times. During the trip from Maui to Lanai a whole school of dolphins came up around the boat and we were able to go out on the nets of the catamaran to see them. They will come up to the surface if you whistle - way, way cool.
  
• Makawao: An original Hawaiian cowboy (paniolo) town, Makawao is great for a lunch stop and shopping around. They have cute boutiques, a good coffee shop, and a glass-blowing shop (Hot Island Glass, www.hotislandglass.com) that makes fabulous glass fish and jellyfish. There's also a gallery in town that makes Koa wood frames that are pretty affordably (David Warren Gallery?), so if you get any prints in standard sizes or plan to frame any of your Maui photos, I would pick up a couple of their frames. Koa is super precious and hard to find outside of the islands - very lustrous golden wood.
• Hali'imaile General Store: Probably my favorite restaurant on the island, or at least in the top 3. They make a fabulous crab cake benedict, but everything is fantastic. Do not miss. You can hit it on the way to Makawao, as it's between the Haleakala Hwy and Makawao, or on your way up or down Haleakala. http://www.bevgannonrestaurants.com/haliimaile/haliimaile.html
• Haleakala: You can do all sorts of crazy bike trips down the volcano, and the big to-do is to get up there for sunrise. It's worth going, but it may not be worth getting up that early and/or biking down the crater. The visitor's center is interesting, so I would recommend going, but you'll have to decide if you want to get up early enough for sunrise. Also, it really is cold up there, even at midday, so be sure to take layers.
• Paia: Paia is a little hippie town on the way to Hana. I like going there to shop around and hang out. It's actually one of my favorite places on Maui, partly because it's less glitzy and uber-touristy. The country road between Makawao and Paia is beautiful. If I had a billion dollars, I'd own a house on that road, looking down over Paia to the ocean.
• Mama's Fish House: At the edge of Paia as you head toward Hana, Mama's is a great place for a nice dinner and sunset cocktails. They have their own beach and the food is great. One of my top 2 favorite Maui restaurants
• Charley's: Charley's is a fantastic breakfast spot on the edge of Paia's downtown strip as you head out to Hana. They also have dinner, drinks and frequently, a live band. I believe that Willie Nelson is a part owner of the bar and sometimes comes in for jam sessions, but I couldn't confirm that online. This is definitely worth a stop if you're in Paia. It's very casual and the food is great. 142 Hana Hwy, Paia, HI 96779. (808) 579-9453. http://www.charleyspaia.com/
  
• Saeng's Thai Food: My favorite Thai place, probably ever. Fantastic green curry and fried bananas with coconut ice cream for dessert. 2119 West Vineyard, Wailuku.
• Old Lahaina Luau: This is my favorite luau. It may be a little bit expensive, but it's better than any of the hotel luaus that I've been to and I think it's well worth it. The luau is presented more like an ethnic dance performance, vs. just touristy kitsch. If you go to one Hawaiian cultural event, thish should probably be it.
• Kimo's: A great place for sunset drinks and dinner. Their deck hangs out over the water in Lahania. They make my favorite pina colada, worldwide, and they have a great version of mud pie.
• The Plantation House: This is a more formal dinner option, but lovely. It would be great for a special occasion meal. Located above the Kapalua golf course, they have a great view. I had a filet wrapped in bacon with bernaise sauce there a few years ago that was seriously the best I've ever had. www.theplantationhouse.com
• Lahaina Art Night: On Friday nights, all of the galleries in Lahaina host an Art Night and open house. It can be crowded in the summer months, but it's still fun to wander through all of the galleries and just be out and about in town.
• Hula Grill: Located along Kaanapali beach, my favorite part of the Hula Grill is their barefoot bar. The outside tables are set in sand, so it's a great place to bury your toes and settle in with some lunch and a cool, fruity beverage. www.hulagrill.com
• Lappert's Ice Cream: Best coconut ice cream ever! There are also lots of additional local flavors, I just happen to be partial to coconut. There are several locations in Lahaina and Kihei.
• Hike Maui: If you want to have a more outdoorsy component of your vacation, Hike Maui does a really good job. We went on an all-day hike with one of their naturalists and had a great time. I recommend the one that goes along a stream and ends at a waterfall where you can swim. The guide even had us use awapuhi flowers for natural shampoo and we got to see ancient taro patches that were built into the banks of the stream.
• Hana: The road to Hana is very famous for its twists and turns. Though it's touristy, it's worth doing. You may want to consider staggering your start time to avoid being stuck in a long line of cars. You can get an audio guide at one of the last gas station in town before you leave Wailuku - there's a stand in the parking lot. It's a little cheesy, but you get a lot more information that way, so I'd recommend it. Once you get to Hana, there's a nice black sand beach and park where you can go swimming and have a picnic. If you're feeling adventurous, Charles Lindbergh's grave is about 8 miles beyond Hana. The road is even more twisty, but it's a quiet spot - sort of feels like you're at the end of the world. http://www.hawaiiweb.com/maui/html/sites/charles_lindberghs_grave.html. I haven't been myself, but I've heard that the Seven Sacred Pools are a great spot for swimming, so if you go all the way to Hana, you may want to check it out. http://www.hawaiiweb.com/maui/html/sites/seven_sacred_pools.html
  
• Napili Bay Beach: Napili can get crowded sometimes because it's a very safe beach for kids, but it's a fun place to sunbathe and loll around for the afternoon. On my last trip to Maui, Shannon and I took fins and snorkel gear to Napili and had an AMAZING time snorkeling - who knew so many fish were lurking around my toes? This is now my favorite beach on Maui. http://www.hawaiiweb.com/maui/beaches/NapiliBayBeach.htm
• Ho'okipa Beach Park: Ho'okipa Beach Park is just outside of Paia on the Hana Highway. It is definitely more of a locals hangout, so you should be respectful of that if you go. Most notable are the numerous windsurfers that dot the waves in the afternoon when the surf and wind are high. There aren't many swimming spots, but if you want to bask in the sun and watch the windsurfers, Ho'okipa is entertaining and accessible. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ho'okipa

Souvenirs:

• Wal-Mart: Believe it or not, Wal-Mart is a great place for souvenirs in Hawaii. Check the t-shirts in the men's department ($5-$10) and the souvenir section, which has tons of Island Hertiage products. The food section also usually has great prices on macadamia nuts, candy and coffee. 101 Pakaula St, Kahului, HI 96732, (808) 871-7820.
• Costco: Costco can also be a good souvenir shop, if you have a membership. They carry Kona coffee in bulk, Hawaiian seat covers for your car, and a variety of Hawaiian foods and candy. 540 Haleakala Hwy, Kahului, HI 96732, (808) 871-8693.
• ABC Stores: Scattered throughout Kaanapali and Lahaina, these variety stores are good for cheap souvenirs, postcards, beach snacks and supplies.
  

Ok, that's probably more than enough. Check out the map.

Meanderings in Barcelona

Barcelona made me realize that there is a universal poetry to seaside towns. The same crisp breeze, great seafood, and boardwalk charm that mean home to me in California, abound in Barcelona. To be half a world away and find yourself right at home is beguiling, and that makes Barcelona an idyllic vacation spot.

A map with all of the sites mentioned in this post can be found here.

Must-Sees

• Fundació Joan Miró: I am not necessarily a Miró fan under normal circumstances, but you can’t help but be beguiled by huge splashes of playful colors in the airy space of this modern museum. The audio tour is great and well worth the additional fee, as it adds a lot to the museum experience.

• Parc Guell: Gaudi’s whimsical park shouldn’t be missed. We were there on a sunny and mild February day. Locals and tourists alike were sunning themselves on the mosaic benches that make this spot famous. You can grab snacks and sandwiches on the sandy plaza and browse through iridescent tile arcades. Just lovely. Don’t forget to check out Casa Gaudi while you’re at the Parc.

• Casa Batllo: Perhaps the lesser known of the Gaudí properties, Casa Batllo was one of my favorite sites in Barcelona. You can really see how innovative and ingenious Gaudí’s approach to making space livable was. The house tour and audio guide are great – this is a must as far as I’m concerned.

• La Sagrada Familia: Gaudí’s famous unfinished symphony is just that – unfinished. The stained glass and bones of the structure are beautiful, but it is still most-definitely incomplete. You can go up into the spires of the church, but we were not patient enough to wait in a line that was over an hour long in the middle of February. Well worth seeing, but the lean and mean version may be enough.

• La Rambla: Busy into the wee hours of the night, La Rambla is a stroller’s paradise. During the day, there are street performers, artists, stalls full of flowers, newstands and a whole block full of pet stores to tempt the passerby. In the evening, it’s a great place to grab a bite to eat or a cup of coffee. It does tend to get a little rowdy. We stayed right on La Rambla, which was great in February, but might have been a bit crowded and loud in peak season.

• La Boqueria: Every kind of meat, produce, spice or sweet under the Spanish sun can be found in La Boqueria. When we were there, each stall was decorated for Lent, so the market was full of pirates, hula girls, and even Smurfs! We took home smoked paprika, chocolates, and ham made from pigs fed only on acorns. Muy sabroso!

• Museu Picasso: The lines were long and the collection lovely. It’s definitely worth going, but be prepared to be patient to get in.

• Catalan National Museum: Located in Montjuic, the Palau Nacional is worth seeing just for the architecture and the view of the city. The collections are heavy on medieval religious art, but are quite beautiful.

• Tarantos: If you want to get a taste of Flamenco while you’re in Barcelona, Tarantos is a great place to do it. There are three shows a night, but if you pay for the first or second show, you’re allowed to stay through to the end. The entrance fee is reasonable to begin with (~6 Euro), but at 3 for 1, it’s an outstanding deal. We sipped cocktails and enjoyed a fabulous performance. In the last show of the evening, family and friends of the troupe joined them on stage for an informal dance-off – fantastic!

Too Yummy to Miss

• Caelum: This was one of my favorite places in Barcelona; we actually went for a late afternoon snack on two separate occasions because it was so good the first time. The café sells sweets, teas, and aperitifs all made by Spanish nuns. The staff was very nice and the ambiance can’t be beat. The upstairs is a warmly lit café, filled with tables for two, while the downstairs cellar is filled with cozy, candlelit nooks. You can make your selections from sideboards loaded with sweets of every type. I liked the ‘yemas,’ mazapanes, and rompope. c/de la Palla 8, Barri Gotic

• Maoz: The best falafel ever! Warm pita bread with fresh falafel that you can stuff with every kind of pickle, curried garbanzos, and fresh vegetables, and then top it off using the squirt bottles of tahini sauce and yogurt. For about 3.5 Euros, you get a great meal. My only caution is that one a day is probably enough. There is a branch on La Rambla, as well as on C de Ferran.

• Can Majo: We had a fabulous lunch at Can Majo in Barceloneta. The restaurant was full of business people and families enjoying a leisurely meal of seafood over sparkling bottles of cava. Famous for Barcelona's noodle-based version of paella, fideúa, Can Majo provided one of our best meals in Barcelona. c/Almirall Aixada 23, La Barceloneta.

• La Crema Canela: In a pedestrian walkway at the top of Plaça Reial, La Crema Canela is a lovely, warmly lit restaurant. We had a great and affordable dinner there. I ordered a steak with mixed greens and shaved pecorino or manchego on top – fabulous! Just be cautious about watching your belongings if you sit at the outside tables. Although Plaça Reial is very safe for the most part, there are a few folks looking for handouts. An inside table would completely negate the need to worry, and either way, we were fine and the meal was well worth it.

• Vildsvin: We wandered in ‘off the guidebook’ and had late-night tapas at Vildsvin. Chic but comfortable, with rows of cozy tables, it’s easy to have a light bite or a full meal. The cava and oysters were fabulous and the service was good. I would definitely go back

• Cappucino!: This is a chain of small coffee shops throughout Barcelona. There was one across the street from our hotel, which happy discovery was made even better when we realized that a) they’re open until 2am and b) they’ll make you a cappuccino with Bailey’s in a to-go cup – fights jet lag and ensures sweet dreams.