Texas - We've got Competition!!

Well, I made it through my first week up here in the land of Native American Indians and started my second week scraping ice from the windshield of my car. Yes, this Southeast Texas on Galveston Bay gal had to scrape ice off the car windows so she could see to drive. We, rather “I” don’t do ice! I used my hotel key cards for the scraping – worked pretty good too!

Being a Texan (by osmosis, I admit it) we are used to people telling us how friendly we are and of course we always brag about our hospitality. Well, folks, I think I’ve met our match! Now, most all ya’ll know, I am a friendly person – never met a stranger and if I did, they weren’t a stranger for long.

First morning here, went to eat breakfast at the hotel and out pops the lady who takes care of refreshing the catering dishes and making sure everything is ship shape. She walks into the room and in this big voice not only wishes me a good morning but she sings it as well. Come on, it’s 7 AM, my eyes are barely open and this lady is singing “Oh What a Beautiful Morning.”?!

And it doesn’t end there. I walk out into the lobby, people look at you and smile like they’re at a pickin’ and grinnin’ contest! It’s an explosion of hellos, hi there’s and good mornings! And then there’s the traffic… ok, there’s really not much traffic in Bartlesville. It takes me nearly five whole minutes to get to the office parking lot!

Being, that last Monday was my first trek to the office, I was not quite sure where I was going and ended up in the wrong lane on a street where the lanes merge. I slow way down and wait for the car to the right of me to go on…. He stops! Signals me to move over and away we go. This is not what happens in Houston that’s for sure. You make the mistake of getting on one of those roads where the two lanes merge to one and you are tough out of luck until there’s a break in traffic. Not here! The driving courtesy is something to see – people actually let you in, wait for you to exit and in general give you the right of way even if it’s not yours!

And, no one seems to be in a hurry driving. I am used to my Houston style of driving – slightly aggressive to “get the blankety-blank outta my way – you’re goin’ too slow!”

Left lane, right lane, doesn’t matter up here. Folks are just easy going and they know they have only a short distance to travel so why hurry? Road rage has been replaced by Road Respect – everyone respects the other driver.

Went to a pretty nice restaurant for dinner last week – sat in a lovely little booth and waited to be waited on. Now, I admit, I wasn’t in the best of moods, so I was a tad grumpy – not sure why. When the little waiter guy came by to take my order, he was one of those super happy, what are we having today and aren’t we having such a wonderful day people that seem to be in abundance up here. I looked at him with my not-so-friendly face and he just grinned so big! Another competitor for the pickin’ and grinnin’ contest!

He brought my drink – it wasn’t right. The unhappy camper here said, “This isn’t what I ordered /wanted.”

“Really,” says little pickin’ and grinnin’ waiter – no problem. We’ll fix it!”  And, he did. You know, it’s kind of hard to stay in a bad mood (and I tried) when everyone around you is so dang happy! So, I put on my happy face and oh my gosh, the level of kindness went up even higher. And, yeah, he got a good tip!

  

Oh, and politeness – this is way over and above. People actually hold the elevator doors for you even if you’re at the other end of the hallway! They wait and they do it with a smile. Then, they ask you how you’re doing! You can’t get on an elevator without someone saying hi or have a good day as they exit! People are gonna talk to you whether you like it or not so it’s best to get used to this level of friendliness and just jump in with both feet.

They like being friendly and it shows. Yeah, Houston, we’ve got heavy competition in the “friendly” state! These Okies are giving us a real run for our money on the friendliness scale!

Traveling in Style!

I’m baaaack! I know, it’s been a tad bit of a long time, but I had a bit of a respite from work this summer, for which I thoroughly took advantage! Today, I am writing you from another land of Indians – this time, American Indians! And, of course, I’m much closer to home than previously!

I am in the land of the Plains Apaches, the Arapahos, Caddos, Comanches, Kiowas, Osage and Wichita Tribes. Yes, folks, I am in Oklahoma – Bartlesville to be exact. And, why you ask? I’m on another work project – gotta say, it’s great to be a consultant!! I get to visit some really cool places and see all kinds of interesting things.

I left off with my adventures in India sitting somewhere between an Indian wedding and finding real beef in Mumbai. But I do have one or two tales yet from that far off country. Just a couple of weeks before I left, my colleagues and I visited the famous Elephanta Island – an island with caves and sculptures carved from the stone of the island, dating back to the 7^th century,  off the coast of Mumbai, just a 45 minute ride by ferry from the Gateway to India. The cave temples are dedicated to the Hindu God, Shiva Mahadeva.

Along with my co-workers, were two young men from the Indian Army, friends of my office mate and our driver, the young man responsible for getting us to and from the office each day safely and in one piece. He did his job admirably!

The fellas and I left our hotel early in the morning for the trip into Mumbai hoping to avoid the heavy traffic that occurs even on Sunday. However, we did have to slow down for a herd (about eight) of cattle that happened to be crossing the street (downtown) right in front of us. If there had been cowboys on horseback, it might have been considered a cattle drive. However, these cows were all alone, no one around to “herd” them as it were. Guess they were practicing the old question of why the chicken crossed the road!

We made it to the Gateway where we boarded a two-tiered ferry with plastic chairs on both decks for our ride to the island. The day was balmy yet heavily laden with smoke causing visibility to very limited. The ferry was fully loaded with weekend tourists off to see the island.

We arrived at high tide making it easy to jump off the ferry onto the island’s off-loading dock. The pier leading out to the ferry was teeming with vendors hawking their fruits and sweets. Indian ladies in their brightly colored saris beckoned to us to purchase the delicacies they offered – I passed  - I just wasn’t too sure about what I might be eating.

 We next saw where we were to board a small train / tram that would take us to the entrance of the island attraction. We all managed to grab a seat and the tram took off while cows, goats and monkeys lolled on the other side of the pier.

We hopped off the tram, bought our tickets to visit the caves and headed up. When I say up, I’m talking up I’m saying there were nearly 130 steps to the top of the island…. This young lady has a hard time going up the stairs in her house!

We stopped prior to the large stone steps going straight up and bought a soda to wet our whistles. I set my soda on a wooden fence railing to snap a photo of the monkeys that were just so cute running around the tree. One of those cute little miscreants was so fast, he ran to the fence grabbed my soda and ran back to the tree. He then proceeded to pour it out so they all could have a drink. Yeah, they’re cute all right!!

 Luckily for me, I didn’t have to walk up all those stairs!! No, there were no elevators or escalators… instead, I saw chairs and sat in one. Immediately, four strapping (and I do mean strapping – they had to be) young men lifted the poles extending from the chair and up in the air I went! I bet I squealed the whole way up to the top! I just knew the burly young men would drop me. 

Our driver was walking beside us and I grabbed his hand and held on, informing him that he would have to catch me should I tumble out of the chair – there was no seatbelt either!

Keep in mind, I am not a light weight…. I have gained a few pounds over the years and these poor guys were straining. The look on our driver’s face when I told him he would need to catch me should I fall was… well…. Wide-eyed!!

All the way up, people stared at this woman being carried like Cleopatra by her servants in a brightly colored, purple, green, pink and orange chair. My response – “it’s the only way to travel”!! people actually laughed and cheered as I gracefully (as graceful as one can be sitting precariously in a walking chair with her purse on her lap bouncing up and up narrow, step stairs) used my “princess” wave to all – you would’ve  thought I was the hit of the parade!

Finally, they reached the point of no return.  And summarily dropped me a few stair steps from the top saying it was time for me to hop off this lovely ride. I paid the young men more than I should, but it was well worth it! And, now I’m only a few steps from the top of the island and the beautiful stone temples and sculptures of Elphanta Island.

Pictures from my adventure can be viewed on FB at: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3323652165480.152492.1093628880&type=3&l=2fc9500a3a