I woke up about 7 am and made hash browns and eggs for breakfast. Eli usually only eats a apple or cold cereal so he did not eat much...I ate most of it. We discussed what I wanted to do today. I told him about a place called the Kingdom of Dreams. He said that he went there with a few co-workers to see a show and enjoyed it. It does not open until 1 pm. Eli will arrange for Balwan to pick me up after he has lunch...about 2:30 pm.
I spent the morning doing another load of laundry and posting another blog. The washing machine is on the balcony. It takes 90 minutes for each wash cycle. No dryer. Hang clothes on the short laundry line on the balcony or on the folding rack in the dining room. It takes only one day to dry.
It soon was time to go. Eli called me that Balwan was on his way to pick me up in 15 minutes. The trip took 30 minutes. Fascinating trying to take in all the sights along the way. Everything is dirty and very primitive compared to US. There are people living along the road in the open with only a roof made of found materials and a dirt floor. There are beggars...adults and children... that approach cars at stop lights. Eli taught me to hand out prepackaged saltine crackers when we are asked by a beggar. Any money we give them could be taken away by another beggar.
I was dropped off at the entrance to Kingdom of Dreams. I went to the ticket window and asked for a ticket for tonight's performance of Zangoora..a story of how a poor lowly gypsy became a prince. The cheapest seats were silver for 999R, but they were sold out. Next level cost 1499 R. I chose a seat closest to the stage...on the third row from the stage last seat at the end.
A ticket to the show included admission to the Culture Gully..a large indoor "food court" with a short cultural dance performances every half hour. There was a small puppet show with four musician playing live music in the background. There were people dressed up walking around entertaining visitors...a man in a black suit with a white face paint, another man dressed like a monkey with a long tail that he used to tap people, a very large outlandishly dressed woman, a man that looked like he was riding a fake horse...... The large room was decorated to make you feel like you were outside in a courtyard surrounded by two floors of shops selling items from different areas of India. Ceiling was painted like a sky. Restaurant interiors were decorated like they were from different areas of India. Four shops had windows where you could order food and eat it outside in the open space. At far end of the room there was a sandy playground for children to play. A five minute 5D show for 150R.
I arrived there about 3 pm and had to wait until 7:30 pm before I could go over to the Nauntaki Mahal Auditorium for the show. I expected more cultural performances, so I was a little bored after an hour of walking around to see everything.
Before you could buy any from a shop, people had to put money into smartcard..like a gift card. Any leftover money is refunded. Prices were high, so I didn't buy anything. I ate five small steamed chicken momo (potstickers) for 200 R and 36.14 R tax and a bottle of water for 20 R.
I went outside about 7 pm and the sky was red from the sunset. The theater building was lit up beautifully like a palace with large elephants on each side of the entrance and large water fountains in front. At 7:30 pm the cultural performers paraded with loud music out the Culture Gully around to the steps of the Theater. Then we were allowed to go up the steps into the Theater. There are three floors inside. Mezzanine level had a lounge/bar area with images of past Maharajahs on the walls. Third level is a balcony area ...closed to public...stage lighting equipment staff only.
I paid 200R for an English translator device with ear phones. Deposit is a credit card which is locked in a locker and you are given a key.
Lobby concession areas offered steamed rice with meat or vegetables served in large cups, small puff pastries with mushrooms or creamed cheese or vegetable filling, beer, soda, water, some kind of Indian drinks.
The 835 seat auditorium had nice plush seats. The walls on each side of he stage had a large screen to project images to complement the stage background. During the 2 hour show, performers often glided above the audience from the balcony above us. Performers stepped down from the stage and danced in the floor area in front of the stage and also into the aisles in the auditorium. We were surrounded by dancers and musicians. During the 20 minute intermission I purchased three small puff pastries with mushroom filling for 50 R. I really enjoyed the spectacular show. The show ended with the performers dancing in the aisles with the audience and others clapping to the beat of the music. I wanted to dance, too......but too shy.
When the show ended I hurried to return my translator and get my credit card and bag back. Then I went outside to call Balwan and say that I am Ready. You come? Five minutes later he came to pick me up and dropped me off at Eli's place. What an enjoyable evening.
Next time I will tell you about my trip to the metro in a tuk tuk.
I spent the morning doing another load of laundry and posting another blog. The washing machine is on the balcony. It takes 90 minutes for each wash cycle. No dryer. Hang clothes on the short laundry line on the balcony or on the folding rack in the dining room. It takes only one day to dry.
It soon was time to go. Eli called me that Balwan was on his way to pick me up in 15 minutes. The trip took 30 minutes. Fascinating trying to take in all the sights along the way. Everything is dirty and very primitive compared to US. There are people living along the road in the open with only a roof made of found materials and a dirt floor. There are beggars...adults and children... that approach cars at stop lights. Eli taught me to hand out prepackaged saltine crackers when we are asked by a beggar. Any money we give them could be taken away by another beggar.
I was dropped off at the entrance to Kingdom of Dreams. I went to the ticket window and asked for a ticket for tonight's performance of Zangoora..a story of how a poor lowly gypsy became a prince. The cheapest seats were silver for 999R, but they were sold out. Next level cost 1499 R. I chose a seat closest to the stage...on the third row from the stage last seat at the end.
A ticket to the show included admission to the Culture Gully..a large indoor "food court" with a short cultural dance performances every half hour. There was a small puppet show with four musician playing live music in the background. There were people dressed up walking around entertaining visitors...a man in a black suit with a white face paint, another man dressed like a monkey with a long tail that he used to tap people, a very large outlandishly dressed woman, a man that looked like he was riding a fake horse...... The large room was decorated to make you feel like you were outside in a courtyard surrounded by two floors of shops selling items from different areas of India. Ceiling was painted like a sky. Restaurant interiors were decorated like they were from different areas of India. Four shops had windows where you could order food and eat it outside in the open space. At far end of the room there was a sandy playground for children to play. A five minute 5D show for 150R.
I arrived there about 3 pm and had to wait until 7:30 pm before I could go over to the Nauntaki Mahal Auditorium for the show. I expected more cultural performances, so I was a little bored after an hour of walking around to see everything.
Before you could buy any from a shop, people had to put money into smartcard..like a gift card. Any leftover money is refunded. Prices were high, so I didn't buy anything. I ate five small steamed chicken momo (potstickers) for 200 R and 36.14 R tax and a bottle of water for 20 R.
I went outside about 7 pm and the sky was red from the sunset. The theater building was lit up beautifully like a palace with large elephants on each side of the entrance and large water fountains in front. At 7:30 pm the cultural performers paraded with loud music out the Culture Gully around to the steps of the Theater. Then we were allowed to go up the steps into the Theater. There are three floors inside. Mezzanine level had a lounge/bar area with images of past Maharajahs on the walls. Third level is a balcony area ...closed to public...stage lighting equipment staff only.
I paid 200R for an English translator device with ear phones. Deposit is a credit card which is locked in a locker and you are given a key.
Lobby concession areas offered steamed rice with meat or vegetables served in large cups, small puff pastries with mushrooms or creamed cheese or vegetable filling, beer, soda, water, some kind of Indian drinks.
The 835 seat auditorium had nice plush seats. The walls on each side of he stage had a large screen to project images to complement the stage background. During the 2 hour show, performers often glided above the audience from the balcony above us. Performers stepped down from the stage and danced in the floor area in front of the stage and also into the aisles in the auditorium. We were surrounded by dancers and musicians. During the 20 minute intermission I purchased three small puff pastries with mushroom filling for 50 R. I really enjoyed the spectacular show. The show ended with the performers dancing in the aisles with the audience and others clapping to the beat of the music. I wanted to dance, too......but too shy.
When the show ended I hurried to return my translator and get my credit card and bag back. Then I went outside to call Balwan and say that I am Ready. You come? Five minutes later he came to pick me up and dropped me off at Eli's place. What an enjoyable evening.
Next time I will tell you about my trip to the metro in a tuk tuk.
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