Although I’ve had many spicy breakfasts in India, sometimes I prefer something more bland.
Whilst in Hong Kong, I’d picked up a small food bowl. I also carry around a handy spork (a combined fork and spoon). Providing I can buy some decent cereal, I can start the day with a healthy breakfast. This is possible even in a hotel that has no cooking facilities. If I can find non-dairy milk, I’ll have that with the cereal. Otherwise I can have hot or cold water. Today started with the muesli and oats I bought yesterday.
I spent the morning going through photos. Taking lots of photos means there’s a lot to sift through.
In the afternoon, I headed to a flower exhibition. This was closed because of nearby construction work.
There’s a lot of building going on in Gangtok — and India generally. I wonder how much of it will be finished. You see quite a few half-finished buildings in India. The concrete and steel structure is put up but not the rest. I think this one is still being constructed. However, you can see similar buildings, which have been abandoned, all over India.
Buildings are not finished for various reasons. These include running out of funding. There may be legal or land disputes. Sometimes, not all necessary approvals are obtained. There can also be changes in urban planning rules. The upshot is that these buildings stay untouched for years because resolving the underlying problems is slow and messy.
I continued walking and ended up on the main street, the pedestrianised MG Marg. From there, I went to Starbucks in the shopping mall.
I read my book for an hour or so. Then, I met my American friend, Steve, for an early dinner at Shree Sanskar Pure Veg restaurant. I ate there a few days ago.
We shared a vegan meal — just as we used to in our Darjeeling homestay. Steve told me what he’d been up to. One of the stranger things was accompanying his homestay owner on a work visit. The owner worked for the government. In India, government jobs provide much more security than private sector jobs. Most people in India, if asked, want a government job. They are effectively jobs for life once you pass the probation period. They offer regular promotions. Layoffs are rare. Retirement benefits are generous. To manage the growing civil service, the government has increased the number of contract-based roles, especially in new departments. These don’t have the same long-term security.
Before we left the restaurant, the owner took photos of Steve and me for his collection. He also proudly showed us his kitchen, which was in pristine condition!
Steve and I walked through the lively area around MG Marg, took some photos, then separated at my hotel. Steve’s homestay was on the next tier above, about ten minutes away.
