I haven't shown nearly enough love for this neighborhood, Majnu ka Tila

Tight little alleys, vendors selling fruits, handbags, jewelry. Guys wanting to shine your shoes and clean your ears (too creepy times a lot) Beggars that are apparently brought here in vehicles to work the Westerners. Westerners preparing to make the trek north to Dharam Sala and the Dalai Lama.

So in these tight alleys there are playing children, praying elders, some disfigured people, monks in their saffron robes with their mobile phones and bottles of Coke. There are young people and misbranded brands and DVDs. There are restaurants that all serve Tibetan food: lassis, soups, chicken manchurian, domos, that swirly bread whose name escapes me, and beef which is a rarity in India. There is a lot of travelling and instant messaging going on - its a Tibetan diaspora, after all. They should take a cue from you know who (rhymes with cue and who) and learn how to harness the media and Western public opinion to make some headway. And there are more t-shirts than just 'Free Tibet' - I've seen independence, get out of Tibet, one day Tibet will be free, the next incarnation of the Lama has been imprisoned along with his family by the Chinese authorities, the gold silver and bonze in the Olympic medals will have been illegally mined in Tibet...The Olympics are definitely a chance to to pressure China, if that is even possible. To drastically oversimplify, U.S. interests are too concerned with China's WTO membership to criticize the annexation.

Look at me, talking all smart. I wanted to (wax lyrical) describe the narrow alleys and the signs hiding signs covering signs that rise up above the carts and markets and give the whole place such a comfortable feel.

Too comfortable - time to get the truck out of here.

Speaking of signs, spelling mistakes aren't funny anymore, too many new thoughts on communication, too much gratitude for all the English spoken. Besides the Hair Saloon, here is one sign that is worth (transcribing) showing you guys:

IF YOUR LOSE IS PURSE, MOBILE AND ANY THING WE ARE DON'T RESPONSIPAL SO PLESE CHECK HERE THERE

I wonder what the world press is saying about the WSF in India? I had a great time and made some contacts...give it a go! (ogle)