In both Delhi and Calcutta, everything seems to be either falling down or being built back up--at the same time. There was renovation scaffolding everywhere, but seldom did I notice anyone working at the sites. Delhi is hosting the 2010 Commonwealth Games and appears to be in the midst of a massive building campaign, which to my eyes will give the ultimate litmus test to the expression, 'In India all things are possible.'

Electrification is an art form understood only by the Indians. Wires are everywhere, culminating in massive snakey clusters that penetrate the walls of even the tiniest shops and emerge inside of stairwells and along ceilings. The real genuises in India may be electricians.

I am still thinking about my first glimpse of camels. It was at the rehearsals in Delhi for the Republic Day celebrations--India's version of our Independence Day. It takes a moment to adjust to the rationalization behind beautifully outfitted soldiers holding a AK-47's atop silk saddled and tasseled camels.