images from Pune

 1/18/2023

After an intense sequence of days I am trying to find a pause point from which to offer you a narrative and some perspective. Whirling about are so many images and experiences, I have yet to put much into words even for myself. 

In the meantime, here are some images from Pune. This city has an old, intimate core where some British-era buildings in dark stone still stand, along with just enough battered dusty trees to evoke the time when it was a city of shade and bicycles. But cement pushes in everywhere, the trees are cut for road widening, and the high-rises pitilessly march up the hills.  The snaps from my phone can't begin to evoke this city. A kind friend has put a real camera in my hands, so perhaps I shall be able to offer you better images in future posts.

landscape of pune city 

From the edge of Pune, smog blurs the relentless spread of cement high-rises.  But in the city itself we stayed at a posh lodge and had some good meals.

 Jeff and Jaye enjoyed most of the food.two people at a table, smiling


interior of hotel lobbyT
glass-topped table with vase and book
Our lodge had placed our friend Rahul Mehrotra's book on Bombay in the lobby for guests to peruse.
traffic seen through dirty windshield
Pune traffic only gets worse and worse. It is difficult to photograph because the encounters are whiplash fast. A dirty windshield doesn't help.
streetscape
Even when the traffic is not overwhelming and you have a decent vantage point, so much information clutters the scene that you don't know where to focus. But look out, because here comes a motor-scooter straight at you!
 
 

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