Shopping Day!

Today we finally left the hotel to venture into Vizag to do some shopping.  I hadn't really intended to buy anything other than the items my co-worker from Kansas wanted as well as a deity for my house, but with the prices and quality of merchandise I just couldn't help myself!  We first went to the mall where I purchased my friend's items and some really cool earrings for myself. [Link to Pictures]

Durga, the Invincible!

Next, because a colleague and I both wanted quality deity statues, we went to a place we had seen on our daily commutes called the Eastern Art Museum.  Getting there turned out to be a real adventure since we weren't sure where to go and the Tuk-Tuk driver didn't speak English very well.  He took us to where we thought the place was located, but it wasn't quite right; in trying to find it my crazy sense of direction kicked in and told me that we were headed North toward the airport and not into downtown Vizag where I knew the shop was located.  Well, we were on a four lane highway and there was no place to U-turn, so he turned around right there in the middle of it and we went the wrong way down the highway for about half a kilometer.  It was a good thing I had went to the bathroom at the mall, otherwise I may have pissed my pants!

Anyway, here's my Vizag shopping experience inventory:

• Brass statue of Durga ridding a Lion
• Framed Lakshmi portrait
• Smaller framed Ganesh portrait
• A collection of 6 Ganesh statues
• Two India keychains
• Silk scarf 
• India doll 
• Mini bound version of the Bhagavad Gita
• Handmade clutch purse
• Cool Indian dangly earrings
• Peacock statue
• Small marble tower with a clock and adorned with small gems
• Two Indian yoga magnets

Grand Total: 4473 rupees ($71.93)

I think I did pretty damned well! According to my Bob Barker taught consumer knowledge, the brass statue alone in the states would have been priced at $100, and the marble clock would have fetched at least $80. The best part, something completely priceless, occurred while I was paying for the Lakshmi and Ganesh portraits; they took the time to bless these items using their three main deities (mentioned above); I'm not too proud to admit it brought tears to my eyes.