Your city is so old.

How old is your city?

Your city is so old -

1. They actually have rickshaws here! It's a nice throwback. My mom and some of my friends from Hyderabad are really tickled by the fact that we have cycle-rickshaws here because we just don't see them anymore, even in the smaller cities. My American friend felt guilty riding them because he didn't want to sit while someone carried "his fat ass" around. (To be fair, he's not fat, other than the weight of his guilt!) Even I feel guilty, not for riding them but for bargaining. They charge so little in the first place that I feel bad talking them out of Rs. 5. Usually the distances to which the rickshaw takes you are walkable, so they seem pointless. I primarily use them if I need to go to the market at the end of a work day when I'm too tired to walk much.
   
2. They have communal cots where people gather and sit around and chat. Inside the city! This is a scene from a movie about a village or even a documentary. You usually see people squatting in a circle or sitting on a cot and gossiping or whatever. City people do the same but in coffee shops. So it was funny to watch these cots in the city.
3. The wi-fi in the hotel is unsecured and nameless! This was very funny since the hotel was so "posh", I assumed the wireless would be secure. Atleast the router would be named after the hotel right? Nope. In fact when I was trying to check the hotel for wi-fi, I assumed this router was from a neighbouring store or residence and didn't connect to it. I had half a mind to just login to the router and change the name. You know, if I was into that kind of borderline illegal stuff.
4. The only hairdressers are the ones on the streets! I haven't seen a barber shop in my area yet. All I see are lots of barbers with simple set-ups - a chair under a tree and a mirror tied to that tree. Done. If I am convinced that they change the blade in their razors, I might even try this out. They do look like they'd give great scalp massages, so that's a plus. Heck, I might get a scalp massage on a regular basis anyway.
5. The real estate agents and other service people (like lunchbox provider, maid etc) are relatively honest! Relatively is the keyword. The real estate guy that got me my place doesn't work for free, but he does seem atleast marginally interested in making sure I am comfortable, as opposed to the agents in Pune who will sell you your mother and then charge you 10%. The agents here got me furniture etc for my apartment very quickly and for modest prices without hassling me. That's all I can ask for.
   

It's nice living in a city where people have such deep roots.