It’s been a while since I’ve written because I haven’t been in a place with high speed internet connection, or in the case of Badami, no public internet access at all. I had hoped to write this one about Hyderabad from Hyderabad, but I didn’t have time in the last day and a half to go to the part of town with high speed connection. One might think that in “Cyberbad” good connection would be everywhere. Well, I’ll tell you what I think and what was confirmed by Indian and foreign aquaintances. The same thing that happened to Bangalore is about to happen to Hyderabad. That is, it’s about to get built out. When the expansion period is over, and they’re building the next high tech city north of Delhi, Hyderabad will freeze in place. Sure, there is more prosperity there, in general, but much of the city and it’s sister city next door, Secunderabad, is pretty much typical India. That would be alright, except people have such high expectations. On some level the demand for modernity will drive overextension of services. Bangalore is plagued with blackouts, overextended water demand and waste treatment, and otherwise strained infrastructure. It’s happening in Hyderabad, though Secunderabad is in better shape and more afluent. In fact, west of Secunderabad, n Banjara and Jubilee Hills, it’s actually the nicest I’ve seen in India. But as I say, most people are going to be left behind. They may want to have good internet connection, but they may very well not get it.
I always stay in the modest places, but where I stay is very far from being in slums. Here is outside my hotel.
It looks typical because it is. Hyderabad is mostly Muslem, and my area was largely Arab.
It’s funny how the Muslem world is so unanimously opposed to our war in Iraq. These posters are up all over. Now, I’m sure the opinions regarding Saddam vary, but to idealize this guy seems a little over the top. Oh well, my dad had a picture of George Bush up in his living room. People are funny.
So, there are a few things to see in Hyderabad. There’s a fort, of course.
There’s also a pretty cool complex of tombs of the Persian kings of the 15th and 16th centuries. It probably covers about 40 acres. That reminds me, many of the Muslems there are Shia. I wonder how many of them like the Saddam posters?
I don’t know what else to say about Hyderabad. In a way it was a bit dissappointing. I had hoped the future of India would look brighter with Hyderabad showing the way. It doesn’t, really. But then again, it is better. And better is better. As for it as a tourist town, it’s pretty good. There are a few things to do. I dunno. It’s okay.