Ice, Ice, Baby

Americans are obsessed with ice. Any place you go, restaurant, hotel, workplace, and anything you drink, short of coffee and tea, has to be just above crystallization. I knew a coworker. He would go to our water dispenser which, mind you, is already quite chilled, then head to the freezer, go get some ice cubes, and add it to his already ice cold water.

I think he'd hate India, at least, for its lack of ice.

The big beer in India is Kingfisher, run by a mogul (well, not really) who's India's version of Richard Branson, the flashy owner of Virgin airlines. Indeed, the reason the comparison is made is because Kingfisher is also an airline.

But I'll talk about that later.

This chilled beer is not nearly as chilled as you'd expect. It feels 10 degrees warmer than chilled beer.

And sodas? Often at room temperature.

I'm staying at a five-star hotel. Even at the cheapest of motels in the US, you can ice by the bucketful. Literally. I can't get ice. I have to call someone to get it for me. And, I'm told "beware of ice" just as I'm told "beware the water".

So I'm drinking bottled water (mostly), although they call it mineral water. I don't think that's the same as what Americans (or Europeans) can mineral water.

I'm drinking a local brand called the Himalayan. Evian, you see, is way, way too expensive. Indeed, the five star hotel overprices everything.

And why am I at a five star hotel? I don't know. I suppose it's a way for the host country to impress us about India. Have your guests stay at a five star hotel.

Ah, how I miss my ice.