Dec. 31, 2011 New Year's Eve in Udaipur

Hotel Udaivillas, Monsoon Palace on Hill - Udaipur

New Year's Eve, time to party and dance!  But first, something to wear, which meant a trip to the tailor yesterday to order a red top to go with the red flowered silk skirt I bought in Pushkar.  Then I realized I didn't have a jacket so I bought a red wool shawl with unique embroidery work to keep me warm.  That and a pair of tights under the skirt should do it as the nights here are quite chilly.

Nicola and I walked across the footbridge toward town to find a party we heard about at the Pushkar Cafe.  After eating a bit, we went toward the music on the other level of the cafe.  I guess they were shy or something, because Niki had to pull these tourists onto the dance floor.  After that we simply wore ourselves out dancing until midnight.  Fun times and a New Year's Eve I won't forget!

BTW: I have decided not to go to Nepal as planned as I am getting sicker and my lungs really feel congested with the infection I have gotten.  It is extremely cold there (0 degrees C) at night with no heat in the rooms.

Dec. 28 Jaipur to Udaipur

Krishna Palace Heritage Hotel

Still trying to get to Udaipur for New Year's eve with my friends!  On arrival in Jaipur, I headed for a hotel located close to the train station in Bani Park.  The Krishna Palace was a historic old mansion that had been converted into a beautiful hotel.  After negotiations, I checked in and was shown to my room, a very large room with a western style bath (both a western toilet and a squat toilet), seating area, kingsize bed, 2 closets, and shuttered windows that opened onto a lovely garden area.  The rooftop cafe overlooked the residential neighborhood, which was clean and quiet compared to the rest of this approx. 3 mil population city.  Both peaceful and unpolluted, nice!  I tested the bed and was immediately sorry I could not spend the night in this comfortable room!  I settled for a hot shower, lunch on the rooftop, and a few hours rest.

After multiple traffic jams, I barely made it to the train station on time.  The rickshaw pulled up, signaled for a porter, gave him directions in Hindi.  Placing my heavy bag on his head and carrying the other, we were off in a dead run for the Mewar Express.  I thought I would die as I ran up 2 flights of steps to the crossover to my platform.  I had to stop twice to breathe as he ran on.  Oh my goodness!  We made it to my berth with barely a minute to spare...now to catch my breath! 

I am getting further into the state of Rajasthan and it is beginning to warm up, which should do a world of good for this cough I have developed.  Max form The Little Prince Guest House, is picking me up at 6:30 am in Udaipur - woohoo!  I can't wait to see my friends!

Dec. 27 Varanasi to Jaipur

After weeks of trying to get train tickets, I ended up with Sleeper Class tickets on a train that goes north through Agra then west to Jaipur.  I have a 12 hour layover there, then back on another train to Udaipur - a 2-day journey and my first in Sleeper Class (read cattle car); another adventure, no doubt!

To begin with, the window does not close well and the cold air blows on your head all night - I nearly froze!  Although I bought a blanket and small pillow for the journey, I had to get my down jacket out and double the blanket on my legs.  As I was getting my jacket, I saw a medium size rat run across our shoes from one compartment the next; hopefully he will stay on the floor.  There are also no curtains to close on the 6-person compartment, so a man brought a blanket in, put it on the floor and proceeded to lay down to sleep.  Since not all the luggage under the bottom bunk was locked, I ran him off. 

Of course, we arrived in Jaipur an hour late.  Oh yes, it was an adventure!

Dec. 25 Varanasi - Christmas Day

Per our arrangement, Galina woke me at 6 am to walk the ghats and see the sadhus who come very early to bathe in the Ganges.  The sun had not yet risen when we arrived at the ghats and there was less fog today allowing a better view of the town.  After negotiations with a boat captain, we climbed aboard and made our way south toward Marnikarnika Ghat.

What an unforgettable way to spend Christmas morning; watching the sun rise on the city of Varanasi from the Ganges River!

The burning ghats were not as busy this morning, but as the boat captain rowed past, he told us they use 150-200 kilos of wood to cremate one body.  The wood is weighed so that they may charge the family the correct amount for the cremation.

Galina is leaving for the south this evening to escape the cold and damp here.  Between the candles and smoke from the evening fires, my lungs and sinuses are full of black soot.  I have acquired a cough and black is coming up from my lungs.  I must say, I will be glad to get to a warmer climate myself as it is so cold in the night and mornings that you can see your breath.

Dec. 24 Varanasi & Sarnath

Christmas Eve!  Today Galina and I walked the ghats in the morning and visited Sarnath in the afternoon.  As we sat on the steps, two men were feeding the pidgeons some type of yellow dough, rolled into strings and pinched off into pellets that they tossed to the large flock of birds present.

Huge Stupa

Sarnath is the town where Buddha gave his first teaching after enlightenment. Tour buses lined the road as we approached the entrance to the monastery ruins.  Beside the ruins, is an extremely large stupa, the top half being built by the Mughals.  People had taken their white ceremonial scarves and flung them up onto the stupa for good luck giving it a special look and feel.  The grounds were manicured lawns where groups of monks chanted and tourists sat in meditation at this holy place.

 

All the major Buddhist countries have also built temples there including, Thailand, China, & Burma.  The Thai temple compound includes a garden and reflecting pool opposite a stunning 100 ft. tall, very impressive statue of the Buddha.  There is also a large museum that we did not have time to visit...maybe next time.

To help celebrate the holiday, I bought green and red candles for my room.

Dec. 22 Varanasi

Dying Silk Thread

Weaving a Silk Wedding Sari

Today Galina and I took a tour of the silk fabric-making district in the Muslim section of the city.  There we saw the dyeing process of the thread, men working in dark buildings

with little light to see as they passed the shuttlecock from side to side in the hand looms, and the hand beading process as they made wedding saris..fascinating!  Then it was on to the showroom where they unfurled the shawls, scarves, saris, bedspreads, pillow covers, and more on the padded floor where we sat enthralled at the beauty.  Varanasi silk is famous and the variety was unending as they brought out more and more products for purchase.

Puja Ceremony

At 5pm, we embarked on a boat on the river with a couple from Israel for a 2 hour tour.  There were 2 pujas happening along the river at the other ghats that were quite elaborate.  Lights were blazing, men were beating drums, music played, and tourists observed as 5 Hindu monks performed lengthy rituals with ghee lamps and incense.  As our captain rowed down river, we passed several boathouses along the well-labeled ghats with a painted sign designating the name of each one.  Dogs, cows, goats and monkey roamed the steps as boys played some form of cricket using sticks and a rock rather than a ball.

Manikarnika Ghat during Cremations

Smoke rose from the pyres at Manikarnika Ghat as the bodies of the recent dead were cremated - the wealthy closest to the river and the poor further up the steps.  The body is first shrouded in a metallic fabric, carried on a bamboo stretcher through the streets, dunked in the river for one last blessing, then set atop the pyre.  The metallic fabric is removed leaving another layer of cloth covering the body with the face exposed.  A layer of herbs and flowers are scattered over the body and special wood is used to mask the smell.  After a priest walks 5 times around, chanting, the fire is lit and burns very hot to complete the cremation process.  Interestingly enough, I saw no one mourning. A cow wandered past the fires, discarded fabric and bamboo stretchers.  Piles of firewood were stacked high against the surrounding buildings, which were blackened from the smoke.  Seeing all this wood made me realize why the train was constantly stopping and loading wood that the locals scavenged and brought in from the surrounding countryside.

Dec. 21 Varanasi

Varanasi

I came in from Khajuraho on a train that was supposed to arrive at 10:30 am, but got to Varanasi at 3:30 pm due to the fog.  I met Galina, from Canada on the train and she decided to come to my hotel with me as she had no reservations.  As Saleem, my driver in Agra, promised he arranged for the P & G on the Ganges Guesthouse to pick me up at the station and transport me to the guesthouse.  I was so glad, as it's streets are very convoluted.  It is located about a block off Jain Ghat through a winding passageway that is so narrow it is hard to navigate even on a scooter.  It is also a short walk from the main street in this part of town where plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, and chai are sold.

Feeding Birds on the Ganges

Manikarnika Ghat

Banares, City of Light, at 3,000 yrs. old, has about 1.5 million inhabitants.  Its age is evident in the narrow winding streets and passageways and the very old buildings and temples.  What an incredible city it is with a totally different feel than anyplace I have visited here in India. 

In an effort to avoid rebirth, hundreds of old people come here to die.  The Ganges River is considered holy water and thousands of people bathe in it daily as well as the sadhus who live close to the river's edge.  The ghats (concrete steps running along and down into the water) run for 3 km. along the river from Asi Ghat on the south end, to Manikarnika Ghat, the burning ghat where about 200-300 cremations are carried out daily.

Dec. 19 Khajaraho

On my second day in Khajuraho, I went to visit the Western Group of temples, the best preserved and most elaborate of the temples located here.  They were built  between the 9th & 11th centuries by warrior kings of the Chandela dynasty, and only 25 remain of the original 85 built.  The carvings on these temples are representative of the famed Kama Sutra book of sexual positions.

The Western Group is located in a very well maintained park setting with benches, flowers, trees, and monkeys.  It takes some hours to see all the temples, both inside (with torch), and out.  As far as quality of sculpture and architecture, the only place I have been that is in this league is Angkor Wat outside Siem Reap, Cambodia.  

There was sculpture after sculpture of impressive dieties, sexual prowess, and languid ladies who lent a sensual air to these fabulous temples.  The photos contained here are but the tip of the iceberg - I have way too many to post here.  I am putting more on my Facebook page for those of you who are interested.
 

Tonight is my last night here and we are going out to eat!

Dec. 18 Khajuraho

Ashish & Yogendra

I am on my first CouchSurfing stay with a lovely Indian family of five.  They live in the town of Khajuraho, famous for its brilliant temples on which are carved the entire Kama Sutra.  That's right all those positions we wonder, "how the hell did they manage that?"  The family is lovely, typical, helpful, happy, and positive.  They have given me a bedroom which I was assured was mine without disturbance.  I settled in to rest before the days activities began and Yogendra climbed into the other side of the king-size bed and began working on his laptop.  We were both huddled in our respective comforters as the weather is now very cold and it is early morning.  He soon finished and fell asleep, being tired after an early morning as he came to the train station to pick me up...the train was an hour late.

Around noon we arose, changed and set off for lunch at a local restaurant.  After lunch it was off to the temples.  We managed to see  the East Group of temples before it started getting late and cold.  We were on motorcycles, so we headed back.  After a presentation of folkloric dance at the local venue, we came back to the house for a family evening.  Everyone was piled on the bed under blankets - chatting, studying for exams, and working on peeling garlic on a tray 1/2 full of cut up onions.

Dec. 17 Agra

Taj Mahal seen from Red Fort

Sandstone Mosque next to Taj

Both the Taj Mahal & the Red Fort were simply amazing!  I stood by the north west minaret looking up at the glory of sunrise on the white marble of the Taj, and remembered how I used to put up pictures of it on my wall as a kid, wanting to go see it someday, not knowing how I would ever get there.  And here I am many years later standing next to it - dreams DO come true if you just keep it in your mind long enough, you will find a way and the universe will work it out for you!  The mauseleum under the center dome was awe-inspiring with a 4" thick lattice of white translucent marble finely carved into vines and flowers, each inlaid with stones and mother of pearl - stunning!  No photos were allowed inside the mausoleum.

The afternoon was filled with the Red Fort and awesome it is!  The Royal quarters were all done in marble with inlaid semiprecious stones and magnificent.  The fort is huge with surrounding mote and wall with cut out niches for fighting.

Dec 16 Agra

Taj Mahal at Sunset

At 7:30 am, the sun is beginning to pierce the mist that shrouds the Taj Mahal.  It is impressive although the pollution is clouding it so bad you can't get a good photo.; the top dome is all that can be seen.  The view of the Taj is the best in town at the Shanti Lodge's rooftop cafe.

View from across the Yamuna River

Unfortunately I have arrived on a Thursday night and the Taj is closed on Friday!  Oh well, I will go across the river to get photos at sunset on those white marble domes.

My driver, Saleem, and I went to see some of the local sights, had lunch at the Green Cafe (lovely) and made our way across the river to get some good shots.  The view from the north bank was brilliant although the fog was still casting a veil on the white marble domes.  I just can't express how beautiful and regal it is!  Tomorrow I get to see inside!

Dec. 13 Pushkar

As I am having my morning cup of chai, I get my first sight of a kingfisher.  What a beautiful bird with brilliant blue wings and large bill - amazing!  I have sorely missed the camera I lost in Delhi.

The sun is rising over the mountains surrounding Pushkar and a heavy mist shrouds the buildings. The domes on the hotel in the distance shine gold rising through the fog.  It puts me in mind of a small Taj Mahal.

I got out to get chai at the neighboring bus stand - 8 rupees! - as a bus pulled in with 17-20 people on top.  I walked past a herd of cattle feeding; they remind me of large dogs in the streets, gentle for the most part and slow moving.  They are treated better in this holy city where the shrines almost outnumber the hotels.  They also have the only remaining Brahman Temple in India which is large and brightly painted.

My friend Nicola and I walked the ghats yesterday pushing past flocks of pidgeons, herds of cattle, and troops of monkeys.  While stepping carefully around cow poop, bird poop, and trying to avoid beggars, Nicola got close to a monkey who promptly grabbed her leg and wouldn't let go!  Too funny...not so much for her....

Dec. 8 Bundi

I sit on the roof top and watch the green conures with their red neck ring and orange-red shoulders push each other off the highest perch around, the pinnacle of the adjacent temple, as the chipmunks lay spread-eagle on the rooftop sunning themselves.  A large flock of conures just flew past; loud screeches shattering the peaceful morning.  It's 7:30 am and there are dogs on roofs chasing monkeys, shopkeepers with poles chasing monkeys, a man with a long hooked staff scoops debris from the open gutters, women in saris sweep the pavement and I sit drinking chai on a bench, in the street, with the old 

men.  A baby monkey clings to its 3-legged mother's belly as she outruns the dog on the roof.  The troop of monkeys scampers by and runs out of sight.

There is an impressive waterfall approx. 36 km outside Bundi with a picnic area as well as a lovely pool at the base of the falls for swimming.  After breakfast, 4 of us got on 2 motorcycles and headed out to explore.  The place was massive with large square black basalt boulders leading to the precipice of the falls that were approx. a 120 ft. drop to the pool below.  As we walked around toward the bottom and looked into the pool, I saw a water snake making its way across the water.  I think I will just sun on the rocks and let everyone else swim if they want!  We spent most of the day walking around exploring and just lazing around before the ride back to town - great day!

Back in town the hogs root in the garbage pile while cows nibble alongside.  These huge hogs have 6" stiff spines coming up from their back making them look like wild boars.

Dec. 6, 2011 Bundi

Gate to the City Palace

I arrived in Bundi at 11 pm and went to my chosen guest house.  Lonely Planet should be ashamed of themselves for recommending this place!  Between the dirty sheets that I made them get out of bed and change, and the nasty communal toilet, I hardly know what to say.  I can say I didn't get much sleep as the owner, a rather large disheveled woman, shouted to the help on the next floor through the overhead grate earlier than anyone should be waking the guests.  The only good news is that it only cost me 150 Rupees; approx. $3.00.



City Palace

 After walking the town in search of a decent hotel, I got my bag and checked into the Haveli Tarragarh Palace, a lovely old haveli with marble staircases and slick tile floors located below the city palace, which is the view from my window.  At 250 Rupees, it's a much better deal with a private bath, hot water shower, clean sheets (yes, 2 sheets as they normally only have a bottom sheet and blanket), and a towel. I opened the shutter style window to be greated by a Macaque monkey baring its teeth at me...I guess we suprised each other! 

After a shower, food, and a nap, I went out to explore Bundi, a town of approx. 89,000 inhabitants.  I headed toward the sound of drums beating as the Muslim celebration of Moram began.  I have never been a huge fan of percussion, but the drumming demonstrations were brilliant.  There were young boys & teenagers beating small drums, large bass drums, and kettle drums.  They twirled around in step with the bass drums and very energetically beat the kettle drums covered in camel hide, with hair still attached where it had not been beaten off.  The conductor/teacher did a fabulous job both teaching and motivating the boys who ranged in age from seven to seventeen.  When I caught his eye, I gave him a thumbs-up and he smiled.  After the performance, he came over to shake my hand...so sweet!

I stood on the ledge next to the police station with the policemen (a nice safe place) above the crowd.  There were only a few other westerners at the parade, mostly with large cameras; it was a local religious event not particularly for tourists.  The floats consisted of large mosques made from paper mache, cardboard, and aluminum foil with minarets topped by the quarter moon and star of the Muslim faith.  Old men with small grandchildren in their arms, women in saris nursing babies, vendors selling sweets, young girls with heads covered, men with henna died beards, all touched the floats and brought their hands over their faces, symbolizing bringing the light of the devine to open their eyes to the teachings of Allah.  It was a spectacle not to be missed as it happens only once a year.  I felt lucky to have been here to experience it first hand.  Of course, I forgot my camera....

Dec. 5, 2011 Udaipur



Sadhu (Holy man) at Jagdish Temple

Back in Udaipur, I found a great tailor and had my favorite travel shirt copied and a pair of skinny-leg black linen pants made.  They will be ready tomorrow!  He's fast and does excellent work.  What a luxury at a cheap price.  And he will wait for the money until I get my card!





The days here melt into one another as women beat clothes on the ghats.  Children dive into the lake while their fathers bathe.  Tourists come for a few days and leave. Aid workers have lengthy stays in hotel rooms.  Restaurant workers and shopkeepers hope for a better tourist season next year. Life rolls on.

What I would find repetitive and boring, they are content with.  Even the poor are quick with a smile and appear happy.  Men & women come to the communal water pump early in the morning to fill buckets, ceramic pots, and jugs of stainless steel with the days water.  The cows gather at the trash cans to forage for food competing with dogs and chipmonks for prime morsels.

My card arrived today from Florida to Udaipur, India in 5 days! I am impressed!  I now have a stomach thing going on however, and don't feel like leaving.  As soon as I got a break in the "faucet", I went to the pharmacy to get meds.  Here you can skip the doctor and just go straight to the pharmacy.  I am so sick that I went back to bed and my friend from the UK, Niki, brought me porridge.  It is so nice to have friends!  My stomach better get well soon as I have a train ticket to Bundi tomorrow.

Nov. 21, 2011 Jaipur

Jantar Mantar

I went to Jantar Mantar today to see the astrological site built in the 16th century to measure the movement of the planets.  It consists of concrete, stone and wires that measure the exact time, astrologic signs, and predicted eclipses, etc. all very acurately.  It was fascinating!

Back in Tripoli Bazaar in the old city, I stopped in a temple and bought a cuff bracelet in the gift shop and headed to the ATM.  OMG!  I don't have my debit card!  It must have fallen out when I pulled out my passport in the hotel...of course, no one found it.  I spoke to the bank and they will send another...to my home!  I don't even have money to get out of the hotel where a mouse ran across my pillow!  Sent my nephew, Albert whom I bought a house with, an email to wire me some money to get me through until the card arrives.  At that time he can DHL it to me. 

Since I am looking at another 2 weeks before I get the card, I will have to get to someplace cheaper than this 3 mil. population city or I will end up on the streets like this homeless man!  After I pick up the glasses and get the crowns, I will catch the train back to Udaipur where I have friends, to sit and wait on the card to arrive.  Since money is now very tight, I will just change rooms in the same hotel and hope for the best...no mice!