Jan 26 - 30, 2012 Udaipur to Palolem, Goa

Ruins of Lake Pichola Palace

Boats on Palolem Beach

Not much of anything to note for the past 3 weeks here in Udaipur.  I have looked at a couple of houses with awesome views from the rooftop, which is where one spends a lot of time here.  Both were more than I want to pay, so I am thinking about a flat/apartment with a balcony as the flats are usually more modern, but in the newer part of town.  I think I would like living in the older part of the city, but it will be a challenge to find something that has been updated with modern facilities such as running water, a kitchen sink, and a western toilet with shower.  I would probably still have to install a small hot water heater...I could do that!

Jan. 26th/27th - After a 12 hour night train from Udaipur to Ahmedabad, an eight hour wait in the airport, then 2 hour flight to Goa on the 27th, I caught the local bus for a 1 hour ride to the bus station where I got another bus for a 2.5 hour stint to Palolem beach - altogether a 25 1/2 hr. trip.  Upon arrival I began my search for a hotel with a referral I had gotten to the Dreamcatcher Bungalows near the beach.  Upon hearing the price of 1500 rupees per night, I immediately departed as that was about 3x what I was ready to pay!  Pulling my suitcase through sand (an almost impossible task and missing my backpack) for quite some way, I was back on the main road.  After 3-4 hotels, which either had no hot water, were overpriced or dirty, I finally settled on a rather nice, large room with bath & tv, no AC, for 600 rupees per night.  That's a bit better!

Street leading to Palolem Beach

Jan. 28-30th - I had been anxious to leave the cold weather as I had gotten a very nasty cold which had settled in my chest and it felt like my lungs were quickly filling up with the yellow/green sputum I coughed up and blew out regularly.  By the morning after my arrival (28th), I could barely make it down the stairs to ask the owner of the hotel to call me a doctor to my room as I was unable to go to him.  A very nice doctor with impeccable English, arrived within 20 min.  Thank heavens I had no fever or he would have put me in the hospital!  The owner took my prescription to the pharmacy and brought me a regimen of antobiotics, cough syrup with expectorate, and something to break down the mucus.  The hotel delivered my meals & water for that day and I was only able to get out the next day to eat.  Now here it is the 30th and I am going to try to make it to the pharmacy for more antibiotics, to the ATM, and hopefully to the beach, which I have yet to see!

After walking 2 km in the heat, it dawned on my that I could hitchhike to town and back!  Waving my hand at the single men on bikes, it didn't take long for one to stop to let me on behind him on his motorcycle.  Wind in my hair, I whizzed the 3rd km to the middle of town, which held the pharmacy and the atm.  It took 2 atm's & 2 pharmacies to conclude my business then I took advantage of the nearby bakery & fruitstand.  Now to hitch back to the hotel, change into my swimsuit and hit the beach!  Woo Hoo!!!

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.