Jaipur from a bachelor's perspective

Well that isn't really true. So as Stacey already posted, our big sightseeing day of the pink city was altered in that she came down with flu like symptoms and us became I. Probably because of travelling like this:

From Jaipur and Pushkar

She was really nice for letting me go and explore without her and I came back early from my adventure to check in on her. So, since it was my day to see the town, we both thought it fitting that I be the one to post.

I gotta say that this was not my favorite place (nor Stacey's). We keep uttering over and over that for such an ancient civilization, you would think that they would take better care of their national treasures. Everything just has this lack luster air of being run down. This was no more evident than in the pink city. Pink? Well not really, but the wall that surrounds the City Palace (7km long) is pink. Everything inside is not. It's kind of like if everyone in Temecula, CA painted their homes silver to get people to come and see the "silver city". But I digress. I don't want anyone reading this to think that the actual cultural experience is anything less than spectacular because it most certainly is! I think that we are just becoming a little forted and palaced out.

So withour further delay, the pink city.

From Jaipur and Pushkar

My journey began in the morning where I saw the Mahal or City Palace in the center of the city.

From Jaipur and Pushkar

The palace is still active as it houses member of the royal family and for the right fee you can get in to see their digs. I chose to stick to the audio tour and the adventurer's budget. I did find out that the Maharaja that lived the most decadently in the palace had quite the affinity for polo. I saw his riding outfit as well as his pajamas. After walking around the rest of the facility I was ready to move on to something a little more interesting.

An that interest was provided in the rather odd but visually stimulating Jantar Mantar, an eighteenth century astrological site commissioned by Jai Singh.

From Jaipur and Pushkar

Turns out he had a fancy for the stars and built 18 stone structures that could track the evolving skies to the utmost specificity. There is even a 27 meter tall sundial that can tell the time of day to within 2 seconds!






Once I got my fill of the structures, I ventured out of the big city for something really spectacular, Amber Fort.

From Jaipur and Pushkar

I think what struck me the most about this particular fort is that directly above it is another fort that just about dwarfs Amber's size. The larger fort is called Jaigar Fort, but unfortunately it has fallen into a state of disrepair and there are no plans for its rehab.

From Jaipur and Pushkar

I began the steep climb to Amber Fort and as I approached the 10 year old boy in me leaped out from inside. The fort is rtipe with hidden passages, winding stairs and secret rooms. Getting lost within this massive structure was the key to its charm. I must have circled the structure twice before finding my way out!

Of course with every tourist attraction in India, there is no lack of merchandising. I tried to steer clear but couldn't resist a little money for the snake charmers.

From Jaipur and Pushkar

I did turn down the opportunity to sit next to them and preferred a simple photo!

I ended my day by repeatedly turning down my paid rickshaw's request for some commissioned based shopping. No thanks, I prefer some prison time to being raped with those inflated prices.

I did however convince him to take me to a dispensary so I could ease my qwoman's pain. Can anyone say Codine? Why isn't this stuff OTC in America. Stacey and I both drank a hefty sip and slept like logs. O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick.

On to Pushkar!

For My Mom

From Jaipur and Pushkar

From Jaipur and Pushkar

From Varanasi

My mom has been like a ghost traveler with me on this trip, and it has been so awesome. I get emails from her "I know you are heading off to Hampi now and I have been reading all about the Virupaksha Temple, which..." and her little travel bits have been invaluable on all parts of my trip. One of her emails to me was that she had been reading about India (duh) and heard that Indian men walk around holding hands and pinkies.
So this post is to you Mom, that yes they DO hold hands. Out loud, publicly, and unapologetically. They are not gay, just close friends. If they were gay, they would not be allowed the physical signs of affection, just as straight people are frowned upon from holding hands and kissing. It feels a bit like how ancient Rome must have been like - the relationships that men share with other men are so heightened and important that the women in their lives appear as mere duties they must attend to (and have children with). The wife certainly seems to have independence and a lot more to say than I imagine she did in generations past, but in most instances still walks behind her husband and I doubt is privy to the intimate conversations that bond men with other men.

Jaipur - The Pink City

From Jaipur and Pushkar

From Jaipur and Pushkar

From Jaipur and Pushkar

From Jaipur and Pushkar

I only had one day in Jaipur before the flu incapacitated me, so I will just show a couple pictures of what we saw that first day and allow Steve to come in with a blog posting of his own to tell more about the city. From what we experienced that first day, it seemed like a really big, congested, polluted city (even by Indian standards) without a lot of charm. There are forts and palaces, but none of them quite as eye-catching and 'pink' as promised. Sorry Jaipur, but I'm just not loving you. I much prefer the smaller, quainter towns.
Off to Pushkar!!!

Varanasi - City of Death

From Varanasi

From Varanasi

From Varanasi

*I need to make a note in the beginning that this is going to be a graphic posting regarding death - read at your own comfort.

Varanasi is one of the holiest cities in the Hindu religion, and it is said that if a Hindu dies here, they receive instant moksha (release from the never-ending cycle of death and rebirth). If a Hindu doesn't die here, the next best option for them is to have their bodies brought to Varanasi within 24 hours of death and they will be cremated at the 'burning ghat' and their ashes thrown into the Ganges.
I had heard about the burning ghats and expected to see wood stacked up high and massive flames, but all from a distance and not very clearly. I did not, however, have that far-away experience and what I saw has burned a place into my memory forever.
As westerners, we were ushered into a hospice building directly above the ghats and told to stand there and watch below, but not to take any pictures as that is disrespectful to the families of the deceased. (The pictures above were taken from very far away with a zoom lens, as is allowed). We walked up to this balcony and looked down and immediately saw 6 bodies being cremated. Not wrapped up in sheet or towel or anything to cover, but full-bodies being burned. We were about 15 feet up and directly overhead so we were so close we could smell and hear the flesh burning. As we were standing there, a seventh body was brought down to the ghat dressed up in ceremonial saffron yellow sheets, the body carried by the young male family members. They lay the body down and undress it from the saffron sheets and heaved his body onto a pyre already burning brightly with flames. I cannot describe what emotions come out of you (as a Westerner not used to being exposed to such sights) and at this moment I stood there completely shocked and just cried.
As bodies burn, the tendons shrink up and torsos and arms have the tendency to move up, so as we are standing there we see an arm start to lift up and someone has to come in and put more wood on the body to keep it from 'sitting up'.
We were told that it is the duty of the oldest son to be the one tending to the cremation of their family member. None of the men were visibly upset and tended to the fires as if they were tending to a fire that would light up a kettle at home. We asked the priest working at the hospice if death is an emotionally sad time for Hindus (a justified question as many of the world's religions look upon death as a time for celebration, as their loved one has been released from the pains of life and is lifted into a much better afterlife) - the priest said that it is still a very sad time for the family, but they are not supposed to show any emotion during the time of cremation, and often many of the families have had an extremely hard 24 hours attempting to get the body of their loved one to the Ganges in time, so exhaustion and their duty take over.
We made a donation to the priest and walked away. I was still crying and wished I could hold Steve's hand or hug him, but since we are in India (and no signs of affection between men and women are allowed) we just looked at each other with tears in our eyes and nothing to say.

Varanasi - City of Life

From Varanasi

From Varanasi

From Varanasi

From Varanasi

From Varanasi

From Varanasi

From Varanasi

So I know I am a few days behind - I was taken hostage by the flu and had to spend a day in bed (along with 2 long days of travel before that). I am doing much better now (thank you for asking) and will resume being more blogger-y.
Ok, so onto Varanasi.
I cannot in words describe what this city is like. It is magical, mystical, old beyond words (it is one of the oldest 'living' cities in the world having been founded anywhere from 3,000-5,000 years ago according to most reports), and absolutely confounding to the senses.
The streets are all cobble-stone brick and weave together like a labyrinth. After spending 3 days I still could not find my way back to our hotel and had to follow Steve "human compass" around like a puppy.
I have never encountered a city so incredibly full of life and so full of death at the same time. We happened to be in Varanasi during a festival dedicated to the Hindu goddess Saraswati, the god of learning, and everywhere we turned people were dancing, laughing, singing. We were pulled into dancing circles with young kids so happy and elated you would think they were auditioning for High School Musical. College-aged men danced in the streets and sang at the top of their lungs, and there was no alcohol involved (something my American eyes have never seen). They ran through the streets, in groups of up to 100 holding up large Saraswati idols, each one bigger than the next, that they would take down to the River Ganges, get in a boat, and offer as puja (prayer) and drop into the river.
We met so many people that were the nicest and most amazing people ever and couldn't stop smiling and laughing and dancing.

Fatehpur Sikri

This huge compound is about 40 KM outside of Agra (where the Taj Mahal resides), so Steve and I rented a driver for the day to go see it. Worth the trip! It was King Akbar's palace where he and his 300 wives lived. I'm not much for going into history lessons on this blog (as I'm sure you've noticed), so if you are interested in learning the history, google it. :)
If you just want to see what it looks like, then here you go and you're welcome.
Oh, and have I mentioned it's FREEZING here?? Gone are the days of the sunburns and bikinis. Darn.

From Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri

From Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri

From Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri

Steve at the Taj Mahal

In answer to my lovely travel partner's comments, NO Randi, I have not left my husband for a skinny, bell-bottomed, red-stained teeth dude over here in India. Although it's been tempting, especially with the guys who dye their hair a bright orange with the henna. Randi, you know what I'm talking about. So to prove it here are some lovely pictures of Steve at the Taj Mahal.
Also, much love and kisses to my 2 great girls who have traveled with me up until this point. Randi and Mel, I love you and will always love you. Thanks for being the absolute BEST travel partners around. Steve has a lot to live up to. Wow, now I'm crying.
And yes, I totally cried at seeing the Taj Mahal. All three of us did (that's right Mel, I'm outing you).

From Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri

From Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri

From Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri

From Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri

Taj Mahal

There are no words to describe the exact way in which your breath is taken away from you when you first see the Taj Mahal in person. I thought I was prepared - I really did. I wasn't.

The very first view of the Taj as you enter through the South Gate.

From Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri

From Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri

From Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri

From Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri

The two funniest pictures so far

"Pardon me, but is Diane here?"

From Mangalore and Goa

And of course, the necessary beach sweeping. That sand gets so dirty sometimes.

From Mangalore and Goa

Glorious Goa

From Mangalore and Goa

From Mangalore and Goa

From Mangalore and Goa

From Mangalore and Goa

Finally made it to the tropical paradise of Goa, and it's everything people said it would be: tropical, lush, laid-back, and an absolute paradise. It was great to travel with the guys Udo and Marco back to their "homebase" while in India, and especially back to Luku's actual homebase.
Our first day we found 2 amazing huts on the beach that opened up directly facing the water (with no obstructions). At 600 Rs ($13) each, it was a little more than we normally spend on a room but it was worth it and still WELL under the price of the shitiest hotel in the worst hovel of LA. We walked around, did some fun shopping, and laid on the beach a bit.
Part of the strange thing about Goa (for a backpacker) is that it's not really anything like the rest of India - which of course can be a good and a bad thing. Good because it's Westernized to a point where it's safe to walk around at night, you can drink alcohol anywhere and everywhere, and the nice array of Western food is a welcome break from dahl fry and dum aloo. We're really loving the fact that you can get mojitos and other drinks with ice because it's safe to drink here. Bad because, well, it's India and part of the fun of traveling to the other side of the planet is because it will feel different from home, and aside from the locals hawking their wares on the beach, this rarely does. But every part of me is still loving it and wishing we had quadruple the amount of time here than we actually do.
Luku, Marco, and Udo took us to one of their favorite beaches in Goa - a beach outside of town about 20 minutes and unknown to most passersby. It's called Turtle Beach, and I think Marco says it best "God had a really good day when he made this beach". Luku arranged for us to have a freshly caught meal of crab, mussels, shrimp, and fish - and along with several kingfishers, we were happy as can be.
We had to say goodbye to our beloved travel partners tonight and cried like babies. I assure you we will all be in Berlin shortly to visit you and you better get out to LA soon! Verhobenlassens, we love you!

Surprise day in Mangalore

From Mangalore and Goa

From Mangalore and Goa

From Mangalore and Goa

Another long day of travel coming from Kerala up the West Coast of India to Goa. After an overnight train, we had an 8 hour "layover" in Mangalore. Now, Mangalore isn't much of a tourist destination so we tried to scour the guidebooks to find something cool to do to fill the time. It is about 100 degrees here now and walking around a town and shopping was about the last thing from our minds. Mangalore is known in India for some good surfing, so Me, Mel, Randi, and Luku decided to hop in an auto rickshaw and head to a beach about 10KM away while the rest of the group decided to face the concrete jungle of the Mangalore shops.
Well, we got to the beach and let's just say it wasn't what we had hoped for. Sewage drains emptying into the water and human shit literally all over the sand. It was my first time in India where I actually dry-heaved (and those of you that have been to India, you know that's a big deal considering the state of the toilets here).
We read in the guidebook about a great 4 star hotel that has a pool, but they charge people 100 Rs ($2) to enter and another 100 Rs for an hour of the pool use, so initially we weren't going to spring for it (hey Americans, laugh now but when you're on a budget and an ENTIRE meal costs 100 Rs you think twice about blowing double that on a one hour pool visit). But we decided to sack up and was that the best decision of the week? YES.
First, the pool was gorgeous with great cool refreshing water. Second, there was NO ONE there, so we had our own private amazing pool. Third, and the real kicker for us budget travelers) was that the guy came over who was in charge of the pool and basically told us that he was cool if we stayed way longer than an hour (it might have something to do with 3 western women in bikinis, but hey we were happy). He also told us that along with using the pool, we got free sodas and a free lunch of sandwiches. HELLO jackpot!!
Then, a bald eagle decided to bathe itself in a pool of water next to the pool, about 5 feet from us.
Just like India to start the day off with the rank smell of shit in 100 degree weather, and end it in a crisp, cool, private pool staring at a bald eagle while eating a free lunch.