still two weeks to go...

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Varanasi was my last entry. After that I've been to Agra and then went to Rajasthan where I went to Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur, Bundi and Pushkar. I will soon be on my way to Jaipur from whence I will take the train to Mumbai!

I do not really know how to start my resume as my head has gone blank for several days now. I just gave up making plans or thinking about things, I just live through the days. I guess I've adapted quite well to the Indian life style 😊

In Agra I saw the Taj Mahal. It is one of the wonders of the world and it is said to be one of the most beautiful monuments ever built. I just had too many expectations towards that. I was very disappointed. I had been in Southern Spain the year before and the monuments there are much more impressive! The Taj Mahal as well as these monuments in Spain are of Muslim influence. It may be that the Taj Mahal was ripped of its juwels by the british, but still the carvings inside are quite plain. The buildings in Spain are of such splendor as you can see refinement in every detail. What I learned from Agra and the Taj mahal was, that the Muslim empires must have been very grand indeed in former days. They have influenced so many cultures. Even though the Indians pride themselves with the Taj Mahal, it is not of their doing. The Moguls reign in India created most of the magnificent buildings we admire today. It is sad to see how People of different religious beliefs start to hate each other in India. It was not like that before. Many older people I've spoken to said that India got worse over the past decades, and I can well believe it. Though you have democracy everything is subject to corruption. People talk of white and black money. The school system isn't working properly. And even if people talk of India being a economic superpower of the future I must admit that it has potential, but with all this corruption and the lax attitude of people influenced by their tradition, this country may still be paralyzed for several more decades before a break through. If I were a business person, I would deffinetely not invest here as lying and cheating is regarded as normal business practice.

In Jodhpur, the blue city, we (Sol and me) just stayed the night to take the train to Jaisalmer the next day. We hadn't even arrived and people were already pestering us on the train to come and stay at their hotel. I have nothing against Marketing but the people were forcing everything unto us with such an aggression and being personally offended when declined, it was a nuisance. As we didn't have a place to stay we agreed to follow some of these seller guys of the train. But the bullying did not stop there. Tourists come to Jaisalmer for camel safaris and every hotel sells those tours too. We did not have time to settle in properly when they were all over us again wanting to sell their camel safari. As we knew that the season was over and that not many tourists were staying in Jaisalmer we had no scruples in running the price down. So we went on this camel safari which was really pleasent. The camels were good, the camel drivers were polite, the food was good and the landscape was magnificent. Sol and I have had been long enough in India to know how to communicate with men. As a rule, you should not have any communication with them at all as they are not used to speaking to single women. But two European girls who were with us did not get it and made their first bad experience. Both were in India for just a few days and behaved normally as we would in Europe. So they saw no harm in drinking a cool beer on the rooftop of our hotel speaking and joking with the hotel guys. For one thing: good girls in India do not smoke or drink alcohol - if they do they belong to the wrong kind. When we were in the desert some of the guys from the hotel came all the way to chat some more and had with them more alcohol. The European girls were confused and I told them that even though it may seem rude to them to ignore men and their invitation that they better do it before them having too many expectations. The next days the European girls went back and left the city. Sol and me stayed for another night in the desert under the moon and stars. We talked to the chief of the camel drivers who was very frustrated about what happened. He had the feeling of being responsible for our safety, but then again he had to obey to what the hotel people told him to do, because he was dependent on the job. He admitted that these hotel guys really did expect "love making" with those "easy European girls". Thank god we knew better and did not exchange one word with them! This is India! Even if some Indians told me that they think Muslims are bad for how they treat their women, they have to take a long hard look in the mirror! Most of the time I veil myself completely as to not be stared at or talked to. Most men think that white women are easy, rich and have no morals. Women in India are not emancipated. They may be able to go to school and study. But what for I wonder when they are not permitted to work once they marry. Men and women are kept seperate at all times which is really frustrating and very wrong, as they cannot train normal social behavior towards one another. Women are hence just regarded as lust objects and men are regarded as wild animals who cannot control themselves. It is very sad. Even though Indians may believe that they are progressing, I cannot find much of it in their society. Economical power is not everything, it has to be supported by suitable social environments which allows free development for all members of society!

We left for Udaipur taking an overnight bus which drove like hell! There was not much sleep to be gained, but we managed to find a very nice guest house by a jolly and charming old man who had the handsomest white beard I've ever seen. His smile made us feel so welcomed that we decided to stay immediately. Udaipur is a fine place with palaces and a great lake. The James Bond film Octopussy was filmed there and you could watch that movie on every rooftop restaurant in the city. Sol and I visited a few places and one night we treated ourselves to a night out among palace splendors. Most of you may know that I have a fable for luxury. Sol and I were planning on finding a boat which would take us to a palace hotel which was situated on the lake. We just wanted to go there for a drink. But alas, only guests of the hotel could go there, because their comfort was more important to the hotel management then people who just want to look at the place. So we stayed in the palace courtyard on the mainland which was also very fine and we sipped nice cool coctails by the pool. We thoroughly enjoyed the sight and the sublime stillness as there was not a single sound to be heard. Total luxury!!!

A few days later we went to Bundi but just stayed one night as the place did not offer any more than we already had seen. Most places in Rajasthan have a holy lake, some fort, some palaces and either blue, white or pink houses. Unfortunately food is also not as varying as you would wish for. I expected more from Indian food. Next day we arrived in Pushkar. A nice little place with a holy lake and a few temples. I just enjoy walking the streets, watching people over my chai and reading reading reading. I finished "the white tiger" and "holy cow", both so hillarious that it cheered me up a lot. "Holy cow" was particularly interesting. It is the story of an Australian woman who hated India the first time she came and returned 10 years later where she found spirituality. It was fascinating, and I understood even more of what I am experiencing here. The reason for me being a little negative about it all is that I have never been that religious. I am not an atheist, but people here do not understand my kind of belief as they need all kinds of symbols to show their religion. All these gods, temples, statues and rituals are a part of everyday life. Not a day goes by without some kind of festival. Yesterday for example was Hanuman's birthday. The monkey good who stands for loyalty and service. Many candles were lit to honor him. One house even cought fire and we could see how firemen and ambulances struggled to get through the streets with all these cows standing in the way. But no one is in a hurry here for everyone gets reborn anyway...

I'll upload pictures next time. Have to hurry back, or the doors to my guest house will be shut. 😊

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