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Published: December 1st 2009
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Rats drinking milk at the temple
Dean had to take this picture. I was worried they would sense that I use them for research... Namaskar from India!
JAIPUR
We started our whirlwind tour of Rajasthan on November 22nd and the first city on our list after Bikaneer (which has the best jalebi on the planet) was Jaipur. But on the way, we visited the Karni Mata Temple (aka Rat Temple). This temple visit is not for the squeamish because as soon as you step inside you are surrounded by rats. The devotees believe these rats are the re-incarnated souls saved from Yama (God of death).
Jaipur is the land of textiles, jewelry and a beautiful Amber Fort. We opted to get some exercise and hiked up to the fort (20 minutes, woo hoo!) instead of taking an elephant ride which a lot of tourists do. We were hoping it would help us burn some some india-induced calories 😊
The Amber Fort (also contains a palace) beautifully illustrates Rajput artistry in faded shades of redish pink. It was constructed by Maharaja Man Singh in 1592. The Maharajas were allowed many wives (Dean liked that idea) and each wife had a separate apartment with a corridor to allow for "discreet" nocturnal visits.
Jaipur is a shopping heaven. If you want jewelry, handicrafts, carpets, textiles this
Snake charmer in Jaipur
They take out the poison sacks, but he still hisses if you get too close. is the place. We paid a visit to a textile factory that our driver was familiar with and spent some money. Dean got some business clothes made and I decided on a beautiful Indian suit (it's gorgeous). We got a few other things and had to run away before they could sell us a camel hair carpet. They sew everything the day of, and then drop it at your hotel. If that wasn't enough, I then hit the silver factory and bought a few pretty pendants. The next day we drove to Pushkar (3 hours south).
PUSHKAR
This is a very religious city and is strictly vegetarian (no meat or eggs, but I survived). They have tons of stands with the most beautiful sandwiches, but they don't hold a candle to the Brothers' - don't worry Margaret! It's far more relaxed than Jaipur but the vendors are just as aggressive, so beware. We were sad to see that the famous lake was empty. There were a few pools of stagnant water remaining so the locals could bathe and perform their rituals. We decided on a camel trek into the desert to see the sunset. My camel Rocky was beautifully
decorated but 8 years old so quite slow and was constantly falling behind Dean's camel Jimmy (aged 4). Have you ever tried to trot on a camel? My butt was sore for two days afterwards.
After our trek and our vegetarian dinner, Dean and I decided to have a Bhang Lassie. Lassies are like yogurt milkshakes and have become our second favorite drink after chai. Pushkar is famous for this "special" lassie which makes you very mellow 😊
UDAIPUR
The following day, we drove to Udaipur, where our driver left us (he had to drive back to Dehli). This city is set on beautiful Lake Pichola and it's most famous attraction is the palace on the lake. It's also the setting for the famous Bond movie Octopussy. Most guesthouses and hotels show the movie every evening. It has a very interesting old town, but very narrow streets with aggressive motorcyclists. Every town in Rajasthan has a city palace and a fort, but Udaipur's city palace is the biggest and most impressive.
I convinced Dean to take a cooking class with me - my secret plan so he can make dinner more often. This class was taught by a man
named Vijay right in his home. It was a great learning experience and we learned a lot about Northern Indian food. We had to spend a few hours (like 5) fixing the mess our "trusty" tour company made booking our train tickets. They booked us into a general class sleeper - 17 hours in a wagon sleeping side by side with 20 people. To boot, we were on a waiting list with 45 other people!!
Trains in India suck, unless you book way ahead of time (there just aren't enough). Sometimes flying is the better option. We decided to fly to Goa and take the train to Kerala. This will avoid more driving on India's crazy roads. People here drive like they are 16 years old. We saw countless accidents (thank God Balvant was a good driver!) and a few casualties.
I am writing from Patnem Beach in Goa. It is paradise here and so chilled out (Dean loves it and so do I)! Our hut is 1min from the ocean and the water is so warm, but the waves are rather small so no surfing 😞
Miss you guys! Cath and Dean.
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Margaret Dulat
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I would have taken the elephant :) Do you have a recipe for this "special" lassie? I am intrigued! You have to admit the tomato sandwich is quite beautiful.