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Published: February 6th 2005
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Crocodile Bundi (um...minus the crocodile)
Doesn't this look like it's out of a fairy tale? I am standing on the wall of the Bundi fort, overlooking the palace and the city. The blue houses are common in Rajasthan, used to distinguish a particular caste. Even though I can’t stand shopping, I had a blast walking from shop after (almost identical) shop around the little Rajasthani town of Pushkar and browsing through fun jewelry and clothes. Each shop had a tailor ready to alter dresses, pants and tops within minutes, or custom make anything within a couple of days!! I also found a pottery place and WENT TO TOWN purchasing the most random things (the list is pretty extensive so I will not make this entry any longer than to say that I am glad I left Pushkar.)(It was a dangerous place to be - even for someone who hates shopping!)
I escaped (with a thinner money belt) to a little town called Bundi; not many people know about this place, and that may be why it ranked high on my list! Without the hundreds of rickshaws trying to take me to guesthouse X, I stayed in a peaceful haveli enjoyed exploring the beautiful Bundi palace, and hiked up to an old fort that gave me an awesome view of the city. Though I have not mentioned it, I have been experiencing the “what am I doing with my life?” crisis; I enjoy meeting new
the Taj
like I said...no photo can ever do it the justice it deserves. people, learning about a new place, but I am one of those people that needs to feel ‘useful’…and recently, I have been feeling everything but! This was one of the reasons I decided to take the cooking and tabla classes - (at least I could say that I’m trying to learn how to cook awesome food for my family when I return!) When I was in Bundi, I ran into an Israeli guy who was in my cooking class a week before, and we talked about this (what he termed) “3 month travelers crisis”. How wonderful to know that I wasn’t the only one who experienced it!!
I left the next day for Sawai Madhopur prepared for a wildlife safari in the nearby Ranthambore National Park. Though I didn’t run into any tigers like I had hoped, tons of BEAUTIFUL birds, monkeys, and huge deer made the bus-turned-jeep trip worth every minute!! I also had a fabulous conversation with an American girl staying at my guesthouse who just started her India tour alone. It was great to chat about things we missed from home, and things we really love here—and great to swap some encouragement!!.
I departed Sawai
Hindu god Ganesh (son of the god and goddess, Shiva and Parvathi)
Here is a milder sculpture than some others from the group of Khajuraho temples. (I mean -- not that I saw them! I was covering my eyes, Mom!) Madhopur about 24 hours after I arrived and moved to Delhi. Aware that it is imperative to visit the capital of India, I also knew how horribly lonely metro-cities can be when sightseeing alone. So I desperately tried to get a hold of a traveler I met while I was in Kolkata who would be visiting family in Delhi at the time. I ran some errands and met him for a bite to eat (at TGI FRIDAY’S!?) and we met one of his friends at a nightclub.
It occurred to me that I have been away from home for a while after I entered this ultra posh club and literally froze for about 15 minutes while girls in short skirts, spaghetti strapped tops, heels, and boots walked by me and my pathetic backpacking clothing, which is specifically designed NOT to attract attention to myself. I was blown away -- in a completely different country than the one I have been wandering around the past 3 months. I could have been in a club in New York, LA, Boston—same music (except for the added bhangra funk), same clothes… And it’s funny because in the states I love going out to
Varanasi Ghats
A photo from one end of the ghats along the Ganges. I realize this doesn't show you much of the ghats, but I feel a little funny taking photos where people are bathing. (I don't, however, feel funny taking photos of a kid flying his kite) clubs and dancing, but I felt so out of place, here! Coincidentally, along with returning to this familiar atmosphere, this was the first time on my trip that I really felt self-conscious about myself (I guess it’s those kind of places that have that effect whatever country you’re in)!
I ended up having a BLAST and caught a few hours of sleep that morning before I jumped on a train to Agra, where I saw the Taj Mahal, “an eternal teardrop on the cheek of time—Tagore”. Truly a fantastically beautiful site that no photo can ever capture! When you try to get a picture of the whole thing, you miss all the decadent semi precious gem detail and scripture adorning the marble structure…but if you focus on the detail, you can’t fathom how large it is!! The guy was in love. In addition to the Taj, Agra has a fort that was pleasant to meander through and explore. Next day - Orchha: another place that was small enough to not be haggled by tons of touts, and fun enough to walk around…old palaces, forts and temples scattered in a little village.
Less that a day that I arrived in Orchha, I was walking around the ancient erotic sculptures found in the temples of Khajuraho (aka Kama Sutra land). There are three different groups of temples scattered in a rural town, and provide a great day for exploring some really beautiful (and…um…creative) works of art.
My last stop was Varanasi - a pilgrimage site for many Hindus. Several ghats line the Holy Ganges River, and here I found people bathing, washing clothes, brushing teeth, washing their oxen, cremating their dead, and (for those with astonishing faith) swallowing a few handfuls of the river. I can say tons more about Varanasi…but I’ll close with saying that it’s an interesting place to be.
Phew…that was a lot of stuff to go through. I will soon be heading down Bangalore and will keep you informed. Happy Valentines Day!!!
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