Advertisement
Published: November 11th 2009
Edit Blog Post
It really doesn’t help your patience when you have a dodgy tummy but the touts and nasty rickshaw drivers are like flies to shiz with the tourists in Agra. Unless you can afford a luxury AC automobile you’ll be harangued and hassled and bullied into visiting crummy guest houses owned by brothers or cousins and handicraft shops and other useless places. But Tom made it very clear to our rickshaw driver that our answer to all of the above was NO. Then the driver sat in silence for a bit before he said “Angry is not good”. To which Tom replied “Not angry, just firm” which then began a hugely philosophical conversation about protecting ones wife and being careful with ones money vs. all white people are rich and I don’t need your money I just want you to visit this shop so THEY can give me money. Blah blah blah.
We finally found a place to stay, got a reasonably rubbish meal and went to bed. 5.30am start the next day for the 6am opening at the Taj.
It is everything you could ever dream it to be. A building that just makes you go WOW WOW WOW.
And we went at the best time. As the sun rose the sky turned from pink and orange to bright blue and the white building and the green gardens were stunning from every angle. You feel like you’re in a post card. So after the up-chuck and in between loo stops I smiled and slowly followed Tom around who was maniacally taking pics.
Later that morning I went back to bed and didn’t move. Tom visited the Agra fort by himself but he didn’t think it was that special after some of the stunners we saw out west. That night we left and took the train to Varanasi.
Another early morning arrival and I’m still feeling like death. The sun had kick to it too, even at 7.30am. We found a Japanese guest house (go figure - the only dif is that you take your shoes off) and took to the ghats. The Ganges lived up to our expectations and beyond, both of filthiness and of impressiveness. The locals prey in, bathe in, eat from, and drink the impossibly polluted “water” - but as much as you want to explain to them why it’s not such a good
idea, it’s clear to see that it serves ALL its purposes, and it serves them well. In amongst the dead animals and partially cremated humans and poo, there are swimmers and kids catching fish and people doing laundry. The colour and the action in such a concentrated area was like none we’d seen so far. I got thirsty and needed the loo and went back to bed.
We were up again clearly there next day for a sunrise boat ride along the river. It was both humbling and exciting and very peaceful. We lit candles, said prayers, sent candles and flowers out into Mother Ganga and slowly walked back to our room, north along the ghats. Tom sent me to the doctor that arvo and we left on a train that night.
We’ve now been in Calcutta for 5 days and we love it. This city has a real buzz. It’s like “the better Mumbai”. The Victorian buildings covered in bamboo scaffolding and mould are so beautiful. Most people are been absolutely lovely and helpful. We’ve visited the flower markets which were fantastic, the Hogg markets are outstanding with the fresh fruit and butchery sections the best. We
chatted to some Hallal butchers who explained how they do their job and why it’s so important. They also told off a Hindu kid for hanging his chickens upside-down. I bought a couple of salwar kameez dresses for less than a couple of quid each. The rest of the time we just wandered around, scoffing jalabis and fabulous chicken rolls (a Calcutta specialty which I had to stop being a vegetarian for) and trying to find out more about where by dad was baptized. We also scanned Park Street Cemetery for any long-lost Francis’ or Cullingtons. No luck there.
And that, my friends, brings India to an end… for now. We have our Bangladesh visas sorted and will head off tomorrow morning for the border. We’ll be there for two weeks and we think it could very well be the “Burma” of our 2009 trip i.e.: the best place ever. We’ll be sure to let you know.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.082s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 11; qc: 51; dbt: 0.0532s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
Lisa
non-member comment
you
Am LOVING the adventures of 'Yoo and your poo". Safe travels and happy vibes! xo