Advertisement
Published: July 10th 2006
Edit Blog Post
The last few days have been really busy for Brian and I (and really expensive by Indian standards, but let's not talk about that). On the 4th we headed over to one of the AIESEC houses to watch the Germany-Italy semi-finals game with a bunch of Germans and Italians. It was quite an experience. Everyone was clapping and cheering and singing. We didn't stay until the end because there was thirty minutes of overtime, and it was already quite late, but it was a fun night.
Then Thursday night we went out with Brian's graduate advisor from Penn, Rohin, whose family owns several diamond mines and is one of the most elite families in Jaipur. He took us to the Sheraton here for the best vegetarian food I've ever had. Then we went over to Steam, which is the nightclub/bar at Rambagh Palace, one of the nicest hotels in Jaipur. We got to ride in an air conditioned car, and it was just a really nice, luxurious night.
Friday night we met up with a bunch of people from AIESEC at Pizza Hut. Here in India, Pizza Hut is one of the more upscale places we eat. The service
is great and the interior is much nicer than at home. If you're buying a la carte, it's a little pricey, but there's this great value menu that inlcudes two personal pan pizzas, two tomato soups and two ice cream sundaes for Rs 150 (about US$ 3). Anyway, we had a really nice time chatting with people, including these two roommates, one from Germany and one from Serbia. They had yet to have good meat in Jaipur, so we went out Saturday night with them to the place across the road from our house to have some Chicken Tikka, which they really enjoyed. Turns out the guy from Germany has family in Laredo, and used to go to the same Jewish family camp that many people from our synagogue attend. Small world, huh?
Then yesterday, we went into Pink City to see some of the more minor sites that we won't take Mona to when we come back through Jaipur on our way to Delhi. We did some shopping (Brian got some great bangles for his mom, and the bane of my existance, a hand made drum that he hasn't put down since; I abstained from purchasing anything), and
Shoes for sale
These leather shoes are for sale all over Pink City and are called Jooties in Hindi. I've got a couple pair, and Brian's bought a pair that are vaguely elf-like. then went into Hawa Mahal. Hawa Mahal means Palace of the Wind, and it is mostly a facade, being only one room deep, with a large courtyard. It was designed for women of the palace, who, until even the 1950s and 1960s were kept in
purdah, or veiled. This veiling was a hold-over from when the Mughal emperors ruled India. Thus the Hawa Mahal was designed with lots of windows with carved stone screens so that the women could observe the goings on of the city without being seen themselves.
It's quite funny that at one of the most popular tourist sites in Jaipur, I would have one of the most difficult times with Indian men. First, I had a group of five pre-teen boys latch on to me, until Brian asked them what they wanted in Hindi, and they left. Then a guy came up to Brian and asked, "If you don't mind, I'd like to take a picture with your wife." Brian said no, the guy left, and that was it. It was a very strange thing, and I found it a little offensive. I know the guy was showing Brian respect, but he was taking my
picture, not Brian's, and he could have asked me as well. And it's not like I go around asking Indian men if I can take pictures with them (or their wives). Oh well.
After finishing up at Hawa Mahal, we did a little more shopping, where I found this ridiculous jewelry set that I just had to have. I've put a deposit on it, and I'll go pick it up today or tomorrow. It was Rs 1660, which is a little more than US$ 30, for a gigantic necklace, earrings, and a tikka, or forehead ornament. It was just too much fun to pass up.
Today is the start of my last week at work (thank God!), and since I've finished the website, my boss has asked me to spend to week doing some design work instead. He said accessories, but not purses, so I'm not sure what that means, but when have I ever had clear instructions from him? I don't have any of my watercolors or drawing supplies here, which makes things a little tricky as well, but I'm sure I can borrow some from one of the other designers. Then Brian and I are off
to the Himalayas, and we'll meet Mona in Amritsar on the 22nd.
It's been much cooler here these last two days, so hopefully we'll have nice weather for our trip. We ran into a group of Australian tourists yesterday who'd just been to Dharamsala and Amritsar and they said the weather's great in Dharamsala, but Amritsar's even hotter than here! Ack!
You know, maybe it's because I know I don't have to, but I think I could have been fine staying all the way until August 22nd. These last few days I've really been liking India. Even the hassles aren't bothering me as much. To tell the truth, I'm a little sad that I'm leaving so soon. Well, I'm not sad I'm leaving my job in a week, and I'm not too sad about leaving Jaipur (although I really want to see Amber fort and City Palace when we come back through, and I'll be sad if I have to leave without seeing those), but I am a little sad about leaving India. I think we're going to have such a great time travelling, and I think I'll be sad to go. Of course, we're spending our last
A Carving
This was carved on the gateway to the inner courtyard. Brian says it's him :) few days in Delhi, so after a few days of hassle there I may be ready to go! 😊
Anyway, yesterday was a really good day for pictures, so there are a lot of them. I hope you enjoy them.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.168s; Tpl: 0.021s; cc: 10; qc: 55; dbt: 0.0962s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
Aunt Sandy
non-member comment
Jewelry
I'm glad you bought the jewelry. You'll have fun with it. I think the necklace is beautiful. It's just not western style.