I would often not a take a picture of the local people I wanted to take out of a respect for their privacy, but sometimes it was out of a dread of being asked for money after taking it. Throughout our stay we got a lot of attention -- much of it unwanted. It was impossible to just blend in, and sometimes the people would just stare at you. In the castle courtyard we saw a huge crowd. Many men were dancing and beating drums. Men dressed as women danced on round platforms that were raised by other men. It was quite a party. We got a lot more powder on ourselves. As we watched, I could see many beautifully dressed women looking on from above. Apparently, women don't have much of a role in the festival. There was a procession involving a cart. A man with a pole twirled and spun it around in one area. Another man seemed completely out of it as he danced with bottles. When one broke, he put a piece of the glass in his mouth and continued to dance. I took a lot of pictures here. I was amazed some of our group decided to stay at the hotel to play bridge. You cross the world, and you stay in your hotel?
Around 4:30 the women started to leave. Rachel was by the Maharaja who was covered in red powder. He was gracious enough to let me take his picture. Rachel arranged for a jeep to take us back to the Desert Resort. We had to wait a bit, but the ride in the back of the covered jeep down the streets was wild. By the time we got back the others were already on camels. Rachel had them wait for us to get on ours. I think they must have left the largest camels for last because when mine rose up, I felt a lot higher (and more unsteady) than I had been when I rode one in Egypt last year.
As it turned out my camel was a horny male. He would try to sniff the rears of female camels -- interested ones would lift up their tales and drip profusely. We rode to the some of the surrounding villages. Another tourist videotaped us. It was quite a long ride, and by the end of it my butt was really sore.
Before dinner, I joined Lisa in the courtyard of the hotel and wrote postcards. One postcard never arrived at its destination. The dinner buffet was at 7:30. I sat with Claudia, Francesco, Jerry, Maritsa and Lisa. By now Hans was a source of great amusement as we tried to make sure all the seats at our table were all taken before he got there. It's not that he was merely insane, but he genuinely seemed to try to be offensive whenever given the opportunity. I had chicken, beans, 7Up, a beer and taking a chance -- salad. The entertainment was the same as last night's.
After dinner, I went for a walk down the road in the light of the full moon. It was good to just take some time to soak it all in. I walked by some resting camels before turning back. I sat in the courtyard for a while watching the full moon before turning in. Making time for such things is much harder at home.
|
I got up at 7:00 and showered. Our wake-up knock came. We had breakfast at 7:30, paid for dinner and drinks and left around 8:30 for Jaipur. This time I sat in the back on the right side near Marc and Marie who were all the way in back. We talked quite a bit. I really enjoyed the wild ride -- you feel the bumps in the road a lot more in the back. My butt was still sore from the camel ride -- it felt like some kind of bed sore, so the ride didn't help that situation. It was still fun though. I really enjoyed most of our time on the road -- the sights of animals and the country, the people working in the fields, the feeling of the road beneath us (and boy, was there ever feeling). Of course, I'm the kind of person who loves driving trips. On our way we saw school girls wearing white shirts and blue skirts. We stopped at a place where a man was making clay pots. At another stop some bought Indian whiskey. We arrived in Jaipur by 2:00 PM.
Jaipur is popularly known as the 'Pink City' from the colored sandstone with which buildings in its old walled city are constructed. It is the capital of the state of Rajasthan, 262 km from New Delhi. It's a busy city, and it wasn't long before we noticed beggars. Jerry and I got room 319 at the Hotel Arya Niwas. Rachel raved about this place. Apparently, it is run by two brothers and there is a sign discouraging any tipping because they feel they pay a fair wage. We were told not to tip. It doesn't stop the staff from lingering after they've brought up your bags to be of more help, but my bellboy left when he realized I wouldn't be giving him anything.
The shower was a hose next to the toilet.
I took a look at the view from the roof where they dry clothes, but there wasn't much to see. Around 2:30 PM Jerry, Maritsa and I had lunch in the hotel cafeteria after Jerry changed some money. I had spinach balls and a banana lassi (a yogurt shake) for 26 Rs. At 3:00 PM we went on a tour of Jaipur which started with the Royal Observatory (or Jahar Montar). Jantar Montar was pretty impressive. It had a number of instruments which included the largest sundial I have ever seen. It was 90 feet (28m) tall. They had a smaller one as well, and I climbed up both of them. There were also some smaller structures dedicated to signs of the zodiac which you could climb as well. I climbed up the one for Sagitarius. You had to pay 50 Rs for a permit to take pictures which I didn't get. Karen returned to the bus early not feeling well.
At the nearby City Palace complex I did buy a 50 Rs picture permit as well as a Pepsi. There was a museum there that housed textile and weapon galleries. Some of the weapons were meant for fighting tigers while wearing armor. We also saw various works of art and ornate rugs.
Afterwards, our local guide Pappi took some of us to a jewelry factory and store. Jaipur is known for jewelry. They gave us a little tour and allowed us to take some rough garnet as souvenirs. Jerry bought silver. Lisa considered an expensive ring, but didn't buy. Jenny looked around as well. I bought some garnet earrings. They cost me 550 Rs, but the man's first offer was 750 Rs. I didn't accept anything to eat or drink while we were haggling. He kept telling me, 'You can see the quality.' Not being a gemologist I told him I couldn't and that I really wasn't that interested. He would keep reminding me it was my decision. I said that I didn't even know if my girlfriend would like them. You always had to be ready to leave to get the lowest price. In fact, I walked away a few times before actually buying them. Afterwards, I asked for a 7 Up and got it.
Jergen, Hans' German roommate who spoke little English, sat next to me in one of the larger motorized rickshaws during our ride back to the hotel. Before we left the shop, we each took the other's picture in the rickshaw. **** and Sue sat behind us. It was a wild ride. The sun was setting, the streets were crowded and the air was dusty and polluted. It was fun as we maneuvered around people, animals and other vehicles. There were cattle, people on bicycles, near misses, the light from brights, the sound of horns and so many people.
I didn't know it at the time, but as we were leaving, Lisa thought she might miss her ride back to the hotel. She started running and slipped in the street, scraping her face pretty badly. It looked worse than it actually was. I talked with Antje and Catherine. They were roommates. Antje is a business student from Germany and had some trouble speaking English. She and Jergen knew each other slightly before the trip. Catherine was from Canada and was planning to study art. I had to wait to use the phone just off from the lobby to call Sara before dinner at 8:00 PM. I called AT&T's USA Direct (000 117) to get the operator and have my credit card billed. At first I got a few busy signals. Sara and I talked hurriedly for 16 minutes (there was a digital counter on the phone which started when the call was initiated). Rachel poked her head in while I was on the phone to tell me how to find the restaurant.
When I got off the phone, I didn't have any trouble finding the Golden Sand restaurant and joining the group. Jo and Karen didn't go to dinner with the group as they were not feeling well. I don't believe Lisa made it there as well. I sat at the head of the table next to Rachel who sat on my right and Herman who was on my left. Herman and his wife Rita have been living in India in Puna(?) for about a year and a half. He works for Philips and was transfered there from Germany (although he is from Holland) for a 3-year stay. It has been a difficult adjustment. We spent a lot of time talking about working for engineering corporations.
Our food took a very long time arrive -- which was usually normal, but this time it took forever. Rachel told us an amazing story of how she tried to get home from Greece in time for Christmas once in the early 80's. She had almost been raped by a Libyan student in Greece who eventually broke down in tears before letting her out of his apartment. Her bus caught on fire. When she was met in England by family, they got into a car accident on the way home.
We never did find out what the problem was, but when the food arrived, some of it was cold. Jerry complained to the waiter. At first the waiter hesitated. Then he stuck his thumb into the food to check for himself. I had never seen anything like that before and burst out laughing. Even now, it makes me laugh to recall that scene. At the time Jerry covered his face with his hands. The waiter took the plate to the kitchen and soon brought a another(?) one back. Rachel said that usually the service was much better and that this had been very unusual.
I had water, vegetable soup, chicken fried rice. Not being thrilled with Indian cuisine, I usually tried to eat Chinese food every chance I got. This will probably amuse those who know me since Chinese food isn't exactly my first choice for cuisine either. They gave us free ice cream coffee drinks for all the waiting we did.
|
My butt was still sore in the morning. We received a wake-up call at 7:00. Jerry was the first to shower -- or rather bathe out of a bucket. There was news of bombings in Israel. Breakfast was at 7:40, and we had what we had ordered the day before on the bus.
Rachel informed me that the Imaginative Traveller had no knowledge of my Indian Airlines ticket to Kathmandu from Varanasi. |
|
