To Mumbai

Our flight from Jaipur to Mumbai left in the late afternoon, so we decided to enjoy the morning with a tour of City Palace and the Observatory.  These sites are next to each other in the old city section of Jaipur.  The royal family still occupies part of the palace that is closed off to the public.
The Palace is an interesting site containing historically significant Rajasthani artifacts including royal clothing and a huge collection of arms, both ornamental and functional.  They range from swords and daggers to pistols and huge guns that mount on camels.  It was an interesting mix of old and new.

Jantar Mantar, the observatory in Jaipur, was built by Jai Singh in the early 1700s and is dedicated to astronomical study.  On the grounds are a multitude of devices on small and grand scales that map the exact position of celestial bodies.  On the grounds is the largest sundial on earth, measuring nearly 100 feet tall. It can measure time to an accuracy of about 2 seconds. It's amazing that people could calculate and measure time, position of the celestial bodies, and predict eclipses with such accuracy without modern techniques. (Below is a picture of Jai Prakesh Yatra that measures time and position of the sun that doesn't do it justice at all.)

The old city, called the Pink City for obvious reasons, also houses a huge marketplace with vendors selling everything from vegetables to textiles.  We browsed through some vendors and decided that we had already had our fill of shopping.
One of our discoveries early on in the trip was the fabled sweet Lassi.  A lassi is a combination of milk and yogurt with either a sweet or salty taste.  Of course, we opted for the sweet lassi when we had the chance!  As we left Jaipur to go to the airport, our driver stopped by a well known shop called Lassiwalla for our last taste in Jaipur. While he was in Lassiwalla, we browsed a small shop with intricately carved wooden figurines.  Once we returned, Vikram gave us each a sweet lassi and some street food which he called chana tikka.  The Lassi were in earthen cones, which I understood to be the traditional method to drink the treat.  The chana tikka was a spicy mixture of chick peas and potatoes (and probably more things as well) that tasted spectacular.  This snack filled us nicely for the airport and 2 hour flight to Mumbai.

Mumbai is a huge, intense city.  Our drive from the airport took nearly an hour (during rush hour) and by the time it was done, we were ready to get out of the car.  Thankfully we were welcomed by Akshay's family and taken directly to their house from the hotel.  There, Sarah got traditional henna tattoos and we met more of the family and friends.

Shopping for wedding clothes followed.  We had no idea Sarah needed two outfits for the wedding events; one for the wedding during the day and one for the evening reception.  Shopping in India is mind boggling.  You sit at a counter and attendants display innumerable options.  You never see one design duplicated. We got squared away with some very fancy clothes and headed back to Akshay's house for a wonderful dinner eaten in the traditional southern Indian manner on a banana leaf with one's hands as utensils. We were given spoons, but tried our best to follow tradition.  As the night came to a close, we retired back to the hotel excited for tomorrow's festivities!

Day Trip to Pushkar

On our third day in Jaipur, we decided to take a day trip to Pushkar.  Pushkar is a holy city.  It is said that the deity Bramhan let a flower fall from his hand and it landed in a lake in Western Rajasthan.  The lake became a place of pilgrimage for many of the Hindu faith.  Many come to the lake to drop flowers into the water, which symbolizes the shedding of bad Karma for you and your family.
Before visiting the lake, we visited one of the only temples in the world dedicated to Brahman.  Here we were given flowers (mostly small roses) for use in the lake ceremony.  The temple had many blocks and floor tiles that were inscribed with dedications to passed family members.  
Onward towards the lake, we walked down narrow, winding roads filled with street vendors and market stalls.  Once we got to the lake, one of the Brahmin (priest) welcomed us and spent some time describing the ritual.  As we went through the ceremony with the Brahmin (priest), it's importance to Hindu people for ages.  As in the Monkey Temple, we were welcomed without prejudice to our religious beliefs.  It's definitely refreshing to be in such a sacred area and not feel as if you're being judged.

Again, we left with a sense of peace and wondered how many people had performed the same ritual over the ages.  The Brahmin who performed the ritual with us spoke great English and was exceptionally jovial. He wished us fairwell, safe travels, and wanted us to come back once we have kids.

Pushkar is famous for it's annual fair.  The fair takes place just after Diwali (the festival of lights) and lasts for five days in November.  Every year, thousands of Indian and foreign tourists come to the Pushkar fair to witness everything that is camels.  They have races, polo (with camels), and other fun events.  To house some of the tourists, Hotel Megniwas has a sister facility in Pushkar called the Colonel's camp.
The ride from Pushkar City to the Colonel's camp was an interesting one.  It's about a mile outside of the city and is a pretty easy walk and a trivial drive.  However, our driver Vikram mentioned that we could also ride a camel!  How could we pass that offer up??

Camels are huge creatures.  They remind me of giraffes in that they have impossibly long and lanky legs attached to massive bodies and necks.  You'd think they'd be wobbly and difficult to ride, but that's not the case.  Like horses, I assume, once you get the rhythm, it's pretty easy.
Our camel was sharply decorated in bright colors and seemed content considering he had 300lbs of Steve and Sarah on his hump.  Sarah was even allowed to drive the camel for a short duration!  Thankfully, we didn't end up in a sand dune.  :)
As we arrived at the Colonel's camp, it was clear that massive construction was taking place.  Udai, the Colonel and Mrs. Singh's eldest son, welcomed us and talked about the facility.  His passion is to build a luxury facility, but it goes deeper than that.  He's making strides to research the old ways of food preparation, organic gardening and old medicines in order to help preserve the area's heritage which is quickly becoming lost.  They even go so far as to cook only over wood.
Our lunch with Udai was spectacular.  Organic, locally grown vegetables (beans, lentils, cauliflower, whole grains, etc) were prepared according to traditional methods.  Even the butter (Ghee) is refined on site using old methods.  The meal and conversation lasted until late in the afternoon and was exceptionally enjoyable.

Leaving Pushkar at dusk, we travelled back to Jaipur sated in mind, body and spirit.  It often takes events like this to remind us that less is more and that simple life can be the most rewarding. 

Of Elephants and Monkeys

Jaipur is the capitol and largest city in Rajasthan. It was founded in 1727 by the Emperor Jai Singh. Jai Singh also completed the Amber Fort (which is actually a palace) that was started by his Grandfather, Man Singh. Our guide at the fort stated that Jai Singh founded Jaipur because the city of Amber had outgrown it's supply of water. Moving the city down from the mountains allowed more water and thus a larger population.

Amber fort (and Amber city) is located in the mountains above Jaipur, about 11km north of the city. The fort is encircled by 6 miles of 20' tall walls and is located on top of a mountain. Impressive to say the least. So impressive, that we decided to ride an elephant up the long and winding path to the fort.

The elephants that are used to haul people up to the fort make the journey only 3 times a day. They are HUGE and are stylishly decorated!

The inside is as opulent as the outside is fortified. One area, call the Sheesh Mahal is covered in tiny mirrors that Jai Singh imported from Belgium. This courtyard is impressive and pictures do not do it justice.

After visiting the fort, our driver Vikram took us to another textile shop, this time in the old city of Amber. The textiles were equally impressive and we found a few pieces that had to come home with us. There's so much craftmanship and artistry in the area, it's hard not to be impressed and overwhelmed by the sheer volume.

With the shopping behind us, we decided to gain some inner peace by visiting Galtaji, more familiarly known as the Monkey Temple. The temple complex is nestled in a small valley surrounded by tall mountains. It is quiet, calm, peaceful and occupied by monks and monkeys alike.

The complex houses study areas for Brahmin priests and an interesting system of spring fed pools. These pools are said to have medicinal powers and many Hindu make the pilgrimage to this temple to bath in the waters. At the top of the complex is a temple to Hanuman. In the temple, one of the priests led us in meditation, spoke on the role of Hanuman, and gave us a blessing...note the orange dot on Sarah's forhead.

Filled with a sense of inner peace, we left the Monkey Temple and headed back toward Jaipur. As we rode back to town, both of us decided we were famished! Vikram whisked us away to a great restaurant not far from the hotel where we were treated to an incredible late afternoon lunch of Laal Maas (lamb in red chili sauce) and Subz Kofta Curry (veggie ball in mild curry sauce). Add to that some fragrent basmati rice and a nice helping of Garlic Naan and we were set!

As the sun set, we decided to head back to the hotel for some relaxation time. Sarah and I both are in the throws of good books. She is reading Run, by Ann Patchett and I'm in the throws the final book of John Bemis' The Clockwork Dark Trilogy, The White City.
As we looked back on the day, it was an interesting contrast of sites. Amber fort was built to keep people out. It was exclusive and opulent. The temple, on the other hand, was welcoming (regardless of religious affiliation or belief). It's fascinating to me that such contrasts can live so close to each other in harmony for hundreds of years. Such is the power of India.

Journey to Jaipur

Because our trip was so short, we decided to hire a car and driver to get us from Delhi to Agra and then into Jaipur. Vikram, our driver, did an amazing job. Somehow he knows the exact way to navigate the chaos of Indian traffic. And make no mistake, driving in India is unlike any other experience. It is pure chaos. In this chaos, however, is a respect for the other driver (or camel, horse, cow, motorcycle, bike, rickshaw, etc). Somehow it works, but it is not for the faint of heart or the foreigner.

After leaving Agra and bidding the Taj a fond farewell, we headed toward Jaipur, Rajasthan, which is in West-Central India. Rajasthan is the largest state in India and borders Pakistan to the West. There is a great deal of Muslim influence in both culture and architecture. The terrain becomes increasingly arid as you move west.

Vikram, who's English is pretty good, suggested our first stopping point. Unfortunately, we had no freakin' idea what he was saying. In true stupid American fashion, we just nodded our heads and said, "OK". Luckily for us, Vikram did not steer us astray. He arranged for our guide / rickshaw driver Beeru and away we went (into what, we weren't exactly sure).

A few minutes into our adventure, we figured out that we were in Keoladeo National Wildlife Park. This park has natural wetlands which make it a perfect breading grounds for storks and other waterfowl. It's a birdwatcher's paradise and we were fortunate to see several interesting birds (including a rare owl that was sleeping and two varieties of Kingfisher) as well as Sambar (HUGE Deer) and wild boar.

After a few hours in the park, we returned to the car and headed onward toward Jaipur. Vikram again steered us toward a nice place for lunch.

The restaurant, called the Rajasthan Midway, was inexpensive (less than $10 total) and tasty. We had a nice lunch of Palak Paneer, Veggie Byriani, and Naan. Sarah napped the rest of the way in true fly catcher fashion (head nodded back and mouth wide open)!

We arrived in Jaipur in late afternoon and headed toward a textile shop. Sarah's head started spinning with excitement as we saw MANY wonderful textiles. Two main types were displayed. The first is a block printed textile where someone cuts designs into teak wood blocks. This creates an outline and subsequent blocks are used to fill in specific areas with specific color. Up to 7 blocks can be used on just one 3"x3" area. They generally use natural plant dyes to give the items an earthy, wonderful color palate. The second type consisted of hand woven cottons and silks that were generally adorned with wools, glass beads, mirrors, etc.

We left the textile shop at dusk and noticed something interesting in the sky above the city. It took us a second to realize that what looked like birds were actually numerous kites flown from the rooftops of buildings throughout the city. Our driver mentioned that there is a kite festival/tournament in January and that this was prime practicing time. If you've ever read the book,

"The Kite Runner", it's a similar type of event.

Exhuasted yet again, we checked in at Hotel Megniwas. It's not the five star ITC Mughal, but what it lacks in stars, it makes up in character. The room is quaint, well appointed, and comfortable. The grounds are well manicured. Mrs. Singh, the owner, is incredibly nice and a wonderful hostess. We ate our dinner and decided to retire for the evening. Tomorrow we head to Amber Fort and hopefully we'll get to ride an elephant!

Agra, The Taj, and Food

We arrived in Agra around 6:30AM local time on Saturday the 18th. After thoroughly researching hotels on tripadvisor.com, we decided that our first night stay in India should be upscale, so we booked the 5 star ITC Mughal. The rates were reasonable and the reviews were amazing. True to the reviews, it was nothing short of amazing. If you are spending a day or two in Agra, we highly recommend it!

Our day started with a quick lunch at one of the restaurants in the Hotel. I had Aloo Matar Kathi (something akin to an India flatbread roll) and Sarah had a veggie burger. Good stuff, and it fueled our trip to the Taj Mahal.

The Taj is pure opulence. Built as a temple to a king's dead wife, it is definitely a worthy monument. So many details went into building the Taj that it's hard to imagine it was built in only 22 years. It was built with symmetry and perspective in mind as well as practicality. Case in point, the outer spires of the Taj were built leaning out so that if there was an earthquake, the spires would fall outward instead of inward toward the center building. The engineering was marvelous and the design breathtaking.

After visiting the Taj, we took in the Agra Fort which was a stronghold for Mughal emperors. It's fortifications were on as grand a scale as the decoration of the Taj. In fact, the entrance gates were built on curves to prevent the largest animal known (the elephant) from gaining enough momentum to knock down the gates! In the royal living quarters, a fan system run by 2 full time servants was built into the structure. During the Mughal rule, the emperors would hold court to hear complaints from the general population. In that time there were Muslim, Hindu, and Christian populations who were treated with respect by Emperor Shah Jahan.

After sight seeing, we headed back to the ITC Mughal hotel very hungry. So, we cleaned up and had a relaxing drink at the bar. My drink was an Indian version of whiskey sour that had Cardamom spice and Sarah's drink (in the martini glass) was a delightful mixture of gin, prosecco, pineapple juice and a hint of rosemary. Drinks led to a wonderful Northern Indian dinner at their restaurant Peshawari. I had their signiture lamb Kabobs and Sarah had a potato dish. Add in some Naan bread and black Lentil Dal and we were set. The meal had a perfect amount of spice that complimented the dishes well. The lamb was so tender that most of it literally melted in our mouths.
All in all, it was a great dining experience. Unfortunately, less than 5 hours of sleep in the last 36 hours really caught up with us and we hit the sack pretty early.

What keeps coming to mind about Northern India is the integration. Muslims, Christians, and Hindu all live in the same areas and for the most part get along. In addition, animals are a part of every day Indian life. You'll just as easily see a Camel cart driver on the road as you would a car. On the sidewalk you're just as apt to see a monkey, dog or cow as you are a human! It's an interesting blend that works very well here and you have to respect that.

Flying is for the birds

RDU to DC. DC to Frankfurt. Frankfurt to Delhi. This is what we did on the 15th and 16th. Twenty two hours of flying and airport time take their tole. We booked our flights with Lufthansa and were mildly dissapointed when it turned out that United serviced our flight from DC to Frankfurt. The Lufthansa flight was decidedly better. Better food, seating, and entertainment...and no crying babies in the aisle next to ours!

We arrived in Delhi at 1:15AM on the 17th, found our driver and immediately departed for Agra. It definitely worked in our favor to travel from Delhi in the middle of the night. Thankfully we only had to dodge the occasional elk-like animal and tractor. We must have been a sight for sore eyes when we arrived in Agra because the staff immeidately allowed us to check in 'early' (at 6:30AM). Shower, 3 hours of sleep and then we're off to the Taj Mahal!

leaving on a jet plane

This afternoon, we leave for India.  It's a two-fold vacation.  First, our friend Akshay is getting married.  It's exciting to see one of your good friends get married and even moreso when it's culturally different than your own.  I'm expecting something Bollywood-esque!

The other reason for our journey (other than our love of travel) is as a belated honeymoon.  Sarah and I were married in February of this year and because I had just bought a practice, we weren't able to take a full on honeymoon.  It's hard to believe that the practice is over a year old and that Sarah and I are getting close to our 1 year anniversary.  Time certainly does fly when you're having fun...

The flight to Delhi is pretty brutal.  We're flying from RDU to DC, DC to Frankfurt, and then Frankfurt to Delhi on Lufthansa.  The two long legs are roughly 8 hours each and are broken up by a 4-hour layover in Frankfurt.  If we had more time, it would be interesting to visit my birth town.  One of these days, I suppose.  I'll be taking my iPad to help pass the time with an assortment of games (Plants vs Zombies - thanks Dan), movies, and Podcasts.  If I get bored with that assortment of stuff, there's always the Ambien.

The bags are packed and thanks to Sarah's organizational skills, we likely haven't forgotten anything important.  India, here we come!