More scenes from Pushkar

Mad cow!

I told you they were aggressive... I was lucky, this one could have had horns.

Berkeley or India?

India has it's share of crazy folk too. They all want to say hi and shake your hand. At first I talked to everyone 'cause I didn't want to leave a bad impression as a tourist from the USA, but then I came to the conclusion that crazy is still crazy on any continent and that ignoring them is ok too. Afterall, I don't talk to the crazies in Berkeley!

Scenes from Pushkar

According to the traveller's bible (aka Lonely Planet), Pushkar is a place where foreigners experiment with spirituality, bhang lassis (marijuana), and facial hair. If you look really closely at me in some of the photos, you can tell I haven't shaved in a month, hahaha...

For good karma...

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originally uploaded by T_Lo.

So the lake in Pushkar is supposed to be magical. Pushkar is a holy town for Hindu pilgrims, and after praying at the temple, you're supposed to make offerings to the gods in the lake water. Some pilgrims bathe, I choose to just make offerings.

Unfortunately, like many other things in India, it's a bit of a scam! The "holy" man, asks you how many members of your family do you have, and after making the offerrings, you're supposed to pay him multiple 100 ruppees (about $2.50) for each of them. According to the "priest", it should be around 500 ruppees to 2000 ($50)! So I did pay him, so all of you should now have good karma. But, I only gave him 20 ruppees (50 cents)- his "head priest" was not too happy about it- so I'm not too sure how far that's going to go...

Pushkar rules for tourists

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originally uploaded by T_Lo.

Apparently, long embraces are ok, but "smooching" is not.

A nice family in Jodhpur

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originally uploaded by T_Lo.

While I was wandering around Jodhpur I came across an old door that looked interesting. I pulled out my camera to take a photo, and ended up talking to some of the guys out in front of their house. They invited me to see their beautiful home for lunch, and we spent the next couple of hours talking.

It turns out their extended family- siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles- all live in the same dwelling. They asked me how big my family is, and I told them that I had nearly 30 cousins and nearly 30 uncles and aunts. That number didn't suprise them, but I think they were more suprised that I lived alone. "Very lonely," one said. But a lot more quiet, hah! He also said that he admired my ambition for quitting my government job because he wouldn't have, hahaha...

One of them was to be married soon, and even invited me to his wedding. Unfortunately I couldn't go. Later that day while wondering around the back alleys of Jodhpur, I actually came across him again as he was leaving work. He drove me around as we looked for my guesthouse. Definitely a nice change of pace from all the unctuous rickshaw drivers and merchants trying to take advantage of unsuspecting tourists.

"Assault" on the senses

I've heard India called an assault on the senses, so many vivid images and sounds everywhere. I'm trying to link some of the short audio clips that I took along with photos, these should open up in new window with Windows Media Player, you may have to push play a couple of times to get it to work. Just click on the photos below. Let me know if the audio doesn't go through!

Instrument salesman, Water Palace, Jaipur

Whirling, twirling traditional Radjastani dancers, Udaipur

The Radjastani Marvin Gaye, singing a traditional love song, Jasilmer

Men dancing in the street celebrating a wedding, Jodhpur

Campfire singing by our camel safari guides, Thar Desert

Scenes from Udaipur, the "Venice" of India

I was told Udaipur is the Venice of India. I guess I have to take it on faith since I've never been to Venice and neither has the person that told me such. The lake and surrounding mountains make for gorgeous sunsets all watchable from numerous balconies. There's not much else to do in Udaipur, but it's nice to be somewhere where sunset watching is one of the highlights of the afternoon.

Scenes from Jodhpur

Scenes from Jodhpur, the Blue City, the marketplace, and a staircase within the fort. Jodhpur has many houses painted blue to signify a dwelling of Brahmim, the highest social caste in India. The color of blue is also thought to repel insects, there weren't too many when I was there.

Pants for foreigners

Docile animal, my a$$...

You can't tell me that something this large with horns this big isn't suddenly going to get ornery when it glares at you as you pass it along narrow alleyway...

Animal temples

The "Rat temple" bills itself as the 8th wonder of the world. Definitely not for the squeamish, but it is a legimate temple among worshippers in India! I'm glad I had my rabies vaccination. Although, I think it might have actually been cleaner than the Monkey Temple outside of Jaipur. I think every livestock combination was there- monkeys, cows, sheep, goats, chickens- thrown in with little kids. Ugh... outbreak waiting to happen. The pathway to the temple is uphill next to a small hill that the monkeys like to wait and look down at everyone. Very very creepy. We were afraid that they would swarm us when we got out the bag of peanuts. Kinda like Custard's last stand.

A camel named Rocket

No trip to Radjastan would be complete without a camel safari in the Thar Desert! I was initially very reluctant to get on a camel named "Rocket." Going fast is so NOT a good time, especially on an animal that rides more like a mechanical bull than a horse. Good thing Rocket moved slowly, although I soon found out why he had the nickname "Rocket" (actually Eric found out since he was riding behind me). Let's just say all that cud didn't do wonders for Rocket's digestive tract, it's the vegetables I'm telling you! Of all the camels I get stuck with, I get the nasty one. Not only did Rocket bite, his tail was tied since he had a habit of pissing on it and splashing everyone. Great...

I actually would have liked to been there when the locals were planning the first camel safari... "So let me get this straight, you want to wander around the desert in circles for a couple of days, ride our livestock, sleeping on our sand dunes, walking around our villages AND pay us for this?!" Hahaha... The camel safari was fun, got to meet up with some fun Koreans (Kamzaa!), and of course, it was beautiful in the desert. But I've had my camel-fill for now. I'm used to seeing them going round-abouts and stopped at traffic lights, the novelty is gone.

Introducing Dr. and Mr. Ibadat Nyhus!

Holidays, quitting, packing, moving, and packing some more.

The apt. before,
originally uploaded by T_Lo.
and after

My New Years Resolution this year? Not to quit my job, shop for x-mas, pack up and clean my apartment filled with 4 years of crap, and pack for a multi-month trip abroad all within a span of 2 weeks. Bad idea.. very very bad idea! The good news is that my apartment is now the cleanest and uncluttered it's been in years. The bad news is I no longer live there. Ugh... nothing like staying up all night to clean and pack. I can't wait for the 14 hour plane ride to India, that way I can finally sleep!