On plane now to Jaipur. Yesterday, toured the city of Jodhpur the second largest city in Rajastan - Jaipur being the largest.
Jodhpur's royal pastime is Polo tournaments at which the men wore special riding pants. These pants were very much liked by the British and they helped usher these riding pants into the mainstream. Thus the name "jodhpurs" known by many riding enthusiasts as the pants to wear!
We had a marathon tour of the old city fort/palace, the royal creamatorium (yep where they burn people), and the bazaar. I was pretty much in a daze the whole time due to a very restless sleep the night before. I came to bed late from posting all the pictures and never quite slept since my stomach has been sour.
This city is known as the Blue City because since old time people in the highest class painted their houses indigo in respect to Brahma. This custom flowed down to the other castes so many of the houses were and still are blue. I got some nice pictures of the blue homes from high atop the fort.
The bazaar was really neat. Busy and bustling with people, cows, dogs, horse and camel carriages, tut-tuts and motorcycles. We went through the grain dealing area and the spice/food area and I purchased some Darjeeling tea and spices.
Our hotel was supposed to be 5-star. Don't think so. The power kept going on and off. Even at dinner the power went off. We are in a full room with late aged Europeans and it goes completely black. Some people stared singing happy birthday?! Luckily the lights turned back on right when UR was about to chuck a croissant into the center of all the people. Sheesh.
Now on to some random observations:
- Americans have no style. We are pretty much the only Americans I have seen. Most all the other non Indian travelers are European or south American. They are all dressed so nicely with elegant scarves and clothes. Here I am in a t-shirt and jeans. Oh well, I am comfortable.
- Have seen the swastika everywhere. Commented on this to the guide and found out that this symbol and the name even is Indian and means good luck. They said that if you draw it wrong it will cause you bad luck. Hitler liked the swastika and unfortunately for the world had it positioned incorrectly as his symbol.
- Can't stand Americans that have no respect for our country. We were in a textile store and the shop owner asked where we were from. Learning that we are USA he asked if I liked my country and I said of course I love it. He told me that we were the first to like our country and that most of the people he had talked to didn't like Bush or our country. Now I don't care if you are liberal or conservative but for goodness sakes have some respect and pride in our wonderful country and show that to other countries. It is ridiculous to me to tell other people that you hate Bush and our country. However I will note that this is one of the things that makes our country great, that people can go around voicing their opinions. Within our country. ;)
- Everyone is trying to sell you something here. The guides show us the points of interest then drive us to a store. Only tourists are in these stores. I hate these stores. At first it was neat. Now at the beginning I say please don't take us to a shop. But I am positive that the guides get kick-backs so it is difficult to take this part out of our tour.
- India is very colorful. The women are beautiful in their brightly colored and elegantly decorated sarees. The houses, shops, temples, cars and other vehicles are decorated with charms and flowers.
- Bathrooms in general are very scary. Most of the options are squatters. Holes in the ground. New and humbling experience.
- No one can give me the same story on all the cows wandering around. One guide said they are all owned by someone and at night they go home and in the morning they are let out to (jokingly) control traffic. Another guide said they are all old cows beyond their birthing and milking years and/or bulls.
Jodhpur's royal pastime is Polo tournaments at which the men wore special riding pants. These pants were very much liked by the British and they helped usher these riding pants into the mainstream. Thus the name "jodhpurs" known by many riding enthusiasts as the pants to wear!
We had a marathon tour of the old city fort/palace, the royal creamatorium (yep where they burn people), and the bazaar. I was pretty much in a daze the whole time due to a very restless sleep the night before. I came to bed late from posting all the pictures and never quite slept since my stomach has been sour.
This city is known as the Blue City because since old time people in the highest class painted their houses indigo in respect to Brahma. This custom flowed down to the other castes so many of the houses were and still are blue. I got some nice pictures of the blue homes from high atop the fort.
The bazaar was really neat. Busy and bustling with people, cows, dogs, horse and camel carriages, tut-tuts and motorcycles. We went through the grain dealing area and the spice/food area and I purchased some Darjeeling tea and spices.
Our hotel was supposed to be 5-star. Don't think so. The power kept going on and off. Even at dinner the power went off. We are in a full room with late aged Europeans and it goes completely black. Some people stared singing happy birthday?! Luckily the lights turned back on right when UR was about to chuck a croissant into the center of all the people. Sheesh.
Now on to some random observations:
- Americans have no style. We are pretty much the only Americans I have seen. Most all the other non Indian travelers are European or south American. They are all dressed so nicely with elegant scarves and clothes. Here I am in a t-shirt and jeans. Oh well, I am comfortable.
- Have seen the swastika everywhere. Commented on this to the guide and found out that this symbol and the name even is Indian and means good luck. They said that if you draw it wrong it will cause you bad luck. Hitler liked the swastika and unfortunately for the world had it positioned incorrectly as his symbol.
- Can't stand Americans that have no respect for our country. We were in a textile store and the shop owner asked where we were from. Learning that we are USA he asked if I liked my country and I said of course I love it. He told me that we were the first to like our country and that most of the people he had talked to didn't like Bush or our country. Now I don't care if you are liberal or conservative but for goodness sakes have some respect and pride in our wonderful country and show that to other countries. It is ridiculous to me to tell other people that you hate Bush and our country. However I will note that this is one of the things that makes our country great, that people can go around voicing their opinions. Within our country. ;)
- Everyone is trying to sell you something here. The guides show us the points of interest then drive us to a store. Only tourists are in these stores. I hate these stores. At first it was neat. Now at the beginning I say please don't take us to a shop. But I am positive that the guides get kick-backs so it is difficult to take this part out of our tour.
- India is very colorful. The women are beautiful in their brightly colored and elegantly decorated sarees. The houses, shops, temples, cars and other vehicles are decorated with charms and flowers.
- Bathrooms in general are very scary. Most of the options are squatters. Holes in the ground. New and humbling experience.
- No one can give me the same story on all the cows wandering around. One guide said they are all owned by someone and at night they go home and in the morning they are let out to (jokingly) control traffic. Another guide said they are all old cows beyond their birthing and milking years and/or bulls.
posted by Tammy at
3:49 AM
3 Comments:
I really like your website. As I am Indian too.
i think u misunderstood India pity much, as u r just putting the light on the poor people.
I am an Indian and I am software engineer see
India gets independence just 50 years ago it is a land of invasion
done by Moslems and Christian these are the only 2 religions who
believe in destroying other humans and there faith for the sake of
there own Hindus and Buddhist live for peace in the history of
india it do not attempt to invade any other country
in just 50 years they manage to show the presence in the world.
and for ur sake what u showed was india 30 percent poor people
there is much more which u have not seen
from himalays on north west (not nepal) himachal pradesh and leh
ladak
to goa , bombay , banglore (IT Capital), chandigarh beautifull
capital of punjab, in fact whole of haryana and punjab is so rich
and beautiful these great planes are on the foot of Himalayas
I mean its not ur fault many of u people from west don’t know much
about India and I will shortly make a website which could tell u what India is.
But don’t make these things so big well we are not going to come in America(U.S.A) and say that 80 % of school going girls pregnant and struggling in one or another way.
We see America as land of democracy just like India things are getting changed as fast pace when I was last time in Europe people use toilet paper which I feel is pity scary as we are used to water jets which I thing are more hygienic than toilet papers.
I think India will change just in next 10 to 20 years and all of u must understand that it take time to remove the poverty but we will change it.
I miss you kitten
Post a Comment
<< Home