Travel East of White's Cross
Jaipurs Jewels
Dear All,
When I last e-mailed I was in the city of Pushkar, from there we bused east to Jaipur. We spent Diwali, the festival of light in this city. This is a 2-day nationwide festival, the biggest in the country and the year, and apparently most enthusiastically celebrated in the city of Jaipur. And how wonderful it was. We spent it on the rooftop of a local's house, drinking beer and eating these really decadent sweets they indulge in during the festival. We were wined and dined by the same family the following day, not believing the Indian hospitality and on the third day, they asked us to take 10,000 euro worth of jewelry each back to Europe so they could make a four-fold profit on it and avoid the Indian and European tax systems. And so it finally dawned on the 3 thick Paddies why they were being so nice to us. We got out of it unscathed and saw some of the best fireworks we're ever likely to see though, and free food and drink, so I think we can count ourselves as fairly lucky.
After Jaipur we bussed across to Agra. The most horrible, polluted city I've yet seen, but it hosts the Taj Mahal, the most expensive tourist attraction in India. We visited the Taj at dawn to avoid the crowds, pollution and to see it in the best light. It was well spectacular, almost like Pairc Ui Chaoimh in its near perfect proportions and aesthetics.
We fled Agra ASAP after seeing the Taj and went to see a place called Fatephur Sikri, were up to 180,000 Muslims had gathered to celebrate Eid, the end of 30 days of Ramadan. This was an amazing experience. We were treated like A-list super stars. Crowds of young fellas (as with most of the rest of India, very few girls to be seen) wanting to shake our hands and have there photos taken with us. It was a great boost to the ego. Ray was carried on the shoulders of a chanting group of young fellas at one point. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry!
After All of that, we trained and bussed to Kajuraho via Orchha. We've seen some more spectacular temples and tomorrow will go to what are held by many in the know, as being the finest sculpted temples in the world here in Kajuraho. But that's all after our dawn yoga class at our accommodation 6am to 7am.
Tog aire daoibh fein go leir, coimead suas an teagmhail.
More Anon,
John
Darjeeling Delights
Well know. One week to go in India and I'm wondering how where my 2 month went so quickly!
Since last writing, we've travelled by on train and bus from Varanasi to Darjeeling (during which Ray got groped by a eunuch and chatted up by two others, not that he complained about it!). From Darjeeling, we completed a 3-day trek on the Himalayan foothills, climbing to a height of 3,636m above sea level in the freezing cold and being rewarded by outstanding views at the highest point of our trek. It was sensational and my highlight of the trip so far. You can take your Taj Mahal's and crowded River Ganges, the cool, clean air; way up there is where I'd prefer to be.
It appears we were very lucky as we met loads of trekkers and travellers who had seen nothing but clouds and mist during their time in the highlands. Trekking was a great routine of rising at 5.45am, watching the sunrise, trek until about 3pm, somehow try to stay warm until dinner at 6pm, then going to bed at 7.45pm. No electricity, radio, inside toilets or heaters. It must have been like living in Ireland 50 years ago ( or present day rural South Limerick!). We travelled with an world traveller Australian woman who was great company.
Seeing as we probably won't be in cold 'til sometime in the new year, we thought that during the climb would be no better time to sing Christmas Carols and hymns, quality entertainment, the locals didn't know what to make of it!
We'll make our last long Indian bus trip this evening, upwards of 14 hours through the night to Kolkata (Calcutta). I'll be praying intensely for the duration!
Keep the news coming in.
God bless you all,
John
P.S. By the way, the Roy Keane arrived to us on international media over here, at the top tip of India faster than the Dehli bombings or Bush's visit to China! It's good to see that the world media has it's priorities right. I suppose Cork City wouldn't take him now after they won the League!
Dear All,
When I last e-mailed I was in the city of Pushkar, from there we bused east to Jaipur. We spent Diwali, the festival of light in this city. This is a 2-day nationwide festival, the biggest in the country and the year, and apparently most enthusiastically celebrated in the city of Jaipur. And how wonderful it was. We spent it on the rooftop of a local's house, drinking beer and eating these really decadent sweets they indulge in during the festival. We were wined and dined by the same family the following day, not believing the Indian hospitality and on the third day, they asked us to take 10,000 euro worth of jewelry each back to Europe so they could make a four-fold profit on it and avoid the Indian and European tax systems. And so it finally dawned on the 3 thick Paddies why they were being so nice to us. We got out of it unscathed and saw some of the best fireworks we're ever likely to see though, and free food and drink, so I think we can count ourselves as fairly lucky.
After Jaipur we bussed across to Agra. The most horrible, polluted city I've yet seen, but it hosts the Taj Mahal, the most expensive tourist attraction in India. We visited the Taj at dawn to avoid the crowds, pollution and to see it in the best light. It was well spectacular, almost like Pairc Ui Chaoimh in its near perfect proportions and aesthetics.
We fled Agra ASAP after seeing the Taj and went to see a place called Fatephur Sikri, were up to 180,000 Muslims had gathered to celebrate Eid, the end of 30 days of Ramadan. This was an amazing experience. We were treated like A-list super stars. Crowds of young fellas (as with most of the rest of India, very few girls to be seen) wanting to shake our hands and have there photos taken with us. It was a great boost to the ego. Ray was carried on the shoulders of a chanting group of young fellas at one point. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry!
After All of that, we trained and bussed to Kajuraho via Orchha. We've seen some more spectacular temples and tomorrow will go to what are held by many in the know, as being the finest sculpted temples in the world here in Kajuraho. But that's all after our dawn yoga class at our accommodation 6am to 7am.
Tog aire daoibh fein go leir, coimead suas an teagmhail.
More Anon,
John
Darjeeling Delights
Well know. One week to go in India and I'm wondering how where my 2 month went so quickly!
Since last writing, we've travelled by on train and bus from Varanasi to Darjeeling (during which Ray got groped by a eunuch and chatted up by two others, not that he complained about it!). From Darjeeling, we completed a 3-day trek on the Himalayan foothills, climbing to a height of 3,636m above sea level in the freezing cold and being rewarded by outstanding views at the highest point of our trek. It was sensational and my highlight of the trip so far. You can take your Taj Mahal's and crowded River Ganges, the cool, clean air; way up there is where I'd prefer to be.
It appears we were very lucky as we met loads of trekkers and travellers who had seen nothing but clouds and mist during their time in the highlands. Trekking was a great routine of rising at 5.45am, watching the sunrise, trek until about 3pm, somehow try to stay warm until dinner at 6pm, then going to bed at 7.45pm. No electricity, radio, inside toilets or heaters. It must have been like living in Ireland 50 years ago ( or present day rural South Limerick!). We travelled with an world traveller Australian woman who was great company.
Seeing as we probably won't be in cold 'til sometime in the new year, we thought that during the climb would be no better time to sing Christmas Carols and hymns, quality entertainment, the locals didn't know what to make of it!
We'll make our last long Indian bus trip this evening, upwards of 14 hours through the night to Kolkata (Calcutta). I'll be praying intensely for the duration!
Keep the news coming in.
God bless you all,
John
P.S. By the way, the Roy Keane arrived to us on international media over here, at the top tip of India faster than the Dehli bombings or Bush's visit to China! It's good to see that the world media has it's priorities right. I suppose Cork City wouldn't take him now after they won the League!
posted by John Meade | 5:06 AM
|
0 comments
