Day 2 brought Erin and I to Jaipur, or the Pink City, by way of Fatehpur Sikri, an abandoned city situated outside of Agra. Fatehpur Sikri is home to a famous moghul palace and mosque which we explored in the hot sun amidst many touts and "government guides" who all wanted to help you really appreciate the history of the place for a small fee or by also visiting their uncle/brother/father's stall or shop. We managed to avoid them in the palace but not the mosque. We did really enjoy the abandoned city and its red sandstone buildings with intricately carved walls. It was hot, though, in the Rajhastani sun making us very thankful for our air-conditioned car and kind driver.
Jaipur is a pretty crazy city full of motor vehicles, bicycles, and wandering animals making for pretty crazy traffic. It is probably the shopping capital of India. And we shopped a lot. Erin does like to shop and was set on getting a few things in Jaipur so that was our main focus. The shopkeepers (all men) jumped out at us from plastic chairs to try and get us to look in their shop. "Madam, please look!" "Lookng is no charge!" "Looking is free!" "Only look, no problem!" "Very cheap! You like!'" These and many other more and less polite things were yelled at us as we passed by sparkly bangles, colorful saris, camel-leather shoes, and Indian gems. We both bought a few things (well, me one thing and Erin many) and we haggled and bargained our socks off.
We did do some sightseeing in Jaipur as well. The Amber Fort is just a short drive from the walled, pink, Old City. We happened to be there on a day of a big Durga (the Mother of God in the Hindu religion) festival which meant the big temple inside the fort was absolutely packed with devotees and worshippers, some performing full-body prostrations walking up the path. (Each step you lay your whole body on the earth as a sign of supplication). We were bombarded as we hiked up to the palace entrance with begging women and children, many who tried to give us tika (the red mark between the eyebrows for good luck). Pilgraming families bought a string of marigolds and sweets to offer to Durga once inside the temple. Because of the overwhelming crowd, we decided to go into the palace instead of the temple. The palace afforded spectacular views of the city of Amber and surrounding hills. These were a close second, however, to the appropriately named Glass Palace which is covered with cut glass and mirrors of varying shapes, sizes and patterns. We also liked standing on the many palace rooftops and terraces watching Indian women in beautiful saris approaching the temple, a rainbow of bright colors floating by in a river of gorgeous faces and fabrics.
Our guest house, Sunder Palace, was a very quiet and comfortable accommodation with a rooftop cafe and real filtered coffee, two things that make any hotel enjoyable in my eyes. The hallways were filled with tasteful Indian paintings and decor and our room was immensely spacious, big enough for our morning yoga, two couches, a coffee table and dining set.
Erin and I are both making a very conscious effort to surrender to the moment and not get too off-put by hawkers and starers. It's no lie that Indian cities can be overwhelming, even with our cushy transportation situation. Our car conversations revolve a lot around yoga, being present, and having compassion for desperate people who wlll do just about anything to get your money. You can see that desperation in mothers who carry babies and beg for you to buy them a banana, children who run to your car at stoplights, rickshaw drivers who follow you down the street, shop owners who thrust cheap merchandise in your face. What can we do to help? We talk about that a lot, too.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
India with Erin - 1
Erin and I both made it safely to India, me on a 1 1/1hour flight from Kathmandu and her on 3 flights, originating in Seattle and ending about 30 hours later at 11pm in Delhi. Obviously she had the more difficult day of traveling. Just a word about flying through Kathmandu, though: prepare to be searched. And searched. And then, just for good measure, searched again. With a thoroughly inspected group of mildly disgruntled travelers I boarded the Jet Lite flight to Delhi 2 hours late, then sat on the Tarmac for another 40 minutes waiting for runway space to take-off. The delay was of little difference to me and my negligent time constraints but I felt a bit bad for our hired driver who had to wait at the Indira Ghandi airport for me all that time. Ramesh greeted me heartily at the arrivals gate of the very recently remodeled international wing - a welcome change from the very basic, not so safe feeling Kathmandu airport - and took me to the Glitter Hotel 30 minutes away. I had my first meal in India, a room service yellow dal (lentils) with naan. Tasty! Oh Indian food, you are so delicious and I will happily embrace any culinary challenge you put forth in the next 3 months. Ramesh and I went back to the airport to pick up Erin just after I had a chance to settle in and finish my Paulo Coelho novel. Fortunately, she was on-time and we gabbed the whole way back to the Glitter and on for another after. Being 1am at this point, we hit the hay for a 5am wake up.
Morning yoga on the balcony was the first thing on our agenda the next morning. We were off around 6:45am to beat the traffic out of Delhi headed to Agra, home of the mystical and infamous mausoleum, the Taj Mahal. A stop for Indian breakfast -stuffed parantha, curd and dal- and 2 more incredible sights were all that stood in the way between us and an architectural wonder. We stopped at Akhbar's Tomb or Sikandar, a peaceful, deer filled park and mausoleum for a stroll and philosophical conversation about the reasons behind these very fancy burials, then popped into the Baby Taj (Itimad-ud-Daulah), which pre-dated the big one by a few years and from which the Taj Mahal derives her Iranian gem inlay-in-marble style. I really liked the Baby Taj, but it really was a baby in comparison to majesty of the Taj Mahal. It was grand. We hired a guide who took good care of us, giving us specs, myths, history, and great stories, and showing us the best spots for photos and the many points of symmetry on the grounds between the gates, mosques, and the Taj. It is a magical place, architecturally as awesome for 1653 when construction was finished, as it is today. Erin & I found it funny that we were as popular as the building and were asked by more than a handful of Indians to pose for a picture with them (most men who wanted an individual shot of each of them with the two of us). Dinner was delicious again and an enjoyable experience because of Bikesh, age 9. and Tavesh, age 10, who played drums, sang, and danced to interest dining guests in the dolls they were selling. Bikesh and I sang "lion sleeps tonight" together. If we hadn't been to the Taj Mahal the same day. It would have been the highlight of my day.
Morning yoga on the balcony was the first thing on our agenda the next morning. We were off around 6:45am to beat the traffic out of Delhi headed to Agra, home of the mystical and infamous mausoleum, the Taj Mahal. A stop for Indian breakfast -stuffed parantha, curd and dal- and 2 more incredible sights were all that stood in the way between us and an architectural wonder. We stopped at Akhbar's Tomb or Sikandar, a peaceful, deer filled park and mausoleum for a stroll and philosophical conversation about the reasons behind these very fancy burials, then popped into the Baby Taj (Itimad-ud-Daulah), which pre-dated the big one by a few years and from which the Taj Mahal derives her Iranian gem inlay-in-marble style. I really liked the Baby Taj, but it really was a baby in comparison to majesty of the Taj Mahal. It was grand. We hired a guide who took good care of us, giving us specs, myths, history, and great stories, and showing us the best spots for photos and the many points of symmetry on the grounds between the gates, mosques, and the Taj. It is a magical place, architecturally as awesome for 1653 when construction was finished, as it is today. Erin & I found it funny that we were as popular as the building and were asked by more than a handful of Indians to pose for a picture with them (most men who wanted an individual shot of each of them with the two of us). Dinner was delicious again and an enjoyable experience because of Bikesh, age 9. and Tavesh, age 10, who played drums, sang, and danced to interest dining guests in the dolls they were selling. Bikesh and I sang "lion sleeps tonight" together. If we hadn't been to the Taj Mahal the same day. It would have been the highlight of my day.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Serenity in Nepal
It's been a magical week of decompressing in Pokhara. I've heard many other travelers express a similar sentiment, coming here to just be after the madness of Kathmandu or the weariness of trekking. My companions and I believe ourselves to be he luckiest bunch in lakeside Pokhara having found a serene haven in the Peace Eye Guest House. When we arrived one week ago, Chiran, the cheery owner, showed us 2 spacious rooftop rooms attached to a quiet patio. At 500 rupees for a single and 600 for a double ($8 and $9 respectively), the rooms are extremely reasonable, clean, and safe. We've spent countless hours on our nearly private rooftop reading, writing, making music, and generally decompressing. The street side cafe is always lively with guests and diners looking for a chat or playing the guitar. Not to mention the friendliest server who greets you with a bright smile every morning and scrumptious food.
Pokhara is known for its lake and most tourists stay on the 'lakeside' of town. We're no exception, nor are our good friends from the trek. Our first morning we bumped into the jovial Israelis and that afternoon had coffee and cake with 2 Spaniards who were on our bus that first day out of Kathmandu. Today we met a lovely kiwi couple who we had chatted up in the capital waiting to use an ATM. And an American yogi/aspiring travel writer and I bonded over a few days by the lake. October 4th was Avner's - the jovialist of Israelis - birthday and we celebrated at a Korean restaurant (surprisingly good!) and then over pool, beer, and live music.
Perhaps the best friendship nurtured in this tourist town has been with Alberto and Stacy. Alberto has been traveling from his home of Spain roughly 2 years with his dog and guitar, busking from town to town, country to country, playing tasty Spanish guitar tunes solo or with fellow musicians met along the road. Jeju was blessed with his presence last year when he stayed with good friends of Mike and Emma for some weeks and played music with Jeju's many quality musicians. Since then, Alberto met Stacy traveling through the Philippines and she decided to leave her life and join him on the road, teaching yoga wherever she can. I've spent the week studying with Stacy at the Nepal Women's Empowerment Center where she teaches daily Ashtanga yoga, free to girls studying at the center and for a fee to other drop-in students. An inspiring and challenging teacher, Stacy has brought me back to a practice I turned away from years ago with grace and love. This amazing couple is an inspiration to me, myself being a world traveling musician and yoga teacher. Certainly their presence has been a big contributor in this week's serenity.
My daily schedule since our arrival has been as follows:
- a peaceful 20 min walk by the lake munching a fresh baked good
- 1 1/2 hours Ashtanga yoga with Stacy
- breakfast and coffee at a sidewalk cafe or my guest house
- reading or writing
- chat with travelers or friends
- nap or book
- afternoon coffee/tea and cake at the organic vegetarian bakery a few doors down
- reading or writing
- dinner with Emma and Mike or other friends
- live music or a walk in town in the evening
I realized today I've yet to take a single picture in Pokhara. As tomorrow is our last day here, I'll equip myself with camera on the walk to yoga and back. I also might pick-up a skirt or pair of pants which is a little pricier in Nepal than I suspect will be in India, but the shopping is so hassle-free and laid-back it'll no doubt be just easier here. I've only bought 1 pair of earrings, 1 wool hat, and 1 blouse to take with me. And a yak's wool shawl on the trail which kept me warm in the mountains. I've stuck pretty fast to my estimated budget for this leg of he journey which will prove to be very important as I travel on. As I continue to find peace in the financial realm, my daily practice reminds me to be present and positively manifest what I need.
Pokhara is known for its lake and most tourists stay on the 'lakeside' of town. We're no exception, nor are our good friends from the trek. Our first morning we bumped into the jovial Israelis and that afternoon had coffee and cake with 2 Spaniards who were on our bus that first day out of Kathmandu. Today we met a lovely kiwi couple who we had chatted up in the capital waiting to use an ATM. And an American yogi/aspiring travel writer and I bonded over a few days by the lake. October 4th was Avner's - the jovialist of Israelis - birthday and we celebrated at a Korean restaurant (surprisingly good!) and then over pool, beer, and live music.
Perhaps the best friendship nurtured in this tourist town has been with Alberto and Stacy. Alberto has been traveling from his home of Spain roughly 2 years with his dog and guitar, busking from town to town, country to country, playing tasty Spanish guitar tunes solo or with fellow musicians met along the road. Jeju was blessed with his presence last year when he stayed with good friends of Mike and Emma for some weeks and played music with Jeju's many quality musicians. Since then, Alberto met Stacy traveling through the Philippines and she decided to leave her life and join him on the road, teaching yoga wherever she can. I've spent the week studying with Stacy at the Nepal Women's Empowerment Center where she teaches daily Ashtanga yoga, free to girls studying at the center and for a fee to other drop-in students. An inspiring and challenging teacher, Stacy has brought me back to a practice I turned away from years ago with grace and love. This amazing couple is an inspiration to me, myself being a world traveling musician and yoga teacher. Certainly their presence has been a big contributor in this week's serenity.
My daily schedule since our arrival has been as follows:
- a peaceful 20 min walk by the lake munching a fresh baked good
- 1 1/2 hours Ashtanga yoga with Stacy
- breakfast and coffee at a sidewalk cafe or my guest house
- reading or writing
- chat with travelers or friends
- nap or book
- afternoon coffee/tea and cake at the organic vegetarian bakery a few doors down
- reading or writing
- dinner with Emma and Mike or other friends
- live music or a walk in town in the evening
I realized today I've yet to take a single picture in Pokhara. As tomorrow is our last day here, I'll equip myself with camera on the walk to yoga and back. I also might pick-up a skirt or pair of pants which is a little pricier in Nepal than I suspect will be in India, but the shopping is so hassle-free and laid-back it'll no doubt be just easier here. I've only bought 1 pair of earrings, 1 wool hat, and 1 blouse to take with me. And a yak's wool shawl on the trail which kept me warm in the mountains. I've stuck pretty fast to my estimated budget for this leg of he journey which will prove to be very important as I travel on. As I continue to find peace in the financial realm, my daily practice reminds me to be present and positively manifest what I need.
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