Around the World with Marsha & Joel

Back With Details Soon

Sorry! You haven’t heard from us for some time now. The reason? It’s just been a mind-boggling experience with nary a moment to take our eyes away, or an hour away, to post a blog; e.g. we just finished our flight along the Himalayas to Mt. Everest…in perfect weather. You’ll enjoy those photos we’re sure. We’re just starting the long, long journey home. We’ll be pulling our notes, thoughts and photos together during that “still” time and get them to you very soon. In the meantime, be well and start planning your own trip!

Marsha & Joel

[As an aside, I’m writing this blog in the hotel room while Marsha and a few other tour friends went to a real 3-hour Bollywood movie at a local theater, near the hotel…. On return she said she “survived” it. The reviews did say that “if you go expecting Einstein you’ll be disappointed.” I wouldn’t expect Einstein, but I wouldn’t go anyway.]

We take off early again for another long bus ride to Agra, an old and polluted city, but it claims the Taj Mahal. And, poverty rears it’s ugly head there as strongly or more than anywhere.

People are very upset since the government recently changed the poverty level to; less than 34 Rupees per day (about $.70 US). Anything more than that and you are not considered poor. Here you are poor if you can’t get one meal a day. 320 million Indians go hungry daily.

We have some local newspapers for the bus ride. There is an article on population statics that is mind-blowing: 72% of infants are born anemic. 52% of married women are anemic. There is not even one hospital bed per 1,000 population. 33% of Indians live in less space than US prisoners. It goes on and on. Back to the journey.

Colorful Goodby to Jaipur

Vendors Move Produce to the Market

Pit Stop at a Beautiful Hindu Temple

This is a pretty large one, looking to be in the middle of nowhere. Anyway, Hindus believe the harder the journey, the more the fulfillment. Interesting considering that once the Temple is reached only a simple bow is necessary as a “ceremony”. Some of the Gods here have black faces as they are depicted in the South of India.

Gods Here are Clothed in Actual Dress

Just Blessed

A young family on a journey stopped in for a blessing by the local Holy Man. See the forehead lines. Lines, spots, dots, squiggles; it seems the Holy Men like a little creativity…or it’s something we’ve yet to find out.

Marble and Sandstone

As we approach Agra we proceed through the oldest mountain range in the world. Partly because of its age it contains some of the hardest, whitest, most translucent marble in the world. It’s the stuff the Taj Mahal is made of as you shall see. We pass many shops like the above that feature carvings from the marble and sandstone of the area.

Travel Can Come to an Abrupt Halt at Any Time for Any Reason

Repeat for goats, one cow, old ladies, or a power-crazed local official. At one point we were coming around a curve in the road near a local town. A new car was parked smack in the middle of the road near a small store. Our helper got out to ask to have the car moved. The local hot-shot gave him the cold shoulder and made us wait nearly 10-minutes. No one seemed to get upset…except us tourists.

Roadside Sculpture? Think Again

As we passed the rural villages we began coming to this kind of sight regularly. Here we have cow dung patties and cow dung “buildings” drying in the sun for use as fuel, especially for cooking. Talk about sustainable energy. This is what the fancily dressed women have created. The dung has good quantities of undigested straw to help in kindling and burning. It is surprisingly clean, odor-free fuel. You also see it stacked on roofs everywhere.

Brick Manufacturing

We start to see chimneys blowing black smoke on a regular basis. We see the piles of hand-molded (one at a time) brick drying in the sun. This is what many of the farmers do after the harvest. Not surprisingly most of the structures now are brick.

Fatehpur Sikri

Before Agra we stop at this Mughal walled city that was the Mughal capital for 14 years in the 16th Century. A true mix of Hindu and Islamic architecture and styles. Unfortunately, lack of water forced the abandonment of the city that was then plundered. The site is preserved beautifully now.

A Pillar-Top Detail in Akbar's Court

Inspired by Gujarat buildings.

Panch Mahal

An open sandstone pavillion where Akbar’s queens caught the evening breezes. Truly a shame this city had to be abandoned. But, who’s to tell a ruler that he’s making a bad choice in location — as most believed at the time.

Outskirts of Agra

We arrive in Agra late in the hot afternoon. (Just to let you know we are in an unusually hot time period in Northern India. Our daytime temperatures have been in the low 100s. But, surprisingly, it hasn’t put a damper on any of our sightseeing or excursions. At the end of the month the tourist and travel season is over…just too damned hot).

We arrive at our incongruously grand Radisson hotel. Some get a glimpse of the Taj, just down the road, before the vicious sun crashes. We wait for its return.

Jaipur is primarily Hindu and their temples are oriented toward Vastu, the sun god. It was built based on the astrologically lucky number 9. You can see distances, groupings, everything based on multiples an additives of 9.

It’s a city of 5 million, surrounded by hills, originally intended as a defense from the Agra Muslim armies. It also has a large “floating” population made up of people from villages needing work after harvest. The conditions they live in while in Jaipur bring tears to your eyes; makeshift tents and lean-to’s along the dirty, dusty, garbage-strewn sides of the road, with no electricity, water, refrigeration or toilet facilities. Whole families hoping for a bit of work and a few rupees just to sustain their lives.

The Amber Fort overlooks the City. It was the ancient capital of the State, Rajasthan, until 1728. We climb to it later via elephant.

Amber Fort Garden

As I mentioned, the ladies dress up for work. It’s really interesting since the men are as drab as drab can be. Most of the color of India can be attributed to the women…as can much of the manual labor.

Our Elephant and Mahouts...

…prepare to take us up the steep entrance way to the fort. Elephants are not indigenous here, but the rulers imported them for just such tasks as a show of power and strength. It’s tourist show now, but they are very well taken care of. They are only allowed to make three round trips in the morning before the sun blazes — and rest until the next day.

View to the Fort's Courtyard and Beyond to the Hills

Marsha & Friends in the Courtyard

Magnificent Inlay Work at the Amber Fort

Palace in the Lake; the Jal Mahal

We stop for photos here on the way back down to the City. It was built in the mid-18th century based on the Lake Palace at Udaipur where the king spent his childhood.

The old, walled part of the City is painted pink (i.e. the Pink City) and we tour it via Rickshaw.

A "Fun" Way to Join the Traffic in the Old City

This photo just doesn’t do justice to the real experience, narrowly missing pedestrians, trucks, buses, cars, motorcycles, and, of course cows. Oh, wait, we did take a video that will give you a better idea. Click on the link below. (Josh & Linda…this one is especially for you…remember the Tuk Tuks in Bangkok?):

Wild Rickshaw Ride in Jaipur

[An aside regarding life in India:

While traveling through a small village our bus had to make an abrupt stop. I saw a bicycle rickshaw fly over on it’s side, ejecting its driver, obviously sideswiped by a car. Fortunately the driver got up with just a few scrapes and bruises, but his vehicle was probably damaged pretty badly. When the driver attempted to speak with the driver of the car, the car just sped away, leaving the rickshaw operator in the dust. Our Hindu tour guide got off the bus and gave the driver some Rupees to help get his bicycle fixed. As our guide boarded the bus he said, sadly, “this is the way they treat the poor”.]

The Women of Jaipur

Marsha and I have been trying to photograph women all over India in their joyful garb. Hopefully we will be able to share them with you in a special post later.

Bargaining for Wood Printing Blocks

Have to do some business while in India. Marsha has been buying used, hand-carved, wooden blocks that are used to print fabrics in India. She’s been getting them from an importer at the Columbus Market, near home to use as a pattern on pieces of her pottery. She figured why not get some directly at the source. She did find beautiful ones, and bargained long and hard for a price a bit better than what she pays at home. Of course, three stores down the street she sees them even cheaper. Ah well, she’s helping the Indian economy.

Jaipur Supermarket

You can get anything you want on the street (literally). Those green shapes are actually cucumbers.

Don't Even Have to Leave the Sidewalk to Get Your Shoes Repaired

Off to Agra next to visit the Taj Mahal. Ready?