Rajasthan - Part 1

So, after a few days of taking in the sights of Delhi, we hired a car and with a full tank of confidence, headed West to explore Rajasthan.

Our first stop was the "painted city" of Mandawa. Mandawa (and basically the next 3 cities we visited) was a stop on the trading routes between the Middle East and the Far East. Lots of Opium passed through here back in the day along with silks, spices, and all those other things people fought and died for. The Mandawan elite chose to express their wealth through elaborate painting of their homes interior and exterior. We thought this was amazing, until we visited some other places and realized that painting was the cheapskate's way of demonstrating wealth (just wait till you see Jaisalmer). We were still warming up to India when we pulled into this place, and things started to look up. For anyone considering visiting India, I would suggest allowing several weeks and getting out of the cities as fast as you can. Everyone we've spoken with, ourselves included (not that I talk to myself (Quiet, don't say things like that. They'll think we're crazy) Oh, right. Forgot for a minute), anyway, has had the same Indian experience.

Day 1 - "What have I done. How long until I leave?"

Day 3 - "Getting warmer, not loving it, but I guess it's okay."

Day 5 - "India's fantastic. I will totally be back here, there's SOOOO much to see!"

Back to the wandering.

From Mandawa we headed to Bikaner, a city with a giant fort that I'll spare readers the details of (to learn more please visit Google). The real action is 30km outside of Bikaner at the Rat Temple. That's right - Rat temple.

Now, it wasn't originally designed for the rats when it was constructed in the 14th century, but somewhere between then and now the rats moved in and the people just figured "what the heck?". To anyone else, this place is madness. The temple is an intricate carving of white marble, with 20 ft. Silver doors and - well there's just no justifying it, it's full of rats. To add to the experience, and because it is a holy site, we had to take our shoes off when we entered!
Yup, that's me, barefoot in rat crap. Proudest day of your life Ma?

I can honestly say this was an experience I never foresaw in all the years of planning that went into this trip.

Ingrid nearly hit the roof when a rat ran across her foot. But we later learned this was a sign of good luck. Other signs of good luck that we've discovered include:

-Stepping in Cow Dung

-Getting Spit on by a Camel

-Having a bird nail you on the shoulder

-Just about anything that you wouldn't want to have happen to you becomes good luck in India. Love it!

From Bikaner we continued West to Jaisalmer, the desert city of Gold. This place was Sweet!

Another stop on the Opium route, I mean "trading route", Jaisalmer is an imposing fortress rising out of the desert. It's called the Golden City because the yellow color of the local construction blocks gives the city a golden hue - It was also wicked rich back in the day.

The rich people in this town put the people of Mandawa to shame, SHAME! Here's an example of the detail work that's found on just about every structure in the city. It's just incredible.

I'm standing before this house, giving my tribute to the drug that built it, so you can appreciate the scale of their construction and detail. If their running the "Priceless" MasterCard commercial in the States that depicts a 25th wedding anniversary trip to India, it's shot here.

(Photo Absent due to time constraints - takes 8 minutes to load each picture)

From Jaisalmer we ditched our V2 Tata (yeah, two valves, just like the WRX back home - No wait, I meant my lawnmower) and took camels into the desert. About this time it dawned on me that we were headed to Pakistan! We camped about 25km from the boarder (450km to Afghanistan) and again I thought "didn't see this coming".

We slept out in the desert with these rather imposing natives. The one on the left (with the headgear) can't read or write, but speaks Hindi, English, French, Spanish, German, and a few other tongues. He signs his documents with a black X.

Camels have fast become Ingrid's second favorite animal behind cats, and with a face like that can you blame her? But she'll go on about that in her section. And on, and on, and on, and on.....

We emerged from the desert and continued to the last of the major fortress towns for this week, Jodhpor a.k.a. "The Blue City". Again, an amazing place. Right in the middle of town is a MASSIVE 13 story fortress sitting atop a mountain. The place was never conquered despite Umpteen attemps and from the top some long dead, semi-famous English chap was quoted as saying "this is what the Gods must hear when sitting atop Mount Olympus." I though he summed the feeling up quite well.

Apparently, when you purchase a house in the city along with the deed comes a free bucket of paint. Can you guess which color?

The views breathtaking, the sounds delightful, and the people warm. If you can ever get here, make a go of it. You won't be disappointed.

Oih, nii palju on vahepeal jalle juhtunud, et ei teagi kuidas juttu jatkata.

Onneks on enamused teist inlise keele valdajad ja saate Adami yksikasjalikest komentaaridest aru.

Lyhidalt aga nii palju, et nyyd-10 paeva hiljem, oleme me lopuks Indiaga ara harjunud ja naudime igat paeva teades, et siia voiks ykspaev tagasi tulla.

Kui info punkti joudsime, oppisime, et siin ei ole voimalust miskit saada ilma et nad sulle midagi pahe maarivad. Isegi info punkt oli tegelikkuses turismi punkt, kus meile igasugu asju hakati pakkuma. Nagu paljud teisedki loksu kukkunud turistid, jalutasime sealt valja planeeritud reisiga mis laks enam maksma kui oli plaanis. Kuid selle sees on meil autojuht 14 ks paevaks koos hotellide, kaamli, elevandi, tiigri reiside ja isegi rongi ja bussi piletitega parast juhi lahkumist. Yhesonaga meie rahulolu et me ei pea muretsema ja hirmu tundma nagu ool, kui Indiasse joudsime.

Praeguseks oleme kainud labi igasugu erinevaid linnu, nagu varvitud-, kulla-, sinise-, jarve- ja pyha-linn ning homme laheme roosa-linna. Minu lemmikuks on siiani aga olnud Jaisalmer oma maja detailide tottu, mida on kerge yleval pildilt ara tunda. Ja loomulikult vaated kindluste varemetelt linnadele on fantastilised.

Unustamatuks malestuseks jai aga rottide palee, kus nende ja pyhalikkuse auks tuli isegi jalatsid ara votta, et siis monusalt nende valjaheidete peal libistada.

Rotikestel oli isegi oma voodid ja toad, mida nad olid nous valvuritega jagama ning toidu puudusest ei tule seal kunagi puudust. See aga ei tahenda, et neil omavahel selle parast kaklusi ei oleks. Indialastel on nii palju jumalaid, et ega nad vist isegi ei tea enam kui palju neid on. Koik asjad ja olevused tunduvad ka siin olevat pyhalikud. (kivid, puud, ussid, lehmad, ahvid ja ka loomulikult rotid). Meie juht lausa tanas meid et me talle onne toime, kuna ta ei olnud oma 5a. toopostil eales nainud valget rotti ja nyyd oli neid terve kari. Nende uskumus on et valge rott edastab su palve jumalale ja see saab taidetud. Mitte et ma tingimata jumalasse usuks, kuid siiski laksin soov mottes veel kord tagasi et siis veel kord valget rotti vaadata.

Teine tore elamus oli oobimine korbes, kuhu meid kaamlite otsas soidutati. Koikumine kaamli otsas oli iseenesest vahva, kuid kaamli yles tousmise ja maha lamamisega oli kyll hirm, et voib alla kukkuda.

Lopuks ometi joudsime kohta Indias, kus oli oiste tahtede all(lageda taeva all) voimalik varsket ohku hingata.