I'm on the mantel-piece!

Shopping done ... now time for the sights!

How about starting with the City Palace. This is a large bunch of courtyards, gardens and buildings, all inside an outer wall ... the residence of the Maharaja (past and present). There's some interesting weapons (pretty scarey stuff) and textiles exhibits. The guards are all spiffed up in their fancy white outfits. Even though the buildings are in ok shape, it's still dreamy to think of them in their grander days.









Next? Lonely Planet (my bible) only gives scant mention of Nahargarh (Tiger Fort). But, with views to die for, off I trundle! There's two choices ... a 2km walking path up the steep zig-zagging hillside, or take an auto-rickshaw up the road. Guess which one I picked! What was I thinking? It's the middle of the day, shade none, temperature boiling, humidity out of this world ... and sweat is pouring! But once started and all that stuff!

Along the way up and up and up (is there any end to this) I bump into a couple from South Africa, Sarah and James. After a stop along the path, we make our way to the top to a little cafe ... we can't chug down a not-so-cold Pepsi fast enough! Sustenance now in order, we get some lunch and then head off to tour the Tiger Fort.

What an out-of-this-world view! That's the good side ... the down side is everything's broken, graffitti'd, dirty, some of the rooms even turned to toilets (and I don't mean facilities have been installed) ... such a shame.

While we're on the rooftop a young girl comes running over to ask me for a photo. I don't completely understand, but I think the worst and politely say no. Then looking at her running over to her family and they all looked so dejected ... my next thought being maybe they wanted me to take a picture of them together, afterall they looked like a nice, large, well-to-do Indian family. So I walked over, apologized, said I didn't understand, but I would be glad to take their picture.

Nope, they wanted Sarah, James, and I to stand with them for their family portrait ... huh? So we stand mingled with the whole family and they took picture after picture (each of them had their own camera). Along the way we taught them how to say "cheese". I guess we will now be immortalized on the mantel-piece of a lovely Indian family forever in eternity! What's that all about?

A terrific day so far, I head out on my own to the Rambagh Palace and the Polo Bar, one of those posh hotels (just so you're not confusing it with my simple guest house). Yup, that's the life ... sitting on the veranda, sipping a perfect mojito ... as the sun sets ordering a yummy chicken curry, followed by an even yummier ice cream. During the evening, I start talking with a Bay Area neighbor ... Ann, a photographer from Marin ... and we talk about the wonders and unfolding mystery of India.

And with that, how quickly a week of my great adventure has flown by!

Shopping day

Jaipur is a beautiful city ... teeming with life and humanity. Lonely Planet refers to it as Rajasthan's dusty and dirty pink capital bombarding the senses at every turn ... the state's most polluted. Compared to the Delhi smog that you can smell, taste and almost cut with a knife, it gets an environmental A+ in my book.

After breakfast, I venture out to do some sightseeing and shopping, starting in the Old City. First order of shopping business ... salwar kameeze. My nylon cargo pants and poly-blend t-shirt, not to mention my trail shoes, blond hair, blue eyes, and backpack, though terribly comfortable, scream tourist! I obviously can't change everything, but anything will help.

The salwar kameeze is a pajama bottom with draw string waist and a short sleeve tunic top that comes to just below the knee. It's worn with a long scarf. I'd heard Jahari Bazaar is the textile place to be. Yikes, how do I pick from amongst the hundreds of stores? I had no idea. So I just kept walking and walking, finally stumbled across one that had several Indian women inside, both buying and selling, and they weren't hawking their wares. Rana's turns out to be a huge store with the most gorgeous fabrics - and they spoke perfect English. This probably was the pricier of any options I could have picked since her prices were fixed (RS3,500). But the hassle factor won out! I ordered, they measured, and I get to pick it up Tuesday morning. It's a beautiful navy washable silk with gold and silver designs.

Purchases made, I wander ... crossing the street only when I am feeling brave and next to an Indian. I'll be surprised if I come home with all my toes! They drive so close to you and so fast ... inches from your shoes, let alone the rest of your body. Keeping your elbows in takes on a whole new meaning!

But where are the women? I saw maybe only a handful for several hours ... until I reached the food market. Everywhere it was only men, children, and me. I've surprisingly felt safe here in India (cautiously so). Yes, there is a lot of staring and talking/pointing about me (not that I understand a word they're saying), and there is certainly a lot of annoying taxi's and begging. Even with the begging children (I often have a following) if they so much as touch my backpack, I snap, speak harshly, and they leave it alone right away. They do make it difficult to take a picture. Snapping on the sly is a must, otherwise they jump right into the frame and want money for their picture.

Lunch, I treat myself at the OM Tower Restaurant - an upscale revolving restaurant overlooking the city. Except if I looked too much I got sea sick ... not so good! But a delish veggie lunch, with a wonderful spinach soup. Wow, their idea of "not-spicy" could sear flesh!

On the road again!

Time to head south to Jaipur! Some of the modes of Indian transportation are, shall I say, interesting. And heaven help you if toilet needs come up along the way. At most of the rest stops (and pretty much everywhere in public) there are open tiled walls that are aromatic at best ... dehydration seems like a better and better alternative. But it turns out there are deluxe A/C buses from Delhi to Jaipur, complete with proper rest stops.









6 hours later we arrive! I'm so excited about the upcoming Pushkar camel fair. Along the drive it looks like the pilgrimage to Pushkar is starting. Camels bedecked and bedazzled are trotting along the road. Wow, that's a long haul even for a camel!

Atitha Guest House ... the cleanest guest house I've seen. Nothing like a hotel owner that has a bit of neatness OCS! There are people washing, wiping, and cleaning all day ... when they finished at one corner they start over again. Gasp, a cockroach ran across the dining room floor and 3 of them scrambled on the floor after it, everything flying. Don't know if the poor critter made it out with his life.

A huge clean room, private bath with shower ... hold onto your hat, it's a real shower (albeit cold) and TWO towels. I'm dancing! No toilet paper, but hey, a girl can't have everything.

Just a lazing about day in India

Wednesday, October 25th ... nothing fancy-schmancy ... just lazing about!

I'm staying in the Tibetan colony, Majnu-ka-tilla, at the Wongden House ... very quiet, out of the way, almost not like it's in Delhi. But I needed a respite just to get my bearings.

The usual start of the day ... breakfast! If you ever have a chance, try Tibetan bread. It's the BIGGEST english muffin you've ever seen, thicker and denser than your US-store-bought stuff and so good! That and a couple of fried eggs, some black tea, and I'm good to go.

I really didn't do much the whole day, other than check emails, read a book, figure out what I wanted to see in Delhi, and of course eat ... so let me continue with the food theme.

Late lunch at the Lhasa Restaurant ... beef chow mein for about 75 cents and a lemon soda. Now of course you're thinking (or at least I was) that a lemon soda was going to be something like a 7-up. NOT! It is just what it says ... a bottle of soda water, bowl of sugar, glass with a squeezed lemon in it (pits and all), all on a little plate with spoon. OK, I can handle this ... or wait, I must not have passed that part of my high school chemistry class? Put it all together and eruption everywhere! No wonder they brought it out on a plate. Yummy!

What a decadent treat to be able to take a day to wander and stay out of the hustle-bustle. I was a bit tired, and that raging jet leg really had given me a whack in the knee caps. Knock on wood, I think it's gone now.

P.S. - The Wongden House is just further on down the alleyway - you can barely see the sign.

Words and photos cannot begin to describe ...

Nothing can capture the smells and sounds, the masses of humanity, the animals, the traffic (and death-defying fright of it), the contrasts ... such a cacophony to stun the senses, the intellect. My pictures (granted, I'm no Ansel Adams) and my words seem woefully inadequate.

Let me set the stage for Thursday, October 26th. I'm finishing a delish breakfast of Tibetan banana pancakes, jotting in my journal, and a western looking woman wanders in for her breakfast and joins me (she's wearing a salwar kameeze and doesn't really look western - I really need to get one of those). Marie, from outside of Brisbane, Australia, and I start chatting and decide to join forces to explore Delhi. She'd already spent 5 weeks in India and had arrived in Delhi only the night before ... but had soooo much street knowledge!

Off we start! First step, haggle for an auto rickshaw (except we end up with a taxi) to take us to the Red Fort. Oops, the taxi driver didn't have any gas and he pulled into a nearby gas station - except we have to get out of the taxi before he can pull up to the pump. Lots of animated Hindi conversation amongst his fellow drivers, but finally he pulls the taxi around, we pile in and start again. Ah, then the expected starts ... we need to pay him more rupees, we need him for the day, blah, blah, blah! And no, no, no! Except now he gets in a snit, and unbeknownst to us he drops us off at the back closed entrance.

So, we start again! This time with a human rickshaw. The expected starts, but we show little patience - our response being NO (well, mostly Marie since she knows the routine better) - and he accepts his defeat gracefully!

The Red Fort ... one can only imagine what it was like in the hey-day ... the gardens, the cool marble with water canals flowing through for cooling, the smell of flowers and cooking scents. It's far from that today ... with hordes of people, dirty marble and many things boarded up.




Here was the plan ... after visiting the Red Fort, we were going to wander around Chandni Chowk, and then towards the Meena Bazaar. Turns out it's all just a super congested world's-largest-flea-market - not exactly what I expected. Nonetheless, it's quite organized and divided into the different alleyways, one for watches, one for children's clothes, one for car parts, and on and on. There's even an organized "employee parking lot" - wall to wall motorcycles.



Along the way I was introduced to the wonderful world of street chai. I'm so glad Marie was with me, I would never have dared get a cup of chai from such as that (but now I'm an old hand at it). Chai is the most delicious thing ever. It's made of tea, milk, water, ginger and usually some other spices (although I have no idea what). And such a formal to-do, even in such simple surroundings! There are proper tea cups and saucers, the waiter serves with great flourish ... and the making of the chai has great movements and scurrying about, all finalized with it almost boiling out of the pot (which my tummy was relieved to see). After it is served, we stand slurping the HOT tea (I understand it's good manners to slurp and it is really really HOT) with the other patrons. We had two other Indian women join us who were just delightful.

We climb up to the Jama Masjid, a gorgeous mosque, or at least looks so from the outside. We got there just at noon time when it closed to non-muslims, but turning back we can see the entire Bazaar from the steps.
We stop at the Digambara Jain Temple, again closed. But next door is the Delhi Bird Hospital (more about birds later). Row, upon row, upon room, upon room of sick birds. Mostly pigeons, but a few little white rabbits here and there (how did those get here). Even a couple of peococks. On the medical front, if I'm destined to get bird flu, this is it!

I cannot fathom the teeming masses of people along the way. People sitting, sleeping, begging, selling everything, eating, playing games. It's hard to even describe. And so many food vendors! Some looked good and others not so. The ones that just make my mouth water are the fresh fruit vendors ... pineapple, bananas, mangoes all sliced up and sprinkled with Delhi water to keep them fresh ... and the cucumber vendors ... cucumbers sliced in half, same water sprinkling. Mouth watering and tummy wrenching ... I'm staying clear!

But we're hungry and we had a goal of getting to a Connaught Place restaurant. Rickshaw time! We negotiate with this OLD man and his pedal rickshaw. I almost felt bad for him hauling our two western behinds for so long (Delhi is really a big city). But along he pedals until he gets to a hill near Connaught Place, stops and that's it (not that I can blame him)! We're quite sure the restaurant is right around the corner, so we start walking.

Enough already and now we're lost! Time for another rickshaw, an auto rickshaw this time, price is negotiated, off we go - but where? He has no clue where this restaurant is! So it's drive a block, ask for directions, much talking between Hindi, English, Lonely Planet map, much arm waving ... and drive a block and again ... and again ... and again ... and again! Whew, we've earned this meal at Saravana Bharvan (which according to the placemat they have a restaurant in Sunnyvale, CA)!

Another yummy Delhi meal ... this time we had thali, which is a huge plate with rice and 12 little dishes and this bread for scooping (no utensils, of course). So good - some burn-your-mouth-off hot, some not so much! That with a lime drink and time for the "after dinner mint"! From a nice bowl, spoon a few of the anise seed and rock sugar in your palm and pop into your mouth ... what a delightful palate sensation!

Oh wait, it's been at least an hour, it must be time for another taxi ride. This time it's in a real taxi and off we go to meet Avnish at the Master Guest House who is leading an afternoon tour! Marie and I meet up with two other women, Wilder and Karen, who are from the US, but have moved to San Miguel, Mexico. There are lots of how-do-you-do's and off we start our afternoon adventure.

First stop, a Hindu temple. There's the usual crowds in front, and even a snake charmer with a poor sleepy snake (he kept having to snap at him to keep him awake). I have so much to learn about the Hindu religion. Avnish walked us through the temple explaining the religious principles, he even gave us the red dot on our forehead. After learning about our senses, our breathing, and my favorite saying ... the Hindu mouse nibbles at the cobwebs of ignorance ... we sit down in a side alcove amidst this din of life and he talked us through a little mini breathing meditation. How calming!

Now about those contrasts of Indian life. From here Avnish took us to high tea at the Imperial Hotel. Swanky and oh-so-good! We ate desserts and drank tea until we were stuffed. I bet none of the other hotel guests were wearing a sweaty, stinky money belt and carrying around their own toilet paper, let alone even owning a backpack! I guess it's fair to say that we stood out and to think I even brushed my hair for the occasion. There were scented fountains in almost every room, there were flowers and massive orchid arrangements everywhere. And just because I'm a bit toilet-obsessed here in India, we visited the facilities. Ah, there was perfumed soap, cushy hand towels handed to us by an attendant, and soft toilet paper ... I washed everything I could without getting undressed (to think I'm actually admitting all this on a public blog)!

That posh respite ended oh-too-soon, and then we were off to a UN Delhi speaker series about the Birds of Delhi (delhibird.net). Who would ever have thought I would find myself at a bird talk while on holiday! I'm certainly no birder, and most likely never will be ... but this talk was fascinating! The speaker was entertaining and introduced by three of her grade school students ... every Sunday this group has birding tours along the river in Delhi and I'm going to look them up when I return.

Did you really think I could have ended the day without at least one more taxi story? Of course not! Avnish called for a taxi and pre-negotiates the price of RS200 for us (about $4 USD). Marie and I sit back and exhale with the anticipation of an uneventful ride. Not so fast there! The driver hadn't a clue where our hotel was, not that we realized this until about the 2nd u-turn mid-highway ... and the stops (yes, that's plural) for directions. Can't say he ever figured it out, but finally we got to where we recognized some landmarks and with lots of fits and starts, we get close enough to walk. Whew!

Home sweet home! We're both exhausted, but all we've had to eat after lunch is sweets, sweets and more sweets! Something of substance is needed. I'm always one for trying the local cuisine, so we boldly order and how bad could it possibly be? At the last minute, we realize we had ordered plates of stomach, lung and tongue! Maybe another braver day ... veggies, please!

Namaste!

Welcome to India!

I never thought a 7 hour flight, 4 time zones, would be a piece of cake ... and at 11:45 pm on the 24th, I arrive in Delhi. I expected the worst, and was pleasantly surprised.

Customs, no problem ... baggage claim, no problem ... money change, no problem .......... and the best yet, I had a driver waiting for me at the terminal! So off we walk to the car. It's not too much different than other far-flung airports, but lots of people everywhere. People just hanging around and sitting on the asphalt playing games. It helped that I had a driver with me, so no hassles at all. And we arrive at his car, conveniently parked on the sidewalk right in front of the door. Picture that happening at SFO!

And off we go, or at least I was hoping the car would make it between coughs and sputters. Not that any little mechanical problems would stop him! Foot on the gas, hand on the horn ... not sure a brake was anywhere in the picture. And I do believe lane lines and stop lights are purely for decorative purposes. I blanched for a moment when he pulled up to a crowd of guys playing some game on this VERY dark street that looked a bit sketchy. But he just wanted to buy some cigarettes, and I guess that's the equivalent of a drive-thru mart!


Finally ... it was a long drive ... we arrive at Wongdhen House, with a couple of cows in front and mangy dogs everywhere. Not a bad room for $7 USD a night. And I even get a towel (there weren't towels at my Seoul digs)!

Bathroom looks a bit functional (that's being kind), but there's a western toilet and toilet paper ... I'm happy!

And off I drift to sleep, until the morning prayers and a rooster ... both in stereo!

Looks like this next three months is off to a good start!

Little tidbits ... Korean style

Just a taste of my Korean little tidbits ...............

Little plates for every meal - yummy! Korean food is fabulous ... nothing like any Korean food I've eaten in the States. How do I even start to describe? Every meal includes at least 6 or more little plates or starters - kimchee always, along with different cold things. What are they? I haven't been able to figure out most of them ... is it fruit, vegetable, noodle, egg, or dumpling. Duh, I can usually tell the obvious ones like green onions and ham, and of course the kimchee ... but anything else ???

At first the restaurants I frequented had pictures or English words on the menu - cool, I can handle that! Then, full of confidence, with a bit of impulse I ventured into this restaurant that was packed with locals, sat down at the communal tables (on the heated floors, sans shoes - so cozy), and realized there was no real menu. Instead there was Korean writing on the walls and that's it. I'm in such big trouble! But a young Korean chap nearby knew enough English to ask me what I liked and pointed around the room at what everyone was eating ... and told the waitress something? Surprise, the best meal ever! Beef noodle soup, with rice (always a given), and the most wonderful little plates. My favorite ... green beans (I think) with little fish ... kind of looked like fried guppies, but maybe sardines?

And that kimchee stuff - I've been gamely trying it every meal, and geesh, it's supposed to be so healthy for you! Red pepper paste is on everything, not just the kimchee. My favorite words (and pantomine) ... no spice, please!

Then there's the chop sticks. No problem! Ah ha, but have you used silver chop sticks with the really slippery jelly-ish noodles? A whole new learning!

About those subways ... Korean subways = A+. They have signs everywhere, spic 'n span clean, and are running rather frequently (can't say whether they run on time, since everything's in Korean characters).

How would I describe the Koreans I've met ... kind, generous of spirit, friendly, want to help in any way, sense of humor ... albeit non-english speaking, which makes for some interesting communication. I can't speak a word and can't really wrap my ears around what I hear ... it's quite the match-up!

Toilets? If you know me, you must not be surprised there's a toilet topic in my blog! What, you ask, are my Korean toilet learnings? There seem to be bathrooms everywhere (with man and woman stick figures) and no worries about not having a place to go! They're all very clean and tidy ... albeit the squat flush variety. At first I thought, oh well, I'll take what I can get. And no toilet paper, and I'm so glad I brought my own!! Except I then discovered Starbucks! Not only has Starbucks brought over the exact same coffee and pastries that we eat in the States, but they have brought over western toilets and (gasp) really soft cushy toilet paper. Now I wonder what's the Starbucks toilet situation in India!

Rain, cold, thunder and lightening ... brrr!

I can only stare at the ceiling so long and my raging jet lag seems to be winning ... and finally Sunday morning I get up. But things are still quiet and dark at the hotel, so I bring my book and curl up on a couch in the hotel "living room" with a couple of other just-waking-up folks.

Breakfast included ... who knew that meant peanut butter, jelly and white bread? I understand that my other breakfast choice at a resaurant is soup and kimchee ... I'll stick to the PBJ.

Are you confused, did you think I was going to India? Yes, India is my destination ... but I thought it might be interesting to take an extended stopover in Korea for 3+ days. Planning ... none! Meaning: I've not done any reading about Korea and am not prepared, other than I brought my rather outdated Lonely Planet guide with me.

Temples sound interesting and Lonely Planet suggests the Inwangsan Shamanist shrine. Off I go via the subway to the Dongnimmum station, up a short alleyway, and walk right into a huge construction site. Huh, that doesn't seem too ceremonial and respectful. But construction workers periodically holler out pointing which direction I should walk and up the hill I start. At the what-I-thought-was-the-top-of-the-hill, I stop when I meet some folks coming out from the temple entrance telling me that it is closed. One of them (Min, from Seoul) speaks good English and invites me to walk with her and her friend (who can pantomine and say hello). Off we start up the hill! Thankfully I've been working out lately ... I lost count along the way, but maybe 800-ish stair steps later we get to the real top of the hill. It was almost funny, looking up at these stairs that just keep going up and up and up. But worth it? Kesawk-haseya! What a view in all directions of Seoul. Spectacular! Geesh, then it's down 800-ish stair steps!

About that rain ... I was definitely not expecting that! Little pitter patters on Sunday afternoon, turning to buckets Sunday night through Monday morning. And along with the rain came some terrific lightening and thunder shows, cold and wind. Good news, all those fancy poly-blend travel clothes dry instantly - except for the dried-out, formerly drowned rat look!

P.S. - I'm just now figuring out how to upload pictures from my camera at the internet cafe's. Takes forever and a day, since these computers appear to be from the last century ... and it keeps timing out!

Goodbye USA - an-nyong haseyo Korea

Excited, nervous, what will happen, did I pack everything I need, will my backpack be too heavy (more on that later), will my camera work ... gads, it's endless!

What a wonderful sendoff from San Francisco ... my sis, Maryanne picked me up at home and my parents took the jaunt there as well. Even better, Rebecca (my sis, who just happens to be an airport cop) met me there with her partner Reggie and was able to meet me past security. It's not what you know, but who you know ... and lo and behold, I'm ugraded! Many goodbye's and hugs later, we're off!

Did you know that just sitting for almost 14 hours is really boring? I had a delightful seatmate, Chini (her american name) ... a young Korean girl who had just spent 2 months in a San Diego language class. I slept, ate, paced, stretched, chatted with the flight attendants (no one else was awake), read my book, and top of the list, I figured out how to work my camera!

An-nyong haseyo Korea! That means hello, at least I think it does from reading my phrase book. Finally, it's over and on Saturday night I stumble in a fog into the airport - which seems awfully similar to any US airport with a a touch of Korean flavor. Total organization, from customs, baggage claim, getting a bus ticket and the right bus to Anguk! Ah, but from there it went a bit south!

OK, don't be alarmed, it's not that bad! I carefully followed my walking instructions to Seoul Backpacker, where a single room with private bathroom awaited! Yikes, somewhere I must have taken a wrong turn. I stopped from place to place to ask directions, realizing the map I had with me was a wee bit not-so-good. By now it's after 9 pm and dark. My backpack I discover is really heavy (I'm going to be losing some stuff real quick) and I've had to split it up with my backpack on my back and my daypack in front. But I keep walking in what I think is the right direction, miss a curb and lose my balance. And discover the benefit to carrying all this backpack stuff! A quick face plant, but it's just a bounce against the daypack padding, get up, dust off, and off I go.

Going where, I still don't know ... but a 7-11 employee (yes they have a lot of 7-11's over here) tries to figure out where and even walks with me for a couple of blocks ... and hands me off to a London chap who lives in Seoul, works as a railroad engingeer building a railroad from the airport. What a helpful fellow - he walks me around and around, seemingly in circles, trying to find the hotel and eventually success!

Seoul Backpacker ... the Hilton it's not! But it's clean, friendly, and has a western toilet ... I ask for nothing more! And it's got a nice ceiling that I stared at for many hours, enjoying(?) my jet lag.

And with that, my Saturday ends and my journey begins!

Where, oh where, will I be ??

Here I sit in the comfort of my own home, setting up my very first blog. You know, it's pretty easy! So welcome, dear readers, to my Great Adventure. Who knows how it will unfold, but I'm quite certain it will be at least interesting.

India's a big country ... where will I be? In the wee hours of Tuesday night, October 24th, I will be arriving at the Delhi airport, where I'l be thrown head first into the melee of Indian life. Supposedly (and hopefully), my hotel will be sending a driver to pick me up ... and off we will toddle to the Wongdhen House, a small hotel in the Tibetan Colony area of Delhi. I'll stay in Delhi for a few nights to get my bearings, and then I'm off!

From Delhi, there are so many destination possibilities! Not exactly sure of the where, when and how, but I will be wandering down to the Pushkar Camel Fair ... me and 50,000 camels. Post-camels, I'll meander up to Dharmasala to begin a truly new chapter of my life ... the 10 day Vipassana meditation course (noble silence included). After that, it's all kind of a blank page!

Keep checking back every day or so for my latest and greatest adventures. And yes, I'll be checking my email periodically ... ironspirit@comcast.net ... it's always great to hear a friendly voice from home (even if only in bits and bytes)!

Namaste!