Ahhh! home sweet home with ALi and Iso at Windlesham - UK...just what we needed...gorgeous friends, vegi soup, wine and cheese...viva la vida!!

I am glad that we drove to Jaipur after all. On top of the intensity that I have now become accustomed of all that is India - the flavors, the smells, the traffic, the amount of people... Jaipur had more to offer. The "pink city" (more like orangey..) with its gorgeous palace and fort  was a pleasant surprise to us. What really stuck on us is the fascination that most civilisations have with death. All the most beautiful temples or halls are memorials or burial places.

What the buildings lack in luxury (think gold, think churches in Europe) India made up in size.

A very enjoyable day looking at the archaeological remains of the "old city" in Delhi.

People eating @ the temple

A most unusual way to finish our time in India: visiting a Sikh temple were more than 25,000 people a day come to eat an much more to pray. You should see the kitchen!

Truly breathtaking. Saw the sunrise at the Taj Mahal and stayed there for a couple of hours. Every minute of the day brings a different view as the lights and shades reflect on the building. It is such a magnificent place! Always thought it was pure white but it is the reflection of its encrusted gems that gives the monument a silvery/shining color.

The story is as romantic as you can get, or as sign of power if scepticism defines you. The emperor Shah Jahan was ridden with grief when his "favorite wife" died during the birth of her 14th child that he commissioned the construction of the building as her memorial. It took 22 years, 22.000 workers, working 24h/day and a cost of 32 million rupees (1632-1653)

The story took us to a very interesting discussion about  love, death, power, greed, sacrifices. What we did agree is that it is better to demonstrate love to someone when they are still alive! :) (That is also what my mum used to say....!!!!)

We spent the afternoon in the mosque in Agra, were tons of local people gather to eat, pray and get together. It is so unusual for us  to see so many people and yet it has been difficult to establish any relationship or even talk to anyone. We are struck by how many people want to take their photos with us, as we are "rare specimens" in same remote areas. Mostly, we are seen as "potential clients", a means to get some kind of money. It is frustrating as it takes away some of the enjoyment.

Drove in a nightmare freeway at night.....it was not planned, believe me....to Jaipur, the "pink city".

Look closer (double click on the picture).
 Gracie drinking mate on the streets of Jaipur!

The tuk tuk stand at Jaipur

We left Varanasi at 5:30 am, on the "Holi" festival where people throw tons of colored powder to each other and where the whole India celebrates. It was good to arrive in Delhi and just relax in the afternoon; it gave us the chance to recover a bit!

The highlight was without doubt visiting Gandhi's memorial, his resting place.

Delhi is such a huge city, 22 millions people!....and I have a sense that they are all in the street at the same time!

We visited some impressive places....in preparation for the Taj Mahal!

Humayuns's Tomb

Someone said to us that you haven't been in India until you go to Varanasi. If that is true, we have truly arrived!

Life in the morning at the Ganges river

I wish I could easily explained all we have experienced, saw, felt and lived in Varanasi. There are places and there are places, and then there is "this place". At a distance, the incredible buildings's facade on the Ganges river are of out-most beauty, especially at sunrise. Even when they are  semi-demolished and half painted you can really attest for a city that is vibrant and full of life. The disheartening time comes when the intense and permanent urine odor mixed with incense makes it difficult to enjoy.

Laundry and Dry Cleaning!!

Cows and people alike enjoying a bath

 One fellow traveler commented: you can't control this environment, you need to just be. Well, the "just be" includes having eyes everywhere so you don't step into a cow, mountains of  cow shit, rats, monkeys, dogs, buffaloes, goats. All while trying not to be crushed by the tuk tuks, the motorbikes, the bikes, the cars and the tractors and balancing off not to fallen into any street hole or being pushed against the piles and piles of rubbish. 

And the people, poor and poorer live in what I can only describe as a "meditative state of mind", so accustomed to the environment to the extent of being desensitized. Varanasi is a holy place but it did not heightened our spirituality.We promised to suspend judgment in this trip, and this place definitely push us to a test.

It was overwhelmed, just to say the least. 

Hare Krishna blessing of the river

On a calmer note, hundreds of boats of any kind make their way at night to enjoy the Hare Krishna's blessing of the river. Music, dancing, drumming, praying, full of colors.This is the same river where the full life pass in front of your eyes: it is in this river where young and old take a bath each afternoon and brush their teeth every morning, where all the clothes are being washed and bashed up to a stone for drying; where all the animals drink and sunk and where the dead are given the "final wash" before being cremated at the shore.

Last bath and cremation

Important note: we are honest and authentic when sharing our  journey. It reflects only our emotions and experiences; we do  it with the most profound care and we do hope that all we expressed can be understood within that context. I (Gracie) was extremely upset in Varanasi and wrote my notes with such a sense of despair and sadness.... 

After a glorious night on the river, we took the car and drove back to Fort Kochi. We found out that today was the last day of the annual festival where the gods come out of the temple to visit the people of the village. Three elephants were standing in front of the temple where the local band was playing and dancing. The music was loud and energetic, I loved it!

An unexpected turn landed us in a nearby island and in the middle of another festival. I was taken by the colours and the very exquisite choreography that the band was performing. But something else caught my eyes. Older men were hurrying and pushing younger men to line up. Inside a big circle, while the shouting and loud signing was taking place and the frenzy and hot weather was very much part of the party, a long metal stick was being passed through the young men's tongues connecting them to each other. Once united, they danced all the way throughout the streets. It was very difficult to watch. Two blocks away I could see a modern apartment building. Strange world we live in!.

the yellow balls are lemos!

11th of March, Our pic of the day staying the night in a houseboat just for the 2 of us with driver and chef, backwaters @ Allepey, where life stands still

We spent 4 days together, driving around different places in Kerala region. We chatted about politics, religion, education, daily life and  cultural differences. He has a dream: to send his boy- now 4 years old- to university. So he works very hard to save money. He is easy  to talk to, honest, cheeky and traditional. I ask him: what would you like me to say about you? "That I am a good man, and a good driver". Yes, you are. Both. Very much so!

getting ready for a festival

8th of March: View of the wild animal reserve from our unpretentious hotel, no animals to be seen :(

"... inspiration is a gift that you must keep giving" he said with a big smile. With relief and hope.
As an artist, he took many photos but none he loved as much as this one. It is about a little girl going home after years of being cared for in a orphanage, after being rescued from the horrors of trafficking. I could see in the picture the different moods, the yellow of a bright new life and her sadness in the rain as she is saying good bye to her old home. He wants all to know these stories, he is having an open exhibition in the park in Kochi this afternoon. You are an inspiration, my friend, thank you for sharing your story!

We left Kochi to travel to Munnar-Thekaddy-Allepy. We saw beautiful scenery, the biggest tea plantation in India and then we were in the jungle for some trekking and bamboo rafting. It was good to leave for a while the business of the cities. There are people everywhere, and noise and smell (I guess is cardamom!) and sadly so much rubbish. The kindness of the people is being noted as it is the strong religious beliefs.

Tea plantations @ Munnar

6th of march. on the way to Munnar this music band was having lunch next to the bus and lined up urging us to take a picture.

Finished the day listening to rappers in Kochi @ SpringR

India- Kochi

Arrived in India so late last night, almost 2 in the morning!! We were totally exhausted from the craziness of the last few weeks: storing, packing, shifting, moving, throwing, giving, keeping....it is not easy to close one's home and even thought this was the second time it wasn't  any easier. We love you Pyrmont!

We spent the day just walking about, taking it all in. The smell of spices, tuk-tuks, goats everywhere, and men...lots of men....from time to time dashes of light and color- the women in their saris, mostly in groups. The most unknow felling was having a long breakfast just chatting away with others, resisting the need to jump and go, because we "have to do something"

Glorious sunset overlooking the old chinese fishing nets
Fort Kochi - Kerala - India