Dancing, Jaipur, Shopping and more

Before all the mess in Mumbai, there were good times to be had. Earlier in the week, several of us went to the "Western mall" - Huge and very expensive stores. You have to go through security to get in! This was in place even before Mumbai stuff. Sarees there were going for about 75000 Rs ($1500 + in US$)... I had gelato (the spoons for each were separate - I did not get sick!)- It was fantastic. The mall has three levels - a food court and looks and feels just like one of our malls in the US (complete with "Nordstrom" piano player

Right below the mall on the main street were people living in tin shacks --- again the contrasts were so black and white - it just blows the mind.



A dance troop from Orissi (southern India) came to our flat and did a presentation for us. All states in India have their "native" dance- these girls have studied for more than 10 years each and this group travels internationally. It was beautiful. It takes them 2 hours to get ready for the performance with the makeup and clothes and hair.


Friday after placement - here is my classroom-

we were off to Jaipur - despite the issues in Mumbai - we did not want to stick around for "house arrest" on election day in Delhi. We drove through Guragon - one of the "outsourcing" areas and through the smog into cleaner Rajestan - drier, rolling hills, etc.. Camels were seen doing the pulling work.



After dinner in a very western restaurant - complete with Rajestani dancers and good food we went on to the Bisseau Palace Hotel. The room was beautiful. We listened to musicians in the lobby and went on to bed pretty early.




We got up early and looked around - the sky was clear and we shopped at a few small places in the courtyard of the hotel. Breakfast was a buffet for $4 for two of us. Our driver met us and we were off to the Amber Fort and an elephant ride (my pictures of me on the elephant are just what the seller took and I don't have them for computer). Big thing here is that anyone who lets you take their picture, or does anything for you expects (read- required) a tip (10-15 Rs usually).

It gets a bit old and you learn to take pictures secretly and to have plenty of 10 Rs notes ready. The ride up was wonderful and the Fort is amazing - so many places to see and halls to explore (we even found the water pulley and the loo - there are over 1000 of them in the fort).





After the fort we stopped several places and watched a cobra tamer - it was cool.


Then on to the City Palace - much more expensive to get into but much less to see. Several beautiful doors here. They were preparing for a wedding - that would cost a lot here - I decided I wished to be a mouse just for one night to see all the sarees, etc....

We shopped around in Jaipur (no markets for us - our driver decided too dangerous).
I would have loved to just wander some of the streets.

Lots of stuff to buy - bought a bit of this and that....Many motor scooters in Jaipur- one side of street for scooter parking (looked like a Harley reunion)and other side for cars and animals.

Jaipur is smaller and cleaner and feels much "older" than Delhi. Again, bright colors dominate but with a different style. Most of the women wear their saree scarves over their faces. They also wear more sarees than salwar suits there! Having been to several states it is clear that each has its own culture, flavor and traditions - and despite speaking English and Hindi - they hold their individualism and culture as special. I found more English speakers in Jaipur than even in Delhi (or at least the parts I have been in). It is a very tourist town - lots of westerners- less conservatively dressed - than in the parts of Delhi I have been to. It was good to be out of Delhi and in cleaner air- saw the stars! I wish more time had been available.

After lunch and shopping we headed home.

Sunday we went out to various markets - several rickshaw rides to get there - "M" is not next to "N" and II is not next to I - really confusing.

We went to a sweet shop and bought boxes of Barfi (assorted sweets - so many I can't keep track - some good - some not- almost no chocolate). All the sweets are very sweet - so a little goes a long way. A box like the one in the picture was 75 Rs (less than $2).

Onward to my last 12 days in India - I will try and take more pictures of the kids - it is hard - they get very excited and the pictures are blurry...a bit more shopping-sending of packages home to make room for Japan. My cold is better - maybe the clean air helped.