We made it! All it took was a 16 hr non-stop flight from Chicago to New Delhi and the courage to step on the plane. Our flight was the first test for India. A lot of yelling to organize everyone in line to board the plane and long discussions with attendants regarding acceptable luggage. Crammed into our seats, a minority before we even left American soil, airline Indian food for every meal presented by mysteriously disappearing flight attendants, and crying babies( it truly wasn't as bad as I make it sound.. All for the sake of drama). Stepping of the plane you are welcomed with a smack to the face of dense heat and pungent smells, which combined with jet lag does not make for the most pleasant of arrivals. We persevere in the name of exploration and adventure. Our hotel pickup was waiting, hurray!!!, and swept us away through the throngs of rickshaws, motorbikes, cabs, and any and all modes of transport with wheels, plus cows. We quickly retreated from the busy main bazaar street of vendors selling all manners of clothing, jewelry, Ayurvedic medicine and everything in between, to a roof top restaurant and sanctuary.( Where the above photo was taken)
Still dealing with our jet lag we ventured out to see the sites that Delhi has to offer. Everyone says that if you stay in Delhi more than a day you must be an idiot , but we knew better than jumping straight into additional travel without getting our feet a little wet. The old Red Fort dates back to the splendor of the Mughal reign and I am glad we got there early in the morning, as it was still hot but yet to be scorching. It felt as we were the only ones there, a beautiful respite from the chaotic city outside. There was green grass and gardens, which were being cut by hand with garden scissors and reapers, and it was a glance into the architecture and many grandiose forts/palaces to come. Excited to taste what Indian food has to offer, (we both love our Boulder Indian restaurant Sherpa's), we sought out a restaurant recommended by a nice kiwi women who has been coming to Delhi for twenty plus years on business. We find it with little trouble, a restaurant called Anand, it boasts a delicious butter chicken that does not disappoint, along with delectable tandoori tikka paneer and naan. The highlight of our time in Delhi was spent at Humayuns tomb, (pictured above)- The colorful array of tones in the sky during sunset, the call of evening prayers from a nearby mosque, birds of all kinds filling the dusk air, and a moment to reflect on our day's experiences. With trash everywhere imaginable, smells of who knows what, (mainly poop, human or cow?), never before witnessed levels of poverty, and a whole array of other shocks, I am always thankful for my existence and happy humanity. Ready to leave all that was Delhi behind, and feeling anxious to be apart of the "real" India, we departed via train to Pushkar.
We found what we wanted in Pushkar, a holy Hindu city, Pushkar surrounds a holy lake created by Shiva's tear. Fifty bathing ghats line the banks where Hindus from all over gather to wash their sins and bodies clean. It's hard not to feel it, the energy here, with welcoming hellos and namastes greeting you from all sides. We are no longer swarmed by people every time we stop to examine our travel guide, or Indians wanting to add their advice as to how we should proceed, and are no longer being herded and corralled in each direction being told to buy this or that. A city of hilltop temples, we climbed to that of Saraswathi, one of Brahman's wives ( picture above is from said temple looking back on town), and witnessed a celebration of Ganesh. * the video of this will be put on fb as it will not work to load here from my phone* All topped off by the beautiful haveli that we are staying at, aptly named Inn Seventh Heaven. Next stop Bundi.
Til next time. Namaste
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