So far, we have really enjoyed our stay in Jaipur. Compared to Delhi, it is more relaxed and less chaotic overall although you can seek out similarities if you were inclined.
There are so many sights and attractions in Jaipur, it is difficult to decide which ones might be of interest and which are the ones you simply go to for a "check-mark." After seeing something as amazing as the Taj Mahal, I was feeling a little wary that some of the top things to do would actually create an impression. One thing that is cute in India is that the people (drivers, receptionists, waiters...) love to make itineraries for you and even if you hint that you are tired and want an easy day, they will sincerely suggest eight sights for you to see consecutively! "So at 7am, first you go to city palace, that takes 1 hour, then next door head over to the Observatory and afterwards the Wind Palace. Those take 2 hours then you will go to the bazaar, maybe you buy maybe you don't...I pick you up at 11am and take you to beautiful water palace for a photo, then we go to Mughal market where you buy blue pottery..." and it just goes on! I don't know when the scheduled time to eat is! Although charming, it always surprises me that they think we could be that energetic but they probably can't fully appreciate how different and exotic India would be for someone from another country.
Our first stop was the City Palace and it was neat to see how the royalty lived and still lives to this day near the tourist attraction. The buildings were done beautifully in red sandstone and I particularly liked seeing the photos of the Maharajas and hearing their stories. I admit to reading dorky fictitious novels about royal families and these stories were right out of a novel! For example, one king died and although he was unable to create an heir for something like 20 years, his queen discovered she was pregnant shortly after. She was essentially in power herself for eighteen years as her son grew up...seems a little suspicious, no?
We then went to the Hawa Mahal, otherwise known as the wind palace, which was said to be built for the ladies of the royal court so they could watch the people on the street without being seen. The building itself seemed really exotic and the idea that it was just built for people watching is interesting! I would have enjoyed this attraction more if less people were visiting that day. The crowds were phenomenal and the lack of personal space can really make you feel suffocated. We were squeezing through a tunnel at one point and a cheeky young man tried to hold my hand aggressively. He looked surprised as the neighboring elbow followed into his ribs. Live and learn.
The highlight of the day was the Monkey Temple. This was an attraction Josh had sought out so I knew it would be an adventure! The sun was just starting to set as we embarked up the trail and literally within seconds you see lots of monkeys! In general, it felt so good to get some fresh air and to do a small hike. Originally I thought it was great that there was cheap transport everywhere you want to go but now I find it a bit stifling. That's not to say that you can't walk to places, you can, but with a considerable amount of gumption and patience since most of the roads aren't marked. Half the time when we set out to walk we get lost and give in to the temptation of getting an auto rickshaw.
Even without the monkeys the hike up would have been lovely. It has been a Hindu pilgrimage for hundreds of years and as you climb up, you have a beautiful view of the city. The monkeys are really fun to watch whether they are nit-picking (the one receiving the treatment looks so relaxed!), fighting over prizes like plastic bags, swimming in the holy pools, or being fed naan bread by a Hindu man who seems to speak a certain language with them. There are all kinds of people following in your wake, for example a pip-squeak 12 year old boy who insisted that we needed a "monkey protector." He even demonstrated some fine looking kicks for us but we decided we could handle ourselves. As you reach the temples, the monkeys multiply and they are curious so you can have a really good look at them. Much better than seeing them in the zoo!
The people from the village invite you to see their specific temples and it was really interesting to glimpse into the Hindu religion. Hinduism is the oldest religion and with over a billion followers, the third largest in the world. It is a very complex set of beliefs and more importantly, a way of life where law governs all action. They believe in reincarnation and they desire to be freed from the birth-death cycle. They were the founders of the concepts of Karma and Yoga which are so popular today. Although they believe in one absolute Brahman they worship thousands of gods and goddesses representing aspects of the absolute. Likely the idols that they pray to are familiar to you (ie: Krishna) and these temples were filled with them. People can choose what represents Brahman to them and we enjoyed learning from them and receiving blessings in the form of colored paint in the middle of our foreheads and bracelets representing a good marriage. This was definitely a highlight for me!
We returned to our hotel and had a lovely meal delivered to our room because we couldn't resist eating at the adorable little table on a beautiful carpet surrounded by soft pillows. Our meal consisted of seven little dishes (all vegetarian of course) to dip our naan bread in and we loved it so much we did the same thing tonight! Eating this way really makes each meal an event and it is really fun! Afterwards we headed to the rooftop to seek out some company and enjoyed swapping travel ideas with Kristen and Gary from Belgium and Lies from Algeria. I would say we are fairly convinced that Cambodia and Thailand are where we are headed next!
We indulged ourselves in the most relaxing day today and are both feeling very rested. While enjoying our breakfast we perused the paper and I was surprised to see that Amanda Todd's story made it to India. There were also some disturbing articles involving misogyny and women being sexually assaulted which are vital issues in India today. In one region of the country the local government is petitioning to lower the marriageable age of girls (I say girls deliberately) to discourage rape as of this makes any sense! On a lighter note, the celebrity section made me laugh because it is just like the tabloids..."Are so-and-so and so-and-so 4am friends?!"
Our day mostly consisted of wandering about aimlessly, shopping, and stopping for cappuccinos. I came back to the hotel with a slight feeling of trepidation that we should have gone sight seeing but that is the curse of traveling, always feeling the pressure to see and do so much. I am really looking forward to tomorrow because we are going to spend the day at an Elephant ranch feeding, painting, and riding them and I think we are going to love it!
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