Life in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India - October 13, 2012

I have one more month left of my five month stay in Jaipur, the capital and largest
city of Rajasthan, India.  Jaipur is well known to tourists as part of the Golden
Triangle ( which includes Delhi and Agra - home of the Taj Mahal ).  It is often 
called "The Pink City"  and "the Paris of India."  Maharajah Jai Singh II left Amber
Fort in 1727 and laid out the city.  The old city was painted pink in 1876 to welcome
the Prince of Wales who later became King Edward VII,  It continues pink to the
day.  

Jaipur is a city of beautiful palaces, temples, Rajasthani and Moghul architecture.
It has five star hotels, budget properties,  guest houses, autorickshaws, elephants, camel carts, cows roaming loose in the streets, a great variety of restaurants, centers of 
higher education, bazaars, festivals. monkeys here and there, and beautiful fabrics
and jewelry stores.

I have loved my time here except for the blistering summer heat and the distance from
any ocean.  Having spent the last thirty-five years with the Pacific Ocean at my
feet, I've had trouble adjusting to the desert climate.  Even monsoon season failed 
to provide adequate rainfall.

Here are some pictures I've taken of my temporary home, Jaipur.

Out grocery shopping.  People carry amazing weights on their heads!

The beautiful Hawa Mahal, or Palace of the Winds, built by by Maharaja Sawaj Pratap 

Singh in 1799.  This five story building allowed the ladies of the royal family to 

observe their city without being seen. 

Kathputli wood puppets of Rajasthan - an art tradition believed to be over a  

tousand years old. 

The bicycle rickshaw - one of many forms of transportation

Pepper and lemon talsiman are used to bring good luck - this hangs from a car bumper.

Beautiful architecture in the Old City of Jaipur

Colorful sari

Street vendors

"Fast Food"

Three little pigs ( well, adolescents ) - cows and pigs wander the streets freely.

Sweet children

Cooking chapatis outdoors

At a wedding celebration

Mumbai!! December 5, 2011

At last, I am truly in India - but not without changing my flight again.  It took me
until 8PM on the 3rd to finally vacate my home of  fourteen years?  Korean
Airlines had no available frequent flyer seats but, thankfully, Cathay Pacific did.
I flew out of San Francisco at 11AM on the 5th, after spending the night at a
Travelodge at the airport.  My taxi driver was a lovely young man from Nepal
( karmic, no? ).  Instead of my anticipated stop in Seoul on the return
( disappointing since I've never been to Korea ), I will spend five days in Hong
Kong in April.  I've been there twice but I won't mind going again.  Hopefully,
I can coax a friend into joining me.

Cathay Pacific, as an airline, is right at the top in terms of service, that's for
sure.  I was treated so nicely, from the wheelchair at check in, to the flight
attendant who met me at the door of the plane and took my bags all the way
to my seat.  Seating was actually comfortable with ample leg room, food was
good, and I had a really nice Indian ( U.S. citizen now ) seat mate who owns
a small hotel in San Francisco.  Regardless of conscientious service, it was a
long 15+ hours flying time from San Francisco to Hong Kong and another 5+
hours from Hong Kong to Mumbai.  I slept off and on, though, and deplaned in
Mumbai, at 2:15AM, telling everyone, "hello, India."  People looked at me as
though I didn't have all my marbles ( well, I don't ).

The sweetest, skinniest little man I ever saw helped me with my wheelchair
and three suitcases and carry on in that monstrous crowd of people.  He
kept a smile on his face throughout and would not let me help at all.  You
should have seen him when I pressed ten U.S. dollars into his hand!  He tried
to give me $5 back, bless his heart.

I was so happy when we got outside and I saw my friend, Santos, waiting with
his nephew in a tiny Suzuki.  Somehow, they managed to get all of us, plus my
belongings into the car and, in less than five minutes, we were at his house.  It
was just as I left it in 1997.

After attending a neighbor's party for a couple of hours and drinking some of
their local wine ( no competition for Napa Valley, I'm afraid ), I finally went to
sleep about 4AM.  I spent a lazy day, visiting with the Santos family and
drinking at least a dozen cups of delicious chai tea ( I'll never order it at
Starbuck's again ).  Lorna made a real feast for dinner - fresh spicy makeral,
chapati, and two wonderful vegetables.

Tomorrow, I'm told, is a Muslim holiday so I'm going out to rent a cell phone
and take in the scene. I'm having fresh young coconut for breakfast.

I'm so happy to be here.

To be continued...with photographs, once I figure out the new camera.