Glorious Goa

Goa was totally unlike any other part of India which we had seen - no wonder the hippies came and never left in the 60's and 70's. (Actually, some fellow travellers told us that they saw many aging hippies at a small beach further down the coast ... so, some REALLY didn't leave!)

Anyway, I couldn't blame them ... under Portuguese rule until 1961, Goa was the first part of India that was colonized by Europeans and the last to be liberated; the Christian influence and European architecture was plainly evident ... and those wonderful beaches! The people seemed very relaxed and laid-back, (we stayed in a part that has not been overtaken yet by vacationing Brits, Germans and French) and the State was cleaner with better roads and drivers than any we had experienced.

It was a perfect way to end a perfect holiday ...

That's all from India ... time to move on!
Bye, hope you enjoyed the journey with me.
P.

Chittaugarh Fort

Tired of Indian photographs yet? Just a few more towns to cover ...

Chittaugarh has a most interesting fort, beautifully situated and 5km long, the castle walls enclosed temples, celebration towers, and a very old atmospheric palace ... plus lots of the wonderful black-face monkeys.

A grand view of the city

This tower was built to commemorate a war victory

The intricate carvings covered it

The 3 faces of god Shiva

We came across this enormous herd of camels being moved along a highway

A happy group of picnicking opium farmers - they shared their delicious dal with us

His red turban says he is a farmer

I adored these bright painted marionette puppets - finally choosing two to bring home with me

Bountiful Bundi

Here are some of the reasons we loved the small town of Bundi so much ...

Jaipur gems ...

If you read my blog written from Jaipur, then you'll know it was not one of our favourite places.  However, there were many highlights from those 3 days ... and here are some:

We met this "snake charmer" at the Amber Fort. However, he wasn't very charming, and his snake was way too sleepy to perform - no matter how hard he blew his pipe! But, he was good fun, and a pleasant diversion from all the other touts awaiting us.

This was the first time we saw the black-face monkeys in large numbers too, plus huge herds of sheep being driven down the road by shepherds as we neared the city:

I'll always remember the fabulous afternoon spent sari shopping with Asha (our hostess at our B&B) Here she is trying on two different colours of the same design. Look at all the saris behind her ... I was amazed at the way these gorgeously embroidered fabrics were just bundled and thrown into a heap!

We toured and ate lunch at the ostentatious Samode Palace just outside Jaipur ... it was really "over the top" in glitz!  Once a Maharajah's home, now a ritzy hotel for the rich and very wealthy ...

It was really hard to say goodbye to the lovely family we stayed with in Jaipur, they had been outstanding hosts, and treated us more like family than paying guests.

The fellow on the left is Anish, who was our driver for the 12 days that we were in Rajasthan.

So, as you can see, Jaipur wasn't a total washout!

More to follow ...

It's Valentine's Day, but my heart is still in India.

I have a mountain of washing to do, but my head is still in India.

I have souvenirs all over my bedroom floor -  but I can't hide them away as it would feel like turning my back on India.

My dog needs walking, but my body yearns for the heat of India.

I've been home 2 days - but I was there for 26 days ... 

I can't settle.



So, I'm playing with my photographs again.  More from Nawalgarh, and these show some of the murals painted on the rich merchants' havelis (homes) outside and inside walls around 150-200 years ago. The merchants built huge havelis with such elaborate murals to indicate their wealth. Later, when the trade routes moved further east to Calcutta, so did the merchants, and most of these mansions are now abandoned. It's such a pity that rain and time are erasing the pictures and designs, with few people or governments bothering to restore the outstanding work.

Everywhere we went in India we saw kite flying, but nowhere more than in Rajasthan. The boys flew them from their flat roof tops, and the surrounding trees and electricity wires contain the remains from 'kite wars' played out high above the street. It reminded me of the great book "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini. That story was set in Afghanistan, but the passion for kites was just as alive in India.

The murals were wonderful to look at, but for me the streets held the most interest. Nawalgarh is a small town in Rajasthan's northern region, and as you can see from these street scenes, it's like walking back into the past. I spent hours just wandering them with my camera, and here are just a few ... I loved the way many of the men use their toes to help with their work. (These shoes are all made from camel hide, of course.)

The streets contain such life.

Our guide at the havelis pointed out the swastika sign which we saw beside the doors of each home:

and he told us that this sign (which most people in the west think only applies to Hitler's Nazi's) dates back to ancient times, and for Hindus it is the symbol of the Hindu deity Vishnu. After this we looked for the sign, and large or small it was posted on almost every home doorway throughout India, ensuring the residents good luck and happiness.

Finally, this is Kalpana, who was our fabulous hostess at the eco-tourist B&B she created, owned and ran in Nawalgarh. She was a vegetarian cook extraordinaire. (As well as a thoroughly wonderful person!) Her type of dress indicates she is of Brahman caste.

More to follow ...