old tiger's Blog

Allahabad..was very hot..this place is known for amrood..
amrood=guava..it's very rich in vitamines..I was there in the season..
so..it tastes inbetween like a pear/strawberrie
Allahabad is also know for the fact the Ganga+Yamuna rivers flow together
there..it has religious value as well..called the sangam=a great pilgrimage
point at the confluence of these 2 rivers.a mela=a pilgrimage where sometimes
millions of devotees gather..i'll try to get a link on khumb mela..
awww..I wish I could experience a khumb mela..lots of sanyasi'(holy men)
or sadhus like we say....are present..I've met a few in Varanasi..
they are stoned 24h/24h..very strange dudes sometimes!!
I recall Allahabad for being very hot...and for amrood
Will try to get you peeps some links..so you'll get not bored
Tiger

So..let's move towards Khajurhao..it's just a little village.
but the temples there..became world wide famous..
erotic sculptures..well..my ass..when I was in India in early 70's
just a simple tongue kiss in movies..was taboo...
up till now..Indians are rather prude on sex matters..stayed a bit taboo..
so..I took this train towards Jhansi..bus to Panna..bus to Khajuraho.
don't remember where i slept there..loveley temples..
If you have seen one..they all look a bit the same
I remember the sun going down scene in this place..
loveley..I'll try to find a link..
Kama Sutra??I do it on my living room carpet
after Khajuraho i went to Allahabad..
will tell you later..if you peeps are interested??
crazy tiger

Day 3 in Jaipur I wanted to walk trough the many bazars of Jaipur..
Johari,Tripolia,Chandpol,Bapu,Nehru Bazar...all of these connected
with little side streets...where real Indian streetlife could be observed..
friendly but curious people..some touts try always to get you into their
gem or souvenir shop..but I rarely did that...of course always a free cup
of tea..the bazars are crowded...but the colours,smells,people are sure
worthwhile..Jaipur is known for gems..but that was not for my purse
Surana is a very famous jeweller..who makes very nice pieces of gold..
i got quite tired of all that walking...and then the heat..
one has to really get used to it..on top of that the crowd..the beggars..
I went to Ram Niwas Gardens in front of central museum..
just lay down in the park..but could not take a nap
then afterwards museum visit...loveley art and local costumes,folklore,
woodwork,brassware,miniature paintings etc....after that took a riksja
to railway station..information about going towards Kanpur-Khajurhao..
i was going to see Khajurhao with its erotic art temples
tell you more later..Jaipur was really worthwhile..but 3 days=enough

Tiger

So..I rented a bicycle..not so expensiv...well..what an adventure this day really wasI still recall hopping on that bike..rented from somewhere around the Railway Station..i had to drive all the way to Amber Fort..
24kms..up and down..in hot weather..it almost never rains in Rajasthan
I got a Hero cycle..good cycles made in India in Punjab..funny feeling to drive
a bicycle through Indian streets...see following link for traffic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjrEQaG5jPM
I drove through the old city of Jaipur through the Chandpol Gate..
Chandpol Bazar-and up to Johari Bazar..road to Delhi...
once outside the city...loveley...absoluteley..I enjoyed this..
of course these trucks get along..but anyway...
it was bloody hot though..but I made it..
on the way I met 2 elephants coming down the road with their mahuts(trainers)
I reached Amber safeley..Woooahh..what an impressiv fort..
there's a steep road uphill..quite a climb..rich tourists can do
this stuff on elephant back...since I was not rich..
I decided to walk...these elephants walk up..
and beside them usually a local villager in local dress..
playing a rawanahatta(1 string instrument)baksheesh,you know..
kind way of begging..I must say here these rich tourists spoil a lot..
now...and even in 1972..Indians get the feeling..
that every white man..is a capitalist...Boooh..why???
So..Amber Palace..don't miss this place..
I'll try to find a link..because..well..
I don't remember all these names..
but it's a fabulous place..the bycicle ride back was O.K..
downhill you know..I felt great..and got a red nose+face..sunburnt..
So..day 3..I did some bazar sightseeing+city museum Jaipur..
Hope I don't bore you all...
http://www.indiasite.com/rajasthan/jaipur/amber.html
Tiger

Jaipur...capital of Rajasthan state...one of my favorite cities in India..
it's called pink city because of the colour of lots of buildings..it has a lot
of gates as entrance to the old part of town...and one can see camel
driven carts..just like that in the streets..and the Rajputs dresses are
so damned colourful..men wear turbans of all kind of colours..woman wear
colourfil skirts,beads,nose rings,foot ankles etc..my first encounter with Jaipur
was the Railway Station of course..I took a room in a Tourist Bungalow..very cheap dormstyle accomodation...one meets always travellers in Jaipur..
it's a very touristy place...I went to see this famous Hawa Mahal(Palace of the Winds)built in pink sandstone..I climbed up the building via stairs on the
rear side..stunning view from the top..on Jaipur's bustling streets...
same day I visited City Palace..and the observatory..I did not understand
a shit of these constructions measuring azimuths,altitudes etc...
I'll put a link..so you can read more about Jaipurs tourist attractions...
http://www.rajasthantourism.gov.in/
I took out 3 days for my visit here..day 1 is described here..
day 2...I rented a bicycle and cycled the 12km..in burning sun
towards Amber Palace...so...i'll tell you later on about that...

P.S...And later on..this trip..on my return..
I met my future wife to be in New Delhi...and...
she was a Univ.professor for 15 years..in JAIPUR