India Part 1

We arrive in Delhi and quickly arrange a tour of Rajasthan with a car and driver. This is a completely different experience for us. Our transportation and accommodation, and even some of our restaurants, have been arranged. We have been persuaded not to take the public transportation as the cost will be similar and the delays more than we will be able to stand! Off we leave on a 2000 kilometer adventure into an Indian state known for its forts, the desert and its fierce inhabitants. Each of the major stops is associated with a specific color.

Our first major stop was the Golden City named for the sandstone used in all the buildings. Jaisalmer sits at the western edge of Indian civilization. On top of the highest hill around, the Jaisalmer fort sits like a giant sand castle. Jaisalmer reminds us of the medieval walled cities of Europe, especially Carcassone, without the turrets. But this is distinctly Indian flavor. Or, should I say aroma. India has more
smells than the other places we’ve visited both good and bad. On one street, we might smell wonderful Indian spices, but, as we turn a corner, there can be an overwhelming smell of urine. The cows wander everywhere,and many places smell like the barnyards of home. Where in the world are Ethan and Siena? This is another frontier. The Thar Desert stretches as far as we can see in all directions. Here, only camel paths connect the towns. We venture out into the dunes on top of four comely camels. Kim decides camels are his favorite animal of our trip. They are obedient, moderately comfortable, regal looking and cute! Mine was nicknamed “Michael Jackson”, but judging by the astonished looks of the camel drivers with my moon walking impersonation, I’m not sure they are really familiar with the notorious performer. The hills beyond the dunes in the distance are actually Pakistan. In 1948, when Britain granted independence to India, the land was partitioned into Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan. This turned out to be ill advised. After the initial killing of a million people, as each group fled to their new “homeland”, the hatred and mistrust between the two sides now intermittently flares up with murders and retributions. We are reminded of the tension as fighter jets fly low overhead. On the ground, though, we feel no such tension. Our camel drivers are 2 Muslim, 2 Hindi, and the spice store we visit is jointly owned by gentlemen from the two religions.

Our second major stop is in Johdpur, of riding pants fame. This city is called the Blue City, and the narrow streets are lined with blue buildings. The buildings were originally painted blue to show the residence of a Bramin, the highest cast in India. Now the blue color is more widely used as it rumored to keep the homes cooler and repels insects. We learned from our driver that the Maharaja of Johdpur has bad karma as his daughter is yet unmarried and his son , following a polo accident, is partially paralyzed. A temple in the fort above town was the sight recently of the violence between religions I mentioned earlier. A bomb last year in October killed over 200 people.

Udiapur, the white city is the city of love. There are wedding processions clogging the streets with load music and dancing. The groom is riding an elaborately decorated horse in the middle. Earlier, he was texting in the midst of the revelry. Last post I had a picture of Ethan playing soccer in Myanmar. Here, Ethan is playing cricket, the national obsession, with a group of local boys. I almost got gored by a "naughty" cow when I retrieved an errant ball.

If you asked me yesterday, I would have said the food is fabulous –some of the best yet. Today with a bad stomach ache and frequent trips to the toilet, the food is less appealing. We have a split decision on the Beattie Beer Index. Kim likes the Kingfisher while I find it too bitter. The cost is $1.20 on the street and $2- $2.50 in a restaurant for a liter.
The country here is brown and dusty (hey, we're in a desert, right?), but the clothing is incredibly vibrant. Here we are dressed in Rajasthany garb.
Yesterday marked the end of eight months traveling. Thanks to all we have met on the trip and our family and friends back home who have stayed in touch with us.

Jamatadi! (a word they use for cheers and also a name of a god, we think.)
The Beattie Clan