Jaipur, India
Sunday, April 30, 2006
We are in Jaipur, the capital of the state of Rajasthan. Not wanting a reprise of the train ride down here, we opted to fly. We had to leave Baga beach, 6 wonderful nights and one marriage later. So we went to the capital of Goa, Panjim to spend the night. Then we used it as a base to tour the town of Old Goa. Goa is a different state than the rest of India. It was settled by the Portuguese and has a real strong Catholic influence. The city of Old Goa is sait to have once rivaled Lisbon in beauty and importance. The key to that statement is the word once. It was not a real eventful day. The best sight there was the "incorruptable" body of St Francis Xavier. It is a 500 year old guy whose body won't decompose. Now I will admit that he looks pretty good for 500 years old, (that's right, he is on display), but he looks pretty corrupted to me. Then it was off to tour a few churches. The tour book said that no trip to Goa was complete without a day trip to Old Goa, the tour book was wrong
. But, it was only one day and we needed to get closer to the airport anyway. 5 am the next morning and we are on the way to the airport for our 7 am flight. Goa to Bombay and then Bombay to Jaipur. So now that we are free of the safety of Goa we have to start dealing with the Indians a lot more. I dont know if I can truly explain how frusterating it is dealing with them, but I will try to convey some of it throughout this blog. We met a guy in Cambodia who has lived in India for 10 years and he calls them savages. I think I understand what he means. First, arrive at the airport and we breeze past the domestic terminal, which we need. So after we ask the guard where we should check in, he points back to the domestic terminal. Back we go. Then that machine gun toting guy says to go back to the first place. Hmmm, which machine gun guy do I want to argue with. Back to the first place and guy number 1 lets us in. Amy and I look at each other in disbelief (which is happening a lot these days) and enter the terminal. Check in and start to go to our gate. Guess what? That's right, it is back to the first terminal. We go to head through security and we don't have any tags on our carry on luggage. Never heard of that but who am I to argue with a guy with a machine gun? Back to the first terminal to get the tags. It might have been helpful to give us tags for our bags when we were checking in, but whatever. Back to the other terminal. Then I go to use the bathroom. There is a sign saying something about a water shortage but I pay no mind
. Go and then go to wash my hands. No water. Then, materializing out of the walls are two guys to "help" me wash my hands. One even shows me how to use the soap dispenser and produces a bottle of water. As I am washing the guys partner is reeling off toilet paper for me to dry my hands with. I am practically mumified in TP by the time he is done spinning that roll around his finger. At least I have washed now. But their helpfulness seemingly entitles them to a tip, called backsheesh. They are politely blocking the door, smiling, with their hands out, saying "backsheesh?!". I give them both 10 rupees. If I had known that I would have had to pay 50 cents to go to the bathroom, I would have held it. Now we go through security and those tags come in real handy, NOT. They just look to see that you have one on your bag, and pass you through. Fly one hour to Bombay and wait for our next flight. We had a 7 hour layover in Bombay and I took the time to sleep right next to the loading zone. I must have been tired as I slept for 2 hours right amidst the honking horns and garbage collectors on my beautiful bed of newspapers. I'm taking on as much culture as I possibly can. We were sitting around talking about what food we are going to eat when we get home and start salivating over Doritoes. Just then we head off to a store in the airpot and, lo and behold, some Doritoes! Not a big bag but a regular size. I go to buy them and some Oreos and the bill is 15 USD! 10 for the Doritoes and 5 for the Oreos
. We put them back. I am NOT paying 10 dollars for Doritoes. Wait for the flight to come. As we sit in the terminal waiting we have a look across the tarmac. Not 50 to 75 yards off the tarmac are rows and rows, both vertical and horizontal, of "houses". This is where the poorest of the poor live here in Bombay. We could see thousands upon thousands ringing the hillsides and valleys around the airport. It is amazing squalor sitting right next to these gleaming million dollar machines. I can't take my eyes off of it. I watch it strech into the distance and fade away as our flight heads towards the clouds. Jaipur, the pink city, we are here. We are really going to travel Rajasthan quickly and see quite a bit in just a week. This is the first stop. We get a cab to a major landmark so we can find a hotel from there. We book one of the pre paid taxis just so we don't have to go out and haggle with those robbers. We hump our bags to the taxi and just as we are loading them into the trunk, someone pushes through and sets them in the trunk. Then he blocks the door to the cab and says to me, "Porter, pay rupee", with his hand out. Everyone, seemingly has their hand out all of the time. 10 rupees gets him to go away. It isn't loosing the quarter that bothers me, it is the constant wanting to give services that I don't need or require. People are always asking, or saying, "can I help you?, what do you need?, let me show you". Some are really showing genuine concern, but most want some backsheesh
. It is hard to tell the two apart, so unfortunatly, Amy and I have taken to getting no help from anyone. It cuts down on the annoyance factor. That factor is still real high even with that strategy. So we are droped off in the middle of Jaipur in need of a hotel. After the cab ride spent clutching the seat in front of me as we weave in and out of pedestrians, busses and motorcycles. Dodging the pigs on the left, the camel pulling a cart on the right, and then going the wrong way down a one way road with our horn blaring. Our cab driver is talking the whole time and watching me in the mirror more than he is on the road. He says to me, "In India you need 3 things to drive: 1) a good brake 2) a good horn 3)good luck", I can't disagree. The whole experience is some sort of surreal wacky races on acid type of experience. He stops and we are glad to disembark from that cab. We spot a hotel that looks nice and head off to it. There is a big difference in hotels between SE Asia and India. Although you can get 5 to 10 dollar hotels in each place the similarities stop there. A five dollar hotel in SE Asia is actually really good, it might be small or have a window on to an alley, but is otherwise good and clean. A five dollar hotel room in India you wouldn't slaughter a hog in. We know this from experience. Remember, experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. This place is almost 30 dollars but, we want it. It has everything, things like a bed with sheets, running water, a toilet that flushes the water down the hole instead of on the floor, lights, and extravagances like windows (albeit on to the garbage lot next door), towels, and A/C
. A bit more on the garbage situation. It is everywhere. No, really. Any empty lot or space is filled with plastic, rotting fruit, and other lovely substances. I even saw, hold on to your hats folks, a garbage truck stop right at a curb and dump its garbage right there. That's right in India they DELIVER garbage. It seems to go away as the streets are full of cows, pigs, and stray dogs eating all of the stuff dumped on to the street. Nice of them to feed the animals like that. That is what our window looks out on, a garbage lot with cows and pigs rooting through it. So we are in to our new room. I tip the bag boy, who grabbed my bags when I wasn't looking while checking in, and we start to settle in. Doorbell. It is the bag boy again. Now he wants to show me how to work the TV. Ok. I figure it might be tricky or something. Then I figure out he just wants another tip. I'll give you a tip, GET OUT!!! We saw a Pizza Hut on the way in and go to dinner there. It is wonderful. Recognizable food we love it. Off to bed, a big day tomorrow of seeing Jaipur in one day. We get a tuk-tuk for the day and he takes us around. Amber Fort (pronounced Ammer) is the first stop. Again, beseiged by tour guides, children, post card guys, and the ubiquitous trinket sellers. No, No, NO! We don't want any so quit following me, tapping me on the shoulder, blocking my path, and the like. Beautiful fort though, perched up on a hillside with a commanding view of Jaipur below and 10 miles distant. Then off to see the city palace
. After that is a place called Jantar Mantar. It is an observatory built in the 1700's. It has some real neat and accurate observation platforms made entirely out of stone. It also has a sundial which is over 100 feet tall. Off to the Hawa Mahal, the palace of the winds. It is a really neat structure which all of the ladies of the king, who cant be seen on the street, can watch the procession of life going by. We did the same. Besieged again by all of the sellers, and beggars on the way in and out. Somehow we have picked up a guy who is now sitting next to the driver and he tells us he is his brother. Ok, probably a lie, but what can I do. I tell him we dont want a guide and he says he isn't one. Fine, ride along. Soon after his mission becomes apparent. He wants to take us to his gem shop, to show us how to cut, polish, and ship them. Amy answer in unison, "NO". The typical back and forth ensues. "We have seen it before". "Where?" "Agra". "Much different here". "NO". "Only for five minutes, I'll make you tea". "No". Finally he sees that we wont budge and he gets out. We have seen pretty much all we have wanted to and tell the driver to take us home. Back to the hotel where we can relax, or so we think. Book our tickets to Jodhpur for tomorrow and then off to the room for a refreshing shower. There are no towels. Back down to the desk. "I will send them". Doorbell rings and the towels arrive. Shortly thereafter the dorbell rings again and towels arrive again. Then it dawns on me, they want a tip
. We didn't get towels at our last place either and thought it was a mistake. Now it happens again. I refuse the second towels as I am slamming the door. Doorbell again, this time legitimate, it is our bus tickets. Then the phone rings, nothing. Just as I am dozing off it is the doorbell again. This time the guy is standing in the hall trying to give me more toilet paper. NO! NO! NO! Please don't come back I don't need anything. So that is why we are here in the cybercafe to escape the obviously non-hassle free environment of our hotel. It is truly maddening. I don't know if I can say that strongly enough. Other than a few headaches we are fine. Really starting to look forward to American soil though. By the way, could someone start my garbage delivery before I get home? Thanks, I appreciate that.
Love,
Mr. and Mrs. DeVries
Comments
Garbage Delivery
Wait a minute Dan. I thought you wanted me to cancel garbage here at the house and store it in your bedroom until you got home. You should have been more clear on that. By the way, I've also ordered a machine gun toting gentleman to stand in your way at the front door.
E
Brother's pride
Mr & Mrs, congratulations. Amy welcome to the family. (such as it is) Sometimes you have to reflect on what you truely asked for. But you have a lot of states and a whole mountain range to protect you. I am excited for you both, and Dan I am proud of you. Patience can be it's own reward if you think back not that long ago. Think about how much farther you are ahead. At least for my opinion. JO and I are on our way over to Mom's, we have not seen their new place and she has asked me a couple times already. So we are going and I printed your wedding pictures so they can have a copy. Give the bride a kiss for me. Be safe, I love you. Dave.