John/Dad has left the country and left us to fend for ourselves in Kerala (southern India). We flew from Mumbai to Cochin this morning and were greeted by very tropical weather and a tamer Indian city than we expected. We have not seen many goats or cows wondering the main streets, people actually stop at red lights and stay in their own lanes! It took us 90 minutes to drive 40 km-- we thought they were over exaggerating when they told us it would take that long. We were a little worried because the closer we got to our hotel the seeder the neighbourhood got. I (Caitlin) was thinking maybe they are taking us far away to kill us and take all our pashminas. We ended up arriving to the historical beach community called Fort Cochin. We're staying in a historical Tea Bungalow that has 10 unique rooms in this 100 year old house. It has a beautiful garden (dad- the swimming pool is fabulous! wish you were here) and we have a room that has a balcony that over looks the gardens. We're within a 10 minute walk of the beach which has a large collection of Chinese fishing nets and catching and selling a huge variety of crab, shark, prawns, kingfish, and barracuda. We just watched the sunset over the ocean and now we're heading back to our hotel to relax and go for dinner.
Life is rough here in India but I think we'll manage with the beach, 30 degree weather and all the shopping yet to be done!
C & J
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
jan14
January 13-
We started off the day by doing what we seem to do best-- shopping. We spent several hours in a textile factory where Caitlin had a raw silk sewn on to a patch work quilt to make it into a duvet cover and Jan and I ended up buying an antique patchwork quilt that we had made into a wall hanging. We then went driving through the country side and the highlight was visiting the best preserved temple we have seen so far in India. This Jain Temple was in some very hilly countryside that was very reminiscent of Ranthambhore's terrain (Tiger Park). We arrived in Udaipur and after settling into another beautiful hotel, we strolled through a local market. I am starting to worry about leaving my daughter and wife for two more weeks in India unattended in the shopping mecca of India but I am looking forward to getting back to work. This trip has been far better than I ever thought could be possible.
January 14th-
Went to see the City Palace of Udaipur which is surrounded by 3 man made lakes that are over 500 years old. The water level is very low right now because they have not had a significant monsoon season since 2006. We went and saw the City Palace museum and the Princess Gardens. What was really interesting today is the end of the 1 month that the gods in the Hindu religion are on holidays/ 'sleeping' so no one gets married between Dec14-Jan14. Today marks that period and so everyone is buying tons of good grass to feed the cows and all the very poor villagers come to the Hindu temple to receive food, candies and money. All these acts are done to please the gods who are now awake and to help your Karma.
This afternoon we are going to Monsoon palace, where the king and his family go during the rainy season. It's on top of a large hill and supposedly has a spectacular view of the whole city.
This will be my last post until I get home. My daughter and wife will continue to tell us the details are of the southern part of India, this may be a slightly more colourful version than what I have written.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
jan 12 again-- updating
January 11th-
In the morning we went off and visited an artificial lake that was over 500 years old. Due to the lack of rain in the last six years the lake level was VERY low. The cat fish in the lake were HUGE and are running out of water and food. The most interesting part of the lake was the fact that a concubine built a gate overnight ( by pre building the gate in sections so that all they had to do was put it together) to enter the lake and park area. Because she was a lower cast person, the king ordered it to be torn down the next day but she was smart enough to build in a small Hindu temple as part of the gate. Therefore, the men who were ordered by the king to tear it down would not do it because it was a temple. Her legacy lives on.
Next we visited the yellow coloured fort in Jaisalmer-- it was very beautiful with several nice Hindi and Jainism temples. The fort was built on top of a plateau is occupied by over 5000 people. There were many hotels, restaurants and gift shops. The problem is that the sewage and water disposal is damaging the very foundation of this very fort. The government is torn between evicting everyone and letting the 500 year old fort live on or providing jobs for 5000 people in the fort. We went to the nearby market and looked at lots of textiles and silks. We coined Jaisalmer as THE smelliest city in India. There are open ditches on each sidewalk carrying sewage, laundry water and dirty wash water. You would know what your neighbour had eaten last night. What this all worse was all the pigs and cattle and dogs that drink for these ditches!
After relaxing by the pool and having lunch, we went on our late afternoon camel ride. We each got on a camel (not a singled hump dromedary) and went for a 4 km trot through the desert to some huge sand dunes where we watched gypsy girls and boys sing and dance as the sun set.
January 12th-
This morning we all cried when we had to leave our palace but were amazed to see that there was a light rain over night. Our driver, Ganesh, thought that this rain would be good for the farmers in the area. We drove quickly (pedal to the medal!) to Jodphur. As we approached the city there were huge sandstone quarries that took yellow, red, beige and pink sandstone. After we settled into another great palace (old Victorian style) we visited the best fort in Rajashatan. This fort was magnificent and remains undefeated. The best part of the fort was looking down onto the light blue houses below-- Jodphur is known as the blue city for this very reason.
Afterwards we went to a lively market where everything from tea, spices, toys, shoes, textiles, jewellery, underwear, sock, you name it they sold it. A lot of local kids stopped us to get their photographs taken, digital cameras are still quite a novelty in India.
That is it for now. Tomorrow we are heading to Udaiphur. So long for now.
In the morning we went off and visited an artificial lake that was over 500 years old. Due to the lack of rain in the last six years the lake level was VERY low. The cat fish in the lake were HUGE and are running out of water and food. The most interesting part of the lake was the fact that a concubine built a gate overnight ( by pre building the gate in sections so that all they had to do was put it together) to enter the lake and park area. Because she was a lower cast person, the king ordered it to be torn down the next day but she was smart enough to build in a small Hindu temple as part of the gate. Therefore, the men who were ordered by the king to tear it down would not do it because it was a temple. Her legacy lives on.
Next we visited the yellow coloured fort in Jaisalmer-- it was very beautiful with several nice Hindi and Jainism temples. The fort was built on top of a plateau is occupied by over 5000 people. There were many hotels, restaurants and gift shops. The problem is that the sewage and water disposal is damaging the very foundation of this very fort. The government is torn between evicting everyone and letting the 500 year old fort live on or providing jobs for 5000 people in the fort. We went to the nearby market and looked at lots of textiles and silks. We coined Jaisalmer as THE smelliest city in India. There are open ditches on each sidewalk carrying sewage, laundry water and dirty wash water. You would know what your neighbour had eaten last night. What this all worse was all the pigs and cattle and dogs that drink for these ditches!
After relaxing by the pool and having lunch, we went on our late afternoon camel ride. We each got on a camel (not a singled hump dromedary) and went for a 4 km trot through the desert to some huge sand dunes where we watched gypsy girls and boys sing and dance as the sun set.
January 12th-
This morning we all cried when we had to leave our palace but were amazed to see that there was a light rain over night. Our driver, Ganesh, thought that this rain would be good for the farmers in the area. We drove quickly (pedal to the medal!) to Jodphur. As we approached the city there were huge sandstone quarries that took yellow, red, beige and pink sandstone. After we settled into another great palace (old Victorian style) we visited the best fort in Rajashatan. This fort was magnificent and remains undefeated. The best part of the fort was looking down onto the light blue houses below-- Jodphur is known as the blue city for this very reason.
Afterwards we went to a lively market where everything from tea, spices, toys, shoes, textiles, jewellery, underwear, sock, you name it they sold it. A lot of local kids stopped us to get their photographs taken, digital cameras are still quite a novelty in India.
That is it for now. Tomorrow we are heading to Udaiphur. So long for now.
Jan 12
January 9th-
This morning after another great breakfast we had a long drive to Bikaner. The drive took seven hours to go 300km! In Bikaner we were pleasantly surprised to be booked into staying at Maharajah's palace :) We visited the fort which seemed fairly standard but what made it unique were the incredible painted walls and ceilings that were done using crushed minerals for colour. We then went to a scientific camel research station where the two distinct breads of camel in Bikaner were the black camel (bikaner- which are heavier and stronger) and a light c0loured racing camel. We then went to Richard Gere's cooperative which gives women jobs and pays a fair wage. In this cooperative they sell many scarves, wall hangings, bedspreads-- my wife and daughter looked at them all! We were there for over 2 hours and they walked away with 27 scarves-- lots of pashmina!
Jan. 10-
We headed off to Jaisalmer this morning where we were booked into another extremely decadent hotel (palace). After laying by the pool (we are roughing it in India) for a while we visited two sites where they cremate Maharajahs. Jaisalmer is surrounded by wind farms. We were able to watch a beautiful sunset in the desert and then went to another wholesaler of patchwork wall hangings. Here Cait and Jan purchased more scarves and more wall hangings. Mr. Soni, the owner of the store, invited us to his home for dinner. We were honored to join his wife, two daughters, his parents and brother for dinner. They cooked us a delicious traditional Indian meal of mutton curry (lamb curry), rice, and chapati. His three daughter (who were 3mos, 4 and 6) were very excited to have foreigners in their home. We spent the time showing the girls pictures of animals that we have seen and they tried to identify them in their English-Hindi picture books. Mr. Soni and his family were so hospitable and we were very grateful to be taken into their home.
This morning after another great breakfast we had a long drive to Bikaner. The drive took seven hours to go 300km! In Bikaner we were pleasantly surprised to be booked into staying at Maharajah's palace :) We visited the fort which seemed fairly standard but what made it unique were the incredible painted walls and ceilings that were done using crushed minerals for colour. We then went to a scientific camel research station where the two distinct breads of camel in Bikaner were the black camel (bikaner- which are heavier and stronger) and a light c0loured racing camel. We then went to Richard Gere's cooperative which gives women jobs and pays a fair wage. In this cooperative they sell many scarves, wall hangings, bedspreads-- my wife and daughter looked at them all! We were there for over 2 hours and they walked away with 27 scarves-- lots of pashmina!
Jan. 10-
We headed off to Jaisalmer this morning where we were booked into another extremely decadent hotel (palace). After laying by the pool (we are roughing it in India) for a while we visited two sites where they cremate Maharajahs. Jaisalmer is surrounded by wind farms. We were able to watch a beautiful sunset in the desert and then went to another wholesaler of patchwork wall hangings. Here Cait and Jan purchased more scarves and more wall hangings. Mr. Soni, the owner of the store, invited us to his home for dinner. We were honored to join his wife, two daughters, his parents and brother for dinner. They cooked us a delicious traditional Indian meal of mutton curry (lamb curry), rice, and chapati. His three daughter (who were 3mos, 4 and 6) were very excited to have foreigners in their home. We spent the time showing the girls pictures of animals that we have seen and they tried to identify them in their English-Hindi picture books. Mr. Soni and his family were so hospitable and we were very grateful to be taken into their home.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Jan 11 very early
Jan 8 This morning we woke up and again had a great breakfast ,usually omelets toast tons of pineapple, mango juice, guava and mandarin oranges. We headed off through the dense fog towards the Amber palace.Along the way we stopped to see the wind palace, looks very big but is only 4 M thick windows that allow the breeze to go through is why its famous. At the Amber Palace we climbed some big steps and hopped on to an elephant. which we rode up a long road to the top of the palace.The elephants were well decorated and it was a lot of fun. The palace was spectacular but we are starting to find that they are all looking the same.We visited a cottage industry store saw how gems were cut, and resisted any purchases because last night we were able to visit a wholesaler that made our eyes pop out, and deals with D&G or Louis Vitton. The most spectacular highlight of the day (other than shopping) was visiting Jantar Mantar which consisted of 5 or 6 different sun dials and time keeping devices. One huge sun dial was accurate to within 2 seconds and this was built over 400 years ago. After lunch we visited a carpet making factory and how they make block prints for textiles-- it was quite interesting.
After a short break we went down to jewellery heaven and bought turquoise, star of India rubies, ruby necklaces and garnets. We also visited a fruit and vegetable market, tea shops, spices and nut shops-- it was a visionary delight! Once we were good and tired are driver took us off to a carpet wholesaler where after much food and alcohol, I succumb to purchase a carpet for a potential gift. The carpet was easily 60 years old and had been sitting in the carpet wholesaler for easily that long too. We went back to our hotel, exhausted, slightly frustrated and a lot poorer. Jaipur is a clean and extremely interesting city with lots of shopping to be done.
After a short break we went down to jewellery heaven and bought turquoise, star of India rubies, ruby necklaces and garnets. We also visited a fruit and vegetable market, tea shops, spices and nut shops-- it was a visionary delight! Once we were good and tired are driver took us off to a carpet wholesaler where after much food and alcohol, I succumb to purchase a carpet for a potential gift. The carpet was easily 60 years old and had been sitting in the carpet wholesaler for easily that long too. We went back to our hotel, exhausted, slightly frustrated and a lot poorer. Jaipur is a clean and extremely interesting city with lots of shopping to be done.
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