I have to leave Mcleod Ganj to go back to Delhi tomorrow...BIG FROWNY FACE.
Seriously, I love this town like a fat kid loves cake. On this trip, I've been ready to leave towns at the appointed time (sometimes earlier!) but right now...I am afraid I'm going to cry when I leave. But you know what? I am coming back here, I know it, and it won't be for just a week. I'm already plotting and planning a 2-6 month stay here after my next contract is up in 2011.
This town has been magical for me. I've taken cooking classes, volunteered at English classes, bought a ton of products made by Tibetan refugees, and finally relaxed after nearly 4 weeks of Indian travel. India is an exhausting country to travel in and I really can't stress enough how relaxing this place is compared to everywhere else I've been this month.
Tomorrow, I head out for Panthankot in the Punjab. I'm going to take a "toy train" there. It's a narrow gauge train with about 20 people to a car and it goes super slow. The route goes through the Kangar Valley and it's supposed to be really lovely. The ride is going to be about 5 hours.
In Panthankot, I am connecting with the overnight train to Delhi and should arrive there about 11 am. I shall then begin the arduous task of uploading my photos from India and Nepal and then posting them. It's going to be a massive pain in the ass but I want to do it then because a) I hate Delhi and I want to hide out in an internet cafe the entire time and b) if I let the pictures build up and add Turkey, etc. into the mix, it'll be unmanageable.
Alright, I'm off to enjoy my last night in the best little mountain in India. SNIFF!
Wednesday 7 October 2009
Monday 5 October 2009
Indiaaaaaa
Alright, highlights (in chronological order, more or less)
The Taj Mahal
The Taj mother fuckin' Mahal, people. It was so beautiful that my chest hurt. I cried. I could not stop taking photos. It was just breathtaking and nothing prepares you for it. I had to walk through a "gate" and I could see the Taj through the portal and then BAM! There it is, behind a reflecting pool. I went early in the morning so it wasn't too crowded and I spent ages just sitting and gazing at it. Incredible.
Udaipur
Udaipur is in southern Rajasthan and it is so pretty. The fort/palace was built on a lake is it's considered the most picturesque in Rajasthan. The palace inside was beautiful and I wandered around in it for ages before going on a lovely lake cruise. Also, the vibe of the city was nice. While there was still people trying to sell things every two steps, it was not as pushy as other places I've been. Also, I met Mohammad, the sweetest old man ever. We took a picture together and he gave me his address so I can send it to him when I get home.
Jodhpur Fort
Jodhpur itself is nothing special but holy crap, the fort there is THE fort to end all forts, and that's saying something in Rajasthan. First off, the setting couldn't be more dramatic. Jodhpur is pretty much flat and then there's a huge bluff with the fort on top. Lemme see if I can find a picture....ah, here we go:
Inside, it's just as impressive...and huge! I took the (very excellent) audio tour and went through the whole damn thing.
Jaisalmer Fort:
The fort is not only very pretty but it still has people living in it! It's about 80% Brahmin and 20% Rajput and it's an actual vibrant living fort. Very very cool.
Sleeping in the desert:
Words cannot describe the night sky I saw. It was stars horizon to horizon. I felt like I was in a snow globe.
The Golden Temple:
The Golden Temple is more or less in the middle of a pool in a marble courtyard. It's stunning and very spiritual. It's also busy all damn day, every day. Every Sikh tries to make at least one pilgrimage to the Golden Temple and it's filled with all sorts. There's a ritual just to walking in the temple and it works to create this atmosphere of utter respect and reverence. The priests (wrong word but I don't know what they're called) are continuously chanting from their holy book over the speakers and it's so unearthly. I had to wait for ages in line to go into the actual temple but it was totally worth it.
The lowlights include a wildly disappointing visit to Pushkar, sexual harassment from a chai wallah, and an awful 24 hour journey through the Punjab but why dwell? The good has outweighed the bad and I'm having a wonderful time.
The Taj Mahal
The Taj mother fuckin' Mahal, people. It was so beautiful that my chest hurt. I cried. I could not stop taking photos. It was just breathtaking and nothing prepares you for it. I had to walk through a "gate" and I could see the Taj through the portal and then BAM! There it is, behind a reflecting pool. I went early in the morning so it wasn't too crowded and I spent ages just sitting and gazing at it. Incredible.
Udaipur
Udaipur is in southern Rajasthan and it is so pretty. The fort/palace was built on a lake is it's considered the most picturesque in Rajasthan. The palace inside was beautiful and I wandered around in it for ages before going on a lovely lake cruise. Also, the vibe of the city was nice. While there was still people trying to sell things every two steps, it was not as pushy as other places I've been. Also, I met Mohammad, the sweetest old man ever. We took a picture together and he gave me his address so I can send it to him when I get home.
Jodhpur Fort
Jodhpur itself is nothing special but holy crap, the fort there is THE fort to end all forts, and that's saying something in Rajasthan. First off, the setting couldn't be more dramatic. Jodhpur is pretty much flat and then there's a huge bluff with the fort on top. Lemme see if I can find a picture....ah, here we go:
Inside, it's just as impressive...and huge! I took the (very excellent) audio tour and went through the whole damn thing.
Jaisalmer Fort:
The fort is not only very pretty but it still has people living in it! It's about 80% Brahmin and 20% Rajput and it's an actual vibrant living fort. Very very cool.
Sleeping in the desert:
Words cannot describe the night sky I saw. It was stars horizon to horizon. I felt like I was in a snow globe.
The Golden Temple:
The Golden Temple is more or less in the middle of a pool in a marble courtyard. It's stunning and very spiritual. It's also busy all damn day, every day. Every Sikh tries to make at least one pilgrimage to the Golden Temple and it's filled with all sorts. There's a ritual just to walking in the temple and it works to create this atmosphere of utter respect and reverence. The priests (wrong word but I don't know what they're called) are continuously chanting from their holy book over the speakers and it's so unearthly. I had to wait for ages in line to go into the actual temple but it was totally worth it.
The lowlights include a wildly disappointing visit to Pushkar, sexual harassment from a chai wallah, and an awful 24 hour journey through the Punjab but why dwell? The good has outweighed the bad and I'm having a wonderful time.
Sunday 4 October 2009
Sidenote Entry: Mcleod Ganj
Hi all. I know I've not updated since Varanasi and I will, very soon, but I wanted to write about my first impression of Mcleod Ganj before it escapes me.
Mcleod Ganj is the exile home of the Dalai Lama and it's the main community of exiled Tibetans. It has a monastery, temple, stupa, and prayer wheels and it's often called Little Lhasa. The town is absolutely gorgeous, set on a mountain, and has amazing views of the valley below. I'm glad I saved it for last because I would have stayed here the entire four weeks.
But...there's a sadness to the town. It's important not to forget that this is basically a refugee camp. I went to the Tibetan museum this afternoon and it was so sad. Tibetans have had the country stolen from them and for the people who escaped to India, they can never go back.
Now, I was thinking about this in personal terms. My great-grandmother grew up in San Francisco and for Americans, having four generations grow up in the same town (and really, the same neighborhood) is very rare. San Francisco is my home and my family has deep roots, is my point. I can't imagine being exiled from the city, having my children or grandchildren never see the place our family grew from. It would be heartbreaking.
Now put that in to terms for the Tibetans and it makes me so deeply sad for them. It's incomprehensible.
I've always been a supporter of the Free Tibet movement (who remembers me gathering signatures to start a chapter of Students for a Free Tibet in college?) but now that I've seen first hand the results of the invasion....ugh. I don't see myself going to China any time soon.
Mcleod Ganj is the exile home of the Dalai Lama and it's the main community of exiled Tibetans. It has a monastery, temple, stupa, and prayer wheels and it's often called Little Lhasa. The town is absolutely gorgeous, set on a mountain, and has amazing views of the valley below. I'm glad I saved it for last because I would have stayed here the entire four weeks.
But...there's a sadness to the town. It's important not to forget that this is basically a refugee camp. I went to the Tibetan museum this afternoon and it was so sad. Tibetans have had the country stolen from them and for the people who escaped to India, they can never go back.
Now, I was thinking about this in personal terms. My great-grandmother grew up in San Francisco and for Americans, having four generations grow up in the same town (and really, the same neighborhood) is very rare. San Francisco is my home and my family has deep roots, is my point. I can't imagine being exiled from the city, having my children or grandchildren never see the place our family grew from. It would be heartbreaking.
Now put that in to terms for the Tibetans and it makes me so deeply sad for them. It's incomprehensible.
I've always been a supporter of the Free Tibet movement (who remembers me gathering signatures to start a chapter of Students for a Free Tibet in college?) but now that I've seen first hand the results of the invasion....ugh. I don't see myself going to China any time soon.
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