Right now I am in Delhi after a 12 hour or so busride. Later today i am getting a bus - 12 hrs - to Dharamsala. I am back in Delhi a little refreshed, with a good attitude and ready to face it although i decided instead of working my way through the people and madness and beggers and such I am going to take the day and retreat to an internet cafe (one of the few quiet places in India) and catch up a bit.
One more note about Jaismler is that i peaked into a small square whole in a metal wall and found a school. Gara and I went in and visited the students and classroom. it is wild to see their TINY classrooms with bars in the windows and their view is wild...its an old fort. its like they live and learn inside a sand castle. i noticed that there were a lot more younger children then older children. and they were excited to show us each of their classrooms and have many photos taken. its great. in India, all the children wear uniforms to school in traditional punjabi dress style. they all look so sweet...especially the girls in pigtails!
next train stop......Jodphur
Johhnie and I arrived in Jodphur, known as the blue city, at 5 am. No plan of course and no hotel booked but some ideas. We went to a place that was suggested, negotiated a price, and then left our bags to see what the city of Jodphur is like waking up. Just as we started to wander the Mosques began to wake up and start their morning prayers....loud singing over megaphones. The streets were filled with cows and dogs and villagers who were having their moring spits while the chai men started their fires and we made our way up to the hillside for the sunrise. On the way i saw this tree that was filled with thousands of little round birds. it was an incredible dream.
We found ourselves at the Hill View lodge where the owner was awake. He invited us up for Chai to show us the view and we began to watch the sun rise and see the blue city pop out. Behind us was the fort. We were just at the foot of it. Absolutely Stunning. We decided to move and stay at this lodge instead and we moved onto the roof and had the best room in Jodphur for just 50 ruppees, $1.. The weather was perfect, the view was spectacular, the stars were bright, and we each made our little room area and a common area to eat and hang out at. It was a nice home for a day, great access to all the town attractions, and quiet as it was above the city.
The fort had an audio tour that was great. it explained all the history and set the stage nicely for living in the past as you explored and wondered through the fort. Jodphur didnt have too much more to offer. I really enjoyed the markets as it was a real indian market not geared towards tourist too much. It was great to wonder the streets, eat on the side of the road, get some indian dresses made, have a partner to yoga on the roof with at sunrise ( a women from california), and reconnecting with Gara - who ended up being my traveling partner/sister/buddy/friend - for the next couple weeks...was the main reason probably for coming to jodphur.
the guest house i stayed at was wonderful as it had lots of children to play with (i visited their school), ran by great strong and sassy good hearted women , had some henna done, and i loved the morning as you could hear 10 - 20 different mosques and temples singing and chanting their morning prayer.
Next Stop......Udaipur. The city of lakes
