From Rajasthan to Railey

Hello!

We're staying in Railey, Thailand right now (see bottom of this post) but we've taken a day trip to the mainland where the internet is cheap and fast, so here's what we've been up to for the last few weeks.

 

Jaipur, Rajasthan

Kasliwal family

We spent 6 days in Jaipur, and stayed with the Kasliwals who are old family friends of Shawn's.  They opened their home to us, and we felt like part of the family.  It was so nice to feel at home, particularly when Elisabeth had stomach trouble.  Dr. Kasliwal was on hand to make bedside visits!  Staying with a family gives you so much more insight into day to day life.  We learned about religion, history, culture, politics, business, and home life.  Never ones to let a minute go to waste, the Kasliwals also run a business that designs and manufactures furniture and homeware.  Check it out at: http://www.akfdstudio.com/

Pictured are Dr. Kasliwal, Mrs. Kasliwal, and their daughter-in-law, Geetanjali.  Their son Ayush was travelling on business and their two adorable granddaughters were already in bed when this was taken.

 

Jaipur couture

It's wedding season in Jaipur.  There are ceremonies, receptions, and parties happening at all hours all over the city.  The Kasliwals often had a few weddings to attend each day, and we were invited to tag along for a couple.  Given that backpacker clothing was obviously unsuitable, Geetanjali kindly set us up with something more appropriate.

 

 

 

 

 

Left to right:  Looking down from the Amer Fort outside of Jaipur.  Jantar Mantar, a huge celestial observatory with many contraptions that track the movements of stars and planets.  A concert of Indian classical music in Jaipur's Central Park.

 

Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

Jaisalmer is a small desert fort town in the west of Rajasthan, about 90 kilometers from the border with Pakistan.

 

No trip to Jaisalmer is complete without trekking into the desert on a camel and spending the night under the stars.  Our caravan consisted of 2 guides (real desert men that walked much of the way barefoot on the hot sands and rock) an Israeli-Brit couple, and ourselves.  The guides made camp by the bushes but like stupid tourists we insisted on sleeping out on the sand dunes. The winds pick up quite a bit during the night, making it very cold... and sandy.  Not the best night's sleep but the stars were spectacular.

At right are Ali and Raman, our camel drivers.  Also at right is Kahandaliyanage of Arabia.

 

 

 

Henna

While getting lost in the alleys of the fort, Bobby called us into her beauty parlor to try henna.  Pictured above is a design that Jaisalmer is known for consisting of a desert flower on the palm for luck, a peacock up the wrist for love and sun rays on the fingers for wealth. 

Elisabeth and Bobby

Bobby talked at length about her experience as a female business owner and about life for women in rural Rajasthan.  Women struggle with many equity issues that we take for granted in Canada. 

 

Shopkeeper

 I'm reading a great book on this topic in case you are interested: May You Be the Mother of a Hundred Sons: A Journey Among the Women of India by Elisabeth Bumiller.

Bobby's family runs a women's co-operative that makes and sells typical Rajasthani patchwork tapestry.  Pictured on the right is her father, Mr. Vyas, a retired lawyer that now runs the co-op store called "Bellissima".

We met another shopkeeper who designs his own tapestries.  Shankar (left) shared the stories that the tapestries tell.  The patches come from things like dowry bags, wedding dresses, maharaja dresses and opium bags (all handmade) which he buys from the surrounding villages.  The more valuable pieces are those made of opium bags (bottom left) some of which are quite old and rich with gold thread.  Needless to say, Shankar is also a good salesman as we've shipped a couple of tapestries home.

 

Paradox:  Why are our clothes so loose even though we've been eating so much?  Not to worry - the tailor around the corner took in three pants and a shirt in 30 minutes for $3 (including two cups of chai which we sipped while watching them work). 

Jaisalmer is full of colours.  Centered above are turbans pre-wrapped for your convenience.  Above right is a Jain temple.

 

Right:  Typical market: women, produce, cows.

 

Abandoned village

We rented a scooter one day and drove out 20km into the desert to the abandoned city Khuldera (don't worry - empty highways, very safe).  Legend has it that long ago 10,000 people packed their things and disappeared overnight when a tyranical maharaja decreed his entitlement to all the town's women.

 

 

 

 

New Delhi

We spent two brief, harried days in Delhi, mostly running a million small errands.  Delhi is busy and polluted, and we were happy to leave it behind.  This marked the end of 4 weeks in India, in which we managed to see but a tiny fraction of this massive country.

Indian Postal Service

Professional Snakecharmers Association

Left: The $2 packing service in New Delhi's post office gets you a handsewn parcel wrapping.  Try getting that at FedEx!

 

Right: Snakecharmers performing in Connaught Place park.  No snakes to be found.

 

 

 

 

 

Railey, Thailand

We arrived in Railey four days ago.  This area is a climbing mecca and we will spend the next two weeks doing just that.  The natural beauty is astounding.  We have to catch a boat home, so for now, just have a look.  More details to follow in a couple of weeks...

Ciao!   sk & ev

Phranang cave

 

From Pharang cave

Climb on

 

Shawn on lead

 

Elisabeth's first lead

 

Elisabeth on rappel

 

 

Sorry!

Hi everyone!

We apologize for falling off the planet for the last 3 weeks.  Internet was impossibly slow in Jaisalmer and we were in Delhi too short a time to properly update.  However, we are now in the most beautiful piece of paradise where the internet, though fast, costs more than dinner because it's off of a satellite.  So we'll give you a summary and then fill in the details (with lots of pictures) in 2 weeks once we get to Bangkok.

- Most importantly, we're happy and healthy (notwithstanding the requisite bout of upset tummy that we both suffered from briefly).

- Spent 6 wonderful days in Jaipur, enjoying the gracious hospitality of the Kasliwal family (Mrs. Kasliwal was Shawn's 1st grade teacher in Africa!). 

- Spent 10 days in Jaisalmer ("The Golden City"), a small fort town in the deserts of Rajasthan.  Went on a two day camel safari, and spent a cold cold night sleeping out on the dunes.

- Overnight train to New Delhi, where we stayed for two days, mostly running errands.

- Flew to Krabi, in the south of Thailand, arriving last night.  A beautiful land of cliffs, jungle, and beaches.  We will spend the next two weeks rock climbing here.

 

 

Safe in Jaisalmer

Just in case anyone caught the news of the Indian train bombing today - we were not on it.  We were out in the middle of the desert on camels - but we'll tell you more later when we have a faster connection.

India: Kerala and Agra

 Hello everyone!  This entry covers our first week in India.

Executive Summary:

• Arrived safely in India, starting in the southern city of Fort Cochin, Kerala.
• Ate fish caught in a "Chinese fishing net"
• Took a ferry ride in the backwaters of Kerala.
• 2 night train journey to Agra to see the Taj Mahal
• Food is very yummy.  We're getting fat.
• Next stop: state of Rajasthan. 

 

Chinese fishing nets

Fort Cochin, Kerala

Fort Cochin is a port town in the state of Kerala, and was our first stop in India.  Along the waterfront are shore-based fishermen that use "Chinese fishing nets".   This contraption is essentially a very large lever with the net on one end and a series of counter-weights on the other.  The fishermen lower the nets into the water, drawing them up minutes later.   Each cycle nets them a few fish which are sold to the fish mongers a few feet away, who then sell them to the grillers who cook them up for hungry tourists like us.   A complete economic chain!

 

 

Kathakali dancing is an art unique to the state of Kerala.  Traditional performances are rooted in Hindu mythology and take place at village temples, beginning at sunset and continuing through the night (We opted for an abridged version).  Rather than using speech, a complex system of sign language and facial expressions tell the tale.  Drumming accompaniment completes the drama.  Though the plot was lost on us, we were amazed at how engrossed we were in the performance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hindu parade

 

Indian cities are so full of life.  There has not been one day that we haven't witnessed some fantastically colourful procession with dancing and music.  These are usually religious celebrations beginning at a temple and attracting devotees along the way.

 

 

 

 

 

Backwaters of Kerala

Starting from the town of Kottayam, we took a ferry to explore the famous backwaters of Kerala. The canal we were travelling is the only source of water for the families living nearby, providing us with an intimate view of everyday life.    There were women dressed in brightly coloured sarees beating clothing against a washing rock set on the stairs going down to the water.  There were men bathing and children splashing about.  There was a fisherman standing on the canal wall catching fish with a long spear. We did not take pictures as we were so close and did not want to invade.  The first picture shows the growth of water plants in some parts of the canal.  We actually heard of families that grow vegetable gardens in the canal!

 

Bus station

Transportation in India:

Getting into a vehicle in India at first ride is like gambling your life on a game that you don't understand the rules of.  But with an open mind, you begin to realize that there is a method behind the madness.  Roads here are open to any vehicle going any direction, so long as it does not impede traffic.  Should you find yourself behind a slow vehicle, it is your responsibility to pass even if it requires facing oncoming traffic.  If you don't, the vehicle behind you must then pass two obstructions of traffic to get on their way.  Don't worry, should you have to face oncoming traffic, it is usually the responsibility of the vehicle you are passing, and the one you are facing to slow down so that you can pass "safely", even if by a hair.  I'm using the word "vehicle" liberally because in front of you could be an auto rickshaw (three-wheeler in picture), it could be a cycle rickshaw, a donkey pulling a cart full of produce, a slow rural bus (pictured) a superfast intercity bus (same bus, they just drive much faster!)... you get the idea.  Given all the different speeds it all makes sense right? 

Even though we got used to the roads, and began to enjoy them, we opted for the safer option of the train to make our 46 hour journey up to Agra.  The trip was generally quite comfortable, but air conditioned sleeper cars can be really chilly.   As trains often move pretty slowly, it was interesting to watch rural Indian life float by.  It allowed us to briefly peek into places that as tourists, we'd otherwise never see.

 

Taj Mahal

Many have written far more eloquently than we can about how wonderous the Taj Mahal is.  I won't bother trying to add to that, other than to say that I was sure it could not possibly live up to its hype.   But it pretty much does.  It is made completely of white marble, with stunning murals and inscriptions which are not painted on, but instead are composed of inlays of onyx and semi-precious gems and minerals (all the valuable stuff has been pilfered over the years).  The building is completely symetrical when viewed from all four sides.  The Koranic verse in the fourth picture is gradually scaled up in size as it goes up the building, so when read from ground level, the entire inscription from bottom to top to bottom again, appears evenly sized.  An interesting trick of perspective, which the building is full of.  Unfortunately for us, it was pretty overcast on the day we visited.  Apparently, the building twinkles in different colours (due to the coloured stone inlay) when in direct sunlight, particularly at dawn and dusk.

 

Shah and his Mumtaz

We took on a student guide, Tariq,  who is studying Indian archeology and giving as many tours as he can to pay for his studies and gain experience at the same time.  What he lacked in expertise he made up for in enthusiasm.  Tariq was keen to show us the positioning for "good pictures".  These included where to stand so that you are holding the Taj up by its spire or with your hands up underneath as if you are power lifting the building (both of which we opted out of!).  We did finally indulge him with one photo of us posing as Shah Jehan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. 

 

We are currently in Jaipur, which we'll write about later on.

 

Take care,

Elisabeth and Shawn

Sri Lanka

Hello!

Welcome to our inaugural blog post.  We have been in Sri Lanka for just over a week, but we are only now finding the time (and web connectivity) to write.  We'll try to keep this concise, as there's a line of impatient German tourists behind me waiting to use this computer.

Executive Summary:

• Arrived safely in Sri Lanka last week
• Attended Shawn's cousin Gaya's wedding
• 5 day tour of various destinations in Sri Lanka (ancient capital, rock fortress, elephant orphanage)
• Leaving tomorrow morning for a couple of days on the beach

The details:

Christmas and New Years was a busy time for both of us.  We were with family in Montreal and St. Catharines, while also tying up countless loose ends in preparation for the trip.

We spent 4 days in New York with Shawn's brother Karl and his wife Joannie before flying out of JFK to Colombo via Hong Kong.  Since we had a nice long layover in Hong Kong, we took the train into the city to stretch our legs for a few hours. We arrived safely in Sri Lanka last Wednesday night. 

Shawn's cousin Gaya from Calgary married Paul last Saturday on a sea-side terrace just outside of Colombo.  The setting was wonderful, and we all had an amazing time.  Below are a few pictures.  The bridal procession was led by traditional Sri Lankan dancers and drummers (partially visible in the first picture).

Following the wedding, we embarked on a whirlwind 5 day tour of the island.  In truth, 5 days can hardly do justice to over a thousand years of ancient civilization, but we still managed to take a lot in.  A summary:

Anuradhapura

Anuradhapura

 Anuradhapura was the capital of one of the ancient kingdoms in Sri Lanka.  It's also where Shawn's father was born.  Depicted above is the largest stupa in the world.  It is one of the largest structures built by an ancient civilization; only two Egyptian pyramids are bigger.  Stupas were built in Sri Lanka as religious monuments.  They typically contain a relic chamber at their center.  As these are completely sealed structures, no one knows what's inside.

 

Sigiriya

 Sigiriya is a ruined fortress built by a particularly paranoid king on top of a massive rock formation the rises vertically from the plains below.  The rock is visible in the background of the first picture.  In the foreground, two Buddhist monks walk along the path through the other ruins at the base of the rock.  The paws in the second picture are the remnants of what was once a giant lion built against the top half of the rock.  The third picture is the view from the top.  The fortress is an astounding engineering feat, as the rock is nearly 400 meters high, and is sheer on all sides.  A series of staircases were built against, and carved into, the rock face.

 

Kandy

Another ancient city.  Kandy is home to an important Buddhist temple that houses an original tooth of Buddha.  The first picture is of a firewalker at a cultural show.  Kandy is high in the hills of central Sri Lanka, near the tea growing regions.  We toured a tea factory just outside of town.  Tip of the day: teabags typically contain the lowest quality tea.  Most of the good stuff is sold loose.

 

Elephant Orphanage

Elephants that are found injured or abandoned end up here.  Baby elephants are super cute.

Elephants

 

Tomorrow, we are heading south along the coast to a beach town for a couple of days. 

That's all for now!  Shawn and Elisabeth