The Plaid Moose

Monday, July 23, 2012

Speed Bumps and Elephant Rides

Speed Bumps...or shall I say "speed beakers"?

I'm not sure if I didn't notice them the first half of the trip or if they just happen to be more intense this last half. Whatever the case may be, speed bumps are SERIOUS here. They are either huge (I'm talking a couple feet long) or they place numerous speedbumps in a row leading to a somewhat hilarious outcome. For example, we were getting dropped off at the airport the other day when we came upon a few of these consecutive speed beakers. We approached the first one, no biggie. The second one, a little air. The third one, RIDICULOUS air. My friend was sitting cross-legged and she literally hit her head on the top of the bus.

As you can see, they don't mess around with their speed bumps. In Mother Pious Lady they say that India may not build the best roads but they sure know how to build great speed beakers. And that they do. Considering that any of the following may be found on the road at any given time - car, bus, truck, taxi, auto rickshaw, camel, horse, cow, dog, people, monkey, goat - these speed beakers are not such a bad idea. They provide some sort of order to an otherwise chaotic transportation system. Chaotic from an outsiders perspective yet normal for those who live here.

What got me to thinking about these speed bumps, you ask? Today we rode elephants. The ride felt like 30 minutes of consecutive speed beakers. It was one of the coolest experiences ever. We were able to ride the elephants to the top of Amber Fort in Jaipur complete with stunning views of the mountains that surround and protect the fort. I felt bad for the elephant gang at the beginning but was reassured by our guide that the elephants are only able to transport people up to the fort for two hours throughout the day and are typically finished around 10:30am before the extreme heat of the day arrives. I never thought I would have the option of seeing an elephant (other than the zoo), much less riding one...

UPDATE: I realized on the way to dinner tonight that they are actually called "speed breakers" but that doesn't sound nearly as cool so I am going to just stick with speed beakers.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Oh boy...

So we have made our way to Jaipur. Holy cow. The shopping here is insane. It is slightly stressful because I want to buy every single thing I see. This in turn stresses me out because not only do I want everything I see, but I want to buy everything I see for my sister and mom (don't get your hopes up guys, I don't have enough money for that) and then feel bad if I don't buy it. BUT I did buy a rug -- and it's not small. Big enough for me to have to ship it back to the States. It will get there in 15 days....hopefully.

Why did I buy a rug you ask (considering I'm currently living with my parents where my dogs happen to think any rug is their bathroom)? I'll tell you why. We went to a place where they not only make the rugs, but also where block printing is done and it was paradise. We had a little tour of how both are done and then we were left...free to shop...and shop we did. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to take a picture of the rug I bought seeing as the moment I showed interest in it, it was rolled, packed, and on it's way to the US, but I can assure you it is GORGEOUS!! I am seriously in love.

Everything here is stunning. If I could wear the things they do without looking like a fool, I would in a heartbeat. The prints, the colors, the fabrics, everything is to die for! In We Are Like That Only the author compares India to an auto rickshaw saying that at times it may be ugly, noisy, and inconvenient, yet still has the ability to weave it's way in and out of utter confusion and serves it's purpose at incredibly low prices. I like to think this relates to some of the market/bazaar shopping in India as well. They are definitely noisy and often times utterly confusing, but they definitely serve their purpose at INCREDIBLY low prices. What's even more fun is bargaining. We were told to go down 50% and then bargain up from there so it's a bit of a thrill to find out what you can actually get things for. It's interesting to see how others around you bargain too. I have a feeling they are a bit quicker then we are, but we get the job done eventually. The locals have it down pat seeing as though they bargain for anything from apparel and jewelry to fruits and vegetables. We have done pretty well if I do say so myself - pants for $6, bangles for 30 cents, shoes for $20. I could get used to this. I could ramble on and on and on about everything I want and don't have the money for, but instead I'll just leave you with some pictures of the prints I'm currently obsessing over.

UPDATE: We had the day off today so a couple of us hit up two of the local markets. You know how I said if I could wear the things they did without looking like a fool then I would? Wellllll I bought some of the pants they wear here thinking they would look decent on me and boy was I wrong (yet still plan on wearing them). Despite the failed pants purchase, we still came out on top. Look at these shoes I picked up for the equivalent of $18. TO. DIE. FOR.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

The Land of Forts

Golkonda Fort in Hyderabad

Golkonda Fort

Amber Fort in Jaipur

Amber Fort

One of my favorite pictures from the trip so far - offerings at the temple inside Golkonda Fort

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Hotels, Resorts, and Palaces, Oh My!

This post is going to be a little different. The majority of the updates I've done thus far have addressed the lower standard of living that a large portion of India faces. What I haven't talked about is the other side - the extravagant and wealthy portion of the country and population. I have had the absolute PLEASURE of experiencing this firsthand.

Palace in Hyderabad

We have been staying in INCREDIBLE hotels since we arrived here in India. I'm talking as five star as they get. I have never stayed in hotels this nice in the United States. What impresses me more than the hotel itself is the staff. The staff will bend over backwards to help you here. They bring chocolates to your door in the middle of the afternoon. They dry your clothes for you (complimentary). The leave towel animals for you. They pack breakfast and lunch for you. They call to make sure your Internet is working okay. They do all of this with the biggest smiles on their faces. They are the bomb. My personal favorite has been Kenny in our most recent hotel here in Hyderabad. His opening line to me was, "If you need anything, Kenny is there." Is that not just the sweetest thing!?

Palace/hotel in Jaipur

The point of this post is to try to give you an idea of a totally different side of India that I have yet to speak about, regrettably because it is not that different than life in the US. I say regrettably because it really is unfortunate that I am much less shocked to see the affluent side of India than to see the way the less fortunate live in crowded slums. That's not to say I have experience living an extravagant lifestyle - I don't - but I have been blessed with an amazing life in an amazing country. A country where the wealthy/extravagant lifestyle is glamorized and showcased more often (aka every single show on Bravo, and most reality shows for that matter). One thing I heard repeatedly about India, prior to coming, was that the country is full of some of the greatest poverty and some of the greatest wealth in the world. Sounds pretty accurate to me.

Palace/hotel in Jaipur

India is full of amazing hotels, resorts and palaces. For instance, we had to opportunity to go to high tea at the Taj Palace in Hyderabad this past week. It was INCREDIBLE. For all of you interior design freaks....you would have died. We were also able to visit a number of other palaces that were just as jaw-dropping. A number of the readings we completed before the trip discussed the influx of affluent tourists to India and I can certainly see why. The country is booming with potential and it's already full of staggering wealth. In Branding India, the author gave an example of this when speaking about the area of Kerala, describing how affluent tourists have inspired world class resorts that are traditional in flavor but modern in amenities. This couldn't be any more accurate. So many of the places we have been or seen have been just that....a mixture of modern and traditional. It's pointless to try to explain how marvelous these places are - you won't understand until you see pictures. Luckily, I took enough pictures to last a lifetime.