Eric In India: August 2009

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Agra, India

Agra (Home of the Taj Mahal) - Population: 1.6 million
Stay Duration: Day Trip - July 27th

When we decided to make the trip to see the Taj Mahal, "world wonder of India", We had a debate on what the other six wonders were. Surely the Great Wall of China, Machu Picchu, the Pyramids, maybe Mount Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty, Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Colosseum, the big Jesus in South America and... OK... so we are definitely over 7 - But, What are the "seven wonders of the world?" I tried to figure out...

You pick! http://www.vote7.com/n7w - This website allows you to make the big decisions... the only problem is The Great Wall, Taj Mahal and all other expected choices are not options on this survey. This sight is all natural, very limited, and i think misleading for serious world wonder seekers like myself - But, it was fun, and here are the seven destinations that received a tick on my final ballot:

1. Great Barrier Reef, 2. Maldives, 3. Galapagos Islands, 4. Uluru, 5. Grand Canyon, 6. Cliffs of Moher, and 7. The Amazon

If that's not satisfying Wonder club suggests... (http://www.wonderclub.com/AllWorldWonders.html) WC had its own idea of what the seven wonders of the world should be. In fact they had nine different ways to fill out this wondrous list - Oddly, many of their lists containing more that seven wonders!

So what are the seven world wonders? When in doubt, consult Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonders_of_the_World) Wikipedia is always a viable and thorough option; it should not surprise anyone that wikipedia has not nine wonder filled lists - but ten! Even though there seemed to be more world wonder lists than there are colors in the rainbow, one list caught my eye and felt familiar. That list was the New 7 Wonders Foundation's seven wonders of the world and stemmed from an organization that commenced its thorough voting process in 2001 and announced its top 7 in 2007. It goes like this:

1. The Great wall of China, 2. Petra (Jordan), 3. Christ the Redeemer (Brazil), 4. Machu Picchu (Peru), 5. Chichen Itza (Mexico), 6. Roman Colosseum (Italy), 7. Taj Mahal! (India), Honorable Mention: The Great Pyramid

My Thoughts: Christ the Redeemer is enormous, stands upon a mountain, and looks over a beautiful city (Rio de Janeiro) - Pretty cool, right? But, It opened to the public October 12th, 1931 - where is the mystery, where is the wonder?

Sadly, the Great Pyramid of Egypt got short changed. This Giza necropolis landmark should not only have made the list but its wide base should sit atop it. Here are the great pyramid's pros: The great pyramid dates back to 2560 BC (Ancient!) making the rest of the world wonders look younger than the Jonas Brothers. In a savage desert environment, with some of the limestone bricks weighing upward of 60 tonnes, and being transported hundreds of miles away with no help from modern machinery it is of great wonder how the Egyptians managed to form this pointy landmark. Moving beyond the history, the pyramids are stunning and sit upon a equally stunning desert backdrop. Negatives: slave labor, locusts, and sandstorms...

Also confusing, isn't Chichen Itza a sight filled with less impresive, pyramid-like structures modernized by the addition of stairs? lol.. But that's how the cookie crumbles.

Agra action --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agra was our last day trip, last train ride and last experience, outside of Delhi. The Taj Mahal was a beautiful tomb - we took a lot of photos, appreciated its wonder, and took off.

Last Train - During my trip i experienced the indian rail system via 1st class AC, 2nd class, and sleeper sleeper. 1st class AC is very comfortable (but a bit boring). sleeper class is a bit too exciting (and congested) and we ended swapping train cars and moving to another 2nd class cart. 2nd class is still an adventure - children run through the walkway selling chai, books, singing, dancing, all while performing back bends and somersaults! If you walk to the end of the cabin you can poke your head out an open train door as it chugs along the scenic countryside. If you go to India traveling by train is a must do.

Petha and Mango pancakes

Petha - This delicious Indian sweet is well known in Agra - it is made from the rind of the ash gourd (AKA white pumpkin) and has a surprising variety of textures and can be prepared with multiple variations in flavor -my favorite: coconut and saffron. Check it out @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petha

Mango Pancakes - Just outside of the Taj Mahal, we past through an exciting street lined with a hundred shops (containing the same token Taj souvenirs), and crowded by their owners who were shouting rapidly fluctuating prices. Finally we made our way through the gauntlet of shops and arrived at the foot of a small hole in the wall diner. It looked appropriate for backpacker types, so we walked in, sat down, and took a look at a menu... and I got excited. Mango Pancakes! I had wanted a sweet meal (not a rich dessert) for weeks. Until that point I was convinced sweet meals, those served with maple syrup, honey butter and fruit, did not exist in India. We ordered, ate, and a craving I had suffered from for weeks was fully satisfied.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Delhi, India

Delhi (The Ancient Metropolis) - Population: 15.9 million
Stay duration: July 24th - July 31st.

We arrived in Dehli by train and ran as fast as we could to catch the last metro to Jaipaul's relatives home. Finally we had arrived at our final destination. I set aside my big blue backpack aside for a week and enjoyed India in a new way - my Delhi experience was full of home cooked meals, bazaars/markets and beautiful buildings. In Delhi i used my camera less and my eyes more. My stomach settled and adapted. I felt comfortable and at home!

Delhi Daytrips ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The sights - The Gate of India, Lotus Temple, the red fort, and more..

Shopping in Delhi - The shops are cheap here! Dress clothes for the Western States Chiropractic College clinic could be found at Kouton's, an Indian department store which was enjoying a constant 80% off sale on men's clothing. Souvenirs where jumping up from all directions and could always be bargained for. Biggest Bargain: At the underground market in central Delhi the price of a 4gig camera memory card shrunk from 4500 to 700 rupees with the help of Jaipaul's aunt and cousin (those ladies know what they are doing!)

Jaipaul's Family - Staying with J's Family was such a fun experience! I enjoyed every day, every meal, and every adventure we had that week - they made my trip!

Jaipur, India

Jaipur (The Pink City) Population: 2.3 million
Stay Duration: July 20th - July 24th

Jaipur is distinctly Rajasthan. Until this point in my trip I hadn't noticed what state within India I was in - Up to this point India had been shades of green and grey, busy, populated and surprisingly modern. In Jaipur the climate and color changed drastically from the early part of my journey that had hugged India's lush west coast. Rajasthan seemed like a new country, an older country, and it was a synopsis of all the components I have always associated with India - desert, temples, palaces, animals lined streets, and snake charmers.

My train ride to Jaipur reminded me off home, and when I stepped off the train it felt like North Dakota on a hot summer day - Trade sunflower fields and large combines for small plots of land, bull and plow; swap fishermen and hunters for Snake Charmers and Rickshaw drivers; trade horses, ducks and deer for camels and cows.... and... elephants, pigs, goats, monkeys, snakes, peacocks..... OK, I'm not in North Dakota (or Kansas) anymore.

I arrive In Jaipur with a couple of new friends - Some Americans from sweet home Alabama, "The Italians" - Elizabeth and Augusto, and "The train manager" back from business in Mumbai. After a long conversation with "The Manager", we came up with a rough equivalent to an American "grocery store"; he called it "Reliance Fresh".

If you know me, you know I have a strange passion for grocery stores. Saying "He/she is like a kid in a candy store" is like saying "he/she is like Eric in a grocery store." I just get excited. Unfortunately, India does not truly have a major grocery store. Reliance fresh was not that reliable (and not that fresh) and big bazaar... Well, it really wasn't that big. While India Lacks its own version of Safeway, Wally's, or Woolworth's it does have an amazing amount of individual vendors and they tend to conveniently congregate. For example, if you wanted to purchase a fresh mango you could find yourself on a busy corner with 20 fruit stalls side by side with the same fruit menu: Mangoes, papaya, pomegranate, sweet lime, apples, pears... You might suffer a bit of deja vu as you travel from stall to stall but you can find what you want; From my first experience I took home 5 mangoes, two sweet limes, and two pomegranates... delicious

Jahal Mahal (Water palace) - with Elizabeth and Augusto - "The Italians"