Rajasthan

What to say about Rajasthan...

I arrived in Jaipur last week. It basically felt like a smaller, but more touristy version of Delhi. Since the tourist season is over, vendors are a little overeager to sell everything in their shops – this overeagerness translates into literally blocking my way on the sidewalk with merchandise that I will never buy. One funny thing that happened, though, occurred as I was walking down one of the main streets. An older man in a long white Muslim-style robe with a henna-ed beard asked me where I was from. After I said 'Switzerland,' he yelled after me 'Switzerduch?” Random. Gruetzi sir.
After spending a few days there avoiding street vendors and insisting that no, I will not transport your “precious stones” to Europe and make a quick profit from avoiding customs for your jewelry company, I got a bus to Pushkar. Some people I met in Jari had told me about a great guesthouse they stayed at, which was a converted palace right on the lake. My room's two windows had great views of the lake, which was really nice to wake up to in the mornings. I really liked Pushkar, although again, the shopkeepers are way too pushy, and saying 'namaste' to every single one of them gets a little tiring after like the 50th shop. I got a traditional salwar kameez made though so I'm all set to fool everyone into thinking I'm Indian...
One thing that has surprised me a little bit since being in Rajasthan is that people will try every trick in the book in order to get your money, including inviting you into their house or having you sit down for tea, only to ask you for money as you leave. This is something I've never experienced in Africa, the other parts of India I've been to, or anywhere else in the world. It's pretty sad to have to doubt people's hospitality, but that's what I have now learned to do. Another thing I found very surprising in Pushkar, a holy city, is how many tourists were in short shorts and tank tops! Do these girls not realize that prostitutes in this country cover up more than they do? It even surprised me to see knees and thighs in the street for the first time in almost 5 months. No wonder the men here have no respect for foreign women.
From Pushkar I took a bus to a town a little bit off the tourist trail called Bundi, which is incredibly beautiful. Most of the buildings in the old town are painted blue, and perched on a nearby hill overlooking the town and a lake is an old castle that seems right out of a fairytale. It's been nice to meander through the small streets, where kids run up to me to take their pictures. I met an older woman yesterday who basically turned our encounter into a photoshoot – she even changed into her best sari mid-way through! It's crazy how much nicer and more relaxed people are in places where there are fewer tourists.
Anyway, I'm off to get ma hurr done.
Next stop: Udaipur – supposedly the most romantic city in India – how depressing for the single traveller!
I can't believe in one week I will be in Kathmandu!