Agra to Jaipur and life in between

I don’t know where to begin. I have seen so much in our short time in India that it is overwhelming to try and describe. Every second and everywhere I look I see a story. An image is ingrained in my mind and feelings are provoked.  My camera is not fast enough to catch all of the life moments as we drive past. I wish I could download every scene because each is so unique and special. I have managed to take over 600 photos in the last 2 days, many are not images of Mike and I, or the monuments and palaces we’ve visited but they are of everyday people living their everyday routines. I find them all so fascinating from the men pulling heavy loads of milk on their bicycles, to women cutting wheat in the fields, children running and playing in the streets with no shoes on, to the cows, camels, water buffalo, goats, dogs and even an elephant in the middle of the road! Instead of describing our day in chronological detail I will try and describe different categories of scenes that we have come across. I hope you will understand that I’m not critical of the unsanitary details or the immense poverty and homelessness but that I’m deeply moved and humbled by them.

The average block of road in the city has a lot of chaos. You will find many fruit stands, snack shacks, alleyways and homes.  It’s not uncommon to see people sleeping on the street, people cooking, cleaning, working and children playing.

 Traffic is complete madness with no apparent set of rules except for honking. You will find auto rickshaws, bicycle rickshaws, horse drawn-donkey drawn wagons, buses and many motorbikes. Many times a whole family will be on the motorbike with small children sitting in the front or between their parents….helmets are occasionally seen. I’ve seen small autos with 12 people crammed in and on some of the buses people will ride on the top or sit in the stairway where there is no door! Animals peruse the streets as they please and are in the middle of it all! Pedestrians do not have the right of way and when crossing the street in India one might fear for their life. I know I did! People drive head on, and sideways there were multiple times Mike and I could have been struck on our 5 hr drive from Agra to Jaipur.



cammels crossing the road



My favorite and most sought over sight is that of children. Many children wear tattered clothing some don’t have shoes.  Others have saris or school uniforms on and in Jaipur I found some girls with jeans on. I find it fascinating as some children are seen helping their parents selling fruit or pappadums on the side of the road and others are seen playing cricket or splashing in the water pumps. There was one little boy that was seen running down a back alley with a stick and a wheel frame. Most children are seen wandering or playing all by themselves or in a group, but there is not necessarily adult supervision. I do find it heartwarming to see mothers carrying their babies or a father holding his daughter’s hand. I have seen children rummaging through garbage cans and begging for food. At tourist attractions children will often be selling small handicrafts and newspapers. Today I saw a pair of little boys put on a magic show for some people. Children are often fascinated by us and will often wave and their smiles warm my heart and fill my soul. They are so innocent and pure and some live their life in unimaginable living circumstances but yet they are so content playing and being children.



girl walking her cow



In the city most woman are seen at the markets or with their children. Driving through the small villages in the country side is a whole other story. I felt as though I was sent back in a time machine. The things I saw were things I read out of textbooks in school. The women were often seen hand washing clothes and setting them out to dry. I also saw women walking carrying bundles of firewood, buckets of water and even packs of buffalo chips on their heads. Our driver told us that the life of a woman is very challenging and has her doing hard laborious work. Every morning the women have to retrieve water for the family’s daily use. Sometimes they have to walk miles and will balance canteens on their heads as well as carry some with their hands. Next they have to gather firewood to use as fuel to prepare meals with. Again, women were seen carrying heavy loads of firewood. Next they have to gather the food. As we would drive down the road I would see fields of wheat and in the middle of them there would be bright patches of color. The color would be groups of women in their beautiful saris out in the heat of the day cutting wheat with small rods.  When they would finish this task it would be time to prepare meals for the family. Our driver said that most village meals would include rice, dal (lentils), vegetables and chapatti (wheat breads). After miles and hours of driving past and watching these women my heart was heavy and I vowed never to complain about making dinner again. 

a woman carrying buffalo chips

Men in the villages were mostly seen bathing, herding animals or selling items in their stalls. Things sold were anything from food to tires and tools. In the city men are seen selling, hair cutting and bicycling heavy loads of goods and materials. There are many bicycle rickshaws, for those of you not familiar it would be a carriage connected to a bike that people would sit in while the man bicycles and drives them to their destination. Mind you it’s in the 90s and the heat is relentless in India. We have noticed at our hotels and in restaurants it is mainly men working.

Viewing the housing in the villages in India was like stepping back in time. Most were made of grass, yes grass! There were some made from brick and dung. There would be entire villages made from these types of homes. In the city we have seen a variety of homes from apartments to tattered shacks, abandon buildings, alleyways, parks and the most humbling on the street. I am beginning to understand why we have seen so many people going to the bathroom on the side of the street or near train tracks it is because having a bathroom is a pure luxury that many don’t have.

I am anxious to spend time in the bigger cities of Kolkata and Delhi to depict their daily routines and living arrangements. I would like to make note that my descriptions in this posting only represent a portion of life in India. Certainly, there are people with higher incomes who have apartments and nice homes. There are thoose  with successful careers and who have prominent positions in the business, medical and political arenas.  The poverty is so vastly different from the poverty that I have witnessed and therefore I have been intrigued to write about it. India is a kaleidoscope of colors, aromas and variety of lifestyles.

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is truly one of the most incredible sights. It’s hard to put into words the beauty, mystic and splendor that it exudes. The ornate details and the intricate craftsmanship are unfathomable. It took 22 years to complete the Taj. The grounds are large much larger than I anticipated. The many reflection pools create a magical essence to the grounds. The gardens provide a lush backdrop and the multiple path, benches and steps create a fantasy land. It almost feels like you are in a whimsical place right off the pages of a storybook. The entrance to the grounds is ornate within its own right. It along with the two side buildings are made from red sandstone. All of the buildings have beautiful designs embedded in them by the ancient craft of pietra dura. It is very time consuming and precise. Each stone is cut and then a grave is carved away by hand and the stones are then placed in one by one. All of the writings, designs and details were completed this way. We loved our time here and I would hope someday I could return. If any of you have the opportunity to visit I would highly recommend it. Walking around the grounds and inside the Taj is something I will always cherish. It is truely magnificent! These photos do not do it justice!

We're here...we are in India!

As we were landing my husband grabbed my hand and looked at me and said,” we’re here, we are in India”. It was the way he spoke his words and the look in his eyes that I will never forget. I know he is excited to meet his daughter and to be on this journey with me. I’m so grateful for his companionship and support. The Delhi airport customs was very easy and smooth. I was expecting much more of a crowd.  The drive to our hotel was a different story. We were greeted and helped into our car and the drive was exactly what you see in movies. Chaos, congestion, horns, bicycles, motorcycles, cows all of that and more. It was great!  When we arrived at our hotel the security checked our car for bombs and our entire luggage screened through a metal detector.   We went to bed quickly as we were to catch the 6am train to Agra.  

This morning was a morning I will never forget.
We drove to the train station and it was still dark out. We passed people sleeping on the streets. Families with all of their possessions lined up on the side of the road, some not even having a tent or a tarp. Some were beginning to cook and you could see the open flames and their one pot steaming. This was just not one case; we passed multiple scenes of many people living in these conditions. Stray dogs were running in the alley ways and the city was beginning to awake.


We arrived at the train station and there were many people asking to port our luggage, men with turbans were selling newspapers and families sleeping on the hard concrete, no blankets, no belongings. As we were waiting in line to board the train I looked to my left and saw rows of people sleeping. The vision that struck me most was a woman asleep with her two children. She laid there wrapped in her sari and all I could think about was how this was her reality and her children’s’ reality. I held it together but as soon as we were seated on the train, I lost it. Tears rolled down my face. Things I take for granted; clothing, shelter, food, a bed would be incredible luxuries for this woman. I thought of my daughters who I love so dearly and want to provide for. Here she was trying to provide what she could for her children which happened to be a corner of her sari to keep them warm. We are both mothers and yet her daily feat is survival for herself and children. I felt ashamed for having our luggage full of stuff and at one point I wanted to unload it all and give everything away. The image of her will always be engrained in my mind.

 As the train rolled along we passed many homes consisting of tattered materials and cardboard. Mike witness several people taking their morning bathroom privileges near the train tracks. Many cows and goats rested within sight and the morning rituals of the villages we passed came to light. I felt like I was living out a scene in a movie. Even though there is great poverty there is a sense of beauty and peace within this country.

We arrived at the train station and again I was hit with waves of emotion.  We had met some nice people on the train who were traveling as a group and our hotel as well as theirs had packed us a boxed breakfast. There was a collection of fruit and sandwiches which had not been eaten so we gathered them up and their guide gave the food to some children outside the station. You should have seen the joy and excitement on their faces. Again I was hit with such strong emotions.  Something that I take for granted something as simple as breakfast was such a precious gift to them. There were other children running up to our car banging on the windows asking or rather mouthing with their hands for food. My eyes locked on with a little boy’s and his face will be etched in my mind for a long time. We brought granola bars and fruit leathers with the intention of handing them out to children, but our driver said this would not be a good time as sometimes it can get chaotic and cause quite the commotion so we followed his lead and left the station.

Children looking at the food collection

 

Driving in India is very entertaining and there is never a dull moment.  We paused today for a herd of water buffalo, shared lanes with many cows and even passed a camel. I loved witnessing the life of the locals as we passed by. We are in Agra if I haven’t mentioned. Today we visited Agra fort which is incredible and so beautiful. Tomorrow we will visit the Taj Mahal as it is closed on Fridays. We have been able to get a great look at it from a distance from the Agra fort and from our hotel. It is stunning and magical looking.



Agra fort



India is everything I imagined it to be and more. Although there have been emotionally hard moments there is such beauty and graciousness from the people we have met. I am so happy we are here and a heartfelt connection with this country has already been embraced and formed. Much love and blessings to all, Brie

hong kong

Hong Kong is an international business hub. From all over the world people work and travel here. It is a beautiful city. It There are many buildings and we marveled at their heights and sophistication. The city is kept very clean and the people are lovely. Everyone is so kind and helpful. We leave feeling we experienced the modern and new aspects of the city as well as the heritage. We took every mode of transportation possible. The public transport is amazing and all is kept spotless and run efficiently. We began our day by taking a double decker bus around the island to the famous Stanley market. The terrain and landscape is lush and beautiful. There were beautiful beaches and street scenes. En route we passed Aberdeen an old fishing town. There are old floating houses and even a floating restaurant.   After touring the market we then took a taxi to The peak. The peak has a sky terrace that overlooks the city and surrounding islands. It is absolutely stunning. We then hopped on the peak tram which took us down the hill and into the heart of the central district. Central is the “wall street” of Hong Kong. We were surrounded by hundreds of business men and woman. All immaculately dressed, it was a sea of black suits and designer bags. There was a beautiful park in the middle of the area with neat water features and sitting areas. It was an oasis surrounded by all of the high rises.  There is a lot of shopping in Hong Kong. Any designer you can imagine. We walked through the IFC mall and then proceeded along the many sky walkways that connect the buildings in the district. We found our way to an outdoor escalator that soon transcended us to an area that was so vastly different from the business area but yet only a few blocks away.

 We found ourselves in the older streets and markets of the city. Wandering through we passed fresh fruit and vegetable stands, herbalists, fish markets and even a meat market. Yes, a meat market where you can literally watch people butcher and proportion meat products. We didn’t want to walk to close for who knows what may splatter on you! It was crazy to see the meat hanging in open air stalls. What I found most interesting was the fish market. There were bins of all kinds of fish and ocean creatures.  It was pretty amazing watching as people would walk through and collect items that they would use to prepare their dinners. Everything was so fresh. As we meandered through the streets we came across the antique stores and many stalls of crafts that people made.  We found many Chinese trinkets and crafts for sale. I made my first purchase of the trip and bought a jade bracelet. The design stood for safe travels. We came across an old Chinese temple and then found our way past the herbalist shops and down to the tram that would connect us back to the sky walkways and on to the ferry that we would ride to cross the harbor to the Kowloon area. The ferry ride provided spectacular views of the city and it costs just about 75 cents to take.  We then walked along the harbor and back to our hotel. What a day! We went back to our room and later that evening watched the symphony of lights show. Every night the buildings in Hong Kong light up and display this amazing light show with varying colors and lasers all coordinated to music. Many boats fill the harbor so people can enjoy the show. In just one day we were able to get a feel for the varying types of lifestyles from modern to traditional. We saw a Gucci commercial being filmed, businessmen commuting, and the Chinese woman buying a shark fin from the market stalls. The city is quite remarkable and the people are very hospitable.

The next morning we discovered more of the traditional areas on the Kowloon side. We took a subway ride deep into the town. We then enjoyed our morning stroll through the flower market, the goldfish market  ( yes can you believe it) and on to the beautiful jade market. We returned to our hotel, packed and headed for the airport. The drive was beautiful as we passed over bridges and was able to take in the views of the city for one last time. The airport in Hong Kong is huge! It houses many restaurants, a cinema and a luxury shopping mall as well. This was quite an experience.  We are acclimating to the new time but it is starting to catch up with me and I have a feeling I’ll sleep on the plane ride to Delhi. For weeks I have been preparing for landing in India and I’m ready! As I board our flight I already feel like we are transitioning to a new place.  There are many babies on the flight and I’m smiling from ear to ear because I know I will soon have ours. As I complete this typing I finish my mango juice and relish in the fact that in a matter of hours we will be in India. Thank you for all of your wonderful comments, it has been so fun sharing this journey with each of you.