Welcome to India

Today as I was strolling through the narrow stone streets gazing at shops in architecturally beautiful 300 yr old buildings at colourful sarees and other clothing, silver jewellry, and paintings, I kicked a pile of cow poop...welcome to India.  We have spent the last 4 days in Jaipur, Rajasthan overcoming stomach issues trying to convince our bodies that they could handle rich northern Indian cuisine, and the heat...welcome to India.  Honking cars, trucks, buses, cycle rickshaws, auto rickshaws, and motorcycles are enough to drive us crazy and certainly led to a headache or two...yes we know you are there, we are looking right at you, no honking necessary...welcome to India.  India is a place of extreme for us...extreme heat (has been 40 almost every day), extreme population density (over 1 billion people and quickly growing), extreme chaos, pollution, filth.  But it also is extremely beautiful when you see pass the negatives, there is incredible history of a civilization more than 2500 yrs old, and architecture from the 1500's. Woman's clothing is stunning - bright, mirrored, embroidered, and provides colourful contrast in streets filled with filth, cows, pigs, people deficating on the sidewalk, and urinating into gutters. 

In India the cows are sacred and take their fixed place in society wherever they wish - often in the middle of the road.  They are fed, healthy and in some cases I have heard their feeding takes precedence over women in the family.  

India takes time for the shocks to neutralize and for the details of the life here to digest.  I'm not sure we are there yet, but getting closer. Yesterday we arrived in Udaipur. It is known as being a romantic city because of narrow lanes, "sparkling" lakes and palaces. It is a city of artists evident immediately by the design of hotels with stunning courtyards and beautiful rooms, also in the French cafe where we enjoyed cappuccino's and French toast!  We ate dinner in a restaurant on cushions 

In an open air alcove overlooking the lit up lake palace...it was lovely.

Today we head into the village of Bagad. This is the adopted village of students and staff at Paris District HS and I look forward to the opportunity to bring to camera someof the benefits of their charity efforts.  Stay tuned...