Just Another Weekend

Thanks to the FANTASTIC Liz (roomie #1) we spent a glorious weekend in the mountain town of, Kasauli.  What an exciting trip.  I rode a train for the first time, a sleeper car to be exact.
yes, this picture is totally posed. GO UTES!

There were 4 bunks in the sleeper car, 2 up and 2 down.  Just like a bunk bed.  We got on the train at about 10:30 Pm and arrived at our final train destination, Kalka at 5:30 Am.  A taxi driver picked us up at the base of the canyon and off we went.

we arrived just as the sun was rising.

The hotel we stayed in didn't have checkin until 1:00 but the front desk clerk checked us in (what a relief).  The hotel was very nice and nestled between foliage and a quant brick wall.

After a quick rest we decided to head up to the hotels roof top restaurant for breakfast.  The food was ok but the view... THE VIEW!!

Once we were done with lunch we headed up a trail leading up to one of the oldest Temples in the area.  It was a hike but I'm getting healthier and stronger here (lots of activity) so it wasn't too bad.  Loud music was playing just beyond the entrance shrine, that was being worked on by local artisans.  A small store at the entrance sold bags of what looked like white Nerds candy.  Asking the man selling the items I learned that it was offerings for the Temple.  So cool, I bought a bag and headed in.  The Temple was just a large room with a colorful shrine to Krishna.  We were the only ones in the Temple at the time so the man at its head motioned for me to come over.  I handed him my bag in which he took out a handful of the candy and put it in a bowl in front of Krishna.  Now the amazing part that held so much beautiful symbolism was after when he took a handful from Krishna's bowl and put it in my bag.  If that wasn't amazing in itself he placed a small dot of white paint on my forehead.  It was so incredible.  As he did this, without doing it on purpose, I closed my eyes.  It felt like I was really receiving a blessing from Krishna.  Really a neat experience.

 After leaving the Temple we started walking back to an area called, Pine Tree Mall for a bit of shopping.  It's not a mall as we think of in the US but a small market. We were further away than we realized and didn't want to walk all that way!  We had no ride as our taxi had left and no cell phone.  Sitting on the side of the road, hoping to find a cab, a man from one of the shops told us we could catch a ride with any of the busses coming up or down.  Well, that was an adventure.  Refer to following video.

 Monkey's are everywhere, especially in Kasauli!!  They scare me to death!  Liz was trying to get a picture close to them and he grabbed her bag.  Sarah and I went screaming into the shops, luckily it didn't get her!  Argh!

 The day just kept getting better.  After some shopping we went up another trail to watch the sunset at Sunset Point (wonder where they got the name...?)  Pictures don't do it justice, the sky radiated and the sun beamed.

 Back to the hotel for dinner we were served an incredible Indian buffet of all sorts of wonderful things especially the lamb curry!  Off in the corner of the outdoor patio was a family, mom, dad, son and daughter.  The dad was holding the little boy in his arms as he snoozed away.  The little girl though came over and asked us where she was from, she was SO cute and beautiful.  She made me laugh when she told me I have hair like a Barbie!  Such a loving family, we talked, took pictures and exchanged emails and are planning to get together for dinner :) Our evening ended with live guitar on the patio and some of the greatest memories I will ever have.

Monsooner or Later

"I'm singin' in the monsoon, just singing' in the monsoon.  What a glorious feelin' I'm happy again..."

And suddenly all was dark and the sky rumbled above.  Within minutes the sky went from a bright blue to a rumbling black.  I don't even know how to describe the size of the raindrops and the ferocity in which it fell.  How many times can ya say, "yeah, I've had my makeup removed from a monsoon."  So cool!!

The Best Day of my Life (so far)

On Monday everyone from the office took a trip to Vrindavan to see Project Jeevan.  Project Jeevan is an AMAZING program run by Maitri that takes care of widows that have been ostracized from their homes and families.  Before visiting the ashram in which these women live our hosts took us to a temple where Radha's (Krishna's girlfriend) birthday was being celebrated.  Every possible surface of the temple was covered in beautiful flowers, floral chandeliers as well as the people!!  It was more beautiful than any dream I have ever had, but the only way to describe it properly is to compare it to a dream.  The above picture is a group shot of us entering the temple, Me, Liz, Sarah, Anita and Shikha from the office.  Can you believe, this is only the entrance!

  

The celebration in the temple pulsed, even more impressive were the people.  The joy and fun around me was so delirious that I couldn't help but join in the dancing and singing, "Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna Hare Hare Krishna!"

After leaving the temple we were taken to visit with the widows and help serve their mid-day meal. I can honestly say that meeting with these women humbled me more than any experience in Amerca.  The women were so loving and open to our visit, how anyone could see them as 'bad luck' or anything but spiritual and full of love baffles me.  The first woman I met shook my hand and before I knew it we were hugging and crying.  There was something about her that made me feel... I don't know...it's like our spirits clicked.  She was talking in Hindi and I in English but we somehow understood each other.

I can't wait to go back! Really, I just want to stay there and feel their love and serve forever!

Before the afternoon meal we got to spend a few minutes with, Winnie ma'am and General Singh, the founders and CEO's of Maitri.  I am in awe of their work and the many programs they run in order to serve those in need, especially those considered 'untouchable'.

As we left the Ashram to go to another temple I started to not feel well.  I had had a stomache ache most of the day but as we started to head up a small path to the other temple it really started to hurt.  The market and alleys were packed with marching bands, people bringing offerings to Krishna and those making the pilgramage to the temple.  The best part is that we went where no other tourist has even been, you had to be in the "know" to get there.  Amazing.  As we walked back down to the car I just had to stop and buy the most beautiful peacock fans and feathers (earlier in the day while driving I saw a peacock fly across the road, land on a wall and spread its feathers!)

I look forward to the day that tops this day.  Truly, the best day of my life (so far!)

Tottering off to the Taj

So, the Taj Mahal.  Let's start at the beginning shall we?  The roomies and I were able to hitch a ride with an Indian girl named Reya (a girl from church).  Her father drove and the ride was well, interesting to say the least.  Everyone honks their horn when driving and at first I thought everyone had road rage.  It turns out that everyone honks their horn in lieu of blinkers.  Honking your horn alerts drivers, motorcycles, pedestrians, cows, monkeys (the normal stuff) that you are there.  Not only is it the norm it is encouraged! 

If you recall in a previous blog I mentioned that I pretty much taught a litlte Indian girl that 'C A T' spells "meow."  It turns out that Indian cats do say "meow".  Roosters are a different story...



2 1/2 hours of dodging monkeys and horn honking we arrived in, Agra.  Agra is a crazy city and I am glad we  had someone that knew the area! After parking the car, our group of 4 girls grabbed a camel and were off to the etrance.

It's about  a 15 min walk to the actual Taj as you go through several outer walls and a fort built around it. 

Arriving to the front garden you are struck by the Taj Mahal, sparkling white behind the bluest sky I have ever seen.  None of my pictures look real, it is that beautu\iful and surreal.  The temperature that day was hovering around 100 degrees with 90% humidity!  The sun made the Taj practically beam, enough that it was hard to look at without my sunglasses!  After the obligatory tourist pictures (yes I'm wearing ridiculous pair of 'harem pants' we headed to the entrance.  Walking to the building it became brighter and more beautiful!  Every angle and design was beautiful!

Pictures are not allowed in the tomb but no picture could capture the pulse the tomb room had.  You could practically feel the love this king and queen shared thousands of years ago.  As cheesy as this sounds, words can't express its beauty, in structure and romance.