14 Hours In A Plane

India Day 7

 We are on the bus a lot.  It takes a long time to get from one place to the next because the roads are narrow and rutted and cluttered with people and animals that must be honked at and swerved around.  As we drive, Mr. Singh tells us what we are seeing.  Sometimes his commentary is enlightening.  Sometimes he says, “Notice how many men are hanging onto this truck.  They will drive many hours this way.”

 

 

Then we pass this:

 and Mr. Singh says, “On the right please notice a dung factory.  Dung is a very large industry here in Uttar Pradesh.  The women and the children make the dung into patties, oftentimes making decorative patterns in the dung before it dries, and then piling it up in large mounds to sell for heating fuel during the monsoon season.  Also notice the boys playing cricket behind them."

Then there is quiet on the bus as we ride and look out the window and listen to our own thoughts as we pass this:

 
And  this:

 

And this:

 

And oh my god, getta load of this!

 

When we arrive at Fatehpur Sikri, we stop and tour it.  It was the Palace of Akbar the Great, but after he built it, he noticed that, "Oops, there's no water here!"  So he moved to the Agra Fort.

This is Fatehpur Sikri.

 

But the thing I will most remember about Fatehpur Sikri is that it was here that I used my very first, squat-and-pee-into-a-hole-in-the-ground toilet.   I go into the stall in the public restroom, expecting a toilet, and see, much to my consternation, that someone has obviously removed the toilet and just left the plumbing.  I call out into the ladies room:

 “Uh, hello?  How, uh, do I do this?” 

A voice outside answers: 

“Which way are you facing?” 

Me: “In.” 

She: “Turn around and face the door.” 

Me: “Okay.” 

She:  Now, you see that hole in the floor?” 

Me: Uh, yeah?” 

She:  “And you see those 2 porcelain slabs alongside it?” 

Me: “Yeaaahhh…” 

She:  “Well, put your feet on those, straddle the hole and, well, aim.”

 This is what I will always remember about Fatehpur Sikri.

 At long last we arrive in Jaipur, The Pink City.  This is Mr. Singh’s hometown and he is stoked to show it off.  The Diwali decorations are still up and even though they are pretty pathetic, he thinks they are spectacular and keeps pointing them out to us.   We all want to kidnap Mr. Singh and take him to NY City at Xmas time, but we are polite and "ooh and ahhh" appropriately at the pitiful Diwali lights.

 In Jaipur we are staying at the Jai Mahal Palace.  This is what it looks like:

These are the gardens and the grounds:

I’m slowly beginning to adjust to Palace living.