The movie we watched:

Really good! What I understood from it lol.

Just one corner of our shopping trip

Block printing

Mosaic inside Amber Fort

Inside the Amber Fort

Reflections: Pampering and sunsets

So we've been in Jaipur for three days now, we ship off tonight at 11:45pm on a train headed for Jaisalmer. Three days is the longest we've been in a place in India so far (except when we were sick in Varanasi). And it's also the first place I feel like we've really explored the city. We started with an afternoon of pampering (fully body massage, pedicure and eyebrow threading - yay, so needed!) and then went and watched sunset from monkey temple (not actually called that, it's just known for all of the monkeys around it) which had an amazing view of the city, Jaipur is massive! I don't think I've ever seen so many sunrises and sunsets as on this trip lol. Yesterday (our first full day) we hired a rickshaw driver to take us around for the day. We went to the Pink City, climbed up a tower to see a 360 of the city, checked out an observatory (it's a world heritage site? Wish I knew more about the stars, this was a little over my head), did a drive by of the Palace of the Winds (pretty but super small, the pictures make it look so much larger), visited some tombs (can't remember the name for the life of me but it was probably one of my favorite places in Jaipur - beautiful white marble temples and so peaceful!) then visited the Amber Fort. Initially we were thinking of riding elephants up to the fort (because you can) but when we got there and saw them I was horrified. They chain their legs and beat them so they move. They have open sores on their legs and backs from being beaten with the stick. I could barely look at them. Don't ride the elephants if you go!! Anyways, the fort was really cool. It's huge, has a beautiful view and tons of little tunnels everywhere. It was nice to be able to wander around and explore on my own. After the fort we checked out the water palace (exactly what it sounds like, a palace in a lake), and then did some shopping. We visited a guru (who told me that as soon as I stopped eating wheat and dairy I would be much healthier. Random!!) and then went to a Hindi movie at night. Today was shopping day two :)

It's Not Personal, Just Driving

You may remember my mentioning how nuts Vietnam was for driving...I take it back. Vietnam is tame. Driving in India is by far scarier. Yesterday was my first real driving experience in India (in the daytime) - We took a rickshaw to the bus and then a 3h bus ride to Allahabad to take the train - and I have to say, I had no idea traveling could be so stressful! There is no centre line here (at least in the minds of drivers). Our bus driver (we nicknamed him "Stone Cold" for his expressionless/no fear driving) would drive for minutes on end in the opposing lane, honking madly, forcing smaller oncoming vehicles to the side and then swerving at the very last second back into our lane when challenged by vehicles the same size or larger. If two cars so narrowly missed each other in Canada, the drivers would pull over and thank their lucky stars they just survived such a near death experience. In India, it's routine. If a vehicle wants to pass another, you drive up behind it and honk madly and repeatedly until they move over. If they don't move over, you pass them in the oncoming traffic lane. No hard feelings. Our driver tried to pass another, he was honking madly for some time but the vehicle didn't make room, eventually we passed it on the sidewalk side (I also wouldn't want to bike here, you are playing with your life biking along a road in India) and instead of getting mad at the guy for not moving (in Canada this would have warranted at least a glare, if not a "wtf" look or possible finger), there was no acknowledgment whatsoever! As if, no hard feelings, it's just driving. The driving madly up behind someone and honking repeatedly, just safety. India definitely is incredible.

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