Jodhpur!

India is incredible. We have fallen deeply in love. Each day seems to bring bigger and more exciting adventures. How can this continue? It is such a departure from our lives at home, it is difficult to put into words what we witness, what we feel, and what we are learning. The face of India is indeed in the people.

Although I posted the Rat Temple picture yesterday, we actually did not visit it until this morning. No words really can describe the feeling of walking through a temple in socks with hundreds of brown rats scurrying past constantly. Cathy had some trouble with this but she faced her fears and had victory. Leslie who is famous for having a severe rat phobia was amazingly calm throughout the visit. Go figure.

On our way to Jodhpur we stopped at a hospital for the sacred India cow. It is a facility run by volunteers and it has a section for blind cows, 3-legged cows and cancer cows. Quite a surreal experience to say the least. We initially found ourselves escorted into a small octagonal shaped building where we said some sort of prayer for the cows and participated in a ritual with fire and chanting. Each of us were given a gift as we left. We are learning to understand the significance and importance of the cow in India, in fact Leslie was hip checked by one today in the busy market.

Dharmender took us for a chai tea break mid afternoon and we arrived in Jodhpur in time to walk to the Clock Tower and market before dark and another great meal. Tomorrow is the main fort and palace as well as another chance to stroll the streets where you really do have to be aware. Motorbikes, tuktuks, animals of all kind do not stop for pedestrians. Many vendors try hard to entice you into their stores and once you enter it is very difficult to leave without purchasing something. Our only purchases so far are a few pashminas, jingle bell braclets for our ankles, (for our Bhangra dance classes) and great stainless steel spice pots. Tomorrow we have plans for some serious purchases.

The temperature is much better today as we have headed south. The health of the four of us is good and we are slowly getting on India time. We have clocked alot of hours together in a very small car over the past four days but we are still talking to each other. It is hard to believe that we have been away almost one week and we hope that you are not missing us all too much. Thanks for reading. Love always.

PS - the Bhangra Dance class cancelled. LOL!

Leslie and Shelley.