March 12-17, 2012
The second destination I visited in Rajasthan India was Pushkar – one of the oldest cities of India, built around a sacred lake. It is a pilgrimage site for Hindus and a very popular little destination for backpackers. Most of my time in Pushkar was about rest and healing from the stomach bug I’d most likely gotten from drinking water in Pune. It was the perfect place to chill out and recover…
10 Memorable Experiences:
10. Seeing the Aravalli Hills on the way to Pushkar, one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world.
9. Meeting a Nepalese guide who takes people on treks up to base of Mount Everest. When i asked who are the best climbers in his experience, he says: The ones who can maintain a strong will and patience. They are not necessarily athletes or mountaineers; many of his best climbers were often people in their 60′s who would pace themselves and keep striving despite the challenges.
8. While recovering, I ate daily at the well-known Honey & Spice cafe which serves very wholesome foods – perfect for when your body needs a break from curry! Recommended: the cinnamon iced tea (extremely refreshing), the morning muesli with bananas, figs and dates, and the Bowl of Joy whole grains with steamed veggie!
7. Seeing flocks of my favorite bird (peacocks) roaming freely in the Pushkar desert on the outskirts of town…
6. Testing various essential oils in an old-fashioned Indian perfume shop…
5. Seeing the obvious influence of hippie backpackers on the village – from cunning shops selling “Poi” to local vendors who test their Western vernacular on foreign women. One vendor accused me of not “going with the flow” when I declined his intention to grope me.
4. Drinking chai while listening to beautiful Rajasthani folk albums at the local music shop (King’s Good Music Zone)
3. Meeting a wonderful new friend from Italy who does business in Pushkar and sharing a delicious thin-crust pizza on a terrace roof-top restaurant (La Pizzeria).
2. Buying a month’s worth of dry food goods for a small Pushkar family. They had befriended me and laid a path of hints that I willingly responded to since it was food and not money they were asking for. Once i paid the grocer, he said that they would have to deliver the food another time as the amount was more than we could carry. Much later, I realized that it was a common con for foreigners.
1. Watching sunset over the holy lake of Pushkar, with Bhopa tribe musicians competing for tourist dollars and cows in heat chasing each other on the steps of the ghats.
Dearest Waiwai,
I am so glad that you could take a rest to recover your stomach bud flu. Again I really enjoy the music in this video. Actually I found myself very fond of Indian music because I was exposed to Indian music a lot when I was at teenage. Now whenever I hear them I would like to listen to them. At #2 on your 10 memorable experiences that con thing was incredible. However, all the paths that you have walked through in your life, I really hope you could take time to sorting them out and record them into a book. I truly wish to see your book get published in my lifetime. You are a such wonderful writer that everyone knows you would agree.
Much love, xoxoxo Mommy xoxoxo
great to see you were in Pushkar! I adored that town as well. You mentioned getting conned into buying food, that is true for a lot of foreigners. I am always skeptical especially when you have 10 kids following you telling the same story, so instead I take them to a juice shop and buy them each a fresh pressed juice while enjoying one with them. Who can go wrong with a free juice?
Did you happen to visit the sunrise and sunset temples? those were a great experience as well Enjoy the rest of your india trip!
Such a beautiful video. Takes me back to how I envisioned India as a child ~ full of magic!
thank U woo for another so lovely piece of your endless creativity. i can “smell” and “hear” this sweet little video of beloved pushkar… beautiful to have met U there…..