Pushker, It’s touristy, I’m Canadian, and the Taj
Started 2/24/05 in Pushker & completed 3/8/05 in Mt. Abu
I’m sitting in a rooftop cafe in Pushker, where Israeli people, cuisine, and trance music captivate the ambiance. Well, ambiance is probably not the right word. This little town of Pushker, with its 15,000 people, 1000 temples, and many tourists (90% of which are Israelis). The stereotype is that the Israelis here are rude and that they are rift builders - They boss waiters around and they don’t want to speak English to Indians and other foreigners. I think that’s all bs and I’m going to try to break through that stereo. I mean the women are far too beautiful to not give it a shot.
This trance is killing my train of thought, but I’ve always thought it to be rude to put headphones on at someone else’s cafe. If I were working and was providing some listening pleasures for my customers, I would see at as a little rude. But I think I’m going to do it anyway. They just turned the volume up three notches as American Analog Set hopes to drown out the awfulness. It’s track two of the album “Promise of Love”. Been diggin’ it.
My stomach is currently in its second round of gymnastics. Or is it swimming. Maybe figure skating. Three flips, a cart wheel, a somersault, and a triple-toe loop in the past two days. The first round came in Karachi and it was parallel to the aftermath of drinking 10 shots of tequila - you might puke some substance out a few times, but after a while its just dry heaving. Sorry, just being honest…
The last ten days I have been on the move with Suresh at my disposal. He is far more than a driver. He is an advisor, a truth giver, and now a friend.
“It’s touristy…”
It’s seems like everywhere you go and whenever talking to travellers and asking their advice on particular areas… many times their reply begins with, “Well, it’s really touristy…”
I admit to falling into this category as well, but I’m working on changing it. I see it as a given to many places but that it shouldn’t take away from its beauty. Rajisthan is a tourist circuit - there are 6 cities that almost everyone goes to - I’ve bumped into a dozen people in more than one city in Rajisthan. The tourism shouldn’t subtract the genuine historical and cultural aesthetics. There’s a reason it’s touristy. People have come to see and experience something that they have heard or read about on multiple occassions.
For me, the tourists are predominantly European - 75% UK, 10% German, 5% Australian, 10% other Western European & Canadian… I’ve met less than 5 Americans in the 6 weeks that I’ve been here. So i don’t mind conversating with all these fellow backpackers and learning more about England, Ireland, Germany, Australia, etc… It’s excellent… And some of them are happy that I break their American stereotype for them.
“I’m Canadian…”
Since anti-American sentiment has blossomed around the world in the last 4+ years, many American travellers say that they are Canadian to avoid any hostility. “It’s more diplomatic,” said a woman from New Mexico. I’ve been amused when people have responded to the overused universal conversation starter with “I’m Canadian.” I give them the eye brow raise and sly grin before telling them I’m from San Francisco and what many American shave been saying when travelling over the past few years. Unfortunately, many have actually been Canadian. I have a few theories as to why so few Americans are to be found here…or is there one simple answer?
Agra & Fatehpur Sikhri - February 18-19
So based on my previous “It’s so touristy” attitude/notion, I had low expectations for the Taj Mahal. I thought I could roll in and out in less than one hour…but no. It took me over 2. I was more than pleasantly surprised, as I slowly paced my way around and inside: Inspecting all the angles and analyzing this masterpiece that took 22 years and 20,000 pairs of hands to build. The entrance fee is 20 rupees (50 cents) for Indians and 750 (15 dollars) for foreigners… I was told that the guards scrutinize everyone so I shouldn’t try to enter as a resident… But since the Taj I have managed to pay Indian prices…much to my delight. When I paid 10 rupees to enter Keoladeo Ghana National Park ( a bird sanctuary) and cruised in on bicycle, just after a guard realized that I was not a national, and I peddled away laughing… Ahhh man, it was classic. I felt like Peter Cellars in the “Return of the Pink Panther,” when he is entering the castle on his bicycle, disguised as a doctor, with a mission to save Professor Fastbender…