Dying area

Stamping each design

The "stamps"

Several workers stamping continuously.

Ready and hanging to dry.

Vegetable dyes.

 We had a rather interesting outing this afternoon.  Block printed fabric is a specialty of this area.  One can find and purchase in many stores, as well as see demonstrations in the city, but I wanted to go and see where it was really done.  Lakhu had never been there before, but was game to go.  It is about 20km outside of the city.  Amazing it was.  There are hundreds of small, large, and very large "factories" doing the block printing.  We saw a huge truckload o f unbleached cotton coming in.

The cotton is dyed (if necessary) and then the block printing takes place by hand.  This little shop let us in and Lakhu took photos.

Buy or not, tomorrow in the city????????? That is the question.  After seeing these little home "factories" and the workers, I am not sure I want to.

Melissa, I saw your comment via my email, but cannot find it on the blog. It was the one about you two travelling in Florida.  I do hope you are having a wonderful vacation in the sun.  I did respond to your Marigold Hotel comment, which I found.

Another oasis.

Lakhu always manages to find a place to stay that has an outdoor sitting area and a garden (some small, others large).  Believe me, this is a true relief here in Jaipur.  We are a just a little off a fairly main road, but no horns or exhaust fumes here.  It is clean, but very basic.  I am happy because my room is on the little terrace where I can keep my door open and see greenery.  There are a few tables and chairs on the terrace which makes for a nice spot to relax.

Jaipur traffic.

This is a two lane road (city centre) with cars, motorbikes, trucks, camel lorries, cows, and pedestrians crossing.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel......filmed in Jaipur and some scenes were shot at the Lake Palace Hotel in Udaipur (remember the hotel that 'lost' my reservation (the one where the Royal Family live when they are not at the City Palace).

I am going to try to see if we can find the location of where it was filmed here.  That will be Lakhu's job today!


OH NO

Just googled it and found out that the hotel is actually......

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is actually Ravla Khempur, a charming rural palace hotel in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan, about an hour outside the spectacular lakeside city of Udaipur. With a history dating from the early 17th Century, the palace was once famed for its stud of fine Marwari horses and is still home to dancing stallions which perform when requested in front of the magnificent turreted building.


Ravla Khempur it is ...very little of the movie was actually shot in Jaipur even though it is supposed to be set in Jaipur. See http://www.ravlakhempur.com/

The film definitely did not depict Jaipur one iota, even though it was projected to be in Jaipur.  That's the film industry for you.

Kam's Tires (Pushkar Division)

Just a one and a half hour drive from Pushkar to Jaipur and my oh my, my oh my, my oh my...from serene to chaos.

We left the spacious clean hotel with the large lush rose gardens and encountered a traffic jam right outside the hotel gate.  On the left is the hotel.  The right side is lined with Safari camels for tourist rides (they were all out working when we left at about 8:30).

A Jaipur welcome.......dust, pollution, horns, traffic etc...

I much prefer the kinder, gentler traffic jams in Pushkar.  I am becoming quite fond of the cows.  Don't think I will ever look at a Prime Rib dinner quite the same again!

Some street scenes in Pushkar.

I was surprised to see cows climbing up and down the steps.

This woman sells grass to so people can feed the Holy Cows.

Sunset Point is just below the hotel where we had dinner and the previous photos were taken.  At Sunset Point life is colourful yet serene.

There are bathing ghats all around Pushkar lake.  I opted to take Lakhu's advice and stay a little further up where I didn't have to negotiate all those steps.  We went in the late afternoon and planned to stay for sunset and dinner at the Pushkar Palace Hotel (if I can't stay there, I can eat and enjoy their view).

I have absolutely no idea of what day it is, let alone the date.  The laptop is on Canadian time.

This morning Lakhu took me to the Brahma temple.  It was something to see because of all the  faithful with their prayers and offerings.

Cameras are not allowed, so once again thank you wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahma_temple_at_Pushkar

The lush, large, back gardens at our hotel in Pushkar.

There is a restaurant, pool, and several sitting areas.

I only read the first two when checking in last night.  Ohhhmhhh, me with a rum and coke, sitting in full view of anyone passing by, working on the computer.  Tonight it is mineral water.

We are in Pushkar and what a great place it is.  Each place we stop at is so very different from the one before.  India is definitely a feast for the eyes.

It is quiet here.  No horns continuously honking.  It is a joy to hear the tinkling of bells, drumming, and the chanting from the temples.

Pushkar from Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pushkar

For a home temple.

The machine that cuts the rough rock.

We left Udaipur about 9am for Pushkar.  The drive was quite uneventful.....I can say that now because I am accustomed to cows on the road even on three lane highways. and the sight of ladies in their colourful dress carrying everything on their heads.   We drove from barren to lovely rolling hills with plenty of greenery and on to the "mountains".

Today was different because we drove a stretch of about 50kms where both sides of the road was lined with marble yards.  Mostly white/grey, but some green, sand, and brown. The marble rocks come from the mountains surrounding the area.

ESL class....look at the sign Your Wel-come!!!!!

Click on for video.

Out front of the hotel it is crazy crazy!!!!! cars, motorcycles, tuk tuks, school kids etc.