October 24, 2024
The day started with the first sunrise that I have witnessed since arriving in India. I walked around experiencing the quiet of the city that will be waking up soon. The city is really beautiful without the chaos of the day.
After my walk we began our overland transfer to Jaipur, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s often referred to as the “Pink City” for the rosy hue of its sandstone buildings.
We shared the morning commute with workers who were all heading out to the call centers that are just outside of Delhi, for their shifts to answer all of our phone calls!
Cows grazed along the highway and several times cars had to swerve to avoid hitting them.
About 2 hours into the trip we finally were out of the city and into the countryside with farms growing the food to support this large population. Women were in the fields in their traditional dress harvesting potatoes while cows wandered everywhere.
One of our stops in the long journey was an authentic roadside tea stall where we had Chai tea. It was so good!!
After our 5 hour journey we settled into our hotel then headed to the Old Town market where the locals shop. The experience was overwhelming to all of the senses. The smells both good and bad, the constant barrage of honking horns, the pushing and shoving of the mass of people made for a very uncomfortable experience but it was definitely what I envisioned India to be.
For dinner we were welcomed into the home of a local family for a Home-Hosted Dinner. We cooked along with the family while we conversed with them about their lives and viewpoints about India’s society including arranged marriages. The meal we created together featured traditional Rajasthani dishes including fried breads. Ghee (clarified butter) and various spices are liberally used to create the signature Rajasthani flavors.
The wife of the family is a fabric designer and she’d allowed us to view her studio. Her fabrics and designs were incredible.
As we were leaving I spotted a monkey on the wall! A perfect way to end the day.
And a pink monkey to end the day! What an extraordinary adventure you are having. Thank you for sharing.