India: Animals and Glass Houses

Some thoughts didn't fit into any of my other posts, so here they are in no particular order.

Dogs:  I'm a dog lover, and India is full of stray dogs.  It was shocking to see so many suffering animals, and the danger cannot be understated because many of the dogs are rabid.

Cows: You've likely heard about cows in India, and it was actually kind of a treat for me to see them.  There were many pretty brahman cattle like this one by the expressway on our way to Agra.

On the other hand, it was surreal to have traffic stop because a family of cows had stopped to rest in the middle of Pune.

Elephants:  We saw two elephants in Pune.  It was everything I hoped it would be.  One of them punched me in the arm when I didn't give him money.  I probably should have given him money.

Hotel Bathrooms: Of course I had to take a photo of the last of the three glass-walled bathrooms.  See, it's a trend.  I know what they say about people who live in glass houses... how does that apply to this scenario.








Visiting India was amazing, and I would go back in a heartbeat.  I have a few more thoughts that fit into the general category of "travel," so I'll put those together tomorrow.

Wonder-ful

We visited the Taj Mahal on our last day in India.  It was completely worth the flight from Pune to Delhi and the drive from Delhi to Agra.  It is indescribably, unbelievably beautiful.  I understand now why it is one of the wonders of the world.  Words cannot explain how amazing it was to see the Taj Mahal for the first time as we passed through the gateway structure and the tomb structure came into view.

This is the gateway structure though which you must pass to get to the gardens and tomb.  As you pass through it, the white marble of the tomb suddenly comes into view.












It is breathtaking to see the tomb for the first time, and both words and photos fail me.

I'll let this photo speak for itself.

Our group with me and Angie both wearing our freshly tailored suits.

Just us.

I wish my words and my photos hadn't failed me in this post, but if you ever have the opportunity to visit, go.

I'll wrap up my last thoughts from India in my next post, and please send any questions my way too.

Tailor Made

I was so excited when our next day's shopping expedition yielded a reasonably-priced sari fabric.  We dropped off the sari fabric and the previous day's blue floral fabric at RJ's tailor and got I got measured for my sari and a kurta (long tunic), dupatta (scarf), and pants set.  Much of the fabric I purchased in India was intended for these sets.  The fabric came with one print for the tunic, one for the pants, and a coordinating fabric for the shawl that ties the first two fabrics together.

Angie and I in our fancy new saris.

The fabric I chose for the sari is a deep turquoise chiffon with rose gold colored beading.  The tailor commented that the sari would be heavy because of the beading, but I think the end result is worth it.  Now I just need to find somewhere fancy to go.

I loved the tailored clothing expereince so much that I'm feeling inspired to make more of my own clothes.  Clothes that fit perfectly are amazing.

The museum had a number of large carved animals.  

We also went to the Pune Tribal Museum.  The museum showcases the cultures of tribal communities in the Sahyadri and Gondhavana regions of India.  Displays included both functional and decorative items including hunting and fishing implements, jewelry, art, masks, and religious icons.

Learning from a Master

A number of aspects of India were somewhat overwhelming: the crowds, the traffic, and the noise come to mind.  One thing that might have been overwhelming if not for help was the shopping.  I love textiles, clothing, and jewelry (even if this is your first time to the blog, you've probably already noticed), and the quantity we found in Pune was unreal.

I haven't heard back about using her name or photo on the interweb, but
rest assured we didn't go shopping with a faceless woman.

Luckily RJ, an American ex-pat who has been in India for two years, was willing to show us her favorite spots and teach us the ins and outs of shopping in India.

For my first shopping excursion in India I chose some of the Indian-wear I brought along from Georgia.  I was so comfortable in this long tunic and leggings.

RJ showed us some of her favorite markets and helped negotiate some great deals.

I love this fabric.  I should have bought it in every color.

That day we went to MG (Mahatma Ghandi) Road and Clover Center.  RJ says pretty much every city in India has an MG Road.  RJ helped Angie find fabric for a sari before I arrived, and we shopped for fabric for me that day.  We didn't find my sari fabric, but we did find lots of other fabric including this intricately embroidered set.

RJ also recommended her tailor, and I was so excited to have some clothes custom made for me.  Tailoring in India is a great deal, and I paid less for custom-tailored garments there than I have paid for many off the rack things in the States.