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tnaypi3 · 4 years

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Rishikesh

Rishikesh, the home of Yoga in India. The Place where the Ganges River runs through brighter than you could ever imagine. A Spiritual Town made famous with foreigners by The Beatles back in the ’60s & ’70s.

Rishikesh is like no other place in India and it has to be visited by travellers to India, whether you visit for 3 days or 30!

“WHAT. IS. THAT?”

“I don’t know but it’s sure yummy, this airport fastfood!!!”

Touchdown Dehradun!

Woke up 5am, 2 local flights with a 3 hrs layover in between, about a 40min cab ride later...

Made it to the infamous cafe

You can tell we were starving because I have no picture of our yummy dinner. The hype about this place is real.

The yoga capital of India certainly lives up to its name. Everywhere you go you’ll see adverts for all kinds of wellness classes and wokshops.

Apart from the collective vibe going brought by traveling hippies together with local yoga enthusiasts and gurus, Rishikesh reminds me so much of burning man with it’s endless wellness and holistic activities sprinkled around town. Too many exciting things to do, too little time!

Booked a room with a view of the jade river, it’s continuous gushing quite loud, nonetheless comforting and a constant reminder that you are surrounded by nature, if not cradled in the lap of the Himalayas

The Ganges River

In Hinduism, the river Ganges is considered sacred and is personified as the goddess Ganga. She is worshiped by Hindus who believe that bathing in the river causes the remission of sins and facilitates Moksha (liberation from the cycle of life and death), and that the water of the Ganges is considered very pure.

This holy river is right beside the Himalayan foothills. Ganga originated from the Gangotri Glacier , which is located in the western Himalayas. It is one of the major rivers of India, which is approximately 1557 miles long. It flows into the eastward directions and empties into the Bay of Bengal.

It’s feels like a new kind of life being able to freely walk around, breathing cleaner air and being surrounded by nature. Here and there, the loud honking of mostly bikes can still be annoying but it’s not too bad.

On an hour hike to the hidden waterfalls

Temples at every corner vibrating to the chants and humming of devotees

Rishikesh reminds me of our provinces in the Philippines. But with holy cows, om symbols and orange-robed sadhus. One will truly fall in love with the combination of robust, pristine nature, fresh mountain air, sunrise over the peaks, a torrential river, and the signs and symbols of a sacred India town. Temple bells ring incessantly, incense wafts on the breeze and yogis are everywhere to be seen.

I absolutely love everything about this picture.

There is a feeling in Rishikesh unlike anywhere else. The vibe is both relaxed and reverent and consequently attracts Hindu devotees and gurus as well as western hippies and curious spiritual explorers.

Rishikesh is the kind of place that some people end up staying in for long stretches of time, and others return to again and again. And then there are those who really never leave, at least not in spirit.

The Lakshman Jhula Bridge

The bridge connects the two villages of Tapovan in Tehri Garhwal district, on the west bank of the river, to Jonk in Pauri Garhwal district, on the east bank

View from our hostel terrace

Living for breakfasts like this every. single. day.

My money shot in Rishi

Thanks to Alex for finding this gem, we had the pleasure of seeing this world-class musician alsongside his students at his home. They perform every Sunday afternoon for tourists and locals in exchange for donations. As a huge fan of Moulin Rouge!, the sitar instrument, with it’s unique luscious tones, is to me, a guitar from another galaxy that takes me back in time... In the land of the maharajas and the deserts of India. Its reverb so encapsulating, I can’t help but think of the colorful story of Satine and Christian.

Best two hours spent!

Sunrise yoga crew. Meeting such interesting and kind people.

No matter what direction you turn, you’ll always see the Himalayas out of the corner of your eye

Caption in mind while taking this picture: Where else can you see anything like this in the world?

Friendly and curious chat with the locals

Entering Parmarth Niketan

It is one of the top yoga centers in India situated on the banks of the Holy Ganges River. It has now blossomed over 70 years of it’s existence into the largest ashram in Rishikesh. Founded in 1942, it is open for all with no discrimination on the basis of race, gender, nationality, religion, caste or creed.

Many travelers visit for Ayurvedic treatments which includes exercises, music therapy, healthy diets and yoga to name a few. The ashram provides the travelers with accommodation facilities.

The sacred Rishipond

Found, and maybe trespassed a beautiful garden to rest on and eat pistachios. We waited for the busy gardeners in the area to ask us to leave but that didn’t happen :)

With lots of time to kill before the Ganga Aarti ceremony by the Triveni Ghat/River, we wandered around the market, people watching and just immersing ourselves with the culture and energy of this place.

You don’t see many tourists in this part of town. It has a more authentic, simpler facade and feel undisturbed by international tourism

The Ganga Aarti at the Triveni Ghat

Truly a highlight of this trip. This is the lesser popuar Aarti of the two but this is more

The aarti is accompanied with chanting of bhajans, beating drums and bells. People lit oil diyas, put them on flower-filled leaf boats and release in the holy waters of the river. These illuminated lamps in the evening provide a beautiful view.

Still too early for the main ceremony but it was worth hanging by the river watching families observe their rituals and prayers

At first, I was put off by the thought that these offerings the water is just adding to the extreme pollution in India. But later on, we found out that the river is not without a waste collection system particularly for these rituals.

The main attraction

What is heartwarming about the Aarti at Triveni Ghat is, apart from the pomp and the sanctity and the splendid choreography and synchronization behind it, there is a desire to include one and all in the aarti to pay respect to the Ganga. Every family in the audience is given an aarti thali (flower offerings) so they can participate and that elevates the experience to a truly memorable and special one.

During the devotional songs, which everyone seems to know and memorize, lamps were also passed around to the audience from one to another so that each may have the chance to wave it around in prayer or as an act of respect to the goddess of the river

Today is our third wedding anniversary! And we are taking a sunrise trek in the Himalayas!

Our sweet tour guide picked flowers for Alex to give to me.

How can I not take a dip? The colors are too enticing.

Uncle Ole from Sweden

Mimi from Israel

Post hike feast with our newfound friends

The next evening we attended the Ganga Aarti (evening Hindu prayer ceremonies) at Parmeth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh. This is the largest and best known Ashram in the area – set on the banks of the holy river. It accommodates up to 2,000 people at any one time. The Ganga Aarti were beautiful if somewhat seeked by the many visitors to soak up the atmosphere and appreciate the rituals.

This sneaky little thief stole some women’s breakfast. They were sitting outside, enjoying their breakfast with the the panoramic view of the Ganges when suddenly.....

Glad we ate inside HE HE HE

Last best meal at our hotel back in New Delhi before take off!

Leaving Rishikesh with a very full, beating heart, I know it will be one of those places I will retreat to in my imagination when I need solace. Just like how I think of my other home, Iloilo. I know I have not fully integrated Rishikesh unlike many others who have visited and stayed for many months staying in ashrams, practicing daily yoga and meditation, making lifetime connections with friends locally and from all over the world, perhaps I will return again one day and stay for a bit to deepen my next Rishikesh experience. Perhaps, perhaps. I really hope, perhaps :)

Hey NYC, heard your were absolutely freezing this last few days?! Not so excited for that but we are happy to be home.

#mrmrsbecks

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tnaypi3 · 4 years

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Pushkar & Jaipur

Starting our day early for our 4hr drive to Pushkar.

Our driver, Hassan sent his buddy and fellow cab driver, Raeez to go with us. I’m not a fan of these kinds of surprises but it ended up being a nice change of atmosphere. He was a quieter, chill dude and unlike Hassan who sometimes tries to sway me away from my itinerary while suggesting other things that are usually very touristy. Raeez, who even though doesn’t speak much English, is my favorite because he is kind, fuss-free, doesn’t have schemes up his sleeve and is definitely quirky in his own little way ;-)

Asked why Hassan couldn’t make it, Raeez said he found a good deal with an older tourist couple and will be touring them around Jaipur for the day.

The drive was long but smooth. The farther we get, the quieter and less congested the streets are. But because of less traffic, the switching of lanes has become more dizzying as your driver is picking up speed. Surprisingly, none of us got sick (literally) of this. I had an entire collection of essential oils for all sorts of sickness and we never got to use the one for motion sickness!

I’m very captivated, almost bewitched by the sight of these holy men

First camel sighting! Soooo exciting!!!

Pushkar is unlike anywhere else in Rajasthan. This small, yet enchanting town has a unique mix of mysticism, religious fervour, and magnetism. Life here is so simple and I got the most rural feel from this place compared to all the others that we’ve been to.

The town itself encircles a holy lake, thought to have been created when Lord Brahma vanquished a demon, Vajranash, using a lotus flower. The lotus flower fell to the ground, creating Pushkar lake. To this day, the town contains one of the world’s only Brahma temples, making it a prominent Hindu pilgrimage town that devout Hindus should visit at least once in their lives.

Each year, once the month of Kartika (a popular Indian feminine given name derived from the god Kartikeya, which means "bestower of courage") arrives, 200,000 people descend on Pushkar, bringing with them 50,000 camels and horses. The city is transformed into a colourful, heaving mass of animals, tourists, mystics and musicians and traders arrive to flog their livestock.

Although business is the main order of the day, once the fair starts, a vibrant and diverse cultural program draws in the crowds; snake charmers, wedding parades, sports and competitions for ‘best moustache’ or ‘most beautifully decorated camel’ fill up the schedule.

Aside from all of the festivities, Kartik Purnima is also the time when thousands of pilgrims arrive in Pushkar to bathe in the sacred waters.

The fair takes place in November. Lucky us? We sure feel like it. I kept blurting out “Alex, how are we in Pushkar, in the middle of a camel fair right now?!”

According to the internet, there are about 400 temples in Pushkar. We saw a handful, randomly picking out colorful or enigmatic, old looking ones to enter. The town hums and vibrates to the constant sound of chanting, drumming and incense-fuelled puja (act of worship).

Pushkar is considered sacred, so many rules that apply within India’s religious sites, apply within the town as a whole.

Consumption of alcohol, meat or eggs is not allowed within 2 km of the Brahma temple. Not that this affects us since we couldn’t eat anything here anyway. Most of the food spots are stalls, kiosk, or in tents and I didn’t want to risk it. Foreigners are always reminded that when in India, only eat at places that look like they have a legitimate kitchen and absolutely not a makeshift one, where many other foreigners are going, places that look clean and that observe proper sanitation, etc.

Everything looked yummy but one can never be complacent with picking out restaurants. We never let our guards down when it came to protecting our bellies!

We spent all early afternoon getting lost and weaving our way through a maze of stalls selling all kinds of goods from pots and lamps to spices, accessories, clothing, handcrafted bags and shoes, instruments, tapestries, etc. Admittely, I have a weakness for moments like this but I kept reminding myself that we really don’t have any room in our luggage for a shopping spree. I equally hated and loved being restricted in a haven like this, surrounded by all things pretty, exotic and cheap.

We spent too much time wandering around the bazaar and temple area with the intention of finding where the camels were kept. Finally we made our way to a more open space and found the stadium.

Sadly, they had the camel shows earlier during the day so we missed it. No losses here though. We were very much satisfied with all our camel sightings and encounters.

The Pushkar camel fair is a livestock festival which happens annually and falls on the Kartik moon according to the Hindu astrological calendar.

Camels from all over Rajasthan, Punjab and beyond will be showcased here and to in an effort to make them more alluring to prospective buyers, they’re decorated in all sorts of colorful pom-poms, elegant cloths, anklets, flowers and flair!

We were offered a lot of camel safari rides but refused each time. Out of the question! Our driver couldn’t understand why. He was upset but in a funny and cute way when he later on asked if we did the infamous tourist activity. We explained to him our stance on animal cruelty, even though we are well aware that the lines on this subject may be blurred and crooked in places and cultures like India’s. But we still tried. I think he understood what we were saying but stiil... ;)

Kartik Poornima is the full moon day and the main day of the fair. This is also where one can catch hundreds of Hindus bathing in Pushkar’s holy lake. The legends say this is the day that Lord Brahma, the creator of the world in Hindu mythology, created the very lake which still stands today.

This was moments before my attention was called by the city guards to tell me that photographs are prohibited. It was only then that it dawned on me.. Of course, because people are bathing here. We people-watched and roamed around for half an hour, observing men and women of all ages and coming from all walks of life praying and doing their rituals.

Wrapping up our Camel Fair adventures in Pushkar

Back in the cab

Budha Pushkar

As per our driver’s suggestion, we stopped by this prayer stadium and sacred ponds. It was not a popular place as we did not see many tourists or locals. So, in absolute silence we walked around and maybe have taken a moment to just gaze at the jade waters and majestic hills surrounding it. A nice way to end our Pushkar adventures before heading back to the city.

Good morning! Another full day in Jaipur to explore!

First stop: City Palace

Jaipur is often referred to by one of its many nicknames; The City of Gates, The Pink City or The Paris of India. However, the present-day metropolis that is modern Jaipur has been built on centuries of history. This is the ‘Land of the Kings’, the realm of maharajas, where majestic forts and opulent palaces are more numerous than anywhere else in India. No wonder why my Disney-adoring little girl heart has been borderline obsessed over seeing this part of India. This day is one of the main reasons I voted for Jaipur to be a part of our trip.

The splendors of Rajasthan’s past are still here to explore. At the centre of Jaipur, the elegant City Palace, still housing the former royal family, is an island of tranquillity.

Here you can enter through the pink outer walls to find a maze-like complex of gardens, courtyards, halls and buildings.

Sarvato Bhadra

The Sarvato Bhadra is a unique architectural feature. The unusual name refers to the building's form: a Sarvato Bhadra is a single-storeyed, square, open hall, with enclosed rooms at the four corners. One use of the Sarvato Bhadra was as the Diwan-e-Khas, or the Hall of Private Audience, which meant the ruler could hold court with the officials and nobles of the kingdom in a more private, intimate space than the grand spaces of the Sabha Niwas in the next courtyard, which was open to more people.

Several rooms

Pritam Niwas Chowk

Here, there are four small gates known as Ridhi Sidhi Pol. These gates are adorned with themes symoblising four different seasons and Hindu gods. At the centre, above each of the gates are miniature carved reliefs in marble dedicated to the respective gods. All four gates have beautiful, embossed brass doors.

I snapped 2 of 4 having grown tired of waiting in line for the rest of our fellow tourist to finish and move on

Mubarak Mahal

There is no doubt that the grounds are an architectural masterpiece. From the pink sandstone architecture in the pavilion, the intricate design of Mubarak Mahal, and the chiselled marble stone structures, the city palace is both elegant and artistic.

Leaving the City Palace on foot, we set off to Hawa Mahal. Surprisingly, Google Maps didn’t let us down. I successfully got us there without getting lost. I didn’t tell Alex but my heart was dancing, bursting with pride and satisfaction.

Absolutely adoring the scenes here

This was a photo snapped after seeing the monkeys squabbling. As we drew closer, we realized that they were shrieking and yelping at something or someone to the opposite side of the road, where a dozen middle-aged tourists were loving and snapping the monkeys in action.

Our theory is that perhaps one of the merchants hurt them in an effort to drive them away from the food/goods that they are selling. We all know how these Macaque’s can be aggressive and are expert thieves. Still not cool to hurt them though :(

The Hawa Mahal / Palace of Winds

We made it! I am shaking and my pulse is picking up again! The marvelous honeycomb facade of the Hawa Mahal looms over a traffic-clogged thoroughfare. The city’s pink-tinted walls are punctuated with 7 imposing, decorative gates. Look further to the right and you will find sprawling hilltop fortresses, Escher-like step wells, and temples left to the care of roaming packs of monkeys.

One of Jaipur’s most iconic and distinctive landmarks, the Hawa Mahal was constructed in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh as a way to allow ladies of the royal household to watch life on the streets below without being seen themselves. The five-storey tall honeycomb hive facade consists of 953 latticework windows for the ladies viewing pleasure.

For once, we decided to resist yet another tourist trap so we skipped paying for the Palace entrance fee and opted for a more underrated experience. Having googled another way to appreciate the Hawa Mahal, I led Alex to the opposite side of the street and looked for the entrance that would take us to the the Wind View Cafe which have absolute prime spots for viewing the structure’s magnificence to our hearts’ content. Or more like to my heart’s content. I love this day!!!

While trying to figure our where the cafe’s entrance was in the street level, I had another encounter with a young fellow. He and some others, like clockwork, came up to us. I asked if this door leads to the cafe, pointing to the entrance where my GPS brought us. He said yes and went ahead, taking the stairs up before I could say there’s no need to accompany us. On our way up, I thought “Ugh, here we go again. He’s not gonna let us get away without any kind of scheme or something”. It was a very narrow, tight squeeze climb with several flights of winding stairs. He stopped at the second to the last level and directed us to the Tattoo Cafe. I said we were going to the Wind View Cafe. He was being pushy so I stood my ground. He saw that I refused to be swayed and meant it. This had him upset and started acting sour. He says “You come to our home and you do this to us. You are not a good person”. Sounds familiar. Right away, I realized this is a formulaic dance of intimidation and mind games that some of them pull out from their back pocket in situations like this. Again, I apologized to him saying I didn’t mean to offend, explained my side while looking him in the eye. He left without another word. But the unwanted energy sure was lingering and thick as the smog outside.

The city’s bustling streets burst with colour and chaos. Cycle rickshaws weave among clouds of exhaust and soot as they dodge camels, cars and the occasional dawdling elephant. Swarms of motorbikes honk and buzz through the city’s vibrant marketplaces and grand gateways. Not the most relaxing breakfast with a view but we’ll take it!

Heading back to the City Palace to meet with or driver. Another mini adventure because we did not exactly have the name of the spot where he said he’d wait for us. I went by my memory of the small pocket where he said was a parking lot for cabs, marking it in my mind being remotely close to the Jantar Mantar, another tourist spot we opted out. But walking around, I realized that everything started looking alike. If we weren’t pressed for time, I wouldn’t mind getting lost but OMG, I have a serious itinerary and I wanna hit all the remaining spots before the day ends please!! This is our last day in Jaipur, if I haven’t mentioned that already!!!

After about 10mins of me oficially declaring to Alex that I think we’re lost, two girls passed by. I asked, pointing to a direction we haven’t tried yet, if the Jantar Mantar is that way. Giggling they said yes, I thank them with two fruit juices from our backpack and carried on. I wonder what was so funny? Haha!

Jal Mahal

It says a lot about the sheer quantity of beautiful buildings on display in Jaipur that the Jal Mahal, or ‘Water Palace’, isn’t overrun with visitors peering across Man Sagar Lake in the hope of glimpsing it. In any other city, it would be the main tourist draw. At the moment, the palace is undergoing extensive renovations meaning that it cannot be accessed but it is worth stopping off on the road if one is headed to the famous Japur forts.

Jaigarh Fort

An opulent structure built in the early 18th century in the city of Amer and is one of the major forts in Jaipur. It is located next to the magnificent Amber Fort. The main aim for constructing this fort was to protect the Fort of Amber from Invaders.

Breathtaking views!

Wanna see every nook and cranny of this stunning place

The Jaigarh Fort is a majestic stronghold built by Sawan Jai Singh II. This almost-intact fort is surrounded by huge battlements and is connected to the Amer Fort (also called 'Amber' Fort), with subterranean passages. Sadly it’s not accessible to the public.

The fort houses the world's largest cannon on wheels, a majestic palace complex and the assembly hall of the warriors known as 'Shubhat Niwas' along with a museum and an armory. Yeah, we skipped seeing the cannon part hehehe. We have better things to do!

The Amber Fort can be seen at the center of this photo.

The one thing you can see from anywhere in Amer are the huge red sandstone walls of Jaigarh Fort. It may seem endless from certain angles but it is only a total of 3kms long.

Shot and directed by Alex. I approve :)

The watchtower that offers a magnificent view of the landscape below

The stunning Amber Fort which we skipped because it’s too touristy

So ready for our favorite part of the day - food! hahaha

I’ve noticed that the farther we are from the touristy areas, the more authentic, less fuss and not overpriced our meals were. And these are our absolute favorite moments. Don’t get me wrong, we loved and adored about 95% of all our meals on this trip. At times though, as restaurants in busier areas attempt to cater to foreigners and make it universally palatable, the local cuisine almost loses it’s magic.

This is one’s for the books though and this day just kept getting better and better.

As we were finishing up our lunch, a commotion outside drew our and the rest of the diners’ attention. Our eyes fixed at the door and windows, without warning, there came monkeys leaping off roofs and running wild in different directions. Cab drivers, restaurant workers and tourists though laughing fondly at our primate friends were shooing them away from the dining areas.

Like our last few encounters with wild monkeys, we both couldn’t contain our excitement. Alex, as always finished before me so I urged him to go and I’ll catch up with him as soon as I finish and pay our bill.

As if we needed more min-blowing moments from this day... Fam and friends, I present to you the Grey Langur monkeys of Jaigarh Fort!!! WHAAAAT?!?!?!

It took me about 10 more mins to finish my food and find Alex. This is how I found him HAHAHA

Then this happened. I almost dropped to the floor and roll laughing

“NOOOO”

The Grey Langur is a group of Old World Monkeys.

They are large, inhabiting animal and mainly found in the areas which are located in the Indian Subcontinent. These langurs are generally of grey color, with a black face. Male grey langurs are up to 75 cm long and female langurs are 65 cm long

And according to the internet, historically and up to date, these guys at the fort have not harmed any human. They were just doing their own thing, monkeying around, pretty uninterested with us boring humans.

We did witness this particular shameless one who came on to a cab driver walking by who had a bag of Lays chips on hand. Without second thought, the driver surrendered his chips. And I’m not sure if it was already opened or not but the monkey was gorging on it right away.

Old chips thief!

Couldn’t get enough of this mumma and bebeh monkeh. Too precious!!!

These two pups were trying to engage the langurs in a playtime cuddle session but went unnoticed. We saw one in a submissive stance drawing himself close to the monkeys to no avail. Too cute!

As soon as we thought we were done for the day, on our way to the exit, a guard ushered us to what looked like a passageway to a tunnel. At first I wasn’t interested but for whatever reason, we still found ourselves walking into it moments later.

More surprises in store! More halls, courtyards, secret rooms and gardens. The tunnel also led us to what seemed like a hidden room but if you keep going, inside is a puppeteer who’s just waiting to give any one a show. Too content with everything we are experiencing, we passed on that.

It’s worth mentioning though, what an eerie yet fantastical vibe it was in there. I heard females, animated voices talking as I was entering that room but came to only saw one person, a man. In that moment it definitely gave me heebeegeebees. I kept telling Alex it sounded like there were more than one person in there.

With our super lovable and dear driver, Raeez. About 30mins before this picture was taken, all three of us in his cab felt completely lost and desperate in a maze of winding and bumpy roads in the middle of a residential area, passing though the tiniest alleys and roads of our lives which of course, our driver expertly navigated through without a sweat. We were reluctantly moving to another hotel for the night because our hotel messed up our reservations. It was a last minute booking but the good thing is it was right next to Jaipur Airport which we need to be at 8am the following day.

All our GPS kept leading us to vacant lots if not dead ends instead of our newly booked hotel. We couldn’t find a phone number in their website nor in the email confirmation I got from them. We asked a passerby but he has never heard of such hotel. Alex started thinking maybe I got scammed? Oh God. Everyone was tired and this is past the time we agreed with our driver. He patiently kept trying out different formats of our address in his GPS. We asked him to just leave us and we’ll find it by foot. He refused and made a face as if we said the most absurd thing in the world.

I don’t know how but we did find our hotel, enclosed in a gated community. We thank and hug Raeez tight and off he went.

What a day. What an unforgettable chain of experiences, vibrant Jaipur.

#mrmrsbecks

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tnaypi3 · 4 years

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Delhi & Jaipur

View from our hotel balcony

Got a few hours sleep but we are ready for your surprises, New Delhi!

We had quite an intro upon arrival at the airport the night before. As expected, we got flocked by so many cab drivers. We nicely told them we have a ride even though we didn’t. They can be pretty relentless and even if you’ve already refused them, they don’t leave you alone. We were buying time to figure out if we should get an Uber, as sometimes, that tends to get tricky when you’re at an airport. Or if we should take the airport shuttle, though that is surely going to be 5x the going rate. Or maybe we get lucky and find a driver we can negotiate with.

After talking to the booth for airport shuttles/services and finding out their rate was 1500 Rs, Alex and I decided we go look for a driver that would agree with 850 Rs plus tip. We found one and in no time we were following him to his cab which was not really a cab. It was a small mini van, half of it in the back a storage area. A buddy of his then approached the passenger seat to join us on our ride. My imagination did not go wild or anything but I did not like how things are looking. I took a photo of his plate number (tip from the internet and I also usually do this when in an unfamiliar place).

They saw this and got really upset, asking why I did that. I said I’m sending it to my parents as a safety measure and to our hotel in case we leave something or if we’ll need anything from you for future purposes. They were not having it and demanded I delete it.

I said “Okay, no problem, ( I wanted to add ‘no need to be this agitated, JEEZE’) but we’re not riding with you.”

As we were unloading our luggages, the driver wouldn’t give it a rest, telling me how wrong I was, that I was a bad person, etc. (LOL.) He asked if I deleted it so I showed him my photo gallery and that it was already gone. I say sorry to him if I offended him or anything, and that I just wanted to be cautious, that everything is new to us here and we’re just trying to do the smart thing, and if he’s not okay with that, we’re not here to pressure him with what we want. He seemed to understand what I said and calmed down. We walked away still hearing them say we are not good people.

Shortly after that, we found another booth, a private car service, paid under 1000 Rs and were good to go. I asked the person behind the desk as well as our driver before getting in the car if it’s okay to take a picture of the plate number and was allowed without any fuss. We were dropped off to our hotel in 30mins, at almost 2am.

Not too bad ;-)

What a beautiful, sunshiney, smoggy, loud and lively morning India!

Our cute and quirky hotel that is conveniently situated in walking distance to the Old Delhi railway station which we’ll be taking on day2 going to Jaipur

Lookin for breakfast

Found one! And it was love at first bite for Alex!!!

I only had toast because I was still feeling a bit unsettled from eating way too much during our flights. We pre-ordered vegetarian/vegan meals. It was the best decision ever!

Hmm. Cows and horses competing with humans, rickshaws, cabs and trucks on the streets.. Okay, I’m starting to get it. It really is a thing here!

Hi little goat friends!

The Red Fort

Red Fort, also called Lal Qalʿah, Mughal fort in Old Delhi, India was built by Shah Jahān in the mid-17th century and remains a major tourist attraction. The fort was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007.

Every year on the Independence day of India, the Prime Minister hoists the Indian "tricolour flag" at the main gate of the fort and delivers a nationally broadcast speech from its embankment.

Rang Mahal

This palace was used by consorts of emperors and their maids. Khas Mahal, the stunning personal palace of emperor, is situated near Rang Mahal. It allowed the emperor to pay a visit to his queens anytime he wants. Except the princesses and queens, nobody had the permission to visit Khas Mahal.

With the end of Mughal Reign (1858), the British officials sanctioned to remove all the valuables from Red Fort and destroyed many buildings inside as well as the gardens and reduced it to just a military structure.

After having acquired the Red Fort, British went on a destroying spree. They continued to demolish several parts of the fort. Most of the valuables were sold. Nothing much remained in the massive and splendid fort that was once the residence of the mughal emperor.

Cab ride views

Akshardham Temple

Built of pink sandstone and marble, the mandir which is a place where Hindus go to worship gods in the form of various deities, is the spiritual center of the entire complex. The murtis (a general term for a cult image, an image, statue or idol of a deity or person in Indian culture) of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and his successors, reside in this intricately carved abode. Strengthening the faith of believers, blessing all aspirants and bringing peace to everyone, the Akshardham Mandir is a temple that welcomes all.

Phones and cameras are not allowed so the images of this part of our day are all borrowed from the internet ;-) It was a surprisingly nice time without our devices for a good few hours. Though I’m ashamed to say, I almost threw a fit upon finding out about the house rules earlier. Alex joked there better be a super top-secret show or ritual or religious artifacts and Indian gems or treasures inside for us to go though all the security machines and pat downs. haha!

There wasn’t! But we were engulfed anyway by the beauty of its architecture, carvings, paintings, watching pilgrims observe prayers and rituals which overall set a serenely devotional mood, almost making you feel like you’re watching a movie.

Okay. Definitely a way, way better experience without our phones!!

Akshardham Temple is surrounded by Narayan Sarovar, which is a lake and carries water from 151 lakes in India. There are 108 faces of cows placed along the lakes which represent 108 Hindu deities. It has a 3,000-feet-long orbital path for Parikrama made up of red stones brought from Rajasthan. It also has a two storey building, with 1,152 pillars and 145 windows. This Parikrama is spread around the temple like a beautiful garland.

There is also an exquisite garden in the Akshardham temple complex in the shape of lotus and therefore is also, known as the Lotus Garden. When seen from above, it looks like a Lotus made up of large stones where quotes from Shakespeare, Martin Luther, Swami Vivekananda and other eminent figures are engraved. It’s a nice little have from the chaos of the city outside.

Lodi Gardens

A historic park spread across more than 90 acres in the heart of New Delhi is the Lodi/Lodhi Gardens. The park just does not have trees, plants, flowers and green lawns, but also is home to some historical monuments and tombs which were built during the 15th and 16th centuries.

Spent the afternoon spying on so many species of exotic birds! Well, exotic for Alex and I. There were birds that resembled turkeys, storks/herons.. birds of all sizes, countless flocks of green parrots with the romantic Delhi sunset as a.backdrop... It was magical!

Thankful for this patch of green to hide in and take a break from all the loud honking of vehicles and the blanket of smog/dust all throughout the city

Caught a show at the Indian Habitat Cultural Center. Definitely a highlight because it was my first time to see anything like this - Kerala traditional folk dance with live music accompaniment! What a stunning show, and a good night cap to end our first day in Delhi. Sadly, halfway through, we couldn’t keep our eyes open anymore so we snuck out during the break to head home :-\

Train to Jaipur - whew!

This is a story we’ll never forget! Our train was scheduled to leave 6:05am and yay, according to my vast(ish) research, it’s always on time. Supposedly a 4hr ride, so shortly after 10am we’ll be in Jaipur. Awesome! This made me so happy because this means we have the whole day to explore the city.

We woke up 5:20am and were stepping out of our hotel by 5:10. We walked to the train station and arrived roughly 10mins later. This is when it gets tricky. The station was already bustling with passengers, drivers, people selling tickets and whatnots. We couldn’t find any sign in English that would direct us where to fall in line or what to do first. For a moment, we were scampering back and forth looking for a sign, someone that talks in English - anything! None. So we turned to our intuition and counted on our gut feeling to join the people falling in line. Which was getting longer by the second. It looked like it leads to an xray machine for the luggages. I asked the people in front of us and behind us if this is the line to Jaipur/is this the line for the train Ajmer Shatabdi Express but I got mixed answers. Needless to say, there’s an air of panic between Alex and I because we couldn’t afford to waste any time. While Alex is in line, I walked around to look for someone to ask and I find this guy who probably works in the station because he looked the part. Thankfully, he also speaks English. I asked him if we are in the right line and told him we’re going to Jaipur. He said it’s not the line we’re supposed to be at, and hastily ushered us to another direction. Alex and I, while following him, looked at each other, suspicion already starting to set in. While we’re brisk walking, the guy asks us if we already have tickets and I said yes, pulling out the prints from my bag. He encircled the departure time in our ticket saying that our train is cancelled but there’s another option. I stop in my tracks dumfounded.

Only because I know this guy is a scam and he is actually scamming us right now. UGH. I have read countless blogs and articles online regarding THIS PARTICULAR SCENARIO. So I told him “No. It’s not cancelled but nice try.” and turned away from him to go back where we left off in the line. The man behind us was kind enough to let us.

Getting inside the station, again, we couldn’t find any sign in the platform that would at least say the train’s name or the destination. I was starting to really get nervous about missing our train. Several people that we asked couldn’t understand what we were saying. Finally we decided we found our train and walked all the way to the front of the platform since we were assigned to car #2. After we’ve placed our luggage in the overhead storage and found our seat numbers, we plopped down and smiled at each other. PHEW. But for whatever reason, I get up to ask the person sitting behind us if this train is going to Jaipur. He and some others then tells us we’re on the wrong train. LOL. This train is not going to Jaipur!!! I wanted to cry and laugh and cry. We thank them and in less than a minute, we were back on the platform running around like headless chickens.

To cut it short, we did find our train 10mins or so before departure. I was starting to understand that even though we have done our homework and researched most of the things, this trip is going to be navigated through a push and pull of intuition, asking more than 3 persons for confirmation who are hopefully not out to scam foreigners, maybe a little help from our angels and fairies, good luck, a lot of patience, and a positively persistent mindset. Good morning India!!!!

Another hell of a ride here. We get to Jaipur Railway Station and had 3 Uber drivers cancel on us. Not sure why it was so hard for us to find each other but it just never worked out. But we wanted to keep trying because it was so much easier since the payment is online. The other option which is getting a cab is too exhausting at times as it seems like you’re just constantly dealing with drivers who are trying to take advantage of you

Made it to our hotel!

We are super happy to have survived this morning (without punching anyone in the face, especially for me!!!)

Rooftop pool

And restaurant!

Oh gosh, the food just keeps getting better. A very quick and satisfying mini feast before we head off to our 2pm appointment with our cab driver, Hassan who’s picking us up at our hotel. He saved us me from disintegrating of frustration at Jaipur railway station without ripping us off “too much” after all our Uber mishaps.

Albert Hall Museum

Named after Prince Albert of Wales, it is also the oldest museum of the state and functions as the state museum of Rajasthan.

The magnificent building is visible from outside New Gate. The building is made up of Stone blocks prominent in British Architecture of that time. The main building is on a a plinth to support weight of the huge building.

When you’re reading descriptions wherein I’m using funny words, you may think I’m also borrowing these from the internet. And you are absolutely right! Plinth. Hahaha!

This was also beginning to be a theme. On our first day in Delhi, Alex got a handful fans here and there asking for a selfie. LOL!

Just inside the Building are courtyards with water fountains, floors paved with polished, symmetric marble.

Back in the cab

Monkeys! It has begun...... ;)

Entering the very underrated Monkey Temple/ Galta Ji

Right away, you just get this mysterious, almost mystical feeling as you make your way into the cobblestone path that wraps around hills, eventually leading you to the temple. It could be that the unique and absolutely magnificent Rajasthan sunrise with hues of orange, pink and sepia is to blame for. Or maybe because suddenly, things simply seems to have slowed down significantly with no one trying to sell us anything or pushing tour packages down our throats.. and then there’s the blaring of horns that begin to slowly fade away the farther up we go...

Alex and I were insanely overwhelmed with the amount of monkeys roaming around freely. For a moment I found my head throbbing from my heart beating so fast while trying to absorb everything that’s happening. Everything was happening all at once and I wanted to see it all, I didn’t want to miss anything!! Everything was straight out from a movie or a story book. Barely any tourists, the locals were as nonchalant as could be and there are stray monkeys, goats, cows and dogs meandering everywhere you go

A heartwarming moment seeing this guy with his kid drive up to where most of the monkeys were hanging out to giving out bananas, so much bananas that it seemed like every monkey was able to get one :) What a sight! And a cacophony of squeals and yelps as a whole troop of them tumbles from a nearby tree, and rocks, scuttling across the path like a group of scrumping children!!

My husband is a celebrity ;-)

Hemmed inside a narrow gorge, squeezed between cliffs in a rocky valley, Galta Ji feels like a desolate place. We barely see any people, especially not other camera-wielding tourists on our ascend.

Falling in love with Jaipur’s colors

A slice of Jaipur city views

My favorite smile under the Rajasthani sunset

Looks like we just missed a music session with kids!

The Sun temple / Surya Mandir

A small Hindu temple dedicated to the sun god that lies high above Jaipur and provides wonderful panoramic views over the city.

We were offered a prayer in exchange for donations by the lady that was watching over the temple

Can you tell how satisfied we are of how everything is going so far?

The buildings with walls cracked and peeling seem to tumble down into the valley set between two granite cliffs and descending in steps. Maybe that’s why I find it so evocative and alluring.

We were at a turtle’s pace the for more than two hours and by then, we decided we can skip the rest of the trek to the Monkey Temple. We’ve had our fill of monkey-watching and neighborhood exploration and are ready for the next destination. We also didn’t want to make our driver wait any longer so we made our way down. The panoramic view of the city, now even more taken over by the changing colors of sunset.

Our driver had a long spiel about an area that sells textiles, wooden crafts, trinkets, all made by hand and many more other thingamabobs such as incense, spices and whatnots.. Also, as a strong selling point, he kept emphasizing that these merchants help the very poor population by providing work for them, donating to charities that take care of street children, etc.

In the spirit of give and take, we let him take us there. So far, he’s been a jolly and helpful driver after all, playing the part of our tour guide here and there. A little pushy and overly energetic at times but it’s all good!

Seeing how cotton sarongs, sari’s, tapestries, blankets, shawls achieve their unique burst of colors and prints. By hand! By layers of 4 and more print-stamping process!

Felt like I was robbed. But make that happily robbed because I managed to find extremely pretty pieces and haggled good! Everyone is happy, including our driver who also got a commission for bringing us there.

This is one of the things I absolutely love about traveling. More so in poorer places because we get to share our blessings in our own little way to the hardworking locals who hustle nonstop to take care of their families and sometimes, extended families.

Back in the hotel! There’s never been a meal we didn’t look forward to on this trip.

Yes, we gobbled everything so fast. Faster than I could take out my camera and steal a snap.

#mrmrsbecks

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tnaypi3 · 5 years

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storm king

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tnaypi3 · 5 years

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beacon town

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tnaypi3 · 5 years

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reich richter part

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goat face chillas

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tnaypi3 · 6 years

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BURNING MAN 2018 ~ iROBOT in film

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tnaypi3 · 6 years

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PHILIPPINES 2018

OTON, ILOILO

Our first ever stop upon arriving in Iloilo - Anhawan beach resort where my cousins and I frequented on weekends. About a 10min drive from our house.

Iloilo City - how we Filipinos celebrate when an OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker - hahaha!) comes home. Participating humans consist of dearest family, highschool and college friends.

Alex was so mindblown how the bill only came out Php3500. Roughly $70.

GUIMARAS

Day 2, we visited family from my mom’s side. It took about 15mins via pumpboat. Naturally the whole gang came along.

It’s more provincial than Iloilo. Air is fresher and life is simpler and much slower.

Alex falling in love with my cousin’s Shih Tzu pups

We spent the whole day being toured around Guimaras island via car by my cousins, popping in and out of different beaches and views

My lovely maternal cousins and cousins in law

Met my first niece!

OTON, ILOILO - Nes & Tat’s beach resort

About a 10min walk away from our house. Spent way too much weekends here with cousins and friends as well. So nostalgic!

Happy that pretty much everything still looks the same.

We didn’t ask what exactly was going on but it really seemed like goats have taken over the resort haha!

Guimbal church - further south, one of the oldest churches in Iloilo. About a 25min drive from home.

And some more goats.

One was VERY friendly

Family from my mother’s side. Silver haired woman on the left is my mom’s fraternal twin sister and woman not looking is my grandmother.

College friends and I showing Alex how kareoke is just another favorite islander activity. Also our last day night in Iloilo.

We had to relocate to the building’s garage cause they had to close

My bestfriends, my cousins that I grew up with. We lived together under one roof since I had to move to the states in 2011. Tall guy behind is my cousin Monica’s suitor. So traditional, so cute. And Josh who’s beside Alex is same age as Ryan

BACOLOD - a neighboring island, a city about 2hrs via ferry from Iloilo

L-R: Moses & Fergie, my highschool bestfriends, cousin Monica & Tita (aunt) May.

Without my grandma in Iloilo, Tita May spoiled us with the best lutong bahay, literally meaning cooked at home. She made the usually pork/chicken-based Filipino dishes vegan. It was the best treat, Alex said it was like waking up to a hotel with the heartiest meal every morning. On top of that were the sweetest tropical fruits and native pastries. ( I have to find those pictures to add them here!!!)

LAKAWON BEACH RESORT, BACOLOD

Quiet little paradise. I wish my whole Iloilo fam were there but my uncle had to a major construction project going on, cousin Clarisa had a concert booked many months ago in Manila and my youngest cousin Josh had his prom the night before and couldn’t make it to our early call time.

Testing our outdoor/underwater camera. One of my fave pics on this trip. Philippine sun looks good on Alex!

Sharing some yoga fun and bliss with loved ones.

So happy my highschool bestfriends took off from work to spend the weekend with us though!

We did a 20min sunrise yoga and meditation led by Alex and myself. They loved it.

Twisty unpside down tripod

We woke up early for this view! Nothing like sunrise watching with special people by your side.

Next eldest cousin, Monica

My little sunshine

CEBU CITY - 45min plane ride away from Iloilo

My uncle conviced us to spend the night at his mother and sister’s place instead of a hotel.

They had a framing business and an art gallery.

Hearty Filipino dinner spread over catching up and exchanging of stories. How spoiled are we!

They had a mattress brought out and placed in the middle of the gallery for us. It was so dreamy.

Next day was Valentine’s day, thus the all red ensemble. Saying goodbye after another hearty meal before we headed down south to Badian, Cebu.

BADIAN CEBU - rainforest, canyoneering, waterfalls

This was supposed to be our canyoneering day but it got canceled due to a typhoon. We explored the area instead and found ourselves the infamous Kawasan Waterfalls.

After 4 hours of canyoneering the next day, little did we know we were gonna be invited to jump this waterfall by our tour guides. The last and grandest jump of many.

all about that provincial life

“exploring the neighborhood”, Philippines style

After being told that canyoneering might still be held off the next day due to the typhoon (though it was already on it’s way to another part of the country), we woke up to a go signal, woohoo!

Only best shared with this human.

It’s as dreamy as it looks. Just a bitty chilly.

Bedroom view

SANTANDER, CEBU

Two days later, further south, we woke up to this beautiful farm. At this point, I really felt ever so embraced, pampered by nature.

Listening to a schirping oundbath from the farm’s resident birds

Three hours later, we were in a ferry on our way to Siquijor. Known as the mystic island where most mountain-dwelling shamans, healers witch doctors are from, I actually grew up fearing even just the name of the place.

Over the years though, this reputation has been dispelled, thanks to social media maybe? Travel-thirsty explorers made the island more and more famous each year through word of mouth and of course, blogs, instagram and facebook.

It was more beautiful than I’d ever imagined.

I can’t believe we actually stayed in this beautiful paradise.

Plus a yoga studio???

Breakfast of champs!

Breakfast with a view is an understatement on this one

And playful island pups????

400year old Balete tree

Ancient church in Siquijor

Cambugahay falls. What a sight. What a feeling.

We had the sweetest tricycle driver who took us around. Apparently Siquijor is the third smallest province in the country. Like Guimaras, you can also drive through the whole island in one day.

Thankfully, Alex doesn’t have to tild his head sideways or crouch because the roof is tall enough. The other ones, including jeepneys (our mode of public transportation in Iloilo) he had to because he was too tall for it. Way too tall, haha!

Golden hour at Salagdoong beach. There was another ledge with a 35ft drop in the water but we were too spent, literally from jumping waterfalls and from one place to another. We opted for sunset watching & cold beer, mmmm!

Day2 at Siquijor, unveiling the beauty of Lugnason Falls. This one is so underhyped which is a good thing. It was quiet and there was just a couple when we got in.

These sunkissed boys are tour guides that’ll meet you by the road before descending your way to the falls. It’s not allowed to go to the waterfalls without them. Beside Alex is our guide, Ricky. He’s a wild one and I love it. I thought I was done jumping for the day, still feeling the effects of the previous days’ jumps. Alex and I were swimming and hanging out when from above, I heard Ricky calling me and pointing the giby his side “She’s gonna do it! Come on up Christine, jump!!!!” And I was like “Say no more!!!!!” It was a 35ft drop and felt like heaven. I bade Siquijor, my favorite one goodbye by jumping 3 (or 4???) times.

Siquijor forever in my heart

PUERTO PRINCESA, PALAWAN

Our new home for two nights!!

Place is not by the beach but they had pools and we were not complaining!!!

Squeezed in a quick but intense hike at Mt. Magarwak. For roughly 2 hrs back and forth, we climbed up the steep mountain for that extra toasty look, haha!

Alex’s breakfast buds and good morning committee. The next morning there were four.

EL NIDO, PALAWAN

Currently one of the most hyped places in the country. But rightfully so. People are sweet and the beaches are like no other. Though I might have said or felt it for every destination we have been to :)

Another super sweet tricycle driver who made our afternoon trip to Nacpan Beach such a magical one. He insisted on us going all the way, further in to the beach so we can have a more private beach to ourselves. AND BOY, WE DID.

Countless coconut trees welcoming us to Nacpan Beach

We were joined by my highschool friend, Kitz. She also doubles as secondary tour manager and customer service whenever we need to do some sorting over the phone.