I - overdose of humanity and divinity We knew that sooner or later, some of the places we had chosen to be below our expectations. At least it took almost 4 months to arrive, but if, in India we were disappointed. I am also aware that our own disappointment in turn disappoint more than one, which also expected to confirm their references and image of the country through our experience. India was one of those sites that we had long wanted to come, yes, but lately we also had some friends down the foot to land on what to expect, so I think that we had no illusions exorbitant. In short, either as That is, try to explain as we lived, and that has been much less than we expected. The good news for those who wish us not lose sight of is that this ruled exiles here to meditate and learn yoga to achieve levitation. And besides, the Kamasutra is overrated
:-) So, without further delay, here goes our test particular topics on India.
-> India will never leave one indifferent: either you love or repels you = TRUE
In our case, we can not say that we hated India, but left us somewhat disappointed. We subscribe to the point, then, but mitigated in the following way: if you do not "touch" the peculiar spirituality of people think it is a destination of the lot.
That said, obviously this country is enormous, and we've only covered a small part, although it has been the most touristic and recommended: The Rajastan, with extension to Agra (Taj Mahal) and Varanasi (the holy Ganges and such and is.) There is no single reason why this circuit does not have us excited, but a sum of several circumstances that ire listing. But it is likely that Africa has much of the blame, we came really ecstatic about our initial quarter, and it was difficult to maintain the level. Also, as seen in the last entry, fills much nature tourism ... and India is the opposite. And that we escaped when could some of the few places that have been protected, one for tigers (and saw), and a reserve of migratory birds. But it was oasis of tranquility in the general routine: cultural tourism (forts, palaces, temples) and always under intense harassment of people.
The contrast between the low density in Africa and the general tightening of India too has been a little shock. And is that not only harass you at all times to try to do business with you ... this much, and it becomes tiring continually take away these people off, but is also the tightened for all here is a cultural thing. We have lived episodes truly indescribable, like the times we had to "queue" for buy any train or bus ticket: this is war! To give you an idea, many sites have separate queues for women. "Unfair? At first it seemed to me too, but when you see the man in action hindu you understand perfectly. If some sites do not "isolate" women, the poor would not reach the window for 90% of the time, not to mention the onion rubs that he would be subjected. In short, it could have a thousand and one anecdotes about the total disregard for the privacy they have here, but not to bore you just add one more: you want your privacy to enter PIN to withdraw money from ATM? Then do not come to India because it entirely your transaction you're going to monitor very closely, over the shoulder literally, 3 or 4 who are waiting their turn, but some other passing through there to see what is happening.
Finally, perhaps one general factor that has contributed to our disappointment was the heat. A good part of India, but especially Rajasthan (which is desert), the weather hard. For 3 months a year, from April to June, the weather is terrible (we spent many days above 40 degrees) and immediately after arriving another 3 months with continuing rainfall Monzon, and if you pass the rain, floods . Only another half a year is borne climatologically, but these days because here we have become true "hooked" to air conditioning, without which we did not accept a hotel room ... when they usually are pretty enemies of AC.
But about the test topics.
-> India is very spiritual = DO NOT KNOW, NO ANSWER.
is difficult and risky to be too blunt about this item ... but we have talked much about it, and then I will tell you.
-> No more misery than you see in India = FALSE.
In this sense, we hoped that the experience was harder. We had spoken before of how pervasive it was to see dead left on the street, but we have not seen any of this. And the level of poverty and general dirt seemed to us comparable to many other developing countries (and have been in the poor part of the country). For anyone who has not ever been in a country of these, the closest thing that I remember in Spain to the dirt streets of India is the old quarter of Pamplona after a night of San Fermin ... and for those who never have seen this last, really, gives little pain.
That said, pictures of people pissing and shitting (about what we had been warned too) are ... good, common: - / For the "wimp" generally we have seen from the train, in what could be considered the bathroom of his house because they live along the track. But if they feel the pinch, we have come to see directly lowered to the tracks in the station and tooooooma ensaimada!, while the staff as one sees rain. In short, not that they will have the tracks but they cause tin dish, hey.
-> The traffic in India is infernal
= TRUE -> Buses and trains are overwhelmed (typical image of people up on the roof) = TRUE
For if, in the streets of cities as on long journeys, it's crazy. Either outside or within the means of transport. We used the motor-cycle-cars and trucks for shipments intra typical (awful experience!), And both buses and trains for long distance.
Sometimes, we could have those feelings of local dive why we like taking public transportation, with lively conversation and entertaining anecdotes ... because here until the police move prisoners, handcuffed them, on the bus line! But just as in Africa we finally rented car was a "luxury" not planned in India almost every day of transfer was a little beat up. Because here everything is Express (= 50 km / hour on average if lucky) or, "to even" Super-Deluxe (= the door will not fall to look at, and if a bus is likely to lead conference replacement). And if we add the intense heat, sweltering in some places and very dry (desert) in other ... because we used to reach the hotel derrengaditos.
By way of example on how to travel here, an anecdote told us an Indian. A policeman stopped a jeep (theoretical capacity 6 people) because it was "overloaded" and arguing with the driver when this overhead could be considered punishable, asked him to come down to the whole world of car count. Well, the guy had gotten to 50 people! To flip the policeman so that he said that if he could get them back, they could go without penalty. You can imagine that those returned to fit!, And went scot-free.
-> The level of urban noise is unbearable = TRUE
Logically, there are worse places (the bigger the city, worse) and some not so terrible but all is conducted with the horn permanently tight, or you do not eat a Colin as a driver. You
traffic noise, there are other "Sounds of India" who have left their mark. The first, and almost as common as the horn, is the JJJJJJJJJJ ... ZAP!, Live chicken, or failing that a snuff spit that love is color and blood. In many cases you deal with chewing (or soon to be spit) that snuff, with a mixture of red teeth and that they understand half with his mouth full ... repulsion disguise costs, but it is affecting them the fronted of disgust, they pim pim-pam-pam.
Al gapazo closely followed two other "classic sound" of India: the belch and fart. The first is also a topic that does not just endure it, but the latter thought we were cut a tad ... but no. Terrible train travel, you can imagine. Of course, the explanation "romantic" is that for them all these "internal waste" are unclean, and so we have to expel them without compunction. But not for some reason sounded sincere when Shrek himself let those "better out than in" after one of his burping :-)
-> The Indian food is very rich, very healthy, and this roll Price = TRUE
But darling pa'l spicy lump body and hygiene of what you eat. We have gone very carefully, and yet at 10 days and was visiting the toilet more than usual (especially me), the first trip diarrhea. Just simply caught with too much enthusiasm, because the food if we love it. Oh, and in general not only is the food, everything in India is very cheap.
-> The cows are a sacred animal and authoritarian walk the streets of India = TRUE.
And both. Although much less, also see domesticated elephants with their owners over. Even many monkeys (also sacred animal), swarming up the inside of temples and palaces.
-> It's common to see fakirs and snake charmers = FALSE.
Of those not seen and not one, not even as claim for the tourist. So if you've seen a lot, and spring, are the vivid colors of the saris and turbans, the enormous mustaches, many bracelets and piercings, and usually dress in the tradition of Rajasthan. Unfortunately, I wanted to do a lot of pictures of people who then were frustrated because they either will seize (in which case their privacy respected) or put on a pose and then ask for a tip. So I'm not particularly proud of these photos, nor have I particularly enjoyed making them.
Who know (worth mentioning)
Buf! Here also lies an important part of our disappointment. As you might have "known" to so many people, and indeed to almost anyone! India is the land of the thousand and one micro-discussions. Unfortunately, after a few you realize that they all develop in a totally predictable, are like canned. And not only that we find out that they want to take you to his shop, but also the result of genuine curiosity rather insipid.
is peculiar as the Hindu man is much given to using formalisms almost Shakespearean ("May I ask What is your good name, Sir?") To immediately ask about Eva with what for us are brutal disrespect ("Y that, who is? "as if he had been untouchable to the side). In very few cases get to spend beyond the 4 recurring questions, so that we could never reach the level of confidence to ask without shame about their customs and beliefs, which is what we really had desired.
That said, if it is true that foreigners feel curious about them. I vividly remember the image of Valerie, a French girl who was traveling alone, completely surrounded and harassed by several of these micro-conversant, waiting for the train. The "rescued" and thanked us very much: - /
Oh, and to end the disagreement, especially until we catch this form of settlements of Hindus. A picture is worth a thousand words :-)
[Jarls!! Currado here I had a hilarious video pedacho, modesty aside, demonstrating settle this in as Hindus ... but no way to upload it :-( Among other things, I have to learn to lower the definition for clear, 1 minutejo are 80 megs and do not go up after pa ... keep trying in the future, and if I do and I warn you ]
What happens to us over the head
Throughout this journey, we talked a lot of the famous "spirituality" of India, which is quite evident. There are all little saints, not at, the roll of caste still very much alive and if you look closely, not a few episodes presence of brutal disrespect, if not outright humiliation. And we have fully assumed, both as each other. The men are "Moors" of care, although they are not Muslims, and should not be easy being a woman in India ... but if you see there and a bit of everything and them, war and throughout the world, gives the feeling that overwhelm left less and less.
But as I said, here are all believers in something, although I have not so clear how many are truly practicing ... because if you visit the temple to visit there are many people praying (or equivalent) ... but if you think you are 1300 million, if you really are all I think practitioners would have been impossible to visit some of the sacred places where we've been. Their different religions, with their n-thousand ramifications, the truth is that I seem complicated. I mean you would not want to be in the skin of some Hindu hesitant to opting for any of the faiths ... for those who're reading this and to be a Catholic, I must say that being compared monotheistic this strip :-) Although, on second thought, it was a buck to grow in India I think I side with my favorite in all the temples, I I call the "god smurf" because it is blue: -0
Well, no longer there irreverence if someone gets upset. Here, just like at home, try to be respectful to these issues that share very little. That if not paradoxical that in the end we do not believe in anything, in many cases, more respectful to believers of other faiths different ... I mean, this area of \u200b\u200bthe world the tremendous chop between Hindus and Muslims. Speaking of banality with the owner of a restaurant in Jaisalmer (near the border with Pakistan), went from being the most affable and good-natured person, a true possessed with anger in his eyes move, without warning, what would do with Pakistan if you leave (in short, "two pepinazo and toward the problem go away.") Unfortunately, certain that his is not an isolated case, as history has shown many times.
So as our predisposition is not the most suitable for this stuff, but no Hindu spirituality has seemed much more than a different set of rituals to practitioners of other faiths different. Beyond this, in our experience with them not us found particularly transcendent, philosophical, or at peace with themselves.
.........................
So good, this is part of our journey, and we liked to know. Special mention, of course, deserves the Taj Mahal, that if that does not disappoint many times you've seen in pictures or on TV. It is certainly the pearl of all we have seen, and I dare say that of India. We could not match him on full moon night, but say it is spectacular (if not, do not light up at night).
Tomorrow we leave for Nepal, but around will give you a second chance to India although in a very different region in the Himalayas, straddling India and Tibet. We will see that!
Namaste! Juan & Eva
PS: Rereading the entrance, I "Auditors" that has been too well eschatological me for the taste of some ... if so, sorry, but comment that it was going to write this blog openly: - /
