Jaipur Day 70: City Palace and Fort

 Ok, I take it back, Jaipur is not that bad after all!!! The City Palace is pretty nice!! Specially some of the things they do not let you take pictures of (dresses and the meeting room).

D'acord, ho retiro, Jaipur no està tant malament després de tot!!! El palau de la ciutat es bastna maco!! Especialment les coses que no et deixen fer fotos (els vestits i la sala de reunions). 

Cada una de les següents portes representa una estació de l'any - Each of the next four doors represent each season of the year

City of Jaipur, old town bazaar - Ciuata de Jaipur, basar de ciutat vella

Palau dels vents - Wind Palaca

Vaig una mica massa gos, les conseqüencies de tant de backpackejar

I look pretty lousy, consequences of so much backpacking

Jaipur Day 69: Science Museum

He trigat casi un dia sencer a arribar a Jaipur des de Amritsar (fent-me passar per Delhi, cosa que volia evitar de totes les maneres!!). Fins ara (encara em queda un segon dia) totalment decepcionat per Jaipur (ja m'havien arribat rumors que no n'hi havia per tant). Jaipur està considerat dins el triangle d'or de la Índia (Agra, Delhi, Jaipur). Marees de turistes amb autocars venen a Jaipur, i fins ara no he vist res que valgui la pena fer tot un viatge per. Si que m'ha agradat aquesta mena de museu de la ciència que tenen, aparells antics per fer medicions de planetes i estels, però m'hagués agradat ser-hi amb l'ari doncs m'hagués donat unes explicacions una mica mes acurades!!!

It took me almost a whole day to get to Jaipur from Amritsar (having to go through Delhi, which I wanted to avoid at all costs!!!). Until now (still a second day to go) I've been totally unimpressed by Jaipur (I had heard rumors that it wasn't that big of a deal). Jaipur is considered to be in the golden triangle of India (Agra, Delhi, Jaipur). Herds of tourists in buses come to Jaipur, and so far I haven't seen anything worth such a trip. What I have liked is the kind of science museum they have, old apparatus to measure planets and stars, but I would like to have come here with Ari as she would have given me a more precise explanation!!!

Cranc - Cancer

Verge - Virgen

Peixos - Fishes

Si que he trobat un alberg maco i tranquil on passar l'estona i conèixer gent en una ciutat tant caòtica, Tony's Guest House.

I have found a nice and chilled guest house where to hang out and meet people in such a hectic city, Tony's Guest House.

Amritsar Day 67: Learning about Sikh religion

So I had to spend an extra day in Amritsar, but what started like a boring day, ended in maybe one of the best days so far!!! Queuing for lunch I started talking to this 3 guys (only one spoke English), as I said yesterday, Sikh are very friendly people and are thankful that you eat their food with them!! Not only did I eat with them but walked around the temple with them before they went to sewa (voluntary work). They were so friendly that they gave me a gift, a bracelet that all Sikhs carry always on heir right hand (the guy had two and took one off to give it to me!!!). The guy to my right is who gave me the bracelet.

M'he hagut de quedar un segon dia a Amritsar, pero el que ha començat com un dia força aburrit, ha acabat sent casi un dels millors dies des de que soc aquí!! Fent cua pel dinar he començat a parlarà amb 3 nois (només un parlava angles), com vaig dir ahir, els Sikhs son molt amigables i molt agraïts de que menjis el seu menjar amb ells!! No només he menjat amb ells, pero he passejats pel temple amb ells mentres esperaven a anar a sewa (voluntariat). Eren tant simpàtics que em van fer un regal, un braçalet que els Sikhs sempre porten a la ma dreta (el noi en tenia dos i se'n va treure una per donar-me-la a mi!!). El noi a la meva dreta es qui me la va donar.

Walking around the temple I witnessed this ceremony where this man presented all the weapons they have (all sorts of swords, knives, axes and guns). Sikhs come from soldiers and you'll see the pure Sikhs carry around a little blade. If you go see the museum, you'll see all the fights they have had with Muslims.

Caminant pel temple he vist una ceremònia on aquest home presenta totes les armes que tenen (tota mena de espases, ganivets, destrals i pistoles). Els Sikhs venen dels guerrers i veuràs com els Sikhs purs porten un petit ganivet. Si aneu al museu, veureu totes les baralles que han tingut amb els musulmans.

At nigh around 8pm, after taking my last picture of the Golden Temple I met Chani!! It's this Sikh who comes every night around this time, sometimes with his wife, sometimes alone, and he likes to just seat there and meet tourist and introduce them to Sikh religion!! He told me how Sikhs don't cut any hair in their body as it is considered a gift of God, all cover their head, carry a little knife with them for food recollection, and the bracelet (the one they gave me) is in their right arm as a reminder of their religion and honesty if they are ever tempted to do anything bad (steal or hurt someone). If you ever happen to be in Amritsar go to where this picture is taken from and wait for him (around 7.30 pm). If he finds you you'll be into a great treat!! He even invites foreigners to breakfast and eat and sleep at his house, I was leaving that night but would definitely have gone would have I stayed their!!!

PS. At night 9.30 pm there is a ceremony where they take the Holy Book (being read in the temple all day), to be put away. It will come back at 4.30 am!! The temple is open 24 hours and food is provided 24 hours.

A la nit sobre les 8 del vespre, després de fer la ultima foto al temple daurat he conegut al Chani!! Es un Sikh que ve cada nit sobre aquesta hora, a vegades amb la seva dona, a vegades sol, i li agrada seure al voltant del temple i conèixer turistes i introduir-los a la religió dels Sikhs!!!  M'ha explicat com els Sikhs no es tallen cap pel del cos doncs es considera un regal de Deu, tots es tapen el cap, porten un petit ganivet per recolectar menjar, i el braçalet (el que m'han donat) al braç dret com a recordatori de la seva religió i honestedat per si estan temptats de fer alguna cosa malament (robar o fer mal a algú). Si mai esteu a Amritsar aneu a on he fet aquesta foto i espereu-lo (sobre les 7.30 del vespre). Si us troba, tindreu un regal increïble!! Fins i tot invita a estrangers a esmorzar i menjar i dormir a casa seva, jo marxava aquella nit pero hi hagués anat sens dubte si hagués passat allà la nit!! 

PD. A les 9.30 del vespre hi ha la cerimònia en que les sagrades escriptures (que es llegeixen durant tot el dia a l'interior del temple) es guarden. Tornaran a sortir a les 4.30 del mati!! El temple s obert 24 hores i el menjar es serveix 24 hores.