catch a plane in Tokyo and land in Delhi is not what is said a smooth transition, but we like excitement. Yes, we are in India. We have rescheduled our route to get here to avoid the sweltering heat of summer, thus leaving the South East Asia for the final.
decided to start our tour with a driver-guide that we had recommended. Vivek join us for 20 days in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Although it sounds somewhat adventurous, we are happy, and that local knowledge has undoubtedly improved the experience. Moreover, when we put one foot in the Delhi airport, completely upside down (get ready for the Common Wealth Games 2010), we could not but give thanks to see the brothers waiting with a placard Kaushik .. . phew what a relief!
At the heart of Delhi were welcomed by the family Kaushik who received us with a delicious tea of \u200b\u200bmany who would take in this country. They gave us dinner, homemade food and a bed to rest our weary bones and impressed. We could not stop repeating: That loud! We in India! We were pleased, but with the body still in tension after the trip by car from airport to downtown, along a road recently opened 8 lane full of cars, motorcycles, people, animals and tuc-tucs Driving style comparable only to " very efficient "style Portuguese, or Turkish or Peru," every man for himself. "
The next day we began our journey westward, stopping one night in the town of Mandawa Pequenho. This whole area is famous for its "havelis" powerful ancient merchants houses painted with beautiful frescos. Those that have not been converted into hotels and restaurants remain hardly in a dilapidated state, surrounded by filth and misery that are still more obvious decay.
visited Bikaner, and near there, the famous temple of rats, with thousands of these animals running around freely while you walk without shoes with more creepy than surprise. Because they are sacred, are untouchable, and people bring them food and milk. A priest of the temple can be reached that offer food that rats eat yellow ... say it is great for you and that you should not refuse, there were people eating ... of course we do not approach, just in case. The next stop was the golden city of Jaisalmer, with its impressive fortress on a hill of sand. Despite the chaos and that one has to walk through the streets dodging cows, the construction of all people, made of sandstone, gives it a golden color to abstract and imagine their glory. Palaces, Jain temples and more "havelis" complete the show. That if we are so close to Pakistan that the presence of military facilities is palpable along the road.
us deeper into the Thar desert for a camel safari Pequenho (actually dromedary) and watch the sunset over the dunes. It was great, half way we stopped at a village where Juan is under a pachanga with a lot of Ninh. Those who did not play football pipe passed him posing for my camera, it was quite difficult to control. Here we are in the purest style Lawrence of Arabia. Do not tell me that the man who carries the guide does not seem Juan de los Reyes Magos any belen.
continue to Jodhpur, the blue city, crowned by the impressive Meherangarh fort walls, which at 450 anhos was never defeated. It is curious that the Maharajas still exist, but instead of living in antiquated palaces, living in hotelazos. Furthermore, its power is fully symbolic, and most have living reinvented as successful hoteliers and open his palaces for tourists.
From there to Ranakpur, where we visited the Jain temple most spectacular so far, with its beautifully carved 1444 pillars. Indeed, the Jains are a branch of Hinduism that is characterized by total restraint and respect for all life. Use a broom to scare off the insects in its path and not to step, and a cloth in front of the mouth to avoid accidentally swallowing bugs. What we can say is that their temples are beautiful, all covered with elaborate stone carvings.
The next stop was Udaipur, romantic city with several lakes that reflect the night lights of their palaces (now almost all hotels) and fantastic sunsets. Here we incorporate an animal into our street fauna of India, the elephant, which can barely move between the stalls of merchants without destroying them. We also went to a dance typical of Rajhastan, with women dancing with up to 10 vases in the head. The show was great though John was complaining that they were a little older wenches (the experience is a plus), the picture is obviously one of the young girls.
The last stop for now, was the holy city of Pushkar, here is the only temple dedicated to Lord Brahma in India. As a sacred place, you can not eat meat or drink alcohol. The lake occupies the center of town is surrounded by stairs or "ghats" where one can only enter barefoot and with respect. There people pray and Banha. This also is a place of pilgrimage for Western tourists looking for some kind of lighting, many Rastafarians juggling the lake make me think whether or not respectful behavior. It is the first location in India where, in English, please ask not to use drugs, something will. In short, these days we visited some places taken from the tales of the Arabian Nights, but we can not ignore, surrounded by noisy, dirty streets, and many people living in absolute poverty.
However, it must be said that what most impressed us in this country is the beauty of the people. Pequenho In a town along the way where we stopped to go to banho, a very humble family invited us to his house and offered us tea and food giving us all a lesson in humanity.
The beauty of clothes worth a mention apart, the men wear turbans of every color, some garish, pink, orange, red, contrasting costumes are pale. Despite the dust of the road are smart, proud, with a seriousness and dignity as we have seen few, whatever their wealth or poverty. And then there are the women, clad in their presiosos saris, with her hair covered most and some the whole face. Appear in the distance, in the middle of nowhere where his colors shine still more brightly.
is difficult to mimic these people. For my part I started to paint my hands with "heena" (I always liked), and cover myself a little panhuelos, to avoid attracting "a lot" of attention, but you realize how hard it is to stop being guiri .
What is more "exciting" in India are the road trips. Although theoretically drive on the left, anything goes here, and if the right wing is hollow, as we dig in and go. Works under the law of the strongest, if a truck wants to pass, the rest away, and if you have to take the shoulder because it comes from your lane, as you lie. We are happy with Vivek, although Espanha would have lost their points in a matter of hours, is serious and sensible standards of the country. Tranquility is capable of transmitting even when you pass the day dodging people, cars, motorcycles, cows, goats and camels in all directions ... as he says: "Everything is possible in India ". 
in the gastronomic, could not be more thrilled to have left the raw fish head and entered the world of curries and spices. He will Indian, made from black tea and milk (usually buffalo) mixed with spices is to die for, and surprisingly, the more cumbersome is the appearance of the bar in which we take, the richest (see photo, this was very good). The food is wonderful, would not know where to start, rice with spices and many vegetables mixed in a thousand ways ... Everything is scrumptious, literally, because except in tourist spots, here you eat too much with your hand . It's a little complicated by much sauce, but everything is set. John is love.
That's all for now, keep reporting.
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