Namastay In India

Wow, I can’t believe I’m home already. It seems like my Indian adventure went by too fast! I miss it already. The experience was everything and more. I learned so much about India; the people, the culture, the history, everything! Indians are very hospitable and kind. They are very friendly and will make sure you are relaxed and have everything you need.

I must admit, at first, it was a bit of a culture shock to me especially the country itself and the many facets of Indian culture. I mean, where else would you find snake charmers on the street or authentic carpet weaving right before your eyes?

My last sunset in India (Goa).

I didn’t really have a favourite city that I visited in India. Each city was different and unique with so much to offer. But one thing is for sure, the sightseeing was breathtaking! From the different temples with intricate architecture to the activities you can enjoy that you can’t find anywhere else but in India.

Indian Spice Shop in Gambier Street

I learned a lot from Indian culture. Local etiquette, customs, and tips, just to name a few. So, if you are visiting India anytime soon or planning to, here are some tips on local etiquette:

- Before entering a place of worship or temple, one must remove their shoes or sandals
as a sign of respect. Furthermore, it is advisable to be dressed conservatively while
visiting these types of places.

- When visiting small cities or villages, arms and legs should be covered. However, in the
metro, these things are not a bother.

Hindu Temple

So, with that said, my Indian adventure was amazing! I can’t wait to go back!

Thank you for sharing this experience with me. NAMASTE!

Last night if you remember I went to dinner at my motorcycle taxi drivers house. He picked me up at 6:00pm on the dot and we drove to his house which was about a 15 min ride on the hog. Once I got there he introduced me to his wife Bandhula and his two boys Indrajit, 7, and Indraneel, 5. They served buttermilk and a traditional Indian meal.

Traditional Indian meal Bandhula made.

It was so delicious I was stuffed when I left, and I felt like I was gonna fall off the motorcycle on the way home, I was so tired.

Today I took a taxi to go to the Anjuna Flea Market, the taxi driver wasn't talkative at all, so when I arrived to a beach with no Flea Market I was a little confused. I asked the driver if it was the right place and he said yes. Then I asked where the market was and he told me that the flea market is only open during Wednesdays and runs from morning till dawn. I later found out from someone on the beach that the Anjuna Flea market is famous for silver jewelry, richly-dyed fabrics, and trinkets from all over India. I ended up staying at the beach till 7:00pm that night and made friends with a couple of the locals. They told me that Anjuna is a famous village in India that is known as a favorite destination for the hippies during the sixties and seventies. The flea market began when Western “hippies” ran out of money to stay longer in the village so they auctioned off their belongings such as jewelry, jeans, and guitars for money thus, began the “flea market”.

Tomorrow I am going to go visit Old Goa and check out the Basilica of Bom Jesus and hopefully I can just relax on a nice beach for the rest of my trip. If anyones wondering I used the website indiasite.com to find hotels and I definitely recommend everyone goes to India at least once.

Map of my trip in India

I just arrived in Goa and I'm a little upset that my vacation in India is almost over. Hopefully I saved the best for last. My flight over to Goa from Agra was interesting, I had quite the seating assignment, there was a pleasantly plump man on my left side who was not willing to share the arm rest but that was ok because I was glad to cuddle up to the guy on my right, he was extremely attractive. Once I landed in Goa I took a motorcycle taxi to my hotel which was only 10 minutes away. My driver, Alun, he reminded me a bit of Ajit he asked me if I wanted to go have dinner with his family that night and I gladly accepted. He said he would come back to my hotel at 6:00pm to take me to his home and have a beautiful Indian dinner that his wife prepared.

Alun dropping a couple American girls off to fly home.

I went on to http://www.incredibleindia.org to make sure there weren't any traditions or customs I needed to know about before I go to my dinner.

Tomorrow I am going to Anjuna Beach which has a Flea Market close by. I can't wait to do some more shopping I don't have too much money left so I have to keep my budget in mind. I really want to buy some bangles.

Anjuna Flea Market

I'm gonna go get ready for dinner and I'll let you know all about it tomorrow.

If you're travelling in India, the Taj Mahal is a must see experience. It's famous for its remarkable structure and beautiful sceneries. And i fell inlove with it! It was beautiful inside and out and I wish i could stay longer. So this is how my day trip went.

As soon as i got into my hotel, i went out to get some food for lunch. I was pretty hungry and tired but at thesame time i'm still pumped to explore Agra. So, i went around to look for a good restaurant and i found Pizza Hut! I havent had pizza for quite a while so i decided to take out a box of pizza and brought it to my hotel. It was a good lunch, since i havent had slice of pizza for a while. So, after eating i went downstairs and looked around the hotel surrrounding. Just to make it short, overall the hotel was beautiful! It's a 3 star hotel and the cost is worth the price.

Facad of the hotel

my hotel room

pool,hotel lobby,hotel restaurant

After my hotel tour, i took a taxi and went to Taj Mahal. It was stunning! I can't explain how i felt when i stood up infront of it. There were a lot of tourist who were taking pictures infront and inside of the Taj Mahal.

This is me infront of the Taj Mahal

Staircase inside the Taj Mahal

Facts about Taj Mahal:
•A mausoleum that was built by Emperor Shah Jhan in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
•This architectural wonder was made a UNESCO World Heritage site and presents unique exterior and interior decoration that is ornamented with marble and numerous semi-precious stones.

After visiting Taj Mahal, i was curious to see Mother Theresa's missionary site. It was the most humbling and movable experience.

Missionary site (i took this from my phone)

It was a really hot day, so i decided to get some snack and a drink. I had this very sweet indian dessert and it was really great. For my drink, i had a refreshing mango lassi with an aussie twist! This delicious Indian drink has been mixed with tropical passionfruit and a hint of fresh mint.

On to the next one, " Agra Fort ". Agra Fort is also known as Lal Haveli. The place stood the test of time, transitioning from one dynasty to the other. Shahjahan broke the continuity of red sand stone to create white marble monuments.
Agra Fort

Last but not the least, Itimad-ud Daulah. It is often regarded as a draft of the Tāj Mahal. The tomb is located on the left bank of the Yamuna river, the mausoleum is set in a large cruciform garden criss-crossed by water courses and walkways.

Itimad-ud Dalah

As for the transportation, taxi is not a bad option. It was fairly cheap and easy to access. Daytrip is over and it's time to go back to my hotel. I decided to swim at the outdoor pool of the hotel. It was refreshing and relaxing at thesame time. Then i had my dinner at the hotel restaurant and i had some Naan bread and some side dishes such as rice.

Delicious dinner

But Im really tired now and i feel sleepy. So i'll just blog again tomorrow for my next update. Goodnight!

Jaipur was PERFECT! (Jaipur-fect!)I'm really having a blast and i'm so excited to explore more of these amazing cities in India. Each day there was something new and interesting to see and experience. Now, off to Varanasi, India.
Varanasi is located on the banks of the holy river. It is defined as the holiest city in India. I was really amazed when i saw the well-known holy river "Ganges River".

I was walking around the Ghats, observing how the people take a bath in this place. And I found this guy washing his dreads and i thought i should take a picture of it.

Hindus think of the Ganges as not just a river, but a mother, a goddess, a tradition, a culture, and so much more. Many Hindus believe that life is incomplete without a bath at least once in their lives in the river. It is also believed the river contains a healing power to cure the ill and to cleanse a person’s soul of past sins.

Religion and religious practices are the most dominant experiences on the ghats. No matter what time you are there, you always see someone indulging in a ritual or the other. It could be as simple as a woman going round the peepul tree, a holy dip or a sadhu meditating, or a celebration as complex and elaborate as the Ganga Aarti.

A Sadhu makes offering(arghya) to sun god

After a long walk, i decided to look for some food. Varanasi has numerous rooftop restaurants and cafés too that are comparatively cheaper but are nonetheless good. But i decided to have street foods. It was authentic and really tasty. I had flat bread with hummus and some indian spice with it. I also bought extra food just incase i get hungry in my hotel.

Street foods in Varanasi

I went along the side of the ghats and sat there to eat and watch the sunset.

sunset in Varanasi

While enjoying the sunset, a group of people gathered together and i got so curious. I stood up and went up to where they are gathering and i found this! Diwali is celebrated with a variety of rituals, which depend in large part on one's location, but they center on the lighting of candles, electric lights and fireworks.

Diwali Candle lights (i took this photo from my cellphone)

After watching these people light the candles, i went back to my hotel, took a hot shower and went to bed. It was a really long day for me. I didn't have time to take a rest before exploring Varanasi because i only staying there for one day.

To start off the day, breakfast with the locals! It was a hot and delicious breakfast! yummmy! I'm a coffee addict and their coffee is the best. The bold taste and the aroma of the coffee bean is what woke me up.

fresh espresso coffee

Breakfast with the locals in Varanasi India

After breakfast, i went around the city and i came across this temple named "Durga Temple"
also nicknamed "Monkey temple," was built at some point of time in 18th century. The temple got the name 'Monkey temple' because of the presence of large number of monkeys in the temple.Non-Hindus can enter the courtyard of the Durga temple but not the inner sanctum. There were alot of temples but this one stood out for me just because of the legend behind this temple.

Durga Temple

This trip was overall amazing! However, I'm not done yet and there is more to see in India. I'll blog again tomorrow.