Camel Safari and 500 Temples in Pushkar

Passing through the mystical desert landscape of Rajastan, it's hard to pass a camel safari. We found our opportunity in Pushkar. As usual, we made a spectacle as our guide led us through town and we towered over everyone on our camels. I don’t know what it is about us. People were taking pictures of us on our camels.

Riding a camel is pretty cool. They are awkward but graceful at the same time and oh, so tall. You hop on when it is sitting. You have to lean back when as it stands or you get thrown off. My camel, Cobra, had ankle bracelets that jingled as she walked. Parker was lucky to get to ride Romeo. Romeo is the two time winner of the annual Camel Race at the biggest camel fair in the world which is held every year in Pushkar. Romeo was a handsome camel and was pretty full of himself. He’s the best and he knows it.


Our sunset safari was short and sweet. Riding a camel is comparable to riding a horse, same-same but different. We opted for a shorter ride so we would be able to walk properly afterwards. It was a very touristy thing for us to do and we enjoyed it.




Pushkar is a holy city which means no meat, eggs, or alcohol. Parker and I were a bit worried. We like meat, eggs and alcohol. At breakfast our waiter asked us how we wanted our eggs. It wasn’t on the menu but came with the breakfast we ordered. We hesitated but ate our omelettes. We did stay away from meat and alcohol even though we knew it was probably available. It was only a few days anyway. And wow, the food was delicious.

Puskar was lovely. There is a small lake in the middle of town that is surrounded by 500 small white temples. We had a nice time in the tiny holy town in the desert.

The Tremendous Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal lived up to everything one could possibly hope for in one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Parker and I try to avoid crowds and tourist traps. But the Taj Mahals’s 20,000 visitors a day only gave perspective to the grand size of the monument. It was absolutely tremendous.

The Taj Mahal is the ultimate monument for love. Emperor Shah Jahan was devastated when his favourite wife, Arjumand Bann Begum, died after giving to their fourteenth child (good grief!). After his wife’s death, the Emperor set out to build the most remarkable structure known to man in the memory of his beloved wife. The Taj Mahal took over 20,000 people and 20 years to build. It was finally completed in 1653.

I bought a sari and some bangles for the occasion. It took me an hour and a half to control my 16 foot sheet/dress. Every Asian country we have visited, I look same-same Thai, same-same Laos, same-same Singaporean and same-same Nepali. I never thought I looked Indian until we came to India. Someone specified I looked Northern Indian, especially when I wear a sari. With my chameleon Asian looks, American accent and American husband, Parker and I have sometimes caused a scene. I hear people whisper “maybe Indian/Nepali/Japan”. Many times we were asked to be photographed. At one point Parker and I had a whole family of 10 line up and take photos with both of us separately and together. It was a lot of fun the first five times.

The perfectly symmetrical monument is made out of marble and inlayed with semi precious stones: onyx, amethyst, lapis lazuli, turquoise, jade, crystal, coral and mother-of-pearl. The white marble of the Taj Mahal changes colours throughout the day. The play of lights from sunrise to sunset is magical. When we first entered the palace in the afternoon it was a brilliant white. As the sun set it turn to a pearly cream and finally glowed to a soft orange. No words can do it justice. It was a lovely day. The Taj Mahal was simply the most beautiful building either of us had ever seen.