Pushkar is a small holy town surrounded by mountains and farmland, that attracts tourists and Indians alike, who come to see or experience Hindu pilgrimages. The town has a strict no alcohol, no meat, no dairy policy, so needless to say it was a very healthy stay.
We arrived at our beautiful hotel in the early afternoon and spent the day exploring the bazaar, full of cheap, Indian goods that made it difficult not to overspend. Walking through the market, I got my first glimpse at the holy men who live their; dressed in white linen pants and tunics, wooden beaded necklaces, and a bright orange or yellow turbin around their head, while holding a big wooden walking stick, it’s hard to miss them. But their faces are by far the their most distinctive feature. Usually, they have a long white mustache and beard, and have red and orange dots or lines drawn on their forehead. Some are even covered with a whitish pant that makes them look ghostly. It’s really amazing to see them for the first time. The only problem is that I was way too intimidated (and felt quite intrusive) to try to take a picture. Hopefully, I can get one in the next holy city, Varanassi, but for now, I've found one online.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3147/2317014702_4bf5194f5a.jpg)
We headed to bed early the first night as we would be waking up at 4:30 a.m. the next morning to do a sunrise climb up to a temple on a mountain overlooking the city. We met in the lobby at 5 a.m. and the 6 of us who were up for it made our way through the sleepy city. When we got to the base of the mountain, it was just about dawn and we knew we had to scramble to make it to the top by sunrise. The only problem was it was a very, very steep climb, up big, stone steps. Mark led the pack and I was determined to keep up with him, so despite sweat pouring down my face and my heart pounding, I kept on without taking a break. We made it to the top in about 30 minutes and the 4 others made it up shortly after; later, Shakti told us that we were the first group he’s had in three years to have everyone who attempted the climb to make it to the top. Anyway, despite a few clouds blocking the sun, it was still a beautiful view and I was so glad to be up in the mountains. After soaking up the view, we headed back down, through town and back to bed for a few hours.
On Day 2, we explored the market again and took our last opportunity to haggle over the items we wanted. It’s so much fun to haggle in India! You can always get the price down, and if you’re not happy you just have to walk away and you’re almost guaranteed to hear “Ok, ok!” as you’re leaving. It usually makes for a very satisfying purchase. That night, we went to a restaurant that plays movies. We were the only group there, so we were able to choose and we settled on “Slumdog Millionaire,” one of my favorite movies ever. The first time I saw it, I loved it, but watching it in India, after having experienced so many things that go on the in the movie, made it so much more enjoyable and special. The only problem with the evening was that the movie was finished before our dinner was served! Over 2 hours! But as Shakti told us on the first day, there are five rules when traveling in India: 1) patience, 2) patience, 3) patience, 4) patience, 5) a sense of humor. I think it’s very solid advice.
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