Each day in India is a true assault on the senses; it is like no other place we've been.

Our Indian visit began with a late night arrival into Delhi, the capital of India, where we stayed one night.  For an interesting account of a typically aggravating Indian episode, which happened to us shortly following our arrival in Delhi, see Rich's Travelogue.

The next morning, we boarded a bus for a 6 hour ride to Jaipur, where we were meeting our friends Paul Montgomery and Mike Squires.  Jaipur is the capital of the state of Rajastan, a region which many believe to represent India at its exotic best.  It certainly did not disappoint us.

One of the things we never got used to was the cows; they truly are everywhere.  Streets, sidewalks, medians....you name it.  Just hanging out, eating trash (often including newspaper and plastic bags), minding their own business.  As sacred animals that serve as the vehicle for a prominent Hindu god, there ain't a lot of beef eating going on in India.  All in all, they are leading a pretty nice life.

As the capital of Rajastan with a population of over 1.8 million, controlled chaos seems to rule the streets which are crowded with camel carts, rickshaws, cyclos, camel carts, cows, motobikes, trucks, cars, pedestrians, dogs, tourists....you get the idea.

Cyclos are a cheap way of transport around the city, although at times painfully slow and frightening given their limited ability to move quickly (when, for instance, a large truck is approaching).  We prefer the engine powered rickshaws.

One of the most impressive sights in Jaipur is the Amber Fort, once the capital of ancient Jaipur.  It has a superb setting high on a hillside with a lake below.

Inside Amber Fort enjoying the view.

Colorfully decorated elephants are a popular means of conveyance up the reasonably steep approach to the fort.  Well satisfied though with our elephant experience in Thailand, we gave this opportunity a pass.

Our friend, Mike, got a little close to one of the elephants and was extremely surprised when he received a swift kick in the leg by the large beast.

Of course, India is not India without the obligatory photo of a snake charmer with his King Cobra.  This guy seemed to have a bit of a problem controlling his snake; we kept our distance.

A lake palace near Amber Fort seems to levitate on the water.

One evening we happened across a traditional Hindu wedding.  Unlike the west, where love plays the principal role in a marriage, traditional Hindu marriages are arranged by parents, often through classified adds!  While the bride remains out of sight until the ceremony, the groom is paraded through the streets on horseback with a throng of well-wishers.  The entire procession is accompanied by a band and illuminated by numerous fluorescent lights carried by bearers and powered by a generator which brings up the rear.  It is quite the celebratory spectacle.

As far as we can tell, paan is the Indian equivalent of the after dinner smoke.  Sold everywhere, paan is typically prepared with a green, betel leaf, on which all sorts of ingredients are applied.  The leaf is rolled and the whole thing is shoved into the mouth and sucked upon.  Much of the red-colored juice ends up on streets, buildings, and sidewalks, while some of the juice is swallowed--it is said to aid digestion.  Rich gave it a go at this paan shop; while he did not find it quite to his liking, it wasn't horrible and, significantly, at least he did not get sick.

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