The best theology is probably no theology; just love one another. -Charles Schulz, cartoonist (26 Nov 1922-2000)
Tree Lots Are Officially Open!
Aunt Leah's 4 Tree lots are now open, the sun is shining and we are ready to make a difference in our communities. Last year your volunteer shift was equivilant to a $281 donation!!!
This funding helps prevent youth homeless and keeps families together.
We have many shifts filled, but we still need your help!
Please contact Chloe Dunn to book your shift today and let's create a culture of caring in our communities.
Online booking will end December 3rd.
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To Schedule a Shift: Please Call Chloe Dunn at 604-525-1204 ext. 252
Online Registration Closes December 3rd:
http://auntleahsplace.fullslate.com/
Hi Kids! Here is a two-part account of stay in Jodhpur. Fort first, market next!
Have to dash as we are off to the desert to ride camels! Cheers, Patrizzio! Jodhpur: Part II
Day 30, Field
Report: Friday, November 27th: Jodhpur!
Up at 7:00 am
after enjoying a grand sleep as the duvet was the thinnest we’ve had so wasn’t
baking to death all night, although Lady Dar wasn’t as happy, preferring to
sleep in sauna-like conditions whenever possible! Didn’t have to meet our guide
until 9:30 am so I had a chance to digitate for a bit before showering and
heading down for breakfast, a gannet’s tasty helping of baked beans, grilled
tomatoes and a delicious masala omelette.
Back to the room
to ready ourselves for the day’s outing and then once more downstairs to find
Ashok waiting for us. We drove into town where we collected our guide, Sandeep,
a cool dude, if ever there was one, sporting
a fine moustache, bejeweled and bejangled, wearing jodhpurs and a wide-brimmed
hat, he looked quite a bit like a dashing Rajashtani version of Pancho Villa.
First order of the day was
to stop at an HDFC ATM for cold cash. We had to cross over a very busy
thoroughfare and I remarked, once safely across the divided street I remarked
to my companions that the task of dodging the steady stream of cows, goats, motorbikes,
cars and trucks was almost more dangerous than robbing a bank! Sandeep enjoyed
the observation! Pockets bulging with wads of rupees we returned to the van and
drove towards Mehrangarh Fort, one of the largest forts in India. Built around
1460 by Rao Jodha, the fort is situated 410 feet/125 m above the city and
is enclosed by towering, rather imposing, to say the least, massively thick
walls.
However, our first stop was at The Jaswant Thada, “a
white marble memorial built by Sardar Singh in 1899 in memory of Maharaja
Jaswant Singh II. The Jaswant Thada is the traditional cremation ground of
Jodhpur rulers. The grounds also include exquisitely carved gazebos, a
beautiful multi-tiered garden, and a small lake.” The morning was
wonderfully cool, with a slight breeze so we were most comfortable as Sandeep
introduced us to the history of the city, some of its customs and the story
behind the royal mausoleum. He left us to explore the multi-terraced grounds
surrounding the impressive structure as well as visiting the interior itself.
At various points along the way. local musicians played traditoinal
instruments, choosing the music to fit the time of day. Man inside the memorial
itself was playing a flute-like instrument and the acoustics were
spell-binding. Views of the Fort, higher up, from the smoothly paved patios,
were magnificent so I was able to snap away to my heart’s content.
Back to the van to drive
the short distance to the main entrance to the Fort itself. There are seven
gates, two of which include “Jayapol, (meaning 'victory'), built by Maharaja
Man Singh to commemorate his victories over Jaipur and Bikaner armies, and
Fattehpol, (also meaning 'victory'), built by Maharaja Ajit Singh to mark the
defeat of the Mughals.” An astonishingly impressive structure from a distance,
simply mind-boggling up close. Risked putting a permanent crick in my neck
trying to capture some of the towering ramparts. While the Fort itself is not
as extensive a complex, as a whole, as Carcassonne, the sheer magnitude of the
walls and ramparts here certainly rival Carcassonne. After entering the Fort we
took an elevator to one of the upper floors to begin our tour. Sandeep carefully
shepherded us through a never-ending series of galleries and rooms, explaining
their use and significance as we moved from one floor to another, climbing
higher all the while.
At the top we
were afforded wonderful views of much of Jodhpur, (aka The Blue City as many
of the houses are painted blue.),
as well as of the surrounding hills, where one could see the remains of the
massive walls which once encircled and protected the city. Last stop before
lunch was in the small but interesting museum/gallery which displayed such
items as howdahs, palanquins, armour, and the like, as well as the “finest
collection of paintings from the Marwar School. Court painting in Jodhpur
developed greatly during 17th Century through the association of Marwar's
Rulers with the Mughal Emperors. During the 18th and 19th centuries it evolved
into a distinctive Rajasthani style, combining Mughal naturalism with local
folk style and bold colours.”
Sandeep suggested
the café in the Fort and we had a lovely lunch there. The Chicken Pakora which
both Lynne and Cora Lee ordered was divine as I discovered. Lynne could barely
eat but half of her portion and I was charged with consuming the rest. This I
did with gusto as the chunks were delish, all washed down with fresh lime and
soda, sweetened, to taste, with sugar water, if one so desired. I had a red
bean/lentil dish which was very tasty and Jugos had a version of Chili Relleno,
also scrumptious, according to him. Sandeep had chips and a club-house
sandwich, with a Kingfisher!
After lunch he
took us to an antique emporium, literally a huge warehouse filled with both
antiques and modern replicas of antiques, acres and acres of them, filling the
first floor. In the high-ceilinged basement, of similar size, we found room after
room after room filed with cloth and fabric of all sorts. The owner, a young,
svelte Jain, had his spiel down pat and, after seating us in our private
compartment, showed us about ten samples of the sort of cloth they are known
for here, from six-ply cotton duvets by the Kalbeliya
and Bopa women, [“Although very different, both are called “gypsy” in the local
languages. The lowest level in the Hindu caste system, they live without
permanent homes and are seen as squatters and hustlers. Moving from place
to place, sleeping beneath the stars on the outskirts of towns, the Bopa and
Kalbeliya share the bad reputation of gypsies the world over.” To date, we have
seen many encampments, (We would call them little more than homeless shelters
made from tarps, branches and cardboard, cooking on small open fires. This
morning, many of their possessions were tied, in bags, to the lower branches of
trees, along the roadside, not that far from our “luxury” hotel.), probably more in Rajasthan than elsewhere
as I believe they are called “Queens of the desert.”], to the finest cashmere throws, coverings
or shawls, in designs created for various international fashion houses such as Hermes,
Donna Karan, Kenzo, and the like. For
such designers, our Jain entrepreneur “claimed” to have a number of “extras”
from the various production runs done for these houses so he was able to pass
them along at greatly reduced prices.
All in all the
pieces were wonderfully attractive and, given the quality, very inexpensive.
Cora Lee and I ended up purchasing two pieces, embroidered cotton, one king,
one queen, to use as duvets, colours chosen to match the soon-to-be-repainted bedrooms
at Burns Street! Cora Lee also picked up a cashmere throw for the couch in the
Rumpus Room. Total bill was $320 plus a shipping cost of $60. Lynne and Peter
bought one large cashmere throw and four shawls so we bundled everything
together and are having package shipped to Emporium’s agent in Vancouver, as
samples, (to avoid duty!), to be delivered to Naramata a few days after the
Lighthalls arrive home. Wonder if this scam will work with Customs so stay
tuned, especially since we are having two rugs delivered to our house around
the same time!
Deals concluded,
The Sisterhood insisted on looking at jewelry upstairs so more Power Shopping. Shortly
thereafter, the Jain’s coffers even fuller, we waved goodbye and Sandeep took
us to the old part of Jodhpur to visit the daily market. Bustling, noisy with
the incessant honking and beeping of motorbikes and shouts of vendors, but not
unpleasantly crowded as we wandered the streets in front of the myriad stalls
and shops selling everything from vegetables and fruit, to household goods and
cooking oil, dispensed in plastic bags, to cheap toys and costume jewelry. Also
passed a row of shoemakers fabricating sandals out of used car tires next to
women selling used clothing, piles and piles of it arrayed in front of them. Also
walked past a much smaller version of the cloth market we’d seen in Bombay but
didn’t wander through it. Tour of the market over, Sandeep called Ashok to
collect us and we made our way back towards the hotel. Dropped Sandeep off close
to where he lived. Thanked him for the extraordinarily interesting tour and
waved goodbye after tipping him.
Back to the hotel
by 5:00 pm to repair to the alcove outside our rooms for a much needed drink.
Kingfisher for Jugos and Lady Dar while I finished of the last of my Fenny from
Goa. Lynne opted for bottled water as we had been invited to a party, to be
hosted by Ashok at 7:00 pm. After rehashing the events of the day we returned
to our rooms to bathe and change. Did a bit of digitating before we went
downstairs where Ashok collected us at the hotel entrance. He drove a short
distance from the hotel to park by the roadside and we then proceeded to enjoy several
snorts of Old Monk and Thums Up Cola. He provided everything and we were quite
touched by his desire to do so. We spent a most interesting time chatting with
him about his family, his arranged marriage, his children and how he came to be
a driver for one of the companies that Luxe India sub-contracts to. He started
out, as a five-year old, pumping air at his village garage and eventually
became a BMW mechanic. Fascinating to manage to get to know, if only slightly,
this lovely, gentle man.
Around 8:00 pm
the rum was finished and we were feeling rather well-lubed so Ashok drove us to
a restaurant that Janet had recommended: On The Rocks. Sandeep knew it as well
so we were looking forward to the meal. The setting, outside in a lovely garden
setting, was most pleasant but unfortunately, the meal was perhaps the worst
we’d had to date. The coconut mutton stew was abominable, nothing but gristle
and almost un-chewable, tough, stringy chunks of flesh. The potatoe dish, while
somewhat tasty was stone cold. The chicken with spinach was the best of a bad
lot, tasty enough but the rice was dry and cold so even the sauce lost much of
its appeal. The cauliflower and peas were “Ok”, according to Lynne, but I must
say that, overall, I was very disappointed in the quality of the food, given
what delectable fare we’ve usually been served. Still, the 2015 Sula Sauvignon
Blanc was crisp and flavourful so I drowned my sorrows in my cups.
Back home with
Ashok. Once at the hotel we arranged to leave by 9:00 am as we had a long drive
ahead that day. Bade goodnight to one
another and repaired to our rooms. Managed to read a few chapters of After the Crash before my head wanted
tot crash into the pillow.
