A Rajasthan well

On our way into the high desert country outside of Udaipur, we stopped by the roadside to see one of the typical water wells that are scattered about the valleys.  The water is drawn from these wells in a continuous chain of buckets that are attached to a large pulley.  The whole contraption is powered by a couple of oxen who walk in circles all day. 

Watching the man drive the oxen, and the women carrying the water off in buckets balanced on the top of their their heads, I could block out the occasional car zooming past on the nearby road, and easily picture myself in a scene from ancient times.

When the oxen driver gets tired of walking he is able to rest on a seat that is rigged up on the log which the oxen are pulling.

It was to much for our friend Kristen to resist a ride when it was offered to her.

On to Rajasthan

Train travel in India is an experience in itself.  We travelled mostly in sleeper cars where you typically share a curtained compartment with 8 other people.  Of course, that is if people who are on the waiting list don't get on the train.  In which case you may end up in close quarters with an extra family until it is time to fold the sleeping bunks down, at which time the unreserved family is left to their own devices.  The trains are reasonably clean, and if you are on a budget and have the time, it's a great way to see India.

The next morning found us in Rajasthan in Northwestern India.  For many westerners, this is the India they have heard of, the land of kings, where Maharajahs built massive forts, kept a large harem, and travelled by camel and elephant. 

 We found a very nice hotel in Udaipur with a fantastic rooftop restaurant view overlooking the city and the lake it is built around.  I took advantage of the view to snap the photos below:

Udaipur turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip, being located further away from Delhi and Agra where the Taj Mahal is located, it is more laid back than the hustle and bustle of the more easily accessible tourist areas.  The nearby forts and temples are truly impressive, but I'll save those posts for another day. 

Life on the canals

The people who live along the canals literally have the water right at their doorstep.  This is where the women scrub their clothes, and then slap them on a flat rock.  It is also where the pots and pans are washed.  The family too, bathes in the canal. 

The canals are often surrounded with miles of rice fields. This woman is drying rice or some other grain in front of her house.

Wild ducks were abundant in large flocks. We also noticed some people had fenced off small areas in front of their homes where they kept captive ducks.

Tourism is big business in Alleppey as witnessed by the hundreds of houseboats docked along the canal. More than once we passed boat building drydocks where they were building more. Fortunately there are so many miles of canals and lakes that we did not run into any houseboat traffic jams.