Author Archives: jkmarsch

It is magical!!!!!

We hiked up to Monkey Temple. Emerson was freaked because she was sure that I was going to get attacked, get bitten, get rabies and die. She was still recovering from the monkey mob from the day before at the castle. We made it and we learned how to fight off monkeys from the woman in these pictures. She lives up at the top and is the temple caretaker. She says the monkeys drive her nuts! She has to pick up rocks to threaten them and waves her arms while screaming and growling at them. While we were talking to her, a little guy snuck up and ran away with one of Lennon’s shoes. She went running after him, he got scared and threw it down. At night there is a leopard that keeps the monkeys away- that is when she gets some peace and quiet.

Our tuk tuk driver said you need three things to drive in India:
1. A good horn 2. A good break 3. Good luck.
He also said women can’t do it because it’s too hard. Lame!!!!!!
He asked me what I did for a living and I told him I take care of my family. He said, “Oh! So you are the Home Minister!”

The view is not that stellar, but the wives had to deal because that’s all they had. They were not allowed to go outside.

The Hawa Mahal is all facade- an elaborate palace exterior with nine hundred and fifty three windows and nooks and crannies everywhere. Behind this facade are no buildings – it is a maze of corridors and resting points. The royal women of the zenana used to peek out and see the city, or watched processions passing down below. The design also trapped the breeze, that is how it got the name “Palace of Breezes”.

He helped us out so much in Jaipur and even hooked us up with his best friend and fellow tuk tuk driver in Agra. Nice, good, trustworthy people are the best! Amar also enjoyed a few games of UNO with us!

We didn’t know if this snake was real until it stuck it’s tongue out them hissed and snapped at the guy. He told us to put our baby (they call all kids babies here) on the carpet next to the snake for a photo. Um…. No!!!! I’m all about unique experiences, but we weren’t in the mood to go in search of anti-venom that day.