Happy New Year to friends and family. We celebrated New Year about 11 ½ hours before folks in the Midwestern USA. We danced-in 2008 around cauldrons of fire amidst fireworks, fiery folk drummers, musicians, and Indian Disco Rap at the Bhairon Vilas Hotel where we are staying in Bikaner. Yesterday we visited the Junagarh Fort and Palace, one of the best preserved monuments that we have yet visited. A never-conquered fort built at ground level, Junagarh is filled with affluently designed and richly adorned rooms and halls. Amongst the sights was some gruesome weaponry including a 50 lb sword, savagely shaped daggers and a multi-barreled machine gun made in Germany. There were ominous sharp swords and beds of nails accompanied by old photographs of fakirs standing barefoot upon them.
Our seven-hour train ride from Jaisalmer to Bikaner was eventful as usual. We were joined by another newlywed couple, this time from Malaysia. The husband played various tunes on his harmonica seasonally entertaining us with ‘Auld Lang Syne’ and ‘Jingle Bells’ as well as traditional Chinese music. An Indian family on their way to the Ramdevra Temple also came and joined us with folk and Bollywood songs sang in strident voices.
Our seven-hour train ride from Jaisalmer to Bikaner was eventful as usual. We were joined by another newlywed couple, this time from Malaysia. The husband played various tunes on his harmonica seasonally entertaining us with ‘Auld Lang Syne’ and ‘Jingle Bells’ as well as traditional Chinese music. An Indian family on their way to the Ramdevra Temple also came and joined us with folk and Bollywood songs sang in strident voices.
4 comments:
Happy New Year!!! I must say your celebration was more unique than mine. May this new year bring you all much peace and joy. Go Badgers.
Heh, the Pack beat Detroit, again. The Vikes didn't fare so well. Shalom, Bill
Happy New Year Martin & Cindy,
Your train ride sounds like it was tons of fun.
Check out our latest video, Obama Nearer to You, on BrilliantPolitics, only 39 seconds, and with Martin's fabulous photos. Soundtrack by.....that woman of Indian descent...Nora Jones. Daughter of who? -Chuck
What a phenomenal new year start for you two. Thanks for sharing so much. Best from Nick, MJ and Ella
Thanks All and Happy New Year.
Glad to hear the Pack are back and the Badgers are ready to go. Chuck, that would be Ravi Shankar! I saw him play a wonderful concert in his home town of Varanasi 30 years ago. Nora was not even a glint in his eyes yet I think. Nick, hope you're keeping up the neighborhood watch for us. I am sure Ella would scare off any unwanted intruders.
M&C
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