popetax: Around India with the mighty Clarita

Change of rhythm. From the daily continuity of the yoga course to the ever-changing jumping around India with my dear Clarita.

Meet in Dehli, finding a common ground between her process of landing in India after abusy year, and mine of disembarking from yogui land. A no man's land full of possibilities!

Touring around. The grand Bahai Lotus temple which welcomes everyone.

The amazing bus journey to Agra and its never ending toot toot tooting in the road

And the beautiful Taj.

I thought I was tired of man made buildings, but, oh the Taj.

Still not sure if I was more amazed by this huge perfectly harmonious building. Or by suddendly becoming ourselves a tourist attraction, with random indian tourists coming our way to take a "snap".

If photographs actually take a part of your soul, this last month has probably made us soul-less...

Experiencing one first train towards the Camel Fair in Pushkar. 5 people in our 3-seater. Smiling folks hanging from the carriages and also from the roof!

It was festival times in India. Diwali just finished, but so many other little rituals every day and night.

You finally become used to being lulled to sleep by chanting, firecrackers and marching bands. Waking up to a mix of "Hare Krishna" and "Alahhh".

Too many colours, details, a temple in every corner. Camels everywhere in this land where Brahma, the creator god that no one really pays attention to (his job is done) initially came up the world.

Good mythological stories too. One involving a woman who had to go THROUGH a cow (from the back to the front) to be "purified".

Dusty Rajasthan was constantly yelling "hello" in our ears. Flashing colourful saris, spicy thalis, the perfectly round sun of India.

Forts, miniature paintings, a temple full of orgiastic rats that everyone adores.

A beautiful family that hosted us in its unique room.

And in between sugary Masala Chais (achá chai), we jump to Punjab. The Golden Temple in Amritsar. Here the Sikhs with their carefully constructed turbants receive all pilgrims. Free accommodation, free food. A machine that makes 6000 chapatis per hour!

Learning more and more about the bloody history of India and its amazing mix of cultures and religions. Meeting lovely new friends

And off to the Himalayas. McLeod Ganj, home of the Dalai Lama (though he is not here at the moment). Home of one of the biggest colonies of Tibetan refugees.

More learning. About their rich culture and religion, about their frustrating peaceful struggle where the strongest weapon seems to be self immolation by fire.

It is a despairing developent of events in this country that for many doesn't exist anymore, and for others is being expanded all over the world.

Our last night together we spent almost 3000 meters high, near the snowline in the mountains. Watching the stars with a telescope that only shows blackness.