As you travel through India there are many sites that defy a category, so here are a few things we saw of interest.
This is in a round-about on a street in Agra; the Statue is Akbar The Great. Note that the signs are in english and the rickshaws are for hire and simply sitting on the inside of the traffic lanes. The orange bus (left rear) has curtains and is driving on the "correct" side of the road. India was colonized last by the British and some customs have taken root. The white circle (above bus) is a white marble inlaid table with semi-precious stone used as an advertisement for the store. Agra main commerce is tourism (Taj Mahal) and a wide variety of handicrafts (in-lay work, carvings, carpets and leather work)
This is a "jugar". A vehicle made from various and mismatched parts. This vehicle is considered roadworthy and we saw thousands of them. Note how tightly and highly the bags are packed. Also note the guy standing on the side of the vehicle (with only 3 on the seat!)
Yes, this is a goat being transported on a motorcycle, probably dinner...
Although this is only a 2 lane road, the rule is there are no rules. Here, with 1 lane in each direction, the camel powered cart is being passed on the inside by the bus. Note the stray dog lying on the side of the road with not a care in the world.
On the drive between Agra and Fatehpur Sikri 4 lanes of traffic came to a dead stop for an impromptu goat market. Hundreds of men with their livestock had set up the market. On the return trip, the market was gone and all that remained were the goat droppings. We were in shock!
A herd of water buffalo just leaving the Yamuna River after their morning swim and watering. This is in "downtown" Agra. They are run right down the main streets to the fields to graze and yes, they are also stopping traffic. Water buffalo are prized for their milk, which is delivered in the old metal milk cans we now see as antiques by motorcycle. Each motorcycle will typically have 4 cans strapped to it, one on each side and 2 as rear passengers.
These cloths have been washed in the Yamuna River (yes, same river the water buffalo just left) and have been laid out on the road side to dry. Every inch of space counts in the city. Just to the left of the picture is a slum where a simple lean-to is considered home. Poverty is pervasive.
A marble inlaying example. Each piece is cut by hand, some smaller than a tiny finger nail clipping, on the wheel as seen below.
Hand powered with a bow, each worker shapes the tiny inlaid pieces. The owner of the "factory" was the 15th generation of stone/inlaid workers. His forefather worked on the Taj and his uncle worked on the Grand Zayed Mosque here in Abu Dhabi.
Bringing two cultures together- Yuengling and India's Kingfisher beer. Christine and I enjoyed a nice lunch and some cold beer while we rested our feet.
This is in a round-about on a street in Agra; the Statue is Akbar The Great. Note that the signs are in english and the rickshaws are for hire and simply sitting on the inside of the traffic lanes. The orange bus (left rear) has curtains and is driving on the "correct" side of the road. India was colonized last by the British and some customs have taken root. The white circle (above bus) is a white marble inlaid table with semi-precious stone used as an advertisement for the store. Agra main commerce is tourism (Taj Mahal) and a wide variety of handicrafts (in-lay work, carvings, carpets and leather work)
This is a "jugar". A vehicle made from various and mismatched parts. This vehicle is considered roadworthy and we saw thousands of them. Note how tightly and highly the bags are packed. Also note the guy standing on the side of the vehicle (with only 3 on the seat!)
Yes, this is a goat being transported on a motorcycle, probably dinner...
Although this is only a 2 lane road, the rule is there are no rules. Here, with 1 lane in each direction, the camel powered cart is being passed on the inside by the bus. Note the stray dog lying on the side of the road with not a care in the world.
On the drive between Agra and Fatehpur Sikri 4 lanes of traffic came to a dead stop for an impromptu goat market. Hundreds of men with their livestock had set up the market. On the return trip, the market was gone and all that remained were the goat droppings. We were in shock!
A herd of water buffalo just leaving the Yamuna River after their morning swim and watering. This is in "downtown" Agra. They are run right down the main streets to the fields to graze and yes, they are also stopping traffic. Water buffalo are prized for their milk, which is delivered in the old metal milk cans we now see as antiques by motorcycle. Each motorcycle will typically have 4 cans strapped to it, one on each side and 2 as rear passengers.
These cloths have been washed in the Yamuna River (yes, same river the water buffalo just left) and have been laid out on the road side to dry. Every inch of space counts in the city. Just to the left of the picture is a slum where a simple lean-to is considered home. Poverty is pervasive.
A marble inlaying example. Each piece is cut by hand, some smaller than a tiny finger nail clipping, on the wheel as seen below.
Hand powered with a bow, each worker shapes the tiny inlaid pieces. The owner of the "factory" was the 15th generation of stone/inlaid workers. His forefather worked on the Taj and his uncle worked on the Grand Zayed Mosque here in Abu Dhabi.
Bringing two cultures together- Yuengling and India's Kingfisher beer. Christine and I enjoyed a nice lunch and some cold beer while we rested our feet.
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