Saqawatee

Saqawatee

Got ripped off…go figure. Two hundred a day…yah right. Turned out to be more like 1000. I was really ticked off. “That SOB” I thought, he was my friend. Well I survived. I guess 75$ too much is worth my life. Still… it’s a bummer to be taken for a ride by someone who is so nice…but it is India and I should have expected that. Well, live and learn I guess.... Sigh... Salim, his friend, and I went to a small town called Saqawatee for the night. A small city, Saqawatee was built about 800 years ago and is situated 4 hours south of Jaipur. The town was originally home to one of the many maharajas of Northern India The houses there are ornately decorated with beautiful ceramic tiles depicting the history of India and the feats of its maharajas. It’s quiet and rural atmosphere is a pleasant change to the rush of Jaipur however there is a definite element of sleaze about the area. The hotel I stayed in was a bit sleazy but not to bad. I was only woken up once in the middle of the night and offered “free massages” on the roof. When I refused he assured me there was “no charge, absolutely free”! These guys ….wow…. who do they think they are anyways? One home of the maharajas of old, Saqawatee is a village full of ornately enameled stone houses and huts. The atmosphere is strangely quiet and it seems almost unnatural walking down the street because of the absence of people learning or beggars. The hotel staff and shopkeepers were of the slimy variety (surprise surprise). I would say the best thing about the place was the hour or so long camel ride I went one….I highly recommend it although if you have any riding experience it may seem a bit on the slow side. Salims driver went with me. If it weren’t for the grinning guy behind me it would have been relaxing. I know I keep repeating my self but the guy really was sleazy! He told me about his wife and 7 kids and his western girlfriend who brought his family gifts every year. Do they have no morals? He was Muslim for god’s sake. What kind of women would do that anyways? It is disgusting. As if a wife, seven kids AND a girlfriend was not enough, he promptly offered to make me his second wife half an hour into the ride. He may be excused for being uneducated and never having been taught respect or values but someone coming over here from the west and promoting those kinds of behaviors. Knowingly sleeping with a married man? It’s horrible. And these guys, do they have no respect at all for there women? Maybe it is because they do not marry for love, I am not sure. I have almost decided every man is a sleaze deep down-Indian men just do a bad job of hiding it. Gosh! I am getting cynical. I guess I should start doing positive affirmations or something. It is sad that their whole world revolves around such a insignificant thing. I mean common, one little nothing controls your universe…just think what they are missing! It’s pathetic. Well that’s enough ranting….sorry it seems to be becoming a habit…Byeee