I recently went back to Texas after an extended absence. After three days on trains and another day in busses, I arrived in my hometown of El Campo via El Paso and Houston. While it was great to see and visit with people I have missed. I took the opportunity to attempt capturing how uniquely beautiful my part of the globe is.
Delhi /
When I arrived in Delhi, it was declared the most polluted city in the world due to a recent spike in smog. The Air Quality Index, which has a hazardous level of 500, was maxed out at 999. Being outside all day was the equivalent of smoking two packs of cigarettes.
After the wedding and traveling around Rajasthan for over a week, Delhi became a much more pleasurable experience. There remained a slight haze but everything was a sight to behold. From the bank lines still wrapping around corners to the incredibly intricate work in the older structures. While the traffic was still terrible, hopping over to the numerous alleys and side roads provided intimate scenes and sights I hadn't imagined before. A large steel bowl holding a few dozen pig brains is one that will stick with me.
India is beautiful country and I greatly enjoyed my time. I could think of few better ways to spend a few weeks than plane, train, and automobiling around the state of Rajasthan and Delhi. As much as I love to photos i took, I could never capture everything I saw and how spectacular it feels to turn a corner and find something you never though you would ever experience in your life. Be it a mix of colorson building and clothes, kids jumping around you yelling "Texas! Texas! Texas!", or a stubborn cow blocking traffic.
Agra /
A short train ride from Delhi, or an awkward car ride from Jaipur, lies Agra. While Agra has its own identity in north Indian history, it is mainly known now as the home of the Taj Mahal.
Needing no introduction, this monument glows in ivory from the moment you step past the gates. Much like the Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, nothing you read or hear before going prepares you for the amount of detail used in its construction.
Chand Baori between Jaipur and Agra
Jaipur /
Rather "Amber Fort" as all but one of these photos is of the fort outside of Jaipur. I spent a lot of time taking photos of the currency crisis while in Jaipur. In fact, it took up most of my second day there. The first was taken up by this beautiful fort outside of the city that possessed every beautiful hue between yellow and orange.
Jodhpur /
Jodhpur, famously known as The Blue City, lays near the geographic heart of Rajasthan and is the second second largest city in the state. Split in half by the looming, 500 year old Mehrangarh Fort, the buildings of the old city are predominantly painted in blue. Blue being the favored color of Brahmans and is thought to be the color most likely to deflect the scorching heat that this city receives. While the entire area isn't covered in blue, with the neighborhood showcasing brilliant yellows, greens, and lavender, the widespread popularity gives the sight of an ocean of buildings to look down upon from the fort.