February 25

Yesterday after getting around and having breakfast of Muesli, Fruit, and tea; the scooter we were renting arrived. After getting all sorted out we were on the road at 10:30. We are doing a day trip to Kota, India. It took us about one hour to get there (It’s only around 40 km). Traffic driving still shocks me. My niece just went to Jamaica for her first time out of USA, and she mentioned the crazy driving there. It is true, but India is a worse by far. When people don’t follow traffic rules it is just chaos. I am surprised to not see more accidents! We have witnessed a few and been in one very minor (the 5mph fender bender). 

Anyway, we arrived in Kota and tried to go first to the 7 Wonders’ Park. It is situated on the Kishore Sagar Lake. The park has replica models of the Colosseum, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Eiffel Tower, Pyramid, and of course the Taj Mahal, to name a few. But the park was closed so we moved on. We circled the ring road by the lake.

We stopped at the boat dock area, Jeff found the ticket stall and he procured boat tickets. We loaded on the boat and went on a partial circle of the lake, passing by “boat fountains” with lights (would be pretty – all lit up at night) and platform statue of a herd of horses with a stop in the middle at Jag Mandir, our destination. This is a palace commissioned by a wife ‘as a place for recreation and amusement’. It is very picturesque from the shore to here, but the palace has seen better days. The palace was made in the 17th Century, and was ‘a marvel of architecture’. It is now a haven for birds of all kinds. There were multiple large raptor birds, many black and white birds (these had a pleasant chirp chittering), and of course, pigeons. Looking back to shore was picturesque as well. You could see the Park replicas – Pyramid, Taj, ect.;  a round defensive tower; as well as a temple-looking building, called Kishore Sagar talab kota.

We finished our self guided palace tour and loaded back up on the boat. Our driver took us back around the other way around the lake, so we made a complete circle on the lake. Back on shore, we thanked our driver and got on our scooter. We went to the tower structure called the Lucky Burj. It was free and basically is a little, garden/park area, and another place to view the lake, palace, and surrounding areas of the city of Kota. 

From here, we ‘scooted’ over to the Chambal Riverfront. This a paid entry area. It is basically a river boardwalk, but on steroids. The write up on it essentially says it was built for flood control of the Chambal River; and ‘dirty drain water’ is trapped and treated before going into the river. It is the most beautiful “dam and water treatment” area I have seen. It is set up in venue-like facade buildings of the Taj, Notre Dame, The White House, a Hindu Temple, a Mosque, ect. all lining 2.75 km (1.7 miles) of the the river bank. But the most notable is the tallest marble statue in the world at the main entrance. It is a lady figure, pouring a bowl in the river. The stature was just completed last September. Further down the walkway is a large world globe with the saying, “One World, One Dream.” It was here we pretty much turned around and went back. All the while, we are hit up for selfies, especially by groups of (high?) school aged kids. They just swarm you, asking, “Selfie?”, and “Where are you from?” 

Anyway, we are now very hungry – being around three. Jeff had researched a NONveg place, Firdous Restaurant. We arrived, were seated, and ordered the Firdous Mutton Bhuna, X2 plain roti, and 1/2 order plain rice. It is basically a mutton roast with an amazing spiced sauce/gravy laden with ‘desi Ghee’, or homemade clarified butter – butter strained from milk cream. The bones of the mutton were still in it (as is always the case here) but it was so tender. (I think we could of each had a plate because there seemed more bone than meat). Very satisfied we left and decided to head back to Bundi.

We decided to go to the last place on our ticket from the previous day. It was very rough road just out of town. When we arrived, we found out our ticket is only good for the day we bought it. Soo… we loaded up and went back to town. We were ready to just head back to our place. Somewhere on one of the narrow roads, Jeff was navigating the scooter out of the way. This caused the bike to encroach a bit too close to a parked motorcycle (that was sticking out). Well, my left foot got clipped by the other bike’s muffler. The muffler was fine, but my foot was sore. When we got somewhere a bit less congested, I checked it out. My foot was already swelling and starting to throb, but I could walk on it. We just went back to our hostel. I got off the scooter, before Jeff went into the garage. This was a good thing because the scooter slid on the marble entry ramp down. Jeff was okay. The bike was okay. But, WOW! We are done with scootering today!!!

Back in our room I elevated my now really swollen, already bruising foot. Jeff got me some ice. I also took two Ibuprofen- Tylenol combination medicine we had just bought. Supper was nuts, grapes, an apple w/PB, and some peanut brittle we bought from a roadside stand. It was a great day with a mishap. It happens!

Today, was just laying around. My foot is mostly noticeable as my foot.  🙂  I was going to go to a hospital if it had not improved. But it did, thankfully. Jeff’s bronchitis is starting to get some better, too. Breakfast was Muesli, fruit and tea. Lunch was nuts, rest of the grapes and peanut brittle. We will probably eat a light supper here at the hostel’s Blue Door Restaurant. Then look forward to seeing everyone tonight and in the morning. Tomorrow we are moving on.