Monkeys, people, elephants....

 Sights of Jaipur. Above is a photo taken on the way back down from the Monkey Temple, the same one I visited in March of this year.  No monkeys in the photo, but lots at the temple, including an amazing number of baby monkeys.

 Schoolboys wave from a window in a school near the City Palace. Sort of looks like they're in jail, and I guess that's what all schoolkids think sometimes.

A sweet young girl proudly shows off her baby brother at the Elephant Village outside Jaipur.  This is a government-run facility.

Daily Haiku

Creatures great and small

All have their place in this world

Lest we not forget

When you don't visit the Amber Fort...

I've been to the Amber Fort in Jaipur twice, so I sat it out this time. Actually, I walked for a while, snapping away.  When the heat got to me, I sat inside the lower complex of the fort and was entertained by these three charming young men, who were offering their services as guides. I learned a few words of Hindi, wrote down English and French phrases for the one on the left, and the fellow in the middle invited me to his wedding....when his parents find a suitable bride for him.

Daily Haiku

Encounters by chance

While sitting doing nothing

Are often the best

On the way to Jaipur....

It's 18 hours by train from Varanasi to Jaipur, but for my traveling partner and me the time passed quickly.  Before we went to sleep and when we awoke we had the pleasure of the company of this delightful family.

I've promised them a photo!

Daily Haiku

All over the world

More alike than different

Sharing common bond

 

Just passing through....

While stopped at a small train station on the way from Varanasi to Jaipur, this happy group came out to wave and smile.  The warmth and friendliness of the Indian people is so reassuring.

Daily Haiku

Faces of passing strangers

Smiling and sincere

Wishing to meet you

 

SKYWATCH---In Varanasi.....

 About to catch a boat like the ones here for an evening ride along the west bank of the Ganges in Varanasi, India's holiest of cities.

Looking east across the Ganges during a sunrise boat ride to watch India's holiest city awaken....

See other skies on SKYWATCH FRIDAY.

Daily Haiku

 The sacred Ganges

Holiest of all rivers

Flows on forever

Must be hard....

Snapped a photo of this lady in Dubai airport, waiting to board for Lucknow, India.  It must be awfully hard to maneuver a camera when your face is covered, even partially.

Thia handsome young man was showing off his hunting falcon in one of Dubai's ultra-modern shopping malls.

Two women enjoying a coffee at the same mall as above, while the man behind them is texting.  That's a two-story waterfall behind him.

Daily Haiku

All over the world

People want the same from life

Why not get along?

ABC WEDNESDAY--"O" is for "Offers, anyone?"

Any readers out there have a cool 11 million euros....or is it dollars....?  I guess if you've got that kind of cash, it doesn't matter.  Call one of the numbers on the lower photo and make an offer for the buildings belonging to the former Embassy of the United States of America, which was located on Belgrade's main thoroughfare, Kneza Milosa.  The Embassy moved a few months ago to a new location, which you can see a bit of on this link, the reason being that our embassies have to be a certain distance from the street.

It saddens me to see the upper photo.  For years after I came here, the Embassy was quite approachable.  Then came the sealed-up windows, the cement block barricades, a real guard booth, and even the closing of an adjacent street.  Residents of that street could enter, but you just couldn't drive down it.  The Embassy took on the appearance of a prison.

See other O's on Mrs.Nesbitt's ABC WEDNESDAY.

Daily Haiku 

Once upon a time

Welcoming not foreboding

Before and after

A tiny interlude.....

Oh, caught without a photo.....  I am currently in India and hope to be posting from here by Thursday!  I'd preposted some photos, including tomorrow's ABC Wednesday, but somehow skipped today's.

Daily Haiku

No photo today

Due to my forgetfulness

Only this haiku

WEEKEND REFLECTION--waiter descending

Still sipping my coffee with my friend at Hotel Moskva.  I am incorrigible with camera in hand. This is a reflection of the window through which I shot last Monday's photo, and it shows a waiter descending the spiral staircase to the cafe's upper level.

See other reflections on James' WEEKEND REFLECTION.

Daily Haiku

In the netherworld

Of shadows and deception 

How can we find truth?

SKYWATCH--symmetry at night

I showed you this building on September 30th, and now you see it at night, with a little dose of my Peeping Tom inclination.

See other skies on SKYWATCH.

Daily Haiku

Not want to be seen?

Discourage those Peeping Toms 

And pull the curtains 

Neither rain nor sleet nor dark of night....

'Neither rain nor sleet nor dark of night' is the U.S. Postal creed. Not sure if the 'rain or sleet' would deter these avid chess players from finishing a match, but the dark doesn't seem to bother them.

Daily Haiku

Silently they sit

Contemplating their next move

Hoping for checkmate