Category Archives: India

My Home Away From Home

These days when I visit India, my home base is Ahmedabad, the capital of the state of Gujarat. My parents purchased a flat there several years ago and do the whole “escape ridiculous winters in Chicago” and head to warmer climates. Smart people I must say!

Having our own home in India has been an insightful experience. It has me visiting more regularly (about every other year) as well as created more of a sense of what it’s like to live in India. I enjoy the change, but won’t lie, I think I’m just used to life in the US. It’s fun for a few weeks for me, but I like coming back to my home in Chicago.

One cool thing with my regular visits is that I’m seeing how much Ahmedabad (and India in general) are changing. Even on the street that my parents live, a huge new high-rise and tons of shopping and restaurant space are under construction, so I’m sure it will be even more bustling by my next visit. And, it’s crazy to see so many chains that I’m used to in the US popping up in Ahmedabad like Burger King, Forever 21 and H & M. Also, just the sheer volume of new restaurants is unbelievable. Too many for vegtourist to explore on such short visits!

By far the best part of being in Ahmedabad are all my relatives. I have quite a bit of family in the area and I always have the best time with them. We spend most of our time hanging out, shopping and eating out, so how can that not be fun??? Here are just a few pictures of my latest visit to Ahmedabad:

Shopping in Law Garden
Colorful Shoes In Law Garden Night Market
Fitting In With The Locals
Never A Dull Moment In Ahmedabad
Evening Show At Vishalla
The Amazing Spread At Vishalla
Enjoying Vishalla
Sunset in Ahmedabad
The Scooter Parking Lot At The Mall!
My Favorite Shambhu’s Coffee
Reunited!
Shopping For Saris And Lenghas
Some Of The Bangles To Match My New Outfits
Rose Coconut and Saffron Cardamom Ice Cream
Vegetarian Hakka Noodles
Dinner With The Family!

For all the times I’ve been to Ahmedabad, I haven’t really done much sight-seeing. I don’t’ think there is as much to see as other cities like Jaipur or Delhi, but I made it a point to do a little research and make sure I saw something new on this trip. I came across the Adalaj Stepwell during my Google search, and I knew this was the one place I needed to visit. My cousin Arth was kind enough to take me for a little morning trip and we had a blast exploring this beautiful site that dates back to the 15^th century. Just stunning!

On Our Way To Adalaj Stepwell
Beautiful Adalaj Stepwell
Adalaj Stepwell
Beautiful Adalaj Stepwell
Adalaj Stepwell Ahmedabad
Being a Tourist at Adalaj Stepwell
Such Beautiful Craftsmanship
Get In Formation

I hadn’t even left Ahmedabad yet before my family was asking when my return visit was going to be. I’m not sure. Until then, I miss all that Ahmedabad has to offer, mostly my loving family and the out-of-this-world delicious food. Hope to you soon!

Revisiting Jaisalmer

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I first learned about the city of Jaisalmer from my boss back in 2006 or so. He told me he was taking his nephew on a trip to India and one thing they were doing was going on a camel trek through the desert. I remember thinking how cool that sounded and the idea always stuck with me that Jaisalmer was definitely a place I’d like to visit.

Fast-forward to 2013 when I finally made it to this very cool and unique town in northwestern Rajasthan, near the border of Pakistan. I fell in love with the walled, fortress city, perched on top of a hill, with its tiny, winding, cobblestone streets . And, what an experience enjoying my first sunset camel trek through the Thar Desert at Sam Sand Dunes. Coupled with staying in the beautiful palace hotel called Suryagarh and then the ultra-luxurious desert camp called The Serai, it was a trip for the books.

I wasn’t quite sure how my second visit this time around in 2019 was going to top my last visit. I guess I wasn’t looking for it to top it per se, but just have the chance to see and explore more. And that mission was definitely accomplished on this trip.

It was nice to have a pretty vivid recollection of what to expect and what I’d like to see and do this time around. I knew that on this trip I’d like to stay somewhere different (we went with the new, modern Marriott Jaisalmer) and I also knew that I’d wanted to experience a more unique camel trek (Sam Sand Dunes is super touristy and busy) so we had a private high tea experience in the Khuri Dunes. We also had the chance to explore a bit more and visited the very cool site of Bada Bagh (which should not be missed) and Gadisar Lake and went back to Patwan Haveli and the Jain Temple. A full couple days of gorgeous architecture, amazing artwork and of course, some shopping! Here are some pictures:

Beautiful Hallway at Marriott Jaisalmer
Courtyard Area at Marriott Jaisalmer
Interior Bar at Marriott Jaisalmer
Marriott Jaisalmer Pool

Camel Trek Through Khuri Dunes
Private High Tea at Khuri Dunes
Traditional Rajasthani Music During High Tea
Camel at Sunset at Khuri Dunes

Sporting a Rajasthani Turban at Bada Bagh Jaisalmer

Bada Bagh Jaisalmer
Bada Bagh Jaisalmer
Bada Bagh Jaisalmer
Bada Bagh Jaisalmer

Entering the Fort Jaisalmer
Protecting the Fort in Jaisalmer
Streets of Jaislamer
Always Shopping in India!
Love the Colorful Rajasthani Puppets
Farmer’s Market in Jaisalmer

Stunning Architecture at the Jain Temple in Jaisalmer

Jain Temple Jaisalmer
Jain Temple Jaisalmer

Oh, and I forgot to mention that on the day we were checking out from the hotel, there was a HUGE wedding happening that evening. It was amazing to see all the vivid color decorations and how they transformed the courtyard into what looked like was going to be an awesome party. Wish we could have been wedding crashers!

Marriott Jaisalmer Wedding Event
Marriott Jaisalmer Wedding Event
Marriott Jaisalmer Wedding Event
Marriott Jaisalmer Wedding Event

Hope if you ever visit Rajasthan, that you make sure to add Jaisalmer to your list. It’s a lovely place and I might just have to go back for a third time 🙂

Jaipur- An Instagrammer’s Paradise

Incredible India- 2019

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I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; India, while nearly impossible to capture through words or photographs, is a place that can only be experienced.

Right on the heels of my return from another wonderful trip to the Motherland, I’m recovering from jet lag and trying to get back into the swing of things here at home in Chicago. It’s always a bit of a brutal reentry, especially after leaving 90 degrees and sun, in exchange for 25 degrees and gloom. But, I guess that’s reality!

On this two week trip, I spent one week at my home base in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, enjoying time with my family and cousins and then one week traveling through two cities in Rajasthan, Jaisalmer and Jaipur. It’s no secret by now that I’m completely obsessed with Rajasthan. Maybe because it’s the land of royal palaces, stunning artwork and architecture, detailed craftsmanship and vibrant colors set against the desert backdrop. Whatever the reason, I absolutely love it.

I’m planning on writing separate posts to share about each of the cities I visited and some of the awesome highlights, but thought I’d share a few pictures (trust me, there are MANY). One thing I’ve come to realize is that I really do love telling a story through my adventures. It was so humbling to receive SO many compliments on Instagram about my photos and videos and experiencing India through my lens. If nothing else, I find joy in sharing what I can with others.

Enjoy these photos and stay tuned for more in-depth posts coming soon. I’m barely back home and I already miss India!

Chole Bature from Laxmi Mishtan Bandar in Jaipur

Incredible India!

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First of all, my sincerest apologies. I totally fell off the blog bandwagon and for some reason, I’ve had a bit of a hard time getting back on. But, I’m back, and promise not to be gone for so long again.

Part of the reason I was MIA was because I took an unbelievable trip to India for three weeks. It was one of the first times I can remember that it was truly just a trip to hang out and enjoy the Motherland. And, I have to say it was definitely the trip of a lifetime. I literally did not want to come back home. My trip ended up being the perfect mix of spending time with my parents at their new flat in Ahmedabad, visiting with extended family and traveling to Goa and a few cities in Rajasthan. I shopped, laughed, ate and continued to learn about my culture and heritage on this unbelievable trip.

I have SO much to share, so I thought I’d at least start with some of my favorite pictures from my trip. Most all of these have already been posted on Instagram (vegtourist), but I’ve thrown in a few others just to mix it up. Enjoy and stay tuned for so much more.