Orchha

Yesterday was kind of a weird day. I was supposed to get on this really fast express train that should have got me to Jhansi, near Orchha, but it was late, and I got by mistake on an Indian passengers' train. This was because Indian way to say 'yes or no'. I'm used that 'yes' is knodding the head, 'no' is turning the head from side to side, but in India they have this light shaking of the head, which can mean 'yes', 'no', 'beatiful', 'get the hell out of here' and so on. They have also the same word for hello/good bye, tomorrow/yesterday, so go figure what they mean. Anyway, this train was really crawling and I had no idea where it was going. Luckily there was a guy speaking English, so he explained to me I should change trains in a station named Bina. So I did, and in the next train I got on, I had no seat reserved, so my destiny was travelling in the Indian style, between wagons. It was lovely, except of the smell. So, I saw some of India's countryside, and the whole journey to Orchha took about 8 hours. A guy named Vitesh sitting nearby, really got it shorter for me. He was really interested in how are things in Israel, and told me some things about the Indian ways. Indians, especially educated, really treat foreigners with respect, and do their best to make it easier for them. Eventually I got to Orchha at evening, booked a really great room in a hotel. It's like a palace, although the price is funny, and it's really in Western style (toilets, bathrooms, etc.). I shouldn't get used to this luxury though, it will spoil me.

Orchha is a really nice village, full of temples and palaces. Although it's a tourist spot, people don't make bad use of this fact. I got up early this morning, watched the sunrise over the big palace, called Jehangir Mahal, and then went to see all the interesting sights. The palaces and temples are from 16th century, some of them have very beatiful ceiling paintings. It's amazing that although there's really a lot of dust and garbage around (and probably was back than), all these places are very well preserved. The market in the village is full of life, there are stands selling flowers and sweets for people who come to the Ram Raja temple, optimistic beggars in orange clothing, that are willing to be photographed for a small charge and so on.
Today I'm going to stay here and find out about ways getting to Khajuraho, tomorrow.