The Taj Mahal At Sunrise

 Five o'clock came early in the morning. By five-fifteen we were in the lobby bar getting a cup of coffee the hotel had provided (all French press--delicious). The call came to load the carts and we started out. Now here I should back up and tell you what I had decided to bring with me that morning. If you remember my previous post, I covered all the things not allowed. I had made it through security easily with only a cell phone and pack of tissues. This morning for some reason, I decided I should take my little cross body travel purse. It held my hand sanitizer, tissues, and a few other items I didn't think would be offensive. The key here being...I didn't think.

The night before we had quickly entered through the ticket gate because there were few people entering with us. That morning however there was quite a long line to get in. Seems everyone wanted to see the Taj at sunrise. The monkeys were out to watch us as we stood in line. We admired the way they managed to slide through the barbed and razor wire without a scratch. Lots of babies and little ones.

All along our tour director, Vishal, had tried to prepare us for the invasion of personal space that could come. We managed to get through the ticket area without too much fuss but then the crowd squeezed in once the ladies and men were separated to go through security. The press was on. I suddenly regretted bringing a purse. We had to maneuver to one side to put our bags through the scanner and then try to move to the left again to go through the "frisk". All the while with women pressing against us. There were three of us that kind of stuck together and finally made it to get frisked. Just as we did, they opened another booth and it eased the press a bit but only to begin again once it was time to retrieve our bags. 

The other ladies had larger bags that were easy to identify and the attendant went through them inch by inch. The press got tighter as I tried to point out my purse which had been covered up by a large black bag. Women were yelling and insisting on getting their bags. Arms were flailing around me pointing to the pile. I finally managed to get the attendant to understand that mine was under the big one. She went through it and handed it back to me. The hard part was trying to turn and make my way back through the press of bodies. I finally did like the locals. I pushed through-hard.

Just as I emerged, Yogi was there searching for me and looking relieved to see me finally come through. I explained and we joined Bob to hustle through the walkway to join the others. What an experience! I was ready for a shower.

We were directed to go in and observe from the area of the east mosque. I  was grateful we weren't going up all those stairs again. The photographer stopped us to take a couple more shots and explain that he would have all the pictures on a flash drive for us to buy at $50 USD. "That's nice," I said and we moved on. 

I caught a glimpse of the sun coming up through the trees, a hazy red ball and I wondered if the Taj would look any different in the morning. It was already light enough to give it that ethereal look. That seemed to be the best way to explain it. It just doesn't seem real. It's like a cloud perhaps descended and formed itself into the shape of the mausoleum and at any moment could disappear. 

We sat in a few peaceful moments which were so welcome after the security experience. I took a series of pictures again but still did not see a great change in the color. There was a deepening of shadows though as the sun rose.

The morning was pleasant and we enjoyed the walk back to the exit where we sat again and admired the beauty. There was a gentle breeze once again and the temperature had not climbed yet. And yes, I could see the promise of blue sky in the haze that was tinted light gray-blue.

The Taj Mahal At Sunset

 Golf carts, or electric carts as they called them, sat waiting our departure at 3 pm for the short ride to the Taj Mahal. The route was all of five minutes but I wouldn't have wanted to walk it. Shops lined both sides of a crowded street with motorcycles beeping horns and pedestrians rushing by. The carts pulled up right in front of the entrance to the Taj and we proceeded through turnstiles to the security area. 

Our tour director had briefed us on the security procedures. There is one line for gents and one for ladies. Any bags you carry in will not only be put through a scanner but will be searched by hand thoroughly. You are not allowed to carry in any type of writing tool (no graffiti or John loves Jane messages on the walls). Also prohibited are guns, ammunition, fire (matches, etc.), smoking items, liquor, eatables (especially toffee), headphones, knives, any wires (like chargers), electric goods (except cameras) and tripods, Mobile phones are okay as long as they are silenced. Whew. 

I chose to make it easy on myself and had only my phone, a packet of tissues and my room key. When it came my turn to go through the "frisk", I held them in my hand raised my arms and got the usual (but gentle) once over. Not bad. The men's line had moved faster since some of the women had brought bags or larger purses with them.

We stopped just inside out of the security area and got a short talk of what was planned. Yogi stood next to a sign that warned of the monkeys. We had seen them on our way in and marveled at them, some toting babies. Inside we were told not to make eye contact with them if they came close. They would get angry so be careful if you stop to take a picture.

A short walk and we were to an archway that framed the Taj Mahal. It was a perfect picture but for all the people coming and going. Hard to stop and frame it but some of us tried. The thought occurred to me then and many times after that it didn't look real. The haze that hung here as well in Agra wrapped the Taj in mystery making it seem ethereal. I must admit though the haze here at least had a bluish tint and there was a little breeze that helped with the heat once in a while.

Once through the archway, we stopped while the professional photographer, who would follow us through our visit this evening and in the morning, took his pictures. A group shot, individual couples-together and separate, and those traveling solo. They would be available before we left Agra.

We walked about, stopping for Yogi to talk about the story of the Taj. The Taj Mahal is actually a mausoleum and was built by Shah Jahan to honor his wife, Mumtaz Mahal (Chosen One Of The Palace), who died in childbirth in 1631 bearing his fourteenth child. They had been inseparable companions for their 19 years of marriage. I read somewhere that he was so crushed by her death that his hair and beard turned white.

The iconic structure is made of Makrana marble. The inlaid designs are made of precious stones. The intricacy is astounding. 

To get to the inside of the tomb, you climb about 20 or 25 very steep steps, at least for me they were. Between the heat and the climb I knew I was in trouble. When Yogi stopped to talk more about the architecture, I told Bob I was going to sit for a few minutes. There were a couple of steps in the corner of the terrace where an Indian family was resting. When I asked if I could join them, they kindly moved over. It wasn't long before I was joined by a few more of our group after the family left.

I was very lightheaded and fighting it off. When we climbed a couple more steps to enter the mausoleum, I decided it was better for me to sit somewhere instead. I didn't want to cause a stir if my knees buckled and I went down. I pointed to steps at the other end of the terrace where a couple sat and told Bob I would be there. The group had to come out that way so he wouldn't lose me. 

I didn't get to see the tombs in the center (neither of which holds the Shah or his wife, they are below) or the translucent way the marble looks when a light is shone through it. No pictures were allowed inside so I will have to use my imagination along with Bob's description. What did happen however was I mad another friend. An Italian lady who spoke excellent English sat down next to me and we compared notes and observations about New Delhi. She and her traveling companion were on a similar trip to the triangle cities and would be taking a train to Jaipur the next day.

By the time Bob joined me again, I was much better and we walked around a bit and eventually drifted with everyone else over to one of the mosques that flank the mausoleum. We waited to see changes in the color of the marble as the sun was setting. Soon we were walking to the exit where we found another place to sit and watch. I took a series of pictures but if there was a change except for the dusk, I couldn't see it. Maybe perhaps a little creamier look?

Our carts took us the short ride back to the hotel and a good shower. After catching a glimpse of dancers on the rooftop of the lounge area across the pool we went in to eat. We had  had to make reservations for this night as there were only two restaurants and neither was very large. Dinner was a ceasar salad with smoked chicken for me and Bob had a pasta with tomato sauce that still managed a little chili spice. We called it an early night as we had to be ready to leave at 5:30 in the morning to see the sunrise at the Taj. And what an experience that turned out to be!

On To Agra, India

 

Our bags were outside the door by 8 am and after a nice breakfast of fruit and toast, I was determined to eat light this day, we met together at our assigned bus, identified our luggage to be sure it was with us and we were shortly on our way. A group from the staff of the hotel lined the drive as we drove away to say goodbye. 

We had spent five nights at the Oberoi Hotel, three on our own and two with Uniworld. I cannot begin to tell you how wonderful that experience was even though we were sick for a day. The smallest details were taken care of, many without our request. Just one example was the laundry. If it was given to them by 10 am it was returned by 7pm. It was charged by the piece but reasonable and we needed to keep up with it since our packing was limited with the weight requirements on our luggage for the domestic flight to come. We didn't pack as much as usual.

Just past 6:30 we had a knock on the door and our laundry was delivered in a covered basket. He set it on the sofa and opened the top to reveal a package of laundry with a rose on top of it. The shirts were meticulously pressed and folded with a paper band around each one individually. Bob underwear folded neatly beneath it all.

The ride to Agra took four hours, a good part just getting out of New Delhi traffic. Some of the places we passed were interesting in the city as we left. A barber chair set out under a tree, barber waiting for customers and of course the food stands that were preparing breakfast food. 

Once out of the city, we were on our way, this time on a freeway. Not a lot of traffic and certainly not a lot of honking horns. The countryside was farmland. Yogi said that it was time to prepare fields for planting. We did not see a lot of people in the fields working but we did see one oxen driven cart. Oh, and there were several cows along the side of the road.

About two hours into the trip, we had a rest stop. It was a relatively new place now that the freeway had been built according to our guide. Amazingly we saw a Burger King, a Subway and a Starbucks. Yogi pointed to a door that had a sign on it, "Jolly Go". Needless to say, it made us all giggle. The restroom inside was very clean with an attendant handing out toilet paper as you went in and more to dry your hands with after washing.

We explored the Burger King and the rest of the food court. Of course there were no beef burgers. Everything was chicken. One lady bought fries and said they were really good. I don't think they have the same restrictions on what they fry them in here so its probably the good stuff we used to have at home before everyone decided we were going to die from eating too much of it.

Agra is a smaller city than New Delhi but similar. Still traffic. 

The hotel in Agra was another Oberoi. I'm not sure if there were more rooms but the outdoor area was larger with more places to sit, lounge and walk. Upon our arrival, we were surprised to find our rooms were ready so we could take our backpacks there and leave them before lunch. 

Key in hand, I turned one way and the other and immediately a staff member was by our side to lead us to our room. The hallways are a bit intimidating at first as they kind of weave a bit. I was afraid we wouldn't find our way back to the elevator to get to lunch. 

The door opened and I gasped a bit. The room was just as magnificent as the one in New Delhi but the view was spectacular. It overlooked the gardens below and out on trees in the distance was the Taj Mahal peeking over the top of them. I knew every room in the hotel had that view but I wasn't expecting it to be so overwhelming.

Reminding myself to eat light, I had a delicious assortment of veggies and a cup of mushroom soup before we readied ourselves for our first full glimpse of the Taj Mahal. Gulf carts that carried ten to twelve guests awaited our arrival at three and we were soon on our way the short distance to the Taj, passing lots of opportunities to shop along the way. This was what the whole trip was for actually. Bob wanted to see the Taj Mahal. A tick off the bucket list was about to happen.

A Tower And A Temple

 Our afternoon on the Masterpiece tour offered by Uniworld was an extra excursion. We had onboard credits that we needed to use and so we opted to book it. It was a little drive to the Qutab Minar so we enjoyed the AC on the bus for as long as we could. Have I mentioned the buses are wonderful? Lots of room, AC works well and seats are comfortable. The driver (his name is "Honey") is amazing. The way he gets through traffic and backs into and out of tight places. Just amazing.

The Qutab Minar is the highest brick minaret in the world. It is part of a much larger complex shared by surrounding mosques, tombs and other towers. The Qutab Minar dates back to the 13th century and is among the earliest examples of Islamic architecture in India. Verses from the Quran are etched into the red sandstone. 

The tower is 72.5 meters high. It is 14.32 meters at the base and tapers to 2.75 meters at the top.

Just as amazing is the pillared area where you first enter the complex. Each pillar is a work of art. Some pillars were changed to reflect the other religious groups that took over so they are kind of a mixture from the changes that occurred so often in India.

While the afternoon ( it was a little after 3) was cooling down a bit as the sun was beginning to dip to the horizon, it was still very hot. I found a bench and sent Bob off to wander again. Soon I was joined by another lady in our group. I shared one of my Water Wipes with her and we both patted the sweat from our faces. She had a cool cloth, one of those you can wet down and wrap around a head or neck especially when exercising. I should have packed mine, I thought. Note to self for the future.

As we sat there, the guide from bus 2 who was leading us this afternoon joined us. Our conversation turned to India's history. There were five dynasties who ruled India before the Mughals came. They ruled the longest and then the British until 1947 when they became independent. I'm as old as your independent country, I told him. He smiled at me and said, "Yes, we are a young country." Bless his heart.

On our way back to the hotel we stopped shortly, staying on the bus, to see the Jagannath Hindu Temple said to be home to three deities including Lord Jagannath who is considered to be the "Lord of the Universe." (Lovely, I thought, but I'm glad my God isn't contained in a building.)

Our side of the bus saw the temple first. All white and intricately designed. Next, the amazing bus driver backed into a tight space, sort of a side alley and turned the bus around to let the other side passengers have a good view. With that, we were off to the hotel with just enough time to shower and dress for dinner.

That night was a group dinner beginning at 7:30, already a bit late for us to eat. Appetizers were circulated by staff. We got hold of a couple that sent everyone at the table reaching for the water. We passed next time around. At 8:30 the buffet was opened. Now it was really late. I should have stopped with the appetizers but I soldiered on but became very particular about what I chose according to its description.

The breads were very good and I found something called butter chicken which had a mild sauce that was tasty. I was amazed to find ice cream at a buffet and even though dairy and I don't agree, I plunged in. I hoped it would cut some of the spice that was still tinging my mouth.

All said, sleeping was a bit rough with all of that being eaten so late. The morning start was at 8 am with having our bags out and then meeting the bus at 9. The ride to Agra took about 4 hours. I kept watching along the way. Would there be any glimpse of a blue sky? Or would it continue to be a gray haze?

Visiting Rah Ghat and Humayan's Tomb

 Raj Ghat is the place where Gandhi is memorialized. According to our guide, his ashes are not here but scattered all over India according to his wishes. 

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was popularly known as Mahatma (Great Soul) Gandhi. He was born in 1869 and was assassinated in Delhi in 1948. After his initial education in India he studied bar-at-law in England. He went to South Africa in 1893 and became a civil rights activist fighting what he called the "deep disease of colour predjudice" before coming back to India. He donned the modest and more traditional Indian dress and fought peacefully against unjust laws and for the independence of India which didn't happen until 1947. He is called Father of the Nation.

As you walk toward the main part of the memorial, there are plaques mounted in stone that contain many of his sayings. One I particularly enjoyed was "Do not listen to rumor but if you do, do not believe it."

There are several approaches to the memorial. As we neared we were given the option of walking straight through at ground level or taking the gentle ramps that gave you an overview. If the route you chose was at ground level, you needed to remove your shoes. The ramps are what everyone chose and we started up.

At the top, you could look down into the large grassy square garden area that had a raised black marble platform in the middle adorned with marigolds and supporting an everlasting flame in the center. It was simple and peaceful and even though it was not actually a burial site, it certainly was an appropriate memorial to a man of peace.

On our way back to the bus, we passed by a stature of Gandhi. At the base was another profound statement of his, "Be the change you wish to see."

The temperature was climbing. It didn't seem to be terribly humid but it certainly was hot and even though there was a smoggy haze, the heat comes through- unlike clouds that offer shade and cooler temperatures.

Our next stop was Humayan's Tomb. Along the way we passed the India Gate. An archway similar to the Arc in Paris, it is 42 meters high (about 126 feet) and commemorates the 70,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting the British in WWI. 

When we arrived at Humayan's Tomb, the heat struck me immediately but thankfully there was a bit of relief with some shade trees along the walk. Humayan was a Mughal emperor. The tomb was built in 1570 and is notable for being the first garden tomb and also the architectural inspiration for the Taj Mahal.

There are several surrounding tombs, one which had beautiful blue tile design along the base of the dome. We climbed several steps into Humayan's tomb and were left to explore on our own. I need to emphasize that our guide did quite a bit of explanation along the walkway, stopping at places for more information but with the heat, I couldn't stand that long to listen and sought out a bench to rest on.

Inside the tomb was rather plain compared to the intricate design on the outside. There were several sarcophaguses in various wings and center but, feeling the heat again, I chose to let Bob (who, by the way, loves the warmer temps) wander as I found a step to sit on. That's where the fun began for me.

A lady smiled broadly at me. She was dressed in a bright red sari or Indian garb and gestured to a spot next to me. I smiled and nodded. She sat down. Right next to me. I mean right next to me. We westerners aren't as comfortable without our personal space. 

When her teenage daughter gestured with a phone camera pointed at us, I got the idea. They wanted a picture with the white lady. We had been told that this would happen so I happily obliged. I even handed my phone to the daughter who took a picture for me. After all, teens know how to handle the technology so well.

Eventually everyone in their group joined in and took pictures. When Bob came back they took more with him and thrilled at trying on his hat. Don't know why they would be fascinated with the dorky bucket hat. *smile*

Traffic going back to the hotel was a bit heavy so we arrived with just enough time to have lunch and get ready to go again. We had signed on for an afternoon tour. I was beginning to wonder if that had been a good choice. The heat was sure to be worse in the afternoon. I could only hope I would survive it.

The Rickshaw Ride Through Old Delhi

Tuesday began our first day of touring with Uniworld. There were two large buses for only 38 of us. We were asked to split into two groups. With only 19 or 20 on a bus, there was plenty of seating. The front seat was open so we took it. As we started out, our guide, Yogi (name is much longer but he shortened it for us) said “this brave couple is in the OMG seat” because we had such a good view of the traffic and the maneuvers drivers and motorcyclists were making. He said those who sat there often exclaimed "Oh My God! It was fascinating. We were quiet.

One short beep of a horn means one thing, two beeps another and if someone lays on the horn you’d better move over or be aware of another vehicle making a delicate but very fast maneuver. While there were lots of horns I didn’t see a lot of road rage like we see at home. 

It is a bit overwhelming to try to absorb everything you are seeing as you ride past so many buildings. Many of them were government buildings as we drove through the New Delhi portion of the city. We passed by the Red Fort which was the main residence of the Mughal emperors. Its construction dates back to the mid 17th century.  

The city, while called New Delhi is actually made up of the new and old. Once in Old Delhi, you can truly see the difference. Narrow streets and more motorcycles than cars. Soon we were stopping by a bus that was parked to create a sort of stand for rickshaws. They were all lined up and ready to receive us.

We were first off the bus and walked down the line a bit until one of the drivers motioned us to his bicycle powered rickshaw. We were settled in and told to put a foot on a metal support in front of us. “That is seat belt,” Hassan, our driver said with a grin. We had already been warned to be sure to keep our hands and heads inside by our guide and to hold tight to our phones or cameras. You didn’t want to drop them and have them run over.

We had a bit of heavy traffic to get through first on the main road before we turned off onto a narrow street. Let me tell you, there were a few breathtaking moments. If I can get the video uploaded either now or later, you might see what I mean. I am amazed at how close vehicles of all sorts come to each other and don’t collide. It obvious in the fact that most cars have no dents or scrapes on them.

Wires hung like spaghetti tossed in the air and draped where they fell. Interspersed among the thinner black lines were thick yellow cables. I asked if they were all electrical or some telephone and I think, if I understood him, they were all electrical. I cannot imagine trying to trace a problem through all that. Maybe they just string another line.

We were in a market area that was just getting ready to open shops. Lots of motorcycles, handcarts and some bicycles loaded, and I do mean loaded, with huge bundles of goods headed for the various shops. Some of the fresh vegetable and fruit stands were already open. I love the way these stands display their produce so neatly.

The market area was organized by type of product. We passed by the wedding stores that were displaying bright colored decorations for ceremonies. Wedding season was coming soon and happens this time of year after the Diwali festival of lights celebration in October.

Another section was full of little shops selling beautiful saris or sarees as the signs said. We even passed one that Hassan said was a discount store. It had a line out into the street with people waiting to get in for the best choice and price.

Still further on was a used car parts area. There were displays of tires and hubcaps and other such mechanical needs.

It was a very bumpy ride. Hassan kept us moving for the most part, stopping on occasion to be sure the other drivers were behind us. I assumed he was married since at one point he mentioned, “happy wife, happy life.” Sometimes it was difficult to understand what he was trying to tell us. For the most part the people we had engaged in conversation spoke English well enough to be understood but we were in a moving rickshaw, dodging other small vehicles and bumps and rocky pavement and the cacophony of noise didn't help.

The ride was about an hour. At least it seemed that way. Finally back at the rickshaw stand again. We tipped Hassan and thanked him. It had been quite an experience. When we boarded the bus again, the lady who was in rickshaw next to us as we started was helped up. We discovered she was 87 and I believe traveling on her own. When we were first seated in the rickshaws, she had scraped her knee badly. The driver took a dirty greasy rag and was going to dab the wound with it. I quickly interceded and offered one of the wet wipes I had with me along with a tissue. (The wet wipes are actually Water Wipes I had bought for the trip. They came in handy throughout the day.) We offered her our seat so she didn’t have to walk back through the bus and they could tend to her knee with the first aid kit. Sweet lady.

On the bus, everyone settled in for our ride amidst the traffic and beeping horns to the next stop, the Ghandi Memorial. 

Don't Blame The Chicken

Plumaria trees add a sweet aroma around 
the pool area at the Oberoi.

 So the spicey chicken at the Boshaun restaurant meal the night before I suddenly realized was not to blame for Bob's malaise when I joined him in his misery. Despite our flu shots before we came, I'm guessing the two of us found a 24 hour bug, the kind that hits you like a truck and zaps your energy. We lost a whole day to it and still feel exhausted. Thank goodness we came a few days early.

Before I got sick, I made another trip to the Patisserie, by myself since Bob was not up to eating. I hade a really nice bagel with egg, fries and a cup of tea. This time I remembered to take some pictures. We both really like the little place and will surely revisit it again.

You might say we lost a day just sleeping but gradually we managed to let food back into our lives being careful to stay away from anything spicey lest it react badly. I guess we will pass on the new restaurant the hotel offers called the Dhilli. It is an Indian specialty restaurant and we'll stick with the 360 where we have more mild choices for our diet right now.

The plan to have a four hour tour with a hotel car is also something we will pass on. Our tour with Uniworld will begin tomorrow morning early. It will be a long day with a tour in the morning and another in the afternoon so we are saving our strength for it. Two seventy-somethings need to take things a little slower. 

We are excited to get to meet the others who will join our group of river cruisers. Some of them are already here according to the Uniworld FaceBook page and others I'm sure are arriving by day's end. 

Since I have some down time, I used it to look up a few things I was curious about. When we get up each morning it is always foggy or smoggy and as we look out our fifth floor window, you can see it settle into the trees. It goes away a bit but in the several days we've been here, I've never glimpsed blue sky. I searched online for the air quality for New Delhi. It wasn't encouraging. Here's what I found:

Delhi, India's air quality is currently unhealthy for sensitive groups. Some say the city's toxic skies are similar to another Asian capital that was once known for smog so thick it could hide skyscrapers. Factors that contribute to Delhi's poor air quality include crop stubble burning and Diwali celebrations. Air pollution in India is estimated to kill about 2 million people annually making it the fifth leading cause of death in the country.

I'm guessing the Asian capital they refer to is Beijing which is the only other place we experienced this and it was definitely much worse. We sat in a plane on the airport tarmac for two hours waiting for a slight break in the smog in order to take off. There was such a small window that they would not let us disembark lest we miss the opportunity to take off.  I am interested to see if it is like this in the other places we will visit in India.

The other research I did was on Diwali which takes place during part of our visit to India. It is the Hindu festival of lights and symbolizes the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. Fires are lit, fireworks shot off and many celebrants lighting candles and lanterns. I'm sure when it arrives, our river cruise guides will explain more to us. 

So, I sit for now with my computer on my lap looking out the window at a still hazy sky with birds sailing about, some which are large enough to be eagles, and await our first meeting to receive our welcome packet and schedule for tomorrow. I'm ready to get this adventure started.

Enjoying The Oberoi Hotel, New Delhi

 Leave it to Bob to explore and find places we didn't know were there. Just inside the entrance to the hotel was a corridor off to the left where there were a couple of very upscale shops. How he found the next place is beyond me because he had to get in an elevator that took you one floor down. I don't think there was any other way to get there (except some steps I saw later). One floor down were more shops some meeting rooms and the Patisserie. 

It is a delight. Lots of tempting sweet pastries and a small menu of sandwiches, salads and beverages including shakes. He had already decided on a BLT hoagie but I wasn't sure if it would be large enough to share so I ordered a salad that looked interesting. The salad came first. Not much lettuce, lots of chick peas, roasted broccoli, cherry tomatoes, quinoa, and grilled pineapple. One bite of the pineapple and I realized why they called it the Detox salad. I have never had spicy pineapple but that was enough to have my lips tingling and my mouth burning. The mustard dressing that came with it cut the heat some but I didn't trust eating too much. Bob's BLT was good with a nice bread that was dotted with olives and cherry tomatoes. 

 After a short nap (I never nap at home so I must have been tired), we decided to go out and sit by the pool a bit. Bob put on his bathing suit but never got past his knees in the water. The pool area is much like the pool area on a cruise ship. An attendant took us to two loungers, laid towels across the chairs and then someone came with a tray of water, a dish of cold grapes, two cold washcloths and two small bottles of sunscreen. (My dermatologist will be so happy to hear that.) 

The attendant also explained the large balls that are hanging from the posts around the pool. They keep the birds away, he said, all but the big ones, the eagles. Sure enough a little while later a large brown eagle landed at one end took a few sips of water and flew off again. I don't think I've ever been that close to an eagle outside of a zoo.

We wiled away the afternoon in the shade next to the pool and then got ready for dinner. On the rooftop is a bar/lounge and a Chinese restaurant, the Baoshuan. Our reservations were made for seven, the time the restaurant opens. We will have to get used to eating later than usual since most places (and I believe our riverboat cruise as well) will not serve until then.

The Baoshuan is a beautiful restaurant. Long pants required for the men. Most people were dressed in resort casual. The menu is quite extensive including dim sum both steamed and fried, many Asian dishes, soups, salads and of course desserts. We ordered a dim sum sample appetizer that came with two steamed and one fried dumpling. Very good! The entrees we ordered were crispy noodles and chicken for me and chicken Szechuan for Bob. At home, rice would accompany the meal so when she asked if we wanted fried rice or steamed, Bob opted for fried rice and I said I would pass. I figured the noodles were enough. We didn't realize until later that the fried rice was another entree.

When Bob tried his Szechuan, he realized it was spicey. The menu hadn't said so but it was enough to burn the mouth and tingle the lips. He should have stopped and just helped me eat mine but he continued on. My noodles and chicken were very good and not spicey at all. There was really more to eat than we could finish and still have dessert. I had my eye on the lychee with honey lime sauce. Bob got some ice cream and I hoped it would help the spicey after effects of his entree.

After dinner we stopped at the concierge desk and arranged for a four hour tour of several places that we knew we would not see with Uniworld. Once that was done, we went on up to retire for the night. But one of us would not have a very good night. The Szchuan spicey chicken did Bob in. On my way to breakfast I stopped and cancelled our tour for the day. 

We've heard it said that a lot of tourists get the "Delhi belly". I think this was more the Chinese food than anything. Note to selves: be sure to ask if there is spice in the dish when you order. 

The question was, what would the rest of the day hold? 

New Delhi--The Lodi Garden

 As I write this, it is still Friday at home but Saturday here. It will take a while to get used to the time difference. We slept well our first night in a wonderfully comfortable bed but still feel a bit jet lagged. I woke at 2:30 am and tried desperately to go back to sleep but couldn't. Naps will be in order.

The restaurant, 360, for breakfast is amazing. It is part special order and part buffet. There was quite a menu of egg dishes, waffles, pancakes, and of course Indian dishes. We passed on the local breakfast choices as we're not quite ready to attempt the spices yet. Bob had delicious eggs Benedict and I opted for a fluffy omelet. Our buffet trip (trips for Bob) included lots of fresh fruit, a few amazing pastries and a piece of toast. Coffee was a bit on the espresso side but we discovered that we can order French press in the future. Still, it was good coffee and I hoped it would help wake me up a bit. 

We didn't feel up to all that I had planned for the day but were ready to do some walking so we choose one of the two activities on my list, the Lodi Garden. A stop at the concierge desk for advice on how to get there gave us several options. He didn't advocate walking to the Garden which was not terribly far away but he said that walking paths from here to there were not good. I wouldn't have ventured that anyway seeing how the traffic was the night before. His suggestion was either a taxi or a hotel car. We opted for the hotel car which was $6 USD each way. We knew how nice that was.

Our driver took us to the Garden entrance which was only about five minutes away and we found much less traffic on the roads from the night before. It was a pleasant short ride and he said to call the concierge for our return trip about fifteen minutes before we wanted to leave. 

Knowing we had to make a phone call and not having a map of the garden, I turned on my data roaming (We always keep it off unless we need to use the AT&T International plan for calls. They charge by the day when activated.). I dropped a pin at the place where the garden entrance was and we were on our way.

It was a pleasant morning but you could feel the warmth beginning. Lots of shady paths and not a whole lot of people. Many dogs lying about but no cows. The garden did not have a lot of flowers in bloom but the greenery was amazing. For a place that gets little rain I was surprised by the abundance of trees and bushes. 

There are several preserved historical structures in the garden. Some were tombs built to honor men of the past and there was one that was said to be part of a monastery. I took many pictures and managed to catch a parakeet and a long tailed chipmunk but alas when I went to download them from my camera, I found that my computer would not recognize my camera for some reason. I should have made sure it was working before we left home. With apologies to my son, I will blame Microsoft for some update that probably changed something that I can't find yet. I will have to rely on my phone for pictures for the rest of the trip. I snagged the couple that Bob took.

We walked the trails and explored the buildings and marveled at the couples with their photographers who were setting up very nice shots of them against the old ruins. Some were in fancy garb and a couple were obviously weddings that were being photographed. 

The temperature was climbing and we were getting very warm by the time we closed in on the place where we would meet our driver. They responded a few minutes later with a text that gave us the driver's name and license plate number and ten minutes later he was there with a nice cool car and cool washcloths and water for us on the ride back. He also told us that he could show us places that our Uniworld tour would not go if we booked a hotel car. He said they charged by the hour and, if we calculated right, it worked out to about $12 USD/hour. It sounded good. We said we'd consider it.

Lunch was in order upon our return and Bob had managed to wander around enough to find the perfect spot. Ah, yes, The Patisserie. 

India--The Adventure Begins

 The Uber arrived at nine in the morning to take us to the airport and begin our long day of travel. Check in went well at the American Airlines counter. We could not check in online I assume because of their need to check that we had our passports and our e-visas all in order. TSA was quite busy even at the pre-check line but the line moved quickly and soon we were wandering the concourses of CLE Hopkins. AA does not have a lounge there so we walked a little over a mile to get some exercise.

Bob had splurged on Business Class seats for our trip since the flight from JFK to New Delhi would be fifteen hours. A short flight to JFK and we were ready to wile away seven hours before the next flight. This time there was a lounge, a flagship lounge, that we qualified for with our tickets. It was huge and had several small buffets of foods. The important thing was that there was a television room (actually several places) where we could watch the all important ALCS game. We were amongst a few NYY fans though and unfortunately we couldn't stay for the really exciting part of the game where we pulled ahead and won. My grandson texted me later the blow by blow description of the last innings of play.

Our cubicles in business class were next to each other in the middle of the plane. The meals were absolutely wonderful compared to the usual airplane food and served on real china with silverware. They fed us several times throughout the flight. The buttons took a little figuring out but I finally got the seat to stretch and recline and I curled up inside a comfy comforter and laid my head on a nice pillow and eventually fell asleep. Sleep was intermittent however as we had several periods of turbulence. All in all though, I'm spoiled now. 

We arrived a bit early in New Delhi. Maybe the turbulence helped. It was around eight in the evening local time. The airline had passed out our immigration form on the plane so that was all filled in but we found a sign that said first time visitors to India needed to to some sort of bio-check in. There were machines set up for us to scan our passports and then have our hands scanned and picture taken. Some of the machines weren't working quite right but we found one that did and just about the time we were cleared, a gentleman from the airport came up and asked our age. "You don't need this," he said, "you can proceed." Sometimes old age pays off but by then Bob was determined to finish what we started so we did and then moved on.

Immigration lines were sorted by citizens, foreign passports and then foreigners with e-visas. Thankfully the CLE check in had told us to get our e-visas printed out in NY since we only had them on our phones. The line for the e-visas was much shorter than all the rest and it didn't take too long before we were cleared for entry. The printout, I think, made it a smoother process.

The luggage arrived about the same time we did in baggage claim and we breathed a sigh of relief. It's always good to see the luggage arrive at your destination along with you. We went through the custom line which was busy scanning lots of boxes many people were bringing into the country. Mostly citizens who had made purchases in other countries I believe.

Just as we walked through the sliding doors into the main part of the airport, a man in a white uniform held a sign with our name on it and smiled when we approached. He nodded to another man in a darker uniform who introduced himself as a greeter from Hotel Oberoi and he led us out and around to the driver who would take us to the hotel. A brief stop at an ATM and we followed him out of the airport to the pick up zone. Our first taste of India's traffic. Thankfully, he guided us through what would have been very confusing and a little scary as drivers did not always give much way to pedestrians. 

The driver seated us in the nice black Mercedes and loaded our luggage in the trunk. He came around with a tray of cold bottled water and two packages that held cold wash cloths. So refreshing after the impact of 85 degree weather and a bit of a walk to get to the car.

The traffic reminded me of Beijing. Lots of cars mixed with motorcycles. Not a lot of bicycles though and a few sightings of cows along the side of the road. There was some kind of method of flashing your headlights and honking your horn as you weave through three lanes of traffic where cars are inches apart. Our driver gave me confidence though as he seemed to seamlessly move through the traffic. 

At the hotel, we passed through gate security that checked the trunk and then our bags were screened at the entrance and we passed through metal detectors and were guided by an assistant named Sheldon (and yes, he knew the reference to the TV Sheldon). He had our key cards in hand and asked if we minded a traditional greeting. A lady stood with a plate covered in rose petals with a candle in the middle. She waved the plate in a circle in front of us wishing us good health and then gave us each a lei of marigolds which are associated with the sun, passion, wealth and happiness. 

Our room is beautiful. Huge. One of the nicest we have ever had. And of course, to Bob's delight, everything in the room is accessed by an IPad. Blinds raise and lower, lights turn off and on and even the TV works through it.  After brushing our teeth using the bottled water to rinse, we managed to sleep a bit more even though the time difference is nine and a half hours ahead of home. I have no explanation for the extra half hour.

We have two days to get over jet lag and travel fatigue before our Uniworld Cruise Adventure begins and maybe even explore a bit on our own. Starting with some breakfast in the 360 restaurant that caters to worldwide tastes. 

Before Tripadvisor There Was Duncan Hines

There's not much to watch on TV on a Sunday night once afternoon baseball is done. And now that football season has started, unless there's a team I'm interested in, there is even less choice. Thank goodness for the History Channel. A couple weeks ago I watched a series on Rockwell's UFO incident and last night there was Foods That Built America. After learning a bit about the cola wars (I still prefer Coke) I got into the story of how cake mixes came to be.

While it turns out that Betty Crocker was an invented character, there really was a Duncan Hines. Now when it comes to biscuits and chocolate chip cookies, my go-to is the Pillsbury Doughboy but when it's time to make a cake, Duncan Hines is my choice. It was with great surprise that I learned Duncan Hines had nothing to do with baking cakes. Let me explain.

Duncan Hines was a traveling salesman who by 1935, had racked up quite a few miles on the road. He loved good food and began making notes on the restaurants he found along the way. This was way before we had an abundance of chain restaurants and there were lots of mom and pop places to enjoy. When friends began insisting on his recommendations as they traveled, he decided to put his notes together into a book titled, Adventures in Good Eating. 

In his 1939 edition, he reviewed the Sanders Court and Cafe in Corbin, Kentucky:

41 — Jct. with 25, 25 E. ½ Mi. N. of Corbin. Open all year except Xmas.
A very good place to stop en route to Cumberland Falls and the Great Smokies. Continuous 24-hour service. Sizzling steaks, fried chicken, country ham, hot biscuits. L. 50¢ to $1; D., 60¢ to $1

That restaurant was operated by Colonel Harland Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

The book sold so well that soon restaurants were posting signs "Recommended by Duncan Hines". He eventually expanded his writing to include hotels as well. Today it is quite common to see the familiar owl logo for Tripadvisor on the advertising and doors of many restaurants and hotels. Like us, many people go to the app for advice on where to eat when they are on the road or looking to discover a new place to eat or find a nice place to stay the night.

Oh, how did Duncan Hines become synonymous with cake mix? Because of his popularity with food recommendations, he was offered an endorsement deal and sold the right to use his name and book title to one company that eventually sold the license to the Nebraska Consolidated Mills in Omaha who developed and sold the first Duncan Hines cake mixes.

Adventure Awaits In India

 India will be one of the most exotic places we have ever visited. The anticipation is both exciting and a little frightening. We have explored online as much as we can to have an idea of what to expect but I know that will in no way measure up to actually being there. The food, the people, the atmosphere, all can only be experienced in person,

Let me be perfectly clear. While we are quite experienced travelers, there are many places in the world we would not attempt to visit on our own. India is one of them. That is why, when we were introduced to Uniworld River Cruises and learned of their cruise on the Ganges, we booked.

Uniworld was the cruise line we used for our Tulip Adventure in spring of 2023. While seeing the Keukenhof Gardens was only one day of our amazing cruise, the rest of the stops along the way were beautiful and fun to visit. The food onboard was fantastic as was the service. We felt well cared for, even to one of the staff standing out in the street to be sure we crossed safely at one stop when the tour bus let us off. That staff member was also one who had served on the Ganges Voyager II and told us a lot about the riverboat itself.

We will arrive a little ahead of schedule but will stay at the same hotel where the cruise line will have us.  I'm guessing we will probably spend a good part of our first day in New Delhi sleeping and resting from our 25 hours of travel to get there. Then there will be one day on our own but I'm counting on the concierge (we've heard good recommendations from others) to suggest a good rickshaw driver to take us to one of the places to explore that is not on the tour the cruise line will have us join the next day.

After those couple of days on our own, we will rely on the very capable staff of Uniworld to take good care of us as we visit Agra (for the Taj Mahal) and Jaipur (the pink city). From there, we board the riverboat for an adventure on the Ganges. I have linked below to the YouTube video for the cruise. Take a peek. I hope you'll be excited for us and maybe want to take your own journey to India. I will be posting as much as I can when we get there  this October but, as always, you never know what the WiFi connections may be like.

Tributary Or Distributary? Are We Cruising The Ganges?

 This fall we will be doing a river cruise in India. Our main goal is to get to see the Taj Mahal but the river cruise will give us a deeper look into the culture and traditions and, don't forget, the food of India. The cruise is advertised as "India's Golden Triangle And The Sacred Ganges".  The Golden Triangle includes the cities of New Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. Our visit to those places are all pre-boarding the river boat.

As always, I try to do as much research ahead of a cruise to see where we are going and what we might want to do or see along the way. New Delhi promises an excursion with a rickshaw ride to a historic area and a market. Agra is where the Taj Mahal is located and the hotel that is booked by the cruise company is said to have amazing views of the iconic structure. Jaipur is a place that I was unfamiliar with but it is called the Pink City because the Maharaja at the time of Queen Victoria's visit to the city ordered the buildings to be pink, a sign of hospitality. It should be interesting.

Then we fly to Kolkata to board our riverboat. I was curious about our itinerary and the path it would take on the Ganges. As I began to search for the cities and towns where we were to stop, I found that we were actually navigating what was labeled on the Google Map as the Hooghly River. What?

A little more internet surfing and I had the answer. The Hooghly River is actually fed by the Ganges River. It is known as a distributary as opposed to a tributary which would flow the other way to feed the Ganges. Confused? I was. I had never heard the term distributary but it applies to a river that flows away from the main stream and does not return to it.

So, are we cruising the Ganges? In a sense we are. Does it matter to us? Not really. As I said, our main goal is to see the Taj Mahal. All the rest is just extra time to explore and absorb all that we can. We've never been to India before so it will all be new to us. I am packing the antiacid however. I've tasted curry and every delectable dish that I see recommended for us to try while we are there mentions lots of spices. 

New Release! Hidden In Harper Valley

 

Announcing my new novel, Hidden In Harper Valley. Here's the back cover teaser:

Suzanne Brown and her daughter, Dominique have begun a new life in the pretty little town of Harper Valley. Suzanne and Dominique struggle a bit with their new identities and the backstory they have created to fit their new circumstances. Although Suzanne does not need to work, she finds a job as a bookkeeper at the fabric mill in town so people will not suspect she secretly has a net worth of millions.

While Dominique who is about to turn thirteen tries to adjust to attending a public school and a church teen group, she desperately misses her BFF back in California but she has been warned not to communicate with her. How can she survive with no friend to share things with, especially her love of photography.

Scott Frazier, youth pastor at Valley Christian Church, grows closer to Suzanne and Dominique as he seeks to help Dominique fit into the church youth group. At the same time, he finds that Suzanne is a woman he would like to get to know better. Little does he know what danger that may put him in.

Although Suzanne’s brother Michael, a US Marshall who has arranged for them to be hidden in Harper Valley, assures her that her past will not find her, she soon realizes all the precautions they have taken have failed. She is being stalked. Their hiding place has been discovered. Will her ex-husband follow through on his promise?

Hidden In Harper Valley is available in paperback and Kindle formats at Amazon. If you get a copy and read it, a review on Amazon would be greatly appreciated even if it is just to fill in a few stars. The reviews really help.

Now, on to the next in my Casey Stengel series...