Long Days, Full Days

Today was a long travel day from Agra to Delhi, with very heavy traffic. Now, well fed and ensconced in our beds, we have the TV tuned to Bollywood music. It is mesmerizing and hard to take one's eyes off the screen. We got to the Taj Mahal yesterday before it opened to take advantage of morning light, shorter queues and fewer people. We scored on all three counts and the Taj filled our hearts with it's beauty. Our guide in Agra whose name is Islam, is a very good photographer and knows his subject inside out. An advantage of our early start was being able to go back to the hotel for breakfast and a rest before heading out to Agra Fort. Never having been there myself, I was struck by the intricacy and delicacy of the carvings which were all around. Again and again, our guides have pointed out and emphasized the use of Hindu and Christian motifs as a tool the Moghuls used to stress their acceptance and respect of the culture that existed before their conquests. We squeezed in time to visit Kohinoor, the famous jewelers of Agra. They were gracious enough to show us the unbelieable embroideries which helped to make them famous. Layer upon layer of exquisitely dyed silk convey texture so vividly that the subjects, often wild animals, look alive. Our Agra hotel, the Grand Imperial, was previously a haveli (or home) of a wealthy, princely family. Our rooms were huge with sitting areas, big tubs and lots of hot water. Perfect for soaking in after a long day if you don't mind sitting in rusty water, and I don't. The mineral content of water in Agra is very high which accounts for the color of the water. It is hypothesized that the high mineral content was responsible for desertion of the beautiful sandstone city of Fateh Pur Sikri, as it can cause a multitude of ailments. That was the second stop on our way from Jaipur, the first being the Bharatpur bird sanctuary. We had arrived at Bharatpur in the middle of the day, not ideal for viewing wildlife. We enjoyed the many birds we did see and the bicycle rickshaw ride through the sanctuary. Lots of kids in lots of school groups, all seeming to chatter at the same time may have discouraged the wildlife as well, but we enjoyed seeing them in their various school uniforms. I have contracted a nasty cold from somewhere or other and spent a very uncomfortable couple of days. I am on the mend; left with yucky congestion and a cough. It is good to feel so much better. I realize I have not touched on our time in Jaipur, the pink city. Internet access is not readily available, but I have 24 hours of WiFi. With some discipline I may be able to continue the saga tomorrow morning before going off for a visit with folks from the Church of North India.

Evening Descends

Midnight Again in India

This will be the third night in a row of getting to sleep well after midnight. For those who know me, this is not normal behavior, but the short time we have been in Delhi has been jam packed. My intent was to blog daily, but better late than never. Our first evening after checking in to our hotel we enjoyed a welcome dinner at the Ashoka Hotel's Oudh Restaurant. We met Vishal, our Indian agent and enjoyed an excellent meal in beautiful surroundings. The next day was very full, with visits to The Red Fort, the Raj Ghat, where Ghandi was cremated; Chandni , a bustling, crowded huge bazaar area; the Jama Masjid, the largest Mosque in India and the second largest in the world, and Birla House, where Ghandi stayed during his last fast and where he was assassinated. I would have to say the highlight since our arrival on Sat., 10/15/2011 was last night at a dinner in the home of Jadip and Joyita Shankar. They did everything I had hoped for in our "Cuisine Workshop" from demonstrating cooking techniques, and showing various spices and seasonings to providing a warm welcome to India formour guests who would otherwise never have the chance to visit an Indian home. Their beautiful, bright, articulate 15 year old daughter was delightful and the addition of Jadip's older brother and wife and a friend of the family rounded out the company. They served so many dishes they had spent the day preparing, it was a feast of the best of Indian cuisine, with several dishes that were new to me. A highlight of the evening for the ladies was getting wrapped in saris for our own little fashion show. (Watch for photo posting at a later date). Today was not as successful as yesterday as there were issues with timing starting in the AM which affected the day. We started the day at Humayan's tomb, which was a precurser and inspiration of the Taj Mahal. The Sikh Gurudwara was impressive to all and we got to make chapatis in the kitchen as volunteers prepared lunch for thousands of people. Quran Minar, well known for it's never rusting iron staff and impressive ruins was beautiful, though we were all tired by that time. Things got dicey during a drive to the Centre for Dalit Studies. Traffic was heavy and our driver and escort did not know the way, so the trip was twice as long as it could have been. Our drive through horrendous slums and grinding poverty was difficult for everyone. Dr. Massey related some historical aspects of the Caste system and discussed current challenges for Dalits. We had dinner with him and his wife at a local restaurant where the food and setting were very nice. I am afraid the happy outcome was not enough to counteract the dismay felt by everyone during our drive there. Luckily, the ride back to the hotel this evening was prompt and uneventful. We have learned from today and will make corrections for our trip next year. Tomorrow we start out at 8:00 for the drive to Sariska Tiger Camp and an afternoon jeep drive through the Preserve. It will be an interesting, but long drive. Hopefully the swimming pool will be in good repair..

I plan to wear Indian dress much more than I have in the past.  But when I look at the clothes I plan to take, the good old pants and tops look the most comfortable and practical.  The weather forecast is for continuing sunny and hot and dusty days ahead.  I have several nice outfits for evening/dinner, but am not excited about wearing any of them during the day especially since a dupatta (scarf) is part of the outfit.  Margaret plans to get off the plane wearing Indian dress.  Indian people really are pleased to see Westerners in their national dress, so I'll do my best.