Sunday, February 28
We have been home since Thursday (Feb25) night. After about 20 hours in the air with 2 4-hour layovers (one in Paris, one in Atlanta) we were picked up by Angel Lucky who delivered us home to Happy Birthday balloons (Joseph's) and key lime pie. To keep up with tradition we did manage to unpack two suitcases before dropping with exhaustion. Well, now it is late Sunday and we are still so jet-lagged we keep falling off to sleep all the time. I have never had this so bad. My head is spinning, eyes don't focus, minor nausea, etc. We are hoping to be over this by tomorrow.
Looking back on our India experience I feel overwhelmed with images which bombarded the senses and which tore at my heart. It was great! I am filled with a longing to return and learn more. We were quite ready to return home but really needed more time... like months maybe to really get around this huge subcontinent. The people we met were very interesting and with many we could not communicate since they spoke little or no English... like our driver, JaiPal, a 25-year old with nerves of steel, the road aggression of a Le Mans champ and the looks of a movie star. Hey, I may be exaggerating, but I wouldn't drive in India for a million bucks. All I can say is, thank you Jai Pal for driving us safely throughout our trip.
Our guide comes from a family of farmers. OP and his three brothers have built homes around each other in a compound occupying one corner of the family land. He and two of his brothers married three sisters ... all arranged marriages and OP is now in charge of arranging marriages for some of his nieces. When we spoke skeptically of arranged marriages hi repeatedly stated the the parents are happy, the groom is happy, the bride is happy, the families are happy... everyone is happy and we have no reason not to believe him. He and PhooLo are celebrating thirty years of marriage in April... or sometime around then, he is vague about dates.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
yes, we did see the Tiger
Just a short update on Tiger hunting - a very big thing in India. We went on three safaris down south at Ranthambore and got skunked, A safari is three and a half hours of running around in a six-passanger jeep with our birding guide, a Tiger guide and a driver. It is all very fast paced so I don't know how they expect to sneak up on a Tiger. They say the tigers are so used to the jeeps that they don't run when they hear them. Up in he Corbett National Park in the North, they are very different - they hide in the tall grasses or in the deep wooded area. It is much harder to see them up there. You have to look for other animal signs that a Tiger in in the area. So we saw that the Samba deer had their tails in a danger alert position so we waited outside the tall grass for about 30 minutes, and yes, there she was - sneaking across the road. Ah, we got our Tiger. She was very dark in color, but how exciting. Fifth safari - but w ehad good birding along the way.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Nainital : Mountain Birdwatching
Nainital, a mountain town, where Brits and rich Indians had their summer homes, boasts a paved road that is as good as any we have been on in the US and other countries, At the top of one drive we had a magnificent view of the distant Himalayas. We are staying at the Vikram Vintage Inn where it seems we are the only guests at the moment. We are waited on lavishly and the food is very good. I am somewhat afflicted with Montezuma's disease so have been refraining from eating too much. Yesterday we had a great birding day. We drove to Sattal Valley and walked in fields, and forest trails searching for birds. We ticked over 60 species, 44 new ones. It was the first day that we didn't see peafowl, although on the drive from UnchaGaon we saw tons, mostly roosting in trees. It is hard to pick a favorite. Rose breasted parakeet is at the top, along with Rusty cheeked Scimitar babbler and a host of others.
It is fascinating how populated the countryside is. Even these mountains are well populated. We passed small towns and villages and isolated homes. This town has very handsome homes, painted white, pink, all shades of blue with wrought iron railings surrounding verandas and small balconies. And everywhere are small temples. Zosia - (note the internet went down six days ago as this was being written - we're now home and will soon catch up - what a fantastic trip)
It is fascinating how populated the countryside is. Even these mountains are well populated. We passed small towns and villages and isolated homes. This town has very handsome homes, painted white, pink, all shades of blue with wrought iron railings surrounding verandas and small balconies. And everywhere are small temples. Zosia - (note the internet went down six days ago as this was being written - we're now home and will soon catch up - what a fantastic trip)
Wednesday - We are on the road to Northern India but first we will go to the birthplace of Krishna (and of course, OP's daughter and grandson) We visit their home down back alleys where probably 10 people live. The grandfather, or Boss, is 90 something and he latches on to Joseph and talks his ear off thinking he understands everything he is saying.( of course, he doesn't understand a word.) OP says that he is basically complaining about the ways of the modern world and how much things costs for such poor quality. Also he pines for his wife that died years ago and he wants to join her. He insists that Joseph have one of his beedies which he does. He hasn't smoked a cig in 8 years and 40 years since his last beedie. He calls for tea and then lunch. Zosia is totally left out of all this and would like to get on with the day. We stop by the most beautiful temple in the world (hari Krishna) only to find out it is closed.
We drive the rest of the day though some of the worst traffic yet and arrive at our our hotel, Fort Unchagon - a maharajah's fort converted to a hotel. The tiger trophey room had 15 stuffed tigers from 1959-61. It also had a billiards room with a table twice as long as any billiard table I have ever seen. Our room was about 24x24 feet and a 16 foot ceiling. It was also pretty cold so the came and lit our stove. Dinner and breakfast was the same as everyday -soup, mixed vegs, curried chicken, nam, other vegetables, Fried eggs, porrage, juices, toast,
Leave early Thursday but it is a long drive today 8 hours. Clean retrooms are really hard to come by, when we see one we celebrate. The men just pee "any place at all" city or country. The women need to find a tree to be proper. There sure is a lot of driving to get a short distance. Zosia and I have books on mp3 players from the library so we see all the sights with reduced noise and a good story. But we are running short on AAA batteries but that in itself will become a chore to acquire tomorrow. We had an opportunity to see TV in the last hotel and the difference between that and the reality we are experiencing have nothing in common.
Now we head to the mountains - we are in the foothills of the Himalayas and all is changed - very steep and curvy roads, very little traffic, still our driver honks at every curve, it is more than cool, it turns cold. We come to to our destination - Nainital - the mountain city 7000 feet. From here we can see the snow covered peaks of the Himalayas. The hotel is beautiful but very few guests and no internet. The birding up here is very good, just driving in yesterday, we will have five days in the montains before we return to New Dehli.
We drive the rest of the day though some of the worst traffic yet and arrive at our our hotel, Fort Unchagon - a maharajah's fort converted to a hotel. The tiger trophey room had 15 stuffed tigers from 1959-61. It also had a billiards room with a table twice as long as any billiard table I have ever seen. Our room was about 24x24 feet and a 16 foot ceiling. It was also pretty cold so the came and lit our stove. Dinner and breakfast was the same as everyday -soup, mixed vegs, curried chicken, nam, other vegetables, Fried eggs, porrage, juices, toast,
Leave early Thursday but it is a long drive today 8 hours. Clean retrooms are really hard to come by, when we see one we celebrate. The men just pee "any place at all" city or country. The women need to find a tree to be proper. There sure is a lot of driving to get a short distance. Zosia and I have books on mp3 players from the library so we see all the sights with reduced noise and a good story. But we are running short on AAA batteries but that in itself will become a chore to acquire tomorrow. We had an opportunity to see TV in the last hotel and the difference between that and the reality we are experiencing have nothing in common.
Now we head to the mountains - we are in the foothills of the Himalayas and all is changed - very steep and curvy roads, very little traffic, still our driver honks at every curve, it is more than cool, it turns cold. We come to to our destination - Nainital - the mountain city 7000 feet. From here we can see the snow covered peaks of the Himalayas. The hotel is beautiful but very few guests and no internet. The birding up here is very good, just driving in yesterday, we will have five days in the montains before we return to New Dehli.
Heading North - long drives
Feb. 17 - Zosia: We are in our room at Fort Unchagaon, an incredible place out of India' far and more recent past when Maharajas ruled the people and the Crown ruled the Maharajas. When shooting tigers was the rich man's utimate sport. When we were at Rhatambhore on a tiger watch run the guide pointed out a brick turret shaped building where the Queen rested between tiger shoots, and she did bag one there in 1959.
Today we experienced a harrowing drive from Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, to this hotel. Not all of it, of course, but several times we were in these unbelievable traffic jams with all this honking and cars... cows, 3-wheelers, bicycles, pedestrians... and these enormous trucks ... coming at you from all directions. Trucks rule here but everyone treats everyone with respect ... they have too because chaotic does not begin to describe the road reality here. At one point over 25 water buffalo crossed our path in the middle of a very busy city street. Yesterday in Agra, our very well informed guide, V.K., called the street scene in India as "urban safari." Throw in the free running dogs and the rhesus monkeys and one gets the picture.
Today, to keep from screaming and to ward off thoughts of what was a highly likely nightmare scenario of an accident leaving us stranded in whatever side road town we were passing... and there was always one after another, sort of like the east coast of Florida starting at Vero Beach heading south... only these in India are much more colorful and scary... to keep my sanity I read my book... and finished it! and a very appropriate book it is. Written by A.Roy.
Today we experienced a harrowing drive from Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, to this hotel. Not all of it, of course, but several times we were in these unbelievable traffic jams with all this honking and cars... cows, 3-wheelers, bicycles, pedestrians... and these enormous trucks ... coming at you from all directions. Trucks rule here but everyone treats everyone with respect ... they have too because chaotic does not begin to describe the road reality here. At one point over 25 water buffalo crossed our path in the middle of a very busy city street. Yesterday in Agra, our very well informed guide, V.K., called the street scene in India as "urban safari." Throw in the free running dogs and the rhesus monkeys and one gets the picture.
Today, to keep from screaming and to ward off thoughts of what was a highly likely nightmare scenario of an accident leaving us stranded in whatever side road town we were passing... and there was always one after another, sort of like the east coast of Florida starting at Vero Beach heading south... only these in India are much more colorful and scary... to keep my sanity I read my book... and finished it! and a very appropriate book it is. Written by A.Roy.
Thoughts on Dogs
Dogs - I have taken a fascination with the dogs here. There are many on the streets and it doesn't appear to belong to anyone. The lie flat out like a dead dog, not curled like the dogs back home. They lie all over the streets, on trash heaps, everywhere. They don't move as the activity is all around them. They seem to maneuver around the traffic with no problems, even the little puppies know how to casually get out of the way of the cars, bikes, carts, feet. People don't push them out of the way but treat them with as much respect as any other creature. This seems to also apply to humans. Everyone seems to respect everyone else and does not act like they are in the way (except our car going through town where everyone/thing gets honked at). By the way this applies to the water buffalo, cows, pigs, doneys, horses, and monkeys that are wondering about the streets all day.
Taj Mahal
The next day Taj Mahal and the red fort in Agra. But upon the return, we are going to a wedding next door at OP's brothers. Joseph dressesi n this new shirt, Zosia in her new Sari. We get there for the marriage and dinner. Joseph meets the men, Zosia with the wife and neices. As OP says we are all the same so there is no issue about sharing spoons for tasting or serving all dishes except soup with the hands. That would take som getting used to for some Americans. At the reception the server scoops the food with their hands. The food was good and festive. Everyone is so casual everywhere. it seems like no one has expectation on anyone.
Dinner with our host's family
Joseph - for the last two nights we spent with our guide OP and his family. We were invited to go shopping with the neices and the dinner at their house. Shopping was on a chaotic street where the people and motorcycles and hand drawn carts, cows and rickshaws all try to go down the street together at a fast pace. At times it would be clogged and the horns would be at a constant blare. I cannot tell what kind of stores these are besides the clear pharmacies, food products, or clothing booths. Others look like hardware or repair booths, but everyone is anxiously shopping. We sit in a Sari booth - eight people at a time as the cross-legged merchant rolls our various materials. After looking at 20-30 styles of material we select a few and go off to the tailor that will make the dress for a couple of dolars by tomorrow. Zosia tells me it was some high-school aged girl. I go off with two of the neices to find an India shirt and pants. I select a dress shirt that goes to my knees/pants, and also a white cottom shirt/pants. Together they are $11. Later, I think I should have gotten two more. Actaully Zosia and I got separated for about 45 minues and we couldn't reach each other by the girl's cell phones. I had this horrible vision that I couldn't speak the language, wouldn't know how to get a rickshaw, don't know any telephone numbers, and don't know the name of our hotel My long standing nightmare of having no reference point of where to go next. But we make it home fine and get ready for dinner.
Dinner is very different. Thei living area is outdoors under a corrigated metal roof. The floor is some king of concrete mixed with straw. The focal point is a small open fire stove built into the concrete where OP's wife cooks some of our meal. The fire is from one long log fed continuously in the fire and cow dung paddies. There paddies found everywhere in India are a primary source of fuel. The streets are lined with houses contructed of dung paddies, lined outsdie with decorative dung, and a straw house around it. It preserves the dung paddies through the monsoom season. The fried lintel/wheat ckes are deep fried in mustard oil and are very good. We eat them and drink rum and cokes, and smoke chillum before dinner arrives. The dinner is served in metal plates with rice (made specially because they think westerners expect it). vegetables, curries, no meat really, homemade nam cooked on the oopen fame until it puffed out. . More rum and cokes and chillums after dinner. His complex has 23 family members in it. During the evening people drift by and hang out for bit; often not saying anything, just being there.They were all so open and friendly, but no pressure of being different. They just really made us feel at home and really welcomed.
Dinner is very different. Thei living area is outdoors under a corrigated metal roof. The floor is some king of concrete mixed with straw. The focal point is a small open fire stove built into the concrete where OP's wife cooks some of our meal. The fire is from one long log fed continuously in the fire and cow dung paddies. There paddies found everywhere in India are a primary source of fuel. The streets are lined with houses contructed of dung paddies, lined outsdie with decorative dung, and a straw house around it. It preserves the dung paddies through the monsoom season. The fried lintel/wheat ckes are deep fried in mustard oil and are very good. We eat them and drink rum and cokes, and smoke chillum before dinner arrives. The dinner is served in metal plates with rice (made specially because they think westerners expect it). vegetables, curries, no meat really, homemade nam cooked on the oopen fame until it puffed out. . More rum and cokes and chillums after dinner. His complex has 23 family members in it. During the evening people drift by and hang out for bit; often not saying anything, just being there.They were all so open and friendly, but no pressure of being different. They just really made us feel at home and really welcomed.
Been offline too long
It is very difficult to get internet access in the hotels in India - they say they don't have WiFi, but in reality some do and they are unprotected. So I will post several days here where Zosia and I have written notes on Wordpad. It is also very difficult to telephone to the US - Not Possible they tell me.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Thursday/Friday - Tiger Safaris
Thursday/Friday - Tiger Safaris - we have been on three tiger safaris at the at Ranthambhore National Park. This is a very big thing here. Hundreds of people go daily into the national park to try to see one of the 44 tigers in residence (there are 1140 tigers remaining in India and their numbers are declining). A safari for us is to get in a six-passenger jeep and tool around on rustic dirt roads in the park in hopes to see one. Others are in there people mover jeeps holding 20-25 people - they look like amphibious landing crafts that hit Normandy Beach. They quote the chances of seeing a tiger at 40%, but we found out that yesterday the morning, only 25% saw a tiger. We've gone for two morning and one afternoon 4-hour fast paced expeditions, but we got skunked and never saw the tigers. We have a chance next week up North.
We did have a great time zipping around in the jeeps and it was good birding - We are up to 110 birds, but I have to say these are not great birding places yet, just lots of great birds. It is six am and I hear the muslum prayers in the distance./
We did have a great time zipping around in the jeeps and it was good birding - We are up to 110 birds, but I have to say these are not great birding places yet, just lots of great birds. It is six am and I hear the muslum prayers in the distance./
Wednesday - Jaipur
Wednesday - Zosia - went with a guest guide, local historian Bhavanni Singh to visit the Amber Fort (Amer). Five of us packed in the TATA with Jai Pel driving and Bhavanni telling the story in front passenger seat. Most enjoyable. Fortified by an amazing stone wall with scalloped top edge Amer sits atop a series of small mountains. A film crew was setting up at the foothills for the next epic. See "Johdaa Akbar" available on Netflix, to see it come alive. As I looked through the seraglio's screened walls patchouli wafted in the breeze giving the walls the illusion of being imbued with the scent.
Lots of tourists but we were early and mesmerized by Bhavanni's narratives, we wandered the steps, the chambers...climbed up to the walls and viewed the scene below... elephants carrying tourists on short walks, like a Disney World ride, moving continuously.
Joseph - drove through the center of Jaipur in what could be only described a pure chaos from my eyes. bikes, cars, hand drawn carts, pedestrians, bicycle and motorcycle richshaws all mesh in the streets. Camel carts, cows and dogs wondering around, beggars staring at you. We stop in front of the Palace of winds for a extensive description, beggars line the streets - one young crippled man comes up and sells us postcards - 40 for $2. Apparently this is one that our new guide has saved from begging. The guides try save them from begging by sponsoring them to sell rather than beg. It is almost too much for the eyes ears and nose - the people hanging around just staring at you.
OK, I resisted taking the elephant ride up the hill to the Amir Fort, but who could resist playing the recorder with a cobra snake charmer. Zosia and I pet the snake and I wore the turban. As I walked away I had this horrible taste permeating through my mouth - did I have snake venom from the recorder, or, as I thought later, they sterilized it with a rag soaked in iodine.
Drove the rest of the day to Ranthanbore - not far, but with the flat tire it took us 6 hours. Our driver is great as he never stops but honks and weaves and keeps moving at all times. now we are traveling on two lane side roads under repair much of the time. Camel carts are now dominating the roads down here. And when you thought driving in the day was a trip - try it at night.
Here's an aside - In Japan it is so impolite to directly look at someone, rarely do you see anyone looking at you. Ah, but in India all day long young and old will come up to you and stare at you for a long duration standing about two feet away. It is a bit spooky, being from the US. And, it is often awkward to say hi to them as it can start an uneasy interchange if they know a little English. But everywhere we stop we draw a crowd and they all stare at you. I guess it makes you feel like a movie star.
It is 2am. Guess I am jet lagged. Joseph is trying to sleep. What a trip! We are at the Tiger Den Resort in Rathambore. We are in a different world, The food has been delicious and yes, the usual Indian fare. Each meal is a carousel of curried veggies, chicken tikkala or something like it, lots of DAAL, Paan, sauces aand sauces. No point in writing down menus all similar and delicious.
Lots of tourists but we were early and mesmerized by Bhavanni's narratives, we wandered the steps, the chambers...climbed up to the walls and viewed the scene below... elephants carrying tourists on short walks, like a Disney World ride, moving continuously.
Joseph - drove through the center of Jaipur in what could be only described a pure chaos from my eyes. bikes, cars, hand drawn carts, pedestrians, bicycle and motorcycle richshaws all mesh in the streets. Camel carts, cows and dogs wondering around, beggars staring at you. We stop in front of the Palace of winds for a extensive description, beggars line the streets - one young crippled man comes up and sells us postcards - 40 for $2. Apparently this is one that our new guide has saved from begging. The guides try save them from begging by sponsoring them to sell rather than beg. It is almost too much for the eyes ears and nose - the people hanging around just staring at you.
OK, I resisted taking the elephant ride up the hill to the Amir Fort, but who could resist playing the recorder with a cobra snake charmer. Zosia and I pet the snake and I wore the turban. As I walked away I had this horrible taste permeating through my mouth - did I have snake venom from the recorder, or, as I thought later, they sterilized it with a rag soaked in iodine.
Drove the rest of the day to Ranthanbore - not far, but with the flat tire it took us 6 hours. Our driver is great as he never stops but honks and weaves and keeps moving at all times. now we are traveling on two lane side roads under repair much of the time. Camel carts are now dominating the roads down here. And when you thought driving in the day was a trip - try it at night.
Here's an aside - In Japan it is so impolite to directly look at someone, rarely do you see anyone looking at you. Ah, but in India all day long young and old will come up to you and stare at you for a long duration standing about two feet away. It is a bit spooky, being from the US. And, it is often awkward to say hi to them as it can start an uneasy interchange if they know a little English. But everywhere we stop we draw a crowd and they all stare at you. I guess it makes you feel like a movie star.
It is 2am. Guess I am jet lagged. Joseph is trying to sleep. What a trip! We are at the Tiger Den Resort in Rathambore. We are in a different world, The food has been delicious and yes, the usual Indian fare. Each meal is a carousel of curried veggies, chicken tikkala or something like it, lots of DAAL, Paan, sauces aand sauces. No point in writing down menus all similar and delicious.
Tuesday, Feb 9 - driving to Jaipur
Tuesday, Feb 9 - driving to Jaipur - We traveled on the highway from Delhi to Jaipur stopping occasionally for birdwatching. Traffic on highway unbelievable, mostly trucks with sign "Blow Horn" on back , Yes, lots of honking... you honk everytime you pass a car, motorcycle , bicycle or cow... and there is lots of passing. Lane markers are somewhat of a suggestion - in new Delhi the hyway through the city had five lanes on each side, but there must have been eight or nine lanes of traffic. Cars and trucks are separated by foot from the next car's mirror. That isn't a problem because we were only going 7-8 miles per hour. A divided highway with crossings in the middle at regular intervals...Scary, loud but somehow it works moving traffic at fast pace. Very little stopping due to traffic jams...
Honking is a way of life here if you don't do it a child, bike, goat, dog, car, or motorcycle may turn into your path. All of the trucks have painted on the back, along with their colorful drawings - "HONK HORN".
Zosia - Hotel in Jaipur nice... an oasis in middle of 13million resident city. We arrived by 5pm on Monday. Lots of birds... list will follow. Highlight was crashing wedding across the street. Joseph has it all on video.
Joseph - The hotel is an old palace for the Rajasthan govenor where he did live like a king. The whole operations made it look like one sees in the movies showing 100 years ago. All of the serving help dressed in turbans and sashs against their royal blue uniforms. Everyone greeting you with Namaste and bowing making you feel like a visiting prince. The buildings are a mixture of Hindu, neoclassical, and Islam architecture as is most of the city. After dinner we go to the gardens where a troop of local musicians and dancers are showing their arts - immediately Zosia and I are dragged on the podium to dance with the young dancers -OK, 3-4 minutes that was enough of snake dances of weaving in and under the other dancers. - we're tired. The fireworks going off every few minutes alert us to an event on the street. It's a wedding; Jaipur is know for enormous weddings. Oh how we had always wished to go to an Indian wedding. We heard they last for days and thousands attend. OP, our Guide, says - Let's go. So off we go to the weddding - he says we will be honoured guests. We walk right in to hundreds of people being served by uniformed servers soup, coffees, hor'd orves. The groom is being protected by his best men hovering around him as the bride has not arrived yet. All of the women are decked out in their jeweled saris. The music blaring, food being openly prepared in showy fashions on stage. one flips the Nam bread dough like pizza, a bank of women sit on a small stage making all of the bread treats. This is all an amazing show. We stay through the bride being escorted to the groom, singers calling out chants of whatever is going on. The groom and bride face each other, one assumes for the first time, and each places a flowered orange garland on the other head. No they aren't married yet, that will be tomorrow or the next day. This could go on for ever so we leave after a half an hour. What amazed me was with hundreds of people there we practically had a front row position. The ceremony was being pretty much ignored except for dozens of woman, the groom's guys and the officials.
Honking is a way of life here if you don't do it a child, bike, goat, dog, car, or motorcycle may turn into your path. All of the trucks have painted on the back, along with their colorful drawings - "HONK HORN".
Zosia - Hotel in Jaipur nice... an oasis in middle of 13million resident city. We arrived by 5pm on Monday. Lots of birds... list will follow. Highlight was crashing wedding across the street. Joseph has it all on video.
Joseph - The hotel is an old palace for the Rajasthan govenor where he did live like a king. The whole operations made it look like one sees in the movies showing 100 years ago. All of the serving help dressed in turbans and sashs against their royal blue uniforms. Everyone greeting you with Namaste and bowing making you feel like a visiting prince. The buildings are a mixture of Hindu, neoclassical, and Islam architecture as is most of the city. After dinner we go to the gardens where a troop of local musicians and dancers are showing their arts - immediately Zosia and I are dragged on the podium to dance with the young dancers -OK, 3-4 minutes that was enough of snake dances of weaving in and under the other dancers. - we're tired. The fireworks going off every few minutes alert us to an event on the street. It's a wedding; Jaipur is know for enormous weddings. Oh how we had always wished to go to an Indian wedding. We heard they last for days and thousands attend. OP, our Guide, says - Let's go. So off we go to the weddding - he says we will be honoured guests. We walk right in to hundreds of people being served by uniformed servers soup, coffees, hor'd orves. The groom is being protected by his best men hovering around him as the bride has not arrived yet. All of the women are decked out in their jeweled saris. The music blaring, food being openly prepared in showy fashions on stage. one flips the Nam bread dough like pizza, a bank of women sit on a small stage making all of the bread treats. This is all an amazing show. We stay through the bride being escorted to the groom, singers calling out chants of whatever is going on. The groom and bride face each other, one assumes for the first time, and each places a flowered orange garland on the other head. No they aren't married yet, that will be tomorrow or the next day. This could go on for ever so we leave after a half an hour. What amazed me was with hundreds of people there we practically had a front row position. The ceremony was being pretty much ignored except for dozens of woman, the groom's guys and the officials.
Sunday and Monday Feb 7 - Off to India
Sunday and Monday Feb 7 - Off to India
Tony picked us up at 8am. We had been up since 6am unable to sleep from the excitement. We arrived with no incidents and plenty of talk. After checking our backs we headed for our gate when whom should we run into? John Karwoski on his 3rd trip to JoBurg settling papers etc. before moving there for a 2yr stint in South Africa. Hope they get a an apartment with two spare bedrooms to accommodate the family and friends who will visit. We were to be on the same plane. Our Delta DC8 took off on schedule and we arrived in Atlanta on time. John had a long wait..9 hours... we only a few. The transatlantic leg was to be on a 777 arriving in Paris at an uncool 5:55am. Let's do shorthand
- ate our "empty the fridge & bread box" lunch, drank our carry on miniatures - boarded and took off on time (luckily seating was 2-5-2) - the movies we saw were: Love Happens; The Invention of Lying (skip this one) ; The Secret Life of Bees -we are unimpressed with Delta on account of no choice in movie watching; mediocre food; $7 beers and faulty chair enhancements
Flew Air France to New Dehli in 747 - Zosia in the Aisle, Joseph in the window, a large young modern Siek sitting in the middle dress in a shark-skin suit and cowboy boots. He was quite friendly, but really wanted to sit in the window seat. He explained how the Sieks were and his family was very traditional. He shared his wedding pictures with me, and when we felt he offered to let us come stay with him and his family while in India. Flight movies were - Where the wild things are and some crazy Bollywood comedy that didn't know when to end.
Plane was 1-1/2 hours late so we arrived at the hotel at 2:30 am on Tuesday, up for breakfast with our excellent guide at 9:00 am
Tony picked us up at 8am. We had been up since 6am unable to sleep from the excitement. We arrived with no incidents and plenty of talk. After checking our backs we headed for our gate when whom should we run into? John Karwoski on his 3rd trip to JoBurg settling papers etc. before moving there for a 2yr stint in South Africa. Hope they get a an apartment with two spare bedrooms to accommodate the family and friends who will visit. We were to be on the same plane. Our Delta DC8 took off on schedule and we arrived in Atlanta on time. John had a long wait..9 hours... we only a few. The transatlantic leg was to be on a 777 arriving in Paris at an uncool 5:55am. Let's do shorthand
- ate our "empty the fridge & bread box" lunch, drank our carry on miniatures - boarded and took off on time (luckily seating was 2-5-2) - the movies we saw were: Love Happens; The Invention of Lying (skip this one) ; The Secret Life of Bees -we are unimpressed with Delta on account of no choice in movie watching; mediocre food; $7 beers and faulty chair enhancements
Flew Air France to New Dehli in 747 - Zosia in the Aisle, Joseph in the window, a large young modern Siek sitting in the middle dress in a shark-skin suit and cowboy boots. He was quite friendly, but really wanted to sit in the window seat. He explained how the Sieks were and his family was very traditional. He shared his wedding pictures with me, and when we felt he offered to let us come stay with him and his family while in India. Flight movies were - Where the wild things are and some crazy Bollywood comedy that didn't know when to end.
Plane was 1-1/2 hours late so we arrived at the hotel at 2:30 am on Tuesday, up for breakfast with our excellent guide at 9:00 am
Saturday, February 6, 2010
The Night before we go
Ok, night before. we repacked, took a lot of stuff out as it won't be as cool as we feared. Cats are secure in the house, library books returned, perishable food distributed, emergency numbers handed out. Last minute calls to friends and family. Time to settle down and see the final Bollywood movie about the tragedy behind the Taj Mahal - his sweetheart died before she could live in it.
So this day was full of preparation, or not. Our God-daughter brought her daughter for breakfast, then Joseph went for a 5-mile walk with Ernesto, we rushed to the Met opera simulcast of Simon Boccanegra that lasted almost four hours. Then visited Zosia's mom. Then we wisely decided not to go to a play this evening, and decided to stay home and eat everything out of the fridge so it wouldn't go bad.
So tomorrow - Austin, Atlanta, Paris, New Delhi. Thanks, Joseph.
So this day was full of preparation, or not. Our God-daughter brought her daughter for breakfast, then Joseph went for a 5-mile walk with Ernesto, we rushed to the Met opera simulcast of Simon Boccanegra that lasted almost four hours. Then visited Zosia's mom. Then we wisely decided not to go to a play this evening, and decided to stay home and eat everything out of the fridge so it wouldn't go bad.
So tomorrow - Austin, Atlanta, Paris, New Delhi. Thanks, Joseph.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Two Days to Go
It is Friday and things are still hectic. So many loose ends to tie or hand to others.... such as Carol, Lucky, Magda, Matt....what would we do without friends.
My head is swimming with images of India, modern and ancient, from all the movies I have been watching over the past few days. It started with "Three Idiots" which was on the big screen in Tinseltown. The story was quite a sentimenta/comic one... and the scenery spectacular. That followed by "Water" and then "Earth" both set at the time of India's independence, 1947. The dominant theme in several movies is the constant Muslim/Hindu tension, Pakistan/India. How sad, another people divided by religion. On
flix streaming video I watched "Delhi 6" very interesting contemporary story of an American born grandson who takes his Hindu grandmother back to Delhi to die. Again the religious conflict.
On a d
ferent theme we started watching "Lagaan"(sp?) set at the time of British colonialism. We are becoming familiar with Amir Khan (India's top box office star) the leading actor in several of the movies we saw lately. Last night on Netflix I saw half of a movie about Jalal and his beloved for whom he built the Taj Mahal... quite a story... set in 16th century India...that is one monument we will see on the trip.
Zosia
My head is swimming with images of India, modern and ancient, from all the movies I have been watching over the past few days. It started with "Three Idiots" which was on the big screen in Tinseltown. The story was quite a sentimenta/comic one... and the scenery spectacular. That followed by "Water" and then "Earth" both set at the time of India's independence, 1947. The dominant theme in several movies is the constant Muslim/Hindu tension, Pakistan/India. How sad, another people divided by religion. On
flix streaming video I watched "Delhi 6" very interesting contemporary story of an American born grandson who takes his Hindu grandmother back to Delhi to die. Again the religious conflict.
On a d
ferent theme we started watching "Lagaan"(sp?) set at the time of British colonialism. We are becoming familiar with Amir Khan (India's top box office star) the leading actor in several of the movies we saw lately. Last night on Netflix I saw half of a movie about Jalal and his beloved for whom he built the Taj Mahal... quite a story... set in 16th century India...that is one monument we will see on the trip.
Zosia
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Four days to go
OK, so a little panic is beginning to drive the days. Maria, Zosia's mother, is quite sick and has been since Christmas. She had a touch of pneumonia over the holidays and then broke her leg. This has been a month and she is still in bed and they don't know when she can even get into a wheel chair. Somedays she is happy and animated, other days she looks really bad, very sick. So it is an emotional roller coaster ride for us and must be awful for Maria. But she looked good today so we are feeling better.
We had happy hour and dinner with friends tonight. We got another series of "be careful about ..." so we aren't going to pay attention to these cautions anymore. It just shows how really foreign India is to all of us. It's not like going to France.
We're making a list finally of what to bring. Tomorrow we may lay out everything and see if we really need all that we have lined up. We have to get the bags fully packed as Zosia is planning happy hour here Friday and a full day entertainment on Saturday. Thanks, Joseph.
We had happy hour and dinner with friends tonight. We got another series of "be careful about ..." so we aren't going to pay attention to these cautions anymore. It just shows how really foreign India is to all of us. It's not like going to France.
We're making a list finally of what to bring. Tomorrow we may lay out everything and see if we really need all that we have lined up. We have to get the bags fully packed as Zosia is planning happy hour here Friday and a full day entertainment on Saturday. Thanks, Joseph.
Five Days until we leave
It has been in the works for six months but now we are down to the starting line. The birding trip with Bird Treks was originally set to be with 6 minimum and 8 maximum birders. Our friends Dave and Sandy Parker wanted to go, so that was four for us. They agreed to have the trip with only four because they didn't find anyone else. Unfortunately Dave and Sandy had to drop out a couple of weeks ago because of medical condition. So it is Just Zosia and me, but our guide in India OP (Om Prakash Mudgal) said the trip was still on. That was great because our trip insurance doesn't cover the operator canceling the trip. We were advised to get trip insurance in case some disaster occurs getting there or when we are on the trip. Since we will be driving around and on foot in the countryside most of the time, it sounded like good advice. We will be with our guide and the driver all the time so I guess we can pretty much deviate from his standard itinerary any way we want.
We're all paid for, been packing and repacking for a week, changing bags to see what size is best, figuring out what to bring and what doesn't make sense. We've got our Indian shirt and blouses at the Austin Indian shop. Yes, i know they would be much cheaper in India, but I wanted to show up with my cotton long shirt in University of Texas burnt orange colors. Zosia got two cotton Indian tops and two Gaudy and flashy sequined polyester tops that the woman said would be ideal for going out to dinner - $10 each, fire sale - I guess they weren't selling in Austin. We have been watching Bollywood movies - Lagaan (again) and the Three Idiots, a new release in the movie theatre - both starring the heart throb Aamir Khan. I have been trying to get a winter tan by going to the pool each warm and sunny day to look a little darker and fit in better. Now I am reading a book on Indian development from Independence (1947) to present day - In spite of the Gods - The Rise of Modern India . And I check out the Dehli Times every day or so so I can engage in discussion of the latest scandals.
So I guess we are ready as ever - yeah right - we'll repack again and again over the next four days. I did get great hints from my high school/college friend - Ted aka Bijapuri Smackdown - I am hoping he will be my behind the scenes spiritual guide through facebook.
We're all paid for, been packing and repacking for a week, changing bags to see what size is best, figuring out what to bring and what doesn't make sense. We've got our Indian shirt and blouses at the Austin Indian shop. Yes, i know they would be much cheaper in India, but I wanted to show up with my cotton long shirt in University of Texas burnt orange colors. Zosia got two cotton Indian tops and two Gaudy and flashy sequined polyester tops that the woman said would be ideal for going out to dinner - $10 each, fire sale - I guess they weren't selling in Austin. We have been watching Bollywood movies - Lagaan (again) and the Three Idiots, a new release in the movie theatre - both starring the heart throb Aamir Khan. I have been trying to get a winter tan by going to the pool each warm and sunny day to look a little darker and fit in better. Now I am reading a book on Indian development from Independence (1947) to present day - In spite of the Gods - The Rise of Modern India . And I check out the Dehli Times every day or so so I can engage in discussion of the latest scandals.
So I guess we are ready as ever - yeah right - we'll repack again and again over the next four days. I did get great hints from my high school/college friend - Ted aka Bijapuri Smackdown - I am hoping he will be my behind the scenes spiritual guide through facebook.
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