Tatz's Travels Around the World

After landing at the airport in Rajkot in the state of Gujarat and dozing during the long drive to our hotel, we could only have 4 hours of sleep before rising for the day’s adventure. The beautiful, cloudless late-night sky was dotted with stars.  As we drove, we crossed paths with giant bats heading home while listening to the morning sounds of the forest. A nice beginning.

Our destination: Gir National Park. Gir National Park is 525 sq. miles, established in 1965 on the grounds of a former Nawab’s hunting area and is now committed to lion conservation. There are 850 lions and lionesses living within it.  Rather than utilizing the ‘zone’ system like some other parks, Gir National Park employs the ‘route’ system.  Routes mean it is easier to locate the wildlife in their natural territory as opposed to limiting where they can roam, and the drivers know which routes have better chances of particular wildlife sightings than other routes…hence (at least for us!) a so-so morning safari and an amazing afternoon safari.

Not only was my visit to this reserve my final Indian Safari, but this was also, dear friends, my final excursion in India, so it is a special memory beyond the usual reasons. 

Aside from the wildlife, entering the park was an experience all its own: you pay to enter the park, and you pay to take photos. And, you have to rent and bring into the park THEIR non-plastic bottles for water!  They sure know what they are doing.

While we may not have seen many lions in the morning, I photographed lots of other animals, and as always, I loved being within and among nature.

After I took the photo of the Red-Wattled Lapwing I noticed her two babies and got this shot:

I was able to take a good photo of the ever-elusive peahen!!! What a triumphant feeling!

It was quite the experience to stop and watch the peacock in the photos below go through all the motions of his dance. First, the bird adjusted his stance, then he opened his feather tail, danced around and finally ended his performance by settling on a branch, where he promptly began pruning himself.

It was definitely The Day of the Dancing Peacocks.

No lions (yet), but I can show off what different exposures do to the same scene:

And the same view with my iPhone camera:

Then it was time to head back to the hotel and rest before our afternoon safari. Here are some photos of life around the entrance to the park.

Now you can see the outside of the hotel room, as well as an important sign!

Day 4 of the vacation was also a travel day, but due to long layovers (again!) we were able to get some sightseeing in as well. The decision was to visit the National Museum in New Delhi.

Before I leave Leh on the blog, there are few photos to share.  First is the original fort in Leh, called Zorawar Fort.  It was here the famed General Zorawar Singh, who was admired as a military genius and a master of mountain warfare, extended Ladakh’s boundaries between 1834 and 1841. He is referred to as the Napoleon of India.  We didn’t have time to go into the fort, although we passed it many times on the way to our hotel.

Leaving Leh was bittersweet as such beauty is not found everywhere.  I will miss seeing the plethora of stupas, large and small – fancy and simple – new and old, that dot the streets and countryside.  Stupas, built for honor and good wishes, are tributes erected by family and friends.  Along with the memorials, there were large and small prayer wheels seen everywhere.  Faith and everyday life clearly intertwined in Leh.

New Stupas

Old Stupas

not all stupas are shaped the same

a few of the many prayer wheels

After I leave India and Asia, I will miss seeing bamboo supports for construction, but here I saw also strong wood holding up floors while cement dried.

With all the beauty of nature, as well as the stupas and prayer wheels, street art was not really evident in Leh other than these few murals.

Leaving Leh also afforded an interesting first:  In this small airport, each airline had their own baggage screening machine…all in the same room, one right after the other!  No photos allowed!

After the delay, we flew to New Delhi and visited the National Museum, focusing on the first floor exhibits.  We didn’t have much time so a lot of the information I am going to write about was researched here on my balcony in NY!  For those visiting this museum in the future, I recommend the 1.5-hour headphone tour (although I have no idea how you sign up for it). In addition, avoid the gift shop! It is tiny, far away, tucked into a corner with nothing interesting.

The first room we saw focused on the Harappan Civilization, also known as Indus or Indus Valley Civilization, which started 5000 years ago.  This community gave us their system of writing, town planning and religious beliefs.  The Harappan era is divided into three Phases: Early (3500 BC-2600 BC), Mature (2600 BC – 2000 BC), and Late (2000 BC-1200 BC).  One interesting fact: Harappan populations developed from village life to big cities; but after the fall of this civilization, life returned to villages.  During the Bronze Age, Harappan artefacts feature metals such as copper and bronze along with gems.  Knowing there was a major civilization thriving at the same time as Egypt, Mesopotamia and China was eye opening to me: what other aspects of World History are not part of Western education?

Because the Harappans were a major civilization, there was much trade with Mesopotamia and the Middle East, as well as Afghanistan and other countries in that region.  Excavation of the Harappan civilization has been limited to areas where some of the major cities were located. One excavated city is estimated to have housed over 5 million people.

Early Harappan pottery was impressive. Imagine – these were made 5,000 years ago (3000-2800 BCE)!

Similarly, the clay figurines had real character and presence.

I fell in love with this polished pillar base from 2000 BC, probably because it is such a beautiful stone.

Less intricate storage jars from the Mature Phase paled in comparison to the earlier pieces.  However, during this time female figurines begin to appear in relation to religious rites.  Also, copper items start showing up. (Photos below)

Weights and measures, similar to what is still in use today – a timeless design – have been found in archaeological sites.

Here is a depiction of how large and organized one of the Harappan cities was.

While pottery of the Mature Phase is not impressive, this period has wonderful toys, showing us their modes of transportation.

Some jewelry styles never go out of fashion!

This is a burial urn from 1000 BC.  My hand in front gives you a sense of how large it was.

This is a bronze elephant. Artisans have expanded their work to use this medium.

The Indus Valley civilization preferred square or oblong seals depicting local objects.

Being an ancient civilization museum, a preserved skeleton is de rigueur.  Here is a best-preserved, middle-aged female. She is wearing bangles on her left hand which means she was married.  The pots arranged around the head suggest a belief in life after death.

The copper harpoons seen below were found in 1822 and led to the discovery of more piles of copper objects in other sites around India.

Now we move onto the Common Era with Buddhist and Hindu sculptures, and much more intricacy appearing in the artwork.  The works in the photos below are from the 1^st and 2^nd century AD. This room focused on the Satavahana Dynasty (2 BCE-1 ACE) which ruled the Deccan plateau (South and Southwest India).  This dynasty added a lot of great Buddhist art to our history.  They used stone and terracotta, with the terracotta being made with a double mold technique and using Chinese clay at times.  During this reign the human form was created with much improved perspective.

The next section we visited focused on the late Middle Ages of India, which span the 11th to 16^th centuries.  Traditional Indian attire and female goddesses now appear regularly in the artwork, as does the formalized female beauty.

The next room focused on Bronze work from various parts of India. The artwork of the western region was mostly financed by the Jain community and focused on the icons of the Jina.  The hoard in the photos below was found in 1951, in present day Gujarat. This iconography traces itself to the 6^th and 10^th centuries, however the 7^th century work has the most sensitively carved work, while later pieces are more elaborate. Unfortunately I didn’t save any of those early period photos.  There was some Hindu bronze work during this time as well.

South Indian bronzes focused on depicting movement.

I end my visit to the museum with the photo below. This sun god sculpture had so many interesting details.

Lunch was a lovely western restaurant where we feasted on hummus, then it was off to the airport. The photos below also show some of the New Delhi Airport artwork.

The flight to Rajkot (in the state of Gujarat) was smooth as was the long, late night drive to the hotel near the Lion reserve.  I am posting some photos from the Rajkot airport artwork and the lovely hotel room.  Included is the toad who greeted us upon arrival!

For our next day in Leh, Zeeshan arranged for us to drive out into the country.  While the ride was lovely and we had some wonderful moments, it view was not as spectacular as the day before.  Our destination was Pangong Tso (lake), situated at a height of 14,270 feet above sea level, is said to be one of the highest brackish water lakes in the world. 

The ride out to the lake had us pass by many monasteries perched on beautiful mountain sides. But I also saw the extensive manual labor toiling to clear rockslides, reminding me of how cheap and plentiful labor is in India. 

I confess! I slept through part of the trip out to the lake! The following photos were taken by Zeeshan using my camera.

Halfway to the lake we had to stop at a gate of a military base to register our vehicle.  As there was a small village here, Zeeshan and I decided to look for water and a snack.  Instead, we found a local cultural exhibit sponsored by the Vibrant Village Program!

One of the local tribes was selling their wool and showing their culture and crafts.  I believe the tribe name is Changpa.  They are semi-nomadic and raise yaks, pashmina goats and other animals.  The program highlighted how, for the woman of Ladakh, yak and other wool has become a valuable source of income through their spinning and weaving of traditional products.  What interested me was watching them make their own wool. 

Two funny moments during this joyful stop: Using hand gestures I asked one woman if I could buy a traditional hat on the table she sat behind.  She gave me a funny look, then put the hat on her head.  That’s when I realized it was her hat! Soon after, I was buying wool for my friend Kathy – a super knitter – but I couldn’t buy one of the spools because the vendor needed it for her own knitting!  While she wasn’t ready to part with that spool, the vendor was happy to sell me 3 others (yak and sheep wool).

At one point, a young lady asked me where I was from. When I said, “the US,” she gave me a packet with information from the local tourism board. When I excitedly said, “Oh this has all the information on it,” her response was, “Well, not ALL but some.” It’s funny how the nuance of an idiom doesn’t translate!

Being here, so close to China and Tibetan cultures, my belief that Chinese babies are THE cutest was confirmed:

The women were all so welcoming and their smiles warmed up everything around them.

After the village the terrain was a bit different, so I enjoyed taking even more landscape photos!

When we arrived at the lake, the view was surprising and stunning: this magnificent body of water was every shade of blue I could imagine. The lake shares the border with China (hence the Chinese name, Pangong Tso) and we watched the expected military boat coming back from its daily patrol.  We bathed in the view and relished our time here.

Look at all the blues of the lake!

I am dividing the photos of the lake into three sections: the left, center, and the right, because the views were so drastically different.

The Center

THE RIGHT

The photo below shows the enormity of the lake: do you see the people in the bottom right corner?

THE LEFT

And now for some miscellaneous photos from our visit here.

On the way back we stopped several times: for lunch, to photograph some animals, and to stand at the peak of the local mountain.

Lunch again was very delicious thanks to the driver.  It also impressed both Zeeshan and me – that soldiers were eating here and paying rather than have a free meal on base!

This is where we stopped: the high point of Mount Changla. At 17,688 feet, the altitude made me dizzy when I got out of the car.

Here are my animals photos!

And I end this post with some more beautiful photos from the ride back to Leh.

Shame on me: I forgot to show the usual map of where I am.  Included is a map showing the location of nearby countries.  This should give you a sense of the closeness of China, Tibet, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

Before coming to Leh, we were warned it would be cold, so we packed lots of warm clothes.  Boy, what a surprise when we were ROASTING all day AND all night!  Of course, during breakfast people were in down jackets and hats while Zeeshan and I were in summer clothes.

The morning view of the mountain with the clear sky was all the coffee I needed.

After breakfast, we drove out into the country to see beautiful nature and a monastery.  The drive was spectacular, with rocks in the dry, high desert showering colors and designs, framed by the crystalline, blue sky. 

The faraway mountains in the spectacular view from the hotel did not seem to soar as high into the sky now that we were closer. This was when I realized we had been steadily climbing up since we embarked, confirmed by some road signs as we passed through towns.

Then the scenery changed, allowing me to focus on the stripes and patterns made by the rocks and boulders.  The colors of the various types of stone paint incredible canvases I love; I always appreciate desert landscapes.

Patterns were present as well!

I was also enamored with how sand-flow from the mountains created designs that looked as if God took his paintbrush and made long, downward strokes.

This ride also afforded me my first view of the Indus river, a critical waterway during the Indus Valley Civilization (2600 BCE to 1900 BCE) – a key historical era in Indian history.

Then there were the old style and new style bridges!

Along the way there was an official scenic stop called Moonland View Point.  It was especially stunning, well worth the stop.

The long drive wasn’t boring at all! Not only because of the stunning landscape, but an army convoy passed by, affording me gorgeous views of hunky men, especially one behind the wheel of one particular truck …a rather fun distraction.

Also a source of entertainment were the road signs.  One road sign said, “disconnect from Internet and connect with nature,” which was very easy to do since there was no Internet or phone access up here!

This view totally reminded me of the Nevada desert.

While driving we periodically passed an oasis where a village had developed.

When we stopped at an army checkpoint, this woman was selling dried fruit. 

Shortly after our stop at the moonscape, we arrived at our destination: the Lamayuru Gonpa. Also known as Yuru Gonra, this Tibetan monastery was officially started by two Indian Tantric masters between 1143-1212. However, a holy man, Naropa, came to this area in the late 10^th century and mediated in a cave now located inside the temple.  In the 16^th century the name of the site was ‘place of freedom’ and offered sanctuary to everyone, including criminals.

Situated high on the mountain, the architecture of the monastery is very Tibetan and I felt a deep sense spirituality and peace.  I loved how I heard the young students laughing with their teacher before serious study began … I heard monks drumming.  There was a young student who kept staring at me, clearly enjoying the unusual view of a white woman!

I had a great moment with the monk in the photo below. He said he was wrapping the string in preparation for focusing on his prayer and similarly when he was pouring the oils over the wax figurines in the chapel.  He said I was welcome to take photos and enjoyed chatting with me as much as I enjoyed chatting with him (until he saw a senior monk coming and hurried into the temple!).

I also wish I knew what these rocks were saying, but they were carved recently and whoever did them seemed to create one per year.

The inside and outside of the temple were, of course, beautiful and colorful – adding to the wonderful mood of the location.

Next stop was the Alchi Choskhor (sacred enclave), a complex of ancient stupas built in 11 AD.  I had to put my camera into a storage locker as photos were not allowed, but for some reason not my phone, so I snuck a few photos of one stupa to show how amazing the insides were.  The photos of the alleyway towards the complex give a sense of the ambiance of this little town and the sacred enclave.

I bought a heavy yet beautiful local hat here, which hangs proudly on my bedpost. My excitement at the hat precluded serious bargaining but Zeeshan did his best!

Next was one of the highlights of the week: lunch at Alchi Kitchen where we sampled every local delicacy of the area.  One of the benefits of having a good driver with whom you have a good rapport is he knows the best places to eat!  The owner and chef, Nilza Wangmo, has been recognized for her efforts at motivating an ‘army’ of women to revive Ladakh cuisine and has won awards for her cooking/restaurant.   The all female staff cooked on these simple burners and bowls to create the magic. 

The food was AMAZING, one of the best meals I have ever had.  I took photos of the menu to describe each dish for you.

Thukpa: a noodle soup with wild chives, garlic, pepper.  Since there are no local spices, typical flavors are used to create the unique cuisine.

Tain Tain: In the highlands of Ladakh wheat struggles to grow, however buckwheat thrives.  There were two styles of crepes: savory and sweet. We ordered the savory but if anyone goes here, sweet would be better.

Khambir: the bread of the mountains is a thick bread baked on an iron griddle.  It was traditionally made to sustain farmers, traders and monks through the long, cold days and the chef says it pairs beautifully with bitter tea.  This chef serves it as a stuffed bread.

Mok Mok is the local dumpling, a staple in every Ladakh home as well as every culture in the world.  We chose ours with farm fresh vegetables and cottage cheese.  There was an accompanying chili sauce I passed on.

Yarkendi Pulai is a local rice dish, believed to have originated during the times of the Silk Route.  Here in Ladakh they add mulberries, apricots, almonds and saffron which grow well here.

Apricot Juice is a local favorite as there are many groves filled with this delicious fruit.  This hand-pressed juice was delicious.

One of the draws for me to visit Ladakh was its connection to the Silk Route.  As Ladakh was a major stop on the Silk Road, many of these dishes were made to be easily transported. Merchants would eat the meals on their trek across the rugged terrain of this mountainous part of the Silk Road.  As Zeeshan and I enjoyed the food and the view from the outdoor table, I contemplated what life must have been like in those days.

While waiting for the food, my zoom lens afforded me the chance to take some photos of the snow up close.  It was fascinating to see how hard it was for the autofocus to find the correct focus, so I ended up manually focusing the shot.

On the way back we had four stops, the first being a bridge festooned with Buddhist flags.  Here I was able to take a nice photo of the river.

Next was where the Indus River meets the Zanskae River.  There were a lot of water sports to be experienced here and it was advertised as the world’s highest rafting point. Of more interest to me was how the two rivers met: there was a clear mixing point of the clear water of one river with the muddy silt of the other.

Then was a spot called the Magnetic Hill, found at 11,123 feet above sea level.  I entered as Doubting Thomas and left a true believer.   There is a magnetic pull that moves heavy cars.  The location was discovered because planes kept losing altitude in this area and through the research, scientists found the spot that was pulling them down.  I was amazed at the speed with which we were pulled back.

Our next stop was Pathat Sahib, a very holy spot for the Sikh community.  It was here that Gury Nanak Dev Ji arrived in 1517 as part of his travel journey from 1515 to 1518 when he traveled around Nepal, Sikkim, Tibet, Yarkhand, and Leh.  He started mediating to counteract a local demon that was troubling the local community.  The demon, to kill the Guru, rolled a huge builder towards him.  The boulder turned soft when touching the Guru and you can see the imprint of his body on the boulder.  As Sikhs always provide free meals for anyone, there was a kitchen as well as information on the religion.  One enters with a covered head and bare feet, walking through a thin layer of water to ensure cleanliness.  I learned about the three pillars and five virtues of Sikhism.  A very noble religion.

The drive back passed quickly again, with not a moment of boredom as I relished every nuance of the nature I saw, soaking up the beauty as well as enjoying more funny road signs.

The day ended with us returning to the pedestrian shopping street.  I took photos while Zeeshan went to pray in the Mosque.  It is here I made one of those silly connections:  the call to prayer is exactly that, the CALL to prayer and the prayers being within a certain amount of time.  After that, we meandered off the main street and found back streets where there was a lovely little shop with great prices, so that is where I bought gifts.  Overall, another wonderful and full day.

And now we get to the final few posts from India.  In a fit of nostalgia, I rationalized a trip to 2 more Indian states (making a total of 17 Indian states/territories visited out of 36), since I didn’t have to rush home after school ended for the year. Originally, Zeeshan and I were going to visit Kashmir but the terrorist action there had us change our destination to Leh (pronounced “Lay”) in the state of Ladakh.  Many people wax poetic about the beauty of Kashmir, but personally I cannot image how Kashmir could be more beautiful than Leh.  Stunning.

I met up with Zeeshan at the Delhi airport for a long layover (delays).  Since I had very little sleep, I was thrilled there were these comfortable couches to rest on.  As expected, there was also beautiful artwork.

The flight from Delhi to Leh afforded beautiful views of snowcapped mountains and barren, high desert landscapes: at 11,483 feet (3500 meters) Leh is higher in altitude than Quito (the first day I was a bit lightheaded!). Zeeshan enjoyed taking photos and videos on the plane as he had the window seat. Between the two of us, we got these wonderful shots.

First view of Leh:

Located in the northeastern most part of India, and surrounded by China and Pakistan, there was the expected high military presence arriving in Leh.  We even landed in an Airforce base – no photos allowed. During the flight, Zeeshan and I had fun guessing who on the flight was heading to their Leh posting: all members of the Indian military must do at least one tour in the area. Upon landing we learned our guesses were correct: we saw the young men line up to meet their commanding officers (or their underlings) before heading to their destination.

We met our driver Sonam and headed to our hotel which highlighted the Tibetan influence of this region.  There was even a signed photo of His Holiness the Dalai Lama – no he didn’t stay here but the owner had visited Dharamshala and gotten the signature. Still impressive.  After checking in and having some cardamom and cinnamon tea, we headed downtown to register again (we had to register in the airport as well – just another reminder of where we were, politically speaking).

Our first stop was at an imposing building perched on the cliff of a mountain: Leh Palace (the local name is Lhachen Palkhar).  This 17^th century palace was completed by the legendary local king, Senge Namgyal, making Leh the epicenter of his kingdom.  This palace is an excellent example of the vernacular architecture of the Himalayas, a very Tibetan style. However, it is known for bringing together influences from Kashmir, Baltistan, Tibet, Nepal and mainland India.  Namgyal’s reign was prosperous, and tributes paid for many Buddhist monasteries in the region.  He was also able to repel some Mughal invasions. But when his kingdom did fall, the conquerors closed the local trade routes and the area fell into to economic distress.  The palace was abandoned by the royal family after an invasion in 1834-40 and remained as ruins until restoration began in 1982.

Driving up to the palace was a bit of a headache as the road is narrow and there are a lot of vans and cars bringing tourists.  May I suggest providing shuttle busses?!  I did have some fun joking with one driver about how close our two vehicles were, while our driver was out directing traffic!

The palace is 9 stories tall and has over 100 rooms, with the floors getting smaller as they went up. Built in only three years, the process of building the palace was fascinating: materials came from all over the region, with workers standing in a row for 28 miles passing stones from one to another. Two key architectural features you’ll see in the photos below are the wood porch and the two-banded texture of the stonework.  This porch also combines Mediterranean and local decorative motifs.

One enters the palace on the 2^nd floor through the Lion Gate, which must be situated facing east for the rising sun to shine on it.

We climbed the stairs up to the 4th floor where began our visit in the main courtyard. This is where royal functions and cultural events were held.

Up again, on the 5^th floor, is an open chamber probably used for royal functions, although historians are not very sure about the purposes for all the rooms in the palace.  There is also a balcony here, overlooking the courtyard and the town below, where the royal family probably watched performances.

The open chamber is also the only section with artwork still on the walls. It made me realize how stunning the palace must have been in its heyday.

The 5^th floor also houses a famous Buddhist temple, complete with a monk continuously reading prayers. The two Buddha statues had such loving and happy expressions.

Climbing from floor to floor was challenging, lots of very steep stairs and small openings.

It was fascinating to see the carved support beams throughout all the floors and rooms.

The decorative style below is what intrigued me the most on the tour.  From afar I couldn’t tell what it was but using my zoom lens I saw the design is made from the ends of sticks.

On the higher floors, it was fun to see how the layers became a patchwork of roofs and rooms.

Also interesting is how the windows evolve, from simple slits on the lowest floors (where the workers lived and worked), changing to ornamental designs on the upper floors.

Not photographed is how above the 5^th floor, the walls get thinner and the rooms larger (for the royals). Also, by the 6^th floor brickwork was used to lighten the load on the lower floors. On another note, the 6th floor afforded us some interesting views. 

The royal apartments were on the 7th floor but none of those rooms were open, so I settled for these photos!

The 8^th floor (which had rooms for important meetings) was closed so we were limited to walking on the roof and seeing the 9^th “floor.” Here is a room called the tse zimshung (main room) and is believed to be reserved for worship.  An interesting note is that the palace was originally an eight-story building, but since nine is an auspicious number in local culture, the ninth floor/room was added. The views here are stunning, showing the rear of the mountain upon which the palace rested.  That side is much greener; clearly a higher economic bracket lives here.

The higher I climbed, the fewer women I saw which helped me feel noble and proud that I pushed myself. 

Leh is one of the highest inhabited places on earth and it is a high desert.  The word for Ladekh actually means Land of High Passes.  These photos were taken with my zoom lens and show the nearby snow-capped mountains, part of the Indus Valley and Ladakh Range which runs parallel to the Himalayas.  There was also a monastery on the neighboring hill which some brave souls climbed to visit (you can get there by car but we didn’t go).

Our next stop was the stunningly beautiful Ladaklh Shanti Stupa.  As the world’s highest Shanti stupa, standing at 11,841 feet above sea level, it symbolizes world peace.  As with all major stupas, buried deep within are holy Buddha relics.  This was built by the Nipponzan Myoholi Buddhist order of Japan, a group that has built many such stupas around the world.  Building began in 1983 when the Dalai Llama laid the foundation stone and ended in 1991 when it was inaugurated.

The views from here, along with the evening light, allowed for some wonderful photos.  A photo-tour group from the US, poised to take photos of the sunset, though I was confused as they were facing away from the direction for the sunset.  I guess they were going for golden views on the mountains.  Me, I just enjoyed the artwork, clear blue sky and mountain views.

Check out the views:

All around Ladakh you see local women knitting with thick wool.  I bought myself a hat since I will be in NY for the winter and took a photo of the woman from whom I bought the hat!  I loved how she was so shy at first!

The walk up and down the hill to the stupa afforded a few nice photos and one funny photo.

The ride back to the hotel was interrupted by a group of neighbors cutting and loading a huge tree onto a truck. Waiting for them to finish afforded me an opportunity to see how walls here are made with the local style of mud bricks. Then it was a quick dinner and a good night’s sleep!

During the last months of school, along with all the goodbye events, I traveled all over the world – literally.  I flew to Seoul, Korea to chair a school’s mid-term reaccreditation visit.  I flew to Tashkent, Uzbekistan for a job interview. I flew to San Francisco for a dear friend’s funeral.  And I flew to China to close out my account and ensure my money would be transferred to the US.  Each of those short visits had some nice photos and moments associated with them.  When did I have all the time for this?  Well, these were all 24 or 48-hour whirlwind excursions where I made sure I stayed hydrated and slept as much as I could.

In Tashkent, the fruit trees were in full bloom.

During this visit to San Francisco I saw the green hills (due to the rains) so I am sharing two photos of the same view: during the dry and wet seasons.

Parts of the AIDS quilt was also on display in the SF airport.

In Seoul I got to eat my first Korean BBQ!

There were fun statues near the hotel as well!

On one of my flights to Guangzhou I had the row to myself and therefore was able to take these photos!

In China I was struck at how different it was from India: smooth roads, no honking, overall quiet (especially in all the electric Ubers), clean and the tall modern architecture I so loved looking at when I lived here (as well as the night skyline with its lights).  Then there was the robot who delivered my package to the hotel room! However, there was a squat toilet to put me in my place and remind me things are not always as they seem!

I was able to see my friends and visit my two favorite restaurants: Bandidos (awesome Mexican food – sorry no photos) and Din Tai Fung where I treated my church friends: soul-calming and re-energizing.

Of course, the purpose of my visit was the bank.  It took 4 (!) hours and more name signing than for a mortgage in the US, but the deed was done.  To celebrate I went to the leather market and bought authentic purses (one for Sophia, one for me and one to share with her) at rock bottom prices (direct from the factory).

The ride to the airport afforded me a last look at the lush forests of South East China.

Since I was too early to check in, I treated myself to KFC without the fear of it being too spicy!

And when I returned to Mumbai, I got to enjoy my last view of the artwork at the international arrivals’ baggage claim,

One of the hardest parts of leaving India was saying goodbye to dear friends.  Of course, being India and being me, the good byes were a lot of fun!

[For those of you just interested in my artistic photos, scroll to the end!]

Bhargavi, Lynn and I (along with another friend of Bhargavi’s) went to the grand Taj Hotel for High Tea.  Yummy food, glorious ambience, exceptional service and lots of laughs.  A special way to say goodbye for sure. Aside from the buffet, we ordered scones with clotted cream and jam, in honor of the ethos of high tea.

Another group of friends, Jonathan, Shraddha, Oyndrilla and I, went to the Sula winery for the weekend.  In the tradition of Napa Valley, Sula has created a lovely park-like atmosphere with a top-notch hotel and excellent restaurants connected with this winery.  Needless to say, we had a blast!

The hotel was outfitted beautifully.  Our room was lovely with a stunning nature view and free half bottle of wine. When we arrived late at night, we had some snacks and a bottle of sparkling wine.  As the night wore on, focusing seemed to be more of a challenge when taking photos!

I LOVED that the rooms were named after wines, rather than only numbers.

The lobby had this elephant called Gopi by the artist Kalyan Joshi.  It was created in the tradition of phad painting (which normally told stories about kings and elephants).  This piece was a part of The Elephant Parade, one of the world’s largest art exhibits, and was bought at an action by the vineyard.  The proceeds of this auction supported the conservation and welfare of Asian Elephants.  While researching for this blog post, I learned these parades happen all over the world.  Be sure to keep an eye out for a parade near you!

Outside the restaurant, the decor reminded me of villages in Italy and Provence, France.

The next day saw us take a tour of the winery…which was disappointing.  First, there was the guide who used a microphone and truly, we could not understand a word she said.  I thought maybe it was her accent.  I thought maybe it was my 65 year old hearing…but no.  Even young Jonathan, and alert Shraddha and Oyndrilla couldn’t understand a word. 

That said, seeing the metal vats with their temperature-controlled aging was fascinating.  As was smelling the oaky wine smell in the barrel room. I was also in awe of how high the barrels were stored, making full use of limited space.

After the tour there was the wine tasting with no water to rinse your mouth.  The usual ‘worst wines first’ pattern ensued.  The higher end Sula wines are quite good, the others as expected.  All quite drinkable.

What I found most interesting was the sign on the wall. Since most Indians do not drink it is nice to know they drink here first. 

After the tour we had a lot of fun walking around the compound and taking photos at all the spots clearly created for selfies. We made to try every possible pose, every combination of people, and all viable locations.

Most of the weekend was spent lounging around, chatting, laughing and enjoying the scenery.  My camera captured a lot of those moments.

Of course, with all the flowers and nature around, I enjoyed taking photos. Here are my favorites.

Along with flora there was fauna. I had a lot of fun watching the large, black bird which I just learned is a Red Naped Ibis (thanks to Deepa’s husband).

And I don’t remember the name of this bird!

One of the aspects of living in India I will miss most are the kind, friendly and hard working staff of the school. The appreciation was mutual as I was invited to wedding events. Ishita, who had the thankless job of manning the elevator and keeping secondary students from riding on it, invited me to her wedding. I was not in town for the final wedding ceremony but was able to attend one of the events: her haldi ceremony.

As many of you know, Indian weddings are big events with many ceremonies.  The invitation to an Indian wedding is equally big!  On the photos below, the invitation to Ishita’s wedding, you get a sense of the scale!

Page 1: the cover

Page 2: lists the name of the bride and groom, as well as the days and times for all the services.

Page 3: lists who is inviting you to join in the celebration:  THE ENTIRE extended family!

The Haldi ceremony, held shortly before the wedding (from a week to the night before) happens simultaneously at the bride and grooms’ homes.  The henna is already on the bride’s hands and feet; the hair is already coiffed to perfection.  The next bridal outfit is on.  At this ceremony (after some great dancing, snacks and food) everyone puts paste with mostly turmeric with sandalwood, rosewater (sometimes milk) and some oils on her body.  Why these ingredients?    Well, wise men centuries ago knew what the body needed! Turmeric: great for its antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.  Takes care of any skin issues the bride and groom might have.  Sandalwood is known for its cooling and calming properties (very much needed before a wedding).  Officially this is believed to purify the couple, cleanse their skin and leave them with a radiant glow for the wedding day.  Science and religion meet again!

I hope the joy of this community and their celebration comes through in these photos.

Next event during the whirlwind that was the end of my time in India, was my sister Alex (Alexandra) visiting me.  There isn’t much to say about her time with me other than we had the BEST time and I got to see Agra for the 3^rd time.  I thought this post would mostly be photos from our time together, but I learned even more about India during this week. And then, there were the amazing meals we had together.

Our weekend trip to Agra gave Alex a change to meet Zeeshan, which was nice as they became the best of friends.  Our first stop was the Agra Fort, one of my favorite spots in Agra. This fort (what we would call a palace) was where all the early Mughal emperors lived.  Of the original 500 structures that were in the compound, only 30 remain.  Some were destroyed by previous rulers but most damage was done by the British to create barracks. Some of the fort is open to the public but much is not because it is still an active military complex used by the Indian army.

All forts in India were protected, but the Agra Fort was the most fortified of its time. Agra Fort boasted a moat (the crocodiles used to walk the perimeter) and other methods of defense.  For example, if you made it past the moat and the archers guarding the gate, you would head up a road.  There you would be met with boulders of various sizes rolling down to greet you. If you managed to survive the rocks, boiling oil would start pouring out of the walls on both sides of you and guards would shoot flaming arrows – just in case you found a way to tolerate your blistering, slippery skate. As we walk, we see the chutes jutting out and the charred remnants of blazing oil on the brick walls. 

Here you also find an example of royal opulence: Jahanghir’s bathtub, which is made of solid stone and is 5 feet high and 8 feet in diameter.  A little too big for me, but don’t worry, it was not originally in the middle of the courtyard! I forget the weight but it is significant… and Jahanghir insisted it be brought along on all of his travels and battles.

After passing through some of the main gates, one gets to the reception hall where the emperor met with petitioners and where the décor changes from the red stone to white marble. The open-air hall has stunning symmetrical columns with the center of the hall being where the big guy sat, surrounded by stunning inlay and resting above all the mere mortals meeting with him.

Next you enter the living quarters. Below is a mosque that was used by the women of the harem.

This courtyard below, used for entertainment, was also where the romance story of the century happened.  All of us know the story of the Taj Mahal and how the surviving emperor built the mausoleum for the love of his life.  They met here.  One of the entertainments here was a bazaar for the women, where only women vendors came to sell items and the royal ladies would shop.  Shah Jahan (who was 15 at the time) was smitten with Arjumand Banu Begum (aged 14).  They were betrothed and married 5 years later.  She was his third wife, but his constant companion (even to battle) and confidant.  They had 14 children together.

However, his life ended sadly.  His son, upset at how much money was being spent to build the Taj Mahal (also, I imagine, to help solidify his place on the throne), banished him to Agra Fort where he could not visit the tomb of his wife but could stare at the monument all day (surrounded by the diamond and precious stone fixed in the wall).  I think his son was strongly influenced by his mother whose beginnings were humbler than a usual empress (although he beat his three brothers in the wars of succession).  The son, Aurangzeb, did live simply and frugally.  As emperor, he insisted on earning his own livelihood through manual labor (he copied the Koran and knitted prayer caps), reflecting his devout adherence to Islamic principles.  I visited his simple gravesite when at the Ajanta caves, if you remember that blog post.

Can you imagine living your life surrounded by inlaid walls with precious and semi-precious stones?  Makes our homes with wallpaper or paint seem so plain. Enjoy the ambiance as I share my photos.

In one of the rooms, if you stand in one corner and someone else stands in the corner across and whispers, you can hear the words clearly!

This is an amazing optical illusion.  When you stand across the courtyard and look at the Taj in the distance, it looks big! 

Next was one of those special moments one has when traveling.  I got to meet Zeeshan’s mother!  While she didn’t speak English, she communicated much through her warm eyes and smile.  Her plan for the afternoon: shopping!  Alex wanted a kurta (and I always want another kurta) so off we went.  Driving through the back streets of Agra gave us a glimpse of life behind the historic sights and gave us the experience of how Indians shop for clothes.  We entered the shop, surrounded by piles of colors.  We sat on the floor and the salesmen started bringing us beautiful clothes to look at.  No trying on, they just know your size!  Near us a family was shopping for their daughter’s wedding so stunning, bejeweled clothes were being brought for them.  By the end, we were surrounded by piles, chose our outfits and were surprised that Zeeshan’s mother paid for all of them.  On the way back in the tuk tuk, the traffic was so bad we got out and walked!

After the joyful shopping we went to the tomb of I’Timad-Ud-Daulah, built between 1622-28.  This is the tomb of Mirza Ghiyas Beg and other family members, who came from Iran to serve as a minister to Akbar (he was an exiled amir rising in prominence in the court).  The patriarch of the family buried here was the grandfather of the famous Mumtaz Mahal, in whose memory the Taj Mahal was built.  Aside from being beautiful, this building is famous for being the first building made from marble, marking the transition from using red sandstone. It is considered the forerunner of the grand Taj Mahal. The evening light cast a lovely yellow glow to the marble.

The outer building, still in red sandstone, presented a noble entrance.

The reason for the existence of this tomb has an interesting story  It was commissioned by the daughter, Mehr-un-Nissa (Nur Jasan), who after being widowed made the political decision to marry Jahangir, the 4^th Mughal emperor who was long infatuated with her.   She was a powerful and influential woman, considered by some historians to be the real power behind the Mughal throne during Jahangir’s reign. She was granted unprecedented privileges, including having her name on coins. Her influence stemmed from her intelligence, administrative skills, and Jahangir’s fondness for her, as well as his reliance on her due to his addiction to opium and alcohol.  In ‘honor’ of this, when she built this mausoleum she included many pictures of wine bottles, probably to pay respects to the reason why she could wield the power she did.   Also of note, she made many contributions to Mughal architecture, the arts, and made efforts to improve the lives of women through education and charitable works. 

I think the beauty of the tomb is clearly a testament to her sense of style. The building has a cozy intimacy while simultaneously presenting itself as magnificent.

Here are some examples of the wine bottle decor.

Along with the outer beauty, the inside was stunning.  The two initial rooms still remain in my memory as some of the most beautiful wall décor I have ever seen. The rooms have a harmony within the details, even though the rooms are small and heavily decorated.

The details and decorations seen in my photos, whether renovated or rotting, show you the rest of my impressions.

Below you will notice, there is a lovely garden.  The purpose of these gardens in Mughul architecture is to exemplify paradise (before the British changed them to more European flower gardens) and followed a religious pattern.  The quadrilateral garden design was divided by walkways or flowing water into four smaller sections. This layout is inspired by the Islamic concept of paradise, described in the Quran as a garden with four rivers. Carefully chosen flowers and plants, such as cypress trees (representing death) and fruit trees (symbolizing life and rebirth), were used to enhance the garden’s symbolism. Well thought out, you could walk amongst the trees and shrubs as well as walk above them, allowing visitors to enjoy nature as well as pluck fruit from the top or bottom of the trees!

I end my photos of our visit to this magnificent location by sharing images of the key players.

What was new for me this time in Agra was looking at the Taj from across the river, a unique perspective.  We ended our day stopping here for the photo opportunity.  Originally, Shah Jahan was to build a black Taj across the river, but the son refused to use treasury money for that. You can see the ruins of the foundation here.

Sunday morning brought us to the Taj, done in style as we rented saris for the occasion.  This was my third time seeing this architectural marvel, Alex’s first.  It is always fun to see how people react to seeing the Taj for the first time. 

One of the amazing aspects of the Taj is that absolutely everything is 100% symmetrical, down to the tiniest detail – except for the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal’s husband.  Since the son refused to use treasury money for building the Black Taj, he buried his father next to his beloved, and he subsequently became the lone asymmetrical element of the Taj.

Some unofficial photos inside the tomb.

Wearing saris at the Taj Mahal demands taking many photos: some fun, some serious.

Next up were the requisite stops at shops: jewelry and marble inlay aka the Taj.  What made these visits special was that my sister had saved up to buy a ring and a piece for above her bed.  It was great to watch her design what she wanted and have it shipped to the US. I include a photo of the finished pieces!

In the marble shop we saw how the art is made, a tradition that remains the same since the times the Taj was built.  The stone can be ground down by artisan experts to the thinnest of slices.  We also saw the various stones from which the shapes are created.

Creating the design:

The finished product:

My sister’s ring is an opal (her birthstone) surrounded by sapphires (her favorite stone).  Being India, these pieces were quite affordable.  For me, it was a unique experience to be shopping with someone who spent more than me!

No photos of the designing in process, but here is the finished product:

Our last stop was to see elephants at the Elephant Conservation and Care Centre outside of Agra.  The elephant I fell in love with was old and tired, I am so glad she is ending her life being cared for.

Interesting factoids about elephants:

1. An elephant’s trunk has over 40,000 muscles
2. Elephants have the largest brain of any mammal on earth.  Certainly more than many humans!
3. Male (bull) elephants prefer a solitary life but will occasionally form bachelor herds.
4. Female elephants love the group life.
5. Elephants use their trunks as a snorkel to breathe when they are underwater.
6. Elephants use dust baths and mud as natural sunscreen.  I will stick Coppertone.
7. Tusks are teeth that extend beyond the mouth.  They re-grow if broken or damaged.
8. Elephants eat 200kg of food every day, which is 5% of their bodyweight.
9. When elephants flap their ears they are regulating their body temperature or are stressed.

Next are some people photos I took while we were in Agra.

Two more examples of Indian packing expertise.

As you all know, I have seen a lot of street art in India and have shared it with you.  Without a doubt, Agra has the most amazing array of street art.  Most noticeable are the painted columns under the metro, painted for the G20 visit several years ago.

We returned to Mumbai, and I spent the week working while Alex explored Mumbai and its surroundings.  Thursday evening, we headed to South Mumbai where we had pre-dinner drinks at the Taj Hotel (we were too early for dinner which starts after 7). Then we headed to my favorite restaurant, The Table.  We had the best time eating, drinking, and laughing with our waiter who gave us a complementary dessert with a lovely card.  The food and drinks, as always, were exquisite.   The ambiance of our table in the corner was the finishing touch.

The Harbor Bar at the Taj is a small and cozy space, with lovely artwork and plaques mentioning historical information associated with the bar.

Friday took us to Dharavi in the morning and the experience of Masque at night. 

First, a few photos from our walking tour:

Masque, one of the top 50 restaurants in all of Asia, has a 10-course tasting menu that marries traditional Indian cuisine with innovations inspired by influences from around the world.  The meal has a wine pairing component as well, along with interesting cocktails.

We started with refreshing cocktails as the heat got to us today.  Then the meal began with us enjoying the interactions with the sommelier as he presented the accompanying wines.  It was so fun experiencing this meal with my sister, who is a chef, and seeing her experience this unique cuisine – especially when we got to visit the kitchen for an intermezzo.  For some reason (it might have something to do with the wine), the last courses don’t seem to have photos accompanying them.

Saturday, my sister’s last day started slowly with a quiet morning in the apartment.  Then we headed back down to South Mumbai for a final visit to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharah Vastu Sangrahalaya Museum, formerly known as the Prince of Wales Museum – which is much easier to pronounce and remember.  I love this museum and made sure to relish my last visit here.  Should you ever find yourself in Mumbai, this is a must visit.  What made the visit more special was it has recently been renovated so along with my favorite spots there were new exhibits, along with the temporary ones I had not yet seen.

A best moment was being given a tour of the exhibit honoring the cultural traditional of folk and tribal art by a lovely docent. 

The regular display of the development of the textile industry in India was revamped to include videos of generational artisans at work.  I connected with some of the artisans’ quotes that were projected:

“thread is a pathway, a line to follow through the passage of life”

“if you are troubled by mundane thoughts you cannot do this work”

“cloth is our second skin, our first home out of the womb”

“like a mother, cotton is a gift from nature, pure comfort”

“cloth swells with movement to the fullness of life”

I always enjoy looking at stone carvings.

Indian miniature paining is full of intricate details.  Some of the painting use gold paint which further enhances the scenes of royal splendor.

Then there are the pieces that just caught my eye.

After the museum, I decide my sister had to try fresh sugar cane juice!

We then decided another meal at The Table was in order for lunch, as it was a short walk from the museum.  The lunch menu was different and equally delicious. 

The rides to and from home allowed me to take a few, last photos of South Mumbai.

Rishekesh was my next adventure, a long weekend at the end of March that saw me travel to this holy town where the mighty Ganges begins – well it begins in the mountains nearby.  Like the city of Varanasi, this city is full of pilgrims.  Being near the mountains and forests, it is also a nature haven.  I was hoping for a restful weekend but ended up at a hotel smack dab in the middle of downtown, full of honking and traffic.  I switched hotels which turned out to be an exercise in frustration as no one wanted to drive me because of the traffic, and they couldn’t figure out the location.  I ended up on a motorcycle gripping my suitcase for dear life.  However, I made it safely to a lovely little hotel where I got the only room left – the family suite!

It took me a while to adjust my expectations from a weekend surrounded by nature to a weekend in another, typical Indian town. I decided to make the most of it and went for a walk to the river, which was very near my hotel.  That lovely walk saved the day with great people watching, which meant great photo opportunities. 

Unlike in Varanasi, here cremations can happen anywhere along the river.

These two birds helped make the walk feel a little closer to nature. I enjoyed having the time to stand there for a long time to get a good shot.

Downtown Rishikesh had lots of tourist shops and restaurants.

The next set of photos are of the people I saw working while I was walking around town.

Next are random photos of street views, people living their lives or hanging out.

Being a holy city, the cows ruled the roads – and robed pilgrims, holy men and quasi-holy men abounded.

I also made the decision that vodka was necessary for this weekend and had to take a tuktuk to a neighboring, non-dry town.  That was a fun adventure as well, trying to communicate my needs to people who do not speak English. The mission was successful, along with some photos along the way.

I wasn’t planning to visit the evening Ganges River aarti ceremony, but since it was so close to my hotel I decided to go.  The service is in front of an ashram and exactly at 6:30pm a man with billowing white robes runs out of the Ashram towards the aarti space.  Clearly, the big wig because as soon as he arrives, things begin.  He goes to the river to cleanse himself and prepare for the ceremony.  He is surrounded by cameras and young acolytes, along a younger man, who looks like Jesus, and stands next to him.  He is clearly the number 2 man.  He ensures things run smoothly.

The men performing the rituals here are considerably younger than those in Varanasi and the music is more beautiful.  There is also a group of red-robed women who are either widows or volunteers staying at the ashram.

Here, the sacred flame is shared with all participating in and observing the service, with the women in red rotating the flame like the young ‘performers’.  Of course, there is the requisite selling of flowers and other supplies. Some things are the same in churches is all over the world!

The next day saw me hiring a guide to visit Hardivar.  The neighborhood mafia don who arranged the tour, told me he was busy but the driver would take me.  Sure, I say, but then as we drive off, I find out the driver doesn’t speak English!  Anyway, the two of us made the best of this hilarious situation.

In Hardivar, which is a very holy city, we passed a street full of amusement park style buildings that were either temples or fun zones….too bad the driver couldn’t tell me (well he said something but I have no idea what he said)!  The best part was putting my feel into the Ganges (too cold to swim even though I had my bathing suit with me this weekend).  Of course, I enjoyed looking at those on poojas as well as looking at life happening and taking photos of my impressions.

I will start with the street with bizarre buildings.

The driver was into the fresh strawberries that just came into season and stopped a few times to buy some for us.  The first set had masala sprinkled on it, the second time I said I like my strawberries ‘straight up’.

Next, my photos of the town of Hardivar.

Our stop at the river was in a riverside temple with sections for believers to place their offerings.  There was a mom with a son and his shaved head doing some sort of a ritual where he was dunked several times.  There were two young men placing key items into a wrapped ball and placing it onto the river.  There was a man with his children cleaning the river, collecting items floating down from upriver.  I loved putting my feet into the clean, fast flowing river.

My final day was the best.  It started with a walk in the hotel neighborhood where I saw many street vendors heading off for their work day.   The day ended with visiting the Beatles Ashram.

The best part of the whole weekend was visiting what is known as the Beatles Ashram.  I hired a driver and the ride took about 30 minutes on narrow, winding roads. Quite beautiful.

Funny though, when we arrived and since the ashram opens at 10 and we arrived at 9:45, I had the pleasure of walking down to the river only to discover that the Ashram is directly across the river from my hotel!

On the river I was able to see a jetty of rocks along the holy Ganges, with river squatters and their tents living a hard life next to Nirvana. I enjoyed walking along the soft, fine sand and taking some photos.

While the ashram is now deserted and resides in a tiger reserve forest, it was opened to the public as a tourist attraction in 2015. I learned that since I have a PAN (tax) card and am a senior citizen, I was able to pay 100 rupees instead of 1200 (I wish I knew that over the past three years!)!  The Ashram was the International Academy of Meditation, where Maharashi Mahesh Yogi, who developed the Transcendental Meditation technique, trained people.   Throughout my time here I was struck how this compound is a modern archaeological ruin.

The first thing one notices upon entering the compound are the meditation caves. Situated on a hill close to the river with the sound of rushing water, these chambers must have been very inspiring. They were built between 1977-78 using stones from the Ganges River nearby and were used by religious ascetics and celibate Hindu monks for their daily rituals and meditations.

One then enters the main compound with a map to guide your way.  The rest of the building exteriors were not as well preserved as the meditation caves.

At its peak, the ashram had well over 500 guests and was a vibrant community, with its own post office and printing press.

This was the kitchen where over 500 vegetarian meals were served daily.

The tree lined road had smaller residences built in the 1970s for those training to be TM teachers or participating in other advanced courses.

There were two large halls for lectures, the newer one also had meditation chambers underground.

This was probably the dormitory for ‘normal’ people.

Based on the number of rooms and location, I’m guessing this building was the Beatles’ cabin, although it’s not identified as such.

Since this Ashram was made famous when the Beatles visited, there is a photo gallery from this trip, as well as other celebrities (Mia Farrow and David Lynch) who were devotees.  Included in the display were lyrics inspired by meditation written by the Beatles, Donovan, and Stevie Wonder – as well information on meditation and the guru.

The best location was saved for the Maharishi’s house, a large imposing structure overlooking the river.

The best part of this visit, without a doubt, was all the street art.  It ranged from simple to exquisite.  Imagine walking through a museum inside a park and you will understand how soul filling walking here was for me.

I end this blog post with the photos of men lugging their cargo, witnessed as I rode to and from the airport.  Also, I want to share all the photos of religious buildings in the city, quite varied and beautiful.  Lastly, local street art which mostly centered on Shiva (Rishekesh is known as the city of Shiva).