Meet me at the Khaas Bagh…The wonder of Indian culture continues…

An impressive fireworks display was orchestrated for the Maharajas Express passengers. We were honored and breathless.

I don’t know where to begin. We are amid so many great sites and venues, as we continue our journey on the luxurious Maharajas Express, it’s challenging to narrow it down sufficiently to prepare one complete story at a time. Thus, I have no choice but to break it down into segments.

A full bar was set up in this antique car.

Today’s segment is from last evening’s extraordinary dinner and cultural show at the Hanwant Mahal, also known as the Khaas Bagh. I know I’ve heard the line, “Meet me at the Khaas Bagh” in a movie, but after looking online, I’m having trouble pinning it down. If any of our readers recognize this line from a movie, please write and let us know. 

An exquisite and highly skilled puppet show was presented during the cocktail hour. Many sumptuous appetizers were served during this period.
Jodhpur, still in the state of Rajasthan, is a vast city amass with culture and historical presence. Yesterday, we visited its historical masterpiece, the Mehrangarh Fort, a well-preserved museum and fort. 
Many antique cars were presented at the venue, both a restaurant and part of the Umaid Palace in Jodhpur, India.

We have taken hundreds of photos, but with the often poor WiFi signal, we’ll have to wait until we’re off the train and able to receive a better signal at various hotels in our upcoming 55-night tour, commencing on Sunday in Delhi.

Stunning view of the elegant outdoor restaurant, Marwan Mahal (or Khaas Bagh), located in the famous Umaid Palace, had a delicious array of Indian foods which was not quite as good as Chef John’s aboard the train.

Plus, we’ll have new photos of those upcoming sites we’ll visit during our tour. All we can do is keep posting while highlighting the events we find to be most appealing to our senses.

Upon entry to the venue, we were offered a ceremonial Hindu dot on the forehead and a string of beads.

And yes, our senses are on overload; the sights, the sounds, the smell, and of course, the food is over the top. Our diligent and charming Chef John (John Stone, an Indian with a westernized name) is attentive beyond all expectations. We couldn’t be more pleased with his exemplary food and over-the-top service.

Another antique car.

And last night’s meal off the train, although excellent and beautifully presented, was a little sketchy for me when there was no way I could determine what I could and couldn’t eat. As a result, I only took a few bites of the varied offerings. Tom was able to find a few items that suited his palate.

A bright orange antique car is on display behind glass.

Shortly before dinner was served at the beautifully appointed tables and chairs, the fireworks display commenced. We all oohed and ahhed over the well-orchestrated display. We were thrilled our new phones could capture good photos of the collection, as shown above.

Upon returning to the train by approximately 9:00 pm, it was evident that most of the passengers were as weary as me. My Fitbit read at almost 11,000 steps, one of the more significant days for me in a long time.
We’d never been able to capture quality fireworks photos until now with our new Google World phones.

Although neither of us slept through the night, we ended up with a good night’s rest, both feeling chipper and prepared for today’s upcoming activities, commencing after lunch which seems to include lots of walking on uneven surfaces.

Today will hopefully prove to be another exciting day. No doubt, we’ll be back tomorrow with more. Tonight includes an unusual dining experience we can’t wait to share in tomorrow’s post; dunes, camels, and more.

Thanks to all of our readers for your patience during our quiet time in the US for 82-nights. We are excited to make all of that up to you during these next several months.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, February 5, 2019:

One year ago, preoccupied with my medical issues, we posted photos from the previous year while in Antarctica, as indicated here: Icebergs are exciting and unusual.  This iceberg was massive, many stories high. For more, please click here.