Travel day…Amritsar to Varanasi…Two flights with layover…Excitement at the India-Pakistan border…

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The soldier prepared for the big event.

As I write here now, it’s during our original two-hour layover in Delhi. After the first flight on Vistara Airline (owned by Singapore Airlines) was late by 40 minutes, the wait to board was dramatically reduced.

We boarded the flight 35 minutes after check-in at the airport, so my choice was to rush through today’s post or try to finish this tonight after dinner. Since we didn’t arrive at our hotel in Varanasi until around 7:00 pm, I tried to rush through to get this post uploaded so we could have a less hurried evening and leisurely dinner, but it didn’t quite work out that way.

The bleachers were packed with enthusiastic Indians.

With our driver Prince arriving at our hotel in Amritsar at 9:30 am to take us to the airport (our last contact with him), we wanted to have breakfast in the hotel after we’d packed everything and were ready to go.

At 9:40, the van was loaded with our bags, and we were on our way to the Amritsar International Airport. We were arriving two hours before our flight left plenty of time to kill.

Note the headdress o the performers/soldiers.

We met a lovely Indian couple who now live in Australia and visiting family in India. The lively conversation with this particular couple made the time fly while we awaited our flight. Before we knew it, we were boarding the first of the two flights.

I’d preferred to spend more time preparing today’s post about the exciting visit to the India/Pakistan border ceremonies. Still, this schedule is the “nature of the beast,” as we spend two hectic months of travel through India, staying in each new location for two or three days.

Aligned and ready to perform.

Is this pace tiring us? Surprisingly, it’s not. Sightseeing for one or two days with one day of rest in between is working perfectly for us. We’re rested, well-fed, and enthusiastic as we continue.

This is not to say we’d do a tour such as this again. This scenario in India is unique. Most likely, such an extended private tour such as this in any other country would far exceed the cost we paid for these extra 55-days over and above the Maharajas Express seven-day tour through India. 

The crowds roared, particularly from the Indian side.

Below is information regarding the extraordinary experience we had been a part of the electrified festivities. 

The Indian people are dedicated to protecting their borders, evidenced by their loud and enthusiastic participation during the ceremonies, dancing, chanting, and reciting their national expressions of love and patriotism to their country.

The soldier lined up to perform their classic high kicks.

We couldn’t wipe the smiles off our faces during the almost two hours we sat in the tiered seating in the bright sun in the VIP/foreigner’s seats, only about eight rows up from the performance.

Unfortunately, my photos aren’t as good as I would have liked. The sun was in my eyes, and it was impossible to see the subjects of the photos. I could only point and click.

Military police from either side of the border.

Now, as I write again, we’ve arrived at our hotel in Varanasi close to bedtime. The city is beyond description. We are sharing what we were able to come up with during the ceremonies. We’ll share details in the next few days.

Tomorrow, we have to be in the hotel lobby at 6:00 am tomorrow to head to the dock to board a boat for the Ganges River for the sunrise and more. We had a nice dinner in the hotel restaurant. It’s not quite the caliber of the hotels we’ve stayed in so far in India, but we’ll make the best of it. 

Military guards protected the perimeter.

Time to wind down for the night. We’ll be back with more tomorrow. Hang tight. Thanks for traveling along with us.

Here’s information on the ceremonies:

“The lowering of the flags ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border is a daily military practice that the security forces of India (Border Security Force, BSF) and Pakistan (Pakistan Rangers) have jointly followed since 1959. The drill is characterized by elaborate and rapid dance-like maneuvers and raising legs as high as possible, described as “colorful.” It is a symbol of the two countries’ rivalry, brotherhood, and cooperation between the two nations. Similar parades are organized at Mahavir/Sadqi border near Fazilka and Hussainiwala/Ganda Singh Wala border near Firozpur.”

Every eye in the stadium was focusing on these professionals.

We’re going to give this ultra-hard bed a try and see how we do. Nighty night to all!

Amritsar…Many treasures to behold…The Golden Temple…

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The Golden Temple is seen through a decorative archway on the religious grounds of the historic Sikh location.

Yesterday morning, our highly competent Amritsar guide Amit met us at our hotel to begin a walking tour of the historic city focusing on the world-famous Golden Temple of the Sikh people.

India’s Sikh population is approximately 24 million, only 1.72% of the country’s total population. Out of the total Sikhs in India, 77% are concentrated in Punjab, where we are now located.

We didn’t go inside the Golden Temple when the queue could easily have resulted in waiting in the line for four hours. This photo is only a tiny portion of the queue.
Sikhism may be found predominantly in the Punjab state of India. Still, Sikh communities exist on every inhabited continent, with the largest emigrant population being in the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom.
 
Please click here for a comprehensive view of the Sikh principles, too detailed for us to include. We were fascinated when Amit explained the Sikh ideology, so far removed from the perceptions many possess about this and other religions of the world.
Many rules surround the reading of the Holy Book, one of which includes, once the lesson begins, it cannot be stopped until completed. There is a 17-year waiting list to receive a copy of the sacred book. This and many other priests sit quietly day after day reading the sacred text written in a language few Sikhs can translate.

There are so many aspects to this faith. We could spend years attempting to explain. However, the purpose of our posts is to share our travel and daily life experiences, leaving little time or space to elaborate. The web provides millions of entries to explain details further and answer questions curious readers may possess.

In any case, Amit provided us with an overview that undoubtedly enhanced our experience of seeing the Golden Temple, its people, and its exquisite surroundings.
Shoes are not allowed in the temple area, and women must wear scarves, and men must wear some form of a turban.

Below, we’ve included the history of the Golden Temple, which may appeal to those fascinated with religious history.

From this site: “Sri Harmandir Sahib, also known as Sri Darbar Sahib or Golden Temple, (on account of its scenic beauty and golden coating for English speaking world), is named after Hari (God), the temple of God. The Sikhs worldwide wish to pay a visit to Sri Amritsar and pay obeisance at Sri Harmandir Sahib in their Ardas.

Amit helped Tom fashion a turban. I thought he looked good with it!
Guru Arjan Sahib, the Fifth Nanak, conceived the idea of creating a central place of worship for the Sikhs, and he designed the architecture of Sri Harmandir Sahib. The planning to excavate the holy tank (Amritsar or Amrit Sarovar) was chalked out by Guru Amardas Sahib, the Third Nanak. Still, it was executed by Guru Ramdas Sahib under the supervision of Baba Budha ji. The land for the site was acquired by the earlier Guru Sahibs on payment or free of cost from the Zamindars (landlords) of native villages. The plan to establish a town settlement was also made. Therefore, the construction work on the Sarovar (the tank) and the town started simultaneously in 1570. The work on both projects was completed in 1577 A.D.

The land for the site was bought by the Guru Ram Das Sahib on payment from the Zamindars (landlords) of native villages.

This building is being renovated on the grounds of the Golden Temple.

Guru Arjan Sahib got its foundation laid by a Muslim saint Hazrat Mian Mir ji of Lahore on the 1st of Magh, 1645 Bikrmi Samvat (December 1588). The construction work was directly supervised by Guru Arjan Sahib himself. He was assisted by prominent Sikh personalities like Baba Budha ji, Bhai Gurdas ji, Bhai Sahlo ji, and many other devoted Sikhs.

Unlike erecting the structure on the higher level (a tradition in Hindu Temple architecture), Guru Arjan Sahib got it built on the lower level. Unlike Hindu Temples having only one gate for the entrance and exit, Guru Sahib got it open from four sides. Thus he created a symbol of the new faith, Sikhism. Guru Sahib made it accessible to everyone without distinction of caste, creed, sex, and religion.

Two Sikh men were standing at the edge of the holy body of water. Men and women bathe separately in this man-made lake for its healing powers.

The building work was completed in 1601 A.D. on Bhadoon Sudi 1st, 1661 Bikrmi Samvat (August/September 1604). Guru Arjan Sahib installed the newly created Guru Granth Sahib in Sri Harmandir Sahib and appointed Baba Budha ji as its first Granthi, i.e., the reader of Guru Granth Sahib. After this event, it attained the status of ‘Ath Sath Tirath.’ Now the Sikh Nation had their own Tirath, a pilgrimage center.

Sri Harmandir Sahib is built on a 67ft. square platform in the centre of the Sarovar (tank). The temple itself is 40.5ft. square. It has a door each on the East, West, North, and South. The Darshani Deori (an arch) stands at the shore end of the causeway. The door frame of the arch is about 10ft in height and 8ft 6inches in breath. The door panes are decorated with artistic style. It opens onto the causeway or bridge that leads to the main building of Sri Harmandir Sahib. It is 202 feet in length and 21 feet in width.

During the year but especially during the heat of the summer months, metal glasses are used to serve tap water to visitors. The glasses are washed by these women using a trough of ash, not water.

The bridge is connected with the 13 feet wide ‘Pardakshna’ (circumambulatory path). It runs around the main shrine, leading to the ‘Har ki Paure’ (steps of God). On the first floor of “Har Ki Pauri,” there is continuous reading of Guru Granth Sahib.

The main structure of Sri Harmandir Sahib, functionally as well as technically, is a three-storied one. The front, which faces the bridge, is decorated with repeated cusped arches, and the roof of the first floor is at the height of 26 feet and 9 inches.

As we walked down a road toward the temple.

At the top of the first floor, 4 feet high parapet rises on all the sides, which also has four ‘Mamtees’ on the four corners, and precisely on the top of the central hall of the main sanctuary rises the third story. It is a small square room and has three gates. A regular recitation of Guru Granth Sahib is also held there.

On the top of this room stands the low fluted ‘Gumbaz’ (dome) having lotus petal motif in relief at the base inverted lotus at the top which supports the “Kalash” having a beautiful “Chhatri” at the end.

We walked through the old part of the town of Amritsar on our return to the hotel.

Its architecture represents a unique harmony between the Muslims and the Hindu’s way of construction work, and this is considered the best architectural specimen of the world. It is often quoted that this architecture has created an independent Sikh school of architecture in the history of art in India.”

Of course, we’re excited to share photos we’d taken at the temple. Excessive photo taking is frowned upon, and thus we were discriminating in choosing what appealed to us most. 
Although not maintained, many of these old apartments are still occupied a few centuries after being built.
Our few hours at the palace were enhanced by the knowledge and expertise of our guide, who works extensively with visitors of the US Embassy. We were truly honored to have him to ourselves for the day.
 
After the Golden Temple, he walked us through back roads and narrow alleyways to further enhance the scope of our experiences. Seeing famous landmarks is undoubtedly a huge plus, but the ins and outs of “where the people live and interact” are equally important.
We were fascinated by the historic architecture.
In the early afternoon, we took a short break from the tour to allow us time to prepare and upload yesterday’s post. By 2:15, Prince, our driver, arrived. He and Amit took us to our next adventure, witnessing the closing ceremony of the equivalent of the “changing of the guard” and the nightly closing of the gates at the India and Pakistan border. Fascinating! We’ll be back with photos and stories in tomorrow’s post.
 
Tomorrow morning, we’re heading for the airport for a full travel day with two flights and a 2¼ hour layover in between. We don’t expect to arrive at our hotel, the Hotel Ganges Grand in Varanasi, until after 7:00 pm, where we’ll stay until February 20th when we’ll fly once again Khajuraho. More on that later.
Back on the busy street, we reveled in the strong cultural influences.
We had a fantastic day yesterday, and we’re enjoying a quiet day off today to work on our zillions of photos for today’s and tomorrow’s posts. 
 
Have a spectacular day, dear readers!

Thursday’s missed photos from Shimla and Kufri…Jakhoo Temple…

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This giant 108-feet-high idol of Hanuman was unveiled at Jakhoo Hanuman temple in Shimla on November 4, 2010.

“Jakhoo Temple is an ancient temple in Shimla, India, dedicated to the Hindu deity Hanuman. It is situated on Jakhoo Hill, Shimla’s highest peak, 2.5 km east of the Ridge, at the height of 2,455 m above sea level. Each year, a festival is held in Dussehra. Before 1972 the festival was held at Annadale.  

According to the Ramayana, Hanuman stopped at the location to rest while searching for the Sanjivni Booti to revive Lakshmana. A giant 108-feet-high idol of Hanuman was unveiled at Jakhoo Hanuman temple on 4 November 2010. 

The temple is accessible by foot, horse, taxi, or rope way. At 108 feet, it surpasses the statue of Christ the Redeemer, which measures at 98 feet, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The cost of construction was Rs 1.5 crores (US $209,711.31). The public unveiling was officiated by Abhishek Bachchan. 
The great statue of Hanuman is more extensive than Christ the Redeemer in Rio.

The Jakhu Ropeway is an aerial lift that links a point near the centre of Shimla to the temple. It was developed by Jagson International Limited and opened in 2017.”

Based on my computer crash and a poor Wi-Fi signal in Shimla, owe realized that your posts are a little out of sequential order. Now that we have a better signal in Amritsar, we’ll attempt to get a caught up as much as possible.
 
With all we’d experienced on the Maharajas Express, it could take several more weeks to get caught up. With the lack of time with so many daily activities and a weak signal on the train, we’ve yet to share many essential and exciting experiences from the past few weeks.
The grounds at the temple are neatly kept but surrounded by monkeys. Tom had to wait in the car since monkeys in this area are known to tear glasses and sunglasses off the faces of visitors. Since Tom can’t see without his glasses, it made no sense for him to join me and Prince on the tour.

Over this next 47 days of touring in India, we’ll occasionally have an opportunity to share some of these missed events, all of which is important to us to have documented along with sharing it with all of you.

AMynew Chromebook will be awaiting me when we arrive on Monday (on a flight from Amritsar). It will take a few days to set everything up which I will do in between our arranged tours. But, I’m confident it will all work out.
The exterior of the steep walkway to the statue. I stayed behind and batted off the monkeys while Prince made the hike to take the photos of the statue.

OOurguide Prince picked us up at the Radisson Hotel Shimla for a day’s outing. On Thursday morning, The plan was to drive the the mountain town of Kufri to check out the scenery and head back to Shimla or more sites.

The drive to Kufri was again on treacherous mountain roads filled with trucks, motorbikes, and cars honking their horns simultaneously. Following any expected passing courtesies was out of the question. Everyone just took crazy chances.
There were monkeys everywhere at the Jakhoo Temple, most likely waiting for possible tidbits of food from tourists.

Prince, our highly competent driver, made us both feel as much at ease as possible under the circumstances. What a wild ride! That’s India, for you! One exciting moment after another while not only driving on the narrows road but also when walking.

Kufri was relatively uneventful other than the drive, with the exception of a few scenic overlook spots. We enjoyed people watching along the way as well as seeing the surprising amount of snow.

Even newer buildings maintain the integrity of the varying cultures of India.

On the return drive, we stopped to visit the above mentioned Jakhoo Temple and a few other temples in Shimla. As the day came to an end, we were happy to return to our hotel, freshen up and head to dinner in the restaurant. 

We’d both found items on the menu that appealed to us but nothing as spectacular as last night’s dinner here at the Ramada in Amritsar. Most certainly, we’ll have these same meals this evening, again with no cocktails since they are forbidden anywhere near the Golden Temple. 
The roads on the way to Kufri often included shops with colorful items for sale.

But the lack of a glass of wine or cocktail with dinner was a small sacrifice based on that beautiful meal shown in yesterday’s post here. Tom equally enjoyed his chicken fried rice.

That’s exciting! We’ll be back!! E is looking forward to sharing tomorrow’s post after an indescribable day of touring here in Amritsar and tonight’s special ceremony taking place at the India/Pakistan border. 

Happy day to all!

Eight hour car ride from Shimla to Amritsar…No delusions, rose coloured glasses…

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My spectacular dinner was made by the thoughtful chef at the Amritsar Ramada, where we’ll stay for three nights.

It was quite a day. Our good driver Prince drove perfectly on the treacherous roads as we made our way down the Himalayas. The traffic, the horn honking, the weaving in and out between cars, trucks, and motorbikes was quite a sight to see as well as many other stunning scenes along the way.

As we entered Amritsar after an eight-hour car ride.

India is known for its pollution, skinny stray dogs, and rundown structures as a part of life in many parts.

A herd of sheep moving on down the road.

Sure, we tend to sugarcoat these rampant realities with often rose-colored glasses in an attempt to paint a colorful view of our nonstop world travels. But what shall we do? Whinge about the fact we’ve yet to see a bright blue sky or a totally clear day? Hardly.

A historic building as we drove through crowded town after another.

This country of over 1.3 billion people belongs to its people, and they are proud and grateful for what they do have instead of what they don’t. We are humbled by their acceptance and kindness, not by everyone, but by most.

It’s easy to see how India had 1.3 billion people. They are everywhere, and little land is reserved for the countryside or farming.

And, what do we gain by exposing ourselves to these challenges? Exactly what we intended seven years and almost four months ago when we left Minnesota to explore the world.

Color is everywhere.

It was never about hedonistic pleasures pumping our veins with luxurious comforts. It was always about filling out hearts and minds with a new appreciation, a unique perspective of life outside the box we so freely occupied all of our lives.

Every area, every town is congested with people and “stuff.”

The meaning, the purpose, and the scope of our past experiences were limited to a tight circle around us. Today, it’s the world.

Shops are packed with colorful dresses worn by Hindu women.

Why, “they” may ask? Originally, curiosity. Now, this blissful opportunity has become about sharing this adventure with all of you, for those who traveled, for those who dreamed of travel, and for those who continue with their own goals of exploring the world.

People, cars and more shops.

Every day we plot, plan, and share the peculiarities, the nuances, the joys, and the challenges we encounter along the way. Not always pretty. Not always heartwarming and enchanting. But always, as real and concise as we can be from this long acquired perspective.

On a rare occasion did we encounter a more modern building.

Yes, in time, it will come to a close. In six days, I will be 72 years old with a precarious heart condition. Tom, five years younger, will only be able to haul the bags for so many years to come.

As we came down the mountains, we encountered snow.

But we’ll carry on, slipping on those rose-colored glasses from time to time to soften the blows of the many harsh realities we encounter in the world to share each perspective with all of you.

Dirty snow piled up on the side of the road.

We just returned from a fantastic dinner on Valentine’s night sans alcohol. No alcoholic beverages are served in Amritsar in the proximity of the golden temple, which we’ll see tomorrow morning with our new guide. We don’t mind forgoing happy hour for three nights to savor the local treasures of Amritsar.

Town after the town became a picturesque view as we wound our way down the mountains.

Tomorrow evening holds quite an adventure. We’ll share the following day.

Thank you, dear reader/friends, for your inspiration and your loyalty. You are always with us.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all the lovers out there…

India pleasures continue, minus a few glitches along the way…

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With my laptop crashing and the dreadfully bad WiFi signal at this hotel, I cannot upload any photos today. The hotel is fully booked for Valentine’s Day, and with so many guests sharing the connection, we’re unable to upload any images.

Once I get my new Chromebook in within a week, I’ll get caught up, especially if we have a better WiFi signal when we’re not so high above sea level and in a hotel with such a poor signal.No doubt, we anticipated WiFi issues when visiting somewhat remote locations along the way. But, what did we expect? We didn’t anticipate that Tom’s old computer, which I’d carefully reformatted only a few weeks ago, would essentially crash for good, leaving me in difficulty attempting to post.

We’ve been a bit frustrated with the hotel we’re currently in while staying in Shimla for three nights. In the remodeling process, numerous steep stone outdoor stairways are required to navigate from the make-shift temporary lobby to find our room.

Tom counted that we had to navigate 96 steps (10 flights of stairs) each time we need to access the main entrance to the hotel. There aren’t adequate elevators (lifts) to get from one level/location to another. Had we known this, we’d never booked this hotel.

The hotel room is spacious and quite lovely, as is the restaurant. But there is no bar/lounge to relax or work before dining or anywhere in the entire hotel where we can sit other than in our hotel room when we have work to do. This is ridiculous, especially for a usually quite convenient Radisson Hotel.

Subsequently, we’re looking forward to moving on tomorrow.  At 10:00 am, we’ll be on the move again when Prince drives us the required seven hours to our next stop in Amritsar, another famous city many tourists come to India to see.

Don’t get me wrong; we’re enjoying India. It’s a fascinating country rich in culture and history with an overall kindly and gentle population. But, like life itself, sometimes travel isn’t as convenient and as easy as we’d like it to be. 

These few glitches will soon be resolved, leaving us more at ease and in our element. Or, we may continue to experience WiFi issues that make posting difficult each day. In any case, we’ll make every effort to figure all of this out as we continue.

We’re managing with the food, which is predominately Indian flavored, using considerable starch and sugar. The only dishes I can count on working for me are simple curries. For Tom, it’s a little more challenging, but we’re both managing to find foods suitable for both of our needs and taste buds. 

The easiest meal is breakfast which is included in our hotel fare at most locations. We’ve been able to have eggs, omelets, and bacon. Dinners are a little more challenging, but here again, we’re able to make it work while still savoring some Indian flavors in our meals.

Last night, we had a good meal in the dining room while celebrating my first anniversary of open-heart surgery. These minor issues remind us of how lucky and grateful we are to be able to continue on in our travels after what transpired in the past year.

May your day and evening leave you feeling grateful.

Arrived in chilly but gorgeous Shimla, 7400 feet above sea level, at the foot of the Himalayas…

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*Note: there are no photo captions today due to poor WiFi connection.

Yesterday consisted of a full day of travel. We started the day by meeting our Delhi guide in the hotel lobby at 6:45 am after we’d grabbed a quick bite to eat, We knew we wouldn’t have access to food until 12 hours later.
After a harrowing ride to one of 46 train stations in Delhi our guide and a porter known as a “coolie” in India helped with our bags escorting us to our train car. Our guide showed us to our seats.

Our heavy bags were tossed onto the overhead compartment while we got settled in our assigned seats. The legroom was adequate. No doubt, this train from New Delhi to Kalka wasn’t anything like the Maharajas Express but we were reasonably comfortable and at ease. 
Once the train departed the station we were served a variety of items in stages: bottled water,  juice cartons, tea, cookies, bread, and a hot fried vegetarian dish. Tom nibbled on the cookies and bread while I sipped on the hot tea. The four-hour ride to Kalka was uneventful. With the heavy fog and smog, we weren’t able to see much of the passing scenery


We played with our phones while the time passed quickly. At 12:00 pm, we had to make our connection. Tom was worried about getting our bags moved to the other train. But, as expected, a steward helped us and we easily found our train, appropriate car and seats, and an easy spot for our luggage. No worries.
On what is referred to as the Himalayan Queen Toy Train we made our way to the historic town of Shimla, at the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains. Shimla is known as the summer capital of British rulers. 

As a matter of fact, the British TV series Indian Summers, which we thoroughly enjoyed, was filmed in Shimla.
The scenic five-hour train ride made its way through 103 tunnels, 800 bridges, and an incredible 900 curves.  We took many photos, but in parts, the smog and scratched windows impeded the view.

The distance to Shimla is a paltry 58 miles (93 km) but based on information we discovered, the winding mountain tracks and slow speed resulted in the over five-hour train ride.
Upon arrival in Shimla we had no idea how our driver would find us when there were dozens of cars pinned in the tiny parking lot. Magically, he appeared and helped load our bags and we were on our way to a tucked-in-the-hills Indian influenced Radisson Hotel.

Once we arrived at the hotel after quite a delay checking in, we were escorted to our room. When I attempted to begin the missed post due to travel day, my computer’s blue screen prevented me from starting Windows 10. I tried every possible fix, but it was so severely corrupted, I was unable to get it started.

I hardly slept all night while worrying about a fix. This morning I spent another three hours trying to resolve the issues to no avail. The only alternative was to start over with a new laptop.
Today, I ordered a new Chromebook from Amazon India, which will be delivered to the hotel where we’ll be from February 17th to the 20th. In the interim, I’ll be using Tom’s laptop which is a bit cumbersome for me since his keyboard was different from mine.

Today, we’re hanging out at the hotel. Tomorrow, we’ll be touring Shimla with our newest guide, Prince. We’ll continue to take photos, but it will be easier for me when I have my own laptop.

Since today is the one year anniversary of my open heart surgery (referred to as a “heartaversary” during which we didn’t post for two weeks, I won’t be adding “Photo from one year ago” for the next few weeks. Thanks for your patience and we’ll do our best with the photos.
Be well.

The first day of our 55-day tour itinerary…Delhi and New Delhi…The burial site of Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes…

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From this site: “Indian Statesman and Spiritual Leader. Mohandas Gandhi, who came to be popularly known as “Mahatma” (Great Soul), was born a colonial subject of the British Empire. He studied law at University College in London and was admitted to the bar in 1891. In 1893, Gandhi became a legal advisor for an Indian law firm in Durban, South Africa (then also a British colony). Appalled at the racism against South Asians there, Gandhi became an activist for equal rights. However, Gandhi disdained the violent tactics often employed by socialist and anarchist activists and advocated new forms of nonviolent resistance, collectively known as “Satyagraha” (truth and firmness). Influenced by traditional Hinduism and the works of Jesus, Leo Tolstoy, and Henry David Thoreau, Gandhi’s methods stressed change by noncooperation with the colonial authorities, including disruptive (though nonviolent) demonstrations and general strikes and boycotts.

Yesterday morning, our Delhi tour guide, Subi, appeared in the hotel lobby a half-hour earlier than anticipated. Since we were ready for the day, we joined him to begin the first day of the 55-day.

Crowds of tourists and local visitors filled the walkways.

The same driver from the previous day would be responsible for transporting us from place to place, and Subi would be our tour guide. The concept of not having other tourists with us proved to be a good decision.

“Raj Ghat is a memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi in Delhi, India. Originally it was the name of a historic ghat of Old Delhi. Close to it, and east of Daryaganj was Raj Ghat Gate of the walled city, opening at Raj Ghat to the west bank of the Yamuna River. Later the memorial area was also called Raj ghat.”

At no point were we subject to the pace, shopping, dining, and restroom breaks. We could go at our own pace, which is mainly of importance to me when at times, I may walk a little slower than others.

The grounds of the burial site of Gandhi are meticulously manicured with exquisite flowers and gardens.

With this pressure non-existence for our 55-day private tour, we can decide exactly which venues appeal to us and which do not. For example, after visiting no less than six forts during the tours during the Maharajas Express train, we’re somewhat “forted out.

“Through his position on nonviolence was not absolute (he would later be a British Army recruiter during World War I), Gandhi would willingly take beatings from British police throughout his career and would require his supporters to do the same. In 1914, the newly autonomous South African government recognized Indian marriages and abolished the Indian poll tax, and Gandhi returned to India. After World War I, Gandhi became a major advocate for Indian home rule, again applying the methods of Satyagraha. In 1919, the British Army opened fire on demonstrators in Amritsar, killing nearly 400 people, including several children. In response, Gandhi stepped up his campaign of non-cooperation. Indian officeholders resigned, British courts and schools were boycotted, and demonstrators blocked streets all over the country. When this movement escalated to violent extremes, however, Gandhi called the demonstrations off. Gandhi also advocated the revival of the Indian cottage industry for economic independence from Britain, especially in textiles; he would wear only simple homespun clothes to illustrate this point. He was jailed from 1922 to 1924 but would return to his position in the Indian National Congress and call for a tax revolt in 1930.”

We informed our guide on what appealed to us and proceeded accordingly. Keeping in mind we’ve seen an endless array of churches, mosques, and historical buildings, at this point, after over seven years of world travel, we’re relatively picky about the installations we see as we continue.

The words of the great leader.

He seemed disappointed when we explained we weren’t interested in buying jewelry and other goods. Most certainly, he’d receive a commission from any purchases we made or expensive items. We weren’t about to make such purchases for that purpose. We tipped him well at the end of the tour.

Gandhi was revered for his depth and his great wisdom.

With a bit of research, we’re able to pin down what appeals to us most. How do we explain this to a tour guide? We did as follows:

1. No jewelry stores
2. No shopping for souvenirs or trinkets
3. No shopping in general, except for showing us spectacular open/local markets with local foods and handmade crafts, in essence, cultural markets.
4. No need to eat during the tours
5. No typical overly crowded tourist venues

Flowers are a big part of Indian culture.

Where does that leave us? The unique, the unusual, the quirky, the nuances of a culture far removed from our reality. The guide suggested we visit a local shopping mall with well-known designer stores. No thanks. That’s not for us.

“Several other samādhis or cremation spots of other famous leaders can be found in the vicinity of Raj Ghat.” Click here for more details.

As a result, although many venues during this 55-day tour are pre-set. At this point, we’ll always have the option to request changes in the itinerary. However, we will honor any venues whereby fees have been paid in advance for our attendance. We’re not foolhardy.

The flowers are breathtaking.

One of the reasons we generally don’t care for big cities is the repetitious nature of seeing similar buildings over and over again. In remote areas, we have a more ample opportunity to see what we’d like to see, the local culture, scenery and nature along with a smidgen of wildlife and farm animals here and there… Ultimately the more simple life appeals to us the most.

The symmetry of design is imperative in India’s structures.

India may not appear to be the ideal country for our normal vision, but we’ve decided to temper our motives and embrace as much of this country as possible.

Nothing was spared in the meticulous detail in the memorial.

In the interim, amid our preferences, we’re thoroughly enjoying what we’ve seen thus far and have no doubt these next many days and nights will be satisfying, educational, and fulfilling.

Street food in Delhi. 

You’ll be able to “travel along with us” if you choose this extensive journey through India. Tomorrow, beginning at 6:30 am, we’re starting a long travel day, which includes trips on two trains with only a 25-minute layover in between. We’ll have to arrange to move our luggage from the first to the second train during this short layover.

Jama Masjid Mosque in Delhi. “The Masjid e Jahan Numa, commonly known as the Jama Masjid of Delhi, is one of the largest mosques in India. It was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan between 1650 and 1656 at one million rupees. It was inaugurated by Imam Syed Abdul Ghafoor Shah Bukhari from Bukhara, present-day Uzbekistan. The mosque was completed in 1656 AD with three great gates and two 40 meters high minarets constructed with strips of red sandstone and white marble. There are three domes on the terrace, which are surrounded by the two minarets. On the floor, a total of 899 black borders is marked for worshippers. The courtyard can accommodate more than 25,000 people. The architectural plan of Badshahi Masjid, built by Shah Jahan’s son Aurangzeb in Lahore, Pakistan, is similar to the Jama Masjid.”

Hopefully, we’ll be able to find a porter to assist us. The hotel is packing a breakfast for us since we won’t arrive at our next hotel in Shimla until around 6:00 pm tomorrow.

Us, with the Jama Masjid Mosque in Delhi in the background. It was horrible pollution that impeded a clear photo.

Most likely, I’ll be preparing tomorrow’s post while on the train and, hopefully, wrap up the visit to Delhi to continue posting in the sequence of our experiences.

Be well. Be happy.

Photo from one year ago today, February 10, 2019:
No photos were posted one year ago today as we were wrapping up our entries for a week or more as I prepared for open-heart surgery on February 12, 2019. For the second to last post before the surgery, please click here.

Final expenses for Maharajas Express…Safari photos from Ranthambore National Park

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Two baby barns owls were peering out from the safety of the hollow in the tree in Ranthambore National Park.
Expenses   US Dollar       Indian           Rupee 
Maharajas Express Train
Fare for 2 		 $ 11,996.00 857905.94
Tips   $     433.38 30993.60
Taxi   $        –                 
Dining Out   $     115.43          8255.09
Visa Fees – India for
2 		  $     120.00 8581.92
ATM fees   $       24.30 1737.84
Total   $ 12,689.11 907474.39
Avg Daily Cost (6 night train-2 nights hotel in Mumbai)   $   1,586.14 113434.30

No, we didn’t spot the elusive Bengal tiger in Ranthambore National Park in Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan, northern India, on Friday’s safari when we disembarked the Maharajas Express at the train station.

Nearly dry river bed.

Based on our relatively vast safari experiences, several reasons may have been instrumental in not spotting a tiger. They include:

1.  The noisy 20 passenger safari driver drove too fast through the park, causing loud noises that could easily prevent a possible sighting when tigers are elusive and sensitive to loud noises.

Kingfisher.

2.  Driving slowly with all passenger’s eyes on the lookout for a sighting would have significantly increased our odds.

3.  Loud talking: The tour guide, although seemingly knowledgeable about the park, spoke and yelled out in loud tones that would easily have prevented a sighting of a tiger, let alone other wildlife. Often, the guides were yelling out to one another as we passed along the narrow route.
Monkey searching for morsels of food.

Once we entered the park, Tom and I looked at one another, knowing that it would be doubtful we’d see a tiger under the above circumstances.

We don’t blame the Maharajas Express. 
Spotted deer.

Most likely, few, if any, passengers would have voiced these concerns, especially if they’ve never been on safari in the past. The speed at which the driver was maneuvering through the rough roads made it especially difficult for senior passengers. 

Wildflowers blooming at the river’s edge.

One kind woman, Carol from Australia, with whom we made a good connection, literally fell out of her seat, landing on the vehicle floor, injuring her hip, and breaking her finger. This could have happened to anyone of us when the bumps were so outrageous we could barely hang on for dear life.

Antelopes in India are similar to kudus in Africa but without prominent white markings.

By the time the short two-hour safari came to an end, we were all rattled after the extraordinarily bumpy ride. Oh, as our readers know, we’ve been on many safaris over rough roads, but nothing and I mean nothing, compares to that outrageous ride for two hours.

Termite mounds, considerably smaller than those in Africa.

The early morning was chilly. The train staff provided us with woolen blankets. Although Tom and I were bundled up in our warmest clothing and blankets, our hands and faces were cold as the safari vehicle ripped through the jungle.

Banyan tree.

We still have four or five more game drives scheduled during our 55-night tour of India, but this time, we’ll be on our own with the guides and surely will provide some input on how we’d like the safaris conducted. This is not meant to be arrogant by any means. But more so, it’s an attempt to improve the odds of spotting wildlife we long to see in India.

Crocodile on the bank of the river at the Ranthambore National Park.

Today, while in New Delhi, we were out on tour with a driver and our tour guide, Subi, in both the old and the new Delhi. We visited some outstanding venues and look forward to sharing them with all of you over the next few days. Our hotel, the Metropolitan in New Delhi, is excellent.

Shallow river in the national park.

Whew! We’ve had quite a busy schedule since we left Arizona 11 days ago, and there’s more than we can imagine in days to come. Please stay tuned.

Have a pleasant day and evening.

Photo from one year ago today, February 9, 2019:

The four piglets certainly have grown over the past six months. They are so fun to watch. For more photos, please click here.