INDIAN LAND PORTION
They call it "India the Incredible" .. Boy are they correct ... it is not only "beyond belief" it is also "beyond understanding"
An old cliche runs something like this ... "You can not be considered a serious traveler until you have been to India". Well, here is what we decided to do on our exposure to India. Does this rate us as "Serious Travelers"?
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25th AUG (Friday): DELHI – ARRIVE AT 2030 HRS BY AA-292
I don't know just why it is, but when we travel, we always seem to arrive in cities after dark. This was the same for Delhi. It was almost 10:00 PM, their time, when we finally got all our baggage and wandered out of customs. The first thing we noticed was the HEAT! Then second realization that it was also very very humid. The summer in Vancouver has been lovely with day after day temperatures around the high 20s and low 30's for the most part. At 10:00 PM in Delhi it was in the high 30's with the humidity hovering in the high 80%. Of course, we were so nutted after that gawd-awful 15 hour flight from Chicago, our ability to feel much was badly impaired. But, there was a great deal of relief when we saw our name being held out of the crowd as we exited customs ... our ride was there.
The tour arrangements we had made with Sandeep in Toronto were that we would have a large car and driver at our disposal for the week-long ground tour. At each city we would have a personal guide provided for the day so that we be taken to the sites and would have "everything" explained. Considering what we know of Indian history and the Hindu and Muslim religions, we thought this would be help fill in the huge gaps. So, as we arrived in each city, a representative of the company would meet us, make sure that everything was working well and make sure that the guide was in place. So, standing there in the throng was a very tall Indian gentleman brandishing a piece of paper with "Mr. and Mrs. Paynter" stenciled on it. The attention to detail these guys give the traveler was incredible. As I was pushing out the cart with the two very very large and heavy pieces of luggage on it, the cart is snatched away and a very strong arm is guiding us through the maze of people in the Delhi airport towards a rather nice looking vehicle about the size of a Toyota Highlander. All right, I thought ... room even for me with my ever stiffer back! We must of looked like Zombies as we marched out of that air port!!! Once again, we have made the promise to ourselves that we would only fly business class. Ya ya, I know, we always say that on our return, but this time we MEAN it. To hell with the costs!!!!
The car turned out to be a Tata, made in India.
In fact Tata is one of the largest companies in the country making everything from cars, trucks, and electronic devices etc. etc. We had it explained to us that Tata is a family run organization that has 96 companies in 7 business sectors. Obviously, the guides are very well trained!!!
The Representative introduced us to our driver who would be with us for the entire week. Many Indians who deal with the traveling public have taken English names as the pronunciation of their Indian names would obviously be very difficult for us. I don't remember the Rep who met us but our driver's name was Roger. Now in India, the honourific "Mr." is expected so "Mr. Roger" turned out to be a real gem!!!
His English was "so so", but he tried very hard to explain things to us and his driving skills were incredible.... and they had to be!!!!! India has by far the most chaotic traffic that we have ever seen!!!!
It is interesting that Mr. Roger would address me as Mr. Joe ... after I asked him to, but he would not address Elsie by name. He would answer all her questions and was incredibly polite, but if he wanted to say anything about the trip timing or places to go, he would defer to me. Now, I have no problem with this, but you can imagine Elsie ....India is still a very male dominated society.
The drive in from the airport took over a hour, not because it was so far out of town, but because the road transportation in India is the Pits!!! Let's get this out in the open early on in this epistle. City roads can be in any kind of condition, from smooth to rutted, to pot holed, to new construction. It didn't really seem to matter. Traffic flow was chaotic. It is the old concept that if there is a bit of tar available, then a car is on it. White lines are totally ignored! As you drive, the only part of the car the driver is concerned about is what he can see without turning his head. So, only the front of the car is your responsibility. To pass a car, you simply get a little ahead of it and turn your wheel. This traffic pattern is very common in most third world countries, but given that the population of New Delhi is over 13 million and the number of cars is exploding, it is Total Chaos in india!! But, some how it seems to works and people do get around, albeit very slowly and carefully ...sometimes. The rural roads are even more deadly, but I'll discuss them later.
We got to the hotel around 11:00 PM and the Rep arranged our room, got our baggage sent up and tried to discuss the next week's arrangements with me. The travel industry does love paper, and we had vouchers for everything. It was all neatly bundled in a folder so that all we had to do is know where we were and hand out the appropriate piece of paper to whomever required it. Simple eh? However, that night all I could do is grunt and nod at him. Fortunately it all made sense as the Trip continued. He must have thought that I was a real dunce!
The hotel in Delhi and indeed, all the other hotels through the land portion, were on a 3 and 4 star level so we were very comfortable. Of course, the first night after the draconian travel experience we had just survived, sleep could be a concern. But, Elsie was prepared ... a bottle of Single Malt would adjust our "clocks" very quickly!!!
26th AUG (Saturday): IN DELHI
Breakfast was included in our room costs, so each morning we got up to face either an English style or an Indian style breakfast. We kept thinking that we are here only once so the alarm clock got quite a work out. Most mornings were were up by 7:00 and out on tour by 8:30. You know ... traveling is damn hard work!!!
Delhi is broken up into Old Delhi of the Mogul times and New Delhi of more recent British times. Our day was broken into two segments ... sort of Pre British Raja and post British Raj. For you non historians, Indian history, pre the British, records the arrival of the Mogul hordes out of the north. In fact so successful were these invasions that nothing much pre Mogul invasion exists in India until you head further south to where they did not get. A real pity as there were civilizations existing in India which we have now lost. More about the Mogul/Muslim invasions later.
But we began with a tour of Old Delhi.At 8:00 Mr. Roger was waiting in the car at the entrance to the Hotel. With him was the guide who was ready and raring to go. He was in his mid to late 30's and held a Master's Degree in History. A very educated and interesting person. The tour began in Old Delhi with a visit to Raj Ghat, the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. This is the place where Gandhi (called Bapu by most Indians) was cremated in 1948, after being shot by a Hindu extremist.
We wandered and talked in this extremely quiet spot. Looking at the picture, you wouldn't think that it is in the middle of a roaring, loud, bustling city of 13 million people. The guide was very open to questions so we spent some time leaning on a wall overlooking this site talking about the tenants of Hinduism,
Sikhism, Jainism and Muslim faiths. Today, in India, the largest percent is Hindu with Muslims providing the next largest segment. I think I got a bit of a handle on basic aspects of these faiths, but the underlying feeling I got was that the city was made up on just the two largest segments with very little cross religion interest. We then got into the economic structure of India and the current status of the Caste System. He did mention that the educational system was based solely upon merit, and not Caste, so it is possible for a very bright person in the lowest Caste to gain a really good education and therefore raise his status. I asked how many did this, and he just shrugged .."It is possible" was as far as he would go. Just how this would happen when all family members of the lower classes had to work to earn sufficient money to survive was not explained. He did go on to mention the incredible growth of the Middle Class in the country. Education, being free to all, has meant that India has been rocketed into the 21 st Century, but just how they will deal with the millions of poor, I don't know. He described himself as being Middle Class but was having problems employing his education. The best job he could get with a Master's Degree was guiding. He lived in a three room flat with his parents occupying one room, he and his wife in the next, and his 11 year old daughter having the third tiny little room. Living with his parents was a plus he said, as they provide wisdom and stability for his family. We did not discuss much of what goes on here in Canada!
The weather was extremely hot and humid so standing in the sun for too long was not a good idea. By the time this conversation ended, my shirt was soaked, and I was longing for the A/C in the car. On the way back to the car, we passed one of the many snake charmers that sit on the curbs in front of any spot that tourists might be.
As you walked by, the "charmer" would snatch off the lid of the small wicker basket and give the snake inside a smack with his hand. This was the only way that the snake would raise its head. He would then play his flute like instrument while the snake would wiggle back and forth. I think the flute was more to charm the spectators then to have any impact on the snake. If you took his picture, he expected you to give him 10 Rupees (about 20 cents). When he saw that we were not interested, he would push the lid back on the basket forcing the snake to lower its head, and he would go on with his conversation with his friends who were sitting around him.
Our next stop was the Jama Masjid, one of Asia’s largest mosques. This is a beautiful Mosque set on the edge of a very large and active Bazaar. We climbed the steps ... there are always steps in India, and wandered through the foreground and into the Mosque itself. Of course, we had to take off our shoes for the entire visit and Elsie, as a women,had to go in a difference part of the Mosque. There is a large pool in the enclosure where believers ceremoniously washed their hands, feet and face before praying. While we were there, a large funeral procession entered the courtyard carrying a litter containing the body of a recently departed person. They placed the litter on the edge of the pool, performed the necessary washing rituals for themselves and the departed, and went in to pray. Different cultures ... we slipped away and down into the Bazaar.
Remember, this is Old Delhi so the Bazaar was set in an area that had many tiny little streets with tiny shops that sold everything ... and some things I could not even begin to identify. The only way to see the place was in a Bike Rickshaw. So, after a little negotiation ... of we went.
As in most places we have visited over the years, there are always the street merchants trying to hawk junk to tourists. These guys were not as pushy as in some countries, and if you said that you were not interested, they generally left you alone. For more pictures of this little experience, check the Pictures Page linked below.
By now, it was time to leave Old Delhi and head into New Delhi ... the tourist magazine explains it well ...
New Delhi reflects the legacy the British left behind. The division between New and Old Delhi is the division between the capitals of the British and the Mughals respectively. The division in the walled city and New Delhi also marks the division in the life-styles. The walled city is all tradition where one will be able to glean a past life-style in all its facets, colours and smells. New Delhi in contrast, is a city trying to live up to the best of 21st century standards.
Lunch was in a little restaurant where we continued to sample Indian food. Every meal has several dishes of condiments put on the table. Being brave souls, we tried them all .... after the fire went out .. many minutes later, we decided to pass on some of them from now on. This was our first exposure to "sweet and sour" lemonade. This was GREAT; really refreshing! The meal was composed of two types on Indian bread, Chapati and Naan, along with a pork and chicken dish. There was so much food, I could not finish it all. Now, I don't know if that was because of the amount of food, the horrid heat and humidity, or my stomach still had not settled after the air plane excuse for food, but I did regret leaving anything on the plate. As we were leaving, we were presented several little sachets that contained ainse and sugar mixture as a mouth refresher. As a licorice lover, I found this to be really tasty. Most restaurants in India have this practice after a meal. We had already consumed our two large bottles of water, so the first stop had to be a water source. Fortunately, as we left the restaurant, there was a very small convenience store like place that had water in a fridge ... cold! WOW, we were pleased!
The major visit in the afternoon was to Humayun’s Tomb, built by the widow of the second Mughal Emperor, Humayun. This was set in a very large park and is considered to be a precursor of the Taj Mahal. By now, the heat, humidity and lack of sleep grabbed us so we didn't spend a long time here, but we did walk through the entire grounds and into the Tomb itself. It was spectacular example of the Indo-Persian style and made us more excited about visiting the Taj tomorrow.
After about 1 1/2 hours walking we headed back to the A/C and headed back to the hotel. On the way we drove past Qutub Minar, the tallest stone tower in India, the India Gate, the Parliament building and the Rastrapathi Bhawan, the President’s residence. A very fulsome day!!!
We were really glad to see the hotel as it had a BAR!!! I discovered KINGFISHER beer. A lager that still was a little bitter. Just what the ole Doc ordered after 8 hours of heat, humidity, noise and confusion! A full pint bottle in the hotel bar was less than $1.50 US. Saved again!
A very quiet dinner in the hotel and bed soon after ended our first day in India! Tomorrow ... the TAJ!
27th AUG (Sunday) : DELHI-AGRA
Up at 6:30 to pack, have breakfast and meet Mr. Roger at 8:00 for the drive to Agra which is 205 Km's/ 4 hours away. This is where Mr. Roger's driving skill was crucial if we were to survive. As we slowly made our way out of Delhi, the main highway proved to be a two lane paved road which doesn't sound too bad. The outskirts were as chaotic as the city centre. All the North American Call Centers were pointed out to us as we fought our way to the south east. The side roads are mostly unpaved so the main highway is the lifeline for transportation and commerce. With the lanes being only 8 1/2 feet wide, and the white line totally ignored by all and sundry, driving becomes a new experience. Everyone uses the road way, tractors, donkey carts, camel carts, bikes, motor cycles, walkers, cows,, huge trucks and cars... everyone!!! But not one moves at the same speed. If a car wants to pass, it just pulls out and oncoming traffic slows -- you hope-- and lets you make the pass. While this is happening, dogs, children, cats, cows all suddenly jump in front. A North American driver would never pass here if he expects to have a clear passing zone in front of him. What a zoo!!!! We tried to capture some of the feeling on the road in the pictures Elsie took ... go to the picture link below. But, we made the 205 km's in just over 4 hours ... at an average speed of about 45 km's per hour.
But we made it and checked into the hotel before heading out to see the Taj!!!
Some interesting info about the Taj Mahal:
"Taj Mahal is regarded as one of the eight wonders of the world, and some Western historians have noted that its architectural beauty has never been surpassed. The Taj is the most beautiful monument built by the Mughals, the Muslim rulers of India. Taj Mahal is built entirely of white marble. Its stunning architectural beauty is beyond adequate description, particularly at dawn and sunset. The Taj seems to glow in the light of the full moon. On a foggy morning, the visitors experience the Taj as if suspended when viewed from across the Jamuna river.
Taj Mahal was built by a Muslim, Emperor Shah Jahan (died 1666 C.E.) in the memory of his dear wife and queen Mumtaz Mahal at Agra, India. It is an "elegy in marble" or some say an expression of a "dream." Taj Mahal (meaning Crown Palace) is a Mausoleum that houses the grave of queen Mumtaz Mahal at the lower chamber. The grave of Shah Jahan was added to it later. The queen’s real name was Arjumand Banu. In the tradition of the Mughals, important ladies of the royal family were given another name at their marriage or at some other significant event in their lives, and that new name was commonly used by the public. Shah Jahan's real name was Shahab-ud-din, and he was known as Prince Khurram before ascending to the throne in 1628.
Taj Mahal was constructed over a period of twenty-two years, employing twenty thousand workers. It was completed in 1648 C.E. at a cost of 32 Million Rupees. The construction documents show that its master architect was Ustad ‘Isa, the renowned Islamic architect of his time. The documents contain names of those employed and the inventory of construction materials and their origin. Expert craftsmen from Delhi, Qannauj, Lahore, and Multan were employed. In addition, many renowned Muslim craftsmen from Baghdad, Shiraz and Bukhara worked on many specialized tasks.
The Taj stands on a raised, square platform (186 x 186 feet) with its four corners truncated, forming an unequal octagon. The architectural design uses the interlocking arabesque concept, in which each element stands on its own and perfectly integrates with the main structure. It uses the principles of self-replicating geometry and a symmetry of architectural elements.
Its central dome is fifty-eight feet in diameter and rises to a height of 213 feet. It is flanked by four subsidiary domed chambers. The four graceful, slender minarets are 162.5 feet each. The entire mausoleum (inside as well as outside) is decorated with inlaid design of flowers and calligraphy using precious gems such as agate and jasper. The main archways, chiseled with passages from the Holy Qur’an and the bold scroll work of flowery pattern, give a captivating charm to its beauty. The central domed chamber and four adjoining chambers include many walls and panels of Islamic decoration.
The mausoleum is a part of a vast complex comprising of a main gateway, an elaborate garden, a mosque (to the left), a guest house (to the right), and several other palatial buildings. The Taj is at the farthest end of this complex, with the river Jamuna behind it. The large garden contains four reflecting pools dividing it at the center. Each of these four sections is further subdivided into four sections and then each into yet another four sections. Like the Taj, the garden elements serve like Arabesque, standing on their own and also constituting the whole."
Our guide was in his 60's and you could see that he loved his topic. As he spoke abut the Taj, his eyes sparkled. He was used to guiding bus loads of people throughout all of Northern India, but as this was early in the travel year, I think he grabbed what work he could find. The main tourist season is from November through the end of March when the weather is much better ... temperatures in the high 30's and low 40's C. (95 to 100+F) but the humidity runs around 10% so it is a better time to travel. I don't know ... high 30's with humidity in the 90% range is not too bad?????? Gasp Gasp. At least we didn't have the huge crowds ...
The story of the Taj I inserted above is basically true, but he added to it ... apparently, the Emperor Shah Jahan had 4 sons. His third son was the military type so he sent him south with an army to protect his vulnerable southern flank. He built the Taj on the banks of the Jamuna River. His plan was to build a mirror copy on the other bank but this time to make it out of black marble. The thing about the Taj is that everything is balanced .. right and left, up and down ... so it was obvious to him that the Taj in its entirety needed to be balanced. He just started to build the linking bridge when his Number 3 son in the south with the army heard that his father had died and that his older brother had taken control. Immediately, he marched his army north to seize the kingdom, but unfortunately for the poor sod, it was just a rumour and his father was alive and well. Too late for niceties at this point so "in for a penny in for a pound" he attacked his father's army, defeated it and declared himself the Emperor. He then imprisoned his Dad in the Agra Fort up river from the Taj where he could still see the Taj in the distance. Shah Jahan died at the Fort and his son buried him, beside his beloved wife, in the Taj. Sort of a neat story!!
Anyway, by 1:30 we had parked in the car park and were heading to the site. Since the bombings in Mombai a month before, it was decided to not have cars near the Taj that could blow up and destroy everything. Now, you have to haggle for a horse and cart ride for the last 1/2 mile (past the old hotel and leper hospital) up to the front gates and go through a security check that rivals an airport. As you approach the Taj, all you see on the right side of a large square is a red fort like building. Most of the Mogul Fort constructions are made of the ubiquitous Red Sandstone so this is not a remarkable site. It is not until you enter the arch of the fort that you catch the first site of the Taj....
It really is quite spectacular!!!!
We spent a captivating 3 1/2 hours wandering here. Everything I write here seems sappy so I will only say ... the Taj Mahal is all that it is cracked up to be!!!! This has to be one of the highlights of my life!!! Go to the picture link below and have a look ....
We returned to the hotel by 6:30 / 7:00 in time for a Kingfisher, dinner and bed. We are slowly licking the jet lag ....
28th AUG (Monday) : AGRA- JAIPUR
Up and on the road again by 8:00 AM (this is getting too repetitive). Sleep is getting marginally better, so we now are having hope that we can return to normal sometime soon.
Before leaving Agra, we visited the red sandstone Mogul fort that held the captive King who built the Taj. We wandered through there for over an hour before heading to Jaipur 260 kms and 7 hours away. This is where India becomes "beyond understanding"!!!!!
Please remember that the roads here are only 2 narrow lanes, and that they provide the main transportation link for everyone. Everyone uses the roads and most of the road sides in the little villages are covered by huts, stores, dentists, barbers etc. Anywhere near a village is totally chaotic while in the countryside it is only completely chaotic. The fastest the car could reach would be bursts of up to 50 km's when passing another vehicle and trying to dodge the oncoming vehicles. Trucks roar along past camel carts, stationary cows, oxen herds being moved between fields, and oxen pulling carts full to over flowing with any product a farm might produce or require. Top that off with pedestrians of all ages -- babies to old folks -- cyclists, pot holes, stretches of gravel, tree limbs lying on the surface, dead dogs purifying on the road sides and the worst we saw .... a man's body sprawled on the road side obviously dead. One man was standing over the body looking down and the rest of the villagers were standing 10 feet away mostly ignoring the scene. I asked Mr. Roger where the police were. His comment, "maybe they come in 1 hour, maybe in 8, or maybe never. Who knows." I asked what happens to the driver of the vehicle that hit him and his response, "pay 500 or 1000 rupees and police go away ...no problem." ($20.00 to $45.00 US). He then thought for a second and added, "unless it is a Tourist and then everyone comes quickly." This seemed to be OK to him, and he returned to whistling. Elsie and I just sat there ... price of life differs in India.
Half way to Jaipur, we stopped at yet another red sandstone Mogul fort, Fatehpur Sikri, built in the 17th century. Quite frankly, I'm getting a little tired of Mogul forts built in the 1600's to control the local inhabitants. This one was interesting enough and the sheer size is enough to impress. These Mogul Princes sure had the lifestyle. I'll let the tourist brochure explain ...
En-route visiting Fatehpur Sikri, the deserted red sandstone city, built by the Great Mughal Emperor Akbar as his capital and palace in the late 16th century. It was abandoned soon after it was built when the local wells went dry and it remains today in much the same condition that it was over 300 years ago. It is complete with palaces and mosques and used to be a town larger than London when it was originally constructed. Now it is an extraordinary place to wander around with its buildings in near perfect condition.
See pictures at the link below...
Well Monday was another very complete day. Two Mogul Forts with lots of walking and stair climbing; complete culture shock driving for the 7 hours; temperatures still in the very high 30's and lingering jet lag. The drive into the city just capped the day. Garbage all over the streets, very poor road conditions, huge crowds walking the roads, and general pandemonium. Fortunately, the hotel was OK, even though it was a Holiday Inn, but it was our least favourite of all the hotels on this tour.
But, there is always a silver lining ... not only did the Bar have Kingfisher but the also had a local brew called "The Golden Eagle". Not a bad brew and certainly I had earned it after today. Bed was certainly a welcome sight that night.
29st AUG (Tuesday) : JAIPUR
Well, Japer turned out to be our least favourite stop on this trip. Up again, showered, breakfasted, and ready to hit the sights by 8:30. Mr. Roger was, as usual early ... we found out that he sleeps in the car on the side of the road ... and we headed out to see the Famous Amber Fort. Yes, another red sand stone Mogul 17th Fort ... only there would be a difference. We get to ride on elephants from the base of the Fort up to the main gates ... beats stairs!!!
The Guide here was a jerk! He sort of told us about the area in a bored, matter of fact tone that indicated that there were probably several hundred places he would rather have been that day. After the elephant ride that was interesting if not uncomfortable, we got to the Fort entrance, and he said over his shoulder, "tip the elephant boy." I was last getting there; Elsie had gone on, and I had no Indian money. You should have seen the lad's face when I gave him $5.00 US. That was probably equal to the total he expected to make all day.
I caught up to Elsie, and she had the source of Indian Money in the backpack, so I replenished the tip pocket. Then the guide walked up and asked for 50 rupees for a camera pass for the fort. I gave him a 100 rupee bill, and he promptly pocketed the change. Not a big deal, but it was the principle of the thing. I was getting a little pissed at this guy.
It was another typical Fort and we climbed stairs, dodged wall supports, and tried to imagine what it must have looked like 300 years age. There was one group of me who were replacing parts of the wall in the same manner that was probably used to build the damn thing. This was not to keep everything authentic, it was the way they still did things here, 3 centuries later.
Today was a particularly hot one. By the time we got to the Jantar Mantar or Astronomical Observatory, I was hot, mad and ready to leave this place. On the way driving around the city, we must have passed a whole herd of pigs that were fighting with the cows, dogs and kids for anything left in the open garbage piles that were the road edges. People slept on the sidewalks covered with crap that was thrown and dumped there by the locals themselves. In the early AM whole families were asleep on the sidewalks and no attempt to clean up is ever made. What I'm trying to come to grips with now is just why the burgeoning middle class does not see this and act on it. Then I thought about some of our Reservations around here ... the Downtown east side, and I thought ... the eyes only see what upsets the mind. So, maybe I'm being too harsh? It will take generations to make substantial changes to this society. Till then ...???
The last stop of this dismal day was the Jantar Mantar or Astronomical Observatory built by Sawai Jai Singh in 1726. These really are huge sundials and astrological sign indicators that if you listen to the guide, were invented by this guy. I was going to mention the Egyptian, Greek, Roman, European scientists that did all these calculations centuries before but thought ... the guide is a jerk and there is beer waiting for me. We walked across the street and wandered into the City palace that held all sorts of museums. The clothing one was interesting but the temperatures were hot and we were not so we headed back to the hotel by 4:30.
Ahhh ... A/C, beer, food and sleep!!! All very necessary as we had to be in the airport 2 hours prior to our 7:30 AM flight to Mumbai (Bombay). So , up at 4:30 ... sigh
30th Aug (Wednesday): JAIPUR- BOMBAY
Departure: Jaipur at: 0730 Hours By: IC 612
Arrival: Mumbai at: 0905 HoursTo tell the truth, I was on my second day of the hot weather trots. Imodium works well, but I was worried about the flight, I can tell you! But no worries; all was well, and the Airbus 320 was clean and as comfortable as could be expected. The flight was only 1 1/2 hours so it was a doable flight if I could keep out of the bathroom!
When we got to the airport, we checked our luggage and waited until they called the flight. We then went through one of the most stringent security checks yet. All our bags were opened and gone through by a very conscientious guard. Boy, did I feel sorry for him ... all our clothes were getting dirty, and given the amount we have been sweating over the last 5 days, many of our garments were a little high. But, he persevered, and we got through. An interesting twist here was that we had to go into the secure area and then out to the luggage area to identify our bags before they would put them on the plane. Needless to say, it was a safe flight.
The tour brochure's comments on Mumbai:
Maharashtra’s capital, Mumbai, wears several hats or should we say crowns? Mumbai is not just India’s largest city, it is also its commercial capital, industrial powerhouse, busiest port, fashion capital, home to ‘Bollywood’ (India’s Hollywood), world’s biggest textile market – the list goes on and on. Mumbai thrives on contrasts- the city is home to the richest and the poorest of Indians, sleek limousines jostle rusty cycles, red double-decker buses rumble past three-wheeler auto-rickshaws; impressive high rises soar above crowded ugly slums and shanty towns; glitzy shop fronts amid pavement stalls; glamorous film stars and homeless beggars demand attention at traffic lights and amidst all this are people, people, people everywhere, for Mumbai is home to some 15 million Indians
It is interesting how things build up on you when you travel. We ate very little before leaving Jaipur, and then Elsie ate the B'fast on the plane. Because of my little problem, I didn't eat anything. On our arrival in Mumbai, we went to the hotel, checked in and then as we were very tired, had a little sleep. This, of course, meant that there was was no time for lunch which didn't bother me too much ... Elsie also did not feel much like eating. So, ... of we go on a tour to Elephanta Island ... tourist brochure write up ...
The beautifully sculpted rock-cut temples on Elephant Island are 9 nautical miles from Bombay and are reached by taking a motor launch from Gateway of India. They are believed to have been created between 450 and 750 AD, when the island was known as Gharapuri, the Fortress City. The Portuguese renamed it Elephanta because of a large stone Elephant near the shore. The caves are reached by climbing 100 steps to the top of the hill.
The Gateway of India is the site of an old dock that the British built with a very imposing Arch through which most people arrived. Now, it is really an open space in front of the Taj Hotel, one of the very best hotels in Mumbai. Appended to the space in a small dock that is the site of the launches that go to Elephanta Island which is in the opposite section of the harbor. It takes an hour to get there by these small boats.
The afternoon was very hot and humid, as usual, but off we go. On arrival at the Island, you get off the boat and onto a miniature rail coach that takes you about 1/2 mile to the start of the steps
. We began the trek up and eventually ran into the stairs after a walk on a semi steep pathway. As this area is rather touristy on either side of the stairs merchants have their stalls selling souvenirs. Well, the length and heat of the day, and the lack of food finally had an impact on us. We stopped as Elsie wanted a lifesaver from the backpack, and all of a sudden, she felt dizzy. I propped her up on the wall, and she really began to feel awful. I got her head down between her knees, and still she was not a happy camper. Quite a crowd came around and the local merchants all started to give advice. One of them sort of took over and rushed down to us with a dish of raw sugar. After eating some of the sugar, Elsie began to feel better. Going on up the stairs was not an option for her!!! She insisted though that she was OK and that I should continue on. She would wait there for us to return. As she seemed to be recovering, the Guide and I did continue up to the Caves and had a look around.
The Caves were carved out of solid rock and the walls were adorned with carvings all dealing with one of the three main Gods of Hinduism, Shiva. It was interesting to think that this was all done by hand centuries before.
Being the concerned fellow I am, I was worried about my bride so we did not spend a lot of time in the Caves.
Hurrying down the steps to Elsie, there she was, sitting like the Queen of Shebang, on a plastic sheet, with about 5 people dancing attendance to her every whim. The one fellow who had brought the sugar was hovering around making sure that Elsie was comfortable and had moved her to the other side of the staircase so the merchant where I had left her could open his stall. I thanked the fellow and tried to give him some money, but he refused and said that he would get his reward ... The Indian people are sure caring and friendly people!!!
We got back to the hotel for beer, food and sleep. The next morning, Elsie was feeling fine and the Imodioum had done its task ... My bowels were back to normal. Tomorrow .... a Mumbai City tour ....
31st AUG (Thursday): MUMBAI
The tour is beginning to wind down and for us it was about time. We had a City Tour for about 5 hours today, and then time on our own for the first time since arriving in India. This was much looked forward to as we had to to a laundry before we hit the ship. Laundry prices are really high once you board and the costs in the hotel were much more reasonable. So our tour ... in the words of the Tourist Brochure....
Buffet breakfast at the hotel, you will proceed for panoramic tour of Mumbai visit Gateway of India. Gateway of India is the landmark of Bombay, which, was before the advent of air travel, the only gateway to India. It was built to commemorate the visit of King George and Queen Mary to India in 1911. You will be then driven along Marine Drive, the sea - Front Boulevard. It is also known as the Queen’s Necklace as in the evening, the breeze from the Arabian Sea comes over Marine Drive and as the streetlights on this U-shaped road light up, the view from south Bombay’s skyscrapers or from the exclusive residential area, is that of a Queen’s Necklace. Your first stop will be the Jain Temples, built of marble and dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankara. From the temples you will be driven along Malabar Hill via the Tower of Silence - a round stone construction on which Parsis place their dead to be eaten by the vultures and Hanging Gardens which is built over Bombay’s reservoir. From here one can get a panoramic view of picturesque Marine Drive. Afternoon at leisure.
We enjoyed our time in Mumbai and the City tour was interesting. Being on the sea coast much like home, we felt sort of at home here. There are some nice parks and gardens and not the absolute filth we saw in Jaipur. One interesting thing we saw was the Tower of Silence. I have not said much about religions here, in fact I have left out too much from here but ..., the Jain Temples were fascinating. The Jainists believe that all life is sacrosanct and not even a bug can be killed on purpose. You see the Priests all wearing white robes walking the streets with some of them wearing a mask to keep from inadvertently inhaling a creature. The leader of the faith, we were told, does not even wear clothes in case the robes would harm anything on his skin. A truly gentle group of people!
The Parsis are a one of the others ethnic groups in India ....
Although the Parsis of India originally emigrated from Persia, they no longer have social or familial ties to Persians, and do not share language or recent history with them. Over the centuries since the first Zoroastrians arrived in India, the Parsis have integrated themselves into Indian society while simultaneously maintaining their own distinct customs and traditions (and thus ethnic identity). This in turn has given the Parsi community a rather peculiar standing - they are Indians in terms of national affiliation, language and history, but not typically Indian (constituting only 0.006% of the total population).
They treat their dead in a different manner than the Hindus and Muslims. The Muslims bury the body; the Hindus burn it, and the Parsis employ the Towers of Silence. In the old days, these Towers were built on the outskirts of the city, where the body was placed in the open for the vultures to reduce the corpse to bones which were then placed in a hole to decay. Well, that is all and good if they were in the country, and if there were sufficient vultures around to perform this task. But in our time the cities have grown, and the number of vultures are not sufficient to do their job. It has become quite a problem that only now is being addressed.
Again, a quiet late afternoon gathering the laundry, a quiet dinner and bed. Hey, we might just survive this after all!!!
01 SEP (Friday): DEPARTURE BOMBAY
Up fairly early today as we wanted the Guide to take us to the fishing docks and for a tour around Marine Drive of Mumbai. I was also looking for a store that might sell wine so we could stock up before arriving at the ship. We knew the wine prices on board were atrocious and had no desire to pay that amount of money. Unfortunately, all the wine shops we hit were as expensive as the boat so we were out of luck .... sigh. Only fond memories of the case and a 1/2 of white wine we brought on board the ship in Valparaiso Chile on a previous cruise we did.
By 12:00 we were at the dock with suitcases full of clean clothes ready to begin the most sedate part of this trip ...
SUMMARY OF TRAVEL
Airlines
Trip to: American Airlines
Depart: Seattle Aug 24 11:45am (AA1124) Arrive: Chicago Aug 24, 2006 5:37pm
Depart: Chicago Aug 24 7:05pm (AA0292) Arrive: Delhi Aug 25, 2006 8:30pmReturn trip: Northwest Airlines
Depart: Bangkok Sept 16 6:00am (NW0028) Arrive: Tokyo Sept 19 2:30pm
Depart: Tokyo Sept 19 3:30pm (NW0008) Arrive: Seattle Sept 19 8:10pmHotels
Dates Hotel City No. Of Nights
August 23 Best Value Airport Inn Seattle 1
August 25/26 The Connaught Delhi 2
August 27 Clarks Shiraz Agra 1
August 28/29 Holiday Inn Jaipur 2
August 30/31 The Fariyas Mumbai 2
September 1- 15 Princess Cruise
September 16/17 Federal Hotel Bangkok 2
September 18 Asia Airport Hotel Bangkok 1
September 19 Best Value Airport Inn Seattle 1
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