Don't Peek - I'm Not Dressed

Pam & the Monkeys

We were thrilled by how gentle the monkeys were, and so unafraid of us larger primates. Here's Pam and a few of her new best friends.

Our guide & tracker with names to hard to pronouce, or spell.

Going on a Tiger Hunt

Here we are heading out on safari. We're in Rasthonbore, known for the TIGERS, but at the moment this photo was shot we were just too cold to care. Who would have thought we'd need our sweaters in India! We did get to see one tigress during our two safaris, (morning & evening) but she wasn't nearly as cute as the many monkeys , which we love, but the locals see them as a nuisance. I guess it's something like seagulls in Seattle - a novelty only to those from elsewhere.

The Aunties

We've been surprised by the Indian people's reaction to us. Nearly everywhere we've been they ask - "Just one snap, mom? My I have your picture with me?" Truly! They want to have their pictures taken with us ! It makes no sense but, we've run into it with school children, teenagers and adults and at the Taj Mahal it approached on the ridiculous! We must have been asked ( and posed) a half a dozen times. Here we are with 'The Aunties'.

We blend right in, don't you think?

Dorothy, we aren't in Kansas anymore....

Here we are at what is known as the number ONE of the Seven Wonders of the World - The Taj Mahal. That is no painted backdrop! Pinch me! I can't believe I've actually seen it with my own eyes. And, don't we look fetching in our pretty saris?

The older women dress in such colorful sari's, however, the younger wear pretty much the same things as our younger people in the States. The young women at the hotel who helped Pam & I put our sari's on told us that she only learned how to wear one a year ago - when she came to work at the hotel and a sari was her 'uniform.' It's sort of sad to see such a beautiful tradition die.

Our Sari Selves

Check out the BEAUTIFUL saris Pam bought for my birthday. You should have seen us getting in to them. what a hoot! Finally (thinking we were all together) we went downstairs and asked the young women at the desk if we had them on correctly....I wish you could have seen the look she gave us - as if to say 'No, mom, you DO NOT have it right." She took us in the bathroom and redressed us! So, now we're ready to get our sari selves out of Delhi and on to Agra!

Flutist

Oh my Gosh! Can you believe this? Two girls form Benton City charming the snakes, and the snake charmer on the other the other side on this third-rock-from-the-sun.

Dehli is a bit disappointing, dirty, crowded, smoggy and busy. We are ready for Agra and the Taj Mahal in the morning. Namiste.

Birthday Flowers for Nancy !

How thoughtful! The staff presented me with flowers for my birthday.....later a sweet little man appeared with a small white cake too! 'Happy Birthday, mom." Pam took me out to breakfast; and Norm sent me off with a new tiny camera that's easy to carry in my pocket. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to ME! ....life just keeps getting better and better.

Holy Day in India

Today is a Holy Day in India. Now maybe that means EVERY Sunday is a Holiday Day, or that today is something special I haven't been able to determine. They speak English here in Delhi....but not my English. Between their heavy accent and my hearing loss I miss a lot and hate to keep asking them to repeat themselves. Hopefully, I'll develop an ear for it before too long. We are a couple of old ladies staying at the 'Maiden Hotel' and there is not much to see within walking distance. Not the photo above. It all looks pretty much like this for several blocks, but that is all right. Today is our day to rest and renew from our long flights and tomorrow the TOUR begins. Stay tuned.....

Let the Adventure Begin!

It was a loooooong journey, but I made it without any problems. I even slept pretty good on the plane (too bad for those around me since I a hellish snorer) It's 2:00AM here and the ride in from the airport was without glamor. They drive from the right side though so that made for a couple of "interesting" intersections. I'm beat and going to bed. I'll write more tomorrow evening, after we've had a chance to explore a bit. मैं हलकों भारत में बारी

No Where NEAR Mumbai !

A friend asked for our itinerary so he can follow along on the adventure. I looked for a small map I could upload,but was having much difficulty doing that. Sooooooo, it's this: - Delhi (TRAIN) - Agra (CAR) - Ranthambore - Jaipur (CAR) - Udaipur (AIRPLANE) - Chochin (AIRPLANE)- (AIRPLANE) Delhi (AIRPLANE )....and then we'll have an 8 hour lay-over on the way home in Amersterdam....Just time enough to go have brownies, or, maybe peak in the Rieks Museum, or visit the house where Anne Frank's family hid.

A Present from my Daughter - Doll from the Kutch Region

Exquisitely styled and intricately embroidered, Abhas, the traditional costume of the region ofKutch, has entered the world of high fashion. Abha-has been derived from aba a word commonly used in the middle eastern countries which means a top garment or a mantle. The abha based on an age-old traditional classical cut and style, is basically a kalidar kurta without a slit on the sides, with a lose flair and it hangs lower than a normal kurta. This doll's garment from Kutch, a district in Gujarat, has a history that is as colourful and exciting as the garment. In ancient times the women wore the abha embellished with beautiful tie-dye designs, zari thread embroidery that was very minute and intricate embroidery in coloured silk or cotton thread in a combination of a variety of stitches, integrating minuscule mirror discs into its elaborate and distinct pattern.

I'm Off to Meet the Wizard....or Would that be the Guru?

I'm on the mend! From those darned shingles I am referring. I still hurt, but not like I did and it gets better every week. And, in answer to the other question I've been getting asked often - YES, I'm still going to India - Shingles be d--med, saber-rattling be da--med. I fly out on Friday. I am going to India and will be there to celebrate my birthday with my little sister! I hope that you'll join me on this blog for another grand adventure.


PS - Check out my newest addition to the Travel Shrine! It's a birthday present from my daughter, Shannon,. It's Rann Kata (the art of the desert) My own little doll, complete with her little nose ring, from the Kutch region where they had a massive earthquake back in 2001.

The Shrine it Grows; My Seester, She Goes!

My sister, Pam, left today for Ghana. She's traveling with a long-time friend, Leslie. They are visiting her friend's partner who has a project in Ghana that involves rechargable batteries as a power source for villages who don't have any power. Interesting idea, don't you think? I leave for India in 11 more days and arrive the night before my 61st birthday. What a fantastic birthday - to awaken....in India and celebrate with my little sister. Ahhhhh, I've said it before and I'll say it again - LIFE IS GOOD ! Check the Travel Shrine closely and see if you can find all the new additions!

My Lil Elephant

This little elephant (painted by me ....and don't you laugh) is the newest addition to the travel shrine. Isn't he cute? We (Pam & I) are really looking forward to our elephant ride on our trip AND we hope she's a 'painted lady!'

Can you tell that I'm excited to get going? Look out India!!! Here we come!!

India Through the Eyes of Eric Meola

My Travel Shrine is growing. Last weeks additions was a fantastic book (another gift from Pam) on India with articles by many of my favorite Indian writers - Jlhumpa Lahiri (Interpreter of Maladies), Nirad Chaudhuri ( My Birth Place), and Arundhari Roy (God of Small things) just to mention a few. PLUS - and this the the BIG plus - amazing photographs by the world famous - Eric Meola. I've been studing his photographs and hope to try to do some in his style while in India. Of course that is a HUGE goal....maybe it's a more realistic one to hope to get ONE photo in the style and quality of Eric Meola out of the thousands I will be taking along our journey.

Reading for India

As always, before I embark on a trip I like to read several books - some fiction, some non-fiction, that help me begin to understand the country and culture I am about to enter. Here's a couple of recent reads that I highly recommend: Ganesh, the Remover of Obstacles by Sujoya Roy and Sister of My Heart by Chitra Divkaruni. Both are fiction but give real insight into the culture of India - especially the culture of women. An enlightening book of poetry is - Words Under the Words by Naomi S. Nye. (who is actually from Palestine not India)

Now I've begun a more serious read : National Geographic's History of Religion that starts with Hinduism, the world's oldest religion. It's big, heavy (literally and figuratively) and an awesome read. Report to follow.

Depok Choopra on Mayhem in Mambai

I received an email tonight from Rahul, our Tour operator in India. He was graciously letting us off the hook if we choose not to come to India now if our travel plans included Mumbai. But, our plans do not include Mumbai and, at this time, we don't plan to cancel. If there is more unrest in other parts of the country over the next month...well that is a different story. I would like to share bits of an interview of Deepok Chopa with Larry King. You can read the entire interview on www.cnn.com -

The situation is complex because it could inflame to proportions that we cannot even imagine. It has to be contained. We now recognize that this is a global problem, with only a global effort can solve this…..And you know, one of the things that I think is happening is that these militant terrorist groups are actually terrified that [President-elect Barack] Obama's gestures to the rest of the Muslim world may actually overturn the tables on them by alienating them from the rest of the Muslim world, so they're reacting to this…….And the world has to be very careful that they don't go after the wrong people. Because if you go after the wrong people, you convert moderates into extremists. It happens every time, and retribution against innocent people just because they have the same religion actually aggravates and perpetuates the problem……..Get rid of the phrase "war on terrorism." Ask for a creative solution in which we all participate………..It is because the war on terrorism really can never be won., because it's an oxymoron. It's an oxymoron - a war on war, a war on terrorism…….You know, terrorists call mechanized death from 35,000 feet above sea level with a press of a button also terror. We don't call it that, because our soldiers are wearing uniforms. They don't see what is happening, and innocent people are being killed. So, you know, terror is a term that you apply to the other…….This is a global problem

As always, Depok is a very enlightening man.