9 Days (7 on the ground)
15 Restaurants
~600 miles
~600 miles
1.237 billion people
One-third of its population makes a dollar or less a day
80% Hindu, 13% Muslim, 2% Christian, 2% Sikh, 1% Buddhist
10th largest economy
51,000 rupee average income ($5,600)
Thursday, November 21st, 2013
Milwaukee to O’Hare. 14 hours and 25 minutes O’Hare to....
Friday, November 22nd, 2013
....Delhi.
With the routine massive traffic it took an hour to get from the airport to the hotel on the other side of this 3000 year old hectic city with a population of 10 million.
Saturday, November 23rd, 2013
Breakfast was the first Indian meal. OK, there were the meals on Air India but they were horrible.
Note: the haze you’ll see in a lot of these pictures is a combination of pollution and fog from the Himalayas.
Old Delhi is the northern part of Delhi, and its symbolic heart.
Jama Masjid is the largest mosque in India.
This courtyard holds 25,000 people.
Its site on a hill gives vistas into the dense alleys radiating around it.
It was built from 1644 to 1658 by 5,000 laborers.
A rickshaw was an effective mode to survey the alleyways of Old Delhi.
Narrow alleys snake off the main arteries seemingly to disappear into nowhere.
Originally the imperial avenue leading to the Red Fort, Chandni Chowk is the only boulevard amidst this tangle of passageways.
Since there are no motorized vehicles allowed, rickshaws compete with oxen, bicycles, horses, cows and pedestrians.
It was a delight taking in all the merchants and locals.
Got off the jarring rickshaw and into various bazaars.
This bazaar area is all about car parts.
And this one meat, which in beef-is-sacred India means chickens.
Headed into centrally located New Delhi whose design originated from the British occupation which ended in 1947. Clearly nothing has been maintained in all of India since 1947.
Raj Ghat commemorates where Mahatma Gandhi , considered the father of India, was cremated on January 31st, 1948.
The 138 foot India Gate was built in 1921 to commemorate the 90,000 Indian soldiers who died in WWI.
On January 30th, 1948 Gandhi left this room containing all his worldly possessions,
walked 144 steps to a prayer meeting
and was assassinated on this spot by a Hindu zealot.
Parliament and the 340 room Presidential Palace.
Birla Mandir was built in 1939 for Laxminarayan, part of the Hindu religion.
This is some old thing in Delhi.
Humayun's Tomb introduced Persian style to India when it was built in the mid 16th century for the second emperor.
Using red and white marble for the first time it is set among hectares of gardens and water channels.
Sunday, November 24th, 2013
Heading out of Delhi.
The Islamic monument Qutab Minar was built in 1199.
The 160 mile drive from Delhi southwest to Jaipur took 7 ½ hours due to horrible roads, construction, tolls and insane traffic that always includes Tata trucks, scooters and oxen.
A Veg McMuffin. 49 rupees or 78 cents. If American McDonalds had these I might go to one. (Excuse- the McD's stop was only to use the bathrom.) (But while in Rome...)
The images along the way continued to reveal an appalling standard of living.
Lunch was Chicken Curry in Neerama.
The countryside remained drab.
The 3 million people population of Jaipur’s chaos was accentuated by elephants, camels and donkeys.
Panoramic from the hotel.
Jaipur, The Pink City, was painted the traditional Rajasthan hospitality color in 1853 to welcome Prince Albert of England.
Hawa Mahal. AKA Palace of the Winds was built in 1799 for women of the court to watch street life while remaining in strict purdah. 593 finely screened windows, 5 stories, one room deep.
One of the many local market/bazaar areas was a vehicle to get immersed in local life.
As a conspicuous American vendors yelled out, “’ello sir” as I ignored these high pressure hawkers.
Getting well of the beaten path the alleyways were paved in garbage as oxen and cows lounged around.
Watched a guy grab a bunch of chickens by the legs, carry them across the alley into a small concrete room and another guy twisted off their heads and pluck them as they bled out. Farm to table is a fad in the United States. It is everyday life in most of the world.
Headed back to the market to get gifts for The Nieces.
Dinner was a much more refined presentation than the poultry thing.
Monday, November 25th, 2013
The morning run was tough. Roads and sidewalks are uneven. Sidewalks have holes to the sewer below. There is garbage and dirt everywhere. And you are constantly dodging wild dogs, cows and wild pigs.
Another Indian variety breakfast.
Located in Amer outside of Jaipur, Amber Fort was built in 1592 and is protected by a 7 mile wall ribboning over the mountains.
It was great fun to take an elephant up to the fort.
Jaleb Chowk is the massive entry courtyard.
Another fort lies above this one.
Ambled for 2 hours in awe of this sprawling complex.
There were mazes of tunnels, hallways and steep stairs.
This is the god they worshipped.
Headed back to Jaipur.
Jal Mahal was built as a outlet to go duck hunting.
Tour of a textile market to see how their products are made. There is no way this place would pass OSHA.
Really liked the rug in the back. But it was four grand.
Lunch was Baingan Bharta- tandoor oven roasted eggplant in a herbed onion and ginger tomato sauce.
Jantar Mantar is an astrological site built from 1728 to 1734.
Acres of geometric contraptions provide readings of the time, location of the sun in relation to the equator and position of planets with amazing accuracy.
As in other countries, I reflected how a society can create such wonders and now has such a horrible infrastructure among piles of garbage.
City Palace is still in use by the 14 year old king. When I was 14 my main concern was wondering if I could marry Madonna.
Built in 1727, the pomp and splendor of many areas are open to visitors including the Mubarak Mahal (welcome palace), Diwan-i-Am (hall of public audience), kings clothing and arsenal.
Spent an hour walking around Jaipur dodging the constantly honking traffic, cows and garbage while taking in all the activity. All while trying to look inconspicuous.
Was left alone until getting deep into some back alleys (no pictures, kept the expensive electronics pocketed) where kids broke out in smiles, “Hello sir!” and frequently ran along the side of me.
Laxmi Mishthan Bhandar is tranquility among chaos.
This Thali was the best meal of the trip and one of the best thing I ate in 2013. All for $7.
Emerged from the restaurant into the usual chaos and in pidgin English negotiated 100 rupees with one of the countless tuk tuks (3 wheel open taxis) to take me back to the Ramada. Arriving I gave him 200 with a thank you, heck three bucks and that is crazy traffic among a cacophony of horns. Walking away he yelled something in Hindi. I turned to see him holding a 100 rupee note in each hand and expected the typical taking advantage of the tourist routine. “You said 100 rupees.” “Yes”, he said handing back a note. I pushed it back saying thank you, he broke out in a grin and I walked away admiring how he was being honest and thinking how much $1.60 can mean to much of the world.
Tuesday, November 26th, 2013
Didn't take a camera on the run figuring there was nothing new to see. Wrongo. Saw some of the worst standard of living ever.
Started the 5 hour drive from Jaipur to Agra.
The ancient Giriraj Temple was built in 2006 in a rundown town outside of Jaipur. See what I did there? Everywhere is run down.
In this remote village I speculated, once again, if these people are conscious of their standard of living. Do they know what the western world is like?
8th century Harsh Mata Temple.
The geometrically stimulating Chand Baori is a step well built in 800 AD to help conserve scarce water.
Girdharpura
Al fresco lunch in Samleti.
You see these cakes drying wherever there is room. They are made of cow excrement and hay and used for fuel and to build housing. Yes, I saw many huts built with what I dubbed Crap Cakes. If you just did that throw up in your mouth thing imagine seeing this every day, all day. Live in a house of Crap Cakes? If cow dung got on me there would be a whole lot of hot water, soap and antiseptic.
The remaining few hours of the drive to Agra was a stream of amazing images.
This picture captivates me. Kids don't have bias. It's all real. Look at those smiles. Look at the smiles in their eyes. What are they seeing? Westerners? Americans? Why the happiness?
Sulton Sikander Lodi established Agra in 1501. In the following centuries reigns rose and fell. Today it is a center of heavy industry and tourist mecca for you know what. It is the pollution from that industry that is damaging the marble of the Taj Mahal.
A delightful buffet dinner at Trident. That cast iron kettle in the lower left is Chocolate Bread Pudding which a certain someone did some damage to.
Wednesday, November 27th, 2013
Are you getting sick of these Indian breakfasts? Me neither.
The Taj Mahal was built from 1632 to 1653 by Shah Jahan as a memorial to his third wife who died during labor of their 14th child. This is the entry way.
Since then it is used in any movie to show reactions to some world event around the globe. This is the courtyard.
Walking through the main gate the first site took my breath away.
It was labored on by 20,000 from India, Asia and even Europe.
Sitting on a marble platform, the raised height is a masterful ploy to have the only backdrop the blue sky.
This Hawd al-Kawthar, a raised marble pool, marks where the reflecting pool intersects with the water channels.
We've seen this image in countless ways….reality never fails to overwhelm.
Looking back at the reflecting pool and entry gate.
The marble includes inlayed onyx, amethyst, lapis lazuli, turquoise, jade, crystal, coral, mother-of-pearl from Persia, Russia, Afghanistan, Tibet and China.
Pictures aren't allowed inside, but everyone was taking them so when in Rome....
The Yamuna River and jawab on the east side of the Taj.
This jawab provides architectural balance to the mosque on the other side.
What you don't often see, the backside.
Where this lady was 'cutting' the grass. With her hands.
The back (north) side and mosque to the west.
Back into town and lunch with Jeannelly, Omar, Jose, Luis, Nigel & Holly at Priya.
Afghani Kabobs
Water buffalo and clothes being washed. Yeah, I know.
I had been taking wider angled pictures of street scenes, but my eye had been zooming in on the people.
Tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah.
This burial place of Mizra Ghiyas Beg was built between 1622 and 1628.
Inside includes 9 rooms, the corner rooms are tombs.
Off to the next stop.
Agra Fort lies NW of downtown Agra. This wall is 1.5 miles long.
It is a World Heritage Site.
This Mughal fort was built by Emperor Akbar in 1565-1573; and expanded many times.
It was initially built as a defensive fort and after a series of Mughal emperors became a palace for Shah Jahan, who also built the Taj Mahal.
The complex includes the palace, royal apartments, mosques, assembly halls and dungeon.
Shah Jahan was imprisoned in this part by his son. Additional cruelty is this has a view of his Taj Mahal.
Nigel, Holly and I headed out to dinner at Pinch of Spice. The tuk tuk cost 60 rupees (a buck) and he waited for us for the ride back.
Gosht Handi Korma, Tandoori Mushrooms and Garlic Naan.
Thursday, November 28th, 2013
Time to head out of Agra
It took about 6 hours to get to Delhi. And again the route was lined with dilapidated towns and poor villages.
It was typical to see groups of tents or thatch huts made of Crap Cakes.
You can not underestimate the amount of garbage everywhere. Paving the streets and choking the waterways. Numerous times I witnessed a local unwrap something and drop the packaging on the sidewalk.
It was time to go home The pollution, images of the poor, garbage and constant horns was enough. I was grateful to be able to return to the greatest-country-in-the-world-in-the-history-of-the-world.
One more Indian buffet in Gurgaon. The entire trip I maintained eating only cooked food and no dairy (they don't pasteurize.)
Friday, November 29th, 2013
Five security checkpoints at the Delhi airport. Depart 2AM local time.
16 hours Delhi to O’Hare. 15 minutes O'Hare to Milwaukee. Home at 10:30AM. Back to work at 11AM.
Whew.