Sunday, December 17, 2006

The End of this Blog -

This is the last post for Running with Scissors (post #132).

I started this blog to stay in touch with family, friends and coworkers while on my temporary work assignment in India. Now that my trip is over ... so, too, this blog comes to an end.

I had thought of continuing it ... I've kinda got hooked on blogging a little bit ... but doing so would only dilute this particular blog's purpose. So, when I decide to blog agaiin - it will be a different name and such.

Explore this blog - take a look at all the pictures and adventures. Look at the archives ... and use the tag cloud in the right margin to view posts about a particular topic.

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

a Final Group Photo


Right before leaving Pune (and after the rooftop bon voyage celebration), we took a group photo of the team ... this was shot in the lobby of the office.

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Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Pictures from Pune

My last day with the Pune team ended with a little rooftop celebration of our time together. They got some sodas, sandwiches (you'll be able to see me feeding my face in one of these photos) and some sweet mango treats ... YUM ...





This is me with the Pune team's leader here ...



(Always feeding my face ... )



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The Long Flight Out (Part 4) - I'm Home

The layover in Frankfurt was fine (just wish I had some toiletries, though) ... and was back on the plane heading home on time.

After another eight hours or so, I'm landing in the US ... meet up with the Mrs. ... and we're heading home.

First order of business: a nice hot shower!

Then dinner and unpacking and sleeping.

I'm home ... and all is well.

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The Long Flight Out (Part 3)

Thankfully when flying business class you have your own "special line" ... just makes it a whole lot easier.

I get up to the counter ... and am told that I am only allowed one carry on ... "But this is my carryon and the other is the laptop." ... This was the rule of the airline (I checked their website before heading to Mumbai just to be sure) ... but NOOOOOO ... flying out of Mumbai, everyone is only allowed one bag and one bag only.

AND ... I was told that passengers were not allowed any (none, nada, zip, ziltch) toiletries or toothpaste in any of the carry on baggage ... At least when I was flying out I was able to carry one small, clear ziploc baggie that had small sample sizes of toiletries. Not when flying out of Mumbai ... it ALL has to be in the checked luggage.

So, I have to go all the way back to where the x-ray machines are for the checked luggage ... I swap some things around between the two bags making sure that I have a change of clothes with me just in case ... and proceed to check a third bag for the flight home.

Go through security (which is a serious pat-down job by a very serious looking military officer, who is flanked by another officer dude weapon at the ready) ... and I am at the gate ready to get onboard.

The flight to Frankfurt is about 8 and-a-half hours ... I manage to get some sleep (FINALLY!), watch a movie (White Christmas, the one with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye), and get to Germany without any problems.

Now it is a four-hour layover in Frankfurt.

The Long Flight Out (Part 2)

Taking a flight out of an Indian airport is ... ummm ... interesting, to say the least.

As we pulled up to the curb, three guys come rushing toward the car - open the doors - get a wheeled cart - load up my suitcases onto the cart - and they're off taking me to the entrance. I really should have expected this ... but with it being nearly midnight (and after a full day's work) and a bit bleary-eyed and foggy-headed, I just didn't realize until too late ... these three guys were not airport employees. They rushed the car in order to make a couple of bucks.

They stop by the door to the terminal ... one of the three guys wraps his arms around the cart containing the suitcases; the other one stands right in front of me; the third one (off to my side) tells me to pay them in euros. (I don't have euros ... only a couple of dollars and a bunch of rupees).

Sizing up the situation, I reach into my pocket and pull out a 500 rupee note (about $10 US), give it to the guy on my side, bump the guy away from the cart and call for the security officer in a loud voice ... and I'm pushing the cart away from these three characters. Sheesh! ... Okay ... I'm in the airport now.

Before heading to the counter, all passengers must have their baggage screened (only that which they will check for the flight). I went through this once before when going to Delhi ... you put the suitcase onto the belt and it gets xrayed. When it emerges, two security officers wrap a belt around the suitcase and secure it tightly ... the idea is that you cannot open the suitcase without breaking the seal on this belt. With my two suitcases ready to be checked I go find the counter to check into my flight.

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The Long Flight Out (Part 1)

Leaving Mumbai was an adventure ... to say the least. Arrived at the airport at midnight (local time) for a 3:25 am flight out to Frankfurt.

Getting to Mumbai was a little bit of an adventure ... I had a driver arranged to pick me up from the hotel at 8:00pm local time. So, with my bags all packed I'm waiting outside ... 8 o'clock ... 8:02 ... 8:04 ... hmmmm ...

A friend offered her cellphone for me to call the company the driver was coming from. "Ten minutes." was the curt reply.

8:10 ... 8:12 ... 8:16 ... still no driver pulling up. Called again. "The driver is there." ... he must have pulled into the driveway of the hotel right next to me (a common mistake). ... Sure enough ... I find the car ... BUT ... No driver!

Running around asking anyone who's nearby if they are my driver or if they know where the driver is ... Oh ... he went for some tea, I was told. I AM IN A PANIC. There's a car with no driver and I have a plane to catch to get back home ... this is not a good sign.

I'm sure it was only one or two minutes ... but it seemed like much longer ... My driver walks up the hotel driveway and the doorman of this hotel descends on him explaining and gesturing that I'm waiting for him.

We load up the car and off we go.

I notice that there is less than 1/8 of a tank of fuel. Leaning over I ask, "Do we have enough petrol to get to Mumbai?" The driver just nods ... this isn't a good sign ... "Do you speak English?" ... only very little. ... So, this time I don't ask; I tell him: "You will stop to get petrol." And each time I saw a gas station I would tell him to pull over to fill up the tank. He eventually did ... thank goodness ... I was having visions of running out of gas somewhere along the Pune/Mumbai Expressway with no hope of rescue.

The drive to Mumbai is little more than three hours ... along a twisty-turny, six-lane highway that moves through the mountains. I think this guy averages 100 kilometers per hour for most of the drive ... and then ... BAM! We hit traffic in Mumbai, slowing to a crawl.

We finally get to the Mumbai airport and get to the departures terminal.

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Thursday, December 07, 2006

The Last Post from India

This is post #125! and it will be my last one sitting here in India. I've enjoyed writing about all of my adventures (and misadventures, too) ... this was a fun way to document my trip and the experiences I've had. I hope that you stalwart few who have been following this blog have enjoyed it as well ...

Things will be rather hectic for me tomorrow (Friday) as I wrap things up and pack and get myself to Mumbai for the long flight to home.

So, what have I learned from this experience ... ? ...

Way too much to put into one whole post, but here are a few parting thoughts ...

  • India is a country of incredible contrasts - which can be jarring at times to this US-guy ... It is a place where things just sort of happen at their own pace - sometimes it is fast, bordering on insane (like driving), and other times it is quite slow and deliberate. Just take it all in stride; and as Douglas Adams says in The Hitchiker's Guide: "Don't Panic."
  • Courtesy and good manners go a long way. Maybe we should all stand when others walk into the room or approach your table.
  • Family is the heart of a person's life ... work hard, play harder and always make time to spend with your family ...
  • Celebrate other's talents ... cheer, applaud, whistle, laugh and dance ... life's too short to be on the sidelines. Get in there and just dance . And invite others to do the same.
  • Add a little spice by ... well ... adding a little spice. I've come to enjoy Indian food quite a bit.

All in all I've enjoyed my time here ... I am glad and grateful for this opportunity and experience ... I hope to put what I've learned to good use ... and I'm ready to go home.

Namaste

Last Night in Pune - And for Dinner I Had ...

Can you believe it?! ... I'm having a hard time myself - this 6-week assignment has come to an end. And this is my last night in Pune (maybe I'll return some day ... I really wouldn't mind at all ...)

I've come to enjoy the people here and this city ... it's a big city but it has a "small town" feel in many ways. Yet it is the people here who have made a lasting impression on me.

I know that I've mentioned this before ... and it bears repeating ... they all have been so generous toward me - generous with their time, friendship and human spirit. I will indeed miss them all - as I now count them among my friends as well as colleagues. THAT is definitely a bonus for me.

And what did I have as my last dinner here in Pune? ... Picture this scene ...

I'm in the hotel here and their special is named: Juan's Paella

Hokayyyy ... an Indian hotel serving paella ... you know I have to try it! ... and it was quite good, too. ... Sure, it had some distinct Indian spices kind of thrown in for good measure .... but hey! I felt so multicultural.

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Wednesday, December 06, 2006

"A Day of Infamy" - December 7th - Memories of Dad

Today (12/7) is "Pearl Harbor Day" ... once so strong a part of the US psyche that now is fading into a distant memory ...

And once again, I am thinking of my father.

Yesterday, while doing a little shopping, I had remarked in passing to my friends accompanying me that my Dad was in India in 1945. And how it must have been an incredible experience for him back then ... as this has been an incredible experience for me today.

My journey home will begin tomorrow (Friday) evening as I leave Pune to go to Mumbai ... and then to fly back home. And OH! the memories I will cherish from my time here in India.

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Danged Pigeons!

The window sill outside my bedroom is cracked, and it eventually caved in. It's hollow underneath; and so a family of pigeons has taken up residence right outside my window.

All night long I'm hearing the cooooooo and chirps of these danged birds.

And tonight's dinner special was tandoori quail ... there's an odd silence outside my bedroom window tonight. ... ... hmmmm.

Maybe my noisy neighbors were actually ... well ... they looked like awfully large "quail" on my plate ... ...

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Another Rooftop Birthday Party

Must be a tradition here ... have a birthday - go to the roof ...

Today was the birthday of another team member here in Pune. We go up to the roof of the office building (really cool view of the Pune skyline!) to have a quick little celebration ... with some snack food available for all.

One of the foods was a pastry puff filled with veggies ... I ask what its name is ... "What do you call this?" ... thinking that it's something like a samosa ...

"A veggie puff," was the reply. ... ... Needless to say we all had a good laugh on me for that one.

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Tuesday, December 05, 2006

I Can't Believe It ... Nearing an End

Has it really been six weeks since I've been here in India? Whoa Boy! ... what a trip ... what an experience ... it seems as though the time has just flown by ... of course, it has been difficult being so far away from home and family (at times it was rather difficult).

I really don't think that I would have been able to focus on my assignment and the work required here without the incredible, loving support of my family through all of this. I am quite a lucky man ... no question about that!

Today and tomorrow (Wednesday and Thursday) will be finishing up work here with the Pune team ... and then I have to pack ... and late Friday I'll head over to Mumbai to begin my journey home ... arriving in the US on Saturday.

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Saying Goodbye to Delhi and Going Back to Pune (Part 10)

My Delhi tour wrapped up around 3:30-4:00pm local time and it was back to the airport there. .... now I'm thinking that since the guy here in Pune who had originally made all the arrangements - since he cancelled my tour because of the misunderstanding from the morning's conversation ... did he also cancel my flight? ... here comes that pit in my stomach again.

But all was well ... Whew!

Grabbed a snack at the airport, read a bit, then boarded the plane when announced.

Two hours later I was back in Pune and was taken to the hotel here ... arriving around midnight. ... Called home to tell them I was back safe and sound ... and made my confession to my wife about the Kashmir rug ... "Oh?!? (pause) Okay ... (another pause) Where are we going to put it?" ... I'm not in the doghouse (too much) ... "As long as you're safe ... and get home safely ... That's all that's important to me."

Through it all, this weekend's trip was a vast mixture of extreme highs and excitement and extreme lows ... with some awe, frustration, fascination and fun all thrown in for good measure. I'm glad I made this trip.

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A Visit to Kashmir in Delhi (Part 9)

The very last stop in Delhi was to a family-owned and operated "factory" in Delhi. The family is from Kashmir and they specialize in making rugs and pashmini ... based on the traditional way of doing it in Kashmir.

I was taken into their factory and showroom and they showed me how they make their rugs. Kashmir rugs are single-knotted (Persion rugs are typically double-knotted) ... made from wool or silk or both ... and the wool used is actually from Kashmir ... when it's sold in the US, the spelling gets changed to 'Cashmere' ... which is the softest around. ... What makes Kashmir wool so soft is that they'll only use the wool from the underside of the Ibex's neck and underbelly ... so it takes quite a few animals to collect enough wool to make something.

After learning how they make their rugs, then I was shown a wide array of the rugs in their factory ... that was a treat! ... I was sitting in their 'showroom' and they bring over some green tea that was infused with herbs and some biscuits (we'd call them cookies in the US) ... then the show began.

Each rug was brought out rolled into a bolt ... the man would stand at the opposite end of the room from me ... then he'd pause and then bow ... when he bowed he'd basically unfurl the rug so that it rolled toward me. So, rug after rug ... bow and unfurl ... one after another ... it was quite a show.

And My Goodness! These are beautiful works of art!

Okay - I bought one (had to make a confession to my wife back home) ... which although it was a little more money than I would have liked to spend ... it is just something that could never be bought back in the US (and if we ever did buy it back home it would cost many more times what I spent here). And through some arrangement with the Delhi government these cottage industries are free from taxes ... which could range anywhere from 15-18% ... and can be shipped overseas at no additional charge.

So in about two weeks time our Kashmir rug will be arriving at our doorstep back home. And I really think that we're going to hang it on the wall ... it is after all a beautiful work of art.

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Monday, December 04, 2006

Hindu Temple (Delhi Part 8)

My second to last stop in my whirlwind tour of Delhi was a Hindu temple ... and there is a special story to this particular one.

It is the first temple to allow outcastes to enter it ... It was inaugurated and dedicated by Mahatma Gandhi ... and his stipulation for doing so was that the temple should be open to all humanity, no matter their class.

One man built this temple as an act of charity and generosity (sorry - don't remember his name) ... it seems that all the men in his family would die when they reached 45 years old. Believing that there was a curse involved, the man sought out a guru to find out if there was anything he could do. The guru instructed him to perform an act of pure generosity and charity for all people ... and so this temple was built.

It is actually an entire complex that includes the temple, a hospital, an orphanage, a school and a pilgrimage center. By the time all of it was completed and opened to the public, this man was 89 years old. He lived a little bit longer ... building more temples in other cities ... and he eventually died at the ripe old age of 97.

This man's family still maintains the temple and its precints to this very day. They set aside 20% of their income each year toward its upkeep and operations. The city of Delhi does not have to pay for anything ... and it remains open to all.





No photos are allowed inside the temple ... had to check my camera at the door ... but the experience was quite incredible ... there are intricate carvings all over the place with many shrines to the Hindu gods and goddesses. My guide spent a great deal of time explaining the symbolism of the statues ... why they were holding certain objects, why they were dressed in a particular fashion, and so on.

 

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The Red Fort (Delhi Part 7)

Delhi is also famous for the Red Fort ... so called because ... ummm ... it's red. Actually made of red sandstone that was part of the Moghul empire (the fort, not the sandstone ... sorry for the confused sentence construction here).

Apparently there's a bit of competition between Delhi and Agra in that my guide in Agra would say things like, "When you see the Red Fort in Delhi you will see how much smaller it is compared to the fort here in Agra."

Unfortunately, I was not able to go inside to see for myself.

Two years ago there was a terrorist attack here, which has closed the fort to tourists. It is a fully operational military installation in Delhi to this day.



From this picture you can get a sense of the scale of this building.




 

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Samadhi of Mahatma Ghandi (Part 6)

The RajGhat is a very sacred place in Delhi as it is the location of Mahatma Ghandi's funeral after his assisination in 1949. This park is probably among the best kept and manicured I've ever seen. The entrance is down a sloping road ... so you're actually entering the park at the low end of its slope. Among the hustle and bustle of a city like Delhi (15.7 million people live in the city!) ... this park was very quiet. Would never have known I was in the heart of a huge city.



This photo was taken from a walkway bridge looking down at the place where Ghandi was cremated. The black marble (with the floral wreaths) is the exact location. And there is an eternal flame right by its side.

Ghandi was, as you probably know, the father of India in that he led the Quit India movement through to her independence from British rule.




I have always been an admirer of Ghandi. And certainly one of the most wonderful parts of this trip was to come here - to this quiet place.

Here in Pune, at the Aga Khan palace, Ghandi's ashes are interred. I took a day trip to the palace my first weekend here ... so I felt that coming here to the RajGhat in Delhi was like completing a circle of some kind.

 

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The Lotus Temple in Delhi (Part 5)

The Lotus Temple - so called because it looks like ... well ... a lotus flower - is a temple of the B'hai faith. And it is a place of pilgrimage as well.



I, as a nonbeliever, am not allowed into the temple itself ... so I posed for this photos just outside the temple precints.




 

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Delhi Peace Monument (Part 4)

Next stop was the peace monument in Delhi, which is actually a memorial shrine to the Janists - which are a small religious sect fashioned after Budhism. Entering the monument area - of course sans shoes ... and this time I had to remove my belt because it was leather - you walk through gardens that also contain marble plaques and such.

This bas relief is of a lionness suckling a calf and a cow suckling a lion cub. The symbolism reminded me a lot of Isaiah - where the lion shall lie down with the lamb ... a universal symbol of peace. And how appropos that that thought should come to mind given that this Sunday was the first Sunday in Advent.



The peace monument itself sits ontop of a hill. No photos are allowed of the monument because it is a holy shrine. The monument is a statue of a famous Janist prophet and teacher, sitting like Budha in the lotus position - to posture of peace.

But I was able to take a couple of photos from the hillside shrine looking out over the city of Delhi.



And here's the minaret I was just visiting, viewed from the peace monument hillside. You can really see how tall it is.



 

Delhi Minaret (Part 3)

The most visited place by Delhi locals is this fortress/mosque and minaret ... which is the tallest minaret in Delhi. My guide told me that this is the tallest minaret in all of India.

This is inside the mosque (which is no longer used). It was originally an Hindu fortress and temple that was ransacked by the invading Moghuls. They destroyed the fort and temple and replaced it with this mosque.

The interesting thing is that they reused all of the stones from the original temple, so it is probably the only mosque (at least that I know of) where there are figures of people carved in the stones ... all the mosques that I'm familiar with only have script from the Koran and do not show any images of people at all.

There is also a story to this iron pillar. It is pure iron and centuries old. Yet there's not a lick of rust on it. My guide told me gleefully that this is the only piece of pure iron that is rustproof.

This is the mosque's archway - which faces west, toward Mecca.

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Delhi (Part 2)

After visiting the New Delhi sector, it was off to a mausoleum of a noble ... I don't remember the name ...

The entrance gate to this mausoleum.

The mausoleum is a combination of red stone and marble

And here I am on the steps of the mausoleum.

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Delhi - New Delhi (Part 1)

My tour started at the government/administration area ... the capital of India. Dr. S told me that New Delhi refers to the government sector which the British built.

Delhi, on the other hand, is used when referring to the rest of the city. This is the Indian Parliament building ... couldn't get any closer than this unless I was a member of parliament or some visiting dignitary ... as much as I may be a legend in my own mind at times, the police wouldn't accept those as real credentials. The building is in the shape of a colloseum.

This shot from the car is the India Gate - which is the entrance to the New Delhi government sector. The roadway is called Raj Put, or Royal Way/Royal Road.

All along the sides there were stands and bleachers being erected in anticipation of January 26th - which is Republic Day. India became an independent country on August 15, 1947 but they did not adopt their constitution until January 26, 1948. So, India celebrates her independence holiday on 8/15 ... and her becoming a republic on 1/26.

This is the presidential palace - as seen through the gates surrounding it. It was originally the home of the Viceroy of India during the British rule.

And these are just government buildings of all kinds ...

An Inauspicious Start in Delhi

On Sunday morning, because I had been sick the night before, I seriously considered cancelling the rest of my trip and head back to Pune earlier than planned. I managed to call my contact here in Pune ... unfortunately, such a change would cost me more money ... and I really couldn't justify the expense. So, I took some more medicine and decided to play it out as originally planned.

At the guesthouse I met a couple from the US, who have been in Delhi for two months. The gentleman works for the company I'm visiting ... he works in one of their US offices, but he's been visiting their Delhi office for this time. Two months! Now THAT'S a business trip.

At 9am a guy from the company came to pick me up to take me to the tour office where I was to meet up with my new driver and guide ... but ... things got messed up.

Because of my phone call to my Pune contact, I guess he misunderstood my final decision to stick with the original plan, he cancelled my tour guide and driver. DOUBLE UGH!

After a few phone calls - thankfully the guy with me had a working cellphone - we got a guide set up ... but no driver. So, this guy from the Delhi office stayed with me the whole day as the driver.

My tour guide introduced himself as Doctor - I'll call him Dr. S. When I asked "Doctor of what?" he replied, "Doctor of holistic medicine."

And Dr. S. told me that he is also a professional photographer, a worker for a children's charity, and a teacher of German (I didn't see any connection to that one).

So, during the entire tour in Delhi Dr. S. treated me to a brief Eastern medical/personality analysis/reading based on my birthdate (astrology) and my name (numerology). ... According to Dr. S:

  • I am artistic - leaning more toward the performing arts
  • I need a creative outlet in my life - and I work to find one
  • I am a deep thinker ... okay ... everyone can laugh at that one
  • I definitely have a sweet tooth
  • I snore - so I must start wearing a ring on my pinky ... apparently that will give enough pressure on some point that connects to some 'anti-snoring' whatever
  • I love my sleep
  • I like to have my own space
  • I have a heavy personality ... this sort of goes with the 'deep thinker' thing ... where I am not so easily persuaded into something, but prefer to do my own thing and not get pushed into something I'm not interested in ... which is a very diplomatic and polite way of saying that I'm as stubborn as a mule ;-)

It was certainly an interesting time speaking to him.

Going back to Delhi

My touring of Agra is over ... and I'm back in the car - said a thank you and goodnight to my guide - and I'm heading back to Delhi.

Another 5-hour car ride! UGH

It was a bit rough getting out of Agra ... but the driver really did a great job navigating the roads and heavy traffic. Then it hit me ... since my driver doesn't speak English, and given some of the difficulties finding the meeting place in Agra where I was to hook up with the guide ... does he really know where to take me once I get into Delhi?

A slight panic set in the pit of my stomach. Well ... he's my only form of transportation ... and with my cellphone not working (just couldn't get any signal the entire weekend) I am completely in his hands now. Say a prayer ... say lots of prayers!

I was so tired that I did manage to crash while in the car ... sleep that is ... no actual vehicular crashing (thank goodness!). And when I awoke we were only 3 hours into the drive.

Finally approaching Delhi, I tried to confirm with the driver that he knew where to drop me off ... all the while saying to myself: "Please, God, get me to my destination safely." And I kept thinking what would my father have done in my place ... just go with the flow ... keep your eyes open and lookout for anything unusual ... keep trying to communicate as best as possible ... and hope for the best.

We did arrive at the correct location - the Delhi offices of the company I'm working with over here in India. - WHEW!

Arrived there around 11:30pm local time. I was greeted by the guards (who saluted me as they held the door open ... oookayyy) and met with one of the office managers there. They gave me a minute to freshen up, have a drink of water, and even called home (my first chance since leaving Pune).

They got a cab for me to take me to their guesthouse.

I am very grateful for the company here to allow me to stay overnight in their guesthouse ... saved a bunch of money compared to a hotel room.

The guesthouse is HUGE! with beautiful rooms on every floor. The bathroom where I was (on the second floor) is bigger than I've ever been in ... here are a few pictures of my accomodations.

The night wasn't the best ... I got a bit sick. Probably from the combination of eating so fast in Agra and my nerves because of concerns about getting lost in Delhi at night. So, I spent most of the evening in the bathroom than I did in the bed.

Thankfully, I brought my medicines along ... so with some time and a calmer stomach, I managed to get a few hours of sleep on Saturday.

Sunday morning started my adventures in Delhi.

Agra Adventure Wrap-Up

After touring the Taj Mahal and the Fort, I was getting really hungry ... I was up since 4am and only had a breakfast on the airplane to Delhi. My touring of Agra was finishing up (it was now 5pm local time).

My guide asked if I needed to eat a little snack. "Oh yes," I said ... and I was taken to a little restaurant that had seating outside. The sun was setting so it was a bit cool ... it is at least 10-15 degrees cooler in Agra than it's been in Pune. Thankfully I was wearing a long sleeved shirt ... but still ... I just couldn't enjoy the food much because I was shivering.

Basically, everything in Agra caters to the tourist crowds ... and as you might imagine, the prices are all much higher than other places because of this. My dinner cost me 2-3 times what it would have in Delhi or Pune. It cost me 850 rupees for this "snack" which was more of a light dinner (thankfully) ... but still ... that's a lot of money. The same meal would have cost me around 375 rupees back in Pune. Oh well.

After the dinner, my guide then took me to an artisan's colony to see how they make the inlaid marble. I was invited to sit in the front of the building to watch the craftsmen do their magic. The leader of this particular enterprise sat with me and walked me through how they do it.

Step by step, he explained how an artist would draw a pattern on the marble in pencil lead then give it to the next artist. He sits at a grinding wheel (by the way ... I completely forgot to take a picture of all this ... oops!) and would chose a small semi-precious stone. The grinding wheel is situated on what I would describe as a loom kind of apparatus. The wheel is vertical and the artist would hold a stick with a rope in his right hand ... pulling and pushing the roped stick to make the wheel move. In his left hand he would finesse the semi-precious stone into the desired shape.

After making the shapes, this artist would arrange them into the pattern on the marble itself and put some glue on them to just hold them in place ... time for the next artist to take over.

The third artist would trace around the glued pieces of gemstones and then remove them from the marble. Now this artist would use a small chisel and basically scratch scratch scratch until he created the well into which the gemstones would ultimately live. The challenge here is not only to make the correct shaped pattern, he would have to be very careful about how deep he should go ... every gemstone must sit in its recessed area and be perfectly level with the top of the marble itself.

Once all of these steps are done, the gemstones would be placed into the marble; and they would be glued in with some "secret formula" resin that permanently fixes the gemstones into place. The marble is then polished and washed. Voila!

With everything done by hand, a coffee table sized marble piece could take anywhere from 4 months to 1 year to complete.

Okay ... after the demonstration I was whisked into their gallery to see all of the handiwork ... and with a hope, I am sure, that I would buy something. I did.

I bought a handcarved, solid marble jewelry box with a floral inlaid pattern. If this were bought in the US, expect to pay anywhere from $150 on up. (My cost in Agra was 1800 rupees, which is approximately $40).

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Agra Fort (Part 2)

It's difficult to really grasp the size and scope of the main courtyard here ... but this is HUGE!

This place was the main public court for the Moghul emperors. Here is where they'd hold court for visiting dignitaries as well as for the nobles of the land. The emperor would sit underneath the gallery, his throne placed on top of a large marble platform - which was raised up so that he was the 'highest' person in the place.

The sun was just not playing fair today ... my guide took this snap of me on the riverbank side of the fort ... that's supposed to be the Taj Mahal off in the distance.

There are mable signs like this all over the fort complex. This one is in the main courtyard area.

This is the Grape Garden. My guide told me that this used to be filled with grape arbors - hence its name. And the large marble structure in the middle was used as a bath - only for the ladies of the court. This courtyard was part of the private court of the Moghul emperors. No one was allowed in here except for the emperor, his immediate family and his most trusted advisors.

The fort is completely surrounded by a moat (empty now) that used to contain alligators and other snakes ... one more deterrent for any invading army. This is the bridge to the entrance to the fort - crossing over the moat into the first set of fortifications.

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Agra Fort (Part 1)

The other famous site in Agra is the fort - built by the Moghul rulers of the area. Akbar is probably the most famous of the Moghul emperors ... and of course Shar Jahan was here as well (he's the one who built the Taj Mahal).

The structure is actually a huge complex of buildings ... serving as a fort, a royal palace, royal court, and imperial residence. It was the seat of the Moghul empire in India.

This is the entrance from the gatehouse to the fort itself. The entrance is a steep incline ... which served as part of the fort's defenses.

My guide told me that if the fort were to have been attacked (and it never was), the guards would roll a huge boulder down this ramp, crushing the invading army and ultimately sealing off the entrance when it reached the bottom of the ramp.

From the river side of the fort you can look across to see the Taj Mahal.

There were monkeys all around the fort ... do not touch!!

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More of the Taj Mahal

(The Taj Mahal - Part 4)

These pictures wrap up the highlights of the Taj Mahal ... be sure to check out my album on the right sidebar for all of the photos.

This is a view of the entrance to the Taj Mahal ... looking at it from the Taj itself. Oh ... and the grounds surrounding the Taj are some of the most exquisite gardens ... very simple ... completely symmetrical ... just a lush garden that exudes peace and tranquility.

This last photo is of one of the four small towers that surround the Taj Mahal ... taken from the 'back door' of the Taj (the north-facing side) ...

The north side of the Taj is adjacent to a river. Across the river is the Fort ... which was my next stop in Agra.

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