Mon. 2/15 Hanover , NH!! Made it home last Thursday but prior to that the last of my travels... Left the hotel on Wed am
with Catherine in tow to take her to school. It had snowed in Mussoorie and frozen overnight, so as we climbed the 500 or so feet from the hotel to Mussoorie, it was all white. We got to the middle of the village and were stopped by a man who said,
"no cars go." Meaning no cars from there on as it was a very steep road through the village. We got out and trudged up the icy hill and then said our goodbyes. C still had a mile or so to walk to school. It was a beautiful morning and we said goodbyes overlooking the valley with the sun shining down! I slipped and slid back to the taxi, picking up a Korean woman on the way
who was trying to get to the school but had given up and now needed a taxi to get to the Dehradun airport. So she clung on to me and tried to stay upright with her slippery tiny heels on!! Trip to Delhi was uneventful but long - 8 hours. Had a fun dinner with the Robinson family who live in Delhi and have 2 sons at Keewaydin. They treated me to lasagna and Ben and Jerry's ice cream! Then it was off to the airport. I was unaware of the storms hitting the east coast and the cancellation of the Air India flight to NYC the night before. They brought in a bigger aircraft to accommodate those who missed the flight the night before. It wasn't a full flight so it was a fairly comfortable flight. Only about 15 mins late into JFK, a beautiful sight with the airport covered in snow. Breakfast with our long ago summer babysitter, Melissa and then a great walk with her in Central Park. Arrived via bus in Hanover around 7:00 pm that night. Great to travel but even greater to be home!! I will post pictures soon! Sandy
Monday, February 15, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Mussoorie 6:30 pm TUes. Wow, quite the weather today!! Started off on my morning walk around 8:00. It was really foggy. Heard thunder so started back but didn't get far when more thunder and lightening and then HAIL, size of peas to marbles began to fall! I was running as fast as I could but hard in the 7000 ft altitude! Then it rained and hailed! Got back and was soaked. C and I had breakfast in the room Power mostly out so not able to dry things by the little heater. Fog continued and around 11:00 a huge thunder and lightening storm hit and was over us for about an hour. Lightening and thunder simultaneously, and huge rains. All the time the visibilty was about 20'. Headed off to town to do some final errands in a taxi. THIS time we really thought it was our time. We had the #1 formula one driver in all of Mussoorie taking the back "paths" I call them, visibility still maybe 20' and flying along the tightest S curves you can imagine. Also on this back way there are many places where there are steep drop offs and NO railing or cement barricades!! WE made it to town. Did errands and walked to school and up to the orphange... freezing still and misty.
Got back to hotel around 5:00, still now power or heat. Finally they got it up and running. Piles of the hail were still around, we walked through it, reminded us of snow as it looked like spring slush with a grayish tinge to it! Say goodbye to Catherine in am and off to Delhi! Love to all!
Got back to hotel around 5:00, still now power or heat. Finally they got it up and running. Piles of the hail were still around, we walked through it, reminded us of snow as it looked like spring slush with a grayish tinge to it! Say goodbye to Catherine in am and off to Delhi! Love to all!
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Sunday 12:30 pm Mussoorie. The tour of India ended this past week and we arrived back in Mussoorie where Woodstock School is on Wed. Catherine and I are staying in a very quaint hotel called the Green N Breeze. It has the most spectacular view above to Mussoorie (we are about a 10 minute taxi drive from town center) and down the valley to Dehradun, the closest large city. The twinkling lights of both are simply spectacular at night.
Going back to the end of the tour. Last Sunday C and I walked around Jaislamer. We ffound it to be the dirtiest city we have been in but liked it alot. We found two fun shops in an old bazaar. Had chai with the owner of a great clothing and fabric place. He was so nice. We had a fun day just roaming the town on our own.
Monday we toured Jaislamer with the group. Saw a fort and a gorgeous home of a long ago prime minister - it was gorgeous... Boarded train at 4:00 for last overnight train ride... back to Delhi. Arrived Delhi Tuesday am and checked into the YWCA. Then we all went out for a final lunch at Piccadelhi's, it was a great lunch. Some members of the group and Ranjeet (our ever faithful tour guide) were leaving us that day. Outside the restaurant after lunch about 6 homeless kids came out of nowhere. We started playing and having fun with them. It was so amazing. Then some mean man told them to leave. But we left a smile on their faces... more than food or money can give them. So incredible all of the crowds of people we have gathered in the last month... Maddie, her mom Jill, Catherine and I walked back to the Y. We were almost there and all of a sudden, a little kid around 1 1/2 years, with just a sweater on and a 3-4 yr old came out of a blue tarp dwelling (that is what most homeless live in, that or corrugated tin or black plastic) laughing and giggling. So we stopped to play with them and think they giggled and laughed more than any kids we have met on the trip. It was SO much fun...
On Wed. am up at 5:30 am for 6 hour train from Delhi to Dehradun. Then an hour and a half car ride to Mussoorie. Both very uneventful. Mussoorie was chilly the first few days, 40 ish at night but now it has warmed up. No buildings (except Jaypee a 5 star hotel right above us) have central heat, just little space heaters that provide little or no heat! Maddie is staying with us tonight as her mom left for home (Denver) this morning. Sad for Maddie but she is in good spirits!!
I leave Wed am about 7:30 for Delhi. My flight is not until 12:30 am on the 11th so am visiting Ojibway friends who live in Delhi for the afternoon.
May try and write once more but not sure I'll get a chance Hope you've enjoyed reading this. I will be posting pictures when I return. Love to all, Sandy
Going back to the end of the tour. Last Sunday C and I walked around Jaislamer. We ffound it to be the dirtiest city we have been in but liked it alot. We found two fun shops in an old bazaar. Had chai with the owner of a great clothing and fabric place. He was so nice. We had a fun day just roaming the town on our own.
Monday we toured Jaislamer with the group. Saw a fort and a gorgeous home of a long ago prime minister - it was gorgeous... Boarded train at 4:00 for last overnight train ride... back to Delhi. Arrived Delhi Tuesday am and checked into the YWCA. Then we all went out for a final lunch at Piccadelhi's, it was a great lunch. Some members of the group and Ranjeet (our ever faithful tour guide) were leaving us that day. Outside the restaurant after lunch about 6 homeless kids came out of nowhere. We started playing and having fun with them. It was so amazing. Then some mean man told them to leave. But we left a smile on their faces... more than food or money can give them. So incredible all of the crowds of people we have gathered in the last month... Maddie, her mom Jill, Catherine and I walked back to the Y. We were almost there and all of a sudden, a little kid around 1 1/2 years, with just a sweater on and a 3-4 yr old came out of a blue tarp dwelling (that is what most homeless live in, that or corrugated tin or black plastic) laughing and giggling. So we stopped to play with them and think they giggled and laughed more than any kids we have met on the trip. It was SO much fun...
On Wed. am up at 5:30 am for 6 hour train from Delhi to Dehradun. Then an hour and a half car ride to Mussoorie. Both very uneventful. Mussoorie was chilly the first few days, 40 ish at night but now it has warmed up. No buildings (except Jaypee a 5 star hotel right above us) have central heat, just little space heaters that provide little or no heat! Maddie is staying with us tonight as her mom left for home (Denver) this morning. Sad for Maddie but she is in good spirits!!
I leave Wed am about 7:30 for Delhi. My flight is not until 12:30 am on the 11th so am visiting Ojibway friends who live in Delhi for the afternoon.
May try and write once more but not sure I'll get a chance Hope you've enjoyed reading this. I will be posting pictures when I return. Love to all, Sandy
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Sun. Feb 1 Jaislamer, NW India about 100 km from Pakistan border and once again at a VERY sticky keyboard so apologize in advance (espthe space key!!!)
Will go back to lastweek in Kovalem in southern India. Sat. Walked around shops on the boardwalk, above the Kovalem beach. Saw fisherman pulling in HUGE nets, singing all the while. Great fish lunch. C had a whole redsnapper, I had really good fish and chips. Sunday left the hotelat8:00am for the 10:00 am train ridethat was 30 hours.. to MUmbai. At the start of the trip a man came into each compartmentand fussed around. Didn't know what hewas doing. Julie, one of thechaperones said he was changing the cockroach traps...Train left on time. It was a three tier so 6 people in a compartment for 30 hours/ We had an elderly Indian couple in ours and I just could not get themto smile at all...a first!!
PS about Kovalemand the restaurants at night. As you walkalong the boardwalk passing restaurants, they have the fresh fish all out on tables (prob for about 3-4hours!),when someone orders fish,they get it from= the table and cook it! The biggest prawns i've ever seen!! Huge kingfish with steaks just whacked out of them
and then cooked, then fish put back on table for next order!!
Tues. stayed in a 4 person room in a Y in MUmbai. Fortunately we were with Maddie and Jill, another mom and daughter on the trip as we were all not looking forward to staying in a Y after a 30 hour train ride!!! All four of us did not eat at the Y but went to a restaurant and had a really good dinner,even though it was pizza and sandwiches!!
Wed. Got up at 4:30 am to board a 6:00 am train to Arangubar. During the morning I saw a mouse run under C's seat in front of me!! She screamed!! It was funny,the whole car turned around to look. I told her it wassmall and wouldn't eat much! Arr. Aurangubad checked in hotel and off to Ellora Caves (look up on Google, the keyboard is driving me crazy!!! haha) Next day a 6 hour round trip by bus to Anjanta caves. Both were fascinating and AMAZING in the construction. THese ones took 600 years to build using nothing more than chisel and hammer. Passed through amazing farming land; cotton, sourghum, wheat,figs, peanuts, guava and mango!
Back to hotel for dinner and wait for 11:30 train to Jodphur. It was late and we waitedfor quite a bit next to a homeless family with 6 small kids, parents and a grandma. So so sad, both parents either very drunk or on drugs, man slapping wife, she grabbing hisbeard oldest daughter yelling (12 yrs or so) at father. Kids all scared of father. Gave kids biscuits and fruit and they all dutifully handed it over to grandma. Parents werepassed out most of the time. Very sad leaving them as the life will continue like that for all of the kids...
Arr. Mumbai 7:30 am breakfast at Leopolds site of one of the 11/26/08 Mumbai shootings. Felt very uncomfortable being there and that the restaurant is making money through such a tragic situation where 5 peoplewere killed. Bullet holes all over restaurant still remain...
Left for Jodphur at 1;30 pm following a bit of a tour around Mumbai. This was a 17hour train ride but in a 2 tier. C and i ended up in an end one so only thetwo ofus but we were right at the door to both bathrooms, a bit pungent each timedoor opened. Maddie and Jill across from us on bunks going the other way. They didn't sleep well at all due to bathroom traffic and smell!! Leaving Mumbai took an hour, even with the train going fast.... slums all the while... one bright spot along a pretty bad water way, many snowy egrets feeding in andalongside the water. They made it look somewhat pretty... i guess. 8;30 that night soldiers boarded train for about 2 hours. Still not sure why.
Sat 1/31 Arr. Jodhpur 6;30 am and to a really nice hotel where we had rooms and took turns showering and putting on clean clothes. Tour of city and a huge old fortress that was on top of a huge hill.overlooking the city. I think the city of Jodphur (1 mill.) has more cell towersthan all of NH!!! Left on bus for Jaisalmer 6 hours into the desert. Arrived at a guest tent "hotel' in the middle of the dessert about 70 kms from, the Pakistan border. Dancing and music,dinner under a full moon and then to our cozy tent. it had full bathroom(sort ofhalf a shower) and sat on a concrete slab with rock walls. Amazing and so so cozy!!!
Up this am at6:30 and left on acamel ride at 7:00 am. Full moon setting, a beautiful yellow harvest moon. Got out into dunes about 25mins later and watched sunrise!! Playedin sand dunes, took lots of pictures ofourcamel handlers (one was only 10 years old!), the camels and us!! Passed thru a gypsy village (about 50 people) where the entertainers from the nightbefore live. returned to camp for breakfast. Packed up and 45min. bus ride back to Jaislamer proper. Now in hotel.Free day.
A ps from one of our long train rides. Jill saw a train worker take thefull trash from under the sink and just throw it out thetrain at astation. And the next time she went to put trash in the bin, a man standing by the open train door (we were moving) just took it from her andpitched it out the window!!!
C and I are off to walk around Jaislamer and just relax abit. The tour is windingdown. Tomorrow we take an 18 hour train ride to Delhi andwill be backin Mussoorie by mid day on WEd. Love to all,Sandy
Will go back to lastweek in Kovalem in southern India. Sat. Walked around shops on the boardwalk, above the Kovalem beach. Saw fisherman pulling in HUGE nets, singing all the while. Great fish lunch. C had a whole redsnapper, I had really good fish and chips. Sunday left the hotelat8:00am for the 10:00 am train ridethat was 30 hours.. to MUmbai. At the start of the trip a man came into each compartmentand fussed around. Didn't know what hewas doing. Julie, one of thechaperones said he was changing the cockroach traps...Train left on time. It was a three tier so 6 people in a compartment for 30 hours/ We had an elderly Indian couple in ours and I just could not get themto smile at all...a first!!
PS about Kovalemand the restaurants at night. As you walkalong the boardwalk passing restaurants, they have the fresh fish all out on tables (prob for about 3-4hours!),when someone orders fish,they get it from= the table and cook it! The biggest prawns i've ever seen!! Huge kingfish with steaks just whacked out of them
and then cooked, then fish put back on table for next order!!
Tues. stayed in a 4 person room in a Y in MUmbai. Fortunately we were with Maddie and Jill, another mom and daughter on the trip as we were all not looking forward to staying in a Y after a 30 hour train ride!!! All four of us did not eat at the Y but went to a restaurant and had a really good dinner,even though it was pizza and sandwiches!!
Wed. Got up at 4:30 am to board a 6:00 am train to Arangubar. During the morning I saw a mouse run under C's seat in front of me!! She screamed!! It was funny,the whole car turned around to look. I told her it wassmall and wouldn't eat much! Arr. Aurangubad checked in hotel and off to Ellora Caves (look up on Google, the keyboard is driving me crazy!!! haha) Next day a 6 hour round trip by bus to Anjanta caves. Both were fascinating and AMAZING in the construction. THese ones took 600 years to build using nothing more than chisel and hammer. Passed through amazing farming land; cotton, sourghum, wheat,figs, peanuts, guava and mango!
Back to hotel for dinner and wait for 11:30 train to Jodphur. It was late and we waitedfor quite a bit next to a homeless family with 6 small kids, parents and a grandma. So so sad, both parents either very drunk or on drugs, man slapping wife, she grabbing hisbeard oldest daughter yelling (12 yrs or so) at father. Kids all scared of father. Gave kids biscuits and fruit and they all dutifully handed it over to grandma. Parents werepassed out most of the time. Very sad leaving them as the life will continue like that for all of the kids...
Arr. Mumbai 7:30 am breakfast at Leopolds site of one of the 11/26/08 Mumbai shootings. Felt very uncomfortable being there and that the restaurant is making money through such a tragic situation where 5 peoplewere killed. Bullet holes all over restaurant still remain...
Left for Jodphur at 1;30 pm following a bit of a tour around Mumbai. This was a 17hour train ride but in a 2 tier. C and i ended up in an end one so only thetwo ofus but we were right at the door to both bathrooms, a bit pungent each timedoor opened. Maddie and Jill across from us on bunks going the other way. They didn't sleep well at all due to bathroom traffic and smell!! Leaving Mumbai took an hour, even with the train going fast.... slums all the while... one bright spot along a pretty bad water way, many snowy egrets feeding in andalongside the water. They made it look somewhat pretty... i guess. 8;30 that night soldiers boarded train for about 2 hours. Still not sure why.
Sat 1/31 Arr. Jodhpur 6;30 am and to a really nice hotel where we had rooms and took turns showering and putting on clean clothes. Tour of city and a huge old fortress that was on top of a huge hill.overlooking the city. I think the city of Jodphur (1 mill.) has more cell towersthan all of NH!!! Left on bus for Jaisalmer 6 hours into the desert. Arrived at a guest tent "hotel' in the middle of the dessert about 70 kms from, the Pakistan border. Dancing and music,dinner under a full moon and then to our cozy tent. it had full bathroom(sort ofhalf a shower) and sat on a concrete slab with rock walls. Amazing and so so cozy!!!
Up this am at6:30 and left on acamel ride at 7:00 am. Full moon setting, a beautiful yellow harvest moon. Got out into dunes about 25mins later and watched sunrise!! Playedin sand dunes, took lots of pictures ofourcamel handlers (one was only 10 years old!), the camels and us!! Passed thru a gypsy village (about 50 people) where the entertainers from the nightbefore live. returned to camp for breakfast. Packed up and 45min. bus ride back to Jaislamer proper. Now in hotel.Free day.
A ps from one of our long train rides. Jill saw a train worker take thefull trash from under the sink and just throw it out thetrain at astation. And the next time she went to put trash in the bin, a man standing by the open train door (we were moving) just took it from her andpitched it out the window!!!
C and I are off to walk around Jaislamer and just relax abit. The tour is windingdown. Tomorrow we take an 18 hour train ride to Delhi andwill be backin Mussoorie by mid day on WEd. Love to all,Sandy
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
THurs. Jan. 28 7:00 am. In Aurangabad. Following the 30 hr train ride. We awoke yesterday at 4:30 am for a 7 hour train ride from Mumbai to here. In Mumbai we say the Leopold Club where one of the shootings took place in Nov. of 08. Didn't see much of the city but are going back there to tour tomorrow.
Yesterday after lunch around 3:00, we left for an hour bus ride to the Ellora Caves. They were spectacular! Can't wait to post pics of them. Today we travel 3 hours each way to Ajanta Caves. Leaving at 8:00 back around 6:00 and then hop on an overnight train back to Mumbai, where we tour the city in the am, get on a train around 1:30 PM for 17 hours to Jodphur. I approximated train travel for this last week and it's about 85 hours, that doesn't include buses to various places... clickety... clackety....I think I can... I think I can. Feel like the little Engine that could... ha ha!! Love, \Sandy
Yesterday after lunch around 3:00, we left for an hour bus ride to the Ellora Caves. They were spectacular! Can't wait to post pics of them. Today we travel 3 hours each way to Ajanta Caves. Leaving at 8:00 back around 6:00 and then hop on an overnight train back to Mumbai, where we tour the city in the am, get on a train around 1:30 PM for 17 hours to Jodphur. I approximated train travel for this last week and it's about 85 hours, that doesn't include buses to various places... clickety... clackety....I think I can... I think I can. Feel like the little Engine that could... ha ha!! Love, \Sandy
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Sunday am the 24, I think! From Kovalem, SE coast of India.
A post script from the last blog. Didn't mention that western style toilets are few and far between when traveling in India. All hotels have them but most public toilets are the "squat" kind for women. A square piece of porcelein set in the floor, with two notched spots for one's feet on either side, and a hole... who knows where the waste goes in the hole. That is why you can imagine our shock when we had to go into a squat toilet barefoot.
On Thursday, C and I stayed back and didn't tour the Ghandi museum and anopther temple. C's cold was worse and mine isn't much better. We were in Madurai.
On Friday we woke to tons of bites all over us. Mine are huge welts and we are determined they are bed bug bites. (still as of Sunday, mine are huge, burning and itchy, on my arms. neck, and face mainly. Friday left Madurai. Finally got a better van and driver who knows where he is going and speaks Hindi. 4 1'2 hours to Kanyakumari, the very southern tip of India! Lunch then C and I walked down to the ocean and a market area. The shops were selling trinkets and souveniers similar to "South of the Border" if any of you know that! Pretty funny! All of the group walked down there around 5:00 to watch the sunset. It's whre the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean all meet. We climbed up a huge circular tower about 8 stories high, I'd say. It was spectacular. Huge waves crashing on the rocks below us. Tsunami didn't hit there but still a very rocky beach area.
Saturday, left Kanyakumari for Kovelem after going out on a ferry at 8:00 am to see a temple on a small island about 1/8 mile off shore. The ferry was just what one reads about when you see they have capsized... Very old, lumbering thing but rode the huge waves surprisingly well. We all put on old style over the head life jackets and the boat didn't get overloaded. In fact the atmosphere on the boat was quite festive! We saw small fishing boats (again similar to the pointer, long and thin, pointed at one end, deep V hull) with engines similar to a weed wacker or leaf blower powering them. Some had blue tarps as "sails" and when they went with the wind, they were flying, UP on top[ of the wave then crashing down, looking as if they would capsize at anytime... and one main sitting on the point of the boat unphased by it all! The line to get on the ferry was about a quarter mile long!
Back to hotel for b'fast and then on van to Kovalem around 11:30. Arrived Sat around 4:00 in Kovalem. Went to beach for a swim. Beach is small, lots of shops and restaurants on boardwalk above, which Ranjeet (correct spelling) says is new this year. Water is so warm, waves huge... still lots of trash on beach... water relatively trash free. Love to all, Sandy
A post script from the last blog. Didn't mention that western style toilets are few and far between when traveling in India. All hotels have them but most public toilets are the "squat" kind for women. A square piece of porcelein set in the floor, with two notched spots for one's feet on either side, and a hole... who knows where the waste goes in the hole. That is why you can imagine our shock when we had to go into a squat toilet barefoot.
On Thursday, C and I stayed back and didn't tour the Ghandi museum and anopther temple. C's cold was worse and mine isn't much better. We were in Madurai.
On Friday we woke to tons of bites all over us. Mine are huge welts and we are determined they are bed bug bites. (still as of Sunday, mine are huge, burning and itchy, on my arms. neck, and face mainly. Friday left Madurai. Finally got a better van and driver who knows where he is going and speaks Hindi. 4 1'2 hours to Kanyakumari, the very southern tip of India! Lunch then C and I walked down to the ocean and a market area. The shops were selling trinkets and souveniers similar to "South of the Border" if any of you know that! Pretty funny! All of the group walked down there around 5:00 to watch the sunset. It's whre the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean all meet. We climbed up a huge circular tower about 8 stories high, I'd say. It was spectacular. Huge waves crashing on the rocks below us. Tsunami didn't hit there but still a very rocky beach area.
Saturday, left Kanyakumari for Kovelem after going out on a ferry at 8:00 am to see a temple on a small island about 1/8 mile off shore. The ferry was just what one reads about when you see they have capsized... Very old, lumbering thing but rode the huge waves surprisingly well. We all put on old style over the head life jackets and the boat didn't get overloaded. In fact the atmosphere on the boat was quite festive! We saw small fishing boats (again similar to the pointer, long and thin, pointed at one end, deep V hull) with engines similar to a weed wacker or leaf blower powering them. Some had blue tarps as "sails" and when they went with the wind, they were flying, UP on top[ of the wave then crashing down, looking as if they would capsize at anytime... and one main sitting on the point of the boat unphased by it all! The line to get on the ferry was about a quarter mile long!
Back to hotel for b'fast and then on van to Kovalem around 11:30. Arrived Sat around 4:00 in Kovalem. Went to beach for a swim. Beach is small, lots of shops and restaurants on boardwalk above, which Ranjeet (correct spelling) says is new this year. Water is so warm, waves huge... still lots of trash on beach... water relatively trash free. Love to all, Sandy
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Thursday 11:00 Manurai, far southern India. TOmorrow we visit the far southern tip of the country.
/\A continuation of the group intro. I forgot our two chaperones Julie and RAy (no the Hogues have not escaped to join us!!) He is an AP bio teacher at Woodstock and she is an ESL instructor. Both are from the UK.
Auroraville: told a bit about it previously but this this is what is written about it: words of tthe Mother who founded in in 1968: " there should be smoewhere upon earth a place that no nation cdould claim as its sole property a place where all huan beings of goodwill sincere in their aspirationi could live freely as citizens of the world..." A huge gold (and Imean real gold) dome is in the center. It's the meditation center called Matrimandir and not open to visitors.
We had a fun dinner on Monday night to celebrate one of the student's birthdays. Ranjeet had called the restaurant, they decorated, put her name on the wall and it was very festive. We ate at a French restaurant but more American to all of us. It was delicious. Tuesday am we went to the Auroraville bakery for b'fast. They make the most amazing breads and baked goods.
The driver and van we have had since this past Saturday have both been very sketchy. Driver is nice enough but I don't have the most confidence in him. He only speaks Tamil, not HIndi or English and doesn't know his way around. The van started acting up on Tuesday, WE spent over 2 hours looking for and finally getting a new battery. Off we went but stopped at a gas station to fill up, he turned the engine off and it was dead when he went to start it. We were able to jump start it so now knew it was the alternator not the battery. AC died, so last 2+ hours were without ac and over 95 degrees!! THe van is rather small and tension was a bithigh among the group on Tuesday. But Ranjeet always does his best to get us laughing.
Finally made it to the hotel at 7:00 and a dinner at the hotel.
Wed. Before leaving Tanjore we visited the Sri Bridhadeswara temple before leaving the city. It stands 216 feet tall but the way it's constructed that throughout the day its shodow never falls on the ground. On to the town of Trichy where we saw an amazing temple. More problems with the van all day... very frustrating! Kept havving to stop to add water to the radiator! Can't recall the name of it there were three and I got confused as to which one we actually visited. We had to leave our shoes in the van to visit this temple. CAtherine and I really had to go to the bathroom... ok, this tops the 'we're not in America list:" we had to go into and use the bathroom barefoot. For the most part ladies bathrooms have a squat type toilet, a piece of porceline set into the floor, one straddles in and does her business. SO things splatter everywhere... so basically Catherine and I had to walk barefoot into other's waste to to... But the temple was beautiful and there were many Indian families with adorable children who wanted our pictures with them... the smiles and friendliness makes up for so much.../when we walk around these temples, more 'we are not in America moments:' you will suddenly come to a drop off or somethign that's not roped off or a huge hole in the floor that isn't marked. Last night we were on floor 8 in an outside restaurant. A low railing with wide holes was the only thing between me and the ground floor - pretty scary!! OUr guide yesterday asked me if I had children (I get this all the time) yes, Isaid one daughter. Ohhhh no son... NO I said, no son... With a twinkle and huge grin he said "you come see me ifyou want son..." Any other time I would have been appalled but the way he said it, it was not offensive at all! In fact others in the group heard it and just howled with laughter!
Another festive dinner last night as we celbrated Jill's 51st b-day! She thought she was getting away with no one knowing!!
Catherine has come down with the cold. Mine doesn't seem to be going away and I had some "Delhi belly" troubles in the night... seem better today but we are both hanging low in the hotel today. Love, Sandy
/\A continuation of the group intro. I forgot our two chaperones Julie and RAy (no the Hogues have not escaped to join us!!) He is an AP bio teacher at Woodstock and she is an ESL instructor. Both are from the UK.
Auroraville: told a bit about it previously but this this is what is written about it: words of tthe Mother who founded in in 1968: " there should be smoewhere upon earth a place that no nation cdould claim as its sole property a place where all huan beings of goodwill sincere in their aspirationi could live freely as citizens of the world..." A huge gold (and Imean real gold) dome is in the center. It's the meditation center called Matrimandir and not open to visitors.
We had a fun dinner on Monday night to celebrate one of the student's birthdays. Ranjeet had called the restaurant, they decorated, put her name on the wall and it was very festive. We ate at a French restaurant but more American to all of us. It was delicious. Tuesday am we went to the Auroraville bakery for b'fast. They make the most amazing breads and baked goods.
The driver and van we have had since this past Saturday have both been very sketchy. Driver is nice enough but I don't have the most confidence in him. He only speaks Tamil, not HIndi or English and doesn't know his way around. The van started acting up on Tuesday, WE spent over 2 hours looking for and finally getting a new battery. Off we went but stopped at a gas station to fill up, he turned the engine off and it was dead when he went to start it. We were able to jump start it so now knew it was the alternator not the battery. AC died, so last 2+ hours were without ac and over 95 degrees!! THe van is rather small and tension was a bithigh among the group on Tuesday. But Ranjeet always does his best to get us laughing.
Finally made it to the hotel at 7:00 and a dinner at the hotel.
Wed. Before leaving Tanjore we visited the Sri Bridhadeswara temple before leaving the city. It stands 216 feet tall but the way it's constructed that throughout the day its shodow never falls on the ground. On to the town of Trichy where we saw an amazing temple. More problems with the van all day... very frustrating! Kept havving to stop to add water to the radiator! Can't recall the name of it there were three and I got confused as to which one we actually visited. We had to leave our shoes in the van to visit this temple. CAtherine and I really had to go to the bathroom... ok, this tops the 'we're not in America list:" we had to go into and use the bathroom barefoot. For the most part ladies bathrooms have a squat type toilet, a piece of porceline set into the floor, one straddles in and does her business. SO things splatter everywhere... so basically Catherine and I had to walk barefoot into other's waste to to... But the temple was beautiful and there were many Indian families with adorable children who wanted our pictures with them... the smiles and friendliness makes up for so much.../when we walk around these temples, more 'we are not in America moments:' you will suddenly come to a drop off or somethign that's not roped off or a huge hole in the floor that isn't marked. Last night we were on floor 8 in an outside restaurant. A low railing with wide holes was the only thing between me and the ground floor - pretty scary!! OUr guide yesterday asked me if I had children (I get this all the time) yes, Isaid one daughter. Ohhhh no son... NO I said, no son... With a twinkle and huge grin he said "you come see me ifyou want son..." Any other time I would have been appalled but the way he said it, it was not offensive at all! In fact others in the group heard it and just howled with laughter!
Another festive dinner last night as we celbrated Jill's 51st b-day! She thought she was getting away with no one knowing!!
Catherine has come down with the cold. Mine doesn't seem to be going away and I had some "Delhi belly" troubles in the night... seem better today but we are both hanging low in the hotel today. Love, Sandy
Monday, January 18, 2010
Monday. 4:30 or so in the HOT 95+ degree temps of Pondincherry. I'm in an un airconditioned internet place...plastic seat... sweat.... on the way to Pondicherry (far SE coast of India) we stopped at a couple temple areas in Muhablipuram. The first area had a HUGE HUGE free standing boulder called the 'butter ball" this was all yesterday, Sunday. They tried hundreds of years ago to movethis boulder with 7 elephants and couldn't do it. Got to Pondicherry and Catherine and I walked to a rocky beack near the hotel. Turns out the tsunami of '04 wiped out 1.5 km of the beach and they rep0laced it with rocks. this are was very hard hit by it. the wave going back 2-3 blocks. Dinner was supposed to be in our hotel last night but it didn't look so appetizing so C and I went out with another mom and daughter to a very civilzied and beautiful restaurant nearby.
By the way here is our group: John, a year round student at Woodstock who lives in Washington, CT and attends the Gunnery School, Lauren, a sr. who is a year round student too and from California, Alex, from Australia, she just attended the fall semester andwill return to school in Aussie, Christina, a full time student from Louisiana, Jill and her daughter Maddie from Denver. Maddie is a full time student.
Two who were with the tour but left after two weeks, Nick and his son James. James went back to his HS in Montclair NJ> And I couldn't forget our wonderful leader from Vinstring Travel agency.. Ranjeep Singh. He is about 5'1" and has a wonderful sense of humor. English is not great. He starts to tell a story and we can't understand it but laugh as he starts to laugh and can't even finish the story!!
In every major stop we have a local tour guide, todasy's was a woman and she was the best yet!
Today we went to Auroraville, It is near Pondicherry. Established in the 1970's, a cult place, although no one uses that word. About 4000 people from many idfferent countries live there. Then it was off to a beach where the kids went swimming. the beach was trashed but water warm and kids had a good time until... a bunch of drunk Indian men came over towhere we were swimming and the local tour yelled at them to get away. They finally did, the kids swam some more and then more drunk guys came up and just lay on the beach watching the kids. Then we decide it was time to leave. The local tour guide was great.. we told her she should be a Bollywood star and be in a movie with Sylvester Stallone - she was so angry with the men and was intent on "protecting her children" (the kids on the tour!)
Everywhere we go, Indian people want their photos taken, to shake hands, to say hello and bye bye... For the most part they are all wonderful, with big huge smiles and so friendly. The men tend to be overly attentive to the girls and we always have our radar up... If we instigate the smiling or hellos they are so happy, because for the most part they justwalk by and are very shy. They push their children at us and always want them in pictures.
We are always having "we know we are not in America" moments. Today it was: A water cooler in Auroraville that had three plastic glases for everyone to use on top of it. Wish i could think of other moments but can't right now... they happen daily and mostly involve hygiene and health habits!! another was at the train station platforms. I couldn't figure out what all the wet marks were at the edge of the platform near the tracks.. then I saw two Indian woman squat and pee right in front of us. Also C and I wish we had a penny forevery man we have seen urinating Outside one trainstation there were about 15 open stalls used for both kinds of human waste and men were doing both as we walked by.. rats at the train station are everywhere.
So... this is an incredible adventure for Catherine and me.. but I will NEVER take take for granted our water... air... sewer and water systems, trash removal, and recycling... Please... as you go about your life... walking down a street... take the time to pick up a piece of garbage... don't always get the fanciest packaged items... recycle everything you can... mimize your trash...smell the clean air everyday.... drink the fresh water out of the tap...look up at the clear blue skies with no haze... try to perform a community service that involves homeless people.. cleaning up for those who can't...keeping communities clean.... sorry for my soap box but I am simply not able in an email todescribe what we are seeing here as far as garbage, standing water, toilet facilities, homeless people... etc.. thank you everyone... Love, Sandy
By the way here is our group: John, a year round student at Woodstock who lives in Washington, CT and attends the Gunnery School, Lauren, a sr. who is a year round student too and from California, Alex, from Australia, she just attended the fall semester andwill return to school in Aussie, Christina, a full time student from Louisiana, Jill and her daughter Maddie from Denver. Maddie is a full time student.
Two who were with the tour but left after two weeks, Nick and his son James. James went back to his HS in Montclair NJ> And I couldn't forget our wonderful leader from Vinstring Travel agency.. Ranjeep Singh. He is about 5'1" and has a wonderful sense of humor. English is not great. He starts to tell a story and we can't understand it but laugh as he starts to laugh and can't even finish the story!!
In every major stop we have a local tour guide, todasy's was a woman and she was the best yet!
Today we went to Auroraville, It is near Pondicherry. Established in the 1970's, a cult place, although no one uses that word. About 4000 people from many idfferent countries live there. Then it was off to a beach where the kids went swimming. the beach was trashed but water warm and kids had a good time until... a bunch of drunk Indian men came over towhere we were swimming and the local tour yelled at them to get away. They finally did, the kids swam some more and then more drunk guys came up and just lay on the beach watching the kids. Then we decide it was time to leave. The local tour guide was great.. we told her she should be a Bollywood star and be in a movie with Sylvester Stallone - she was so angry with the men and was intent on "protecting her children" (the kids on the tour!)
Everywhere we go, Indian people want their photos taken, to shake hands, to say hello and bye bye... For the most part they are all wonderful, with big huge smiles and so friendly. The men tend to be overly attentive to the girls and we always have our radar up... If we instigate the smiling or hellos they are so happy, because for the most part they justwalk by and are very shy. They push their children at us and always want them in pictures.
We are always having "we know we are not in America" moments. Today it was: A water cooler in Auroraville that had three plastic glases for everyone to use on top of it. Wish i could think of other moments but can't right now... they happen daily and mostly involve hygiene and health habits!! another was at the train station platforms. I couldn't figure out what all the wet marks were at the edge of the platform near the tracks.. then I saw two Indian woman squat and pee right in front of us. Also C and I wish we had a penny forevery man we have seen urinating Outside one trainstation there were about 15 open stalls used for both kinds of human waste and men were doing both as we walked by.. rats at the train station are everywhere.
So... this is an incredible adventure for Catherine and me.. but I will NEVER take take for granted our water... air... sewer and water systems, trash removal, and recycling... Please... as you go about your life... walking down a street... take the time to pick up a piece of garbage... don't always get the fanciest packaged items... recycle everything you can... mimize your trash...smell the clean air everyday.... drink the fresh water out of the tap...look up at the clear blue skies with no haze... try to perform a community service that involves homeless people.. cleaning up for those who can't...keeping communities clean.... sorry for my soap box but I am simply not able in an email todescribe what we are seeing here as far as garbage, standing water, toilet facilities, homeless people... etc.. thank you everyone... Love, Sandy
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Sunday am 8:00 Cont. from Saturday 8th, I think. Most of the group slept in and chose not to go out in the cold to try and see a tiger. the 4 who went did see one and had about a 20 minute vist with it. It was cold and foggy again. Left for Agra around noon. A 6 hour bus ride. Still chilly and mostly cloudy. Dinner that night at our hotel: Pushp and in their revolving restaurant at the top of the hotel. Everyone is getting colds. 8:00 am Sunday bus to Taj. Hazy foggy and chilly but still a spectacular structure that would stand out in any conditions. Indians video-ing us with camera, waving, saying hi, everywhere we go. Feel like we are on a rock tour!! Then to Fatenpur Sikri, ghost city about 1 hour south of Agra. Brillian architcutrally but had to leave in 1585 due to lack of water. The ruined city spreads all around Fatenpur. Afternoon Agra Fort built 1565. Built as a military structure, upgraded to a palace and then became a prison in 1658. Can see the Taj at a distance. Amazing two such structures so close to eachother. Lunch in a roadside place. Got to "tour' the kitchen. That inviolved standing in one place and watching them cook! Very clean by Indian standards, but no screen doors, aprons, a monkey at the doorway... Pizza hut for dinner, kids love it. Train station at 10:00 for our first overnight train ride. in a 3 tier compartment coach. Train 40 mins. late waited on platform cold. Finally into train. So imagine 8 people with luggage trying to get settled in an area not larger than about 2 feet wide by 8 feet long, some Indians in the mix so a language barrier to add into it. CRAZY!!Beds are just a small step up from a sheet of plywood with a thin thermarest on top, covered with the oldest thickest vinyl you can imagine!! Were supposed to arrive Varanasi at 7:30 am but didn't get in until 11:30 were w/in 10 miles of station the whole 4 hours. Spent afternoon in room huddled next to a space heater. Very cold So, a man comes to bring us our space heater. At the end of the cord where an outlet is supposed to be, there are two bare wires.... he takes those and puts them in an "outlet" in the wall
zzzzzttttzzzzzttt sparks fly, a bit of flame and smoke....ooooooo, no work, he says.... fiddles with the wire, outlet, tries again turns on heater...oh good now work and rubs his hands like he has just turned on the Rockefeller tree in NYC!!! What a hoot.
Went to 3 silk shops that night. Saw actual old style weaving being done Most is outsourced to villagers though.
Tues. Boat ride on Ganges at 7:00 am. The ganges at Varanasi is basically a sewer, it is beyond description, yet people
still come to take their holy baths. Left the boat ride and back to the hotel via the narrowest of "street's I've even been on. Filled with human and animal waste and garbage., walking in and around all of it..Needless to say, we were all pretty green, something to smell at 8:00 in the am.
To Sarnath in afternoon. It's where the Buddha preached his message of themiddle way of nirvana after he acheived enlightenment. Buddhist emperor Ashoka erected a magnificent stupa (religious monument ) there.Tuesday night another overnight train due to leave at 8:30. Didn't leave until 12:30 am. Spent a couple hours in Comesum restaurant where it was
relatively warm. Guide ordered food but no one was hungry. CAtherine began packing it up. Took some out to a homeless man, no response. Another load to a man in his20's behind a post, no response. then to a boy standing right outside the door. He sat down and when we looked back he had the biggest crooked tooth smile and wave for us. This began about a 3 hour friendship with "Sunny." Sunny is one of the untouchables- the lowest class in India. But Sunny has more class than anyone...He won all of out hearts. After he ate, he asked Catherine and me to come out of the restaurant, he held our hands and said a prayer, all the while, pointing to his heart and sky and the only words I could pick up were Babba Ji, so that must be his god. At the end,
"Amen.." We found someone who spoke English so he helped us interpret all evening. I told the interpreter to tell Sunny that he has a wonderful smile.. Sunny told him "God has told me always to smile." I just began crying and so did Catherine....
Then he sang for us. We sang Silent Night, Jingle Bells... which he knew and loved the part at the end... ....jingle all the way...
HEY and would put his arm in the air and just laugh!! He has no parents, left when he was young and he has lived near the railway station all of his life. I would say he is about 15 but unsure. Then we danced in a circle with him. All the while we drew quite a crowd of Indian men. The interpreter said that they were watching because they couldn't believe we were touching him and spending time with him. Then at one point he got me to lead a prayer, holding my hands.. I asked God to watch out for him, keep him safe and health and ALWAYS smiling.... He was shaking he was so cold. Cathrerine gave him a t-shirt, (Dartmouth one!) pair of flip flops (as he was barefoot and it was about 45 degrees) and a pair of socks. I gave him a pair of pants. He put all of it on and I thought is his smile was big before.... it was even bigger now.... Sadly we left Sunny..
Both Catherine and I in tears....
Wed Arrr. Kolkata. I stayed in room and slept, getting a cold and felt horrible. Rested all Thurs am while they went to a botanical garden and flower market. Dinner at hotel Thursday. Friday saw Sun Temple in Bhubenswar about 2 hours south of Kolkata. Stoped in a small village on way down. Rice village. Villagers just crowded around us, it was great being able to be in a small roadside place. Stopped an hour later in a village that did applique work. Then to another overnight train from Bhubenwasar to Chennai.... 20 hours!!! It was a 2 tier so only 4 in a compartment. C and I with the 2 chaperones. I slept pretty well and slept all day until 4:00 Cold is feeling a bit better now... Got off the train and got mixed up in some traffic from a huge festival in Chennai. Hotel about an hour south of Chennai but took 2 hours because of traffic. Nice dinner in an outside restaurant on the roof of the hotel. We are close to the ocean on the west coast. Chennai looked like a great city but we are on to Pondincherry today. Visiting yet more temples on the way.... More later, sorry internet is hard to comeby so updates are difficult to do. Very hot here!! Love to everyone!
zzzzzttttzzzzzttt sparks fly, a bit of flame and smoke....ooooooo, no work, he says.... fiddles with the wire, outlet, tries again turns on heater...oh good now work and rubs his hands like he has just turned on the Rockefeller tree in NYC!!! What a hoot.
Went to 3 silk shops that night. Saw actual old style weaving being done Most is outsourced to villagers though.
Tues. Boat ride on Ganges at 7:00 am. The ganges at Varanasi is basically a sewer, it is beyond description, yet people
still come to take their holy baths. Left the boat ride and back to the hotel via the narrowest of "street's I've even been on. Filled with human and animal waste and garbage., walking in and around all of it..Needless to say, we were all pretty green, something to smell at 8:00 in the am.
To Sarnath in afternoon. It's where the Buddha preached his message of themiddle way of nirvana after he acheived enlightenment. Buddhist emperor Ashoka erected a magnificent stupa (religious monument ) there.Tuesday night another overnight train due to leave at 8:30. Didn't leave until 12:30 am. Spent a couple hours in Comesum restaurant where it was
relatively warm. Guide ordered food but no one was hungry. CAtherine began packing it up. Took some out to a homeless man, no response. Another load to a man in his20's behind a post, no response. then to a boy standing right outside the door. He sat down and when we looked back he had the biggest crooked tooth smile and wave for us. This began about a 3 hour friendship with "Sunny." Sunny is one of the untouchables- the lowest class in India. But Sunny has more class than anyone...He won all of out hearts. After he ate, he asked Catherine and me to come out of the restaurant, he held our hands and said a prayer, all the while, pointing to his heart and sky and the only words I could pick up were Babba Ji, so that must be his god. At the end,
"Amen.." We found someone who spoke English so he helped us interpret all evening. I told the interpreter to tell Sunny that he has a wonderful smile.. Sunny told him "God has told me always to smile." I just began crying and so did Catherine....
Then he sang for us. We sang Silent Night, Jingle Bells... which he knew and loved the part at the end... ....jingle all the way...
HEY and would put his arm in the air and just laugh!! He has no parents, left when he was young and he has lived near the railway station all of his life. I would say he is about 15 but unsure. Then we danced in a circle with him. All the while we drew quite a crowd of Indian men. The interpreter said that they were watching because they couldn't believe we were touching him and spending time with him. Then at one point he got me to lead a prayer, holding my hands.. I asked God to watch out for him, keep him safe and health and ALWAYS smiling.... He was shaking he was so cold. Cathrerine gave him a t-shirt, (Dartmouth one!) pair of flip flops (as he was barefoot and it was about 45 degrees) and a pair of socks. I gave him a pair of pants. He put all of it on and I thought is his smile was big before.... it was even bigger now.... Sadly we left Sunny..
Both Catherine and I in tears....
Wed Arrr. Kolkata. I stayed in room and slept, getting a cold and felt horrible. Rested all Thurs am while they went to a botanical garden and flower market. Dinner at hotel Thursday. Friday saw Sun Temple in Bhubenswar about 2 hours south of Kolkata. Stoped in a small village on way down. Rice village. Villagers just crowded around us, it was great being able to be in a small roadside place. Stopped an hour later in a village that did applique work. Then to another overnight train from Bhubenwasar to Chennai.... 20 hours!!! It was a 2 tier so only 4 in a compartment. C and I with the 2 chaperones. I slept pretty well and slept all day until 4:00 Cold is feeling a bit better now... Got off the train and got mixed up in some traffic from a huge festival in Chennai. Hotel about an hour south of Chennai but took 2 hours because of traffic. Nice dinner in an outside restaurant on the roof of the hotel. We are close to the ocean on the west coast. Chennai looked like a great city but we are on to Pondincherry today. Visiting yet more temples on the way.... More later, sorry internet is hard to comeby so updates are difficult to do. Very hot here!! Love to everyone!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Fri. Jan. 7 Suwai Mathophur We left from a hot Goa on Sunday and arrived in 50
D. weather, misty and cold in Delhi, this past Sunday. Accommodations were at a YWCA. Not the best but very clean.. A Sikh temple just behind was having a festival so we heard Sikh singing via many large speakers, late into the night and beginning early am. Our group gathered at one on Tues for a tour of Delhi. We saw a large fort, a mosque and took a bicycle rickshaw tour through streets (I use that term in the loosest ever, as they were basically only big enough for the rickshaws but other motorscooteers would come the other way all the time, more near death experiences!) We saw fabulous bead, fabric, book and sweet shops. we didn't stop but we hope to go to O. Del. when we return in Feb. Another night in the Y and off Wed. am for Jaipur. We got to our wonderful hotel, it was only a 1 star but simply beautiful... had a nice lunch on their outside lawn and off on a tour. We got to see a block print textile place. They showed us how it was done and then we shoppped.
It was a small family run place and the fabrics were so gorgeous. I don't have my notes with me and forget where else we went on Wed. Another great dinner at a spice restaurant. We are eating mainly Indian food now, no more seafood! It's spicy but very good. Pretty much a standard meal is presented to us in small bowls and a bowl of rice. On Thursday we went to the Wind Palace in Jaipur. Rode elephants from the bottom of the palace all theway up an long an d winding hill. Pretty hairy at times as there was quite a drop off to one side and the elephant was swaying to and fro, thought I was going to end up at the bottom of the hill. The Wind palace is just spectacular, if you have time, look for it on google. We left for Sawai Mathophur around 2:00. Got here at 6:30 last night over roads that were hardly passable at times. Pavement, to dirt and back again, pavement was marginal when it was there. Catherine saw an entirely naked man (with just a turban on_ walking down the street, when we were on the bus! It was dark when we got here but the hotel is really nice.
Dinner here at the hotel. Up at 6 am this morning to go for a jeep ride into the local wildlife sanctuary. Didn't see a tiger (the main point of going on them) but saw many beautiful peacocks, monkeys and deer. It was 40 degrees this am and foggy. We were on the jeeps for 3 hours. We were all frozen when we got back at 10:00!!
More later! Sandy (sorry for the bad typing, I'm in a small room above a small shop right near the hotel. Only about Rs 30 (.40) for an hour of internet. Much cheaper than Goa, that was $2 for an hour!)
D. weather, misty and cold in Delhi, this past Sunday. Accommodations were at a YWCA. Not the best but very clean.. A Sikh temple just behind was having a festival so we heard Sikh singing via many large speakers, late into the night and beginning early am. Our group gathered at one on Tues for a tour of Delhi. We saw a large fort, a mosque and took a bicycle rickshaw tour through streets (I use that term in the loosest ever, as they were basically only big enough for the rickshaws but other motorscooteers would come the other way all the time, more near death experiences!) We saw fabulous bead, fabric, book and sweet shops. we didn't stop but we hope to go to O. Del. when we return in Feb. Another night in the Y and off Wed. am for Jaipur. We got to our wonderful hotel, it was only a 1 star but simply beautiful... had a nice lunch on their outside lawn and off on a tour. We got to see a block print textile place. They showed us how it was done and then we shoppped.
It was a small family run place and the fabrics were so gorgeous. I don't have my notes with me and forget where else we went on Wed. Another great dinner at a spice restaurant. We are eating mainly Indian food now, no more seafood! It's spicy but very good. Pretty much a standard meal is presented to us in small bowls and a bowl of rice. On Thursday we went to the Wind Palace in Jaipur. Rode elephants from the bottom of the palace all theway up an long an d winding hill. Pretty hairy at times as there was quite a drop off to one side and the elephant was swaying to and fro, thought I was going to end up at the bottom of the hill. The Wind palace is just spectacular, if you have time, look for it on google. We left for Sawai Mathophur around 2:00. Got here at 6:30 last night over roads that were hardly passable at times. Pavement, to dirt and back again, pavement was marginal when it was there. Catherine saw an entirely naked man (with just a turban on_ walking down the street, when we were on the bus! It was dark when we got here but the hotel is really nice.
Dinner here at the hotel. Up at 6 am this morning to go for a jeep ride into the local wildlife sanctuary. Didn't see a tiger (the main point of going on them) but saw many beautiful peacocks, monkeys and deer. It was 40 degrees this am and foggy. We were on the jeeps for 3 hours. We were all frozen when we got back at 10:00!!
More later! Sandy (sorry for the bad typing, I'm in a small room above a small shop right near the hotel. Only about Rs 30 (.40) for an hour of internet. Much cheaper than Goa, that was $2 for an hour!)
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Sunday, Jan. 3. Our last day in Goa. Tomorrow we leave for the airport around 11:00 and fly to Delhi. We gather up with the school group on the 5th, a short afternoon tour of Delhi and then off on the "winter tour" Four weeks of a different place every night! Returning emails may be more sporadic from now on.
New Year's was raucous! We had a nice dinner out and then watched fireworks. They are everywhere in Goa that night!
After a week of pretty much cloudy days...but still very hot, the completely sunny days have returned, as of about 3 days ago. The last three or four nights the sun has gone down in a firey red ball in the western sky. We have walked out to the beach to watch the sunset. Haven't been there for low tide and discovered how trashed the beach and water actually are at low tide. We discovered that we could outfit almost an entire family with clothes washed up, plastic bottles, shoes, a wallet, paper trash and lots of styrofoam. It's very sad actually. I've come to realize there are few places for one to dispose of trash so it's done where ever: streets, over a fence, the beach, the ocean... etc. MANY dogs roam the beach as well and dispose of their waste where ever as well. We had to move rooms and are now face the back of the hotel, not to the pool. There is an area below us with quite a bit of trash built up and this morning Catherine actually saw a woman throwing a small bag over the fence.. the bag broke and there it was... more adding to the growing pile. The disposal of plastic, mainly water, juice and soda bottles
are causing the country to be in a nighmarish situation of an overwhelming MOUNTAIN of all of it. Seems to be very little recycling of any kind and again, no trash removal. In the local paper they recently listed 6-7 local lakes almost completely contaminated by waste and garbage seeping into them. Oh well, sorry for the depressing posting but until one has actually visited, it's really hard to comprehend
all of it. Slumdog Millionaire has it bang-on, even glossed over in some cases, I know, hard to believe... but so true.... Sandy
New Year's was raucous! We had a nice dinner out and then watched fireworks. They are everywhere in Goa that night!
After a week of pretty much cloudy days...but still very hot, the completely sunny days have returned, as of about 3 days ago. The last three or four nights the sun has gone down in a firey red ball in the western sky. We have walked out to the beach to watch the sunset. Haven't been there for low tide and discovered how trashed the beach and water actually are at low tide. We discovered that we could outfit almost an entire family with clothes washed up, plastic bottles, shoes, a wallet, paper trash and lots of styrofoam. It's very sad actually. I've come to realize there are few places for one to dispose of trash so it's done where ever: streets, over a fence, the beach, the ocean... etc. MANY dogs roam the beach as well and dispose of their waste where ever as well. We had to move rooms and are now face the back of the hotel, not to the pool. There is an area below us with quite a bit of trash built up and this morning Catherine actually saw a woman throwing a small bag over the fence.. the bag broke and there it was... more adding to the growing pile. The disposal of plastic, mainly water, juice and soda bottles
are causing the country to be in a nighmarish situation of an overwhelming MOUNTAIN of all of it. Seems to be very little recycling of any kind and again, no trash removal. In the local paper they recently listed 6-7 local lakes almost completely contaminated by waste and garbage seeping into them. Oh well, sorry for the depressing posting but until one has actually visited, it's really hard to comprehend
all of it. Slumdog Millionaire has it bang-on, even glossed over in some cases, I know, hard to believe... but so true.... Sandy
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Thursday, New Year's eve day On Wed, we took another day tour, this time to Dudhsager Waterfalls. We boarded a huge coach bus (35 people on board) around 8:30 am and drove 2 hours, where jeeps were waiting for us. 6 people and a driver per jeep. There were other tour groups that converged in this tiny village for the jeep ride, the falls are located in the Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary, a National park in our terms. Off we went on a jostling, bone crunching, hot and sweaty 45 minute ride to a rocky trail.. 15 minute hike and we, along with about 100 other people were in a beautiful setting. The falls drop 1000 feet in front, underneath a railway bridge about half way up. Water was cold and refreshing after our long travels to the place. About an hour at the falls and then it was the jeep ride back and half hour bus ride to a very secluded Nature Retreat where we were the only group there for lunch. It was a Goan lunch, similar to the one last week, fish and chicken chunks in sauces, cabbage salad, papadam(a very spicy crispy, thin bread) bananas, rice and
lady finger (okra) marinated salad. On our way back, the bus was stopped and not allowed to go the road to anyone's hotel. The roads were packed with vehicles and they were not allowing any large vehicles in. They said something about it being a safety precaution,in the event of any terrorist type activity they want all vehicles to have away out. LArge buses wouldn't be able to leave quickly. So the bus halfway pulled into a field, we were let out, he turned around pulled back in the opposite direction and we loaded in again and took a very round about route back to our hotel. We were an hour and a half late getting back ( 7:30 instead of 6:00 pm) but all in all a fun day. The falls are located on the far western border of Goa, the smallest state and most heavily touristed state in India. We were on the border of Kharatakan (or something like that) the next state east of Goa. The capital of Goa is Panjim, mostly that is the name on most maps for Goa. Our plans for Catherine's birthday dinner last night were put on hold due to us missing our dinner reservation. So we are going to "Over the Flames) a wonderful restaurant very close to the hotel. We have ordered lobster (yea...!!!) and will eat around 9:00 and stay for the "Sword Man" and New Year's celebrations there. You cannot believe how crowed Goa has become and the hugeness of New Year's is more than I've ever seen (not that I've participated in many celebrations but just knowing what is done in cities, this seems to beat ALL!!) Decorations galore, roads, restraurants, resorts and beaches crowded beyond anything you can imagine.
Happy New Year everyone!! Love, Sandy
lady finger (okra) marinated salad. On our way back, the bus was stopped and not allowed to go the road to anyone's hotel. The roads were packed with vehicles and they were not allowing any large vehicles in. They said something about it being a safety precaution,in the event of any terrorist type activity they want all vehicles to have away out. LArge buses wouldn't be able to leave quickly. So the bus halfway pulled into a field, we were let out, he turned around pulled back in the opposite direction and we loaded in again and took a very round about route back to our hotel. We were an hour and a half late getting back ( 7:30 instead of 6:00 pm) but all in all a fun day. The falls are located on the far western border of Goa, the smallest state and most heavily touristed state in India. We were on the border of Kharatakan (or something like that) the next state east of Goa. The capital of Goa is Panjim, mostly that is the name on most maps for Goa. Our plans for Catherine's birthday dinner last night were put on hold due to us missing our dinner reservation. So we are going to "Over the Flames) a wonderful restaurant very close to the hotel. We have ordered lobster (yea...!!!) and will eat around 9:00 and stay for the "Sword Man" and New Year's celebrations there. You cannot believe how crowed Goa has become and the hugeness of New Year's is more than I've ever seen (not that I've participated in many celebrations but just knowing what is done in cities, this seems to beat ALL!!) Decorations galore, roads, restraurants, resorts and beaches crowded beyond anything you can imagine.
Happy New Year everyone!! Love, Sandy
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Tuesday, 29th Dec. Last night we had a wonderful dinner on the beach at one of the small beach shacks that are all up and down on the beach. It was our best meal of grilled Pomfret yet!! Stars were mostly out, almost a full moon and many, many lights of the numerous ships that are offshore from Goa, mainly cargo ships and oil tankers from what I hear. I counted 32 one day, all about 5-6 miles off shore.
Weather has been a bit cloudy but still hot and humid. STILL no rain since arriving here on the 13th of Dec. A big fireworks display on Christmas night wasn't stopped due to dryness! Sparks flying everywhere in the trees... no worries... I guess!
More later. Sandy
Weather has been a bit cloudy but still hot and humid. STILL no rain since arriving here on the 13th of Dec. A big fireworks display on Christmas night wasn't stopped due to dryness! Sparks flying everywhere in the trees... no worries... I guess!
More later. Sandy
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Christmas day dawned hot and sunny. Very, very strange setting for us, no snow or ice just palm trees and hot temps! The inn had a spectacular dinner they had been preparing for, for 2+ days. About 10 tables with food in the area between the bar and pool. Then tables were all set up on the front lawn, in front of the pool. Many,many decorations and it was very festive. Lots of Goan, hiphop and Bollywood dancing - very entertaining! Sandy
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Christmas Eve, 6:15 pm Greetings!! On Wednesday we went about a half hour taxi ride, to the Anjuna Flea Market. Or Hippie Market, as it is mostly called. It is only on Wednesdays and is quite a show. The largest I certainly have ever seen, hundreds of vendors on the beach and off...great people watching!
Today we went about an hour ride with a tour group to the Sahakari Spice Farm. We were greeting with a bindi being put on our forehead and a beautiful flower lei.
Lemon grass tea and cashews and off to take an elephant ride!! Catherine's dream came true! We rode a 14 year old elephant, smaller than the other one, that was 48 years old. Then to a stream where a third elephant lay in the water waiting for us to scrub her. When I say water, well I'm not really sure what it was. Upon coming closer, the smell was overwhelming and I think it basically was wastewater...
We scrubbed the elephant then two people at a time got on the back of her and got a "power shower" About 4 litres from her trunk were sprayed full force over her back on us... needless to say we kept our mouths and eyes closed. It was quite something, cold water as well but dingy brownish, yellowish, gray in color... sorry hope you're not going to eat Christmas dinner after reading this!! We had that done about 5 times, the elephant handler had a twinkle in his eye when we got off, cuz he did it to us more than anyone!! What a character! After the elephant ride we went back to the eating place where we had fried potatoes, bread and a drink. Then off on an hour long tour of the spice plantation. There was everything growing there: cinnamon, cloves, tumeric, cardommon, cashews (not in season yet), allspice, nutmeg,
etc... We got to smell each spice and try to identify it.We ended the tour with a ladle full of citronella water (cold) being poured down our neck and back.. it felt wonderful, as it was quite hot! Back to the eating shelter AGAIN where a fabulous buffet meal was waiting for us. We began the meal with a shot of cashew fenny. It's an alcohol made from cashews. There is also coconut fenny. I had tried both the other night, as our dinner waiter here at the hotel couldn't believe we had been here a week and not tried it. The stuff one gets in a bar is much more harsh than what we had today. Either way it smells like paint thinner and burns the whole way down. Well down the hatch went the fenny and then on to a fabulous meal of: fried prawns (in cornmeal and many spices), rice, curry chicken, curry vegetables, dal (lentils in curry) squash, cooked cabbage with a wonderful coconut dressing, watermelon, pineapple, a marzipan-like thing and icecream!!! And now... we have to go eat again!! The tour was great, many close calls in the van driving too and from.
A lady from England was sitting across the isle from me clenching the seat and saying "Blood 'ell" every time we had a near death experience... it kept the humor in the whole situation!!
We are off to dinner at 9:00 (yawn!!) to a restaurant that has a sword thrower and
flame eater for entertainment!
Wish I could post pictures as we got lots today but don't worry, we'll do them soon.
Merry Christmas everyone!! Sandy
Today we went about an hour ride with a tour group to the Sahakari Spice Farm. We were greeting with a bindi being put on our forehead and a beautiful flower lei.
Lemon grass tea and cashews and off to take an elephant ride!! Catherine's dream came true! We rode a 14 year old elephant, smaller than the other one, that was 48 years old. Then to a stream where a third elephant lay in the water waiting for us to scrub her. When I say water, well I'm not really sure what it was. Upon coming closer, the smell was overwhelming and I think it basically was wastewater...
We scrubbed the elephant then two people at a time got on the back of her and got a "power shower" About 4 litres from her trunk were sprayed full force over her back on us... needless to say we kept our mouths and eyes closed. It was quite something, cold water as well but dingy brownish, yellowish, gray in color... sorry hope you're not going to eat Christmas dinner after reading this!! We had that done about 5 times, the elephant handler had a twinkle in his eye when we got off, cuz he did it to us more than anyone!! What a character! After the elephant ride we went back to the eating place where we had fried potatoes, bread and a drink. Then off on an hour long tour of the spice plantation. There was everything growing there: cinnamon, cloves, tumeric, cardommon, cashews (not in season yet), allspice, nutmeg,
etc... We got to smell each spice and try to identify it.We ended the tour with a ladle full of citronella water (cold) being poured down our neck and back.. it felt wonderful, as it was quite hot! Back to the eating shelter AGAIN where a fabulous buffet meal was waiting for us. We began the meal with a shot of cashew fenny. It's an alcohol made from cashews. There is also coconut fenny. I had tried both the other night, as our dinner waiter here at the hotel couldn't believe we had been here a week and not tried it. The stuff one gets in a bar is much more harsh than what we had today. Either way it smells like paint thinner and burns the whole way down. Well down the hatch went the fenny and then on to a fabulous meal of: fried prawns (in cornmeal and many spices), rice, curry chicken, curry vegetables, dal (lentils in curry) squash, cooked cabbage with a wonderful coconut dressing, watermelon, pineapple, a marzipan-like thing and icecream!!! And now... we have to go eat again!! The tour was great, many close calls in the van driving too and from.
A lady from England was sitting across the isle from me clenching the seat and saying "Blood 'ell" every time we had a near death experience... it kept the humor in the whole situation!!
We are off to dinner at 9:00 (yawn!!) to a restaurant that has a sword thrower and
flame eater for entertainment!
Wish I could post pictures as we got lots today but don't worry, we'll do them soon.
Merry Christmas everyone!! Sandy
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Wed. 11:16 am 23rd. The last couple days have been relatively cloudy but still hot,
highs of 34 degrees C! A bald eagle flew over the beach yesterday. A herd of cows
strolled right down the beach too. By the time I ran to get my camera, all but four had disappeared. The four, settled right down and I got great pictures...People constantly hound us at the beach to buy things, clothing, fruit, little boys drumming while their even smaller sisters dance for money, little boys wanting people to sign certificates for them, not sure what they are for, I"ve not done it.... and on and on. More Christmas decorations each day. The groundskeeper spent 2 days making the most incredible naitivity, bamboo with grass woven in and all of the
characters, minus Baby Jesus, who will be placed on Christmas morning.
No Americans here. At meals we hear all kinds of languages but mainly Finnish and Swedish, also many Brits here. When people from India ask us where we are from, we say "America." Their reply, even with little English is ALWAYS: "Oh, Obama..., he is good man..." With the heat and palm trees, it doesn't feel like Christmas but certainly the decorations and music is putting us in the spirit! Our very best to all for wonderful holidays, Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.
Catherine and Sandy
highs of 34 degrees C! A bald eagle flew over the beach yesterday. A herd of cows
strolled right down the beach too. By the time I ran to get my camera, all but four had disappeared. The four, settled right down and I got great pictures...People constantly hound us at the beach to buy things, clothing, fruit, little boys drumming while their even smaller sisters dance for money, little boys wanting people to sign certificates for them, not sure what they are for, I"ve not done it.... and on and on. More Christmas decorations each day. The groundskeeper spent 2 days making the most incredible naitivity, bamboo with grass woven in and all of the
characters, minus Baby Jesus, who will be placed on Christmas morning.
No Americans here. At meals we hear all kinds of languages but mainly Finnish and Swedish, also many Brits here. When people from India ask us where we are from, we say "America." Their reply, even with little English is ALWAYS: "Oh, Obama..., he is good man..." With the heat and palm trees, it doesn't feel like Christmas but certainly the decorations and music is putting us in the spirit! Our very best to all for wonderful holidays, Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.
Catherine and Sandy
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Monday am 12/21 Weather continues to be cloudless each day and very hot. Christmas
music plays each morning and during most of the day, where meals are served. Seems
unusual being in such a hot climate during Christmas. Was there a big storm along
the east coast? Heard Washington got 16", go Fred... how's the shovelling? What about NH/VT??
Lynne, if you read this... have you gotten my emails about needing email addresses from some folks? I am receiving a few emails through "myemail.com" but not sure they are going through to people when I send them. I'm still having problems logging on to comcast.net. Did you get that email about helping me with that situation?
Thanks, Lynneeeeee!
music plays each morning and during most of the day, where meals are served. Seems
unusual being in such a hot climate during Christmas. Was there a big storm along
the east coast? Heard Washington got 16", go Fred... how's the shovelling? What about NH/VT??
Lynne, if you read this... have you gotten my emails about needing email addresses from some folks? I am receiving a few emails through "myemail.com" but not sure they are going through to people when I send them. I'm still having problems logging on to comcast.net. Did you get that email about helping me with that situation?
Thanks, Lynneeeeee!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
The orphanage trip last Sat. (the 12th) was filled with mixed emotions. Sadness to see the 35 residents, ages 4-17, joy, in knowing they will be happy with the clothes, frustration, leaving and feeling it almost impossible to change their situation.
The gentleman who runs it is Ashish. He greeted us at the door. IT's located on the top of a mountain above Catherine's school, we took a cab up and walked down. The boys all came out. We didn't see the few girls who are there. We took pictures, other students from Woodstock came with us. The little boys started roughhousing, trying to show off! I met one boy whose name is Sandeep and he took me all over to tell everyone that I had the same name as him, Sandy!! He is 11. I have a picture to post of him later. His head is shaved because, he decided he would convince the barber to shave it from ear to ear over the top. Then it looked so ridiculous that Ashish made him shave the whole thing! He is a rascal, says Ashish! I had a chance to spend some time alone with Ashish and spoke with him about the boys. He said most are there until they are 17, they try to get them trained in a vocation, so they are able to live on their own and support themselves. The last two years he was not able to have Christmas presents for any of the residents. He said his prayers were answered when we came to the door with the huge bag of clothes. He was going to wrap up a present for each one of them to have under the tree.
Train travel in India is something. I pulled up a map of train travel before I left and the routes completely cover India. However, when our train pulled up at the Dehradun station, it looked as if many people had whacked it ALL over with sledgehammers. They are far from the sleek Amtrak trains of the US. Windows have bars on them, if they need to be closed, a plastic white"window" can be pulled down.
The smell is quite pungent, they are incredibly old and still dispose of waste on the tracks once out of the station. They are on amazingly on time, though. Even early. I"ve never been on an "ontime" Amtrak train!
Catherine has been careful not to let me eat from street vendors until my stomach gets acclimated. In Mussorie, she got her 2 favorite things from an open food place:
gulab jamun and something else -= dough dropped in grease and fried, coming out like a translucent pretzel and dripping with grease! Gulabs are round balls, deep fried and then soaked in a sweet syrup for 30 minutes or so... yummmmm I'm sticking with the restaurant food for now... Although I have enough Immodium and pepto to stock the entire city of Delhi, if need be....More later... Sandy
The gentleman who runs it is Ashish. He greeted us at the door. IT's located on the top of a mountain above Catherine's school, we took a cab up and walked down. The boys all came out. We didn't see the few girls who are there. We took pictures, other students from Woodstock came with us. The little boys started roughhousing, trying to show off! I met one boy whose name is Sandeep and he took me all over to tell everyone that I had the same name as him, Sandy!! He is 11. I have a picture to post of him later. His head is shaved because, he decided he would convince the barber to shave it from ear to ear over the top. Then it looked so ridiculous that Ashish made him shave the whole thing! He is a rascal, says Ashish! I had a chance to spend some time alone with Ashish and spoke with him about the boys. He said most are there until they are 17, they try to get them trained in a vocation, so they are able to live on their own and support themselves. The last two years he was not able to have Christmas presents for any of the residents. He said his prayers were answered when we came to the door with the huge bag of clothes. He was going to wrap up a present for each one of them to have under the tree.
Train travel in India is something. I pulled up a map of train travel before I left and the routes completely cover India. However, when our train pulled up at the Dehradun station, it looked as if many people had whacked it ALL over with sledgehammers. They are far from the sleek Amtrak trains of the US. Windows have bars on them, if they need to be closed, a plastic white"window" can be pulled down.
The smell is quite pungent, they are incredibly old and still dispose of waste on the tracks once out of the station. They are on amazingly on time, though. Even early. I"ve never been on an "ontime" Amtrak train!
Catherine has been careful not to let me eat from street vendors until my stomach gets acclimated. In Mussorie, she got her 2 favorite things from an open food place:
gulab jamun and something else -= dough dropped in grease and fried, coming out like a translucent pretzel and dripping with grease! Gulabs are round balls, deep fried and then soaked in a sweet syrup for 30 minutes or so... yummmmm I'm sticking with the restaurant food for now... Although I have enough Immodium and pepto to stock the entire city of Delhi, if need be....More later... Sandy
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
We wake up each morning to a "cooled down" am temp of about 80 degrees. During the days it's been 100+ degrees. Going in the ocean or pool water, hardly cools one off.
Temps in there are in the 80's. We have breakfast outside on a lawn on the way to the beach,under an umbrella, fortunately! Christmas carols were being played the last two mornings- yeaaaaa! Every establishment has some sort of Chrismtas decorations up. The food has been fantastic and so inexpensive. Fresh seafood is everywhere: calamari, red snapper, kingfish, pomfret(a small flat fish, I had one last night, whole and on the grill- delicious!), lobster, tiger prawns (huge shrimp) and regular prawns abound on every menu. There is a cute elderly gentleman selling fresh fruit right near our hotel. We go to him each day for bananas, avocados and oranges. Catherine got a huge coconut the other day, he hacked off the top with a huge machete, gave her a long straw and she drank the milk, I tasted and it was wonderful. Four bananas, 1 avocado, a coconut and 4 mini limes cost Rps 80, just a little over a dollar. A hundred rupees equals $2.20, think I had it wrong in a previous post. The beach is lined with fishing boats and each morning the men go out very early to fish. I saw two men bring in a kite fish (think we call them sting rays!) the other morning. The boats remind me of the old pointers from the 1950's and '60's at Keewaydin and Ojibway. These are very similar, only higher sides and incredibly heavy. Takes about 10 men to haul it over log rollers on to the beach. They can hold lots of people and very sea worthy! think we need to have a resurgence of the pointers on the lake!! Sandy
Temps in there are in the 80's. We have breakfast outside on a lawn on the way to the beach,under an umbrella, fortunately! Christmas carols were being played the last two mornings- yeaaaaa! Every establishment has some sort of Chrismtas decorations up. The food has been fantastic and so inexpensive. Fresh seafood is everywhere: calamari, red snapper, kingfish, pomfret(a small flat fish, I had one last night, whole and on the grill- delicious!), lobster, tiger prawns (huge shrimp) and regular prawns abound on every menu. There is a cute elderly gentleman selling fresh fruit right near our hotel. We go to him each day for bananas, avocados and oranges. Catherine got a huge coconut the other day, he hacked off the top with a huge machete, gave her a long straw and she drank the milk, I tasted and it was wonderful. Four bananas, 1 avocado, a coconut and 4 mini limes cost Rps 80, just a little over a dollar. A hundred rupees equals $2.20, think I had it wrong in a previous post. The beach is lined with fishing boats and each morning the men go out very early to fish. I saw two men bring in a kite fish (think we call them sting rays!) the other morning. The boats remind me of the old pointers from the 1950's and '60's at Keewaydin and Ojibway. These are very similar, only higher sides and incredibly heavy. Takes about 10 men to haul it over log rollers on to the beach. They can hold lots of people and very sea worthy! think we need to have a resurgence of the pointers on the lake!! Sandy
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