India - Day 5, dinner with a Royal Family

This evening we have been invited for Diwali dinner with a Royal Family.  Diwali celebrations go on for 5n ights. This is a time for family and friends come together. We are honoured to be invited into Smritri's hometo share this time with her family and friends. The outside terrace is decorated with designs made from the traditional marigold flowers.  We are greeted by all members of her family including cousins, friends and some of the children from her orphanage.  Smritri has created a home for children living with HIV.  They are unwanted by their families as their is still quite a lot of ignorance here when it comes to this disease.  Smriti has created a wonderful environment for these children and is an incredible advocate for the.  They are now in the regular school system and one of her friends has now opened a second home to house the children.  It's a wonderful opportunity for us to meet these beautiful children and this amazing woman. There is a lovely young lady painting henna on our hands and a gentleman with gifts of handmade bangles. The dinner was delicious and the company exceptional. This was a memorable evening and certainly one of the highlights of the trip.

India - Day 5, Jaipur

This morning we are off to explore the monuments of Jaipur. The Amber fort is a beautiful complex of palaces, halls, pavilions, gardens and temples. We approach the fort on elephants just like the Maharajahs did.  The women are excited and the ride is incredible.  The elephants are decorated in festive colours and the seats are reasonably comfortable.  The scenery in this area is magnificent, there are mountains and an ancient wall surrounding the fort. The wall resembles the great wall of China.  We are fortunate there is a lake, there was ample rain this year to fill up the lakes in the region.

The Amber fort is quite majestic and magnificently preserved. Our jeep ride down from the fort is almost as exciting as the elephant ride up.  The hawkers follow us to the jeeps and continue trying to sell their wares.  They are climbing into the jeep and many arms are stretched out into the jeep, items are being placed into our laps and hands and the bargaining frenzy continues.  The ladies can't believe what is happening and laughter can be heard from all of the jeeps.  The ride down is fast along the winding narrow streets.  Our tour of the Pink City of Jaipur continues with a brief stop to view the wind palace.  There is no structure behind the pink facade, only balcony's where the princesses would sit to peer through the windows at the people in the streets.  They were not allowed to mix with the commoners.  We stop at the lake side to view the Royal Summer Palace. It issituated on an island in the middle of the lake.  Often this lake is dry so once again we are fortunate to see it surrounded by water. The hawkers are out in full force waiting to sell us their wares.  Pashminas, elephant statues, embroidered boxes, bangles and much more.  It's all very exciting as we maneuver through the outstretched arms filled with trinkets. The negotiating  process is like a ritual and they expect us to bargain for our purchases.
Our guide has arranged a visit to a jewelry studio which carries gems from the region, Indian star rubies, saphires, emeralds and more.  We are treated to a demonstration of how they cut and polish these precious and semi precious stones.  Then the shopping begins. Can you imagine 22 women in a large jewelry show room.  Let's just say there were many purchases here.  Some of the items purchased are rings, pendants and even individual gem stones.  A quick stop for lunch and then our city tour resumes.   Another highlight of our city tour is a visit to a park to view medieval Indian astronomy. This complex was built by Jaipur's founder and houses scientifically designed instruments to tell time and horoscopes.  It's quite amazing how these ancient tools still work to this day. Across the road is the City Palace, a former royal residence built in the centre of the old city in a blend of Rajasthani and Mughal styles.  There is a small museum displaying costumes of the royal family.  The silks and wools are magnificently decorated with embroidery and some embellished with jewels. This has been a full day of touring, now we must get back to our hotel to freshen up and prepare for our dinner with a royal family. 

India - Day 4 - Agra to Jaipur

Early morning wake up for breakfast and to check out of the Trident Hotel.  Today is Diwali and the hotel has decorated their lobby with the traditional Marigold flowers as well as rose petals.  Our drive through th town of Jaipur is exciting as the streets are bustling with locals shopping in preparation for the Dewali festivities.  In the markets there are carts filled with fruits, vegetables and there are mounds of marigolds and garlands of marigolds hang everywhere. This flower is placed in all homes for good luck.  You can feel the excitement in the air.  There are many women in the market today and their colourful saris are quite a site to behold. There's as much excitement on the bus as there is in the streets. The ladies are moving from one side of the bus to the other to take in all of the sites.
It's a long drive to Jaipur. Everyone settles in and enjoys the scenery and conversation.  Along the way we stopped to visit the Unesco World Heritage site of Fatehpur Sikri which was once the capital of the Mughal Empire with one of the largest mosques in India within a complex of monuments and temples.   We continue our drive along the highway and stop for lunch at a roadside restaurant.  We dined outside under colourful tents. The King Fisher beer was cold and refreshing and the curry warm and delicious.
Upon arrival into Jaipur we stop for a demonstration of block printing on fine cotton and silk fabrics.  The showroom is open today just for us.  The ladies enjoyed shopping here and some ladies have ordered
custom tailored outfits and shirts.

Our hotel for the next 2 nights is the Narain Niwas Palace which is one of the Heritage Collection.  Every room is different and the decor quite royal.  Our tour guide gave us a traditional Indian outfit and asked to wear it to the Diwali celebration.  We met in the back garden for the ceremony to worship the God Lakshme which is for prosperity and wealth.  From here we moved to the front garden to enjoy dinner and entertainment. Local musicians played traditional music and dancers performed in their colourful outfits.  We enjoyed a wonderful fireworks display put on by the hotel. The fireworks could be heard all night long.

India Day 3 - Agra Fort

After the Taj Mahal visit we returned to the hotel for a sumputous breakfast at the Hotel Trident. The food is delicious and the service excellent. Our rooms at the Trident are very comfortable and all of the staff warm and inviting.  We are always greeted with a warm smile and greeting. The most common greeting at any time of day is Namaste.
Life in the street is quite different from home.  Not only do you find cars, cycles and people. There are camels, horse and cart, cows and more. The sound of horns can be heard from every direction. . cor
This afternoon we are off to visit the Agra Fort dating back to the1600's.  It is huge and impressive. Thick stone walls surround the inner beauty.  Private palaces built for Shan Jehan's many wives, conqubines and children.  The intricate marble work and wall decoration is beautiful.  It's hard to imagine this structure was built so long ago.  As you stand in the courtyard and admire the magnicence of this fort you can imagine the beautiful women roaming about in their colourful saris. Our next stop was a visit of a shop that made inlaid tables, wall plates and decorative boxes made of marble.  Intricate designs are etched into the marble with colour made from semi precious stones.  The craftsman ship is amazing.  Some pieces in sshowroom have price tags over $100,000.

Upon our return to the hotel we have a little down time before heading out to a local restaurant for dinner.  It was delicious.  In the streets to you can feel the excitement of Diwali building. Shops and homes are decorated with lights and fire crackers are heard about the city.  We are all looking forward to the tomorrow nights Diwali celebration.

India - Day 3 - Agra's Taj Mahal

Early 5am wake up call this morning to depart for the Taj Mahal.  Luckily the line up is quite small so we can avoid the hour long line up.  The Taj Mahal is more beautiful than we could have imagined.  The majestic structures stands on acres of land along the river side.  Water pools, the smell of sweet blossoms and colorful gardens.  Pinch me, I'm dreaming. Here I am at the site of one of the most magnificent of the 7 wonders of the world. The white marble glistens in the sun.  Colorful designs adorn the Taj walls inside and out. The tomb of Mumtaz Mahal is decorative with intricate, ornate designs.. The energy here calm and peaceful.  The tomb of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan lies beside his wife. For ever together in eternity. i re,  and standing here isin front of it is peaceful.
The ladies are touched by this wonderful place, some have tears in their eyes and others stare in wonder at this incredible structure.  After a 2 1/2 hour tour and many photos we head back to our hotel for breakfast.  This afternoon we are off to visit the Agra Fort.   

India tour - Day 2 - Delhi

This morning we wake up early to meet our yoga instructor in garden of the hotel.  It's still dark and there is an excitement in the air.  Here we are, day 2 in Delhi and we are about to practice yoga in the country of it's originate.  Our yoga instructor is charming and witty. Our first moves are sun salutations along with the rising sun.  Magic.  Before we know it he has us all doing shoulder stands. /The ladies really seem to be enjoying their morning practice out on the lawn.   Our instructor entertains us with is wit and the ladies enjoy a good laugh.
After breakfast we are departing from the Delhi Grand for a long drive to Agra. Along the way we visit  tomb that is said to be the inspiration for the Taj Mahal and was built in the 1500's.  Almost 100 years before the Taj. The grounds are expansive the the buildings colorful and intricate.This wonderful structure was built for a mogul emperor where he will rest eternally in his paradise. .  The   There are sweet little puppies at our heals and beautiful green parrots flitting about the trees. India is full of surprises, colours and sounds. 

We continue our drive to the town of Agra. There is so much to see along the way.  We move out of the busy traffic and into the countryside.  Women, children, cows, pigs, motorcycles, buses, donkeys and more share the road.  The farmers are busy working in the fields of sugar cane, hay, grains.  Women carry bundles of sticks for firewood and others are busy making patties of cow dung to dry in the sun. This is their source of cooking fuel. Life is very different out her.  We pass through small towns that are bustling with activity as the center is the local market.  Stalls filled with fruits, flowers, sweet shops and so much more. The barber is set up on the side of the road shaving the men clean to get them ready for the upcoming Diwali celebrations. The ladies are mesmerized and excited. There's so much to see as we drive along the highway.  Our skilled bus drive dodges cows, dogs and wild antelope.  He manuevers our bus through the bustling town centres and sometimes even drives on the wrong side of the road.  There appear to be very little driving rules here in India.  After our long bus ride we finally arrive in Agra to check into Trident Hotel. The grounds are beautiful with a nice pool. The ladies are already planning some downtime there. We have an early dinner then off to bed as we have a 5am wake up call. We're off to Taj Mahal for the sunrise and a tour.

India 2011 - Day 1: Delhi

There is only one way to describe India - Incredible.  Delhi is a big busy city full of contrasts, noise, colorful sights and sweet smells of incense in the air.  Our hotel or the first 2 nights is the Delhi Grand.  Luxurious rooms, a large inviting lobby and spectacular pool and garden area with a cascading fountain.  After 18 hours of travelling it felt great to stretch out in a comfortable bed.
Day 1: Our adventure begins with a drive through the Imperial city which was built by the British in the 1600's.  There are wide avenues,  large complexes with homes for the government employees and spacious parks where there are monkeys roaming freely. Here you will find the parliament buildings and a large road leading to a structure which resembles the Arc de Triomph. Every Jan. 26th there is a parade along this route to celebrate India's independence.
As we move through New Delhi the roads begin to narrow and the crowds and traffic become heavier. We arrive in Old Delhi.  There are market stalls and small shops lining the narrow streets which are filled with men out shopping for bargains. It's a strange site to see as there are only a few women and they are working at the streetside shops.  Most of the items are just laid out on the walkway and crowds of men are picking through the goods.
We depart the comfort of the air conditioned motorcoach and step into the bustling market street.  We are instructed to walk quickly and avoid speaking with the people trying to sell their wares. Our goal is to visit the Jana Masjid mosque, India's largest mosque.  Everyone entering the mosque must remove their shoes and wear burlap socks and colorful gowns which are provided for us.  The Mosque is a large open area with a fountain in the centre and a small building.  There are many local children willing to pose in our photos.  As we leave the mosque we are surrounded by young men trying to sell us their goods.  Purses, bangles, necklaces and much more. It's quite an experience.
Our guides move us through the crowd swiftly to our waiting Ric Shaws, a glorified bicycle with a covered seat for two.  Our driver weaves his way through the narrow market streets dodging peole, dogs, cars, trucks and buses.  He drives us through the narrow streets past colourful shops and out to the main road to view the remaining walls of the Red Fort Palace.  What an exciting ride!
Next stop is the Rajghat, Mahatma Gandhi's creamtion site.  His burial site is set in an expansive garden with lare lawns and fragrant floral trees.  Many people from all over the world visit this site every day.  As we are busy taking photos of the beautiful people dressed in the colorful saris we notice they are taking photos of us.  Young men ask to have their photo taken with Lynn, a blond haired lady.  They giggle and smile with delight.  A well dressed family ask Debbie and Shirley to pose with their family.
Our last stop of the day is for a light lunch at a building which houses some of India's cottage industries.  We are treated to a demonstration on silk rug making from the Cashmere region.  These rugs are amazing pieces of art.  Also available are 100% pure cashmere pashminas and scarfs, cotton table cloths, clothing and jewelry.  All pieces are unique and hand made in the Cashmere area.
During our bus ride back to the hotel Priti, our city guide surprises us all with a colourful sari and invites us to dine with her and a few of her lady friends.  Our group is excited and delighted and their's a buzz in the air as the experts tuck us into our Saris.  What a treat!  There's somehting about a sari that makes a woman feel very feminine and beautiful.  Our first day was exciting and fun filled and topped off with a delicious meal at a local restaurant.