INCREDIBLE INDIA!
On March 22nd we docked in Cochin, in the southern part of India. New country, new customs, new people. The first thing that we noticed was the extreme poverty, rubble, rundown dwellings and beggars everywhere. We saw the Chinese fishing nets, many markets & aggressive street vendors and many tuk-tuk taxis, which is basically a motorcycle with covered back seat for 2 passengers. We tried Indian beer at the elegant Taj Malabar Hotel beach resort in Cochin. Our first taste of India!
THE TAJ MAHAL and MUMBAI
The Taj Mahal was incredible, we kept pinching ourselves to see if we were really there. There have been many breath-taking moments on this trip - the terra cotta warriors and the Taj are some. The white marble building is so beautiful, we had to put on booties to go inside to see the tombs of the Shah Jahan and his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal for whom he built the Taj as a memorial and whom he loved so much.
It was very hot, 95F and humid and lots of people. We had an elaborate Indian buffet lunch at the Mughal Sheraton. Every dish was spicey, flavored with a different kind of curry. After lunch we visited the red sandstone Agra Fort built in 1565 A.D.to protect the Mughal rulers.We shopped at local shops, gorgeous silks & saris, breath-taking jewelry, silk carpets, etc. etc. Then off to the Agra airport which is controlled by the military & lots of security everywhere. There were 97 of us, so we had a chartered 737 Jet Lite Indian airline. The flight attendants wear saris and have their belly buttons exposed - after all it is the center of creation according to Indian custom. We arrived back 'home' after midnight, a very long day but a memorable one.
The next day we spent in Mumbai, visiting the sights including lunch at the Taj Hotel where the bombings took place. Very tight security. Visited Mahatma Gandhi's home. Did you know that the spinning wheel was developed in India in 500 B.C. and was used to make the robes that Gandhi wore while he lived in this house for 17 years promoting his “non-violent non-cooperation” theory for independence from the British.
We saw the Dhobi Ghats where laundry from all over Mumbai is brought to be soaped, soaked, boiled and beaten by 6000 men who lease the stone cubicles from the government and the women do the ironing. We bargained for jewelry, purses and silks in the narrow streets of the Colaba market, were harassed by street vendors and beggars, and watched in amazement as cows took presedence in the streets. The poverty, filth, rubble and beggars everywhere certainly arouses many emotions but I feel fortunate to have been able to experience it.
That evening we had a special “India Night” on the ship. Svata and I wore our beautiful, silk saris (thanks to Denise) and enjoyed a delicious Indian dinner served by the Holland America waiters in their Indian garb. A lovely ending to a memorable visit to this incredible country.
On March 22nd we docked in Cochin, in the southern part of India. New country, new customs, new people. The first thing that we noticed was the extreme poverty, rubble, rundown dwellings and beggars everywhere. We saw the Chinese fishing nets, many markets & aggressive street vendors and many tuk-tuk taxis, which is basically a motorcycle with covered back seat for 2 passengers. We tried Indian beer at the elegant Taj Malabar Hotel beach resort in Cochin. Our first taste of India!
THE TAJ MAHAL and MUMBAI
The Taj Mahal was incredible, we kept pinching ourselves to see if we were really there. There have been many breath-taking moments on this trip - the terra cotta warriors and the Taj are some. The white marble building is so beautiful, we had to put on booties to go inside to see the tombs of the Shah Jahan and his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal for whom he built the Taj as a memorial and whom he loved so much.
It was very hot, 95F and humid and lots of people. We had an elaborate Indian buffet lunch at the Mughal Sheraton. Every dish was spicey, flavored with a different kind of curry. After lunch we visited the red sandstone Agra Fort built in 1565 A.D.to protect the Mughal rulers.We shopped at local shops, gorgeous silks & saris, breath-taking jewelry, silk carpets, etc. etc. Then off to the Agra airport which is controlled by the military & lots of security everywhere. There were 97 of us, so we had a chartered 737 Jet Lite Indian airline. The flight attendants wear saris and have their belly buttons exposed - after all it is the center of creation according to Indian custom. We arrived back 'home' after midnight, a very long day but a memorable one.
The next day we spent in Mumbai, visiting the sights including lunch at the Taj Hotel where the bombings took place. Very tight security. Visited Mahatma Gandhi's home. Did you know that the spinning wheel was developed in India in 500 B.C. and was used to make the robes that Gandhi wore while he lived in this house for 17 years promoting his “non-violent non-cooperation” theory for independence from the British.
We saw the Dhobi Ghats where laundry from all over Mumbai is brought to be soaped, soaked, boiled and beaten by 6000 men who lease the stone cubicles from the government and the women do the ironing. We bargained for jewelry, purses and silks in the narrow streets of the Colaba market, were harassed by street vendors and beggars, and watched in amazement as cows took presedence in the streets. The poverty, filth, rubble and beggars everywhere certainly arouses many emotions but I feel fortunate to have been able to experience it.
That evening we had a special “India Night” on the ship. Svata and I wore our beautiful, silk saris (thanks to Denise) and enjoyed a delicious Indian dinner served by the Holland America waiters in their Indian garb. A lovely ending to a memorable visit to this incredible country.
I think you should wear your sari on your first day back at work!!
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