Saturday, March 14, 2015

Trip to Rishikesh

13-March-2015: Our driver picked us up at 6am and we headed off to Rishikesh aka Yoga capital of the world where int'l yoga festival was held earlier in March. It was a 5 hour drive and quite an introduction to driving in India. lots of disregard to every known traffic law and almost continual honking as the car passed, swerved, went three abreast, etc. buses and trucks approaching in our lane with headlights blinking, etc. We stopped for a great breakfast along the way of freshly prepared parantha - filled nan-like breads baked in tandoori style oven and served with butter. Rishikesh is on the Ganges river where it exits the foothills of the himalayas and has an interesting old section - filled with temples, yoga and meditation centers, ashrams, small shops and restaurants with lots of western "hippies", young and old. We spent 3 hours walking around with a guide and were embarassed by our lack of knowledge of Hindu deities. Then we sat along the Ganges for awhile, took a boat to the other side and attended a very interesting sunset ceremony at an ashram. Music with songs, chanting, etc. and ending with the passing around of fire filled brass bowls. We returned to our small hotel and enjoyed a simple and delicious dinner wirh our driver. We've decided to restructure our post-Nepal week in India and cancelled existing reservations in Agra and Jaipur so will trust our driver to make other arrangements. We will spend less time in Agra and go elsewhere, and still end up in Jaipur but stay at a different hotel.

14-March-2015: returned to Delhi but stopped a short drive from Rishikesh where lots of pilgrims were bathing in the Ganges and also where they put ashes of their relatives into the river. It was another long and "interesting" drive and we made it back into Delhi around 6pm. Had dinner at our favorite Dosa restaurant - the dosas only cost ~$2.50 each and are soooo delicious. A very popular place.







Midmorning breakfast stop along the highway





Suspension bridge across the Ganges in Rishikesh





View upstream gives an idea of how the river comes out of the himalayan foothills here





On the bank of the Ganges





View of Rishikesh looking downstream.





Ganges crossing by boat.





Sunset prayer ceremony





Interesting participant





Flames set afloat











Passing around fire at the end of the ceremony.





One of these is not like the others! these old ladies really liked me and wanted their picture taken.





sunset on the Ganges

Posted by AlmostAdventurous

Location:Rishikesh, India

12-March-2015 -- New and Old Delhi

Met our driver at 8am and he dropped us off for breakfast at what he said was the best Southern India restaurant in New Delhi. Nothing fancy but excellent food -- we each had a dosa and those were among the best ever! Then on to the Lodhi Gardens, built by the British but encompassing several old tombs. Then to the Gandhi museum where we spent the rest of the morning. It is in the house where he spent the last 144 days of his life and he was assassinated while praying in the garden behind the house. The setting and the displays in the house were very inspiring and a reminder of how things can be solved without violence even if the situation is quite serious as it was in India during their struggle for justice and independence. Our driver dropped us in Old Delhi in the Chawri Bazaar and we met up for our walking tour. The leader of the tour (7 persons in our group) grew up in these neighborhoods and he took us to rooftops, around the narrow streets, into a little restaurant for a light lunch and another shop for exceptional lassi. Then, we went by bicycle rickshaw to a private home, a building that has been in their family for 5 generations. After a tour and tea, we had a family style dinner -- rice, pakhora, aloo gobi, aloo (like aloo jeera but a bit different), lentils, and zucchini balls in curry sauce. Very good! Then, our guide negotiated us a bicycle rickshaw ride back to our hotel for 50 rupees (75 cents). It was probably 1.5 miles and across railroad tracks on an overpass so had some incline. Not to steep but these rickshaws use solid rubber tires, are built solidly of steel and there were passengers. ALSO, our "driver" was probably older than us -- or perhaps had led a harder life. In any event, we felt very sorry for him as he dismounted and pushed up a long incline and struggled through rush hour traffic. Also a bit nervous since he needed to stop and ask directions. We arrived safely and he seemed happy that I paid him a 100% tip. What a life to work that hard and have such meager income.




Lodhi Garden


Monument at Gandhi Museum - marks spot where Gandhi was shot while praying.


Gandhi Museum


Tour of Old Delhi - We had a snack here.


Typical street scene but the photo does not depict the hectic nature of the area.



Enjoying delicious Lassi. Our group included these two flight attendants from Emirates Airline - from Finland and Russia.


Dinner in a family's home.

Posted by AlmostAdventurous

Location:Delhi, India

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Arrival in India & Delhi Sightseeing

Depart SeaTac March 9 and arrival in New Delhi on March 11

Our flights went as well as could be expected - 10 hours Seattle to Frankfurt, 4.5 hour layover and then 7.5 hours to Delhi arriving at 2:30am and in bed at 5am two days after departure. So pretty grueling but half-way around the world!

11-March-2015: Breakfast at the hotel's cafe across the street and wandered around the neighborhood. Pretty daunting with narrow, confusing streets and everyone wanting to sell us something or some service. we attempted to walk to the nearby New Delhi train station but got turned around. A nice person bargained with a tuk-tuk driver and arranged us to go to the government tourist office near Connaught Place. However, he dropped us at a different tourist office who attempted to sell us tours. We knew it was wrong but weren't quite sure how to get out of there to the correct place. Outside, on the street another person took us under his wing and walked us all the way to the correct place. He said Cindy reminded him of his (deceased) mother and that his assistance was "karma". We decided to rethink how we were doing things and be a bit more "professional". We arranged a car and driver for several days. Plus we will cut short the Delhi portion of our stay and spend one night at a town on the Ganges. The driver will also pick us up at the airport upon our return from Nepal and drive us to Agra, tour the city, take us on to two other place, then our planned tour of Jaipur where he will also drive us and then return us to the New Delhi airport for our departure back home. Not very expensive and it will give us a lot of peace of mind.

Lunch at a very nice place, Pindi, where we had butter chicken (the best in Delhi according to their review), Aloo Jeera (potatoe and cumin seeds curry) and roti (like nan).

Drove to Humayuns tomb -- one of the Mughal emperors. Then to Qutb Minar, a minaret to another muslim dynasty. It is the largest brick minaret in India (perhaps in the world) and amazing. It is situated in the midst of other ruins. Then we drove past the Lotus Temple, a rather new structure in similar style to the Sidney opera house and is a Bahai Temple. Then past the India Gate, something like the arch de triumph. Then back to the hotel and dinner nearby at rooftop restaurant at Metropolis Hotel. We had eggplant curry (Baingan Kalonji), peas and fresh fenugreek curry (Methi Malai Mutter), garlic nan, rice and Kingfisher beer.

12-March-2016: Met our driver at 8am and he dropped us off for breakfast at what he said was the best Southern India restaurant in New Delhi. Nothing fancy but excellent food -- we each had a dosa and those were among the best ever! Then on to the Lodhi Gardens, built by the British but encompassing several old tombs. Then to the Gandhi museum where we spent the rest of the morning. It is in the house where he spent the last 144 days of his life and he was assassinated while praying in the garden behind the house. The setting and the displays in the house were very inspiring and a reminder of how things can be solved without violence even if the situation is quite serious as it was in India during their struggle for justice and independence. Our driver dropped us in Old Delhi in the Chawri Bazaar and we met up for our walking tour. The leader of the tour grew up in these neighborhoods and he took us to rooftops, around the narrow streets, into a little restaurant for a light lunch and another shop for exceptional lassi. Then, we went by bicycle rickshaw to a private home in a building that has been in their family for 5 generations. After a tour and tea, we had a family style dinner -- rice, pakhora, aloo gobi, aloo (like aloo jeera but a bit different), lentils and zucchini balls in curry sauce. Very good! Then, our guide negotiated us a bicycle rickshaw ride back to our hotel for 50 rupees (75 cents). It was probably 1.5 mibut did cross railroad tracks on an overpass so not too steep. However, these rickshaws use solid rubber tires, are built solidly of steel and there were passengers. ALSO, our "driver" was probably older than us -- or perhaps had led a harder life. In any event, we felt very sorry for him as he dismounted and pushed up a long incline and struggled through rush hour traffic. Also a bit nervous since he needed to stop and ask directions. We arrived safely and he seemed happy that I paid him a 100% tip. What a life to work that hard and have such meager income.




Street in front of hotel but very quiet in the morning.


Cottage Yes Please where we are staying.


Our first lunch in New Delhi. Butter chicken, aloo jeers (potatoes with cumin seeds in curry sauce), rice and roti.


Humayuns tomb


Qutb Minar (minaret)


Breakfast of dosa masala!


Lodhi Gardens


Monument marking the spot of Gandhi's assasination.


ascenes of old Delhi market





Dinner in private home after the Old Delhi bazaar walking tour.

Location:New Delhi

Monday, March 9, 2015

Nepal and India Trip

We are leaving for our big adventure to India and Nepal -- ten days on our own in India and a 14 day guided trip in Nepal where our small group (7 people plus guide and porters) will visit Kathmandu, Pokhara and trek for 8 days not far from Annapurna.






Posted by AlmostAdventurous