Jodhpur
I continue to enjoy driving through all the fascinating villages & towns of India, camera at the ready. So many of my “everyday” photos so far have been taken from the window of the car. Rich and vibrant colors constantly fly by and the constant hustle and bustle makes for scintillating viewing while getting from place to place.
Jodhpur is known as the “blue city” due to the fact that so many of the homes here are painted blue. Set against the fort and surroundings, the contrast in colors is quite stunning. Our hotel is the Umaid Bhawan Palace, which looks more like a huge national museum than a world-class hotel. The place is gigantic and exceptionally grand. The Maharaja and his family actually live in one wing of the palace while the Taj Hotel Group operates the rest of the building as a hotel.
This morning we were off the Mehrangarh Fort but unfortunately we had to leave early as I was in agony. At this point I would like to address one of the many “fears” of people traveling to India: “What if I need a doctor?”
I have been suffering from a bad shoulder due to the weight of my camera bag and by the time we got to Jodhpur I was in agony. Our guide called a doctor who was in a local hospital. When we arrived there were people waiting but we were seen very quickly. The doctor was exceptionally nice and prescribed two medications. Cathy was with me and she was struggling to get over a bad cold. She asked the doctor to look at her and within 2 minutes he told her she had acute bronchitis and also prescribed medication. The entire visit and medications for both of us came to $40.00! The doctor has warned me that I will need further medical attention but for now this will be a great help.
After the doctor we did get to the fort, which is very impressive and well restored. In the early afternoon we visited the Jal Bhagirathi Foundation, the water conservation project pioneered by the Maharaja of Jodhpur. As many of us are becoming more aware, access to clean water is a global crisis, especially in rural communities. India is no exception and this was a fascinating visit.
We then made our way into the depths of the old city to visit Raas, a new concept hotel. The hotel is set deep in the old city and is surrounded by the blue houses yet the hotel itself is made of the local stone and it’s earthy tone provides a great contrast. The fort overlooks the hotel and I believe this hotel will really become popular.
From there we walked in the old city and visited Maharani Arts. This place has 8 floors and is filled with fabrics of every kind. No need to walk up all 8 floors as in true Indian style and hospitality, you are their guest and the merchandise is brought to you with some interesting sales pitches to go along with it. Candy and sodas are offered and it was a great visit. My favorite part was the arrival of the Fedex man to organize the shipping. In he came in local dress, sat cross-legged on the floor and did the paperwork. All in all I will take great memories away from Jodhpur, here are some of my photos:
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VIDEO: The Hustle and Bustle of Jaipur
Here’s some footage from our time in Jaipur. Feel free to comment and expect more updates shortly!
Jaipur Part II
India sure loves its forts and yesterday after a great breakfast we headed off for a tour of the Amber Fort. You can actually ride an elephant up to the fort but we chose not to as we were to be riding elephants later in the day.
After the fort we went to a store called Jaipur Handicrafts as Reet knows the owner. We did a bit of retail therapy and I decided it was time for me to dress like a local and bought a Kurta Pajama (so comfortable!). The owner gave it to me as a gift which was really kind of him. Needless to say, I changed right there and packed away my “western” clothes. We then went back to the hotel to freshen up before leaving for our elephant safari and dinner. Halfway through the ride we stopped at this little place in pitch dark. Low and behold, we found full bar set up and we were offered drinks for the ride. Of course, drinking and riding was a bumpy experience, so much so that I wore most of the drink! After dinner we returned to the hotel for a well earned night’s rest.
Today we got ready to depart but not before a handful of remaining site inspections in Jaipur. I won’t bore you with all the details but suffice it to say we will be going home with fairly broad first hand knowledge of all the different options out there for potential travelers of all budgets.
I’m writing right now on our drive to Nimaj and the tented camp of Chattra Sagar. The drive is over 5 hours but it seems a lot shorter as I am so thoroughly enjoying it. I can’t stop staring out the window, camera at the ready, as we pass through all these little towns along the way.
India is a remarkably busy place. Everyone is going places: tons of the cabs they call Autos or Tok Toks, scooters with up to 6 people on them, cows and goats everywhere, and let us not forget drivers constantly leaning on their horns coming at you on the wrong side of the road! I love this country!
Here are some photos from the past two days, I’ll be posting a great video clip tomorrow!
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Arriving in Jaipur
Today we headed off to Jaipur. Thankfully the drive was short by Indian standards, only 2 hours. Of course we knew where we were going to be staying, but really did not expect what we got.
The Rambagh Palace is to be our “home” for the next 2 nights. Driving through the gates you realized this was a special place and a beautiful Palace. As today is Diwali, the festival of lights, everything is decorated in lights and flower petals- just beautiful. When we arrived, we were shown to our room which turned out to be the Presidential Suite. Oh my goodness, it is like a house with a huge living room, full dining room, vestibule, dressing room, bathroom and an enormous bedroom. The room comes with a day and night butler who seemsto be show up to help no matter where you are in the hotel.
We did not waste much time at the hotel as we wanted to get to the old city to see everyone preparing for Diwali. We walked for 2 hours around the markets and watched as the people prepared for the holiday. We did a lot of gift buying and as the sun began to set, everyone was starting to prepare the traditional “offering” plates for the Gods. The sight of so many candles burning was fantastic and the people are all very friendly. As you probably know, I love my camera and I love taking portraits of the people I meet. I always ask permission before sticking a camera in someone’s face and virtually everyone said yes and no one asked for money.
Beggars, we have learned, are just a part of this complex country and we are struggling to stick to the “you must ignore” rule advised by our guides. We understand it but it is hard. Here we are staying at an opulent hotel and 15 minutes away people live in poverty. Unfortunately the beggars do not actually see the money they collect. Rather it goes straight back to their “handlers”. It’s a very difficult situation and we now understand that our best chance to help is to contribute to schools and other causes through the proper channels, ensuring the money goes to the people who need it most.
This evening our host Reet and I had dinner at the hotel as Cathy was not feeling great and skipped it. It was a lovely experience eating in the opulent dining room with white glove service and of course the food was amazing. I let Reet handle the ordering and boy was it good! Here are some pics from the day, more to come tomorrow in addition to some great video footage I’m busy compiling.
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Checking in from Ajabgarh
In the morning I got up before dawn to meet our guide & driver. They took me to Mahtab Bagh, a Mughal garden that is situated across the river from the Taj. Most of the most famous photos of the Taj were taken from that side. It took us 30 minutes to get there and it was really worth it as there was not one other tourist there. So many guides don’t want to go there as it is “out of the way” and it means another early morning. Thank goodness we have found a great ground partner that makes sure our guests will see exactly what they need to see.
We then went back to the hotel for breakfast and picked Cathy up to carry on the journey to Ajabgarh via Fatehpur Sikri. The drive was about 1 hour of the usual “local traffic” as I have come to think of it. The driving is definitely a sightseeing adventure all its own and should be considered an added “perk” to any trip in India.
Fatehpur Sikri is basically a complete compact city built by Emperor Akbar way back in the 16th Century. It was apparently only inhabited for 20 years and had to be abandoned due to water shortages. It is really in an incredible state of preservation.
We then carried on with the 3 hour drive to Ajabgarh and the Amanbagh resort for the night. When we arrived we knew we were in for a treat! as it was the day before Diwali, the festival of lights, the hotel was festooned with fresh flower garlands and incredible flower patterns on the ground made of flower petals. We were welcomed by having the customary dot placed on the forehead and some beautiful chanting. We were met by the General manager, Manav Garewal and his wonderful wife Robin who is joint GM with him. We were given a “Havelli” suite which was just incredible- it has its own swimming pool and all. The entire hotel and the grounds were immaculate.
Soon after we settled in we went off in a safari style jeep for a tour of the local villages that the resort supports through trade as well as helps with schooling etc. It was great to see “regular” village life. We stopped and gave 3 ladies a ride on the way who were walking back to the village. One of them was in a hurry as she had to get home to milk the cows. We were invited into one of the villager’s home to see how they live. I saw steps leading up to the top and wanted to take photos so up I went and there on the roof were the kids. I noticed an older man in the yard below who turned out to be their grandfather. I wanted to take his photo and even though he did not speak English and I certainly do not speak Hindi, we managed to understand each other. My photo of him is one of my favorites so far.
We went back to the resort for a great dinner and I must say I’m truly sad we are only here for one night. Off to Jaipur after breakfast, here are some more pictures for you to enjoy.
Namaste
Norman
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VIDEO: The Taj Mahal
I finally had a chance to edit together a short clip of my Taj Mahal footage. Some great views of the structure itself and at the end you’ll get a look at the folklore show put on by the Oberoi Amarvilas. Absolutley beautiful, feel free to leave your comments!
Agra – The Beauty of the Taj Mahal
By the time we got to Agra it was midnight. Our hotel, The Oberoi Amarvilas is situated about 2,000 feet from the Taj Mahal and is the only hotel with a direct view of the Taj. Our room has a huge balcony where you can sit and overlook the pool and gardens as well as the magnificent Taj itself. In order to preserve the views, the hotel was built in such a way that the gardens and pool actually sit below ground level, very clever. The hotel is gorgeous and the staff has been wonderful.
Despite a late night, I eagerly arose at 5:15 AM to photograph the Taj Mahal at sunrise, and boy am I glad I did! The early time meant fewer people and thus better photo opportunities. Our guide knew all the best spots to go to for photos and that was a great help. The structure itself is quite a sight to behold in real life and I must say I was mesmerized.
Our room at the hotel faced the hotel pool and pavilion with the Taj behind it. No matter how many times I looked out of the window I just could not believe this was real and not some movie prop. At 6:00PM the hotel has a folklore show on the roof of the pavilion. We had drinks on our balcony and watched the show in the fading light with the Taj Mahal in the background. Just surreal.
India has some really funny sides to it and the people have a great sense of humor about it. For example, on one of our drives I noticed that traffic ahead of us would just drive through a red light without so much as slowing down. When we asked why, our guide explained that people get very offended by a mechanized red light telling them to stop! We are now so used to people driving on both sides of the road that we hardly blink. And if you think that a double lane road separated with a median stops anyone from driving the wrong way, forget it! Amazingly, however, it all seems to work and we have not seen one accident since being in India.
Here are some of my favorite shots from Agra so far. I will be putting up some more photos as well as some video footage in the next day or two. Enjoy and feel free to comment below!
Namaste,
Norman
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Varanasi in Motion
Hello again,
I’ve had a chance to edit together some of my HD footage from our time in Varanasi, please enjoy. I hope it gives you a feel for the culture of this fascinating and ancient city as well as the deep religious beliefs and rites that form such a large part of daily life. Stay tuned as I’ll be updating you in the next day or two on my experiences in Agra, home of the Taj Mahal.
Namaste,
Norman
Varanasi
Our flight from Delhi was delayed by 2 hours so we were late arriving in Varanasi.
I thought traffic was bad in Delhi. Well… Hello Varanasi! Wow! If Delhi was overwhelming then Varanasi was an all out assault on the senses, every part of one’s body is being hit on a continuous basis. A city of death, life and faith on the banks of the Ganges ( mother Ganga).
We are staying at The Nadesar Palace, a beautiful restored palace. We have been fortunate enough to stay in the Queen Elizabeth Suite, so named because the Queen and Prince Phillip once stayed there. Our Guide, Krishna, met us and so began a very intense 24 hour period . First we went to Sarnath where Buddha delivered his first sermon. It was interesting to learn that although Buddhism was born in India, today only 2% of the country are Buddhist. We then rode rickshaws through the streets to go watch the evening prayers to Mother Ganes, known as “ Aarti”.
As we walked on to the ghats where the ceremony is performed, we heard the chanting and hustle and bustle from the crowds. The best way to see the ceremony is from boats in the water and we were lucky to have our own boat to observe from. Varanasi is one of the holy places where people are cremated at the water’s edge. The Hindu burn the dead as soon as possible after death, usually about 6 hours. When we went past the crematorium, the fires with bodies were burning and just a constant stream of mourners bringing in their dead. They cremate about 180 per day. It is a truly moving thing to watch and it really got to me.
We then went back towards the ceremony where the 7 priests were starting the nightly ritual. Again the whole thing is awe inspiring. When you look at the people attending, some of whom have come on a pilgrimage, you understand what a deep faith exists in the fabric of this society.
We then made our way on the rickshaws back to our vehicle and on to the hotel for dinner. By the time we got to bed we realized we had been up for 20 Hours. The wake up call the next day was for 4:15AM as we were going on the Ganges to see the sunrise as well as watch the morning rituals. We then walked through the narrow lanes of the old town, carefully avoiding the cow dung and the cows themselves.
It was back to the hotel for lunch and then to the airport for a flight to Delhi. When we arrived in Delhi we met our driver, Narpat, who will be with us for the next 10 days. We then embarked on the 5 hour journey to Agra, home to the Taj Mahal. It’s been an exciting few days and I’ll check back in soon with our Agra sights and sounds.
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Our Journey begins!
A new adventure begins at last. After months of preparation and the decision to add it to the Karell portfolio, here we are in India. The moment we stepped on to our Jet Airways aircraft in New York, Cathy and I felt something remarkable was about to unfold. The flight connects through Brussels. What great service & some of the best food we have ever had on an airline.
As we descended from the aircraft to the waiting buses, the scent of India in my nostrils was unmistakable. It was familiar, yet foreign. The balmy air, the beautiful ladies in Saris welcoming everyone. As we entered the Airport building there were 4 gentlemen waiting to meet us. We were whisked through customs and, for the first time ever, we had to go through an H1N1 inspection line. As we exited the airport to wait for our car, the sound of whistles blowing and the constant flow of cars circling was remarkable- the best way to describe it is organized chaos, something the next 24 hours would show us to be the normal course of things here. It seems there are so many rules and laws, yet none really works all of the time. Cathy has already started a standing joke between us… the drinking age is 25……but….speed limit is 25MPH….but…everyone must wear helmets on motor bikes…more on that later.
We arrived at the TAJ hotel rather late at night. We got a great welcome and when we got to our room there were 4 or 5 people waiting for us; the butler to say hi and show us the room, the chef and an assistant to discuss my Gluten allergy ( at midnight!) and another person offering welcome drinks. After everyone left, we unpacked and happily collapsed into bed putting the alarm on for 9:00AM…. and at 11:00AM I jumped out of bed and realized the alarm did not go off. Thank goodness we were only being met by our incredible host, Reet, at 12:30. We had brunch at the hotel, really yummy (I need to be careful this month) before being joined at the hotel by our guide Rachna, a wonderful lady with a great sense of humor. Our first stop was at the craft market museum which was a great place to get a basic understanding of all the Gods and how they are represented in the different regions. Rachna also explained how you can tell where someone is from and whether they are Hindu, Moslem, Sikh simply by examining their dress and jewelry. Really fascinating. From there we went to the Jamia Masjid Mosque. Of course the drive between these places becomes an excursion in and of itself. No road rules and everyone knows what they are doing. Lanes mean nothing and then you pass the cows etc and just when you get used to that the car next to us happens to be an elephant! Right there in the traffic with the guy riding it as if this was just normal to us all. I am falling in love with India already!
Here are some more photos of our time in Delhi. We’re off to Varanasi now, stay tuned for more!
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