Remember how everyone tells new moms “once you see your new baby, you forget all about the pain of childbirth”? Yeah, well for me, THAT never happened — which is one of the reasons Greg is my only child.
The pain of getting to a trip, now THAT’S a different story. Once I arrive at my destination, any flight challenges — delays, cancelled flights, jet lag—all those “minor inconveniences” are instantly forgotten. (Thank you, Joann)
Our first day in Sarapiqui was picture perfect. The accommodations were a bit rustic, but comfortable, wildlife was abundant, and the location was ideal. I was able to walk to the nearby Sarapiqui River, which was FAR calmer than upstream, giving me a false picture of what our raft trip was going to be like.
Not too bad, right?
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Our morning began at 6AM with birdwatching and listening.
It made me regret that I hadn’t brought my camera, because a cell phone just doesn’t do it—unless, of course, you are as prepared as our guide, Malo was.
After breakfast, we were ready to start our rafting adventure. We expected to get wet, so I stored my cell phone with the change of clothes I brought. Not a problem, because the rafting company had photographers stationed along the river.
At the start of our trip, the water was moving fast, but the “rapids” certainly looked manageable.
That quickly changed! The following photos were taken by the rafting company from their vantage point on dry land.
Yes, we were on that raft. Here’s proof.
We were quite pleased with ourselves that we had made it thru. What we DIDN’T know was there were many, many more rapids before our journey ended.
Across from me is 83 year old Esther, who was a trooper, smiling even though during our 1.5 hour journey, she almost fell into the river.
Her daughter Cindy is in front of me. We had quite a rhythm going, even after our helmets smashed together during our transit thru one of the rapids.
Although you can’t tell from the above photo, we were all completely soaked. We are smiling because we knew that dry clothes were waiting for us.
That was quite enough adventure for me, so I spent the afternoon hanging out by the pool, with Randy and Cindy, instead of touring a pineapple plantation.
This will give you and idea of what our second day in Sarapiqui will be like.
On to two days in Chachagua, where Malo tells us we will be able to enjoy the hot springs.
Remember when I said yesterday’s travel challenges were a minor inconvenience? Well, my new friend, Betty, experienced a MAJOR inconvenience. Last night she fell, broke her right wrist, is having surgery today, and has to return home tomorrow. It’s unfortunate for her, very sad for me, because I liked her instantly.
MY luck began to change as soon as I arrived in San Jose. I was able to join the group for the 3 PM tour of the National Theater because Alex, my wonderful taxi driver, was able to calculate how long it would take to bring me to the hotel (in bumper to bumper traffic), allow me to check in and drop my bags in my room, and drive me to the theater. I arrived 3 minutes before the theater tour started.
If anyone is ever in San Jose, and needs a driver, here’s Alex’s contact info.
Alex’s phone number. I highly recommend him!
Along the way, Alex pointed out interesting buildings. He also confirmed my memory of San Jose as being a city without high risers. These skyscrapers were all built within the last 8-10 years.
Our group is super friendly and welcoming. THEY all had to learn ONE name, but I had to learn 13. Yes, originally our group numbered 15, but one person canceled before the tour started, But I digress. Back to the Theater tour.
Our National Theater guide explained that this statue was originally on the roof of the theater, but was brought inside to protect it from the ravages of weather, which was causing the marble to become discolored.
The top floor houses this salon, where the rich and famous hung out after enjoying the evening’s production. It isn’t obvious from the photos, but the marble on this interior statue is pristine and glowing.
The National Theater was built in the 1800’s when Costa Rica was rolling in coffee profits. Back then, rich coffee growers sent their offspring to be educated in Europe. When their children returned, they brought with them memories of the art and culture they had experienced. These memories culminated in the creation of the National Theater.
Our second day began with a tour of a small coffee finca (farm). To be honest, after staying at the Colombian coffee plantation for three nights, I wasn’t as interested in the production aspect, so instead I took photos. Here’s a shot of two members of my group picking beans
Mike and Jo-Lynne
Edwin was born in El Salvador, but grew up in LA. Because Malo was up most of the night helping Betty, Edwin stepped in and translated for us.
Edwin is on the right. This is an “antique” piece of equipment
We are lucky to have Edwin with us. He and his wife, Cindy are much younger than the typical OAT traveler. That’s because Cindy’s mom, Esther, invited them to accompany her.
After lunch at the finca,
we headed to Sarapiqui, which gave us the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful Costa Rican countryside. It is impossible to capture the grandeur of our drive, but that didn’t stop me from trying.
Supposedly, it was a three hour drive, with a couple of stops, but the time went by very quickly.
One of our stops was for a photo op by a waterfall.
This one’s for YOU, Jean.
I’ll end with a video of our other stop where we enjoyed sampling Agua Dulce while we watched the birds.
It’s a beautiful morning in Managua, Nicaragua. What, you don’t see Managua on the map atop this post? That’s because some of the best laid plans often go astray. (Like some women I know).
Normally when I do a group tour, I go in a day early to allow time for things to go wrong. Not this time, which pretty much guaranteed that everything that could go wrong, did.
I kept channeling my friend Joann, who I met on my recent India trip, by repeating “ it’s just a minor inconvenience”. I said that a lot!
The minor inconveniences started with an hour and a half delay at Newark airport because of electrical problems. Then, we were unable to land in San Jose because of poor visibility. After circling long enough to necessitate refueling, we flew to Managua and sat on the plane hoping for a break in the weather in San Jose. We waited long enough for the flight crew to surpass their maximum working hours, and no other crew was available, so the flight was canceled.
The crew handed out immigration paperwork that had to be completed, plus a list of hotels with phone numbers, but no other information. I tried to do my own search, for hotels near the airport, but the internet wasn’t working. ( I wasn’t the only one with cell phone challenges!) when my phone wouldn’t work, a very kind man sitting behind me handed me his phone, already dialed to the Hyatt, and he told me they had available rooms.
Because the plane was full, I had gate checked my bag in Newark. It was my act of kindness for the day. BIG mistake. I suspect the luggage handlers translated “priority” to mean “grab me last”. And they did.
Although The Best Western was across the street from the terminal, United didn’t put it on the list or provide its phone numbers, so instead I took a taxi to the Hyatt, which was about 20 minutes away. Before we left , we were told repeatedly to arrive at the airport 3 hours before our 10 AM flight.
One of the positive aspects of having sleep problems is my body has figured out how to get by on much less sleep. By the time we (yes, “we” because by then I had a companion. Little Kayla was looking lost, so I invited her to hop into my cab), it was 2 AM local time, 3 AM my body time when I finally got to bed. I awoke at 6 AM, just in time to enjoy the included breakfast.
Upon arriving at the airport I discovered our flight was delayed until 12:20. No one was at the United desk, so I found myself a seat, and reminded myself things could have been far, far worse. Noise canceling headset with music loaded onto my phone drowned out the screaming kid and allowed me to mentally transport myself to my happy place.
No, this is definitely NOT my “happy place”. Don’t worry, no one will be getting a gift from here!
I’ll miss the first day of the trip, including the welcome lunch and a tour of the National Theater because I won’t arrive into San Jose until a little after 1 PM. That is, if everything goes according to plan, which it hasn’t so far.
Luckily, I’ve been to Costa Rica twice before this trip. The first time was in February, 2007, with Mike and my friend Augusta. We traveled with Elderhostel, which is now known as Road Scholar. I’ll be trodding over familiar ground – in 2007, we started in San Jose, then visited Poas, Sarapiqui, La Fortuna and Arenal. It will be interesting to see the impact time has had on the areas I’m revisiting. Of course, that’s assuming that I REMEMBER what it was like in 2007, which is a pretty big assumption indeed.
Poas Volcano from 2007 visit
The second time was in January of 2010, which is when Mike, Greg and I cruised through the Panama Canal with Oceania. We only were in Puntarenas for one day, so we hired a guide who took us for a walk through a forest, then we went zip lining. That first platform was REALLY far away and I will admit to being terrified that I would get stuck midway, and have to rely on my upper body strength to pull myself the rest of the way. Fortunately, that didn’t happen, because back then my upper body strength was non-existent.
Practicing zip liningOn my way. I was NOT moving slowlySuccess! I couldn’t even SEE the landing zone.
This itinerary includes zip lining, horseback riding and rafting. Although not specifically mentioned in the itinerary, I’m assuming we will have a chance to take advantage of the hot springs near the volcanoes. I’ll admit, if I was missing one of these activities, I’d be thoroughly bummed.
August thru October is traditionally the “rainy season”, with November being the transition month leading to December’s dryer weather. ThIs year’s 10 day weather report is predicting rain almost every day. Perhaps the rain will be gentle, cooling us off when the temperature soars into the 80’s. We shall see.
Time to see if anyone is at the United desk.
Next post will probably be from Sarapiqui. And yes, despite all the minor inconveniences, I still feel pretty damn lucky to be on this trip!
Name changes confuse me. I find myself slipping and saying Bombay instead of Mumbai. Even after spending time in Southern India, I’m not sure whether I should be saying Cochin or Kochi. I heard both. Maybe it doesn’t matter.
What DOES matter is the dramatic contrast between northern and Southern India! In the north, horn honking is encouraged. MANY of the vehicles we passed had signs like the one below on the back of their vehicles.
In southern India it was blissfully quiet. Although traffic wasn’t AS bad as it as in the north, there still were some interesting moments. Just no horn honking.
The south is so CLEAN! In the north, people drop their trash wherever—in the street, along highways, in parks, on lawns, inside buildings. It’s EVERYWHERE.
In the state of Kerala, they have either mastered the art of trash collection, or their residents actually CARE about their cities, or it truly IS God’s Country. Take your pick.
Although the itinerary showed us spending four days in Kerala, our first day was spent almost entirely traveling from Udaipur to Kochi, including a stop in Bangalore to change planes, and grab some airport food for lunch. Colonel Sanders has made his way to India, but I discovered that Starbucks offered fantastic sandwiches—better than we get in the USA, and probably cheaper. ( I still haven’t quite mastered exchange rate math). Good thing I ate because our flight was delayed, and we didn’t get to our hotel in Kochi until almost 6:30 PM.
What was great was that Tauck got us rooms with access to the club room. What was not so great was that the club room closed at 7 PM. Despite that, I managed to consume two glasses of white wine and sufficient food to make dinner unnecessary. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you’re highly motivated.
This is the only American hotel we are frequenting during our trip— a Hyatt Regency overlooking the bay leading out to the Arabian Sea.
The curtains open automatically when you enter your room. I never bothered to learn how to close them, because I loved the magnificent view.
Of course, if you get tired of watching the river flow, you can always turn your head to look at the window into the bathroom. I wasn’t sharing a room, but those who were could watch their roommate do whatever they needed to do in the bathroom, without leaving the comfort of their bed.
Our second, and final day in Kochi, we were treated to a cooking demonstration by a woman who was discovered by The NY Times several years ago. Check out how her home is equipped, with tv screens, so you can watch while you theoretically master her technique. I imagine that before The NY Times discovered her, her kitchen looked very different.
In addition to her cooking commentary, Nimmy shared details about her marriage, including the fight she had with her husband that morning. She was QUITE entertaining!
Sue, me, Joann, Nimmy, Gloria and Don
Next up was a tour of a palace, synagogue and church, plus an opportunity to shop a bit.
We all thoroughly enjoyed the boat ride back, just in time to catch this spectacular sunset by the fishing nets.
Because we had a reasonable departure time (9AM the next morning), Gloria, Sue and I decided to try the restaurant on the top floor of the hotel.
Our final two days in the south were spent at the Kumarakom Resort. We drove about 2.5 hours to get to the houseboats that took us the final three hours of our journey.
Although we didn’t STAY on the houseboat, we certainly COULD have. Take a look at this luxurious bedroom. Instead, our houseboat experience included a delicious lunch on board.
Jennifer, our trip leader was on the second houseboat, but somehow she managed to convince the crew to pick up speed. It felt like we were on the Amazing Race. When her boat passed us, we decided that she and Whitney had complementary strengths that would have undoubtedly made them a winning team!
The Kumarakom resort was exactly what I needed at this point in the trip. I thoroughly appreciated the opportunity to slow down and completely relax for two days.
Once again, I had a magnificent room. But this time it was adjacent to what was called a meandering pool. I could meander across the way to visit with fellow travelers, so I did.
I loved the outdoor bathroom with the open air shower. I’d had one in Nepal and one in Colombia when traveling with OAT, so was used to showering in the open air.
Both nights, we were treated to outdoor cultural shows before dinner. This lovely young lady did a traditional dance,
The young men demonstrated martial arts, kicking and twirling swords and spears at each other. One segment of the show reminded me of majorettes performing in one of those old talent shows ( was it Ted Mack’s amateur hour?) See what you think.
Before the performances began, we got to drink wine and watch the sky change colors.
Pretty magnificent, wouldn’t you say?
On our last day, our group visited two villages alongside the river, waving to villagers along the way.
The experience was similar to what OAT calls “A Day in the Life”, where we visited two farming families, viewed their home and were invited to participate in activities. Gloria climbed for coconuts,
Was he getting ready to “goose” her?
Susie made coir rope from coconut fiber
Some of us got to play “dress up”
Pam and Jeff were dressed as a farming couple, Pat, Bill and I were getting married. Hey, back in the day, men could have multiple wives. At least Pat and I get along well!
Only three days left on the trip, all of which will be spent in Mumbai/Bombay, before our long flight home.
What an incredible hotel! I know, I know, I have been saying that about every hotel on this trip, but every time I say it, it’s the TRUTH and I have photos to prove it.
I’m running out of adjectives to describe how grand the Oberoi hotels are, so you’ll just have to see for yourself.
I’m so glad we are staying here for three nights because that gives us the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful pool area,
fully appreciate the interior of the hotel,
and stroll along the magnificent grounds by the lake.
We had fantastic outdoor dining at the hotel two of our three nights in Udaipur.
Dinner on our last night in Udaipur was at the home of the grandson of a former prime minister. The grandson is a chef, who prepared a selection of wonderful Indian foods, mostly vegetarian, but including mutton and chicken dishes.
The Drawing Room of our host’s home.
Prior to dinner, we were dressed in saris and turbans. Yes, we HAD to be dressed by an expert, because none of us would have been able to master the tucks and twirls on our own.
Our entire group
These are my new friends from Naples, Florida. You can see we each have been wrapped differently.
When we arrived in Udaipur, we immediately headed for lunch at the Lily Court, which was also an art gallery and sculpture garden. This was my favorite piece.
Next stop was the Nagda Temple, which was constructed in the 11th century, and partially destroyed by Muslims who objected to the erotic wall decorations.
This complex, dedicated to Vishnu, is known as the Sas-Bahu Temple.
On our second day, we strolled through the market, then headed for the garden constructed for the king’s harem.
We were so very lucky that the rain held off until we were back in our rickshaws. I shared my rickshaw with Jennifer, our trip leader, so I heard her talking to our local guide as they tried to figure out whether the downpour would continue, requiring them to cancel our walk through the garden.
Magically, the rain stopped, so we were able to enjoy the gardens with their beautiful fountains.
A very small part of the gardenThe gardeners
Each couple got their own rickshaw, so as a single, I got my own. The driver would take us wherever we wanted to go. We could choose to shop for jewelry, textiles, cashmere, or go to lunch, to an ATM, or back to the hotel.
Believe it or not, I was able to do all of the above, probably because I had zero interest in fine gems. I DID find a cashmere wrap that was different from anything I’d ever seen.
While in Udaipur, we enjoyed a cruise on Lake Pichola. It has some naturally occurring “islands” that are now sites for incredibly gorgeous hotels. Doesn’t it appear to float on the water?
After our boat ride, a tourist train took us to the city palace entrance.
Of course, the palace was richly decorated, with mosaics covering the walls.
The rooms were interconnected by very narrow winding passages, with head smashing doorways for the taller people in the group. (Bet you’ve figured out how I know that!)
What struck me was the distance between the Kings and the queen’s bedrooms.
I had assumed that the KING was making the journey along the dark passages to get to the Queen. Wrong. When I asked, our guide told me the king would SUMMON the Queen, and SHE would have to find her way along the dark, narrow passages.
In my defense, I thought the queen’s bedroom was far more interesting. I had no trouble imagining the king taking full advantage of that swing. Sorry. That’s just how my mind works.
Elephants were an important part of defense. This statue commemorates how they “worked out” every day.
We leave this wonderful location for an all day journey to Cochin, also known as Kochi, which requires two flights connecting in Bangalore.
Just when I thought “this trip couldn’t POSSIBLY get any better”, it does!
Our hotel, the Oberoi Rajvillas is even more magnificent than the Leela Palace in Delhi. How is that even possible? Well, check out my room.
That’s nothing. The bathroom is even more spectacular.
I was the only woman who chose to return to the hotel rather than shop for jewelry during our free afternoon.
Display at our hotel—a bit too ornate for me
Why? So I’d have time to take a bath and use the pool.
Although it LOOKS like a maharajah’s palace, the Oberoi Rajvillas is actually a luxury hotel that was built to resemble a palace.
The Rambagh Palace, where we had dinner, was the REAL deal. Built in 1835, it became the principal residence of Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II and his wife, Maharani Gayatri Devi. After India became independent in 1947, the Maharaja converted Rambagh Palace into India’s first luxury “palace hotel”.
Check out how we were greeted and escorted in for dinner.
As one might expect, dinner was incredible. The wine flowed freely, so freely that when Jennifer asked for a volunteer to dance with the professionals, I rose to the occasion, thinking other members of the group would join in. They didn’t. Instead my friend Bill, took this video.
This style of dancing is called Kathak and it is extremely difficult to follow, because the foot stomping pattern changes unexpectedly. I gave up trying and instead decided to go “free style”. At least my travel companions were amused.
Jaipur was noisy, crowded, chaotic and beautiful.
Crossing the street was even more hair raising than crossing in Hanoi, because in Vietnam the streets are not as wide.
I’ll confess to being challenged to find just a few photos of the many incredible things we experienced. This is my attempt to give a feel for the wonder of Jaipur without posting so many photos that your eyes roll back into your head.
Before our dinner at the Rambagh Palace, we took a jeep to the Amber Fort.
Every time we went over a bump, Jeff and I hit our heads on the jeep’s ceiling. We were glad it was made of cloth instead of metal!
On our way, we visited this water source.
The Amber Fort is a popular site for wedding photos. This was actually a “practice shoot” pre-wedding, to make sure the real thing turns out perfectly.
The “fort” contains a gorgeous garden with fountains.
Check out the mirrored designs on the fort’s walls.
You could get a panoramic view of Jaipur from the fort.
We toured the Jantar Mantar Observatory and the City Palace Museum on our second day in Jaipur. The photo atop this post is of the throne room in the palace.
Our lunch at the Raj Palace was extraordinary. My only regret was that I didn’t know the names of these wonderful dishes so that I could order them again.
We ended the evening by visiting the 18th-century Shiva temple, where this group photo was taken.
By the time we arrived in Agra, it was after 8 PM, too dark for the promised view of the Taj Mahal from my hotel’s window. Instead, I enjoyed the night view of the hotel’s entrance and pool area.
Here’s what I was able to see during daylight. My eyes are far better than my iPhone’s camera, but you get the idea.
My room was exactly what I needed after a very long day,
especially since our scheduled departure was at 6:10 AM, so we could get to the Taj Mahal in time for sunrise. Once again, the weather didn’t cooperate; it was too cloudy to see the sun, but it was still rather wonderful.
Yes, we all have seen many photos of this gorgeous building. But none of the photos I’ve ever seen have been able to capture the fine detail. Take a look at the exquisite carvings,
the colors of the precious stones forming the inlaid designs,
then try to visualize the complexity of the designs covering the entire edifice.
The interior was equally breathtaking. Although we were able to enter the mausoleum, us “common folks” aren’t allowed to photograph the cenotaphs of Shah Jahan and his wife, Mumtaz. Clearly someone was granted permission, because YouTube videos of the interior exist. If you want to sneak a peek, just do a google search.
When we arrived, we witnessed why we were told not to bring food into the grounds. This guy seemed to thoroughly enjoy his pilfered granola bar.
The red sandstone entrance housed a photographic history of the Taj Mahal.
I wasn’t aware that this wonder of the world had been abandoned during the late 1800’s. The vegetation that was growing wildly over the grounds almost obscured the mausoleum.
Sorry about the reflections on the photo
Next, we toured a very small percentage of the Agra Fort. That was where Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his youngest son until his death. That son also knocked off his brothers so that he could seize power and rule as emperor.
Shah Jahan was able to view the distant Taj Mahal from the windows of his quarters at the Agra Fort. Not bad for a prison cell, wouldn’t you say? One of his daughters was allowed to stay in the adjoining room to take care of dad.
For those unfamiliar with the story, Shah Jahan and his wife, Mumtaz Mahal were married for 20 years, during which she gave birth 14 times and had two miscarriages. Yikes! SIXTEEN pregnancies within 20 years! After she died giving birth to her 14th child, at age 39, Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal as a reminder of the love they had shared.
Next stop, Jaipur, butts in the bus by 7:45 AM.
Our group
How lucky am I to be traveling with such a wonderful, interesting group! I’m thoroughly enjoying getting to know each one of them.
Initially I was NOT impressed with Varanasi, because of the crowds, traffic, trash in the streets, wandering cows and stray dogs. It was hard for me to believe that Varanasi is considered one of India’s most sacred cities. But after our evening and morning cruises on the Ganges, I changed my mind!
Hindus believe that if you are cremated on this special ghat ( the one with the “everlasting flame” ) by the Ganges, you are released from the cycle of death and rebirth, earning an “express pass” to nirvana. We witnessed the full cremation ceremony from our riverboat.
It reminded me of the Catholics’ belief in the 9 first Fridays. So, for those who didn’t go to Catholic school, here’s the scoop. If you go to mass and communion for the first Friday of the month, NINE times in a ROW, you are guaranteed that a priest would pop up just before you die to give you the last rites. That means you have the chance to confess your sins and be forgiven. You might have to spend a little time in Purgatory, but at least you won’t go to hell.
Varanasi is to devout Hindu what Mecca represents to Muslims, and Jerusalem to Jews. Supposedly, most Hindus want to make a pilgrimage to Varanasi, at least once in their lifetime, to take an early morning “dip” into the Ganges. For those unable to make the trip, perhaps they might persuade someone to do it for them; that person would have to go underwater multiple times to ensure their friends are completely purified.
After our flight from Delhi to Varanasi, and our evening cruise, I briefly considered skipping the sunrise rituals, which required getting up at 5 AM. I’m so glad that I didn’t!
Twenty five years ago my friend celebrated her birthday by submerging herself in the Ganges. Back then, the river was polluted with dead animals, ashes, and miscellaneous bacteria floating along among the multitudes of humans bathing there. Since then, treatment towers ( the yellow structures) have been built, so the water is much cleaner.
Good thing, because water from the Ganges is considered “purifying” and holy. Devout Hindus sprinkle Ganges water in their homes first thing in the morning and again before sunset, then blow a conch shell to banish negativity.
During our college years, my friend (the Ganges bather) celebrated St Patrick’s day by skinny dipping in Boston’s Charles River. Of course, that was after she consumed prodigious amounts of green beer. Sorry, no iPhones back then, so no video of Boston’s “ finest” plucking her from the river.
But I digress. Let’s get back to Varanasi. Not only is the city sacred to Hindus, it is also important to Buddhists because Buddha gave his first sermon in Varanasi, at Sarnath.
The following photos are of a Bodhi tree, which can be identified by its heart shaped leaves. When the Buddha stood underneath the Bodhi tree, he achieved enlightenment. Sadly, when I planted myself firmly under that same tree, no such thing happened to me. Maybe I needed to stand there longer?
The on site museum at Sarnath houses finds from Archaeological digs, including this statue of four lions.
Anyone who has visited the Alhambra in Granada, Spain might be reminded of the Lion Court which has similar statuary.
On the way to the sunrise ceremony, our guide warned us to be on the lookout for cow dung. He explained that the cows we have seen roaming the streets all have owners. The owners allow the cows to roam freely during the day, after they have been fed and milked. In the evening, the cows return home and are sheltered overnight.
Our guide told us the cows are fed during the day by some of the locals. If the cows are fed two or three times, they return to that house regularly, at the same time every day. If the residents aren’t waiting, with food, the cow uses its horns to knock on the door.
Sadly, it was a cloudy morning, so we didn’t get to see the sunrise. What I did get was a photo of the hotel where George Harrison stayed. He was there long enough to experience a gorgeous sunrise which inspired him to compose the song “ here comes the sun”. It was in Varanasi that Harrison met and collaborated with Ravi Shankar.
Our early morning walk through the center of Varanasi was a visual feast. The statues on the buildings presented opportunities for our guide to educate us about the three main Hindu gods: Brahma the creator, Vishnu, the maintainer and Shiva, the destroyer of evil.
After returning to the hotel for breakfast, we departed to visit a silk production center where we were able to view looms and engage in retail therapy. We then headed to the airport for a return flight to Delhi, and a long drive to Agra. We arrived at our beautiful hotel around 8 PM, with barely enough energy to have dinner, and go to bed.
We saw and experienced a lot during our less than 24 hour stay in Varanasi!
Oh my God! Or should I say “Oh my Buddha”? I think I just stumbled into Paradise.
For the price of a mediocre hotel room in New York I got all this:
PLUS an included breakfast! And what a breakfast it IS!
That is just a small sample of the delights offered at the buffet.
I’ll be lucky if I only gain my usual 5 trip pounds!
My Indian friends have introduced me to their wonderful cuisine, but I can’t remember the names of my favorite foods. The dish on the right is called Doha—at least that’s what I THINK it’s called. Here’s my problem: The Indians here are all very soft spoken. Throw in their accent and my piss poor hearing, and I’m challenged to understand what I’m being told.
The service is truly amazing. I’ve been “namasted” countless times since arrival. When you ask for directions, the staff doesn’t just point, they ESCORT you to wherever you want to go. Good thing, because I never, ever would have found the ATM. It’s in the basement, down three flights, and behind an unmarked door.
I’ve toured the spa and used the exercise facility, and enjoyed the infinity pool on the 11th floor. I figure I should take advantage of the pool while I can still fit into my bathing suit!
Never before have I been given a cooler with cold cloths and drinks. In fact, at some hotels in my past, I was lucky to get a chair and a towel.
The bathrobe and the covered chair were not made for jumbo sized Americans, but I’ve learned to scrunch.
What a great way to get over jet lag!
TWO photos of me in this post. (You happy, Jean? These are for you. You see, I DO take requests).
I have NO desire to leave this heaven on earth today. Tomorrow, I have a Bollywood class before the official start of the tour. That’s why I needed to go to the ATM. The 1 hour Bollywood class is 3,800 rupees, or about $44, and they wanted cash.
The concierge wasn’t able to hide his surprise when I told him that’s what I wanted to do. I guess they don’t get many requests for Bollywood classes. At least not from someone my age.
I loved the breakfast buffet so much, I decided to return to the same restaurant for lunch. The food was so beautifully presented, I wanted to sample EVERYTHING, which meant I made a colossal pig of myself. So much so, that I was really not in the mood for a big dinner. Although Le Cirque’s menu shows only prix fixe options, I inquired, and I was allowed to order only the soup of the day and a glass of wine. I didn’t even have a reservation! Good thing they aim to please at this hotel.
My table at Le Cirque
Tomorrow I hope to complete my transition to India time. I leave for my Bollywood class at 9:30 AM returning in time for lunch and to meet my new travel buddies at 1:30 PM.
I know, i know. I was supposed to finish writing about August’s fantastic trip to Canada, and maybe at some point, I’ll attempt to do justice to that wonderful country, terrific itinerary, amazing tour guide and congenial companions. Somehow time managed to slip away and sadly, inspiration never hit during that slippery time.
So here I am, at Newark airport, with an hour and a half until I board my United flight to Delhi, India.
This will be my first trip with Tauck. It is significantly more expensive than my usual travel company, OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel). However, the Tauck trip has a more expansive itinerary , made possible because travel between cities is mainly via air.
Just in case you can’t see the map atop this post, these are the areas we will be visiting over the next three weeks.
I’m lucky to have two good friends who were born in India. I asked both to review the itinerary and both gave it two thumbs up. They also informed me that traveling with a company known for luxury was the best way to experience India.
Our United flight departs at 9:20 PM and is supposed to land in Delhi at 9:30 PM tomorrow. No, I’m not flying for 24 hours (thank God!) It’s a 14 hour flight, with a nine and a half hour time difference.
Because I wouldn’t want to spend my arrival night sitting in the lobby waiting to check in the following day, I booked into the Tauck hotel two nights before the trip officially starts. I’m guessing I’ll need at least that amount of time to recover from the flight and time difference.
Almost ten years ago, I stopped in Delhi on my way to Bhutan just long enough to take a Bollywood class. I’m hoping to do that again and will compare the videos to see what the ravages of time have done to my body and my ability to shake, shake, shake.
Although I had hoped to use points to upgrade to business, that didn’t work out, so no lay flat seat for me. At least I was able to get into economy plus. I TRIED to get into Newark’s Polaris lounge, because it is so very nice. I thought that with gold status and an international destination, it was worth a shot. But without my boarding pass identifying me as a business passenger, I was sent to the domestic lounge. However, I learned something: passengers with gold status don’t need to pay or use United passes to get into the lounge. Your boarding pass is all you need.
Newsflash! I was standing in line, waiting to board and I happened to look up at the upgrade screen. Yes, Mol.S is ME! Yippee! Yes, it WAS at the very last minute, but I’ll take it.
Okay, so I missed out on the Polaris lounge, and my luggage may not be tagged as priority, but at least I got wonderful food and a comfortable flight. This trip is off to a GREAT start.
I hope you’ll spend the next three weeks traveling along with me! I may run out of blogging steam along the way, ( I usually do) but at least I’m starting out with good intentions.
Destination NOW 