The movers came yesterday and I helped my mom with packing and cleaning. Then we went for a walk to the beach. Today we went to the cultural center in Chennai and now I will help her do some final cleaning before leaving for the airport tonight.
I have a few more pictures to post, but that will have to wait until I get back to the states.
As my time in India comes to an end, I am glad I had this opportunity, grateful to my mom for being a great host, and thankful that I live in the United States and return tomorrow! :)
I hope you have enjoyed traveling with me...my mom moves to Africa next (Tripoli, Libya to be more specific)...so maybe there will be an adventure there next year...we'll see...
Stay tuned for my final post or two when I return...
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
June 10...update
No travels this week...I am going to school with my mom this week and helping her pack up her room. Tomorrow (Friday) is the last day of school and only three more days and I am headed home! :)
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
June 4...Back to Delhi
My final day in northern India started with the long drive (6 hours, I think) back to Delhi...
Along the way, we pulled off the highway and my driver fed the monkeys. I wanted to participate, but decided against it since I was chased by a monkey the previous day and I was afraid I would get bit...
We also drove past many camel carts...
And sheep...
Back in Delhi...
Red Fort in Delhi...
A demonstration following the attach of the aid ship headed to the Gaza Strip...
Another temple...
Akshardham temple taken from the road...no time to go in...
Housing along the interstate in Delhi...
Selling fruit and vegetables along the highway...
Transportation by motorcycle...
Locals...
My favorite picture in India. I took this picture at a market area. These children were playing beside a construction area. I think their parents were working in the construction area, which by the way, is done mostly by hand in India. They were very excited to have their picture taken and smiled and laughed when I showed it to them. Some Indians have cameras, but they are predominately film cameras or they use the cameras in their cell phones. Digital cameras are generally only seen by foreign tourists, and therefore seeing a picture right after it is taken is not a common occurrence. There are also some villages where there are no mirrors, so seeing oneself is a unique experience. ....
Thus, my five day journey to northern India comes to an end...
Along the way, we pulled off the highway and my driver fed the monkeys. I wanted to participate, but decided against it since I was chased by a monkey the previous day and I was afraid I would get bit...
We also drove past many camel carts...
And sheep...
Back in Delhi...
Red Fort in Delhi...
A demonstration following the attach of the aid ship headed to the Gaza Strip...
Another temple...
Akshardham temple taken from the road...no time to go in...
Housing along the interstate in Delhi...
Selling fruit and vegetables along the highway...
Transportation by motorcycle...
Locals...
My favorite picture in India. I took this picture at a market area. These children were playing beside a construction area. I think their parents were working in the construction area, which by the way, is done mostly by hand in India. They were very excited to have their picture taken and smiled and laughed when I showed it to them. Some Indians have cameras, but they are predominately film cameras or they use the cameras in their cell phones. Digital cameras are generally only seen by foreign tourists, and therefore seeing a picture right after it is taken is not a common occurrence. There are also some villages where there are no mirrors, so seeing oneself is a unique experience. ....
Thus, my five day journey to northern India comes to an end...
June 3...Jaipur
On the morning of my 4th day in northern India we headed to Amber Fort. I am staying in Jaipur today to look around, since we did not get here until the afternoon yesterday.
Passing an elephant on the road...
And a camel too...
Amber Fort...You can take an elephant ride up to the fort, but I decided to walk, but I couldn't resist taking a picture of the elephants...
Wow...what a long walk to get to the entrance of Amber Fort...
Jaigarh Fort across the road...
Entrance to Amber Fort called Surajpol...
Inside Amber Fort...
Room inside the palace within the fort covered in thousands of tiny mirrors...
Jal Mahal, a tiny palace located in the middle of a small lake. This was supposed to be a hunting lodge for the royal family. It can only be viewed from the banks of the lake...
City Palace...
The largest silver vessel in the world (1.6 meters or 5'3" tall), according to the Guinness Book of World Records. There are two of them at the City Palace. These vessels were made for Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh II, who took them along with him filled with water from River Ganga for drinking. As a devout Hindu the Maharaja did not wish to risk drinking polluted English waters...
Jantar Manar, a collection of architectural astronomical instruments, built by Maharaja (King) Jai Singh II between 1727 and 1734. There are five of them in various locations, including Delhi, but this one is the largest...
My astrological sign, Virgo...
John Deere seems to follow me wherever I go. The hotel I was staying at in Jaipur (Four Points by Sheraton [fabulous hotel]) was having a John Deere conference. Some of you know how much I like John Deere. I saw the sign and it made me smile. The second John Deere sign I have seen in India (first being in Chennai)...
And so my 4th day of my northern India trip comes to a close...not without some difficulty I might add...my driver yelled at me today and I spent much of the afternoon in the hotel. I spoke with my travel agent and will have a new driver to take me back to Delhi tomorrow...
Passing an elephant on the road...
And a camel too...
Amber Fort...You can take an elephant ride up to the fort, but I decided to walk, but I couldn't resist taking a picture of the elephants...
Wow...what a long walk to get to the entrance of Amber Fort...
Jaigarh Fort across the road...
Entrance to Amber Fort called Surajpol...
Inside Amber Fort...
Room inside the palace within the fort covered in thousands of tiny mirrors...
Jal Mahal, a tiny palace located in the middle of a small lake. This was supposed to be a hunting lodge for the royal family. It can only be viewed from the banks of the lake...
City Palace...
The largest silver vessel in the world (1.6 meters or 5'3" tall), according to the Guinness Book of World Records. There are two of them at the City Palace. These vessels were made for Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh II, who took them along with him filled with water from River Ganga for drinking. As a devout Hindu the Maharaja did not wish to risk drinking polluted English waters...
Jantar Manar, a collection of architectural astronomical instruments, built by Maharaja (King) Jai Singh II between 1727 and 1734. There are five of them in various locations, including Delhi, but this one is the largest...
My astrological sign, Virgo...
John Deere seems to follow me wherever I go. The hotel I was staying at in Jaipur (Four Points by Sheraton [fabulous hotel]) was having a John Deere conference. Some of you know how much I like John Deere. I saw the sign and it made me smile. The second John Deere sign I have seen in India (first being in Chennai)...
And so my 4th day of my northern India trip comes to a close...not without some difficulty I might add...my driver yelled at me today and I spent much of the afternoon in the hotel. I spoke with my travel agent and will have a new driver to take me back to Delhi tomorrow...
June 2...Fatehpur Sikri and Jaipur
Another morning drive, but this one involved a stop at Fatehpur Sikri, a short distance from Agra, before proceeding to Jaipur to complete the approximate 5 hour journey.
An Indian grain bin, a structure constructed to store the grain used for cattle feed...
A donkey carrying bricks...
Water buffalo relaxing in the water trying to get comfort from the hot Indian sun...
A camel cart...
Another Indian native...
Fatehpur Sikri...
No shoes allowed once you climb the steps and enter the gate. They did allow me to wear my socks...good thing...it was starting to get hot...
Leaving the religious area and entering the old city...I can wear my shoes again here...
Elephant Gate...
Elephant tomb...constructed out of the bones of elephants...
Another site along the way...
Entering the state of Rajasthan...
Cow manure formed into pieces used as fire starter...
Manufacturing bricks...
A truck on the highway...
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A view of the mountains...
A bathroom at a store along the way...I took this picture because there is no handle to flush the toilet, instead you turn the faucet knob on the wall...
Getting my picture taken up close with an elephant...not real?...so what...stay tuned for some up close pics with real elephants...
A grain truck...I thought it looked way too full, but they are all filled this way...
Hanuman, Hindu monkey god...
Entrance to a market area in Jaipur...time for some shopping in the hot Indian sun...
Hawa mahal, Palace of the winds, which has five floors of windows in which allowed the women in the royal families to observe the people below since they were not allowed to walk among them...
Statue of Mahatma Gandhi...
Hindu temple and a fort in the background...
Statue Circle...
Visit to Chokhi Dhani, an ethnic Rajasthani village on the outskirts of Jaipur...
Up close with a camel...
Horse cart...
Ethnic Rajasthani musicians and a dancer...
More dancers...
More musicians in front of a Hindu temple...
An ox cart...
Life size version of "Snakes and Ladders"...some of you know how much I like to play games...maybe I could construct one of these...anyone want to play?...
I told you a real one was coming. So...I'm not in the picture, but stay tuned...
A traditional meal...two small clay pots in the back (one for water and one for milk...I didn't drink either...Warning: only drink bottled water and was concerned about the milk. They did bring me a bottle of water for a small extra fee). The round circle in the middle and half piece next to it are a bread called paneer, the brown circle in the middle of them is a small clay container that was filled with butter and placed upside down on both piece of the bread, in the back is jangari (sp?) a deep fried food with honey on it. The small bowl in the front of the picture is ladies fingers (aka okra). I don't know what is in the other bowls...
One of the servers put his hat on me for a picture...
More ethnic dancing...
I did better than just getting my picture taken with an elephant, I got to go for a ride! :) It was fun, but very different than riding a horse. Since the elephant is so big and heavy, you rock one way and then the other as the elephant shifts he weight with each step...
Another musician...
This ends my third day in northern India...
An Indian grain bin, a structure constructed to store the grain used for cattle feed...
A donkey carrying bricks...
Water buffalo relaxing in the water trying to get comfort from the hot Indian sun...
A camel cart...
Another Indian native...
Fatehpur Sikri...
No shoes allowed once you climb the steps and enter the gate. They did allow me to wear my socks...good thing...it was starting to get hot...
Leaving the religious area and entering the old city...I can wear my shoes again here...
Elephant Gate...
Elephant tomb...constructed out of the bones of elephants...
Another site along the way...
Entering the state of Rajasthan...
Cow manure formed into pieces used as fire starter...
Manufacturing bricks...
A truck on the highway...
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglPS11QS_BsPKIm3TNlMv2qhhKVPhyj6IADvRI8CXKx_whO8-1ob58aXVVVP15cAaX6zDNwsz-aJG480_XzIOd8mwxB-376ICq7-L98pb6EEMc5xL_4dIGr6hykECfcfDPEcepFE5iUUYB/s1600/DSCN6218.JPG">
A view of the mountains...
A bathroom at a store along the way...I took this picture because there is no handle to flush the toilet, instead you turn the faucet knob on the wall...
Getting my picture taken up close with an elephant...not real?...so what...stay tuned for some up close pics with real elephants...
A grain truck...I thought it looked way too full, but they are all filled this way...
Hanuman, Hindu monkey god...
Entrance to a market area in Jaipur...time for some shopping in the hot Indian sun...
Hawa mahal, Palace of the winds, which has five floors of windows in which allowed the women in the royal families to observe the people below since they were not allowed to walk among them...
Statue of Mahatma Gandhi...
Hindu temple and a fort in the background...
Statue Circle...
Visit to Chokhi Dhani, an ethnic Rajasthani village on the outskirts of Jaipur...
Up close with a camel...
Horse cart...
Ethnic Rajasthani musicians and a dancer...
More dancers...
More musicians in front of a Hindu temple...
An ox cart...
Life size version of "Snakes and Ladders"...some of you know how much I like to play games...maybe I could construct one of these...anyone want to play?...
I told you a real one was coming. So...I'm not in the picture, but stay tuned...
A traditional meal...two small clay pots in the back (one for water and one for milk...I didn't drink either...Warning: only drink bottled water and was concerned about the milk. They did bring me a bottle of water for a small extra fee). The round circle in the middle and half piece next to it are a bread called paneer, the brown circle in the middle of them is a small clay container that was filled with butter and placed upside down on both piece of the bread, in the back is jangari (sp?) a deep fried food with honey on it. The small bowl in the front of the picture is ladies fingers (aka okra). I don't know what is in the other bowls...
One of the servers put his hat on me for a picture...
More ethnic dancing...
I did better than just getting my picture taken with an elephant, I got to go for a ride! :) It was fun, but very different than riding a horse. Since the elephant is so big and heavy, you rock one way and then the other as the elephant shifts he weight with each step...
Another musician...
This ends my third day in northern India...
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