Live from Uniworld's India and the Sacred Ganges - Feb 6, 2017

[Ritabob]

Loving your travel tales and photos. The mausoleum entrance photo really puts the size of the building in perspective.

Also good to know (so far) you didn't have to speak to Ralph on the big white porcelain phone again :D

RB

[jpalbny]

Loving your travel tales and photos. The mausoleum entrance photo really puts the size of the building in perspective.

Also good to know (so far) you didn't have to speak to Ralph on the big white porcelain phone again :D

RB

 

 

Thanks! It's never a good conversation... :rolleyes:

 

I debated whether to put that part in, but it's all part of the trip.

 

Now back to the streets as we leave Agra.

[jpalbny]

Thursday, February 9th. Driving, Agra to Jaipur

 

We left the hotel after lunch. It was the same process as before. We'd packed up and checked out before lunch, leaving our bags outside the room labeled with our red Uniworld tag. We avoided the rush by settling our bill before heading to the lunch buffet.

 

Afterwards, we met up in the lobby and boarded the buses. Our bags were sitting next to the bus, and after we identified them, they were loaded on and we boarded.

 

It took a while to get out of the city. Lots to see along the way. There were many small markets alongside the road.

 

 

The occasional cow wandering around the city.

 

 

This side street needs a little work.

 

 

But right next to it is a very modern-looking, familiar building

 

 

I think this building was part of a group originally built by the British, as administrative buildings, and later used by the military.

 

 

Many of the traffic circles had nice decorative touches in the center.

 

 

Onward. It will be a 4-plus hour drive with one rest stop...if we ever get out of the city!

[jpalbny]

Thursday, February 9th. Driving, Agra to Jaipur, Part 2

 

More traffic circles.

 

 

And a rare sighting. We didn't see too many horses on this trip.

 

 

This guy didn't want to get out of our way. It takes some bravery (or something else) to ride in front of a bus who wants to pass you, with your little motorbike! After watching our buses throw their weight around all week, I would not challenge them.

 

 

Roadside markets. These were everywhere.

 

 

 

All sorts of vehicles shared the road with us.

 

 

We kept going. Where is the highway? We're still plodding along through the outskirts of Agra. I might need a snack before long! The market food is starting to look good...

Edited March 3, 2017 by jpalbny

[jpalbny]

Thursday, February 9th. Driving, Agra to Jaipur, Part 3

 

A tale of two markets. The Saks Fifth Avenue Market has a roof, and the merchandise is displayed off the ground.

 

 

The KMart version is situated directly on the ground. No shade. No cover. Wonder if they are cheaper?

 

 

A plethora of cows gathering here, doing what cows do.

 

 

This looked like a nice market too. The produce is very colorful and nicely arranged. Love the pyramids!

 

 

Finally, we made it to the highway! But this is no expressway, like yesterday. We had to stop for animals crossing!

 

 

Look at all of those sheep and goats.

 

 

After over an hour of driving, we're finally on the outskirts of town and traffic is easing. We have a reasonable four-lane road now. One thing we learned from India was to not expect an easy drive, anywhere, at any time. That was offset to some extent by the fact that the scenery was so interesting! Lots to see from the bus, and the slower speed allowed more time for pictures.

[jpalbny]

Thursday, February 9th. Driving, Agra to Jaipur, Last part

 

Onward along the highway. We occasionally passed through more urban areas where traffic picked up and we drove more slowly. We also saw more animals crossing.

 

 

There were four or five tollbooths spread out along the way. Unlike the expressway yesterday, this didn't seem worth paying for. I wonder how this contraption could fit through a tollbooth?

 

 

The starter version. More energy efficient?

 

 

We took a break halfway at a hotel / restaurant complex for a rest stop - Motel Ganguar, if you're interested in staying longer. Of course, there was a big store full of souvenirs too...but we didn't buy anything.

 

The second half of the ride was tiring, especially after the early wake-up call today. I dozed on and off.

 

I'm not sure if there is a story to go with this truckload of beautifully-dressed ladies. But I like the colors of their clothing, and the picture looks festive, so I'll put it in. Rajasthan is supposedly known for the colorful clothing worn by its inhabitants. We must be getting close!

 

 

Just to prove that there was some natural scenery as well - the mountains were pretty. Towards the end of the ride we did have to pass through part of the range.

 

 

On the outskirts of town we passed by this statue. Rajasthan is also known for statuary, including lots of decorative stonework suitable for outdoor display (think lawn shrines, statuary, etc). We passed by a number of stores with these items on display. Shiva here might be a little large to fit in my checked luggage.

 

 

Finally, we arrived at the hotel around 6:00PM. It had been a 4.5 hour drive with the rest stop. A long day already, but there was more in store tonight. No time for rest now!

[jpalbny]

Thursday, February 9th. Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur

 

Check in was quick, and we were shown to our room. It looks like a beautiful property, from what we could see in the last bits of daylight! The gentleman who showed us the room provided a property map and very importantly, told us how to find the restaurant where tonight's private dinner was being held. It's not in the main building. We heard later that some others had trouble getting there.

 

We settled in and refreshed ourselves while awaiting luggage delivery. Beautiful room!

 

Nice furniture; hope we don't need the mosquito netting too badly.

 

 

Sitting nook in the wall.

 

 

Small desk with electrical outlets, etc. I set up my 3-outlet extension cord and got to work charging stuff.

 

 

The bathroom was gorgeous. Nice double sinks.

 

 

And this bathtub was incredible. Sunken into the floor, all marble, with a view of a private outdoor garden through a floor-to-ceiling glass window.

 

 

The shower wasn't bad either.

 

 

Luggage was a little slow, finally arriving a little after 6:30. We still had plenty of time to change and get ready for dinner, though, so no worries.

 

A word about the Oberoi hotels. Beautiful properties. They seemed to get more elegant and nicer as we went along. That is not a knock against the first property, which was great; instead, it's a statement of how nice this last property was. We would have loved more time everywhere, just to relax and enjoy the hotels.

 

They also have a chain-wide no tipping policy, which in our experience is rare in a luxury hotel. There are little notecards throughout the room explaining this. I missed seeing that the first night at Gurgaon, and my offered tip to the gentleman who delivered the bags was politely declined, with a gentle reference to the policy. Just another way that they make your stay totally relaxing and worry-free.

Edited March 3, 2017 by jpalbny

[jpalbny]

Thursday, February 9th. Dinner and a show at Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur

 

The rooms here were grouped into pods, with two rooms per pod. Groups of pods were clustered around a central area with a water feature. The groups were connected with walkways. Thus, we had this nice water feature right outside our door as we headed over for dinner.

 

 

It was a few minutes' walk but it felt refreshing after the long bus ride. You could call for a cart to pick you up if you didn't want to walk.

 

We arrived at the Rajmahal restaurant, and the staff played drums to greet us. They also had put out the welcome mat!

 

 

Now, the fun part...we grabbed two glasses of wine and prepared to relax. As it had been at the welcome dinner, two drinks were included per person, and anything else was an additional charge of around 800 Rupees.

 

But the staff had other ideas. I was asked to sit in a chair, while Chris held my wine glass for safekeeping. A man approached with a long length of brightly colored cloth. He gave me one end to hold...then proceeded to wrap the remainder of the turban on my head! Chris laughed a lot but remembered to take pictures. It was pretty tight - almost felt like a facelift!

 

 

Chris got a matching scarf as well. Much less work for her to wear.

 

Dinner was an outdoor buffet with lots of tasty foods. My overall sense was that there were more vegetarian food options, and the food overall was less spicy than the other two hotels so far.

 

There was a short dance show near the end of dinner. It started with four girls carrying fire pots on their heads while they danced. They all kept them upright without any spillage, though one girl's fire went out.

 

 

The group posed for pictures after the dance.

 

 

That act was followed by a guy who balanced a big water pot on top of his head. As the dance progressed, he added a glass tumbler between his head and the water pot...then two, and finally four tumblers! That was pretty impressive! It was too dark for good pictures, and I definitely did not want to turn on the flash to disrupt his effort.

 

I think we both wore our splash of local color very well. The items were ours to keep. Chris kept hers as the fabric was nice, and there were medallions attached to the fringes of the scarf. I did not keep mine as the fabric was thin and synthetic.

 

 

We went to bed early after dinner, and finally got a good night's sleep. How refreshing! I think I'm getting more adjusted to the time change. It's been a real challenge.

[amd1234]

JP and Chris... although this itinerary is not for us Your post and photo's are sensational.. we are taking Our third river cruise with Uniworld in August on the River Queen to Rhine and the Moselle..I admire your sense of adventure.. we are seniors now and would never take the risk of getting sick.. love all your post.. keep us updated on your lastest journey..

[Got2Cruise]

Thank you JP and Chris for sharing your adventure. I'm glad you allow us to live vicariously through you [emoji3]

 

 

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[Cruise Critic Chris]

A few more photos from this trip are now on CC's FB page. Just the Golden Triangle portion so far. More content coming!

 

 

 

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[PurpleTraveller]

Thank you for taking the time to write this wonderful review. Reading your narrative and seeing your fabulous photos is the next best thing to being there. I have enjoyed your reviews for a number of years and thought it was time to let you know how much I appreciate them.

[kathy9]

A few more photos from this trip are now on CC's FB page. Just the Golden Triangle portion so far. More content coming!

 

 

 

 

Great photos Chris. That hotel in Jaipur amazing!

 

 

Jp and Chris can't wait for the river cruise to start!

 

 

Kathy

[57 varieties]

This is terrific JP. We are booked to do a similar overland tour February 2017 followed by Silver Spirit from Mumbai and you have really whetted our appetites.

 

 

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[jpalbny]

JP and Chris... although this itinerary is not for us Your post and photo's are sensational.. we are taking Our third river cruise with Uniworld in August on the River Queen to Rhine and the Moselle..I admire your sense of adventure.. we are seniors now and would never take the risk of getting sick.. love all your post.. keep us updated on your lastest journey..

 

The Rhine and Moselle are lovely, and I'm sure you'll have a fantastic time. Thanks for your kind words, and happy cruising!

 

 

Thank you JP and Chris for sharing your adventure. I'm glad you allow us to live vicariously through you [emoji3]

 

You should give this trip a shot. I think it's like nothing you've ever done before...

 

 

A few more photos from this trip are now on CC's FB page. Just the Golden Triangle portion so far. More content coming!

 

 

Nice work, Chris! Some of your pictures are of things that we missed along the way, so thanks for filling in the blanks.

 

 

Thank you for taking the time to write this wonderful review. Reading your narrative and seeing your fabulous photos is the next best thing to being there. I have enjoyed your reviews for a number of years and thought it was time to let you know how much I appreciate them.

 

Thanks - I appreciate your kind words. It's fun to share these trips with the CC audience.

 

 

Great photos Chris. That hotel in Jaipur amazing!

 

 

Jp and Chris can't wait for the river cruise to start!

 

 

Kathy

 

The day after tomorrow, as the trip report goes. One day in Jaipur tomorrow, then we're off to the boat!

 

 

This is terrific JP. We are booked to do a similar overland tour February 2017 followed by Silver Spirit from Mumbai and you have really whetted our appetites.

 

 

Hope you have as much fun as we did!

[jpalbny]

Too lazy to blog (so far) today.

 

But I did scan in all of the daily programs for this trip, as well as the laundry price list.

 

The folder with all of the files can be accessed here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7-MF_WeC07jd3ZZa2JoVFJDaUU

 

Note that there are two entries for 11Feb. That is intentional. We got one program at the hotel in Jaipur, then another after we embarked on the boat. So you get to look at both! :D

[jpalbny]

Friday, February 10th. Jaipur

 

We were up early and ready to go after a good night's sleep. We headed over to the breakfast buffet by 7:30 for a leisurely meal. The restaurant itself was pretty nice, as was the food.

 

 

This morning we had a city tour, so we headed to the buses before the 8:30 departure time. The water features in front of the hotel are nice in the early morning sun. Since we had arrived at dusk yesterday, we'd missed the full effect.

 

 

And more elephants standing guard here.

 

 

Soon we were off, joining in the morning rush hour. There were fully-laden trucks,

 

 

and cars that were fully loaded with human cargo as well!

 

 

It took about a half an hour to get to our first stop, which was a photo op at Hawa Mahal, a palace in the downtown. This beautiful façade was built in the late 1700s, and it catches the morning sun perfectly.

 

 

It has many screened windows; we are told that this is so that the ladies of the court could watch the activities on the street below, without being observed themselves.

Edited March 6, 2017 by jpalbny

[jpalbny]

Friday, February 10th. Jaipur City Tour

 

We got off the bus for a few minutes to take photos, and walk a little along the street. Not a long stop here, as there were other places on the agenda. After the pictures of the palace, we looked at some of the markets. Brightly colored textiles for sale.

 

 

We drove by the Ganesh Temple on our way to the observatory.

 

 

We drove a few blocks and parked almost directly behind the Hawa Mahal Palace. Now it was time to walk to the astronomical (astrological) observatory. There were beautiful decorative arches surrounding the parking lot, and we exited through one of them.

 

 

There were markets along the street here as well.

 

 

Umbrellas. Very pretty! Probably for protection against the sun, as there hasn't been a hint of rain yet on this trip.

 

 

Soon we were at the entrance gates for the observatory (Jantar Mantar). There was a bit of a discussion between Rishi and the people manning the entrance booth. Finally we went in. Not sure what that was about!

[TravelerThom]

JP: I'm really enjoying your pictures - bringing back lots of memories. I remember taking the Agra Fort Super Fast train from Jaipur to Agra - it averaged less than 25 miles per hour!

 

...and cars that were fully loaded with human cargo as well!..

That vehicle was barely loaded! I believe in immersion travel. I have ridden subways during rush hour in Tokyo, Beijing, Moscow etc; in the back of trucks across the Andes and through the Congo; and local buses in Cairo, Nairobi and in South India (Mysore, Chennai, etc) BUT I took one look at local buses in Dehli (with maybe three layers of people on the outside:eek:) and splurged on a moto (still incredibly cheap).

 

Looking forward to your boat pictures.

 

Thom

[jpalbny]

Friday, February 10th. Jaipur Observatory (Jantar Mantar)

 

We entered the observatory, and met up with a tour guide who was well-versed in the practice of astrology. We learned that astrology is still very important in India, and that very few decisions are made without first consulting a priest to read the stars. There are good and bad days for weddings, business ventures, etc. And even before deciding to be married, a couple must be deemed a "good match" according to their signs.

 

We saw numerous sundials; this was one of the largest. Since it measures "local" time, you have to adjust by 41 minutes to get India Standard Time. But when we did that, it was right on the money.

 

 

This double-faced instrument tracked celestial phenomena on one side in winter, and on the other side in summer.

 

 

Close-up of the dial.

 

 

There were other instruments that are used to tell the position of the sun relative to the signs of the zodiac. The astrologers who read this instrument actually get inside, and walk between the white strips of stone to read the markings. But, half of the markings are missing, so that they have room to walk through. The solution? There are two of these instruments, and the panels that are missing from this one are in the other one. The two instruments complement each other.

 

 

An overview of the site. The large sundial is in the foreground. The building in the distance with the flags is the Maharaja's residence at City Palace, our next stop.

 

 

There are twelve of these instruments set up in this area, one for each sign of the zodiac. Each is oriented to allow the position of its corresponding sign to be determined at any given time, on any given day.

 

According to our guide, the main astrological sign that is determined by your birthdate is just part of your horoscope. The constellations that are rising and falling at the precise time of your birth are important too, and these instruments allow that detail to be calculated.

 

 

You can have a personalized horoscope done if you'd like. Not sure whether anyone from our group did that. Nonetheless, it's interesting to hear how important this still is in India.

Edited March 6, 2017 by jpalbny

[jpalbny]

Friday, February 10th. City Palace

 

As you enter through the main gate, the first building that you see is the Mubarak Mahal. Built in 1900, as a welcome center of sorts, it now holds a textile and costume museum.

 

 

A close up of some of the fine architectural details of the arches.

 

 

In the wall which surrounds the Mubarak Mahal, there are archways leading deeper into the complex. This one is called Rajendra Pol.

 

 

A statue of a deity, in the apex of the archway.

 

 

And a tourist posing with an elephant statue. Notice the terrible lighting. Love that bright sun, except when half of your face is shaded. Looks like something from Phantom of the Opera.

 

 

We spent a little time in the museum. The textiles were skillfully made and highly decorative. But not thrilling, so the fact that pictures weren't allowed was no big deal.

[jpalbny]

Friday, February 10th. City Palace

 

Through the Rajendra Pol, and into a courtyard. This holds the private audience hall, Diwan-i-Khas. It's made of pink stone, as opposed to the white buildings in the previous courtyard.

 

 

Another gateway, Riddhi-Siddhi Pol, leads to the private courtyard. Notice the lattice and screens so that people behind them could watch without being seen.

 

 

Over the corner, the tall building is Chandra Mahal. It's the residence of the Maharaja, and it's closed to the public. It's a 7-storey building and we can only see the top floors from here.

 

 

The way in. Don't mess with this guy. Those cannons could smart.

 

 

We went through Riddhi-Siddhi Pol into the private courtyard, Pritam Chowk, or the Court of the Beloved. There are four "Peacock Doors" here.

 

 

Rishi took pictures for us during a brief lull. Still got photobombed, oh well.

 

 

Back out of the inner courtyard, to the audience hall, to see more.

Edited March 6, 2017 by jpalbny

[jpalbny]

Friday, February 10th. City Palace, finishing up

 

We headed back to Diwan-i-Khas. It was very popular!

 

 

Some of the decorations inside the audience hall. Nice chandeliers here too.

 

 

This is one of a pair of large silver urns. They were used to carry sacred water from the Ganges with the Maharaja on trips, including one to London in 1901. It must be really heavy when full!

 

 

We went into the Diwan-i-Aam, or art gallery next. On the way, Rishi saw a street performer who did a puppet show for us. The art gallery had a huge oriental carpet, family portraits, and the throne of the Maharaja. No pictures allowed.

 

Outside the art gallery there was a gallery of transport vehicles. Carriages, and other items that were for elephant or camel back riding. Some examples.

 

 

The Royal Family's crest, painted onto one of the carriages.

 

 

We took our leave after that and walked back to the bus. As we had to walk through some street markets, we were usually surrounded by street vendors. Rishi had a system going where he told us to ignore them.

 

Once we were all on the bus, the vendors would approach the bus doors. Rishi would negotiate a price, bring the items onboard for us to inspect, and handle any transactions for us. Very nice. You never know whether he was getting a kickback, but prices were cheap enough that it probably didn't matter.

 

The scenery on the way home was much different from that at the hotel, or the palace.

 

 

More examples of that disparity in the next post.

[jpalbny]

Friday, February 10th. At the Oberoi Rajvilas

 

We arrived at the hotel at noon. The entryway sure is spectacular. A different world from the streets of Jaipur.

 

 

The first order of business at the hotel was to have a briefing about tomorrow's procedures. We have a 7:45 direct flight to Kolkata which is nice...but we have to be up by 4:30 AM which may be painful! No late night wildness for us. Hemesh handed out our tickets and explained some of the procedures. Security at the airport seemed like it would be painful. There is no TSA PreCheck line here...Oh well.

 

We decided to take the optional tour of the Amber Fort this afternoon, as the included tours were varying permutations of shopping (destination A, destination B, or A plus B) for the entire afternoon. Though the tour was expensive at $55 per person, we figured it may be cheaper in the long run if we avoid three or four hours of shopping!

 

Lunch buffet followed, which was a nice meal and we finished with time to spare before the optional tour. We decided to wander the grounds for a bit to take some pictures. The swimming pool was gorgeous. I really wanted to use it!

 

 

There were day beds under this structure, perfect for lying or sitting out in the shade with a nice book and/or a glass of wine.

 

 

Lots of water features. This pond surrounded a Hindu temple on the property.

 

 

Another view of the pond.

 

 

More water surrounded the main building where the restaurant was located. It looked like a moat.

 

 

Yet another gorgeous Oberoi property. And again, not nearly enough time to enjoy it! This is one of the potential downsides of the trip so far. There is such a rush to see the sights in each city, so there is very little free time.

 

This is pretty much the way that we travel all of the time, and I'm used to it, but it's not for everyone. But even to someone like me, who is used to going full speed ahead all of the time, I'm finding myself looking at my pictures, and wishing I'd had more time.

[jpalbny]

Friday, February 10th. Driving to Amber Fort

 

This is also referred to as Amer Fort. I can't figure out if one spelling is preferred. I think that it's named after a nearby town, and not the fossilized tree sap known as Amber.

 

We gathered in the lobby for the tour. Another view.

 

 

It turns out that shopping was the runaway choice; there were only eight of us on the tour of the fort. So we divided up into two cars and headed out. They needed all three buses for the three shopping excursions. So, that's why our tour was more expensive, I guess. They had to provide one car and driver per four guests.

 

The drive was a bit crazy, which you can't fully appreciate from a bus. The trucks, buses, and other heavy equipment drive with little regard for anything smaller than themselves, which is nice, when you're on a bus. When you're in a car, or worse yet, a tuk-tuk or a motorbike, you're at their mercy. Watch out!

 

 

Some more markets along the way.

 

 

Merchandise on display.

 

 

We passed by a structure in the middle of a lake, referred to as the "floating palace" so we stopped for a picture.

 

 

Camels were frequently seen along the road. We're not far from the desert.

 

 

Most of the drive was at a reasonable pace, without too much traffic. The roads were wide and in good condition. Soon we could see the fort, ahead in the distance.