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Published: December 2nd 2008
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Taj Mahal
The quintessential shot of the Taj... Greetings from Nepal!!
Dave and I are in Pokhara, Nepal right now; we're getting ready to head into the mountains in the Anapurna region for 2.5 - 3 weeks of trekking (we're going to try to get around the whole circuit; fingers crossed that the Thorung La pass (~5400 m) isn't snow-covered and that we can do a safe crossing). Looking forward to fresh mountain air and great vistas!! We hope to be back in town before Christmas Eve/Day to make some phone calls to family and celebrate Christmas Nepali style (if such a thing exists...)
In the meantime, the last two and a half weeks of our travels in northern India (far from Mumbai!!) have been rich with many new experiences. A veritable assault on our numbed Western senses but a welcome one (for the most part!). Following Delhi, our next stop was the famed city of Agra, home to the Taj Mahal and other wonderful, historic sites.
We entered the Taj in time for sunrise (~6:30am) on Day 2 of our stay in Agra and were moved by the exquisite beauty of the site and surrounding buildings. We also spent several hours on the grounds wandering
Taj Details
Admiring the incredible pietra dura (marble inlay work) of the Taj. around - and taking far too many pictures! Funny enough, journalling was allowed, though no "sketching" - this was a serious offense according to local guards that patrol the site. The gardens were also especially striking. No wonder this is one of the 7 wonders of the world!
The remainder of our time in Agra included trips to the Agra Fort, the Baby Taj, local craft and artisan markets, nature parks etc. We also braved the city streets on bike rented from our friendly bike shop owner Raja 😊 We rode out to the back side of the Taj, across the Yamuna River to catch the setting sun reflecting off the marble Taj. Upon return of the bikes, Raja insisted we have chai and biscuits with him and gave us an impromptu Hindi lesson!
While in Agra, Olivia won the battle of the bellies, with Dave being the first to succumb to the wrath of the infamous "Delhi belly". Several trips to the bathroom later and a day of rest for Dave, we were back on our feet and made our way via train to Varanasi.
So much to say about this holy and spiritual place!! The
Rear View Mirror
A shot of the Taj from the back, across the Yamuna River. city is known for its many "ghats" (steps leading to the Ganges River - fondly referred to as the mother Ganga by locals), which line the west bank of the river. The ghats offer a glimpse into the private lives of the many Hindu pilgrims that flock to the city to bathe, perform puja (offerings), and cremate their dead. The river side teems with life all hours of the day, although ironically the river itself probably has little life in it given its extremely polluted state. This does not stop some pilgrims from even drinking this holy water. Other highlights from our time in Varanasi include:
- a sunrise boat ride along the Ganges and an interesting perspective of locals in their morning rituals
- a day trip to Sarnath to visit the location where the Buddha gave his first sermon to 5 disciples. The town is filled with monasteries and temples from various countries and many religious monuments.
- a first crack at Yoga - true Indian style! Vigorous to say the least, but a welcome change from our daily walking regime
- our first taste of a local Indian wedding celebration, after a gracious invite from our
The Ghats
A small portion of the countless ghats (steps leading to the Ganges) lining the western shore of the Ganges in varanassi. Yoga instructors
- a smorgasbord of different culinary delights, including our first taste of brown bread in a while - and real coffee! Dave was especially thrilled.
At the risk of possibly cutting into some of our trekking time in Nepal, we decided to make a small detour to the quiet but captivating town of Kushinagar on our overland travels up to the Nepalese border crossing (at Sunauli). What a welcome reprieve this sleepy little town was after the general "busy-ness" of Varanasi, not to mention Delhi!! As the final resting place of the Buddha, the central monuments are the amazing 6 m long statue of the reclining Buddha and the brick stuppa believed to be the site where his body was cremated.
A final note re. the recent bomb blasts/attacks in Mumbai: thank you to everyone who emailed and expressed concern. These are unnerving times and we are doing our best to stay in touch with local and international media reports. We will certainly continue to keep our eyes on news sources as we map out our next 5 months of travel - perhaps a decision to avoid a stop in Mumbai next spring. A special thanks
Sunrise on the Ganges
Perhaps the holiest time of day on the Ganges - not to mention the most interesting and peaceful. to friends who have emailed with links to different media sources and Can. government travel recommendations; always helpful to have an array of view points.
Wishing everyone a wonderful, restful Holiday season!! For those of you who don't celebrate Christmas, enjoy the turning of the seasons and the joy that fresh snowfalls and cold weather can bring. Take care everyone: stay warm, cozy and well 😊
Namaste,
Olivia & Dave
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