Jodhpur is the second largest city in Rajasthan and popularly known as the Blue City of India, for its blue painted buildings in the old districts. Jodhpur is also filled with forts, temples, palaces, murals, friendly people, havelis(mansions with historic and architectural significance), and located in the arid Thar Desert. It is a strategic military […]
India 3 – Amritsar – Golden Temple and Border Ceremony
One of the highlights of our trip to India was seeing The Golden Temple in Amritsar. Amritsar is the center of Sikhism, and the Harmabdir Sahib (aka the Golden Temple) is the holiest shrine in Sikhism. It is the chief pilgrimage destination of the Sikhs living abroad and outside the city. Amritsar is the heart […]
India 2 – Old Dehli
The sounds of honking motorbikes, tuk tuks (auto rickshaws), and cars were incessant in Old Dehli. We were told that if a vehicle honks its horn and there’s an accident, then the driver is not at fault, since he warned the other person. People say to the other party that they’re sorry and move on […]
India 1 – New Dehli
In 2019, we passed through Dehli, enroute to the Holi Festival. At that time, we stayed in the Old City and took a culinary tour tasting the Indian Street foods at hole in the wall eateries where much of the food was deep fried. On this current photographic scouting tour with Mehmet and his Fantastic […]
India 15 – Enroute to Hubli
Our next stop was Hubli Airport, which was the end of our India trip. Along the way, we passed through many villages. Many appeared to be a step backward in time, with very few motorized vehicles and no tourists. People are living much like they did hundreds of years earlier. The architecture of the buildings […]
India 14 – Aihole, Pattadakal and Badami
We then traveled to Karnataka, a state located to the north of Kerala, to see the major archaeological sites at Aihole, Pattadakal and Badami, where the ancient cave temples are located. The first stop was Aihole, built between 4th – 12th century, a historic site of ancient Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist monuments. It has great […]
India 13 – Munroe Island
We took several little side trips during our three weeks of traveling through Southern India. One was a visit to Munroe island, located in the Kollam district in rural Kerala, India, and well off the beaten path. We had expected to drive to the island and then walk around. Instead, we were deposited on the side […]
India 12 – Alleppey Backwaters
We spent one day relaxing on a houseboat on the backwaters of Alleppey in Kerala, India. This area is also known as the “Venice of the East.” Our houseboat reminded me of a Hobbit Home, whereas Evelyn thought we were on an armadillo fleet floating on the brackish canals. The original houseboats were primarily deployed […]
India 11 – Munnar
While in Munnar, we watched a classical Indian Kathakali dance drama and traditional Kalaripayattu martial arts at the Punarjeeva Cultural Center. By arriving a couple hours early, they allowed us behind-the-scenes access to watch and capture actors dressing and putting on their makeup. The male lead is wearing 80 pounds of clothes, and requires 3 […]
India 10 – Madurai
We started our exploration of Madurai with a walking tour that started at 6AM. This gave us a chance to see the old town wake up, since dawn was at 6:30. Every home had the woman of the house creating an elaborate design using a rice powder, using two fingers and thumb to pick up a […]