Taj Mahal !!

 

I was in India for a few days, but then needed to extend my trip by several more...as it happened, that would put me in Delhi over the weekend.  My friend said that the best way for me to spend Saturday, was to ride over to Agra...where the Taj Majal is located !!

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

There are different ways to get from Delhi to Agra, train, bus and car.  Since we organize a car to drive us while in Delhi for business, my partner set up the same driver, who picked me up at 6:00am, and we were off !



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 

On the next post, I will speak in more detail about the elaborate inlaid marble stone work that makes up the Taj and the gate buildings that surround it.  It took 22 years and 20,000 workers to built the Taj, about 400 years ago.  That tells you about the meticulous detail these artisans built into the Taj.  Many of the original artisans stayed and made the Agra area their home when the Taj was complete, and their descendants today maintain the stone work and operate shops nearby, generating works of art for sale to tourists.

 

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

It's a cool illusion.  As you approach the archway leading to the Taj, it looks like the Taj is just inside the door.



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

The further you get into the passage, it seems the further the Taj recedes back, increasing it's distance.



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

...Until just as you emerge into the open, you realize how far away, and how large, the Taj really is.



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

...and how many people are interested in having their photos taken in front of such a landmark known round the world.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

With respect to the design of the Taj, symmetry is everything.  The Mogul emperor who built the Taj Mahal ("jewel in the crown") as a memorial to his wife, was a Muslim.  In Muslim art, perfect "octagonal symmetry" is the key to heavenly art and the Taj is symmetrical from all vantage points, no matter how you slice it.  And all of that was done with strings and lines and simple tools, not much more complicated that those that built the Great Pyramids.  Beautiful.



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

And when you finally get up close to the tomb, you realize just how large it is...



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Looking back toward the entry gate, more folks are arriving.  Lots of people, but the area to walk around is large, so it never felt crowded.



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

The river passes just on the backside of the tomb.  You can see across to an old ruined building, built with material similar to the gate buildings.  I saw what I thought were rocks in the water.  Only after I zoomed in later did I realize that they were water buffalo, cooling off in the afternoon heat.  (My "Little One" said "maybe they are 'hippo-pot-a-muses'...")  



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Lots of families visit the Taj.  Here people exit the mosque that sits to the west of the Taj.



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Several fellows were up on some (pretty precarious) scaffolding working on cleaning one of the minarets.  In the 70's and 80's, pollution stained portions of the marble.  They found out that "plastering" the surface with mud made from the local soil will absorb the contaminants and clean the surface without doing harm.  So, continuously, they are working to clean it all and have successfully restored it's beauty (as well as restricting fossil fuel vehicles from the area to prevent such issues in the future).

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

The emperor who built the Taj no doubt spent LOTS of his kingdom's money and resources doing it.  Apparently his son, himself anxious to assume the reigns of power, felt that the father's spending was extravagant,  He put his father under "house arrest" in a marble building atop the Red Fort of Agra, which sits just down and across the river from the Taj.  There, sitting where he could clearly view the Taj every day, he spent 8 years until dying of natural causes.  The guide said several times that he died of natural causes, so clearly that was the "party line" put out by the son on news of his eventual demise.

 

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

And then, after leaving the wonderfully quiet, peaceful grounds of the Taj Mahal, we stepped back out into India, "which was already in progress..."

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

If in India, near Delhi, go see the Taj Mahal.  Do it with a guide, you will experience much more !  The gentleman below will be happy to meet you and show you around for a very reasonable fee.  As well, organize a driver in Delhi.  Mr. Uday Pal will gladly arrange to meet you at your hotel and drop you back there later in the day.  He knows Mr. Vinay Gupta  and will fix a place to meet him, they will see that you get lunch and access to all the sightseeing you can stand.  (The marble palace is covered in the next post...)

Enjoy,
-Mark

 

Why ?

 

Son:         “Father…what do they call a person

                 who speaks three languages ?”
Father:     “Ah, well, you say tri-lingual.”
Son:         “…and what about a person
                who speaks two languages ?”
Father:     “You would call him bi-lingual.”
Son:         “…and how about if they speak
                one language ?”
Father:    “Ah, well, that’s easy…
                …that’s an American.”

                        -    South American Joke

There was a time, and it’s still true in many places around the world, when a person lived their entire life within 20 miles of the place where they were born.  Of course, especially in agrarian times, we didn’t have the means, the need, or the time, to travel far.  Now, for many of us, things are different.  Many have the time and the money for a little vacation travel, and of course, there are those of us who travel for work, often far and wide. 

Travel is a means of learning about the world.  As I wrote in “Culture”, quoting Maya Angelou, as she quoted Terentius, “I am a human being: nothing human can be alien to me.”  It’s not just languages, or even culture in general...everything we learn is important.

I think it matters.   All of it.

(http://writtenpost.blogspot.com/2011/05/culture.html)

 

“Homo sum: humani nil

a me alienum puto ”
                           -     Terentius

Photo by Doug Maclam

This is my friend Hugo, and his mom. 

Wet met on the Mutianyu Great Wall, near Beijing. 

Hugo heard us speaking English. 

He stepped up and said "Hello". 

I think Hugo would understand

what Terentius was getting at.

                                          - m

                        

 

Incredible - III (Spice Plantation)

In Goa on Saturday, we visited a place called The Spice Plantation.
It wasn't a "plantation"...it was a "Jungle".

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

You drive, and drive, and then get onto a dirt road, and finally park in a dirt parking area in the trees.  You cross over this bridge, and into the welcome center.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Amongst the locals waiting there to greet us, was this egret.

 



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

The "plantation" was perhaps more of a display area than a farm.  It was a place where several (many) plants are growing naturally, and the guide walks you through, showing you a variety of edible plants, like these tiny peppers...

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 ...this Arabica Coffee...

 



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Bunches of these slender, towering palm trees...but also Cinnamon, Vanilla, and a couple of spices whose names I don't remember, but I know I've tasted in Indian food.





Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 Several exotic types of flowers...



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 ...and a Bee !

 



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

I think this was the Nutmeg...
...there were also "Cashew Apples", which you can open up and get Cashews out of, but I didn't catch a photo of those.




Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 ...more of some kind of tiny peppers...




Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 

 ...and more flowers.  As I was looking at these, a butterfly flew by, too quick for me to photograph, but I realized right away that the warm, steamy environment in the Butterfly Enclosure at the Houston Museum of Science is trying rather successfully to duplicate just this kind of tropical jungle.

 



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 



 

 

In the parking area, there are a couple of Elephants.  I think you can ride them, but we didn't.  I wanted very much to see some elephants in India, but I'm not sure I'm ready for a ride.  Note that even the Indian visitors are stopping to take photos of the elephants.

 



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Finally, back to the hotel area in time for a nice sunset.
A very nice evening for a walk on the beach !
-Mark


http://www.tropicalspiceplantation.com/

Tropical Spice Plantation
Address:	H. No. A-14
	Arla Bazar Keri
	Ponda, Goa
	Pincode - 403 401
	(India)
Phone:	+91 832 2340329
Fax:	+91 832 2340039



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

This is a strange view out the window of the airplane, as the sun was just going down.  The strange thing is, I was looking East, the sun is behind me, on the other side of the aircraft, so I have no idea what would form these "sunray-looking" streaks in the sky... but, it looks cool.

-M




 

Incredible - II (Goa)

Goa State, India

As other colonial powers once did, Portugal carved out a small (tiny) area on the west coast of India, some 300+ years ago, and they stayed, and controlled the place, until in 1961 the Indian Government let them know that times had changed, and it was time for them to go. 

 

The hotel we stayed in was a nice beach-side resort area, full of palm trees, scattered bungalows, and flowers.

 



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Just up the beach there are remains of old Portuguese ports and defenses.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Funny, didn't see one shore-bird.  Not one.  The main birds were these crows (eager to swoop in at the restaurant and steal some kids nan...)



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 The view from our rooms...



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Sun sinking into the Arabian Sea...

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Sitting cliff-side at dinner, in an uncrowded, open-air bar. 
Warm, humid, but only the surf noise and a little back-ground music. 
Very nice.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 
Sun coming up on Sunday...


Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

This little guy was only about 1/3 the size of a "Houston-squirrel" and made a funny little "chirp" as he was fussing at me, sounding more like a small bird than a squirrel.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

This is the office for the hotel facility.  Note that as you look through the windows, there are no windows, no window frames, nothing.  The offices are full-time open-air, no windows, no doors, 24 x 7 x 365.  I had a little panic as we got out of the cab on arrival, stepped into such humidity that my glasses fogged over.  Then noticing the open-air offices I hoped the rooms were not also open-air, fearful I would die of "humidity poisoning" as truly it was more sultry that I have experienced anyplace else.  But no worries, AC's were quite effective, and the rooms were great.



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Three couples hanging out and partying on the deck above the beach, and the sun sets again.

 

I sometimes say "cool place", but in this case the warmth and humidity make that a bit difficult.  :-)

Most Europeans visit Goa during their winter months, and so they must enjoy the contrast between warm humidity and their own ice and snow.

 

So, if you are in Mumbai, Goa is an easy reach on a 45 min flight.  Pop down and try it, for still another side of India.

 

Y'all take care,

-Mark

Vivanta by Taj Holiday Village, North Goa

Dando, Candolim
Bardez
Goa - 403 515,  India

Tel: +91 832 664 5858  
www.vivantabytaj.com



 

Amazing Weather

Well,as update...here we sit, Sunday evening, booming, lightning, rain, ditches full, backyard full, more "Red" on the radar headed our way...really large system, dumping tons of rain over all of Texas plus many more states to the North and East...power is out during Houston Rockets Playoff game !!!
:::::::::::::::::::




Hello all,

The weather folks have been predicting for days that this Memorial Day Weekend (23 to 25-May-2015) will be a "Wash-Out" weather-wise.  Well, it's now 6:30 am on the 24th, and the rain is beginning here. 

 

I awoke around 5:00am, still a bit on India time, and heard some low, rumbling thunder, off in the distance.  I got up and looked at the Weather Channel (www.weather.com) and was quite surprised by what I saw:

What you are seeing is a 3000km long line of thunderstorms.  3000 km / 1800 miles long !!  It ranges from San Luis Potosi, Mexico all the way Madison, Wisconsin !!  That long, skinny storm is very unusual for it's length here.  Worse, if you put the map "in motion" you can see that the formation is "training". 

 

Sometimes, storm formations may be shaped in a long line, but they move side-ways, like a "wave".  It passes over you quickly, and the amount of rain isn't huge.  But today's storms are moving length-wise, looking like a "train" on the map.  They bring heavy rain to a narrow area for an extended time as they slowly pass, length-wise above you.  The rain amounts seen in a single spot go up dramatically. 

 

In Oklahoma. about 800km/500miles north of Houston, they had catastrophic flooding already last night.  You can see on the map,  as this system creeps North today, they will be in it again. 

 

Here at my house (6:50am now), the rain has begun, heavy and steady.  I have the computers unplugged, the TV off, and we will remain hunkered down (...my father just called, giving me a heads-up on a local Tornado Warning for my area...) for the remainder of the day.

Y'all take care,
-Mark

 

Incredible

 

As we speak, India is rushing by outside.

 

In time, if I am skillful enough,
I will at least partially convey,
to someone who hasn’t been here,
what an absolutely unceasing bustle of activity
India is.

  

The never-still throng of people, and motorcycles, and cars, cows, water buffalo, taxis, and the thousands-upon-thousands of the three-wheeled “auto-rickshaws” run through the streets, swirl around the round-abouts, and pour into the neighborhoods like a great, rain-swollen river, rushing, jostling, bending around obstacles, and flowing on, doing anything but stopping.



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 Now and then, we run into our hotel rooms and hide from it for a while. But since, after all, we didn’t travel this far just to take a nap, we again steel ourselves, and leap back out into the action. Whether meeting or eating, or riding in the car, looking out the window, captivated by all we see rushing by, we can smell, and hear, and taste all that is happening around us. 

Worn out from travel, or work, or jetlag, we want to close our eyes, but cannot tear ourselves away from watching, afraid to miss the incredible that India is.

 

 



On the other hand, sometimes, there is quiet.  I am in Mumbai this morning.  I'm usually awake early when I travel, and this morning was pleased to hear the call-to-prayers from a nearby mosque drifting through the neighborhood at 5:00am.  Another thing one notices here in India is the birds.  They have one that is about the size of a crow, and though the sounds are different, the amount of noise they make is similar to a crow.  One can hear them calling, from various treetops nearby, making clear to all just exactly who owns those trees.

 

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Goa

 

For the weekend, we moved to a coastal town, called Goa.  The Portuguese held it as a colony for 200 or 250 years, until the Indians “suggested” in the 1960’s that they leave.  They did.  Our hotel is on a multi-acre seaside site, full of palm trees, thatched roofs, and flowers.  Here too, the bustle continues. 

 

Our bungalow is near the pool, so of course the kids are splashing and playing.  But just next to my room is a grassy area.  For some time now, a raucous game of stickball has been going on.  Looks like maybe a dad and his brother, and several of their kids, nieces and nephews.  The group includes one particularly noisy little guy of about 6 or 7, cheering and calling loudly at every bit of action in the game. 



Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

But the noise isn’t irritating, it’s more musical...a melody of kids having fun with their uncles and cousins.  During a short rain shower, the game continued, as all are of course in swimsuits in this seaside, poolside place.  Of course, with the chill of the rain, and that added element to the game, the little guy was even noisier for a time. 

Their musical voices drifted around and through the palm trees, until like all little guys exerting such energy, he has eventually tired.  Quieted down temporarily, he will no doubt reemerge later, and play another, more distant part, in the never ending bustle, of India.

 

Horns

 

Of course, tires are important…and an engine…no motorized vehicle will motivate without a functioning engine.  But in India, no component of the vehicle could possibly be more important to forward navigation than, yes…the Horn.  Sure, in America, we use our horns too, but, it’s different.  If someone steps off a curb in front of us, absent mindedly, we jam on the brakes, and then we lay on the horn, as a protest, while we’re waving our arms, and shouting something about their mom. 

 

India is different.  There, when a driver sees a person, or another car, or a cow (…or dog, or water buffalo…) moving into his path, he taps his horn to say “…don’t do that…you will be run over and killed, most probably by me…”  It’s not a question of being angry.  There doesn’t seem to be any anger in it, for the honker or the “honked-at”.  It’s a warning that you’re coming…it’s a conversation between drivers, or between driver and “person-dog-car-cow.”    

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Trucks and busses even invite honking.  Many tucks and most of the “auto-rickshaws” have “Horn Please” painted on the back.  It’s an invitation, a suggestion, to honk if you would like them to pull over a little and let you by.  I’m not sure why they would paint it there, it seems to me that ALL Indian drivers are already familiar with the system, and are honking as a “polite request” to move over already.

 

This honking system of communication became known to me over my several drives through various cities in India, but no place more clearly that standing in the Pick-Up Area at Mumbai Airport’s International Terminal.  The people trying to get into the area to pick someone up, or honking to get the attention of that someone, or honking to say they are now trying to pull back out into traffic and leave, results a cacophony that is pretty difficult to ignore.  It even inspires some people to write about it.  ;-)

-Mark

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin