Today we traversed the city of Kathmandu as quickly as traffic would allow. I will say that the traffic flows much better than India, and the roads and sidewalks are generally cleaner. Electricity however, is another story. We began our…
Nepal – The Adventure Continues
Flying in to Kathmandu we caught our first glimpse of the Himalayas. After a short lunch break we drove through the city to the Swayambhunath Stupa overlooking the city below. This site is also known as the Monkey Temple for…
Alavidha (Goodbye) India
After Sarnath Cheryl and I walked the gardens of our hotel and then one final trip to a silk brocade factory. It is amazing to see them do this work by hand. One piece takes two people working one loom…
Our Afternoon in Sarnath
After our early morning on the Ganges we had a short break at the hotel and then left for Sarnath, supposedly the holiest of Buddhist shrines and the site where Buddha gave his lecture on enlightenment and the path to…
Sunrise On the Holy Ganges
Hindus make a pilgramage to the Ganges to bathe in its waters at sunrise and offer prayer. Once cleansed at the Ghats they will then worship in one of the seven temples built beside the river. Cremations continue 24/7 and…
Varanasi, the Holy Hindu City Of The Ganges
Before departing for Varanasi Cheryl , myself, and some others in our group treated ourselves to Kairali Ayurvedic massages. This is a special technique from southern India that utilized various hot oils and herbs dripped, pounded, a technique called Polti,…
Khajuraho-The ancient Holy City that Serves as the Spiritual Center of Kama Sutra. WARNING This Blog is Rated NC-17!
Khajuraho was the home of the Chandela Dynasty in the 9th and 10th century and was never discovered by marauding Mughal armies. Each King built a temple during his reign and 85 in total have been recorded. Of that 25…
On the Road to Khajuraho
We began this morning with a train ride from Agra to Jhansi. We then re-boarded our bus for the trip to Khajuraho. In addition to the 1.5 billion people, the traffic congestion, and the ever present cows and bulls on…
Agra Fort, Cooking Class and Making Pietra Dura
The Agra Fort built by the Mughal, Akbar in 1565 was expanded over the years from a military fortress to a lavish Imperial Palace with over 500 buildings. Remember that India was the heart of the trade routes from the…
Sunrise at the Taj Mahal. It Doesn’t Get better Than This!
The only words to describe the Taj Mahal is “WOW.” This is without a doubt the most beautiful building in the world. Built in the 1600’s by Shah Jahan as a tomb for his wife, it took 22 years with…