Showing posts with label India. Show all posts
Showing posts with label India. Show all posts

12 January 2021

Our Tour of India Day by Day

 


This post contains links to pages of the places we stopped during our tour India in the order of our tour. Just click the word LINK to view the site. In a few cases, the links go to the YouTube video.

All Dates are January 2017

 

9 Monday. We left Springfield, Missouri for Charlotte, NC then boarded British Airways for the overnight flight to London Heathrow.









10 Tuesday. We arrive in London at 7:10 am and board British Airways to Mumbai at 9:50 am.

 

11 Wednesday. It’s 12:15 in the morning when we land in Mumbai. We grab a local cab and head to the Trident hotel for some rest. 

Later we walk across the nearby cricket grounds to the old Prince of Wales museum now called CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI MAHARAJ VASTU SANGRAHALAYA









 

12 ThursdayMumbai. We head for the docks by the Gate of India and purchase a boat ride to Elephanta Island where a monkey steals Sandy’s Coke



Gate of India and

Elephanta Island by boat  LINK

 

13 Friday. Mumbai.  we join a tour of the city along Marine Drive, a stop at Dhobi Ghat (laundry), the Hanging Gardens and Mani Bhavan- former residence of Mahatma Ghandi. 


Mumbai City Tour

 

Dhobi Ghat laundry         LINK

 

14. Saturday. We’re back to the airport for a flight south to Cochin on the Arabian Sea in the southern state of Kerala.

15. Sunday. Today we explore Cochin- the Hill Palace, the Dutch Palace, a walk through the Jewish Quarter, watching fishermen and a relaxing cruise.


Watching the fishermen  LINK

 Cruising Cochin Harbour LINK

 

16. Monday. We fly to Delhi, India’s capital city.

17. Tuesday. Lot’s to see: the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, India Gate, Presidential Palace. We take a Rickshaw Ride through the local bazaar. In the evening it’s Indian Cuisine with a cooking demonstration.






Visit Jama Masjid  LINK


Auto Rickshaw Ride     LINK


Biker Rickshaw Ride     LINK

 

18. Wednesday. We stop by Qutab Minar—the world’s tallest brick minaret, which dates to the 1000s. We visit Humayan’s Tomb and the Sikh Gurudwara Bangla Sahib. After lunch we drive to Agra.






Qutub Minar           LINK

 

Humayan’s Tomb    LINK

 

Gurdwara Bangla Sahib LINK

 

Monument to Mahatma Ghandi      LINK

 

 

19 Thursday. We are stunned by the Taj Mahal. We board a Tongas (horse-drawn carriage). Next we are off to Agra Fort built of red sandstone.






Visit Taj Mahal       LINK


Marble workers video LINK

 

Visit Agra Fort       LINK

 

20 Friday. We’re off to Ranthambore National Park but first we visit Fatehpur Sikri built in the 1500s. We get lunch at Bharatpur then take a train to Ranthambore.

Fatepur Sikri          LINK

 

Palace at Bharatpur        LINK

 

Train to Ranthambore     LINK


 




21. Saturday. We take morning and afternoon drives in Ranthambore. In the afternoon, we photograph a tiger.




Ranthambore Park – “The Eye of the Tiger”      LINK

 

Camel cart tour of Kilchipur       LINK

 

Pottery worker video       LINK

 

22. Sunday. Following a morning game drive, we head to Jaipur—“The Pink City.” In the evening, we are dinner guests at the home of an Indian noble family.



City Palace Jaipur            LINK

 

Dinner with an Indian family

 

23. Monday. In the morning we visit the magnificent Amber Fort. After lunch, we take it easy and walkabout Jaipur.



Amber Palace       LINK

 




24. Tuesday. We visit the City Palace and Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds). After lunch in Jaipur, we visit a Hindu Temple then return to Delhi.



25. Wednesday. Our long trip home begins with a 3:20 am flight to London, which arrives at 7:45. Two hours later, we board British Airways to Charlotte, NC and finally, at 5:50 pm, we head to Springfield MO arriving at a little after 7pm.

Notes

Most of our tour of India was organised by Cosmos Tours. They don't pay me to advertise but maybe they should.

We've had good luck with Cosmos.

Given problems with airlines over the years, we have learned to arrive a day or two ahead of time and stay at or near the hotel where the tour begins.

We stayed at the Trident Hotel to connect with the tour group. There are a variety of hotels in the area.

Map of Mumbai Google Link






03 February 2017

Fatehpur Sikri India



Fatehpur Sikri (City of Victory) was bulit by Mughal emperor Akbar in the 16th century. It is located west of Agra and includes monuments and places of worship. It was the capital of the Mughal empire between 1569 and 1585. Unfortunately, it was abandoned because of a lack of adequate water.

A close look reveals detailed artistic work especially visible in the hall where official business was conducted.






Throne pillar














Several buildings housed the emperor's women- he was said to have as many as 5,000 wives and other women (e.g., their maidservants) in his harem. Women were accumulated from those kings and nobles he defeated. Other women were gifts.

One structure was likely home to a favorite wife, Sultana Ruqayya Begum and contains beautiful artwork in the wall panels.









Panchmahal, wind catcher, a place to keep cool. It is connected to the harem on the third floor.





Here's a picture of part of the outdoor Parchesis game board.






Connections

   My Page    www.suttong.com
   My Books   AMAZON     GOOGLE PLAY STORE
   FACEBOOK   Geoff W. Sutton
   TWITTER  @Geoff.W.Sutton

Publications (many free downloads)
  Academia   Geoff W Sutton   (PhD)     
  ResearchGate   Geoffrey W Sutton   (PhD)



Jama Masjid Delhi India



Jama Masjid is the largest Mosque in India. It is located in Old Delhi.  The courtyard is large enough for 25,000 people. Construction began in 1644 and was organised by Shah Jahan who also built the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort at Agra.

There are three gates, four towers, and two minarets, each 40 metres tall.

At the top of the steps, those who wish to enter must remove their shoes.







And women are to don provided robes, which creates a photo op for Westerners.




Close ups reveal the artistry in sandstone and marble.



























A link to more information http://www.culturalindia.net/monuments/jama-masjid.html

Notes
A small fee is charged for photography but there is no charge to enter the Mosque.
A youth expects a tip for minding your shoes.
Outside is the Chawri Bazaar, which we toured via pedal Rickshaw following our visit to the Mosque.


Connections

   My Page    www.suttong.com
   My Books   AMAZON     GOOGLE PLAY STORE
   FACEBOOK   Geoff W. Sutton
   TWITTER  @Geoff.W.Sutton

Publications (many free downloads)
  Academia   Geoff W Sutton   (PhD)     
  ResearchGate   Geoffrey W Sutton   (PhD)















Mahatma Ghandhi Assassination Site Delhi


This is the memorial to the life of Mahatma Ghandi at the home in Delhi, India where he was assassinated 30 January, 1948.

Mohandas Karamchand Ghandi was born in 1869. The term, Mahatma, means Great Soul. His commitment to active but nonviolent protests are generally considered critical to the Independence of India from Britain in 1947.

Features of his simple life can be found at the site.











Moulded footsteps mark his final path on his way to pray.






A monument marks the spot where he was shot.




Storyboards provide a brief overview of his life. In addition to the story, quotations in the home and on the storyboards capture some of the themes that governed his life.








A simple yet attractive garden adds to the peacefulness of the setting.




There is no charge to visit the site.

Visitors are asked to remove their shoes when walking about the monument.






02 February 2017

Humayan's Tomb Delhi India


Humayan's Tomb in Delhi is a must see stop for visitors.  Built in 1565 CE by Humayun's widow.  The tomb was designed by Persian architect Mirak Mirza Ghiyath. The design influenced other mausolea of the era including the Taj Mahal.

Learn more at the Delhi tourism website.

Close up of the dome.




Other tombs are nearby. The architecture and grounds are impressive.



An unknown tomb nearby














Connections

   My Page    www.suttong.com
   My Books   AMAZON     GOOGLE PLAY STORE
   FACEBOOK   Geoff W. Sutton
   TWITTER  @Geoff.W.Sutton

Publications (many free downloads)
  Academia   Geoff W Sutton   (PhD)     
  ResearchGate   Geoffrey W Sutton   (PhD)



Qtub Minar Delhi India


Qutb (also Qutab) Minar is an impressive sandstone tower in South Delhi, India. It dates from 1193 but was completed in stages. It stands 72.5 metres high.

Other structures are in the area including examples of artistic detail.


















There's a mysterious iron column nearby, which may have been relocated here from its original location.






The beautiful grounds are worth a visit.













There is a small charge to enter the site.

Read more at the Delhi Tourism site.


Connections

   My Page    www.suttong.com
   My Books   AMAZON     GOOGLE PLAY STORE
   FACEBOOK   Geoff W. Sutton
   TWITTER  @Geoff.W.Sutton

Publications (many free downloads)
  Academia   Geoff W Sutton   (PhD)     
  ResearchGate   Geoffrey W Sutton   (PhD)




Fishing in Cochi India


On Saturday morning, we walked along the Cochin (aka Kochi) coast fascinated by the fishing.

A young man casts an individual net from the shore.























Large nets are worked by a team of men who lower and raise nets on a pulley system weighted with large rocks.

























The local catch includes a variety of fish including, red and white snapper.




Here's a brief video of net fishing from my YouTube channel





Connections

   My Page    www.suttong.com
   My Books   AMAZON     GOOGLE PLAY STORE
   FACEBOOK   Geoff W. Sutton
   TWITTER  @Geoff.W.Sutton

Publications (many free downloads)
  Academia   Geoff W Sutton   (PhD)     
  ResearchGate   Geoffrey W Sutton   (PhD)