Category Archives: Travel

Travel in Spain-2011-Days 1 and 2

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On February 21, 2011 we boarded Delta in Des Moines to fly to Madrid through JFK.  We arrived in Madrid the next morning (a 7 hour loss of time included).  The arrival process through passport control, etc., was quick and easy.  We chose not to have a car in Madrid, so we did not rent a car at that time, but chose instead to take the Metro from the airport to downtown Madrid, where our hotel, the Preciados, was very well located for the purpose of walking or connecting to the Metro in Madrid.  The Metro ride involved some walking to find the right platforms, but it worked well and we arrived at a stop just a block from the hotel.  The hotel welcomed us even though we were quite early (about 10:00 a.m.) and our nice room was already prepared for us.  After a short rest, we began our tour of Spain by walking down to Puerto de Sol,

puerto-del-sol

over to the Plaza Mayor, plaza-mayor

the Royal Palace, and then back to the hotel.  Madrid is beautiful, and crowds of people were out and about, walking, visiting, shopping, etc.  We found a fantastic market with fruits, vegetables, fish, pastries, and much more.

market-1

market-2

This is indeed a very nice city for a walk about. That evening we were introduced to the Spanish custom of late dining.   The “sit-down” restaurants do not open until 8:30 and we were, of course, the first ones there, at the El Senador, when we arrived at 8:30.  The food and wine were excellent.  The language differences were not a big problem. 

We planned to travel in Spain and Portugal from February 22 through March 9.  We were to be joined in Madrid by a daughter and son-in-law on the 24th.  They were returning on March 7th from Lisbon, Portugal, whereas we were driving back from Lisbon to Madrid for a day of birding with a local guide on the 8th (which you have already read about here in an earlier post) and departing Madrid on the 9th.  With the help of the invaluable Rick Steves 2011 books on Spain and Portugal and a significant amount of online research, our plans were quite detailed before we departed from Des Moines.  We had made all of our hotel reservations except for 2 nights in Lisbon, which we deferred because of uncertainty about our schedule in Portugal.  We had reserved a car for pickup at the Madrid Airport on the day, the 26th, when we left Madrid to drive to Barcelona.  The decision to rent a car came after cost comparisons for the four of us traveling by train or plane on our itinerary in Spain and Portugal.  Car rental was far less expensive on a per person basis.  Although the rental agency would not guarantee us an automatic transmission car, we were offered one when we went to the rental counter at the Madrid Airport on the 26th, much to the relief of my wife.  She had been concerned about driving a stick-shift, and neither of our “children” had ever driven a stick-shift, so it could have resulted in my being the sole driver, except on the open roads where not much shifting would have been required. 

On the 23rd Barbara and I went to Escorial to see the Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial.  To get there, we walked from our hotel to the metro station, took the metro to the bus station, and rode the bus from Madrid to the bus station in Escorial.  We were on a very nice highway with nice views of the snow-capped mountains and pleasant farm fields along the way.  Escorial is a nice, smaller town.  We arrived at the palace/monastery/basilica about 11:30, but it was closed to the public until 2:30 because Queen Sofia was there for an event.  We spent our open hours having lunch at a little sidewalk restaurant in the old town and walking in the gardens.

view-from-gardens 

The Palace is huge and elaborate.  About 25 kings and queens are “encrypted” there in an amazing facility, the Royal Pantheon.  We understand that the “rotting room” adjacent to the crypt still contains the remains of the father of the present King, Juan Carlos, who died over 30 years ago.  He, Don Juan, was technically never King because Franco took control of Spain before he was crowned, and Franco appointed his son, Juan Carlos, as King when the monarchy was reinstituted.  So, controversy exists as to whether “King” Don Juan was really a king, and therefore, whether or not his remains can be placed in the Royal Pantheon.  And, to make matters worse, there is only one spot left, so where does that leave Juan Carlos and Sofia?

palace

The Palace, Church and Monastery at Escorial are full of beautiful art and objects, many plated with gold.  The sculpture of Christ on the cross is magnificient.  We became a little disoriented making our way through the labyrinthian facilities and had to hurry to get out before the 6:00 p.m. closing.  In the distance on the bus ride back to Madrid, we could see the the 500-foot-tall ganite cross marking the Valley of the Fallen (victims of the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s) which is the mausoleum of Franco.  We understand that it is currently closed and undergoing a long process of restoration, though it is not that ancient. 

 

valley-of-the-fallen

Tomorrow our kids will arrive and meet us at the hotel.  From there we will spend a day of sight-seeing in Madrid, to be followed the next day by a train ride to Toledo and a day of sightseeing there.

Spain: Winter Birding near Madrid

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On March 8, 2011 at the end of a two week self-guided tour of Spain and Portugal with my wife and 2 family members, I hired bird guide John Muddeford for one day of birding in the Madrid area.  John lives near Madrid.  He is an experienced Spanish bird guide and speaks fluent Spanish and English.  The day in the field with John was the icing on the (very nice) cake for me, and my wife enjoyed it also. 

Before giving an account of the birding, I want to note that this was my first visit to Spain and Portugal.  Because there were four of us travelling together,  a rental car turned out to be the least expensive and most efficient method of travel.  We rented our car at the Madrid airport after our first 4 days in Madrid, Escorial and Toledo, and during the next 10 days we drove to Barcelona, Granada, Seville, Porto, Lisbon and back to Madrid, about 2500 miles.  We avoided driving in the cities as much as possible, by parking the car and using the excellent public transportation systems.  The highways in both Spain and Portugal are first class.  Driving on the Spanish highways was very comfortable.  The driving in Portugal was a bit fightening at times because many drivers  greatly exceeded the posted speed limits.  This required constant, extraordinary attention to what was coming from behind.  In a week or two, when all the photographs have been reviewed,  I will begin posting my observations and my wife’s photographs  of the Spanish and Portuguese attractions that we visited. 

Before leaving for Spain I emailed to John Muddeford a list of the species of birds that would be new to me and that appeared from my old and outdated European Field Guide to be findable in the Madrid area in early March.  He diligently culled the list and added a few others that he thought might be of interest.  It boiled down to about 30 potential new species at that time and place.  We actually tallied about 85 species for the day, of which 25 were on my “new” list, and a couple of more new ones were added that were not on the list.  For a more complete list of what we saw see John’s report on his website, [email protected]. 

Perhaps the most iconic birds for me were the White Storks.  I had never seen one before the trip and ended it having seen well over 100.  These big birds are apparently doing well in Europe.  For centuries residents of many European countries have considered the presence of  storks nesting on their houses, windmills or outbuildings to be a sign of good luck.  Because of their favorable public image, and possibly also because they do not, I was told, taste good, they have managed to maintain a large population.  How they manage to keep their great nests attached to the tops of utility poles and other high vantage points, I do not know. 

white-storks

Other birds high on my list were Great Bustards and Little Bustards.  Our first sighting in this category was of a Little Bustard, flying across a green (winter wheat?) field at quite a distance.  The white in its wings made it quite apparent that it was what it was.  This was the only Little Bustard we saw.  The Great Bustards were a different story.  Surprisingly, they were fairly numerous and very visibile on the farm fields east of Madrid.  We counted at least 35.  I am surprised that these big game birds have survived the continuing encroachment of people into their habitats. 

great-bustard

As we finished looking at our first flock of Great Bustards, two Red-legged Partridges came walking close by our car.  The grass was a bit too tall to see their most prominent feature, their bright red legs, but they are a very beautifully patterned bird nonetheless.

red-legged-partridge

A very plain bird that I have seen mentioned in English literature but never before seen, is the Corn Bunting.  These tame little birds were present in great numbers, often singing along the fence rows or from exposed, weedy perches in the farm fields. 

corn-bunting

Although Rock Buntings were not new for me, they were colorful and very accommodating for my photographer.

rock-bunting

Spain is home to by far the greatest variety of birds to be found anywhere in Europe.  While early March was a good time for us to explore the excellent architecture, historical sites and art museums, it was not the best time to find the many migrating and summer resident birds of Spain.  Moreover, the Madrid area is just one of several areas where many different species can be found.  For those and other reasons,  including the friendly people, fine food and wine, reasonable prices, beautiful and diverse scenery, and pleasant weather, I plan to return to Spain later this spring for a solid week of birding, with John’s guidance, outside the Madrid area.  I hope to see 60 or so new species, which will, I think, be enough to satisfy my quest for birds in Europe.  And who knows, I and my trusty mount, Rocinante, (did I mention that I plan to travel by rented horse?) may even tilt at a windmill somewhere in La Mancha.

Belize Birding at Chan Chich-Part 3

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Chan Chich and Gallon Jug are part of a very large private holding in western Belize, adjacent to its border with Guatemala.  They raise or grow all of their own food on the ranch.  Barbara went horseback riding one day and rode through the pastures in the midst of cattle, and also through a coffee growing area.  Chan Chich has been a birding destination for many birders for many years.  I heard about it years ago and it has for a long time been on my list of places that I wanted to visit.  Chan Chich Lodge has a dozen or so separate cabanas.  They are straw-thatched and very nicely appointed.  All dining is centered in the Lodge.  It was a step up from Lamanai, which, in turn was a step up from Crooked Tree, at least in terms of the luxury afforded by the cabanas and the Lodge.  As indicated in my earlier posts, however, the birding at Crooked Tree and at Lamanai was  not much different from what we found at Chan Chich.  On the drive to the Lodge we were able to observe the substantial damage caused to the jungle by the winds of Hurricane Richard, which hit the area hard in October, 2010. 

With the help of the excellent guides provided by the Lodge, we saw many of the same birds at Chan Chich as we had seen at Lamanai.  Our guides reported that for a while after the hurricane, many of their birds had disappeared, but were now returning.  New “Life Birds” at Chan Chich were plentiful, however, and included the strange and beautifully colored Ocelated Turkeys, which were very tame.

ocelated-turkey] 

A pair of Ornate Hawk Eagles was nesting along a trail. 

ornate-hawk-eagle

The Great Tinamous were quick to disappear as soon as they were spotted.

great-tinamou

This Crested Guan was watching us as we were watching him.

crested-guan

We saw a Sungrebe floating by turtles basking along the shore.  We also saw  Great Currasows (seen also at Lamanai, but better views here), a Scaled Pigeon (uncommon here, but found by Barbara), Gray-fronted Doves, a Squirrel Cuckoo, Long-billed Hermits, Scaly-breasted Hummingbirds, White-whiskered Puffbird, Black-cheeked, Pale-billed and Chestnut-colored Woodpeckers, and Ruddy, Tawny-winged and Northern Barred Woodcreepers.

The colorful Slate-tailed Trogon was always fun to see.

slate-tailed-trogon

We spotted a Plain Antvireo, Stub-tailed Spadebill, Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Tyrannulet, Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher, Eye-ringed Flatbill, White-collared Manakin, White-breasted Wood-wren, Golden-crowned Warbler (the only Warbler species that is resident year-round in Belize), Red-crowned Ant-tanagers, Scrub Euphonia, Olive-backed Euphonia, and Blue-black Grosbeak.

The Mealy Parrots made quite a commotion around the lodge at breakfast time and again later in the afternoon.

mealy-parrot

Another noisy fellow was the Oropendola which could be seen and heard around the lodge.

oropendola

We stayed at Chan Chich 4 nights.  On the last day we were driven from the Lodge to Gallon Jug (about 6 miles) and were picked up there in a small plane and flown to the airport near Belize City.  This was a much better way to travel than on the back-country roads.  Belize is in the same time zone as Iowa.  We arrived back home, through Atlanta, about 11:00 p.m. that night.

Belize, formery British Honduras, is a small country of about 500,000 people.  English is the official language.  Afteer obtaining independence from England about 40 years ago, Belize has remained a part of the British Commonwealth.  In the west, where we spent most of our time, many of the residents have come from Guatemala and speak Spanish natively.  Without exception, we were treated in a friendly and welcoming fashion.  Everyone we met, even while out on the roads walking, greeted us with a smile or a wave.  Had we spent time in the more populated areas of Belize City or along the coast, we might not have had quite the same experience.   Friends who have taken beach side or island based vacations there, however, say that it was a great experience and they would go back (for the sun, the golf and the beaches, not for the jungle as some of their somewhat peculiar friends just did).

Birding in Belize: Part 2-Lamanai Outpost

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The boat ride up the New River to Lamanai Outpost took about an hour.  For the entire ride we reveled  in the bright sun, blue sky and the serenity and clarity of the river and its jungle edge.  The only activity consisted of two or three small boats bearing local fishermen.  The only substantial human habitation consisted of  some Mennonite cattle and sugar cane farms and support facilities.  The Mennonites arrived in Belize in the 1950s and have established a remarkably successful agricultural empire in the country.  Most of the country’s  meat, eggs, corn and sugar production comes from the Mennonite farms. 

We docked at Lamanai around noon and were treated to cold drinks immediately.  The cabanas at Lamanai are very comfortable and attractive.  The Lodge, where all meals are served and activities commenced, was a short but steep up-hill trek from our cabana.  Our cabana overlooked the Lagoon and was on the edge of the compound, so it provided ample opportunity for birding right from our veranda. 

Lamanai Outpost provides guides as a part of the package.  During our three days there we spent time with three or four of them and each of them impressed us with their knowledge of the natural and historical attractions of the area.  The bird life was abundant.  We took a night cruise and a late afternoon cruise on the Lagoon.  Among the new “life” birds I saw at Lamani were: Agami Heron (seen roosting by the river on the night cruise), Collared Forest-falcon (heard only), Great Curassows, Brown-hooded Parrots, White-fronted Parrots, Yellow-headed Parrots, Red-lored Parrots, Yucatan Nightjar, White-bellied Emerald, Slaty-tailed Trogon, Tody Motmot and these:

Northern Potoo  

potoo

Violaceous Trogon

violaceous-trogon

Royal Flycatcher

royal-flycatcher

Blue-crowned Motmot

motmot

Collared Aracari

aracari

Keel-billed Toucan (the national bird of Belize)

keel-billed-toucan

Also see were Smoky-brown Woodpecker, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Tawny-winged Woodcreeper, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, Northern Bentbill, Bright-rumped Attila, Ochre-bellied Flycatcher,  Yucatan Flycatcher, Red-capped Manakin, Masked Tityra, Mangrove Vireo, Yellow-winged Tanager, Red-throated Ant-Tanager, Red-legged Honeycreeper, Yellow-throated Euphonia, Blue Bunting, Black-headed Saltator, Green-backed Sparrows, and Montezuma Oropendola.  A long list.   

The best bird at Lamanai was not a new bird for me, but the view that we had of a pair of Jabiru Storks was unforgettable.  As the sun was going down, we were sitting quitely in our boat with our guide when we spotted the first Jabiru flying across the Lagoon from the south.

jabiru

It landed in a very large tree on the west bank, quite a distance from us.  The tree contained the nest that this pair of Jabirus has been using for the past 14 years.  As the sun was setting, the second Jabiru joined its mate atop the nest and the two of them preened in a stately manner.  The storks are 5 feet tall and have an 8-foot wingspan. 

Black Howler Monkeys were abundant at Lamanai.  They made their presence in the tree tops very evident by persistently roaring challenges to other groups of Howlers.  Howler monkeys don’t howl; they roar.  The sound is very much like that of the lions we heard roaring at night when we were in Botswana a couple of years ago.    It is difficult to believe that such volume could come from these 40-50 pound monkeys.  They would be frightening but for the knowledge that there are no lions in Belize and the Monkeys stay up in their trees.  Often their howling could be heard during the night or in the early morning hours as well as during the day.  The quiet Spider Monkeys were more acrobatic, or at least more inclined to display their acrobatic talents in leaping great distances from one tree top to another. 

On day 2 we explored the Mayan temples at Lamanai.  These structures, some dating back over 2,000 years, were redicscovered a century or two ago.  Much excavation has taken place over the years to reveal the original architecture and art and to recover what might remain of the artifacts. 

mayan-ruins

Lamanai was an important trading post for the Mayans as it was located near the major lagoon that connected to the Caribbean and the eastern shore line of Central America.  Excavation and restoration has slowed in the past few years because of cutbacks in funding.  Nevertheless, this old Mayan city remains a big draw for tourists in Belize.  We saw far more people there than anywhere else that we traveled (except the airport).  Fortunately, the Lodge arranges for its guests to be guided through the ruins early in the morning, before it opens to the general public and the crowds arrive.  When I say crowds, I don’t mean crushing numbers.  Just groups of people, usually in the company of a guide explaining the history of Lamani.  It was pleasant to be there early  in order hear your own guide and take your time as your small group (7 of us) sees fit. 

After lunch on our last day at Lamanai we were met by a driver provided by our next Lodge, Chan Chich.  The drive was pretty bad.  It took over 3 hours to go about 60 miles to Chan Chich.  The roads were very rough and dusty and the vehicle was hot.  Our driver had the unfortunate attribute of talking very loudly and nearly non-stop.  My ears were ringing, among other maladies, by the time we arrived at Chan Chich. 

I highly recommend Lamanai Outpost for those interested in the combination of excellent birding and fascinating Mayan history and ruins.  The lodging and food are both good.  In the next installment I will summarize our experiences and impressions of Chan Chich.

A Rare North American Barnacle Goose

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A national rare-bird hotline has been reporting a number of sightings of Barnacle Geese in various parts of northern New England.  This seems to be a big year there for Barnacle Geese, which are seldom seen in North America.  Barbara and I flew to Boston last week to seek and photograph one.  But first, we took advantage of our proximity to Boston’s Symphony Hall to hear the Boston Symphony’s Saturday night performance of compositions by Bach, Adams, Prokofiev and Bartok.  Symphony Hall was constructed more than 100 years ago in central Boston.  It  still claims a ranking as the best acoustical venue for orchestral and symphonic music in the United States, and third in the world.  The sounds we heard justify the claim.  But just as impressive as the Boston Symphony and the music it produces, is the building itself.  If any of you ever get a chance to spend time in Boston you should see Symphony Hall, even if there is no performance in process.  The building and its interior are worth a visit.  If there happens to be a performance and Bartok is on the program that day you might want to skip that, however. 

We stayed in Concord the first night and took the “T” back into downtown Boston for the performance.  As it was Halloween, the train was filled with costumed revelers, probably from the various colleges and universities which line the route.  For $2, you can’t beat the ride and the convenience.  The party atmosphere added to the ambiance. 

The next morning we drove a very short distance from Concord in search of the Barnacle Goose being seen at the Prison Fields near Concord.  It was not long until Barbara spotted one among a large flock of Canada Geese (my North American Life Bird # 690). 

barnacle-goose

So now we could come home, right?  Not so fast.  In addition to the Goose, there had been some reports of another rarity being seen on Plum Island, an hour or so drive north of Concord.  After viewing and photographing the Barnacle Goose, we drove to Plum Island.  It was a beautiful drive.  The fall colors  north of Boston are far more vivid than they are here in Iowa and there was a surprising amount of foliage remaining in the trees. 

Plum Island is a barrier island but with considerably more vegetation than we have been accustomed to during our many sojourns on Padre Island.  The north wind became very fierce, driving fine sand as we spent several hours tromping around the beach and wetlands in search of  our second rarity, a Curlew Sandpiper. 

plum-island

We gave up (wore out) and headed back up the island for a late lunch at a small, local diner.  Our efforts to find the Curlew Sandpiper continued the next day, with somewhat more tolerable weather, but again without success.  This Herring gull flew by with a closed clam which it dropped on a rock.  The shell broke, and the gull consumed the contents.  

herring-gull

We then drove to Gloucester in search of another possible lifer mentioned by a helpful birder we met at Plum Island.  This bird, the Purple Sandpiper, although not rare in the east in winter, has eluded me for years.  It still eluded me, but the afternoon spent on the rocks at Haddock State Park near Gloucester, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, was most enjoyable. 

gloucester

We were treated to a close-up view of 3 first-of-winter Snow Buntings, lazing about on the rocks, but they flew away before Barbara could get a picture.  

Gloucester was first settled in the early 1600s.  It is the oldest seaport in the United States.  It has a somewhat down-at-heel appearance these days.

India Trip – Part 5

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Friday, February 5  Ready to go to the airport at 6:00. Flight was late, but we had extra time in Delhi before going on to Amritsar. We arrived in Amritsar about 30 minutes late and there was no one there to meet us. Another guide called our hotel for us and we were told the car would be there in 10 minutes. When they arrived, the young woman said she was late due to traffic, but the lady at the hotel said they were late because the flight is always late and they didn’t think we would be there so soon. This was our first and only hitch with AK. It was getting late in the afternoon, and they did not want to take us anywhere because no guide was available. After a bit of discussion, they arranged for our driver, Sam, to take us to the Wagah Border with Pakistan to see the daily evening closing ceremony. [Normally drivers are not given that much responsibility without a guide present]. It was such an event! There was big cheering on both the India and Pakistan sides. “Long live Hindustan” and “Long live Pakistan” rang out from the crowds in support of their respective countries. It was very ceremonial and quite pointless, with soldiers in fancy dress strutting up and down the road to the border crossing to embellish the closing of the gate for the night.

Changing of the Guard at the Wagah Border between India and Pakistan

border

It reminded us of the Ministry of Silly Walks. We were very glad that we had insisted on coming here tonight. Back for dinner at our hotel. The food was not very good, but we enjoyed the company of a couple from Switzerland, the only other guests at the hotel that night. At 9:00 p.m., our guide, who had been previously occupied during the day, showed up to take us to the night ceremony at the Golden Temple of the Sikhs. What a gorgeous sight, especially at night.

golden-temple

Saturday, February 6  Back in the morning with our Amritsar guide to see the Golden Temple by daylight. It is our first cloudy day, but still nice. We entered the Temple area after leaving our shoes and socks and washing our feet in the shallow foot bath in front of the entrance to the Temple area. This is the holiest of Sikh shrines. It was amazing to see the 24-hour kitchen which feeds 30,000 people, for free, every day. All work is done by volunteers.

volunteers

We went into the Temple to see a priest reading from the huge, Sacred Book. Many Sikhs were in prayer. The Temple is even more beautiful inside than out, but no photos are allowed. We finished our tour of the area by seeing the “bed” where the smaller holy book stays throughout the day. We walked through some old city streets to see the memorial park where the British fired 1600 rounds at a gathered crowd 100 years or so ago, killing and wounding many, and abandoning them where they lay. Back to check out from our hotel and on to the airport. This was our least favorite hotel. It is a very old eclectic place featuring aromatherapy, and not much else, for the guests. It is probably cleaner than it seems but just not our style. We were dropped off at the airport. Another glitch: our tickets were not changed to show we were leaving Amritsar for Delhi today instead of tomorrow. Fortunately, the airline representative was able to finally change our tickets, and we were on our way. We were met at the Delhi Airport by our AK representative and taken to the Delhi Oberoi Hotel. We drove though Embassy Row on our way. Lots of parks and green space. This is a very nice hotel and a welcoming complimentary bottle of wine awaited us, (Delhi is a bit more cosmopolitan than the other places we have been). We enjoyed a very nice Italian dinner at the Italian restaurant in the Hotel: gnocchi with walnuts and raddicio, chocolate lava cake for dessert.

Sunday, February 7  We started early. Our guide, Jaibir, took us to see both old and new Delhi on a whirlwind tour. We started in Old Delhi by seeing the Red Fort built by Shah Jahan. It is a large area of mostly red sandstone.

red-fort-delhi

Then to Jama Masjid which is still the largest mosque in Asia. All women get a large cover to wear.

mosque

We took a very fun ride in a rickshaw through the narrow streets of Old Delhi.  On we go to the park where Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes are buried. Next stop is Humayun’s Tomb, which was built by Humayan’s wife in his honor. Red Sandstone and white marble. Lots and lots of school boys are there for a cultural field day. We take a drive by the big, beautiful area of the President’s house and other very large government buildings leading to India Gate, built to commemorate those Indian soldiers who died in World War I.

india-gate

The last stop is in South Delhi to see the Qutb Complex, begun in 1193. The minar is 250 feet high with intricate carvings. Buildings around it have carvings similar to those at Khajaraho. The iron pillar in the court yard is from the 4th century.

qatb

Last stop is Lakshmi Narayan Mandir, a newer, yet ornate Hindu Temple. Even a nice shop next door to where we left our shoes. Back to the hotel for Barbara to pack up and rest. We had a light supper after such a big lunch. Nasheef, the AK representative, was very helpful at the airport. There was a very long line at the passport check, but all went fine, with plenty of time.

Monday, February 8  The flight actually left Delhi this morning at 2:00 a.m. All went well. There was plenty of time in Amsterdam, then on to Detroit. Many hours of sitting. Since Barbara had not checked luggage, she got through passport check and customs and security very quickly. She arrived home safely to be greeted at the airport by Melanie. Upon arriving home she enjoyed a big glass of water from the tap.

I stayed on in Delhi to meet the birding group with which I would spend the next 3 weeks in India.  I will be posting the results of that trip, with far more emphasis on the birds and with far less detail, than has gone into the preceding report.

India Trip Report – Part 4

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Several weeks have passed since I posted the third installment of our report of our trip to India earlier this year .  Here is the fourth installment. 

Friday, January 29   One last look at the Taj Mahal from our balcony at the Oberoi. Then off by road and driver, Badel, to the deserted fortress at Fatehpur City, “City of Victory”. Built of red sandstone by Mughal Emperor Akbar for his three wives (one Muslim, one Hindu, and one Christian) and (far more numerous) harem, the biggest space by far was for the Hindu wife who finally bore him a son. We stopped in Bahratpur for lunch on the veranda of a hotel, and then went birding along a filthy canal with the AK representative who met us there, knowing I was interested in birds. We enjoyed the train ride of about 4 hours from Bharatpur to our second Tiger Preserve, Ranthambore, south of Bharatpur in the State of Rajesthan. The first-class car in which we rode was very nice, but the other cars were greatly overloaded with passengers. We were instructed to get off at the 5th stop, a village near Ranthambore, but it wasn’t clear how many of what we experienced along the way were “stops”. The porter, however, took very good care of us and two  other American couples traveling on their own to the same destination. Late evening we arrive at the Oberoi Vanyavilas just outside Ranthambore. Oh my!! Such a fabulous place. Who could ever think that 3 nights in a “tent” could be so luxurious. It is like having our own house, with a few upgrades. (We later read in some travel literature that this hotel was rated number 2 in the world by Travel and Leisure Magazine). Dinner was served in an outdoor courtyard with a big fire pit in the middle. Tonight is full moon, clearly seen above the courtyard, together with Orion. It is like being in a fantasy world. 

tent

Saturday, January 30   Tea and cookies are served in the lobby to tide us over the early morning game drive into the park. We start out at 6:15 with our Ranthambore guide, Najeef. He is a friend of Jagat, who was our guide at Bandhavgarh, and he is exuberantly proclaiming that he is a much better guide than Jagat. The morning drive does not produce a tiger, but many birds, spotted deer, Sambahr and Nilgai.

nilgai

Back for a yummy breakfast of French Toast filled with ham and cheese and topped with maple syrup and whipped cream. Out again in the afternoon, but still no tiger. I did not go on this game drive (the “roads” in the park are rough) because my back and knee were both giving me a lot of pain. I enjoyed a quiet afternoon strolling around the grounds and finding a goodly number of new birds.  We had another lovely dinner in the outdoor courtyard and retired early. 

Sunday, January 31   Dawn arrives with another beautiful day. Tea and cookies were served and then we were off to a different part of the park. We saw a really big, beautiful tiger right up close. He was moving quickly, so Barbara did not get a picture, but it was a scene that we will both always have in our minds. We also saw gazelles, a mongoose, and 2 golden jackals. A good morning!

golden-jackal

Relaxing time after breakfast and a shower. The afternoon game drive was another success with another tiger, this time a sleeping tigress. Such a beautiful animal! Back at the hotel we checked our email while having a “Manhattan”, which we concluded had been made from Scotch and Dry Vermouth, although we were assured the bartender really knew how to make Manhattans. We enjoyed another nice dinner in the courtyard and an early retirement. 

Monday, February 1   Up early for our last game drive. In addition to us, there was an Indian couple and two “buddies” of Najeef’s in the jeep. Crowded, and not as much fun as the other drives. No tiger. But this Plum-headed Parakeet will do.  

parakeet

After breakfast and showers, we were off on the road to Jaipur with Badel at the wheel. It was hard to leave the Oberoi Vanyavillas-a fabulous place. We drove through many more poor villages, differing somewhat from our experience to the east of Rajesthan in being drier, more desert-like, with lots of camels, farm tractors and home-made vehicles. The women were busy, hard in farming, while many of the men were sitting around visiting with each other or playing some sort of dice game.

On the road to Jaipur.

on-the-road

We arrived in Jaipur and our Trident Hotel, checked in, and went over tomorrow’s itinerary with the Jaipur AK representative. We could see the Water Palace from our balcony, so we walked over to the lake for photos and birding, with a little begging from kids, but not bad.

water-palace

As Barbara sat on the balcony to write our trip journal, a Rhesus Macaque monkey jumped up on the railing, much to her chagrin. We have been warned that these little creatures can be dangerous because they have become accustomed to humans giving them handouts, and when one doesn’t they may become aggressive. 

Tuesday, February 2  After a nice breakfast we were taken to Amber Fort by Badel and our Jaipur guide, Davindar. He was a very good guide, knowledgeable, good English, personable. The Amber Fort was once the capital of the state of Jaipur, until 1728. It is very large with a combination of Mughal and Rajput styles with frescoes, carvings and mirrored décor.

amber-fort

We then stopped at a gem factory, and they showed us some beautiful stones in hopes that we would do some shopping. We went on to Deva Amer where we rode on an elephant through the wilderness area. We were a little nervous about it at first, but we both enjoyed the experience a lot.

elephant-ride

Nice lunch there. Back to the city to see Jantar Mantar, a fascinating outdoor observatory with large geometric structures for measuring time, celestial movements, etc. Then we moved on to City Palace to tour the museum and grounds. We stopped to take photos of Hawa Mahal, a red and pink sandstone façade built in 1789 for the women of the royal harem to look out one of the 953 small windows to see what was happening on the street below.

pink-facade

Our last stop was to look at carpets and textiles. Barbara chose a fabric and pattern at 5:00 to be made into a blouse, and they delivered it to our hotel at 7:00 as promised. It fit perfectly. This was a very busy but enjoyable day.

Wednesday, February 3  We got up at 4:40 to leave for the airport at 5:30 for our 7:00 flight to Udaipur. Everything went smoothly. The AK representative in Udaipur took us to the Trident Hotel. Our beautiful room was ready early, so we had a chance to have breakfast before leaving to tour the City Palace where the Maharana family still lives. It is a huge palace begun 400 years ago and still being enlarged..

palace

Then on to see the Crystal Gallery with the world’s largest collection of cut crystal. We stopped to see how miniature painting is done, but did not stay to see the “sales room”. We are getting a little tired of being “encouraged” to buy the local art. Back to the hotel for lunch and some rest before taking a boat ride on Lake Pichola to see the city from the lake. We stopped at an island palace where Mughal Shah Jahan, builder of the Taj Mahal, lived in exile from his father. Back to the hotel to walk around the beautiful grounds. So thirsty for a cold beer, but no alcohol is sold from January 31-February 4 due to elections.

Thursday, February 4  More relaxing start this morning. We walked through the Garden of the Maids of Honor. Peaceful gardens, no fountains going due to major drought. Then on to Jagdish Temple, built by Maharana Jagat Singh in 1651. No photos were allowed. We left our shoes and socks outside. We bought marigold strands to leave as an offering at the huge black stone image of Vishnu. There were two priests reading scripture, and two men playing a drum and an accordion-type instrument. Being in this active temple was quite a moving experience. Our guide, Vic, is a Hindu and gave prayers. He gave himself and us a “third eye” of sandstone and saffron. From there we drove out of town to the old temples dedicated to Shiva. They were similar to those at Khajaraho, but not as many. We drove through the beautiful old Aravalle Hills to the 18th century Divi Garh Fort Palace high above the valley. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch there at their very contemporary white dining room. From there back to the entrance gate, we rode on camels. They laid down for us to mount up, then we were advised to hang on tight as they awkwardly got up, back-end first, nearly pitching us off over their heads. Camel rides are much bumpier than elephant rides, but a treat nonetheless. Back at the hotel we went birding and walking to the “sister hotel”, the Oberoi, and back.

camel-ride

India 2010-Part 3

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Monday, January 25

We had a leisurely morning in Khajaraho , no rush to get ready. After breakfast we walked around the beautiful grounds and gardens of the Lalit Temple View Hotel.  It occurs to us that labor is really cheap; many people work at keeping the grounds looking nice, using their hands only, no tools, to remove objectionable grass and weeds.  On to the airport at noon for our flight to Varanasi.  We are happy the flight is on time and going, since it has been cancelled the past 2 days due to fog.
 
Varanasi is a bigger city of 2.8 million. The traffic is amazing with cars, bikes, motorcycles, rickshaws, tuk tuks, pedestrians, and cattle, all seemingly milling about the roads with no fixed destination. We are staying at the Taj Gateway Hotel. It is an old, large hotel with a very nice lobby and rooms. Late this afternoon our guide, Jai, came to get us at the hotel and with Raj, our driver, we drove toward the Ganges River. We got out of the car and walked a few blocks through the old market area, absolutely packed with people. 
 
Varanasi Street Scene
 
 
varanasi-crowds
 
We walked down the steps of the main Ghat to board a row boat which took us to the ghat where they were cremating about 20 people, each on a separate pyre. The sight, smell and sound was a bit overwhelming. After lighting a candle, making a wish (prayer) and floating it on the River, (being careful not to touch the water) we went back to the main Ghat to see and sit beside the 7 Hindu priests conducting a prayer (“Aarti”) to Mother River, with incense, fire and fans.
 
 
aarti-2
 
 
It was loud, colorful and long; quite a sight. Back to the hotel for a late dinner, mentally and emotionally exhausted from what we had just experienced.
 
Tuesday, January 26
 
Today is Republic Day in India. It is one of their really big holidays, celebrating the independence of India from the British. For us, 4th of July would be the closest approximation. It is also a day of extraordinary security precautions at all Hindu temples and public places for fear of terrorist acts by Pakistani Muslim Fundamentalists. We arise early to go back to the Dashashwamedh Ghat to take a row boat the other direction, where we see Hindus worshipping and bathing in the river.  The weather is cool and foggy. We disembark, walk along the river bank, buy tea (chai) from a vendor, drink it from little clay cups, and then head back.
 
 
chai
 
Numbers of people line the banks washing clothes in the river and beating them on the rocks along the side. They work very hard. We walked through alleys of the Old City with little shrines tucked in every few yards.
 
 
varanasi-temple
 
Barbara felt a little sick seeing even more poverty and awful living conditions. We walked on to see the Varanasi Golden Temple from outside its walls. Security is everywhere because of the holiday and Muslim bombings in the past. We had to check absolutely everything but our clothes and leave Jai to watch it before going near the Golden Temple.
 
Jai, who is a lawyer by education but makes his living as a guide, wanted to show us the University, so we drove through the campus on our way back to the hotel for a shower and breakfast. Early this afternoon Jai escorted us to the close-by city of Sarnath. This is where Buddha delivered his first sermon, under the Bo Tree. Sarnath is as sacred to Buddhists, who are now a small minority in India, as Varanasi is to the Hindus. It is surprising that so much has survived the various sackings it has undergone throughout the past 20 or 30 centuries. We walked around the ruins and through the Museum, which was very impressive, with its artifacts of Buddhism, some quite beautiful, dating back some 2,000 to 3,000 years. The Ashoka Pillar with 4 lions is the national emblem of India.
 
 
sarnath
 
Going off itinerary, Jai asked if we would like to visit a true Indian neighborhood, and we readily agreed. He took us to a little village where a number of the people specialize in the making of the little clay cups like we used for our tea at the Varanasi Ghat. The family we went to visit (Jai was well known to them) was very nice, and the kids enjoyed seeing their pictures on Barbara’s camera. The older lady invited us into her house. The kitchen had no light and the fuel for cooking was cow dung. The floors were dirt. There was a wooden shelf with a black and white television set and a DVD player. There were several small sleeping rooms.
 
Next stop was Bharat Mata-Mother India. It was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi and features a huge, floor mounted, marble relief map of the whole Indian sub-continent and bordering areas. Then on to a “quick” stop at Silk Ways to purchase a table cloth and 4 pillow covers. Back to the hotel. We really enjoyed Jai. He was friendly, spoke very good English, was very knowledgeable about many things and we felt that he really enjoyed working with us. He told us a lot about his own life and his family, which we found very interesting.
 
Wednesday, January 27
 
No alarm clock was set for this morning. We slept until 6:30. News reports show the worst fog in Delhi in 7 years. We worried about our flight there to connect with our road drive to Agra this afternoon. Seeing the Taj Mahal is an absolute must. We walked around the hotel grounds in the morning and then got a call from our local AK representative that our flight was not cancelled, but delayed an hour. Yipppeee! AK rep. Amid met us once again at the Delhi Airport and sent us on to Agra with our new driver, Badel. It seemed to take forever to get out of Delhi traffic, partly because our driver was not as aggressive in traffic as our prior drivers had been, and we think he got lost a couple of times. Then we stopped half way so he could take a break. We finally arrived at our Agra hotel, the Oberoi Armavilas, about 11:00 p.m. What a place! Everything about it is fantastic. We are on the 4th floor with what should be a perfect view of the Taj Mahal when we get up tomorrow morning.
 
Thursday, January 28
 
Dense fog greeted us once more this morning. We can only see a faint outline of the Taj.  After a very good breakfast, we now can see it from our balcony. Such a sight!
 
 
taj-mahal-4
 
The Hotel provided a golf cart and our Agra guide, Gupta, came to the Hotel and took us over to the Taj which is very close to the Hotel. As we walked through the main entry way and the Taj came into view, Barbara’s eyes filled with tears.  She was overwhelmed with its beauty and the fact that she was actually seeing it in person. The Taj was built by Shah Jahan in honor of his most beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal.  Begun in 1631, it took 20,000 artisans and laborers to complete it by 1653.
 
 
taj-mahal-1
 
After a thorough tour, and many pictures, we went on to Agra Fort, another amazing structure, but made of red sandstone instead of white marble.  At the end of Shah Jahan’s life, he was imprisoned in this tower by his son, Aurangzeb.  From here he could see his Taj Mahal.
 
 
red-fort
 
Gupta is very good: knowledgeable, personable and helpful with the photography.  He could not believe that we knew John Shors.  His book, “Beneath the Marble Sky”, is very popular here.
 
We stopped during the afternoon at a very nice store where the 24th generation descendants of the Persian artisans brought to India by Shah Jahan to decorate the Taj Mahal, still ply their trade. We watched their meticulous labor for a while and then bought a marble table top inlaid with semi-precious stones. Then, back to the Oberoi for a late lunch and a short rest.
 
Early afternoon found us once again at the Taj Mahal basking in and reflecting the lovely late afternoon sunlight. The white marble and inlaid precious stones reflect the changing colors of the sky from sunrise to sunset.  The ever-changing shadows are beautiful. The engineering and craftsmanship are amazing.
 
 
taj-mahal-3
 
We return for “music” and “dancing” (not by us) by the pool at the hotel. We enjoyed dinner at the Hotel to the accompaniment of Sitar and Tabla music.

India 2010-Part 2

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A few days ago I told about  planning our trip to India and traveling there.     In Part 2 I will summarize our experiences during the first few days of our tour of northern India.

Wednesday, January 20

We arrived in New Delhi at 1:00 a.m. (12:30 p.m. on the 19th in Iowa), 51 hours after leaving our house. The AK representative, Amid, was there to meet us and take us to the Radisson. He was such a welcome sight and so helpful. This was supposed to be our day to tour Delhi, but because of the delays of our flights, we have postponed our Delhi sightseeing to the end of our trip.  After a very nice buffet breakfast at the Radisson, Amid and a driver took us to the airport to get our flight to Khajaraho. Our flight (on Jet Airways) was delayed, then cancelled due to fog. This fog is following us everywhere. We were rushed to the Kingfisher Airlines counter to get the last 2 seats on a flight leaving in 2 minutes. We sped through security, through the gates and onto a transporter to our plane.  Then we sat while the airport closed for one hour due to the fog. We were served lunch, and then waited some more. Finally, the plane took off for Khajaraho, with an intermediate stop in Varanasi. After arriving in Khajaraho 2 hours late, we were met by Ashok (the local AK representative) and Laksman (the driver) and taken to the Lalit Temple View Hotel. We were then met by our Khajaraho guide who took us on a tour of the Western and Eastern Temples. What a spectacular sight!

khajaraho-temple-1

Eighty five temples (twenty two remain) were built during the reign of the Chandella kings between 950-1050 AD.  The Indo-Aryan architecture is adorned with erotic carvings capturing life in all forms.

khajaraho-temple-2

Thursday, January 21 
 
We rose early again, but what a treat because after we got ready for the day, we opened our
draperies and saw the Western Temples glowing in the morning sunshine above the pool atour hotel (hence the name, “Lalit Temple View Hotel”). We grabbed our coats and camera and went outside to enjoy the beautiful morning with no fog. Hurray!!

lalit-hotel

Breakfast at the Hotel, then off with the car to drive to Bandhavgarh National Tiger Preserve. This was a real eye-opening (6 hour) road trip. The roads are awful, and the driving was crazy, but our driver seemed very good. Town after town and village after village lining the “road”, nothing but people who just barely subsist. We saw many people carrying wood on their heads to use for cooking or heating. No running water; no electricity, village pumps for water. Children going to school, mostly in bright, neat uniforms. Most men seemingly doing nothing. Women working very hard and all dressed in colorful wraps (saris) and scarves. Cattle everywhere, some being herded, most wandering freely, including in the middle of the road and along all the streets. Everyone is thin and all the boys and men have nice haircuts. We have never seen so many bicycles and motorcycles, many with up to 4 persons on board.

street-scene-1

We arrived at the Tiger’s Den at Bandhavgarh in time for lunch and to drop our stuff in our room. On to our first game drive. We did not see a tiger, but we did see lots of spotted deer, several sambhar, wild boars, barking deer, common langurs, rhesus macaques and one jungle cat. We also saw several birds including this  Stork-billed Kingfisher. Back for dinner and off to bed.

stork-billed-kingfisher

Friday, January 22
They brought coffee (Nescafe) and cookies to our room at 5:30 a.m. so we could be ready for our morning drive at 6:15. We did not see a tiger this morning, but it was nice to see the area. It is very cold here for this time of year, frost appearing on the ground. Back to the Den for a late breakfast. Out again for the afternoon drive at 2:15 p.m. Yeahhh!!! A Tiger. He is a 3-year old male lying in grass in the shade of a small tree. The lighting is not good for photography, but at least we got to see him. He rolled over, yawned, and went back to sleep. He was much bigger than we expected. We also saw more birds including many peacocks, the national bird of India, and a monitor lizard hibernating in the crevice of a tree. It has been a very successful day. 

peacock

Saturday, January 23
We were up early after Barbara’s first night of sleeping all the way through. Coffee and cookies arrived promptly at 5:30 and we were out on our morning game drive by 6:15, but no tigers this morning. The other vehicle from our camp saw one up close and got great photos. The afternoon drive was quite uneventful until the last minute when Jagat heard of a tiger spotting. Lots of jeeps were there watching the same tiger as the day before, named Kahula. He walked toward us following the elephants. He stopped laid down, rolled around and then settled down. WOW!!! A good day, after all. 

tiger

Sunday, January 24
Instead of going on another game drive, we went to the Red Fort. It was such a nice morning and there was only one other vehicle there. We could see, at a great distance down on the plain, a tigress with 3 cubs, behind some trees along Route A. It was a little hazy but we could see a long way in every direction. We visited a temple with a priest. Saw a few Malabar Hornbills.

malabar-hornbill

Back for breakfast and an early lunch before driving back to Khajaraho through all the town and villages.  Near Satna we saw a parade of Jain priests and followers walking on (clogging) the road. Each priest was totally naked, in keeping with Jain tradition, and accompanied by a group of 20 or so followers, many wearing white robes. We learned from our AK representative on the trip that the Jain priests never ride in or on anything, but walk wherever they go. He thought they might be heading for some seminar or similar gathering. Finally back in Khajaraho, we checked in at the Lalit Temple View Hotel again and then walked down town for supper at a local restaurant, the “Raj”.  In India, we drank only bottled water, with no ice, so it was a very pleasant surprise to discover the local “Kingfisher” beer which is quite good and was usually cold. Even though Khajaraho is a relatively small village, the streets, as always, were crowded with walkers, bikers, cows and water buffalo, but we never felt uncomfortable except in trying to avoid stepping in chuck-holes and cow pies in the quite dark street. On our walk back to the hotel we were impressed by how dark India towns are at night. Most of the lighting that was on consisted of kerosene lamps or gas lanterns. Our flashlight is a necessity.