China
17 - 27 October

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We arrived at Beijing Airport on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 16th. In our list of superlatives, I think that this airport will have to be the largest one that we’ve seen. It’s also new, modern and spotlessly clean. As per our usual procedure, we met our guide at the baggage exit, and our driver was waiting in the parking garage with the car. We were delivered to the Renaissance Hotel, a 5 star establishment near the center of the town. We spent the remainder of the afternoon resting and had Peking duck for dinner, known as roasted duck here.

Forbidden City Palace

17-19 OCT Beijing

Our first day of sightseeing was spent mostly in the Forbidden City. It’s truly a huge complex of palaces and buildings that were used by the Chinese Emperors from the early 1400’s up until the revolution in the early 20th century. Also on the agenda and in the same vicinity was Tiananmen Square, which is vast. We had lunch at a restaurant in an older neighborhood, specializing in Hunan food. As we surveyed the menu, Dave’s eye caught a menu item that truly freaked Renee out. It was ‘caterpillar fungus’. Now, we’re not sure if this means fungus grown on caterpillars or a fungus looking like a caterpillar, but we didn’t feel the need to investigate the issue further. Dave opted for a chicken dish, and Renee went vegetarian with mushrooms and walnuts (interesting pairing, there).

18 OCT Great Wall

Today was one of those landmark days when you’re just so fully aware of where you are and how special it is. We left the city for a visit to the Great Wall. We drove for about an hour and a half and took the cable car up to the top of the mountain. From there, the wall stretched to the right and left. We walked up and down the wall steps and paths for about 2 ½ hours, going from guard post to guard post. Each time we reached a new post, a new vista opened up that was a bit different from the last one. All in all, it was a truly memorable experience for us. Lunch today was at a trout restaurant. The fish was delicious as was a chicken entrée and an eggplant dish.

The Great Wall

From Ancient Engineering Feats to Modern Ones

Upon returning to the city, we visited the site of the 2008 Olympics. We saw the Water Cube and the Bird’s Nest. Both are such immense structures. We should probably point out that China has become a playground for some of the leading architects of the world. Some of their designs are controversial, but all are unique. We have seen some really interesting building designs here in this megalopolis.

Beijing is an extremely large, sprawling city. Other than Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, we’re not sure there is any real downtown area. Old neighborhoods are being replaced with towering apartment and office buildings. When you drive on an expressway, all you can see are these huge structures. It isn’t until you actually leave the expressway that you can see shops and restaurants and other accoutrements that resemble ersatz neighborhoods. The roads are in good shape; traffic is bad, but not so bad considering that about 20 million people live here and most have cars, now. When there is no breeze, the pollution hangs like white fog in the air. Automobiles contribute to the pollution, but we heard there is widespread use of coal in the power plants, which is also a major factor.

We finished up our tour of Beijing with a tour of the Summer Palace and boat ride on the lake adjoining the palace. The atmosphere was so hazy that good photos were impossible. We then went back to the older section of town and took a rickshaw ride in a traditional neighborhood called a ‘hutong’ and had lunch in a traditional Beijing restaurant. Later in the afternoon, we transferred to the airport for an early evening flight to Xian.

20-21 OCT Xi An

We had hoped the air in Xian would be a little cleaner since it’s a smaller city, only 8 million. It actually seems worse; the visibility is very bad. We started our day with a trip to the old city walls (600 years old). We rode bikes around the top of the walls. From there, we could look down and see the garden area surrounding the walls and the moat that’s part of the old city’s defenses. Xian was the beginning of the Silk Road in ancient times. Military and merchants set out from here with porcelain, silk, paper and other precious goods for trade in the west. At one point, they reached all the way to the Mediterranean.

Also in the gardens below were people doing early morning tai chi exercises. Everywhere we’ve been in the mornings, we’ve seen many groups of people doing the same. There is always music playing, and they are always holding something. Some hold paddles with balls and balance them in a way that when their arms move gracefully in all directions, the balls don’t fall off the paddles. Others use flags or scarves. It looks like a very gentle and graceful way to exercise.

Later, we saw a site that should be declared another wonder of the world—the Terracotta Army. The archeological site is divided into 3 pits, each with a building constructed over it. We went to Pit #1 first. It is the largest and most complete reconstruction that exists. When you look down into the pit area, a whole army of terracotta soldiers is looking back at you, all facing forward. As you peruse the faces, you notice that each is different and unique. This army is composed of the front line infantry soldiers. There are also horses and the remains of the chariots. When the emperor died, he was buried near here, and the purpose of the clay army was to defend him in death. While a farmer was digging a well in the 1970’s, he discovered the first clay head of a soldier. It was a few years later before he reported the discovery and excavations began. (Today, this farmer sits in the gift shop, shaking hands.)

We also toured the other pits. The armies there were arranged differently. In one, they were arranged ceremoniously. In another, there were archers and other soldiers, ones that would have been in the rear guard. This remarkable place is truly awesome and so worth seeing. Just comprehending the scope of the excavations takes some doing. Excavations and reconstruction are still taking place and will be for some time. Some areas are still covered over with dirt, because the original soldiers were painted in different colors. Once the pit sections are opened, exposure to the air fades the paint.

On the way back to town, there were many fruit sellers along the side of the road. They were all selling 2 items—persimmons and pomegranates. As we looked beyond the vendors, we noticed many persimmon trees laden with ripe fruit and in their midst, pomegranate bushes filled with fruit. This harvest is quite bountiful!

We rounded out the day with a dinner theatre performance. Dinner was composed of a specialty of this area—dumplings. All kinds of steamed dumplings were presented: chicken, pork, shrimp, fish, vegetable, scallops, and others. After the meal, we enjoyed a classical orchestral and dance performance. The music was written many centuries ago and has been performed ever since. For a dinner theatre, the quality of the performance was very high.

We started our second day in Xi An with a stroll down the streets of the Moslem quarter. For centuries, this city was the eastern point of the Silk Road trade route to the Middle East. Moslem Arabs made their way to this Chinese city and married Chinese. The result is Chinese Moslems living in a city neighborhood. They have preserved the Moslem way of life with hallal meat shops, fruit stands, shops and restaurants. There were stands upon stands of dates, pomegranates, walnuts, and many other things. It was fun to walk here and see the way of life in this area.

Before going to the airport for our flight to Cheng Du, we also visited the Wild Goose Pagoda (formerly a Buddhist temple) and toured a beautiful history museum. History in this city goes back to the bronze age, so there are many antiquities on display from the Bronze Period up until the Tang Dynasty in the 7th or 8th century. Next, we experienced the first real glitch on the trip. There had been a schedule change and our flight to Cheng Du had left 2 hours prior to the time we got to the airport to check in. As I write this, we are waiting for a very late flight, hoping to still arrive in Cheng Du in time for some sleep before our day begins tomorrow.

22-23 OCT Cheng Du Pandas, Pandas, Pandas!

Today was a special day. We were driven to the Cheng Du Panda Research Base where we spent the day as volunteers. We fed the pandas pieces of apples, cleaned their cages, then fed them more apples and panda cakes. Panda cakes are made daily of grains, milk powder, vitamins and minerals. The pandas love them and eat every crumb. They spend the night in secure indoor cages, but, during the day, they have outdoor enclosures where they can play, eat bamboo and sleep.

Pandas at Chengdu Research Center

There is a very active breeding program here to try to increase panda numbers. In the wild, at their lowest point, the numbers had decreased to about 1600. Today, it has increased to 2000. The reasons for the decline are the same that we have found all over the world—loss of habitat due to deforestation and increasing human numbers. When the pandas reach about 5 or 6 years of age, they are sent back to the forests to live and breed on their own. This facility is also the place where pandas are lent out to zoos worldwide. Any offspring produced are sent back to China. We toured other areas of the base, including the nursery, where several babies about 2 months old were sleeping in a crib. The panda base is a pleasant place for the pandas, as well as an interesting place for people to be educated and enjoy seeing the pandas. As we were able to have an up close experience with the pandas, we can say that they are such sweet, gentle animals, truly as precious as the stuffed toys we see for sale.

24-26 OCT Guilin

Well, we’re in Guilin, now. This city is smaller than the others we’ve visited. It’s famous for its scenery. Today, our visit consisted of Elephant Trunk Hill and the Reed Flute Cave. The Elephant Trunk Hill is a natural land bridge formation that connects to the river. Locals named it so because they thought it looked like an elephant with its trunk in the water drinking. It is very scenic and was made more so by the cormorant fishermen. The fishermen have 2 cormorants that are trained to dive into the water and bring up fish. (This feat is what they do naturally, except they eat the fish.) The training involves giving the fish to the fishermen instead of eating them. Hopefully, they get to keep some for themselves! The cave is a large limestone structure with lots of stalactites and stalagmites. Very pretty!

In the afternoon, we drove to the rice terraces where we spent the night in a charming Chinese lodge at the top of the mountain. The terraces, where rice is farmed, surrounded the lodge. We drove to a parking lot and finished the trip to the lodge on foot up the mountain for about 30-40 minutes. As we arrived, the clouds totally obscured our view. It felt like a wasted trip, considering the road we traveled snaking up the mountains and the uphill climb. But, after we settled in at the lodge, the clouds magically parted to reveal the stunning landscape. It was amazing! Rice terraces were visible in all directions as far as one could see. The rice had already been harvested, so the colors weren’t as vividly green or gold as they would have been a few weeks ago. We spent the night at the lodge and the next morning hiked for a couple of hours along the hillside and rice fields to enjoy the panoramic views.

After returning to Guilin, we strolled through the walking street and downtown park. The next another morning, we boarded a boat for a cruise down the Li River, another highlight of this region. The cruise is unique for the limestone mountains that rise dramatically on both sides of the river coupled with the bamboo growing on the banks, causing a uniquely beautiful oriental water scene. The cruise should have been all that I just described, but there were a few factors that made it fall short of expectations. First, the weather was heavily overcast, but nothing can be done about that. Second, the river level was so low, that instead of seeing the beauty of the water, there was only a small, shallow, barely navigable channel, the rest of the river presenting as gravel and sand. Next, this was such a popular tourist venue that there were so many boats in such a small area that it was impossible to photograph any scene without so many other boats in the photos.

We would have to make a few observations in summarizing our visit to China. First, we felt that there were many sights worth seeing here, and we have enjoyed them all. Secondly, from a tourist’s cursory observations, we have to think that the entire Asian economy (with a couple of exceptions) is growing at a very exceptional pace, much more so than western countries. There is an immense building campaign here, but, also, there are signs that maybe there is over building and a possible real estate bubble such as we had in our country a couple of years ago is beginning to materialize. Citizens ‘seem’ to enjoy the ability to travel, pursue careers, and live much as we do, but we don’t know what it is really like for them.

The tour guides are all very well versed in English, but seem very scripted. Once you deviate from the official tour language, there isn’t much to talk about, or they don’t understand what you’re saying. We did have a conversation with one person whose parents had another child after she was born. She was willing to say that her parents had to pay a big fine for having a second child; they violated China’s one child policy. We’ve observed parents with their children—most only do have one. But, we’ve seen little girls as well as little boys, and both seem equally well cared for and loved, so much so that they are overindulged. The children seem very spoiled to us. They kick and hit their parents, often putting their shoes in their parents’ faces. We’ve heard that because there is only one overindulged child, they don’t learn to share with others or socialize easily with other kids. We know that in the U.S., there is a growing issue with less people paying into social security and more people drawing it. The same thing could easily happen here.

One final thought as we jet off to Australia is this—I hope I never have to see another porcelain drain in the ground in a public restroom that has been labeled ‘toilet’ again.

Pictures: Due to the additional number of pictures we wanted to post for China, please view them at our photo website below.

E-MAIL: dcapouya@comcast.net
VISIT OUR PHOTO WEBSITE: http://reneecapouya.zenfolio.com

Mongolia
9 - 16 October

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10 OCT
After flying from Singapore to Beijing and spending the night at a hotel near the airport, we caught an early flight to Ulaanbaatar. Our driver and guide were there to meet us, and we set off on our new adventure, an 80 mile or so drive to Hustai National Park. Our guide is a very pleasant young woman named Mugu. She is a college student on break who is majoring in social work. Her English is very good.

Just how many shades of brown are there? Driving through the high Mongolian plateau to our first destination, we saw golden browns, beiges, buffs, tans, taupes, warm hues and cool ones, all blending and yet contrasting in the landscape. There were enough new earth tones to create a color palate of paint chips at the hardware store. There were many domestic animals—horses, cows, sheep, goats and horses. Mongolia is famous for its horses and horsemen.

We arrived at the park’s “ger” tourist camp in time for lunch. A ger is a round Mongolian felt tent in which the nomadic people live, and they also comprise the tourist camps. There are few hotels outside of the capital city. We were introduced to our ger, and the luggage was brought inside. It’s a comfortable tent with real furniture and a king size bed, just no bathroom. We’ll walk to the bathroom and showers. From inside the ger, we can hear the sheep, cows and horses roaming just outside. The land is unfenced for the most part, and the animals roam free.

A Success Story, We Think

In the late afternoon, we went for a game drive to try to see the famous wild horses of Hustai. The horses actually went extinct in the wild in the 1960’s. There were a few in zoos, however. Those horses, through a program, were bred and reintroduced back into their native habitat. They now number about 250 and are doing well here. The familiar name of the horse is the ‘takhi’. It is also known as the Przewalski horse. Their color is dun with dark markings on the legs, and they have a very short mane. The takhi is closely related to the zebra.

Wild Tahki "Przewalski" Horse

We set out in the vehicle and about 20 or 30 minutes later we spotted a small herd of 6 coming down the mountain to a water hole near us. We sat on the ground and watched and photographed the horses as they came closer to us. After awhile, a larger herd of about 8 came down to the water to drink. During the time we were watching the horses, a large herd of about 12 roe deer were on the crest of the mountain watching us. We hoped that they would follow the horses, and we could get a good look at them, but they were shy and veered off to another water spot farther from us.

NOTE:

Renee had previously filled out a questionnaire indicating that she was a vegetarian, because she was not comfortable with eating mystery meat that she knew would be served here in Mongolia. Apparently, the form was lost. We were all served the same 4 course lunch, the main course having meat (actually beef). But, during the conversation about meat, Mugu indicated that they eat all meats—sheep, goat, beef, horse, yak and ground hog. Of course, that made us feel better!

11 OCT
Today, we drove to another location called Karakorum. This area was the capital city of the Mongol Empire founded by Genghis Khan in the 1200’s. Not much is left now of the ruins, but there is a beautiful new museum that we visited that has artifacts and details the history from the Bronze Period onward.

After touring the museum, we visited a nearby monastery which was founded in 1586, making it the oldest one in the country. While there, one of the monks honored us by pouring a bowl of mare’s milk in a bowl and passing it around for us to share. Dave said it tasted like yoghurt and was thick; Renee wouldn’t actually know.

At the conclusion of the day’s touring, we went to our hotel. Most of the tourist ger camps, unknown to us at the time of booking, are closed for the season. So, we checked in at a local hotel. It was brand new, rather basic and spartan, but clean and neat. They weren’t going to turn on the central heating until the end of the month, so it was a bit chilly. The bathroom had small water heaters attached to the sink and the shower. The only problem was that no electrical outlet had been installed for the shower heater, so there was no hot shower that night.

12 OCT
Today, we drove to an area that featured sand dunes similar to the Gobi desert. The purpose of coming here was to ride a 2 humped (Bactrian) camel. As we were driving, it was raining a little, sleeting a little and snowing a little. We did ride the camels, but cut it short because the wimpy Americans didn’t want to be out in the bad weather.

After the ride, we visited the camel owner’s ger. He and his wife are true Mongolian nomads. They pack up their ger and move with the seasons. Right now, they are in their autumn camp. After the first major snow, they will pack up and move near a mountain, where they will receive the benefit of protection from the strong, cold winds that blow from Siberia. Renee thought she was off the hook when we were only offered some candy. But more treats were soon to follow. Next, was a bowl of camel’s milk that was passed around. Then came the real delicacy—a boiled sheep’s head, complete with the teeth still in it. The guide and driver were delighted and ate from the head. Dave tried it, too, having had to endure similar experiences in his military career. Renee’s excuse was a bad stomach (actually true). After the head, they had some soup that was boiling in a pot.


Interestingly, the ger has no windows, but sections of the top are left open for light and for the cooking fumes to escape. In the center of the ger under the opening is a metal stove that provides heat and cooking space. The fire is fed with dried dung from the animals. There is a raised platform bed on each side with room under for shoes and boots. There is a solar panel (yes, solar panel) outside that transfers energy to a battery that runs a light bulb and a TV. TV, you ask? Yes, there is a satellite dish outside, too. There are a couple of decorated chests that I think hold personal items. On top of one was a mirror and make up. The top of the other was home to a small Buddhist shrine. Water comes from a stream. As we were leaving, we noticed a goat tied up outside—tomorrow’s lunch!

We drove to our local hotel for the night. After seeing the room we were to be given and being informed that again there would be no heat and no hot shower, Renee brought up the idea of driving back to the capital to spend the night. It was just lunch time, and we would have the whole afternoon to make the drive where we could spend the night in a decent hotel. Both the guide and driver were amenable to the suggestion, so we did just that. We were there by 6:00PM, but the rush hour traffic meant that it took another hour and 15 minutes to reach the hotel.

13 OCT
After spending the night in a hotel that had hot showers, we toured the city to see the major sights (not too many). The architecture is a mixture of Soviet style buildings with some contemporary new glass office buildings. There’s a lot here that is reminiscent of a trip to Russia. Actually, for over 50 years Russia was an important part of Mongolia’s political life—they were a Communist country. Not just the architecture, but the buildings are painted the same colors that the Soviets used. Inside, there are the same decorative features. And, many of the buildings have the word palace attached to them, such as sports palace (an arena), wedding palace, etc. The state theatre looks similar to a copy of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. In 1991, when Eastern Europe rid itself of the Soviets, so did Mongolia. They are now a democracy.

We toured Parliament Square where there was heavy security, and the police were motioning to us to stay back a certain distance. We saw several large SUV’s parked in front of the building and watched as reporters, cameramen, and politicos in dark suits emerged. Among and between them was Angela Merkel, Germany’s Chancellor. Renee managed to snap some distant photos of her with her entourage.

After lunch, we drove to Terelj National Park, a popular destination for Mongolians and tourists. We had the tour company book one of the only two 5 star hotels in the country for us there, and we had read that it was designated as one of the finest small hotels in the world. After checking in, we were simply stunned to see our room—about the size of a closet with a double bed pushed up against the wall, so we went back to reception to get the room changed. That was not a problem, but a decent sized room required an upgrade for which we had to pay. That night we ordered dinner, and we would give it minus 5 stars, really pitiful! The attitude seems to be one of just not caring about service. May be a holdover from the Soviet era?
14 OCT
Today, we toured a bit of the park and saw the ‘stone turtle’ natural sculpture that tourists come here to see. We also visited a huge (over 100 feet tall) stainless steel statue of Chinngiss (Genghis, to us) Khan on horseback, finished last year. The building upon which it sits houses a new museum. This statue is massive, gleaming in the sun with a bright blue sky behind it. It is a source of great pride to Mongolians, who view Khan as their hero.

Upon returning to the hotel, we made the obligatory horse ride; thankfully, it was uneventful. Our dinner was a bit more interesting, however. We had our meal in the hotel where the guide and driver were staying (next door). When we walked into the dining room, there was a group of about 50 people from an office having a party. They were eating, drinking, laughing, making speeches on a microphone and singing songs together. It was a raucous party, but we actually had no idea what was going on. As this noisy group was finishing up (at the tables, but probably not for the night), in walked a silent sandal clad procession of priests, nuns and laymen from an Orthodox Christian church who quietly took their seats at a table laid out for them for dinner. The contrast between the 2 groups couldn’t have been more marked. This was definitely an event where people watching was an event. In the midst of all of this, a young boy entered stage left wearing a spiderman costume and parading around as if either looking for a parent or pretending to be playing spiderman. It seemed by now that we were viewing an existential play of some sort but missing the playwright’s message. Tomorrow, we leave here, spend the night in the capital, and catch a flight the next morning back to Beijing, to begin our tour there.

To summarize, Mongolia is vastly different from any other place we have visited. The terrain is similar to the American west, and the nomadic people live a life that we imagine to be very similar to the nomadic native Americans living in the 1700’s and 1800’s. As in our west, the horse is such an important animal.

More and more people, however, are moving to the capital, Ulaanbaatar, to be educated and to look for an easier lifestyle. The city is a busy hub of activity with many people and cars. Unemployment is low here, and we were told it’s because no outsiders are employed to work here, only Mongolians, who will do all of the jobs. Mongolia is a young democracy, and in spite of growing pains, seems to be doing okay.

Postscript
Dave’s blackberry stopped working after being in a rainstorm in Borneo. Mugu happened to mention that her fiancé had recently earned a master’s degree in IT, in Australia on scholarship. When Dave told her about the blackberry, she said she could give it him to see what he could do to fix it. Within 2 days he had opened the unit, found water had leaked inside, thoroughly cleaned it and put it back together. It now works! He didn’t want anything for his service, but we had to reward his kind efforts, anyway.

Pictures: Due to the additional number of pictures we wanted to post for Mongolia, please view them at our photo website below.

E-MAIL: dcapouya@comcast.net
VISIT OUR PHOTO WEBSITE: http://reneecapouya.zenfolio.com

Borneo

27 September - 8 October

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For about 42 years, Renee has wanted to travel to Borneo. Why, you might ask? In September of 1969, she flew over the island enroute to Australia for a vacation while working in Vietnam during the war. As the plane traversed the island at over 30,000 ft. altitude, she looked down upon a land that was heavily forested with occasional smoke coming from the ground and the mountains. It appeared to be a primeval wilderness, (probably complete with head hunters), that was begging to be explored by an adventurous traveler.

Shift now to the present. Borneo is a large island that belongs to 3 countries: Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, the latter country is where the ultra rich sultan lives in the lap of luxury. We’re in the Malaysian part of Borneo—the northern part, in a province called Sabah. Most of those forests are now gone, given over to agriculture. Palm oil plantations dominate the landscape and are an important part of the economy. The city of Kota Kinabalu, where we flew in from Singapore, is a modern city with modern buildings, modern cars and traffic jams, and the ultimate symbol of contemporary living—the indoor shopping mall. What a difference 40 years can make!

27-28 SEP

We flew into Kota Kinabalu and were met by a driver and van to take us to our resort. We didn’t realize that the resort was almost an hour drive from the city. We had booked Shangri La’s Rasa Ria Resort as a prelude to our safari, and it has to be one of the most gorgeous and beautiful resorts we’ve ever stayed in. Just when we thought it didn’t get any better than Singapore, there it was. The resort has its own 3 kilometers of beachfront, 2 pools, several restaurants and bars, our private hot tub spa on the balcony, and on and on. It even has a nature reserve with rescued juvenile orangutans that are cared for by trained staff. Luckily, we had 2 nights to enjoy this resort.

29 SEP

This morning we were met by the driver and our guide at the resort and transferred to the airport for a 50 minute flight to a town called Lahad Datu. The guide accompanied us on the flight and will be with us through the duration of the safari, the exception being that he doesn’t go with us to our island retreat at the end. We picked up a new driver in Lahad Datu, and together with the guide, headed out to the Danum Valley Conservation area. After 2 hours of driving, we reached the Borneo Rainforest Lodge and had a late lunch. As we were finishing lunch, we could hear thunder and the threat of rain. We were preparing to go to the room before getting caught in the rain when the lodge guide stopped us to say he had a surprise for us. The afternoon walk would have to be cancelled due to the impending rain, but we should go with him right now to see the surprise, which was at the end of the boardwalk. There in a tall tree was a huge male orangutan eating the leaves and fruits of the ficus tree. In addition to the orangutan, there was a family of rhinoceros hornbills eating the fruits, too. It was almost like the important animals we came here to see were in one tree together right as we arrived. We didn’t know for sure if we would be so lucky to see an orangutan in the wild; they are so endangered. And the hornbills are such spectacular birds, we felt lucky to see them, too. Of course the foliage and the huge size of the tree didn’t make photography easy, so we don’t have good photos, yet! But just seeing them through the binoculars was great.

"Abu"

30 SEP

Today’s highlight was a night walk where we were able to see and photograph a Western tarsier, a tiny, cuddly looking nocturnal primate. If you’ve ever seen a gremlin-like creature, this is it! It has huge brown eyes and long fingers and sits clinging to the tree. We also had a day hike, which was difficult to get through. First, the weather here takes heat and humidity to the ultimate level of discomfort. Neither of us have ever known anything this uncomfortable. We’ve had some really hot, humid weather on the trip, but this is unreal!

Tarsier Nocturnal Primate

Second, we’d known about the leeches before we came. They are inhabitants of the rain forests of Southeast Asia. Here in Borneo, there are 2 types: the ground leech which senses body heat or vibration (or both) and gets activated when you walk in the forest and then leap frogs onto your legs. Then there is the tiger leech, so called because it has stripes like a tiger. This species of leech hangs from leaves, and latches onto you if you come close to the leaf. They commonly suck blood from your neck or head, or wherever they want. The first thing we did was to buy leech socks at the lodge. They are covers that fit over your socks and go to just under your knees where you tie them, hoping to deny the leech a way to get into your feet and legs. Consider that you already have hiking socks and long pants on; now you’re adding another layer of clothing to this already extreme heat. Next, you have to wear long sleeves and a hat for protection from the other leeches. When we finished our afternoon walk, we came back and took off our boots and leech socks. Renee felt something on her thumb. A big leech must have been on the sock and catapulted onto her hand. She flicked it fast and screamed for Dave. By the time he got there, it was dancing across the balcony sofa. He wrapped it in tissues and then flushed it. Their means of locomotion is like somersaulting head to tail, and they can move fast. In the lodge info, it states that if you get “leeched”, you are entitled to a blood donor certificate. Hope we don’t get one of those. They are apparently harmless, and they fall off if you spray them with mosquito spray.

NOTE: “Everybody has a story.”

We were talking to our guide, Chris. Dave asked him about his family. His father’s parents came to Malaysia when China expelled the Christians from the country. He mentioned that there is a large population of ethnic Chinese Christians here in Sabah, because many came here. When his dad was old enough to marry, he wanted to marry a local girl from a tribe. The tribal chief wouldn’t allow it, because his dad wasn’t a member of the tribe. So, another member of the tribe adopted him, so he would be a member and could then marry his sweetheart. By the way, at that time, the tribe engaged in head hunting. (I knew the head hunters would somehow be a part of the Borneo blog!)

1 OCT

We took a hike this morning before it got hotter (can’t say hot, because it’s always hot). We hiked on a trail along the river and saw many leeches. It rained last night, so they were quite active. Most were small in comparison with the one on Renee’s sock yesterday, though. So, we walked and flicked them off when they jumped on us, and generally tried to avoid them. Eventually, we came to the canopy walkway. We walked high above some of the trees and saw a few birds. It was a beautiful view from up there. The rainforest trees here are the tallest tropical rainforest trees in the world, unbelievably so.

Another Note

When the trip was planned, a graph was made to determine the best time to visit all of these places to avoid the wet seasons. But somehow, at each location, the wet season has either started earlier or lasted longer or the information obtained was just somehow not accurate. The day we flew to Borneo, a cyclone had hit the Philippines, just north of Borneo. The tail end of the storm caused trees to come down in Kota Kinabalu. Here in the rain forest (where logically you have to expect rain), we’ve been getting a thunderstorm each day in the late afternoon or evening. And when it rains, it pours! A thundering tropical downpour occurs.

2 OCT

In the afternoon, we left the lodge and traveled to another area—the Kinabatangan River and a new resort lodge. On the way, we made a stop at the Gomantong Cave near sunset. As we parked the vehicle, we saw millions of bats flying out of the cave. (This feature is the main attraction of the cave.) We walked to the cave, and along the way saw an orangutan that was settling in for the night in a tree nest. As we approached the cave, the bats were thick in the air and more and more kept flying out in interesting formations. They were small bats that feed on insects and fruit. As we entered the cave, the smell of bat guano permeated the air, and the cave was full of it. We also saw a flimsy bamboo ladder and realized that this is one of the caves where birds’ nests (from swifts) are collected from high up on the walls and sold for bird nest soup. The harvesting was finished for now; in season, the ladders are climbed and so are ropes hanging from upon high, a very risky endeavor indeed.

The interior of the cave was straight out of a horror movie. The first thing we saw were millipedes, not just any millipedes, but these babies were over a foot long and bright red, with a myriad of undulating legs carrying them swiftly along the boardwalk we were walking on. Next, our eyes alighted on cockroaches, millions of them on the walkway, on the walls, everywhere. It appeared they were eating the bat guano, but we don’t know for sure. There were little crabs in the water and a long legged species of millipede on the walls. We carefully made our way on the slippery, bat guano covered boardwalk around the cave, and although we had witnessed an interesting phenomenon, were glad to leave. We arrived at our new destination about 30 minutes later, just before dinner.

3-4 OCT

Our new lodge features boat trips on the river to see wildlife. It’s the only safari lodge anywhere that we’ve ever stayed in that has air conditioned rooms and flat screen TV. Other than those 2 items, it’s not as nice as the last lodge. For one thing, we have to climb 6 flights of stairs to get to our chalet.

We’ve taken the morning and late afternoon boat trips up and down the river. There are some birds, but most are high in the tall trees and difficult to see and photograph. There is an abundance of monkeys, most long tailed and pig tailed macaques. The monkey that really stands out and is the most fun to watch is the proboscis monkey. It has a really long nose, a Jimmy Durante type of nose, especially the males of the species. They are also not easy to photograph, because they are constantly moving in the dense forest canopy high up in the trees. On our last afternoon, we really got a treat when a herd of Borneo pygmy elephants was spotted. We rode in the boat to go see them near a clearing on the river bank where they were eating grass. Although called ‘pygmy’, they are still sizable, about 8 feet tall.

5 OCT

Today, we moved on and went to the renowned Sepilok Orangatan Rehab Centre for orphaned and abused orangutans. We were able to view 2 feedings of the orangs that have been released into the centre’s wildlife preserve. When the animals are first released into this halfway house type of environment, they are still semi dependent on humans. So, they are fed by the staff. As they become more independent, they fend for themselves and eat wild berries and leaves in the forest’s trees. In the morning, only a couple of orangutans showed up, but in the afternoon, more came in, including a mother and baby. The baby clung to mom as she swung from tree to tree and on the wire set up to facilitate feeding on the platform. At one point not far from us, the baby was released to sit on the wire, too, and we got some good photos of both of them. The most touching part of the experience was watching the tender love and care that mom had for baby. She shared baby with a couple of the other orangutans who handled it with tenderness, also. At one point, an orang showed up that mom must not have liked or felt some uncertainty about. She took baby away to a safe distance and bared her teeth to the newcomer.

In the evening, we walked back over to the rehab centre for a night walk on the boardwalk. Normally, the centre is closed; however, we were fortunate in that our guide knew one of the center’s Park Rangers and arranged for access and a guided night tour into the park. Among the highlights were 2 green vipers and a small nocturnal primate called a slow loris. We also witnessed the flying squirrels gliding from tree to tree. They climb up one tree and glide to another one, then repeat the process again to feed. Another tree that was fruiting contained hundreds of flying foxes which are large bats. They were squealing, feeding and fighting. Most all of these animals are not seen in very many places, so it was a rare treat to experience this. Tomorrow we’re off to an island called Lankayan for a couple of days rest and relaxation before the next part of the journey.

6-7 OCT

We’ve finally found paradise! After a land transfer to the town of Sandakan on the north shore of Borneo, we boarded a boat for a 1 ½ hour ride to a beautiful small island (Lankayan) with white sand beaches and a coral reef right outside the chalet. We have snorkeled among the colorful reef fish and swum and just enjoyed the water and relaxation that this type of environment fosters.

Last night at 9:30, there was a knock at the door to inform us that a green sea turtle had dug a nest and was laying eggs. We walked down the beach to witness this rare treat. The sea turtles lay up to about 100 eggs in the nest. Since this island is a protected wildlife area, everything is controlled. After the turtle lays the eggs and returns to the sea, the conservators dig up the eggs and relocate them to a protected area. When they hatch, they are taken to the beach where they quickly head for the water. We’ve been told before that only about 1 in a 1,000 hatchlings will actually survive to adulthood, so although the programs to preserve the populations might be considered interference, it seems they need all the help they can get if they are to survive. Humans populating coastal areas have been the main obstacle to their success.

We’ve enjoyed the rare treats that Borneo has offered, and tomorrow we’re off for our next adventure - Mongolia. To get there we head back to Singapore for an overnight and then an early flight to Bangkok and on to Beijing, where we will stay for the night and take an early flight to Ulaanbatar.

Pictures: Due to the additional number of pictures we wanted to post for Borneo, please view them at our photo website below.

E-MAIL: dcapouya@comcast.net
VISIT OUR PHOTO WEBSITE: http://reneecapouya.zenfolio.com

Singapore

24-27 September

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24 SEP

Everything about Singapore is first class, first rate and first world. We flew here on Singapore Airlines, maybe the best airline in the world. It helped that we had business class tickets, too. The airport was spotlessly clean, the expressway coming into town was tree lined, free of litter, no potholes in the road, and all the buildings were sleek, modern and clean. We have emerged from the third world!

25 SEP

We decided today to go to the Jurong Bird Park, a huge place where hundreds of bird species are on display in massive aviaries. As you walk through the entry area, large arches full of orchids greet you. Each arch specializes in orchids of a particular color, ex. one arch had only yellow orchids, another pink, and another white. We’d never seen so many orchids! It took all day to maneuver through the park, especially when one is as fond of photographing birds as we are. There were many birds from this part of the world that aren’t seen in other bird parks. There were 3 species of birds of paradise, native to New Guinea and numerous species of hornbills, some of which we will hopefully be able to see in Borneo on our safari there. The park is lushly landscaped with tropical vegetation, flowers and epiphytes growing wildly and profusely on the trees. We enjoyed the time we spent there!

26 SEP

We had planned to take a harbor cruise today, but due to the fact that this past weekend there was a Formula 1 Grand Prix auto race in the vicinity, the cruise wasn’t operating. There was too much deconstructing and clean up going on. So, we went to the Singapore Botanic Garden and National Orchid Garden instead. We can honestly say there probably is not another place like this one in the world. The orchid garden was absolutely fabulous. What set it apart from other orchid gardens was the fact that in the others we’ve visited, the orchids are confined to hot houses that you tour. Here, in Singapore, the climate is a perfect hot house with temps and humidity just right for the flowers. So, they grew in profusion outside in the gardens. They were so stunning that you couldn’t stop taking photos.

Another large component of the botanical gardens is the Ginger Garden. Many species are grown there, as they are all over the downtown area, too. The entire botanic gardens takes up a lot of area, and all of it is so well managed, manicured and maintained. We couldn’t even imagine the funds that must be necessary to keep an enterprise like this one going. In addition to the gardens, the city itself is generously endowed with trees, shrubs, and all sorts of greenery. It’s just a beautiful city!

27 SEP

This morning we took a short cruise in Singapore harbor. The port area is huge; Singapore is a major sea hub for shipping. There are also many small nearby islands that make up the country. Most fascinating was a building that was a series of 3 towers with what looked like a ship on the top spanning all the towers. On top of the ship-like structure was a garden of trees and greenery. As it turns out, it is the Marina Bay Sands, an integrated resort fronting Marina Bay in Singapore. Developed by Las Vegas Sands, it is billed as the world's most expensive standalone casino property at S$8 billion, including cost of the prime land. There is also a ferris wheel in this area called the Singapore Flyer. It’s a giant—42 stories high, taller than most of the tall buildings around it. It boasts 28 air conditioned capsules with seating for 30 people in each.

We’ve enjoyed our brief stay here in this city. Singapore is vibrant and growing. New construction is going up everywhere. There seems to be a good amount of industry here, clean industry. Education and health care are important priorities. Singapore could be a role model for the type of city we need to see more of in the 21st century.

Orchid

Singapore Botanical Gardens

Pictures: Due to the additional number of pictures we wanted to post for Singapore, please view them at our photo website below.

E-MAIL: dcapouya@comcast.net
VISIT OUR PHOTO WEBSITE: http://reneecapouya.zenfolio.com

Nepal

16-23 September

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For anyone, who has actually had the fortitude to read our blogs, we can hope to give you a break on this one, since we are only spending a week in Nepal. No promises, though.

Nepal is a small country with 2 mega-countries bordering it. China is Nepal’s northern neighbor; India is Nepal’s southern neighbor. It boasts 8 of the 10 tallest mountains in the world, including the tallest—Mt. Everest. The country is rich in natural beauty, but very poor by economic standards. The Himalayas, watching over this small country, are surprisingly invisible during the monsoon season when clouds blanket them a good deal of the time. The people reflect their geographic heritage. Some look distinctly Chinese; others look more like their Indian neighbors, and some are a blend of both. The same is true of religion, which is a blend of Hindu and Buddhism. The temples also architecturally reflect Chinese and Indian influences. And most restaurants offer a selection of Chinese and Indian dishes.

16-17 September
We arrived in Kathmandu in the afternoon, were collected by a tour agent and driver, and delivered to our hotel, the Hyatt. It was a really nice hotel and a good way to spend our first night. The next day, we toured two ancient cities on the outskirts of Kathmandu. One was Patan and the other was Bhaktapur. Both featured Hindu temples from the 16th century and very old homes with carved wood windows and decoration. Most people here are Hindu (about 80%), but Buddhists account for about 16% or so of population; their homes are readily identifiable by the prayer flags flying in the breeze.

After our 2 city tours, we drove up into the mountains to a town called Nagarkot, famous for its views of the Himalayas and Mt. Everest on a clear day. It was a beautiful drive. As we climbed higher and higher, views of the emerald green Kathmandu valley were arrayed before us. Rice terraces and forests of pine and bamboo comprised the principle scenes. We knew that the chances of seeing the mountains were slim due to this time of year being the end of the monsoon. So, the sunset was a nonevent. We were told when we checked in at the hotel that we would get a 5:00AM wake-up call if the mountains were visible at first light in the morning. Dave also set his alarm clock for 5:00AM. So, next morning, we did get a wake-up call. We went to our balcony and could see a silhouette of some mountains, but nothing spectacular. So Renee went back to bed, and Dave stayed up to keep monitoring the situation.

About 6:30, as Renee was brushing her teeth, Dave came running into the bathroom and told her to stop right away and go outside. There they were--the Himalayas and Mt. Everest glowing in the sunlight above the clouds and fog that had settled below. The scene didn’t last long; the clouds reblanketed the mountains within a minute or two.

18 September
We met our driver after breakfast in order to drive to Chitwan National Park. It was the only national park within a reasonable day’s drive that was actually open during the monsoon in either India or Nepal. We thought it would be a good idea to see what a safari had to offer in this part of the world. We set off at 8:00AM and drove some of the worst roads that we have encountered on the entire trip. And that’s saying a lot! By the time we arrived at 3:00PM, we felt like we had been beaten up. The scenery along the way was stunning, though. We basically followed a rushing river most of the way. Verdant mountains rose on both sides of the road and river, and waterfalls appeared from time to time.

When we finally arrived at the lodge entrance, there was no record of our reservation. So, we’re not sure who dropped the ball on this one, but eventually, it was sorted out and the reservation honored. We waited at the entrance to be collected. It took over 30 minutes for a huge army truck to come lumbering out of the park. Our luggage was put on board and we sat on benches on the sides of the truck in the back. The drive was a muddy, bumpy one. Then, we forded a river in the truck (not too deep), but soon came to another river that had a wild, swift current. There was a dugout canoe waiting there to load us and our bags on board. We started out across the river, but it soon became apparent that the river’s current was too strong for the little dugout and the 2 men who would be paddling it. So they pulled up to a sand bar in the middle of the river and unloaded everything. We saw an elephant in the distance with a mahoot (driver) coming toward us. We and the bags were reloaded onto the elephant, and the journey was completed to the lodge! Our question of the day was how on earth we were going to climb up onto the saddle box of this massive elephant. Well, first she lay down, then we climbed on her heel, then a loop was made in her tail for the next step, and then up to her back for the next step. Finally, we were up there. Of course, Renee’s concern for animal welfare was aroused at the way we had to climb on the poor creature and by the way the driver treated the elephant to get her to move the way he wanted. Apparently, the safari would be just getting to the lodge.

The accommodation consisted of a wooden bungalow with a bathroom—running water but no electricity. There were solar panels for the water heater, but when the sun doesn’t shine, hot water doesn’t follow. We were given kerosene lanterns for light at night, and a generator ran a ceiling fan for a couple of hours each day. Initially, when we got into the dugout, a chicken was put on board with us. When we transferred to the elephant, the chicken didn’t come with us. It stayed in the dugout to make its way with the boat and crew. Guess what was on the menu for dinner? Chicken! Well, it was fresh, anyway.

As Renee was writing the blog, we felt the bungalow shaking pretty significantly for about 30 seconds. Renee believed we had an earthquake. Dave thought it was an elephant. We had just showered and quickly dressed in case we had to quickly go out of the room. The bungalow is elevated on bamboo stilts, not the best earthquake proof construction. Fortunately, there was no more shaking, but we found out at dinner that it was an earthquake, 6.7 magnitude centered in Sikkim, India. Sikkim is in northern India; we’re in southern Nepal, so probably not too far away. (Lack of internet prevents us from checking it out.)

19 September
It rained heavily all night, so Renee decided to forego the elephant safari this morning. Dave went and saw some deer and a few birds. Later, after breakfast, we attended an elephant briefing. We went to an area where the domesticated elephants are kept when not working. The process of training elephants and general facts about them were explained to us. It was informative and interesting. At least, they seemed to care about the welfare of the animals. Later in the afternoon, we went on a jeep safari in the forest. We really didn’t see anything. The grass and greenery was so lush, tall and thick, that even if there were animals there, they wouldn’t have been visible. That’s the downside of a visit at the end of the rainy season when everything seems to have grown as if on steroids.

Safari
It’s probably not fair to compare a safari here with the ones we’ve been on in Africa. BUT, the safari camps here are very basic and rustic. They’re not that well maintained, either. The staff sits around a table all day rolling dice and playing games instead of sprucing up the landscaping or repairing and maintaining the rooms and buildings.

Since the electricity is on only from 6:00PM or later until about 9:30PM, it’s impossible to get a cold drink. When we went on the jeep safari, the jeep was an old battered vehicle, instead of the comfortable, clean ones we’re used to in Africa. A wild boar was spotted, but the driver had gone a bit too far to see it through the bushes, so we asked if he could back up a bit. Reverse didn’t work! As we were having lunch (chicken), we saw another chicken being brought to the kitchen—tonight’s dinner, no doubt. There was no juice at breakfast, and on and on. Well, at least we know now what a safari is like in Nepal! Tomorrow, we leave for another city, Pokhara.

20 September
“And they say we’ll have some fun if it stops raining…”
Do you remember the song about the letter that the kid sent home from summer camp? We have our own version:

Hello Jared, Hello Daughta
Here we are at Nepal’s Pokhara.
The lodge is very entertaining,
And they say we’ll have some fun if it stops raining.

Technically, the monsoon should be over. But…it’s not and it seems to be getting wetter. This morning, we were told that the army truck that we rode part of the way to the lodge at Chitwan had broken down, and the boat was not an option due to the swift current and high water level of the rivers (yes, plural). The only option available to get out of the camp, and we were ready for that, was to go by elephant all the way to the gate, a trip of about an hour and a half. So, we got in the saddle box along with all of our luggage and set off. Wow, we have a new respect and admiration for what an elephant can accomplish! She took us and the bags across 4 rivers in the pouring rain, through the jungle, and delivered us at the site of the driver and van. The current in the rivers was roaring, and the river was deep, but she managed to ford all of them with no problems. We were thoroughly soaked despite an umbrella, ponchos and tarps for the bags. We were glad to get into the van. It was cloudy during the drive to Pokhara, and about an hour away from this destination, it started to rain again.

We arrived in a heavy rain to find that the new lodge was on an island in the middle of the lake, and we had to cross in a boat. Now, this experience would have been really lovely on a nice day, but in the rain it wasn’t. At least the lodge/hotel is really a nice one, and we didn’t have to board an elephant to get there. We were supposed to go sightseeing for the rest of the afternoon, but we told the guide we had already been soaked and needed the afternoon to reorganize ourselves. We got laundry together to send out, washed underwear, took showers, dried our wet bags and shoes and now feel better. So, the sightseeing is on for tomorrow.

21 September
It stopped raining! So, we got in our day of sightseeing. There wasn’t really much that we could say was spectacular in this town. We visited a Hindu temple (again), went to a Gurka museum, a waterfall and took a boat ride on the lake. In the afternoon, we found a place to get Renee’s duffle bag repaired. The strap had been mishandled on one of the flights, so the stitching had come loose. There were several places with heavy duty sewing machines making seat covers and upholstery type things. So, we took it to one of them, and got it sewn up. The charge was about 75 cents. Such a deal we haven’t seen! Tomorrow, we’re making an early morning foray to try and see the sunrise on the Himalayas.

22 September
We awoke at 4:00AM and drove up a mountain to a vista, where if was a clear morning, we hoped to have a view of the snow covered Annapurna Range of the Himalayas. As daylight dawned, the rugged peaks started to emerge, and as sunrise approached, we started to glimpse patches of the mountains through broken clouds. One of the largest peaks, Mt. Fishtail, was starkly beautiful. The mountains played hide and seek in the clouds, one minute we had a view of one peak, the next minute it was covered with clouds, but another view opened up. There was quite a crowd of people at the panoramic viewpoint; all with cameras in hand. We watched for about an hour, and then returned to the hotel for breakfast and departure back to Kathmandu for an overnight and flight to Mumbai the next day.

Wedding Couple, Pokhara

Pictures: Due to the additional number of pictures we wanted to post for Nepal, view them at our photo website below.

E-MAIL: dcapouya@comcast.net
VISIT OUR PHOTO WEBSITE: http://reneecapouya.zenfolio.com

India

2-16 September

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NOTE: All comments and opinions contained herein are anecdotal in nature, the thoughts and observations of the authors and results of interviews with guides and citizens. All of the Indian citizens we have met have shown us warm hospitality and friendship.

We flew from Johannesburg to Bombay, where we spent the night at the Courtyard by Marriott, which was close to the airport and more like a 4 star hotel than the vanilla US Courtyard’s. The next day, we flew to Delhi. All the flights were backed up that day (ours was an hour and a half late) due to a Turkish Airlines plane which skidded off the runway and into the soft mud hours earlier. As I write, it is 2 days later, and the plane still has not been extricated, forcing the runway adjacent to remain closed.

Delhi—2 -4 SEP

One of the best surprises of the trip so far has been the city of Delhi. Its avenues are wide, tree-lined and clean with upscale homes and buildings behind walls and gates. Admittedly, I had expected upon arrival in India to be thrown into something like the movie set of “Slumdog Millionaire”, but that didn’t happen. There may well be areas like those in the movie, but we haven’t seen them (yet). Our hotel, Le Meridien, had a beautifully appointed room waiting for us to rival any other 5 star hotel. It’s easy to see why India is one of the up and coming world economies. The middle class is large and growing.

A Tour of Old Delhi

We toured the Red Fort, a massive structure so called because the walls were built of red sandstone. It was completed in 1648 by order of Shah Jihan, mogul emperor. Inside the walls, one can see a complex of the remains of several “palaces”, including the harem, emperor’s quarters and a mosque. After the fort visit, we boarded a rickshaw propelled by a man on a bicycle. We wove our way through the narrow alleys of Old Delhi, passing several markets displaying fruits, vegetables, spices, sari fabrics, silver, and other decorative items. We pedaled our way through a morass of stalls, people pushing carts loaded with heavy sacks, other rickshaws and motor bikes. Overhead, hundreds of electric power lines crisscrossed the narrow opening to bring power to the stalls and buildings nearby. One part of this market area that can’t be appreciated on paper is the scents. The aroma of exotic spices and perfumes permeated the air. The rickshaw ride ended at the largest mosque in India, which can accommodate 25,000 Muslims in the courtyard for worship. We rounded out the tour with a visit to Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial. It is in a quiet, serene park and is simply designed and tasteful. Comparisons have been made with JFK’s grave in Arlington Cemetery. It is important to point out that this memorial is just that; he was not buried here. As Hindu custom dictates, he was cremated.

The next day we toured New Delhi. First on the agenda was a tour of India’s version of Washington DC’s Capitol Hill. The government buildings were built in the early 1900’s by the British. They are made of stone and are stately, tasteful and well laid out, set in the midst of emerald green lawns and tropical landscaping. There’s even a green area similar to the national mall in DC, but it’s much greener and appears larger. Set at the end of this complex is the India Gate, a memorial to the 90,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting for the British in World War I. As an aside, we’ve always heard the expression, “The sun never sets on the British Empire,” referring to the peak of British colonialism. Was that saying true! Of course, the U.S. belonged to Britain. So did South Africa, Uganda, India, Australia and other countries all around the world. After visiting so many places that belonged to Britain, one wonders how one small island could control so much of the world! Apparently, their maritime power combined with all the riches they took from all of these countries just kept piling money into the government and private merchants.

Next, we toured some ancient monuments. Humayun’s Tomb is a sort of predecessor of the Taj Mahal. The Qutub Minar is a minaret over 200 feet tall dating to the 12th century which exists alongside the remains of a mosque from the same era.

Agra—5 SEP

We left Delhi at 8:00AM, expecting the 120 mile trip to Agra to take about 4 hours. Instead, there was traffic gridlock in an industrial area outside Delhi, which lengthened the trip to 6 ½ hours. We shared the road with trucks, busses, horse, cow, and donkey carts, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians, not very compatibly. There’s a special kind of taxi here called a “tuk-tuk”. It’s a small motorized cart (about the size of a golf cart), and they’re everywhere. Imagine a golf cart with about 20 people crammed in it driving down the road. About the only positive thing to be said for them is that they run on natural gas which reduces emissions. They provide cheap transport for the populace of the countryside. Not to be outdone, there are also cars, truck and buses made by an Indian company called a Tata. Laugh if you will, but this company recently bought Jaguar.

After finally arriving in Agra and checking into the hotel, we toured the Agra fort and the Taj Mahal. The fort is the second largest in India, built by the Mogul emperor, Shah Jihan in the 1600’s. It is so massive that 50% of the area is still used by the Indian Army and the other 50% is open to visitors. The emperor’s palace is enclosed within the fort. It is built from white Indian marble, heavily carved with inlaid work showing many semi-precious stones original to the structure. It is truly overwhelming to comprehend the magnificence of the artistry involved in building and decorating this palace.

From the palace windows is a view of the Taj Mahal, which rests on the banks of the Yamuna river. Of course, this landmark was next on our itinerary. When gazing at the Taj Mahal, a realization comes over you that you’re having an experience that comes once in a life time. Words can’t describe the beauty of perfection that one sees. None of the photos we have ever seen truly shows the detail of the carvings and inlay in the marble of this tomb. The same Shah Jihan who built the Agra Fort had this memorial constructed to his third wife after her death. She bore him 17 children and died in childbirth at age 39. His first 2 wives had been childless, so number 3 was the favorite. His son was so enraged at the huge cost of the Taj Mahal that he had his father put under house arrest in the fort, where he could gaze upon his wife’s tomb everyday of his remaining life, but he couldn’t visit the grave. When he died, his daughter had him entombed next to his wife.

Holy Cow!—6 SEP

Cows have the right of way on all of India’s roads. They are considered holy by Hindus, and it would be a serious sin to injure or kill one. But the owners of these bovines allow them to roam at will in the villages, towns and cities, as well as on the roads and even in the grassy median strips. I asked one of the guides if this reverence for the cow was extended to other animals. The answer was “no”. It’s ok to hit and kill any of the hundreds of stray dogs which inhabit the same spaces as the cows.

Non-Smoking Hotel Rooms

We arrived in Jaipur, our next adventure, in the afternoon. It turned out just getting a room was an adventure. The hotel we’re staying in is being renovated. We were offered a very nice room, problem was it had just been painted and smelled strongly of paint fumes. To counteract the fumes, they had sprayed room freshener all over, making it even worse. Since we didn’t want to be overcome with paint fumes, we asked for another room. Same thing—paint fumes. So, then we were offered a third room that didn’t smell of paint, but cigarette smoke. Dave tried to explain that we requested a non-smoking room. We were told that it was a non-smoking room. He pointed to an ashtray on a table, and said that ashtrays were only in smoking rooms. The representative then explained that she would take out the ashtray, thus making it a non-smoking room. It was perfectly logical to her that the presence or absence of an ashtray was the definition of smoking vs. nonsmoking room. We take it out—it’s nonsmoking. We put it in—then the guest can smoke. Evidently, there’s no concept of smoke being absorbed into the very fabric of the room. In addition to the smoke issue, the renovation is occurring just upstairs from us and the pounding is constant. It’s now after 6:00PM, and they’re still going strong up there. But at least we now know the proper definition of a non-smoking room!

PS. We did switch rooms tonight after complaining again about the construction noise and other issues.

Jaipur—7 SEP

This morning we toured Jaipur. It’s called the “Pink City”, but yesterday when we drove in, we wondered why the name. Today, we found out. The old city is walled in and everything—all the walls and every building inside are pink. It is all built of red sandstone, but instead of red, everything is pink. One can’t help thinking that this national treasure should be more properly cared for. The trash needs to be cleaned from the streets, and the buildings are in dire need of cleaning and maintenance. Then it would truly be a jewel in the crown.

We visited the amber fort, which is another beautiful complex of palaces walled in by a fort. Instead of walking up the hill to the fort, we took an elephant ride. Sitting high, swinging from side to side, we rode up the hill on the paunchy pachederm. Renee was holding on tight; Dave was videoing the experience. It was an elephant parade up and down the hill, tourists riding up and passengerless elephants coming down. There is a fort wall encircling a gigantic area of Jaipur, which we could only liken to the Great Wall of China (although we haven’t seen it yet). After the fort, we visited a museum on the grounds of the royal maharaja’s palace. Exquisite!

While having lunch, we learned of a terrorist attack in Delhi at the high court. We had just toured the government center a couple of days ago. It seems each country we visit has more security than the last. India shares a not so friendly border with Pakistan, and there is a dispute over Kashmir about who should own the territory. Consequently, every vehicle going into a hotel or tourist sight is searched carefully, and the hotel guests go through a scanning device and a pat down (just as at the airport) before going inside. All bags and even cameras are put through the scanner. Before we left home, we registered our entire itinerary with the state department, so we get regular email updates of problems occurring anywhere in the world.

From Hovel to Palace

In India, a 19th century mansion, sometimes painted with beautiful scenes on the exterior and courtyards, is called a haveli. I have to wonder whether the word hovel comes from haveli; they sound so similar but yet have a very different meaning. Some of these old mansions (havelis) have been converted into small hotels. We stayed in one in a small city called Mandawa. I have to say I was a little taken aback when shown the room. It was a small room with no window, rather claustrophobic, not nice at all. But, I was not sure whether I had selected this hotel or whether it was suggested by the tour company, since it was booked quite awhile ago. We turned on the air conditioning, which was a wall unit. Everything was marginally acceptable in this hovel/haveli until the power kept going off and on. Indian power isn’t very reliable anywhere, and when it cuts off, establishments start up their generators. Problem was, with no windows, you were thrust completely in blackness until someone ran outside and turned on the generator. The room opened to an outside courtyard, but the door going to the room didn’t exactly close.. I’m sure it was the original 19th century door that had 2 parts with a center opening, but it just didn’t come together in the middle. The bathroom door didn’t close either, or if you got it closed, you would be stuck inside. Then, we found out the bedside lamps didn’t work well either; they kept turning off. Sometime after the a/c had been working for a few hours, water started dripping out of it, onto an electrical box underneath and then onto the floor. We called the hovel manager(?) and his favorite answer to everything was “no problem”. Excuse me, but water dripping onto electricity is a big problem in our book. So, they had a “technician” come in and apparently fix the problem while we were at dinner. There was no restaurant at this place; you went to the rooftop and sat at a table (one of only 2), were given a menu, and the manager now became the waiter and ran down the street to give the order to someone, maybe in a restaurant(?) and pick up the food. So, we got through dinner with a couple of Indian beers and 2 orders of vegetarian fare. We should mention that vegetarian doesn’t necessarily mean vegetables, such as one sees in the markets. Vegetarian means ‘no meat’, but typically you will be served something unrecognizable in ‘gravy’. It could be potatoes and cheese, or there could be tomatoes and onions ground up somehow. Anyway, we got through the meal and went back to the room. About midnight, the a/c started leaking again. We decided just to shut it off, worried it would be a fire hazard. This meant spending the night in a stuffy, hot room with just a ceiling fan (when the power was on).

We had requested breakfast at 7:00AM the next morning. We went to the so-called breakfast room (more hovelish than the room). When nothing appeared, we went outside and saw a sort of room next to the breakfast room with a refrigerator that someone was getting some things out of. The whole situation was so unappealing and unsanitary looking, that Renee went back to the room and had a granola bar from her stash. Dave really wanted some coffee, so he stayed and had coffee and toast. All we really wanted was to leave this place, so we called our driver and asked him to come pick us up early. We informed him that in the future, his company shouldn’t send any more clients to this place.

So we left for a city called Bikaner, toured the usual fort and palace and went to the next hotel, the Gajner Palace Hotel. We were approaching the hotel with some trepidation, not knowing what would await us next. We needn’t have worried. It was a real maharajah’s palace that had been converted to a hotel. The grounds were beautifully set on a lake, and the room was very nice. The a/c had been turned on, so the room was comfortable. We looked at the unit, sitting over the bed on the wall, thinking this would be a much better experience. So we went for a walk for about an hour. Upon returning, what did we find? The bed and pillows soaked with water leaking from the a/c!! We called the staff, someone was sent to blow out the line, and the bed was changed and all is well, for now. But who knows what will happen overnight? It is so hot and humid here that these wall units have difficulty functioning well. And the buildings are too old to run central air.

Cultural Tidbits

A couple of days ago, we toured an observatory from the 16th century. It was a large outdoor complex which featured very accurate sundials. Another part of it had all the astrological signs with sundials on those, too. Astrology is a big part of life, here. When marriages are being arranged (that’s part of the culture), the young couple’s astrological signs are still even now analyzed by an astrologist to see if they will be a good match. If not, they won’t marry. We asked our driver, Vadav, if his marriage was arranged. He said, yes. His parents selected a girl for him, then they visited her family. In turn, the girl’s family visited his home. He wasn’t allowed to see his wife until the actual wedding. He indicated that this is the way things are still done in the countryside. Later, one of the guides told us that marriage has nothing to do with love here, and a lot of couples stay together through the years only because of social pressures, not because they are happy. Also, if a bride is selected for a young man, and he doesn’t agree to marry her, he is cast out of the parents’ home for all time, and the bride (who isn’t a bride) goes to live with the man’s family as an honored family member. But, she is free to marry someone else later. In the larger cities, couples might meet, date and develop relationships more as we do in the west, or they can follow tradition, if they wish.

We also asked about Vadav’s religious beliefs. The majority of Indians are Hindu, but a reasonable number are also Moslem. Our driver is Hindu. He explained that at a certain age, a Hindu will decide which god he would like to follow and worship. Then, he will go to a temple that is dedicated to that god. Vadav chose the elephant god, Ganesh, the god of good luck. His father may very well go to a different temple that is dedicated to another god. It’s a matter of personal choice. Vadav is also a vegetarian. We can tell that when he thinks of meat or eggs, he gets somewhat queasy. He does drink milk, however, because you don’t have to kill the cow to get it.

We also noticed at a market selling grain, there were hundreds of pigeons crowding in the square. We were told that pigeons garner much respect, similar to the cows, and the vendors are obligated to feed them. But, it’s ok to kill other birds, except it is bad luck to injure (wild) peacocks. There are some here, and they are really beautiful.

When a Hindu dies, he or she is cremated. This was explained to us as the custom, not because the Indian population is so large that it would be hard to find space to bury people (a popular belief), but because they believe that in cremation, elements in the body are released back into the atmosphere. Many years ago, tradition dictated that when a husband died, his widow would throw herself onto the funeral pyre with his body and be burned alive. Fortunately, the practice was discontinued in the 1960’s. The ashes of the cremated are then taken to the Ganges River on the 4th day following death and poured into the river. A bottle of the holy Ganges River is then purchased to bring home to sprinkle around the house after several days have passed.

There are two questions we are always asked: “What is your profession?” And “How much did your camera cost?” Renee learned early to respond that she was a teacher (speech therapist). The caste system is still in place to some extent, and teachers are regarded as being in a very high caste. Dave, as military, is also well regarded, although a little below Renee. Within the 4 castes, there are many subcastes. We usually answer the camera question with--we don’t really remember, since it’s been awhile since we bought them.

Jaiselmer—10-11 SEP

We drove to the next city, Jaiselmer, in the Thar desert. The roads were good, and we arrived mid afternoon. We had booked another Haveli, this one was owned by a maharaja and was a bit nicer than the other one where we had stayed. The staff showed us all the available rooms, and we chose the “villa”, a bit more spacious than the others, with a bigger bathroom. Among the greeters at the hotel was our tour guide for the following day as nothing was on the itinerary for the afternoon. Before he departed, he asked us if we would like a walk in the town later in the afternoon. Since we didn’t have anything else to do, we agreed.

Whoa, Nelly! India just caught up with us. We started walking through old, narrow streets in a market area. Ok, so far, although we had to side step cows and cow dung pretty much everywhere. Yes, even in the middle of a city. After reaching the fort, we took another series of narrow streets back to the hotel. There were some street side businesses and some middle class multistory homes with beautiful decorative stone work. This was not the ghetto. But the streets! If you’ve heard the expression, “Enough to gag a maggot”, this was it. Open sewers, cow dung and fly invested cows were everywhere; a dog lay dying in the gutter (which only Renee noticed), children played in all of this mess with bare feet, people whizzed by on motorcycles, and people were going about their business in a usual way. The stench was unbelievable. The guide told us there was an award winning goldsmith in the middle of all of this mayhem, and he wanted us to visit his house. We have so far successfully fended off all attempts to get us to buy souvenirs, and we made it clear we weren’t interested. But as we passed his house, the goldsmith came out and wanted us to come in. Renee’s resolve remained strong, and there was no visit. But there will always be a lingering memory of the stench, the utter filth, and respect for the human body’s immune system, as we viewed so called healthy children living in this muck.

We got back to the ‘haveli/hovel’, and guess what? The a/c is leaking. “No problem”, is our philosophy. We put a bucket under the drip and all is well!

Camels in the Sunset

We were scheduled for a camel ride in the desert in the early evening. It was about a 30 minute drive from Jaiselmer toward the west to the camel depot, not far from the Pakistani border (probably not the best place to be on Sept. 11 anniversary). We arrived, chose our camels, and climbed aboard. Renee got Mr. Rocket, who turned out not to live up to his name, thanfully. Dave’s camel name is unknown. We followed a trail toward the dunes. A few minutes into the ride, the man leading the camel handed Renee the reins. She wasn’t comfortable with this situation, but he wouldn’t take them back. Luckily, Mr. Rocket was a calm, docile camel who knew where to go, so “no problem”. We made our way to the sand dunes and beheld a lovely sunset with camels silhouetted against the red-gold orb. All was well, we even picked up speed to a trot on the way back. We’re still intact and had a good time.

Jodphur—12 SEP

Jodphur is known for 2 reasons. The first is that it gave an English name to riding trousers—jodphurs. The other claim to fame, besides the massive maharaja’s fort and palace, is the preponderance of blue painted houses. It is believed that there is something in blue paint that repels mosquitoes, so people paint their houses blue. From the fort high atop the hill, the blue houses lend a particular personality to the city. The hotel we’re staying in here is very much like a maharaja’s palace. It is beautiful!

Udaipur—13-15 SEP

It took a day to drive from Jaipur to Udaipur. We drove through mountains, which was a nice change of scenery. We even stopped to visit an ancient Hindu (Jain) temple, built around the 15th or 16th century.

Next day, we took a day trip to another fort called Chittorgarh, the most massive maharaja’s fort we’ve seen yet. The fort was begun in the 8th century, but the ruins are from the 16th century. It’s mind boggling to witness these massive constructions on the tops of hills when you think about how everything had to be transported and built by hand.

A Tour of Rajasthan

To sum up our India Rajasthan experience is difficult. Next to the absolute massive riches of the maharajas as seen in their forts and palaces, exists another world—the real world. India does have a large middle class, and it does have its very poor. People do what people do everywhere in the world. They work to produce an income; they bring up their families, and they mostly hope for a better world for their children. By western standards, the unsanitary conditions with large amounts of trash and animal dung in the streets are very distressing. We’ve had discussions with guides and our driver about the cows, pigs and goats lounging in the town streets, eating garbage, cardboard and plastic and defecating everywhere. There seems to be a dawning realization that this situation needs changing, but change comes slowly. As the world’s largest democracy, we can only wish India and its people well in the future.

Pictures: Due to the additional number of pictures we wanted to post for India, view them at our photo website: http://reneecapouya.zenfolio.com/

Two Elderly Men

Taj Mahal

Two Working Women

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