After a couple days in Dubai, we decided to go the capital of the UAE, Abu Dhabi for one day and night. Barti (our local guide) suggested that we might enjoy stopping at the camel race track. He told us that they were not racing today, but would be doing some training, and we quickly […]
Dubai, UAE
THE BIGGEST! TALLEST! THE MOST GRANDEUR! Over-the-top in everything! That is our first impression on entering Dubai — and that feeling never leaves you as long as you are here. The tallest building in the world is here — the Burj Khalifa at 163 storeys high (“Burj” means tower in Arabic, so there are a […]
India 15 – Enroute to Hubli
Our next stop was Hubli Airport, which was the end of our India trip. Along the way, we passed through many villages. Many appeared to be a step backward in time, with very few motorized vehicles and no tourists. People are living much like they did hundreds of years earlier. The architecture of the buildings […]
India 14 – Aihole, Pattadakal and Badami
We then traveled to Karnataka, a state located to the north of Kerala, to see the major archaeological sites at Aihole, Pattadakal and Badami, where the ancient cave temples are located. The first stop was Aihole, built between 4th – 12th century, a historic site of ancient Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist monuments. It has great […]
India 13 – Munroe Island
We took several little side trips during our three weeks of traveling through Southern India. One was a visit to Munroe island, located in the Kollam district in rural Kerala, India, and well off the beaten path. We had expected to drive to the island and then walk around. Instead, we were deposited on the side […]
India 12 – Alleppey Backwaters
We spent one day relaxing on a houseboat on the backwaters of Alleppey in Kerala, India. This area is also known as the “Venice of the East.” Our houseboat reminded me of a Hobbit Home, whereas Evelyn thought we were on an armadillo fleet floating on the brackish canals. The original houseboats were primarily deployed […]
India 11 – Munnar
While in Munnar, we watched a classical Indian Kathakali dance drama and traditional Kalaripayattu martial arts at the Punarjeeva Cultural Center. By arriving a couple hours early, they allowed us behind-the-scenes access to watch and capture actors dressing and putting on their makeup. The male lead is wearing 80 pounds of clothes, and requires 3 […]
India 10 – Madurai
We started our exploration of Madurai with a walking tour that started at 6AM. This gave us a chance to see the old town wake up, since dawn was at 6:30. Every home had the woman of the house creating an elaborate design using a rice powder, using two fingers and thumb to pick up a […]
India 9 – Cochin
After the excitement of Holi and Hola Mohalla, we embarked on a couple weeks of touring Southern India in a more sedate manner. Pauline (Evelyn’s sister) joined us for this portion of India. Our first stop was Kochi (also known as Cochin). Our hotel was a couple blocks from the beach, so we walked down […]
India 8 – Hola Mohalla
A few days after the Holi Festival, the Sikh hold a three-day celebration of Hola Mohalla. There was very little throwing of powdered paint here. Instead, the big event was a show of horsemanship, martial arts, archery, and military skills. The Sikh are easily identified as all men must wear a turban. Many of the turbans were […]
