Boog's Blog

A little bit later wake up to start the day touring seeing the city. Final day of the official tour

Random Observations from the Trip

The colonial period left India with many impressive buildings, but also deeply mixed feelings among Indians. While they acknowledge the architectural and infrastructural contributions, the brutality of British rule remains a painful memory.

Many Indians also have a complicated view of the United States—not towards Americans as individuals, but towards the U.S. government. Historically, the U.S. has rarely supported India, with the major exception of backing them against Pakistan in one instance. However, that was an anomaly; in general, the U.S. government has aligned more with Pakistan and China, often to India’s disadvantage.

India initially saw China as an ally. In fact, India even gave up its permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council in China’s favor as a goodwill gesture. Ironically, not long after, China turned aggressive toward India.

For a long time, India didn’t feel the need for a strong military, believing its geographic size and position made it secure. That assumption, however, was tested by conflicts with both Pakistan and China.

On a different note, mix of fellow travelers:

• The Seattle Couple – Environmentally and politically conscious, often shopping for their grandchildren. Their grandkids were involved in various humanitarian projects, similar to the Peace Corps, in different parts of the world.

• The Australian Couple – Successful farmers with a background in pottery and home fixtures. Well-traveled, clearly affluent, and with a fine sense of humor.

• The Florida Couple – Politically isolated due to their strong belief that a great leader was being sabotaged by the FBI and CIA, which they saw as the reason for his struggles.

• The Medical Couple – A gynecologist specializing in fetal medicine and his wife, an intensive care cardiac nurse. They had fascinating conversations with Neil about genetics and the drugs he was working on and meant other topics. Main couple I spoke with.

• The Shopping Couple – They carried Vuitton luggage everywhere—two giant bags, plus more over their shoulders, plus anything else they could manage. They bought everything in sight—jewelry, earrings, artwork, scrolls. If it wasn’t nailed down, they took it. One Nehru jacket wasn’t enough. Cute couple, very nice and friendly, but with absolutely no sense of proportion.

• The Dentist Couple – Mike, a dentist, and his wife, a reading specialist. Both were very intelligent, well-informed, and engaging. They kept up with both New York politics and world affairs, making for great conversation.

• The Nebraska Couple – The husband was a railroad engineer. I didn’t speak much with them, as they mostly talked about their family and travels—similar to a lot of other people.

Guide gave, in response to a question, a 30 minute praise of all the wonderful things Modi did, how popular, programs started. All good. No populist or authoritarian difficulties. He walks on water.

Mosque

large outdoor mosque, holds 20,000 people. Guide nicely explained its design what parts are important at least in this part of India. Particularly note how different it looks than the Spanish mosques we have visited.

then to a rickshaw ride on one of the worst roads possible for a rickshaw with two people sitting in it full of potholes bumps one of the most uncomfortable rides I’ve been on, had to hold on with both hands, so almost impossible to take pictures. The ride was to go through a market very similar to the one in Mumbai wholesale stuff seemingly small businesses doing enormous business by a whole sale. 

Ghandi memorial

Mahatma Ghandi memorial. A required visit for every diplomatic visit.

handmade silk carpets and handmade Pashmina   wonderful wonderful exhibit on how the rugs are made by Hand how they are to be cleaned how indestructible they are used rather than hung on walls. clear explanation between what these are an oriental rug stores that we see in United States and elsewhere.  

Tomb of lovers. Taj later modeled on this

but first: beer Neil and I have tried to have a beer at every hotel since Mumbai. We had a nice Indian beer in Mumbai in every other hotel. It’s on the menu in every other hotel. They’re out of it too much demand apparently they can’t make enough beer or they can’t order it or can the logistics I have no idea could not get a clear answer. Neil would order gin and tonic and I would order a glass of water. They didn’t seem to mind they understood they were rather beer so they did have Budweiser.

Rituals along the Ganges.

almost impossible to describe the scale and how many people are here doing different things for different reasons. The pictures will have to stand for themselves.

some 40 or 50,000 people are coming down to the water each day and having walked long distances some as long as 120 km

River has been cleaned up, and apparently there is no pollution in the water no plastic bags, none they have spent years teaching people to do this properly.

this is the city where George Harrison and the Beatles Steve Jobs came to spend a year in the washroom, etc.

The cast that does, the cremations is the lowest of the lowest of the lowest castes. however, you have to pay them so they are particularly wealthy. 

they were far far too many pictures to put in the blog so I created a link to some of the pictures I took along the ganges.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/073-_WPepmPkHHMtQZvO26CKg

Specializes in silk and silk brocade

This family five generations of cloth

Silk production in Varanasi, India, is deeply rooted in the city’s history and is best known for its Banarasi silk, which is one of the finest varieties of silk in India. The silk used in Varanasi’s famous handwoven sarees primarily comes from the following sources:

1. South India – Raw silk is often sourced from states like Karnataka (especially Bengaluru and Ramanagara), which is the largest producer of mulberry silk in India.

2. West Bengal – Another major source of raw silk, particularly Tussar silk, comes from areas like Malda and Murshidabad.

3. Bihar & Jharkhand – Known for their production of Tussar silk.

4. Assam – Supplies Muga silk and Eri silk, though these are less commonly used in Banarasi weaving.

Once the raw silk is sourced, weaving families in Varanasi—especially in areas like Madanpura, Alaipura, and Lallapura—dye, weave, and embellish the silk with intricate zari (gold or silver thread) work.

Are you looking to visit a silk workshop in Varanasi, or are you interested in purchasing authentic Banarasi silk?

we started the day at 5 AM and finished up in Delhi late in the afternoon group dinner blah blah blah

absolutely lovely Hotel one of the great ones 

Fly to Varanasi, a sacred pilgrimage city for Hindus and Buddhists, renowned for its temples and shrines.

Witness the Ganga Aarti ceremony at dusk by the Ganges River. This spiritual ritual includes chanted prayers, rhythmic drumming, and lantern-bearing priests performing a farewell to the gods and goddesses.

this may be canceled due to the pilgrimage. yes canceled usually 40 or 50,000 people show up but with a pilgrimage it’s overwhelming. We’ll see it tomorrow from a boat.



Varanasi is considered an auspicious place to die in Hinduism, believed to offer an instant path to salvation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varanasi

The city of about 3 million people is vibrant with a history of 5000 years all complicated history and probably very well covered in the Wikipedia article above. The guide spent probably an hour maybe an hour and a half telling us about the history the religions, more history, more religions. I tuned out after a while.

The city looks much richer well much more wealthy than previous cities we’ve been to. Our leader suggest I reserve judgment.

In the evening, we went to a particularly interesting Hindu temple that has a map of India in marble carved into the ground to scale. He pointed out all the countries all the areas in India, Pakistan Afghanistan, etc.. This was part of Mahatma Gandhi, trying to unify the thinking.

and we went to another Hindu temple where there was massive amount of chanting and bell ringing. I had to leave my head, started ringing from all those bells. 

and even earlier start this morning well before 5 AM so we can get to see panna national Park before the sun rises

A quick cup of coffee and a Jeep ride to a big bus our big bus then drove for over an hour to get us to a point in the park. once again, lots and lots of travels to getting into interesting places.

we drove for a significant amount of time through the forest before we got to the Tiger area, but saw lots of wildlife before we arrived. The guide seems to know where this tiger likes to hang out at this time of day.

Many deer with impressive horns roam the vast wilderness, undeterred by the presence of a tame elephant in the park. The elephant’s size serves as a natural deterrent against tigers, making the park a haven for wildlife.

The deer are a main stay for the Tigers, which can consume about 40 to 50 kg at a kill. 

The forest is a vibrant ecosystem, with a high percentage of mature teak trees, some of which are over 15 years old, but of a variety different than the south, where they are cut commercially   

according to the guides, I think this was accurate this time, we were extremely fortunate maybe one of the best tiger sightings they have seen. this large mail hung around and even crossed the road in front of us apparently it almost never does that. The jeeps must’ve been just far enough apart.

The  proximity of tigers and people has led to years of fear and avoidance for the animals, causing a decline in their natural behaviors.

The Tigers are basically shy and they will run away if you approach them, but if it least bit cornered: fight or flight. 

To preserve the delicate balance of the forest, only 35 jeeps are allowed inside, and their speed is restricted to 25 kilometers per hour. Visitors are required to have their odometers checked upon entry to ensure compliance with the speed limit and prevent speeding. While this system has its flaws, it’s a crucial step in protecting the forest’s biodiversity.

During our visit, we encountered a red headed king  vulture perched on a tree, said to be the largest vulture species in the world. The king vulture was patiently waiting for the remains of a previously unseen kill.  also saw the lapwing.

As we made our way back to the village, we noticed that no one was using their horns, which were prohibited in the park. 

My usual breakfast when I am home in Palo Alto 

Breakfast included yogurt, granola, and pomegranates. 

If you see tigers, you won’t see leopards because tigers kill leopards. Tigers are very shy animals but leopards have learned to keep away from them. 

There was a region in India where tiger attacks used to occur when people went into the forest to pick grasses and other things. The farmers were bending down on hands and knees, and looking very small   The farm tigers would attack them. They solved the problem by putting human faces on the back of their heads as a mask

Granola, yogurt, and fruit for breakfast in the forest. 

We saw the tigers at about 8 AM after getting up at 5 AM. It was a long trip there on extremely sandy and bumpy roads through the forest. We stayed there for a while, had lunch at the roadside, and then took the bus back. It was very inefficient for a way  to travel.

another very early wake up call, long travel day

bus to a first class train for about three hours. Train seems to be about the Ascella class between New York and Providence, Rhode Island. about the same speed they’re all of it seems to be above ground.

around 18 million people take these long distance trains per day

every stop they hand out newspapers, local newspapers from that region.

Train then bus then lunch and more bus so we get to eighth century ninth century Hindu Temple area.

next several hours over a very bumpy road to get to the forest.

next few photos are from my fantastic room

after this long day of travel, I skipped dinner just didn’t feel like eating

early morning start to get to the Taj before the crowds. Very early morning start. Then back for breakfast and then another Famous fort Visit

Taj inside.

We could go inside, but photographs are not allowed. It looks quite spectacular in the sunlight. On a separate note, I tried to avoid coffee and drinking yesterday and ended up with a terrible headache because of the lack of caffeine.

I had never experienced this before. I woke up in the morning, had a double espresso, and the headache went away.

Into the bus to the fort.

I am not impressed with this hotel. It’s a good hotel of course. It’s a real five star, but it just reminds me of a large Marriott. somethings are very sloppy: neither Neil nor I could find an acceptable beer to drink. They only had five of them. One of the guests tried to have a Manhattan oh no, we can’t make that. laundry done possibly on time but I had trouble getting it. They speak so softly on the phone I can’t hear the delivery instructions. naturally, first world problems. 

when I left the room this morning and stepped out, it was raining. Yes, raining here. We were told not to bring any rain clothes. It doesn’t rain this time of year.

even though it’s raining, the air quality remains crap

At breakfast, I try to order a pot of Nigiri tea. Nope don’t have it. Had to settle for a wonderful assign.

They are sending our bags ahead on a bus a separate bus on the bus we are on. Why? So the Luggage will be there when we arrive and in the room; this is service over the top add absurd to keep us having to move a bag 5 feet from the bus to the hotel and wait 10 minutes.

The rolls are indistinguishable from Parker house rolls. Called pau. The backstory is when wheat came to India after the second world war and the green Revolution they didn’t have mixing machines and the bread was made by people stompingon the dough. The word for feet is related to pav, to pau.

miles and miles of raw pottery shrines pieces used to construct them. A little hard to take pictures from the bus.

 those on the tour are often buying clothing, textiles sometimes jewelry for their children or grandchildren quite a bit of shopping going on. As well as clothing for themselves. 

The point of this image apart from showing the route I am on and the flat plane that we are crossing is that the Google Directions makes a distinction between a four wheeler and a two wheeler when traveling.

This morning you depart overland to Agra, renowned as the home of the Taj Mahal. Your journey today takes most of the day (approximately six hours including lunch) and covers approximately 150 miles as you travel through rural India for an insight into village and countryside life. During the drive you stop for lunch in Bharatpur, the former capital of a kingdom once ruled by Jat Maharajas.

Upon arrival in Agra check into your hotel and catch your first glimpse of the breathtaking Taj Mahal from your luxurious room. Once a small village on the banks of the Yamuna, Agra was transformed by …

Visit the Taj Mahal in the late afternoon, as the setting sun bathes it in a soft orange glow. The mausoleum of Empress Mumtaz Mahal, the beloved spouse of Shah Jahan who died in 1630, the Taj Mahal is often considered to be the “world’s monument to love.” The Taj complex comprises a forecourt, a lofty entrance, a charming formal Mughal garden with canals, and a central tank with a series of fountains, the tomb proper, and an attached mosque on the west, with its symmetrical counterpart on the east. The Taj is remarkable for its perfect proportions and rich pietra dura, with minute details executed with great skill. Often styled “a dream in marble,” it is said to have taken 22 years.

Asked leader about Ukraine and Russians. First, most Indians don’t care about what’s going on in Ukraine, we are a big country and concerned with ourselves. Secondly, Russia was there when we needed them and America wasn’t. America didn’t sell arms to us. When politicians from India went to Russia they were fetted with food, champagne and prostitutes. So they went back and then more politicians wanted to go thrre. Relationships developed of course.

Middle class about 350 people. Aspiring middle 250 lot of demand for goods. Poverty at 10 percent. Lots of socialist support in terms of giving them means to earn money.

Accommodation
The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra

Buffet lunch. I ate nothing. Almost everyone else ate.

Taj; 20k visitors a day weekends 60K

On the Taj visit, I did not take many pictures, almost none because well there are probably 1 million of them online but better than anything I could do. I did take have one unique photo here and you can look at my sunglasses and see a reflection of the taj

I zoned out this morning in the shower. The water pressure is almost but of course not too much. Perfect temperature control. Lots of space wonderful.

The air quality is terrible.

plan for Monday:

• Visit the Palace of the Winds, a unique structure built to allow women of the royal household to observe street life without being seen. Its ornately screened windows provide a cool breeze, earning it the name “Hawa Palace.” The side facing the street outside the palace boasts 953 small windows, and the circulating breeze keeps the palace cool even during the hot summer months
• Explore the Amber Fort, a magnificent red sandstone and marble palace that holds UNESCO World Heritage status.

-they brought in mirrors from Belgium and them lined with gold to protect them. Mirrors were more expensive than gold back then.

• The guide shared a design about a natural refrigerator. Wind blowing off the mountain passes through water under the palace, causing the air to expand. This process helps regulate the temperature inside the palace.
• The guide also mentioned a unique system among the drivers who own jeeps. They form a union and share their earnings among themselves. This system ensures that everyone is taken care of, even if they don’t drive themselves.
• We took a bus to the jeep.

• In the center of the jewelry market, there are millions of dollars worth of stones, yet there’s no security. It’s an incredible safety issue, even without CCD cameras.
• In the afternoon, we went on a bazaar walk.
• Australia: Guns are a big no-no for me. I won’t go to America. 
• American: I believe the current leader is a wonderful person who will fix the country if the FBI and CIA let him.
• The jewelry on the daughter of the guide was a beautiful piece. However, the guide avoided directly answering questions about the dowry system and the savings system associated with precious stone jewelry. He explained that these stones appreciate in value just as much as gold, if not more, and are often used for savings and emergencies, so they are rarely sold. Approximately 20% of the Indian population purchases this type of semi-precious stone jewelry at various price points.
• Lunch: We had Italian food, but I didn’t take a picture.

hundreds of shops selling very low-cost low quality merchandise to an enormous audience. good for gifts for your grandchildren if you are an American tourist and good for the local citizens who buy their regularly.

mostly cotton goods, Saries, and shoes 

Very early morning with a 6am departure.

Early departure this morning. Up at 5:00 a.m. for an early flight.

not much of a breakfast, cold Indian bread with some type of potato inside. Took a bite that was enough.

Communication overall is quite spotty. Sometimes Google fi works. Sometimes ubigi, sometimes my Indian esim and sometimes T-Mobile; have to jump back and forth.

at the airport, I decided to get a bottle of water( no problem. Got the bottle and gave him a ₹500 note. Nope can’t make change. No change available so I used my Apple Watch.

Jaipur is capital of Rajasthan. 2.5 million people. Very modern looking coming from the airport. Famous for a great hospital that also provides all services for free.

the astronomical Society observatory

this is one of 19 different types of astronomical clocks based on the angles in the sun. each one set as install time, at midnight to pick up the angle of the constellation pretty damn clever. Maybe 60% of people still believe in the horoscopes from them. Naturally, they would not have known about 26,000 year procession of a pole.

Jantar Mantar, the astronomical observatory in Jaipur, Rajasthan, which was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in the early 18th century. It is one of the most significant and well-preserved historical observatories in India and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Key Facts about Jantar Mantar, Jaipur
• Built: 1724–1734 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, a Rajput ruler and astronomer
• Purpose: To observe celestial movements, measure time, track planetary motions, and predict eclipses
• Location: Jaipur, Rajasthan, near the City Palace and Hawa Mahal
• UNESCO Status: Declared a World Heritage site in 2010

Notable Instruments

Jantar Mantar houses 19 large astronomical instruments, made primarily of stone and marble, that function with remarkable precision. Some key ones include:
1. Samrat Yantra (The Supreme Instrument)
• The world’s largest stone sundial
• Measures time with an accuracy of about 2 seconds
• The gnomon (the triangular structure) is 27 meters (89 feet) high

after I asked the guide what percentage of the people believe in the horoscopes he said somewhere around 60%. But then fudged saying with a follow up question they’re only 65 to 70% is right because of the interaction within the family and the horoscopes all interact and modify them in someway

A truly fantastic place. Even multiple devices doing the same thing. One to check the other probably during construction.

and then the Royal Palace

Main part of the visit was to see the museum where no photos were allowed. Carpets turbines jackets. very interesting but not possible to document.

Got the hotel around noon and we seem to have the rest of the day off.

yes, there is a Japanese toilet, not pictured

it is set on 32 acres peacocks birds, beautiful fauna. spectacular place 

Guide story of how milk is delivered fresh without pasteurization, apparently it is preferred that way. It is not tested for fat concentration and prices are proportional to fat content; so people dip their finger in to test it and by the time you get it maybe a hundred people have dipped their finger in it. No word on how it changes the flavor

Jain temple

went to the Indian restaurant, a fine one, for a large lunch. Outstanding I tried street food and an appetizer.

A type of chat. Mostly fruit lentils and spices.

The hotel room and facilities are just fine, but certainly not a modernized hotel. People come here clearly for the setting which is spectacular.

View from my window is dominated by pigeons



Slept soundly through the night, only to be jolted awake by the alarm. Tomorrow morning promises to be much earlier, as we have an early morning flight.

Why are there so many pigeons outside my window?They want to ensure their safety and the safety of their eggs, as there are no snakes on this island. The surrounding temples, which are numerous, are filled with people feeding pigeons, birds, and cows. They even sell grass to feed the cows. Pigeons eat and then seek refuge and roost here.

The palace appears to be undergoing repairs due to extensive water damage. The pictured door, with spikes,the defense against elephants, protects with spikes at eye level.

While we were exploring one of the segregated areas, one of the guests shared an interesting fact: “The less we see of them, the more we will like them.”

Marble columns are prevalent throughout the palace, reflecting the essence of Hindu Palace architecture. We will encounter domes in the Muslim areas.

The monkey depicted in the image appears to be a Gray Langur (Semnopithecus entellus), also known as the Hanuman Langur. These monkeys are commonly found in India and other parts of South Asia. They have long limbs, a long tail, and light grayish fur with a black face. Gray Langurs are often spotted in urban areas, temples, and natural reserves.

Please refer to the days’ itinerary at the beginning of this post for a detailed list of our locations, including the palace, the garden, and so on.

Garden of Maids:
The fountains in this garden are ingeniously irrigated by a lake that is higher than the garden itself. The water pressure is generated by the spouts and various water features, creating a clever design.

Art Center:
We visited an art center where we were treated to a short demonstration of how Indian art is crafted. However, the center’s primary focus was on selling miniatures, statues, and buffaloes.

One intriguing aspect of Indian art was the process of making yellow paint. It involves feeding cows mango and banana leaves, collecting their urine, and then evaporating it to extract the pigments.

We enjoyed a home-cooked meal prepared entirely from scratch. This region is known for its high consumption of corn, which we likened to the cuisine of Mexico. The large house has been in our family for a long time.

got off the bus and decided to walk to town on the temple 

As for dinner, we will be dining on our own and will be leaving the hotel at 6 AM tomorrow morning.

lunch discussion was much on how each couple is too highly taxed. I asked each of them do you get value for the tax, one agreed that was the right question and hard all the others just basically said no Neil avoided the conversation. I have met two few local people to ask my usual question questions. The interactions are all within the group.

spoke to Nepalese water, taxi driver as I was alone on the boat. as to the US, big cities like New York City and California was about all he knew then I asked him about Modi. I like Modi a lot very much why? Not corrupt.