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| Courriers in New Delhi |
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Two Songs/Deux Chansons
YouTube recommended a couple songs today, both of which were quite good. Well done.
"L'horloge Tourne" by Mikael Miro
"Alice & June" by Indochine
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Agra
On March 8, I escorted some VIPs, their spouses, and their staff to Agra. We visited
the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. The former is absolutely stunning and well
worth the three hour ride from Delhi by (hired) coach.
Since most of the week before the trip was consumed by staffing a different delegation, I had to plan it quickly. Fortunately I had the help of a tourism company to take care of most of the logistics. I wish I had thought of seeing the Taj at sunrise, but these people flew in from the U.S. the day before and then had a long day ahead of them; I didn't want them to burn out before the big dinner later that night.
Anyway, the Taj was great. It's beautiful, majestic, and regal. As you can probably imagine, it was also expensive. It cost more than the equivalent of $3 million dollars in the late 16th century. Put another way, the Louisiana Purchase a century later cost $15 million.
After the Taj Mahal, we went to Agra Fort.
The fort was very similar to the one I visited in Jaipur (the photos of which, were sadly lost when my phone was stolen in Haridwar). Built of red sandstone by Persianified Turkic peoples, it is an immense structure with rooms for everything you can imagine, from harems to administrative offices.
The son of the man who built the Taj imprisoned his father for political reasons, but as a concession he was imprisoned in a room where he could always see his everlasting tribute to his late wife. Here is his view:
That was something to keep in mind when thinking about how our government functions.
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| Not bad. |
Anyway, the Taj was great. It's beautiful, majestic, and regal. As you can probably imagine, it was also expensive. It cost more than the equivalent of $3 million dollars in the late 16th century. Put another way, the Louisiana Purchase a century later cost $15 million.
After the Taj Mahal, we went to Agra Fort.
The fort was very similar to the one I visited in Jaipur (the photos of which, were sadly lost when my phone was stolen in Haridwar). Built of red sandstone by Persianified Turkic peoples, it is an immense structure with rooms for everything you can imagine, from harems to administrative offices.
The son of the man who built the Taj imprisoned his father for political reasons, but as a concession he was imprisoned in a room where he could always see his everlasting tribute to his late wife. Here is his view:
Better than my View
That was something to keep in mind when thinking about how our government functions.
Monday, February 16, 2015
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Five Star Poetry
Five star hotels in Delhi are legendary for their luxury. I was astounded by their amenities when I toured India in 2010 and was relieved when I realized they accepted the government-rate for travelers like me. I would upload photos from my trip four years ago, but I am having power problems at my residence so Rocky's recent photo will have to serve as a substitute for now.
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| Real orchid! |
Sunday, November 9, 2014
People: Old and New
An acquintance from DC - I'll call her Rocky - is in town and it's a relief to see a familiar face. Rocky and I spent most of yesterday touring Old Delhi on a rickshaw. The pollution and traffic were terrible, but it was delightful seeing the city by bike with someone I trust. Our driver was friendly, hardworking, and helpful. I tipped generously. After Old Delhi, we stopped off at CP to pick-up my suit and some clothes I had tailored and she taught me about about third-culture kids along the way.
We took advantage of the Taj Palace's High Tea and commiserated over work. I left impressed with her committment, knowledge, and dedication and very appreciated of the chairs offered to us - they were the most comfortable and attractive chairs I think of in recent memory. Then I ventured forth to PCO - a local and pretentious speakeasy. It was fun, but we'll see if the bar can deliver again. It's pricey and I don't know if one can really relax there because it feels like a place to impress someone.
Rocky and I met-up today at The Imperial for High Tea with a colleague I'll call Sproket and we all left impressed by the grandeur of the hotel and pleased with the conversation and company. For all the maddening things about this place, it's beginning to feel like home.
We took advantage of the Taj Palace's High Tea and commiserated over work. I left impressed with her committment, knowledge, and dedication and very appreciated of the chairs offered to us - they were the most comfortable and attractive chairs I think of in recent memory. Then I ventured forth to PCO - a local and pretentious speakeasy. It was fun, but we'll see if the bar can deliver again. It's pricey and I don't know if one can really relax there because it feels like a place to impress someone.
Rocky and I met-up today at The Imperial for High Tea with a colleague I'll call Sproket and we all left impressed by the grandeur of the hotel and pleased with the conversation and company. For all the maddening things about this place, it's beginning to feel like home.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
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