As we continue to decompress from our amazing adventures in India, we have compiled some multimedia galleries that you all might enjoy!
Stay tuned for a photography exhibit from Dick Gaskell in the Bernon Hall lobby!!
Well, this will be a brief (and probably final) post. We have wrapped up our time in Chandigarh with a trip up into the Himalayas to visit The Lawrence School in Sanawar, Mrs. Bhan’s alma mater. There were 360 degree views of breathtaking mountains, but just too hazy to get good photos! This morning we visited Vivek High School and met with faculty as the students are on break. This afternoon, we visited a museum that chronicled the design and creation of Chandigarh in the 1950′s by famed designer Le Corbusier. Tonight, we take a train back to Delhi. We have one relaxing day before our flight home.
We look forward to sharing more stories in person upon our return, but for now, thanks for following!
Our last day in Jaipur, while exciting for most, found one of our intrepid travelers getting an up close view of the Indian health care system. (See photo below!) Alas, he has survived Indian food poisoning and is now well enough to get back to blogging duties.
Last night we arrived in Chandigarh, in the northern state of Punjab. After touring the TV studios of Day and Night News, the CNN of Northern India, we went to the Air Force Officers Club for a reunion dinner with Mrs. Bhan’s former students from the Punjab Public School. What an incredible evening, with more than 25 students that Lila taught 50 years ago! Their words about her caring attention in their formative years were heartwarming, and they would ring true with all of Lila’s Fessy boys.
Today, we drive up to her former school in Sanawar to celebrate the Indian festival of Holi. See pic below with our colors on our faces!!
Namaste! We mingled with pigs, elephants, and monkeys during our second day in Jaipur! On our way to the King of Jaipur’s palace, built in the ninth century, we stopped to see a family of pigs and piglets on the roadside.
The pig if I am not mistaken
Supplies us sausage, ham, and bacon
Let others say his heart is big
I call it stupid of the pig.
Ogden Nash
Dick recited Nash’s poem as we all snapped photos on our morning journey up to the palace and the elephants. We waited in a long line, but time passed quickly as we took in the stunning sites of homes built in the hills, the gardens, and the towering palace up above. Getting on the elephants was far easier than trying to mount the camels yesterday! There have been many firsts on this trip for each of us, and Dick received his first phone call atop his elephant! It was two to an elephant, as we slowly ascended the palace entrance. The enormity of these graceful, kind animals made us contemplate how many trips each elephant made. We left happily envisioning the elephants frolicking in the water after their two journeys up hill!
The palace was both enormous and beautiful. Mira Raja Kai Singh constructed this fort, and lived there with his 12 wives and 35 children until water became a problem. There were 12 apartments where the king’s wives lived. We walked through the secret passageways that connected each apartment to the king’s room.
The outdoor courtyard overlooked a grand wall which encircled the palace. This 11 km wall, though not nearly as grand as the Great Wall of China, was impressive. The walls of the courtyard were decorated with pieces of glass imported from Belgium. We envisioned the hall illuminated at night by candlestick.
We stopped for some roadside Indian cuisine and a cold Coke, and took in the view of yet another palace in the middle of a man-made lake. Our final destination was a HIndu temple where over 1,000 monkeys live. Besides seeing the monkeys swimming and running along the temple walls, the most enjoyable part was speaking with the gentleman who took care of these animals. He was a quiet, gentle man who knew the monkeys by name. He has lived at the temple all his life, following in his father’s footsteps as head care giver to these playful creatures.
There is no doubly that meeting the people of this great nation, and learning about their traditions and lifestyles is simply the best part of our experience. From Lila’s friends to the teachers and students we have spoke with on our school visits and the children who clamor around us for photographs, it is the relationships we will remember most.
Everyone was anxiously awaiting the elephant rides up to the Amber City to MIra Raja Kai Singh’s palace.
We arrived in Jaipur in the state of Rajasthan on Saturday evening. After a low key evening and a much needed sleep-in, we visited the City Palace, home to the 15-year-old King of Jaipur. In the Palace, we encountered a snake charmer with two live cobras, traditional drum and dance performances, and an observatory that includes the world’s largest sundial, built in the 1700s. In the palace grounds, some faculty became celebrities when more than 60 young girls surrounded them and asked for a photo. See We then enjoyed a traditional lunch, followed by camel rides near the water palace. This evening, we visited a Hindu temple.
Well folks, here it is. Seeing the Taj Mahal was an amazing experience for our Fessy crew. We’ll let the pictures speak for themselves. Off to Jaipur!
Hi Everyone,
