50 degrees Centigrade

June 19 and 20 Jaisalmer

Before we pulled out of Bikaner I took a long morning swim in anticipation of a long time in the van on the way to Jaisalmer. The breakfast at the Heritage hotel was ok, but that is almost not a fair assessment since I got spoiled by the prior hotel's breakfast. I got a couple of fruit lassis to give the day a sweet start.

Before we left Bikaner we stopped at a very small art gallery. That was appropriate since it specialized in very miniature paintings. It was run by two brothers, both artists who came from a family that had been artists in residence to the Bikaner maharaja and had painted many of the paintings and frescos that we had seen the prior day. The older brother showed us his technique, which consisted of using a paint brush that contained a single hair from a squirrel. When using a magnifying glass, I could see the tiny individual strokes. He quickly painted a flower for us that consisted of nine strokes which I could not distinguish without the magnifying glass, but using it showed a very impressive result. He told us that most of the miniature artists go blind and have to give up panting, but he showed us a yoga eye exercise which he claimed would keep him healthy. It consisted of him moving his eyeballs around in a strange manner. We purchased a couple of small paintings.

Then we set out for Jaisalmer. A long drive through what became a total desert. Virtually no trees and lots of sand in what is the Thar Desert. Very few villages and very little signs of water. Most of the villages we passed through had a communal pump that also served as the village shower. Even our lunch stop had no water in the bathroom.

Jaisalmer was founded in 1156 by Jaisal, a leader of the Bhati Rajput clan. It made its living like many of these desert towns by first robbing, and then servicing the caravans on the trade routes. It made an alliance with the Mughals that extended its prosperity, but fell into decline when the British established ports and railroads that eliminated the trade routes. Wars, however, led to a revival of Jaisalmer's fortunes. It is less than 60 km to the Pakistani border, and after Pakistani invasions in the 1966 and 1971 wars, it acquired strategic importance. In addition to tourism, the economy is fueled by several military installations and a border security post. The days we were there, we saw lots of young men who were taking tests which they hoped would lead to an appointment with the border security agency.

We checked into our hotel, the Gateway Rawalkot in the late afternoon. It is located on a ridge a few kms out of town. It was very hot, but through the heat shimmering up from the desert, we could see Fort Jaisalmer towering in the distance. It is a massive structure that is built from yellow sandstone, but looked golden as the sun was setting from our vantage point at the hotel's pool.

We went out to dinner at Trio. This is a tented rooftop restaurant that sits atop the palace's wall. Multicuisine food that was good and reasonably priced, although the white wine was warm. We met a largely English language tour group there. They had taken the train from Bikaner and reported that it was little occupied and while not air conditioned, had effective fans. However, they said it took forever as it stopped in many villages. They had also done a desert dinner and sleepover and reported that it had been so hot they slept outdoors rather than in the tents. One member of that group was a NYC-based actor who had immigrated at age 9 with his family to the US from Columbia. His father and other relatives had been high-ranking military officers and their families had been targeted for assassination by the FARC, so they left. He had recently been back to Columbia for the first time and felt that Columbia is now headed in the right direction.  

Breakfast was ok. Getting burned out on Indian food, very heavy on rice and potatoes, so I had American-style eggs and some lassis. The local newspaper's headline was that the temperature had reached 50 degrees centigrade the prior day. That is very hot.

After the early breakfast we met our local guide and went to the old town area. He has a Masters degree in economics and was one of the better guides who did more than simply describe the objects or monuments, but also engaged in a discussion about modern Indian society. He took us to a good fort viewing site and then we went down to a man-made lake which we entered through a hugh arch. Indians seem to revere virtually all animals and it is good luck to feed them, At the lake there were numerous boys selling loaves of bread, which Indians then were feeding to the catfish. They were very big and engaged in a frenzy when food was tossed their way.

Our guide questioned why the US continued to support Pakistan when it is not democratic, harbored ben Laden in the shadow of a major military facility, and continues to sponsor terrorism against India. He also said that only 5% of Indians pay income taxes. If that is true, it might offer at least a partial explanation for the atrocious state of public India. Roads and mass transit are generally poor, sanitation is terrible, and the absence of public toilets makes for common urination in the streets. Add to that the wandering of cows, goats and camels in the streets and you have a receipt for a dirty, smelly India. He believes that India needs 10 or 15 more years of progress before it can attain superpower status, and thinks that as India becomes more educated and prosperous, its birthrate will decline.

We went to the Fort's first massive gate. The fort has four gates set out along a winding incline to its interior. Unlike many other forts, this not only contains the royal palace and temples, as well as serving as a defensive structure, but it is also a living town that currently has over 3000 inhabitants. They live among narrow, winding lanes and many havelis that have been converted to hotels or guesthouses. The fort palace is a seven-story structure that we could not enter due to renovation. Apparently as more piped water is being sent into the fort, the drainage is eroding its foundations.

There is a maze-like complex of seven Jain Temples dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. The Jain religion is an offshoot of Hinduism than seems to be even more peaceful and laid back than its parent. However, the Jains are known as great businessmen and are reputed to control 50% of India's businesses. The temples had extremely intricate carving in the marble and yellow sandstone. We received little tours from the Jain priests who hit us up for donations. We also visited a Hindu temple within the fort that is much simpler than the Jain temples. Our guide took us through the narrow streets to his neighborhood and led us up to a ledge that provided a great view of the city.

After we exited the fort we visited several old havelis. These are gorgeously carved structures whose doorways, screens, balconies and turrets are well preserved. The biggest is the Patwon-Ki Haveli which has 6 homes, one for the dad and identical ones for each of his five sons. Our guide characterized the merchant builder as insanely rich who, at the height of construction, was employing millions of hours of stone masons in the construction of the complex. The former prime minister's haveli is still inhabited and is being renovated. The great, great, grandson gave us a tour and we picked up a few gifts there. We also made some purchases of textiles that we really didn't need at a local co-op that supposedly sold products from the local desert villages.    

Took a break at an extra special Lassi shop. In addition to a large variety of lassis, it also sells bhang lassis. We had more walking to do, so I opted for a more conventional flavor.

We went back to the hotel in the late afternoon as the winds picked up and there was an increasing amount of dust and sand in the air. By the time we made it out to the pool we could barely see the fort. We ate dinner at a Kabob restaurant in Old Town outside the fort. No one spoke English there and the other patrons were all Indian. Dinner was pretty good, but the cold beers, Indian brand, Kingfisher, was the best part.

Land of Kings

June 18 Thursday

We left the lazy pleasures of Samode Haveli, but not before a morning swim and two chocolate milkshakes, plus the usual fruit bowl, Indian pancakes and other items, for breakfast. A long drive ahead of us to Bikaner.

As we left Jaipur the landscape became increasingly desolate and the temperature of the window van kept rising. With some major differences, it was not dissimilar to the drive on I-15 after one leaves Victorville on the way to Las Vagas (or in my case to Ft. Irwin) through the Mojave Desert. Little greenery, few trees, sagebrush and lots of sand surrounded by mountains in the distance. The differences are that instead of a 4-lane highway, we were mostly driving on a 2-lane road; we regularly slowed down or came to a complete stop as we met cows, or goats (camels stayed on the roadside), and we periodically passed goat or cow herders. Also no In-N-Out Burgers.

With a stop for lunch, at a very forlorn  and deserted food and gift shop, and a few bathroom stops, the trip took almost 6 hours. A few kms out of Bikaner we stopped at our hotel, the Heritage Resort. It did not compare favorably, or at all with our prior accommodations, but it had a pool, a good breakfast, no milkshakes, but good lassis,  and was clean and quiet, even though there were a surprising number of visitors there, primarily a German tour group. However we spent very little time there.

After we checked in, we got back into the van and left for Bikaner. This is a dust swirling desert town that was founded in 1488 by Rao Bika (hence the name) who was the second son of the Roa Jodha, maharaja of Jodhpur. Since he was not going to get much from his dad, he hightailed it out of town with a few followers and founded his own place. After his dad died he launched a war against his brother, leading to several decades of warfare between the Rathore kingdoms. Eventually Bikaner made a good living providing protection, (pay me so I will not rob you), supplies and accommodations to the caravan trade and a friendly relationship with the Mughals by marrying their sons to the Mughals' daughters. It declined with the decline of the Mughal empire, but returned to prosperity providing camels and supplies to the British for the latter's endless, and largely unsuccessful, wars against the Afghans and Rajputs. Under a benign maharaja, it was the first desert princely state to get electricity and constructed a canal to bring water in from Punjab.

In Bikaner we went to the Junagarh Fort/Palace. Another in what has and will become a long line of monster forts in Rajastan forts and palaces. It was built at the end of the 16th century by a Bikaner maharaja who was also a general in the Mughal army. I could not verify this, but I suspect he married a Mughal princess. It had the usual large and sumptuous public and private assembly halls, the former was lacquered in garish red and gold while the latter was painted in blue clouds. It was now late afternoon and the temperature was over 110, and no matter how much water I drank I did not need to pee. One of the maharajas did up his wing in gold paint, mirrors and stained glass from Belgium. The rooftop had a nice view of the camel and horse stalls, still in use, and the city. There was a wing that housed a WWI De Haviland biplane bomber, given as a gift to the kingdom by the grateful British for the assistance the kingdom provided in the war fighting in the Middle East against the Ottomans.

The Old City had a medieval feel to it with a labyrinth of narrow streets that were choked with motorbikes (there are virtually no cars out here) and auto rickshaws. But we did not see much of it because we had to go to our camel ride and desert dinner.

We each mounted a camel without the aid of a platform or ladder. The camel bends down, you hop on and then it stands up, first front and then back, as you hold on to avoid getting tossed. The ride was kind of swaying and boring, no galloping. We rode into the sunset and then got to the camp. There they had set up a single table for us with linens and a full table setting. There was a cooking and serving staff of 6 and two musicians. The food was good and the beer was cold, but it was incredibly hot, even after the sun set. I was sweating throughout the meal and all I was doing was chewing and drinking. Staggered back to the hotel and took a swim in the pool. Not much relief until I went into the air conditioned room.

Had a morning swim before breakfast and before we took off on another long ride through the desert to Jaisalmer.      

The pink (really salmon) city

June 16 and 17 Jaipur

We left Alwar Bagh hotel fortified by a good breakfast and began the drive to Jaipur. The drive was southwest, largely along back county roads so progress was slow, although we saw lots of cows, goats and peacocks. Even without the animals the frequent speed bumps before and after villages, and at other random spots slowed travel time.

We arrived in Jaipur about 12:15 along the street Nirwan Marg, close to the Chandpol Gate to tbe Old City leading to the Chanpol Bazaar. (It becomes difficult to know where you are when you are being driven everywhere.) We had lunch at a multicuisine restaurant on the second floor of a seemingly under-maintained building. The food was pretty good, but until the end of our meal we were the only patrons in the restaurant. We were later joined by an older bearded American in a Harvard tee shirt.

Up until this point I was disappointed by my initial impressions of Jaipur. I had been told that it was an exciting and colorful city that is the capital of Rajasthan State and an heir to the wealth, power and knowledge of its former rulers, the mighty Rajputs who through military might and deft alliances, had avoided subjugation by the Mughals and the British. So far I had seen no evidence of that, only trash and chaos, worse than in Delhi.

A word about the Rajput states rulers. The British actually directly ruled (through a cadre of Indian civil servants who were managed by the British India High Commission) only about half of India. The other half, "princely states", was nominally ruled by scores of Maharajas, Kings and Princes with whom the British had treaties under which the British controlled foreign affairs and received payments. At partition the princely states were given the options of: joining either Pakistsn or India, or remaining independent. As a guide told us, India essentially told these states that they could join voluntarily, get slapped in the face or get invaded, (that is what happened to Kashmir and Hyderabad). The Rajput states negotiated an agreement under which they would join India, but the rulers would retain their titles and property holdings, and receive annual stipends and seats in Parliament. However in 1975, as part of her Emergency Decree, Indira Gandhi voided the agreements and stripped these rulers of their seats and stipends. They retained their empty  titles and property. Many have moved to London.

However, after lunch we drove into the Old City through a towering Gate. Everything within the Old City is painted in salmon. This was done in 1876 at the direction of the Maharaja to welcome the Prince of Wales (later King George VII), and now property owners are required by law to maintain their property in this color. They have done a good job.

Then we drove to our hotel, the Samode Haveli. (A haveli is a big residence, but since it is not owned by royalty, it cannot be called a palace. However, depending upon the owner's wealth, some havelis exceed the grandeur of palaces.) This Haveli was magnificant and our stay there was fabulous.

The alley leading to the haveli entrance gave no hint of the beauty of the facility. (Pictures inside the facility showed that in the 1930s the facility was bounded by a large grassy area.) There were grand steps leading to the entrance, after which one passed into a courtyard that had an adjacent open-air living room. We descended into a larger inner courtyard that had a large pool and hot tub. An adjacent building had a spa. Our room was a suite (off season, there were not many guests) that is larger than most NYC apartments. The service was superb and the landscaping was beautiful. Monkeys played on the grounds and a variety of birds were present. It was a wonderful oasis from the heat and chaos of the city. If I had to live in India I would want to live there.

After meeting our local tour guide, he took us to Jantar Mantar. This is a large outdoor observatory that was built by the city's founder and ruler (he came to power at age 11 upon the death of his father) Jai Singh in 1728. It looks at first glance like a collection of large, odd sculptures. However, it is a collection of finely calibirated devices that tell time to within two seconds. There are winter and summer sundials and large astronomical instruments that precisly tell the time, when the suin is shining. He built five of these in India, but this is the biggest and best preserved.

Then we walked to the City Palace, which is the fomer urban home of the king and still houses members of the royal family. It is a blend of Mughal and Rajasthani architecture and contains a complex of courtyards, gardens, public buildings and residences. Now there are museums, art and clothes shops, and an armoury housing an exhibit of weapons. One of the kings was over 400 pounds and almost 7 feet tall. His clothes were enormous, but although he had 4 wives, he had no children. Draw your own conclusions. One payback. The palace had two really enormous silver urns. They were used by the Maharaja on his trip to London to carry water. He said that English water would make him ill.

Then went to a rug-making operation. Interesting process with the men doing all the weaving and the women doing all the stitching. Bought a rug I did not need, but I bargained the price down to less than the Lonely Planet suggestion. The negotiation process is fun and I get lots of ice cold water or beer during the process.

We then went back to the hotel. Swam and had drinks poolside before dinner. We ate at the Glitzy Restaurant. We had a light dinner of soup, one main dish and ice cream. There was a young 3-person band that was teamed with two dancers. They played mostly Rajasthani music, but we were the only patrons for a while, so they tried some American tunes for us. The women dancers were elaborately costumed and really threw their hips around. Eventually they got us up dancing with them.

Breakfast the next day was order whatever you wanted. The fruit bowl was fabulous, a medley of melons, mango, papaya and pineapple. I also had a south Indian potato and cheese omelet type dish.

In the morning we went to Amber Fort/Palace. We rode up the ramp to the entrance on an elephant. Most of the way up we were badgered by vendors. This is a magnificent structure that combines Hindu and Mughal architecture. Construction of the structure began in 1592 and took 140 years to complete. Much of the structure is palaces and apartments fo the royal families. It is cleverly constructed to maximize air flow in the summer and retain heat in the winter. It also had an elaborate water system thst drew water from the lake below. It is built from yellow and pink sandstone and white marble. It has 4 major courtyards. The first was for public events. Women were prohibited from entering this area but could watch the proceedings through a latticed balcony. The second courtyard had a public assembly area and a temple for daily goat sacrifices. The third courtyard was the maharaja's quarters. It was designed so that he could visit a particular wife without the other wives knowing of the visit. (I cannot believe that the wives did not talk among themselves.) The fourth courtyard was the women's quarters, but they were only permitted to meet as a group in the central area. We purchased a history book and some postcards at the palace's bookstore and then returned to town.

There is a water palace that is built in the middle of a lake in town that looks like a large Venetian palace. We drove around the Old Town a bit and then were transferred to a bicycle rickshaw. The tour operators billed this as an environmentally sound way to travel. I suspect they just wanted tourists to have this experience. (We had already done this several times in Old Delhi so it was not a novelty.) Maybe this provides employment and income for those otherwise unemployable, but when I see these drivers all I see is stickmen. They labor in the heat in long pants and shirtsleeves and are incredibly thin. I tipped them well.

We then went to the Central Museum, not on the tour but I asked to go. It is housed in Albert Hall, a grand old, unair-conditioned building. It has an eclectic collection of Indian stuff, and for not apparent reason, an Egyptian mummy. We then went to the Hawa Mahal. This is commonly referred to as the Palace of the Winds. This is an impressive five-story, red sandstone colored, honeycombed lattice structure that was built in 1798. However, there is no there there. It is just a facade that was used to give the ladies a perch to watch proceedings from which they could not be seen.

Then had some street food (picked out by our guide to avoid gastronomical distress) for lunch. The best part was an Indian yogurt shake called lassi. It comes in many flavors, including chocolate and out in Jaisalmer, bhang (cannabis). Very refreshing and I started drinking several portions at breakfast

As we moved west into the desert, even though this area was never conquered by the Muslims and is overwhelmingly Hindu, they were always threatened by the Muslims, so the Rajputs started hiding away their women, both in private and also in public. Now virtually all the Hindu woman wear the scarf and veil.

We drove around new Jaipur a while and then jeweley shopping. Lots more negotiating finally to an agreement.

Returned to the hotel in the mid afternoon and just sank into the pool, welcoming the respite from the city and the heat. Had a liquid dinner.

The Missing Tiger

June 15 Out of Delhi

We were picked up by the tour operator just as planned at 9:00 am. A late model very clean van stocked with ice water and toilet paper. The driver and guide grabbed our luggage, loaded it into the van and held the doors open for us.  I fear that we are entering the tourist zone.

It was about a 4-hour drive to Alwar. The first hour was spent getting out of Delhi. The traffic was very heavy and the roads do not facilitate fast travel. Even in the Delhi area, and to a greater extent outside the major cities, even the toll roads regularly have small stretches that are unpaved, thus requiring a major reduction in speed. There are also regular speed bumps, which frequently have 4 or 5 ribs. That is very common when the roads pass through villages. So going 250 km can take 4 hours.

Outside the Delhi core area we saw high-rise buildings, commercial and residential, in India for the first time. From the outside they seem to be modern, first class buildings. However, around them there is still the mess and chaos we saw elsewhere in India. There are many pushcarts and small markets competing for space with the high-rises.

The tourist bubble is a strange place. Until you reach your hotel room, most of your needs are taken care of. Luggage is carried, doors are opened, tickets are purchased and lines are circumvented. Drinks are provided, faucets are turned on, soap is squirted on your hands, there is no need to use any language other than English and your picture can always be taken. The downside is that there is no adventure, limited surprise and there is limited contact with anyone other than Indians in the tourist industry who are paid to treat you a certain way. If we do talk to someone else, while the tour guide does not say anything, but it appears to me that they make it known that I am messing up the schedule.  In Amber Palace (on Wednesday) we escaped and were talking to a security guard [that happened frequently; I think they are bored and welcome the opportunity to speak with someone] about the operation of the Palace’s water system, the tour guide came after us telling us that he had been asking people where the couple was with the guy with the white beard. You also walk a lot less in the bubble. Earlier in our trip, we walked for hours each day. In part due to the heat, we are now driven everywhere..

We arrived at Alwar, a small town by Indian standards, about 1:00 and checked into our hotel. This was one of the stops at which I directed the tour company to put us in something other than luxury accommodations.  It is a nice, rustic place, sort of like a resort we stayed at in the past in northeastern San Diego County, Warner Springs. Nice landscaping, a good pool and other activities; this one had target shooting, which was surprising since hunting is unlawful in India. Our room was good sized and was in a fake palace building with an interior courtyard.

After lunch there, Indian food in India, at least in many parts of the bubble, is very heavy on starches and has large portions. In contrast most Indians are very slim, but most Indians are also poor.

Then we went to the Sariska Game Reserve for a safari. Climbed into the back of a jeep and took off with a driver and a naturalist. It was one of the few areas of India that was neither littered with trash nor swarming with people. The Park still contains about 7 or 8 villages and we encountered two women walking with baskets balanced on their heads. We gave them a ride but not before they pulled their head scarves over their faces. When we dropped them off I think that they motioned us to visit them in their village, but we were in the tourist bubble.

We saw lots of animals in their natural habitat. Turtles swimming and sun bathing, hundreds of peacocks squawking and showing off their feathers, several types of deer, one of which is the tiger’s favorite food, antelope, wild pigs, large eared rabbits, small cats, monkeys and lemurs.

Alas we saw no tigers. Due to poaching, and probably killings by the villagers for whom the tiger is a source of income, by 2005 all the tigers in this park had been killed. The naturalist told us that two tigers had been resettled here from another Park and the tiger population was now up to 13, including 4 cubs. But none came out to greet us.

We went back to the hotel by early evening. Had a light, liquid dinner and swam for almost an hour in the pool. It was very refreshing and nice swimming, undisturbed by others (this is decidedly off season) under the stars.

White Privilege

June 13 and 14 Weekend in Delhi

Still recovering from the Delhi diet, so we took it easy on Saturday. Stayed in the apartment most of the morning avoiding the heat and soaking up air conditioning. In the afternoon a big windstorm kicked up and then there was a torrential rainstorm. It is the beginning of monsoon season, which is created by the height of the Himalayas. Although the storm lasted about an hour, it had the effect of lowering the temperature by about 25 degrees, thereby taking the temperature under 100 degrees during the daylight hours for the first time during our visit.

I took the opportunity to bake some chocolate chip cookies.

After the storm concluded we went down to the larger local market for some haircuts. The salon was modern and western looking. There were at least twelve barbers available with only a few chairs occupied. It was quite a production. First we were wrapped in hot towels. Then our hair was washed. Finally the cutting began. First there was lots of scissors work and then the straight edge razor.  When the haircut was completed, the barber left and a masseuse replaced him. He gave me a full upper body massage. Starting with the scalp.

Then did some food shopping at a grocery store that caters to expats and affluent Indians. No more cheap food. Even the fruits and vegetables were generally 50% higher than the markets I had visited. Lots of American brands that were expensive by US standards – Hershey’s chocolate syrup was $8; Skippy peanut butter, small jar, was $7; and Kellogg’s cereals were $3 to $4 more than in the US.

The highlight of the day was dinner at the house of a Punjabi couple who are friends of my son. They are late “20-somethings” and recently married. (He said the marriage was only a two-day affair with 800 people, most of whom they did not know. It supposedly was an orgy of eating and drinking to the point of drunkenness.) He was trained and worked in London and now owns an IT business that employs about 15 people. She is in marketing for a trade magazine. We cabbed to their house seemingly a long way across town. It was a nondescript building on a middling block, but the house was very nice on the inside.

My son had brought some whiskey that our host coveted, but was unable to obtain in India, so we started out with that and then were served several tasty Punjabi hors d’oeuvres. The meal was several home cooked Punjabi dishes, including a lentil soup, all of which were very good and which I over-indulged in with negative consequences later in the evening. They even served ice cream with mangos and chocolate syrup for dessert having learned of my son’s liking of that. He and I were the primary contributors to consuming almost two bricks of ice cream.

Three generations live in the house. Our host’s father lived in one area upstairs, the host had another floor and the host’s brother and his family on yet another floor. They shared the first floor common area.

The conversation was very interesting, ranging from US/India relations to the merits of various whiskeys. My son met them at a scuba diving resort at which the instruction was of varying quality, and thus, varying results and enjoyment. 

However for me, perhaps the most useful takeaway was the lesson from the host on how to use the water utensil at the toilet. He explained that it was commonly used by Indians in lieu of toilet paper. I am still getting used to it, but it is very effective and in India one dries off cleanly and quickly.  It was a very nice evening.

On Sunday my son and I went out early after another rainstorm, first to the National Rail Museum and then to Nehru Park. The temperature was almost mild and we had a nice walk and talk.

The Rail Museum had lots of old rail stock and engines from many Indian railroads. Very few of the pieces were made in America or by American companies. There was a good sized child’s (although I saw many adults riding it} railroad that brought back memories of Travel Town in LA.

Nehru Park was very nice and peaceful. There were a few joggers out, so we largely had the park to ourselves. There was a large statue of Lenin in the Park. There are probably not too many of them left, but it is a testament to India’s long period as a socialist economy.

In the afternoon Karen and I went by auto rickshaw to the Bahai Temple in South Delhi. We arrived to find a line that stretched forever, was moving very slowly and I felt that even if we wanted to wait in the heat, we would not get in by closing time. Our driver just motioned us to go in at the head of the line. We got out looking for a foreigner’s entrance. Not finding one we turned to leave. Another driver approached us and offered to take us to another temple that we had already visited. He then stood on the rope and motioned for us to cut into the line. We did (after some protest) and no one objected. I do not know if it was Indian hospitality or white privilege, but we were in within 15 minutes.

The temple grounds are beautifully maintained. The temple is shaped like a giant lotus flower. The first temple that we saw in India which had seats, there was strict emphasis on silence and mediation inside. It was a very peaceful experience.

We then went to the Imperial Hotel, but not without some detours. The auto rickshaw driver mentioned something about advertisements and I said no shopping. He took us to a store. We walked through that for about 10 minutes and I told him no more shopping. He said no problem, but took us to another store. At that point I told him that unless he took us to the Hotel, I was going to get out of his vehicle and take another vehicle. He glumly pushed the vehicle out and we road in silence to the hotel area. He could not find the hotel and kept asking us if we were there when we came to a big hotel. He probably could not read. We finally got there.

On the way there we drove past the park area surrounding India Gate. There was a major traffic jam caused by pedestrians in the street. The scene looked like something from Jones Beach (a popular beach on southern Long Island) on July 4^th weekend. It was wall-to-wall people. On Sundays it appears that the Delhi population turns out in force at public areas regardless of the heat.

 The Imperial Hotel was probably the premier hotel from the late stages of the British rule. I can only describe it as sumptuous. Perfectly maintained with lots of staff in elegant uniforms; it was an experience just walking through it. We had dinner there at one of the restaurants, Daniel’s Tavern. I ate light, not wishing to replicate the prior night’s experience. The food was good, the service, music and surroundings impeccable, and the Indian ice cream very flavorful.

Home by taxi from a very nice day.

  

Doings in Delhi

This was posted on Jun 12, (sorry for the length) but it reflects my impressions and experiences from the past week.

Delhi is enormous; physically, demographically and culturally. When combined with the heat it has been more than a handful for me.

It is hard to overstate how big Delhi is. It has over 16 million people (That is two NYCs.) and almost 1500 sq km (which is 10% bigger than LA) It has 7 cities, not including British built New Delhi and 4 new satellite cities built by the Indians. As I have come to learn, it has been shaped and scarred by a succession of armies and civilizations that have conquered the northern Indian plains and vanquished Delhi, only to recede into ruin and oblivion in the face of a new conqueror.  Indeed until independence in 1947, the Hindus (majority religion and population in northern India) had been ruled by others. First Alexander from the west, then the Mauryans in the 4th century BC ruled. In the 3rd century AD, the Guptas became India's second great empire. While south India remained under Hindu rule, beginning in the 12th century northern India was conquered by a succession of Muslim armies invading from the northwest through Afghanistan. The largest and most powerful Muslim empire was the Mughals who traced their lineage back to Genghis Khan. Their rule began in the 16th century and lasted 300 years. They were prolific builders and their architecture still dominates Delhi. That was followed by almost a century of official British rule. Maybe that history of foreign domination explains Indian intransigence and almost militant neutrality since independence.

The city I have been exploring, and sometimes staggering around, appears to me to be a chaotic tapestry of medieval forts, bewildering bazaars, too numerous to count markets, mosques, Sikh temples, Mughal tombs, British colonial buildings, modern era memorials, and a diplomatic colony, intertwined with an impossibly complex road network which I still do not have a good grasp of. It is hard to accurately describe the scene on the roads which are occupied by buses, cars (there are no ultra small cars here like the Smart cars or Fiat 500s seen in large numbers in Europe, and a large number of big SUVs), motorcycles, scooters, auto rickshaws, bicycle freight and passenger rickshaws, pushcarts and regular bicycles. They compete like mad for every inch of space on the road and continuously blow their horns. Lane markers, when they exist, are ignored, but they generally drive on the correct side (the left) of the road and respect traffic lights. In some respects the drivers and the trip are not as nerve racking as the drivers in Georgia.

It is noisy, dirty, congested and chaotic. Yet it is not noisier than Istanbul, it is less congested than Manhattan (I have not seen any high rise buildings in Delhi, the tallest structures I encountered are the 5 century old Humayum's Tomb and the 14th century Qubt Minar tower) and it is no dirtier than Mexico City. And for all the chaos on Delhi's streets, I observed very few accidents or even near misses.

Transport is critical in this large city. My son does not have a car. While I am sure I could safely drive a car in Delhi (I was once and always am a NYC cab driver) since the roads are not pot holed and traffic does not move at a high speed, I would quickly become hopelessly lost.

There are buses, but they are jammed and I have no idea where they go. It is very hard to walk in Delhi because it is so big and spread out, and when they exist the narrow sidewalks are frequently obstructed by small pushcart markets, cows or beggars.

The Metro system is modern, cheap, (some of our rides were as little as 18 cents) generally efficient AND air conditioned. I tried to use it as often as possible, particularly in the middle of the day, if only as a respite from the heat. There are lots of people hanging out in the Metro stairwells and tunnels, I suspect for the same reason. However we could not use it exclusively. First no line runs near my son's home so we always had to use some other form of transportation to start and end the day. Second, whenever I got out of the Metro it was very hard to find our destination and unless we were driven to the Metro station, I had trouble finding them. The roads are bewildering, our Lonely Plant map was not up to the task, there are virtually no street signs ( I wonder why this is an issue in many foreign cities. It can't possibly cost much to put up decent street signs. Do these countries want to confuse a potential invader?) and any misstep means more time in the heat.

The Metro sells cards that you can swipe for each ride, but I was unsure how much we would use the Metro so I did not buy one. That was a mistake. Instead we purchased tokens each time we rode. The signs demanded exact change but gave no indication of the fare which is based on distance travelled. The clerks made change anyway. At each entrance you had to go through airport style security. Separate entrances and pat downs for men and women. They have colored footprints on the ground to assist passengers in transferring from one line to another.

That leads to the ubiquitous auto rickshaws. They are open sided, covered three wheel vehicles, the size of a rickshaw, that are (under) powered by what seems to be a lawnmower type engine. They are everywhere and even drive on what passes for highways. They carry two people with adequate room, can accommodate three adults and I have seen as many as five people in them. They have meters, but the drivers (all male) want to negotiate the price of every ride. For me that leads to multiple, quick and fierce negotiations everyday and since I generally do not know how long or how far our desired ride is, I have had widely varying fares. If you emerge from a Metro station there are many auto rickshaws and one can bargain what I think is a good price. Coming out of a restaurant at night we have not found as many and I felt that I ended up paying a ransom for a ride. Oftentimes they will take a ride not knowing exactly where they are going, particularly to my son's house, and before I grew familiar with the streets that led to frequent stops for directions. (Some will also stop to pick-up food from the street side food stands.) Many are illiterate so showing them written addresses is often not helpful. In any event the rides are incredibly cheap by US standards and rarely exceed 4 dollars, so the negotiation is often over dimes.   Some are silent drivers. Others are willing to talk (although many do not speak conversational English) and can provide interesting information, and others want to act as a tour guide and ferry you around all day, stopping of course at their relative's shopping store or restaurant.

The ride is not comfortable. It is bumpy and when riding you get a torrent of hot air rushing by you. However, that is better than when the vehicle is stopped in traffic or at a light when you have waves of heat assaulting you intermingled with auto fumes. As they squeeze into incredibly small spaces, inches from other vehicles, you dare not extend any limb or digit outside the vehicle. Even I cringed occasionally at their maneuverings, but so far there have not been any accidents.

There are also taxis, but they are not as numerous. You can call for a vehicle in advance, and sometimes they come.

Based on the cars, fashionable outfits and numerous upscale restaurants, in addition to the beggars and the working class who seem to work for very little, Delhi seems to have both a lot of wealth and poverty, as well as a burgeoning middle class. For an expat making US wages, the dollar goes a very long way and if you take advantage of Delhi, it appears that you can live like the 1%. Labor is incredibly cheap. My son has a servant and many embassy personnel also have drivers. Eating out is varied and cheap by US standards. Clothing also seems to be cheap as well as food bought at the local markets.

Finally the heat. I knew it would be hot and that this was a time to avoid Delhi. Yet due to the Georgian wedding, this was the time I was in the neighborhood and I had not seen my son for a year. I grew up in the August heat of NYC, have walked around in 100+ degree temperatures in LA and even spent considerable time in Houston in the summer negotiating a labor contract. I thought that I could handle it. I was wrong. It has staggered me at times and given me a new appreciation for air conditioning and access to clean drinking water.  Most days it has been in the 90s by 9:00 am and for most of the afternoon it has been 108-110 degrees. Even in the darkness of early evening after 8:00pm, it remains over 100. The humidity has not been too bad. (Maybe I have been too hot to notice it.) 

So I sweat. Gallons of sweat. I am beyond sticky and into runny. Even with my newly purchased baggy Indian pants and shirts, clothes get and stay wet. Underwear, take a lot of sets. I have a little towel that I pilfered from a hotel in Turkey whose accommodations were a dud that I carry around and use continually to mop my head.

The heat begets water issues.  Outside of restaurants and religious institutions it is not easy to get even local water in public in Delhi, and in any event, I decided not to drink Indian water, for safety reasons. (I made one exception when we were desperate.) Similarly bottled water, let alone cold water, is not readily accessible.  So each day when we set out we carried water. My backpack runneth over, but every day we ran out and every day we took more. Of course the more water I carried the more I sweat. On Thursday around dinner we each drank a liter of purchased water, in addition to my milkshake and her Diet Coke.  You also need to consume in the water foul-tasting packets of salts to replace those that go off with the sweat. And just think, next week we are going to Rajasthan, the great western desert.  Some details:

June 4
We arrived in Delhi in the morning after an overnight flight from Tbilisi through Baku and (over Iranian territory) Doha (great airport) and were fortunately and gratefully greeted by my son's girlfriend, who got us a car and got us to my son's apartment. He lives in a very nice neighborhood (lots of guards, many of whom are dozing in their guard shacks) and close to the embassy. We napped for a few hours and under the girlfriend's guidance went out to two local markets. All small shops and even smaller food stands selling a wide range of products, many of which, particularly the fruits, are not familiar to me. Banks do not change currency. Fortunately the embassy bank does.

June 5
The girlfriend is an extensive traveler in the developing world (my son tells me that "third world" is out). She graciously took us to the Khan Market. That is a very large market that sells a staggering range of goods, food and services, just about anything you want, mostly out of small stores, many of which are subterranean. If you like to shop and or negotiate, this is heaven. She gave us a quick tour and then went off to her business.

I was feeling very out of place in my shorts, no Indian wears them, so I was looking for a men's pants shop. After visiting several shops I found one that I liked. Baggy Indian, cotton drawstring pants with lots of pockets. Picked out two for $16 and was told to come back in 20 minutes after the tailoring was completed. That worked out, white and light brown.

I found another store and purchased two more pants after much negotiation for $8, that were even baggier, but no pockets. Red and blue for desert visibility. Bought some ice cream and managed to get home by auto rickshaw


June 6
Began the day with a fitting for a tailor-made suit. The tailor came to my son's apartment and pulled out a staggering number of choices for fabrics, colors and styles. He promised to hide my gut. This would be my first tailor-made suit, but my son swears by them and the price is very reasonable. Now I have to figure out where and when to wear it. Also got a couple of shirts.

Then went to the embassy with my son. It is a large, two-main-building complex. Built in 1959, it resembles the subsequently built Kennedy Center. It has a large fountain in the front and very impressive set of stairs leading up to the entrance. It used to be open to the public but now has lost some of its grandeur behind a wall and a gate. The interior has a large pool that is open to the sky, which is surrounded by offices. My son has a medium-sized cubicle. Later had dinner at Sidewok Restaurant in Connaught (named after the uncle of King George V) Place. That area seems to be from the British colonial era. Lots of while colonnaded streets radiating out from a central circle. Lots of seemingly expensive shops and restaurants. We had a very nice, multi course dinner and drinks for a fraction of what that would cost in the US.

June 7
Lazy Sunday. After breakfast we went to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum. This was her former family home. She is the daughter of India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and not related to Mahatma Gandhi. Lots of her personal effects and lots of interesting pictures from her life. She was groomed to rule as she was her father's only child. She was assassinated by her Sikh guards on the grounds in 1984 in retaliation for having the army storm the Sikh's Golden Temple. She was succeeded by her son Rajiv who was assassinated in 1991 by the Tamils. His widow, an Italian national, is still President of the Congress Party, which she led to a crushing defeat at the polls last year. I think India has seen too much of the Gandhis.

June 8
Qutb Minar Complex, Mehrauli Archaeological Park and Hauz Khas, Deer Park
Off on our own today. Got a late start so we decided to go to South Delhi, which seemed to me to be closer. Took the auto rickshaw to the Qutb Minar complex. We have seen a lot of ruins on this and prior trips, but this was one of the best. It was built by the Mughals and is studded with tombs and monuments. It is dominated by the soaring Qutb Minar tower which commemorates the Muslim victory over the Hindus in 1193.  The builder only lived to see the first stage of the tower completed as he was unfortunately impaled on his saddle while playing polo. His successors finished the job, although a subsequently started tower that was to be bigger and taller did not make it past the first stage. The first mosque in India is here as well as a 7m high iron pillar that predates the complex. The pillar has not rusted and scientists do not know how this was accomplished given the technology at that time. Among all the tombs in the park is an empty space that was supposed to be for the last Mughal emperor. Alas the British banished him to Burma after the 1857 revolt where he died in exile.

Then we decided to walk to the Metro station to take us to Hauz Khas. It seemed to be close on the map, and maybe it was, but it was a mistake to walk. It was hot, limited sidewalks and lots of noise and fumes from the traffic. However, during the walk we saw a wild boar, several cows and a very large monument. We eventually got to the station after a dash across the road. There are very limited provisions for pedestrians to cross streets.

Hauz Khas is another large market, but more upscale than Khan. It has lots of ruins, which include a 14th century madrasa and a mosque. Adjacent to the market is the large Deer Park which surrounds a former reservoir, now just a lake. Lots on monkeys, but no deer. Had a late lunch in Barsroom. The cold beer tasted incredibly refreshing.


June 9
Red Fort and Old Delhi and Jama Masjid, shopping for spices and shirts and scarves.

Got out early for the long trip across town to go to the Red Fort. Took an auto rickshaw to the Metro and then a lengthy ride on the Metro, about 50 cents. Then we got off course. Took a ride with a bicycle rickshaw intending to go directly to the fort, but got talked into a tour with him of Old Delhi first. It was a good tour. Went up and down Chandni Chowk, the main street in old town as well as many alleys through a variety of specialized markets, including auto parts. The streets were incredibly narrow and covered with a tangle of electrical wires. Visited the Gandhi memorial and the Feroz Shah Kotta which included a mosque and Hawa Mahal. That began a frequent requirement to remove ones shoes. Also did some shopping for spices and shirts and scarves.

The problem was we had a major disagreement about the price (lesson, never get into a rickshaw without setting the price and knowing exactly where you are going) and we ended up at the Red Fort in the middle of the day.  

The Red Fort is very impressive. Built by the Mughals at the height of their power it was really a city housing 3000 royals and their households. Had an area for public receptions and private receptions. It housed the gem-studded Peacock Throne, until the Persians looted it in the 18th century. The Mughals diverted a local river to flow through the palaces to cool them and provide a baths area. The grounds also housed a Museum of Indian Independence. I did not realize it, but starting in the early 18th century, various parts of India were in almost constant revolt against the British.

After that we went to eat at Karim's, a venerable meat-eating establishment whose owners' ancestors cooked for the Mughal emperors. No A/C and we were pretty exhausted. All I really wanted was liquids. We drank a liter of purchased water but also drank the pitcher of water on the table. I wonder if that became my downfall later in the week. I had some mutton that had more bone than meat. Karen's chicken was good.

We peered into, but did not enter, the very large Jama Masjid mosque, first because there was prayer going on and then because they wanted 600 rupees to check our shoes. A rip-off of the foreigners, but I would have paid anyway, but I was short of money due to the bicycle rickshaw payment that morning. We took some pictures with locals at their request and walked off into Old Town. A real maze. It was too hot and hard to get out of (visions of Serbia danced in my head) so we took another another bicycle rickshaw to the Metro, and after that an auto rickshaw back to the apartment for more suit-fitting and a nice dinner prepared by the girlfriend.


June 10
National Museum, India Gate, rug-shopping and final suit-fitting

Went to the National Museum in the morning by auto rickshaw. It is older but very informative. A lot of old artifacts, statues and miniature paintings from the Mughal era. Walked very slowly due to the heat to India Gate and then got an auto rickshaw for a tour of the government area. All built by the British after they moved the capital from Calcutta to Delhi early in the 20th century.

Got back to the apartment in the mid afternoon for the final suit-fitting. Walked to the local market to get items to make ice cream, which I did before we went out to dinner at the Lodi Garden Restaurant. This is set in the garden with lanterns dangling from the trees. You almost feel as if you are eating in a tree house. Offered European and Middle Eastern food that was good and by US standards reasonably priced. The homemade ice cream, vanilla bean custard was good, but not adequately frozen.  

June 11
Guadwara Bangia Sahib, Humayun's Tomb, Isa Khan Tomb, Iskcon, Hazrat Nizam ud din Dargah

This was the worst water day. We took an auto rickshaw to the Sikh temple, Bangia Sahib. This is a large, white marble domed Sikh complex. We checked and removed our shoes, and went through a foot washing. I had to wear a head covering that was flashy, but hot.

We observed a service that had lots of music and chantings. The women were not segregated. There was a large outdoor pool for more bathing and foot washing. I did the latter.

The Sikhs really seem to be a welcoming, caring and effective group. The bathrooms were clean, airy and free. There were multiple water drinking stations (we did not use) throughout the complex. We went to the cafeteria where they serve free meals. Scores were already lined up for lunch. We were given a private tour of the kitchen and dining facilities. They had women working on a mass production bread-making line and huge vats of food simmering over large flames. It required a forklift truck to move them and half a dozen men to remove the vats from the forklift. We also toured their museum, which was part history and part proselytizing. I was struck by the many similarities between the Sikh stories, traditions and beliefs, and those for Christianity. I would have liked to have heard more about the Sikh warrior tradition.  Overall it was a very nice experience and quite a contrast to our experiences at mosques.

Tried to walk to the Metro, but got lost and ultimately took a short auto rickshaw ride to the station. For about 40 cents we took the yellow line to the violet line and exited looking for Humayun's Tomb complex. Getting really hot and we were guzzling out water so we took a bicycle rickshaw (I hate taking them because I feel guilty having the driver cycle us around in the heat so I overpay.) We had planned to eat on the way to the Tomb, in part to get out of the mid day heat, but with all the rides we did not encounter a restaurant. So we had some ice cream.

The Tomb is beyond enormous. It was built in the mid 16th century by the grieving widow of a Mughal emperor. (Father of Akbar who ruled for 49 years) She was Persian so the geometrically proportional design incorporates Mughal and Persian elements. There are many six sided stars in the Tomb. Could not get an explanation for that. It now contains the tombs of over 100 Mughals and is surrounded by well maintained gardens.

Karen engaged with two woman and several kids. Did the picture routine. They have relatives in New Jersey, one of whom worked for JP Morgan in IT, but was laid off first because she was Indian in the Great Recession.

Also toured the Isa Khan Tomb that was built 20 years before Humayun's. He was a prime minister and his tomb, while large, was dwarfed by the other. A security guard gave us a tour of that tomb and its mosque.

We had depleted our water supply so we purchased and immediately consumed a liter of bottled water hoping it was safe.  We emerged from the complex intending to seek out a local restaurant. Instead we took a cab to a restaurant in South Delhi.  I did not want to go that far, but the taxi was air conditioned and the ride was very cheap. The driver stopped along the way to pick up some melons which he said were very cheap. Seemingly lots of bargaining by hand signals. The restaurant, Taste of India, was pretty good, a family place. We guzzled down another liter of water and I had a milk shake, perhaps the source of my subsequent troubles. We ordered too much food.

The taxi then took us back, but on the way we stopped at the Hari Krishna Iskcon Temple. More shoe removal and foot washing. A very devoted group of worshippers with lots of music and chanting.

The cab then drove us to the Hazrat Nizam complex. (All this driving and waiting for about $2) It is a daragh, which is a shrine to a Muslim saint. To enter we had to proceed through a series of food stand lined narrow alleys, collectively called the Lodi Colony Kebab Stands. The food smelled very good, but we were full and I am dubious about eating street food.

When we got to the entrance we removed our shoes and were given (for 100 rupees) a plate of flowers, some white objects and incense, as well as head coverings. We then had to walk through crowded narrow tunnels and alleyways that were lined with shops and beggars. Passed a body of water that people were bathing in as part of a ritual ceremony. I could not tell if it was a pool or part of a waterway. When we reached the mausoleum/mosque area it was jammed with devotees. Body on body and sweating in great abundance. There was praying, music and chanting. We again washed our feet and body; the heat was intense from all the people. We got pushed and pulled along with the crowd to the tomb of Nizam, a Muslim saint who died in 1325 at the age of 92. I tossed my flowers on the tomb and was aggressively solicited for donations. I gave them my coins, not all of which were Indian, to their consternation. It took a while to retrace our steps and get out of there.  There were more tombs in the complex, but we were exhausted so we took an auto rickshaw (bad experience with the driver who demanded more money mid trip) back to the apartment and dinner.

June 12
Diarrhea Day. My only activity was to go to lunch at the embassy. Had an accident there, but if one is to experience that in Delhi, the embassy is the best place to do it with showers to clean up. Time for a trip to the Toilet Museum here in Delhi.

Leaving Tbilisi and Going to India

June 3
Got up  and thought that we had everything under control. Bags packed and separated for the trip to India and had directions to the Holiday Inn for the car drop off.

The husband of the hotel host agreed, by Google Translate, to help me get duplicate car keys made. He drove me into the city center, triple parked and then led me into the basement of a building that housed many repair shops. We had a lengthy panomine about the car's year, make and model and the price, which turned out to be 30 lari. The keymaker was a very stocky guy who kept pulling different tools out of his drawer to work on the new keys. He finally finished and we raced back to the hotel making a large number of turns. Alas, while the new keys opened the car doors, they did not start the engine.

By now I knew that with a return trip to the keymaker I would be late for the car
exchange appointment. Our host made a call advising that we would be late and this time the host drove our car to the keymaker and only double parked when we arrived. The second effort by the keymaker entailed lots of scraping and filing out on the street. When the keys worked there was lots of hugging and a few cheek kissings.

We then packed up our car and drove off to the Holiday Inn. Despite the directions I still missed a turn and we were about 45 minutes late. Fortunately the groom's parents waited for us. I then followed them to the parking space driving in a manner that prevented anyone from coming between us and my guide.

We got the car securely parked and since we had taken our luggage rather than leaving it at the hotel we faced the prospect of a lengthy wait at the airport. Took a 50 lari cab ride to the airport that took us right past our hotel. The airport has security when you enter and when you enter the boarding area. There is a single check in area for all airlines and we were not permitted to check-in until 3 hours before our flight. Since we could not check-in we could not get through passport control to the airport lounge.

When the Qatar Airlines window showed some light I made inquiries. No change in the check in rule, but I was informed of the weight limitations, 30kg for checked and 7kg for carry-on luggage. That set off a realignment of our luggage contents.

The check in went smoothly as did the passage through passport control (no mention of the fact that we were leaving by air after arriving by car) and we went to the airline lounge. Very nice lounge with good food and drink.

The Qatar flights were very good. Same plane to Baku and Doha (we flew over Iran). The service was very good and they fed us meals on both segments. I spoke with one of the flight attendants who said he enjoyed working for the airline notwithstsnding its reputation about overtaxing its employees.

Doha airport is huge and very modern. We had 1.5 hours between flights and needed all that time. Took a long bus ride to the Delhi fligbt. It was an overnight flight and when we landed at Delhi at 7:30am I was pretty exhausted. So it was with great relief when we were met by my son's girlfriend, who got a cab and got us to the apartment. We slept into the afternoon and then visited with them into the evening.

A Bad Day Ends Well in Tbilisi

Tuesday June 2.

Woke up in Tbilisi back in the Rennasiance Hotel, this time in a room with a terrace. I had the day all planned out. On the agenda was getting duplicate auto keys made, going to the Georgia History Museum, and contacting our local contact who was going to help us store the car while we were in India. But the first task was to go to the insurance office to sign and pay for our Georgia auto insurance. This had taken on the trappings of a holy grail quest. The tour books and websites had led us to believe that Georgian drivers were homicidal maniacs, that the pedestrians were suicidal, that the roads consisted of little-car-eating potholes and that the traffic laws were strictly enforced. We sought auto insurance from western companies, but they unanimously do not provide primary auto insurance in Georgia. (We were, however, able to buy secondary insurance from a Dutch company.) In Batumi, when we entered Georgia, we purchased primary insurance, but the paperwork was not able to be prepared prior to our departure. The arrangement was that we would sign the paperwork and pay for the policy in the company’s Tbilisi office. It was not ready until late Friday when we were at the baths and the office was not open on the weekend.

In anticipation of going to the office on Monday, I got a map and pretty detailed direction from the staff at the Rooms Hotel. They were very cooperative, but as it turned out, very wrong. We set out in the morning by Metro to the station specified by the staff. Turned out we were in a quasi residential neighborhood. Walked around for a while and then took a taxi, but could not locate the office. Finally called the office to get better instructions, but aside from learning that the office was downtown (I should have known that myself), I could not understand the instructions. Boarded the train and went to the Tourist Information Office. They were very helpful and gave us more maps. She suggested a taxi, as she claimed it was a long way from a Metro stop and kindly suggested that I would not be able to find it myself by car.   We went out to the taxi stand and when we showed them (several cab drivers were grouped together) the address, it caused an immediate conference and a seeming debate about where the office was. One driver finally agreed to do it, but he wanted three times what the information officer said a taxi should cost.

So we walked away intending to try the taxi stand at a hotel. They called after us and it turned out an unlicensed driver was willing to do it at the requested price. He was flying through the streets and finally arrived at a nondescript office building with no address. He and Karen went into the building and I am told he interrupted a meeting to determine that in fact we were at the correct location.  We gave him a big tip and then trudged into the office. We had now been at this process for 5 hours. The insurance company staff was very helpful. Water and toilet facilities were made available and then we began to sign papers. Finally we were ushered upstairs to pay. We had been quoted a price in euros, but learned that this office only accepted payment in laris, the local currency. Fortunately I had cashed out our Russian friend of his laris (sending him home with dollars), but even with that I was one lari short. The cashier made up the difference.

With no local money we jaywalked through a large square to get to a bank. Then the most remarkable thing happened. We were walking to the Metro station and who did we see but the very lady, the groom’s mother, who was going to help us store the car. Over a million people in Tbilisi and we bumped into her. I am reminded of the line from Casablanca, “Of all the gin joints in Casablanca you had to walk into mine.”   

I did not have any doubt that she would do this, but I was concerned about getting in touch with her and working out the details. We did that on the street and arranged to meet at the Holiday Inn the next day. One anxiety addressed and it would not have occurred without all our prior misadventures.

We walked to the Metro and rode two trains back to Freedom Square. [I managed a transfer without getting lost. I am better on the subway than driving in Tbilisi.] Walked a bit into Old Town and then found a wonderful restaurant.

Pur Pur is housed in an old building overlooking a small park. It was wonderfully decorated with retro furnishings. Even the bathroom was done that way. Several musicians played and sang. We had a table on a balcony to ourselves overlooking the park. Wonderful meal and experience after a maddening day.

Walked back and had a little ice cream. The Peace Bridge was a nice visual experience on the way home.