MAY 14, 16 .. AGRA CANTT

A lot of photos I have posted recently have shown many 'touristy' sights. 

In my most recent Post I showed a number of photos of The Taj Mahal as viewed from across the River Yamuna from MEHTAB BAGH. This would be one example of 'touristy' sights.  

Below are some photos of Agra Cantt that you may find interesting or even fun to see and are not what I consider-to-be 'touristy'.

We are dealing with two cities when I am in this part of India.

Agra is the location and the home of The Taj Mahal.

Agra Cantt is where Jeevan Lal lives and where my hotel is located. 

Agra Cantt houses a large military installation. The word cantonment in general means a military installation.

Too many visits to the Hotel Pawan to begin to count.

Here we go loop de loop ..

Oh India and her 'sacred cows'.

 On this 'food plan' it is a wonder they look so healthy!

The next time YOU think that YOU have it bad, maybe you can come back to a few of the above photos for a 'check-up-from-your-neck-up' !

Oh YES! The streets of Agra Cantt, and all of India for that matter, are home to other animals.

We were in and out several times during the winter months of January and February. You will notice that someone, some person 'really cares' for the below critters because they have on their 'winter coats'!

They are sweet.

Will you all just look at one very VERY fancy 'winter coat'. There is a real 'caring' for them. They are very tame also.

I will ask you to provide a caption for the below photo. It was mid-morning. 

Here is one possible caption: ATTITUDE.

Large metropolitan city .. Smaller city .. The traffic in India remains intense.

MAMA CHICKEN .. MAMA FRANKY HOUSE is a land-mark in Agra Cantt. It is well advertised.

No! I did not write .. A land-mine .. I said a land-mark.

Are you sitting down? Of course you are! You are sitting in front of a computer screen aren't you? 

You would NOT believe unless you come here and taste the food how good it is! I have never gotten sick or ill from eating with MAMA FRANKY.

Today's Rhetorical Question: Where on this good and wonderful earth of ours does the name .. MAMA CHICKEN .. MAMA FRANKY HOUSE .. originate?

As Patti and I prepared to leave Agra Cantt we had our last and final visit with Jeevan Lal. To say our visit was exceedingly poignant is an understatement. At our ages we never know what is next with regards to our health. All three of us, Jeevan, Patti, and myself, were keenly aware of the fact that saying our goodbyes could really mean forever in this lifetime.

Since December of 1990, now over 25-years, Jeevan's shop, Sunder Lal & Sons, has been a home-away-from-home for me. The hours I have spent in the  shop visiting with Jeevan and his relatives, writing hundreds (and I mean literally hundreds) of post cards over the past 25-years are uncountable.

In December of 1990 I watched as Jeevan created-from-scratch my beloved Mister India Bag.

Lots and lots of smiles. Not one of us were expressing what we were feeling.

Several years ago Jeevan's youngest brother Sanjay literally instantly-dropped-dead from a massive heart-attack while hiking in the mountains on a spiritual quest. 

Jeevan has played a big part in helping Sanjay's son, Jeevan's nephew Youg, to continue his life. Life is for the living. 

Jeevan Lal, the man with the millon-dollar-smile.

IF I had one powerful and strong motivation for Patti to join me in India it was so Patti and Jeevan could see one another for the first time in 20-years. Sadly I had pretty much given-up on Patti ever returning for another visit.

When Patti began to seriously consider coming to India with me, I told Patti that, IF she came to India, I would do everything in my power to make her visit as enjoyable as I possibly could. 

A promise like that IS a debt unpaid. I feel, and I am positive that Patti agrees, I fulfilled my end-of-the-promise.

Patti too fulfilled her end of the promise doing everything that she was physically able to do.

Two of us sick and ailing, not one word of complaint from Patti.

Two posts ago I said to myself .. "This is the closure to our 2016 India trip."

There is yet more to come. The train trip North to New Delhi. A few days in New Delhi. The flight to Hong Kong.

The two-of-us sincerely hope that you 'stay-tuned' and interested in our grand adventure.

With Love ..

Patti and Cap

MAY 12, 16 .. CHENNAI TO AGRA AND THE TAJ MAHAL

Patti and I traveled from Hong Kong to India last December the 31st of 2015.

I want to give you all a very brief summary of our trip to this point in time.

To begin our trip we landed in and we visited New Delhi.

Then we traveled South to visit Agra the home of the Taj Mahal.

And to visit our wonderful friend Jeevan Lal who I have known over 25-years.

Back to New Delhi we went and then South to Arambol Beach in Goa on the West Coast of India. 

After Goa we two visited Pondicherry in Tamil Nadu on the East Coast of India.

What a room we enjoyed in Pondi!

Pondicherry to Chennai 

I seldom get into details of the many and assorted challenges of traveling. It is an understatement to say that there are many.

IF I made one single-best-decision on this entire trip it was this: To take a taxi from Chennai to Pondicherry and return by taxi to Chennai.


Prior to this trip I have always looked-down on the many travelers who use a taxi to travel between Chennai and Pondicherry. 

No longer do I feel this way!

I have got to be honest. Taking the bus between Chennai and Pondi is a real 'grind'.

First you have a timing-issue. The buses leave on a fixed schedule. The buses can, and do, 'fill-up' with no more passengers able to board. So to be-safe you have to leave your hotel about three hours earlier if you take a bus. If you can't board, there you sit waiting in a very uncomfortable venue, the bus station.

In Chennai, going or returning, you have to travel between the Chennai Central railway station and the bus station. In Pondicherry, going and returning, you have to travel between your hotel and the bus station.

These inter-city trips alone are a challenge. You have to hire a taxi or auto rickshaw to go from one to the other. This is always a hassle! 

Then you have to handle your luggage. Load and unload it into / out of a taxi or auto rickshaw. Load and unload it onto / down from the bus. 

The bus trip is a full hour longer.  Even in the deluxe air-conditioned top-of-the-line buses you do not have the space and the comfort you have in your own taxi.  

The taxi? Air conditioned comfort

We have arrived at Chennai Central railway station.

There is a saying: A photo speaks a thousand words.

 Patti's expression speaks volumes.

The two of us, having been sick during much of the visit to Pondi, even with a nice air conditioned taxi ride into Chennai, we two were both absolutely dead-on-our-feet when we arrived at Chennai Central railway station.

We had a full three-hour wait before we were able to board our train. You can NOT allow yourself less time than this because of all that can and does happen on the trip, taxi or bus, between Chennai and Pondi.

Look again above at Patti. Both of us totally exhausted. Now several photos of Chennai Central.

Chennai Central.

 Differently Abled Persons? Disabled maybe? I Love these signs.

 I would never say: This is for everybody.

At last. At LONG LAST.

Chennai to Agra Cantt by train.

In Hindi. 

 In English.

 Time to board our train. The Tamil Nadu Express Train 12621.

First Class Air Conditioned .. Patti! You sure look tired!

A.C. FIRST!

 In English.

 In Hindi.

We are on the train. We are on our way North to Agra Cantt.

Keep in mind we have two separate cities. Agra, the home of The Taj Mahal and Agra Cantt where Jeevan Lal lives and where I call home when I am in India.

We pulled out of Chennai Central at 10pm in the dark of night. So we first slept the night through. Below are photos of the train ride during the daylight hours the next day.

On the trains you are constantly passing local road-crossings. These photos show you what they look like.

I have grouped several road crossings together in this one series of photos.

On the trains you periodically stop in larger cities. It is so nice to get off the train and stretch and explore the locale.

Another in a never ending sequence of towns and scenery. Do you see the pretty red flowers ahead on the right?

I snapped them as we roared past.

Rice paddies.

Rice paddies.

Rice paddies.

 Rice paddies.

 A change of scenery.

 The town and two photos thereof as we passed through.

 Very pleasant scenery.

 Our train.

 Sunset. The end of our day.

Agra .. The Taj Mahal

Talk about a very special place! Even your entry ticket into The Taj Mahal is special.


Below are several 'typical traditional common' views of the Taj Mahal. These are views that you all are 'used-to-seeing'.

"Yes Mumtaz?"

"Yes Mumtaz! I heard one of my readers say, 'Ho-Hum' show us something new Captain!'. Mumtaz I am so very sorry your feelings are hurt!"

The Taj Mahal is located on the River Yamuna.

I first visited The Taj Mahal in December of 1990. 

Here it is, February of 2016. Doing-the-math twenty-five (25) full years have elapsed since my first (of many) visits to The Taj Mahal.

Thank You Forever Gullible for suggesting to me .. 

"Cap! Why don't you go across the River Yamuna from The Taj Mahal, and shoot some photos from Mehtab Bagh."

In twenty-five years of visiting I had not ever heard of Mehtab Bagh.

It took Gullible to gently suggest to me that I visit Mehtab Bagh.

Check out Gullible's incredible web site.

http://gullible-gulliblestravels.blogspot.com/

"Jeevan, have you ever heard of Mehtab Bagh?" .. "Of course Sir."

"Tough Cookie, have you ever heard of Mehtab Bagh?" .. 

"What! Are you some kind of stupid? Just give me all of your money!" .. "How nice to see you again Tough Cookie!"

Jeevan set Patti and I up with an auto rickshaw and off the two of us went to Mehtab Bagh.

MEHTAB BAGH

Mehtab Bagh is one very special venue. 

Mehtab Bagh is an enormous, absolutely beautiful park, located directly across the River Yamuna from The Taj Mahal. 

What a happening venue Mehtab Bagh is.

There is a very busy footpath along the side of the River Yamuna.

Looking downstream at an area visitors are not allowed to enter. I tried to innocently just wander downstream. A uniformed soldier with a rifle 'stared-me-down'. Then he gestured to me .. NO! If you look carefully you can see him in the distance. Just let your eyes follow the top of the wall below. See him?

Below are views of The Taj Mahal looking back across the River Yamuna from Mehtab Bagh.

My Dearest Patti .. I think you enjoyed our day at Mehtab Bagh!

I can not think of three better photographs to end this or any post with than the above photos of Patti.

I sign off as speechless! .. Cap