29/10/2018
The mists of Darjeeling, taken at our hotel, The Windamere, by new friend Portland McCormick. To me, this is the essence of the beauty of the foothills of the Himalayas.
India Journey with Grace
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India Journey with Grace was a travel company operated from 2011 through 2014. I am using this page to chronicle my upcoming journey with spouse Gerard.
A boutique travel company hosting small groups to India. We specialize in providing curated cultural and educational experiences to make your journey a treasured lifetime memory.
29/10/2018
Back in Delhi we were met at the airport by Vishal Bhatnagar of Nirvana Voyages, as we had been at the start of our journey. His personal attention and swift response when a problem arose are greatly appreciated.
As we had a lot of time before our flight to JFK, we went back into Delhi. We had a couple of errands and then met a representative of The Delhi Brotherhood who accompanied us to one of their programs for disadvantaged people. We visited an evening program for children of s*x workers, where the kids are fed and can work and play together in safety and love.
24/10/2018
Worshippers processing on the road to the airport in Siliguri. Note the tracks of the toy train. The last leg of our journey; back to Delhi and then HOME.
24/10/2018
Scenes around and about in Darjeeling.
22/10/2018
Our three hour drive through the hills to Kalimpong was very beautiful. Our return trip included visits to two Buddhist Temples through narrow streets choked with traffic for the upcoming holiday, Dussehra, when good triumphs over evil. Kalimpong is much changed since 2013 when I was there. There has been a huge building boom with more expected as it is now a separate district rather than being part of the Darjeeling district. A lack of planning appears to abound.
22/10/2018
We met Dhondup, his family, The Tibetan School Rector, and some of his teachers. The school is housed in a very old building and equipment is basic.
22/10/2018
Dhondup appears to be a very serious child. It was not easy to get him to smile for pictures. But then, on a tour of The Tibetan School, we met his music teacher who informed us that Dhondup is a very good dancer. You can see for yourself!
15/10/2018
Meet Mr. Dawa Tshering, Welfare Officer at the Tibetan Refugee Centre in Darjeeling. The Centre supports about 180 people of the more than 800 who have passed through their doors. As you can see, most are engaged in crafts, which are sold in the shop at the Centre.
First Churches in Northampton, MA is supporting the education and well being of Dhondup Ghisling, a 7 year old child.
Today Mr. Tshering is taking me and Gerard to visit Dhondup in Kalimpong where he lives with his mother and is enrolled in The Tibetan School.
11/10/2018
We woke up to the famous Delhi haze, happy to be here and to connect with old friends. We visited three sites this morning which Gerard has never seen; the Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Gandhi Smriti (Smriti means remembrance), and the Bangla Sahib Gurudwara where meals are served to 5,000 to 7,000 visitors daily. The food and labor are donated by the Sikh community.
10/10/2018
Our journey to Havelock Island in the Andamans was not what we envisioned. Our first day, the rain was torrential. Neither of us had ever experienced rain like that. A forced day of rest and reading made the best of it. Day 2 and no boats to Elephant Beach, but we did get to a couple of beaches, and Gerard did get some snorkeling in. We are in Port Blair and back on the mainland tonight. This hotel is beautiful and while they had no tonic, I did get a fresh lime soda sweet with gin. Life is good. Off to Delhi tomorrow; a 5.5 hour flight. Shopping tomorrow night is the itinerary.
05/10/2018
Mahabalipuram, from the Sixth Century AD, on the banks of the Bay of Bengal, has survived tsunami, burial under the sea and sand, and cyclone. Each temple is carved out of a single rock and the figures of gods, goddesses, simple folk and animals retain their lifelike expressions. Of all the marvels we have seen, this by far has been the most moving for me. Perhaps because it is the most recent.
We have this afternoon “off” and got to take a walk along the shore in between rain. Tomorrow we leave at 5:00 AM for a flight from Chennai to Port Blair in the Andamans which are in the Indian Ocean, closer to Thailand than to India.
It has taken a while to get up to date what with WiFi challenges and simple exhaustion. The next few days should provide a good break, and hopefully sunshine !
05/10/2018
We arrived at our lovely hotel in Mahabalipuram late last night after riding in the car for about 9 hours. We are thankful for our Guide Mahmoud and Driver Vijay, both of whom excel at their jobs and together make an excellent team. There were stops along the way for temples and stories of amazing feats of construction to rival the pyramids. What stands out for me was the lovely dinner we had at an Italian and French restaurant in Pondicherry. We do very much enjoy all the Indian food we are having, but it was wonderful to take a break with a wonderful coq au vin, mashed potatoes and fries.
05/10/2018
October 4. Our daily rain, and lots of it. We were led to a brass factory, “just to look, Madam”. Yes, I bought something. Two temples later and then on to another shop; this one with toilet, tea and biscuits. “Just have a look, Madam.” How could I not buy something?? And yes, there were temples, an art museum and a library.
05/10/2018
October 3rd. Today we visit the Rock Fort Temple at Trichy. The temple rises 273 feet, has many levels and is cut from a single rock. All are impressed with Gerard, who gets to the top with no problem. But how about me? I got much farther than anyone could have predicted, no doubt thanks to the Enhance Fitness class at the Y
05/10/2018
October 2nd, Gandhi’s Birthday is a dry day in India; no alcohol sold anywhere. A fitting tribute to the Mahama. We visited the most incredible Meenakshi Temple where no photos can be taken, so I imported one from Google. Inside, crowds from all over the country on this national holiday dressed in all types of colorful garb. Sounds of priests chanting and the scents of jasmine and incense all pervasive. We went back for the 9:00PM ceremony where Shiva’s footprint is taken to the inner temple to join with Parvati. The footprint is carried in a beautiful palanquin, and shrouded in clouds of incense fanned towards the palanquin (and us!). The Hindu crowds then follow the palanquin into the inner sanctum where non Hindus are not permitted. An unforgettable experience!
02/10/2018
Along the way from our houseboat to Madurai we stopped at Periyar National Park for a boat ride to catch a glimpse of mostly deer and birds. This park is accessible to the general public and many families were visiting. No chance of seeing the elusive tiger here! In the evening we enjoyed a Kathakali dance program and an exhibition of martial arts.
02/10/2018
Happy to be back on WiFi and want to share a few more pictures from our houseboat interlude. I hope the peacefulness of the experience comes through.
01/10/2018
Our first days aboard a houseboat in Kerala. The folks who made it special; Captain Babu, Chef Rajesh, and two shy and sweet little girls. Stay tuned to this space.
21/09/2018
Welcome followers old and new of India Journey with Grace. I am looking forward to returning to India after an absence of 5 years; this time with Gerard. This will be his first trip since 1988 when we went to visit our daughter Erica who was attending Woodstock School in Mussoorie. We will be exploring places neither of us have been to before. And I will have the pleasure of introducing Gerard to some of my favorite places.
Namaste!
18/07/2014
Getting ready to go to the Indian Embassy today. A manicure is critical!
16/07/2014
My teacher is moving from Port Jefferson to Brooklyn, my rationale for discontinuing Hindi lessons. (Sounds so much better than quitting.) Today an Op Ed article in the NY Times titled "The Benefits of Failing at French" has given me hope. It seems that trying to learn a language at my advanced age can produce dramatic improvements in the performance of cognitive tasks. Not that I have noticed any changes, but I do choose to believe they exist.
03/07/2014
Sounds like a summit: Dialogue Committee of Long Island Council of Churches meets with Associate General Secretary of the National Council of Churches. And indeed it was, in a way. Despite the relaxed setting in a restaurant in Riverhead, Long Island, it was an important meeting for those of us concerned with the welfare of Dalits, and especially Christian and Muslim Dalits. Many positive suggestions for follow up. Many thanks to Tony Kireopoulos and Arvind Vora for their thoughtful recommendations.
26/06/2014
A June 22nd article in the NY Times Travel Section highlights the India Ashram experience. So many go to India to immerse themselves in meditation and yoga in an inner spiritual journey. Perhaps there is a way we can partner with Ashrams and yoga studios to help travelers gain a more expansive experience. Something for India Journey with Grace to explore.
18/06/2014
How does speaking Hindi promote unity for India? Folks in the south, for example, do not speak it. If one is going to communicate with the whole country, English would be the language of choice. And useful, too for communications with the rest of the world.
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The mists of Darjeeling, taken at our hotel, The Windamere, by new friend Portland McCormick. To me, this is the essence of the beauty of the foothills of the Himalayas.
Worshippers processing on the road to the airport in Siliguri. Note the tracks of the toy train. The last leg of our journey; back to Delhi and then HOME.
Dhondup appears to be a very serious child. It was not easy to get him to smile for pictures. But then, on a tour of The Tibetan School, we met his music teacher who informed us that Dhondup is a very good dancer. You can see for yourself!
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