Merry Christmas From Goa!

We were both breathless when we set eyes upon the Taj Mahal at first light. We agree that it is the monument of monuments. Once inside, a local’s chant filled the marble dome creating an echo that lasted for twenty seconds. We’ve had an eyeful of architecture in the mosques, temples, palaces and forts of the Maharajas and the Mogul Emperors. These rulers were often diplomatic in the blending of religious symbolism in architecture in order to promote peace within their kingdoms. The history of the British influence in India and their trading ventures is very interesting. We have covered a thousand kilometers during our road trip of the Golden Triangle: Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. To show even part of what we have seen would take a lot of space (we took over 1000 pictures in the past five days) The following pictures show the Taj Mahal and some random shots from the road.

With the one exception of Tibet, India is the most “different” place we have seen so far. The contrasts are unbelievable. It is often hard to believe your eyes. The roads are shared by motorbikes, scooters, oxen, cars, buses, camels, elephants, pedestrians, donkeys and everything else that moves . Traditional transportation meets modern transportation. We “live” in modern luxury accommodation, while tent cities and rudimentary houses and villages are just outside our gates. Cities abound with people, both in traditional dress and modern fashions and monkeys can be seen at intersections and on rooftops. Everyone gets along. The people here are taking excellent care of us. Our driver is particularly skilled. Four lanes of road manage to accommodate six lanes of vehicles. As our driver navigates this chaotic sea amidst a cacophony of horns and bellows, he states, “there is only one rule to drive in India………no rule. He also advises that you need three things in order to be a good driver here……..good brakes, a good horn and good luck. The maharajas of Rajistan have built amazing palace and fort architecture. We are learning a lot about the history of this area of the world and the Hindu religion. You can see Karen the Snake Charmer by clicking here.(2.5 meg).

Thailand - The Land of Smiles. The Thais are peace loving people who avoid conflict and believe that problems should be resolved with a smile. Buddhism is the religion of Thailand, however Hinduism has had an interesting influence that can be seen in the temple architecture and some of their customs. “Wat” means temple. While in Bangkok, we visit a number of sites including the Grand Palace, Wat Prakaeo (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) and Wat Prah Chetuphon (Temple of the Reclining Buddha). We are enthralled by the vast amounts of gold and precious gems, ceramic encrusted structures, glittering mosaic work and intricate mural paintings. Thailand is a world leader in the export of precious gems, especially rubies and sapphires, and has developed a vast industry in the fields of gem cutting, processing, and jewelry design. Their cotton and silk fabrics are exquisite. Between the charming people, delicious cuisine and fine crafts we’ll want to return for more!

Fishing here in Thailand is very similar to what I'm used to, but it does have it's differences. The way it works: You hook up with a buddy - in this case "Mom", who shares my passion for fishing and makes sure we hit the river whenever our busy schedules permit. You head down to the river, visiting the marina. The marina looks a bit different than the one in Bronte (our home) , but the purpose is the same. You'll need some bait and the mud here is thick with worms. So you dig them up. You need to wash off afterwards though. Then you try different locations until you find the fish - but they're not fish they are prawns. Very big prawns. "Mom" gave the prawns we caught to the chef at the resort and he made an unbelievable Tom Yam for Karen and I. These people are great. As always, click on the pictures to see them better.

This trip is as much about the people we meet as it is about the places we see. It seems that everywhere we go, people are genuinely excited to meet us. This is especially true of the people in Thailand. The "hello" greeting here is very personal. Men and women use a different set of words (Saw-a-dee Kaa (Female) or Saw-a-dee Krub (Male)) and everyone gives it their individual "touch". When we say hello to the Thai people, we are greeted with huge smiles. We were fortunate to be here on December the fifth when we joined the nation and held a candle in celebration of the King of Thailand's 80th birthday. Everything stopped for a moment as all Thais acknowledged this annual holiday. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej has done tremendous things for the country and the people adore him. Our accomodation is a very comfortable resort that offers authentic Thailand as soon as we walk down the road or bicycle into town. Neither of us have ever experienced better hospitality and service. One of the young men we have met, "Mom", found out that I liked fishing and offered to take us out in his boat on the Mekong River. All three of us rode together on his small motorcycle and we met his family after our fishing trip. The pictures show Mom and I fishing (2), a gas station, a city gate with images of the king, Mom's family, "motorcycle market", bougainvillea, and me paying for purchases at our local store.

To see the places that we were in during the Month of November click here.