We relaxed and refreshed ourselves by the pool. After that, our bus drove us to the Red Fort Palace, circa 1565.
Located in Agra, it served the Lodhi dynasty, Mughal empire, Suri dynasty, Maratha empire, and British empire (until India's independence in 1947... thanks to Gandhi and England's Lord Louis Mountbatten, seen below with Louis' bisexual wife).
It is a grand UNESCO Site. The 94-acre double-walled fort has a tightly curving entranceway, to prevent attacking armies from using elephants to break down the gates. The curves prevented the animals from gaining enough momentum to do the siege.
Thanks to Jimmy's punctuality, we enjoyed the Red Fort during the setting sun, which really sparked the red sandstone and added glimmer to the marble buildings. Magnificent!
Above is not a death pit; it's a fountain.
It was magical to feel the warm sun rays gleam against the ancient portico & arcade and illuminate the royal chambers.
Originally, the ceiling had been embossed with gold leaf, but the British looted/removed all but one corner.
This palace was occupied by the king who eventually built the Taj Mahal. His throne is still there. In fact, he met his wife there. To give nobility a chance to pretend to be in a public shopping center, they made a faux bazaar in the courtyard. A young noblewoman "worked" in a shop selling crystals. The young king met her by entering her "shop" to buy some (he was a jewelry aficionado). Displaying his uncaring and his wealth, he didn't try to bargain her initial price... like every other Indian does. It made her laugh, her facial veil slipped, he caught sight of her beauty, and a marriage ensued.
After having 14 children and a long marriage, the (worn-out) queen suffered medical issues and eventually died. Mournful, the fantasy-enthused king designed the Taj Mahal. It's exploding costs soon prompted his son to imprison the king in the Red Fort, where he could merely look at the Taj until he died, 8 years later. The son ascended the throne and applied the kingdom's resources in other ways. However, the Taj is now one of India's biggest revenue boosters.
Fate has a sense of humor. When the British conquered India, to siphon its famous riches, one of their cannon fired a shot at the Red Fort Palace. The cannonball hit the king's throne (seen below), cracked it, and then bounced into the wall and left a hole. That's certainly a symbolic way to saying who's now in charge.
*To see when we explored an impressive (and much older) fortress in Norway, please use this link: https://halfwindsorfullthrottle.blogspot.com/2023/08/our-trip-to-oslo-norway-storting.html
As the sun dipped lower, we sauntered through the rear loggia, swathed in orange glow. The sun warmed our faces, as we descended to the bus again.
Next, we accepted the optional tour of the Tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah, built of the finest Indian marble. It was completed six years before the Taj Mahal began construction. Jimmy is certain that it inspired the Taj's design, too.
It is awe-inspiring to realize that there is no putty between those stones; they are perfectly-fitted and carved individually by hand! It's especially amazing to see how the craftsmen created a slight corner... and every stone has the precise angle to fit seamlessly! Remarkable!
Inside, the upper walls are hand-painted in colors that remain vibrant. Lewis hopes more conservation efforts save the peeling plasterwork and paint.
Below is the gorgeous center of the ceiling.
After walking 11 miles through centuries of awesome history and artwork, we were glad to refuel at the hotel. We slept soundly!
On our last day in India, Jimmy and our bus duo took us back to New Delhi's Aerocity: a gated community of swank hotels and a shopping mall... within minutes of the international airport. A perfect oasis to freshen up before our farewell dinner and everyone's departing flights.
We were given swanky rooms at the 5-star Novotel Hotel to take naps or showers and to change clothes. Years ago, Lewis and I experienced Novotel's hospitality in Beijing. Both were nice.
We were given swanky rooms at the 5-star Novotel Hotel to take naps or showers and to change clothes. Years ago, Lewis and I experienced Novotel's hospitality in Beijing. Both were nice.
We admired the curvy lobby and the lounge... replete with big-screen TV, virtual golf driving range, billiards table, and wooden cluster seating.
We used a row of complimentary iMacs to do our online airline check-in. Complimentary cookie jars offered two flavors: pistachio and spice. I ordered a freshly-ground latte.
With a few hours to spare before dinnertime, we gathered some fellow travelers and decided to explore the mall, which was across the street.
It was mostly empty... just like the mall in Boston that we saw in April. Their "ethnic" ladies section was full of Western-styled attire. Ha ha!
*To see our trip to Boston, please use this link:
We returned to our hotel as the daylight angled for evening.
We also explored the spa... which was zenful. It provided a myriad of massages and various forms of pampering.
I liked the room where you received a foot bath, followed by a sensational massage, and then a languid soak in a bathtub.
A courteous bellman showed us to our room, via whisper-quiet elevators and "nightclub lighting" hallways.
The hotel is new, as evident by shower fixtures as shiny as a new cocktail shaker!
The hotel is new, as evident by shower fixtures as shiny as a new cocktail shaker!
Soothing showers and canoodling under the covers recharged us for the Farewell Dinner in the hotel dining room.
My favorites were the succulent leg of lamb in thyme au jus, the freshly kneaded naan, pumpkin soup, and the kebabs.
Their pastry chef is talented,
but Lewis and I preferred the their traditional choices: Gajar Ka Hawla (honeyed carrot/coconut pudding, with ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom) and Gulab Jamun balls in rose-scented syrup.
Our last meal in India was superb. *Years later, we ate our first Nepalese dinner (which has similar recipes), when we traveled to Finland. To read about that trip, please click this link:
After swapping contact information with some of our fellow explorers, we were greeted by another airport aide from Gate1. Jimmy sweetly accompanied us to the door of the hotel and waved until our Mercedes shuttle bus departed.
(Of course, we gave generous gratuities to him and his team--and embraced Jimmy with full-hearted hugs). Our survey about him and the excursions will glow with honest and earned praise! The aide ushered us through the airport to our Departure Gate.
We liked its large porte-cochère--which shielded ALL the lanes (something that NYC's big JFK International Airport still doesn't have).
Cleaner than most New York malls, the airport also has Snooze Points by each departure gate. EACH GATE! That reminded us of Japan's amazing Nagoya International Airport.
We liked its large porte-cochère--which shielded ALL the lanes (something that NYC's big JFK International Airport still doesn't have).
Cleaner than most New York malls, the airport also has Snooze Points by each departure gate. EACH GATE! That reminded us of Japan's amazing Nagoya International Airport.
*To see our journeys through Japan, please use this link:
While awaiting our flight to begin boarding, Lewis suddenly discovered yet another hidden zippered pocket in his backpack!
Comparing temperatures, I wasn't thrilled to return to NY's chilly air.
However, at that exact moment, our best friend, Yvonne, texted me to schedule a welcome-home dinner. It was perfectly timed, as I was just about to switch my phone to "airplane mode" during the 13-hour transatlantic flight.
Of course, upon landing in the "modern metropolis" of New York City, my phone failed to get reliable signal. In that regard, India surpassed it with steadily-perpetual signal strength.
Back in our neighborhood of Astoria, we saw street sweepers that barely function, but they're better than nothing... and that's how NYC's overpaid authorities think. The leaves overhead were just beginning to change colors for autumn, and I was grateful for that.
Everyone who visits India remarks that you return to your home being aware of petty "first-world problems". We agree, and we remain wiser to avoid them, as seen here...
Lewis and I might witness other people whining about such things, but we'll simply think about how grateful we for what we have. It pays to "travel the world".
