August 2019 - Wanderwiles

Delhi Three Ways

We were in and out of Delhi three times on this trip. Given this, I wanted to try different areas and types of lodgings on each stay. I settled on the following: First up, was Hotel Bright a moderately-priced Indian business/tourist hotel right in Connaught Place, the large, arcaded shops at the colonial center of New Delhi. For a two-night return between Bhutan and Dharamshala, I chose the new Aloft Hotel in the modern Aerocity enclave near the airport. Finally, we used some free Hyatt nights for a stay in the elegant Hyatt Regency Delhi in the more removed southwestern part of the city. Each had their pros and cons and we enjoyed each in their own way. I’ll leave it to others to go in depth about Delhi and New Delhi (There’s lots out there.) and just touch here on a few highlights and useful bits.

Fortunately, we’d been prepared by TripAdvisor reviews for the eyebrow-raising entry path to Hotel Bright. After passing under the white-columned arcade of the outer ring of Connaught Place, we climbed a security guard-monitored flight of stairs to pass through an open area with a pile of abandoned couches and other junk. Graffiti on the wall proclaimed, “THIS PROPERTY BELONGS TO ME.” Just beyond this less-than-welcoming space, we opened the door to the pristine small lobby of Hotel Bright. Our windowless room was nicely decorated, if somewhat dated, clean, quiet and well-equipped. A simple included breakfast was delivered each morning. The location within the arcades of Connaught Place was excellent.

Connaught Place is a great central location with a myriad of high-priced-for-Delhi shops and restaurants. A stroll through the shady arcades of Connaught Place with pale skin will net you a never-ending supply of companions wanting to steer you into said shops and restaurants. Some people genuinely seemed to want to help or to just ask curious questions, but we remained on-guard for the ubiquitous scams and hustles. Mostly, it just got exhausting never being able to stop and look at anything without being descended upon.

We found a wonderful haven from the constant attention at Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, a massive and beautiful Sikh house of worship. The Gurdwara is a fifteen minute walk down Baba Kharak Singh Road from Connaught Place. The Sikhs at Gurdwara Bangla Sahib welcomed us warmly. We left our shoes at a cloakroom where a lady for some reason loved speaking Spanish with me when she heard I was from the U.S. After walking through cleansing water, we donned borrowed head gear (a scarf for me and a scaled-down turban for David) and entered the main temple to watch prayers (conveniently translated into English on an overhead screen) before circling the temple then heading outside to a sacred pool. With true Sikh hospitality, we were offered food and drink at stalls set up outside. Entrance to the temple is free and, in addition to the pond and courtyards, there’s a museum on site. I highly recommend a visit.

We walked twelve miles around colonial New Delhi our first full day there. The spring weather was sunny and warm, but lacking the heat we’d feared (and that would make an appearance by the time we made our third stop in the city). We enjoyed the walk which both puzzled and annoyed the non-stop parade of tuk tuks and taxis that rolled slowly beside us, trying to convince us to ride instead. We admired the elegant buildings along broad avenues and joined throngs of others at India Gate (lead photo).

We rode the relatively new Airport Express metro line out to the airport and were happy to find it air conditioned, clean, much faster than a taxi would have been given the horrific traffic, and not crowded at all. [The Shivaji stop on this line is very close to Gurdwara Bangla Sahib making it easy to visit on a layover. We also walked to this stop from Hotel Bright in Connaught Place to ride to the airport for 60 INR/pp (85¢ US).] We used this same line on our return to Delhi from Bhutan to ride one stop to the swank Aerocity complex and the Aloft Hotel. I highly recommend the Aloft Aerocity for short stays near the airport. The staff there are wonderful, the hotel chic, and the selection of shops and restaurants in the secured Aerocity center extensive. Security around the entire Aerocity enclave makes it an area apart from the rest of Delhi. It’s comfortable and safe, but in no way “authentic” Delhi, nor does it try to be. Still, it was a pleasant, pampered stop with an easy return to the airport for our flight to Dharamshala in northern India. Since the baggage allotment for our intra-India flight was a mere 15kg, we bought a cheap duffel in Bhutan and off-loaded things into that and stored it at Aloft, free of charge. When we returned to Delhi, we just hopped the metro to Aerocity, picked up our bag, then had the hotel call us an Uber to the Hyatt Regency. (Our phones still would not connect to Uber in Delhi.)

The Hyatt Regency Delhi is vast and elegant, but the location is removed from most sights, restaurants, and shops. The hotel itself has several nice, but expensive restaurants and we blew any “deal” we had using our free nights to stay there on a wildly expensive, but excellent, Chinese dinner at The China Kitchen. We discovered budget fare the next day when we ventured out into the rabbit warren of little streets that extend behind the hotel away from the main highway. We’d have surely been lost without Google Maps and it might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but we had fun exploring and found both a cute sandwich shop and a small grocery store (Anil Super Shopee). We also discovered many popular outdoor eateries amongst the tech shops in the complex just east of the Hyatt.

The high-speed Gatimaan train from Agra to Delhi

Waiting on the Gatimaan Express at Agra Cantt train station

We wanted to make the trip from Agra to Delhi on our own, so I began researching Indian trains. Right away, the relatively new Gatimaan Express train caught my eye. The Gatimaan Express makes the trip from Agra to Delhi (and vice versa) once per day in each direction. The Gatimaan actually goes beyond Agra to Gwalior and Jhansi, but it seems largely geared towards people in Delhi wanting to see Agra and the Taj Mahal on a day trip. The Gatimaan leaves Delhi’s Hazrat Nizamuddin station at 8:10 am IST and returns from Agra in the evening at 5:50pm.

Whenever train travel is on my radar, The Man in Seat 61 is one of my first Internet go-to sites. As always, I found a wealth of information on the site. But, I also found some concerns. Stories of problems abounded: with the Indian Railways website, with using non-Indian addresses and credit cards, with fake security guards at the train stations, with luggage hijacked by porters, with train station taxi scams, and on and on. Oh, India.

I’m happy to report that I had no problems creating an account directly with Indian Railways or with buying our tickets online with an American credit card. The Man in Seat 61 had suggested an easier-to-use intermediary agency, but if my experience is any indication, Indian Railways has ironed out the kinks. I received our tickets promptly by email and was asked to take a screen shot of them and not to print out the tickets “unless extremely necessary.” I booked the highest class (Executive Class) because at 2990 INR ($41.93 US) for both of us, why not? Seats become available 120 days in advance and reservations are necessary. Popular routes do book up on the high-speed trains. I calendared the day tickets were to open and booked ASAP. This is one of those situations where planning makes things a lot easier and cheaper.

Despite warnings, we had no issues at Agra Cantt station. It’s a busy place, but it’s India so pretty much everywhere is busy. The train was on time and our car was comfortable if not luxurious. We were served a hot meal that was tasty and filling if not gourmet. The ride itself was smooth and uneventful. I enjoyed chatting with an extended family of Indians living overseas in France and Spain who’d returned to India to celebrate a major anniversary of the matriarch and patriarch of the clan.

Executive Class dinner on the Gatimaan Express from Agra to Delhi

At speeds of 99mph, travel on the Gatimaan Express from Agra to Delhi takes 1 hour 40 minutes and reaches Delhi’s Hazrat Nizamuddin station at 7:30pm, which means we arrived after dark. Thankfully, we heeded warnings and had a good grip on our luggage as the train pulled into the station. Sure enough, would-be porters streamed aboard, blocking passengers attempting to exit and trying to wrest our luggage away from us. It took some pretty harsh refusals to get them to accept rejection and get out of the way.

Our next challenge came in getting a ride to our hotel. I’d read many warnings about taxis in Delhi and a favorite scam whereby passengers are told the street on which their hotel sits is blocked for a festival so the driver will have to take them somewhere else. Basically, passengers have ended up getting “kidnapped” and either pay a hefty sum to be returned to their original destination or coerced into using the services of scam “travel agents” and different hotels. (The 20-something son of the lady seated behind me on the train had a friend who’d endured this particular scam as well.) My original plan had been to use a transfer service offered by the Gatimaan Express, but the link to that service on the Indian Railways site was broken and no one on the train had heard of it. My back up plan was Uber which had worked like a champ in Jaipur. No such luck in Delhi. In our three stops in Delhi, Uber never worked. The app would find a ride, say it was attempting to book it, then fail to do so. Great.

Eventually, we resigned ourselves to the taxi/tuk tuk gamble and braved the throng waiting at the front of the station. After some haggling, we were led to a taxi operated by a taciturn Sikh who delivered us to our hotel in Connaught Place with no hassle save for the perpetual Delhi traffic.

Note: Per the email I received with our tickets, ” E-Ticket can be cancelled online till preparation of charts (which is normally 4 to 6 hours before the scheduled departure of the train from the originating stations. (For trains starting up to 12 noon the chart preparation is usually done on the previous night)) OR 4 hours before the scheduled departure of boarding the train in case of confirmed ticket OR 30 minutes before the scheduled departure of boarding the train in case of RAC/WL whichever is earlier.”

Agra: Agra Fort and a homestay

Viewing the Taj Mahal from the Agra Fort

We arrived in bustling Agra in the afternoon after spending the first part of the day touring our way from Jaipur via Chand Baori and Fatehpur Sikri. Our driver threaded his way through the jumble of vehicles, pedestrians, cows and trash as we headed straight to Agra Fort. Hurrying to meet a waiting guide, we didn’t even have time to drop off our luggage.

A UNESCO World Heritage site, Agra Fort was the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal Dynasty until 1638, when the capital moved to Delhi. The semi-circular fort occupies 94 acres and sits behind 70′ walls on the Yamuna River. Part of the fort is occupied by active military so tourists only see a small portion of the huge complex. From the main tourist courtyard, we could see soldiers atop the wall separating us from the military area.

Agra fort is impressive with multiple royal residences, courtyards, massive gateways and public buildings, but for us, the highlight was our surprise first glimspe of the Taj Mahal 2.5km away. What a moment! (The ladies in the top photo above are enjoying the same view.)

Probably the most beautiful portion of Agra Fort is the Musamman Burj, the elaborate marble apartments of Shah Jahan, builder of the Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan spent the last years of his life under house arrest here, held prisoner by his son, Aurangzeb. The story goes that his son imprisoned him to prevent him from bankrupting the country by building a proposed black marble twin to the Taj Mahal as a burial place for himself. According to legend, Shah Jahan envisioned his black tomb sitting across from the white tomb of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan lay on his death bed in the Musamman Burj gazing at the Taj Mahal.

After leaving Agra Fort, our driver drove us the short distance to Coral Court Homestay, our lodging for the next two nights. I’d read great things about this homestay, liked the idea of a family-owned homestay, and the location was ideal, within walking distance to the Taj Mahal.

The first turn onto the Coral Court’s street was less than encouraging: a dirt road, free roaming livestock. Our guide and driver seemed a little concerned when we pulled up to the locked gate. This turned out to be “Coral House Homestay,” belonging to a relative of our host, but not affiliated. The owner sent us a few doors down to Coral Court Homestay. Our guide went in and came back, much more satisfied, with someone to help with our luggage.

Despite the dirt road and cow, the Coral Court Homestay street and neighborhood turned out to be fine. (And it’s a short walk to the paved road and wide sidewalks leading to the Taj Mahal entrance.)

We were shown to a cheerful, turquoise-walled waiting area and offered refreshment while we filled out the necessary paperwork. Then, we were led through the dining room and upstairs to our room. We ended up really enjoying Coral Court Homestay. The delicious vegetarian food was made in the kitchen adjoining the dining room and served at communal tables. We made friends at dinner with two Frenchwomen from Asnières-sur-Seine and laughed when we found out we’d all stayed at the same wonderful hotel in Jaipur. (I blogged about Pearl Palace Heritage Hotel earlier and really recommend it for both amazing design and great value.) The rooms (we tried two due to availability issues when I booked) were comfortable and spotless. The walk from Coral Court Homestay to the Taj Mahal was easy and down a wide, limited-access road that kept the usual throngs of hangers-on blissfully at bay. There are several restaurants and shops along the way, too. We enjoyed good, reasonably-priced Thali lunches at two of them.

The rooftop area at Coral Court Homestay really made it for us, and we even ended up skipping a final wander before catching our evening train to Delhi, preferring to lounge on the roof and watch nearby neighborhood life. One evening, David hammed it up with kids playing in a courtyard below, one boy flexing his muscles and waiting for David to copy him before laughing and striking a new pose for David to mimic. Another group of older boys and young men were occupied shoeing large flocks of pigeons attempting to roost inside open buildings. The white domes of the Taj Mahal gleamed in the golden sunset.

Rooftop view from Coral Court Homestay in Agra

It’s funny, I’d expected to like Jaipur more than Agra, to find the former more elegant and the latter more rough-and-tumble, but I came away really liking Agra and actually preferring our time there. I’m sure a lot had to do with Coral Court Homestay and its neighborhood.

Practical info:

Agra Fort is open sunrise to sunset. The entry fee is 550INR/adult ($7.67). We found our guide to be informative and useful, but a guide isn’t necessary, especially with a guidebook, info on cell phone, etc.

At Coral Court Homestay, we paid 4718.82INR ($65.83 US) for a “King Suite” and 2799.10INR ($39.05 US)for a “Deluxe Double Room.” Both prices include goods and services tax. I booked using Booking.com through Topcashback for a rebate. (I get extra cashback if you use this link and you can get $10. As of today, I’ve gotten $833.40 from Topcashback on hotels and purchases I would have made anyway. I’ve got more ready to claim and more beyond that pending confirmation. It’s an easy and fun way to save a little cash.)

Agra: the Taj Mahal at last!

Admiring the Taj Mahal from the shade of the southern portico

Our guide from the previous day’s visit to Agra Fort met us at Coral Court Homestay to walk with us to the nearby entrance to the Taj Mahal. Visiting the Taj was a highlight of this 3-month travel extravaganza, but I worried a little that the iconic landmark would be a let down after the countless images I’d seen over my lifetime. I needn’t have worried. The Taj Mahal was spectacular and we loved every minute of our leisurely visit on a gorgeous day.

View of the huge gateway leading to the Taj from the grassy courtyard just inside the main entrance gate

We opted to skip sunrise at the Taj, something that’s touted a lot, but which sounded to me like a gimmick…and I just plain didn’t want to get up that early. Besides, we’d put off our visit to the Taj until this year so that we’d see it just after the major cleaning that had its domes covered in purifying mud for much of 2018. I had no particular desire to see it turned pinkish by the rising sun. I wanted to see its freshly-restored gleaming white. The choice turned out to be a good one. We chatted with fellow guests at Coral Court Homestay who got up for a sunrise visit and said they were disappointed to find the entrance queue long and the Taj Mahal grounds crowded. They said it was pretty, though. We arrived around 10am to find only a short line and sparse crowds. And the Taj a brilliant white in the sunshine. The April weather was ideal, too: warm in the sun, cool in the shade. Fantastic!

Just beyond the gateway shown in the previous photo

Our guide, paid for and included in the Jaipur to Agra drive and touring we’d hired from Pushpendra (see my earlier post), had tried to talk us out of using his services at the Taj. We’d arrived too late from Jaipur the day before and had only been able to tour Agra Fort, having to put off the Taj Mahal for today. Despite the guide’s obvious reluctance (Why work another day when he could pocket the pay and do nothing?), he turned up to walk us to the Taj then provided cheerful and informative service. He delighted in posing us for what seemed like dozens of touristy photos and tended to speed along when I wanted to just stop and gape and take my own photos. We were glad we insisted on using him, but also happy to send him on his way after we toured inside the mausoleum so we could just stroll and sit and admire the incredible beauty around us.

We mounted stairs to the vast raised plaza where the Taj Mahal mausoleum sits, flanked by two mosques (one in use and the other primarily for symmetry and show). Separate tickets were required to enter the mausoleum and we joined a short line to file through. Photographs weren’t allowed inside the mausoleum where two replica cenotaphs sit in an ornate upper room of intricately carved marble and semi-precious stones. The real sarcophagi are in a lower room at garden level.

Back outside, we explored the wide terrace with its view of the river below and park across the way. Large flocks of black kites, eagle-like birds of prey, swirled and glided around the towers and central dome of the Taj. Indian tourists in an array of colorful regional clothes added to the overwhelming beauty of the place.

Black kites (birds of prey) circling a Taj Mahal minaret

Colorful locals near one of the identical mosques that flanks the Taj Mahal

View from a mosque flanking the Taj Mahal

After a quick visit to the mosque, we bid good-bye to our guide and set out to explore the square gardens with their central fountain and a small museum on the west side of the complex. We ended up strolling a long red stone portico that joined with the grand entrance at the south end of the gardens. Exhibits depicting historic and architectural sites around India lined the portico. We enjoyed browsing the exhibits, then gave over to the ultimate pleasure of the place: just sitting in the shade admiring the Taj Majal.

Red stone portico connecting to the grand gateway leading to the Taj Mahal. The *exhibits depict architectural and historical sites around India*.

Practical info:

Taj Mahal tickets are available at both the Western Gate and the Eastern Gate (where we entered) from one hour before Sunrise up to 45 Minutes before Sunset. Tickets are 1100INR ($15.34 US) for foreigners plus another 200INR ($2.79) to enter the mausoleum. There’s a 50INR (70¢ US) discount on the general ticket for buying online. We found the guide informative and helpful, but not a necessity. Allow plenty of time just to bask in the beauty. The Taj Mahal is not the place to rush.

En route from Jaipur to Agra: Chand Baori and Fatehpur Sikri

We opted to hire a driver to take us from Jaipur to Agra, splurging a bit for an SUV so David could stretch his legs. I wanted to make two stops en route: Chand Baori, an ancient step well and Fatehpur Sikri, a town founded as the capital of Mughal Empire in 1571 by Emperor Akbar and later completely abandoned in 1610.

Chand Baori is located in a small village a short distance off Hwy 21 that connects Jaipur and Agra. We’d heard mixed accounts of the road in India, but this stretch of Hwy 21 is modern, wide and in excellent shape. The road out to the village of Abhaneri where the step well is located is good, too. Our driver dropped us off just at the entrance of Chand Baori, parking to wait for us at a market set up across the street. Surprised to find free entrance, we ignored the many guides hawking their services and entered to stroll around the 100 ft. deep well, admiring its 13 story depth and 3500 steps. Architectural stone artifacts lined porticos around the well. The oldest parts of the well date to the 8th century, but upper parts date back to the Mughal period in the 18th century. Chand Baori has appeared in several movies, including the The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

The turn-off to Abhaneri and Chand Baori is only about a third of the distance between Jaipur and Agra, so we settled back in to continue our journey. Our driver stopped at a large, mostly empty, but tourist-oriented spot for lunch and a bathroom break before heading on to the main attraction before Agra: Fatehpur Sikri.

Fatehpur Sikri is not far from Agra, maybe 5/6 of the distance we traveled from Jaipur and just off Hwy 21. There’s a lot to see here and we could have spent a lot more time, but I was focused on the red stone palace complex where Emperor Akbar built three palaces which legend claims to have been for each of his three favorite wives, one Hindu, one Muslim and one Christian. Architecture in the palace complex is an intriguing mix of the three cultures.

The minute we pulled into the parking lot, we were approached by tuk tuk drivers wanting to take us to the palace complex which is not within walking distance from the parking lot. I’d read that there was a cheap shuttle bus and didn’t like the idea of putting ourselves in the hands and vehicle of a stranger, so we declined and made our way along a wide sidewalk past several booths selling souvenirs to a parking lot with buses. We found the shuttle which was about to leave. We boarded with a crowd of tourists, asking about a ticket, but being waved on. We descended in a similar melee and were once again waved on by what appeared to be the guide for a tour group. Since no one would sell us a ticket, we got a free ride to the nearby palace. We weren’t going to raise a fuss over that so moved on to buy an entrance ticket to the palace complex.

We entered into a vast paved courtyard, a kingfisher bird perched on the wall making an iconic adornment to the elegant buildings. Again, we were approached by would-be guides, but plaques in English offered ample explanation for us, so we declined. The first building we came to was the Diwan-i-Khas or Hall of Private Audience, a square building with a famous octagonal central pillar carved with bands of geometric and floral designs. It supports a circular platform for Emperor Akbar, which is connected to each corner of the building on the first floor, by four stone walkways. Here the emperor listened to representatives of different religions discuss their faiths and gave private audience.

Carved central pillar in the Hall of Private Audience at Fatehpur Sikri

We wandered the complex exploring palaces and treasury buildings, pools and courtyards. We could only see a portion of the hilltop complex in the time we had, but we saw a lot and enjoyed the visit. With Agra and a visit to the Agra Fort yet ahead, we decided to head back to our driver. Things didn’t go as smoothly on the way back and we waited 15 minutes or so for the next shuttle bus back to the parking area. We had to pay this time, too, but the price was negligible.

Practical info:

Chand Baori was free when we went there, but I have read that the Indian government plans to start charging a 200INF ($2.80 US) entry fee for foreigners.

Entrance to Fatehpur Sikri is 550INR ($7.70 US) for foreigners. It is open sunrise to sunset. The shuttle bus from the parking lot is 10INR (14¢ US). The ride is 5 minutes or less. You could walk, but it’s a fair distance, uphill and hot. Take or buy water.

The driver I hired was supposed to be “Pushpendra” with Jaipertraveling.com, highly recommended on Tripadvisor. It turned out that he sent another driver. I booked well in advance and Pushpendra was very accommodating when PayPal would not let me pay a requested deposit in rupees. He took my reservation on faith, letting me pay on arrival. While that was good, communication was lacking when we got to Jaipur and I had some concerns although our driver showed up as promised. Also, there was some confusion as a guide was promised, but that turned out to be a guide we would meet in Agra for the Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal. Our driver spoke virtually no English which caused some confusion about the day’s plans and we had no guide for either Chand Baori or Fatehpur Sikri although that turned out to be no big deal at either place. The SUV and driver were not cheap by Indian standards at 8000INR ($112 US), but the driver was good and the vehicle new, spacious and immaculate. The non-stop drive alone is 4h30 and our driver waited patiently for us at three long stops, then had to drive back to Jaipur. Also, this included fuel and the guide in Agra, who ended up coming back the next day to take us to the Taj. Pushpendra later apologized for the communication gaps, and in the end, all was very satisfactory.

Jaipur and the Amber Fort by tuk tuk

We hired driver Abès for a full-day of Jaipur and environs by tuk tuk. David and I are both fans of tuk tuks. We enjoy the exhilarating feel of being in the thick of things, weaving through traffic, eye-to-eye with those in other vehicles, then enjoying the breeze when our driver hits a straightaway. I try not to focus on the fact there are no seatbelts much less airbags or even walls in these vehicles. They’re fun! Since tuk tuks are vehicles of southeast Asia, it’s often hot, but surprisingly not as much as you might expect. With the temperate springtime weather in Jaipur, we strongly preferred tuk tuks to taxis. And, boy, are they cheap.

Abès and his brother’s tuk tuk, our chariot for the day

We started our day early, heading back to the Pink City to visit the City Palace. Also known as Maharajah Sawai Man Singh Museum, the City Palace is much more extensive than Hawa Mahal (the Palace of the Winds) and houses artifacts including textiles, clothing, weapons and decorative arts. The palace was built between 1729 and 1732. Guards in period costumes stand watch at the many ornate gates and doorways in the extensive palace. There’s also a restaurant on-site. Entry to the City Palace is expensive by Indian standards at 700INR ($9.83 US) pp. There was even a special visit to the Royal Apartments on offer for 3500INR ($49.15). Photos of the apartments were lovely, but we declined. We spent an hour or so in the palace.

After the City Palace, we left the Pink City to stop at the royal mausoleums. We were the only tourists visiting these beautiful white structures, a peaceful break after the bustle of the Pink City.

Next up was our major destination for the day, the Amber Fort. (See top photo.) Also known as the Amer Fort or Amer Palace, the fort sits on a hill 11 km outside of Jaipur. Construction began on the Amber Fort in 1592 on the remains of an 11th-century fort. The Amber Fort and six other hill forts in Rajasthan were declared UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2013. Its architecture–consisting of four courtyards and gardens plus palaces and halls made of sandstone and marble–is a mix of Rajput (Hindu) and Mughal (Islamic) styles. This extensive palace and fort was the seat of power in Rajasthan until the capital was moved to Jaipur in 1727. Entry to the Amber Fort is 550INR ($7.71 US) for foreigners and 25INR for Indians. For students, it’s 25/10INR.

Traffic en route to the Amber Fort was interesting.

The Amber Fort is definitely more a palace than a fort here.

After spending almost two hours in the Amber Fort, we headed back to Jaipur for a quick stop to view the beautiful Jal Mahal (“Water Palace”) in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake. Then, Abès insisted we make a few shopping stops, assuring us there would be no pressure to buy. Right. We were skeptical, but the stops at a textile factory and a rug maker turned out to be interesting and there really wasn’t much pressure. But, David –who’d never been treated to the roll-out-the-rugs routine– was smitten by a large silk rug… so now we homeless vagabonds have yet another rug to add to our collection of rolled-up rugs. Oh well, the price was right and he’s a happy man (and he does unroll it in a back room when we’re at my parents’).

Block printing cloth in a textile factory

Our last stop for the day was the Hanuman Temple. Hanuman is the Hindu monkey god and we find his temples are usually interesting… and full of monkeys. We thought we were heading to the famous monkey temple outside of Jaipur, Galta Ji. And it turns out we did, sort of. Abes dropped us off at the base of a long uphill walk past many monkeys and other animals, including a deformed cow with a “twin” growing out of its rear which we were told was holy. We passed hovels with open walls where rats ran over and around beds. Residents came out to put vermillion on my forehead. I resisted at first, but finally gave in to a little girl who expected nothing from me. All along the way, monkeys slept, played, fought and fed on offerings left for them by pilgrims.

Beginning our walk up to the Hanuman Sun Temple. So much going on in this photo.

Woman at the entry to ruins along the way to the Sun Temple

At the top of our climb was a small temple with a sweeping view over Jaipur. Monkeys lounged on the walls around it, but the building was nothing like the photos I’d seen of Galta Ji with its large pool. I found out later this was the Sun Temple, a part of the larger Galta Ji complex which was another 2 km away along some path we never saw. Oh well, this temple was uncrowded and we were welcomed by a monk and encouraged to pray. We paid our respects to the god and enjoyed the view. This little temple was a fascinating stop in its own right and we were happy to call it a day.

The Pink City of Jaipur, India

Jaipur’s Pink City viewed from the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds)

I was excited that Jaipur was our first stop in India after Myanmar. After last year’s visit to the west coast of India, it was time to do the famous Golden Triagle: Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. Flying from Yangon to Jaipur (via Bangkok) meant we could travel just two legs of the triangle since we planned to fly out of Delhi to Kathmandu.

I’d read about Jaipur for decades, dreaming over photos of the fabled Pink City, walled forts and luxurious hotels. Since Jaipur was just one stop on a 3-month odyssey, I skipped the expensive iconic hotels and found a wonderful bit of luxury at a very affordable price at the Pearl Palace Heritage Hotel. The Pink City and all the other wonders of Jaipur still awaited, though.

Our flight arrived at Jaipur in the wee hours, so we slept in before heading to my first must-see, the Pink City. Expectations exceeded reality a bit when our tuk tuk dropped us off just inside one of the main gates of this old section of town.

Yes, there are lovely old buildings, but there’s also a lot that’s run down and strewn with trash. We wandered the sidewalks in front of the clothing section, admiring the brightly colored items on display, but quickly being reminded of a major downside of India: It’s impossible to stop without being swarmed by vendors and various “helpful” sorts. It can be exhausting. It’s frustrating, especially when we might consider shopping if only we could be left alone. I know it’s cultural and we find it many places, but India raises it to a new level. I laugh that I need to gird my loins and brace myself before heading out in India. The noise, the crowds, the squalor, the colors, the smells…and the beauty. It’s easy to reach sensory overload fast.

I had to snap this photo quickly before the next vendor descended.

We walked towards the famous Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds), opting to get lunch at the rooftop Wind View Café across the street before heading to the palace itself. The simple meal with an awesome view of the palace and bustling main street below was tasty and cheap.

The palace was built in 1799 and designed to look like Lord Krishna’s crown. With its shallow rooms, the building seems little more than a facade behind the many-windowed front where royal ladies would come catch glimpses of the market streets. (See top photo.) There’s little furniture, only a few displays, and not much in the way of historical explanation, but we had fun exploring and the courtyards and terraces are extensive, offering views over the city and the mountains and fortifications beyond. The graceful architecture and elaborate carved and painted designs on doors and ceilings provide the artwork on display.

View from Hawa Mahal. The sloped structure in the distance is the observatory, Jantar Mantar.

Hawa Mahal is connected by a passage to the City Palace, but the entrances are separate. We ran out of time to do the second palace, so saved that for our next day’s explorations. We wandered more of the fascinating and overwhelming streets of the Pink City before heading home to Pearl Palace Heritage Hotel.

Pink City street scene. The man in the foreground is making pots.

Practical info:

Entrance to Hawa Mahal is 200INR for foreign tourists and 25INR for foreign students. For Indians, the fee is 50/5INF. The palace is open 9:00am-4:30pm daily. The Hawa Mahal web site lists the prices as substantially less, but I’m giving the prices actually posted and charged at the palace. There is also a composite ticket for seven sites available, but it didn’t include the City Palace so we passed on that. To enter Hawa Mahal, go around the left side of the building (as you face the front), then turn right at the first pedestrian street to find the entrance.

Pearl Palace Heritage Hotel in Jaipur, India

Breakfast area in Pearl Palace Heritage Hotel

I don’t often do straight-up lodging reviews and then only when there’s something really worth mentioning. Pearl Palace Heritage Hotel in Jaipur is one of those places that deserves a separate write-up. Located in a neighborhood that’s gated at night, Pearl Palace Heritage Hotel is safe, convenient, clean, comfortable and reasonably priced, but above all, it’s gorgeous. Housed in an elegant historic building, the decor is over-the-top in places, but fun and displaying impressive craftsmanship and artistry. The hotel has been named #1 Romantic Indian Hotel on Tripadvisor and a portion of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 2 was shot there in 2014. Photos are necessary to do this place justice, so here you go:

Our luxury king room in Pearl Palace Heritage Hotel

The walls in our bedroom were covered-to-ceiling with brightly colored paintings reflecting Hindu deities. A framed card informed us that our room was named “Patachitra” and explained that “patta” means cloth and “chitra” means picture. Patachitra is a form of Bengali narrative art dating back to 1AD and used with songs to tell Hindu stories. The art is hand-done and depicts the large-eyed style of Jamini Roy, an Indian artist of the 1930’s. The hotel owner also provided his own booklet filled with fascinating information about Jaipur, Indian culture, history and religions, etc. The bed and monogrammed linens were by far the most comfortable and luxurious we experienced in India. Air conditioning worked as expected, the room was quiet at night. The bathroom continued in the highly-adorned manner of the bedroom, but in monochromatic hand-painted tiles.

The hallways of Pearl Palace Heritage Hotel sport graceful arches, bas-relief carvings, colorful wall paintings, carved wooden doors and decorative tile floors. Stairways are lined with historic photos.

Hallway outside our room. The floor tiles are different on each floor of the hotel.

*The photos along the stairs are fascinating.* (There is an elevator as well.)

Staff is friendly and helpful, too. The only negative to staying at Pearl Palace Heritage Hotel was the lack of a restaurant, but a rooftop restaurant is being built. Meanwhile, breakfast is delivered from nearby sister hotel, Pearl Palace, where we twice enjoyed a rooftop dinner. It’s a short tuk tuk ride away or a ten minute walk. The only minor downside there is the lack of a liquor license, so no wine or beer with dinner.

Front of the Pearl Palace Heritage Hotel. Scaffolding is related to building of the rooftop restaurant. The small round balconies are attached to some top-tier rooms.

Practical info:

I booked Pearl Palace Heritage Hotel on Hotels.com using the Topcashback portal for a rebate. The room I wanted was a “luxury king room” per the hotel website and cost $146.13 for three nights ($43.49/night plus $15.66 “tax recovery charges and service fees”), including breakfast, which we could choose to take in our room or in the breakfast area. More expensive rooms have small balconies and are more monochrome with carved stone predominating in the decor. They are lovely, too, but I couldn’t resist the fantastic painting that covered our room.

NOTE: Be careful not to confuse Pearl Palace Heritage Hotel with its sister hotel, Pearl Palace Hotel. The similarity in names is confusing. The other hotel is nice as well and its rooftop restaurant charming, but the decor cannot compete.

We arrived after midnight on our flight from Yangon via Bangkok and, at my request, the hotel sent a car to pick us up for 450 INR ($6.34 US). I definitely recommend this if arriving late. We ended up using the same driver, Ali, and his brother, Abès, in a tuk tuk and were very happy with the service. We used Ali’s tuk tuk once for a ride to the Pink City and once for a full day tour with Abès. Uber worked well in Jaipur (using our T-mobile included international Internet again) and we were able to use Uber to get back from the Pink City for a ridiculously cheap 35 cents or so. Simply acting like we were using our phones to call an Uber usually had tuk tuk drivers negotiating.

Flying Myanmar Domestic Routes

I read some worrying reviews of domestic Myanmar flights, airlines and airports prior to our trip, so I thought I’d recap our experiences. During our time in Myanmar, we flew from Yangon to Mandalay, from Bagan to Heho (Inle Lake), and from Heho to Yangon. We flew Golden Myanmar Airlines all three times and our experiences were generally good. We had some delays, but nothing major and nothing that’s not common in the U.S. or Europe. The airplanes were clean, service good, flights smooth. Seats are a bit tight, but manageable especially considering the short flying times for domestic flights. Everything I read convinced me flying was the only way to go, given the state (or lack) of roads and railroads in Myanmar and the distances involved.

Legroom is a little tight for taller passengers on this Golden Myanmar flight from Bagan to Heho.

The options I found online for Myanmar flights were usually Golden Myanmar, Myanmar Airlines and Air KBZ. Mann Yadanarpon Airlines also showed up sometimes. The prices were usually fairly close, but Golden Myanmar won out on all three flights for me, both on a small price advantage, but also on convenient times and an easy-to-use website. (I also looked for multiple flights a day, so that a canceled flight wouldn’t leave us with no options to continue our journey later.) Prices ran around $70-95pp one-way, including tax.

Airports: Yangon International Airport (RGN) is modern and very nice. The domestic terminal is new, cavernous and mostly empty. It had plenty of seats for waiting travelers, good air conditioning, places to eat and shop, and modern bathrooms. Our flight from Yangon to Mandalay was an hour late. Not a huge deal, but the flight itself is only about 1h20. We rode a bus from the terminal to the plane. A small meal of water and a bun stuffed with shredded meat was served.

Yangon domestic terminal departures waiting hall

Mandalay International Airport (MDL) is smaller than Yangon International Airport, but still modern and spacious. We walked from the airplane to a baggage claim area with several carousels and a few shops at one end. We also had the interesting experience of sitting across the aisle from a local celebrity, who looked every bit the aging rock star he sort of turned out to be. We first noticed him and his wife since they were rather interestingly dressed and each took a surprisingly hefty handful of the wrapped hard candies offered by attendants at the end of the flight. Saleswomen from the shops flooded out to ask for photos when they spotted him and his wife waiting for luggage at the carousel. The celebrity couple readily obliged. I snapped the pic below of the girls getting photos with the singer and his wife. When I showed it to Yan, our steamboat guide, he instantly recognized the celebrity as Thein Tan a/k/a Myanmar Pyi. I gather he’s something like the Johnny Hallyday of Myanmar, although the music I’ve found on YouTube is very Burmese and not at all rock.

Local celebrity Thein Tan a/k/a Myanmar Pyi posing with fans in the Mandalay Airport arrivals and baggage claim hall

The airport serving Bagan is actually in Nyaung U. The airport is small with two sequential waiting areas, the main area with some shops and a second area past security entered only after your flight is called. We arrived way too early thanks to a taxi called by the Vietnamese agency through which I booked our Irrawaddy steamer cruise. Bagan is small with no real traffic issues, the airport not that far away, and there’s absolutely no need to arrive two hours early despite what the airline information page says. We would have had plenty of time to enjoy the ample buffet at our lovely hotel if we’d only asked the hotel desk staff when to leave for the airport.

Nyaung U Airport (Bagan) main hall, the first waiting area. (Empty because we were the first passengers there that morning.) The second waiting room is past security through doors to the right in the photo. Passengers enter there only after their flight is called.

Heho Airport is the smallest of the Myanmar airports we flew in and out of. Upon arrival, luggage is handed through an opening to the tarmac. There are no carousels. The Heho airport is 45-50 minutes from Nyaung Shwe, the town nearest to Inle Lake. Departure from the Heho airport meant a wait for someone to appear at the one-man Golden Myanmar counter, then another two-stage waiting room process before boarding. For domestic Myanmar flights, we walked out onto the tarmac to board and exit the airplanes. Only Yangon had a bus to get us closer to the plane.

In sum, we had no problems flying within Myanmar and found Golden Myanmar Airlines to be a fine airline that we’d happily fly again. That said, I’m glad I scheduled an overnight in Yangon prior to our international flight to India via Bangkok.

Nyaung Shwe, Myanmar

When making plans to visit Inle Lake in Myanmar, I debated whether to stay on an over-water bungalow on Inle Lake or in the town of Nyaung Shwe near the lake. Both had their appeal, and town is definitely cheaper. In the end, I opted for two nights at each. In retrospect, I’d skip Nyaung Shwe and spend three nights on the lake. Most tourists stay in Nyaung Shwe simply as a more economical base for exploring Inle Lake. Still, we enjoyed our time in Nyaung Shwe (except for some noise issues), and it was an interesting short stay, although lacking in any big must-sees other than Inle Lake.

Our regular boatman took us from Ann Heritage Lodge to Nyaung Shwe. We wondered when he docked at what appeared to be an empty building, but we were let in to wait for a tuk tuk that arrived to take us to Inle Cottage Boutique Hotel. I had asked the desk clerk at Ann Heritage Lodge to coordinate with Inle Cottage Boutique Hotel, so they arranged this hand-off. I knew the hotel was only blocks from the boat docks, but the streets in Nyaung Shwe are often unpaved and confusing to navigate. Besides, we definitely didn’t want to be rolling our suitcases on dirt roads in the heat.

Bustling Nyaung Shwe street in front of Inle Cottage Boutique Hotel

I chose Inle Cottage Boutique Hotel for our stay and the restaurant, garden and our bungalow room were all stylishly decorated with local goods, comfortable, and clean. The bungalows clustered around a lush central garden. The hotel had the added bonus of being run entirely by young women as part of a program to educate women and encourage them in business. The staff did a great job. Their attentiveness bordered on the excessive as, each time we crossed from the garden door through the small lobby to the main door or vice versa, a young woman would leap up from behind the counter and race to hold open the doors for us.

Inle Cottage Boutique Hotel and the Minthamee Bar & Bistro

My choice was a big hit with David when we realized signs pointing to a craft beer bar were directing us to the restaurant located above the lobby in our hotel. The beer on offer was from Burbrit, the first microbrewery in Myanmar. We’d been wanting to try it, and we were in luck!

On our first evening in Nyaung Shwe, we decided to walk to the nearby night market. Set up on one end of a large open square, the event consisted of some food trucks and souvenir stalls. The market was popular with locals and we enjoyed wandering through, but opted for dinner back at our hotel.

Our first night was not the tranquil stay I’d hoped for. A rooster or two at the house next door to our wooden-walled bungalow crowed all night, sounding as if he were in our bathroom. Then around 5am, someone began the sinus-clearing hacking so popular in this part of the world. Music began blaring next door at an insane hour. Then around 8:30am, a van drove slowly past our hotel, blasting Burmese over a loudspeaker. We learned later that the music and van were part of a wedding celebration happening next door. I hoped fervently that rooster would be on the wedding feast menu. Oh well, noise just seems to be a part of Burmese life so it was on me to adjust.

After a night of little sleep–Not my finest moment

Our second night was quieter and I recommend Inle Cottage Boutique Hotel. Just in case, though, I’d ask for one of the bungalows to the right as you exit the lobby into the central garden. Those cottages are on the opposite side from the neighbors with the rooster, and fellow guests in those units heard none of the crowing.

We retraced our path past the night market venue the next day, then turned off to visit a temple en route to the Mingalar Market (see top photo). This last is a real market, full of local goods and shoppers wearing clothes representing the many tribes in the area. Small shops around the covered, open air market, teemed with daily life. It’s definitely not something to miss when in Nyaung Shwe.

Leaving the market, we walked to Tharzi Pond by the closest entrance to the town. We’d seen a golden pagoda near there and were curious. The Shwe Baww Di Pagoda turned out to be new construction so we shucked our shoes and made the circuit of its interior before heading to a nearby café, Mann Mann, for a cold beer on a cute rooftop seating area overlooking the pagoda.

Shwe Baww Di Pagoda with Mann Mann Café on the left

Despite mixed reviews, we really enjoyed a visit to the Nyaung Shwe Cultural Museum, housed in the former haw (palace) of the last saopha (sky prince) of Nyaungshwe, Sao Shwe Thaike, who also served as the first president of independent Burma. The palace is an elegant if somewhat dilapidated brick and teak mansion with a multi-tiered pagoda-style roof and spacious, mostly empty rooms.

After paying 2000 kyats apiece (appx. $1.32) for our tickets, we headed upstairs to begin a self-guided wander through dusty rooms housing wooden “thrones,” beds, photographs, clothes and other items of varying interest. An old photo of a western looking (princess) caught my eye and I snapped a photo for later research and so learned about the Austrian-American woman, Inge Sargent, who lived through Nazi occupation as a child, then married a Burmese prince, the last Saopha of Hsipaw. Her husband was killed in prison and she was lucky to escape Burma following a coup. I later bought her Kindle book, Twilight over Burma, My Life as a Shan Princess. What a fascinating, and sometimes tragic, life story! The basement of the museum houses the old treasury and government offices, now in ruins.

Photo of the western woman (a “devi” or Burmese princess) that caught my eye

We ate dinner both nights at the restaurant in our hotel, Minthamee, finding the food to be very good and reasonably priced. Plus, there was the Burbrit beer. Ingredients are imported, but it’s always fun to see craft beer spreading to a new country. We found the Burbrit beersto be tasty and worth the above-normal-for-the-area prices (4500 kyats or about $3 for 330 ml).

Burbrit Beer at Minthamee Bar & Bistro, Inle Cottage Boutique Hotel

For those staying in Nyaung Shwe as opposed to the lake, there are lots of options for boat tours around the lake. The town does not sit directly on the lake, but rather down a long canal, so the lake is not visible from town. Group boats are very cheap, running about $6pp for a day tour. There are also bike tours to surrounding areas and a local winery. The local wine is decent, but we just weren’t interested in another excursion having thoroughly enjoyed our private boat tour around the lake and its villages while staying at Ann Heritage Lodge.