Koh Samui, "Our Final Resting Place"

Koh Samui (Pronounced "ah..sa..mu..ee"), was simply beautiful if we could overlook the two, 187,000 pound excavators ("track hoes" or "360's" as they are named in the business of heavy earth moving) on the beachfront. While we could appreciate that the resort needed the beach improvements, we weren't expecting to be awakened before dawn the next morning to the sound of heavy machinery. Our beach front villa was in a construction zone!!



Isn't it Ironic?
Open link to view Excavator Slideshow

We composed ourselves before we talked with the general manager, Jeremie de Fombelle . It was a cordial conversation but the obvious problem was huge!  Jeremie  arranged for us to move down the beach, away from the construction work, into an ocean-front pool residence.  We couldn't have been more pleased than when they introduced us to Residence Villa #11. We could hear palm branches rustling in the wind, birds chirping, and in the same moment, swim in a private pool overlooking the Bay of Thailand.

Refuge from the Excavator

Residence Villa #11 had 112 steps...




Sure Feels Like Home
Open link to view 112 Steps Slideshow

and was surrounded by lotus, lily pads, palms, plumeria, ginger flower, bougainvillea, orchid, bird of paradise, protea flowers, hibiscus, giant philodendron, and ferns.

Lotus Flower.

The lotus plays a very important part in Thai

life. It is the country's most common flower and 

can be found in ponds, swamps, small canals,

 even in jars and on top of pillars in temples.

Open link to view  Flora of Our Paradise Slideshow 

We ate rambutan, mango, papaya, Kaow Phad Goong ( fried rice)  with pork,  Phad Thai Goong (Thai fried noodle with Tiger prawns) and enjoyed many sunrise and sunset moments, complimented by a few do-it-yourself sundowners. 





Just Another Ole Fashion Sunset
Open link to view Sunsets of Koh Samui Slideshow

Two happy people, with easy reading books. . . No schedule . . . No shoes . . .

Lounging on the Bay of Thailand
Open link to view Relaxing, Relaxing, Relaxed Slideshow

 Just ocean, sky, and the breeze off the bay.

Signing Off

Bangkok an Enigmatic City

While Bangkok may be perplexing and mysterious a few things are clear:

• its seemingly unplanned clusters of high-rise buildings, heavy traffic congestion, obnoxious heat and humidity, and "naughty old men with young, Thai girls" did not give us a great first impression; however,
• it is one of Asia's most cosmopolitan cities with delicious food, magnificent temples and palaces, a beautiful river, and bustling markets.

We chose to let our first impression slip away while we ate, enjoyed the sights, marveled at the views, and browsed the markets. Our base for experiencing Bangkok was lebua at State Tower. The view from our room was truly awesome yet, from the height of the 52nd floor, was potentially a bit vertiginous.

Afternoon View of the Chao Phraya River from Room 5205

Evening View of the Chao Phraya River from Room 5205

Next Stop... Kyoto

After exciting and stylish Tokyo, we were whisked to Kyoto City on high-speed rail.

Aerodynamic Nose of the Fabled
Shinkansen, or "Bullet Train"

Made in Japan

The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, also known as the Great East Japan Earthquake, occurred at 2:46 pm on Friday, 11 March 2011. The earthquake triggered extremely destructive tsunami waves of up to 128 feet that struck Japan, in some cases traveling up to 6 miles inland. In addition to loss of life and destruction of infrastructure, the tsunami caused a number of nuclear accidents, primarily the ongoing meltdowns at three reactors in the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant complex, and the associated evacuation zones affecting hundreds of thousands of residents. All of Japan, its people, its economy, its political system is recovering from the disasters... it is heartbreaking. PBS Newshour Initial Report.

The very best future to the wonderful people of Japan...

I (We) Love(d) Tokyo

One Last Look at Bombay

Our trip to Kathmandu, Nepal was unavoidably canceled because of weather and redirected back to Bombay. While we were disappointed, our disappointment was soothed as we once again stayed at the Oberoi Mumbai (and we were fortuitously upgraded to a wonderful suite). Here are some great clicks from our living room... no captions required...

Shimla in the Himalayas

Situated at 8,250 feet in the magnificent Himalayas, Wildflower Hall is a fairytale luxury resort set in 22 acres of virgin woods of pine and cedar. The former summer residence of Lord Kitchener, Commander-in-Chief of the British army in India. His passion for gardening and especially the cultivation of wildflowers lead to the name Wildflower Hall.

Getting to Wildflower Hall was no small feat. We flew into Shimla airport, which is known to be one of the World's Most Dangerous Airports. This is due to its short runway atop a mountain with a man-made flat top.

Amazing .. Beautiful .. Surprising .. Sari

India has generously given us many memories, lessons and alternate points of view. But one of the most unforgettable and ubiquitous images we will take home is that of the ever-beautiful sari. The sari is as old as the civilization of India and records of it's use go back to before the time of Christ.

Resting at the Amber Palace

Garland Making at Hindu Temple in Udaipur

Saris are unstitched and uncut rectangular pieces of cotton, silk or even synthetic fabrics. They come in a variety of lengths, designs and colors with fabrics that are handwoven, embroidered or block printed.

Street Scene in Jaipur

Agra, India and the Taj Mahal

We arrived in Agra on a Thursday in the late afternoon. We checked into The Oberoi Amarvilas, a stunning Rajasthan palace only 600 yards from the Taj Mahal. Our visit though would be delayed. Travel fatigue coupled with the fact that the Taj Mahal is closed to the public on Fridays suggested a "day off" to enjoy the resort followed by an early tour on Saturday. A few relaxing moments...

What to Do?

Road Trip

During the stretch of 22^nd -28^th May we traveled between places by car. The arrangements included an experienced and reliable driver. The driver chauffeurs his guests to each destination and then waits for departure to the next destination. The car rental company (Avis in our case) provides its driver with an allowance for overnight room and board.

Bhanwar

Our driver, Bhanwar, was very professional. An excellent driver who smiled as he stated “when driving in India, you need three things: a good horn, good brakes, and good luck.” Bhanwar became a friend. We exchanged personal stories; he looked out for us in situations where being an Indian was helpful, if not essential; he was simply good company, a good man with a "warm heart . "

The route was Jaipur-Ranthambhore-Jaipur-Agra-New Delhi. The trip began a bit  inauspiciously . Within the first thirty minutes we were lashed by a sand storm.

Sand Storm Just Outside Jaipur

...Tigers, and Bear; Oh, My!

The Bengal tiger has been classified as endangered  by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A 2008 national tiger census report estimates only 1,411 adult tigers in India and fewer than 2,500 worldwide. The same census counted 31 adult tigers and 14 cubs in Ranthambhore National Park.  The tiger is the national animal of India.

We traveled to Ranthambhore specifically to view at least one tiger. We were graciously welcomed...

Namaste

Our safari experience began with settling into our “tented safari camp” at The Oberoi Vanyavilas. Joan, from her backpacking days, knows tents and these are not tents. They are huge, beautiful, and elegantly appointed. Flat screen televisions, air-conditioning, mini-bar, raised glass bowl sinks, you name it. They are more like a small apartment missing only a kitchen.

Bedroom

Bathroom

We had arranged for seats on a six person gyspy (jeep) accompanied by Yadvendra Singh, an experienced and well regarded nature guide.

Yad, a bit Gruff but
the Best Guide in the Park

The Pink City

Story has it that Jaipur's universal shade of pink came in 1876 to coincide with the visit of the Prince of Wales (King Edward VII). Almost the entire city was given a coat of pink paint, thus giving it the name "The Pink City". Rather than pink, Gus felt a bit green as he experienced a case of Delhi Belly.Taking things a bit slower we stayed in and enjoyed our hotel The Oberoi Rajvilas.

Our Hotel

Our Housekeeper,
Lhaden from Bhutan

Must Be Dreaming

We must be dreaming . . . . or did we die somewhere along the way and wake up in paradise?

(If reading from email go to Blog to view video)

We were treated like Maharanis from the moment we were ferried across Lake Pichola to The Oberoi Udaivilas. The hotel is an upscaled version of a traditional palace with white, black, and green marble; jasmine scented rotundas, pools and fountains, Mughal and traditional  domes, and gardens with peacocks roaming in them. Add to this, a view across Lake Pichola of the king's City Palace, and his Lake Palace which he used as a summer retreat.



Approaching Our Palace by Jetty, The Oberoi Udivilas

Royal Welcome

Shower of Rose Petals

Pinch Us!

Delhi: Something Old, Something New, Nothing Borrowed, Something Blue

Welcome to Delhi,
Home to the World's Largest Democracy

Once again we stayed at an Oberoi property,  The Oberoi, New Delhi, an efficient yet very comfortable,  business hotel in the heart of New Delhi with impeccable service. Our plans for the three days included touring Old Delhi, New Delhi, shopping, and learning more about the fascinating life practice of Hinduism which reaches beyond the scope of religion and to humanity as a whole. While we had chosen to go "guideless" in both Mumbai and Arangabad, we were told that Delhi requ ired a guide...

Buddha. . . Buddha!

From Mumbai, we flew to Aurangabad.The city got it's name from  Mughal royalty, Prince Aurangzeb. When Aurnagzeg became emperor he made the city his headquarters and it was an imperial city  from 1682 through 1707. Aurangabad has long since fallen into provincial neglect and it's population lives in hot, dusty, and miserable conditions.

Streets of Aurangabad

Aurangabad's glories are it's nearby Ajanta and Ellora Caves!

Some Say Bombay... We Say Mumbai

Mumbai is an unadulterated example of socio-economic contrasts. There are tall buildings with extremely lavish homes kept up by a legion of domestic help and a few yards away are people living in huts in extreme poverty, amongst piles of garbage and stray dogs and cats. However, we not only witnessed these conditions we became part of the cruel conundrum. We, once again, were enjoying the good side of life. Yet, if there was any partial balancing of inequalities we did find ourselves subject to Mumbai traffic.

Though we traveled in an air conditioned luxury car the experience took its toll on us. There are traffic lanes but most drivers do not use them very often. Speeding and aggressive driving is coupled with the sudden stop and go due to the traffic and bumps in the roads. Blowing or honking of horns “is compulsory”.

Further, all sorts of moving objects other than just cars use Indian roads; humans who never learned to look both ways before crossing a street, sacred cows and valuable goats, ox carts bringing in a cotton harvest, farm equipment traveling in the wrong direction, motor bikes carrying as many as an entire family, antique bicycles, three-wheel auto rickshaws, “goods carriers”, and buses packed not just to but beyond capacity.

Istanbul

Istanbul is a megacity of 13 million people, as well as the cultural, economic, and financial center of Turkey. Our trip from the airport to our hotel, Witt Istanbul Suites, was along the Bosphorus. While for most cities the trip from the airport to the hotel is not aesthetically noteworthy Istanbul is different. The 30 minute drive was lined by the Sea and a meridian full of tulips, tulips, and more spring tulips.

Cappadocia

We enjoyed 4 days and 3 nights in the town of Ürgüp.  Ürgüp is located in the historical region known as Cappadocia.

Cappadocia, in central Turkey, is a geological phenomenon. The unique landscapes are the result of the combination of enormous and recurring eruptions from a group ancient volcanoes millions of years ago followed by centuries of erosion from wind and rain.

Rose Valley

Ephesus? What is it? Where is it?

Ephesus was an ancient Greek city, and later a major Roman city, on the west coast of Turkey, near present-day Selcuk, Turkey. Ephesus, at its height, had a population of more than 250,000 in the 1st century BCE, which made it the second or third largest city in the world behind only Alexandria and Rome.

Ephesus was an important center for early Christianity. The Apostle Paul “hung out” between 53 and 62 AD. The Apostle John was also “in the neighborhood” until around 100 AD. The house of the Virgin Mary, about 4 miles from Selcuk, is believed to have been the last home of Mary, mother of Jesus. It is a popular place of pilgrimage which has been visited by three recent popes.

Our tour of the area was led by Hakan

Israel Other than Jerusalem

The Dead Sea, Masada, Qumran, the Israel Museum,  "the wall" and checkpoints dividing Palestinian neighborhoods from Jewish settlements and . . .  Oh yes, Tel Aviv !

We saw the Dead Sea

The Lowest Place on Earth

and toured Masada where we learned about the 960 Israelites who took refuge from thousands of Romans atop the 1,400 foot plateau retreat once built by Herod the Great.

Masada

The Old City of Jerusalem

Entering the Old City of Jerusalem is a sensation of converging sights, sounds, aromas and smells. Each turn on the narrow cobblestone alleyways, every ancient arch, each hidden courtyard instantly reflects a place and a mix (if not clash) of cultures and customs unfamiliar and interesting.

The Oberoi Zahra Luxury Nile Cruiser

I believe in the saying, "The price is what you pay; the value is what you receive." I have never found this more accurate than our stay with Oberoi Hotels and Resorts on their luxury Nile cruiser, the Zahra. While the price was high, the experience was unmatched. Let me share, with apologies in advance, for any "over the top" moments, descriptions, or "ain't this just too great to believe" mutterings.

We started our excursion with an odd moment. Having disembarked from the plane landing in Aswan, we along with another couple boarded a large airport bus. The doors quickly closed behind us, and the bus whisked away. We totaled four passengers on a bus that could hold 80 people. My first thought was that we were being abducted. Wrong; we were being Oberoied. We, along with our new chums, Chris and Sarah Hockey, were being transferred to the Zahra.

Next stop … unbelievable!

The Oberoi Zahra, Luxury Nile Cruiser

Billed as the Nile's most luxurious vessel, Zahra impressed us with it's first-class facilities, elegant décor, and exemplary service.



Lobby

Lounge

Stairwell Between Decks

Deck C with 12 Cabins

Deck D - Spa and Our Cabin

Our Bedroom

Desk and Sitting Area

Bathroom

The 25 luxury cabins are plush and comfortable, with a good-sized bed, table, and chairs positioned towards the flowing Nile. But the piece de resistance is the en suite bathroom. Half the size of the bedroom, the en suite consists of a shiny new toilet and large sink, complete with delicious L'Occitane products, and a massive shower in glass and aquamarine tiles, with an oversized showerhead. The bathroom's river-facing wall is dominated by an enormous picture window, and at the push of a button, the blinds wind up to reveal breathtaking panoramic views of the Nile. JustDon'tthis after sunset; the blacked-out windows are not as concealing as they appear once the lights have been switched on inside!






Restaurant Entrance

The accommodations were brilliant, matched only by what was to follow.

 

8 Days – 7 Nights Cruise Embarkation: Aswan to Luxor   Day 1 - Tuesday 12:00 p.m. - Embarkation 12:30 p.m. - Lunch 2:30 p.m. - Visit the High Dam and the PhilaeTemple       7:30 p.m. - Dinner Overnight in Aswan Day 2 - Wednesday 7:00 to 10:00 a.m. - Breakfast 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  - Spa Time 1:00 p.m. - Lunch After Sunset – Sound and light show at the Philae Temple 7:30 p.m. - Dinner Overnight in Aswan   Day 3 - Thursday 7:00 a.m. - Sail to Kom Ombo 7:00 to 10:00 a.m. - Breakfast 10:00 a.m. - Visit the Temple of Kom Ombo 11:30 a.m. - Sail back to Aswan 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. - Spa Time 12:30 p.m. - Lunch  3:00 p.m. - Visit to Botanical Garden by felucca 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. - Spa Time 7:30 p.m. - Dinner Overnight in Aswan  Day 4 – Friday 9:00 a.m. - Sail to Edfu 7:00 to 10:00 a.m. - Breakfast 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. - Spa Time 1:00 p.m. - Lunch 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. - Spa Time 6:00 p.m. - Visit the Temple of Edfu 7:30 - Dinner Overnight in Edfu  Day 5 - Saturday 6:00 a.m. - Sail to Luxor 7:00 to 10:00 a.m. - Breakfast 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. - Spa time 12:30 p.m. – Lunch 3:00 p.m. - Visit Karnak Temple and Luxor Museum  5:00 to 7:00 p.m. - Spa Time 7:30 p.m. - Dinner Overnight in Luxor  Day 6 – Sunday 6:30 a.m. onwards - Breakfast 8:00 a.m. - Visit Valley of the Kings, with its royal tombs, King Tut's tomb 1:00 p.m. - Sail to Quina 1:00 p.m. - Lunch 2:00 to 5:30 p.m. - Spa Time 6:00 p.m. - Travel to Dendara Private visit to the Temple of Dendara 7:30 p.m. - Dinner on board Overnight in Quina  Day 7 – Monday 5:00 a.m. - Sail to Luxor 7:00 to 10:00 a.m. - Breakfast 10:30 a.m.  - Visit the West Bank and Temple of Hatchepsut 1:00 p.m. - Lunch 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. - Spa Time 4:30 to 6:00 p.m.  - Visit Luxor Temple 7:30 p.m. - Dinner  Day 8 – Tuesday 5:00 a.m. - Disembarkation   We had the good fortune to have Adel Ashour as our guide. Adel is from Aswan, Upper Egypt, pursuing a doctorate (4th year) in Egyptology in Geneva, Switzerland. Adel is meeting his costs by guiding at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva and maintaining his reputation as "the best guide on the Nile" in working with a few select Nile cruises. A personable young man with an open mind yet a provocative social and intellectual demeanor. Adel would make a fine and strong-minded American Democrat…always ready to give advice to the party's leadership. Current advice or editorial on Obama – rather than "going to the church to pray," Americans should "go to the hospital for an operation". The guests on our cruise numbered 23 (capacity is 54). The number of crew members was reported to be 82. While the crew-to-guest ratio was high, it was the Oberoi quest, if not obsession, to exceed expectations that drove our experience. Meet the  staff that we encountered (supported by crew members that we never saw). Mohamed Aziz Mamdough was the cruiser's Consignor   Mohaned was our General Manager  Mamdouh Milad Wait Staff Mona El_Shazly and Joan Pilot Accolades also to Chef Ajeet and his kitchen staff of 7. Arguably the best collection of 20 conseI'vemeals that we have ever eaten … and this was on a cruise ship. The food was wonderful. Oberoi relocated one of their finest chefs from India, who brought with him a spectacular collection of Indian recipes to sit alongside traditional Egyptian fare. The a la carte menu was changed for every meal and included fresh salads, seafood, curries, and fresh lamb cutlets, accompanied by an impressive list of local and international wines.    Scenes from on-board the Zahra ~

 

An experience is a good one when expectations are met. An experience is a great one when expectations are exceeded. An experience that takes you one step further, a special surprise, is one that you remember for the rest of your life. The surprise was meeting and spending time with some extraordinarily terrific and interesting people ~

Sarah a.k.a. The Mrs from Blighty

Chris a.k.a. Chunka

from Chunka ... "Looking forward to hearing about the Egypt leg and about "those extremely pleasant English people you met?!?!" Make sure you keep in touch as we don't get out much over here and have few friends so we have now officially branded you both our "best friends" even though we just met ya!"

Prue

Prue is a (literal) dame, a Cordon Bleu-trained chef, and a Michelin-starred restaurateur. She's ghost-written recipes for royals, improved the catering on British railways, and has 12 books under her belt. She was on this cruise as a Board Member of the Orient Express Hospitality Group ( a competitor of Oberoi Hotels & Resorts).

Cheryl and Dave



Julian and Sue

Robert and Silvia

Strange Bedfellow

Monkey Boy

Thank you to all who made this an experience that we can add to our collection of lifetime memories.

Allah Akbar