Anger, if not restrained, is frequently more hurtful to us than the injury
that provokes it. -Seneca (BCE 3-65 CE)
Glad you guys are having a great holiday. Be sage, safe and well. Sunday was Jan's Birthday and to celebrate we went to a concert at the Scandinavian Club. Recommend that you watch for The Wardens--a new band that has hit the tour circuit in Western Canada. Three/Four guys who are all Banff Park Wardens or retired wardens. Projected slides, music, story telling--all original work. You will love them. In fact if you want to take up life as a concert promoter book yourselves to sponsor their Okanagan Tour. Be sage, safe and well.
Ayn P shared Elisabeth Naughton's photo You could do a book tree this year!
Patrick James Dunn I'd prefer one with either wine or malt bottles, preferably full ones! Perhaps these ladies could help. They seem to have quite an ability for arrangement!
Ayn P Lol...Poppa you appear to be having the time of your life in India! xoxo
Hello Winter People! Delighted that you have some favourites. Ideally, I suppose, I should try to edit but simply don't have time for that. I'm happy that I can manage what I do, especially if WiFi is acting up or non-existent. Love your language by the way. It has obviously deteriorated since I've been absent form the hikes, keeping you in line, in more ways than one! [See attached snapola! Churchgate Station in Mumbai/Bombay!]
We are back on December 11th as well! Have a grand time in Hawaii and please pass along best wishes and congratulations to Bad Boy Ken and his long suffering mate!!! Look forward to hearing about some of your hikes there. We can swap lies over wine and malt!
What with events in Paris this weekend and some of the perpetrators in Belgium this is frightening! It is looking more likely now that Belgium will be the first European Country to fall to Muslim Sharia Law. According to this report sections of Antwerp are now under Sharia Law: http://www.cbn.com/tv/embedplayer.aspx?bcid=1509282970001
At any rate, guess we are more than fortunate to be able to travel now as who knows where the world will soon be! Up at just after 7:00 am having had a wonderful sleep. No air-conditioning as at this elevation it is wonderfully cool. ["Mount Abu is a popular hill station in the Aravalli Range in Sirohi district of Rajasthan near the border with Gujarat. The mountain forms a distinct rocky plateau 22 km long by 9 km wide. The highest peak on the mountain is Guru Shikhar at 1,722 m (5,650 ft) above sea level. It is referred to as 'an oasis in the desert' as its heights are home to rivers, lakes, waterfalls and evergreen forests. Nearest Railway station is Abu Road Railway station which is 27 km away."]
Mme Coriandre was out of bed before me, a first in many weeks, so I had to leap out myself in order to prepare her morning tea: Darjeeling for Lady Darjeeling, don'tcha know, Dear Reader! Made myself my own Instanto and then proceeded to do a bit of laundry in the sink. Am waiting for Cora Lee to complete her ablutions as I don't want her to be shrieking that there is no hot water in the shower! Had one yesterday and only turned on the hot water tap so the boilers at the Palace Hotel must be feeling their age!
Leisurely breakfast around 9:00 am as we are not meeting our guide until 11:30 am. [Apparently the Jain temples hereabouts do not open until noon.] The Lighthalls had already eaten by the time we arrived so we sat at a table, set for three, and enjoyed tasty omelettes, mine, by far, the spiciest I've had since being here. Went well with my potatoes and rice, a combo I've not encountered before either.
Over the course of our meal we had a chat with a most pleasant couple from Kenya, [Assume they are of Indian descent.], here on holiday themselves. Will probably bump into them again as they are going to visit the same temples. At any rate, after breakfast we took a short stroll, wandering the grounds of the Bikaner, feeding the bears and leopards which roam freely in these hills, at least if the hunting pictures on the walls of the main lounge are any indication! Unfortunately, I'm sure these magnificent creatures are now endangered, and rarely, if ever, seen at such close quarters. Good thing for me as The Gang of Three had very high hopes for disposing of me, thusly, in the wild! I know this because the pet Langur which frequents our bathroom veranda reported the dastardly conversation they had while I was mixing drinks, last night, in another room! Little did they know that I added a touch of arsenic powder to their G&Ts. I'm sure the ensuing stomach cramps will be blamed on Dehli Belly so I'll get away scot-free! Hee Hee!
Large tennis area, (hard surface), with two of the four nets up so obviously well used when more people are staying. Need you and Jos to play while I pour drinks in the shade! Must away as I needs ready myself for the day's outing. Fondestos from Lady Darjeeling, to you both, on the patio with her Kobo and a Kingfisher! Cheers, Patrizzio!
Pic: White Langur monkeys one sees by the roadside but Lady Dar did see one on the roof outside our palatial quarters. We have adjoining rooms with Lynne and Peter, a large sitting area in between where we had drinks last evening. Even a pleasant alcove off this large room. Our bedroom is almost as large as Burns Street! Has a sitting area in front of a fireplace and we almost need a telescope to see the flat screen TV from our beds, (two singles, side-by-each), but since it so large we are fine! I am delighted to have my own desk, a lovely affair, just the right height with plenty of plugs within easy reach, a desk lamp and a drinks table, nearbye, for inspiration! Separate alcove for large clothes closet and baggage stand just off large, well appointed bathroom, now a Chinese laundry with all our undergarments, and such, hung up to dry! No complaints from this quarter!!!
Hello All! The Lives of the Bankrupt and Infamous! Cheers, Patrizzio!
"Bikaner House was built in 1893 under the management of the Council of Regency. The blueprint for this splendid structure was done by Sir Swinton Jacob, an eminent architect of his time. In 1962, Maharaja Karni Singhji decided to use this majestic residence as a hotel. Mount Abu once played host to the illustrious Chauhan kingdom of Rajasthan. It was a preferred destination of the Rajput rulers in summer. Afterwards, the British government utilized this city as their headquarters, following a lease from the Maharaja of Sirohi. Mount Abu was also a much loved place for the British, chiefly to overcome the desert heat."
Patrick James Dunn This is where we have our "artisanal cocktails", mixed to perfection by yours truly. We just returned from a simply wonderful tour, seeing three truly remarkable Jain temples, carved out of marble. The detail is so precise and exact, not to say stunningly beautiful, that one can hardly believe ivory is not the medium. It seems impossible that the delicate portions are carved out of stone, often monolithic pieces. The Gang of Three continue to plot against me, over Kingfisher on the Lower Terrace, while I must do everyone's laundry and drink Nescafé made with cold water! The sitting area to the left is where we swill artisanal G&Ts!
Patrick James Dunn Forgot
to mention that we met the king, in title only, of Bikaner House,
Maharaj Kumar Narendra Singhji, a very trim, handsome, friendly gentleman, just
after we alighted from our van, an hour or so ago. Edem, our guide,
introduced us. His Highness was outside, sneaking a smoke, away from his
wife! We chatted briefly, telling him how much we were enjoying our stay in this wonderful spot. [He and his wife still live, (since 1982), in private quarters, on site and I assume the snap I took, last night, of a BMW, (for Ayn), just outside the window of our dining room nook, belongs to them.] I guess his wife is as bossy as Lady Darjeeling. Took this
shot with one of the cows we encountered this morning. When I asked Cora
Lee to stand beside the lovely creature, saying, "Let me take a picture
of you with Bossy, the cow", Jugos immediately piped up and said, " But which
one is bossy?" Lady Dar was not amused!!! I rest my case!!!!! 
Up at just after 7:00 am having had a wonderful sleep. No air-conditioning as at this elevation it is wonderfully cool. ["Mount Abu is a popular hill station in the Aravalli Range in Sirohi district of Rajasthan near the border with Gujarat. The mountain forms a distinct rocky plateau 22 km long by 9 km wide. The highest peak on the mountain is Guru Shikhar at 1,722 m (5,650 ft) above sea level. It is referred to as 'an oasis in the desert' as its heights are home to rivers, lakes, waterfalls and evergreen forests. Nearest Railway station is Abu Road Railway station which is 27 km away."] Mme Coriandre was out of bed before me, a first in many weeks, so I had to leap out myself in order to prepare her morning tea: Darjeeling for Lady Darjeeling, don'tcha know, Dear Reader! Made myself my own Instanto and then proceeded to do a bit of laundry in the sink. Am waiting for Cora Lee to complete her ablutions as I don't want her to be shrieking that there is no hot water in the shower. Had one yesterday and only turned on the hot water tap so the boilers at the Palace Hotel must be feeling their age!
Patrick James Dunn Also forgot to say that the Odd Society Spirits is the only place mentioned in this article we've not visited!
Chloe Alexis Dunn That's the one down the street from my place.
Patrick James Dunn Great! You can take us there for dinner after picking us up at YVR! We'll be hungry!!! Chloe Alexis Dunn LOL oh Dad
Leisurely breakfast around 9:00 am as we are not meeting our guide until 11:30 am. [Apparently the Jain temples hereabouts do not open until noon.] The Lighthalls had already eaten by the time we arrived so we sat at a table, set for three, and enjoyed tasty omelettes, mine, by far, the spiciest I've had since being here. Went well with my potatoes and rice, a combo I've not encountered before either. Over the course of our meal we had a chat with a most pleasant couple from Kenya, [Assume they are of Indian descent.], here on holiday themselves. Will probably bump into them again as they are going to visit the same temples. At any rate, after breakfast we took a short stroll, wandering the grounds of the Bikaner, feeding the bears and leopards which roam freely in these hills, at least if the hunting pictures on the walls of the main lounge are any indication! Unfortunately, I'm sure these magnificent creatures are now endangered, and rarely, if ever, seen at such close quarters. Good thing for me as The Gang of Three had very high hopes for disposing of me, thusly, in the wild! I know this because the pet Langur which frequents our bathroom veranda reported the dastardly conversation they had while I was mixing drinks, last night, in another room! Little did they know that I added a touch of arsenic powder to their G&Ts. I'm sure the ensuing stomach cramps will be blamed on Dehli Belly so I'll get away scot-free! Hee Hee!
Large tennis area, (hard surface), with two of the four nets up so obviously well used when more people are staying. Need Famiglia Carter/Hobbs/Martin/Banks or Aarturo and Jos, from Summerland, to play while I pour drinks in the shade! Back to the room to scribe, while Lady Dar read outside on the patio, until 11:30 am, and then we met our guide, Edem. Lovely young man who lives here. He and his brother are also licensed to take parties camping/hiking into the surrounding hills. Anyway, but a five minute drive, (We could even have walked had we not been going elsewhere afterwards.), and Ibrahim parked the van near the Dilwara Temple walls. As we walked to the entrance I noticed a young girl eating a cob of corn, (One sees vendors selling this popular food most everywhere.), so I asked her if I could have a bite, jokingly, of course, but she insisted I have some. Pulled off a few kernels and it was tasty! No sooner had I done so than her entire family wanted to have their picture taken so I was delighted to oblige. They were off to the temple as well. Thanking them, we continued on towards the entrance, via a short street lined with stalls typical to any temple we have visited. While we were waiting, Edem ordered Masala chai, (“a flavoured beverage made by brewing black tea with a mixture of aromatic Indian spices and herbs”), from a stall he obviously frequented, for everyone except me. I was still full from breakfast. While the others waited,I wandered around, snapping shots of the temple and street life. Edem had told us that photography was not allowed inside so I wanted to capture as much of the outside as I could.
While waiting for her tea, Cora Lee went into a neighbouring stall to look at silver jewellery and I made friends with a young man who wanted his picture taken with me. A few minutes later he returned and requested that I accept his Friend request on FB! [Hasn’t come through yet so am wondering if he sent it to the “correct” Patrick Dunn as I know there are many on FB. Should have told him that I was from Vancouver.] Loads of other people lining up to enter temple so once tea break was over, I had to extract Lady Dar from the clutches of the jewellery store owner, (She really wasn’t in any danger as pieces were not all that interesting, as one might expect form such a location.), and she handed me her barely tasted cup of tea. Too, too sweet for her so I polished it off not wanting to waste anything.
We followed Edem to leave our shoes in the “clock room” and then I took my camera to the entrance to check it there while he went in search of a covering for my bare legs. Corinne had brought along a shawl for her bare shoulders but I had forgotten that I needed a wrap, when in Madurai, at the temple there, otherwise I would have worn long trousers. Anyway, while I was waiting, one of the guards at the entrance, brought me a large piece of material, (not sure, exactly, what it was), and tied it around my waist. When Edem returned he had another, similar article of clothing so I went from famine to feast! Women lined up on one side of entranceway, men on the other, and we were soon inside.
Had certainly not expected to see what we did. The Dilwara temple is, in fact, a group of temples, built between the 11th and 13th centuries AD, known for their stunning use of marble. Sacred pilgrimage place of the Jains, some consider Dilwara to be one of the most beautiful Jain pilgrimage sites in the world. The marble temples have opulent entranceways yet the simplicity in architecture reflects Jain values like honesty and frugality. The ornamental detail spreading over the minutely carved ceilings, doorways, pillars and panels is beyond marvellous, the detail so precise and exact, not to say stunningly beautiful, that one can hardly believe ivory is not the medium. It seems impossible that the delicate portions are carved out of stone, often monolithic pieces.
What adds to the wonderment and astonishment is the fact that the temples, what one can see of them from outside the walls, look so mundane, terribly unprepossessing, in the extreme. Once inside, of course, one is immediately disabused of this silly notion. The reverse, according to Edem, is somewhat true for the Taj Mahal, a wonder we will see in a week or so, we trust. There, he claimed, the beauty, the majesty, is on the outside while inside, it is so dark that guides must shine a light in order for one to see the incredible inlay, for example. Here, the unadorned walls and ramparts hide the glistening jewels within. One feels an “Incredible Lightness of Being”, (with apologies, [“Incredible” for “Unbearable”], to Milan Kundera), as one is bathed in the serene light of the warm, white marble, walking between the gorgeous pillars and under the dazzling, dizying domes. The size, too, allows one to drink in the magnificnece of the carving as the sites do not overwhelm but rather feel intimate, the space enfolding and soothing rather than overwhelming.
Outside to collect our shoes, reclaim my camera, return my wrap and then a bite to eat. I decided upon a cob of corn, rubbed with lime juice and then sprinkled with salt and tangy spices. Delicious! Peter and Edem opted for samosas so we followed our guide to a tiny stall, (A favourite he and his wife frequent.), built into the side of a mammoth rock outcropping where we sat on benches, the samosa junkies at a small table, munching on the fried pastry, relishing its savoury filling of spiced potatoes, onions, peas and lentils, while I finished off my cob of corn.
Rejuvenated by the street food we returned to the bus to motor a short distance past our hotel to visit Nakki Lake, a very small lake, nevertheless a very ancient, sacred lake. According to the Hindu legend it is called by this name because it was dug out by the nails, (nakh), of Rasiya Balam, one of the sculptors who worked on Dilwara Temple. We were led to understand that Mahatma Gandhi's ashes were immersed in lake on February 12th, 1948. We took a short stroll, following the stone wall which surrounds much of the lake. The Gang of Three went further than I did as I wanted to climb the steps to take a look at Mother India/Bharat Ma, somewhat like a cross between a Stalinist Communist sculpture and a traditional Hindu vehicle pulled by four tigers, in this case. Not particularly well realized, especially given the exquisite carvings we had just seen at Dilwara Temple.
When the rest of the gang returned to where Ibrahim had parked the van, (I was there a few minutes before everyone else so enjoyed looking at the various stalls around the small square, basically a “tourist trap” where one’s children could go for a short horse-back ride or the parents could have their picture taken in traditional Rajasthani garb.), we headed back to the hotel, making a short stop for a few appetizers needed for tonight’s pre-dinner drinks gathering! Alighting from the van, we met the king, in title only, of Bikaner House, Maharaj Kumar Narendra Singhji, a very trim, handsome, friendly gentleman, just after we alighted from our van, an hour or so ago. Edem introduced us. His Highness was outside, sneaking a smoke, away from his wife! We chatted briefly, telling him how much we were enjoying our stay in this wonderful spot. [He and his wife still live, (since 1982), in private quarters, on site and I assume the snap I took, last night, of a BMW, (for Ayn), just outside the window of our dining room nook, belongs to them.] Left HRM to his nicotine habit and then thanked Edem for the most informative, relaxed tour. Bade him goodbye, after tipping him, as he had another gig later that afternoon and had to ride there on his motorbike. The Gang of Three bid me adieu while continuing to plot against me, over Kingfisher on the Lower Terrace, while I was instructed to do everyone's laundry and drink Nescafé made with cold water! Must away as I need to shower and change for dinner, Dear Reader!
Hello The Sisterhood, (and Brotherhood)! Trust all goes well everywhere! Today's outing. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Hi Zircon! Trust all goes well everywhere, all the time! Curious to know how the re-settlement of the Syrains goes/went. On a disturbing note, perhaps related, have you seen this clip? It was forwarded to me by a friend in Vancouver:
What with events in Paris this weekend and some of the perpetrators in Belgium this is frightening! It is looking more likely now that Belgium will be the first European Country to fall to Muslim Sharia Law. According to this report sections of Antwerp are now under Sharia Law: http://www.cbn.com/tv/embedplayer.aspx?bcid=1509282970001
At any rate, guess we are more than fortunate to be able to travel now as who knows where the world will soon be! Might be faced with visiting friends in The Hat or Calgary. At least hootch is cheap there, at least until Sharia Law is declared! Today's outing below. Must away as I need to shower and change for dinner, Dear Reader! Happy, Belated Birthday to Jan!!!! Fondestos from Lady Darjeeling to you both. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Fondestos from her Imperiousness, Lady Dar, to you, Ski, and Ronster! Let us know about a visit, in Penticton, when you are next in Vancouver. We'd love to see you both. Cheers, Patrizzio!
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