T minus 2 til Thailand

In two days, I embark on my next adventure - Bangkok, Thailand and Manila, Philippines.

I never thought I would voluntarily book a trip to Asia but after my trip to India I had to get back as soon as possible. Luckily Mark had planned a trip to Thailand/Philippines and let me come along.

Preparing for this trip is a 180 from last time. I have already had all of my shots, I'm less concerned about getting sick (but still a little concerned) and I'm not worried about what to wear (OK, that's not entirely true). Anyway, I haven't started packing, I haven't made a list and I'm not nervous. It may have something to do with who I'm going with. Mark plans on bringing a carry-on only. We will be in LA for 2 nights, Bangkok for 7 and Manila for 3 - and he is ONLY bringing a carry-on. I guess he has thrown down a challenge to me - only bring one bag. OK, I can do that but it will be a BIG bag. :)

As is always the case with me and international travel, Mother Nature is also throwing down a challenge. The monsoon season in Thailand has been very, very bad. There is flooding all over the country and Bangkok is on the brink of being overtaken by the rising waters. I guess it wouldn't be an adventure without a few hurdles to overcome. I'll just bring a bathing suit, raincoat and umbrella. It's just water after all!

จนกว่าจะถึงวันพรุ่งนี้ ...
(until tomorrow...)

Labor Day in Tampa

I figured that it's probably about time that I blog about my current town - Tampa. So here we go . . .

Most people thought I was crazy to move to Tampa from Chicago considering I'm a Midwest girl. I received lots of "but it's so hot in Florida" comments. Duh! It is Florida and the sun shines 12 months out of the year. Yes, it's hot and humid in the summer and there are torrential rains every day in the months of July and August but the other 10 months are gorgeous. The North offers beautiful days about 3 months a year. I decided I would prefer seeing the sun, walking around outside and enjoying outdoor activities most of the year to the alternative. I haven't regretted my move for a minute. Let me describe a typical weekend in this lovely Gulf coastal city.

Friday 
Mark took a quick walk to his favorite thing about Tampa (I come in a far second) - Publix. For those of you that don't know what Publix is, it's a supermarket - yep, just a supermarket. However, for those that do know Publix, it is the best supermarket out there. There is so much Publix loyalty in the South, I can't really explain it. Regardless, it was a beautiful morning and a short walk to get some delicious handmade sandwiches and a few pieces of their famous fried chicken.

Although it was a beautiful day, we needed to run to the mall to pick a few things up. The shopping options down here aren't quite as good as they are in Chicago (or other large cities) but it does the trick and we found what we were looking for, and more.

After a lazy afternoon, we headed to South Tampa / Hyde Park for dinner. South Tampa is an older part of town full of great restaurants and bars and really close to the water. We were dining at Ceviche a great, quaint Tapas restaurant. We began our meal with a bottle of Cava (Spanish sparkling wine) - well you know how much I like bubbles. We were seated outside next to the pool with fountain and ordered another bottle of Cava. (If you haven't tried Cava, you should. It is delicious and reasonably priced for sparkling wine.) We enjoyed 4 different delicious tapas - all with fish or seafood - and then topped it off with an after dinner drink. It was a beautiful evening, complete with the best date a girl could ask for!

Saturday
We were off to St. Petersburg. St. Pete is on a peninsula jutting into Tampa Bay. I have been to the Gulf side of St. Pete on numerous occasions but this time we ventured to the Bay / Marina side. It's a beautiful town, very typical Spanish-inspired Florida. The hotel we visited, The Vinoy, was built in the 20s and is classic Florida.

It was another gorgeous day so I took a long walk around the marina, watching the boats, planes and people. It was a great way to spend the late morning and early afternoon.

We returned home to change in preparation for a Fall tradition - College Football. My favorite season is Football Season and we were so excited to kick-off the season with some good friends. Now that I live in Florida, I'm surrounded by University of Florida and University of Southern Florida alumni. I don't mind rooting for the favorite teams of some of my favorite people; however, I did change the channel a few times to check the score of the Michigan game (and Mark kept me updated by checking ESPN on his phone for me). We finished the football themed day with many good friends at Leroy Selmon's bar and restaurant for the UF game. Sadly, Leroy was in the hospital on Saturday and passed away on Sunday. He was such a champion of the Tampa Bay area - he will be sorely missed.

Mark and I visited his other girlfriend, Publix, on our way home to pick up ingredients for dinner. The best part - I wasn't cooking. He made homemade enchiladas that we enjoyed while watching episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm. The perfect end to a wonderful day!

Sunday
Mark's closest friends - Roger, Michelle and little Maddy - had driven down to Largo from Hilton Head for the weekend so we met up with them at Clearwater Beach. I love CB and take every opportunity to hit the sand and surf. After playing with Maddy in the sand for a while, we ventured to Frenchy's Rockaway Grille for drinks and lunch. Frenchy's is right on the beach and has a great view for people watching.

After Roger and Michelle put Maddy to bed, the four of us went out for an adult's only evening. We went down to Ybor City for dinner at Columbia. Ybor City is the historic district of Tampa and resembles New Orleans in it's architecture and the bars/restaurants/music available. Columbia is a Spanish/Cuban restaurant that has been open for over 100 years. It is a huge restaurant with lots of secret passageways (or at least that's what they told us). We had some mojitos, cava sangria and regular sangria. No, we didn't just drink. We had some tapas and paella. Yum.

We weren't ready to end the night so we headed out to check out Ybor. We had a drink at Gaspar's Grotto, normally a great indoor/outdoor bar - however it was a Sunday and kinda dead. We walked a ways down 7th Avenue to check out the sites. And by sites, I mean the outrageous outfits most of the women were wearing. I think I owe Michelle a pair of neon green hot pants for our next outing! ;) We finished the night at Double Decker where people were singing some pretty bad karaoke. It was a great night, with good food and even better company. We were so glad that Rog and Michelle came down.

Monday
Departure day...a lazy morning that lead to another visit to the mall - we couldn't pass up the Labor Day deals. We stopped into Seasons 52. It's a great restaurant where we enjoyed a few drinks, a great flatbread and delicious entrees. We'll definitely be visiting again.

As you can tell, most of my travels include good wine/drink, great food, beautiful ambiance and amazing company. Tampa is a great back drop for a great weekend!!

Fort Worth, Texas - Cowboys & Hockey

I've been traveling quite a bit lately but nothing too exotic. I spent a long weekend in my old 'hometown' Chicago with a bunch of my favorite people. Another long weekend spent on Hilton Head Island for the 40th birthday of my favorite man and all his wonderful friends. I have made several trips to Dallas-Fort Worth to spend with the aforementioned guy. :) I'm back in Fort Worth this weekend and thought I would share some experiences and thoughts of this 'rose' in Northern Texas.

When Dallas-Fort Worth is brought up in conversation most people think mostly about Dallas and very little about Fort Worth. That's too bad. Fort Worth is a great city with a neighborhood vibe - the best of many worlds collide in this not so sleepy town.

Upon arrival to DFW, I was pleasantly surprised by the ease and functionality of the airport. I spend a lot of time in airports - good and bad alike. Unlike most 'road warriors', I usually check a bag - I may be low maintenance in most things but I do carry an insane number of hair products that don't come in 3 oz or less containers (and sadly none of them really help make my hair look better). DFW has individual baggage claims for a few gates at a time. Yesterday, I landed early, met a friend passing through town in the same terminal, picked up my bag and was in the car on the expressway before my plane was scheduled to land. That's the way I like to roll.

Everyone knows that 'everything is bigger in Texas' and that is evident by the sprawling nature of the DFW area. The drive from the airport to downtown Fort Worth is easy but not quick. Mark drives a truck, which I think is a requirement in Texas, so I feel immediately one of the locals. Note that his truck doesn't have a gun rack - yet. I think I know what he'll be getting for Christmas ;)

Downtown Fort Worth is really cute. Many of the streets are red brick. There are twinkle lights in most of the trees. There are a lot of cute boutiques that cater to cowboys and cowgirls as well as the most refined cosmopolitan tastes. Probably the most notable attraction in the city is the number and variety of restaurants and bars. It reminds me a lot of a neighborhood in Chicago like Lincoln Park, Bucktown or River North. Everything is in walking distance. Of course, I have a propensity to wear sky high heels so sometimes I force Mark to drive even if we are only going a few short blocks.

There are many incredible steak houses in Fort Worth, including Del Friscos, Mercury and Bob's. Mark and I had an amazing meal at Del Friscos including martinis at the bar, champagne and a gorgeous Penner Ash Pinot Noir at the table, oysters on the half shell, fine cuts of meet and amazing cheesy potatoes (I love cheese!!) It wasn't cheap but it was worth every penny. It has old school steakhouse ambiance and I had the best dinner date in the place.

When I made my first visit here, my Dad told me to stop by the Stockyards. He hadn't been there for years but recalled that it was a cool part of town. He was right. Mark hadn't made it out there so we figured we would give it a try. The Stockyards are everything you expect when you think about Texas. Honky Tonk bars, country stores with traditional cowboy/cowgirl apparel and of course, the original Stockyards. We did a little shopping - I bought the most adorable cowgirl boots. We had a few cold beers across from the actual stockyards and of course we indulged on some of the best barbecue I have ever had at Coopers. This visit we'll be doing some more shopping - my niece turns 5 next week and I want to get her some authentic cowgirl boots and hat. We are also gonna stop into Billy Bob's Honky Tonk. Billy Bob's is famous for live bull riding, great barbecue and live country music. The best acts in country music have all played Billy Bobs. I'm looking forward to experiencing it myself.

So, what about the hockey, you ask? Mark plays on a hockey team and has a game tonight. Most people don't think about hockey when they think of Texas but this state has everything. I cannot wait to step into the cold field house and watch some cold weather sports. You can take the girl out of the North but you can't take the North out of the girl. ;)

If you haven't been to Fort Worth yet, consider it. It's a short ride from Dallas and has all the Texas charm you could want.

My next trip . . . Thailand and The Philippines in October. I cannot wait to see another completely different culture.

Day 12 & 13 - The Journey Home

The last day in India and the beginning of our journey home. The trip home will take nearly two days so we took it easy in the morning, focusing on packing all of the beautiful souvenirs we were taking home with us. We had a final Indian meal, sort of, in the dining room at the hotel. Mike and I both had Chicken Tikka Masala pizza - a wonderful fusion of Eastern and Western cuisine.

We left the hotel at 1 pm with 5 bags and 2 carry-ons. Our flight from Baroda to Delhi left at 2:30 pm. IST. We flew Jet Airways, which I would recommend over Air India every time. Air India is owned by the government and not run like other airlines. Jet Airways was more of what I'm used to as a frequent business traveler. The flight is an easy 1+ hour flight and of course I slept the whole way. Mike is amazed at how quickly I fall asleep in airplanes. I think he was probably mid-story when I was out and stayed out until we started our descent.

We landed at the Indira Ghandi International Airport in Delhi a little before 4 pm. We gathered our bags and proceeded to the ticket counter to check in. STOP!!! I think I may have mentioned this before but I'll repeat it as it's important to understand our situation - you need proof of a ticket before you can enter the airport and before you can be issued a ticket. Unfortunately, proof of a ticket needs to be obtained from a pre-ticketing counter. Trouble is American Airlines doesn't have a pre-ticketing counter. Supposedly, one of the local aviation companies was supposed to support AA customers - but there was no one at that counter either. After several attempts to get information on what to do, we were told that no one would be at the counter until 4 hours prior to the flight. Our flight wasn't until 12:30 a.m. - 8.5 hours later. Ugh!

After learning this information, we had no other option than to return to the arrivals area and hunker down for the next 4.5 hours. We found an acceptable location called Foodie's Bar. I'm not sure why it was called that as they didn't have much food - but they did have alcohol. Mike and I spent the next 4 hours playing Angry Birds, Solitaire, watching the French Open and making friends with a Canadian soldier who was in India volunteering at an orphanage. It was about as exciting as watching paint dry. I was cranky, very cranky.

Finally it was 9 pm and we thought we could check in. We returned to the pre-ticketing counter and there still was no one at the counter that was supposed to be servicing AA. We inquired at the Information Desk and they summoned an AA representative to come escort us to security, show the guard our name on a list and then walk us to the AA ticket counter. We had finally made it into the airport!! We checked all of our bags and then went to do a little last minute shopping. I was on a mission to find a snow globe. Snow globes are traditional, fairly cheesy, souvenirs so I wasn't expecting much trouble finding one. Then I remembered, we're in India, nothing is easy here. There wasn't a single snow globe in the airport. Total fail on the one thing that someone asked me to bring home! :(

Since we were flying business class home, we were invited to the Kingfischer First lounge. Kingfischer is the local beer in India but they also have an airline - bizarre combination! It was a strange mix between mod and sad. But it was quiet and the drinks were free.

At 11:45 we began boarding our flight from Delhi to Chicago. The flight home would be 15 hours and 15 minutes, one of the longer direct flights offered by any airline. I had a great seat at the bulkhead and we had successfully swapped Mike into the seat next to me. Or so we thought. Almost as the cabin doors were being closed, the ticket holder for the seat next to me came by and said that he had to switch back because the audio/visio unit didn't work in Mike's original seat. Bummer! Mike went back to his seat and I switched with the guy next to him so we could still sit together. We figured we could figure something out. Turns out the audio/visio unit in my new seat didn't work. And add insult to injury, the reading light in my new seat didn't work either. We asked the crew if we could move to one of the empty first class seats and they said no due to 'policy'. Instead they provided us with portable DVR players pre-loaded with movies. Ok, that's not perfect but it's better than nothing. STOP! The power outlet in my seat (or was it Mike's) didn't work. OK, at this point, I was done. I was already cranky because of the layover. Now, I'm at my wits end. What else can I do but take a sleeping pill and attempt to sleep.

Sleep I did - for 11 hours. There wasn't anything else to do and I had slept very little the last two weeks so why not. It turns out in some ways, the lack of entertainment options was good for me. I had gotten my body back on ET and should be able to better manage jet lag.

Upon deplaning in Chicago, Mike and I rushed through customs and straight to McDonalds where Mike ordered a chicken biscuit, yogurt parfait and orange juice and I ordered breakfast burritos and a sweet tea. Oh to be back in the USA!

The flight down to Tampa was a breeze - First Class usually makes it so.

Mike was greeted by his beautiful family - wife Kerry, daughter Naomi and son Miles. They had come straight from church and were dressed to the nines. They were clearly happy for the return of their husband and father, as was Mike to see them! It was a wonderful way to arrive back home.

I can't believe it is over. All the anxiety I felt preparing for the trip, all the adventures I had with the three guys that made the trip memorable and finally meeting the team that works so hard every day to delight their clients was overwhelming and deeply satisfying. I feel so amazingly blessed to have had such a wonderful experience! I am also so blessed to have a home to come home to, friends and family that love me and a future full of dreams and opportunities. Life is good!

Until my next adventure....Namaste

Day 11 - The Last Day

I can't believe that it's the last day in the office and the second to the last day in India. This trip has been a whirlwind and oh so enjoyable.

The day was pretty typical. Into the office at about 10 a.m. Catching up on emails and visiting with the team. Mike and I took two of our TCS team members, Jitendre and Komal, out to lunch at Sam's Sizzler - or rather Jitendre took us as he treated us. That was so very nice of him! Sam's Sizzler is more like Chinese food meets fajitas. All the food comes out on red hot wrought iron pans and the food is 'sizzling'. The food was absolutely delicious and the company was marvelous.

After lunch, I had the pleasure of going saree shopping with Komal. We went into a few different shops. Each with a traditional saree buying experience - the women sit in chairs as the shop workers (mainly men) unfold and drape the beautiful sarees over large beds. The fabrics were beautiful, the bead work to die for. Every color and pattern imaginable. I was in heaven. I wanted to take one of each home. After a bit, I decided on two beautiful cotton sarees, one in a wonderful blue and teal flower pattern and the other in a stunning deep teal, navy blue and gold geometric and flower pattern. You are probably asking if I plan on wearing these sarees. I do hope to wear one at least once while I'm in the states - I may have to get my friend Jignasha to help me wrap it. I bought the other to use as fabric for something for my home. We'll see how it turns out. Overall, the experience was wonderful and I look forward to my next visit when I can go shopping again with my wonderful Indian friends.

Eventually we had to return to the office. I finally met the last two teams, the Wireless Flowshare team and the Advertising Insights team. As with all those I met before them, they were very kind and shared with me what they do to support our business. Each team is so dedicated to their work and to delighting our clients.

After a few more hours of work, I took some time to sit with some of the women on the team. I saw them gathered by their desks and inquired about what they were talking about. They said they were 'gossiping'. Perfect, I love gossip! Turns out their gossip was about sarees, when a woman can/should wear them and when not. This is perfect for me since I love clothes and I have a lot of opinions about when someone should wear something and when they shouldn't. ;)

Unfortunately, the day came to an end, and I had to say my good byes. I was gifted some beautiful jewelry by the women of the team. Tears started to well in my eyes so I needed to make a quick getaway. After a few words from Mike and me, we left the TCS office and the team for the last time. I will miss each and everyone of the Telecom team members - their smiling faces and wonderful attitudes. I look forward to the day I return and am reunited with them!! :)

After returning to the hotel, Schick and Kevin picked us up for dinner. One last scooter ride for me as we went back to the mall where Mainland China is for our last traditional Indian meal. It was absolutely delicious. While at dinner I became quite overwhelmed with sadness that this wonderful trip was about to end but also so thankful for the time I had in this mysteriously delightful country.

We said our good byes to Schick and Kevin - luckily I'll see them again in July in Chicago when they graduate from the Program, so it's not good bye for long.

Tomorrow we begin our journey home. Until then, Namaste . . .

Day 10 - Scoots & Hangovers

No, I'm not talking about my hangover (one of which I do not have). We reserved this day to go to an American movie in an Indian theater. But I'll get to that later. . .

The day started just like many before . . . I got barely 4 hours of sleep, Mike knocked on my door to go workout, I skipped working out and I tried to get a few more minutes of sleep (unsuccessfully).

It was a normal work day at the office. There are two things different about working in India: 1) the day starts later and goes later - most of the team doesn't come in until 3:30 - 7:30 pm and work into and through the night; 2) the time zone difference makes it difficult to work normally - I send a batch of emails during the day and then receive responses in the middle of the night. Both of these things make the work day quiet but is part of what is keeping me from a good night's sleep.

Mike was experiencing 'Delhi Belly' so we decided to head back to Little Italy for lunch. I decided it was time to risk life and limb by climbing on the back of Schick's scooter. Wow, I should have done that on day one. It is definitely the best way to experience the city of Baroda. Most people here ride scooters, so being on the back of one is normal and helps me blend in . . . kind of. It's pretty hard to blend in when I am still the only blonde I have seen in Baroda since I arrived. Schick mentioned that we were getting far more attention then he does when he is on his scoot alone. I kind of like it . . . does that make me vain? I'm not sure I should consider it flattering, I mean people look because I'm strange in comparison to the norm. But I'll take it as a complement and smile at everyone that looks my way. (This is the great advice I had been given by a wonderful Telecom team member who had come to Baroda earlier this year. Thanks Deborah!)

The EB Telecom team planned a potluck dinner today. Each member of the team brought in homemade dishes, just like in the US. I was amazed at the spread! Homemade dishes of all sorts - mostly favorites of each team member. There were veg dishes and non-veg dishes. Everything was delicious!!! I would have taken pictures but I'm not allowed to have a camera in the TCS building. :(

I sat with three intelligent and beautiful women from my team - Komal Shah, Archana Chauhan and Ketki Kulkarni. They told me about all the wonderful places I should visit in India on future trips here. This country has so much to offer - different religions, different cultures, different landscapes. I can't wait to make another trip to this beautiful place!

After dinner, we met up with the usual suspects - Schick and Kevin. They picked us up from the hotel on their way to the movie theater. We were heading to see The Hangover II in English. I rode with Schick on his scoot (I feel like it's a drug and I am full out addicted), Kev and Mike took a rickshaw.

The theater looked just like any theater in the US. They sell similar concessions. One difference, they have Tomato Chilli Popcorn. Had I not just eaten a huge potluck meal, I would definitely have tried it. Another difference - here there are assigned seats at the movie theater with different prices depending on where you sit. Schick picked a great spot right in the middle of the theater. There were some pretty hilarious advertisements before the meeting. One in particular for some kind of tooth care product is a favorite amongst the Indians and Americans alike. Once the movie started, there was non-stop laughter - it was a very funny movie. Half way through, at a very random moment, we took a 10 minute intermission. I'm familiar with intermissions at movies, they have them in Europe also. But there they try to find a good moment to stop the movie. Here they just stop it exactly half way through. Interesting.

After another exhilarating scooter ride home (it's even better at night because there isn't much traffic so I could look around more and Mike could open it up a bit), it was time for bed.

Namaste

Day 9 - Back in Baroda

It's hard to get back into a normal routine after such an amazing weekend. But fun ends eventually and work begins again. Mike and I were back into the office with training sessions, information sharing sessions, emails to answer, etc. Luckily, it was a pretty light day.

One interesting event occurred today. Mike and I were guest judges for Global Village. Global Village is an opportunity for TCS associates to learn more about different topics pertaining to the work they do for Nielsen. They build teams and then create presentations about a new topic each time. This time, each team had to research Advertising in the specific country they support and put together a presentation, along with visuals, to share the information they learned. There were teams from 10 different TCS process teams supporting different groups within Nielsen from Emerging Businesses (my group) to Retail Measurement in Switzerland, Germany and France.

We listened to each of the 10 groups present for about 5 minutes. We were asked to judge each presentation on Quality of Content, Creativity, Presentation and Quality of Visuals. Each team had a very unique take on the topic. We learned about 'hoarding' which is a new word to us but not a new concept. It basically means all the different eye-catching outdoor advertising along the street, sidewalk, etc. We also learned that Switzerland is the largest consumer of print media and that most Swiss people still get the newspaper and several magazines. We learned about the history and evolution of the Mall. It was informative and entertaining.

One of the teams representing Emerging Businesses did their presentation on the Super Bowl and tied it to the Indian Premiere League (cricket). They built a stadium with all the different types of advertising - on the field, on the big screen TVs, on the boards around the field. Each of them dressed in an American flag bandanna. One even dressed up like Ronald McDonald. They did a great job! I love my team!

After work, Mike and I took the leadership team to dinner. We went to a concept restaurant called Barbecue Nation. Upon walking into the restaurant, I thought I was home. It smelled like a backyard barbecue - all smoky goodness. We ordered some mocktails (remember Vadodara is a dry state) and then began munching on the fantastic grilled food - both veg and non-veg. The food was delicious and the company was excellent. We have a great leadership team here!

Kind of an uneventful day today but tomorrow will be full of new stories, I'm confident of it.

Namaste

Day 8 - On the 8th day we rested

We were all spent after our trip to Agra and the Taj Mahal. Mike and I had crammed as much into the first 7 days of our trip that we had forgotten to slow down and rest. Well, thankfully Monday was a US holiday, Memorial Day. We got up late and then went to the pool for a dip and sip!

We checked out and made our way to the Indira Ghandi Airport - we were going home.

Our trip to Delhi was so memorable! Great friends, great sites! The travel bug has bitten me very hard and I can't wait for my next adventure.

Until then, I have one more week (4 days) in India. We have plans each night including dinner with my team leads, seeing The Hangover II in an Indian movie theater, dinner with new friends and possibly paint ball. I will make sure that I have done everything possible in my visit here. It has already exceeded all my expectations. This is a trip I will NEVER forget. I feel so blessed to have been given the opportunity to take it. And to think I had avoided coming to India for years. I was an idiot. :)

Namaste

Day 7 - Monkeys & Monuments

After so very little sleep, the day we were traveling to see the Taj Mahal had arrived. I easily awoke at 5 am, giddy with excitement. We had ordered boxed breakfasts that were delivered at 5:30. I was ready to go by 6 am. I was the only one! I had to wake Mike up (luckily his room was across the hall and I didn't have to go far). I had to text Schick several times. And once the three of us were in the lobby with no sign of Kevin, Schick went up to wake him up. Apparently, Kevin had a really good time at the bar after we left. I believe he was still drunk when he made it down to the lobby.

We began our 4-5 hour journey. It felt like Delhi went on forever - it never felt like we actually left the city. The boys slept most of the way. I did not. I was in the back seat of the mini-van and felt every single bump in the road - and there are a lot of bumps in Indian roads.

About half way through our journey to Agra, we had to stop so our driver could pay taxes. While he was away, many locals with monkeys on leashes came up to our car. One of the monkey's leaped at our car, attaching itself to our window. Shortly after that, one of the owners tried to open the Kevin's car door, screaming 'Pictures. Money. Pictures. Money'. He was extremely aggressive and continued to try to get into the car. Kevin fought him off but it was a scary experience. Apparently, this happens to everyone at this spot. Our friend Nick had a similar experience when he and his father made the journey. I found out later, it's likely that I was the instigator. As you can see, when the monkey was latched onto my window, I took a picture. I guess the guy wanted me to pay for that picture. Oh well. No harm, no foul.

During the trip, we passed a lot of interesting sites, including several temples, an ashram with a giant physical representation of the Guru and many truck stops and bogodas.

Finally, we arrived in Agra and shortly after we got our first glimpse of the Taj Mahal in the distance. We met up with our guide Ishard Ali, where we left the comfort of our private car with driver and were thrust into chaos. Fortunately, being a white blonde continued to have its benefits. As we made our way through the crowds, it was as if I had put a spell on all of the Indians - they would stare and part letting us through rather easily (at least that was the case as we made our way onto the grounds of the Taj Mahal).

We entered through 1 of 4 gates onto the grounds. Everything at the Taj Mahal is perfectly symmetrical (all but one thing which I'll comment about later). At this point, we all were dripping with sweat and I was shaking with excitement.

As you look at this picture, notice the small domes above the arch. There are 11 on this side and 11 on the other side, representing the 22 years it took to build the Taj Mahal.

As we stepped through the gate, I couldn't believe my eyes. There it was. I had dreamed of this moment for years and here I was - gazing upon one of the Wonders of the World. I had to pinch myself to make sure it wasn't a dream.

I am so thankful we had a guide. He told us the entire story of the building of the Taj Mahal, which I'm going to try to summarize here for you. As we sat gazing at this glorious monument of love, I found myself crying with joy and heartache. It was such a moving moment - one I will never forget.

The Taj Mahal was built by one of the Mughal Emperors after the death of his favorite wife. He was married three times, but only one of his wives was his most favorite. She became pregnant 14 times, birthing only 6 live babies. During her 14th and last pregnancy, she became gravely ill. She sent for her husband, at which time she asked him to promise her three things.

1) Build a the most beautiful monument in her memory and the memory of their love
2) Never marry again
3) Take good care of their children

After a long time in mourning, the Emperor began to design and then build the Taj Mahal. It took 22 years, 212 artisans, 20,000 people and $14M in 1632 (imagine how much that converts to in modern currency).

During the building of the white Taj Mahal for his wife, he broke ground across the river on the black Taj Mahal for himself. He chose to make it black to reflect his incredible grief in losing his wife. Unfortunately, the black Taj Mahal wasn't built - only the foundation can be seen across the river.

Why, you ask? Because the Emperor's third child was an evil man. First, he killed his two older brothers so he could be Emperor. Then he imprisoned his father because he didn't want to spend money on the black Taj Mahal. Fortunately for the senior Emperor, from his place in the Red Fort where he was imprisoned for 7 years, he could see the Taj Mahal, the final resting place of his love. He gazed upon it everyday waiting for the day when he would rejoin his wife and be buried next to her in the magnificent monument.

I had mentioned that everything on the grounds of the Taj Mahal is symmetrical - everything but one thing. Since the Taj Mahal was built as the mausoleum for his wife, she is buried in the center of the dome. Because the black Taj Mahal was never finished, the Emperor was buried slightly to the side of his wife in the Taj Mahal.

Here are a few more pictures of this magnificent monument to love.

We left the Taj Mahal and ventured to a marble factory where the descendants of the original Taj Mahal artisans continue to create works of marble using the same techniques. It was amazing to see how they used simple tools to make the most beautiful work. I almost bought a marble table with flowers made of 'fire sapphires'. Unfortunately, the price was too steep for me and I will be leaving India without it. :(

We then went to a jewelry store to see examples of the Star of India. It just happens that the Star of India is my lucky gem (that and Blue Sapphire). After a lot of bardering, I purchased a gorgeous pendant with a Star of India - the designer threw in a chain for it (wink, wink). It is now my 'go to' necklace - I love it!

Our last stop before lunch/dinner was our guide's shop where Mike and I purchased a few more souvenirs. Our guide was a lovely man and really improved the quality of our tour of Agra. We then headed to a restaurant called Quality Restaurant. It wasn't that high quality. One thing on their menu was Chicken Wrists. Yuck! Turns out that's just what they call chicken wings.

As the day progressed, Kevin became less drunk and more hungover. By the time we reached the restaurant, he was so far gone that he fell asleep while the three of us ate. It was humorous because all the other patrons were staring at him and laughing, all while we sat there eating.

Finally, we began our journey home. All each of us wanted was a shower, meal and bed. Schick, Mike and I went had dinner in one of the hotel restaurants, blue ginger. We had wine, starters and dessert. It was a perfect ending to an amazing day! Thank you and a big hug for Schick, Mike and Kevin for sharing this memory with me. I will NEVER forget it!

Namaste

Day 6 Part 2 - Lap of Luxury

As I mentioned, after our full day of site seeing and shopping, we were all exhausted and just wanted to sit by the pool and sip cocktails. Since it was over 100 degrees, we decided to skip the pool and go straight for the cocktails. Luckily, the hotel bar, The Blue Bar, has an incredible outdoor lounge, complete with large bed sized couches.

Kevin commandeered a section right in the middle where the four of us lounged for the next 7 hours. We enjoyed specialty drinks during happy hour with names like Asian Smash (my favorite), Belgravia, and Blazing Saddles. Luckily we like each other and the conversation flowed easily as we lounged under the fans and basked in the glow of the sunset.

As it got darker, the bar got busier. It turns out that this bar/club was voted the best new hot spot in Delhi and it was clear by the growing number of young Indians in the club and the very long line of people trying to get in. As with pretty much everywhere we go, we were the only white people there and I was the only blonde. Every time I got up to use the restroom, it was like the parting of the red sea as I made my way. I realized that this is what it feels to be a minority - people staring at you all the time. Fortunately, my experience as a minority has been a good one - people give deference to me/us. It's not like most minorities, where people are watching them because they are afraid of the unknown. In our case, people want to see us, talk to us and strangely take pictures with or of us. It is a strange but not unpleasant feeling.

As the night progressed, Kevin made friends with a local guy who then introduced Kev to his sisters - Bromance and Romance all in one! One of the sisters lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, both Kev and I are from Michigan - such a small world. Kevin decided to stay longer when Schick, Mike and I decided we needed to go to sleep. Our driver was picking us up at 6 am for our trip to Agra and the Taj Mahal. We left the bar at 1 a.m. - another late night with little sleep.

Namaste

Day 6 Part 1 - Gummed by a Cobra

Did I mention that we were staying at a beautiful hotel in Delhi? Here are a few shots of my room. Talk about posh!

After a few short hours of sleep, we were all ready for a full day of site seeing in Delhi. We started our day at 11 am when our driver picked us up. There were a few destinations we had in mind, he had some additional ideas. Overall, the day was packed. We were all really excited - especially Schick!

Stop 1: Parliament Buildings

Delhi is the capital of India. The government buildings were absolutely stunning. All in red brick and decorated with elaborate stone carvings and wrought iron designs. From the main Parliament building you can see down to the India Gate (it reminds me of the Mall in Washington DC). 

Stop 2: India Gate

Each large International city has to have it's own arch. Delhi is no different. This arch is in the memory of soldiers fighting in mid-twentieth century. It is a huge monument with a smaller cupola on the grounds with it. All around the arch, there were people of all ages trying to sell their wares. Mike really wanted to buy a helicopter toy for his son Miles but opening your wallet in a crowd like that is just asking for trouble. 

As we were walking back to our car, a man to the left of Mike and I opened a rice cooker and much to my displeasure there was a small Cobra. Mike didn't notice until the Cobra launched at his ankle at which time Mike began cursing the likes I've never seen before. We continued on and the man followed us. Kevin had always wanted to hold a Cobra and since these Cobras are de-fanged when they are captured, he decided there was no time like the present. Schick and I watched from a good distance of about 20 feet while Mike took video. 

Stop 3: Humayun Tomb

This was a stop that we hadn't planned on making but N Singh suggested it. We were all pleasantly surprised by the grounds of this tomb. The tomb was built in memory of Mughal Emperor Humayun by his wife. There are several buildings on the grounds, including the main tomb and a tomb for the architect. While we were atop the Emperor's tomb, Schick almost died. Along the edges of the top platform, there are drainage trenches. Mike stepped into one, lost his balance and almost went over the edge - the drop would have been over 20 feet onto solid stone. Thankfully he caught himself; and thankfully I wasn't watching when it happened. The rest of the day, I was afraid of every step I took (and Schick took). 

Stop 4: Raj Ghat
Raj Ghat is a gorgeous park in the heart of Delhi where Mahatma Ghandi's remains have been laid to rest. People from all over the country make a pilgrimage to this park to visit the grave of the 'Father of India'. There were people from each of the different states - noticeable through their diverse dress and appearance.

Stop 5: Lunch

We stopped into another Havmor (it's a known entity) for lunch. Before we dined, we gave our driver money for lunch and released him to have his own meal.

Stop 6: High-end Market

Our driver must have thought we were high-rollers, after all we were staying at the Taj Palace and had a private driver for the entire weekend, so he took us to a high-end market selling hand woven rugs, gold, etc. Everything was out of our price range so we asked him to take us to a more reasonably priced market.

Stop 7: Delhi Haat - Local Market / Bizarre

Eureka! We found what we were looking for. A sprawling market with just about anything a foreigner would want. Kevin and I bought some scarves (I'm helping him shop for the woman in his family), Schick bought some tapestries, and I bought a bunch of beautiful gifts for my team in Florida. 

Stop 8: Home

By 6 pm, we were all exhausted and just wanted to sit by the pool and sip some cocktails. Look at this - could you blame us after all? :)

More to come in Part 2 . . . .

Day 5 Part 2 - Journey to Delhi

This weekend, we planned a trip to Delhi, Agra and the Taj Mahal. We flew from Vadodara to Delhi. When we arrived at the Vadodara Airport, Mike and I tried to get our tickets but were told we needed to go inside to get them. When we tried to go inside, the guards said we needed to get them outside before entering. We returned to the ticket window and were finally granted 'proof of ticket' not the actual tickets. We were granted entrance into the airport at which time our bags were checked by security and then we were given our tickets. The whole escapade was slightly frustrating but manageable.

We were in and we met up with Schick and Kevin. Unfortunately our flight was delayed - several times - so we had a lot of extra time to pass.

The flight from Vadodara to Delhi is short, just over 1 hour. We arrived in Delhi after midnight and were greeted by our driver for the weekend N Singh. He was a small mad, wearing what looked like a boat/ship captain uniform, complete with captain cap (that's him in the back of the van).

We made our way passed a significant amount of construction - which is a great sign of a budding economy. We were amazed as we drove through Delhi - the infrastructure was rather robust. Another sign of growth and development.

We arrived at our hotel - a 5 star hotel, The Taj Palace, owned by TATA, the parent company of TCS. The lobby was beautiful, the service was impeccable and the rooms, well there are no words to describe the luxury.

We all gathered in Kevin's room to enjoy the complimentary bottle of wine provided by the hotel. We had a very long day but were wide awake and wanted to continue to enjoy each other's company in such a grand location.

Kevin gave us a quick look at what he would be wearing this weekend. I guess he wants to make sure he can eat anything and everything he wants to. :)

Finally, at around 3:30 am, we decided we needed to eat and ordered room service from my room, overlooking one of the most beautiful pools I've seen.

We all retired at about 4:30 a.m. looking forward to the next day of our adventure - a full day of site seeing in Delhi. Schick was looking forward to a night in a more comfortable bed - it was difficult to get him off of mine. :)

Namaste

Day 5 Part 1 - Baroda Site Seeing & Shopping

Nielsen has a wonderful tradition of giving it's associates a half day the Friday before a holiday weekend, in this case Memorial Day weekend. Therefore, Mike and I got the opportunity to see some of the sites around Baroda and do a little shopping (you know me, I will never turn down a shopping spree.)


We began our tour at the Laxmi Vilas Palace in Vadodara. Built in 1890 by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III. It was known to be the largest private dwelling in the nineteenth century - four times the size of Buckingham Palace. It houses a great armory tracing the history of great wars and battles fought by the very courageous Indian soldiers. There are mosaic floors, stained glass windows, intricate wood carvings, marble reliefs and bronze statues everywhere. It is a beautiful example of Indian extravagance! 

There is also a championship quality golf course on the property of this Palace. There were some golfers on the course. I'm sure Mike would have preferred to have grabbed some clubs rather than going shopping. However, it was nearly 100 degrees F with near 100% humidity - maybe the air conditioned mall was more appealing in the end.


I forgot to mention that one of our favorite associates, Komal Shah, came along with us. She is a wonderful woman, very intelligent and so very sweet. We were glad she escorted us as she could help us translate when necessary. 


We decided to grab a bite to eat at a local favorite restaurant called Havmor. There Komal introduced us to some new traditional Gujarat starters and meals. One was a cool gravy (i.e. thick soup) made of lentils and spices. Unfortunately, Mike wasn't able to partake as he is allergic to lentils. I can't say I've ever heard of that allergy. Leave it to Mike to have a strange one. ;) One of the new flavors I tried was Lassi - it is a sweet drink made of yogurt. It was delicious! Komal described one of the starters as made from "wooden floor" - or that was what Mike thought she said. She actually said "wheat flour". Come on Mike!


After lunch it was time to shop - YAY! There are two fairly large, very Western shopping malls across from each other. Perfect!! We looked into many shops with traditional Indian clothing. We finally stopped into a shop called Biba where I made a purchase of a few traditional Indian outfits in the most beautiful colors. I look forward to wearing them back home - of course I'll have to Westernize them a bit and wear with Jeans or leggings. Even Mike made a purchase but that is a surprise since it's for his lovely wife. ;)

At the next mall, I bought some shoes (shocking right?) and some gifts for my beautiful friends back home. As we were waiting for our driver we saw a few interesting things that I wanted to share. The first was the ice delivery truck. It was an open air electric rickshaw. The ice was handed from the rickshaw to the outdoor shaved ice stand - and I mean that literally.

The second was an ambassador car - the oldest of the cars in Baroda. 

Mike and I returned to the hotel to prepare for our journey to Delhi. We watched The Hangover on HBO while packing and resting. It was bizarre watching an American movie while in India. So many contradictions while we have been here.


Day 5 Part 2 will describe our journey to Delhi....