Clinical Congress, ACS- Chicago

10 - 14 October 2009

Decided to avoid the hassle of flying and decided to drive to Chicago for the meeting with a stop in Sterling IL to visit Tom McGlone. Map quest routed me through Ill which I would have wanted to see, but GPS steered me to usual Dayton-Indianapolis- Gary -Chicago- Sterling. Arrived in time for the Sat night neighborhood cocktail party and then dinner at an Italian restaurant in Mason (Reagan's hometown). Sterling is rural. Spent the night and after breakfast drove to Intercontinental on the Miracle Mile. Registered at at the McCormick Place- planned the stay and then crashed. Opening Ceremony impressive with surgical notables and it was nice to see a hometown boy- Richard Reiling- get recognized for his fundraising for the ACS (16 million). Did the exhibition hall and noted the Antiquarian book dealers had few visitors. Highlight social event the WSU reception with Alumni returning from the Caribbean to Alaska. Highlight meeting event- a panel of Canadian Surgeons on health care. 70% docs like system, minimal paperwork takes less office staff, malpractice $11,000/year by Dr owned insurance company with possibility of rebate, trials are judge and experts- not emotional jury, and waits are for elective cases not emergencies. Weather unseasonable so after dinner at on Tuesday decided to leave mtg on Wed for drive to Ohio, but not before another visit to the ICS Surgical Sciences Museum.

Delhi to USA

Thursday, 24 September 2009

Varanasi to Gurgaon

Wednesday, 23 September 2009
Jackie Lallier wrote: "We were up at 6:30 and at our yoga class at 7:00 - this was really "tough" on me! After breakfast we bused to the Bharat Mata temple devoted to Mother India, inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1936 and built in 1975. We were back at the hotel by 10:30 and were supposed to leave at 1 :00 for our 2:40 flight but it was late so we didn't get to Delhi until 5:45. At 6: 15 we arrived at the Park Premier Hotel in Gurgaon for rest before leaving on the bus at 8:30 for the airport and home."

Varanasi

Tuesday, 22 September 2009
Jackie Lallier wrote: "Up at 4:30 and left at 5:00 on our bus to the Ganges. There was an amazing amount of people and animals out on the street already. We walked down to the river where there were hundreds of people including bathers, hawkers, dogs, goats and monkeys. We gave alms to the poor and got on a boat to go up stream during sunrise, observing hundreds of temples.
The river is 2,700 kilometers long - it comes out of the Himalayas and flows into the Bay of Bengal. There are 27 cities on the banks of this river. Every home has some Ganges water for ceremonies. Various maharajas came here and built palaces for culture, exchanges and education. The "dobeys" are of a caste that do laundry. Sometimes the monkeys steal the laundry and barter for food to give the laundry back. No women come to funerals since they have children and they need to be kept free from disease. The eldest son shaves his head to show morning. Fat or grease is added to the pyre to make it bum better. Then the skull is broken to get rid of memories. No cooking is done in the house for the next 3 days and any business can be opened 3 days later. The ashes are taken to the river and a Brahmin is consulted for funeral rites.
We went back to the hotel for breakfast (no buses are allowed on the city streets here after 9:00 AM as it gets too crowded). We met again at 1 0:00 for a tour of a silk working factory. This is a 6th generation business. They use gold plated silver wire for brocade. One man does the color and the pattern (from memory). They weave 2 centimeters a day on an 11th century loom.
At 2:00 we were off to the Samath (means "deer") Museum. When Buddhism & Jainism started, Hinduism was spoken in Sanskrit and the local Indian language was parsi. We observed the Ashoka (Lion Capital) - the lion being a symbol of a king. There is a strong Greek sculpture influence. Rudyard Kipling's "Jungle Book" is a compilation of Buddhist monks' stories. The flag colors indicate saffron for spiritual and green for purity. Buddha is typically structured with curly hair and long ears indicating royalty. The swastika sign was created in the 15t century AD. We saw the Buddha story on the walls. This is the place where Lord Buddha gave his ftrst sermon. The monastery & temple are gone but there are archaeological remains from the 3rd century excavated in 1794. We were back at the hotel at 5:00 to shower & clean up and at 6: 15 went to Barb's room for a "Surprise Birthday" Party. Later we had a GREAT kebab dinner. "

Khajuraho toVaranasi

Monday, 21 September 2009
Jackie Lallier wrote: "We were up at 5:45 and on our way to visit the Chandelas temple complexes where their erotic stone carvings symbolize the important role oflove in Hindu culture. The Karma Sutra teaches the 84 techniques oflove. We explored the many, many
temples. A 10:30 we met and went to the Jain "vegetarian" Parshwanth Temple that is "non-attachment" (nude). They believe in no concept of God, but self-salvation.
At 1 :30 we were back at our hotel to pack up, have lunch and were on our plane at 1 :45 to Varanasi where we arrived at 2:45. This is the holiest city to the Hindu, supposedly considered the city of Shiva - the oldest living city in the world. The old name is "Kasah" - City of Lights «Spiritual Light). It was known as the City of Art. Hindus try to come here at last once in a lifetime. At 4:30 we met in the Radisson Varanasi lobby and all took a tuk-tuk on a wild ride through the old city streets full of motorcycles, 4 people on a motor scooter(s), mules, cows, dogs, bicycle rickshaws, hand-pulled rickshaws, cars, tuk-tuks, bicycles, etc. We walked through the bazaar and then got on a boat and went down the Ganges River to a cremation site. We were told the body is washed before it is brought in on a stretcher before cremation and the family comes back after 48 hoUl's. The ashes are then taken out into the river. Holy men and children are not cremated - their bodies are taken out into the river and put in the bottom. We went back to the main ghat for a ceremony and then had another horrendous ride again in an open rickshaw to a nice restaurant by our hotel. "

Agra to Khajuraho

Sunday, 20 September 2009
Jackie Lallier wrote: "Upat 5:45, breakfast at 6:15 and we left at 7:00 to ride 225 kilometers (2-Yz hrs.) on the train to Jhansi. India has the 5th largest railroad system in the world (we also saw a cow on the tracks). We were given food & water and after arrival, transferred to our bus to the Alipura Palace outside Lak Shmee where an 1857 fight against the British took place (the first fight for independence - the British called it a revolution) where we had a wonderful lunch and enjoyed blind musicians playing "Brazil" .
Then we went on our way to Khajuraho, seeing lots of flowering teakwood trees in the countryside and enjoyed soothing Indian music on the bus. We stopped at a farm to see where the oxen were working to bring up water from the well. We also saw lots of small temples in the countryside and observed people walking down the highways carrying colored flags. They were making a pilgrimage (sometimes 200 miles) to atone for their "sins". At 4:30 we came into Khajuraho and had a good dinner with Kingfisher beer. "

Agra

Saturday, 19 September 2009
Jackie Lallier wrote: "We were on the bus at 6:30 AM heading to the "Crown of Palaces" - the Taj Mahal mausoleum built by Shah Jahan from 1631 to 1653 and 20,000 workers to construct on the bank ofthe Yamuna River. The mosque has 3 entrances & we entered the East Gate. This is the most symmetrical building in the world and was on built on 80 "soak pits". The minarets were built to detract lightening and the stones are "tongue & groove" to protect against earth quakes. The white marble is inlaid with many, many semi-precious stones in perfect symmetry supposedly with a special "family" formula of glue. There is hardly no way to describe this beautiful edifice.
At noon we went to the Red Fort of Agra built by the Lodis. Akbar rebuilt it in sandstone in the 16th & 17th centuries and ziggzagged the gates so that the elephants couldn't attack very easily. There were 25,000 people living here - royalty, guards, harem, etc. but the Arabs brought horses. Elephant fights were held between wild and tame animals. We returned to our Jaypee Palace Hotel in Agra at 2:30 and had a lovely dinner - it is a good example of Mogul architecture. "

OAT camp to Agra

Friday, 18 September 2009
Jackie Lallier wrote: "Up at 7:00 (with the peacocks) for a very serene morning. We went to an old "step" well· Chand Baori - that the rulers made for the people. Many people could go down at the same time and be cool and socialize. A wall was built to keep out sand. A temple was added but no shoes or bathing was allowed. It was built in the 3rd century and used until the 9th century (called the Golden Period of Indian History). The Persians came in the 11th century and slaves were used until the 16th century when the Mongols came. We then stopped near the town of Abhneri so Pat could give candy to the working field women. We also
stopped at a stone-cutting shop - Ratnel Lalooram Saini - Saini is the caste that crafts sandstone.
On the road again, we blew a tire, so everyone got off the bus in the heat and trounced down the road where a family greeted us and invited us to visit their abode.
After our "tire fix", we went through the red-light district and had a tandoori chicken & banana fritter lunch at the Fatehpur Sikri Hotel In Bharatput. The Emperor Akbar shifted the capital to here and the city was big as London at that time (400 years old). In 1582 a huge religious conference was held here to commemorate that "God is One". The central pillar represents all kinds of religions at the time from 1570 to 1586. "

Rathamboree to OAT Village

Thursday, 17 September 2009
Jackie Lallier wrote: "We awoke at 5:00, were out at 5:15 and on the bus at 6:00 with Seekay, our naturalist.. On our way in the open cantor, we saw lots of monkeys. Then coming down the main street of town, we observed a naked Jain monk on his way to his temple. We drove into the Reserve where we saw spotted owls, rollers (like blue jays with blue wings), hawks, who",:poos, doves, mynahs, red-capped bull-bulls & red-wattled lap-wings. We saw male tiger prints from about 2 days ago. The queen came here in 1971 and shot a tiger. The area has been protected after that. We observed a banyan tree and lots of other wild life. By 9:00 we were back for breakfast and had rest time until 1 :00 lunch.
At 4:00 we piled into Jeeps and went out again up into the hills for a cocktail party and watched the sun set. 9/17 (THURS)
This morning we visited a private school of 225 and 75 girls in a small village. They bring their own lunches and have no support from the government. It serves K through 10th grade, was started in 1990 and has 13 teachers with 25-30 kids in a class. It costs 80 rupees to 1.30 a month. They have to bring their own books and sit on the floor as there are no desks or chairs. Hinduism teaches that you achieve "moshe" through education so it is very important and therefore, teachers are highly important. We also passed a "public school where 30% of the teachers don't show up (government school) on any given day. The village is "dirty" outside but inside their houses are swept clean. We visited a one-room house of a widow with 2 girls & 2 boys - she served us chai tea. She works in the local womens' co-op - Dastkarikendra, that was started in 1990 as a liberation program and trains.women in merchandising, which we then visited. Quote: "Educate a man, you educate an individual; educate a woman, you educate a family".
The people marry young and go into the family business. They believe children are a gift of God. There are no abortions. More children mean more kids to earn money. A married daughter belongs to her husband's family. The government is trying to sell the idea that a daughter can care for her parents as well as a son. The British brought electricity to the country. Prostitution is illegal but common (corrupt police).
At 2:00 we stopped for a nice lunch in a large tent. Then we traveled through the countryside, arriving around 4:00 at the OAT Village Camp. We took showers and then went on a long camel ride in the area. At 5:30 we had a cocktail party and Raj explained about the Moguls. We then gathered to watch a dancing show, had a cooking class in making naan and had a good dinner before getting to bed at 9:00. "

Rathamboare

Wednesday, 16 September 2009

Jacklie Laallier wrote: "We awoke at 5:00, were out at 5:15 and on the bus at 6:00 with Seekay, our naturalist.. On our way in the open cantor, we saw lots of monkeys. Then coming down the main street of town, we observed a naked Jain monk on his way to his temple. We drove into the Reserve where we saw spotted owls, rollers (like blue jays with blue wings), hawks, who",:poos, doves, mynahs, red-capped bull-bulls & red-wattled lap-wings. We saw male tiger prints from about 2 days ago. The queen came here in 1971 and shot a tiger. The area has been protected after that. We observed a banyan tree and lots of other wild life. By 9:00 we were back for breakfast and had rest time until 1 :00 lunch.
At 4:00 we piled into Jeeps and went out again up into the hills for a cocktail party and watched the sun set. 9/17 (THURS)
This morning we visited a private school of 225 and 75 girls in a small village. They bring their own lunches and have no support from the government. It serves K through 10th grade, was started in 1990 and has 13 teachers with 25-30 kids in a class. It costs 80 rupees to 1.30 a month. They have to bring their own books and sit on the floor as there are no desks or chairs. Hinduism teaches that you achieve "moshe" through education so it is very important and therefore, teachers are highly important. We also passed a "public school where 30% of the teachers don't show up (government school) on any given day. The village is "dirty" outside but inside their houses are swept clean. We visited a one-room house of a widow with 2 girls & 2 boys - she served us chai tea. She works in the local womens' co-op - Dastkarikendra, that was started in 1990 as a liberation program and trains.women in merchandising, which we then visited. Quote: "Educate a man, you educate an individual; educate a woman, you educate a family".
The people marry young and go into the family business. They believe children are a gift of God. There are no abortions. More children mean more kids to earn money. A married daughter belongs to her husband's family. The government is trying to sell the idea that a daughter can care for her parents as well as a son. The British brought electricity to the country. Prostitution is illegal but common (corrupt police).
At 2:00 we stopped for a nice lunch in a large tent. Then we traveled through the countryside, arriving around 4:00 at the OAT Village Camp. We took showers and then went on a long camel ride in the area. At 5:30 we had a cocktail party and Raj explained about the Moguls. We then gathered to watch a dancing show, had a cooking class in making naan and had a good dinner before getting to bed at 9:00. "

Jaipur to Rathambore

Tuesday, 15 September 2009

Jackie Lallier wrote: "We awoke to a nice sunny day and went off to the countryside. We had a wonderful lunch at Pakoras including fried lentil & chili balls. We observed a herd of donkeys used to transport laundry. Hindus live in harmony with nature (early ecologists) and don't believe in cutting wood as they worship nature.
The children start school in April, vacation in May & June and restart school in July. We saw LOTS of barley fields. The government is trying to eradicate polio. Last year the prime minister, a woman, gave money to women who opened bank accounts (some can write their signature but some still use a thumb print). She also encouraged girls to go to school by offering them free uniforms. When the Aryans came in 1500 BC, they pushed the Dravidians south who were all farmers. The caste system was devised wherein the people were divided into 4 groups of jobs: (1) Brahmins (priests) who could read & write & give advice, (2) Kshatriza who were warriors and could protect against foreigners, (3) Vaishyaa who were farmers and merchants and could provide business organization for people, & (4) Shudras who were people who worked with their hands such as laborers and servants. This all was meant to be a division of labor but corruption soon started. The Brahmins started to cater to people who could afford their service and became advisors to the warrior class. Traders were OK. Then the Brahmins took beautiful girls from the 4th group, the men from the 4th group challenged the warriors, the Brahmins helped defeat them and the 4th group was moved outside the city and not allowed to read or write, and weren't allowed to go to temples just like the "Untouchables' - the 5th group generally not spoken of. However, they were still needed for garbage and other cleaning jobs. The suppression got worse and all children learned their fathers' trade "in the blood". They couldn't marry out of their caste as it would be too much of a change in lifestyle. Other castes could mix but not the 4th. The British didn't accept the 4th caste unless they turned Christian and some turned Muslim. After independence, politicians took advantage of these people for voting purposes. The government set aside jobs for them by reserving so many seats for them, even though they were not qualified. It is called "aBC' - other backed classes - so there is still lots of corruption. People know what caste you are in by your family name.
At 1 :00 we came into the town of Sawai Madhopur, an important railroad stop between Delhi & Mumbai. Kite running is an old sport here. We hfld a welcome drink at the Nahargarh Hotel Palace in the Ranthambore National Park. Some of our group went on a cantor for a 200+ step hike up to a 1,000 year old temple and a few of us took a path alongside goats and cows for a walk. Tonight we had a slide show and got to bed early. This is a fantastically beautiful place with lots of parakeets flying around. We are the only 14 people staying in this huge place."

Jaipur

Monday, 14 September 2009

Jackie Lallier wrote: "Up at 7:00, breakfast at 7:30 and on bus at 8:30. We saw hoards of pigeons being fed along the way to the Prince of Wales Museum (he stayed here in 1776). Everyone here has their own altar in their homes. We then went to the "City Palace" built in 1728. Today one-fourth of the city belongs to the maharaja who rents out the buildings. The rugs here were made by prisoners in the jail. The present maharaja has a daughter who married a commoner arid had 3 sons. The oldest son was adopted by the maharaja and will be his successor. We visited a textile gallery next. The people always used carpets in their living space - no furniture (the Europeans brought :furIuture). We also visited an art gallery and an astrology observatory where
we observed a giant sundial "clock". India has no times zones.
We went back to the hotel for a wonderful lunch and rest. At 4:00 some of us got on the bus again back to go back to the "old" city and then went on rickshaws through the area. We went up on top a building where some priests were signing and drumming and we looked out over the traffic. We did some shopping but the shopkeepers were very harassing. We saw a lot of monkeys. The Islamic rule of 700 years pushed women to the back of everything. "

Jaipur

Sunday, 13 September 2009

Jackie Lallier wrote: "Jaipur (capital of Rajasthan) was one of the most planned cities in 1728. The earlier capital, Am(b)er, is in the mountains. We navigated a 4'square" roundabout. The buildings are all different shades of pink, painted this way to honor the Prince of Wales. The milk is raw when brought to the city and sold. The people then cook it themselves. Business doesn't start until 10:00 as everyone goes to the temples before they start work. The vehicles here all have signs 0 the back saYing 44Please Honk Hom" so they know you are coming. We saw rag pickers and paper collectors, many· of them children. It is one way to make money to
~fu~ .
We drove up to Amber to the Fort-Palace (l6th Century).· There are two fortresses here. We got on elephants to ride up to the top of a temple. We learned that warring elephants were formerly used in combat. They were highly decorated and had swords in their trunks they would swing at the enemy, then they were also blindfolded and trampled the adversaries and smashed the gates. The elephants were made to recognize the voices of their maharajas. We observed "knotted" gardens and learned about Ganesha, the elephant god. Islamic style of architecture contains no animalistic figures so this palace is both Hindu and Islamic. The Persian style is floral. Women in heavy clothing were pulled in hand carts by their handmaidens. The Mirror Palace has a room for a private audience and the winter bedroom chambers had lamps that would reflect warmth from the mirrors. The summer bedrooms were on top where wind would blow across the water from the lake below. The people would hang wet cotton material which cooled them when the wind blew. We observed beautiful marble screens.
Hindus NEVER intermarry with Muslims (their women are not respected) but it is OK with Buddhist, Sikh & Christians.
March 22nd is the first of the new year here. '.
We went back to our hotel at 2:00, revamped and met again at 5:00 to go to a temple built by the second biggest business family in India (Birla). The swastika is the "sun" sign and Mosha is a union of universal souls - female represents energy and male represents nature. We then proceeded back to the Park Prime Hotel. Tonight we were split up to have another homeehosted dinner which are always delightful. "

Delhi to Jaipur

Saturday, 12 September 2009

Jackie Lallier wrote: "Up at 6:00, breakfast at 7:00 & on the road at 7:30. Three important things to have when riding on a bus are: good heart, good brakes & good luck! Anything that has wheels or legs is on the Indian highways. We drove through areas on flooded highways that used to take 3 hours to get out of Delhi before the toll road was built. We stopped at 9:00 for a break at McDonalds - big veggie menu here. According to our guide, Pakistan and India both are very corrupt. Nehru put an act in the constitution that no one outside Kashmir can own land in Kashmir. We saw many slum areas along the highway.
The start of the Arables Mountains is the line of where India was an island and joined with Asia long ago. In 1,500 BC the Dravidians were living here when the Aryans came from central Asia (first to Europe, secondly to Persia and thirdly to India). They pushed the Dravidians into southern India. There are 21 languages here and each has its own dialect. 15 languages are official. India is "Unity in Diversity". In 50 AD "Doubting Thomas" brought Christianity to India but 82% of people are Hindu. The Rosh Kristi (Farsi) came from Persia in the 8th century. Pakistan warred against India in the 1960's & 1970's but was repulsed. However, India still gave back the taken land (like Kashmir) - that's why there is still trouble there. The sun came out and we noted shops that hang 7 chilies & lemons in front to ward off the "evil eye". They use turmeric to plug leaking radiators. The Aryans brought cows here and their milk is used to feed small children as it is not so high in fat. Buffalo milk has more fat and is used for ice cream. The end of the crop feeds the cows. The people make cooking fuel from dung = "Best Friend".
We had a great lunch at the Chamu Palace Hotel. This hotel belonged to feudal lords. Eighteen kingdoms collected revenue and passed it on to the family maharajah. The "bar" here was a place to meet and dance. Two brothers lived here. The Spice Route came through this area. Many traders took the sea route to avoid robbers. It is said women started wearing head coverings when the Muslims conquered and wanted to take them, so they hid themselves this way and the custom was absorbed into their culture. Indira Gandhi told the maharajas to use all their palaces or close them so they were turned into hotels and they took their wealth out of the country. We observed custard apple trees. This hotel is privately owned and was renovated three years ago. We learnedjodpur pants were designed so that they wouldn't get stuck in the reins when riding hOJ:'ses.
We stopped at a gypsy camp that was most fascinating. Gypsies originated in India and went to Romania. When they couldn't find work, they started to steal so still aren't allowed in towns so they have their own "camp".
On our way to Jaipur, we all had our pictures taken by persons on a double-decker bus traveling alongside us - Interesting! We had nice accommodations at the Country Inn & Suites. "

Delhi

Friday, 11 September 2009

Jackie Lallier wrote: "It was still raining when we got up at 6:00, had breakfast at 7:00 and were on the bus at 8:00 to explore New Delhi. We saw the highest minaret in India and, the Tower of Victory. The neem tree is green all year around, the branches are used for brushing teeth and insects don't like it. The Japanese fly over here on weekends to play golf and fly back home.
When the moguls invaded, they tore everything down, then rebuilt the town and mosque for the "Victory of Islam over Hinduism" AND they employed Hindu workers to do it. A beam & bracket system was used for support columns. It was built up in the 12th century and start of the 13th century. Supposedly, a holy man (Quuwatul Masjied) lived here (1193-1197) of nonndenominational religion who gave advise and to all that came, it came true. From here we were off to the Design Center (a cooperative society of 700 Kashmir families). There are 3 kinds of knots in the world - Turkish, Chinese & Indian - with up to 28 colors in a rug. Silk is stronger than wool. We were shown the difference between "hand made" (factory) and "knotted" (by hand). All carpets are one of a kind and never repeated.
At noon we had a Chinese lunch at the Lotus Pond where we enjoyed don kha gai (soup made with coconut). This afternoon we went to a Sikh temple (Gurvuduara). The belief is that Sikhism takes away the evil ofIslam and Hinduism; it was started in the 15th century. They have no caste system and no rituals. To work is to worship. They believe in unity of mankind and equality (humanists) instead of religion. It started in Punjab. The people don't cut their hair as they believe it takes away from
"
their character so they roll it up and wear it under a turban. They wear metal bracelets like shields and a very small dagger under their garments for protection The men wear a comb in their beard in order to fold the beard under to keep it neat. They would never bow to the moguls and refused to be converted. They don't believe in putting nicotine in the body. Twenty five percent of the population (27 million) are Sikhs. Most cab and lorry drivers are Sikhs.
We went back to the hotel at 5:15 for a surprise in Suzanne's room - a Birthday Cake! At 6:00 we were off again for a homeehosted dinner. Juyoti (widow) served good food and does some catering. THE RAIN FINALLY STOPPED! The people here have water t8nks on top of their condos so have to get up at 7:00 AM to turn on a pump for an hour or else they won't have water for the day. There are five universities here and BLOCKS of buildings with "call" centers. "

New Delhi, India

Thursday, 10 September 2009
Jackie Lallier wrote: "It was still raining when we had a full breakfast buffet before a 10:30 conference where we learned to put our heels together for a greeting "namesta", learned how to clap our hands and bow heads, and to say "raam raam" in an informal greeting. We learned the country really learned to start moving "ahead" in 1991 with a "culture shock". China has the largest population of people and India has the second. The United States is 5 times bigger than India but India has four
times more people. India is building a new "metro" system, started in 2000 and will be completed in 2020~ Then we were on our bus to New Delhi (built during colonial times by the British 250 years ago).
Delhi is the social, industrial and political center ofIndia with a population of 14.5. The Prime Minister is the head of the governrilent and Sonja Gandhi "runs" things. The President is Mrs. Sadarth Patel. Garden City has the 5th largest railroad system. The Peacock Golf Course has 27 holes and is played with irons only. We drove on a round-about that is six lanes and is SO big, there is a large park area in the center. On January 26th, the people have a Parade Day on the King's Highway.
We took the metro to the Old Delhi Bazaar within the old walled city.
Then we had to use umbrellas but still got wet as we had to take off our shoes and socks to be barefoot (& cover our heads) to enter the Jama Masjid ("to gather"), the biggest mosque in India. It is very impressive from the outside but is very plain inside. We were back on the bus by 4:15 and drove through the ~~Junk Market". Raj treated us to "chikuz" - a cross between an apple and a pear that was very good.
Our next stop was at the Ma (great) hatma (soul) Gandhi Memorial. When he was a young man, he stole some money from his dad and felt so bad he wrote a special letter to him, after which his dad sent him to England to study law (he had married just before this time). His dad had told him about South Africa and when he went there, he was the fIrst "brown" man on a fIrst class train and decided to fIght apartheid after his experience. He was in and out of jail and went back to India to fIght inequality. He led a 200-mile protest march and became acquainted with Nehru who wanted power and was the fITst prime minister. Back on the bus at 5:30, we were off to Lazeez Affaire Restaurant for filling food. "

Paro to Delhi

Wednesday, 9 September 2009

Jackie Lallier wrote: "We were off to the airport at 8:00 this AM. Before then, in the courtyard, Karchung did a ceremony with a presentation of scarves and a "See You Again". Our plane took off on time at 10:45. It was pouring rain when we met guide Raj(esh) to go to the Crown Plaza Hotel in Delhi.
9/10 (THURS) It was still raining when we had a full breakfast buffet before a 10:30 conference where we learned to put our heels together for a greeting "namesta", learned how to clap our hands and bow heads, and to say "raam raam" in an informal greeting. We learned the country really learned to start moving "ahead" in 1991 with a "culture shock". China has the largest population of people and India has the second. The United States is 5 times bigger than India but India has four
times more people. India is building a new "metro" system, started in 2000 and will be completed in 2020~ Then we were on our bus to New Delhi (built during colonial times by the British 250 years ago).
Delhi is the social, industrial and political center ofIndia with a population of 14.5. The Prime Minister is the head of the governrilent and Sonja Gandhi "runs" things. The President is Mrs. Sadarth Patel. Garden City has the 5th largest railroad system. The Peacock Golf Course has 27 holes and is played with irons only. We drove on a round-about that is six lanes and is SO big, there is a large park area in the center. On January 26th, the people have a Parade Day on the King's Highway.
We took the metro to the Old Delhi Bazaar within the old walled city.
Then we had to use umbrellas but still got wet as we had to take off our shoes and socks to be barefoot (& cover our heads) to enter the Jama Masjid ("to gather"), the biggest mosque in India. It is very impressive from the outside but is very plain inside. We were back on the bus by 4:15 and drove through the ~~Junk Market". Raj treated us to "chikuz" - a cross between an apple and a pear that was very good.
Our next stop was at the Ma (great) hatma (soul) Gandhi Memorial. When he was a young man, he stole some money from his dad and felt so bad he wrote a special letter to him, after which his dad sent him to England to study law (he had married just before this time). His dad had told him about South Africa and when he went there, he was the fIrst "brown" man on a fIrst class train and decided to fIght apartheid after his experience. He was in and out of jail and went back to India to fIght inequality. He led a 200-mile protest march and became acquainted with Nehru who wanted power and was the fITst prime minister. Back on the bus at 5:30, we were off to Lazeez Affaire Restaurant for filling food. "

Paro, Bhutan

Tuesday, 8 September 2009
Jackie Lallier wrote: "Karchung, Stu, Sharon & Suzanne went to climb the mountain up to the "Tiger's Nest" and the rest of us read in the light and comfort of the third floor sofas. At noon, the hotel manager led us down the road and across the river on the foot bridge. The bus picked us up and took us into town to lunch. Afterward we went shopping and then proceeded to the National Museum where we observed a fossilized snake on jeweled stones, stone bracelets and clay pots. The ecclesiastic language is used by Tibet and Bhutan. Buddhism really flourished in India in the 18th Century. We observed an old stamp collection. In the 7th & 8th centuries, China outlawed Buddhism. Four major groups regrouped but the rhythm of prayer and the music changed and different schools were formed. It took 180 courts to help write the new constitution. We observed a "time measurement" made of two small metal containers, the bottom one having a small hole for "water drops". We saw a collection of coins that are no longer used and saw bamboo wine containers. We entered a room used for capital punishment that was abolished in 1952.
Back at the hotel we had tea and then visited the next door farm house that is 150 years old. Grandma is 80 and Grandpa is 86. Four generations live here (on the 3rd floor). The attic used to store hay but is a fire hazard so longer used as such. One whole room is the altar room and though furnishings are sparse, these people are "wealthy".
At 6:30 we met for some fun in reading about the year of our birth and a definition of what we are because of this. We had a wonderful dinner and tonight enjoyed the sound of the river rushing to put us to sleep. We are the only occupants in this hotel with nine rooms. "

Punakha to Paro

Monday, 7 September 2009
Jackie Lallier wrote: "It was another beautiful morning when we left on the bus at 8:30. We had noted phallic symbols allover, even on cow's necks (having to do with the Divine Madman). Karchung also explained to us the old tradition of 'Night Hunting" business in which young boys climbed into the windows of young girls, depending on whether or not the fathers wanted them to do so or not. People serve 14 years in jail for rape here. We saw more macaque monkeys. The women who are wearing nose rings originally came from Nepal. We had a long trip back through the mountains and at 10:00 arrived at the pass for a stop at a restaurant where we saw numerous pictures by the artist who owns the restaurant. NOTE: It is unlawful to cut down rhododendron trees. Potatoes were brought in from Great Britain (red & white) in 1951. Stamps started to be used in the early 1960's. There was no money, so stamps were used as money and letters were scrolls.
At noon we visited the Institute of Language & Culture where there are living quarters for stUdents. Then we had an "out of the box" experience by visiting a "hospital" that uses water therapy, traditional herbal medicine and baths, acupuncture and the doctors don't speak English. NOTE: People.don't wear sunglasses here because it is a sign that you are showing off; but, all
the buses and trucks are gaily decorated. ALL children wear school uniforms.
At 1 :00 we had a delicious lunch at an oriental restaurant. We walked around town for awhile and at 2:30 returned to the bus to return to Paro. I took a picture of a man prostrating himself on the highway because of a bad thing he did and he needs to be cleansed of his physical sin. This is his 2nd day going from a temple in Thimphu to another temple, which will take him 70 days.
At 6:00 we arrived at the Village Lodge, Tshendona, Paro, where we walked from the road on a path to the hotel. Some of us met in the Reception Room before dinner for "Happy Hour" before a delicious dinner. "

Phunakha, Bhutan day2

Sunday, 6 September 2009
Jackie Lallier wrote: "The mountains were shrouded in clouds this morning. We had a pleasant breakfast and were off on the bus at 8:00. We saw the Wangdue Phodrang Dzong built in 1638. It takes the farmers who live in villages high on the mountain two days to walk (criss-crossed) down a.l1d across the river to get to the dzong. We saw a sign on a truck, "Industry of Human Settlement", saw grey Longuer monkeys and Rhesus Macaque monkeys.
We got out and walked in the town of Wangdue. The Bhutan people originally came from Mongolia. They created a national language so the Tibetans could not understand them. We visited the Temple of Protected Deity (skeletons), monks and noisy myna birds. We then walked through a "temporary" town from 40 years ago. All goods here come from India.
We indulged in a fantastic lunch again, even the tofu was good, before taking a hike to the Chhimi Lhakhang Monastery built by Lama Drukpa Kuenley (the Divine Madman) in 1499. After returning in the 90+ heat of the day, we went to watch rivals from two villages at an archery "range" where I also watched some kids playing hopscotch. Karchung then treated us to some "rice balls" from a street stand.
At 4:00 we were back at the cottages for tea, showers and rest. At 6:30 we met for a performance by Ogyn and his 7-stringed lute. Karchung then showed us how to dress in the "gohl" which used to be mandatory for office workers, business owners, government employees, etc. "

Punakha, Bhutan

Satuarday, 5 September 2009
Jackie Lallier wrote: "We departed for Punakha at 8:30 this morning -lots of cows and horses on the narrow highway going up the mountain to explore Simbaca Dzong - the oldest one in the country.
Twenty eight percent of the country forest has been put into parks. A temple monument on top of the Dochula Pass was built to commemorate victory over the southeminsurgents in 2003. The 4th king and his son were in the front lines of fighting. This started when since 1991 insurgents had been coming in illegally and India asked Bhutan to flush these people out. This was the first war in seven centuries - 6,000 insurgents were conquered, 9 people were killed, and a National Day for this defeat was established on 12/17/07.
NOTE: The first king of Bhutan was a governor in 1864. The governors fought each other in civil wars until the country became unified in 1907. It has been democratic since 2008. The three poisons to avoid: (1) Attachment; (2) Anger; (3) Ignorance.
We stopped at a cafe for tea (the mountain was all covered in fog while we were here). We observed people roasting com alongside the road & Karchung treated us to some. We had a GREAT lunch again! .
Then we visited a 17th century dzong that is the 2nd oldest in the country but the most beautiful. It took 11 years to renovate after a 1994 flood and a fire. The king of the East is represented by a lute & wearing white; King of the North by a mongoose
& wearing yellow, King of the West by fire & wearing red and King of the South by a sword & wearing black. Presently there have been 4 buddhas -another is expected when the next world "starts". Educational opportunities were officially started in 1961 when 11 schools were built that year. The average family has 3 kids. Contraceptives are free and abortion is illegal.
We arrived at the Punatsangchhu Cottages in Punakha where Suzanne & Sharon were happy to find their luggage had arrived. Before dinner, Karchung explained the "Circle of Life" to us. I tried some Red Panda weiss beer - pretty yucky! "

Thimpu, Bhutan

Friday, 4 September 2009
Jackie Lallier wrote "It was neat to awake at 3:30 AM and watch the clouds move over the mountains. There were dogs barking all night long. We were off on the bus at 9:00 and noted a lot of dogs sleeping all over the place (they must have been really tired!). The three big sins are (1) physical- bodily harm; (2) mind - bad thoughts; (3) speech - bad talk. We went to the 1974 National Memorial
Chorten dedicated to the third king who reigned from 1928 to 1972 (Jigme Dorji Wangchuck) and all turned the prayer wheels. We then stopped at the Takin Reserve where we observed the national animal of Bhutan that is a goat of the antelope family and stopped again to view the town from the hills. To get Gross National Happiness Commerce, you need: (1) good government; (2) economic hydro-electrics; (3) culture; (4) good environment. Lumber is a good business as they are constantly re-p1anting trees. In 1872 they had a 5.8 earthquake. We had a chance to attend a HUGH prayer service at a former monastery, now a Buddhist college where the Chief Abbot was in attendance. One billion mantras were being said here.
From there we stopped at an Arts and Crafts School, "Zorig Chusum" where mask carving was being done that takes 4 years to learn how to make. We also observed railings, gold & silver smithing, statues from black clay, the sewing room where they make boots and altar clothes, embroidery, & painting on canvas.
Then we went to the National Library with eight comers that has the world's largest book (Friendly Planet = 7' x 5').
We had a wonderful lunch on the third floor of a lovely restaurant before going to the post office where some of our group had their picture put on stamps. Then we were off to the Textile Museum of Bhutan and the Jungshi Paper Factory. They use bark, soaked in water, then cooked in a brick kiln with ashes. The bark is boiled and the pulp comes out for recycling. Glue is made from hibiscus from Japan. The material is stacked and dried.
We next visited an extensive Farmer's Market including powdered & unripe roasted com, bitter gourd, fiddle head fern, & dried cow skin. At 5:00 (after business hours) we went to see the Golden Throne in the building where the king and the government works. We had a nice supper in a cafe up the hill with strawberry ice cream for dessert. "

Flight to Paro, Bhutan

Thursday, 3 September 2009
Jackie Lallier wrote "We went down for breakfast at 4:30 and Deepak came for us at 5:00. We got to the airport at 6:00 (Sharon & Suzanne's luggage is still not found). Our flight was delayed, the plane didn't leave until 12:15 and the girls found their luggage was in New York! We arrived in Paro at 2:15 and met Karchung, our guide, and bus driver, Ugyn. We learned to say "Hello" = "Kuzu zangpo la". Bhutan was originally called Druk Yul (Land of the Thunder Dragon). The people are Buddhist so no hunting or fishing is allowed. On the 7th of the month marijuana plants are pulled up and gotten rid of. Red rice is their big export. Crime.is minimal because of their Buddhist religion. The present king is the 5th king. The last king abdicated in 2007 but stayed on to teach his son for the next 3 years how to rule. We got off the bus on our way to Thimphu to walk down a hill to a river - there are seven big rivers and many lakes in the country.
Sixty million years ago all the Himalayan mountains were in an ocean. The people do a big mushroom business here and sell them at roadside stands. Chilies with (cottage) cheese is a national dish. The literacy rate is 60%, up from the former 30%. Buddhism is not taught in schools, it is learned by experience at home. The 4th king has 4 wives, all sisters. Unemployment is a problem because Bhutanese do not want blue collar jobs so Indians come with 3-year work permits and work construction jobs. Denmark has helped with a lot of new construction in this country.
We arrived in the capital of Thimphu at 4:00 and were greeted with tea and cookies (crackers) at the lovely Hotel Puntsho Pelri. Our rooms had hand-carved furniture, wood floors, open windows and there were ornate buildings and a park across the street. Right now they have a democratic form of monarchy. There are no homeless, no prostitutes, and no poor. People are putting their money into education instead of monuments, etc.
The 4th king is 54 and the 5th king is 29. We were taught not to point but put palms up or put fingers together when asking about something. The money here is nul truro but rupees are acceptable. We had a 6:00 briefing and had dinner at 7:00 tonight (including Chili/cheese). "

Half day tour of Kolkata

Wednesday, 2 September 2009
Jackie Lallieer wrote: "We met Sakir and Deepak at 9:30 for breakfast (had puli) before leaving the hotel at 11 :00. The first religion in the country was "Bora". Kolkata was the capital of India from 1857 to 1911 (is now the capital of West Bengal). The English changed the capital to Delhi. India became independent in 1947. East Bengal became Pakistan (Urdu for "land of the pure") and then Bangladesh was carved out. 30% of people are Hindu, 10% Christian (1.5 million), the rest are Muslim, Jain, Buddhist, Sikhism & Jerru. Bombay (Mumbai) is known for commerce, Calcutta is known for culture and Delhi is administrative.
We toured the Central area and observed many new overpasses. People from neighboring independent troubled countries (Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh, etc.) are still trying to find refuge in Calcutta. There are 80-90 year old streetcars still being used here and lots of tuk tuks. Mother Teresa was born in Macedonia in 1910, then lived in Albania. She came to Calcutta at age 18 as a nun to teach. In 1948 she started her missionary work here. She never saw her mother again after 1928. We saw the room she slept in from 1953 to 1997. Calcutta was formed from three towns that the East India Company bought in 1692. The French also were involved in the East India Company. We passed the house ofthe governor. THE "national" game is cricket. They have the biggest cricket stadium in the world. We saw ghat steps going into the Ganges River. Cremation is no longer allowed at the rIver.
Joining the military is optional but they do have a military college. During 1720 to 1860 the East India Company ruled all ports with Calcutta as headquarters. India is from the word "Hindustan" - Persian for Place of Hindus. The post office is 200 years old. We saw the 1950 Scottish St. Andrews Presbyterian Church. "Homeless" here has a different meaning - people
sleep next to the street because they have day jobs and rooms/housing is very expensive. They stay in the city and then send/bring money home to their villages. We visited the Kumar Alley where people were getting ready to celebrate Durga. They make statues by starting with straw, cover with mud and then paint. These are made anew every year.
We then had coffee at the Indian Coffee House, home of the largest book market in Asia. The waiters wear hats such as was worn by the Military before the English came. At 3:30 we came back to the hotel and set off again to exchange money. We went to the Indian Museum but they were closed. We had a light supper at the cafe just inside the hotel and enjoyed Kingfisher beer and pluchins (little shells filled with various things such as shrimp or chicken). "

Flight to Kolkata (Calcutta)

Tuesday, 1 September 2009
What great luck! There are only 6 of us on the pre-trip to Bhutan and one of them is Jackie Lallier from Minnesota who is a mushroom guru and an avid note-taker and said she would send a copy of her notes at trip's end. They arrived with her Christmas letter so I'm incorporating them into the blog for another viewpoint.
Jackie wrote: "We arrived in Delhi at 7:30 AM Minnesota time and 4:30 PM Delhi time. We had to switch planes - our plane to Calcutta didn't leave until 8:00 and when we arrived in Calcutta at 10:30, Bob, Abby, Stu & I got our luggage but Sharon and Suzanne's was not there. We had to have our foreheads checked for temperature because of the Swine Flu. It was midnight by the time we met our contact, Sakir (Samik) & got to the Park Hotel. "Calcutta never sleeps" is their motto. 78% of the population is now middle class compared to 25-30 years ago. 8% are very wealthy. The rest are VERY poor. There were many people on the streets on our way to the hotel - some sleeping right on the street or sidewalk. Some kiosks are open 24 hours. There were lots of "rickety" rickshaws and lots and lots of "mangy" dogs. There is current legislation being considered to ban loose dogs (they have already done so for cows in the big cities. Most people are Hindu but not all Hindu are vegetarian. They speak "Hindi", of course, and the women wear pretty 3-piece outfits consisting of slacks, a tunic and a long scarf. We saw goats being herded down the main streets at night for slaughter as they can't be herded during the busy daytime. "
Calcutta is in eastern India on the Bay of Bengal and was the original capital of the British Raj until it was moved to New Delhi in 1910. It's population is 16 million at night and 25 million during the day- due to migrant workers and others who live in suburbs.

Deaprture USA

Monday, 31 August 2009

Prep for Bhutan/ Heart of India

Sunday, 30 August 2009

Elderhostel Cancels trip to Bhutan

20 July 2009
Letter arrived from the Road Scholar Division of Elderhostel to the effect that they were canceling their 2 week trip to Bhutan. The trip had been further "Subleased" to Above the Clouds Trekking and their brochure stated that the first day of the trip we were trekking from 7000ft to 10,000ft to view the most sacred of the monasteries- Taktsang Goempa- or Tiger's nest monastery where Buddhism came to Bhutan in the form of Guru Rinpoche who flew in on the back of a tigress. I thought maybe I had signed up for a major stress test or heart attack. So, the hunt began for an alternative trip and I found one by OAT but it was entitled the Heart of India with an 8 day pre-trip to Bhutan. Trip would be more docile but did not include any of the Buddhist festivals- but it did coincide with the time off I had asked for the original trip. Also no single supplement.