India is a place full of exotic wonders, displayed in a striking palate of colors, architectural detail and cultural traditions.

The centerpiece of our trip was a week on the “Palace on Wheels”, a vintage design train that travels around the Rajasthan province of India.  It is built to replicate the trains used by the Maharajas and British Raj in the early 20th century.  It was our first rail trip and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience, visiting many of the extraordinary forts, palaces and sights in this history laden section of India.  We were greeted by musical groups as we disembarked each morning in a new city, and treated to the full experience of India, including elephants, camels, tuk-tuks, rainbows of color, mustaches, tigers and festivals.  We experienced the many manifestations of Hindu faith and it’s daily traditions, visited Buddhist temples and marveled at the wonderful architecture and stone carvings adorning all the structures, capped off by evening and early morning visits to the Taj Mahal. 

We enjoyed a tiger safari in Bandhavgrath National Park, staying at the incredible Samode Safari Lodge, an exotic experience right out of the movies.

Our favorite experience was a stay in Varanasi, the sacred Hindu city of India with a religious legacy that goes back 3,000 years.  People come to the Gants on the Ganga River to cleanse their souls and bodies, to offer prayers though floating candle-lit aartis, and to honor their dead through cremation ceremonies.  On top of all that we stayed in the Nadesar Palace Hotel, the former guest palace of the Maharaja, in a room formerly occupied by Lord Mountbatten and his wife.

 

India is on the other side of the planet, and the crowds, noise, trash, smells and ubiquitous free range animals are a challenge sometimes, but for us it was easily worth the challenge to experience one of the most fascinating cultures on earth.