Author: Paul Terry

I love to travel. I've been fortunate to visit about 75 countries so far. I prefer to travel independently to get off the beaten path a bit. I also try to find good deals to make my travels more affordable.

Jaipur, India – The Pink City

One of the great cities in Rajasthan, India is Jaipur. It is known as the “pink city” due to the color of the buildings as well as the walls and city gates surrounding the central area.

Ajmeri Gate, leading into central Jaipur. The color of the gates and walls, as well as buildings in the central area give the city its nickname.

Jaipur is one of the most visited cities in India since it is not too far from New Delhi and Agra (home of the Taj Mahal), and forms a triangle of tourist destinations with these two other cities.

Here’s a few key attractions in Jaipur:

Amber Fort

While there is a lot to see in Jaipur itself, there’s no question that the tourist sight is Amber Fort, located about 7 miles (11 km) north of town.

The Jal Mahal (Water Palace) on Man Sagar Lake was used for royal duck shooting parties in the mid 18th century.

Leaving Jaipur, you wind past Man Sagar Lake and through the mountains for a short distance until all-of-a-sudden it appears sitting on a hill to your left. The golden-hued fort looks like a movie set rather than an actual historical palace. The fort is the former capital of Jaipur State and is the one sight that cannot be overlooked when visiting Jaipur.

A view of Amber Fort. If you look closely, you can see the elephants with their red coverings making their way up to the gate.

The highly decorated Ganesh Pol, a three story gate connecting the outer courtyard to the private apartments.

Construction began in 1592 on the current fortress, built on the remains of an earlier (11^th century) fort. Amber Fort is divided into 4 main sections, and each is a bit unique in its architecture.

The courtyard of the Palace of the Raja Man Singh, one of the four main sections of the Amber Fort.

You have to be patient and wander around a bit to see it all. We hired a guide and he pointed out some interesting things. After we finished the tour, we wandered around on our own, and found other great views.

Another beautiful courtyard in Amber Fort (Jaigarh Fort is in the distance on the hill).

There are three main ways up to the fort – by foot, jeep or elephant. Of course most tourists take the elephant ride, and so did we. The elephant can take two passengers at a time. Given the popularity of the elephant transportation, expect a wait of 20 – 30 minutes in line. Although this is definitely doing the touristy thing, it’s a once in a lifetime experience and was fun. By Indian standards, it’s not cheap – 900 rupees or about $15, a small local fortune.

The elephants and tourists make their way up to the Amber Fort.

There is another, older fort (Jaigarh) above the Amber fort, but time did not allow for us to hike up there (about 1 km uphill from the Amber Fort).

Jaigarh Fort, which sits above Amber Fort.

The view from Amber Fort is astounding with mountains, huge walls snaking around the hillsides, as well as seeing Maota Lake below.

Looking down on Maota Lake, with the gardens of Kesar Kyari Bagh. The lake provided water for the fort. The walls protecting the region can be seen in the distance.

Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds)

With its pink façade, the Hawa Mahal is the photogenic centerpiece of Jaipur. It is unusual in that it is five stories high but only one room in width. Its purpose was to allow the veiled ladies of the harem to view city life unnoticed from the streets below. It was built in 1799.

The Hawa Mahal in Jaipur.

City Palace

Right next to the Hawa Mahal, this Palace was built in the early 18^th century, and is now a museum with paintings and manuscripts. Since we had just visited Amber Fort, we did not take the time to visit this Palace.

City Palace lies straight ahead through this gate.

Jaipur is also known as shopping mecca for jewelry and precious and semi precious gemstones. There are a lot of jewelry and gem shops just outside the main walls. Bring your money and shopping list!

We also walked around the heart of the city – busy area which is organized by crafts in sections. Just a teeming mass of shops, workers and every day life going on.

Rows of shops in the central district of Jaipur.

Helsinki for a Day

When it comes to Northern Europe tourist destinations, Helsinki, Finland probably doesn’t jump off the map. However, as part of a Northern European Cruise, we enjoyed a (rainy) day there. There’s enough to keep the tourist entertained.

A view of a Swedish-influenced street in Helsinki.

Finland has an interesting history, with a culture and language that is very distinct from its Scandinavian and Russian neighbors, even though it was under Swedish rule for six centuries and then ceded to Russia in the early 1800’s. There are very obvious Swedish and Russian influences in Helsinki from fortresses to street names and churches.

Here are a few of the interesting sights:

Suomenlinna Fortress. The Swedish built this fortress (they called it Sveaborg) in the 18^th century, when Finland was part of the Swedish kingdom. It can be reached by a short (15 minute) ferry ride (the terminal is near Market Square, just a short distance from Senate Square).

King’s Gate, built in 1753-54, the ceremonial gateway to the fortress.

A bronze sculpture in the fortress.

The fortress contains defensive walls, gates, gun emplacements, tunnels, courtyards, a prison, museums, beaches, churches and park areas, as well as shops and cafes. A useful printed guide can be obtained at the ferry terminal.

One of the fortress’s cannons.

The Vesikko submarine, a Finnish sub built in the 1930’s that saw action in World War II. The sub is now a museum.

A sign saying tourists are not welcome at the prison labor camp in the fortress!

One of the tunnels underneath the fortress defensive walls.

Today the Fortress is used for cultural events and conventions in addition to being a great place to picnic and experience a bit of Finnish history.

Senate Square. This is Helsinki’s central square, surrounded by 19^th century neo-classical buildings.

Helsinki Cathedral overlooks Senate Square. The statue is Emperor Alexander II, unveiled in 1894.

Another view of Senate Square.

Temppeliaukio Rock Church. This church was completed in 1969. It’s unique in that it was carved right into bedrock. It must have been a massive undertaking. It’s worth visiting for the unusual setting.

A panorama view of the Temppeliaukio Rock Church.

Another view of Temppeliaukio Rock Church.

Uspenski Cathedral. This church is a reminder of Russian influence in Helsinki. It is the largest Eastern Orthodox Church in Western Europe. It was completed in 1868. It is quite beautiful inside.

Exterior view of Uspenski Cathedral.

Interior view of Uspenski Cathedral.

Johanneksen (St. John’s) Church. A Lutheran church, built in the late 1800’s and the largest stone church in Finland by seating capacity (seats 2,600 people). It stands out in the Helsinki skyline with twin towers that are 243 ft. in height.

Exterior view of Johanneksen Church.

An interior view of Johanneksen Church.

Bat Baby (aka Angel-Demon Statue). One of the more strange sculptures I’ve seen. It’s from 2009 and part of an exchange with the Triumph Gallery in Moscow and Volker Diehl Gallery in Berlin.

The Angel-Demon sculpture in Helsinki.

Two Days in Delhi, India

New Delhi is the capital of India and has a lot to offer the tourist. It is a good place to start your tour of India since New Delhi is a major airline gateway into the country. Delhi is an ancient city and has been the capital of India off and on for hundreds of years. During their rule, the British made Delhi their capital in 1911. New Delhi and Old Delhi are contiguous and are one huge sprawling city. However, many of the main tourist sites are grouped in relative proximity to one another, some in New Delhi and others in Old Delhi. For a map of places we visited in India, click here.

A street scene in Delhi, with an auto rickshaw passing street dwellers. Poverty is found everywhere.

Almost anywhere you go, you will see decaying ruins of tombs, temples, mosques, other monuments and overwhelming poverty. Here are a few highlights, and the main things we saw over two days:

Humayun’s Tomb. Humayun was the 2^nd Mughal (Islamic) emperor and reigned during the early 1500’s. If the tomb’s shape looks familiar, it’s for good reason. This tomb was the forerunner of the Taj Mahal. The site is large, with a well manicured landscape and a number of other interesting buildings. For more information, see my detailed post on Humayun’s Tomb here.

Humayun’s Tomb. The symmetry and structure are similar to the Taj Mahal.

Purana Qila (or Old Red Fort). This site became the capital of Mughal India in 1526 during the Emperor Humayun’s reign. There are massive walls surrounding the site, just like at the Red Fort (see below). Inside, there are only a few buildings remaining, although the gardens and landscaping also add to the atmosphere.

The main gate into Purana Qila.

The Sher Mendal in Purana Qila. Humayun used this building as a library. In 1556, he heard the call to prayer, and in a hurry, he fell and sustained major injuries while on his way down the stairs. He died 3 days later.

The Red Fort. This fort dates from the early 1600’s and was founded by Shah Jahan, the builder of the Taj Mahal. The wall surrounding the fort is 18 meters high (60 ft).

The massive walls and western entrance into the Red Fort.

The entrance to the Emperor’s reception hall in the Red Fort.

There are a number of interesting structures inside such as temples, reception rooms and out-of-place barracks built by the British during their occupation of India in the mid 1800’s. Note that there is also a “Red Fort” in Agra. Both are interesting, but I found the Red Fort in Agra perhaps a little bit more intriguing with more of the original architecture in tact.

Chandni Chowk. On the western border of the Red Fort is this chaotic market area. If you want to get a feel for the “real” India, take a rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk, a busy marketplace with bazaars that seem to be mainly frequented by locals. Our car driver negotiated a couple of bicycle rickshaw rides for us and this was a great way to tour the bazaars.

Our rickshaw driver in Chandni Chowk.

We loved just observing the bustle of everyday life and also found some good spice shops here. There was a large weekend market going on while we were there. I could scarcely believe the volume of goods – shoes, clothes, handbags and other items that were on display!

A street scene in Chandni Chowk.

Qutb Minar. I love historical sights and Qutb Minar does not disappoint. The structures (tombs, monuments and mosques) located here date from the late 1100’s. Although the site is known as Qutb Minar, the name refers specifically to the landmark tower and minaret (named after Sultan Qutb-ud-din). There are signs posted in English at most of the major structures.

A view of some of the ruins of Qutb Minar.

The Qutb Minar Tower.

Mehrauli Archeological Park. Near Qutb Minar is a spread out, park-like area with numerous tombs, palace buildings, mosques, and other structures. This site is largely off the tourist radar. The historical buildings are connected via a system of well-marked trails. If you have the time and are visiting Qutb Minar, it’s worth another hour or two to visit this nearby Park.

The exterior porch of the Jamali-Kamali Mosque in Mehrauli Park.

An elaborate well (Rajon-ki-Baoli) in Mehrauli Park.

In addition to the above, you can also do a “drive by” of Delhi’s modern government buildings, commemorative arches, memorials, and other locations such as upscale Connaught Place (with stately buildings, shops and restaurants).

The memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of the Indian independence movement (from British rule).

India Gate, which pays tribute to India’s soldiers who have sacrificed their lives in several of India’s conflicts.

Getting Around. We just hired a driver for the day. A good local agency to work with is Kumar Tourist Taxi Service. It is also possible to hire taxis from location to location, or autorickshaws. Delhi does have a metro (subway) system as well. There is LOTS of traffic, so it will take time to get from one sight to another. Don’t try to do too much in one day. We were able to accomplish the above in two full days.

Where to Stay. We stayed at the 76 Friends Colony B&B located in South New Delhi. The host was very friendly and the rooms were large and pleasant. They can also arrange transportation for you if desired; however, their rates were relatively high compared to Kumar’s (above).

Visiting St. Petersburg, Russia

As part of a Northern European cruise in 2013, we visited St. Petersburg, Russia. This was one of my favorite stops–it was my fist time in Russia and I was excited to see the city that I had heard so much about over many years. Because there is so much to do here, the cruise ship (Princess Cruises) stayed overnight and this allowed us two full days in port. St. Petersburg was the capital of tsarist Russia, and the sights are numerous and stunning, providing a sense of the power and wealth of the Russian Tsars. This wealth and power were of course major reasons for the 1917 communist revolution.

Listed below are the main sights we visited over the two days.

DAY ONE:

Peterhof Palace

Peterhof Palace. Known as the ‘Russian Versailles’. In good weather, visitors can take a hydrofoil along the Gulf of Finland from St. Petersburg to the Palace.

Catherine Palace

The gilded Ballroom of Catherine Palace.

Exterior view of Catherine Palace, the summer residence of the Tsars. Constructed in the 1700’s. It’s located about 25 km from St. Petersburg.

St. Isaac’s Cathedral

The gold dome of St. Isaac’s Cathedral is one of the largest in the world, covered with 220 lbs of gold. The cathedral was commissioned in 1818 and completed 30 years later.

Church of the Spilled Blood

The church’s name comes from the fact that it was built on the spot where the Tsar Alexander II was assassinated on March 1, 1881.

Drive around St. Petersburg

Our tour host drove us around various other locations in St. Petersburg, including this monument and government building where the G20 summit was hosted by President Putin in 2013.

DAY TWO:

Canal Cruise on the Neva River

There are numerous canals and rivers in St. Petersburg. A 90 minute boat cruise is a great way to see the city from a different angle.

Hermitage Museum

The beautiful staircase in the Hermitage Museum. The Hermitage was the winter palace of the Tsars. The Museum contains art works that rival any other museum in the world.

Madonna and Child by Leonardo Da Vinci, in the Hermitage Museum.

Peter & Paul Fortress

A view of the Peter & Paul Fortress from the Neva River. This fortress was built to protect the city from Swedish attack and was used for holding political prisoners. The tall spire and tower identify the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral.

An interior view of the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral within the Peter & Paul Fortress. The tombs of many Tsars and their families are located here, including Peter the Great.

Yusupov Palace

Yusupov Palace (also known as Moika Palace) was one of 57 (yes, 57) palaces owned by the extremely wealthy Yusupov family, who were members of the Russian nobility. This is the “Bedroom of the Princess”, one of many elaborately decorated rooms in this palace.

Part of Yusupov Palace is a museum about the murder of Grigori Rasputin, which took place at the palace in 1916. He was a mystic and an advisor to the Romanov family, the last Tsars of Russia. He grew too powerful and in this scene his enemies plot his death.

This parlor was the setting of the last meal and murder of Rasputin. He wielded too much influence and was greatly feared. Invited to a meal at the Yusupov Palace, he was given enough poison with his food to kill five men, and yet was not fazed. He was also shot several times, and still had enough strength to try to escape. He finally died in a courtyard outside the Palace.

Practical Information

History: Read Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert K. Massie before going. It will give you some background on the tragic story of the last Tsar of Russia and the beginning of the Russian Revolution in 1917.

Weather: Even in August, it was cool. St. Petersburg is located on the Gulf of Finland in the Baltic Sea. Our first day was rainy and very windy. The second day was sunny and perhaps in the mid 60’s F.

Tours: Rather than take one of the cruise tours, we arranged our tour through TJ Travel, based on a recommendation of friend who had visited previously. They were excellent hosts, and the cost was about 35% cheaper than a cruise-arranged tour.

Entry: Russia requires visiting tourists to have visa (must be obtained prior to your trip), or by being a part of an official tour group with your cruise (by showing the appropriate documents). This is the only way you’re going to be able to get off the cruise ship. Passport control is taken seriously even for cruise ship visitors and eats up 15-20 minutes each way (entry/exit) on both days.

The Fortified City of Fatehpur Sikri

Fatehpur Sikri was the capital of the Mughal Empire in India between 1571 and 1585 during the reign of Emperor Akbar. The city is a collection of architecturally beautiful buildings with numerous intricate carvings, expansive connecting courtyards and gardens.

The perfectly manicured Ladies Garden at Fatehpur Sikri.

The Emperor lived large – he had more than 5,000 concubines, played games with slave girls as the game board pieces on a large courtyard and hosted lavish banquets and concerts.

The Emperor Akbar would play pachisi (ancient Indian game) in this courtyard with slave girls dressed in colorful clothes as pieces. The Panch Mahal (in the background) is five stories and has a total of 176 columns, many of which are unique.

The Birbal Bhavan, an intricately carved building inside and out, believed to be the residence of Akbar’s senior queens.

The Lower Haramsara. The rings in the lower right and extending beyond separated the living quarters of 200 female servants living here, who were for palace business only.

The Lower Haramsara. The rings in the lower right and extending into the distance separated the living quarters of 200 female servants living here, who were for palace business only.

The Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audiences) with its magnificently carved central column. Akbar is believed to have stood on top of this column and debated with scholars and ministers who stood at the ends of the four bridges extending out from the center.

The Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audiences) with its magnificently carved central column. Akbar supposedly stood on top of this column and debated his scholars and ministers who stood at the ends of the four bridges extending out from the center.

Exterior view of the Diwan-i-Khas.

Inside the Palace of Jodh Bai, the home of Akbar’s Hindu wife (said to be his favorite).

The Ornamental Pool (Anup Talao), used for water storage and private functions by the Emperor.

Fatehpur Sikri did not last long as a capital due to a poor water supply. We are now left with the magnificent buildings and grounds that seem perfectly intact from almost 500 years ago. Adjacent to the palace complex is the huge Jama Masjid (mosque), completed about the same time as the palaces and worth visiting. Plan on at least two hours to visit both sights.

The immense courtyard of the Jama Masjid (mosque). The marble inlay work found around the structures is said to have inspired similar work at the Taj Mahal less than 100 years later.

The white marble tomb of Shaikh Salim Chishti. You can visit the perimeter and gaze inside to the intricate lattice work.

Practical Notes: Fatehpur Sikri is located 35 km (22 miles) west of Agra and can be done as a day trip from Agra, or as we did, a stop between Agra and Jaipur. If you are coming by car or bus, there is a car park with the usual trinket stalls and very persistent vendors (they’ll remember you as you return to the car park) about a kilometer or so away from the old city, which sits on a small hilltop just to the north of the car park. There is a shuttle that takes you up to the old city and lets you off between the city gate and the mosque. There are lots of signposts in English next to the main buildings. As with almost every tourist location in India, guides can be hired for a few dollars if desired or you can get an audio guide. We just relied on the signposting and our Lonely Planet book.

Reference: Lonely Planet India Guidebook.

Warsaw Part II – Warsaw Under Nazi Occupation

Poland suffered terribly in World War II. The War began in Poland on September 1^st, 1939 with the simultaneous German invasions of Gdańsk and Warsaw. By early October, Polish resistance was eliminated. Shortly thereafter, the Soviet Union moved into eastern Poland and the country was partitioned between the two powers. On the Soviet side, millions of Poles were sent to Siberia and on the German side Polish Jews (there were originally three million) were rounded up into ghettos or sent to concentration camps.

In Warsaw alone 800,000 Poles died as a result of the terrors of World War II, more than double the entire number of U.S. casualties. Although much of Warsaw was rebuilt after the War, there are remnants of this dark period left for the tourist to explore.

The Mausoleum of Struggle & Martyrdom

In this building, the feared secret state police of Nazi Germany (“The Gestapo”) tortured and interrogated thousands of Poles who were accused of crimes against the Nazi state or suspected of having valuable information.

A street view of The Mausoleum of Struggle & Martyrdom. This museum is free.

The Gestapo officer’s desk.

The tortures were many and varied, they included being beaten with a variety of instruments, or being hung upside down with water pumped into the nose, the use of electric shocks, being burnt with irons, and sometimes being forced to watch while a family member was tortured.

A display of various interrogation/torture devices.

The rooms are well sign-posted in English and when you realize you are in the exact spot where so many innocent people suffered, it is a moving experience.

Cell doors in the museum.

Prisoners were kept in cells like this (and chained as shown) and sometimes interrogated for weeks or months–often with little food, sometimes ill, often beaten and without a bed.

Prisoners would wait in these chairs for questioning, sometimes for days. They were not allowed to fall asleep, talk or move. If you violated the rules you might be beaten to death.

The Warsaw Ghetto

As a way of controlling the Jewish population, in 1940 the Germans built a ghetto compound in Warsaw by erecting walls with barbed wire down the middle of streets.

A portion of the Warsaw Ghetto wall.

Information about the Warsaw Ghetto is posted on the wall.

About 360,000 local Jews and 90,000 Jews from other locations were moved here. During the summer of 1942, 300,000 Jews were transported to the Treblinka death camp and gassed. The ghetto was systematically destroyed in 1943 after the remaining occupants were killed or moved to various concentration camps. Today, there is very little left to see, except for a bit of the wall with information plaques.

This building is a survivor from World War II. The facade is pockmarked with bullet holes. It’s located on Ul Próżna street, just a few blocks from the Ghetto wall.

Monument to the Warsaw Uprising

This is one of the most important landmarks in Warsaw. It commemorates the August 1, 1944 uprising by the Poles against the German Army, just as the Germans were losing ground to the advancing Soviet forces from the east. The Poles fought bravely for 63 days and actually were successful to start, but they were eventually overwhelmed by the Germans. Hitler destroyed the city in retribution for the uprising and about 200,000 Poles were killed. The Soviet Army could have actually helped the Poles, but Stalin told his army to stand down and let the Germans destroy the Polish resistance, to take any “fight” they had left in them, in preparation for the Soviet and communist takeover of the country early in 1945.

The bronze sculpture shows the Polish fighters emerging from the brickwork of their ruined city and descending into the city sewers, which were used as an underground communications system. It was unveiled on August 1, 1989, 45 years after the uprising.

While modern Warsaw is far removed from the horrors of World War II, I was glad to see the remaining bits of history, so that those of us who now visit have an opportunity to remember and honor those who gave their lives defending their country from tyranny.

Reference: Lonely Planet Poland Travel Guide

Sights of Warsaw – Part I

Warsaw is Poland’s largest city and the country’s capital. It has a number of sights to entertain the tourist. If I had to make a choice and could only visit either Krakow or Warsaw, I would pick Krakow. However Warsaw is still quite interesting and we found it easy to spend a couple days wandering the sights prior to our departure from Poland. For a map of places we visited in Poland, click here.

A decorative ledge support staring down on us in Warsaw Old Town.

This post will focus on some of the general tourist highlights and my follow-up post will focus on several key World War II sights in Warsaw.

A fountain in the Saxon Gardens, Warsaw’s first public park (early 18th century). The park is modeled on the gardens at Versailles, France.

Warsaw is a big city, but it has an extensive tram and bus system, which are pretty easy to navigate. Any of the hotels will have a good map with the primary tourist destinations highlighted. You can find about any kind of food in Warsaw.

One of our delicious meals in Warsaw.

In addition to traditional Polish fare, we found an excellent Indian restaurant on the Royal Way.

Palaces

There are a number of palaces in Warsaw and the two below are just a sample.

Wilanów Palace

This is a very impressive 17^th century palace, a tiny bit reminiscent of Versailles, but on a much smaller scale. It was a summer residence of the Polish king.

A view of Wilanów Palace, with its beautiful gardens.

Another view of Wilanów Palace.

The best and most impressive views are on the eastern side, which leads down to a lake. Be sure to visit the manicured gardens.

Palace on the Water

Located in the expansive Łazienki Park, this late 17^th century palace was also a summer residence of the Polish king, Stanisław August. It is built on a narrow lake.

An exterior view of the Palace on the Water.

It was undergoing some restoration work during our visit, but is still very impressive.

Interior view of the Palace on the Water.

The Park itself is definitely worth wandering for its the impressive gardens and fountains, and they\Park has Chopin concerts in the summer.

Old Town

Warsaw has a historic center, but unfortunately the original Old Town was flattened by the Germans in World War II in retribution for the Polish uprising (more on that in my next post).

The Royal Way leads north into Old Town from modern Warsaw.

The Royal Palace (on the right) is at the entrance to Warsaw’s Old Town. It has been reconstructed since World War II.

The Barbican. A main medieval gate into Old Town Warsaw.

A horse-drawn carriage on a street in Old Town Warsaw.

The Old Town has been restored over the past 50 years, although I found the restoration a little less impressive than Gdansk. I think my impression was affected by the construction work going on in one of the main squares during our visit that made the area a bit less atmospheric.

Visitants’ Church (Visitation Sisters’ Church of St. Joseph)

The world renowned Polish composer and pianist Frédéric Chopin (1810 – 1849) is a local hero. This church, right on the Royal Way that leads to Old Town is significant since Chopin played the organ here. The Visitants’ Church was constructed in the mid 1700’s and survived the bombings of World War II.

The Baroque exterior of the Visitants’ Church.

Interior of the Visitants’ Church.

There is also a Chopin Museum nearby, but we did not make it to the museum. Also along the Royal Way are some other interesting churches.

St. Anne’s Church, considered the most ornate church in Warsaw. It escaped major damage in World War II.

Church of the Holy Cross. It contains an urn with the remains of the heart of Frédéric Chopin, which was brought here from Paris after his death, according to his wishes.

Picturesque Sights along the Lot River in South Central France

The Lot River region of France is filled with many beautiful sights –natural scenery, attractive villages and historical sights. The sights below are south of the beautiful town of Sarlat-la-Caneda and north of the city of Toulouse.

The sights in this post are in a small area just north of Toulouse, France.

Bonaguil Castle

Bonaguil Castle is 60 km (37 miles) to the west of Cahors. It was one of the last defensive medieval castles built. Although it was originally constructed in the 1300’s, it was extensively rebuilt at the end of the 15^th century.

A view of Bonaguil Castle from the village.

A view of the entrance to Bonaguil Castle.

The moat around Bonaguil Castle.

The castle sits in a very picturesque spot on a hillside overlooking a tiny village. Underneath the front edge (closest to the town) of the castle are some interesting tunnels. Be sure to explore them.

Looking down from the castle ramparts.

Puy –l’Evêque

Just a scenic little village on the Lot River, near Bonaguil Castle. Worth a short stop to wander the charming streets.

One of the many quaint streets in Puy l’Eveque.

A view of the town from the Lot River.

Cahors

Cahors is a 2,000 year-old town. Its famous fortified medieval bridge (Pont Valentre) over the River Lot is one of the most photographed monuments in all of France. It has 7 pointed arches spanning the river and three towers.

The medieval bridge crossing the Lot River in Cahors.

Another view of the bridge (Pont Valentre) in Cahors.

It was built between 1308 and 1360.There is also a great cathedral here, the Cathédrale de St-Etienne.

Figeac

Another picturesque town along the Lot River, with number of small hotels, making this town a good base for exploring the area.

A view of the town of Figeac.

In the center of Figeac.

Just outside of town are a number of picturesque villages, including Espagnac-Ste-Eulalie (see below).

A village outside of Figeac.

An old mill outside Figeac.

Espagnac-Ste-Eulalie

This is a tiny village with a beautiful 12^th century Priory of Notre-Dame-Ste-Eulalie and an elaborate bell tower.

The beautiful hamlet of Espagnac-Ste-Eulalie.

Ten Tips for Visiting India on Your Own

We toured India in March 2014. While I had visited the country once before on business, we decided to explore more of this fascinating country as tourists.

Why go?

Before our trip, I had several people ask me “why are you going to India (for vacation)?” In response, I would say the following: We love to experience the variation that exists in our world. To us, vacations are not just about lying on the beach (which certainly we enjoy), but also about getting to experience cultures that are different from our own.

The Taj Mahal is only one of many incredible sights in India.

India is an amazing country with some of the most stunning sights in the world. Add to that the cultural and religious diversity, the history, and the landscape, and for us those were enough reasons to go. We were not disappointed.

I will say that India is a bit more of a challenging country to visit on your own than some other places. Below are a few tips that should help make your visit enjoyable.

Decide on a region to visit. There is a reason they call India the “subcontinent” – it’s big. While it’s possible to fly between major destinations all over the country, this eats up time and money and takes away from some of the cultural aspects gained while traveling through the countryside. We decided to concentrate mostly on the state of Rajasthan. It’s the most popular tourist region in India, and we figured it would be a good introduction to the country.

Our major destinations in India. We drove between the locations in the north, and then flew from Jodhpur to Mumbai and Aurangabad.

We flew in to New Delhi and out of Mumbai with Rajasthan being the main focus in between. Rajasthan (which is in the northwest part of the country) has a lot to offer and is home to many incredible 15^th century forts (or Indian castles).

The amazing Amber Fort in Jaipur. It looked so surreal, like a movie set prop rather than a real palace.

Determine your mode(s) of transportation. Traveling by train or bus certainly would be inexpensive, but there are a lot of hassles associated with train travel in particular – such as needing advance reservations (due to the volume of passengers traveling by train), navigating the details of the Indian train system website from the U.S., and then the logistics of getting from the train station to your hotel and to the various sights. Air travel is good in India. The local airlines and airports are efficient and good, with newer planes and on-schedule departures and arrivals. We took a few internal flights when needed.

The modern airport in Aurangabad.

Recommendation: Get a car and driver. Originally, I was going to hire a car and driver to get us from one location to the next, and then get another car and driver at the next stop. However, as it worked out, after a conversation with the company who drove us to Agra from New Delhi, we gave them our whole itinerary for the two weeks in Rajasthan and agreed on a price of $700, inclusive of the driver, comfortable van (there were four of us plus our luggage), gas, tolls, parking fees, etc. Quite a deal.

Our van and driver (Bhuipnder) for our two weeks in Rajasthan.

This meant we had our own personal chauffeur to navigate the Indian traffic and roads (quite an experience), take us to all the sights, recommend restaurants, etc. Visit www.kumarindiatours.com for more information. Splitting this cost by two couples meant our transportation for two weeks and about 1,600 kilometers or so (1,000 miles) was $350. We gave the driver about a 10% tip at the end of the trip.

Visit between November and March. We went at the end of March, and the weather was perfect. Even out in the Thar desert, the temperatures were just in the mid 80’s F. If you go later than this, you will end up being scorched in the desert or sweating in the oppressive humidity. The monsoon rains start in July or so.

Brace yourself for overwhelming poverty, chaos and crowds. The juxtaposition of incredible wealth next to destitute poverty is jarring. Although the economy of India is growing quite rapidly, there are millions of people living on next to nothing. Many towns look like they have been ‘bombed out’. There is rubble everywhere and numerous dilapidated or unfinished buildings. Some roads end all-of-a-sudden with no explanation/signage. You will see pigs going through piles of trash, cows, rickshaws, elephants, camels, and everything else you can imagine on or beside the roads.

Cows grazing on the street in Jaipur.

Taking a rickshaw ride through the busy Chandni Chowk area of Delhi.

The crowds I’m talking about are the locals. India has over one billion people and in the major cities the streets are teeming with seas of local folks buying, selling, wandering, eating, washing, urinating, sleeping and just living.

Women bathing and washing by Lake Pichola in Udaipur.

Learn to like (if you don’t already) Indian food. The Indian dishes (which we already loved) were great and there were typically two cuisine choices on the menus: Indian and Chinese. The Chinese dishes were good too. You might occasionally find pizza. Due to the variety of religions in India, you won’t find a lot of beef or pork.

Some examples of the yummy food – combinations of Indian and Chinese dishes are common.

Vegetarian dishes were very common and good. We did not have a problem with any food-related illnesses. Grocery stores are hard to come by, most locals buy their supplies from small markets. You can find little kiosks for snacks and drinks, but don’t expect to see a Safeway grocery store or Carrefour.

Dress conservatively but comfortably. The temperatures of our locations were in the 70’s and 80’s, I wore shorts most places, but in a few temples, long pants were appropriate. For women, capris and shoulder-covering tops are a good choice. Avoid calling too much attention to yourself.

The stunning Jain temple of Ranakpur was one of the sites where very conservative clothing is expected.

Even tourist areas are non-touristy. Probably one of our biggest surprises was that even in cities with major tourist sites, the cities beyond the tourist attractions were just regular chaotic Indian towns.

The local market in Jodhpur.

While locals will want to take you to rug, jewelry and clothing shops, for the most part you’ll be hard pressed to find many “tourist traps” that often accompany major sights. We were surprised that Agra, the home of the world-renowned Taj Mahal, (except near the parking area for the Taj), was pretty much like any other Indian city, even with some dirt roads.

Take reasonable safety precautions. In our three weeks visit, we never felt in danger in any way, and felt very comfortable walking around even crowded streets and markets, including at night. However, be smart—don’t wear expensive jewelry, keep your wallet, money and phone protected. Be aware of your surroundings and keep track of your personal items just as you would in any populated area. I took a small laptop and iPad on the trip and when I didn’t have them with me, I just locked them up in my suitcase at the hotel. We did not have any problems.

Tipping is everything to the locals. Be prepared to tip small amounts for just about any type of courtesy or service. This is how many people make their living.

Auschwitz – Birkenau

The main gate to Auschwitz-Birkenau. The trains full of Jews and others from across Europe would stop either outside this gate or pass through to unload their unfortunate passengers.

In my previous post, I shared some photos and thoughts about Auschwitz I, the well-known “original” Auschwitz concentration camp. Auschwitz II (or Auschwitz-Birkenau) is located just 3 kilometers from Auschwitz I and was designed more specifically as a death factory and for some, a slave labor camp. More than 1.1 million people passed through here, about 700,000 of which were immediately sent to the gas chambers. When the Soviet Army liberated the camp in January 1945, only 7,000 inmates were left alive.

Guard towers along the 12 kilometers of fence at the camp.

The camp could hold about 100,000 people at any given time. Below I provide some images in more or less the order of the process of events that happened to those who suffered this terrible fate.

An example of a freight car that would bring the prisoners to the camp. The prisoners would unload at this spot after long and cramped journey, and after a quick examination, most would be herded to the gas chambers.

The road from the train unloading area to the gas chambers and crematoria where hundreds of thousands walked to their deaths.

After walking the long road, the victims would wait in these peaceful woods for their turn in the gas chambers.

A photo of the victims waiting patiently in the woods for the end.

A picture of the crematoria where the bodies would be burned after gassing.

The ruins of Crematoria II. The building was blown up by the Nazis to try to cover up its purpose.

A plaque noting the pond in the background, where the ashes of thousands were dumped from the crematoria.

If you were “fortunate” enough to be selected for slave labor, you were processed through this building where you were stripped, shaved, tattooed, showered and given your prison uniform. All of your remaining possessions were taken away.

Many women were housed in these brick barracks, with 8 prisoners to a “shelf” covered by rotting straw in a swampy area with no actual floor other than hardened dirt.

Most men where housed in these wooden barracks, some of which were horse stables originally.

Inside the wooden barracks. 1,000 men would be housed in a building that previously held 52 horses.

The latrines in the barracks. I can’t imagine the horror of the living conditions.

The literal end of the rail line, between Crematoria II and III. On this spot there is now the International Monument to the Camp Victims.

Practical Information:

I would highly suggest starting your visit at Auschwitz I and then driving over to Auschwitz II to continue your tour (lots of parking available outside the camp). The excellent map and guide book you can purchase at the first camp will provide a good overview and directions at Auschwitz II, which is a huge site (425 acres, 98 buildings with ruins of 300 more–be prepared for a lot of walking). Also, Auschwitz II is very well sign posted (as is Auschwitz I), providing information (and some photos) in English, Hebrew as well as Polish and German.

The Independent Tourist

Travel Locations and Tips for Independent Travelers