Photo bonded by brits

Elvis

Paisley airport shops

Macaroons

Mary catching shut eye

Delhi airport-Namaste

Wood carved deities

Store merchants mother

Friends chatting

Tea merchant

Decorative window grids

Mysore art collection

Dancer

Art students

Drumming

Museum staff

Craft store

Street vendors

“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta

Two eight hour flights, layovers and we reached India at 1130 pm on Tuesdays. In Detroit we met a great couple from England, and an Elvis impersonator. In Paris I had to drag Mary thru a cornucopia of top brand name stores. On the planes we ate mediocre food and tried to sleep squeezed into tiny seats.

Our hotel room is fabulous. With a few hours sleep, Mary and I were ready to roll.

We hired a driver and set out to explore. At the National Culture Museum and the National Museum we began to learn about India. The real learning came as we explored the streets and stores. My favorite was the tea shop. I had a great lesson in the fine art of growing, buying and blending tea. Every person we have interacted with wants to share with us, in the airports, twice, it was turbaned, bearded Sihk gentlemen that helped with heavy luggage, it was the shop owners who could not wait to tell us the history and construction of the little boxes or tea we were buying.

It was a waiter who taught me how to eat coconut milk soup, a treat I will share at home.

Tomorrow the “guided tour begins “.