ARE WE ON THE RIGHT TRACK:

 ARE WE ON THE RIGHT TRACK:

                                      The Day Begins

It seems as if this trip is developing a railway theme. 

Having slept fairly well last night, we are still up very early. We made it to breakfast at 0630 when they opened. I must say the coffee here is very good and over all the breakfast is excellent with many choices. The mango muffin was a hit this morning. I also tried the Idlis (a rice cake) with a spicy vegetable stew. Sorry no picture, but it was good. Lynn had an omelet and a side of mango yogurt. 

                                      KEWL Elevator

This morning we are headed to the National Rail Museum.  One of the easy and very affordable ways to get about Delhi is by Uber. Our fare was under 100 rupees (INR) and I left a generous tip. We noticed the traffic was very light and our driver said it is usually quiet on Sunday morning. (the current exchange rate is 100 INR = $1.10 USD) I simply move the decimal point two when figuring the exchange. 

“Let the country Make the railroads and the railroads will make the country” - Edward Pease

Edward Pease, a woolen manufacturer from Darlington, England, was the main promoter of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, which opened in 1825. He is sometimes referred to as the "Father of the Railways".

 
The foundation stone for National Rail Museum was laid by then Honorable President of India Shri V.V. Giri on 7th October, 1971. It was set up as the first ever Transport Museum in India and was named as “Rail Transport Museum”(RTM). The museum was inaugurated and opened for public on 1st February, 1977 by the then Honorable Minister of Railways Shri Kamlapathi Tripathi. The museum was renamed as National Rail Museum in October 1995. 

The National Rail Museum, New Delhi represents the splendid rich heritage of Indian Railway sprawling in over 11 acres of land. Emulating the setting of a railway yard, the extensive outdoor gallery houses a variety of steam, diesel and electric locomotives along with fascinating collection of royal saloons, wagons, carriages, armored trains, rail cars. These original life-size exhibits have been well maintained and restored.

 

 Interactive displays and models exhibited inside the Indoor gallery displays the remarkable stories related to early modes of transportation till date and future endeavors in Indian Railways. There are also some remarkable collections of historical photographs, documents, railway artifacts, static exhibits, antiquated items and old furniture which enhance the experience of the many visitors every year and envisioned them how a single investment of Indian Railway helped in unification and progress of India as a nation.

The museum is spread over 11 acres and is has 91 real size exhibits like different types of steam, diesel & electric locomotives, Royal Saloons, Vintage Cranes, Wagons, fireless steam locomotive and John Morris fire engine (1914) with solid rubber tyres in fully road worthy condition. Museum boasts of having the world’s oldest working steam locomotive “Fairy Queen” featuring in Guiness Book of World Records (currently homed at Rewari Steam Heritage Centre). The National Rail Museum takes pride in having the world’s first steam mono rail using “Ewing System” in fully working condition. 

About 85% of the exhibits are dated between 1853 - 1950. The indoor gallery has a rich collection of coat of arms, records, miniatures models, badges, old rail tickets, photographs and historical documents promising the visitors an exciting journey into the rich historical heritage of Indian Railways and its contribution to the industrial & economic progress of the country.

Entry during the weekdays is 50 rupees and it is doubles to 100 rupees on the weekend. 

We honestly expected the museum to be rather crowed as it is the weekend, but this was not the case. 


We started with the indoor museum. This is very well done and interprets so many facets of the railways of India.  Photos below will show the diversity of topics.

We then walked about and amongst the many engines and rail-cars. I will say some of these are works in progress and the progress is rather slow. Yet, the diversity of the display is very amazing. 



                                                              The Mono Rail Train

                                                                 The Cafeteria Restaurant  

                                   The Joy Train 50INR fora ride, very popular amongst the locals.

                                                              We did not partake of this water 

Interesting to see a mention of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a Victorian engineer and pioneer of the Industrial Revolution. He had major influence in London and across the UK.   

                                            Who knew there were so many styles of rail road track

                                                                      Amazing models

There is a restaurant on property and several snack stands available. We had a Fanta Orange, our go to travel drink when abroad for 40 INR. The snack stand had a very nice looking toasted sandwich for 80INR. 



There is a very small souvenir shop with only a few items for sale. The gentleman working the shop was pleasant to talk to and he is very knowledgeable about the steam trains on property. He thought we were from New Zealand (someone yesterday thought we were from Australia), that I took as a compliment. 

In our conversation  about where we were from, I pulled up a picture of the Big Boy 4014 that I will call the pride of Cheyenne, Wyoming. He very quickly recognized the image and called out “The Big Boy” he knew a good bit about its restoration. 

We spent very close to three hours at this venue wandering among the old trains. 



As we were leaving, a tuck tuck (auto-rickshaw) driver approached and asked if we needed a ride, I was just about to arrange an Uber for our return. He offered the same rate as Uber so we chose  his service. 

The joy of a auto rickshaw is they are open air and the breeze is always welcome. 



Back at the Taj Palace we are meet with a welcoming “Namaste”.  Meaning "the divine and self is same in you and me”.

 

I think tonight we will try the Spicy Duck restaurant. 





OFF TO INDIA: A MIGHTY LONG AIPLANE RIDE

 OFF TO INDIA: MIGHTY LONG AIRPLANE RIDE-

             GIN AND TONIC SEEMS VERY APPROPRIATE
 

 

Well it is gonna be a mighty long day or two getting there. I was lucky and got us a very good business class airfare for this trip. We will fly from Denver to Frankfurt then Frankfurt to Delhi. Total travel time will be about 24 hours if all goes well. Lounge access will be very welcome.  

We are scheduled to arrive at 0130 and will prob crash big time when we get to our hotel. 

 

                  BUT OF COURSE A CURRY IS IN ORDER

 

Then we start to adjust to the new time zone. There will be a 12 hour time difference in our time back home. 

The checking in took a bit longer as all the documents had to be checked. We got all checked in and off to the UAL lounge. As usual for us, we are early enough for breakfast (the cranberry porridge is very much to my liking) and now they are changing over to lunch. 

Our Flights to New Delhi went well and the meals and service were excellent. 

We arrived in New Delhi and made our way through immigration. The eVisa system worked well, the lines were much shorter and moved faster. I would highly suggest one should make sure to have a printed copy of your visa to further expedite the process. (We did). 

 



Baggage claim was where we hit a small bump. Our bags took about one and a half hours to hit the baggage carousel. We had an arranged a transfer to our hotel and the driver was about to give up on us as he was sending text messages. 

I did stop at an airport ATM to get a bit of cash. But eventually we got gathered up and were on the way to our hotel, the Taj Palace. 

At the hotel we received a Bindi and a neckless. A bindi is a red dot placed above ones brow in the center of the forehead. 

Around 3000 BC, the rishi-muni (ancient seers of Hinduism) wrote the Vedas, in which they described the existence of areas of concentrated energy called the chakras. There are seven main chakras that run along the center of the body, and the sixth one (called the ajna chakra, the “brow chakra” or “third eye chakra”) occurs exactly where the bindi is placed.

In Sanskrit, ajna translates as “command” or “perceive,” and is considered the eye of intuition and intellect. According to the Vedas, when something is seen in the mind’s eye or in a dream, it is also seen by ajna. Thus, the bindi’s purpose is to enhance the powers of this chakra, specifically by facilitating one’s ability to access their inner wisdom or guru, allowing them to see the world and interpret things in a truthful, unbiased manner as well as forsake their ego and rid their false labels.

Hindu tradition holds that all people have a third inner eye. The two physical eyes are used for seeing the external world, while the third focuses inward toward God. As such, the red dot signifies piety as well as serving as a constant reminder to keep God at the center of one’s thoughts.

The bindi can be found in Hinduism and Buddhism, it is composed of sandalwood, turmeric and ash.  A pinch of vermilion powder is applied with a ring-finger to make a dot.
In our room, we simply crash with an alarm set for 0900 so we can get some breakfast. 

The breakfast buffet is very very extensive with many items of which I have no clue as to what they are. 


Back to the room and we again crash for a few more hours. Time to do our laundry and we need to explore our lodging a bit more. 

We did explore our hotel and made a dining reservation for Monday night. 

 

      A VERY NICE BUFFET WITH SO MANY OFFERINGS

                                     Inside The Orient Express  

  

 

                                       THE HOTEL GROUNDS

                I thought the oil and vinegar carafe was kewl

There are several very nice restaurants here in this hotel all offering various styles of cuisines. 

One restaurant here is the Orient Express. Themed around the legendary train that travels across Europe, the award-winning Orient Express restaurant serves quintessential European cuisine in a compartment resembling its famous namesake. Hors d’oeuvres, entrées, sorbets and desserts are inspired by the countries through which the train travels. 



I was intrigued by this venue from reading about the hotel. As we were walking about and reading the menu one of the servers asked if we wanted to see the venue as they were currently closed. But of course we did. 

The minute we walked into this restaurant I was sold and wanted to make sure we experienced this dining location. We made a reservation for Monday night. 

We then continued our walkabout the property checking out the garden and pool area. 

The Captains Kitchen was having Pizza Night ( 20 or more pizzas on the menu) and we decided to give it a go. The portion was perfect for us and the pizza very good. Not what we are accustomed to but very very good.  I had a Kingfisher Beer. 



 

After dinner back to the room and finish this entry as we are ready to sleep. 

Thanks for sharing and following along. Tomorrow we will head out to do some exploring. 
 






 
 

  

OFF TO INDIA FOR A TRAIN RIDE

 

 

 

 In about 2 weeks we will be off to India for a photo expedition. We will be traveling with National Geographic on their India By Rail Photography Expedition. 



 

 

On this trip we will visit several UNESCO sites for photo shoots. We will also visit several marble palaces and several markets. 

One thing I am looking forward to is searching for tigers in Ranthambhore National Park, as well as some rare birds and other wildlife at Keoladeo National Park.

As this is a photo journey, I will be traveling with two camera bodies and at this time carrying just two lenses ( a 100-500mm and a 24-240mm). I might change these choices and add a wide angle lens, will take a monopod just in case and it can double as a hiking pole.  Yes, we will also have our iPhones with us as a camera. 

My goals for the shots I want are the classic temple images and monument views, detailed tile work shots, daily life/ street shots. I want to capture the hustle and bustle of the markets. 

We will be arriving three days early to adjust to the time change. This also gives us some time to explore a bit on our own. 

I also hope to get in a hot air balloon flight, will have to see if we can make that happen. 

 

Our accommodations will be rather upscale for us. We will be traveling by rail on the Palace on Wheels. The Palace on Wheels train provides a unique luxury travel experience in India. It began operating in 1982, a joint effort by Indian Railways and Rajasthan Tourism. This special train was designed to bring back the feeling of royal train journeys. In the past, only Indian kings and British officials travelled like this. Passengers can now enjoy a similar luxurious journey through India’s history. The train often travels through the beautiful state of Rajasthan.

In 2024, the Palace on Wheels received a big award. Condé Nast Traveler readers voted it the World’s Best Luxury Train.

This will be an interesting experience for us. 

As we look forward to this journey we also look forward to sharing it with you. 





A SNOOPY TRAIL DAY:

 A SNOOPY TRAIL DAY:

We started the day by taking the District Line to our favorite cafe. Yes, we returned to the River Cafe, where the food is very good and the hospitality is great. Lynn had her eggs on toast and fresh squeezed orange juice, I had a black coffee and a bacon roll.

 

 

 

After breakfast we took the District Line to the Central Line to the St Paul Station. 

 

                                            IYKYK 

 



Todays plan is to find the 12 Snoopy in the City sculptures. 

A specially curated trail of beautifully-designed Snoopy sculptures has been hidden around the Fleet Street Quarter for the festive season. 

The sculptures celebrate the  75 years of Charles M Schulz’s Peanuts comic strip, twelve sculptures, featuring Snoopy perched on his iconic red doghouse, have been transformed by artists into beautiful and playful works of art.

Maps are available on line as well as many local businesses on Fleet Street have maps available. Most of the statues are pretty easy to find and some are hidden off the beaten track. Along the route you will meet a good number of folks following the trail. Just follow the people with maps in hand.

 

The length of the trail is 4.8 miles long, but not to worry there are several pubs along the way should one need a break. 

Our original plan was to start with number one following the numerical sequence. 

After we found #1 and #2 we felt it would be better to reverse our plan. 

After we had located 11 of the statues we took a break at Ye Old Cheshire Cheese.

 

 

 

This is the first every public drinking fountain 

T

 

 
Probably the most famous pub in the world, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is one of London’s few remaining 17th Century chophouses. The sawdust on the floor is changed twice daily, It is a pub and eating house offering unpretentious fare in wooden bays provided by high-backed church pews.  The site formed part of the 13th century Carmelite monastery and since 1538 a pub has stood here.

 

 

 
Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is an historic gem of a pub on Fleet Street, on the edge of the City of London.  The pub was rebuilt in 1667 after the original one was burnt down by the Great Fire of London.  Over the past 355 years Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese  has been frequented by numerous prominent literary figures: Dr Samuel Johnson, Mark Twain, W.B. Yeats and Charles Dickens, who even featured it in his novel A Tale of Two Cities. Other prominent figures who were customers: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Voltaire and Winston Churchill.

After our break we found our 12th sculpture and returned to our hotel. 

Tonight we pack up for our trip home tomorrow. This was a a fun trip for us as we learned many new things and revisited a few previously visited locations.