January 8, 2024 - Monday - Agra to Mumbai and Oceania Riviera

Today we departed Agra for Mumbai and the ship. This necessitated having our luggage outside our door at 4:00. We set our alarm for 3:00 to be sure to be ready for this and to make our way to the early breakfast at 4:00. No need to worry about keeping to this schedule. I woke up at 11:00 and could not fall asleep after that. Our bags were out at 3:50 and we were on our way to breakfast. What a sorry lot we were. Just about everyone had been up since 3:00 or earlier. Breakfast was quiet and we were all on the buses by 4:45.

The drive to the Delhi airport was uneventful but grueling. Traffic was heavy and we were striving to arrive by 9:30 for our 10:55 charter flight to Mumbai. We arrived on schedule and were ushered with our carry-ons to security. This was an ordeal. Everything electronic had to be placed in a tray for scanning. Our passports were scrutinized and our Indi e-visas were examined with great care. all of this was handled by separate personnel. Finally, we reloaded our carry-ons and made our way to the gate. 

There were 131 of us plus our 5 guides. We found whatever seats in the waiting we could and waited for our call. It was 10:00 and our plane had not arrived yet. At last it taxied to the gate and boarding began. We were well prepared to leave on time, but the plane stayed at the gate. At about 10:45 the pilot announced that there was a bureaucratic mix-up. No one had gotten the clearance from the aviation gods to allow us to depart. We would need to get the approvals taken care of first. Then we would have to be worked into the flight schedules. He did not know how long all of this would take, but he assured us that it was progressing with the highest levels of attention.

We received the necessary blessings and departed at 12:45. The two-and-a-half-hour flight to Mumbai was smooth. We were served a tasty chicken wrap for lunch. Upon arrival, we were taken to collect our luggage and board buses to the port. The ride would take an hour and include a tour of the sights of Mumbai along the way. This was so and we arrived at the port shortly after 4:00.

Although we had the e-visas when we arrived at the check in we were handed photocopies of them. Next, we presented passports and visa copies to an immigration officer. Then we did the same to a security officer and finally, we passed through security scanners for ourselves and our bags. Now we went with our bags to another document check before being let onto the ship. We still did not have room keys. We were directed to the ship's theater. Here our documents were reviewed again. At last, we were free to find our rooms. There was no staff to assist with that. However, as we left the lounge there was a crew member who advised us that we would have to go directly to our muster stations in order to be logged in as present for the drill that was about to start. Our station was in the casino. We were not given maps of the ship, but we found signage at the elevator bank that showed where the casino was. We made our way there and were all alone until another couple in our group arrived. We were all equally confused and there was not a crew member around to even ask to check us in. We went in search of a person while the usual safety instructions blared over the ship’s speakers. We went to guest service to explain our plight. The attendant asked us where our stations were and for our room numbers. She said we were good to go. Go we did, dragging our carry-on and checked bag from the tour with us.

We arrived at our room. The two large bags that had been sent by train from Delhi on Friday were waiting for us.

Dinner was a nonevent and we crashed after emptying our luggage into appropriate drawers, closets, and cupboards. The room is very nice. The bathroom and shower are very generous and elegant. This is better than our last Oceania voyage 11 years ago, but nevertheless, our first impressions are not very favorable. The boarding process was chaotic. Some of this was inspired by the Indian authorities, but much of it was reflected by poor coordination and communication on the part of staff. As newbies to this ship, we did not feel the warm welcome that has been extended by all of the other cruise lines we have sailed. 

This is just the beginning. We will reserve judgment until we get home.

January 7, 2024 - Sunday - The Taj Mahal

We awoke at 4:00 and were in the lobby for "coffee and" at 5:00. We then boarded bus number 2 for the short journey to the Taj Mahal. The goal was to be in line before the masses started to arrive. This meant 5:30. It was dark and foggy when we arrived at the east guest entrance after a long ride on a 12-passenger golf cart. It was a harrowing ride as we wove around security barriers and dodged the many motorbikes bringing in others. Honking horns were omnipresent. This ticket entrance is well away from the Taj and provides a queuing area and ticket scanning facility. Surprise! There were only 5 people in line ahead of us. The gate does not open until half an hour before sunrise. We stood in line until 6:35 when entrance began.

Our excellent guide gathered us together after we passed through the scanning process. He had told us to leave big bags at the hotel or on the bus because they would not be allowed in. We passed this test. In heavy fog, he led us through a garden to the East Gate. This gate is made of red sandstone with white marble panels. inlaid in the marble are verses from The Koran. Our guide explained the inlay process. The black “letters” of the verses are each a single piece of stone carved to shape. Then the white marble is chiseled out to accept the letter. The adhesive was applied and the letters were placed. This makes the setting perfectly smooth and tight. The work has survived for over 400 years.

East Gate

 

 

Marble Inlays

First Views Through  the Fog

As we walked around the corner of the East Gate, there it was looming in the fog. The Taj Mahal. This was not the view we were all waiting for. The fog shrouded it yet it was still impressive. While we were disappointed we knew that we would have another opportunity to see it at sunset. We donned our shoe covers and entered the mausoleum. The entire structure is perfectly symmetrical except for the tombs. In the very center is a replica of the queen’s tomb which is well below the surface. Then the symmetry is broken by the placement of the shah’s replica to the right of hers. Aside from this, every side view is identical. Ah, but again there is an exception. The text around each entrance is a different verse from the Koran. This is the only way to know which side of the building you are looking at. The text reads from the bottom of the right side of the opening to the top, across the top, and down the left side. If you read Arabic you have the key.

Fortunately, the interior is well lit and the fog is not an issue. After we toured the inside, we went out to take as many photos as we could. Some would be clear close-ups while others show the subject through the fog. We retraced our path to our original entry and repeated a long golf cart ride to the bus parking lot. Back at the hotel, we had a very nice buffet breakfast. A busy day followed.

Entrance to the Tomb

Taken Inside

Views from the Entrance

After breakfast, we rode the bus to Agra Fort. This huge defense is built of red sandstone. This is refaced every ten years or so because the sandstone is soft and wears away in the weather. The grounds cover 55 acres with a considerable portion of that occupied by the military for barracks and training. The fort is perched high on a bank above the river and is ringed by three moats. One moat is wet and the other two are dry. The approaches to the entry gates are staggered. A normal attack would have elephants run directly into the gates, knocking them down. By staggering the access the elephants were not able to build the speed needed to accomplish this. Inside we saw the place where the Shah’s son had him imprisoned for squandering funds to build the mausoleum for his wife. The view from this “cell” included the Taj Mahal on clear days. This was further punishment to the Shah who was well cared for and lived to die a natural death.

Triple Moats

First Gate

Second Gate

                    

Ornamentation

Lavish Accommodations

Shah's Suite with View Toward Taj Mahal

Some Details

Agra Fort is a very impressive structure in its own right. Anyone who visits Agra and skips visiting this edifice does himself a disservice. Our bus took us back to the hotel. We were allowed time for lunch before we took a tour to the factory that produces inlaid marble objects. There we saw some of the few craftsmen left to perform this art. They are members of families who have practiced this trade for lifetimes. Some of them may trace their families to the building of the Taj. We saw how designs are created, semi-precious stones are selected, cut, and ground to the proper size. The stones are then passed to a man who arranges the design on the marble and traces the outline. Then he chisels and grinds away the marble so the stones can be cemented in place. Again this is all perfectly smooth without any gaps. The white marble is Makrana. It is found in India and is translucent without cracks.

We left the work area to visit the display area. Here we saw finished pieces of many sizes for many uses with designs of varying complexity and beauty. A small tabletop was placed on a lighted pedestal to demonstrate the translucent quality of the marble. Pieces made by apprentices and craftsmen up to masters were also on display. The show ended with the opportunity to buy. We found a piece that told us it was what we must buy in memory of our extraordinary visit to the Taj Mahal. It will arrive in Elk Grove Village shortly after we return home. Again, we returned to the hotel. We are happier with each return.

Raw Materials

Number of Pieces in Designs

Shaping the Pieces

Placing the Pieces

Organizing the Pieces

Coming to Elk Grove

At 3:30 we again boarded the buses. By 4:00 we were inside the grounds of the Taj Mahal and approaching the red sandstone East Gate. There was no trace of fog. We looked through the portal and there it was. Bathed in light the Taj Mahal beckoned us. It looked even more beautiful as we walked toward it. We spent an hour viewing it from various angles. As the sun started to set and its light changed, the white marble started to take on a slightly golden hue. What a remarkable monument to love this place is. Alice will have to settle for my pictures with her in the shadow of the Taj Mahal as a testament to my love for her.

We were back at the hotel by 6:00. Alice and I were in bed by 7:00 because breakfast was scheduled for 4:00 in the morning.

January 6, 2024 - Saturday - Delhi to Agra

This morning is our last late breakfast before boarding Riviera on Monday. We had our large suitcases in the hall outside our room at 7:00. They were being picked up for transfer by train to the ship. We would see them next when we arrived at our stateroom on Riviera.

We got to the conference room where our early breakfast was set up at 7:15. The dining room was not available to us. There was one man seated at a table for 8. We asked to join him and he happily said yes. He was Juan and his wife was Maria. She was getting her food and soon joined us. We had a delightful conversation. They are from Miami where they both immigrated with their families from Cuba as children soon after it became apparent that Castro would be rising  to power in the early 1960’s. Their families lost everything and made new lives in America. 

Juan’s father was trained in audio and had been a successful architect in Cuba. No one would hire him in that capacity in the US, so he took his audio experience to the film industry. He eventually became famous for dubbing movies and TV shows in Spanish. Juan studied industrial engineering in college but went to work for the Federal Reserve Bank branch in Miami. He started in the mail room and worked his way up to president. He retired from that position a few years ago. Maria was a human resources professional. She spent 25 years at Royal Caribbean Cruise Line where she became the VP of Human Resources. She was actively involved in negotiating industry-wide employee rights for employees in the industry. When she retired she started a successful real estate business in Miami. She and her son run the business. Juan is active as a member of boards of directors for some banks in Miami.

We had a delightful time at breakfast. It was inspiring to hear their stories of success. We all agreed that the spirit of hard work, commitment, and loyalty seems lacking in today’s workforce. After agreeing that this breakfast was no match for yesterday’s we parted to get our carry-on bags and board the coaches for our four-hour journey to Agra.

The lobby scene was chaotic. This was our first exposure to the Indian sense of organization. There was none. 131 people were to board 5 buses, but no one had told us which bus we were assigned to. The 5 guides who would be our escorts for the next 3 days roamed through the crowd asking for names and letting us know if we were on their bus number. Gradually the crowd thinned, but there were still 20 of us left. Several of us had been seeking out guides only to be told that we were not on their bus. At last, we learned that we were on bus number 2, and we proceeded to board.

The adventure begins. As we left the hotel we merged into traffic and the early morning fog so prevalent at this time of year. While walking, one could see far enough ahead to feel safe. That also worked for the slow pace of rush hour traffic. We had a slow tour of the city of Delhi before getting on the tollway to Agra. 

Practicing for a Parade

Unsure of the Occasion

West gate to Delhi

Once out of the city, while on a coach traveling at 50 miles per hour, it was no longer comforting as the fog outside the city was denser. This was especially true since all traffic was using their flashers. Approaching the toll booths was a real challenge because vehicles would change lanes jockeying for position right up to the booths. The honking of horns was an essential part of this process. In fact, honking horns were a part of all driving, everywhere.

Merccy Stop

Traffic Warning

We survived all of this and after the appropriate time for mercy stops, we were in our room in the Courtyard by Marriott Agra. Our lunch was here at the Marriott. It consisted of an Indian buffet that was quite good. A short time after settling in Alice and I joined a tour to see and learn about tufted embroidery art. This art form Is done completely with colored threads of different weights and textures. A 3D effect is created by building up the area to be raised by using plain cotton thread to raise the surface and then finishing the object with the silk threads. The end result is framed artworks of various sizes and subject matter. They are stunning displays of a vanishing art. Sadly, we were not allowed to photograph the works. Viewing them has created a lasting memory that words do not do justice to.

While this was what Alice and I wanted to see, we had been told that this place also created artistic jewelry. So, after a viewing of the embroidery gallery, we were all ushered upstairs to the jewelry showroom. Clearly, this is the purpose of this stop. There was jewelry that would appeal to anyone. Almost. Alice and I admired the selection but we were not ready to invest in anything yet. We had three more weeks to find OUR something special.

This tour ended and we returned to the hotel. Another group had gone to a carpet demonstration. They were just returning as well. After a quick visit to our rooms, we reconvened in the ballroom for a program of traditional Indian dance. A couple in traditional costumes danced for us for 45 minutes. Their recorded music was very good and their explanations and execution were excellent.

After enjoying this program we went directly to bed. Tomorrow we must get up at 4:00 AM.