Monday, February 18, 2013

Golden Triangle, India

India's Golden Triangle is a tourist route comprised of visiting the North Indian cities of New Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur. I visited all these cities over 4 days by car. Check out the photos to get a taste of the rich cultural and heritage that may be found in these cities including but not limited to The Taj Mahal.

Shri Lakshimi Narian Temple, New Delhi

Red Fort, New Delhi

Red Fort, New Delhi

Street Vendor, New Delhi

Old Market, New Delhi

Old Market, New Delhi

Humayun's Tomb, New Delhi
Taj Mahal is based on this tomb

Lotus Temple, New Delhi


Taj Mahal, Agra

Taj Mahal, Agra

Taj Mahal, Agra

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal

Artisans grinding the stones for Taj Mahal style mosaics

Smales pieces like this is chiseled to make the mosaics

Mother of Pearl and other semi precious
and precious stones are used for the mosaics

The pieces are then laid into a marble slab such as this
with a natural resin glue


Agra Fort

Agra Fort

Agra Fort

Agra Fort
Agra Fort
Agra Fort
Agra Fort

Amber Fort, Jaipur

Amber Fort, Jaipur

Amber Fort, Jaipur

Amber Fort, Jaipur
Amber Fort, Jaipur
The pain for these was made from grounded semi-precious stones
Mirror Bedroom
Amber Fort, Jaipur
Mirrored Mosaic
Amber Fort, Jaipur
Mirror Bedroom
Amber Fort, Jaipur
Amber Fort, Jaipur

Amber Fort, Jaipur

Amber Fort, Jaipur
Floating Palace, Jaipur
where the queens went to cool out in the summer
Check me out!
Street Vendor, Jaipur
Traditional Dancing, Jaipur
Traditional Dancing, Jaipur
Balancing jars, while picking up money in her mouth

Balancing a jug filled with water on two glasses
while standing on two glasses
Hotel room - $40

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Jordan in Photos

Can I just start by saying I LOVE Jordan!  Definitely recommend that you travel there if the opportunity presents itself (or you can create the opportunity)!


The View from Mt. Nebo, where Moses saw the promise land
Map of the view from Mt. Nebo 
Mosaic demonstration
they cut sheets or chips of actual colored
rocks into the exact size piece they need

Mosaic in a church floor of an ancient map
of what is presently Egypt, Israel, and Jordan
Mosaic of Jesus in the same church
Taking in Jordan's version of the Grand Canyon
Kerak Castle, one of the many crusader castles in Jordan,
to oversea the trade routes, this was is exactly parallel to Bethlehem

Entrance to Petra
Frankincense and myrrh 
Eroded rock resembling an elephant, Petra

Remnants of statues, Petra

Remnants of plumbing system that ran through Petra
The Treasury (which actually was a tomb), Petra
Closer look at The Treasury, Petra

Houses in Petra

this is how colorful all of Petra is but hard to see with the dust
this also illustrates where they extract the rocks from for the mosaics
Tomb, Petra
Posing with a Bedouin (a nomadic tribe) Police Office
Inside one of the tombs, Petra
Bedouin Merchant, Petra

Petra

Petra (you can see the marble color in the wall)

Example of Roman influence, Petra

Petra
Example of Roman influence, Petra
Bedouin Merchant, Petra

Petra
Little Petra was a "fueling or resting" stop for caravans
unlike Petra which was a cemetery that later became a city
Example of the steps that were created to carve the tombs, Little Petra
Shop, Little Petra
Paintings on the ceiling in a shop, Little Petra

Little Petra

Little Petra
Little Petra

Stopped to enjoy Bedouin tea, Little Petra





Little Petra

Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum

Wishing Rocks, Wadi Rum
Cave drawings, Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum
Carving dedicated to Lawrence of Arabia

Bedouin cook food underground for hours...

....in huge pots....

...that are sort of like pressure cookers
(meat was open the bottom and vegetables up top--it was delish)