Saturday, May 31, 2008

Darjeeling


A couple of weeks ago, another American friend in Bangalore and I took a long weekend to visit Darjeeling and the surrounding West Bengal Hills. We had a very relaxing time, enjoying mountain views, sipping excellent tea, eating yummy dumplings and noodle soups, riding a quaint steam train, exploring Buddhist monasteries, and taking in the dominant Tibetan and Nepalese cultures. These photos can't capture the true beauty of the Himalayas, but I tried my best.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Hampi


Earlier this month, a couple of American friends who also work in Bangalore and I took the overnight train to Hampi, not too far away in the state of Karnataka. Despite the intense summer heat (probably 100 degrees Fahrenheit), it was worth the trip. As you can see in these photos, Hampi is equally famed for its 14th to 16th century ruins of temples and palaces, as well as its surreal landscape of tremendous boulders, piled up as far as the eye can see. We also visited a pretty nearby village and watched an elephant have her morning bath!

Friday, May 2, 2008

Mumbai


About a month ago, I took a long weekend to visit a friend in Mumbai, formerly Bombay. It's certainly the most modern and cosmopolitan place that I've visited in India so far! We had a great time enjoying delicious food, concerts and plays. I also wandered around a bit, checking out a beach, a nearby island known for its cave temples, and even a synagogue, as you can see in these photos. Luckily I also ran into some of Mumbai's famous tiffinwalas, who deliver thousands of hot lunches directly from workers' homes to their offices every day. Their system is so impressive that the BBC did a story them!