India Gate, Jantar Mantar, Akshardham Temple & Shopping!

We had another busy weekend! First we drove through Janpath where we passed by the India Gate. We also did a bit of street shopping.

We have to be careful when shopping since we are obvious tourists which means that the shopkeepers will raise the price at least 4 times when they see you… We have to bring a local with us to help bargain so we will get a fair price.  We even shopped at the same store the Obamas went to on their visit to India, Central Cottage Industries Emporium, and found some nice souvenirs.

Next we went to Jantar Mantar, a very old astronomical observatory. There were so many interesting designs to look at as we walked through the structures.

We spent the evening at Akshardham Temple. This was one of the most beautiful places we have seen! Unfortunately, no cameras are allowed at the temple, so I have no photos to share with you. It was amazing to walk through, of course no shoes allowed either, but my bear paws were just fine. Every inch of this building is covered in carvings and the detail is incredible. There are golden statues of gods throughout, especially a very large one of Bhagwan Shri Swaminarayan, the god the temple was built in honor of. After sunset we watched a beautiful colored lights show where water and colors danced along to Hindi music… it was absolutely mesmerizing!  Each part of the show used different colors, music, and patterns of water spray to represent each of the gods they were praying to to help bless the temple. They go through the show and blessing every night!

~Mr. Bear

 

The Usual Suspects?

My popularity might be getting out of hand… I have been bear-napped 3 times already in the office!  Someone new watches over me for the day and is responsible for my well-being, yet still I end up missing.  Everything I’ve done hasn’t kept me safe… I had to try something else!

I tried going incognito… maybe a disguise would keep me hidden from bear-nappers?

It didn’t matter… he found me anyway!  I was tossed in a drawer and the key was thrown away.  No one knew how I kept disappearing and I could hear them looking for me around the office.  The usual suspects were searched and they swore their innocence… again.

Finally it was time to go and the culprit decided it was time to release me secretly so no one would suspect him.  He was sneaky about trying to unlock the drawer, but then he didn’t expect what came next.  His key didn’t work and he would have to call for help and blow his cover.  Everyone started to notice the suspicious one in the corner, fumbling around with keys, and his guilt was obvious.

    

              

I was finally released from my capture!  Everyone realized that the suspects from earlier were all framed and the clues all pointed to the one with the keys.  Hopefully this doesn’t keep happening, but now they know who to look for first if I go missing again!

~Mr. Bear

 

Popular and Productive!

It is nice that my bear blog is so popular and everyone wants to hear of my adventures.  However, this means more work for my little bear paws writing for you all.  I am getting fan mail requests for updates on a daily basis…  which means I have to work extra hard to keep up!

Today I wanted to be extra productive and I had a lot of help from the coworkers to stay on track and focused on my work!  They also made sure I stopped for a break and had a treat of Betha… a very nice sweet made of pumpkin and good for a bear’s rumbly tummy.

Well it’s been a long busy day for this bear… gotta get some rest for more tomorrow!

~Mr. Bear

 

Taj Mahal… No Bears Allowed??

I was extremely excited to go to the city of Agra and see the Taj Mahal this weekend! It was a 4 to 5 hour drive to get there, so we stopped at a restaurant on the way and did a little browsing of the wares we might shop for later.

 

When you get to the Taj, you have to go through a security check.  Men on one side and women on the other so that a guard of your same sex can pat you down and check your bags.  There was no line for bears, so I just hung out in Stormie’s bag.

She got through the check just fine, but suddenly when they checked her bag they started making motions that she was carrying something that was not allowed.  I thought this was weird because the only things in her bag with me were a water bottle, her wallet, and a camera… maybe cameras weren’t allowed?

Next thing I know, the female guard pulls me out of the bag and shakes her head with a very clear “NO”… What? Me?? Stormie reluctantly hands me over and I can hear her and the tour guide, Salim, talking as they walk off toward the Taj.  “I hope he is there when I get back, he travels the world but I can’t go back home without him, he is my husband’s”… Salim said, “He is your husband?? Well your husband will be fine.”

I took a nap for a couple of hours as bears do enjoy a good hibernation.  Then I see a familiar face, it is Salim! He has rescued me!  Wait, where is he taking me I wonder.  Oh, the streets for some shopping, and there is everyone else following along!  I wonder why he keeps calling me “husband”… very strange.

Stormie told me later of the wonderful Taj Mahal they had seen and walked through.  It is a huge and magnificent place!  Completely made of marble throughout with inlaid colored stones in decorative patterns.  When a full moon is out, the palace glows white and colorful from all the stones, an amazing way to see the Taj we were told.  Luckily, cameras were allowed in so I was able to look at some lovely photos later.

 

 

The weather was bright and sunny but there were some shady spots to take a break and rest.  A little later some clouds and a strong wind rolled through, so it ended up being a really nice day to be outside.

After the visit, we went to some local shops and Stormie bought a miniature Taj Mahal which is said to represent love if you buy it for someone else, it is not something you buy for yourself traditionally.  She bought this one for her real husband, not for me, but I will hold onto it until we return home 🙂

~Mr. Bear

 

Where’s That Bear?!

Everyone in the office seems to like me and they are very friendly.  I move around the office and sit on different desks and watch everyone doing their work.  Today was someone else’s turn to look after me and make sure I had a nice spot to sit with a good view.  At some point during the day… I was grabbed and locked away… everything went dark, I couldn’t see anyone.

I then realized…. I had been bear-napped!

After a day of being lost, it was finally time to go back to the hotel.  Would this bear be lost alone in India?  We have a big weekend of things to see, would I be left behind?

After some interrogations and investigative work, and some eye-witness recounts of bear sightings… finally, the guilty party was discovered and the bear was rescued!

Next time a more careful watch will be kept with this old bear and security checks may have to be run on the next bear-sitters chosen to manage my care!

It was decided that as a precaution we should have Ganesha, a God who offers protection, to guard as well.

 

On the Ground in India!

After a long flight to Paris and then a second long flight to Delhi, we finally made it!  As soon as we stepped outside, the heat of India hit like a wall!  The air was thick and heavy to breathe, and this was even after the sun had gone down!  Bear fur is not the best for dealing with intense heat and humid conditions, but as long as I imagine I am in a sauna whenever I step outside, I think it will be bearable.

We found our ride from the airport and rode for an hour or so to Noida where the hotel and work office are located. Traffic in India is like nowhere else!  They switch lanes, or just drive on the line, or swerve around cars even if it means driving into oncoming traffic.  Honking isn’t rude, it’s a way to say “hello”, “I’m here”, “move over”, “yes I’m in your lane”, “Those lines mean nothing to me”, and whatever else they care to say.  It is constant honking from every car.  The driver even honked one time when there was no other cars around… I am starting to think that car horns are just the sound of India and it makes the drivers feel better.

The hotel, Park Plaza, is nice and the air conditioning is a great relief!  The office we spend our days in is climate controlled as well.  I know I will have to emerge from my cave and step into the sun at some point or I will miss out on the India sights.

 

Making plans for the weekend now… promise some of it will be outdoors!

~Mr. Bear

 

Next Stop: INDIA!

Hello again to my travel watchers!

I am getting my little bear bags packed to head off on my next adventure!  I am so excited to share my travels with you again!  Stay tuned to see what new experiences this little bear gets into on his first trip to Asia!

Talk to you when I land overseas,

~Mr. Bear