Breakfast buffet

At the Taj Lands End, we were greeted by 3 green parrots enjoying the ocean bounty and a magnificent breakfast spread.

I chose uttapum with a plush texture, pongal, and one of my all time favorite condiments: gunpowder dampened with ghee.

Round two will be European style pastries, yogurt, papaya and watermelon.

Sunset on toes

This was our view from the Taj Lands End salon in Bombay. Toenail polish dried a bit too quickly for once.

Pack animal

While trying to find a taxi, a dog which lives on the streets of Goa decided to follow us for many blocks. We made for an interesting pack.

Lunch on the beach

The Goan dishes are just amazing!

Chips, ice cream, necklaces

At Baga Beach, the vendors are really intense. I said "no thank you" about 70 times. Some of them didn't mind being photographed.

One cute little girl insisted I buy some chips before taking her picture.

Goa

Goa looks a bit like Macau due to the Portuguese buildings, and a bit like Hawaii. My sunburn feels like San Diego.

Goan cuisine

Portuguese and Indian cuisines meld together to create amazing flavors in Goa. Excellent Bulchao shrimp, chicken curry, and pork. Caramel custard has a very intense caramel taste.

Ratnigiri Beach

Our driver

Saleem has driven us 8+ hours everyday in the Toyota minivan. It's not easy due to all the motorbikes, autorickshaws, trucks, and cows in all the lanes, all going at different speeds. He speaks English fluently, is a conservative driver, and is more neatly dressed than we are in our shorts and Tevas.

Route 66

It's the day after Easter and the rental car comes equipped with Jesus and a driver who speaks English. The back of the Toyota is emblazoned with "Praise the Lord." We are ready for our road trip to Goa!

Location:SH4,,India

Koolar & Co

We had a simple, delicious dinner in an Iranian cafe. Their profit margin is too slim to provide you paper napkins, but there's a nice sink, Elvis music, & posters of Kate Winslet & Dicaprio from the Titanic movie. Also the owner is constantly shouting slightly incorrect orders to his workers who silently do the right thing despite instructions to the contrary. Yummy kheema with 3 types of bread. Wow, the Iranians are masters of baked goods. I scarfed up the food too fast to take a picture. But their menu shows the equivalent of 9 cents for a bun/muffin and $3 for a very enjoyable & memorable dinner.

Cut short

The flip side of luxury is the entrenched class system that makes it possible. I noticed each mound of grass was rounded. Turns out each blade of grass is clipped by hand in order to get that manicured look.



The rooms all have 2 dozen fresh orchids that are replaced by housekeeping daily. Each orchid has had its stamens clipped in order to prevent pollen stains. Each silk pillow has been fluffed and karate chopped. Slippers and cotton mats next to the bed mean your feet never have to touch the hotel floor. Twice a day someone neatens all your belongings and puts your toiletries, even your shoes, on fine cotton doilies.

Herald

When we arrived at the Faluknuma Palace, they tried to recreate the experience the King (Nizam) & Queen would have had. There was a carriage taking us to our rooms, a herald, and rose petals strewn over us from above. It sounds over the top, but I assure you that you can easily grow fond of your heraldry.

Location:Faluknuma

Anti-terrorism

If your country has real problems with terrorists, you do what India and Israel do. Each piece of luggage and handbag is stamped after inspection with the ID/name of the inspector. Every entrance of each popular hotel and restaurant has metal detectors, baggage X-ray, and a minimum of 3 security personnel. One to pat down men, one to pat down women (in an enclosed wooden booth for privacy) and a supervisor. This hotel in India, the Faluknuma Palace, is in a largely Muslim neighborhood. So they also run a mirror under your car to check for bombs, and send your purse through an X-ray machine. They found Anand's pocket knife and are holding it while we stay here. There goes the mango slicer! It's now confiscated as a weapon. In the pictures below, there's a metal detector at the hotel entrance & Anand does the perp walk with the head of security to ID the "weapon".

Location:India

In Paradise

Paradise Restaurant is known world wide for their biriyani. They even have a wiki page. Amazingly fragrant rice. I give credit to the high temp. Anand identified the secret ingredient: sumac. It's subtle so you only taste it as you breathe in. The seekh kababs also had a wonderful flavor. Naan was so delicate and fun to chew. Stewed apricot and ice cream dessert was a good recommendation from the waiter. Even the mint and sugar coated souft was a standout.

Location:India

Airports

In the past 7 years, India has modernized a lot - modern conveniences are on par or better. Their airports are efficient and sparkly. This one is Hyderabad. Bombay's was a little more glittery. Both airports play instrumental 80s music via Kenny G. India's eternal love for Lionel Ritchie and Whitney Houston.

Location:Hyderabad airport

Hawaiian style

August has mad mango cutting skillz!

Goes with beer

Location:Munich

Well met

At Gujalee, they have you meet your meal before it's cooked. We had tandoori crab, prawns, and a mysterious creature named Bombay Duck. Note: it doesn't quack. And I didn't get to see it alive.

Wow

Best Ras malai I've had. So tasty, fun and small. Peshawari, we'll be back.

Peshawari @ Bombay

Leg of lamb, tandoori prawns, reshmi kabob, tandoori paneer, aloo tikki, seekh kabob

Location:I A Project Road,Mumbai,India

Mango season in Bombay

Location:I A Project Road,Mumbai,India

Continental breakfast here is 3 slices of cold cuts, 2 soft boiled eggs, 3 oz of duck pate, 2 bread rolls, butter, jam and 3 oz of yogurt with muesli. Here's august's croissant because I already ate my breakfast.

Crowned

Poor mad King Leopold never finished his castle.

Location:Neuschwanstein Castle