For our trip from Delhi to Agra we got what looked like a ramshackle bus that would hopefully deliver us in Agra some three to three and a half hours later with the wind behind us. The road was mainly two-way traffic except this being India there was a mystical third middle lane that anybody in a hurry helped themselves to. On top of all that, there were the horses, tuk-tuks and the occasional camel and cart. That middle lane was a nightmare. It was used like something from ‘Who dares wins’ as traffic flew at each other head-on until one or the other driver bottled it and pulled in avoiding head-on crashes; but above and beyond this was everybody having to dodge abandoned tyres or the very occasional large dead animal. It was a white knuckle ride from beginning to end. Luckily, still in one piece we arrived, threw ourselves out the bus door, feeling lucky to have survived that horrendous journey. At the end of the day this is all part of the India experience or so I'm told. We only had one night here so no time to waste: bags ditched in the hotel we set off through the rubble that was Agra in the direction of the Taj Mahal. Everything around us looked half derelict or a crumbling mess. How on earth could the Taj survive while the streets around it were like an after the war zone, but somehow it has. Construction of the mausoleum was completed in 1643 and the architecture is Mughal. When you first set eyes on it, it looks like it was built yesterday until you get up close; then the cracks do start to appear. It was built by Emperor Shah Jehan in the memory of his 3rd wife Mumtaz. We were lucky as the place was reasonably quiet allowing us to have a really good look around, one odd thing was that the river behind was almost dry or at least drier than I expected. I still find it hard to believe that this building is still standing and looking as magnificent as it is while everything around it is crumbling. After an hour or so we decided to head up river to the Agra Fort which is built on the right bank of the river Yamuna. This had over the years become more of a walled city but with a wealth of history in connection with the Taj Mahal. The story goes that Shah Jehan was imprisoned in the fort by his son Aurangzeb and died with the view of the Taj Mahal and his wife. The fort still looks stunning red brick, especially when you think how many monsoons it's been through throughout the years. We came across a market on our way back to the hotel, lots of souvenirs such as the Taj in a snow dome and that sort of thing, nothing that interested us in the slightest, the memory of this wonderful sight that is the Taj Mahal was all I needed.
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Straight to the nitty gritty, we had booked two nights at the Bed & Breakfast on Broadway, in the area called Capitol Hill. It seemed to be in a good area that suited us, even though the reviews on Trip Advisor where slightly off-putting we went for it. After check-in we were shown to our room; a reasonable size if it were not for the oversized furniture, but it would do. A knock at the door; the owners again with good news: "we are upgrading you to our best and biggest room", which was just across the hallway. We got our bags and all and low and behold: space, lots of it, and a nice bathroom. But next morning at breakfast the rug was pulled from under us. After ‘good morning’ came, "sorry but we made a mistake you'll have to move back to you original room as the large room was booked that evening; something that, according to them, had been overlooked. Obviously someone had phoned in the meantime, asking for the bigger room and the owners wanted the dollars rather than let us stay in it. It was all very unprofessional, and I will say straight away that I would not recommend staying there; their home seemed more important to them than their guests. They are definitely in the wrong business. Enough ranting: time for Seattle. With hire car in hand we headed off for the day in the direction of the lake. Very spectacular views with houses perched along the shore, each one of them with wonderful ever-changing scenery. Just around lunchtime we came across Port Orchard only a few shops and houses that we saw, but perfect for lunch. We went into the Market Hall and chose a café at the back. Two cups of coffee ordered, time to look at the menu. I went for the clam chowder, my partner a burger; both where very good. Time to hit the road again. We looked at the map and saw Bainbridge Island. This would be our next port of call. Over a bridge we went; therefore, it didn't have the feeling of an island, that is, until we came across the view of Puget Sound.
Time to get moving again. About ten minutes further on we saw that we could take the ferry back to Seattle instead of driving all the way back on the same route. Once on board we went up on deck just as the boat moved off and it was decidedly chilly in the wind on the water. We fled to the other side of the deck out of the wind and that was bearable. Slowly watching the so-called Space Needle getting ever closer on the shore of Seattle. The next morning we headed of to Snoqualmie Falls, which is about forty-five minutes drive from Seattle. We missed the entrance the first time but after turning around we flew much too fast into the gravel car park and skidded to a halt: a bit of a grand entrance and luckily, it looked a parking space was available. As soon as we got out of the car the roar of the water was immense, the spray started not long after that. The view, wow: white water cascading down a huge drop, my thoughts were ‘where does all the water come from?’ Snoqualmie Falls is well worth a visit. Next we decided to take the scenic route back to Seattle. Our plan for the afternoon was to ditch the car and walk down to Pike Place Market. Luckily for us the walk was all down hill and soon enough the red neon sign announced we had arrived. The market had a very nice feel to it, used by locals and visitors alike added to a nice atmosphere. The seafood stalls were mouth watering, for me anyway. We spent a good couple of hours ambling around the area and well worth it it was. Time for a bus back to the notorious B&B. Dinner that night was a typical burger BBQ type place around the corner. In other words: what you see is what you get but we both enjoyed it, washed down with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. The next morning which was our last, gave us just enough time to take a closer look at the Space Needle, then a quick drive up the Freeway to take a look at the massive Boeing aircraft plant and our trip to Seattle was over.
Last Saturday morning we headed off on tram 9 in the direction of the botanical gardens though this wasn't our goal this time, we walked along the Nieuwe Herengracht towards the Maritime Museum. Half way along the canal the heavens opened and it poured down for only two minutes, luckily for us. Now, for a Saturday in Amsterdam it was very quiet, only a few people passing by on their bikes, but most certainly not the usual hubbub of a Saturday. After a few minutes more walking we arrived at the entrance to the museum without the expected queue; just how I like it, in fact it felt like we had the place to ourselves. Wristbands on by way of entry tickets (the latest trend in museum visiting), we first headed outside to take a look at the ship ‘Amsterdam’. The Amsterdam is an 18th century ship moored outside the museum. The ship, though now a replica, was supposed to set off to the East Indies, but was wrecked in a storm on her maiden voyage in 1749 after setting off from the island Texel; up to this day her remains lay buried near Hastings.
The captain’s cabin including its own toilet must have been the only first class cabin available a bit of space away from the chaos. The passenger cabin was so low we had to almost crawl in. The beds, though very few, were so small it looked like the Dutch had doubled in length since those days. Life must have been tough for the crew and passengers onboard for such long journeys. We left the Amsterdam happy to be able to stand upright again, now time to take a look at the Royal Barge (in Dutch: ‘Koningssloep’). Dutch King Willem I had the Royal Barge built in 1818. He never used it himself, though later royals certainly made up for it; flaunting their wealth along the river, Neptune guiding the way at the front of the barge. It has a certain grandeur though being showcased in a modern building with tv screens behind it looked a bit lost. Back inside to the museum itself with its spectacular glass roof that now covers the inner quadrangle. You have the choice of going northbound, to the south, east or west. One of them, though, is the exit and one the cafe and museum shop. We headed first into the section called ‘See You in the Golden Age’, an interactive and up-to-date journey through the Dutch Golden Age. Next to the ship decorations and atlases. I must say that in some places it was very dark, especially where 17th century atlases (mostly by the famous Dutch atlas maker Joan Blaeu) were on display: a bit too dark for my liking. The section of maritime paintings was well worth a look, but I must admit that if you’ve seen a few, you’ve seen them all. Time for some lunch in the very modern and hip new cafe: very pleasant. We took a look at what was called ‘The Tale of the Whale’, depicting the hunting of whales in the past; something I find abhorrent and the fact that it still goes on today is dreadful and totally unnecessary, but enough of my rantings. The museum has a vast collection, more than can be mentioned here. The last part of the museum we saw was aimed at children, so scooting through rather rapidly our visit to the Maritime Museum came to a thumbs up end.
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GaryBorn in Chiswick West London, grew up in Royal Berkshire, currently living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands Archives
March 2016
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