Driving to Abu Dhabi

Last week I was back in the United Arab Emirates for this year's junior varsity volleyball tournament. My boys played well, but I have to admit it was a disheartening sixth (out of six) place finish. What was fascinating for me was that this time the school decided to fly us into Dubai and then we took a bus to Abu Dhabi, a 2-3 hour drive. The bonus - a chance to see some of the unusual architecture scattered around Dubai, Abu Dhabi and regions between. There are the twisty tall buildings that dominate the Dubai skyline. Some unusual ones that for some reason made me think of snails or mice. One that looked like a wheel, while another reminded me of the train of a wedding dress. There is always an overwhelming mosque - this time the pure white Sheikh Zayed mosque, along with smaller ones dotted around the city. One thing for sure, it is a big change from the architecture you see in Delhi!

The AES boys and girls jv volleyball teams

The temples of Khajuraho

In a small village in the heart of India lies one of the true gems of Indian history. The temples at Khajuraho are completely covered in intricate carvings. Layer upon layer entice the eye as you stand there looking. Each new angle revealing some new detail. A mix of Hindu and Jain temples, it is a bit shocking in conservative India, to find temples proudly displaying their erotic carvings. Providing a glimpse of different positions and even partners in the stone work. As you wander the grounds each new temple provides some other tidbit that is special - the carved boar under the Varaha Pavillion, camels being pulled along, an elephant tearing apart a person right next to a couple in flagrante delicto, elephants next to Ganesh statues, cow headed people and half male half female individuals, kisses and couplings...and that is almost all on the exterior of the temples. Inside you have tightly enclosed spaces, still filled with carvings, a Hindu or Jain representations taking the center stage, geometric patterns on the ceilings and columns. When you stop to think it is almost too much to take in. What a treasure that has been preserved from the 10th century.

The backwaters of Kerala

Bright houses are nestled behind built up banks. Women wash dishes and clothes on the edge of the canal, a built in step allowing them to stand in the water while they do their work. A few people sit ad fish for small catch off the bank. Clothes hung out to dry reflect in the water. Men paddle dug out canoes full of one thing or another (bananas, grass clippings etc.) on their way to deliver them somewhere.It is pretty easy to see that life revolves around the canals and rivers in the backwaters of Kerala. Taking a boat tour or spending the night on a houseboat is an amazingly relaxing way to explore this area of India, sitting out watching life in the region pass by as you motor down the river. Getting a glimpse of the everyday while not having to worry about anything.

 

I can't recommend the company we went with enough for our night on the houseboat. Lakes & Lagoons is a well run company with excellent boats and great food.