Countries I've visited via MapLoco

By Jack Brummet, Travel Ed.


China, Mexico, Canada, Greece, Italy, Spain, Morocco, England, India, Colombia, Russia, Turkey

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ATIT Reheated - Pune, Maharashtra: the Aga Khan's palace/Gandhi's prison where he lost his best friend and wife, but left behind his sandals and a half-pipe

By Jack Brummet, India Travel Editor



The Aga Khan Palace - click all pictures to enlarge

It was here, in the Aga Kahn's palace in Pune where Kasturba Gandhi and Mahatma Gandhi's long time aide (whom he thought of as a son), Mahadeobhai Desai died. The palace that once belonged to the Aga Khan (whose son became the President of the League of Nations), served as lodging for the imprisonment of Gandhi and his wife Kasturba as British rule in India drew to a close. The Gandhi exhibits housed there are very homey and casual, and yet it is a thoughtful and moving collection. Seeing Gandhi's artifacts made him and that era resonate--we saw his cooking pots, letters and books, his sandals, photos, his Bhagavad Gita, even his bathtub, and a memorial with his ashes, in the garden near where his wife and friend's ashes are buried.

This is something to see if you're ever in Pune. This 1892 palace was built by Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah Agakhan III and was donated to India in 1969 by Aga Khan IV. It became the Gandhi Memorial.

I loved this place. It was a funky and moving tribute to, as Lord Buckley called him, "The Hip Gann." The Mahatma's presence and vibes reverberated in the palace and grounds like a celestial choir.



A pretty moving story about Gandhi's close aide dying
within a week of their imprisonment. Click to enlarge.


A memorial where at least some of Gandhi's ashes
rest.




The curved brick wall we began calling Gandhi's half-pipe

A folky painting, kind of in the Soviet tractor style of propaganda art

The sandals Gandhi wore in prison

detail from a painting of Gandhi and his wife

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Claire Brummet: return to India

By Jack Brummet


My daughter Claire returned to India for a long visit in February.  Her first month was spent at an ashram, as she studied and trained for her yoga teacher certification.  She is now living in an apartment on top of a mountain, trading English lessons for food, and meeting lots of folks.   She is keeping a mostly photo-blog on Tumblr:  http://clairebrummet.tumblr.com/

"I have graduated from yoga school and am roaming around India. I am following in the footsteps of my father and trying to blog about my trip.  Welcome to my wacky world of drinking 5 rupee chai's, dodging piles of cow poop, bargaining for everything and avoiding auto-rickshaw drivers.  I have trouble explaining it all in words so it is mostly pictures."

Claire with her teacher on graduation day

"Me and Vishva and Chetena’s daughter, the amazing 5 year old Uma."

Claire with a guest yoga teacher--who is 104 years old "This is an old friend of Vishva’s and he came to teach our 6am class one day during the course. He is 104 and still going strong on the yoga tip. His name is Yogananda. One of the memorable pieces of wisdom he left us with was “Milk silent killer”.  

Graduation Day - that's Claire in the front row, second from the right

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Claire Brummet and Colin Whitchelo's big screen debut in a Bollywood movie

By Jack Brummet
Travel Editor

Last spring, we met Claire and her BF Colin in India and traveled together for two weeks.  After Keelin and I departed back to America, they continued traveling for another couple of months.  When they went back to Mumbai, they ended up being extras in a Bollywood movie being shot for Christmas release.  This is that movie, and it is scheduled to be released Christmas Eve.  It looks hilarious.

Claire isn't sure where or how they appear in the film, but is pretty sure they appear in the end credits-- those elaborate song and dance routines that often end Indian movies.

"Only once in a blue moon is such a great criminal born who is fearless as well as shameless! And that blue moon happens to be 24th December,2010. Watch the theatrical trailer of the year's most awaited film Tees Maar Khan, starring Akshay Kumar & Katrina Kaif.The film Releases on 24th December 2010"


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The last photos from India - the Ajanta Caves

The Ajanta Caves, in the Aurangabad District (the same area where we saw the Ellora Caves) in Maharashtra, India are 30 rock-cut cave monuments created during the 1st BC and 5th century AD.  They contain paintings and sculptures considered to be masterpieces of Buddhist religious art.

I skipped this excursion, so there aren't too many pictures (I don't take good photos, but I take a lot of them!).  I have not succeeded in getting one of my fellow travellers to write about them. 

Keelin and Colin with a monkey and someone who wanted a photo.

These next two photos were taken at the house of our driver (who ferried us out to the country outside Aurangabad)...actually his sister's house.  They were a large extended Moslem family

The sleeping Buddha, carved into a wall at Adjanta, and for perspective,
see the photo below, where the Buddha dwarfs Claire

Claire Brummet & Colin Whitchelo in a Bollywood film

Claire wrote me about her adventures traveling back to Mumbai and on to Goa, after we parted company last week in Pune.  She and Colin ended up appearing in a Bollywood movie!  From her email:

"After leaving Pune and arriving in Mumbai we walked with our backpacks in the heat of the day from VT to Colaba. It was sweaty. We found the Salvation Army [jack note: no relation to OUR Salvation Army] hostel right behind the Taj. They didn't have any double rooms available so we had to get separate dorm bunks. Usually, we opt to pay a bit more for the double room when we stay at hostels. So, this was actually my first time staying in a dorm bed separate from Colin. The beds each cost Rs. 200 [jack note: about $5]. That included breakfast and lunch. Very cheap. The price fit the place. It was nasty. Bugs, smells, cold water, noise, and plenty of young dirty peers."


"Our first day [back in Mumbai] we were approached and asked to be in a Bollywood movie. A day of work with three meals included and you get paid Rs. 500 [jack note: about $12 USD] . It was a Tuesday when we got there and our train didn't leave until Saturday morn so we said yes. We had lots of time to kill. We did the Bollywood movie on Thursday."

"They picked us up at 5am and drove us three hours to a hill station outside Mumbai. The location was amazing and although the day was long and hot seeing the area was worth it. Once we got there, they dressed all of the girls up in short skirts and tank tops. They did our hair and makeup. I'm pretty sure they get foreigners because we have no problem dressing like skanks. The shoot was a trip. The movie was supposed to be a comedy like Austin Powers they said. There was an elaborate set (which reminded me a lot of AmC) and hundreds of people in hilarious outfits. The plot of the movie was vaguely explained to us and it made no sense. I wrote down the name of the movie and it comes out on December 24th. Hopefully we will be able to download it. Once I can show you the pictures it will make a lot more sense."
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In Pune, Maharashtra: the Aga Khan's palace/Gandhi's prison where he lost his best friend and wife, but left behind his artifacts and a half-pipe

The Aga Khan Palace - click all pictures to enlarge

It was here, in the Aga Kahn's palace in Pune where Kasturba Gandhi and Mahatma Gandhi's long time aide (whom he thought of as a son), Mahadeobhai Desai died. The palace that once belonged to the Aga Khan (whose son became the President of the League of Nations), served as lodging for the imprisonment of Gandhi and his wife Kasturba as British rule in India drew to a close. The Gandhi exhibits housed there are very homey and casual, and yet it is a thoughtful and moving collection. Seeing Gandhi's artifacts made him and that era resonate--we saw his cooking pots, letters and books, his sandals, photos, his Bhagavad Gita, even his bathtub, and a memorial with his ashes, in the garden near where his wife and friend's ashes are buried.

This is something to see if you're ever in Pune. This 1892 palace was built by Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah Agakhan III and was donated to India in 1969 by Aga Khan IV. It became the Gandhi Memorial.

I loved this place. It was a funky and moving tribute to, as Lord Buckley called him, "The Hip Gann." The Mahatma's presence and vibes reverberated in the palace and grounds like a celestial choir.



A pretty moving story about Gandhi's close aide dying
within a week of their imprisonment. Click to enlarge.


A memorial where at least some of Gandhi's ashes
rest.




The curved brick wall we began calling Gandhi's half-pipe

A folky painting, kind of in the Soviet tractor style of

propaganda art

The sandals Gandhi wore in prison

detail from a painting of Gandhi and his wife

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An elephant ambles over to share Colin Whitchelo's breakfast in Udaipur

click to enlarge

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Lengurs waiting for the bus?

click to enlarge

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Travel Pals - 2+ weeks traveling with Keelin, Claire, and Colin - pictures of us on the road

What a great bunch these three were to travel with. We had a great time, and saw far more, and met more people than we ever hoped for. I will write more soon. . .I've just arrived home after a 28 hour road trip, and two long long flights from Bombay to Seoul, Korea and four hours later Seoul to Seattle.

Anyhow, thank you Claire, Colin, and Keelin. Click all pictures to enlarge...

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