The Spirit of the World ( On and Off)
A Scene of Many Stories
Partial views of the Gateway to India monument and the Taj Palace Hotel frame the fishing boats in the Arabian Sea. The monument allowed access and entry to India from the sea. It was built in 1911 to honor King George and Queen Mary on their arrival to visit British India.
The area, with its seaside promenade, quickly became a favorite among visitors to the city. Old decaying cafes and vendor stalls selling lovely souvenirs of India were a huge draw.
Then came 2008: other visitors arrived in motorized collapsible small boats. They managed to avoid the scrutiny of the local fishermen. An Islamic terrorist group in Pakistan sent the men. Their incredibly well orchestrated attacks paralyzed the city for days. The world watched live TV coverage of the carnage and horror. The lovely hotel was under siege for what seemed to be days and fires destroyed portions of the famous hotel. The hotel staff were hailed as heroes for protecting as many guests as they possible.
As I mentioned on my last post, Gandhi's ashes were scattered off of this coast. He would be greatly saddened by this attack. His passive opposition to the British included Muslims.
In 2014, I booked a room in the hotel. I love old grand hotels and the Taj Palace certainly had an extraordinary story to tell. Unfortunately, I came down with what is often called "Delhi belly" and was confined to my room for the entire time I was there.
Luckily I had a view, thanks to my travel agent. The hint of the screen covering the window in this image is a subtle reminder of my confinement.
A Scene of Many Stories
Partial views of the Gateway to India monument and the Taj Palace Hotel frame the fishing boats in the Arabian Sea. The monument allowed access and entry to India from the sea. It was built in 1911 to honor King George and Queen Mary on their arrival to visit British India.
The area, with its seaside promenade, quickly became a favorite among visitors to the city. Old decaying cafes and vendor stalls selling lovely souvenirs of India were a huge draw.
Then came 2008: other visitors arrived in motorized collapsible small boats. They managed to avoid the scrutiny of the local fishermen. An Islamic terrorist group in Pakistan sent the men. Their incredibly well orchestrated attacks paralyzed the city for days. The world watched live TV coverage of the carnage and horror. The lovely hotel was under siege for what seemed to be days and fires destroyed portions of the famous hotel. The hotel staff were hailed as heroes for protecting as many guests as they possible.
As I mentioned on my last post, Gandhi's ashes were scattered off of this coast. He would be greatly saddened by this attack. His passive opposition to the British included Muslims.
In 2014, I booked a room in the hotel. I love old grand hotels and the Taj Palace certainly had an extraordinary story to tell. Unfortunately, I came down with what is often called "Delhi belly" and was confined to my room for the entire time I was there.
Luckily I had a view, thanks to my travel agent. The hint of the screen covering the window in this image is a subtle reminder of my confinement.