We are told that the trip should take less
than 3 hours, but it takes us about 6 hours of driving time. The traffic
around Delhi is the most exciting, but the herds of goats, sheep, camel,
and cattle on the freeway have their own charm. After about 4 hours we
go a few kilometers out of our way to visit this McDonalds. The
bathrooms are western. Enough said.
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The remainder of the trip is over pretty
rough roads and we arrive at our hotel just before sunset. In the
morning we get up and visit Keoladeo Ghana National Park. It is a bird
sanctuary that was once a royal hunting ground. There aren't as many
birds as usual this year because of the drought the area is
experiencing, but there is still plenty of wildlife and peace. This
picture has a remarkable yellow woodpecker in the center.
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There is a sign at the entrance to the park
that says a tiger has recently taken up residence here so be careful. If
there is a tiger here, it is well fed because there are a lot of cows
and antelope. This is a Nilgai, the largest of all Asiatic antelopes.
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We spend most of our time in
the park walking through the middle of what look like fields, but are
actually what is left of the wetlands. Here is a section that has water
pumped in, but it should reach out to where I am standing.
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We learn from a conservationist who is
studying eagles in the park that the tiger here is actually a tigress
and he has had some close calls with her. We look for tooth and claw
marks on this skeleton, but we don't really know what we're looking for.
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The many paths and roads in this park were
probably built by the prince so he could hunt tigers without getting his
slippers too dirty.
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I walked right by this parrot without
noticing him until he cooed at me.
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The villages around Bharatpur won me over
right away. I can tell I'd be right at home here.
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Just in case you feel sorry for us alone in
the middle of primitive India, here is a picture of our accomodations in
Bharatpur: the Laxmi Vilas Palace Heritage Hotel. For $50 a night. It
was once the home of the prince's brother.
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