Awestruck!

  TAJ MAHAL!  A must for anyone who would like to see a modern day wonder of the world.  Josh and I were blown away by its majesty.  We headed out to the Taj Mahal early Monday morning with our guide and toddler toys.  Our guide was informative and patient with Anabel's frequent need to run for birds, chipmunks and rocks.  Josh and I took turns learning the history while trying to absorb the grandeur that stood before us.  

  Basic history, an Emperor by the name of Mumtaz Mahal created this masterpiece for his 3rd wife (ladies-I did ask what the 1st and 2nd wife got, but apparently they did not bear children-so nothing) Shah Jahan who died in childbirth with her 14th child (seriously, I would ask for a wonder of the world too if I had 14 kids). Work started the same year she died and finished 22 years later in 1653.  It took 22,000 laborers and 1,000 elephants to finish the marble edifice of love.  The end result is breathtaking.  

  After our morning of wonder, we headed straight to the train station.  As I mentioned before our travelling schedule was daunting at best.  We spent 3.5 hours on a train with a 7 hour wait in the airport to start or 9 hour flight, 3 hour layover in Paris, 3 hours to Turkey than an hour drive to the hotel.  I am tired writing that sentence.  Needless to say, Anabel was more than happy to wake up at 4 am that night (due to Muslim 5 day prayer blaring over the speakers) and requested to sleep with us.  YAY! (enter sarcasm here).  We survived.  

  The last days have been in beautiful Istanbul.  It is a clean, modern city with ruins everywhere.  We went to the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkaki Palace, and Basillica Cistern.  We've eaten doner/kebab everything, pide (like pizza with no sauce) and baklava.  We've also invested money in the shopping mall due to lost luggage incident at the beginning of our trip.  We both wish we had more time here.  It is a place that deserves at least 2 weeks...Tomorrow is a new day though.  In the words of Anabel when asked what are we doing tomorrow and she responded:  "Airplane".  She is right, we are heading to Cappadocia tomorrow...

Anabel enjoying a sunny morning at the Taj

No longer enjoyable, now just hot

Apparently sliding across the marble will keep you cool, keeps the floors clean too

Anabel interested in learning how to make "the pretties" she saw at the Taj

Two belles outside our cafe in Istanbul

Anabel feeding the pigeons...if only they would let her hold them

Shell about to enter the Blue Mosque

Anabel thinks she can sneak up on a sleeping puppy. Its not the puppy who is surprised

Outside the palace

Anabel is intrigued by the endless information available on the audio guide

Reluctant to enter the harem after hearing what it was on the audio guide

Continuing the tradition of pooping on famous places, Anabel leaves her mark on the Hagia Sofia

A little scared by the cistern, but delighted to find the fish beneath

  Bye for now.  Thank you for all the prayers, our transitions have been filled with a calm feeling that God is with us.  

Onto Country #3

  Happy Easter from India!  It seems like such a long time ago since our last blog.  We finished up our trip in Paro, Bhutan at a drama festival.  Anabel loved watching the dancing.  She stared at them for 20 minutes straight.  As you would expect we were a little bit of a spectacle at the festival (they do not see many Caucasian kiddos running around).  We loved our time in Bhutan, mostly because the food was yummy, the people were kind and the scenery was spectacular.  An example of Bhutanese kindness came to us the last day when a waiter at the hotel we were staying in asked to work an extra shift (after his 6 day work week) just to see Anabel before she left.  So sweet.  I was very touched by their genuineness and willingness to share their culture.
  After 6 days in Bhutan we headed back to chaos or Kathmandu.  The first day, I got a massage again.  Yay!  The next day, I (Michaele) took a plane ride around Everest and the other amazing mountains.  They even let us go into the cockpit for a quick glance through the pilot's view.  Josh went on the same flight the next day.  I found out that Nepal holds 8 of the tallest mountain in the world. 
  Later that day we went to a few sight seeing places.  The first was Durbar Square which is famous for crowning the Nepalese royalty.  However, Anabel found the square perfect for running around chanting "go baby go" as Japanese people took her picture.  The second stop was the Bouddhanath Stupa.  It is one of the biggest Stupas in the world.  The ride to the Stupa involved lots of dirt, monkeys, cows and plenty of pot holes.  For our last stop we headed to the monkey temple but after evaluation decided not to brave the sea of people with a toddler.  Instead of seeing a monkey Anabel just stared at a chicken.  Nepal check...
   We arrived in India yesterday and went straight to the Hilton.  I was so excited to take a real shower, and not  hear dogs outside my window.  We spent Easter at the pool and the mall in Delhi.  Midday we started our trek to Agra.  This involved a taxi, metro, 3 hour train ride and Josh carrying our luggage up 10 flights of stairs in a plethora of dirt, people and 97 degree heat.  I was so overjoyed when we arrived in Agra at our hotel.  Tomorrow, we are planning on hitting the Taj Mahal, heading back to Delhi, and then flying to Turkey.  This will be one of our longest days.  Please keep us in your prayers.  We are all healthy and still have everything...well  we did leave pooh bear in Bhutan though...I guess he found his Happy place.  We are so thankful for our many blessings on Easter, especially for God's Son.

Anabel mesmerized by the dancers at Paro Festial

Paro Festival dancers

Excited about Durbar Square

Another view of Durbar Square

One big stupa

Everest from the window of a small plane

Bye for now...JAM

Beautiful Bhutan

Our little trooper is still alive and kicking. The flight to Bhutan did yield a glimpse and hazy view of Everest, but not enough to kill our curiosity. So, hopefully the return flight to Nepal in a few days will give another view. If not, we'll take matters into our hands.


Our first day in Bhutan we visited a local fortress, museum, and got settled in to our very welcoming cottage style hotel room. What a change from Kathmandu. Peace, quite, mountain views, and a full service driver, car and guide. The drastic contrast between the two places, despite a short 45 minute flight, is indescribable. Bhutan is a friendly quite country full of homes, temples, and fortresses all their own style (though they share a lot in common with Tibet style buildings). The following pictures will give a brief idea.

On the steps of the Paro Fortress

Anabel making friends by feeding rocks to the hotel pups

Anabel not impressed by the monks, more on that later

One of the famous cantilever bridges

Day two was a recovery day for the girls. Anabel had had enough and got to have mom and the hotel grounds to herself for the morning. She finally slept more than 6hrs and started working into the local time zone. The poor thing was looking pretty rough after 3 straight days of travelling. While the girls stayed in I and the guide hiked to Tiger's Nest, an ancient Buddhist temple perched on the edge of a sheer rock face some ~1,000 feet above the valley floor (~10,000 msl). Hard to imagine each stone was carried there by hand hundreds of years ago. After convincing the guide running down hill was more fun and quicker than walking we made it home to the girls in a 1/3 of the advertised time. Following lunch and another skipped nap we hit the local market and visited the oldest temple in the country built in the 7th century and looking as new as ever.

Almost eye level with Tiger's Nest, named so because the 2nd Buddha flew there on a tiger

Final ridge before the nest

Last set of steps, looking up to the first temple of Tiger's Nest

Mom and Anabel in front of a Stupa at oldest temple in the country

Day three was spent in the car. We drove from Paro to Punakha, about 5hrs worth. Along the way we crossed Dochula pass and stopped there for lunch and to tour the 108 Stupas. Anabel actually seemed to enjoy the car ride and napped better than she does in a hotel bed. We made a game out of finding cows, monkeys, and dogs as we drove. The countryside didn't not cease to impress. After arriving in Punakha we visited its fortress. Anabel was pretty much done with being on the go and let us know it. So, mom hung out in one of the courtyards of the fortress watching as Anabel chased pigeons around while dad got a lesson on Buddhism from our tour guide in the fortress's temple. As you would imagine everyone here is very entertained by Anabel and gives her more attention than she wants (she has gotten shier). Anabel in a final act of defiance waited until 3 monks approached her and tried to make friends then copped a squat and let go of the day's food right in the middle of the fortress (she was wearing a diaper). Mom and baby made a run for the car to start the clean-up process, but not without monks in tow yelling the whole way. All in all another lovely day in Bhutan. Our little girl is getting used to life on the road and her cold is slowly improving. 

Along side the 108 Stupas at Dochula Pass

Anabel trying to conquer the stairs at the stupas

Endless stupas

Anabel still unimpressed entertains herself with putting flowers down dad's shirt

Back down the stairs with some local help

A different kind of traffic jam outside the Punakha Fortress, Anabel is finally impressed.

The cow herder and her dogs responsible for the jam. 

All this talk about jam and no where to go in the car made Anabel want to show off her dance moves to the local school children

Crossing the cantilever bridge to Punahka Fortress

A view of the fortress from the bridge

Anabel and mom a few minutes prior to the pooping, notice the 3 monks not yet mad

Day four more driving. We got an early start (0730) as the road through Dochula pass is only open for a 30 minute window in the morning and 1hr in the afternoon. Along the way we found more cows, yaks, and plenty of puppies. Anabel is still most interested in the animals and simple things. After arriving in Thimpu, the capital city, and finishing some lunch we visited the textile museum and saw how the traditional garments are made. Some take over a year to weave and are often mistaken as embroidery. Anabel just thought it was fun to play hide and seek and run around the mannequins. The rest of the day was hers though as we went to see the Takin (national animal of Bhutan) Reserve. Anabel loved it and spent the first 45 minutes digging holes in the dirt, throwing rocks and helping the locals who were constructing some new stone buildings by hand. All in all a very nice day in Bhutan. Sadly, we already have thoughts of the next place in the back of our minds as we only have 2 more nights here.

Mom's first yak sighting, now we just need to find a Yeti

Because 7-11 isn't enough

Locals weaving scarves at the Takin Reserve

Anabel trying to get into the takin pen (takin in the background)

More later. Miss you all.
JAM