Our Itinerary

Bangladesh and India: Beyond Caste and Poverty

January 10 - 25, 2010

January 10: Sunday. Depart JFK on Emirates Airlines flying through Dubai to Dhaka.

January 11: Monday. Dhaka. Evening arrival in Dhaka. Enjoy a welcome reception. Accommodations: Dhaka Westin Hotel

(reception)

January 12: Tuesday. Dhaka. In the morning, we meet with model, fashion designer, and textile and jewelry designer, Bibi Russell. Having modeled for many wellknown names including Vogue, she returned to Bangladesh and began working with weavers and artisans in rural Bangladesh.  “Textiles,” she says, “are part of the history of Bangladesh.” Bibi Productions has received numerous awards including Woman of the  Year from Elle Magazine. Asia Magazine recently highlighted her as one of the women to watch in the millennium.

January 13: Wednesday. Dhaka. Enjoy a morning briefing by Dr. Hoon Eng Khoo (Smith ’73) of the new Asian University for Women located in Chittagong. This private university aims to educate underprivileged women to become regional leaders. The university is the first of its kind: a private, regional institution of the highest quality, dedicated solely to women’s education and leadership development. We have requested a meeting with former Prime Minster Khaleda Zia, leader of the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) and currently the main opposition leader. Bangladesh has had the distinction of having two females leading national politics. Enjoy lunch with Sultana Kamal, a lawyer and an activist who has challenged the use of Islamic fundamentalist decrees known as fatwas, issued by village religious leaders in Bangladesh against women accused of “misbehaving.” Sultana Kamal is currently the director of the Aino Salish Kendra, a legal aid and human rights organization. She is also a member of the Unity for Social Action, and she coordinates the Women and Law Program for Women Living Under Muslim Laws.  Close by is the National Assembly, designed by renowned architect Louis Kahn. We have arranged a private tour of the interior of the building, considered one of his finest works.  We end the day with a briefing at the headquarters of Grameen Bank. The bank and its founder, Muhammad Yunus, jointly won the Nobel Peace Price in 2006 for their successful application of the concept of micro-credit (the extension of small loans to entrepreneurs too poor to qualify for traditional bank loans). We will have dinner this evening in a private home.

Accommodations: Dhaka Westin Hotel (B, L, D)

January 14: Thursday. Dhaka. In the morning, we have requested a meeting with Sheikh Hasina, current Prime Minster of Bangladesh whose BNP party won a landslide victory in December 2008 and now controls 76% of parliament seats.  Lunch meeting with Selina Hossain, director of the Bangla Academy of Dhaka. One of the foremost writers of Bengali fiction today, she is also active in cultural and social work in the areas of human rights and gender issues. Her writing presents moving accounts of contemporary social and political crises. She has edited two books on the socio-economic issues for children under the auspices of the UNICEF and co-edited a collection of essays on the emancipation of Bangladeshi women.In the afternoon, we will drive out of Dhaka to Kashipur village, where the local inhabitants’ lives have been changed as a result of small loans given by the Grameen Bank. We will walk through the village, where water buffalo wander down dirt paths alongside women talking Bengali into cell phones they have bought with small loans. Afterward, we have a late afternoon briefing and reception with U.S. Ambassador James Moriarty. Dinner at a private home.

Accommodations: Dhaka Westin Hotel (B, L, D)

January 15: Friday. Kolkata. Morning flight to Kolkata. A mere village in the 17th century,

today Calcutta (now Kolkata) is one of the largest cities in the world. This bustling city is a veritable microcosm of India. Enjoy an orientation tour this morning.  We have arranged a special lunch today with the Maharani of Burdwan, daughter of the Maharaja of Faridkota and now married to the Maharaja of Burdwan.

After lunch, we will spend the morning at Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. The Missionaries of Charity run 19 homes in Kolkata, including homes for women, orphaned children, and those dying; an AIDS hospital; a school for street children; and a leper colony. These services are provided to people regardless of their religion or social caste. We have requested a meeting with Sister Nirmala, who succeeded Mother Teresa as Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity in March 1997. She is a modest woman, and when she succeeded Mother Teresa, she quietly said, “Mother Teresa can never be replaced. She is gifted with a rare compassion and charisma.” This evening, we will enjoy a hands-on cooking class—a chance to prepare and then sample delicious Indian cuisine.

Accommodations: Oberoi Grand (B, L, D)

January 16: Saturday. Mumbai. Morning flight to Mumbai. From obscure, humble beginnings, Mumbai is now India’s most important financial and industrial center. We will enjoy an orientation tour on the way to the hotel stopping at the Gandhi Museum and Research Institute. The group will be met by Dr. Usha Thakkar who will talk about Gandhi’s life and his dynamic and powerful uncharted path of non-violent resistance to foreign rule and to all evil.  After lunch, we will take an hour’s boat ride to the tranquil forested island of Elephanta, one of the most atmospheric places in Mumbai.  The chief attraction of the island is its unique cave temple with fine examples of Hindu architecture. Here, we will meet with Tasneem

Zakaria Mehta, an art historian who prepared a comprehensive development plan for the World Heritage Site of Elephanta and helped establish the site’s museum. She has also been involved in the architectural preservation of major museums and sites in Mumbai.

Evening reception at a private home. Accommodations: Taj Mahal Palace & Tower (B, L, D)

January 17: Sunday. Mumbai. This morning, we will visit Dharavi, routinely called the “largest slum in Asia.” and recently featured in the award winning movie Slumdog Millionaire It remains unique among slums—a neighborhood smack in the heart of Mumbai, the center of all things, geographically, psychologically, and spiritually. Accompanying us will be Kalpana Sharma, a columnist, media consultant, and independent journalist who has written on urban issues, especially in the context of Mumbai's development. Sharma is the author of Rediscovering Dharavi: Stories from Asia’s Largest Slum, and she edited Whose News? The Media and Women's Issues and Terror Counter-Terror: Women Speak Out with Ammu Joseph.  After lunch, we will meet with Nishtha Jain, a Mumbai-based documentary filmmaker. Jain recently produced Lakshmi and Me, a documentary that acknowledges the lives of caregivers who work in our homes but about whom we often know so little.

Accommodations: Taj Mahal Palace & Tower (B, L)

January 18: Monday. Mumbai. After breakfast, we will meet with Shabana Azmi, a popular and talented actress and winner of many awards, including the National Film Award for Best Actress. She is also a social activist and recipient of the Gandhi International Peace Prize in 2006. She has been a member of the National Integration Council and is a member of the National AIDS Commission of India.  After lunch, we will meet with Vedika Bhandarkar, managing director and head of investment banking for India at JP Morgan Chase in Mumbai. Vedika will share some of her thoughts with us on the glass-ceiling facing many Indian women today.

Accommodations: Taj Mahal Palace & Tower (B, L, D)

January 19: Tuesday. Delhi. After breakfast, fly to Delhi. Upon arrival, transfer to The Imperial.  After lunch, we have requested a meeting with Sonia Gandhi. Mrs. Gandhi entered political life in 1997 and has served as the president of the Indian National Congress. She is the chairperson of the ruling United Progressive Alliance and the leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party. According to both Times and Forbes magazines, she is one of the most powerful women in the world. This evening, enjoy a cocktail reception at the Triveni Art Gallery, where we will be joined by Vasundhara Tewari, a well-known contemporary artist. Accommodations: The Imperial (B, L, D)

January 20: Wednesday. Delhi. This morning, we will enjoy a tour of the city, focusing on old Delhi. We will visit the Red Fort and Delhi’s largest mosque, the Jami Masjid. Then, we are off on a rickshaw ride through the winding alleys of Chandni Chowk. After lunch, we hope to meet with Arundhati Roy, the award-winning novelist and activist. In 1997, she received the Man Booker Prize for her first novel, The God of Small Things. She is a spokesperson for anti-globalization and a critic of the global policies of the United States.

Dinner this evening in a private home. Accommodations: The Imperial (B, L, D)

January 21: Thursday. Delhi. After breakfast, we will meet with Sheila Dikshit, the chief minister of Delhi. In the Assembly, Dikshit represents the Gole Market Constituency. Next, we will meet with Kiran Bedi, a social activist who became the first woman to join the Indian Police Service (IPS) in 1972. Her last position before voluntary retirement in 2007 was the director general at the Bureau of Police Research and Development. She has also overseen one of the world’s largest prison complexes and founded two NGOs in India—Navjyoti for welfare and preventive policing in 1987 & India Vision Foundation for prison reforms, drug-abuse prevention and child welfare in 1994.

We will end the day with Madhu Kishwar, the founder and editor of Manushi, a journal on women and society. In April 2008, Kishwar’s latest effort, Zealous Reformers, Deadly Laws: Battling Stereotypes, was published. The book examines how existing laws in India fail to address and provide relief to women. Kishwar addresses problems around caste, child brides, and dowries.

Accommodations: The Imperial (B, L, D)

January 22: Friday. Agra. Following breakfast, we depart by private coach for Agra, stopping en route at Sikandra, the tomb of the great Mughal emperor, Akbar. Sikandra is a beautiful monument and a perfect blend of Hindu, Christian, Islamic, Buddhist, and Jain motifs. We arrive in Agra and transfer to the Oberoi Amarvilas, a luxury resort located just 500 meters from the world famous monument of love—theTaj Mahal. The elaborate gardens, reflection pools, and pavilions compliment the classic architecture of the hotel.

Accommodations: Oberoi Amarvilas (B, L, D)

January 23: Saturday. Agra. We will enjoy a leisurely morning before boarding decorated horse-drawn carriages and visiting Agra’s “old city.” At sunset, we will visit the incomparable Taj Mahal, Emperor Shah Jahan’s glorious monument to eternal love. Enjoy a special farewell dinner this evening. Accommodations: Oberoi Amarvilas (B, L, D)

January 24: Sunday. Agra. After a morning at leisure, we will visit the UNESCO site of Fatehpur Sikri before driving to Delhi for dinner.  Then, we will take a late-night flight back to Dubai and on to New York. (B, L, D)

January 25: Monday. Agra. Arrive in New York.

Among Women: An International Dialogue

The Gateway of India

The Gateway of India was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Bombay, prior to the Delhi Durbar, in December 1911.  Originally it was a crude jetty used by fisher folks and was later renovated and used as a landing place for British governors and other distinguished personages. In earlier times, the Gateway was the monument that visitors arriving by boat would have first seen in the city of Bombay.

The Himalayas

The great Himalayas, the highest mountain range in the world, extend along the northern frontiers of Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Burma. They were formed geologically as a result of the collision of the Indian subcontinent with Asia.

This process of plate tectonics is ongoing, and the gradual northward drift of the Indian subcontinent still causes earthquakes (see Earthquakes, this ch.). Lesser ranges jut southward from the main body of the Himalayas at both the eastern and western ends.

The Himalayan system, about 2,400 kilometers in length and varying in width from 240 to 330 kilometers, is made up of three parallel ranges--the Greater Himalayas, the Lesser Himalayas, and the Outer Himalayas--sometimes collectively called the Great Himalayan Range.

http://www.indianchild.com/himalayas.htm

The Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal (pronounced /tɑdʒ məˈhɑl/; Hindi: ताज महल; Persian/Urdu: تاج محل) is a mausoleum located in Agra, India, built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

The Taj Mahal (also "the Taj") is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles.^[1][2] In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was cited as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage."

While the white domed marble mausoleum is its most familiar component, the Taj Mahal is actually an integrated complex of structures. Building began around 1632 and was completed around 1653, and employed thousands of artisans and craftsmen.^[3] The construction of the Taj Mahal was entrusted to a board of architects under imperial supervision including Abd ul-Karim Ma'mur Khan, Makramat Khan, and Ustad Ahmad Lahauri.^[4][5] Lahauri is generally considered to be the principal designer.^[6]

Wikipedia

Carol Cheswick Wilson
203 247 3358

The only limits you have are the limits you believe.

Dr. Wayne Dyer

Good Morning Berlin

The picture is lousy because the sun is streaming right in my eyes.

The tower on the distance is a 100 meter television/radio tower built
to ensure that the eastern bloc countries could get Western
communications like Radio Free Europe.

The Soviets got competitive and built a 150 meter communications tower
in Moscow.

My last towel animal

My peacock.

More wall

Path of the wall

There are a number of small sections still remaining as historical
reminders. These cobblestones mark where the wall was placed.

Victory Column

This celebrates all of the victories of the German Army. The gold
stripes up and down the column are gilded cannons captured from their
enemies.

Charlottenplatz

This is a reconstructed palace completed in the past several years and
originally built in the early 1700's. We saw a lot of "reconstructed
sites" from the original plans or old photos.

The spy bridge

This is where they exchanged spies in the early 60's. The different
paint denotes the different regions. The left was East Germany and if
you look carefully at the pavement you can see the variations in the
surfaces.

Pottsdam by the canal

This is the view from our final destination. We spent our days getti g
oriented on Berlin and Pottsdam.

And we got stuck...

...when the door didn't open.

Very strange form of claustrophobia.

Say hi to Margaret's leg. No photo editing on the iPhone.

We go up

Yes we are on a bridge canal that goes OVER the Elbe. Very odd.

We go down

For the Locklubbers

Yesterday we left the Elbe to head up to Potsdam. It wasn't easy and
included a number of locks that lifted us up or down about 70 feet.

Huge current on the Elbe

Sometimes older is better

East German Rennovation

While we have seen many charming rennivations on this trip as this
side of Germany rebuilds itself. Sometimes the rennovations run amuk.

Guten Morgen Magdeburg

This is a 1200 year old town and the Capitol of Saxony. Dresden is
only 900 years old. Am taking a power walk this morning. We are only
here untill 11am.

Crests of the Nobility

Every town and every nobleman who initially supported The Reformation
have their crests adorning this church.

Wittenberg

This is the inside of the church where Martin Lither posted his 95
theses and started the Reformation. No picture of the doors because
tourists were glued to it.

Rennovations

Now 20 years after the fall of the Iron Curtain, 70% of Wittenberg has
been restored and cleaned up but they are keeping that house that ugly
color because they don't want to forget.

Communist Grey

Apparently while East Germany was under Comminust rule, all of the
buildings were this color because of horrible pollution, benign
neglect of the government and lack of funds

Uh Oh

Okay I made a booboo. This is the elephant. I guess the earlier
picture is a Dog.

So much for my towel animal interpretations.

Guten Morgen Torgau

This is where the Russian and American troops first met during WW2.
More about the story after we wander. This afternoon it's onto
Wittenberg.

More Meissen

And this elephant. I just couldn't include the little painted,
bewigged figures galavanting around the seemingly unaware naked woman
sitting in the garden with the dove on her shoulder.

Meissen Factory

We toured the Meissen factory today and saw how the porcelain is made.
Lots of very ornate, very expensive objects. Including this more
modern tea set and

Cobble stones.

Someone should write a book about East German cobblestones. Typically
granite they last hundreds of years and definitely add a cutesy
element to quaint mideval towns. They are also murder on the feet.

Apparently the quaintness is so in demand that West German towns would
Buy up East German cobblestones to get the same effect.

Mein Elefant

This is what greeted me this morning when we returned from Dresden.
This boat is really lovely.

Frauenkirche Dressen

This is a funky picture that I casually took over my shoulder. This
the famous church that was dessimmated on February 13, 1945 when 775
British bombers wiped out Dresden. (that is not a typo). They took
one pass, then a 90 degree turn and then another pass.

The church was leveled and was only finished being restored in 2005.
The dark rocks you see are from the original stucture which has been
rebuilt according to the original plans.

Good Morning Dresden

Find the Climber

This is a test of my iPhone's resolution. Find the climber. He's up
there.

The Alps of Saxony

Very pretty scenery but they aren't the Alps. More like the rocky bumps.

Cruising up the Elbe

Eleanor '66 oaling up the rays on the upper deck. It was an absolutely
perfect day.

Dining

Since I have no urgent need to seek out the kitchen as has been
suggested by my dear friend, I thought I would give you a view of the
dining room.

It's gorgeous and the food is Yummo. We are typically having four to
seven course meals at night which are wonderful The secret is yummy
food and small portions.

Breakfast is served until 10.
Soup is available at 11.
Lunch at noon.
Tea at 3.
Cocktails at 5.
Dinner at 7.
Late night snack at 11.

Locked Out

I have just learned that Internet service doesn't work at the bottom
of a Lock.

Street Signs

It is virtually impossible to figure out how to pronounce the names of
these towns.

At 1:15 today, we will cross over the border to Germany. I might have
a chance of understanding something thanks to my marvelous grasp of
the Grrman language.

Good Morning Walkers!

Meet Barbara and Sally, two MIT spouses who I convinced to get up and
take a 6:30 walk around town.

Good Morning Leimeritz

We have woken up on the shores of beautiful downtown Leimeritz. We are
still in the Czech Republic. It's a gorgeous day and we will be
cruising up the Elbe for the whole day to Dresden.

This is the view from my stateroom.

Leaving Melnick

We cast off this afternoon and are now cruising down the Elbe which is
confusing because we are going north. The Elbe empties into the North
Sea.

We are learning that all but ten minutes of the cruise is in areas
that previously were part of East Germany.

Tomorrow we cruise all day to Dressen so expect lots of photos.

Prague

We spent this morning seeing the sites of Prague. We arrived on time
to see the Astronomical clock strike nine. I am sure there is a great
video online of it's working as well as an explanation. Very cool.

This is a view off the Charles Bridge built in the 1400's. Pretty good
photo for the iPod. During a mega flood, the tide was over the water
wheel.

My Stateroom

Much nicer than I expected. Thought I would have the room by the
engine room.

We just finished a seven course dinner.

Genug

L

C

Self cleaning potty

Okay the Europeans have definitely figures out the plumbing side of
things. This is a picture of a self cleaning potty from the Frankfort
Airport.

When it's time to take a seat, the green arm comes out and sprays
cleaner on the toilet seat which is rotating. Then there is a squeegie
that wipes up the spray again while the aeat is rotatong and the seat
is clean. Fancy schmancy.

JFK Business Lounge

Jonathan has cordially welcomed Mom and I to the lounge for the upper
crusties on Lufthansa. They let me in as a courtesy. Mom has the fancy
pants business class ticket. I am in Economy. Couldn't they come up
with a better term like the "Adventurers' Class" or "Frugal
Funlovers" or maybe "Cheapskates". I am feeling like Discount Donna.

So far we have learned that they don't have skycaps at the curb like
JetBlue which makes juggling two suitcases, two carry-ons, two purses,
two canes and a walker an interesting experience.

Our flight leaves at 3:40. We are in for a long wait so we just have
to enjoy the automatic decaf latte machine (I am in heaven) and the
unending array of food.

What am I getting myself into.....

I am starting to realize that this trip is only two days away.  

Have I packed?  No.  

Have I thought about packing?  No.

Have I called everyone who is coming   You bet....

Its quite a group.  Everyone sound very gung-ho and very smart.  The ages range from 45 to 83.  Not surprisingly, the majority of travelers are  Wellesley alums as well as a smattering of Smithies and one from Bennington.  I have already told the non-Wellesleyites, that they can become honorary alumnae.  

There are four retired professors  -- three from Skidmore and one from MIT.  I think I am going to have to wrap up any chick-lit novels in plain brown paper and deny my addiction to The Biggest Loser.  I will write more about them in the event they give me permission.

Our agenda is great.  We take off on Friday and meet everyone in Frankfurt on Saturday.  From there, we fly to Prague and get on the boat, the MV Katharina Von Boren which has 41 guest cabins, each of which looks out on the water.  The boat is named after Martin Luther's wife.

DAY	PORT	ARRIVAL	DEPARTURE	OPTIONAL TOUR INFORMATION
Saturday	Prague			Embarkation - begins 3:00pm
Sunday	Prague		8:00am	M Old Town City Walk
	Mirejowice	12:30am	1:00pm
	Leitmeritz	9:00pm
Monday	Leitmeritz		5:30am
	Bad Schandau	1:00pm	3:30pm	A Fortress Konigstein
	Dresden	7:00pm
Tuesday	Dresden			M City Walk
				A Mortizburg Hunting Lodge
Wednesday	Dresden		12 Noon	A Zwinger Palace and the Gallery of Old Masters
	Meissen	2:00pm		A City tour and Porcelain Manufacture
Thursday	Meissen		3:00am
	Wittenberg	1:00pm	6:30pm	A Footsteps of Martin Luther City Walk
Friday	Magdeburg	2:45am	11:00am	M City Tour
Saturday	Berlin (Potsdam)	2:30am		Disembarkation - until 10:00am

I could get used to this.....

Okay Okay

Wellesley College Trustee, Lynn Sherr

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=126383

And the answer is......

No, its not Barbara Walters.....

No, its not Diane Sawyer.....

Any other guesses???

Name that head

Yesterday I went to a Wellesley luncheon featuring Kim Bottomly. She
gave a great speech. This was my view. Name that head. It's famous.

A Rainy Saturday....

I have just hit the grocery store buying gobs of food in anticipation
of leaving the house to the swarms of munchers for ten days. While
Rande is an accomplished griller, Matt succumbed to eating a can of
chickpeas straight from the can a few weeks ago. Yummo.

Charlie appreciates that no one has yet commented on the state of his
room.

Jenny wants to know why she's not on the blog, so I am attaching a
photo of Snoopy waking up Jenny yesterday morning. Aren't they cute.

I have to go to my mother's this afternoon to reassure her, yet again,
that we are really going to Germany and that we have everything that
we could possibly need.

Testing

To memorialize what I am taking a vacation from.
Here is Charlie's room.