Home  >> Stories  >> The Tale Spinner #2012-30

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IN THIS ISSUE

• Kate Brookfield writes about two cities in India
• Lyle Meeres continues his tale of a trip to Newfoundland
• Jean Sterling describes a visit to Ontario and the Maritimes
• Stan French forwards notices for pets and visitors
• Pat Moore tells how one senior lost her driver´s licence
• Tom Telfer shares 10 thoughtful definitions
• Tom Kyle´s poem has a threatening tone
• Sites are recommended by Bruce Galway, Catherine Nesbitt, and Irene Harvalias

Kate Brookfield writes more on Agra and the Moghul city of Fatehpurh Sikri, which they visited during their year in

INDIA

My previous story on the city of Agra focused too much on the Taj Mahal and did not really do justice to the other monuments in this ancient city. So before moving on, I wish to add a little more about the history of Agra. I am also going to describe the Moghul city of Fatehpur Sikri, which we visited later in the year on a separate trip from Delhi. But as it is close to Agra and its history is very much related to the Moghul history of Delhi and Agra, it seems appropriate to cover it at this time.

India tends to be identified with the extraordinary and extensive buildings erected at the times of the Moghul Empire. The Taj Mahal and the Forts in Delhi and Agra are imposing structures that have stood the test of time, but the architecture is really a mix of Persian, Afghan, Uzbekistan, and Hindi influence. The history of Agra shows how the plains of northern India were occupied by a succession of rulers.

This part of India is close to the mountain borders of Afghanistan, Iran, and Uzbekistan, and once over the mountains, invaders could envisage taking over the whole of the huge subcontinent of India. The climate in this part of India is less hot and humid than further south, water is plentiful from the many rivers flowing from the mountains, and also the monsoon rains are not as heavy as in the rest of the country. For these reasons, it was natural that the empire builders set their capitals on the plains

Agra´s history as an important population centre goes back centuries, well before the construction of the Moghul city. In Hindu history told in the epic "The Mahabharata", it is named Agreven, or Agraben, depending on the transliteration of the Sanskrit. After Mathura, the birthplace of Krishna, which is 50 kms north, it was the second most important city in this history of India.

I read "The Mahabharata" while living in India, and bought a copy in comic book format for the kids to read. It explains the origins of the Hindu religion, the life of Krishna, the main prophet, and the stories behind all the gods and goddesses worshipped in the Hindu religion. We learned something about the gods and goddesses on special festivals, and you cannot escape seeing their images on carvings on buildings, on posters for sale in the shops, and displayed in people´s homes, stores, and in taxis and buses.

But in the northern plains, because of the many invading forces, there has been more Islamic influence, which over the years assimilated with Hindu beliefs. The history of Agra is very much connected with attempts to unite the different beliefs. Also, as we see even today, the tribes in Iran and Afghanistan have great difficulty in learning to unite their beliefs to live in peace and harmony.

Hindi legend states that Agra was originally a capital city in Hindustan. Badal Singh, a Rajput King, founded the city of Agra in 1475. (We will be meeting up with the Rajputs when we visit Jaipur in Rajasthan in the next story). Badal Singh built a fortress palace known as Bagaldarth, but there is nothing to be seen of this fortress. It is reputed to have been at or near the same site as Agra Fort. The Rajputs lost control of the city when Ibrahim Lodhi invaded from Afghanistan and founded his ruling dynasty, which lasted from 1451 to 1526. The capital of the Lodhi Empire was in Delhi, with Agra as a major city.

In 1526, the Lodhi were defeated by the Emperor Barbur at the battle of Panipat. Babur was an emperor in his own right from the age of 12 years in Uzbekistan. He was a descendent of the Mongol leader Genghis Khan. But he lost his kingdom and spent many years fighting tribes in Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, until he turned his sights to the Indian sub-continent. After defeating the Lodhi dynasty, he took control of Delhi and Agra, and was the founder of the successful Moghul Empire in India. Agra became the capital city of the Moghul Empire.

His grandson, Akbar the Great, was the third Moghul emperor. It was Akbar who started the fort at Agra, competed in 1573. His grandson, Shah Jahan, extended the fort until it was said to contain over 500 buildings, such as ornate palaces for the queens and princesses and mosques, within the fortress walls. A Google search for Agra Red Fort will give you loads of pictures that tell more than I can write about it.

Fatehpurh Sikri

About 20 miles from Agra is a complete Moghul city. Fatehpur Sikri was built by Akbar. It was his dream city, employing Persian architecture. We were told by our guide that it was never lived in and never invaded, so it remains an example of the magnificent scale of Moghul architecture. The story we were told was that a holy man told Akbar he would have a son and he did. Akbar decided that the place where he met the holy man should be made sacred, and he built a mosque on the site. But he loved the place so much, he decided the location was better for his capital city. He planned the city and nobody dared tell the emperor that there was no water supply. Akbar commanded the court to move to Fatehpurh Sikri, and there was a large exodus from Agra to this new city. Eventually, they all had to move back to Agra when the lack of water was made evident. Although, I have since read that the Moghul court lived there for 10-12 years.

Whatever the truth, there is no denying that it has not been raided or destroyed, and the inner palaces are as intact today as when they were first built. For more on this city see:

Lyle Meeres continues his account of a recent trip:

FINDING NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

Iceberg Alley (click to enlarge)

On Day 5 we went out of St. Anthony on a whale-watching boat tour and looked for icebergs on "Iceberg Alley." Since this was a prime motive for our trip, I was very hopeful. First we got glimpses of minkies, which do not rise high out of the water like the larger whales. Then we got a fabulous view of a beautifully-coloured iceberg. I took so many pictures that I killed my camera battery. It was a good death.

St. Anthony was also the central location for Sir Wilfred Grenfell, a British doctor who was shocked by the poverty and the poor health conditions he saw in Newfoundland and Labrador. He decided to do something about it - and did he ever! He cruised the coast of Labrador and Newfoundland, treating 900 patients, and established a hospital, an orphanage, nursing stations, and the first co-operatives in Newfoundland.

Back at our motel, we washed clothes and I bought theatre tickets for a satirical comedy the next night.

Since we had a two-night stay, the next day had a more leisurely beginning. Then we were off on a boat tour which included some attractive Gros Morne scenery, bald eagles, and minkie whales. I did think that Milford Sound in New Zealand provided more dramatic scenery, with the towering mountains and fiords, but this was a visually-appealing tour.

Part of the pleasure was the sense of humour shown by the boat staff. We were entertained with a "Screech-In" ceremony which turned us into honourary Newfoundlanders. It was a hoot. They had a few passengers up front and wanted one from our group. A man in a full-length yellow slicker looked at Pat and said, "You have lips that look like they should kiss a cod," and chose her to join the group up front. We all drank a little Screech, a Jamaican rum bottled in St. Johns. The crew were good performers, musicians and singers.

One crew member said that it can be difficult to tell the difference between a crow and a raven, so he proceeded to tell us how to do that. What you do, is flip the birds over and look at their feathers. The crow has longer pinion feathers, some say ... so to tell a crow from a raven is a matter of a pinion.

We had a bagged lunch on the deck of a museum and enjoyed the scenery. Then we drove for a better view of the Tablelands. This is a unique part of Gros Morne Park. The reddish rock is barren, like a sparse Arizona scene. It is thought that this area was pushed up from the earths mantle millions of years ago. The rock is reddish, due to the iron content. On the other side of the road, away from the Tablelands, everything was green. Nearby we got pictures of pitcher plant blooms. We were regularly startled by the profusion of wildflowers.

Gardens in ditches (click to enlarge)

Often on our drives we saw gardens growing in the ditches. Soil had been scraped aside when the road was made. No soil was to be wasted, hence the family drove to their ditch garden. Many gardens had low fences with strips of cloth hanging down. Apparently moose will not step across or through such fences. To us, it seemed an unusual answer to an unusual problem.

We stopped at Broom Point to learn about fisheries. This is a sore point in the area because the cod that were once so plentiful that it was said you could lower a basket into the sea and bring it up full of cod are now so scarce that there is a moratorium in the Newfoundland and Labrador area, severely limiting cod fishing. Unfortunately, this does not apply outside the 200-mile limit so cannery ships from other countries such as Spain and Japan drag the bottom and destroy the habitat while harvesting cod. Locals also face a moratorium on salmon fishing. We learned that halibut fishing was opened for one day only. Consequently, a basic part of a way of life has died. Newfoundland has had extreme population fluctuation, and this massive change in occupation is a major reason.

Lobster and crab traps (click to enlarge)

The Broom Point parks interpreter was telling us what we already knew about cod, but when Pat asked about lobster traps and lobsters, he gave us interesting details. Many fishermen have turned to catching lobsters and crabs, with six million pounds of lobster bringing fishermen perhaps $4.25 per pound. The traps we saw being built were made of wood and mesh. One trap could hold several lobsters. A tunnel opening funnels so that it allows no exit. The lobster backs into the opening so it can keep the large claws available for defence. What draws the lobster to the trap is bait, often fish. There are limits on which lobsters the fishermen can keep. The best are one to two pounds. Females with eggs ready to drop and males over five pounds cannot be kept, nor can small lobsters. The big ones are good for breeding. That night we ate lobster.

After dinner we went to the play "Cod on a Stick." The satire consisted of a series of skits with minimal props. It was fast moving and the body language and choreography were excellent. However, many of the jokes require some knowledge of Newfoundland, including politics, so I felt that the play would have less appeal to out-of-province tourists. I did notice that dramatic presentations were common in towns throughout the trip, perhaps signalling the rising importance of tourism.

The next day we walked a bog area. Much of the trail was boardwalk. We saw lots of wildflowers and were surprised by the wild iris, "Blue Flag." Following the walk, we drove to an area with a scattering of summer fishing houses where men were busy making and repairing lobster traps.

Then it was on to Lobster Cove Lighthouse where the interpreter told her story. She had married as a teenager and intended to go fishing with her husband. Her husband was opposed, because life on a fishing boat was rough and women just did not do this at that time. So one day she told him that she had got a job: she would be feeding many men in a remote camp. After hearing her news, the husband agreed that she should go fishing with him - the first woman to go as fisherwoman with her husband. Much later he became sick, and she cared for him until his death, which had come a year ago. It was a powerful, emotional story, told by a strong, independent woman.

A book I read had created an interest in the Beothuk Indians, so I was pleased when we stopped at the Mary Marsh Provincial Museum, where the story of the extinction of the Beothuk was told. After living in the area for perhaps two thousand years, the Beothuk succumbed to disease and the clash of cultures. The book I read took a dim view of the role of Europeans.

To be continued.

Jean Sterling has also been visiting Eastern

CANADA

We recently returned from our trip to Canada. We went to Niagara Falls and Niagara on the Lake in Ontario, and St. Martins in New Brunswick.

I always find Niagara Falls to be beautiful and amazing. We enjoyed seeing the falls, and we saw some great shows at the Shaw Festival in Niagara on the Lake. My favorite show was "Ragtime", a musical set in the 1920s. Some musicals don´t have much of a story line, but Ragtime had an interesting story to go along with some great ragtime music.

St. Martins is on the Bay of Fundy, which has the highest tides in the world. Boats that are floating at high tide rest on cradles in the mud when the tide is low. We saw kayaks going into a sea cave at high tide near St. Martins. Later that day we walked into the same sea cave when the tide was low.

At Hopewell Rocks people can walk on the ocean floor. After four hours the beach is cleared, as the tide there is 50 feet high. There is a high cement platform in case anybody gets caught by the tide. The ranger told me that people caught by the tide would be on the platform for five hours. He said that nobody had been stuck on the platform while the park was open, but that possibly some people got stuck there during the off season. The formations created by these very high tides are fascinating.

St. John in New Brunswick has an attraction called the reversing falls. When the tide changes, the direction of the falls changes. Boats can enter or leave the harbour for only twenty minutes every six hours.

Crossing the border back into the United States was of interest to us as there is an automated system that was developed by our youngest son. You show your passport card to a sensor which scans it, and cameras automatically take pictures of license plate and car occupants (we could see the flashes). The information is sent to a computer in Washington, and the crossing guard knows whether you need special attention by the time your car gets up to the gate. I told son I would complain to him if they wouldn´t let me in at the border. Actually at my age, security guards probably find me quite boring.

I had a great time in Canada. Ate a lot of lobster roll in New Brunswick.

I´ll attach some pictures. The first two show boats at high tide and low tide. The next one shows some of the formations at Hopewell Rocks. The next two show the sea cave. The last one shows the Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls — I love the rainbow in that one.

(click on any image to enlarge it)

Stan French has not checked this with Snopes, but claims that for those of you who have pets, this is a true story; for those who don´t, it is a true story:

NOTICES FOR PETS AND PEOPLE

The following was found posted very low on a refrigerator door:

Dear Dogs and Cats: The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Racing me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn´t help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king-sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort, however. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other, stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out on the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is no secret exit from the bathroom! If, by some miracle, I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob, or get your paw under the edge in an attempt to open the door. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years - canine/feline attendance is not required.

The proper order for kissing is: Kiss me first, then go smell the other dog or cat´s butt. I cannot stress this enough.

Finally, in fairness, dear pets, I have posted the following message on the front door:

TO ALL NON-PET OWNERS WHO VISIT AND LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR PETS:

(1) They live here. You don´t.

(2) If you don´t want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. That´s why they call it "fur"-niture.

(3) I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.

(4) To you, they are animals. To me, they are adopted sons/daughters who are short, hairy, walk on all fours and don´t speak clearly.

Pat Moore sends this variation on a story that has been doing the rounds:

A SENIOR´S DRIVER´S LICENCE

A man was sitting on a lawn sunning and reading, when he was startled by a fairly late model car crashing through a hedge and coming to rest on his lawn. He helped the elderly driver out and sat her on a lawn chair.

"My goodness!" he exclaimed, "you are quite old to be driving!"

"Yes," she replied, "I am old enough that I don´t need a licence any more. The last time I went to my doctor he examined me, and asked if I had a driver´s licence. I told him yes and handed it to him. He took scissors out of a drawer, cut the licence into pieces, and threw them in the wastebasket.

"´You won´t be needing this any more,´ he said.

"So I thanked him and left."

Tom Telfer shares these

TEN THOUGHTS

1. Imagination is power - Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.

2. Laws of attraction - Falling in love is not at all the most stupid thing that people do - but gravitation cannot be held responsible for it.

3. True brilliance - Computers are incredibly fast, accurate, and stupid. Human beings are incredibly slow, inaccurate, and brilliant. Together they are powerful beyond imagination.

4. Risky business - Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.

5. Intellectual frontier - As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it.

6. Authenticity - Few are those who see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts.

7. Inquiring minds - Never lose a holy curiosity.

8. Total peace - You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war.

9. Infinite folly - The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.

10. Failure to adjust - Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Tom Kyle resurrects this poem:

WHEN I´M AN OLD LADY ...

When I´m an old lady, I´ll live with my kids,
and make their life happy and filled with such fun.
I want to pay back all the joy they´ve provided.
Oh, they´ll be so excited,
     When I´m an old lady and live with my kids.

I´ll write on the wall with red, white, and blue;
and bounce on the furniture wearing my shoes.
I´ll drink from the carton and then leave it out.
I´ll stuff all the toilets, and oh, how they´ll shout
     When I´m an old lady and live with my kids.

When they´re on the phone and just out of reach,
I´ll get into things like sugar and bleach.
Oh, they´ll snap their fingers and then shake their head,
and when that is done I´ll hide under the bed,
     When I´m an old lady and live with my kids.

When they cook dinner and call me to meals,
I´ll not eat my green beans or salads congealed.
I´ll gag on my spinach, spill milk on the table,
and when they get angry, run fast as I´m able,
     When I´m an old lady and live with my kids.

I´ll sit close to the TV, through the channels I´ll click,
I´ll cross both my eyes to see if they stick.
I´ll take off my socks and throw one away,
and play in the mud until the end of the day,
     When I´m an old lady and live with my kids.

And later in bed, I´ll lie back and sigh,
and thank God in prayer and then close my eyes;
and my kids will look down with a smile slowly creeping,
     When I´m an old lady and live with my kids.

- Author Unknown

RECOMMENDED WEBSITES

Bruce Galway sends this link to a video which gives the impression of seeing in 3D without glasses:

Bruce also forwards the URL for a nostalgic video of Willie Nelson back in 1965:

Catherine Nesbitt forwards the URL for a site which shows photos of an underground city discovered in Turkey. It was used as shelter for thousands of people under attack. The slides show pictures of the underground caves and explains more about them:

Catherine also sends this link to an award-winning short documentary all about whale sharks:

Speaking of ads, Irene Harvalias sends this link to a short video of the London Philharmonic Orchestra teaming up with MINI for a performance of the National Anthem, after having recorded all 205 national anthems to be played at this summer´s Olympics:

One of the sites from last week, which supposedly showed a plane rescued from crashing by a pickup truck, turned out to be an ad for Nissan trucks. A website for pilots scoffed at the whole thing, pointing out that the landing would not have been disastrous in any case, and that the chances of a truck being in the right place at the right time, and the pilot landing the front wheel on the truck, were miniscule. To watch the ad again, go to

Here is a video of the Premiere of the World Stadium Tour in Toronto with the biggest stage ever to go on tour - a full-size reproduction of the Empress Sisi´s castle in Vienna, the Schönbrunn Palace! Imagine yourself in Vienna for a Night with André Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra:

What if you could use GPS technology to find your misplaced keys? How about if you could use that same technology to lie about where you were in the world, or misdirect cruise ships? Todd Humphreys of the University of Texas at Austin´s Radio Navigation Lab paints a picture of an utterly new future at once worrying and fascinating:

To check out the features of the "freedictionary", which changes daily, go to