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Honeymoon in India.
New Delhi, India - Bermuda, Hawaii or Bora Bora, maybe. But India?
It rarely makes the list when American couples think about honeymoons.
But it was in New Delhi where we emerged from our hotel, blinking in the laser-bright sun just 60 hours after walking down the aisle in South Bend, Ind.
Why not India? A honeymoon is an excuse for a good long trip, for one thing, and we were both interested in Asia.
So it was during our first jet-lagged walk when a man in a caftan emerged from the shadows of a park called Connaught Circus and rushed up to us. Whatever he held looked a bit like a hookah.
"Hello, kind sir!" he said. "Are you in good service?"
It's natural to pause when first asked that common question, but soon we were even more perplexed. "Wash your ears?"
His was among a flood of offers that came within minutes for Coke, shoeshines, back massages, tea and marigolds.
Maybe we didn't want the ear-washing, but it was clear from the start that while in India, we would be in refreshingly new surroundings.
Seeking education and adventure, we chose three weeks last autumn, when the heat was manageable and the monsoons were clearing out. During the trip, we were "in good service," as the ear-washer had asked.
He meant "well-treated."
Not that travel in India comes without challenges. In the huge cities, poverty, heat and pollution can be overwhelming sometimes.
Language, however, is no problem. For the British Empire and now for India, English helps to unify a nation where 18 languages are recognized by the modern constitution.
We nosed around Old Delhi for a couple of days, learning how to read menus, buy train tickets and deal with the cycle-rickshaw drivers whose pedaling became our favorite mode of transportation. Although we felt uncomfortably imperialist at first, we liked seeing the street life at close range -- within smelling distance of the curry stands.
The drivers were friendly, too, and appreciated our good tips. Along with many others, they seemed truly delighted when we mentioned this was our honeymoon.
So, we rode to the massive Red Fort, built by Mogul king Shah Jahan in the mid-1600s. By the early 1500s, the Mogul empire had already become the strongest unifying force India had ever known. The Moguls maintained power until European colonizers effectively deposed them early in the 1700s.
Within the red sandstone ramparts of the fort we explored courtyards and rooms walled with translucent marble screens, looking buttery as the sunshine filtered in.
After a couple of days, we hopped onto an air-conditioned train and arrived in Agra a few hours later.
Agra is best known for its monument to love. Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal here as a mausoleum for his favorite wife, Mumtaz.
That night, a heavy full moon hung in a cloudless sky, and my wife, Ann, and I had a drink alone on the hotel's rooftop deck. As we took another look, the marvel of this place started to sink in.
WHEN TO GO
India is such a huge country that most things -- including religion, geography, language and climate -- vary considerably from place to place. Generally, the best time to visit is between October and March, after the monsoon is over but before the blazing heat begins. From April to September, temperatures can be hot, but this is also climbing season in the Himalayas. India's rainy season usually starts in June and July, but travel during these months is not impossible. Sometimes, the rain is more sporadic than torrential.
If you want a honeymoon to remember - India might just be the place!
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