Sunday in Delhi
Trip Start
Oct 01, 2007
1
4
34
Trip End
Apr 21, 2008
Where I stayed
Delhi, India
Monday, October 15, 2007
I started out at India Gate, a war memorial with park around it. It was a pretty quick spot but worth while seeing. It had a very family atmosphere, with guys playing cricket in the field and fathers fussing over how the family picture was being taken. There was even a local radio station sponsoring a breast cancer walk with a stage set up for music later on. Sound familiar?????
the link:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://galenfrysinger .us/india/delhi211.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.galenfrysing er.com/delhi_qutab_minar.htm&h=1337&w=720&sz=319 &tbnid=SD2xE_G2tTi-oM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=81&prev =/images%3Fq%3Dqutab%2Bminar%26um%3D1&start=2&sa=X&a mp;oi=images&ct=image&cd=2
After, I went to see Humayun's tomb. Humayun was a Moghul emperor. The place was really amazing (I think you are going to hear that word a lot while I am here). I got some good shots and should be able to post soon. See what happened is that it looks like I somehow forgot to pack the cord that connects my camera to my computer. With all the electronic devices I brought, I thought I packed every single cord I had plus a few extras including the extension cord I "borrowed" from my parents back in college. Well, it looks like besides my camera cord, I also forgot my blackberry sync connection thing. I am in the process of securing these items while in Delhi. SO, that is my very understandable reason for not having pics posted yet. SOON, I promise you. Until then you will have to take my word for it or check out the links I provide.
I digress...back to the tomb. It was massive and a precursur to the Taj Mahal (which I am going to next weekend) so you can see some similarities. After that the fun began. My driver didn't like the itinerary that I had carefully put together for the whole day and it is hard enough to fight and win when you both speak english as your first language, so "we" decided I should see Lil Qita - The Red Fort. It was in Old Delhi so I was kind of skeptical as my colleague suggested I not go there alone and wait until the following weekend to go with someone from the office. My driver just drives me. Once I am there, I am on my own. Well I was up for an adventure so I said what the hell. Driving through town you could feel a distinct feel in the air. Almost like Old Delhi was a curmudgeon old man who did not like to be referred to as Old Delhi, second fiddle to th new more modern, more hip "New" dehli. We pulled up into an alley, where my driver proceeded to explain we couldn't get to the Fort by car and had to take a bike taxi. Fine....what fun. The streets were mobbed because of the holiday and I held on hoping that poor guy peddling wasn't going to fall over. Once we got to the Fort the crowds were huge and the line to get in long. Luckily, because I was a foreigner, I had a special line for tickets and because I was a chick I got to go through the "girls" line which was much shorter than the guys. I must have stood out because once inside, it was a little hard to ignore the constant stream of stares from the throngs of people, but I did manage to take in the fort and could almost imagine the King sitting on his raised marble pedestal handing out death by impalement or elephant trampling sentences like Santa giving out lollipops in the shopping mall. It was hot and the constant staring was getting to me so after over an hour I headed back. We hopped back on our trusted bike thing and headed back to the car...even on the way back the stares continued. Oh no, wait a minute that was 3 little girls all dressed in saris out for the holiday and in their own bike taxi that were smiling at me. We had a waving contest until - clunk - our bike chain broke. The luck. I had just started to relax and now I was stuck in the bike taxis with a broken chain. I thought, what do we do? Jump in another and keep going? Get out and run for our lives? Sit and wait for the inevitable? No. Our guy pushed us all the way back to the car. The ride was probably only "worth" about 15 rupees but I didn't have any change and the guy pushed us all that way....I gave him 50 rupees, about $1.50.
While I waited for my driver to pull the car around, I watched a lame snake charmer try to lure me into watching and taking a picture and ultimately giving him money. Like I said, I didn't have any change and if you are gonna be a snake-charmer at least look like a snake charmer and wear one of those hats and maybe even the billowly pants. Not jeans, sneakers and a striped lacoste shirt.
What? That wasn't enough? I went back to the hotel after that!
Comments
Wow!
I am really enjoying your entries. It's like being on a virtual field trip. I can't wait to do it myself one day. Can't wait to see your 'real' pictures.