July 1 (continued)
After hastily finishing the last entry, our driver, Dev (I only recently figured out how his name is actually spelled) took us to a textile place owned by a friend of his he had been a driver for a few years before. We didn't see the factory itself, but we saw a small workshop where textile patterns were printed by hand, and afterwards we were brought into a shop. At both this place and at the marble place in Agra, there is a similar thing that happens. They show you how their product is made, like its a fun free tour, and then they bring you into a room full of their product and give you free drinks, and then sell you things. A young man from Nepal was our salesman and was mildly entertaining, but as soon as he started offering to show specific items, I took the opportunity to talk to John. jon is the man that started and owns the operation. He started by visiting India and bringing textiles back to sell in his home country, Australia. Eventually he started his own business in Jaipur. He seemed happy with what he'd done, bringing jobs to an impoverished country and he also felt he was making an impact by hiring people regardless of "Caste" or sex at the same wage, which apparently created problems. He wasn't personally interested in selling me anything, and he seemed happy to talk to someone from a more western culture, since he now lived in Jaipur. It was an interesting conversation, which eventually ended with him showing me a puzzle and magic trick on his computer that a friend e-mailed him. Scott and Ryan bought a few items, I was happy to get a free beer and some conversation.
July 2
The day begins with a tour of the fort in Jaipur. We have another guide for this, who gives us most of Jaipur's history on the way. The fort was set on a very large rocky mountainside, and our main destination was a palace towards the top. We were greeted by elephants, our mode of travel to the top of the fort. At first I thought to myself that these animals must not be treated very well, but the elephant rider explained that the elephants only work every other day, and rest the other times. After leaving a meager tip, I learned that the elephant riders only really get paid in tips, and see very little of the 500 rupees we paid for the ride. It seems that these animals may actually be treated better than the people. It just another of many indications of the overwhelming poverty here. The tour of the palace within the fort was very interesting. The marble detailing and sunscreens were impressive. After we were taken to a small park covered with astrological instruments. Several sundials, one of which was claimed to be the largest in the world, were accompanied by a number of other strange tools used for various astrological purposes. There was also a sundial for each sign of the zodiac, which plays a large roll in the Hindu religion, and is the basis for matching couples in arranged marriages. The gigantic stone instruments made for a very interesting place. Next, our guide took us to see another textile place. We watched the block printing process, but knew what was to come next. We were given yet another lecture about the quality of the product and offered drinks, but made a hasty retreat back to the car. The guides clearly get compensated for bringing tourists to these places and we were all a little tired of being carted around. We had a quick lunch and beat it back to the hotel for a nap before heading into the Pink City on foot. The Pink city is essentially the historic center of Jaipur. It is walled in with 7 gates, and everything within is painted a red/pink color. We toured the market place as best we could. This city is much nicer than Agra, but the filth and and the poverty are still rampant. It is common in India for people to just empty their trash cans in the gutter. We walked around for a while but all the shops seemed to begin to close around 8:00 or 9:00. We stumbled across a small liquor stand and each ordered a beer, which we first figured we'd end up taking back to the room. The cashier then opened a door behind him and invited us back. We were lead into a tiny air-conditioned room full of men sitting on plastic stools and drinking beers. This proved to be a very unique discovery, and I would certainly consider it an authentic cultural experience. All this time in India, the guys have been interested in finding a place to go out and meet people at night, and we found it. Unfortunately the women don't go out, just old men. We met many strange men here. One man offered us his whiskey and told us about his two wives and how he alternates 15 days for each. At one point I was summoned by the owner of the liquor store who welcomed us and then warned me to be careful and that he would not be responsible for anything that might happen to us and to tell the rest of the guys. I wasn't worried. We finished a second round and left to get some food before heading back to the hotel. This was certainly a full day.
July 3
We wake early to head back to Delhi. The drive is typical: Dev weaving through traffic, honking his horn at anything that moved. Our first piece of business is to modify the end of our trip. We had previously only allowed for about a day of time in Shimla, and would spend another day in Delhi before the end, but we were tired of the heat and most of us agreed that Shimla might prove to be a nicer experience. I was for it mainly because I wanted to be sure I would have plenty of time to see Chandigarh, which no one else seemed interested in. It was already getting late, but we figured we would have time to tour Delhi some before dark. We thought we might see a bazaar, I figured maybe I could buy a pair of sandals. We walked to the city center and began exploring. This city is far more intense than either Agra or Jaipur. With a population of about 12 million, the trash, the heat, and the number of people yelling at you and harassing you are much worse. We decide not to worry about eh bazaar and head towards some landmarks and ride autorickshaws to the India Gate, but instead get dropped off about a block away and begin walking in the wrong direction. Walking through a large dusty park, we see groups of children all over playing cricket. Some invite us to play. Ryan and Rory both got to take swings and I snapped some photos. The children were very friendly and seemed interested in us and seemed particularly interested in my camera. One reached for my sunglasses, which I reluctantly surrendered. He began posing and other kids started wrestling with him to try and get into the picture I was apparently supposed to take. So, I took some pictures. Next thing I know, they are asking for money. I suppose I should have known. There was no way I would satisfy the greed of this small horde of children, and I didn't know how to space from the situation. I made a quick decision (though probably not the best) and threw a handful of coins from my pocket over their heads, which they obviously all scrambled for. I took the opportunity to escape and walked briskly in the other direction. Unfortunately, the other guys didn't follow suit, and after my escape, they bore the brunt of the small mob. They weren't to happy with me then. We wandered past the red fort, and saw the giant mosque, and then walked back. The whole ordeal was quite stressful. It was impossible to go anywhere without somebody yelling at you to buy their random piece of junk, or to ride their bicycle rickshaw, or to give them rupees because they don't have food. I obviously can't be angry at these people for harassing me. Being as fortunate as I am, I feel I should try to help some of these people, but its impossible to help even one. Would it really change anything? It was easy for me to give one of the 4 beggars I saw in Graz and pear and feel like I might have at least helped her day, but here it all just seems hopeless and pointless. The people here don't just passively sit on the street with their hand opened. They see you have white skin and they know you are a traveler from a country wealthier than theirs, and they harass you to know end. I didn't even try to buy a pair of sandals from one of the people selling things on the street for fear of stopping and being overrun. They say that you can enjoy India if you don't let things like the heat and the poverty get to you, but after an afternoon in Delhi, the heat, the poverty, the garbage, and the harassment, are all starting to get to me.
July 4
We have a very long drive to Shimla today, which is fairly uneventful. I ask Dev how far it is to Chandigarh since the manager in the hotel said we'd be stopping their on the way. Dev then said we weren't going to Chandigarh, it wasn't on the way. "Awesome." It was ok though, I had the contingency of an extra day in Shimla that I could take on my own to see the city, which would actually be better since I would be able to see the whole thing and not worry about carting the other 4 guys around. The drive is long and flat until we hit the foothills of the Himalayas. If I thought the driving was crazy before, I was in for some real fun. Passing large trucks on blind curves next to deep cliffs is as common as using a blinker, except no one uses their blinker, just their horn. It was actually a pretty fun drive, and the views were quite something. The best part of the day is when we stop at some sort of checkpoint, and we watch Dev talk to an official. At first it seem normal, but it becomes clear that Dev is distressed, and he shoves some rupees into the man's hand. I'm not really sure what happened, but Dev lost 600 rupees bribing someone for something and we got through ok. Shimla is a very interesting place. The mountainside is absolutely covered in hotels. Ours wasn't even accessible by car, and had to walk up a ways to get to it. This hotel actually proved to be our nicest yet, the Hotel Honeymoon Inn. A quaint lovers getaway. Perfect for 5 young American men.
July 5
Everyone is exhausted and we take a late start. We wander the Mall, which is a main road that is for pedestrian traffic only with shops and restaurants. I got the tourist information I needed on buses to Chandigarh, so I could take my own trip the following day. This place is much cleaner than other cities, but the laws against spitting seem totally pointless when people still throw trash into the gutters. Looking down the hillside in places, you can see piles of trash. There really is no concept of environmental conservation here. The highlight of the day is the Monkey Temple, at the top of one of the neighboring peaks. Before the walk, Scott, Ryan, and Jon each buy themselves a nice "monkey beating stick," which is apparently necessary to defend oneself on the way up. On the way we met two men from Delhi. They were police officers there and had come to visit Shimla. They were very nice and walked with us to the top. The "monkey beating sticks" actually proved to be necessary. The monkeys are everywhere, and if you look at them in the eye, they become a bit violent. We saw one steal a woman's scarf and run off with it. We were told that the monkeys have a tendency to do this, but will return items if given food. I was impressed that the monkeys had this ability to barter stolen goods. When we arrived at the top, our two new friends invited us into the holy temple and showed us the customs and the ceremony. I didn't really know what I was doing, but it was very interesting to participate in their ritual of praying to the monkey god, and afterwards they showed us paintings inside the temple that told some religious story that I had some difficulty understanding through the broken English. Though at times I feel harassed in this country, there are other times that I meet people with unparalleled hospitality.
July 6
I wake up at 4:20 and head to the buses. On the ride down a kid from Punjab sits next to me and makes conversation. He spoke English fairly well and we talked for a good portion of the trip, which took several hours. There were many interesting topics of conversation, one of which was when he told me he liked George Bush and didn't really like Ghandi. I was pretty confused by this and tried to ask him why, but to get an intelligent answer was pointless. It seemed like he was more appreciative of militant philosophies. At the bottom he was kind to buy me lunch after waiting for me to get passes to visit the capital buildings. I returned the favor by giving him my "Pack of Lies" deck of cards. Perhaps after reading some of the cards he'll have a slightly different perspective on the Bush administration. First place I visited was the city museum, where I educated myself on the city's history and on the planning and design processes of the city and its buildings. Next I walked to the Secretariat building, which proved to be an exhausting task. The city is designed to separate circulation modes, which can be very nice for areas within individual sectors, especially for pedestrians, but at times I find the large round about connecting the larger roads to be very dangerous to navigate on foot. This is certainly the most beautiful city in India. The outskirts and in places near the center and near the bus station, there is still some trash, but for the most part, it is very clean. The organization of the road systems succeeds in many ways to reduce traffic issues, but the Indian culture of horn honking and driving where they wish still bleeds through. Arriving at the Secretariat, I had to go through about 5 different security checkpoints before even getting into the building. There are armed guards everywhere, and each security checkpoint has a man in a booth on a machine gun. There are also tents surrounding the area for the guards. Despite the intimidation of this, the guards are all very nice. After finally getting into the building, I had to wait in an office for a while for some amount f paperwork to be processed. When I was finally through, they took up to the administrator's office, where I again had to wait for more processing. Finally I was released and personally escorted by an officer with an M-16. The roof of the building was interesting to look at. Even up here, there were tents set up and people lying around. It seemed to be the break area. It actually very interesting to see the building in its fully functional state. From the roof I could see the rest of the capital area. The giant sculptural forms from the Assembly, the High Court, and the hand sculpture all have a large scale that makes their forms very clear and distinct from the rooftop. Next I walked to the rest of the buildings, but was not allowed into the Assembly. The plaza between the Assembly and the High Court was fenced off with barbed wire, and had to take a long walk around an odd dirt path in order to get to the High Court. The security for these buildings seems a bit over the top in places, and totally lacking in others. In my exploration I found that if I had wandered in from the High Court, which is a public building, and taken the strange round-about path (which makes the barbed wire fence n the plaza totally pointless) into the Assembly area, one could walk straight up to the Secretariat. The other question, is why this is even a bad thing. I think the governmental buildings in Delhi have less security. The four road-blocks in front of the Secretariat building seem pretty ridiculous. Next stop is the rock garden. This is a very unique place, with tiny canyons and grotto-like spaces. Many of the walls are mosaic, but with garbage instead of tiles. Hundreds of tiny statues litter some of the spaces. Next I went to the Punjab University and looked at Pierre Jeannerret's building. It was getting late and walked back towards the bus station through the Rose Garden, which was the cleanest place I had seen since Graz. I was exhausted and absolutely disgusting from sweating in the Indian heat and took a break next to One of the fountains. Watching the people is always fun, and I always seem to catch plenty of people staring at me. A woman dressed in a traditional Indian outfit, all in light floating pink fabric wanders through the fountain and eventually sits down on the bench near to me, and takes some photos of the area. I was quite startled when she actually spoke to me. The only woman in India that has even said a word to any of us here was from Manchester England. In talking to her it became immediately clear why. She was from Holland and was just here to see the sites like me. Obviously, she isn't quite as conspicuous a tourist as I am. I suppose I should have known she was from a different country when she didn't look me directly in the eye when she walked buy, and then sat down near me. Here in India, it seems like men and women don't even associate with one another before they become bonded in their arranged marriages. When we met the woman from Manchester, it was when we were visiting the Monkey Temple, and the man that had showed us into the temple went from very talkative to totally silent when while we were talking to her. The woman from Holland was named Patricia. She was in Chandigarh alone for the day, and was traveling around India after visiting her aunt in Bombay. I feel like I have had many more opportunities to explore places and to meet people traveling more on my own. Sometimes it gets a bit tiresome trying to figure everything out in a pack of five. Everything has to be discussed and decided, and splitting up is avoided to avoid further complications to plans. The drive back to Shimla was not nearly as fun as the ride down. The man next to me was a bit larger and not as talkative. There was a half-hour stop for dinner or something, but all I wanted to do was get back. After a couple of bus stops, the bus began to empty, and the man next to me moved, only for another fat man to plop is big ass right down next to me. He basically passed out, and made no effort to keep his heavy body from rolling on the curves, and I often found myself crushed by the flab of his thighs and love handles. At one point, his head began to touch my shoulder, at which point I boldly placed my fingers on his temple and shoved it away. He sort of woke up a little, and then resumed dozing and rolling around in his blubber. The air felt nice out the window going up into the mountains, but it wasn't so nice when the man behind me began vomiting out the window. The shower at the end of the day was absolutely amazing after that bus ride. I slept like a rock.
July 7
We are back in Delhi. The ride back from Shimla was long and uneventful. We have to leave for the airport at 5:00 am tomorrow. Next stop, Bangkok.
After hastily finishing the last entry, our driver, Dev (I only recently figured out how his name is actually spelled) took us to a textile place owned by a friend of his he had been a driver for a few years before. We didn't see the factory itself, but we saw a small workshop where textile patterns were printed by hand, and afterwards we were brought into a shop. At both this place and at the marble place in Agra, there is a similar thing that happens. They show you how their product is made, like its a fun free tour, and then they bring you into a room full of their product and give you free drinks, and then sell you things. A young man from Nepal was our salesman and was mildly entertaining, but as soon as he started offering to show specific items, I took the opportunity to talk to John. jon is the man that started and owns the operation. He started by visiting India and bringing textiles back to sell in his home country, Australia. Eventually he started his own business in Jaipur. He seemed happy with what he'd done, bringing jobs to an impoverished country and he also felt he was making an impact by hiring people regardless of "Caste" or sex at the same wage, which apparently created problems. He wasn't personally interested in selling me anything, and he seemed happy to talk to someone from a more western culture, since he now lived in Jaipur. It was an interesting conversation, which eventually ended with him showing me a puzzle and magic trick on his computer that a friend e-mailed him. Scott and Ryan bought a few items, I was happy to get a free beer and some conversation.
July 2
The day begins with a tour of the fort in Jaipur. We have another guide for this, who gives us most of Jaipur's history on the way. The fort was set on a very large rocky mountainside, and our main destination was a palace towards the top. We were greeted by elephants, our mode of travel to the top of the fort. At first I thought to myself that these animals must not be treated very well, but the elephant rider explained that the elephants only work every other day, and rest the other times. After leaving a meager tip, I learned that the elephant riders only really get paid in tips, and see very little of the 500 rupees we paid for the ride. It seems that these animals may actually be treated better than the people. It just another of many indications of the overwhelming poverty here. The tour of the palace within the fort was very interesting. The marble detailing and sunscreens were impressive. After we were taken to a small park covered with astrological instruments. Several sundials, one of which was claimed to be the largest in the world, were accompanied by a number of other strange tools used for various astrological purposes. There was also a sundial for each sign of the zodiac, which plays a large roll in the Hindu religion, and is the basis for matching couples in arranged marriages. The gigantic stone instruments made for a very interesting place. Next, our guide took us to see another textile place. We watched the block printing process, but knew what was to come next. We were given yet another lecture about the quality of the product and offered drinks, but made a hasty retreat back to the car. The guides clearly get compensated for bringing tourists to these places and we were all a little tired of being carted around. We had a quick lunch and beat it back to the hotel for a nap before heading into the Pink City on foot. The Pink city is essentially the historic center of Jaipur. It is walled in with 7 gates, and everything within is painted a red/pink color. We toured the market place as best we could. This city is much nicer than Agra, but the filth and and the poverty are still rampant. It is common in India for people to just empty their trash cans in the gutter. We walked around for a while but all the shops seemed to begin to close around 8:00 or 9:00. We stumbled across a small liquor stand and each ordered a beer, which we first figured we'd end up taking back to the room. The cashier then opened a door behind him and invited us back. We were lead into a tiny air-conditioned room full of men sitting on plastic stools and drinking beers. This proved to be a very unique discovery, and I would certainly consider it an authentic cultural experience. All this time in India, the guys have been interested in finding a place to go out and meet people at night, and we found it. Unfortunately the women don't go out, just old men. We met many strange men here. One man offered us his whiskey and told us about his two wives and how he alternates 15 days for each. At one point I was summoned by the owner of the liquor store who welcomed us and then warned me to be careful and that he would not be responsible for anything that might happen to us and to tell the rest of the guys. I wasn't worried. We finished a second round and left to get some food before heading back to the hotel. This was certainly a full day.
July 3
We wake early to head back to Delhi. The drive is typical: Dev weaving through traffic, honking his horn at anything that moved. Our first piece of business is to modify the end of our trip. We had previously only allowed for about a day of time in Shimla, and would spend another day in Delhi before the end, but we were tired of the heat and most of us agreed that Shimla might prove to be a nicer experience. I was for it mainly because I wanted to be sure I would have plenty of time to see Chandigarh, which no one else seemed interested in. It was already getting late, but we figured we would have time to tour Delhi some before dark. We thought we might see a bazaar, I figured maybe I could buy a pair of sandals. We walked to the city center and began exploring. This city is far more intense than either Agra or Jaipur. With a population of about 12 million, the trash, the heat, and the number of people yelling at you and harassing you are much worse. We decide not to worry about eh bazaar and head towards some landmarks and ride autorickshaws to the India Gate, but instead get dropped off about a block away and begin walking in the wrong direction. Walking through a large dusty park, we see groups of children all over playing cricket. Some invite us to play. Ryan and Rory both got to take swings and I snapped some photos. The children were very friendly and seemed interested in us and seemed particularly interested in my camera. One reached for my sunglasses, which I reluctantly surrendered. He began posing and other kids started wrestling with him to try and get into the picture I was apparently supposed to take. So, I took some pictures. Next thing I know, they are asking for money. I suppose I should have known. There was no way I would satisfy the greed of this small horde of children, and I didn't know how to space from the situation. I made a quick decision (though probably not the best) and threw a handful of coins from my pocket over their heads, which they obviously all scrambled for. I took the opportunity to escape and walked briskly in the other direction. Unfortunately, the other guys didn't follow suit, and after my escape, they bore the brunt of the small mob. They weren't to happy with me then. We wandered past the red fort, and saw the giant mosque, and then walked back. The whole ordeal was quite stressful. It was impossible to go anywhere without somebody yelling at you to buy their random piece of junk, or to ride their bicycle rickshaw, or to give them rupees because they don't have food. I obviously can't be angry at these people for harassing me. Being as fortunate as I am, I feel I should try to help some of these people, but its impossible to help even one. Would it really change anything? It was easy for me to give one of the 4 beggars I saw in Graz and pear and feel like I might have at least helped her day, but here it all just seems hopeless and pointless. The people here don't just passively sit on the street with their hand opened. They see you have white skin and they know you are a traveler from a country wealthier than theirs, and they harass you to know end. I didn't even try to buy a pair of sandals from one of the people selling things on the street for fear of stopping and being overrun. They say that you can enjoy India if you don't let things like the heat and the poverty get to you, but after an afternoon in Delhi, the heat, the poverty, the garbage, and the harassment, are all starting to get to me.
July 4
We have a very long drive to Shimla today, which is fairly uneventful. I ask Dev how far it is to Chandigarh since the manager in the hotel said we'd be stopping their on the way. Dev then said we weren't going to Chandigarh, it wasn't on the way. "Awesome." It was ok though, I had the contingency of an extra day in Shimla that I could take on my own to see the city, which would actually be better since I would be able to see the whole thing and not worry about carting the other 4 guys around. The drive is long and flat until we hit the foothills of the Himalayas. If I thought the driving was crazy before, I was in for some real fun. Passing large trucks on blind curves next to deep cliffs is as common as using a blinker, except no one uses their blinker, just their horn. It was actually a pretty fun drive, and the views were quite something. The best part of the day is when we stop at some sort of checkpoint, and we watch Dev talk to an official. At first it seem normal, but it becomes clear that Dev is distressed, and he shoves some rupees into the man's hand. I'm not really sure what happened, but Dev lost 600 rupees bribing someone for something and we got through ok. Shimla is a very interesting place. The mountainside is absolutely covered in hotels. Ours wasn't even accessible by car, and had to walk up a ways to get to it. This hotel actually proved to be our nicest yet, the Hotel Honeymoon Inn. A quaint lovers getaway. Perfect for 5 young American men.
July 5
Everyone is exhausted and we take a late start. We wander the Mall, which is a main road that is for pedestrian traffic only with shops and restaurants. I got the tourist information I needed on buses to Chandigarh, so I could take my own trip the following day. This place is much cleaner than other cities, but the laws against spitting seem totally pointless when people still throw trash into the gutters. Looking down the hillside in places, you can see piles of trash. There really is no concept of environmental conservation here. The highlight of the day is the Monkey Temple, at the top of one of the neighboring peaks. Before the walk, Scott, Ryan, and Jon each buy themselves a nice "monkey beating stick," which is apparently necessary to defend oneself on the way up. On the way we met two men from Delhi. They were police officers there and had come to visit Shimla. They were very nice and walked with us to the top. The "monkey beating sticks" actually proved to be necessary. The monkeys are everywhere, and if you look at them in the eye, they become a bit violent. We saw one steal a woman's scarf and run off with it. We were told that the monkeys have a tendency to do this, but will return items if given food. I was impressed that the monkeys had this ability to barter stolen goods. When we arrived at the top, our two new friends invited us into the holy temple and showed us the customs and the ceremony. I didn't really know what I was doing, but it was very interesting to participate in their ritual of praying to the monkey god, and afterwards they showed us paintings inside the temple that told some religious story that I had some difficulty understanding through the broken English. Though at times I feel harassed in this country, there are other times that I meet people with unparalleled hospitality.
July 6
I wake up at 4:20 and head to the buses. On the ride down a kid from Punjab sits next to me and makes conversation. He spoke English fairly well and we talked for a good portion of the trip, which took several hours. There were many interesting topics of conversation, one of which was when he told me he liked George Bush and didn't really like Ghandi. I was pretty confused by this and tried to ask him why, but to get an intelligent answer was pointless. It seemed like he was more appreciative of militant philosophies. At the bottom he was kind to buy me lunch after waiting for me to get passes to visit the capital buildings. I returned the favor by giving him my "Pack of Lies" deck of cards. Perhaps after reading some of the cards he'll have a slightly different perspective on the Bush administration. First place I visited was the city museum, where I educated myself on the city's history and on the planning and design processes of the city and its buildings. Next I walked to the Secretariat building, which proved to be an exhausting task. The city is designed to separate circulation modes, which can be very nice for areas within individual sectors, especially for pedestrians, but at times I find the large round about connecting the larger roads to be very dangerous to navigate on foot. This is certainly the most beautiful city in India. The outskirts and in places near the center and near the bus station, there is still some trash, but for the most part, it is very clean. The organization of the road systems succeeds in many ways to reduce traffic issues, but the Indian culture of horn honking and driving where they wish still bleeds through. Arriving at the Secretariat, I had to go through about 5 different security checkpoints before even getting into the building. There are armed guards everywhere, and each security checkpoint has a man in a booth on a machine gun. There are also tents surrounding the area for the guards. Despite the intimidation of this, the guards are all very nice. After finally getting into the building, I had to wait in an office for a while for some amount f paperwork to be processed. When I was finally through, they took up to the administrator's office, where I again had to wait for more processing. Finally I was released and personally escorted by an officer with an M-16. The roof of the building was interesting to look at. Even up here, there were tents set up and people lying around. It seemed to be the break area. It actually very interesting to see the building in its fully functional state. From the roof I could see the rest of the capital area. The giant sculptural forms from the Assembly, the High Court, and the hand sculpture all have a large scale that makes their forms very clear and distinct from the rooftop. Next I walked to the rest of the buildings, but was not allowed into the Assembly. The plaza between the Assembly and the High Court was fenced off with barbed wire, and had to take a long walk around an odd dirt path in order to get to the High Court. The security for these buildings seems a bit over the top in places, and totally lacking in others. In my exploration I found that if I had wandered in from the High Court, which is a public building, and taken the strange round-about path (which makes the barbed wire fence n the plaza totally pointless) into the Assembly area, one could walk straight up to the Secretariat. The other question, is why this is even a bad thing. I think the governmental buildings in Delhi have less security. The four road-blocks in front of the Secretariat building seem pretty ridiculous. Next stop is the rock garden. This is a very unique place, with tiny canyons and grotto-like spaces. Many of the walls are mosaic, but with garbage instead of tiles. Hundreds of tiny statues litter some of the spaces. Next I went to the Punjab University and looked at Pierre Jeannerret's building. It was getting late and walked back towards the bus station through the Rose Garden, which was the cleanest place I had seen since Graz. I was exhausted and absolutely disgusting from sweating in the Indian heat and took a break next to One of the fountains. Watching the people is always fun, and I always seem to catch plenty of people staring at me. A woman dressed in a traditional Indian outfit, all in light floating pink fabric wanders through the fountain and eventually sits down on the bench near to me, and takes some photos of the area. I was quite startled when she actually spoke to me. The only woman in India that has even said a word to any of us here was from Manchester England. In talking to her it became immediately clear why. She was from Holland and was just here to see the sites like me. Obviously, she isn't quite as conspicuous a tourist as I am. I suppose I should have known she was from a different country when she didn't look me directly in the eye when she walked buy, and then sat down near me. Here in India, it seems like men and women don't even associate with one another before they become bonded in their arranged marriages. When we met the woman from Manchester, it was when we were visiting the Monkey Temple, and the man that had showed us into the temple went from very talkative to totally silent when while we were talking to her. The woman from Holland was named Patricia. She was in Chandigarh alone for the day, and was traveling around India after visiting her aunt in Bombay. I feel like I have had many more opportunities to explore places and to meet people traveling more on my own. Sometimes it gets a bit tiresome trying to figure everything out in a pack of five. Everything has to be discussed and decided, and splitting up is avoided to avoid further complications to plans. The drive back to Shimla was not nearly as fun as the ride down. The man next to me was a bit larger and not as talkative. There was a half-hour stop for dinner or something, but all I wanted to do was get back. After a couple of bus stops, the bus began to empty, and the man next to me moved, only for another fat man to plop is big ass right down next to me. He basically passed out, and made no effort to keep his heavy body from rolling on the curves, and I often found myself crushed by the flab of his thighs and love handles. At one point, his head began to touch my shoulder, at which point I boldly placed my fingers on his temple and shoved it away. He sort of woke up a little, and then resumed dozing and rolling around in his blubber. The air felt nice out the window going up into the mountains, but it wasn't so nice when the man behind me began vomiting out the window. The shower at the end of the day was absolutely amazing after that bus ride. I slept like a rock.
July 7
We are back in Delhi. The ride back from Shimla was long and uneventful. We have to leave for the airport at 5:00 am tomorrow. Next stop, Bangkok.
posted by James Dixon at 10:36 AM
1 Comments:
GREAT BOLG JAMES!! EVERYONE IS ENJOYING IT! KEEP IT UP! LOVE DAD
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