Home ----- TRIP: India 2007

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Namaste! On a scale of one to five elephants, five elephants being best, India is definitely a five elephant experience. India is a huge country and cannot be seen in just one trip. This trip begins with a few days in Delhi then we move on to Agra, Jhansi, Orchha, Khajuraho and finally five days in Varanasi. Then we will be off for the second leg of this trip in Nepal.
2 From home to hotel in Delhi is a little over 26 hours and can be demanding.
3 First evening out on the street in Delhi and there is plenty to see.
4 Fresh fruits and vegetables are available on every street corner. The city is alive and very busy.
5 Small stands sell "Paan" which is betel leaf sometimes inaccurately called the "betel nut". Different ingredients are added to the paan according to taste.
6 This small stand also sells cigarettes which can be purchased individually or in packages. Many patrons will buy a paan (betel nut) and one or two cigarettes.
7 Please wait, movie loading. After watching the merchant sell paan (betel nut) for awhile I decide to order a "sweet pan".
8 After chewing the paan (betel nut) you leave a wad between your cheek and gum for the stimulating effect. I try and talk with one of the patrons with a wad of pan in my mouth.
9 Monkeys abound in Delhi. This one is climbing down a drain pipe (left of the M) after stealing food from people on a porch.
10 Our city tour the next morning starts with the Birla Temple.
11 Next we head off to see Chandi Chowk, Ghandi's burial site. But the streets have been shut down due to VIP's visiting the area. Police cordon off the street.
12 We see the VIP leaving.
13 Finally it is our chance to visit the site with the locals.
14 The grounds are well kept and a popular place for locals to visit.
15 Ghandi was actually creamated with his ashes placed in the Ganges River. This is a monument to him.
16 It is getting close to lunch and food vendors abound on the street.
17 I help myself to a dish of Momos.
18 This man is making small bicycles and pedicycles from twisted wire. He uses needle nosed pliers and others instruments in a pain staking process to produce these works. I purchased the pedicycle you see in the picture and a bicycle he made.
19 Next stop the Red Fort in Delhi. We only get an outside view as the fort is being used by the military.
20 One of the most spectacular pieces of Mughal Architecture is the Lal Quila or the Red Fort. Built by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan between 1638 and 1648, the Red Fort has walls extending up to 2 kms. in length with the height varying from 18 mts. on the river side to 33 mts. on the city side.