The day started early, bags packed and on the bus by 8.30. Doesn't sound too early but having a bedroom close to reception with arrivals and departures through out the night we felt a bit jaded at the start of the day. The morning was spent wandering the streets of old Delhi. Firstly we met Amon a street kid who had been rescued and was our tour guide. He had been rescued from the streets aged 6 after being kidnapped and bought into the city. Poor man he had no memory of where he came from though is still trying to find out. I thought of his parents always wondering what had happened to their son. The good news is that g adventures sponsors a local programme that is currently helping 800 children.
We also visited the mosque in the Centre of Delhi. A peaceful haven overlooking the hustle and bustle of the city. Shoes off, scarves on for the visit to this immense and very old building.
I had a wow moment today. We visited the hindu center. The prayer area was rather opulent with huge Chandlers, marble and mirror work. The WOW came from the people. The center offers free medical care, libraries and food. Food for 50,000 mouths three times a day. In hindu there are four stages of life. The last is what we call retirement. This is when people come to pay back the community gor their life a bit like "paing forward" I guess. Cooking for anyone who wants a free meal. Food can be found at the center or at corners of the streets where dogs are fed as well. Awe inspiring stuff. Amon had mentioned that street kids of which there are about 50,000 in Delhi alone did not buy food with their earnings. Having free food meant they could buy glue and new clothes to go to the new bollywood movie. The disadvantage of free food is lack of motivation to make improvements. Food for thought.
After a rather nice platter of different curries we wandered back through the narrow streets to the tune of honking horn and smells of exhaust, incense and barbecue food. The shops were full of anything imaginable the only criteria seemed it had to be colourful but strangely empty of customers.
We drove to Agra. More interesting alley ways past the shops with stolen goods (if you have something stolen you are pretty sure to find it for sale in these streets). Car parts adorned the pavements and doorways as well as electrical goods and a mish mash of unnamed metal objects.
The drive through Indian country side was far different to what I expected. Outside Delhi there were a number of large estates in various stages of completion -huge apartment blocks. We passed fields of mustard, wheat and rice and many brick kilns. Hotel was a bit more up market than expected though we are still having trouble with charging all our electronic stuff until one of our tour members said NZ plugs work if you put them in hard and he was right.
Thoughts so far
I have not yet seen one person exercise for the sake of keeping fit eg I Am thinking of runners or cyclists dressed in lycra or skimpy running shorts. It seems that the time to exercise is a first world luxury.
Manual work is prevalent. People brush the streets, make bricks, work as scare crows. Any job like brick making or laying, shovelling dirt seems to take one person to do it and at least three or four to provide moral encouragement. Many of the work is seasonal and workers live in little circular thatched homes. As evening fell open fires lit up and the country side began to look like bonfire night. There is a lot of construction going on but it doesn't appear quickly though to be fair we traveled along a road finished in 2015 which reduced traveling time by a fee hours. The old road had been converted to a walking and cycling path.
Women obviously spend most of their time indoors.
Most horrifying sight was a 7 or so year old child sitting centimeters from traffic 5 wide. As the lights turned red she went to the middle of the road doing aerobics and gymnastics. Lights turned green and she wouldn't leave without money until she was threatened with being run over.
Cutest sight was a dog wrapped in a blanket with corners tied to his legs so it would stay on.
We also visited the mosque in the Centre of Delhi. A peaceful haven overlooking the hustle and bustle of the city. Shoes off, scarves on for the visit to this immense and very old building.
I had a wow moment today. We visited the hindu center. The prayer area was rather opulent with huge Chandlers, marble and mirror work. The WOW came from the people. The center offers free medical care, libraries and food. Food for 50,000 mouths three times a day. In hindu there are four stages of life. The last is what we call retirement. This is when people come to pay back the community gor their life a bit like "paing forward" I guess. Cooking for anyone who wants a free meal. Food can be found at the center or at corners of the streets where dogs are fed as well. Awe inspiring stuff. Amon had mentioned that street kids of which there are about 50,000 in Delhi alone did not buy food with their earnings. Having free food meant they could buy glue and new clothes to go to the new bollywood movie. The disadvantage of free food is lack of motivation to make improvements. Food for thought.
After a rather nice platter of different curries we wandered back through the narrow streets to the tune of honking horn and smells of exhaust, incense and barbecue food. The shops were full of anything imaginable the only criteria seemed it had to be colourful but strangely empty of customers.
We drove to Agra. More interesting alley ways past the shops with stolen goods (if you have something stolen you are pretty sure to find it for sale in these streets). Car parts adorned the pavements and doorways as well as electrical goods and a mish mash of unnamed metal objects.
The drive through Indian country side was far different to what I expected. Outside Delhi there were a number of large estates in various stages of completion -huge apartment blocks. We passed fields of mustard, wheat and rice and many brick kilns. Hotel was a bit more up market than expected though we are still having trouble with charging all our electronic stuff until one of our tour members said NZ plugs work if you put them in hard and he was right.
Thoughts so far
I have not yet seen one person exercise for the sake of keeping fit eg I Am thinking of runners or cyclists dressed in lycra or skimpy running shorts. It seems that the time to exercise is a first world luxury.
Manual work is prevalent. People brush the streets, make bricks, work as scare crows. Any job like brick making or laying, shovelling dirt seems to take one person to do it and at least three or four to provide moral encouragement. Many of the work is seasonal and workers live in little circular thatched homes. As evening fell open fires lit up and the country side began to look like bonfire night. There is a lot of construction going on but it doesn't appear quickly though to be fair we traveled along a road finished in 2015 which reduced traveling time by a fee hours. The old road had been converted to a walking and cycling path.
Women obviously spend most of their time indoors.
Most horrifying sight was a 7 or so year old child sitting centimeters from traffic 5 wide. As the lights turned red she went to the middle of the road doing aerobics and gymnastics. Lights turned green and she wouldn't leave without money until she was threatened with being run over.
Cutest sight was a dog wrapped in a blanket with corners tied to his legs so it would stay on.
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