Delhi day 2

Red Fort, Sikh Temple, Train to Jailsamur

"You want fake beard?" (hes trying to sell me a fake beard)

We started out the day taking a tuk-tuk car thing to the red fort, and got our first look at Indian streets during the daytime, which are even more hectic than they are at night. Arrived at the red fort, which is an incredible sight because of its size. The outer wall runs over 1 k and varies in height from 12m to 33m. Construction started in 1638 and was finished in less than ten years, the original idea being to move the capital to this new fort. However, before this could happen, X was imprisoned by his son who usurped the throne.

The interior of the fort are Hammams, living quarters, audience rooms, and strangely enough, barracks contributed by the British, which look very out of place in the surroundings. We spent only about an hour or so looking around the fort since we were on a tight time schedule, which would continue throughout the trip, but that was enough time for at least 20 people to accost Gardiner and I wanting to take pictures.

Cool stonework in one of the fountains

Benny Lava Pose, about to do jetpack operation

More classic Indian posing

All the Indian tourists were much more interested in taking pictures with Gardiner and I than with the actual fort

After perusing the Red Fort we felt a need for food so we went over to a nearby VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT (WOOOT) and got some grub, which was again very good. The food put us in the mood for some religious enlightenment, so we crossed the street to the nearby Sikh temple to take a look. There was an information center and a man working there gave us a rundown on the history, theory, and happenings in the temple. The believes that one must overcome the conflict in the world that arises from he need to be right, and from fighting between religious groups. They believe in only one god, which is the same god for all religious groups and in freedom of worship. Someone should not try and impose their beliefs on another, but instead try and understand from all points of view without altering. The temple we were at honored one of the main gurus who was executed for preaching freedom of religion. Members of any faith or no faith can come to the temple and take part in the rituals ad well as be fed from the auminity kitchen. Overall it sounds like a very good, tolerant religion, one that I would like.

Ritual washing at the enterance to the temple

Man making Chipati at the restauraunt we went to

Once we had gotten our cultural fix for the day we go in another rickshaw and drove to the parliament building and or India gate which is a monument to the solders killed in WWI, The parliament building was HUGE, one of the most massive I have seen, and again, we saw monkeys!!
Parliment behind a cool gate

Steffen being an uber-tourist and searching the book for Kobe Biff

On the way back to the hotel our rickshaw driver let each of us drive, WOO, Steffen and I each drove just for a few minutes, but Gardiner was pretty decent at it and actually drove the entire way home, which was both scary and funny as all hell. Everyone around us thought it was either really funny, or in the case of this guy, had a very dim view of letting tourists drive on the streets of Delhi. Our driver kept control of the brakes, so I guess we weren’t totally going to die, but there were a few very dicey moments.

Gardiner driving, Steffen running along ahead taking pictures and me riding on the side sticking my leg out - the driver loved us!!

Very dubious about foreighners driving rickshaws...

Mid-scoop