Delhi

We kept pretty chill in Delhi. We walked around Old Delhi's markets. Visited its mosque, the largest in India capable of holding 25,000 Muhamaddans bowing to Mecca. To understand Delhi and much of India one must understand who the Mughals were. Briefly, they controlled much of the Indian subcontinent for several hundred years (until the Brittish invasion) leaving magnificent architecture, food, and Islam. Although India is only 12% Muslim, this over 120,000,000. Islam's influence runs deep. From the sometimes eerie but most often comedic early morning call to prayer heard everywhere to politics. The Mughals also destroyed much of the original architecture, repurposing Hindu shrines and temples for Mosques. They invaded from the northwest through present day Pakistan and (I think) mainly came from Central asia Persia (being Iran, Afgahnistan). Mughals trace their lineage to Ghengis Khan.

Old Delhi is a maze of dark crowded alley ways filled with venders selling spices, cloth, produce, and a million other things. It is overwhelmingly male, as is the rest of public street India. The best way I can describe it is Indiana Jones being chased by Nazis.

On our second day in Delhi I went to a dentist appointment. I got a cleaning and a couple cavities filled. Somehow we managed to find the dentist office in the upper class neighbohood of East of Kalish. Check out their websit- Delhidental.com... It is worth the ticket to India just for the dental work one can have done. If you're in my financial and insurance situation, of course. I am pleased with the work done. They pushed hard on upselling me with a whitening and other cosmetic options. I declined but am thinking of having my front tooth recrowned.

After the dentist we visited the Ba'hai Lotus Temple. A beautiful white marble structure dedicated to anyone and everyone. The Ba'hai faith is accepting of all faiths. We cicumnavigated the campus taking advantage to photograph the play of light on the marble and reflection pool. The angles of the building are soft and sweeping. I can't comprehend the physics behind the construction of heavy stone in such a design.

Inside the temple was modest and quiet. We sat without noise on stiff wood chairs, pleasant and mind calming retreat from the Delhi streets. Field tripping school kids occationally broke the serenity with giggles and playful antics, a great reminder to lighten up in orld often too serious, be it god or everything that falls beneath.

Spending four days total in Delhi we enjoyed lazing away on the roof top restaurants observing the busy streets from a bird's eye view. We also scoped out possible purchases for or April return to Delhi at the State run emporiums were quality is top notch and prices fixed so we have a gauge to haggling game to come.

We then bought a 1st class ticket to Agra to visit the much anticipated Taj Mahal (another remnant of the Mughals).