First few days in Delhi

Madalyn and I left for our India adventure on January 1st, 2016.  Spent one night at the Charles de Gaulle airport, left for Delhi, India on January 2. Following is Madalyn's summary of our first day.

We are at the end of our first day in incomparable India.  Just as expected, our emotions caught up with us.  We were in a genuine traffic jam, the first of the day, when Anne and I noticed young construction workers going home.  With awe, we watched these men carrying home the tools of their trade on their backs with smiles on their faces.  All day wherever we traveled, smiling faces looked at us.  My first cry this morning was outside Qutab Minar, awaiting our guide's return with tickets, when groups of families and school girls passed us enroute to obtain their entrance ticket.

I can't possibly find words to describe to you the amazing spectacle before our eyes.  Color everywhere.  Faces passing with warm wide smiles just for us!  Immediate lump in throat and tears in my eyes.  Following our visit there with our wonderful Mr. Lukinder, a young schoolgirl stopped, aimed her camera and took a photo of us two old fat grannies!  And she had such a pleased smile on her face.  We went with Mr. Luk to a Hindu temple and visited with his various gods as he made his offerings.  We offered best wishes to his gods and received a red dot on our forehead as a blessing from a holy man.  Namaste, y'all.  Our travels with Mr. Luke and our fine driver, Mr. Lalchand, continued to A Sihk temple.  Our shoes and socks were off and our heads covered.  If we don't develop a violent foot fungus, it will definitely be due to the god's intercession.

After many visits, we went to a shop selling goods from the area; proceeds go to the women and families who make the items, we hope to think.  It wasn't our first rodeo at a rug dealers' shop.  We had bad memories of getting roughed by some Moroccan thugs a few years back at a similar shop.  Something must've been in the tea and cookies they served us, cause the next thing I knew, Anne was saying 'I am not buying a rug' and I said I was!  So, Al, watch for two rugs to arrive in a couple weeks.  Anne bought one also!  Mine is an unbelievably beautiful silk.  You all need to see it when I get home.  Gorgeous.  Anne's is wool.  The colors of mine varies every direction you look at it.  Hopefully some of the $$$ will get back to a community that so desperately needs it.

We had lunch today and have no signs of distress yet.  Here's hoping we stay healthy in the tummy.   To fortify ourselves, we're having a couple vodka and tonics.  Well, OK, we've already had one.  And the typing isn't very easy.  More tomorrow from Agra and the magnificent Taj Mahal.  Please keep India and all its inhabitants in your thoughts and prayers.  What a place!

P.s.  Anne is fixing us another vodka and tonic.  We will be snoring in a drunken stupor shortly.  Namaste to you all!

Qutab Minar - Red sandstone minaret built in 1193 - a Unesco Heritage site with a number of funerary structures and mosques on the site

Beautiful birds on the minaret

Jama Masjid - Largest mosque in Delhi

Hindu temple where we received our first bindi (red dot on forehead)

                        Tuk tuk runs on compressed natural gas taxis soon to be banned in Dehli

Mr. Lalchand, our excellent driver, Anne & Mr. Lukinder, our Guide