Amid worry about my adopted home I decide to hit Delhi and see all the sights, and others off the beaten track. First Red FOrt = an enormous Murgal fort from17th century, enormous around buildingsfilled with families an few tourists. A lovely walk but within the hour i am dripping with sweat as the humidity is high and the air feels full of water yet no rain. next to Hunayums tomb, amazing building...the precursor to the Taj Mahal.lots of small marble tombs all over and the builing is impressive with gardens to wander and feel back in the 16th century. Lunch at he Hot Chimney confirms that the indians know how to cook a curry and i eat enough for 2 - sooo delicious, before i leave i am going to burst into a kichen and hold the cookwalla down until he gives me the recipes to these delicious dishes....yum yum! Mouth clenser of sugar grains and soft geera grains are a burst of zing to the mouth and according to the waiter a lassi drink is the perfect tummy settler... not that i need a tummy settler but i'll try the lassi....delis! After lunch a sombre visit to M Ganhdis resting place and museum....poignant as concrete footsteps lead to his assassination spot, but humbled to be in this place where an eternal flame burns in his memory. The museum across the way has his clothing still bloodstained and the bullet that killed him- a bit morbid but his life is depicted with his possessions and many paintings and scluptures - a man truly loved and one who changed the India way of life in non violent demonstrations - his quotes around the room hit home and I feel so moved by the words of a man long dead saying things that ring true today, again I feel humbled and a bit sad thinking of Nelson, great men who i have nothing but total respect for, Oh to have lived in their times,changing the world.....'the active part of non violence is love,it requires equal consideration for all life ,one must not be angry with the perpetrator but love, wish him well and serve him, never submit to his wrong but oppose patiently and without resentment....' Mentaql note to self ..rewatch Ganhdi movie ... Off next to Qutb Minar a muslim tower of 5 stories tapering from a 15m base to 2.5m at the top 73 metres high built in 1193 made of marble and sandstone.....impressive....but with food filled tum and walking in the high humidity im ready to return ...then i remember i wanted to visit the toilet museum.....yes toilets.....did u know there were developed toilets back 2500bc....the guide who gave the feed tour spoke so fast you'd think HE actually needed the loo! Very interesting paraphenalia about 's.... sanitatation developing biogas plants and educating night soil workers from the rural areas....amazing work by Sulabh international who even developed a loo for Nasa and are definately the crapper merchants of the future...Crapper DIDNOT develop the flush loo by the way....Simples.....thats what Sulabh means...go figure. A hunt for jalebis ..a sweet delicacy, and a pleasant eye opening journey of the people of Delhi rushing home, begging, buying, skinny rickshaw peddelars taking fat people on journeys..all i can say is that these cyclists must be fit! and day to day life, flower sellers, tissue sellers, anything u want im sure u can find on the roads of Delhi! I am stuffded with amazing food and dont think i need eat for the next week! Early night with full AC in preparation for more hand shaking with little girls who are pushed into my arms by smiling parents....dont get it....tomorrow.
