About yesterday: Jama Masjid is the largest MOsque in India. And the Red Fort is, well, kind of red, didn't actually go in coz there was a line of about 800 Indians and 3 foreigners.
Yesterday I turned in at 7pm, read a bit, slept some (this peepol are noisy), woke up at 4 am, killed a cockroach and went back to sleep. Woke up at 7, did some much needed yoga and headed out to change for money first thing before finding any of my "friends" on the streets.
Had me a treakers breakfast of scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, some bread and muesli. Hired a rickshaw for the day who wanted to charge me 800 ruppees, finally got it down to 300 plus parking and a promise that I would help him out and agree to go to a couple of government sponsored emporiums where if I was in the store for about ten minuts he would get a gas coupon. That turned out to be quite fun, actually.
First shop: A guy was talking to me about the beautiful green marble elephants that they just happened to have on sale and then he showed some interest in the book I was reading leaving himself wide open for my counterattack. I inmediatley seized the oppportunity and started telling him about the plot and throwing all kinds of weird names at him until defeated and recognizing me as a fellow bullshitter let mew go with a smile and a handshake.
Second one: Started talking about soccer, of course, the guy liked Ronaldinho...Told him all about his getting fat lately and all that. Ended up talking about Japanese women (and the small dicks that the Japanese men have...) and he told me a very funny story about a friend of his who was about to have sex with this Japanese girl whom, after seeing his instrument, wanted to literally jump out the window...so they ended up just cuddling...
Third one: (man, this people can talk...) Had some cardammon, saffron and jasmine tea with the guys in the store, a few laughs, and we got our third gas coupon of the day.
Went briefly to the India Gate, the 42m-hihg stone memorial arch that pays tribute to around 90,000 INdian army soldiers who died in WWI. Took a not very good picture of it. Then we went to Qutb MInar (Kutub), fine example of Fghan architecture. The minar itself is a huge tower of victory started in 1193. About 73 m high with a 15 m-diameter base. PRetty cool. And finally, to the very impressive Humayum's Tomb, a brilliant example of Mughal architecture, built in the mid-16th century.
All of this was done before 2pm, and was very fun, the ride on the rickshaw interesting at least, I almost swallowed my cigarrette twice...
For a late lunch I had me a Thali nepalese style, a kind of all you can eat big plate of rice with chicken curry, some other king of curry, spices, potatoes...and other things. Jasmine tea to top it off.
Also, went to the train station, re-confirmed all my bookings and made a new reservation that I had forgotten about. Everybody is nice, even when u don't thing the are, it might be the language, they sound pissed all the time...
Oh, finally didn't change hotels. The room at my place is not great but they are really nice.
This is all, stay tuned. Merry Xmas to all and love, love, love.
PS. Largo : I am leaving tomorrow for Agra.
