india

It was an amazing day! We were able to visit Gandhi Smriti. This is the place where he was shot to death on January 30, 1948. Concrete footprints represent his final steps all the way along a path to the exact spot where he was killed (which is called Martyr’s Column.)
The kids and I walked his steps about half way down the path until a guard came out yelling at us that it was sacred. I totally thought it was an interactive exhibit. Whoopsie.
The kids got nervous and jumped off- I walked away but said that I was sure Gandhi wouldn’t at all mind people enjoying the path like we did. Maddux agreed and said, “He was probably walking right beside you, mom.”

There are so many different birds here- some we’ve never seen before and some make the most beautiful sounds. As much as we’re seeing of all the different cities- we’re also seeing so many different creatures, too! It’s exciting, especially for the kids.

These pictures were taken on a Sunday in Delhi- everyone said it was a “quiet” day. What?! There were people everywhere! You couldn’t turn around without someone being right in your face half the time. In line, people flatten their body against you. I don’t think this is meant to be rude, they are just so accustomed to the overpopulation and overcrowding. It’s pretty trippy, but it’s fun to have the experience of being in the mix if only for a short time.

Many of the children (girls and boys) wear eyeliner around their eyes. Applying kajal (kohl made from combining the soot from oil lamps with castor oil) supposedly wards off the evil eye. I don’t know if that is why people do it now, but it is very striking.

India is a rush!!!!! It’s all adrenaline all the time. Ok, maybe not that intense- but a complete attack on your senses. This place is unreal- bright colors, intense poverty, naked kids roaming around, beggars, garbage, pigs, cows, monkeys and goats in the streets…. I love it all.
I’m beginning to think, however, that they don’t dig Western women so much around here. Some kid spit on me (totally unprovoked I swear!) A guy threw a lit match at me and Maddux (weird) and when we were at an old barracks today- a mob of monkeys swarmed Lennon and me! I am not exaggerating. I picked up a stick and started waving it at them, grabbed Lennon’s hand starting yelling at the monkeys and ran as fast as I could. They had us cornered for a few minutes, but we made it! At first it was scary, then we laughed like crazy. We walked so fast to get out of there. Every time we saw a monkey after that we’d say, “Don’t make eye contact. Keep walking. Heads down!” We were freaked!
The pictures below are taken from a tuk tuk. There really are no traffic rules here and other vehicles get so close – you feel like you’re going to crash at any moment. People (even kids and the elderly) manage to make their way across the streets without anyone bothering to slow down. Whenever we cross- we start cheering! Whew!!!! It is so fun!

We thought it was a bit crazy in Southeast Asia- people wanting to take photos of the kids all the time, but it is worse in India where people want to take photos of all of us, then individual ones. They don’t take no for an answer. We have to say “no, that’s enough. Leave us alone.” It is ridiculous. You have to be on guard for pick pocketers and beggars. Wild stuff. Sometimes they try to put their sunglasses or their hat on you. What’s up with that?!

We went the a medieval-like fortress in Old Delhi called Red Fort. It has a 10 meter deep overgrown moat around it that has been dry since 1857. Drawbridges were once the main means of entry. The walls of the fort extend for 2km. Shah Jahan constructed the fort between 1638 and 1648. Back in the day- it was overflowing with gold and jewels. It was described as paradise and heaven on earth. Invading armies came at different times in history and stripped the buildings of all their glory- but they still remain beautiful today.

I took the picture of the kids on the plane with the ipad- that’s why it didn’t turn out so well, but they were laughing hard about something. i love it.
The hand photo was taken at the Delhi airport and the pic of Emerson is at a vegetarian restaurant where we ordered a lot but had no idea what we were getting. Turns out everything was incredible!