New to India

Just feel compelled to write a little today - Day 2 into acclimatizing in India. It is full on here - wow! We have seen so much - from color, noise, smells and a huge massive amount of people, unbelieveable filth in the streets (contrasting to the indoors) and so much poverty. So many people trying to make a living somehow. People sleeping on the streets, people well dressed, autorichkshaws and bicycle rickshaws aplenty - it is tough trying to walk either down the street or across the street and keeping your feet on terra firma - lots of broken cement blocks, garbage, people everywhere - congestion is the word like I have never seen and more poverty than I have ever seen. People without all their limbs, young children, old men, young people every age and apparent health or ill condition. It looks so massive and where does the health, cleanup, etc ever start. Still lots of people are doing well.

We have figured lots of the ways the networks here work with tourists. Yesterday we were constantly accompanied by well dressed gentlemen wanting to assist in their friendly manner. When Clive finally said "we don't want a guide" they disappeared within 50 meters and then the next one took over with the same line. They all have cell phones - wonder if they are talking to the next guy.Anyways they all directed us the wrong to Connaught Place which should be a 5 minute walk from here. We never did find it. However, we went out this am and followed our map and presto! there it was just as the map said.
Then we tried to get to the train station for foreigners to buy tickets. they can show you identification showing that they work for the railway and again direct you away from the station down to some travel agent. As we went to go up some stairs, we were stopped two stairs up and told firmly that the office was closed. We went up and there it was! Wonderful!
Again today, some man firmly and politely (like a powerful teacher to his students) asserted that he knew where the government travel agency was as he had id showing uus that he worked for the government. As I didn't listen and walked away, he explained very firmly that I must listen to him. Anways we didn't and again he had attempted to misdirect us.
so now we have some of this sassed out and know to relie on our maps, guidebooks and government official offices (though everyone claims to be legitimate.
We enjoyed our day immensely - ate some great vegetarian meals at nice quiet restaurants, saw the Red Fort (should be called a castle if it was in England), saw the oldest mosque in India and surprise, surprise another festival tonight with all of the proceedings on the same ground as last night so we have been watching fireworks and some of the 3 hour enactment that is still taking place. Apparently some god (Hindu) was in the forest for 14 years and they are celebrating his return. ..we notice at both of festivals the women and children sit together and the men sit at the back. Men and women are not together in public very much. It is so orderly for all of the masses. They gather and sit and then split up very quickly. The play itself has lots of color and very little action. I am sure that the audience must know the story very well - but we are trying to figure out bits. The music and drums go quite often so it is all so entertaining. What timing!
...reading in the local paper here that in Dubai that Ramadan has become too commercial and that people spend too many evenings shopping instead of reflecting on what Ramadan is all about. Sounds like the old story about commercialization of Christmas - just another setting.
Guess that is enough of my story for today - so much to relate and I like to abbreviate it so much - not really into recording - however as we adjust I know that this will seem like a distant memory if I don't relate it now. Everything is so intense - guess that's one of the great things of travel. And we have seen so much and talked to a few other travellers - who keep on returning to India - guess that it gets in their blood - though they don't much care for Delhi. So we shall see how it all unfolds. We have bought a ticket for Shimla for Sat morning leaving at 6am! The life of retirement and we want to get up for a tour of South Delhi early in the am tomorrow. Tough , isn't it? Shimla is in the mountains (or rather a valley). We catch a train part way and then switch to a narrow gauge railway for the last bit. Clive really likes those (and so do I).

Anyways, must sign off for now. We do love to hear from anyone at home - and how you are all doing - miss you all but having a wonderful time.