Halbe Weltreise/ Half World Trip: More Delhi and finally the Red Fort

After the train back from Amritsar I was suprised to find out the train made a turn to come closer to Delhi from the east, though Amritsar is acually way to the West. Well it worked so I checked out some smaller sights that area. And suprise suprise: these were 500 Rupees aswell. Just a small mausoleum. No more spending money for that except the red fort, is what I thought. So I just walked through some alleys which seemed to be a muslim quarter. Butchers, other small shops and so on. People just living their lives. Some staring at me, most not minding or caring. The way I like it (beacuse no one wants to sell you stuff or tries to be your new best friend)
I walked across some bazaars and came back to Jayanths place in the evening.
The next day I was determined to enter the red fort. So I headed there and checked out the masjid (mosque) on the way there. They didn't let me in this time as there was a prayer going on. A little disappointed I headed to the fort fearing there might be some reason it is closed again...
It wasn't! I resisted all offers of audio guides and personal guides and just used the info my lonely planet provided. Inside were shops with touristy stuff. A indian gave me his son to hold. The kid stared at me wide eyed wondering what the hell was happening (I could imagine). I went through the garden and saw alot of military presence. Soldiers behind baricades, some with really big guns. Amazing. The fort was a place of the resistance against the british untill they conquered it in a war and therefore had one less rebellious Enemy in India. Later it was also garisson for british troops. On the top of the fort, on independence day, they raised the indian flag the very first time in history, making it a very important and significant place.

Part of the palace in the Red Fort

Ornaments, similar to the ones in the Taj Mahal

The bathing house of the queen (if I remember correctly)

I mentioned the ASI (Archeological Survey of India). They tend and take care of alot of sights and recently raised the prices. Sometimes more than doubled them. The exhibits in the Ajanta caves were kind of pointless. I had added this passage after I had just been in the red fort (while I was both angry and disappointed in the ASI):

'Exhibits to show "we are such great archeologists and need alot of money from foreigners" >:( No sorry... That's unfair, but it really annoys me. I don't mind paying more than locals but 500 for looking at old caves might be worth it, but now I have seen to many sites in Delhi made that expensive and some were definately not worth it. They made it to european prices, which are kind of at the wrong place in India. Especially with what they "offer". Nothing really, it is just admittance to a place and their "exhibits" or "museums" are made up of random things and not that informative. The quality is often different than european museums, which isn't a bad thing, but demanding such prices for this are. The one big museum in Chennai was just about 150 Rupees and much more informative than the caves - though the caves were more exciting to look at I guess. But he caves were made in a way so you can only understand it WITH a guide or something like that, which costs extra.'

The red fort was better. Nice to look at and a few signs pointing out things. But their 'museums' were a joke. One was about warfare of india. It showed some bows, spears, swords and guns. Sometimes directly next to one another. Just saying "gun" - "sword" - woah! Really? Intersting... tell me more. Honestly, tell me more! Why is THIS sword here, why is it next to a gun? Did Indians fight with a sword against british soldiers armed with rifles? Or maybe it should be split in: Middle ages: swords - Colonial era: guns
Than there was an old flag of Germany (I'd say of the empire during WW1) yet it only said Germani Flag, so even Germany was spelled wrong. And people looking at it (not from Germany) might actually think it is the current flag...
I'm sorry, but I don't think that is a good museum (and worth a european price).
And they also showed an old telephone set, not sure how that is warfare... Maybe it was a war-phone, but without any explanations I have no idea what and why...

The 'Germani Flag' (if it actually was one)

Jayanth was very popular those days, at least with couchsurfers. That day another german guy arrived and we played some music together and I we talked about our travels. He had been to central Asia and wanted to travel India for the next few months. Though he left 2 days later we around together, got some food while I went to bazaars, he got his train tickets and left for Nepal by train and bus, same as Will did from Varanasi.

After Max had left I finally had time to visit Samantha. She was a very good friend in KIS. We hung around alot and were in the same class starting from preschool up to the fourth grade, when I left India. I wanted to keep the tension a little higher this time and only talk to her once we met and it worked! Only when I arrived at the place we wanted to meet, I called her and she picked me up. She has a strong american accent! I was really suprised, but I guess after spending several years in a country you'll probably adapt the way they talk.

It was fun talking with her. We talked about her new job and how everything is going in the huge city of Delhi. She was hoping to be on a conference in Nepal while I was still there... Sadly it didn't work out. But then I'll have to visit her the next time again =)

We met in Khaz Village, an old spot for artists. Now it is kind of a fancy place and you can meet there to get nice drinks, coffees and so on or even party in the night. And go to the hairdresser, as Samantha does. She has a deaf guy who cuts her hair (!), so I tried asking him, if he knew a deaf school here in Delhi, he did not, he said he went to the school in Chennai. He used the american alphabeth, so I could understand it. But I'd say we managed to communicate and he got what I was saying and I what he did, so that was pretty cool!

The day before I left an intalian couple arrived. I was in Delhi at that time so couldn't open them the door and Jayanths landlord (the weird guy) opened the door for them. A great welcome... I met them in a restaurant outside in the evening and I gave them some of tips and so on, of what I think India is like.

On the last day I also sent some things back home. It was some gifts or things I didn't need anymore. And it was an odyssee to get it done this time... I first had to find a post office, then realise it was always full. THey didn't do packaging, so I had to do it before (luckily I was smart enough to enquire this before I drove there with my stuff^^). I asked several shops close to Jayanth, if they pack and I was finally sent to a supermarket. They were first a little confused, but then did it. The packaging paper was lovely! Just bright shiny blue, because they didn't have anything else :D

My package home! is it christmas already? (sry, by now it is! I should have uploaded this sooner...)

When I then arrived with the beautiful package at the post office the guy from the international package counter didn't speak any english and just said "no". I asked what no? What's qrong what can I do?! He used another guy to translate and told me I should get it packed differently, best in cloth... And he refered me to the counter opposite in the post office, where they sold stationary things. THe woman looked annoyed at me and said they don't do it. So I searched for another stationary shop and finally one man saw my desparation and said he'll help me. With one of his workers I went to a fabrics shop and then to a tailor on the street, who then started sewing the package into the cloth. It was really interesting and cool to watch how this worked and how much the people do to help me. Then the guy took me to a place to have it sealed with wax which was very expensive. I noticed the guy being shocked, but I guess the guy saying the price said it was the foreigner special or offering him some money in exchange or so. I declined, because it could be opened by the customs the effort was already (in my opinion) too much for that. Then after waiting in line for another hour I finally was able to give them my package. It was more expensive for some reason...

Sadly blue shiny paper isn't allowed, so now it's in cloth safely

So the last days I hung around Gurgaon and then I stayed up with Jayanth and the Italian guy (sorry, I forgot your name!) to get an uber to the airport, because my flight to Nepal is at 6 am, so I arrived at the airport at about 3:30. Everything worked out fine and I got through security and everything easily and then I realised:

Oops... I smuggled this into the Delhi airport...