Mahashrivaratri

Well, we're still in Delhi. But the snows in Leh have stopped (knock on wood) and we have 17 seats on the flight tomorrow, weather permitting. Here's hoping that we get out of Delhi tomorrow! In the meantime, James, Nick, and I have been learning our way around this crazy city, with our ever amazing guide Tashi Angchok, and his skill at speaking Hindi. We've taken the metro several times now and are used to the separate queues for guys and girls, then the aggressive security pat down behind the screens, then the bag x-ray, just to go a few stops. At least you don't have to take your shoes off. We've seen the National Indian History Museum, Dillihut, Pahar Ganj, and the Red Fort, eaten at more Indian restaurants than one can count and even made a trip to McDonalds at the request of the students--McDonalds here serves no beef, a concession they had to make for the Hindu majority here. We've travelled by rickshaw through streets crowded with motorcycles, oxen pulled carts, and children riding horses down major highways. We've watched a wedding procession and now a major holiday celebration from the rooftop of our hotel. We've learned to endure the labrynthine streets, filled with beggars missing limbs, sleeping homeless bodies, street hawkers gesticulating wildly, and the bizarre paparazzi effect that our group has. As we pass, many Indians whip out cell phones to subtely, or often, not so subtly snap a picture. Today at the Red Fort one Indian women came over to our group as we sat listening to a history lecture, sat down next to us, and her husband snapped her picture. As we later sat at a different spot, four small well dressed children ages 2-6 craftily snap our photos with a cellphone, then rush back to their parents picnicing on the grass, who review the pictures, shake their heads, and then send the children back for more! Today is the holiday of Mahashrivaratri, the wedding of Hindu god Shiva; a large stage has gone up overnight, blocking the entire road from traffic, decorated with enormous statues of Hindu gods, scaffolding, enormous vats of oil frying breads, and Hindi music blaring. Delhi never ceases to amaze! Hopefully...hopefully Ladakh will be amazing us very soon...here's hoping the good weather holds.
-Amy