Growing... Going... Gone...: Highlights from India

Obviously I am WAY behind and it is said that a picture is worth a thousand words, so I think I will just tell a bit here and there and save about 500,000 words and give 50 pictures instead. We got into Delhi early and had some food. (The food on the airplain to India was fantastic btw). The first day we just wandered around Pahar ganj (a major shopping area in New Delhi where we stayed) and bought gifts to send home with Will and Chels.

We decided to make our way north to Haridwar, Uttarakhand and Rishikesh before heading back to Delhi to pick up Joey. We spent a few days there. We went to the temple in Haridwar.

We also spent some time down by the river, GANGA.

And to the famous Maharishi (Beatles) Ashram in Rishikesh. This is how we spent Christmas actually.

I was sick from the food (very common upon coming to India) and pretty much just took it easy. The three of us took the train back to New Delhi where Will and Chels would head south for warmer weather and I would wait for one day until Joey arrived. In the mean time, Colorado got epic snow so he was delayed almost 24 hrs. I was lonely and bored and by some miracle managed to meet the most incredible Indian woman in the market. She took me into her home, cooked for me, gave me HER bed, and welcomed me into her family. The warmest stranger I have ever met, this woman stole my heart and I hope to keep her close for an eternity.

Oh, and her husband, equally as wonderful, is nicknamed, Lovely. Anubha and Himanshu.

Very anxious, I went to the airport to pick up Joey the next day.

Joey got the lovely shock of India and New Delhi in particular and we quickly made plans to go to Agra, Uttar Pradesh, I had to get out. Of course I introduces him to Anubha and Himanshu first. We actually had the pleasure of attending his birthday party, somehow WE were the honored guests instead of him.

We spent New Years Eve, the last day of 2009 at the Taj Mahal. It was a full moon night, and as the rumors say the magnificent tomb actually does glow in the moonlight.

And the night on the roof top or our nearby guest house where you can see the Taj.

We spent New Years being driven around Agra in a Rickshaw to see the sights.

Baby Taj.

Red Fort.

Hadicraft shops. These places where absolutely amazing. Especially the marble workers. These workers pass on the trade to their sons, generation to generation. Thus, the sons of the same men who constructed the Taj Mahal do restoration work there every Friday. We also now know why hand made rugs costs thousands, this rug will take a total of 8 months to complete. Amazing.

From Agra we took a train to Khajuraho, the site of some of Indias oldest temples. We stayed in this neat little Ashram type place and did yoga there.