another 4 pager from roley!!!

WOOOOOOWWWW. These past days have been crazy!!!!! k let me start.

Remember when i said i was going to the hindu disneyland?? well.... it didn't happen... or rather i couldn't go because i go super sick =/. chills, headaches, the constant need to go to the washroom; horrible!! My stomach hurt soooo much it was ridiculous. I’d get dizzy turning my head to the side. Sometimes, the only way I’d sleep at night was through thinking bc if I didn’t my head would throb… ughhhh I felt sooo vulnerable and completely not myself. What was worse was everyone else was going; this was our first official group tour… ughhhh.. I really think the combination of spices, the new smells, and the malaria pills brought this on me. What’s kind of scary are the side of the malaria pills which not only included nausea and diarehha but… nightmares. There was this one time where I’d see scary images right when I closed my eyes… although there was this one where I could fly everywhere asthough I had no clip XD (for the gamers out there =P). Regardless of all this, I managed to pull through!! Now I’m super conserverative in what I eat (sorry chan I don’t think I’ll be trying thali and time soon =P).

K, well, the next day, 28 july 2008, I was probably around 60% and went out! I wasn’t going to miss anymore! The first place we went was the “Red fort”. Holy crap, this place, built by Mughal emperors, is MASSIVE!!! From here we took a bike rickshaw, or basically a pedal bike with a carriage. Crap, that DEFINITELY was not good for my stomach!! After navigating the streets, and holding in my toast breakfast, we reached the Friday Masjid (or Friday mosque). Dang man, these places are soooo nice! Although climbing the massive staircase to get to the top was a challenge in itself. In the center of this massive place the size of, hmmmmm, 6-8 times the size of the portage and main intersection, was a little pool where people could awsh their feet (because in order to walk around, ones’ shoes must be removed). Imagine walking in such an area with barefeet and hot red rock roasting your feet… yeah, it was interesting =P. When I walked inside the various buildings, however, the white marble cooled my feet and captured my eyes as I saw Islamic carving. SOO BEAUTIFUL! The intricacy is overwhelming. There was also a minaret or tower used to call people for prayer; people could climb but in my condition, all I’d be yelling was my breakfast lol.

Next we travelled to the Gandhi memorial. This place is soo calming, tranquil, and serene. Ashoka and Banyan trees surrounded the black, square, and monument in the centre dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi. What’s interesting was how simply it was designed with a golden inscription reading “Oh God,” the words Gandhi said when he got shot. Amazing man indeed. The simplicity of his tomb is soooo beautiful, especially after seeing such ornate designed buildings in the Jama Masjid; it definitely reflects the type of man he was.

After this we took our van to the temple of Humayun, the 2nd Mughal emperor after Babur. This tomb is crazy!! Again very intricate designs an can be compared to nothing in winnipeg. It puts our our own legislature in the dust! Again, these mughal emperors are ridiculous! Can you say, “BALLLLAAAAHHHH!!!” XD

At this point, we went for lunch… and I went back cuz I could no longer handle the pain XD.

On 29 july 2008, I felt soooooo much better! I’m talking 78%!! Woot woot!!! Anyways, we left Delhi and continued our journey around the Golden triangle, destination = Agra, home of the The Taj Mahal! But before we went there, we went to the tomb of the third mughal emperor, Akbar the Great. Now this dude was something else. All the rulers before him were strict muslim ruler but this guy was different in that he brought religious tolerance to his kingdom! He even sought to unify every by talking aspects from Hinduism, islam, and Christianity and forming a new religion!! What a guy! Anyways, like thee previous tombs, this place was huge, wide, very green and had little paths that water could flow around… on the left I could see gazelles on the right was a monkey temple with a tree path… ughhhhh the innate beauty here is amazing! I can’t help but feel at peace. His tomb and gates were all designed with influences from all religions which were fused together form this architechtural wonder.

From here we went to Howard hotel… holy crap…. Can you say luxury?!?! One of the nicest places ever!!! There was a freaking pool with a waterfall!! Damn man, that sick! After we dropped off bags and had lunch (mmmmm), we travelled to agra’s red fort made by akbar. Dang man! This is like a castle, muslim style!!! Surrounding this fort was a wall then a moat, which WAS filled with lions (like damn, freaking lions)! If intruders passed this, they then had to face a moat filled will alligators/ crocodiles!! Next was the first gate. If they go this, the soldiers would retreat to the 2nd gate where they’d relaease boiling hot oil on their enemies! If they managed to get passed this, there was the third gate… that lead to a narrow path way where the bolders were released!!!! That’s like India jones but real!! Once you got passed all the defenses, you’d see such powerful buildings. For such military fort, one will say that this was a niiiice looking military fort! On the top floor were various palaces that the emperors were staying in. It was here that I could see the Taj mahal. What’s sad is that the creator of the taj mahal, 5th mughal emporor Shah Jahan, was under house arrest here. It is said that when the Britished lauched canon balls, one hit the throne used by Auragzeb (the son who arrested his father), broke it half and ricrochette, hitting but not breaking one of the palace arches. As we wandered around, we saw one of the forts old, algae filled water reserves… what’s crazy is that this one guy jumped 20+ m in it O_O. just around the corner was the view of a memorial of akbar had for his pet elephant… that he used to crush his enemies literally!!! Crazy place!!!!

After this, we went to the Taj Mahal!! This place is the ultimate sign of love and definitely raises the bar of us guys XD. Hahaha. Seriously, before Shah Jahan’s wife from his love “marriage”, mumtaz mahal, died giving birth from her 14th child, she asked him to erect a monument to show just how much he loved her… well… crap man, loook!!! It took him 22 years an almost bankrupted the empire doing it!! Hehehe, he fricken screwed us guys over eh?? XD. Still, when you see the prisitine, pure white marble with its perfect symmetry and almost ethereal feel, I couldn’t help but be amazed. The inlaying of precious and semi precious jewels is also amazing!!! It is said that the Taj mahal was started by giants and finished by jewellers. The deisgns were soooo beautiful that it is believed Shah jahan had the hands, fingers anwrists of his crazfts men cut off so that such feat of fine workmanship, sooo beautifully done, will never be replicated. HOLY SMOKES!!! Inside was this monument was coffin of his wife. Originally, it was intended only for her. She was the centre of this almost divine symmetry but when sha jahan died, he too was placed inside the taj mahal. In Muslim burial tradition, the body is place with the head in the north facing west towards mecca. Instead, Shah Jahan is place to her left this way she not only faced mecca, but also her loving husband. *cue awwwwww*

We then went back to the hotel… where I got a massage for my sore back… ohhh man, I love this hotel =).

The next day began with an early morning swim (heheheh). we Then went to Fatehpur Sikri (sp). Again this a was where Akbar lived and ruled for a bit. We saw the place where he talked with court officials and tried to form his new religion. It was here that he would have people of different religions (including the JESUITS!) debate between themselse as akbar listen in the centre of this square room. Other places in this city were the places for his 3 wifes, the rooms where his 800+ concubines lived (what a guy lol), and where he’d play games like :hide and seek” with the concubines or a place he’d play with his buddies that including using women, who they’d instruct to move/dance from place to place on a 6x4 grid with the prize being any woman the winner wanted…. Wowwwwww. What’s very interesting are the buildings made just for women; he ensured each wife was in a different part of this city so thet wouldn’t fight!! Its even said that one of his wifes bathed in rose water so that he can control her husband from the other women!!

Anyways, this is all for now, sooo many more things happened but I’m tired… I think I’m going to order some western style food now XD. miss you all!!!!

-roley