Delhi/Agra--Feb.18 Part 2

The Agra Fort is quite interesting and I am glad I decided to get a tour guide for the 200 Rupees. I realize in India that is a lot of money however to me $4.00 plus a trip for an hour long one on one tour is an opportunity that must be jumped on.

Being called sir is strange. My tour guide kept calling me sir despite the fact he was 3 years my senior and I asked a few times to call me James. The fort was built by Shan Jahan who also built the Taj Mahal and would end up being imprisoned in one of the miniature palaces inside by his son for eight years, and to add to the punishment he had one tiny mirror that he was able to view the Taj Mahal through. I could get into the details of the whose and whys etc., however I am lazy and if you really care to know google it. I will say that Shan Jahan built the Taj Mahal in honour of his third wife and had started construction of a second one in black before he was deposed. The Fort is surrounded by two moats, the first was a jungle that had tigers living in it and the second alligators and during the rainy season it still fills up.

Aftrer the fort I stopped by a McDonalds, which is a place I rarely eat in Canada and always ends up leaving me feeling unfulfilled however I like to try it once in each country to see what kind of local menu they have. It was odd yet worth trying I guess in the end. While at MD's I struck up a conversation with an American girl who I had convinced to grab a beer with me prior to my train's depature. Also my driver veeoted this decision claiming I had to return and sit awkwardly with Mr. Bansal and his brother for a hour before I could head to the train station and start my journey back to Delhi. Where I was suppose to be greeted by Hamid on the plkatform then head back to the condo and bed around midnight. Long end to a day that started at 4:45am.
Good night...

...or so I thought.
Days drag on when you know all that is going to happen for the rest of that day and have nothing your looking forward to except sleep; this was the case Friday the 18th around 7pm. I had finished my work, saw the sights I could see and was exhausted with an hour to spend in the company of a supplier who has been friendly all day, although by 7 I think everyone was tired and I had another 90 minute train ride ahead of me.

Okay, spicy pepper with my dinner on the train albeit tasty was a bad idea, I can never turn down spice--give me spice over sweet any day. Despite my best efforts to get a few minutes of sleep on the train ride back I ended up befriending a 28 year old travel agent who was going to Delhi for a wild weekend visiting his brother. nice man, even taught me how to write my own name in Hindi, and I will eventually get to sleep so I do not mind the conversation.

Why do Indians love Bryan Adams? He still sells out concerts here and is even performing tomorrow in the World Cup of Cricket opening ceremonies. I like the man as much as the next Canadian and would not pass up on the chance to see him live if the price was right. India however, as my friend V explained once he is huge, V even interviewed him a handful of times for MTV Mumbai(Bombay). I am a little unclear on what name I should use for the cities as they keep changing. Bombay was the old British name as was Banares (Varanasi) and the locals still use the old names however officially now they have switched back to the traditional Indian names. I will try to remain constant.

Hamid is late.
I could have easily taken an auto-rickshaw myself back to the condo however he said that he would meet me on the platform and when I called him he said he was on his way. Sweet man although he does treat me a bit too much with the kiddie gloves. I am fairly adept at this traveling in foreign countries thing and been successful in countries that speak far less English then India. Yet I wait. Oh sleep how sweet you will be.

Nobody bothers to read signs. Everyone goes out the in and people coming in skip the security check. How does this country work? How can India possibly become a superpower when the people intentionally drive the wrong way down the highway into on coming traffic just to save a few rupees on gas?

Hamid's here.