November 10th.

I arrived in Delhi on time considering a delayed for calgary and another for Frankfurt. In Frankfurt I had to kick a 61 year old Indian women out of my aisle seat which proved to be a bit of a challenge but I perserved. later we became bets buds when I made piece by offering them my airline nuts. At the end of the trip she was going to have her son drive me to the hotel but I had arranged for pickup. My heart was racing when I was deplaning. Was I going to make it through customs? did my bag arrive? Is there someone to pick me up? I arrived at customs, the air thick with smoke from the hundred thousand fireworks that exploded in celebration of Dawali that day. As I waited in line, hundreds of people cramed into the poorly designed waiting area - of course I had to pick the slow line...finally my turn, heart racing, breathing labored from the smoke, yes i passed, one down...next fine the luggage...yeah! two done. Next, oh my look at all those people with signs..I scan the long line...Intreprid...thank you thank you... Your name mam? Opps wrong tour company that was the last trip. back I go...yeah I see my name...home free. We wait about one more hour for another passenger.... just after 3:00am..Outside the air was thick with smoke, at times we could only see 1/2 block ahead of us. Despite the streets being dark and the smoke, I could see how dirty Delhi is. In my heading I was thinking this hotel must be for the other passengers..what, thats me? the Hotel Florence seemed to me to be in a seeded area. we had to wake up security and the hotel staff to check in. When the porter opened the hotel room I was amazed how beautiful it was. 4:00am time for bed, we meet our guide at 12:30 ( I thought I had a day to myself but was wrong) I met the group had a light lunch at the hotel then we climbed into a ricky, gas guzzisling, air polluting mini bus to see Delhi. The city is just as dirty in the day as night, garbage every where, public toilet. pretty much any where you want. Our first stop was birla temple- it was over crowded with locals dressed in there finest in celebration for Dawali. We removed our shoes, locked up our cameras and off to get cultured. The floors had tracings of flowers and rice like things. There were several shrines to honor the dieties. Next, a Sikh temple. Again we removed our shoes but this time were instructed to wear bright orange bandana's on our heads. the temple much different from the other, it was a simple white structure with a few domes. Inside was a large carpeted room for prayer; a central area for the musicians that played hypnotic melodies. Outside was a large pool; gold fish swam in the water as people washed, no way I was going near the water, I saw an oil slick on top. Every day the temple feeds thousands of locals of all faiths as part of their religion.

the indian gate is a war memorial set in large grounds. Many people have come here to spend time with their family due to the holiday. we were celebraties, we had our pictures take with locals and from around the world. the sun fought so hard to shine through the thick smoke and the pollution, it did not suceed. Its getting dark and our other destinations are closed in preparation of Barac Oboma's arrival in India so off for dinner. Our guide took us to a so so place - catered to foreingers.