Tuesday : fine

I didn't sleep well at all last night, the bed was perfect but I was coughing all night, I think I should get some medicine. We got up and went to have breakfast, and it was a really good it was a buffet with Indian and western food. Yum curry for breakfast! We stuffed ourself for almost an hour.

Then we went back to our room and got packed for a big day of sightseeing. We met our driver/guide in the hotel lobby and our first stop was India gate.

India gate is a pretty mighty looking 42m high stone arch, It's a memorial to the 90,000 Indian soldiers who died in WW I. We were lucky today, the Indian army was performing a remembrance ceremony. They too like the Nepalese had strong similarities to the Brittish style that we use. Minus the soldiers holding hands, and looking around and smiling at the tourists when at attention.

Next stop was at presidential house and parliament house. We got dropped off and walked around, the designer had to be from England they. The presidential house looked like Buckingham palace with it's gates and fences.

Next was Qutb Minar complex, it had a 1000 year old, 72m high tower, and loads of ruins. There was so much more here than what the driver made out to be. There were tombs, graveyards beautiful gardens and lawns, mosques including Indian's first. I had never been into a mosque before today. There was an interesting 7m tall 'Iron Pilar' it dates back over 2000 and scientists have not discovered why it hasn't rusted in all that time. The inscriptions do not say how it was made only when and who made it. The ruins looked just right, they managed to step in at just the right time to preserve them, without having to restore them. The tower was fine and original, its been struck by lightening twice and survived earthquakes. Amazing how perfect the brickwork is for something so old.

While in a tomb a fella came up to me and said that I looked like Ricky Ponting. Soon we had two big families surrounding us taking photos and shaking our hands, one guy came up said Ricky Ponting? And that he was from Bangladesh took a photo and was off. They love their cricket here, there are more than 4 cricket only tv stations, I'm loving it, Kim not so much.

We then went to Bahai house of worship ( lotus temple) it looks like the Sydney Opera house it's so weird. It's a church, temple, mosque all in one, It was built to bring all religions together. Entry is free but no photography is allowed Inside, it was very quiet inside and the ceilings are so high with a huge centre skylight pattern sculpture thing. Ha

We then went to a place called Humayun's tomb, this tomb was for the grandfather of the fella who built the Taj Mahal. It's a pretty cool building, made from red sandstone and white marble. It massive too, over 100 bodies were laid to rest here. There are big perimeter walls and gates, inside there are more tombs and big green lawns and gardens and fountains. We have noticed that they have very green grass at these sights.

We had time for one more stop, and we were glad we did. It was at a Hindu temple called Birla Mandir and it was pretty big a fancy. Built in 1938 using loads of marble and really detailed god statues, plenty of carvings also. it was opened by Gandhi as a temple for all Castes (different classes of people). It was a shame we weren't allowed to take photos once inside this one, it was really nice.

It was a massive day today 9:30am - 6pm that's a lot of driving and things that we saw. I wish I remembered to buy a bunch of bananas, I wanted to give bananas to the begging kids. At the sights today we didn't see any beggars, they must get shewd away by security. We only saw them at the lights, I think it would be better to give them food rather than cash.

Once back at the hotel we got freshened up and then went to a different restaurant for dinner. It had great food too, I know we have only had two dinners here, but so far both meals have been perfect. The cricket was on too, disappointed! I found out that the ODIers between England and India were played here not in England, and it was the last one tonight. I couldn't of gone anyways it was over in Calcutta.

After dinner we stopped off at a chemist to pick up some cough medicine. We ended up having a longish chat to the chemists. It's funny once they find out were we are from they love to chat. Everyone so far has been very friendly, it's been the complete opposite to what we psyched ourselves up for, and has been completely opposite to what the lonely planet also says. Not sure if it just because it festival time, it's funny the festivals are following us, it's the third country we have been in when a major party is happening. Pretty lucky, we need to read up on this festival tough not sure what is for yet.

Back in the hotel it was movie watching and firework listening time. The hangover was on and so were the fireworks and crackers. Might be hard to sleep tonight again, the bangs are loud.