Intro to India

Well, here we are in country number three on our Grand Run Through The World. India, as everyone says, assaults the senses. We are staying in an area called Paharganj which is full of little grimy streets (the open urinal is right outside our hotel), swarming with hawkers of all kinds, cows, rickshaws and beggars. This morning we even saw a cow patiently queueing at the book stall... There are also a lot of travellers/tourists here, especially compared to Central Asia. They don't seem very friendly - too busy "finding themselves" to want to smile or chat. Its a bit like Thailand - everyone thinks they're discovering stuff and can't quite handle the presence of other Westerners.
We're enjoying browsing through the shops and eating in cafes and restaurants. Whilst our stomachs hold out, we are shovelling in as much curry as we can take... The kebab-and-chai cheap meal equivalent here is thali. We always have the veg option (we are honorary veggies for the duration of our stay here in India) and it comes in a metal dish with little compartments, either a small bowl or just a dent in the metal. In each separate dent there are two sorts of curry, rice, yoghurt and naan or chapati. The whole thing is really filling and costs the equivalent of 45p. We're hoping to claw back some of our Central Asian overspend!
A danger more immediate than stomach trouble is the risk of being mown down on the street... Walking through Paharganj there is an array of fanatastical sights. From a saddhu (an Indian holy man who lives on alms) going from shop to shop, to the brightly coloured souvenirs, to the amazing saris and salwaar kamizs and simply the mass of humanity that greets you every time you step out of the hotel. The danger with this is the need to keep eyes forward all the time while walking. If you gaze about too much you risk falling down a pothole, treading on cow sh*t, or a beggar, being run over by a rickshaw and even walking into a cow, who refuse to move out of the way for anyone.
Speaking of beggars, the poverty here is shocking, as many people report. We have given a little bit when asked, although we were then hassled by the little girl who wanted even more - you can't win. There are people living at the side of the roads, beggars with leprosy and every age from old men to tiny babies. At night the great mass of people sleeps lined along the roads, making quite an eerie sight.
On the other side of the coin, there are far more international boutiques and restaurants in the centre of town than when I was here 5 years ago, which is a bit of a disappointment - I suppose its to be expected. The richer Indians can shop at Levis or Benetton and eat at Pizza Hut or TGI Fridays.
On the sightseeing front, today we have been to see the Red Fort (see photo), which is very impressive although a little shabby. This was built during the Moghul dynasty, occupied by the British after the Mutiny in 1857 and is the symbol of Indian independence; it is from here that the Prime Minister address the nation on Independence Day every year. It is difficult to do too much walking around as it is unbelievably hot and sticky considering it is now October - very uncomfortable. Tomorrow we are going on the train to Agra to see the Taj Mahal and we are hoping that it will be a bit cooler out of the city...