Vrindavan, Fatehpur Sikri, Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal

I'm on a blogging roll this week. The determination to catch up from the previous weekends before I head to Amritsar tonight is providing ample motivation. And I promise I will post photos soon as I'm sure you're all more interested in photos than all my babbling.

On my fifth weekend in India, I finally made the journey to the Taj Mahal. It was early on Saturday morning (3:30 am to be exact) when Akarsh (Akarsh leads tours with Delhi By Cycle, but he also owns his own tourist company called "I Am Adventure" and he turned out to be a wondeful guide!) picked me up in Noida and we set off to pick up 4 other LC students who would be joining in the trip. Despite the early hour, most of us did not sleep and instead we chatted away while we drove along the Indian highway. The road to Agra is part of the golden triangle, so it is in much better condition than the road to Ranthambore and given the early hour there was not as much traffic.

At about 7 am, we stopped in Vrindavan to visit a Hindu temple that is devoted to Lord Krishna. The temple in Vrindavan is given special significance because the city (and the nearby city of Mathura) is thought to be the actual location of Lord Krishna's transcendental abodes. When we first arrived, the temple was not open so we partook in some street food. The food was delicious and because it was piping hot and cooked right in front of us, we deemed it relatively safe. The food would have been more enjoyable if there were a few less flies swarming around - and I have a feeling that had the food cart not been parked directly over a pile of "holy shit" (ie. cow pies - cows are sacred here so their shit is as well) then there might have been a few less flies. After eating our breakfast, the temple opened so we went to enter. There we learned that we would need to remove our shoes. Removing your shoes is typically required at temples in India, but usually you are at least allowed on the premises where the ground is a bit cleaner. Here we were made to remove our shoes on the dirty road and walk a short distance before reaching the temple premises.

The temple was incredible, and because we were there as it opened we were able to witness the waking of the gods and the other early morning spiritual rituals. The sweet smell of incense permeated the air, the sound of chanting and drums enveloped the air within and occasionally we felt drops of water land on our skin as a man passed back and forth shaking holy water. Despite the number of people at the temple, it was relatively calm and serene. An ambience that fit well with the white marble facade and intricate carvings of peacocks and other designs. In one area of the temple, curtains would be moved aside revealing various carvings depicting Lord Krishna in various scenes.

After spending some time there, we got back in the car and travelled a little further down the road. Our goal was another temple. Because the other temple was down a series of narrow alleys, we were made to park the car and follow a guide through the streets. The guide warned Dustin, Nolan, and Matt (who all wear glasses) that they should remove their glasses or they would risk losing them to the kleptomaniac monkeys that we would pass. Nobody lost their glasses or other possessions.

At the end of a short walk, we reached the other temple. This temple was the polar opposite of the temple we visited earlier. The temple was unassuming and the entrance hidden among other buildings. Where the other temple had been peaceful, serene and white this one was loud, colorful, and crowded. Swastikas formed of "holy shit" were affixed to the door frame and people stopped to pour milk or kiss the door frame in a sign of religious servitude. We pushed our way inside (where we were not allowed to take photos) and were greeted with the sight of throngs of people pushing their way towards the front - trying to catch a glimpse of the idol. The priest would occasionally pull back the curtain revealing the idol and the crowd rejoiced. As we departed the temple, we were blessed and yellow bindi was painted on our foreheads.
It was still early morning when we left Vrindavan and headed to Fatehpur Sikri. Once in Fatehpur Sikri we climbed to the Jama Masjid and viewed both the mosque and the tomb of Salim Chisti. The mosque and the tomb were impressive, but the experience at the Fatehpur Sikri was disturbed by the numerous touts offering to be guides or to sell certain wares. Despite having our own guide, the men were relentless and would not offer you a moments peace. Had Akarsh not been there, I'm sure the experience would have been much worse as he was at least able to tell them that we were "cheap" foreigners who had not purchased anything despite his week-long persistance (lies, of course).

Once our viewing at Fatehpur Sikri was completed we headed to Agra. In Agra Akarsh was hassled by the police because he was driving a brand new car - they were trying to shake him down for a bribe and wanted to know why he was with 5 foreigners. Again he had to lie to say we all worked for British Airlines and that we were friends of his that he was showing around. His lies worked and we were allowed to pass and head for our hotel. The hotel provided us an opportunity to freshen up.

From there we headed to the Agra Fort. As much as I was unimpressed by the Red Fort in Delhi, the Agra Fort was a spectacular sight to behold. It was impressive, well cared for, and there was an audioguide available for rent. We all made our way through the grounds, listening to the history of the fort and the Mughal emperors. We finished our tour just in time - the rain started to pour. We hopped back in the car and found respite at a nearby coffeeshop.

We waited out the rain at the coffee shop and then headed back to the Agra Fort for the sound and light show. The sound and light show provided more interesting history, but it was not what I expected. I had anticipated images flashed on various portions of the building much like a movie. Instead, various portions of the Fort would light up while the narrator provided an account of the history of the emperors.

Dinner was chinese food at a nearby hotel and then, exhausted, we all crashed at the hotel.

Early on Sunday morning, we woke up and departed for the Taj Mahal. Like every other sight in India, tourists pay 25 times more to enter than Indians do. At the Taj at least you are given a bottle of water, a ride in an electric vehicle (the area surrounding the Taj prohibits vehicles in order to cut down on pollution), and you can use the toilets free of charge. These "perks" certainly do not add up to the difference in the admission fee. I also feel I should mention that the men at the ticket counter were most unhelpful and rude. It was first thing in the morning and they refused to accept our entrance fee unless we provided exact change! This made the start of the experience a bit difficult and left the group of us scrambling to come up with exact change among us.

Like the Agra Fort, the Taj Mahal offers audio guides and they are well worth it. The information they provide is wonderful and I'm certain it is much more accurate than the average guide you find at the Taj would provide.

The Taj is impeccable and viewing it makes you realize the enormity of the love that Shah Jahan had for his wife Mumtaz Mahal (he built it in memory of her after she died giving birth to their 14th child). There is a reason it is considered one of the seven wonders of the world.  

Weekend #4: Delhi By Cycle, Embassy Independence Day Celebration, a Mango Festival and More

After the rant against traffic in my previous post, you'll probably be thinking that my decision to go on a cycle tour of Delhi is evidence that I've lost my mind. Maybe I have. But as long as losing my mind leads to fun adventures like the cycle tour then I'll accept it.

Weekend # 4 was the weekend that the rest of the Lewis and Clark students who would be interning in Delhi arrived. Knowing that they would be arriving, I organized a group of us to participate in an early morning tour from Delhi By Cycle (http://www.delhibycycle.com/). I cannot remember exactly how I learned of Delhi By Cycle, but it sounded like a great way to see the sights of Old Delhi. The company is run by a Dutch man (how stereotypical...a Dutch expat operating a cycle tour company complete with orange bikes). It was relatively easy to sign up for the tour, but then I encountered the first logistical problem. Delhi By Cycle requires prepayment for the tour. While prepayment in general is not an issue, it is an issue when the only ways to prepay are to either go directly to the Delhi By Cycle office or to make a deposit into their acount by going to a branch of their bank. This requirement is a huge hassle and I'm sure it prevents many people from signing up for the tour. Going to the office or a branch of the bank in India is not convenient - things are hard to get to and the hours of operation are not convenient when you work from 9:30 - 7 Monday through Friday.

Early Saturday morning I departed from my place in Noida to Old Delhi to meet the group and our cycle tour leader. I had to take a car, because the metro did not start running early enough for me to reach the meetup sight by 6:30 am. Virtually our entire group (except for the two guides and one tour participant) was American. Four of us were from LC Law and one was a Harvard law student (Dustin's roommate, Ben). The other two Americans were random tourists from New York who were visiting India for a wedding (attending an Indian wedding is on my bucket list - but it probably won't happen during this trip). Our primary guide was Akarsh (and he later lead us on a trip by car to Agra and is taking us to Amritsar this weekend and Pushkar/Jaipur next weekend). There is another guide who brings up the tail of the tour to make sure nobody gets lost. An interesting fact about the "tail guide" is that he was a street kid. There is an NGO in Delhi called Salaam Baalak (http://www.salaambaalaktrust.com/) that takes street kids off the street and gives them education and opportunities to earn money instead of resorting to begging. Delhi By Cycle employs some of the older Salaam Baalak participants and our "tail guide" was one of them.

After a slightly delayed start to the tour (courtesy of Dustin and Ben not arriving on time), we set off through the narrow Old Delhi streets. The first street we rode down was the "meat street" in Delhi. Since much of the population in India is Hindu and vegetarian, there are not many butchers. There is, however, also a significant Muslim population in India and within Delhi many reside within Old Delhi so there is an entire street of butchers. The meat street was not one of the most pleasant sights or smells early in the morning. Butchered animals were being carried through the streets by rickshaw and hand. The lack of general hygiene and the smell was enough to turn anyone off to meat indefinitely.

Akarsh adeptly helped us to navigate from the meat street through small narrow streets and other sights of Delhi. We passed havelis (mansions), religious temples, and more while we were dodging stray dogs, cows, motor cycles, and people that were out and about. We climbed through the spice market where our noses were treated to the smell of freshly made roti (Indian flatbread - sort of tortilla like), chai, and spices. While watching some of the laborers cook their roti, Ben climbed onto the roof (and almost fell through) to see the roti up close. The spices that permeated the air near the spice market were a bit much and I found myself sneezing frequently. Finally, after three hours we ended the tour with breakfast at Karim's - a famed restaurant which is tucked away in a narrow alley and serves delicious Mughal cuisine. Although Delhi never seems to me to be calm and peaceful, the early start time of this tour meant that there was not so much activity on the streets as to make the road inpassable.

That night, was the Independence Day celebration at the American Embassy. The celebration was hosted at an American sports complex on a baseball field and the entire area was decked in red, white, and blue. It gave us all the opportunity to sit on the lawn, eat burgers (yes, even after seeing the meat street earlier that day) and corn on the cob and have a few drinks. The celebration was lovely and it is probably one of the only times that I've felt truly comfortable and at ease while in India. There was no threat of being run over by traffic or fleeced by a tout - just the chance to kick back, relax, eat, drink, dance, watch fireworks and be merry.

On Sunday I went to the Mango Festival with Lorraine and Ben. Mangoes here are incredibly delicious. When I first arrived, my friend Mallika asked me if I could name anything that tasted better than a mango. At the time, having only been exposed to the underripe and not very flavorful varieties we can buy in the US, there were plenty of things I could name: peaches, berries, etc. But now, having tried different varieties of perfectly ripe and juicy mangoes, I can no longer say there is something quite as delicious. Mangoes will be one of the things that I will really miss when I leave India.

Anyway, back to the mango festival....

The mango festival was not at all what I expected. There really was not a lot of mango at the festival. Sure there were exhibit halls that you could wander through in order to view the prize-winning mangoes and there was an area where you could buy mangoes in bulk, but there was no area to sample different varieties of mangoes. Lorraine, Ben and I were thinking that the festival was a bit lame (and we were roasting in the heat) but we decided to stick it out to watch the mango eating festival. And the mango eating festival made our trip entirely worth it. Approximately thirty men stood up on stage and were given a 3kg bag of unpeeled and unpitted mangoes. They had just a few minutes to eat as much of the mangoes as they could before a winner could be declared. It was truly a sight to behold as energetic music was cued up and the participants began ripping the skin off mangoes and eating as much as they could. Some of the participants even danced to the music as they worked their way through all the mango pulp. It was much more energetic and exiciting than any other eating competition I've ever witnessed.

I departed the mango festival to head back to Noida. Dustin and I were invited for dinner at my first host's house. We arrived in Noida at around 8 p.m. and were served a delicious meal that had been prepared by Mallika. Then both Dustin and I headed to our respective homes and prepared ourselves for another week of interning.

That Monday night, I went with my friend Sneha and a few of her friends to see the movie Delhi Belly. This movie has caused quite a stir in India because it is much more provocative than most Bollywood films. I found the film to be hilarious and very well done. It is a bit over the top, but it does such a wonderful job of poking fun of Delhi and all its problems. This movie is definitely on my "to own" list.

***I'll post pictures of all the above adventures soon.

Akshardham Temple

Yikes, I just realized I'm three weeks behind in my blogging. Unlike when I was in the Netherlands, this time the blame for my delay falls more on India and less on my being busy or lazy. There are frequent power outages here and when the power turns off so does the internet. There have been many nights when I've returned home set to blog about my weekend (or to call friends and family via skype) and I've been disappointed to find there is no internet service. I will do my best to catch up because there are many observations, stories, and other information that I desire to share.
My third weekend in India was fairly uneventful. During the work week my time consisted the daily commute. While a commute wouldn't normally be something worth writing about, the commute in India seems to be a bit more of an adventure. There are a few aspects of the commute that have become easier over time, but only a few. Each day I depart my accommodations and take a 5 - 10 minute walk to the metro. Although the distance is not far, I'm usually sweating because of the heat and the general complications of the commute. There are no sidewalks and there is only a narrow shoulder and a narrow patch of packed dirt on which to walk. Walking requires artfully dodging cycles, rickshaws, buses, cows, dogs, and whatever other obstacle may appear. Crossing the street is the most complicated. Because there are no traffic rules and not many traffic signals in Noida (especially at the intersections near my accommodation), intersections are a free for all. I've determined the private buses that are collecting passengers near the metro are one of the worst obstructers of traffic. They park right in the middle of the crosswalk and it is impossible to see around them or know when they might choose to move. The motorcycles are the other offender as they seem to be the most impatient and self-centered; they are the most willing to weave in and out of traffic or drive on the shoulder with no disregard for any pedestrians or animals.
After the walk I enter the metro where I am subjected to a pat down and my bag is x-rayed (as is everyone else). The metro is one of the few places in India where it is an advantage to be a female because there is hardly ever a line for women's security and there is a women only car at the front of each train which is hardly ever crowded (unlike the other cars which are typically jam packed). The metro is an anomaly in Delhi; it's clean, quiet, and air conditioned. The metro is also relatively new so it will be interesting to see how long it is maintained...
When I depart the metro near my office, I catch a cycle rickshaw to go to the office. If I were in the US, the distance would be walkable - probably about 15 to 20 minutes maximum. But in India, because of the heat, dust, chaos and lack of sidewalks (although I should note they are building sidewalks on the road from the metro to my office so things might be improving) a cycle rickshaw is better. Initially I had to find a rickshaw puller and haggle each day but now there is one rickshaw driver who I can always count on to be there in the morning to take me to the office. There is also now a rickshaw puller who waits for me outside the office in the evening in order to return me to the office. I think I'm paying about 10 rupees (approximately 20 cents US) more than Indians pay (I pay 30 each way and Indians pay 15 - 20), but I'm happy to pay it for the convenience of not having to haggle and explain the way to my office each day. One of the things about India is that those who have money will nickle and dime the poor (rickshaw pullers, maids, etc.) and many refuse to pay even a little extra for anything - even if the service is great. It's one of the reasons that the rich/poor divide just increases. The wealthy here continue to make money (it takes money to make money) but they refuse to tolerate an increase in prices for services even though the cost of living is increasing. And because the population is so large and there are so many poor and uneducated people there is always somebody who is willing to do the work for less. Seeing the situation here makes me appreciative of policies like the minimum wage in the US. Although minimum wage is dismal and could be better and although we have our share of problems and could be doing a lot better in terms of providing opportunities and equality (like funding better education and health care) we could also be doing a lot worse.
Ok, time to climb off my soapbox.
After I leave work at about 7 p.m. I complete the whole commute in reverse. Monday - Friday I don't generally go out in the evening and the few times that I have there was a lot of advanced planning involved. So most of my excitement and exploration time occurs on the weekends.
Weekend number three was fairly lowkey and I didn't see many sights. In fact on Sunday I spent the entire day at home reading and watching movies (great Indian films - Lagaan, Robot, and Like Stars on Earth). On Saturday, Dustin and I visited Akshardham temple in Delhi. Akshardham is a fairly new temple (built in 2006) but it is gigantic. There lifesize stone carved elephants that surround the base of the temple and the entire structure is ornately sculpted. Unfortunately cameras are not permitted on the grounds so I do not have any pictures. But you can look at pictures here http://www.akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/index.htm
The ornate stone carvings were the extent of Akshardham's appeal. There is also a boat ride and a presentation in the hall of values but both of those things were a bit hokey. The hall of values was an animatronic / multimedia experience that chronicles the life of Swaminarayan, the founder of one particular sect of hinduism. And the boat tour chronicled some of India's history. While there was some interesting information presented, the whole thing just seemed like a religious Disneyland with the goal of inundating viewers with propoganda.  There is also a light/music show at the fountain there, but after spending a few hours in the sun and partaking in the boat tour and hall of values, we were exhausted and ready to call it a night.

Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

Realizing that the monsoon season was fast approaching and that many of the national parks would be closed come July, I decided to make an effort to make it to at least one during.  So my second weekend in India became the designated weekend for seeing Indian wildlife. Because the plans didn't come to fruition until a few days before the weekend, my friend Dustin and I ended up hiring a car (the trains that would work with our schedules were booked) to take us to Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan.
The driver arrived at my house about an hour earlier than we had anticipated. Luckily Dustin had planned on arriving a bit earlier so we were able to get an early start. We departed for our approximately 9 hour journey at around 9:30 p.m. If you were to look at Google Maps, it would suggest this drive would only take about 6 hours, but Google Maps is wrong! I don't think Google Maps takes into account the fact that this is India - a land where traffic is insane, you have to stop in random places and search for the government officials that you need to pay tolls or taxes to, and the road is not nice and paved for the whole journey. In fact, while I'm talking about traffic I should mention a little saying that the driver told us about driving in India. "For driving in India, you need four things: good brakes, a good horn, good luck and a good doctor!" A very wise and accurate saying indeed.
The car was comfortable and our driver was very reliable, friendly and helpful. Despite being comfortable with his safe driving, it was still hard to get much sleep on the journey (since the actual paved road often disappeared or random traffic would appear). He successfully navigated us from Delhi to Sawai Madhopur (the town nearest Ranthambore National Park). There he dropped us off at our hotel at 6:30 am. By that point, Dustin and I were exhausted and hungry. We had breakfast at our hotel (the Raj Palace - which was lovely) and then decided to sleep for a few hours. Our first safari into the park was scheduled for the afternoon and we wanted to be well rested.
Upon waking, we decided to go for a little stroll around Sawai Madhopur. This decision was a bit of a mistake. Our driver had sort of warned us about strolling down the streets of Sawai Madhopur, but the way he explained it we thought he meant that the shopkeepers would try to sell us overpriced junk. So we left the hotel and strolled down the road. There we were greeted with camels pulling carts of bricks and other materials and people carrying on their day to day lives. We visited a statue of the Maharaja and then headed down another street towards a temple. At this point we encountered young children begging for money. This is something you get used to when you are in India as certain young children will come up and follow you around, sometimes pinching your arm in an effort to get money. Although it is sometimes tempting to want to help the children (they are clearly impoverished) we've been warned frequently that this is a trick and that no money should be given because it only encourages begging instead of learning a craft, trade, or other profession.
The children's begging, while annoying, was nothing like what we were about to experience. As we continued walking along we suddenly found ourselves faced with three teenage boys. At first it seemed like the three boys just wanted to see foreigners up close, but then it became clear they were casing us and looking for a way to steal our money. Although neither Dustin nor I speaks much Hindi, it was apparent they were making lewd comments and trying to distract Dustin while they looked for a way to steal our belongings. It was an uncomfortable situation. We reached the temple and headed towards the entrance to see if we could lose them. They followed us inside the gates. Then we attempted to wait and try to return back towards the hotel while they were washing up. This plan worked to keep them away from us for a bit, but they followed us on the return. But eventually as we neared an intersection near the Maharaja statue (where there was a police officer stationed) they turned off and left us in peace. From that point forward we decided we'd stick to the hotel (there was a pool so plenty to keep us entertained).
After returning to the hotel, eating lunch and swimming it was time to head on our first wildlife safari. We were picked up by a jeep and went on the first tour with a nice Indian family. The first tour was a wild ride - the driver sped down the roads taking turns as quickly as possible. There were no seatbelts and I was glad for the bars on the back of the seats in front of us. I affixed a death grip as we were jostled and bumped along the road. In my head I distinctly remember thinking the line from Jarassic Park, "hold on to your butts!" The guide was knowledgeable and provided us with information about the park. The primary draw of the first safari was a tiger that had been spotted earlier on the trail we had been assigned (the park limits how many jeeps and trucks can enter during the morning and evening times and specifies which trail each is to use). The guide had the driver take us as quickly as possible past the ruins of Maharaja hunting lodges and "tiger supermarkets" (herds of deer) to the banks of a small lake where a tiger was resting. As we watched a tiger there (which was at a bit of a distance) the guides learned that another tiger had been spotted nearby so we sped off in that direction. Lucky for us, the tiger crossed the road right in front of our jeep! He was nonplussed by the gaggles of tourists looking at him and snapping photos and he was a majestic sight to behold. The tiger nonchalantly walked across the road and into the trees to the side of a herd of deer. The deer watched nervously. The did not run, but they moved swiftly away from the tiger's path and then cautiously creeped to the edge of the trees to watch for the tigers next move.
We weren't able to watch the tiger too long because at that point the storm clouds were fast approaching and our driver began to speed down the road towards the exit. Despite the swift speed of the jeep, we were unable to outrun the rains. The storm dumped rain on us as we continued to race for the exit. At the exit we tried to take shelter under the gates to wait out the storm. Eventually we had to give up and get in the jeep while we headed back to the hotel. Dinner, a shower and sleep were great ways to finish out the evening and prepare for our second safari on day two.
Safari number two began early in the morning. We left the hotel at 6 am and ventured into the park with a different driver, a different guide, and different group of tourists. We were assigned a different trail (and unfortunately we learned that there was a tigress waiting on a kill on one of the other trails) and were taken off to explore a new part of the park. The driver on day 2 drove slower and we were able to appreciate the scenery a bit more. That day (at least in the beginning) we were not as lucky with the animal spotting. We saw plenty of peacocks, other birds, and deer, but no tigers or leopards or jackals or hyenas. Then after driving around for a few hours we spotted a sloth bear. We watched the sloth bear amble about. Unlike the tigers, he was a bit more disturbed by our presence and seemed to try to get away from us as quickly as possible.
We were not fortunate enough to spot any other animals, but we did come close. As we were departing the park our guide noticed that a monkey was in a tree giving a warning call which signaled to the others there was either a tiger or a leopard approaching. We waited for a few minutes to try to spot what the monkey was warning about (or maybe the monkey was just messing with us) but were unsuccessful in spotting the predator. Our safari time had lapsed and it was time to return to the hotel for breakfast, a shower, and then a departure for our long drive back to Delhi.
Overall it was an incredible weekend. It was nice to get out of the hustle and bustle of Delhi and experience fresh air. And seeing two tigers during safari number one and a sloth bear during safari number was truly lucky!

Dustin waiting for safari number one in front of our hotel.

An old gate to the Ranthambore fort and the Ranthambore park.

The tiger's supermarket.

The various groups on the safari. Each jeep with a different guide.

The tiger closeup - let's call him Shere Khan!

Looking a bit like drowned rats after the rain began.

Seeking temporary shelter from the rain.

Safari number 2.

Me standing in front of the jeep on safari two.

The landscape of Ranthambore.

Sloth bear - perhaps named Baloo.

Peacock.

Namaste India

The Gurdwara Shri Banla Sahib (Sikh temple).

I’m in India! Actually I’ve been here just under three weeks now. But because I didn’t have internet at my accommodations for the first two weeks I wasn’t able to blog or otherwise keep in touch with family and friends.  So this blog post and a post about my overall impressions of the ICTY (to come at a later date) are long overdue.  

India is….an interesting country. Generally I’m enjoying my time here and I’m definitely glad I came, but I find myself constantly oscillating between loving it and hating it.  There are things here that are wonderful and things here that are terrible and difficult.  I’ll highlight the good, the bad, and the ugly as I retell the tales of my first two weeks here.

I departed Amsterdam on Saturday morning, June 4^th. There was a brief layover at London Heathrow and then I was on my way to Delhi. When I boarded the flight to Delhi, I realized there was no seat cushion on my assigned seat.  I turned to the flight attendant and he responded, “So you’ve noticed there is no seat cushion?”. My thought was, “How on earth could I not have noticed something like that?”.  The flight attendant then explained that the seat cushions had been removed for cleaning and that he didn’t think they would make it back in time for take-off. Luckily, however, this meant that I got an upgrade to business class! I’m not sure how I’ll ever be able to go back to riding in coach on long international flights….

I arrived in Delhi at about 11 p.m. and by the time I made it through immigration and collected my bags it was almost midnight.  The Dean at Lewis and Clark was kind enough to offer to pay for ground transportation from the airport to our hotel so there was a driver with a sign waiting to whisk me off to my hotel in Noida (a suburb of Delhi). When we walked outside, the first thing I noticed was how despite being nearly midnight it was HOT. 

Me with Mrs. Saint and her mother, Nani G at the Sikh temple.

After a brief sleep and delightful breakfast, I was driven to my temporary accommodations. While I was in The Hague, I had the good fortune to become friends with a woman named Nimisha, from the UK. Nimisha is of Indian origin and she helpfully connected me with her cousin Sneha, who coincidentally is a lawyer in Noida. Sneha was on a European vacation so she kindly allowed me to sublet her PG (Paying Guest - which is usually a room or a studio type accommodation that is attached to a family's home). Having a place to stay was a huge relief and in my case it came with the added bonus of an incredible landlady and her wonderful family. The landlady, Mrs. Saint (which is a fitting name), and her son, Ankit, and daughter-in-law, Mallika, whisked me around to purchase a sim card for my phone and run other errands. We ended up ordering Dominos Pizza for lunch on that first day, and I was surprised to see that Dominos has incorporated Indian spices and paneer (an Indian cottage cheese) into their menu. The Saints were also gracious enough to invite me to dinner every night, show me some sights and help me figure out the easiest way to commute to and from work with the metro and rickshaws. Although I'd like to think I would have managed without their assistance, I'm quite certain that my first weeks here would not have been so easy and enjoyable. I truly value the friendship I've developed with them. I'm placing the hospitality and kindness in "the good" category.

After one day to settle in, it was time to begin work at Fox Mandal Little & Co. Mrs. Saint drove me there in the morning so that I would have one less thing to worry about. I arrived at about 9 am, which was much earlier than anybody else in the office. The security guards showed me in and I sat in the lobby until the office manager arrived. Then the office manager introduced me to the HR manager who showed me to my desk and introduced me to my supervising attorney. After that I was introduced to a few people and I began reviewing some documents related to a joint venture I will be working on.  The first day was very different from the first day at the ICTY. The few attorneys I did meet were nice and I'm happy to know that I'll primarily be working with them. At the end of the day, one of my new colleagues assisted me in calling a taxi to transport me home. Unfortunately the taxi charged 475 Rupees (about $10) to drive me only a few kilometers. Upon arrival at home, Mrs. Saint asked the taxi how much he was charging me and proceeded to tell him that was too much.  She then decided that I would need to find another, less expensive method of transport.

Thali - South Indian Cuisine

In order to try out a different form of transport, Mallika accompanied me via metro and rickshaw. The metro in the Delhi area is rightfully considered the "pride of Delhi" (and is another one of the things I would classify as "the good").  The metro is clean, comfortable (ie. air conditioned), quick (one runs at least every 5 minutes), and safe.  Not only is there a security check when you enter the metro station (metal detectors and bag x-ray) but there is also a car on the metro reserved exclusively for women. When traveling alone, the women only car is a benefit because it is usually less crowded and I tend not to attract too many uncomfortable stares from India women. After departing the metro station close to my office, Mallika helped me arrange a rickshaw. Although the office is only a few kilometers from the metro station, the heat, lack of sidewalks, chaotic traffic, noise, and dirt make walking less than desirable. I would classify the noise, dirt, chaotic traffic (although there are lines painted on the roads, nobody uses them or adheres to any other type of traffic signal), and lack of sidewalks as both "the bad" and "the ugly".  Both Mallika and Ankit had taught me a few Hindi phrases so I could explain where I was going and ask how much it would cost, but it was a relief not to have to deal with this on the first day. After riding in the rickshaw to the office, Mallika spoke with one of the security guards and arranged for him to flag a rickshaw for me at the end of the day (again, the security guard is one of the people who have been very kind and made my life easier). 

The rest of the week I continued in the routine of going to work, working, coming home, and then eating with the Saints before either reading or walking (in a park, where it is safe from crazy traffic). I particularly enjoyed trying all the different Indian dishes between the meals served at work and the meals served by Mrs. Saint. In case your keeping score, Indian food goes in "the good" column. 

Me standing in front of the Red Fort

The first weekend, I met up with a guy, Dustin, from Lewis and Clark who is also completing an internship in Delhi. Dustin and I had not met prior to arriving in India, but we did speak a few times via Skype. Luckily he arrived just a few days after me, so Saturday we arranged to meet up and explore. I rode the metro into Old Delhi and we ventured off to the Red Fort. The Red Fort was built by the Mughals and I think my Lonely Planet Rajasthan, Delhi & Agra (Regional Travel Guide) described it well: "The sandstone Red Fort once represented everything glorious about the peak of the Mughal empire; today, it seems a rather forlorn shadow of its former grand self." I couldn't agree more with that statement. First, the admission fee for foreigners is 25 times what it is for Indians (and this trend of fleecing foreigners appears at all tourist sights and is a common theme I encounter when dealing with locals - fleecing falls into "the bad" category). The only benefit for paying more and being a foreigner is that you get to skip ahead to the beginning of the security line. Once inside you are greeted with former chambers, a bath house, and mosque of the emperors. There are not many signs of explanation around so you are mostly left to wander (Note: there were people offering to be tour guides inside, however, once after being fleeced a few times we were reluctant to trust their offers). Dustin and I wandered around for a bit, toured the Indian War Memorial Museum, and were asked to take photos with numerous Indians (I felt like such a celebrity - I should start charging for the privilege of a photo with me). 

Me in front of the Jama Masjid.

 After tiring of the Red Fort, we headed back out of the fort and down the road where we stumbled upon the Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India. At the Jama Masjid I had to wear a giant smock over my clothes and remove my shoes. This made the whole adventure HOT (too many layers and hot ground).

The Cycle Rickshaw ride through a very congested street.

From the Jama Masjid, we caught a cycle rickshaw back to the metro station.  I had agreed to help Dustin search for a place to live (with the assistance of Mallika's sister) and so we needed to move quickly. On our rickshaw ride, we encountered a very busy street. Good thing the rickshaw driver was adept at navigating through the congestion. Apartment hunting, or PG hunting, was not such a fun experience because, again, the greed/desire to fleece foreigners was apparent. The highlight of the housing search adventure was finding a sign that makes the threat of towing a car seem like child's play (see picture to the right).

On Sunday I went with the Saints to New Delhi.  First we went to the Gurdwara Shri Bangla Sahib, which is a Sikh temple. The temple was packed because it was a Sunday morning and because it was a Sikh holiday of some sort. The temple was lovely and it was interesting to experience the Sikh religious customs (including eating holy food and dipping my feet in a holy pool). After the Sikh temple we drove to Connaught Place, which is a major shopping area in India. There we went to a South Indian restaurant where I tried a thali (a platter with small amounts of a variety of dishes) which was delicious but too much food. Ankit and Mrs. Saint pulled out coupon books for the meal. Apparently, in India, companies give their employees coupon books which are basically certificates that allow them to eat out or to buy groceries at certain places. This is done so that the employees do not have to pay taxes on that portion of their salary! After gorging ourselves on South Indian food, we headed to Cottage Emporium. Cottage Emporium is a place run by the government and geared towards tourists. You can find crafts from all across India at a steep price. We went just to look around so I would know what types of crafts look for at the cheaper markets. Next we headed across the street to Jhanpat (sp?) which is a cheaper market. There I purchased some harem pants for about 3 dollars. The harem pants are incredible to wear in the heat. Finally, Mallika and I were dropped off at the Great India Place (a mall) where Mallika helped me select some fabric so I could have my own Salwar Kamezs made (typical Indian clothing - I promise to post pictures once I take them).
There's so much more to write, but this has become quite a lengthy post. So I'll save the week 2 adventures for the next post (which will hopefully be completed soon so I don't get behind!).

Why to Always Use Either UPS or FedEx

This is a story about a passport. A passport may seem completely innocuous, but when it is missing or out of your personal control it is a destroyer of plans and can induce anxiety.
After learning that I would be heading to India for a two month internship, it became apparent that I would need to mail my passport from my current location, The Netherlands, to San Francisco, California. Unlike many other countries across the globe, India does not allow non-Dutch citizens to apply for the requisite visa via The Netherlands but instead requires you to apply via your country and even region of origin. The idea of sending my passport thousands of miles through the mail made me nervous, but because it was required in order to make my trip to India I acquiesced. Luckily I have been issued a Dutch ID card for the duration of my time here so I knew I would not be completely without ID and could still safely travel by train within the Schengen zone.
My passport departed The Netherlands at the end of March. I had sent it with the Dutch mail system TNT Post, but I paid the extra money to send it with tracking. Tracking with TNT Post is a joke. You are able to track a given package within The Netherlands, but as soon as it leaves The Netherlands the status on the website reads something like, "Your package has left The Netherlands and is in the destination country." The website never updates beyond this status and so you are left to wonder whether it is actually going to arrive. The package will also take much longer than the 3 - 5 business days that they promise you.
But despite not knowing where my passport was, my passport finally arrived at Travisa, the Indian Consulate's visa outsourcing service (yes, Indian Embassies and Consulates have outsourced their visa processing and this company happens to be American.). It was processed in about two weeks and mailed off to my parents (as a US address was required for the return). Travisa was smart enough to send the passport using FedEx. During the entire two days it was in transit from California to Montana I knew exactly where it was.
After its arrival to Montana, my Dad placed it in the mail. Unfortunately, despite my request that it be sent with tracking, it was sent via regular post. On the same day that my Dad sent the passport, he also placed a different package to me in the mail. One package arrived exactly one week after it was mailed, but it was not the package with the passport.
At that point I was still calm. The passport had only been in transit for one week and I knew that the different envelopes were probably sorted differently. Days passed. And more days passed. Each afternoon I would walk to the mailbox and each afternoon my heart would sink a bit at the realization that my passport was not there.
At exactly the three week point I broke down. At that point I felt the passport would never arrive. I was still willing to wait another week but I began to implement a contingency plan. I made an appointment at the American Consulate to obtain a replacement passport. I contacted the law firm in India that I will be interning for and asked to postpone my internship while I worked to obtain a replacement passport and a replacement visa. I also learned during this time that the only way to obtain a replacement visa would be to fly to San Francisco and have a new visa processed. Even though the visa had already been issued, the Indian Embassy in The Netherlands was not capable of contacting San Francisco and providing a replacement.
Things were looking a bit grim for about two days, but then I started to come to terms with the fact that I would be making a brief return to the US. The process of replacing the passport and visa was never appealing, but there were other things to look forward to. I could extend my internship at the ICTY while I waited for the new passport, I was offered an interview in the US (for a job to commence after I graduate in 2012) that I otherwise could not attend, and I would have the chance to see some friends that I have not seen for 5 months. It was a happy sad time. Flash forward to Thursday, May 26th. This is the date that I had set as a cutoff for when the passport could arrive (my appointment at the Consulate was scheduled for May 27th). At about 2:30 p.m. I ran home to check the mail. I wanted to be able to let my team of supervisors at the ICTY know whether I would be extending my internship or not. The mailbox was empty. I returned to the ICTY and committed to staying an additional week. Things were looking good. General Mladic (the most-wanted alleged war criminal from the Bosnian war) was captured and it appeared he may be making an initial appearance within the next few days (which translates to a lot of excitement at work as a new trial will be beginning).
I finished the day and headed home. I arrived home just after 6 p.m. and decided to head across the street to the police station to file a police report on my missing passport (it is recommended that you file a police report because of the risk of identity theft). Since I pass the mailboxes on the way out the door, I decided to look one more time. I opened the mailbox and what should appear but a small padded envelope with a passport inside. My passport had arrived! At the very last possible minute it arrived - better late than never I guess.
Although the passport finally arrived, I think the moral of this story is to use FedEx or UPS. The package or envelope stays in control of one entity the entire time, it arrives quickly, and it can be tracked!

Nearly Over

It's May 21 and my time here in The Hague is nearly over. I'm supposed to finish work at the ICTY this coming Friday, May 27th and then head to Delhi, India for a two month internship on Monday, May 30th. I say "supposed to finish" because my plans might be changing ever so slightly. Due to some current passport troubles (for those of you who don't know, my passport with requisite visa for India is currently lost in the mail) I might end up spending a few more weeks in The Hague. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my passport arrives by Thursday!

While I've been dealing with my missing passport and saying goodbye to many of the good friends I've made (people have been leaving slowly - one-by-one) I have not updated my blog. So here is the long overdue report of my life over the past (gulp!) two months! This report will only be about my life outside of work as I plan on writing a reflection on my whole time at the ICTY upon completion of my internship.

Bike Trip to Leiden:
One Saturday I set off for an approximately 40 km round trip bike ride with two of my friends. We left The Hague and biked through the dunes (see picture below) to Leiden. Leiden is a cute little university town with picturesque canals and a windmill. It is also the sight of some of the best Dutch pancakes. After riding the nearly 25 km to Leiden, we rewarded ourselves with some delicious Dutch pancakes. There were 3 of us so we purchased three different pancakes and shared. The pancakes arrive on large Delft pottery platters and they did not disappoint. We ordered a veggie pancake, an apple/bacon/gouda pancake, and an "apple strudel" pancake.
After feasting on pancakes we toured around the city of Leiden and then biked home (although this time we took the shorter route and omitted the journey through the dunes.

Weekend Visit to Duisburg, Düsseldorf, and Köln:
I wrote a lot about Duisburg, Düsseldorf, and Köln on this blog when I lived in the area in 2007 - 2008. So to avoid redundancy I won't write much more here. It was pleasant to go back and see the familiar places and spend time with my German family. Plus this time around I took my roommate, Becky, along.

Weekend Road Trip to Salzburg, Austria:
Over Easter Weekend I took a road trip with my friend Henry to Salzburg, Austria (where we had studied abroad in 2004 - 2005). Henry drove over from England in his mini cooper and the two of us headed off to Austria. We stopped briefly in Köln and in Herzogenerauch (where Adidas is headquartered). This was my first time back to Salzburg since leaving in May 2005 and it was as beautiful as I remember it. On Saturday, Henry and I hiked the Untersberg. It was basically a climb straight up the mountain...Austria apparently does not really believe in switchbacks. During the climb I was battling a bit of allergies and the change in altitude so it was a big challenge. Luckily I was not sore the next day. Henry hiked back up the Untersberg the next day with his sister, but I opted not to participate. Instead I finished reading a book and then went and toured the Stiegl Museum (Stiegl is an Austrian beer). By the time I finished with the museum, Henry had returned so we enjoyed some burgers at Stiegl. Then we headed back into the city for a visit to the Augustinerbrau and a walk around the city. Sadly my favorite apple strudel place is now closed, but we went to a different cafe and I was able to try rhubarb strudel.

Tulip-mania:
The Netherlands are famous for tulips. In fact the Dutch are responsible for 70% of the world's flower market. My friend Terra and I set off for a day adventure at the Keukenhof - a famous garden where you can see TONS of tulips. The Keukenhof is one of the most photographed places on earth and it is well-deserved because it is truly gorgeous. Each year they have a theme and this year the theme was "Germany" so many of the flower displays were made to honor Germany and there were random statues of German composers and blurbs about famous Germans. The downside to the Keukenhof is that it is incredibly touristy and quite busy. When you first enter the park you are greeted by a pipe organ playing unusual renditions of the "Macarena" and Queen songs. But despite the pipe organ and the crowds it is a truly wonderful sight to behold.

Queen's Day:
April 30th is the day that the Dutch take to the streets dressed in orange. The purpose is to celebrate their Queen. Queen's Day starts on the evening of the 29th and The Hague is the best place to be as there is an open air festival and music stages are interspersed throughout the city. On the 30th, the best places to be are either Amsterdam or the random town the Queen happens to be visiting that year. In Amsterdam, it seems that everyone is outside in the streets either listening to live music or selling stuff - the whole city becomes a giant flea market. A large group of us decided to properly celebrate Queen's Day so we went out in The Hague on the 29th and then headed to Amsterdam on the 30th.
Having celebrated Karneval in Germany, I was expecting Amsterdam (and the trains going there) to be mass chaos. Surprisingly it was not as bad as I had anticipated. We arrived in Amsterdam and immediately set off to wander the city - first stop Vondelpark and then some random neighborhoods. You are greeted by a sea of orange, people everywhere are dressed in the color. Wanting to blend in, I decided to purchase an orange hat and an orange boa. We spent an enjoyable day in the sunshine wandering around, listening to music, eating, drinking and being merry.