We have only just begun our journey and Adam is already flirting with cardboard stewardesses in the Taipei airport. 

Ah yes, a squat toilet- if you were wondering what they looked like. 

A sikh temple, our first refuge from the Delhi streets. This temple was amazing, and thus far I have found the Sikhs to be extremely friendly and respectful towards women, men and children all the same. Some may be surprised that even in a patriarchal society, dominating India, Sikhism stands against the treatment of women as a material possession. It actually says that .."woman as a material possession" somewhere in their religious text. They outlawed the transfer of dowries from the wife's side to the husbands and so have allowed women to become more economically self sufficient. This in no way explains or gives grand insight to the whole of this religion, but it is just an interesting aspect of it. The pool of water in the picture is used to bathe, hands, face and feet in. There are smaller pools of water, "Holy Water" as we were told, set inbetween staircases on the way up to the temple enterance.

A Sikh man relaxing in the Gurudwara Jai Sing temple in Delhi, outside Caunnaught Place area. 

At first this image of the Pahargange area of Delhi (where we stayed) was too blurry. But this is really how it seems to appear the first time you are walking down Main Bazzare.

A girl on her way to school. 

Temples, temples, temples 

There are no washers or dryers in India. 

In all holy places, no matter the religion, shoes must be removed. It is also important that people wash their feet before entering as an indication that spiritual cleansing is taking place as well.

Three men talking inside the Jamma Masjid. We were here for about an hour. There were children playng everywhere and people just enjoyng eachother's company. The lack of formality in temples and mosques is refreshing. Some take naps in holy places like this, probably because it is much quieter inside temples and mosques than anywhere else in India.

A begger on the steps of the Jamma Masjid 

A boy outside the Jamma Masjid 

A view from within an autorickshaw.  

Delhi 

The second day in Delhi Adams lungs already seemed to give way to the pollution. He was so miserable and by the time we arrived in Jaipur, where the air is just as bad if not worse, he was willing to do as the Indians do. We found some herbal medicine and it actually helped.  

A tabla musician and traditional rajasthani puppets. 

In the city palace 

A rajput guard at the city palace 

a monkey riding a cow 

mother and son on the back of a motorcycle 

Adam in the Jaipur City Palace 

A gecko in the Sun Temple (Galta). This temple is a converging point for Maquaqe monkeys at dusk. There is a family who lives in the temple, the matriarch is a very loud woman who scares away all the primates crazy enough to venture inside the temple. She marked our forheads with an orange dot for good luck when we arrived. Every night, locals drive up and down the trail to Galta throwing bananas to the monkeys.  

Monkey at Galta 

This is an ashram we zoomed in on from Galta. The men outside are Sadhus- holy men that leave their home, family and all material possessions in order to reach the height of their spirituality.  

A Maquaqe monkey ( I think this is the correct name???) on our way down from Galta.