A bus ride in Delhi.

We allowed 2 extra days before beginning our more formal tour in case we were snowed in in Boston.  We decided to take the HopOnHopOff  (HOHO) bus around to get an overview of the city.  It proved  a good choice.

This will be mostly pictures from that ride.

 Breakfast at our hotel -- Palace Heights awarded the best breakfast in Delhi several years in a row

 We took a Tuktuk to the start of the tour.

                                               Lots of sidewalk activity .  Many seem to live and work here.   I wonder if Boston didn't send our homeless people out of parks and public places to sleep under bridges and in alley's if not in shelters, if Boston would look in part like this.

 This day (Saturday) seemed to be laundry day.  Due to the size and similarity I thought perhaps some of the basic hostels have there laundry done at these places.

And no one steals any of these

 Much of the time I tried to make eye contact with the people outside the bus.  Many beautiful smiles. These school children were waiting to go in the children's museum.

                                      Right after I took this, all these boys were waving.

                        
                            These animals, and just as often humans, pull unbearable loads.

                                                One of several major sports stadiums.

                       These are everywhere I presume preparing for Pres. Obama's visit.

President's house.  Largest in the world.  The President is subject to the Prime Minister (Modi)

                            Note the camels , each with a rifle carrying police officer mounted.

                                                    more of my waving partners :)

                                                         Different countries, different politics

This man had a wonderful smile which I failed to get on camera.  We waved as the light changed.

                                                A local entrepreneur - 3 million ebooks?

In the midst of all of this there are very posh hotels which I failed to catch.  Not sure if this is a hotel.

After all  I have heard of India I have to say that I don't find it so different from Bangkok and Saigon.  The streets of Saigon are filled with hundreds of motor bikes ready to race when the light changes and jostle for position. But we have only begun to see India.

The poverty is there but not on the streets in the same way it is here.  One very hard moment was we were waiting for the bus when a young woman came up to us carrying a baby.  We had been told that if we give to one we would find ourselves immediately surrounded by others.

There needs to be systemic change but there are also the individual personal stories and pain.  I did not look her in the eyes.  I did not look at her baby.  She kept asking softly.  I don't know if we did the right thing.