Architectural Sojourn in India: I was in India!!!

Journey starts from

Robert and Anna

We are waiting at the Chicago airport, getting ready for the 15 hours of plane ride.

Carlos and Jenny

Jenny is super excited because this is her first plane ride. But 15 hours of it, maybe not!

Excited we were almost there

I couldn't sleep on the way there, thank god the movies on the plane were interesting.

Jenny And Robert

Landing in Delhi was an immediate culture shock and assault to the senses. We were greeted by our tour guide and he took us to our hostel. I saw the craziest drive of my life here, there are very few road regulations and drivers just fend for themselves, we regularly found ourselves on the wrong side of the road. We slept reasonably well that night, considering the sounds from outside.

First Day At Delhi

everybody was up early because of the jet lagged, but as the day passes, we start feel sleepy again.

group picture at the residence of the Indian President.

again...

we thought it was bigger than white house

Indian Gate

We also visited Mughal garden also, I don't have any picture of that because we couldn't take our camera in. However, the highlight of the day for me was the shopping at Fabindia and dinner at Sagar. I was told that the food in India would be different than what I've tasted in the U.S., and that is so true. The food here is so much better than U.S., everything that we've tried has been delicious.

Qutb Minar and Humayun's tomb

Qutb Minar

wall entrance detail

me standing against the wall

the red sandstone tower of Qutb Minar is 72.5 m (236 feet) high. The surrounding archaeological area contains funerary buildings and two mosques, including the Quwwatu'l-Islam, the oldest in northern India, built of materials reused from some 20 Brahman temples.

Robert is trying to get in the picture again

Alai Minar, which was intended to surpass the Qutb Minar in its height but construction of which was aborted.

Humayun's tomb
Humayun's tomb is designed by his wife. Its plan, based on the description of Islamic paradise gardens, is known to have inspired the Taj Mahal and many later Mughal tombs. This type of garden is known as a charbagh and is based on a grid.

Stairway entrance

Indian women chatting, most of them have their shoes off when they enter the tomb is a form of showing their respects

window shadows

Robert

Robert, Ben and I walked around the site, we found this rooftop and we thought it will great place to practice yoga.

and Ben
it's the sunset movement.

Corner view of Humayun's Tomb

Museums

Robert is the scale figure

Front entrance of the museum of contempary of modern art

Red Fort and Jama Masjid

we took tricycles to the Red Fort, it was fun

Indian women carrying their bag outside of Red Fort

Interior Detail

Jama Masjid

Overnight train to Jodphur, we found our names on the list

we stayed in Dewi Bhawan, which has been constructed from the private residence, decorated with antique reproduction furniture , and beautiful gardens. At the center of the courtyard was a beautiful fountain containing floating flowers.

This hotel here was the best one, simply because it had a swimming pool! It made up the overnight train ride.

Jaswant Thada

Overview of blue city, that's when you understand how it's got it's name from.

Anna And I

Robert, me, Carlos and the farmer

Jaipur

Jaipur was a much larger city, it was chaotic. The poverty was more visible as we had young children tapping on the car windows for money and food. Almost the entire old city is a light shade of pink, in 1876 Maharaja Ram Singh had the city painted pink as a symbol of hospitality, to welcome the Prince of Wales. We saw The Palace of Winds (which was even more picturesque by night), and visited the Amber Fort at the top of a cobbled road.