{"id":37085,"date":"2020-02-01T14:23:56","date_gmt":"2020-02-01T19:23:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.runkevinrun.com\/?p=37085"},"modified":"2020-02-01T14:23:56","modified_gmt":"2020-02-01T19:23:56","slug":"january-26-27-2020-one-night-and-one-day-and-part-of-a-night-in-delhi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/runkevinrun.com\/?p=37085","title":{"rendered":"January 26-27, 2020 – One Night and One Day and Part of A Night in Delhi"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday, just before setting off on the drive up from Agra to Delhi, we toured one more fort \u2013 what was it called?\u00a0 Gods, there have been so many forts.\u00a0 Each one is different and unique and has its own history to tell, but, Sweet Baby Yoda, they all blend together after a while.\u00a0 At least for me they did.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a fort-fanatic, a connoisseur of castles, have a peccadillo for praising palaces, well, then, this Agra Fort part\u2019s for you:<\/p>\n

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The drive itself was an uneventful 3 hour shot along a massive four lane toll road.\u00a0 Budhiman told us this was built about five years ago to alleviate the potholed and crumbly smaller roads that you could take with a lot of stop and go.\u00a0 It takes about the same time as this way is longer, but it\u2019s a much easier drive.<\/p>\n

It looked like any interstate highway in any part of the world \u2013 an asphalt ribbon to the horizon, the open landscape whooshing past the car window making barely an impression.\u00a0 No matter how far from home, how \u201cforeign\u201d a place may be, there is this universal truth \u2013 car rides on highways beg the repeated question, \u201cAre we there yet?\u201d<\/p>\n

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Just outside the city proper, Budhiman took us to a free massive Hindu temple for us to see in all its opulence.\u00a0 We weren\u2019t allowed to take cameras or food or much of anything inside, which we realized was so they could charge to take photos for you, sell you snacks, and ensure you always, ALWAYS went through a gift shop.\u00a0 For better or for worse, this place was the Disneyland of Hindu Temples, akin to the Holy Land Experience in Orlando, FL, in combining religion with family fun theme park rides (see the laser light fountain show!\u00a0 Ride the boat tour through all of India history!).\u00a0 As for the main temple itself, the amount of golden inlays and marble carved statues was staggering, something Donald Trump might aspire to build someday for his presidential library\u2026 only his would perhaps be more worshipful.<\/p>\n

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Katie was due to fly out late last night but I had one more day to sightsee (Monday the 27th<\/sup>).\u00a0 Budhiman invited us both to his family\u2019s home for dinner and it was lovely to meet his wife and two children (an 18 year old son working as a hotel manager before hopefully heading off to college and a daughter who was in middle school).\u00a0 They rent a very small apartment and in such close quarters they were a close family.\u00a0 Budhiman is from Nepal originally so his wife Calpurnia prepared some Indian\/Nepal fusion dishes that were wonderful.\u00a0 When I mentioned how big a fan I was of Nepalese Momos, they insisted I come back on my last night and Calpurnia would make me homemade momos.\u00a0 More on the momos in a moment.<\/p>\n

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On my last day in India, Budhiman and his son took me on a city tour to the major sights.\u00a0 It was a Monday so many things were closed\u2026 and because the day before had seen many a celebration for India\u2019s Republic Day, a lot of venues were closed for breaking down the grandstands and temporary security stations.\u00a0 As a result, I would see some of the big ticket items from afar, such as the India Gate:<\/p>\n

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And the Lotus Temple:<\/p>\n

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Here though is a drive-by photoing of the at times drive-by sightseeing:<\/p>\n