Red Fort and Market

Went to the Red Fort on Friday. Long metro ride into North (old) delhi.

The second I got out of the station there was something different about this place. The vibe was totally unlike anything I had felt before in Delhi thus far. The place just threw off a lot of friction towards my direction. Strange glances from strange people, hobos huffing glue, and an intense heat made for a somewhat hostile presence. Two people leading us in the wrong direction en route to the red fort certainly didn't lift my spirits.

As the four of us headed (in the right direction) towards the Red Fort it was as if Delhi began to undergo a shrinking process. The roads got tighter, the the traffic got heavier, and the masses became an ocean of people which at times felt like we were about to be consumed by it all.

Between the four of us there was very little talking, as this part of Delhi was just kicking our asses and all our heads were spinning. Total and absolute chaos. This part of Delhi made everywhere else we had been feel like a resort town. I felt disoriented and as if I was about to be swallowed whole by the city. As we stopped to prevent being run over. I just looked back at the other three of our group and started laughing as this place was utterly blowing my mind and I really couldn't take it. Agreement.

There were shops within shops followed by street venders and beggars than begging children and then pedestrians than cars than bikes than rickshaws all surrounded by heaping piles of garbage (one of which was easily 14 feet high) and feasting donkeys, cows, and dogs. It seemed like the whole world was yelling in my ear.

Side note: all the dogs that aren't stray and are pets in delhi are fat as hell because the people here feed them shit like eggs, meat and anything else on the table. Pisses me off because it feels like 50% of this city is starving and living in the dirt. Then you see this fat fucking dog that can't even stand because its dragging its gut across the ground. Sort of revolting. The dogs make fat middle america look noble.

As we approached the Red Fort from a distance it was pretty awesome. Massive red sandstone wall with a moat and everything.

Costs 250 rupees (5 bucks) for tourists and 10 rupees (1/5 of a dollar) for indian citizens. Fortunately, I am technically registered as a temporary indian citizen and only paid the 10 rupees. Word.

Exploitation.

Inside, the Red Fort was less cool. All of Delhi used to be housed in there so that was kind of interesting. But it was generally un-photogenic. Had some neat, serene court yards and interesting mogul architecture. We sat down on a pleasant lawn after looking around but were soon interrupted by close to twenty people who wanted to take our picture. Really really goddamn annoying. Westerners are fascinating to Indian people. Its fun for the first shot than after that it feels like your personal space is just being violated--not cool. Being a celebrity would suck to say the least. Hostility surfaces.

Time to leave.

After the Fort we headed (on a bicycle rickshaw) to the largest mosque around and this, once more, blew all of our minds. My sense of self was just overwhelmed. The chaos of the city is pointless to explain. You just have to experience it. It just feels like you're about to be swallowed whole. The mosque, we saw, but was closed, so viewed only from the front. Impressive.

Return soon.

We trekked back which was amazing in itself.

This place is like being on another planet or going back in time a thousand years (with cars and coke). You see it, you get it, until then you can only paint a picture of it. The sensation and feeling of it is something you just have to have for yourself. This trip into old delhi left me with a strong feeling of, "HOLY SHIT"

sort of like after a good concert.

overwhelming.

When we got back into southern delhi which was where we had spent most our time thus far it felt mellow and quiet. Two weeks ago it felt like the most insane place on Earth. Perspective and context have an ability to change things quickly.

I fall asleep around 12? Wake up at 4. Time for Agra. Time to leave Delhi.

side note: I woke up at 3:00 because I thought I heard my alarm in a dream. Took a shower and came back and went back to bed realizing my mistake.

I'm taking this malaria medication that trips out your dreams. For those of you who know me, you already know I already have insane dreams (occasionally violent ones..)

I keep dreaming and seeing my room thinking I'm awake and then realizing I'm asleep and watching my dream version of my room warp back into the real version of the room. Its confusing as hell. I keep seeing people in my room too (10 different times?)

The first week I dreamed a homeless indian man with bloody rags walk across my room with a deranged look on his face. I've learned to cope with this sort of funhouse of an imagination and I slowly turned and faced the other way and re-assured myself it wasn't real as a cold shudder went down my body. good times.

Recently I just keep seeing people but when i look long enough I see its just my closet or a backpack or nothing. Actually, I just literally remembered this, I heard a bird outside my window and because of my half-awake state I thought a small monkey had taken refugee behind my curtains. Bullshit...I grabbed my flashlight and attempted to scare him out of there until I realized I was trying to scare an imaginary monkey out of my room.

Its weird when you come to and realize you're yelling at your closet or staring like a deer in the headlights at a blank wall.

Check back in a day or so. I had a interesting trip to Agra that included the Taj Mahal and maggots crawling on my toothbrush....india...