Delhi...revisited with Liz & Sam!

Chilling out for 5 days in Rishikesh was exactly what we needed before we headed back to Delhi and eagerly awaited the arrival of Liz and Sam. After making a minor scene when greeting them at the airport, we went to our cozy little guest house and enjoyed an amazing traditional Indian meal on our rooftop. It was the perfect start to their visit!

Touring Delhi with such great friends was so much fun, but the best part was seeing India again through the eyes of newcomers and witnessing it's immediate impact. After 6 weeks, we have become accustomed to the chaos, poverty, rituals, beauty, and pure sensory overload you experience here on a daily basis. We are changed forever just by being here and know that Liz and Sam will be too.

Watch how you go...

Ian and Greg

Liz loved wearing this gorgeous muumuu (and Sam in his giant sheet skirt) at the Jama Masjid Mosque...the largest mosque in India...

View of Old Delhi from the top of the tower at Jama Masjid...

Main Bazaar...

Humayan's Tomb...

Rishikesh

Our last stop in India, before we meet Liz and Sam in Delhi, is the self-proclaimed yoga capital of the world - Rishikesh. This is where The Beatles came to stay in an ashram while they wrote the White album. The town sits on the point where the holy Ganges River emerges from the foothills of the Himalayas. It is another very holy pilgrimage site where many people come to bathe. It also happens to be a vibrant hippie town. Byron Bay has nothing on Rishikesh!

Lakshman Jhula Bridge...

The closest we'll ever get to a cobra!

Same hairdo...

The abandoned and overgrown Maharishi Mahesh Ashram where the Beatles stayed...

Rooms at the ashram...looks more like an Ewok village...

Sunset over the Ganges...

We are counting down the minutes until we see Liz and Sam! Oh, and we're also pretty psyched to see the Taj Mahal!!!

Watch how you go...

Ian and Greg

Brief stop in Delhi...

On our way up north, to the foothills of the Himalayas, we stopped in Delhi and were thrilled to hang out with the Vogels again! We joined them for a tour of the Sikh temple and then went off on our own to explore the Mughal buildings within the walls of the Red Fort.

Preparing the food that is offered to all Temple visitors throughout the day...

Mughal Emperor's Hall of Private Audiences within the Red Fort...

Main Bazaar...

Free cable???

Watch how you go...

Ian and Greg

Pushkar

After Bundi we headed to the holy Hindu & Muslin pilgrimage town of Pushkar. It is a small town surrounding a lake in the middle of the desert. The pilgrims bathe in the water as a way to wash away their sins. We were surprised to find that the majority of the tourists were Israeli. Hebrew could be found on many storefronts and we ate delicious falafel and hummus on a daily basis!

The "ghats" surrounding the lake...

Colored powder for Holi, the festival of colors...

Camel ride through the desert...

Pushkar at night...

Pushkar was the perfect relaxing end to our 10 days in Rajasthan. Off to Delhi for a brief stop before heading north to Rishikesh...

Watch how you go...

Ian and Greg