When in India eat pizza of course!

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Greetings readers, well,today was our first official tour day in Delhi. We had the usual crazy taxi ride to our first location which was the Salaambaa lak trust which is a charity which helps out the street kids of Delhi. It takes them off the streets and provides accommodation, food, medical attention and education for kids who beg, steal and pick pocket and do drugs etc or are in street gangs. Some go back to their parents but many stay and grow up and get an education to go on and do well in Alice. Our guide told us his story of a violent farther who beat him her he didn't earn enough money begging. So he tried shoe shining, pot washing, taking food out of bins to eat, being in a street gang and also living with temporary 'aunt and uncle' who used to beat him too. He was only about 6 years old when he came to the shelter. He doesn't know how old he actually is or his real birthday. More info on the charity at www.salaambaalaktrust.com



We got to meet the boys currently staying there some mentally or physically disabled and many able bodied. They were so happy to see us and wanted to chat play games, show us football cards and arm wrestle. It was a very humbling experience. We heard about many of the successful stories of kids who had gone on to do great things and some now work abroad. Some in business, chemistry, dancing, Bollywood etc.



Next we visited a Hindu temple, then we had a walk around the shops and markets. The area where people come to buy their wedding outfits and decorations, the spice markets, we stopped at one place and the owner took us through all the spices used in Indian cooking and about the different flavours of tea they have. We also saw some old buildings so we could see what Delhi looked like before it was commercialised. we then had lunch and despite me being brave and trying to eat Indian food each time I made a choice they didn't have any so in the end I had pizza complete with spices sprinkled on top! So it was spicy pizza for me. So when in India eat pizza!



After lunch we went to a Sikh temple and saw the remains of the man who was beheaded on the spot of the temple. He was killed as he would not convert to being a Muslim and believed he had his followers should be able to follow Sikhism. The remains were I a sealed room decorated beautifully and covered with silken cloths.

We sat and watched the proceedings for a while and then visited the kitchens. They feed around 2500 people a day for free. The temple survives in contributions from the public visitors and abroad and is run by volunteers, we tried our hand at making chap payees and go covered in flour in the process lol.



After leaving the temple we took the metro back to our hotel via the monkey temple I mentioned in a previous blog. We just took some pictures from outside. Apparently their are no monkeys inside but lots of smaller temples.

we are now off for some tea and a wander round the markets.

Rock on \m/

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