Auntie Liz braved the heat and came to visit us just before we set off back to the US. I didn't meet my goal of posting this before we left Delhi two weeks ago, but it's here now! It was an amazing trip because Liz was up for anything and we'd been in India long enough to know what to expect, sort of.
Auntie Liz and Samantha hanging out in our bedroom. Since it was so hot, we spent any moment in the house huddled around the sole air conditioner in our bedroom. This also insured that Samantha didn't overheat!
Samantha and Auntie Liz entertaining each other on the train ride from Agra back to Delhi.
A panorama from the mosque courtyard at Fatehpur Sikri, an incredible site near the Taj Mahal
More shots of the mosque at Fatehpur Sikri. The white marble shrine is a Sufi shrine within the mosque. The place is just incredibly huge, and this day was insanely hot!
Those burlap cloth walkways are to help you from burning your feet on the hot sandstone as you have to be barefoot in the mosque no matter the heat!
All of the above are Andy playing around with his camera in the mosque. I had to stay in the car as it was too hot to take Samantha out. Andy and Liz sped through the mosque area and said it was at least as cool as the Taj, but in a different way!
Here was the view from our hotel window in Agra of the Taj Mahal. This was especially nice for Andy who was too sick to actually go to the Taj with us due to a little (terrible) stomach upset.
View from hotel room looking left from the Taj view above.
Auntie Liz checking out the Taj in the mandatory booties.
We took advantage of the balcony and even dressed up for a few photos!
While we all chatted and caught up, Samantha found great delight in removing all contents of Auntie Liz's bags.
Back home in Delhi Liz and I participated in a 6:30am-10:30am bike tour of South Delhi. Getting on a bike at any other time of day here terrifies me, but since the city doesn't really get moving until much later, we were able to cycle through major streets and tiny alleyways through one of Delhi's oldest neighborhoods.
Sites along the route. The tour was in Nizamuddin West, which is traditionally a Muslim neighborhood and also where many butchers live.
Biking through the neighborhood early am.
I thought it was a horse but then learned it was a cow.
Water stop along the bike tour.
Now, I thought we looked so rediculous I had to take a photo. Liz and I were wearing pants and t-shirts but in order to be respectful at the Jama Masjid (mosque in Old Delhi), they ask that you cover up a little more and offered these robes free. Foreign men wearing shorts also wear a sarong.
Liz at Lodhi Gardens with some strangers posing and taking pictures of her! Once people started taking her photos she was much more comfortable asking to take theirs too!
We also had a dress made for Liz while she was here. Typcially the tailors come and set up shop in your house until the project is finished but our house was too hot so the tailor Vinod came back a few times to fit the pieces.
Andy and Samantha getting fitted for a top and dresses.
Another day while Liz was here two musicians came over and played with Andy. Samantha tried tabla too!
Samantha participating in the music session.
When people ask what the past year was like, the best word I can think of to describe it is transformative. It was an opportunity to raise our child in an entirely different culture, country, climate with all the serendipity and challenges alike.
But this isn't the end, so don't get teary. I'm continuing it from Boulder and Los Angeles. Expect new and very different pictures to follow:)
Goodbye India, we'll be back.
