Agra Day #10

After a long wedding night and 3 hours of sleep we embark on a 4 1/2 hour journey to see the Taj Mahal. Half way in we stop at a diner fool of tourist, nik' nacks and a much needed Kingfisher beer with a side of paneer bashahi.
Revived and excited we get back in the car and hit traffic on Shwarzengger style steroids.  Little did we know that its a weekend and World Heritage Day which means everyone (busses, cows, bikes, tractors, camels, motorcycles, buffalo, tuk tuks, hijaras ( get to them in a bit) is on the road and entrance to the Taj is free. Mayhem turned into a flight from San Diego to London ( 8 hrs) and we got there an hour before closing! We meet our guide giving us as much info as he can in such a short period. Gigi and I trying to take that perfect picture playing with lighting, angles and flashes. ( We just got off an intl flight remember). Phew we did it.

Let's go to Amarvilas for a drink and tell you about enuks. Hijaras are ppl who are born with deformities in the genitalia department. Basically they look like transvestites with very slender bodies, broad backs and massive adams apple. They prefer to be outcasts of society but believe to have special powers. They would be invited to weddings or births bc of their good luck. Like any good corrupt genre, they also scam people into giving them money if not they will put a curse on you. They believe there are about a million roaming around the 18 million Dehlians today.

Anyway, we take the high speed train back to Dehli and in 2 hrs we are there. We arrive and our now friend Raman ( works for Quo Vadis) picks us up and tells us to get ready, he's taking us out on the town. Um, we just spent 15 hrs on the road but OK!  You can't say no to that face.
We dazzle our frazzled state and he takes us to modern 2011 life. Just like any big city, we arrive, cool handshake to the bouncer and we are in the Blue Bar. Hip music, full bar, baccarat style chandeliers and local women and men dancing and drinking together. This concept is actually pretty new in society. Women were never seen "out" with guy friends drinking, wearing skirts and...flats? (They'll get the hang of it soon enough).
Through conversation our Seikh friend tells us how he will marry for love because he doesn't believe in arranged but for his sister he wants an arranged marriage. Interesting?Double standard? Yes! Reminds me of Mexico.hmm Speaking of our great country we teach him our mexican tequila of "arriba, abajo, al centro" and call it a night.
Of course we now invite eye candy to the wedding.