So here it is, our last trip before heading back home...
And as people say, the last, but the best...
Amritsar, here we are!!!
When I was deciding on how to get here, I was playing in my mind with two options. Either train or plane.
To be honest, I didnt really want to "risk" another flight with domestic cheap airlines, so I have booked the highest class in the Amritsar express, leaving from Delhi at 7:20am.
I think, overall, it was a good choice. Even though we have spent 6 hours in the train, the trip was nice and comfy. Who knows how the lower class will look like, since we are taking it today to go back.
They serve water, proper meal and also daily newspapers and coffee/tea and you can plug in your computer or cell if you want to. Unfortunately, they dont have wifi, but that would be too much for Indian railways.. ;)
SO we got to Amritsar at around 1pm and had the taxi ready for us at 3:30pm to go to the Pakistan borders.
The city of Attari and its borders at Waghai or something like that. What is going on there is hard to explain. I would say that the split countries are showing their respect to each other as they also show their strength in a one and half hour long "ceremony".
On each side of the border are spectators sitting, standing, sitting and standing and shouting and chanting for their country. It all turns in a surreal picture of two groups (even though men and women are separated) screaming at each other.
What is going on on the road that is normally used for passing the border is also somehow surreal and hard to capture in a text. The chosen soldiers are marching there and back, kicking their legs high, either with the knees or straighten up, kicking the leg so high that it often ends up over their head.
The purpose is to lower down the flags of both nations and exchanged them as I have said with showing the power and pride of the nation, but also respect to each other.
As a white power here, you are being sent to a "VIP" lounge, that is exactly the same as Indians are sitting at, but a tiny rope is separating you from them...
The mistake comes, when there is no room for the Indians, but the officials keep sending the Indians into the over crowded stands and there is just few white people sitting on a huge empty space. You can see and hear the angry Indians, with their eyes poking you... ;)
So what happens is that they get pissed and go over the rope and stand in front of you.. so you find yourself not being able to see something, with officers jumping and whistling around you, trying to get rid off the Indians who jumped over to the "white" side... :D
Overall it was a very nice experience though. Its hard to believe that I was so close to Pakistan. Its scary and amusing in the same time...
Maybe I will be able to go there once...
So after that we have traveled back to Amritsar, sleeping over in Raj Continental Hotel... and we went to see the Golden temple today...
It was amazing!!! I liked it a lot. Only thing that I have found annoying was the fact of the fact that you have to take of your shoes (that would be fine), but ALSO your SOCKS...
With the temperature dropping down really low during the night now and the marble paths, you find yourself sometimes shivering... But when the sun hits you, you get hotter and hotter with the sun rising higher and higher.. ;)
I have to mention one thing. We have spent around 2 hours in the temple and surrounding areas and met only one white guy. We were being eyed on like some kind of strangers and we were also almost yelled at, when we sit close to the holy pond without crossing our legs...
The strange thing was, that there were plenty of people sitting without crossed legs, but we were the only one who was yelled at... (so we crossed them and the problem was solved) :D
After getting done there, we went through the city to do the final shopping.. ;)
If any of the ex TLs are reading, they will get something very nice. We will see, who of them are reading my blog, so they would know, that they are supposed to get something... :D
So right now, we are sitting in the hotel lobby, waiting for our train to go and we are going to spend 6 hours travelling back to Delhi.
Tomorrow we have our last day in Delhi and we are leaving the next day early morning...
I have to say, that this might be my last post here, so I hope that you have enjoyed my posting and Im sure that I will not stay home for long and spam you with a new blog from different country.. ;)
Keep happy and hopefully see you soon in Czech republic!!!
The best thing would be to see you over goulas!!! ;)
And as people say, the last, but the best...
Amritsar, here we are!!!
When I was deciding on how to get here, I was playing in my mind with two options. Either train or plane.
To be honest, I didnt really want to "risk" another flight with domestic cheap airlines, so I have booked the highest class in the Amritsar express, leaving from Delhi at 7:20am.
I think, overall, it was a good choice. Even though we have spent 6 hours in the train, the trip was nice and comfy. Who knows how the lower class will look like, since we are taking it today to go back.
They serve water, proper meal and also daily newspapers and coffee/tea and you can plug in your computer or cell if you want to. Unfortunately, they dont have wifi, but that would be too much for Indian railways.. ;)
SO we got to Amritsar at around 1pm and had the taxi ready for us at 3:30pm to go to the Pakistan borders.
The city of Attari and its borders at Waghai or something like that. What is going on there is hard to explain. I would say that the split countries are showing their respect to each other as they also show their strength in a one and half hour long "ceremony".
On each side of the border are spectators sitting, standing, sitting and standing and shouting and chanting for their country. It all turns in a surreal picture of two groups (even though men and women are separated) screaming at each other.
What is going on on the road that is normally used for passing the border is also somehow surreal and hard to capture in a text. The chosen soldiers are marching there and back, kicking their legs high, either with the knees or straighten up, kicking the leg so high that it often ends up over their head.
The purpose is to lower down the flags of both nations and exchanged them as I have said with showing the power and pride of the nation, but also respect to each other.
As a white power here, you are being sent to a "VIP" lounge, that is exactly the same as Indians are sitting at, but a tiny rope is separating you from them...
The mistake comes, when there is no room for the Indians, but the officials keep sending the Indians into the over crowded stands and there is just few white people sitting on a huge empty space. You can see and hear the angry Indians, with their eyes poking you... ;)
So what happens is that they get pissed and go over the rope and stand in front of you.. so you find yourself not being able to see something, with officers jumping and whistling around you, trying to get rid off the Indians who jumped over to the "white" side... :D
Overall it was a very nice experience though. Its hard to believe that I was so close to Pakistan. Its scary and amusing in the same time...
Maybe I will be able to go there once...
So after that we have traveled back to Amritsar, sleeping over in Raj Continental Hotel... and we went to see the Golden temple today...
It was amazing!!! I liked it a lot. Only thing that I have found annoying was the fact of the fact that you have to take of your shoes (that would be fine), but ALSO your SOCKS...
With the temperature dropping down really low during the night now and the marble paths, you find yourself sometimes shivering... But when the sun hits you, you get hotter and hotter with the sun rising higher and higher.. ;)
I have to mention one thing. We have spent around 2 hours in the temple and surrounding areas and met only one white guy. We were being eyed on like some kind of strangers and we were also almost yelled at, when we sit close to the holy pond without crossing our legs...
The strange thing was, that there were plenty of people sitting without crossed legs, but we were the only one who was yelled at... (so we crossed them and the problem was solved) :D
After getting done there, we went through the city to do the final shopping.. ;)
If any of the ex TLs are reading, they will get something very nice. We will see, who of them are reading my blog, so they would know, that they are supposed to get something... :D
So right now, we are sitting in the hotel lobby, waiting for our train to go and we are going to spend 6 hours travelling back to Delhi.
Tomorrow we have our last day in Delhi and we are leaving the next day early morning...
I have to say, that this might be my last post here, so I hope that you have enjoyed my posting and Im sure that I will not stay home for long and spam you with a new blog from different country.. ;)
Keep happy and hopefully see you soon in Czech republic!!!
The best thing would be to see you over goulas!!! ;)
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