Monday, July 12, 2010

Sisters in Amritsar!

TUESDAY, JULY 6th-
  • Nicole and I got to Amritsar at 4:30 in the morning due to our travel complications, so we slept in.
  • We tried to change our train tickets from Tuesday night to Wednesday, but after going to three different lines, getting strange looks from people around us, and waiting for a few hours, we decided just to leave it. 
  • So that afternoon we walked around town a bit, went to Cafe Coffee Day, and then went to the Pakistan-Indian Border Crossing Ceremony. This was hilarious. It was almost like a sporting event where these big army men do high kicks and shake their heads at the other side of the border. It was so funny.
Cafe Coffee Day

All of those girls with the hat... yeah they basically attacked us like we were celebrities.



A Sweet Sikh Man.

The intense dance party that we got pulled into.  AHHH!

So... a few girls came up into the stands and led us down to a giant dance party but as soon as we got there girls started running up to us asking to have their picture taken with us.  WOAH!

Being led around from group to group.

Nicole with the girls

Even moms wanted their pictures taken with us.

And the ceremony began.  There was a trumpet player and then one of these guys would just sing a pitch for like 30 seconds, wait 10 and then start again.  The Pakistan side would sing too.  It was like a competition for the longest-winded singer or something! 


The Pakistan Side.

WOAH... INTENSE!



The gate between the two sides.

  • That night we went to the Golden Temple which was so cool. In Sikhism, you are supposed to carry a sword with you at all times and wear certain clothing. There were some men who took this SOO seriously and carried huge swords, and wore GIANT turbans on their heads. 
The view from our hotel roof.  It was beautiful! (That's the Golden Temple if you didn't know)

 
The Golden Temple at night.


People would get into the water and pray towards the temple.  

One of the SWEET men with the sword and GIANT turban!

We met some very friendly girls at the Golden Temple.  
 

  • Then we were supposed to leave on the train, so we packed up and went to the station, but it got cancelled due to flooding. GRRR... we should have changed it I guess. So we went back to our hotel, ordered pizza, watched Hindi TV, and fell asleep.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 7th-
  • We slept in this morning as well and then went back to Cafe Coffee Day. You don't think we like our coffee or anything do you?!? It was fun to people watch, read, and just hang out with each other.
  • Then we went shopping, checked our email, and hung out at the hotel some more.
  • Finally it was time to leave for the train station again. This time our train was on time and running. BUT... Nicole and I got their early and decided just to wait in our 'bedroom' on the train after Nicole had gotten pooped on by a bird. But the electricity was off so we sat there, in the dark, with all of our luggage, freaking out whenever someone would walk by. How fun?!?
Our train room!!!


Why don't these fans work any better?!?

The Bird Poop...

THURSDAY, JULY 8th-
  • After a long, sticky night on the train, we finally got to Dehra Dun and took our taxi up to Mussoorie.
  • Monsoon has set in, therefore it was very foggy and rainy. But we made it back safely!

Yea for a WONDERFUL and EVENTFUL Amritsar Trip!

3 comments:

Rachel Farley said...

I loved Cafe Coffee Day!!

This was a great post and I love reading about your adventures. You do an excellent job at giving the fun day to day details.

I hope and pray that the rest of your time there is problem free.

Love you girlie.

Sarab said...

Look like you just running around without any guides.
Girls you are ref. to in from NCC under supervision of Indian army and men you are referring as sweet sikh men at Wagah is actually Sadhu not sikh.

BTW way nice photo of Golden temple from rooftop can you tell me the Hotel name?

Tushar said...

While searching hotel I found your blog and thoroughly enjoyed watching pictures. Thanks for sharing.
Re.: Why don't these fans work any better?!?
I haven't travelled for long in sleeper class but yes, I agree the same question we had. Maybe the solution is: lighter blade fans.
I dont know whether now-a-days they are working better or not.