Welcome to India! This is called a Queue. I hear that the India experience is full of them. The line actually moved pretty quickly and thanks to my friend Rishaad I had a driver pick me up at the airport. It all went so smoothly that I felt I missed out on some of the "culture shock" I'd read so much about. 
Here's the driver. This guy is cool. I didn't understand his name, so lets just call him "cool driver." It was a huge relief not having to worry about taxi scams or getting lost in such a big city. Traffic is nuts here so it's best left in the hands of a professional. 
This is Rishaad. For some reason I never got a shot of his face. I know him because he went to college withmy roommate in San Diego. This guy is exceptionally hospitable. He let me use his driver and stay at his apartment while in Delhi. He worked in Manhattan for a year after college but moved to India, where the real action is happening. He now works for a cell phone company where his boss is a multi-billionaire. This picture is taken when I went along with him to look at carpets. These are the real antique persian carpets that aren't cheap. It's akin to buying artwork. I was intrigued by the whole conversation/negotiation over tea that took place. It reminded me of watching friends play poker.
The tourist sights in Delhi are nice and dandy. I think I might be over the tourist stuff because I tend to just run in, take pictures, and leave. Its the stuff in between that interests me these days.
My guide offered to take a picture of me...god bless him. 
After Humayun's tomb I was famished. Since I'm now an enlightened world traveler, I believe that its important to jump into a foreign land with both feet and live the way the Indians live, eat what they eat. What better way to do this than go to a beef-free McDonald's? It was fascinating. There was a doorman, and people cleared away your tray for you. How cultural.
I'm not kidding, this is called a "Maharaja Mac." Instead of beef patties and special sauce, it has chicken patties and some kind of spicy curry flavored sauce. It wasn't bad, but don't expect this item to make it over to the U.S. market anytime soon.
Shopping in Delhi is chaos. It was similar to Hanoi because you walk in traffic and hear beeping horns constantly.
Every other store is a jewelry store. Most have armed guards out front. This guy has a shotgun.
The Red Fort has been in Delhi since before the British. It was once a fancy palace where the Mughal Kings lived. However the British pretty much turned it into a military outpost without much concern for the historical/cultural significance. Aside the the impressive walls, there isn't much to see now. 
There was this machine gun nest posted outside.
The main gate was too big to fit in one picture, but you can piece it together.
Richshaw-cam. Similar to a Tuk Tuk, but pedal powered.
This is Mahatma Ghandi's memorial. He was cremated here and this place is obviously held in high regard by the Indians. It reminded me of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetary.
The cliche expression is that India is a place of extremes. However it is entirely true. The disparity in wealth is the most immediate thing I noticed. There are over a billion people in India, but only about 300 million live at a level similar to our standard of living. There are many nice places such as this golf club that Rishaad was playing at.
Then there are people who live far, far below the level of wealth that we're accustomed. I want to share an image that I'll never forget. It was nearby this intersection outside the Ghandi memorial. Skip ahead if you aren't in the mood for my tear-jerking editorial. Stll here? Ok, there was a skinny little girl sitting down on the concrete traffic divider, presumably begging. She had her butt on the concrete. Her legs were bent with the knees pointing up on either side of her. Something about her had me transfixed. Most beggars I've seen seem to have a look that is dead to the world, like they are looking off into space and disconnected. This girl was different. She was alert, energetic, and determined to succeed. Then, as the car was pulling away and she was leaving my field of view I saw her lift herself up on her hands, and drag herself a few feet with her paralyzed legs alongside her. Have you ever seen something that you are certain you'll never forget for as long as you live? This was one of those images. Why do I bring this up. Believe it or not, I don't think of it as depressing or something to make us feel guilty. However, the next time I get angry because I can't fnd a parking space, or the damn internet won't work, or anything else that could possibly go wrong in my world, I'll remember this little girl and put it all back into perspective. I hope you see my point, and the next time something "bad" happens, keep your head up. It could always be worse. 
Thanks for reading. Next stop, Dharamsala and the His Holiness, The Dalai Lama.
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