First day in Delhi

Well after a crazy time warp to another place and time, we arrived in Delhi late last night. All flights were fine, no real problems. Kids kind of slept on the plane, Mark looked cozy at times, I on the other hand, had Bodhi on me most of the night. After catching a few zzzz's on the fourteen hour flight, we arrived at 9pm. The kids felt like it was time to party. They cleaned up and ate dinner in the room and eventually went to bed around midnight Delhi time. Mark had Lotus and Julian, I had Bodhi and Bella in my room. Bodhi woke up at 3:30am and stayed awake until 5:30am!! I had to knock on Mark's door to put Bella in there so she could get some sleep. Eventually he fell asleep and I did too.

Next morning we woke and had breakfast around 9:30am. Buffet with every thing you could dream of eating and MORE!! Exotic fruits and traditional Indian fare. I stuck to good old scramble eggs on toast. We cleaned up and jumped in our mini bus with driver and guide. I found the local orphanage and after an exciting drive through narrow, dusty, alley's and cluster's of people and sights. We arrived at the Arya orphanage. An institutional looking building with little faces eagerly looking over the balcony's. We were taken to the office were we met the director. She told us they have 1,000 (ONE THOUSAND) children. From age 4 to 18. As we sat in the office a pool of children collected outside the entrance, smiling and watching. When we asked what the orphanage needed they suggested cash donation so they could buy rice, flour and maize. They said it costs about 1000 rupees ($20) a month to feed one child!! On our tour of the orphanage we saw the kitchen with huge barrels of cooked rice. That was all i saw for lunch. The kids were dirty looking, no shoes, dirty teeth, it looked like the clothes they were wearing were worn day and night for a month. At first the kids wanted their photo taken, then they walked away when we tried to take photos. I wonder if they wanted a reward or something. On our tour we were taken to the kitchen, very clean and the nurse's station, no kids sick! This surprised me, also clean. And finally a large room lined with bunk beds. Must have been about 15-20 bunks in their. Also perfect looking. We think maybe we were given the "for show" tour.

We sat and played outside on a nice, tree lined courtyard. The building was a four levels rimmed with balcanies. Kids watched from above as we wondered around. I was told that some kids have mom's who visit, couldn't tell if it was once a year or month. Overall, there was laughter, shy children and outgoing children. Julian and Bella were reserved. They said they felt scared and shy. Everyone in India loves Bodhi, I think it is the white, blond hair. As we drove away i felt a sadness, I wish I could bring so much more to these little lives. Birthday celebration perhaps or a sense of belonging. I don't know...I settle with the thought that for today they enjoyed a visit from some people far away.

We finished off the rest of the day touring the city of it's historical sites. Humayun's tomb, built in 1567 it was built by a emperor's wife as a resting place for her husband. It is what the Taj Mahal copied. We also went to a modern temple called the Baha'i House of Worship or Lotus Temple. It is a huge structure in the shape of a Lotus flower. Of course we took Lotus here. We had to take off our shoes and enter silently in a single line. Inside was amazing. HUGE ceilings, and a feeling of a day at the spa. We had to go potty, so I took Bella and Lotus. It was one of those holes in the floor type. It was funny watching Bella try to figure out where to put her feet and her butt to pee in the hole. Lastly we went to the India Arch, gateway to India. A memorial to WW2 soldiers. There, I was suckered into letting the kids get their hands painted bindi style. I think this is what it is called, the black, intricate hand paint.

Back to hotel, shower, dinner and now wrap it up for the all day tour of Taj Mahal tomorrow.