First day in India - Delhi

The journey started at Doha Airport, flying Etihad Airlines which was quite impressive!! It reminded me of Qatar Airways and how I felt like a princess… They treated us well. I tried to watch a movie but was too tired so I used all the other 3 available seats next to me to lay down. I was woken up by Maite saying we’re landing in Delhi!

Getting off the plane and into the airport it already felt like India, it actually smelt like India – a mixture of spices, food and don’t know what else.

We were told a taxi should be around 600-700 rupees; we managed to get one for 450 rupees and that is when the adventure began! The guy drove and drove through dark alleys and through crazy traffic and once we got closer to our destination he kept on stopping asking for directions; he had no idea where to take us!! Why was I not surprised? Well, I lived in Cairo for two years! We ended up at a tourism office and spent some time there figuring out where to go. We took advantage and booked a tour to Agra for our last day to see the Taj Mahal (that turned out to be another adventure!) Even after we left, the guy still didn’t know where to take us; we were taken on a dark alley, behind dodgy buildings and Maite started to freak out! It took us 1 and a half hours to get to our hotel. It was already 6 am when we got in!

Next morning we woke up at 10 in time for breakfast and our tour of Delhi. Breakfast!

This funny Indian man asked us what we want and then he asked: “omlette?” Yes!! Well, I forgot I was in India and expected to get a regular omlette – this one was not!!! It was

SPICY!!!!!! It had chilli in!! Goodness me!! But I ate it all and I realized soon I am getting used to this food; it is surprising how everything they eat is so spicy! I am sure when Indians go abroad and try our food they think it’s not good, and it tastes like nothing to them! J

As we were having breakfast it started to rain! Part of me was excited as it never rains in Doha and I was looking forward to see rain, but not on the day of our tour. Thank God the rain stopped and we were able to enjoy the city. We were taken to different places – most of them temples and tombs! It is required that you take your shoes off whenever you go inside a temple… well, I was wearing trainers, so imagine me having to take my shoes and my socks off at every single temple! Next time I will wear flip flops! I’ve learned my lesson!

The most interesting place was the lotus temple and people made comments on how it was made to resemble the Opera House in Sydney, Australia! Hmm… I am not too sure of that!

This was definitely contemporary architecture and very different than the other temples; while the others had different statues of different gods with offerings and incense burning this one was like a large hall with seats (pretty much like a Catholic church), vases of fresh flowers and big windows. No gods, no images, no nothing! We were welcomed by foreigners who worked or volunteered there and they gave us a little speech about the temple; it is supposed to welcome people from all religions, it encourages peace and EVERYBODY is free to go inside and pray to whatever God they want. I found that concept very modern… Anyway, we prayed there and blessed the people and the country.

The evening tour finished by India gate where a lot of people were hanging out whether families, couples, singles, schools; there was a mixture of ages and of course colours (I love the colours of India! The women dressed in they colourful saris are a delight to my eyes). We tried some food on the streets (actually Maite did – I was too scared I might get sick) and got henna. Sundar, our driver, took us to a nice Indian restaurant to finish the day. We enjoyed the food and I decided I won’t have Indian food for a month when I get back home! J

Delhi is an amazing city – very green and seemed very busy; the traffic is crazy; if I were to compare it to Cairo traffic I’d say it is “similar but different” (a very Arab thing to say). It is hectic and disorganized, people drive in between lanes and when 3 lanes should fit 3 cars, here they fit 5! There’s no concept of using blinkers (they don’t want to tell the “enemy” their next move) and cars move from lane 1 to lane 5 in one go! We define it as disorganized, but there is some structure to it, as there were no accidents when I expected us to crash into the first bike, rickshaw, truck, bus, person! The one way that is common for all drivers is honking! A long honk means “I’m coming, stay in your “lane” do not move to the right or left” and it keeps going until the car has overtaken another. If I were to honk at home, I’d tell the other driver: “Go ahead!”

I cannot say I have experienced Delhi – I just saw it from a car and got off to see the main attractions and that is all I needed! I got to see more of the “real India” in Lucknow, where we were thrown into the cast system, learning about the people and getting a better understanding of the reality of this country!

What should I have for dinner?

Last night Maite and I were having dinner at our hotel and I wanted some pasta; (too much Indian food is not good for you!) so, I asked the waiter if I can have Bolognese pasta (though it wasn't on the menu). He said yes we'll make it for you (and moved his head in the typical Indian style)!!! We waited and waited for 35 minutes... our food was not there yet, when suddenly I had a thought: in this country they don't eat beef (coz cows are holy) and they don't eat pork coz of the Muslims; how on earth are they going to make Bolognese for me? it was stupid of me t ask for it from the beginning anyway!!! So, I went and asked the guy: how are you making it? His English was rubbish, he didn't understand me, he called the manager, he sends somebody to the kitchen.... I said: in my country they make it with beef or pork, but you don't have that here! And I said: I hope you dont make it wt mutton coz I dont eat that! The guy comes back from the kitchen and he says: "Ma'am, we make it wt mutton meatballs!!!" NOOOOO!!! Anyway, I changed the order to Napolitane spaghetti, which wasn't great, but I ate it! I was so hungry coz I only had breakfast that day!
I guess I'll be having some beef as soon as I get back to Doha! :P

Power to ... go on, power to stand and continue

I came across this the other day and it is so interesting how it applies to my life at the moment. I felt very encouraged by it and that is why I am sharing it!

It is so interesting how we want to do so many things, to stand up for what we believe in, to follow our principles and live according to them.

This is from a series called "Unstoppable Life" by John Ortberg.

I think the great need of human beings is for power. I think most people that I know, regardless of background, even religious tradition, most people have really pretty good intentions for the kind of lives that they want to lead. We know the kind of people that we want to be. We think about the kind of relationships that we’d like to have. We want good things. We just seem to lack the power. We just somehow can’t do good stuff that we want to do and life kind of trips us up.

Life has this way of showing us—whatever field or dimension or area it is—we have these dreams, we have these thoughts, we have these plans and they are often quite good, but I find myself not living them out. I lack power to be who I want to be and do what I want to do. That seems to be the human condition.

There is power to go on, there is power for everything; you just need to find it! How? More to come!!

You know you're Arab when....

1. You reply with a NO when you’re asked if you would like more food, and it somehow translates into a YES
2.You refer to your dad's friends as Um-mo ..
3. Your mother has a minor disagreement with her (or your dad's) sister and doesn't talk to her for ten years.
4. You arrive one or two hours late to a party and think it's normal
5. You hug and kiss relatives you have never seen before in your life.
6. You ask your dad a simple question, and he answers by telling the story of how he used to walk miles just to get to school and how we ‘”have life so easy”
7.After a family meal, the women fight to death over who should wash the dishes while the men sit on their behinds and discuss politics, waiting for their Turkish coffee. ..
8.Your parents want you to become a doctor or engineer. ...
9. You still go back home and live with your parents after you graduate
10.Your mother yells at the top of her lungs to call you to dinner even if you're in the next room....
11. You have at least thirty cousins. ...
12. You pity anyone who is not an Arab and think all other cultures are morally corrupt.
13. If you are 25 and unmarried, your parents make you feel that you are getting old.
14. You talk for an hour at the front door when leaving someone's house....which leads to walk to the car and another hour of talk
15.You say bye 17 times on the phone. ...
16. Everyone is a family friend.
17. Your parents don't realize phone connections to foreign countries have improved in the last two decades, and still scream at the top of their lungs when making long distance calls. ..
18. Your mother does everything for you if you are male...
19.You do all the housework and cooking if you are female...
20.Your relatives alone could populate a small city.....
21. You make Turkish coffee before leaving home to work, at the office, before lunch, after lunch, when having guests, before the guest leave, after the guests leave and before you go to bed.
22. You teach Westerners swearwords in Arabic
23. You watch the hell out of Arabic Satellite…or at least your parents do
24. You have to lie to your parents when you go out, even if ur doing nothing wrong.
25. Your mother calls you "Mama" and your father calls you "Baba"
26. You have someone tell you your fortune through your coffee cup.
27. You've seen a sword dance. At a wedding.

28. You've heard Amr Diab's "Habibi ya nour el ein" 764363 times in your life.
29. Your Mum has a creative nickname for you like "Natoosheh," or "Tuntooneh."
30. You play cards till the break of dawn.
31. At weddings it takes the bride and groom 4 hours to kiss all the guests
32. You use Arabic bread as a utensil in every meal
33. There is no such thing as quiet time
34. You get pissed when an Arab is displayed as a Terrorist in a Movie.
35. You pronounce your p's as b's ( bolice and airblane)
36. You get happy when your friends use Arabic (swears especially) in normal speach.
37. You go to Arabic Restaurants, tell the owners your Arab, and think you're going to get free food.
38. You fight over who's going to pay the bill and make the biggest scene!
39. Your family is over your house all the time
40. You put salt, olive oil and garlic in everything
41. You always say “walaw, 3ala rasi wa 3ayne” ….as if you doing a great deed for someone
42. The satellite dish cuts out and everyone is looking for a new code cos it wasn’t a legal one
43. When you wanted fast food you got a shawarma
44. When you're parents call you while you're out with friends screaming:
"You're Late! Its already 12:00am yalla come back home!!” when its actually only 11:00pm
45. If you're a girl, every time you make coffee when your aunts come over, they look at you and say "mashAllah!! sayri 3aroos"
46. Shisha is a social thing…you neva smoke it alone
47. You say “Yalla Bye” after every phone call
48. Your aunt asks when she can dance at your wedding
49. There is NO such thing as Israel. It is Palestine
50. Your standing next to the largest suitcases at the airport

51. You know that 3 people can fit on a motorcycle, 8 people can fit in a 5-seat car, and 20 people can fit in a 12-person minibus

52. You've been to a gold souk.

53. You smoke as if it were your last day on earth…and you only smoke Marlboro. (LOL)

54. Your middle name is your father's first name.

55. If you are male, you're named after your grandfather or great-grandfather.

Just a reminder

You are my Shield, my Strength, my Portion, Deliverer,
My Shelter, Strong Tower, my very present help in time of need.

Whom have I in Heaven but you.
There's no one I desire beside You