It all happened on a Delhi night, when we were wandering around in the city, just managed to get completely lost about 30 minutes away from our hotel when we suddenly bumped into a coldbeer-shop. The coldbeer-shop could be spotted from a distance as there were hardly any people by any other shops, but in front of this one was something like the stock exchange stereotype, all people holding money above their heads stretching out as far as they can towards the cashier so something to happen. By the way the shop was selling all types of liquers, not only cold beers, but I bought a cold beer there so I call it a coldbeer-shop. Problem?
The next project was to find a place where we could have our beer in peace. It's not easy in Delhi, there are people everywhere. So we picked a random direction and started walking. Soon we got into a residental area, quite dark, park-like with two-three-story buildings and all. So we sat down close to the entrance of the area in a shadow of some bush, having the beer and a chitchat.
Then after a while a car drove by us slowly from among the houses (I hid the beer), then stopped, switched to reverse, came back to us, window pulled down... and suddenly there was the Gledwin family staring at us from the car :) They asked us if everything was alright, whether we needed help or anything. I told them well, actually we live in Pahar Ganj (a district of Delhi) and if they could tell us the way, that would help, but otherwise, thank you, we're good. They became a bit puzzled how to explain us the way, they said they would offer us a lift but they are heading to the church and all. Then they added we shouldn't stay where we were because it's a dangerous place in the night (!? It seemed quite a calm place...). Probably they were a bit too worried for us but they seemed nice people so we agreed to go to church with them and then they'd throw us home. They were really cool and helpful people you see :)
The Gledwins live as a small Christian community among the Hindus, so we went to a Catholic church. TO show you what a splendid time we had there I made a short video for you:
So, quite random things happen in an Indian Catholic temple, if you're accustomed to Europe :)
After the mess they invited us for dinner (see pic above), then took us home and we settled to meet the next day when they'd take us here and there as it was a weekend and on weekends they are mostly free.
On the next days we went to some places with them, but the coolest place by far was Akshardham, the world's biggest Hindu temple, just outside Delhi. I was impressed at the entrance for the huge garden around the complex being so clean, and the temple itself. I asked when it was built. I expected something like 500 years, these huge stuffs are always at least a thousand years old. They answered, "Oh, this one has just been finished, they opened it like 6 years ago." ... So there is history still being built in the world.
Apart from Akshardham, we also went to the Gledwins' home for dinner one night, and to a mess held in the garden of a neighboring house by a Jamaican priest. The priest blessed us and despite the Jamaican stereotype he was not high at all. No dreadlocks either.
We also went for a walk in a park close to their place, we had some dosas in a real South-Indian restaurant, we went to the bazaar to have some new dress sewed for their daughter, while I took care of their younger child, the 2-year-old Simon, who was very tiny but very heavy being asleep in my hands for half an hour. People very staring with big eyes, what is this white guy doing with that obviously Indian sleeping boy in his hand :)
Before we would jump on a train to Agra and the Taj Mahal, you get a video with some typical Indian pictures in it, which was not made by me this time, but a musician called "Indian Rope Man". I live the music in the clip and although it was probably filmed in Mumbai, I still put it, 'cuz I love this music :)
