India

This is my brutally honest summary of our 4 day experience visiting the "golden triangle" in India.

1. New Delhi- Main Bazaar Road, ___?___ Temple I was too stressed at to appreciate
(our private driver had just drove away with our belongings and we had no way to contact him, not even his name or license plate)

2. Agra- Taj Mahal

3. Jaipur- Red Fort, City Palace, Hawa Mahal

NOTE: Every person's travel experience is different and this is NOT me pretending to know/judging everything about India.  What I write here might sound harsh, lacking empathy and compassion.  
I had just got home and wrote this down a few days later in my journal... take it or leave it.

A Poem:

Filthy Stench
Yellow air,
Hungry beggars
Greasy hair.

Cow is sacred
...no hamburger
"Paneer" is cheese square
"Dal" is lentil.

Roti, Naan, Parantha, Chapatha (bread)
Masala, Tikka, Butter, Jaifreezi (curry)
Lassi Sweet, Lassi "salty"-sour (yogurt drink)

Taj-- world wonder
city of blunders

Raj Mandir (movie theatre)
see Kaabil here
count your change
popcorn vendor fender bender.

Goat, Dog, Pig, Boar
on the street all o'er.

Girl with toy drum
has as much food as rhythm.
Smaller girl in her shadow
Dirty beanie pigtails out,
determined look clouds her pout

Shiney jewels in their noses
zero hope the future poses.
boy with long rope
on the top of his hat,
swings it around
like the moon in orbit.

tap tap tap
on car windows
a sound we have come to know.

we turn our eyes
from these sad sights
but persistent are these
little fighters.

Boy does cartwheels
between traffic stopped
only can see his shoeless feet,
...our eyes then meet.

like watching someone dying
we look away,
but morbid fascination
draws our eyes anyway.

We have these encounters
at traffic lights.
Some knock again
when they see white.

My heart is breaking
with each breath,
Anger is easier
than silent death.

We mourn our wealth
but we wear it well.
Our stomachs full
our bags will swell.

"what's a good tip
for someone who as nothing?"
maybe we should give instead
like someone who has everything.

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