WOMAN at WORK

Why use crane and mortar dispenders if there are women to do the job.

INDIA & FORMULA 1

What will they do with all these formula 1 groupies, wrap them in a sari. We should not forget that only 2 months ago Richard Gere was condemded and still is for 1 month prison just by a peck in the neck of an Indian filmstar

SAD BUT TRUE WORDS

It is our ethos to uglify places, rather than to beautify them. We seem to be happiest when surrounded by hordes of people in the most cramped conditions as imaginable. The communal way of living excludes any privacy, having space for itself is obscene according to the Indian mind. Wether it is shopping or driving, one must necessarily fight for every inch of shoulder space. Some of course romanticise in the chaos. And the romatics are right, though for different reasons; we can't help it, because it is in our genetic code to use brick and mortar in the most aesthetically offensive way possible. The Indian way is all about how bad things can be made to look, not how pretty.
(citation ou of Indian times, sotto voce by Yamini Lohia.)

DELHI & FORMULA 1

This morning it was announced , starting 2009 F1 will come to Delhi. Obviously Ecclesstone was never in India but naivly has given his nod for Delhi to become part of the prestigious F1, world championship.
This perfectly fit to my previous message with the ambulances, but don' t worry Delhi will find a solution , by building the race track arround the hospital in case of an accident the drivers can be directed in a fast and emission-free way to the hospital by bicycle riksha.
You may ask were the power for the lights and the water for the public will come from: that is easy to solve. In some parts of Delhi people have 10 h no electrical power and get the water delivered by container, during F1 it will be than 12 h and the water they have to find in Yamuna.

Ambulances in Delhi

In overall Delhi (New and Old one) they have in total 36 ambulances (Indian times). That means for a total population of 15 Mio people 36 ambulances. But OK why should they have ambulances these ambulances cannot pass at the congested street and the last thing a normal Indian would do is let an ambulance with blue light pass!
What did Jacques Rogge said: " I will recommend Delhi for the olympic games! " I hope he finally inform itself.

Safdarjung's Tomb, Qutab Minar and other Expierences

After my relaxing and constructive visit to the Lotus Temple last week I took my bicycle to see Safdarjung's tomb. There was just a small problem , already at start the temperature was 42C and still rising. After finding the tomb I first had to start a seach for drinking water. The search to the tomb took a while because most Indians will rarely tell you that they have no idea of what you are asking about and always give you a direction if right or wrong is not so important, the main thing you are happy.

The area of Safdarjung's tomb is like a park, of course outside there are works going on, but the buildings surrounding are in deplorable conditions. A few days earlier I learned that the sad situation of the Indian monuments and patrimonium is due the the climate change (Indian Times... not a joke). Of coarse each hidden corner of the building stinks for pee (not from dogs).

The main mausoleum is still in a good status and has some nice sandstone carvings. On the floor there were some intelayed marmor masterpieces , but the gems were removed.



After all I was a little disappointed and it was noon and I had to be out of the sun burning on my head. So I decided to drive to Qutab Minar , because I knew there is a park with large tree giving shadow. First I crossed Lodi , where I could admire one of the most dirty and polluted small rivers I ever saw. Although the swines obviuosly did enjoyed it a lot.



At Qutab I took a long rest in the shadow of a big tree, in the mean time the temperatore must have been 44C, but that time I still had my bicycle in view.
Than I made the visit to Qutab Minhar , more looking to the western tourist (they are now a little exotic in my eyes) than to the buildings.



But could once more admire the different pillars. Each pillar has a different design, I really would like to know the stoy behind that.



After the sun was making long shadows, I felt it less dangereous to drive home, but first had to unlock my bicycle attached with 1 chain and 1 cable to a metall pilar in the parking lot. I soon find out that the chain was broken (nicely moved into the plastic cover afterwards) and also the locker of the cable was destroyed (nicely put inside the opening afterwards). Now this cable locker is a German and has some additional protection: if the locker is damaged the cable does not open anymore never. So I was in big trouble. But some nice Indians saw my embarrasment and wonder of wonder one even had a metall saw in his trunk and could release my bicycle. Very tired I came home after an exhausting ride.
Later I heard that the ground temperature at Delhi domestic airport was 49C (I passed there close by)