Checking In From Delhi

So I'm in New Delhi supporting my sister who is competing for Australia in the Synchonised Swimming. Sadly, she posted this article on Facebook not too long ago (that's my sister in the middle by the way). This article is not the only problem, the media seemingly everywhere over the globe is going nuts about how much of farce Delhi has already become. Nevertheless, once I read the aforementioned article, and some of the reader's comments (in particular the 'terrorists have already won comment') I feel as if I have to say something.

I'm not going to rant, but I just want to say I feel really sorry for Delhi and India as a whole. I have been here for less than twelve hours, but I have already seen enough to convince myself that India is so poor and disconnected from Western ideals and realities that I can't honestly see how it will rise to be the great power that everyone is forecasting it to be. Honestly, about 90% is this place is 100% slum. That being said, Indians are different, and it should have never been expected that these games would surpass Beijing's Olympics, or even Melbourne's Commonwealth games. I was at both these events in 2008 and 2006 respectively, and can honestly say that I don't believe India will match or surpass these events in any way; India is simply too poor!

The reason I feel sorry for India is because they are really trying to make things work, despite everything the media has been throwing against them. I'm not suggesting the way they are doing things is correct, but to me it seems as if they are taking no chances (I'm only referring to security issues). On every corner there are guards with fully loaded assault rifles and AK47's. On other corners and sections there are sandbagged bunkers with mounted guns. There are vans/buses full of security and army personnel everywhere, and even my hotel has a guard with an SMG out the front, and another one with an AK47 in the lobby. I'm just so disillusioned as to why the media is reporting the stuff they are, and at what benfit/s does its negativity bring? Even Prince Charles and other Royal's are strutting around in public. These guys are absolute icons of death and Western corruption in the eyes of the terrorists, and yet certain nations are worried about walking around a fortified stadium. I love sport, and I love great sporting events such as the Commonwealth Games; so I'm going to enjoy my week here no matter what. Here's some shots from a few hours of tourism today...some majestic, some not.

The 'first' Radinson guard

 Making friends

 Don't be fooled when people tell you Gandhi didn't use an assault rifle

View from  my room

 Local works

Who knows?

Literally 'throwing a spanner in the works'

Delhi's $20billion fiber-optic broadband

This was the street outside the hotel we had originally reserved over the internet...deceptive Indians had us thinking we were arriving to a 4star hotel. We went to the Radisson instead.

Community living

Cenotaph

Cenotaph

 Gandhi's mausoleum

President's palace

 President's palace gates

 Military HQ



Military HQ again


So the goods news so far is that my poos are still solid, and I'll try and get some more pics up in the coming days. Tomorrow I'm going to the Taj Mahal, and will start seeing events starting on the 5th with a full day at the hockey.

Stayin' alive,

Josh