We spent the morning celebrating Republic Day in central Delhi. It was a lavish and amazing parade of military, provincial floats and countless bands.

It was a great experience…except cameras and cell phones were forbidden.  I had to get some shots off the Internet to show what it was like:

They even showed off their latest version (Agni V) of their medium range ballistic missile (nuclear) which caught the attention of many in the press.  The security for getting a seat in the parade was extreme.  I was patted down 3 separate times and they even took away my lip balm.  I was forced to go into a separate line “because I have a beard” and that made me suspicious….

Later, in the afternoon, we went to visit Ghandi’s memorial by taking off our shoes and entering the park.

We then went to visit the largest mosque in India.  The Jama Masjid is near old Delhi and also overlooks the Red Fort.

We old took a few outside pictures as they wanted a large sum to take a camera inside.  The Jama Masjid is near old Delhi and also overlooks the Red Fort.

Being a westerner, we were a huge attraction to many people who have never seen or met a Caucasian. They gathered in large numbers whenever we stopped and just wanted to look (stare).  The mosque is a very popular destination for tourists and locals…we just have a more spacious bus than the locals.

Last, we went to check out Humayun’s tomb which is a huge garden and complex that became an inspirational design for the later Taj Mahal.  This is a great example of the Mughal empire’s influence of India’s history and architecture.

….before we headed back to the hotel, we spent a little more time in Old Delhi by taking a rickshaw through the area…it is amazing the sights you see every 30 seconds.  The shock and awe never ends…

(Great way to spend a national holiday in India)