I’m so behind on my posts! Not much has significantly changed for the first half of 2011, except that I’ve gone out of the country thrice–
India with Angeli in February, for Sushil (friend from MISE) & Lalitha’s wedding in Bangalore. It was my second non-Filipino wedding (first was Meryl’s in Jakarta back in ’07) to attend, and of course it was an experience! Loved seeing the colorful saris/ kurtas, witnessing Indian wedding rituals, and having the traditional Indian (vegetarian) food. We even got our own kurtas to wear!

- The newlyweds Sushil & Lalitha

- Reunited with the SEAMISEs again! Angeli, ZI, Li’en, Nico, and me
After Bangalore we flew to New Delhi to take the Golden Triangle Tour around New Delhi – Jaipur – Agra. Went around Old Delhi in a rickshaw, the Jama Masjid, Gandhi’s tomb, and the India gate. And there started my three-day affair with butter chicken…

- The best one I tried though was in Agra three days later :)

- Angeli & me at the Jama Masjid, with our “staple” pose in India!
From Delhi we took a 6-hour drive to Jaipur, the Pink City of India. Very cultural, very touristy! We got ourselves nice pieces of jewelry as expensive souvenirs!

- Our room at the Fortune Select Hotel. KICK. ASS. (I’m so glad we didn’t scrimp on travel arrangements!)

- Our (not so comfy) camel ride!

- The Amber Fort at night during the light & sound show, I loved it!
From Jaipur we took another 6-hour drive to Agra, which was much more provincial. If not for the Taj Mahal, our tour guide said that no one would go there! The Taj though made up for all the chaos in the city, I felt the same when I first saw the Eiffel Tower light up years ago…

- The Taj was breathtaking. Look, we wore our kurtas again to celebrate our visit!

- I hope no one kills me for this, we were just tripping!

- The Taj is just so beautiful. Everything in perfect detail & symmetry.
I haven’t really identified India as one of the countries on my must-visit list, but now that I’ve gone there, YOU HAVE TO SEE THE TAJ BEFORE YOU DIE! Despite it being just like the Philippines with all the chaos, India has magnificent architectural jewels amidst cities of “trash” (there are a lot on the streets, trust me). And that’s what makes it Incredible (India)! I’m glad we decided to take the trip, and don’t mind having spent a lot on it. It’s off the beaten path for us but was very much worth it!
Oh, and before I forget, here’s my McDonald’s meal in India– had it in Jaipur!

There is only one Chicken Maharaja Mac.