backtracking

well i have been absent for a couple reasons. first, it had been very hard to find dependable internet in punjab. each time i would blog, "POOF!" gone like bad magic. and there are enough irritations here. and after my first real "good" day, i got my first giardia. this one put me flat on my back for 3 days. all because i forgot to dry out a glass before putting liquid in it. this feels like a rodent with long nails is doing laps in your intestine. it's terribly painful, and you shoot gallons of water out of your bum, so you have to drink gallons of water. i had to take antibiotics because i could not combat myself, and had not eaten for 3 days. so that's that.

in response to jeff, he is here. we took seperate flights and it took him 18 hours and me 36 to get to mumbai. he is doing fine, never gets sick, never lets anything bother him. we are very different beings. he will be leaving on the 18th, i'm pretty sure i will be home on 18 january.
***********************************************************************************
12-3
i visited the golden temple, which was the reason for my going to amritsar. it is the holiest shrine of the sikhs, a sect of the hindu religeon that broke off and formed their own thing around the 18th century for many reasons. they are a very peaceful people and i very much enjoyed being around them. the gold temple was much smaller than i imagined and is surrounded by a pool called amrit sarovat, which means nectar of the gods, where the name amritsar came from. this is enclosed by a beautiful white fort. the temple is open to all denominations, and a wonderful way to spend a beautiful day. before entering, you have to wash your feet and cover your head. you can take prasad-sweets-and distribute inside the different levels in the temple. there are musicians and priests on each floor and the music is broadcast on speakers throughout the compound. great atmosphere. you can watch this on television live every day. and every day at 5am, the holy book is carried into the temple, and removed at sunset. the golden dome is an inverted lotus flower representing the sikhs concern with the problems of the world. there is a sikh museum with paintings of mercinaries who have given their lives, graphic pictures of what was done to them (when they were forced to convert to islam), and one of muslims chopping up babies and making them into garlands and stringing them over the mother's necks. hardcore. there was even one of a sikh being boiled alive, who requested to stare into his guru's eyes as he died. outside is a 400 year old jubi tree believed to have shaded the very first priest-(ram dass?)and women pray there for future children.

afterwards we decided to hire an omni bus and go to wagha border-the border of pakistan and india-to watch the border guards do their competetive good natured dance. this is done daily at sunrise and sunset. the scene is very much like a high school pep ralley. the guards open the border gates and they do a marching kick dance that is remenicint of john cleeses "silly walk" from monty python. this was the most fun i have ever had in india and i went back to my hotel unable to wipe the smile off my face.

till i woke up with giardia.