Lahore-Wagah-Amritsar(India)

so..next day..hectic day it was...crossing into India..
from Lahore transport towards Wagah border...took a while..
I kind of enjoyed this ride..most Pakistanis never go to India..
it's the old cat/dog game of hate between these 2 countries..
even up till today..they are still at daggers over Kasjmir..
politics,you know...as I said before..no interest..
we passed Shalimar gardens on the way to Wagah..
Mughal designers were masters in garden structures..
on page 25+26 you can read something about this stretch
about Wagah+Amritsar...the crossing into India was bit of
a hassle this time..one has to get exit stamps from Pakistan..
entry stamp for India..visa control etc..takes time..
it depends on the mood of the custom officials as well..
finally crossed again for my second time into India..
awww...I liked this country..it's so vast..so diverse..mystical..
the hippie freaks in the late 60's+beginning 70's..saw in India
sometimes an answer to their mystical/filosofical search..
I guess Ravi Shankar and Woodstock..had an influence on that..
I was a gypsie in hippie shoes...but later on..I developped hippie
beliefs...and I valued them ever after...not easy nowadays??
so..taxi from border to Amritsar town..nothing special really..
one sees these big coloured Indian trucks..masters of the road..
they often brake down...same with all vehicles in India..
roads are full of potholes...mostly in bad condition..
the Indian state of Punjab is a very fertile piece of India..
the Punjabi farmers work hard..get good crops..
it's said..their cows..produce the best milk in India..
Amritsar is a Sikh town..because of the Golden temple..
see links on page 25..lots of hippie freaks stayed in the
free gurdwara there...I went back there..by cycle rickshaw..
oh...cycle rickshaws..another typical thing India..
they all will try to cheat you of course..I spoke enough Hindi
to hassle them in a bit lesser price..kya baat hai??
means something like *what's the matter*
Amritsar town..got history....founded by Ram Das..a Sikh guru.
in 1576 or 1577??there has been lots of gurus..I believe 10??
so..I stayed again in the gurdwara..and I got the shits..bwaah..
i had eaten some cheap food from a roadstall..I had my pills
with me..from Belgium..they were called reasec...
and they worked...next day..my stomach was O.K again..
watch out what you eat in India...and where as well..
the Ram Niwas gurdwara got the langar system..
that means free food+lodging..many travellers took that chance..
so did I this time..I met some old Sikh guards..
funny..but they all recalled British rule as better organised..
the Sardaji's(nickname for Sikhs)made very filling curd..
the langar meals are served out of a bucket..dal/chappati..
Indians make jokes about Sardaji's..but I don't wanna go into that..
I respected these Sikhs very much..it's a good religion..
they all have long hair..in fact..they may NOT cut it..
there woman(sarani's)are very friendly..
beautiful in their salwar kameez as well..
they usually wear..a shawl as well..dupatta,I believe..
the Golden temple..one good advice??
if you cross overland into India.....
just visit this place..it's so nice..
very mystical experience..I believe..I've put links
on page 25 of my journal..check them out for pictures..
Sikhs are fierce people..they were a kirpan(dagger)
reminds me of Baluchi's..don't get into a fight with a Sikh...ahah..
no wonder that they make career in the Indian army..
it was a Sikh guard who killed Indira Ghandi..
their temple was believed to be a center for extremists..
Alkali Dal..it's a group...who fight for independance from India..
they call it Khalistan..will they ever get it??
http://in.rediff.com/news/2005/nov/02guest.htm
well..India gets its fights..look at Kasjmir,Assam nowadays..
killings..bombings..where has this world gone to??
well..i don't know..hippies fought for peace..
make love..not war??they lost their battle as well..
I think in my opinion..they dug their own graves..
drugs??peace??was an utopia in the 60's-70's..
the big political guys..played their games..
just like today..it has worsened in fact..
but...the hippies...it was a group...of folks..
like a family almost..same beliefs..drugs,sex,rock..
that was it,folks...no more then that..some dudes..
went to India...and got so influenced...
ever heard of Ram Dass??just google then..
dope was easily available in India..
they called it bhang..sharash..just name it..
later on in my life..I believe in 1980??not sure??
i made a trip to Kathmandu..a flight from Patna..
in fact with my brother+sister in law..
culture shock for my brother and his wife..
i guess when they were in India with me..they hated it..
they could NOT take the heat..corruption..overpopulation..
well..I could..to a better degree then them..
and I don't regret that..India marked my inside..my soul..
just go there yourselves..then talk to me..you will understand then..
now here..it's only a ranting about names..cities..sights..
India..you got to go there..smell it..absorb it in your soul..
oh..well..get on to your P.C.screens..and type something..
either worthfull..or bullshit..it's all up to yourselves..
chatrooms are nice to..just explore them...and talk sense..
I'll let you know about my train trip from Amritsar to New Delhi..
crazy tiger