Indian Dancers at the Red Fort in New Delhi

It was India’s Republic Day when I arrived in New Delhi. I only saw a tiny part of the parade because it was raining cats and dogs. Being short really sucks especially if you’re standing behind hundreds of people with their cameras and cellphones up in the air.

The next day, after my visit from Qutub Minar, I decided to go straight to the Red Fort. There was a celebration outside the wall and I was told that visitors were not allowed. I couldn’t believe it so I asked another security guard. He told me that I could go inside and watch the cultural presentations on stage. “And with a sad heart, I tell you that the Red Fort is closed until January 31,” he added.

He then pointed me to the long queue of people headed for the gate. Seeing my face in disbelief, he smiled and I walked away with a heavy heart. Then he called me to follow him. He assisted and showed me the way to avoid the queue and helped me get into the scanning machine faster. I couldn’t thank him enough for the VIP Pass. 🙂