Neemrana Fort

They always ask what I want to do on the weekend and I am at a loss because there is so much to do in India and I really am not sure what there is to do. They suggested we go to the Neemrana Fort about 1.5 hrs outside of Delhi and that we could stay the night and then return home on Monday afternoon in time for work. As always, I am up for anything and said "Let's Go". The Neemrana Fort is over 550 yrs old and was restored on 1986 and is now a small hotel with about 20 rooms. It is absolutely AMAZING! I cannot even begin how to describe what I experienced. It was so peaceful and serene and like taking a step back in time. I hope the photos below convey some of what I was feeling. Sorry, they have not been edited yet, but I wanted to share.

The ceiling of my room - Sheesh Mahal

My Room - Part 1

My Room Part 2

The Fort at night - Courtesy Neemrana Fort

The Fort from the front garden

Sunday

My favorite thing to do in Delhi is attend church. I am not sure if it is because it is the only thing that is the same as back home Utah or what but I love the Delhi 1st Branch. The members are mostly Indian with a few US families that are living in India. They members love the gospel and you truly see the blessings the gospel and our Savior bring into their lives. They face challenges that many of us cannot even fathom, however their dedication to the Lord is first and foremost in their lives. Some travel up to 2 hrs just to attend their weekly meetings and the goal of attending the temple is a once in a lifetime opportunity. However they are not deterred and continue to serve and worship our Savior. Here are some pictures of their building, Sacrament is in the basement while the class rooms are on the main floor. The upper two floors are apartments.

Views

My one requirement for a hotel this trip was that I wanted a fitness center so that I could run
while I was here. I hate missing two weeks of running and then trying to catch back up when I get home. My friends here found a hotel with a fitness center but it is not nearly as nice as the other hotels I have stayed at. I was feeling frustrated about the lack of service and other issues with the hotel and the fact that I when I run it is a SAUNA, until I realized it was just the way I was viewing things.

I have changed my view to be grateful I can run everyday, get rid of my frustrations and work up a really, really good sweat. I am also trying to be grateful that their is a lack of service because when I get back to reality in a week and a half it will not be such an adjustment.

It is all how you view it. So here are some of my views in India.

The view from the fitness center - This is all I see when I run

Family on a Motorcyle - Notice only a helmet on the father, that is the law.

View of the office where I spend my days and nights

View from my hotel room window

ooh - la -la

I love Paris, except for the fact that
fashionably I am way out of style. I arrived this morning and went for a run as soon as I checked in. I ran along the Seine River and around the Eiffel Tower for about 5 miles. After cleaning up I headed out to take some pictures but having no sleep for 28 hrs I began to get pretty tired. Ordered room service, edited some pictures, got a headache, took a nap and want to now - at midnight - head back out, but it way too cold for me, so sharing the pictures will do.