Today, I am going to show you some sights and sites from Amdavad taken  the last few days.  Professor and I have been here a week and one day and the students not yet a week!  Already we have seen and done things way ahead of last trip because we are at least familiar with places and policies.

The phones were promised to be delivered at the hostel at noon today  in working order.  That was a result of us all going to the shop at  5 PM yesterday when and where  they were promised last.  We were told the internet site was down yesterday when we arrived!   Only after a few days, that sounded plausible! Just a minor challenge of being in Incredible India!

Saturday morning , we went to Old City for the Heritage Walk.  The area is know as The Pols.  Here is the Teen Darwaza Gate  from the 400 year old history of Amdavad.

Next see some of the old architectural details of the homes and businesses built along the narrow streets.  There is even a small piazza where the four houses that compile the square are from different styles and cultures. . . Persian, Hindu, Muslim, and  Jain.

Here is an old man and his beast of burden.

This is preparation for the International Kite Festival next week.  The strings are covered with  some gooey mixture containing  tiny pieces of glass.  Yes, this kite flying is serious business for  bragging rights!   The glass is to cut  the string of another competitive kite high in the sky !   Remember the scene in “The Kite Runner?”

We ended the tour at the Jama Mosque also known as  the Friday Mosque which is the Mosque for a huge gather of the faithful for prayer.

Here is an interior colonnade.  You can see the prayer rugs and even a person praying.

This is a screen window which are in many of the palaces and Mosques. In many cases it was for the women to stand inside, be able to see through the screen, but not seen from the outside.

For my taste in architecture, I love the simple elegance in design and details of the mosques.  Back on the street we headed to Vodafone to start the process of  getting phones.  RPI back in Troy insists that each student have at least a burner phone. It is important to stay in communications when they start exploring on their own.

This last picture is a young man who has the Indian entrepreneurial spirit!   He needed a job, saw a need in the community, and set up shop. . . no set up bike.  He rides around and sharpens knives for the community . The sharpener is powered by him peddling the bike.

Stay tuned for more sights and sounds from amazing Amdavad!

Please let me know what you think !