travelmad478

My God, I didn't even notice that until you pointed it out just now. For a second there I thought I might have been going overboard, but now I think I could have gone farther.


Well, I'm an American and always have been, so I don't think being American makes one insular and incurious. Unfortunately, I've found these qualities in plenty of people right around the globe. The thing is that you have to actually GO overseas to meet people of other nationalities who are as wilfully ignorant and ill-traveled as your Texas friends, since they're staying at home too!

You want to go where?

Heck, the pollution hits you before you leave the plane. Talk about sensory overload! This was the thing that struck me most on my first visit to India. Everyone warned me about the poverty, advised me about the wonderful sights, etc. Eat the food, don't eat the food. No one mentioned the smells. Pollution in Indian cities is very high, and has a uniquely Indian smell. It is a combination of burnt hydrocarbon fuels and plastics, human and animal waste, in some places, rotting vegetation, Also once you are on the ground, you start mixing in the wonderful spices from the cooking, unwashed people, mold and mildew, insecticides, furniture polish in the high-end hotels. You get used to it, but it can be a shock when you first experience it.

If you have asthma, take your inhaler and all the drugs you have available to you. You will need them.

I hope that I haven't put you off from visiting India. Despite this issue, I loved India, have been back three times since that first visit, and always look forward to my next visit.

PhlyingRPh

Well it's stolen territory, no doubt about it, but then again, so is most of the south west.

etch5895

El Paso, isn't that part of Mexico?

AA25

"drbond" I wouldn't do what other did. I would not question / doubt your intent of asking what you asked. Why? Because I know it is easy to plan the destinations but difficult to find if those are safe places. Rather than pointing fingers at others, these intellectuals should look in the mirror...everyone responded to you question "is India safe for Americans" but no one responded to you your question on Tiger reserves...(I made sure I did).

I agree with your post that you deleted...Hindus have no anger towards westerner and most Muslims do (some may call is opening a can of worms but that true).

But I will still correct my earlier comment that I wrote in a Jiffy.....

"Avoid majority Muslim area that are not tourist attractions and avoid all majority Muslim areas at odd hours....same is true for slums also (but who goes to slums on a tourist trip !!!)"

I think your and your family's safety is a bigger priority than "my political correctness". Other comments in my earlier post remain unaltered.

GUWonder...looks like you have only seen Old Delhi. I have been to many other cities also... Hyderabad, Kanpur, Lucknow, Jabalpur......and what I say is what locals told me !!! I wouldn't say anything more than that. It’s for you to take it or leave it.

Bihar well I would just not advise that to a guys visiting India for the first time although I know it has improved under the new Government.

And why I am not surprised that you sound like a pseudo secular.

Few Hindus not liking "Christian Missionaries/ Evangelists" needs to be highlighted but all the war zones in the world are Muslim area and all the trouble around the world (including India) being created by Muslims is to be underplayed.

A small percentage of Hindus do dislike "Christian Missionaries/ Evangelists" (whichever color) who go to India with the sole aim of converting people using any means. In the process they dishonor local gods, beliefs, traditions and customs and get into trouble. Even these people are very well treated in most places and only in less than 1% cases they get into trouble. Otherwise Christians are as safe in India as they are in US. Christians at 2.5% of India’s population get Good Friday and Christmas holidays…compare that to any other majority Christian country !!

If you are a tourist you will be very well treated and there is nothing to fear at all.

Yaatri

A monument is as Hindu or Muslim as an architecture or art is. My comment was directed at the OP becuase he was afraid of "muslims" or anything with muslim association. Muslim monuments were built by a mix of Hindu, Christian Hindu and what not labour/artisans and vice versa. So we are in agreement there. When the OP is walking around, he would be seen as "white" not an American. If he becomes a victim of a scam or street crime it would be because he was seen asa rich foregin torits who let his gaurd down, not because he is an American or a Christian.

travelmad478

First of all, I would do a little more research before you assume that GUWonder has only been to Delhi! Second, I too have been to dozens of other cities in India, including Hyderabad and other heavily Muslim areas. I spent days wandering around Hyderabad, including the crowded downtown which is overwhelmingly Muslim, and I felt perfectly fine. I went out at night with two local male friends who are Indian Muslim, ate haleem at a local restaurant with them, and didn't even feel like people were looking at me funny. I am an American and a woman. NO PROBLEMS. The advice to avoid Muslim areas is complete rubbish.

PhlyingRPh

^ You are right.

The great thing about India is that every building of any significance must have been built by workers of many religions and ethnicities hailing from many regions and even other countries.

AA25

I too have been to Hyderabad during Ramadan and ate Haleem, Halees and Biryani. I have my own experiences but I prefer to keep quiet on those.......all I can say is I still stand by what I suggested.........take it or leave it. Remember....better safe than sorry.

It is very interesting that you are confused on my comment about the war zones being Muslim territories.....Iraq, Sudan, Palestine, Kashmir, Afghanistan-Pakistan, Chechnya etc. Where does that leave you?

anaggie

Again...getting back to the OP....boy...are'nt you all sensitive....

Bond...suggest you do some time in the North and South to get feeling of the cultural difference...

I have been to Ranthambore and saw 5 tigers in the wild.....one even came and crossed our jeep approx 5 feet away...I almost pulled a Steve Irwin and wanted to touch him...What an exhilarating and unforgetable moment !!!!!!

Stay at the Oberoi in Ranthambore....definetly worth it and ask for the tents....

anaggie

even I have been to muslim areas during Ramandan,...all I can say is AMAZING FOOD..went with my Muslim suppliers who are well know in their community...so nothing was said....

To me FOOD supercedes RELIGION on any given day !!!

GUWonder

Not true. I responded about some tiger reserves barely having any tigers whatsoever. Wouldn't want the OP disappointed.

False claim in your post, yet again. I've visited a lot of India. I would venture to say I've seen parts of India that are off limits to most -- areas that are probably even off limits to you.

Nice try, but it won't work on me, especially taking things out of context. My example was a response to demonstrate there are radicals in every major religion; it was certainly no peddling of the kind of paucity of thinking that peddles singularity of identity to tar whole communities.

Talk about barking up the wrong tree. Again, my example was to demonstrate there are radicals in every major religion. Nothing more, nothing less.

And again, in the above post, we have more of that "all the war zones in the world are Muslim area and all the trouble around the world (including India) being created by Muslims is to be underplayed" rhetorical nonsense. The claim you are making is patently false. Have you checked out the fighting around Colombia? How about Sri Lanka? How about Nagaland in India? And that's just the start.

The above rhetoric I've quoted in AA25's post is patent anti-muslim hatred founded on telling ignorance. I'm ashamed that so much hatred for the second most populous national muslim grouping on the planet -- namely, India's muslim population, has found its way into this forum.

GUWonder

Exactly.

PhlyingRPh

Got that right! (as long as it's not roast pig though )

GUWonder

I know a chef who makes some deadly lamb vindaloo.