Born To Travel's Big Trip travel blog

Another not to be missed place to visit to learn more about...

See the film "Gandhi" for a re-enactment of this massacre.

More normal headgear on for this shot.

There is a real eery feeling about this place especially if you...

It's all very vivid.

Eternally burning flame for those who fell that day in 1919.

Advertising gets everywhere!

And off I go.

The main memorial to the 2000 dead and wounded.

I got one of the groundsmen involved in some photography. Not a...

SECOND attempt and we're getting there:)

It's hard to imagine exactly what it must have been like for...

Grim sight.

And more.....

Read in silence.

Inside the well hundreds jumped into in order to escape the bullets...

Nuff said.

Doesn't seem this was a great hiding place unfortunatley.

A wider angled shot showing the gardens that now surround the memorial.

The guy who vowed to revenge the massacre on that day in...

Massacre revenged in the eyes of the Indian people.

Artists impression of the scene that day. Not pretty.

This is the narrow entrance through which the troops led by general...

The covered areas now good for shade mark the positions taken up...

And from further to the right taking in the place where the...

Walking through the narrow alley through which Gen Dyer and his troops...

And across from the massacre memorial, Indian life carries on at full...

Back in the hub hub of Amritsar old town, it seemed louder...

Heading into the narrow side streets of Amritsar town, I spot a...

Check it out! Could there be anymore, adverts, people and vehicles in...

How does someone plan a block of flats like this?

Evidence of the forthcoming General Election.

Change of plan obviously.

Charge! The railway crossing barrier rises:))

Not anymore it isn't....

Should be part of a museum itself looks like.

Had been left to the birds it seems before the restoration work...

Must have been a lovely place to visit in its heyday.

Known as the "Lion of Punjab", Maharaja Ranjit Singh, took over Kashmir...

Only had one eye youknow.....

Get the magnifying glasses out.

The Maharaja's view over the park.

You can put the magnifying glass away now.

Hidden behind the old museum/Summer Palace, the new modern version. Think I...

Not in the LP I had, surprising as this was opened three...

A couple of Punjabi horsemen guard the entrance.

A little surprise for me. The Hindu version of The Golden Temple...

Yes! Ganesh is back:)

The doors are silver believe you me.

Told you:)

Fine engravings on one of the entrance doors.

Looking familair but not quite so grand.

Ganesh above the side door to the temple.

Seems to be a lot of gold used in this "Silver" temple.

Great mosaic decoration of the interior.

It's just not got the same feel about it as the Sikh...

It's got the same set up as the Golden Temple but is...

I was virtually the only one there, unsurprising really in the heart...

Nearly down the lap.....

Shrine at the entrance of the "Silver Temple".

Housing overlooking the temple entrance making it look like the temple was...

Exit back into the busy back streets.

It's like a surging wave coming towards you standing in one of...

But you can soon be away from it all.

Orderly male queue awaiting entrance into the Pakistan Border area.

I don't think it would be advisable to get caught up in...

Or this!

Don't make me leave!

Looking through to the Pakistani side.

Fancy bit of headgear of the Indian border guards.

1949 being the forming of Pakistan for those than know their history.

Foreigners get VIP treatment. The BSF have quite a no nonsense approach...

A very strange scene I thought. Didn't know what to make of...

The superfit looking border guards for good reason.

Indians gather for the "performance". Notice the women are seperated from the...

A slightly different story on the Pakistan side of the border.

Mutli-coloured crowd start to get a little excited.

I looked away for a few moments to turn back to see...

It got stranger by the minute as people of all ages began...

I was joined by a troop of very excited Scouts.

Mayhem! Seemed only women and kids could take part in the charge...

Aha! A few of the opposition crowd appear. Think I'm with the...

Thought I had come to see some solemn border ceremony but no,...

The call goes up from them head guy and the frenzy accompanying...

And the gates slam shut just after a handshake and salute between...

A strange site with the 2 countries soldiers only feet apart.

Preparing to lower the flags.

Lowering of the flags - a well oiled machine.

And at the only gateway into India from Pakistan, the Indian flag...

And as the sun sets the flags are lowered exactly in time...

Gates closed the soldiers relax even although I have a machine gunner...

Bizarrely the Indians surge forward to chant at the Pakistani side. I...

Quite rightly the Pakistanis have gone from their side. What a strange...

Need I say more.....

Movie Clips - Playback Requirements - Problems?

(MPG - 9.24 MB)

These guys have style!


Feeling the heat getting to me, I took the offer from a rickshaw driver to show me around for the day. The driver seemed a friendly enough guy and it was definitely the way to get around as I took in loads including some bits not in LP.

I've only got a couple of points to make on my journey to the Border ceremony. The bus was 15 rupees from Amritsar while one tuk-tuk guy at the bus stop in tried to get 300 rupees out of me for the return trip would you believe. Yes I hear you say! He also said there was not a bus back. Slightly worrying but I didn't show, it.

I enjoyed the bus ride joining the locals in having a little snooze. A rickshaw ride of 2 km awaited me the conductor told me which should cost me 10 rupees. Of course none of the rickshaw drivers would do the journey for less that 20 rupees i.e. double from what the bus conductor had told me it would be. Saying that I felt for the guy as it was slightly uphill and I hadn't lost any weight since being in India that was for sure.

Worse was to come on the return journey as the bus had left already I was told. Would you credit it! I ended up befriending a couple from Denmark and shared a tuk--tuk back to Amritsar for 50 rupees each. The driver? Yup, the guy who told me there was no bus back. I had to laugh though, the guy was right, no bus. This was better than the rickshaw drivers who were trying to take 50 rupees off unsuspecting tourists back to the non-existent bus!! What a racket!

Best idea I heard was from an Italian couple who had found a minibus for hire for 75 rupees each while I spent 85 in the end. Again it pays to be travelling in a pair at least.

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