India 2017 Day 2 - Dehli

Up for breakfast at 7.30 this morning and just can't decide what to do. Met a couple from Canberra that will be on the same tour. So glad we were here yesterday as today being a Monday ( nothing to do with Christmas) all govt sites etc are closed ( for cleaning apparently, but I certainly doubt that ).
In the end we decided to grab our cabbie again and do what we can, after getting some more loo paper for the bathroom first ;-)
First stop Lodi Gardens which was originally Lady Wellington gardens who established them by knocking down a few villages so she could be reminded of England. These were very nice, but dry at the moment. Also the Bara Gumbad tomb and Mosque were incorporated into the gardens which date back to the 16th century along with the tombs of Mohammed Shah and Sikandar Lodi hence the gardens name.
Heaps of military and security personnel around today as apparently the prime minister is around with his family. All along the streets and corners with all types of weaponry.
From here we then drove to see the Lotus temple but this was closed (due to cleaning of course) and it was just a quick photo over the fence before we went to the Iskon temple on the advice of Ravindra (the cabbie) and this was an excellent experience. This was a Hari Krishna temple and they were celebrating/ praying inside which we were allowed into. The Hari chant we all know has so much more reverence and meaning when observed like this, a great diversion.
It was then time to fill the belly and Ravindra dropped us off, God knows where, in a little back street restaurant no larger than a suitcase full of locals and some tourists. Great food again, some Cottage cheese thing in a sauce for me while Isabel had a lovely Aloo Jeera (potatoes and spicy veg) with garlic naan and rice.
Now off to the Sarfdarjung tomb, the last of the Mughal tombs completed in 1754 in their decline. An imposing structure but not considered in the same standard as the others in Delhi. I enjoyed it and would recommend a visit if time permits.
We then headed back to the HP via the Barjrang Bali manir with its pink and white facade and multitudes of swastikas on every nook and cranny. No photos allowed here sorry as was quite different to the previous Hindu temples. Then a quick stop at the ATM for some cash and back at the HP for a rest before the intrepid tour meeting at six.
Met our guide and fellow travellers and got to have an excellent local vegetarian dinner with them before finally retiring at 10; another long and enjoyable day of sightseeing.