The Golden Temple at night

After visiting Jallianwala Bagh, I returned to the hotel for a couple of hours before venturing out again to get something to eat ahead of my evening tour of the Golden Temple. I didn't want a huge meal, so ended up eating in a snack bar inside a toy shop, believe it or not 😂. I ate to the soundtrack of Let it Go from Frozen as two guys tried to decide on a musical toy to buy for one of their daughters! I had a cheese stuffed parantha with channa curry and mango pickle with dried fruit lassi to drink. It tasted fine, but I was so stuffed afterwards I could hardly move! I went for a brisk walk, but still felt very bloated when I went to meet my guide, Ronit, at 7pm.

Someone in Goa told me that my first view of the Golden Temple should be at night when it is illuminated. I'm so glad I took that advice. My first glimpse of the temple after passing through the entrance was breathtaking!

My guide, Ronit, was pretty useless. He didn't volunteer any information. I kept asking questions. He answered a few of them. He seemed more interested in what I was doing with my life! He said he couldn't believe my age as I looked similar to his Mum and she's 40! I guess I should have been flattered, but I think he probably needs his eyes tested 😂. He was more interested in making sure I was following the rules than in being a guide. He insisted that all my hair was covered with a scarf, despite the fact that most of the ladies were wearing their scarves in the way I normally do. He told me where I could and couldn't take photos, but he appeared to be making it up as he went along! He rushed me along to the communal kitchen, and was disappointed when I said I didn't want to eat anything. It became clear that he has his evening meal there whenever he is doing a tour. It wasn't on the itinerary, so I wasn't expecting it. Obviously, we had to remove our shoes before entering the temple, but I didn't particularly enjoy walking barefoot through the veg prep area! All in all, we were in and out in 50 minutes. It was really a waste of money, but I got some good photos, and I will return in the morning to explore at my own pace.Read more