Delhi Metro Rail Mass Transit System: a Modern Taj Mahal
Beauty in construction scaffolding
The New Delhi mass transit system “Metro” is a modern Taj Mahal in its beauty, scale, and achievement for the nation of India. This I have come to believe after riding it through the city center and visiting its newest stations, still under construction.
First the act of riding the New Delhi Metro system
Unlike so much in India, the Ne Delhi metro system is amazingly efficient. You can buy a ticket from the automated kiosk or from a station attendant. Prices are dirt cheap – maybe $0.30 per ride, anywhere along the system. And well worth the money.
Read MoreCalifornia’s Capitol Corridor Commuter Connection
California transit foaming start
After a week of the Global Social Benefit Incubator, I needed a break. I needed an escape from thinking about sustainable international development and San Francisco called my name. Even better, the Bay Area is served by a great rail network, perfect for my transit foamer fetish.
First up, I called Kristin and Mark, the dynamic duo behind Inveneo and asked them for a lunch date. Ever the gracious hosts, they agreed to meet me at the 22nd Street Station in San Francisco, a short hop north of Santa Clara on the convenient CalTrain that stops at the Santa Clara University front door.
After a relaxing six mile run (and a shower) I bought my $7.50 train ticket and settled in for a wait at the Santa Clara train station. A wait entertained with model railroads and a very interesting but annoyingly noncommercial train museum complete with model trains but no postcards or other purchasable train memorabilia.
Read MoreFrankfurt U-Bahn Musical Shopping
There is nothing quite like the experience of a European layover transition between a sweaty developing country and home sweet home America. Usually appearing as some odd dream at a painfully early hour, the Euro-jolt serves as a buffer, a reentry to Western civilization.
This trip, Frankfurt was my transition and with three hours before my next jet-leg, I fought jetlag with a trip to Frankfurt’s Römerberg central square. Being a transit foamer, I looked forward to checking out Frankfurt’s U-Bahn.
As a combined system of full metro and typical German Stadtbahn, the U-Bahn has an eclectic mix of passengers to augment its hybrid design. On my commute this morning was the airline stewardess, a logical companion from the airport, and this man, a Renaissance accordionist:
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Read MoreFlickr Photo Pools: Hacked or Just Gone Mad?!
This morning I was looking to add a post to Metroblogging DC, the hyper-local view of Washington DC that I love. But when I went to my DC Metroblogger Flickr account to find the transit foamer image I wanted, my web wanderings took an unexpected turn.
When I clicked on my Transit Foamer photo pool, where I have images of public transport options worldwide, I found a whole different kind of foamer staring back at me. Shocked, I refreshed the page, thinking it was a temporary error, but the new “foamer” was still there.
To my relief, when I clicked through, it was my original photo, but back at the photo pool page, the foamer only shifted locations.
Read MoreMy Swiss Miss Advertising Love in Zurich
On my long flight back from Macedonia to Washington DC, I transferred through Zürich International Airport (ZRH) in Kloten, Switzerland. There, as I took the driverless train from one international terminal to another, I fell in love.
Yes, I lost my heart on an underground people mover.
Blowing me a kiss from the other side of moving glass and steel was Heidi, my Swiss love. Calling to me, to my soul, to my tourist dollar, was an advertising beauty you must see to believe:
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