Delhi, India
The Chandni Chowk street market
After flying through 4 countries in 24 hours, we arrived yesterday morning in Delhi, India tired and excited about the two weeks ahead. We were quickly introduced to the Indian way of life when our airplane had to stop 20 ft. short of our gate because a stray dog was lying on the tarmac. After a few minutes the dog finally moved, we made our way through customs and to our hotel, The Manor Delhi, by about 6 a.m. We spent most of the day sleeping, eating, and relaxing before tackling Delhi.
Today we ventured out of the security of our hotel and into the streets of Delhi for some sightseeing and shopping. Our day started with a stop at Humayun’s Tomb, which was the precursor and inspiration for the Taj Mahal, and we walked around the grounds for about an hour. We then headed to the Red Fort and the Chandni Chowk, known to be a chaotic and claustrophobic Indian street market. We spent about 3 hours walking through the shops and made our way to the end of the street and the area known as Spice Market. I think we’ve been desensitized to crazy streets and bad drivers because Shelly and I didn’t think it was that bad. We actually found our time walking the street to be fun and enjoyable. The vendors were not nearly as agressive as those in Cairo and were very friendly. The smell was powerful, but for everything bad there were the smells of incense, spices, and flowers to counter the odor.
I was also introduced today to Indian McDonald’s and tested out the Vegatarian menu. For 20 Rupees (50 cents US) I had a McAloo “Tikki” Burger. Instead of beef, my burger consisted of a falafel patty topped with sliced tomato and special sauce on a regular bun. I have to say, it wasn’t half bad and for 50 cents, it may be my Indian “go to” meal when nothing else looks good.
Our experiences in Peru, Argentina, and Egypt also prepared us well for the Indian Tuk Tuk drivers. Tuk Tuk’s are little motorized buggies that crowd the streets of South Asian countries and are a cheap way to get around town. We took three of them today and each tried running a scam on us… to no avail. The first tried taking us to his buddy’s gift shop en route to Humayun’s Tomb. The second tried selling us additional “sightseeing” on our way to the Red Fort. And the third pulled over on our way back to the hotel to re-negotiate our rate. All attempts were squelched and the drivers reluctantly got us to our destinations at the original, agreed upon rates.
Lastly, Delhi seems to be plagued with power outage problems. Last night our very nice (and expensive) hotel lost power problably 2 or 3 times. After touring the streets of Delhi, I now know why their power grid is prone to failure. Below is a picture of the powerlines in Old Delhi. How anyone knows what’s going on with this mess will remain a mystery with me…
A typical Delhi wiring job
Tags: India
nkurtz
Hi – Cano…
It’s quite the adventure you both are having….thanks for sharing all the details. In reading your entry about Delhi, I wanted to recommend a few things….try to stay in New Delhi and AWAY from old Delhi! If you want to do any shopping for souvenirs or artifacts, try to go to malls, a good one is GIP( Great India Place) or on Sundays Delhi has this outdoor market that is well organized, it’s called Delhi Hut.
As for restaurants – Try : The Great Kabab Factory. It’s a very well know restaurant inside Radisson hotel. The food is really good…it was the only place we enjoyed during our trip….it’s not at all like the hole in the wall type of places you’ve probably come across so far.
Also, if you need to speak to someone” trustworthy” in Delhi for information or recommendations you can call Rakesh’s cousins: Neerja and Sanjay. Their home # in Delhi is: 2694 3034.
Looking forward to reading your next posting. Have a safe trip…
Shneha
We complain about our overhead electric lines – Back to the old addage of be careful what you are complaining about. It was great hearing your voice & to have you remember our day, Shelly. You are experiencing things & collecting memories that will last a lifetime. Question – What happened to the link “Where in the World are We?” (The Map) I liked to follow it but can’t find it anymore.
Luvs to you both, stay safe. MamaC
WOW! I spent some time catching up with all that you’ve been doing over the last couple weeks…makes my life seem EXTREMELY boring!! I loved all the pics of the safari, and India looks like it will be very interesting to explore. BTW-glad you shaved the ‘stache Nate–I promise to respect you anyways 🙂
Miss you guys,
BB