New Day, Old Delhi
Trip Start
Aug 11, 2007
1
3
23
Trip End
Jul 30, 2008
Delhi,
India
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Last night we had our first real night out in New Delhi. We went to an upscale market area and got delicious kabobs and paneer tikka rolls for dinner. Then we went looking for a bar or cafe where we could hang out.
By chance, we ran into one of the other fellow's friends from Wesleyan who has been working in New Delhi. It was great to have an "insider" to show us the good night spots, and he suggested that we try this diner/bar called "American Diner" of all things.
It was located in a posh hotel and the only way I can describe it is to say that it was exactly like Johnny Rocket's, red leather booths, soda counter and all, but with a full bar
Red Fort
.It's funny that on our first night out in New Delhi, we ended up going to such an "Americanized" place. Despite not having the full cross-cultural night out in Delhi, I had a lot of fun and it was nice to hang out with everyone after an intense week of orientation.
Today we had a free day in Delhi, and 3 of the other fellows and I decided to jump right into the thick of things and explore Old Delhi.
Old Delhi is the ancient, historic part of the city, but also a more run-down and poorer area, despite its exquisite architectural and cultural sites.
What I've heard about Old Delhi is that it's "an assault on the senses"....meaning that it's crowded with people, smells, animals, vehicles, garbage, etc. So, I wasn't sure what to expect.
We caught an auto rickshaw and all four of us piled in for our 30 min. ride into the old part of town. Our driver dropped us off in the center of Chandi Chowk, a huge, crowded market area in Old Delhi
Red Fort Courtyard
. We walked around a little to orient ourselves. Yes, it was hot as hell and the smog and pollution only made the heat more oppressive. However, I didn't feel that my senses were assaulted more than in any other bustling city I've visited. In fact, the market reminded me a lot of the markets I frequented in La Paz, Bolivia when I was there, and even made me a bit nostalgic for Bolivia. We then visited the Red Fort and Jama Masjid, two of Shah Jahan's creations from the 1600s. Red Fort was one of Shah Jahan's residences during the 1600s, and Jama Masjid is the largest mosque in India. We had to take off our shoes to enter the mosque, which is really just a huge courtyard with some covered sections with pillars. We also climbed up the minaret to get an awesome view of Delhi. Luckily one of the guys was with us, because women were required to be accompanied by a man to climb up the minaret...probably just for safety reasons!?
When we got hungry, we went in search of lunch. We found Old Delhi's McDonald's (yes, there is McDonalds in India) and although we didn't want to eat there, we wandered in to peruse the menu and see what different types of "McSandwiches" old Ronald had come up with for the Indian clientele. The menu included items like the "McAloo Tikka Chicken Burger," the "McMasala Burger" and other similar-sounding sandwiches
In front of Red Fort
. I wish we had such options in the U.S....I might even eat at McD's if we had such good choices.We left McD's and continued down the street further into Chandi Chowk. Just as we were getting tired and thinking that McD's might be our only hope, we happened on an Indian chain-like restaurant and all got yummy entrees and drinks. I got Paneer Tikka (Grilled/skewered cheese & veggies, my new favorite meal) and a mango lassi, delicious!
After seeing the sites, sweating a lot, and filling our bellies, we caught a rickshaw and piled in for the ride back to our hostal. I can honestly say that I was and am truly grateful for the A/C in our room and the cold shower.
I'm glad we got out and explored a little. Luckily I don't be living too far from Delhi this year, so I'll probably be back a few times...but this first day out gave me a glimpse of Old Delhi and a taste of what being in India is all about.
