Delhi

  Delhi, India
Friday, January 19, 2007

 
 
 
 


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Dan, Justin and I arrived in New Delhi after a 7 hour bus-ride from Jaipur. We got into the city around midnight, and piled into a tuk-tuk to Lodi Gardens, one of the nicest neighborhoods in the city (maybe the country?). We were lucky enough to be able to stay in the guesthouse of the US Counselor General stationed in Delhi. Mr. Kaestner and his family are family friends of Justin. The guesthouse was great, and after long-awaited hot showers we all jumped into beds with clean sheets.

Our first views of Delhi were distinct from our other experiences in Indian cities. Not only were we staying in an upscale part of town, we saw for the first time law enforcement officials, public restrooms, trash bins and modern buildings and architecture. This was the progressive India with the surging economy one hears about on the news. We were of course in New Delhi, a part of the city constructed mainly by the Brits during their occupation of the country.

The first sites we saw were the India Gate, the Indian Parliament, Caunnought Place (a large traffic circle surrounded by modern shopping centers), the National Gallery of Modern Art and the Main Bazaar.

The next day we ventured into Old Delhi, a quick reminder of the cities we had left behind (i.e. peeing in the street, sans trash bins, etc.). In Old Delhi, we wound our way through the narrow streets to the Jamal Masjid, the largest Mosque in India. They tried to charge us to watch our shoes and to bring in a camera, so we enjoyed the view from the gate. Down the road we visited a bird sanctuary, and the massive Red Fort, the estate and stronghold where the royal family stayed. The intricate architecture and open grassy fields proved to be a peaceful escape from the melee of Old Delhi. My favorite part of all of Delhi was a breakfast/lunch that we had at Vig, a vegetarian hole-in-the-wall place right on the edge of the Chandi Chowk in Old Delhi and at the gate of the Red Fort. We had typical indian fare of Paneer Masala (chunks of cheese in a spicy curry) and Jeera Alu (potato spiced with cumin), complete with 6 chapati breads and two steaming glasses of chai tea. For dessert we split an order of butter naan, a delicious pastry-bread treat soaked in butter. The whole meal cost us about 90 rupees ($2.50 USd); Vig was a perfect example of the simple and inexpensive yet incredibly tasty cuisine India has to offer.

Finally situated, we decided to sample the Delhi nightlife. We undoubtedly would have been turned away at the door at the pricier Hotel lounges due to our grubby clothing, so we turned to the backpacker scene to find something to do. We went back to Pharanganj to find some fellow travelers, hoping to enjoy a local Kingfisher beer and trade stories about our adventures in India.

Unfortunately there were no bars, let alone any backpackers to hang out with. We did find one lounge, and sat down. We were, as usual, the only westerners in the place. We drank our beer (despite the 25 year age law for alcohol in India) and tried to ignore the high-pitched wails of the female lead in the live bar band. Clearly India is no Thailand or Rio, and regardless of nightlife, there are just not many westerners that travel through the country. I've always spent past trips trying to avoid plague of the cliche backpacker culture, yet here all I want to do is meet some Europeans and chit chat!!

All in all, the comforts of Delhi helped refuel our tanks, and with clean clothes and full bellies we set out for Varanasi. Varanasi, or Banares, juxtaposed with Delhi satisfied a more exotic palate. We all had been looking forward to Varanasi since we had arrived in India.