Exploring Delhi

Buffet homemade yogurt iced coffee and not spicy food

For the first time in over a week I got a full night of uninterrupted sleep. I showered and went down to the buffet, which was solidly good with an amazing variety. There was a tea maker who had several types of tea he could make so I ordered a cup of chai tea. They had a whole section of Indian food and I most of it was not spicy and quite good. They also had an American food area and I tried some bacon, which was not that good. There was also a bread section with doughnuts that I gave a wide berth…I can get those at home. Then I found the cold drinks and fruit section. This had fruit, fruit juice, plus really good yogurt like the homemade stuff at expensive restaurants, and iced milk coffees. The yogurt was exceptionally good and the coffee was also good once I added a bunch of sugar. I tried a few Indian dishes that looked really mild, and they were!

Buffet indian food options

Buffet american food optioins

Buffet tea station

Buffet cold juices yougart fruit room

Kativa and her family

There were a lot of dressed up people eating breakfast. One table near me had 2 women and 2 girls all dressed up and I asked if I could take their picture. The mother’s name is Kavita and she explained that for the upcoming wedding, there is a ceremony where the women get together and put turmeric on the bride’s face to make it glow. It was very cool meeting her and her family members. She recommended I check out the beaches in Odisha so I will need to put that on my list.

little boy squashed between parents on scooter

guy hauling 4 tanks on a bicycle

I left my bags at the hotel and set out to explore the city. The day before I had outlined 5 places I wanted to go: Akshardam which is a Hindu temple, and 4 places in Connaught Place. The drive there in traffic was interesting. Things they found ordinary were novel to me and I found myself snapping pictures like a Japanese tourist. I suppose that’s why they snap pictures…everything we do is so strange and novel to them! I took pictures of people enjoying the sun in the grass traffic circles and on small grass strips between traffic lanes. I took pictures of major roadways where bicycles, carts, scooters, tuk tuks, cars, and semi trucks all share the road. I took pictures of people carrying more than you thought possible on a bicycle and families squashed together on a scooter.

bicycle carts share the road with cars and trucks

Google is in Delhi

people using green space in middle of traffic circle

mom dad and 2 kids on scooter

Gas station

family picnicking in green space on side of road

Treet growing around fence

bicycles, tuk tuks, and cars on highway

lady hauling giant boxes on bicycle

akshardham

My first driver was extra good and pointed out some landmarks like the India Gate. At one point he missed the left exit and backed up on the roadway (making the cars behind him back up or go around him) so that he could make the exit. Only in India! I arrived at Akshardham and the entrance was sort of like an amusement park with instructions repeating across speakers: no pictures allowed (I did get one from the road that my driver pointed out), you must check all electronics and bags, no food allowed, etc. Many people go to tour the place and many go to pay respect at the temple. I took a picture of some women all dressed up to go in. I checked my stuff and they gave me a cool token with a number on the back to get my things afterwards.

ladies entering akshardham

cloakroom

token front

token back

cloakroom attendant

delhi_akshardham_temple_musical_fountains_postcard

Then I went through security screening and was sent to a woman in the corner who told me I needed to pull my shorts down so that they covered my knees. No worries, with no cameras there could be no evidence of how foolish I looked with my long shorts pulled down another 6 inches. Good thing my shirt was pretty long. For the temple, you also have to check your shoes at another place. But I just did a quick tour of the temple and was able to put my shoes back on (and according to a guard pull my shorts back up) for the rest of the area. I mostly wanted to see the pretty fountains, but they are apparently only on at the night water show and I couldn’t stay for that. I did see the fountains without water running and I saw some other pretty fountains that were running. Then I wandered to the food court and gift shop area and had my picture taken with the beautiful buildings of Akshardham in the background. I retrieved my belongings and caught an Uber to Connaught Place.

cloakroom pickup

me and my fried food

My first stop was Agrasen ki Baoli, which is a step well where people in the 14th century could also sit and relax. Next I walked to the Ram Chandler Toy Store, which is the oldest toy store in Asia, in business since 1890. Along the way I got some delicious fried veggies from a street vendors who fried them on the spot, yum! I also saw a shoe shiner sitting by a wall with a couple of customers who smiled and nodded. After I bought a couple items from the toy store, I walked around the main area of Connaught Place which has fancy stores like Tommy Hilfinger, Nike, and US Polo, but also has street vendors selling everything you can think of. If it even seems like you may have looked at their booth they are right on you asking you if you would like to buy something and promising good prices. Fortunately there was nothing I needed because these sharks would have eaten me alive!

Agrasen ki Baoli

fried veggie booth

removing my fried food

nice shoe shiner I should have used

in front of Ram Chander

Owner explaining battery installation to customer

Shoe shine scam

I had a number of boys ask to clean my shoes following me around trying to convince me while I firmly said no, but then realized my shoes were a bit dirty and I thought maybe I should help them out by giving them a little business. I was wishing I had stopped by the nice shoe shiner who had smiled with no high pressure following me around, which I hate. However, the walking path I had chosen between stops did not lead near him. So when the next young man asked to clean my shoes, I asked how much. He said 50 rupees, and I agreed. He had me remove my shoes and put on flip flops before proceeding to clean my shoes with a brush and then fine clean with a toothbrush. Then he removed my insoles, which made me nervous and they are orthotics that I really need for my plantar fasciitis. He took out some other soles and cut them to fit the insoles and put them both back in my shoe before putting the shoe on my foot. He asked if it was good and I said yes, not wanting to hurt his feelings since the extra insoles were fine but not as good as the original ones I removed to put in my orthotics. He then did the other shoe and started to glue the cheap insole onto my orthotic, which I immediately stopped, knowing I would be removing them later. After that he made a big show of finding a couple areas of my brand new Keen’s that needed gluing and put some super glue or something in to bind them. When I went to pay him by giving him 100, he said it was 280. I pointed out that the price was 50 but he said the insoles were an extra 180. I said I didn’t ask for them, he had just put them in, and I immediately took out the cheap insoles and gave them back to him and walked away. It really annoyed me that these guys try to scam people this way. I was going to tip him and give him the 100 anyways, so that was fine, but I vaguely remember either hearing about or experiencing this same scam 12 years ago when Amy and I were here. At least my shoes were actually clean so I guess that’s something. It’s a good reminder that when people are really pushy trying to get you to buy from them, you probably don’t want what they are selling or the price is too high.

I just loved this sign in a store on Connaught Place

another intriguing food that I did not try

Solar Tree Selfie Point

As I wandered along I saw the “Solar Tree Selfie Point” where many people were taking a selfie with this metal solar tree. If the locals think it’s a good idea, I guess I should do it too so I took one. My next stop was the Jantar Mantar. These grounds contain 13 architectural astronomical instruments built to tell time in 1724. Jantar Mantar means “instruments for measuring the harmony of the heavens.” The Samrat Yantra is a giant sundial accurate up to two seconds and is the world’s largest sundial. Other instruments were used for various Astronomical measurements such as elevation and positions of stars, diameter of the sun, and determining the exact noon in cities all over the world. I have no idea how they do that or even which does what, but they were very cool to look at and a great reminder of the outstanding contributions to math and science that India has made.

Misra Yantra

Samrat Yantra the worlds largest sundial

Rama Yantra

People selling stuff

Last on my list was Bangla Sahib Sarovar, which is a pond in front of a Sikh temple. I didn’t want to go in, I just wanted a picture of the temple in the pond next to it. On my way there, a young man greeted me and said if I was going to the temple I was headed in the wrong direction and he pointed behind me. I had my google maps out and said no, I was going to this place (indicating on my phone). He then said, oh, the Sikh temple. He said he was going there himself, and walked with me. He spoke pretty good English with an accent so I didn’t believe him when he said he was from Washington DC and his girlfriend was from there also. We made light conversation and then when we got close to the temple, he said he knew of a good place I should go next. I said I had to get to the airport, and he said it wouldn’t take long, it was just a nice place with very nice cashmere to buy. I affirmed that I had no time and he wished me a nice day and walked away. Delhi is definitely not my favorite city.

Entrance to temple

Once at the Gurudwara Sahib Sarovar, it became apparent that I would have to enter the grounds to gain access to the pond, so I checked my shoes and walked in, stepping into the running pools of water that everyone was cleaning their feet in before proceeding. I saw people cover their heads but figured that if I did not enter the temple, I would not need to. A man at the top stopped me and firmly let me know that I needed to cover my head regardless. I went back to the large bin of hair coverings for just this purpose and managed to sort out how to put one on. He was much happier once I had complied, and I proceeded down the steps to the pool and around to the other side where I took my picture. Unfortunately, the sun was already down so the reflection was not as sharp plus they had odd hot pink neon lighting around the temple, but it was still pretty.

Small pool to wash feet

me with pond in background

Temple reflected in pond

Gorgeous stone tiles around pond

scooter in accident seems okay

While waiting for the Uber back to my hotel I witnessed a few accidents. One was a scooter who collided with something unknown and everyone rushed to make sure he was okay. He did end up getting back on his scooter and driving away. Then awhile later two cars swapped some paint. The car who got hit was driven by a very large man who got out and spoke quite angrily at the offending driver. This prompted others on the sidewalk to walk over to intervene, but after a couple more sharp words and a glower, then man got back in his car and drove off. I also watched some stray dogs cross the street. Like pedestrians in this environment, you have to have good timing and lots of courage. Two of them made it across just fine, but one more hesitant dog wandered up and down the median looking for a chance to cross.

saying goodbye to Doubletree Baani Square

As my Uber took me back to the hotel to get my bags, I saw a giant electric billboard that said “Namaste Delhi” so I think the government is going all out to encourage its citizens to be happy. They also have many roads signs saying things like “a little care makes accidents rare” and other signs asking drivers to slow down and honk less. Honking is pretty much constant in Delhi. When I was on the phone with someone back home, they asked “what is that?” and I realized they meant the cars honking, which by then I had started to block out as the noise was constant, day and night and even audible in my hotel rooms. Anyways, I got my bags and said farewell to my friends at the Doubletree Baani Square, then took another Uber to the airport.

my plate of saag, dal, and some spicy veggies

This time it was all smooth sailing and before you know it, I was through security with an hour to spare before my flight boarded. I saw a sign for the Premier Lounge, which was supposedly closed according to the Priority Pass app, but when I took the escalator up, they appeared to be open. I had a nice relaxing time there, getting some good, only slightly spicy hot food. They didn’t have Diet Coke, so I got a Diet Pepsi and was in for a surprise. Instead of the slightly peppery taste of Diet Pepsi back home, the Diet Pepsi here tasted a lot like Coke Zero, which is my preferred soft drink. I boarded my plane and even though it was over halfway full, I lucked out and got a row to myself so I was able to lie down and sleep for the midnight to 5am flight.

The Premium Lounge is actually open like an oasis

hot food including dal panchmel, kadhai veggies, Murgh Saagwala

Their Diet Pepsi tastes better than ours