Delhi - Day 2

This is a link from my blog about my trip to India in 2014
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david63
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Delhi - Day 2

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Post by david63 »

After recovering from last night’s episode and having a really good meal we set off today for a tour of both Old Delhi and New Delhi.

A slight digression for a minute. So far we have found the food in India to vary from very good to excellent. There is such an eclectic range – from Italian to Thai, from Japanese to British or from International to, of course, Indian. The Indian food is nothing at all like anything you would see in an Indian restaurant/takeaway in the UK – it is far better than that. Before we came to India we spent several months trying out the recipes in Rick Stein’s India cookery book and they are probably about as authentic, from a UK position, as you can get, so we are not disappointed. One thing that we have found is that Indian wine (don’t laugh) is very good – especially the reds, and what is more it comes at an attractive price (compared to imported wines). In fact some of the Indian wines are better than a lot that you would find in the UK.

Back to the job in hand – namely today’s city tour. The tour started with a visit to the Jama Masjid Mosque which is the largest mosque in India with a capacity of around 25k people. As with all mosques everyone has to take off their shoes but in this one all of the non-Asian women, irrespective of how they are dressed, have to wear a “smock” – it was quite amusing seeing all these women going around in these smocks. This is the first time that I have been in a mosque of this type and I did not realise that the whole place is in the open air with only a narrow corridor around the site.

After our visit to the mosque we then went on one of the cycle rickshaws that abound in India. Now being in a car on the roads in India is bad enough but when you are in a rickshaw you are literally taking your life in your own hands. However the tour of some of the “back street” markets of Old Delhi was an experience not to be missed and the old guy who was pedalling/pushing the rickshaw certainly earned his fee – however he did “rip us off” over his tip – but that is all part of the adventure.

After this we should have been going to see Raj Ghat (the site of Mahatma Gandhi’s cremation) but owing to a visit from the president of Bhutan the site was closed, as was access to the India Gate (which is not to be confused with the Gateway to India in Mumbai which we will see in a couple of weeks’ time).

So now we move on to the site of Isa Kahn’s and Humayun’s tombs where there is also a superb mausoleum all in spacious grounds (partly laid out by the British when they were in Delhi).

After that we moved on to The Qutub Minar where there is probably one of the most spectacular, and tallest, minarets in the world. This site also includes a mosque that has had several bits added on to it over the years – although much of it is now in a semi ruined state.

Once that was completed it was back to the hotel where I was to meet the local agent for the tour company who was trying to “smooth the waters” about yesterday. That done to my satisfaction it is an early bed as we have to be up at 04:30 to catch the train to Agra (apparently it is all part of the experience/adventure – I will confirm/deny that tomorrow).


Ray Scully
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Re: Delhi - Day 2

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Post by Ray Scully »

:thumbup:

Ray

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wolfie
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Re: Delhi - Day 2

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Post by wolfie »

Our daughters are doing very much the same itinerary as you in India next year and I am saving your blogs for them. India was the most memorable place that we visited, albeit a short visit with only 2 stops, on our worldie but neither of us will ever forget it.

I recently won a Kindle for my review of our visit to India and it is now fully loaded with books for our next cruise.

Following you on your adventure with great interest.... just wish that we could do the same.

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Manoverboard
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Re: Delhi - Day 2

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Post by Manoverboard »

As Ghandi may once have said ... " NEVER leave your bags / possessions unattached in a rickshaw or you will certainly lose them, buddelly-wooddelly "

:wave:
Keep smiling, it's good for your well being

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